John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 42:4

"He will not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set justice in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law." — Isaiah 42:4 (ASV)

He shall not faint, nor be discouraged. The Prophet alludes to the preceding verse and confirms what he previously said: that Christ will indeed be mild and gentle towards the weak, but he will have no softness or lack of resolve, for he will resolutely execute the commission he has received from the Father. This is what he means when he says that he shall not faint; and in this verb יכהה (yichheh) there is an allusion to a previous verse, in which he spoke of smoking flax. Now, he shows what is the true moderation of meekness: not to turn aside to excessive indulgence, for we ought to use it in such a manner as not to deviate from our duty. Many people wish to profit by the name of gentleness, so as to gain the applause and esteem of the world, but at the same time betray truth in an ignoble and shameful manner.

I remember that there were in a populous city two preachers. One of them boldly and loudly reproved vices, while the other sought to gain the favor of the people by flatteries. This fawning preacher, who was expounding the Prophet Jeremiah, came upon a passage full of the mildest consolation. Having found, as he imagined, a suitable opportunity, he began to declaim against those harsh and severe reprovers who are accustomed to terrify people with thunderbolts of words. But on the following day, when the Prophet changed his subject and sharply rebuked wicked men with his characteristic vehemence of style, the wretched flatterer was compelled to face bitter scorn by retracting the words that were fresh in the memory of all his hearers. Thus, the temporary favor he had gained quickly vanished when he revealed his own disposition and made himself abhorred by both the good and the bad.

We must therefore distinguish between the submissive and the obstinate, so that we do not abuse that mildness by using it on every occasion. Yet Isaiah declares that Christ’s fortitude will be unshaken, so that it will surmount every obstacle. For by these words, Till he put judgment, he means that the ministry of Christ will be so effective that the fruit of his doctrine will be manifested. He does not merely say, “Till he has made known the will of his Father,” but “Till he establish judgment,”—that is, as we previously said, the proper exercise of government. Christ’s ministry, therefore, he testifies, will not be unfruitful but will have such effectiveness that people will be reformed by it.

This must not be limited to the person of Christ but extends to the whole course of the gospel. For he not only fulfilled the mission committed to him for three years but continues to carry out the same mission every day through his servants. Yet we are reminded that it is impossible for us to fulfill that office without being compelled to suffer many hardships and endure conflicts so severe and dangerous that we will be almost overwhelmed and ready to abandon everything. Still, we must not give up but persevere constantly in our duty and run to the very end. Therefore, the Prophet testifies that Christ will be so steadfast that he will pursue his calling to the end; and, following his example, we ought boldly to persevere.

And the isles shall wait for his law. Here he uses the word Law to mean “doctrine,” as the Hebrew word for “law” is derived from a verb that means “to teach.” Thus, the prophets are accustomed to speak of the gospel in this way to show that it will not be new or contrary to what was taught by Moses.

The isles. We have previously shown that Hebrew writers give the name of isles to countries beyond the sea.

The Prophet confirms the previous statement, by which it was declared that Christ had been appointed not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles, though they had nothing in common with the Jewish nation. In short, that promise relates to all nations, so that the advantages of this restoration and reformation may be shared by every part of the world.

By the word wait, he means that the elect will eagerly embrace the gospel offered to them. The Lord displays in it the power of his election, for they who wandered in darkness (Matthew 4:16), as soon as they hear the voice of the gospel, embrace it with the greatest eagerness. Although they previously wandered like scattered and lost sheep, they immediately hear the voice of the shepherd and cheerfully submit to him, as Christ himself has also spoken (John 10:16).

Hence we learn that the saying of Augustine is extremely true: “that many sheep wander out of the folds, while wolves frequently dwell within the folds.” This attentiveness is the work of God, when people who thought they were wise give up their own judgment and have to learn the gospel of Christ, so as to depend entirely on this teacher.