John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 60:11

"Thy gates also shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the wealth of the nations, and their kings led captive." — Isaiah 60:11 (ASV)

And thy gates shall be open continually. The ordinary interpretation of this verse is incorrect. The Prophet is generally thought to mean that the Church will be perfectly safe under the Lord’s protection and guardianship, for “open gates” indicate that danger is far off.

But I think that the Prophet himself explains it: namely, that the gates will be open so that riches may be brought into the city from every quarter. And as burdens are usually carried in the daytime, “The day,” he says, “will not be enough, so vast will be the crowd of those who bring precious treasures into it, and therefore the carrying will be so constant that it will be necessary to keep the gates open night and day.”

When he says that the riches of the Gentiles will belong to the Church, let us not view this as referring to carnal luxury, but to obedience, which the whole world will render to God in the Church; for he says that what is offered to God belongs to the Church, because here God has nothing separate from it.

That their kings may be led. I prefer retaining the participial form which the Prophet employs, instead of following those who change it into a verb. Such commentators corrupt the Prophet’s meaning. The Prophet expressly added this because so great is the haughtiness of kings that they can scarcely endure to be led. Instead, relying on their power, they give free scope to their inclinations; indeed, they are not only driven along, becoming the sport of their passions, but, like violent torrents, they also drag others along with them. He shows, therefore, that these kings, though naturally haughty and ungovernable, will submit to the authority of God and of the Church.