John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 56

Thus saith Jehovah. This is a remarkable passage in which the Prophet shows what God demands from us as soon as he extends tokens of his favor, or promises that he will be ready to be reconciled to us, so that our reconciliation may be secured. He demands from us a conversion that will change our minds and hearts, so that they forsake the world and rise toward heaven; and then he also calls for the fruits of repentance.

Keep ye judgment, and do righteousness. Under the names “judgment” and “righteousness,” he includes all the duties that men owe to each other, which consist not only in abstaining from doing wrong but also in rendering assistance to our neighbors. And this is the sum of the second table of the Law, in keeping which we give proof of our piety, if we have any. For this reason the prophets always draw our attention to that table, because through it our real character is better known, and true uprightness is ascertained; for hypocrites, as we have previously seen, often practice deceit through ceremonies.

For my salvation is near, and my righteousness. He states the reason, and at the same time points out the source and the cause why it is everyone's duty to devote themselves to newness of life. It is because “the righteousness of the Lord approaches to us,” that we, on our part, should draw near to him. The Lord calls himself “righteous,” and declares that this is “his righteousness,” not because he keeps it shut up in himself, but because he pours it out on men. Similarly, he calls it “his salvation,” by which he delivers men from destruction.

Although this discourse was addressed to the Jews, so that by sincere affection of heart and by the practice of integrity they might show their gratitude to God their Redeemer, yet it refers to every one of us; for the whole world is ruined in itself, if it does not obtain salvation from God alone. We must therefore pay attention to this exhortation, which instructs us that the nearer we are to God, the more powerfully we should be stirred to the practice of godliness. Thus, Paul also admonishes believers, Cast away the works of darkness; put on the armor of light; for our salvation is nearer than we thought (Romans 13:11–12).

Happy is the man that shall do this. When he calls those persons “happy” who, having embraced this doctrine, devote themselves to walk uprightly, he indirectly leads us to conclude that many will be deaf or disobedient. However, lest their wickedness or indifference should hinder the elect, he recommends the exhortation he has given because of the advantage it yields. Thus, so that believers may abandon all delay, he exclaims that they are “happy” to whom it has been given to possess such wisdom.

Keeping the Sabbath. We have said that the words “justice” and “judgment,” in the preceding verse, include all the duties of the second table; but here he mentions the Sabbath, which belongs to the first table. I reply, as I have already briefly mentioned, that those who live inoffensively and justly with their neighbors testify that they serve God. Therefore, we need not wonder that the Prophet, after having glanced at the second table, also mentions the first, for both should be joined together.

In a word, Isaiah declares that he who shall obey God by keeping His law perfectly shall be “happy,” for the salvation and the righteousness of God shall belong to him.

Since, therefore, men wander at random amid their own contrivances and adopt various methods of worshipping God, He shows that there is only one way: that is, when men endeavor to shape and regulate their life according to the command of the Law. Otherwise, they will tire themselves out in vain by taking other roads.

In short, this is a remarkable passage, showing that nothing pleases God but keeping the Law.

If the question is asked, “Can men obtain righteousness and salvation by their own works?” the answer will be easy. For the Lord does not offer salvation to us as if it were a response to our merits (for, on the contrary, He anticipates us), but offers Himself freely to us, and only demands that we, on our part, draw near to Him. Since, therefore, He willingly invites us, and since He offers righteousness through free grace, we must make every effort not to be deprived of so great a benefit.

Again, because the Sabbath, as Moses declares (Exodus 31:13, 17) and as Ezekiel 20:12 repeats, was the most important symbol of the worship of God, so by that figure of speech in which a part is taken for the whole, and which is called a synecdoche, the Sabbath includes all the exercises of religion. But we must view the Sabbath in connection with everything that attends it, for God is not satisfied with outward ceremony or delighted with our indolence, but demands from us earnest self-denial, so that we may be entirely devoted to His service.

So that he may not profane it. This clause is commonly rendered, “That he may not profane it,” and literally it reads, “From profaning it.” Therefore, we have thought it proper to prefix the word “so” to the clause, “So that he may not profane it,” in order to remove all ambiguity.

And keeping his hand, that he may abstain from all that is evil. He now adds another synecdoche to describe the duties which men owe to each other. The sum of it is that there is no other way of serving God rightly than by sincere piety and a blameless life, as He has also included in these two parts the rule for leading a holy life.

In a word, it is an exposition of true righteousness which is contained in the Law of the Lord, so that we may acquiesce in it; for men seek in vain any other road to perfection. Here also, all false worship and superstitions are overthrown, and finally, everything that is contrived by men in opposition to the Word of God.

And let not the son who is a foreigner say. The Prophet shows that this grace of God will be such that even those who were formerly estranged from him, and against whom the door might be said to have been shut, may obtain a new status or be perfectly restored. He addresses their complaint, so that they may not say that they are rejected, unworthy, “foreigners,” or excluded by any mark, for the Lord will remove every obstacle. This may refer both to Jews, who had been brought into a condition similar to that of foreign nations by a temporary rejection, and to the Gentile nations themselves. For my own part, I willingly extend it to both, so that it may agree with the prediction of Hosea,

“I will call them my people who were not my people.” (Hosea 1:10)

Joined to Jehovah. When he says that they are “joined to God,” he gives warning that this consolation belongs only to those who have followed God when he called them; for there are many “eunuchs” on whom God does not bestow his favor, and many “foreigners” who do not join themselves to the people of God. This promise is therefore limited to those who have been called and have obeyed.

By calling them “foreigners” and “eunuchs,” he describes under both classes all who appear to be unworthy of being counted by God among his people; for God had separated for himself a special people, and had afterwards driven them out of his inheritance. The Gentiles were entirely shut out from his kingdom, as is sufficiently evident from the whole of Scripture. Paul says,

“Ye were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now by Christ Jesus, ye who formerly were far off have been made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
(Ephesians 2:12, 13)

The Gentiles, therefore, might at first doubt whether or not the benefit of adoption, which was literally intended for the Jews, belonged to them. We see also how much the Apostles shrunk from it, when the Lord commanded them (Mark 16:15) to “preach the Gospel through the whole world;” for they thought that the doctrine of salvation was profaned if it was communicated indiscriminately to Gentiles as well as to Jews. The same hesitation might harass the elect people, from the time that their banishment from the holy land became a sign of their rejection; and therefore the Prophet commands them to dismiss their doubts.

And let not the eunuch say. By the same figure of speech, in which a part is taken for the whole, he includes under this designation all who bore any mark of disgrace which kept them apart from the people of God.

For “eunuchs,” and those who had no children, appeared to be rejected by God and shut out from the promise which the Lord had made to Abraham, that “his seed should be as the stars of heaven,” (Genesis 15:5) and “as the sand of the sea.” (Genesis 22:17)

In a word, he warns all people against looking at themselves, so that they may fix their minds exclusively on God’s calling, and thus imitate the faith of Abraham (Genesis 15:6), who did not look at either his own decayed body or the barren womb of Sarah, so as through unbelief to dispute with himself about the power of God, but hoped above all hope (Romans 4:18–20).

The Prophet addresses persons who were despised and reproached; for, as Peter says,

“there is no respect of persons with God, but in every nation he who feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted by him.” (Acts 10:34, 35)

For thus says Jehovah. Now follows a confirmation: for the sincere worshippers of God, who keep the sabbaths and follow the righteousness of the Law, though they are “eunuchs,” or labor under any other obstruction, will nevertheless have a place in the Church. He appears to annihilate in this manner all the external marks in which alone the Jews gloried, for the high rank of the Church is not external, but spiritual. And although believers have no emblems of distinction in the eyes of the world, and are even despised and reproached, yet they rank high in the sight of God.

And choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant. With the “keeping of the Sabbath,” he connects obedience and adherence to “the covenant”; and from this we may readily infer that, when he spoke previously about the Sabbath, he had in view not an idle ceremony but perfect holiness. At the same time, he again lays a restraint on the children of God, not to make even the smallest departure from the injunction of the Law, for they are permitted to “choose,” not whatever they see fit, but that which God declares to be pleasing and acceptable to himself. Therefore, both hypocrisy and inconsiderate zeal are here condemned, when God not only contrasts his own commandments with the inventions of men, but also commands them earnestly to “take hold of his covenant.”

I will give to them in my house. Here we see that all people, however unworthy, may obtain admission into the kingdom of God. He alludes to Jerusalem and to the temple in which the Lord placed a memorial of his name. No place was given in it to anyone but to the Jews alone, and they would have considered the temple to be polluted if any of the Gentiles had entered into it. For this reason also, a serious insurrection arose against Paul for having brought uncircumcised persons into the temple. The Lord now admits, without distinction, those whom he previously forbade. Indeed, he set aside this distinction when we, who were the children of strangers, were brought by him into the temple—that is, into his Church, which is not confined, as before, within those narrow limits of Judea, but is extended throughout the whole world.

A place and a name. יד (yad) is here used for place, as in many other passages. It might also be supposed to denote “authority” or “power”; for they shall be elevated to such dignity as to be regarded as the children of God.

Better than of sons and of daughters. A question may arise: Does the Lord compare the Jews who were at that time in the Church with the believers whom he shall afterward place in their place, or does he contrast the future condition of the people with their condition at that time?

For it is certain that “the name” of the Gentiles is “better” than that of the Jews, who were “cut off on account of their unbelief”; and we have taken their place, as wild olives ingrafted into a good olive tree, as Paul says (Romans 11:24). The meaning might therefore be that “eunuchs” and “foreigners” shall have “a better name” than children and household members, who were regarded as God’s heritage.

But I prefer to explain it in a different manner: namely, that the dignity of believers shall be higher under Christ than it was under the Law. The patriarchs had a very excellent “name” when they called upon God as their Father and were joined in covenant with him; but the grace of God has been poured out far more abundantly upon us since the coming of Christ, and therefore we have obtained in him a far more excellent name.

A perpetual name. He calls this name “perpetual” because it is written in heaven, where it shall live and flourish throughout all ages. Wicked people wish to have their name made illustrious in this world and work to promote their reputation, so that the remembrance of their name may last forever; but it is fading and of short duration. But this name is far different, for it makes us heirs of the heavenly kingdom, so that in the presence of angels we are regarded as the children of God.

We might also interpret מבנים (mibbanim) to mean “than the name which is derived from children”; for people, by having children, do in some respect perpetuate their own name. He promises that this name shall be far more excellent. But I prefer to follow the former explanation.