The Fourth Servant Song of Isaiah

To treat the fourth Servant Song (52.13-53.12) as a separate division of the book is not to give credence to the outmoded view that it is an intrusion into the flow of the prophecy.  Rather, such a procedure is intended to emphasize that this section is the culmination and resolution of all that precedes it, and also that it forms the basis for the remainder of the book.  In this passage, we have the explanation of how Yahweh can righteously fulfill His undertaking to save the people – through the achievement of the Servant.  As has already been indicated in 49.7 and 50.6, His mission involves rejection and suffering, but here opposition to the Servant progresses to involve His death.  The song shows that the Servant undergoes suffering and death on behalf of others, and it is on this basis that the covenant of peace is extended to Zion (54.10) and the whole world is presented with the offer of the everlasting covenant (55.3).  The Servant’s work also provides the foundation for the subsequent work of the servants who acknowledge what the Servant has done on their behalf (54.1-66.24).  This sublime portion of Scripture breaks through the flow of Old Testament revelation and rises unconstrained to new heights.

From: A Study Commentary on Isaiah: Volume 2: Chapters 40-66 by John L. Mackay (Darlington: EP Books, 2009), p. 330.

John L. Mackay is an ordained minister in the Free Church of Scotland.  He has been Professor of Old Testament in the Free Church College in Edinburgh, Scotland, since 1983.

 

Jerusalem

The Jerusalem which is described here is not one that has been on this earth or that will ever exist in this sin-warped world.  It is the Jerusalem of the new heavens and the new earth.  The language of the marriage canopy over Zion points to those who are citizens of the New Jerusalem as constituting the church, which is the bride of Christ.  It is their names which have been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb (Revelation 13.8; 21.27) and who have the right to enter the city.  The bride of Christ will be cleansed so as to be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5.27; Revelation 22.14).  The city will be enveloped in radiance (Revelation 21.11) caused by the presence of God in the midst of His people.  “The city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God illumines it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21.23; cf. 22.5).  The presence of God will not be localized in a temple (Revelation 21.22) but will be enjoyed throughout the whole site of the city.  This is the imperishable inheritance which God makes over to His people once He has completed His work of cleansing and renewing them for, without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12.14).

From: A Study Commentary on Isaiah: Volume 1: Chapters 1-39 by John L. Mackay (Darlington: Evangelical Press, 2008), p. 131.  A “reflection” on Isaiah 4.2-6.

John L. Mackay is an ordained minister in the Free Church of Scotland and has been Professor of Old Testament in the Free Church College in Edinburgh, Scotland, since 1983.  He has also published commentaries on the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Lamentations.

 

On Jeremiah

There are certain fixed points in the analysis of the structure of Jeremiah.  One of these is to be located at the end of chapter 20, which brings a major block of material to a close.  Less certain, but still plausible, is the view that chapter 11 marks the beginning of additional material, which can be divided into four main sections, 11:1-13:37; 14:1-15:9; 15:10-17:27; and 18:1-20:18.  The repetition of “Cursed is/be the man who” (11:3; 20:15) may well be a compositional device to indicate that this material is to be taken as bracketed together.  That the link is of this sort – the curse of the covenant – is also significant for the theme of this block in which (in comparison to, say, 7:7) it is conspicuous that there is no mention of the prospect of blessing if Judah were to change its behavior for the better.  Though Jeremiah continues to reiterate the need for repentance (13:15-17; 17:19-27; 18:12), it is no longer as prominent a feature of the prophet’s message, as it was previously. 

From: Jeremiah: An Introduction and Commentary by John L. Mackay; a Mentor Commentary; 2 volumes (Fearn: Christian Focus Publications, 2004), 1:393.  Introductory comment to Jeremiah 11-20.