John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 50:2

"Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stink, because there is no water, and die for thirst." — Isaiah 50:2 (ASV)

Why did I come? This might be one reason given: that the people have not only brought upon themselves an immense mass of evils by provoking God’s anger, but have also, by their obstinacy, cut off the hope of obtaining pardon and salvation. But I think that God proceeds even further.

After explaining that he had good reason for divorcing the people—because they had, of their own accord, given themselves up to bondage when they might have been free—he adds that it is still not he who prevents them from being immediately set at liberty. As he showed in the former verse that the whole blame rests with the Jews, so now he declares that it is their own fault that they grow old and rot in their distresses. For the Lord was ready to assist them, if they had not rejected his grace and kindness.

In short, he shows that both the beginning and the progress of the evil arise from the fault of the people, so that he may free God from all blame and show that the Jews act wickedly in accusing him as the author of evil, or in complaining that he will not assist them.

First, then, the Lord says that he “came.” And why, unless it was that he might stretch out his hand to the Jews? From this it follows that they are justly deprived, for they would not receive his grace. Now, the Lord is said to “come” when he gives any token of his presence. He approaches by the preaching of the Word, and he also approaches by various benefits which he bestows on us, and by the tokens he uses to manifest his fatherly kindness toward us.

As Moses says, “Was there ever any people,” “that saw so many signs, and heard the voice of God speaking, like this people?” (Deuteronomy 4:33).

Since constant invitation was of no advantage to them when he held out the hope of pardon and exhorted them to repentance, it is with good reason that he speaks of it as a monstrous thing and asks why there was no one to meet him. They are therefore considered convicted of ingratitude because, while they ought to have sought God, they did not even choose to meet him when he came. For it is an instance of extreme ingratitude to refuse to accept the grace of God which is freely offered.

Why did I call, and no one answered? In the word call, there is a repetition of the same statement in different words. When God “calls,” we ought to be ready and submissive, for this is the “answer” which, he complains, was refused to him; that is, we ought to yield implicitly to his word.

But this expression applies strictly to the matter at hand, because God, when he offered an end to their distresses, was obstinately despised, as if he had spoken to the deaf and dumb. Therefore, he infers that the blame for not having been delivered sooner lies with them. He supports this with former proofs, because he had previously shown to the fathers that he possessed abundant power to assist them.

Again, so that they may not quibble and excuse themselves by saying that they had not obtained salvation, though they heartily desired it, he maintains, on the other hand, that the cause of the situation ought to be sought somewhere else than in him (for his power was not at all diminished). Therefore, he would not have delayed to stretch out his hand to them in distress if they had not wickedly refused his aid.

By shortening has my hand been shortened? By this interrogation, he expresses greater boldness, as if he were affirming what could not be called into question. For who would venture to plead against God that his power was diminished?

He therefore relates how powerfully he rescued his people out of Egypt, so that they may not now imagine that he is less powerful, but may acknowledge that their sins were the hindrance.

He says that by his reproof he “dried up the sea,” as if he had struck terror by a threatening word. For by his authority and at his command, the seas were divided, so that a passage was opened up (Exodus 14:21), and Jordan was driven back (Joshua 3:16). The consequence was that “the fishes,” being deprived of water, died and putrefied.