(Post #4) Substitutionary Work Completed.

Isaiah 53:11 “Of the travail [the laborious effort and great anguish] of his soul he shall see; he shall be satisfied."

Barnes Commentary.- The sense is, he shall see the fruit , or the result of his sufferings, and shall be satisfied. The word here rendered “travail”, denotes properly “labor, toil”; wearisome labor; labor and toil which produced exhaustion; and hence sometimes vexation, sorrow, grief, trouble. The word “travail” with us has two senses, first, labor with pain, severe toil; and secondly, the pains of childbirth.


Consider: ISAIAH 66:7 “Before she [the city of David] travailed, she gave birth; before pain came to her, then she delivered a male [the “Messiah, the “Mighty God”]. Who has heard like this? Who has seen like these? Shall the earth travail in one day? Shall be born a nation (in) one step. For also [afterward] Zion [the city of David] travailed (and) brought forth her sons. Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth? Surely I cause birth, and restrain,’ says your God.”

Adam Clarke Commentary.- His suffering, which included his death, led to life (his resurrection). Satisfied that his substitutionary work was completed. He now can justify (declare righteous) those who believe.

Gaebelein Commentary.- The guilt offering may have special overtones of completeness for it involved restitution as well as an offering to God. Nothing then remained to be done; the work was complete.

(Post #3) Cleansing of the Jewish Priesthood

Mounce Commentary.- On Mt. Sinai God had promised that if the emerging Jewish nation would obey His voice and keep His commandments, He would make them “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” The early church understood itself to be in the true succession of Israel and thus the inheritors of all the blessings promised to their spiritual predecessors. Corporately they are a “kingdom” [stressing their royal standing in connection with the exaltation of: JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS], and individually they are “priests” [emphasizing their role in serving God as a result of Christ’s sacrificial death].

(Review)
MALACHI 3:2-4 “’Behold, he comes, ‘says Jehovah of hosts, ‘But who can endure the day of his coming [into his everlasting dominion]? And who (will be) standing at his appearing [when he has gained conquest]? For he (is) like a refiners fire and like fullers soap [to wash white the stain that is there]. And he shall sit [in the posture of] a refiner and purifier of silver [to consume the impurities within]; and he shall purity the sons of Levi [the great company of priest], and purge them like gold and like silver, that they may be to Jehovah presenters of offering [of atonements] in [accordance to] righteousness.’”

Spurgeon Commentary.- The elevation of the church is her beauty. The more she is above the world the fairer she is. “The joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion.” Jerusalem was the world’s star; whatever light lingered on earth was borrowed from the oracles preserved by Israel. An ardent Israelite would esteem the holy city as the eye of the nations, the most precious pearl of all lands. Certainly the church of God, though despised of men, is the city, the place of His regal dwelling, and it is the joy of the church that God is in her midst. The great God is the great King of the church. The people among whom the Lord deigns (stoops) to dwell are privileged above all other; the lines have fallen unto them in pleasant places, and they have a goodly heritage.
We worship no unknown god. We know Him as our refuge in distress; we delight in Him as such, and run to Him in every time of need.

(Post #2) Jesus Not Abandoned to Grave

Consider: PSALM 22: 4-5 (The Psalms attributed to Jesus) “In You our fathers put their trust; they trusted and You delivered them. They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.”

Consider: PSALM 16:9-10 “Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.”

PSALM 50:14 “’Sacrifice (as an offering) to God thanksgiving [as a tribute of gratitude for His divine grace and goodness]; and repay to the Most High your vows [in affirmation of faith]. And call upon Me (the Almighty) in the day of distress [for deliverance- when pressed hard to a point]; I will save you and you will glorify Me.’”

PSALM 50:1-6 “God, Jehovah God, has spoken and calls to the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, the perfection [the completion] of beauty, God has shone. Comes our God, and is not silent; a fire before Him shall devour, and around Him it shall be very stormy. He shall call to the heavens above, and to the earth, to judge His people. Gather to Me, My saints, those cutting My covenant by sacrifice [washing their robes white through the commemorative offering of the blood of the Lamb]. And the heavens shall declare His righteousness, for God Himself (is) judge.”

(Post #1) Ransom Payment

ISAIAH 53:10 “But Jehovah pleased [as His desired will] to crush him, to make him sick [inundated and beleaguered], if he shall put his soul a guilt offering [a ransom payment- for the sins of the nation], he shall see seed [for with his blood he shall purchase men for God to be a kingdom and priest to serve our God], he shall prolong days [of the dispersion] and the pleasure [the desired will] of Jehovah in his hand shall prosper.”


Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary.- “It was exacted, and he was made answerable,” to have payment of a debt sternly exacted, so to be oppressed in general; the exactment of the full penalty, [making himself answerable as a guilt offering] for our sins, and he was afflicted and suffered submissively. “As a lamb to the slaughter he was led; and as an [innocent] ewe before her shearers is dumb, so he opens not his mouth [but voicelessly endured].”