John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 53:8

"By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who [among them] considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke [was due]?" — Isaiah 53:8 (ASV)

From prison and judgment. There are various ways in which this passage is interpreted. Some think that the Prophet continues the argument he had already begun to discuss, namely, that Christ was struck by the hand of God, and afflicted, because of our sins. The Greek translators render it, ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει αὐτοῦ ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ᾔρθη, “In his humiliation his judgment was taken away.” Others interpret it as, “He was taken away without delay.” Others explain it, “He was taken away to the cross”; that is, as soon as Christ was seized, he was dragged to “judgment.”

I rather agree with those who think that the Prophet, after having spoken of death, passes to the glory of the resurrection. He intended to address the thoughts that might have troubled and distressed the minds of many people; for when we see nothing but wounds and shame, we are struck with amazement, because human nature shrinks from such a spectacle.

The Prophet therefore declares that he was taken away; that is, that he was rescued “from prison and judgment” or condemnation, and afterwards was exalted to the highest rank of honor, so that no one might think that he was overwhelmed or swallowed up by that terrible and shameful kind of death. For, undoubtedly, he was victorious even in the midst of death, and triumphed over his enemies; and he was so judged that now he has been appointed to be judge of all, as was publicly manifested by his resurrection (Acts 10:42).

The same order is followed by the Prophet as by Paul, who, after having declared that Christ was humbled even to the cross, adds that, on this account, he was exalted to the very highest honor, and that a name was given to him to which all things both in heaven and on earth must render obedience and bend the knee (Philippians 2:9).

Who shall relate his generation? This exclamation has been stretched and (I may say) tortured into various meanings. The early church fathers abused this passage in reasoning against the Arians, when they wished to prove Christ’s eternal generation by it. But they ought to have been satisfied with clearer testimonies of Scripture, so that they might not expose themselves to the mockery of heretics, who sometimes take occasion from this to become more obstinate; for it might easily have been objected that the Prophet was not thinking about that subject.

Chrysostom views it as relating to the human nature of Christ—that he was miraculously, and not by ordinary generation, conceived in the womb of the virgin—but that is a wide departure from the Prophet’s meaning. Others think that Isaiah burns with rage against the men of that age who crucified Christ. Others refer it to the posterity that would be born; namely, that Christ’s posterity will be numerous even though he dies.

But, as דור (dor) means “age” or “duration,” I have no doubt that Isaiah speaks of the “age” of Christ, and that his meaning is, that Christ, though almost overwhelmed by sicknesses, will not only be taken from them, but that even his age will be permanent and eternal. In other words, he will be unlike those who are indeed rescued from death, but will afterwards die; for Christ rose from the dead, to live forever, and, as Paul says, “cannot now die; death shall no longer have dominion over him” (Romans 6:9).

Yet let us remember that the Prophet does not speak of Christ’s person alone, but includes the whole body of the Church, which ought never to be separated from him. We therefore have a striking proof of the perpetuity of the Church. As Christ lives forever, so he will not permit his kingdom to perish. The same immortality will at length be bestowed on each of the members.

For he was cut off. This might indeed, at first sight, appear absurd: that the death of Christ is the cause and source of our life. But, because he bore the punishment of our sins, we ought therefore to apply to ourselves all the shame that appears in the cross. Yet in Christ the wonderful love of God shines forth, which makes his glory visible to us, so that we ought to be moved to rapturous admiration.

For the transgression of my people. He again repeats that the wound was inflicted on him “for the sins of the people”; and the object is that we may diligently consider that it was for our sake, and not for his own, that he suffered. For he bore the punishment that we would have had to endure if he had not offered this atonement. We ought to perceive in ourselves that guilt for which he bore the accusation and punishment, having offered himself in our name to the Father, so that by his condemnation we may be set free.