John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 63:3

"I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with me: yea, I trod them in mine anger, and trampled them in my wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my raiment." — Isaiah 63:3 (ASV)

Alone have I pressed the wine-press. The Prophet now explains the vision and the reason why the Lord was stained with blood: it is because He will take vengeance on the Edomites and other enemies who treated His people cruelly.

It would be absurd to say that these things relate to Christ because He alone and without human aid redeemed us. Instead, it means that God will punish the Edomites in such a manner that He will need no human assistance, as He will be sufficiently able to destroy them.

The Jews might have objected that the Edomites are powerful, are not harassed by any wars, and are in a flourishing and tranquil condition. The Prophet shows that this does not prevent the Lord from inflicting punishment on them whenever He sees fit.

Human means were, indeed, employed by Him when He took vengeance on the Edomites, but in such a way that it was made evident to all that it was entirely directed by His hand, and that no part of it could be ascribed to human forces or plans. They were overwhelmed by sudden and unlooked-for destruction, of which the people should not have doubted that God, who had so often warned them of it, was the author.

And of the peoples there was none with me. This is added to indicate that, although “peoples” will arise out of the earth to destroy the nation of Edom, yet the work of God will be separate from them, because nothing was further from the design of heathen nations than to inflict punishment on the Edomites for their unjust cruelty. For this reason the Lord wishes His judgment to be known and to be illustriously displayed amidst the din of arms and tempestuous commotions.

For I will tread them. I willingly retain the future tense, for the Prophet speaks of events that are future and not yet accomplished. Although the Edomites were living in prosperity and at their ease, God would severely punish them on account of their cruelty.

We have already partly explained why the Prophet uses the metaphor of a bloody wine-press, which is a shocking and melancholy sight. However, it should also be added that the punishments and vengeance God inflicts on enemies are appropriately called His vintage, as if He gathered them when He ruins or destroys them.

In a similar way, such punishment is called in another passage (Isaiah 34:6) a solemn sacrifice, so that we may learn that glory should be ascribed to God, not less when He executes His judgments than when He exhibits tokens of compassion.

And I will stain all my raiment. He nevertheless describes His amazing love toward the Jews, in deigning to sprinkle Himself with the blood of enemies on their account; and that is the reason why He makes use of the word 'stain'.

In my wrath. He shows that this in itself is sufficient for destroying the Edomites: that the Lord is angry with them. It is as if He had said that there will be no one to rescue them when the Lord is pleased to chastise.

Hence we may infer that the destruction of people proceeds from nothing else than the wrath of God; just as, on the other hand, our salvation depends on His grace alone.

In a word, God intended here to testify that the Edomites will not remain unpunished for having persecuted the Church of God.