John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 52:11

"Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; cleanse yourselves, ye that bear the vessels of Jehovah." — Isaiah 52:11 (ASV)

Depart ye, depart ye. He now exhorts the people to be always ready to set out, and at the same time to bear their misery with patience. Just as the excessive haste of the people needed to be restrained, so it was also proper to shake off their slothfulness. Before the time of deliverance arrived, they burned with extravagant eagerness to depart; but when the period of the captivity was fulfilled, they had grown languid through long delay and had thrown away all hope and wish to return, so that there were few who returned to Judea.

They had mingled with the Babylonians, whose customs had captivated and depraved them so much that they disregarded their native country. Therefore, they needed to be aroused and admonished, so that they might not lose heart through long expectation and might not allow themselves to be corrupted by the pollutions of the Babylonians.

Touch not what is unclean. This expresses more clearly what we have already said. He commands them to keep themselves pure and free from the defilements with which the Babylonians polluted themselves; for there was a risk of their being corrupted by the pollutions of the Gentiles, as we are all prone to evil and easily led away by bad examples.

Accordingly, he exhorts them, though they are captives, not to do anything for the purpose of pleasing their masters or of having their condition improved. He urges them not to allow themselves to be drawn aside from the pure worship of God, not to be polluted by their idolatries, and not to pretend that they worship idols or approve of their religion. For this is detestable uncleanness, which the Prophet commands them to shun.

Captives and those who groan under tyranny often meet with temptations of this kind, under which they frequently sink, allowing themselves to do many things that are unlawful and base under the pretense of wishing to mitigate the rage of tyrants. But we see in this passage how frivolous their excuse is. For the Prophet does not exhort the Jews to be clean only when they will be free, but as long as they are held captive, and even when their life is in danger.

These words undoubtedly relate to us also, whom Paul exhorts to be unpolluted, not only in spirit, but also in the flesh (2 Corinthians 7:1).

Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of Jehovah. This exhortation is especially directed to the priests and Levites, who, being standard-bearers, ought to maintain greater integrity. It is not that others have a right to pollute themselves, but he addresses them chiefly so that they may give an example to others, to whom they have been appointed as guides. Besides, we must remember what we have already seen, and what Isaiah will again repeat at the end of this book, that there will be a new priesthood among a redeemed people (Isaiah 66:21).

Yet I approve of the simple meaning, that the Levites and ministers of the temple are put, by way of eminence (κατ᾿ ἐξοχὴν), for the whole of the people.

This doctrine, therefore, relates today not only to ministers of the word but to all Christians, who are also called a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) and not only are appointed to carry the vessels of the temple but are themselves temples of God (1 Corinthians 16; 1 Corinthians 6:19). Thus Ezekiel predicted that at the restoration of the Church the Levites will be high priests, and the whole people will be admitted into the order of the Levites.

Therefore, since the Lord has raised all to so high a rank of dignity, it follows that this cleanness is demanded from all without exception. For this reason, Paul also applied this passage to the whole Church.