Isa 49:4-5, Act 20:26 | JFB | STEP | 4. I —Messiah. in vain —comparatively in the case of the greater number of His own countrymen. "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" ( ). Only a hundred twenty disciples met after His personal ministry was ended ( ). yet . . . my judgment . . . with the Lord —Ultimately, God will do justice to My cause, and reward ( Margin for "work," compare ) My labors and sufferings. He was never "discouraged" ( ). He calmly, in spite of seeming ill success for the time, left the result with God, confident of final triumph ( ). So the ministers of Christ ( ).

Isaiah 49:4-5

4. I—Messiah.

in vain—comparatively in the case of the greater number of His own countrymen. "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" (Isa 53:1-3; Lu 19:14; Joh 1:11; 7:5). Only a hundred twenty disciples met after His personal ministry was ended (Ac 1:15).

yet . . . my judgment . . . with the Lord—Ultimately, God will do justice to My cause, and reward (Margin for "work," compare Isa 40:10; 62:11) My labors and sufferings. He was never "discouraged" (Isa 42:4; 50:7, 10). He calmly, in spite of seeming ill success for the time, left the result with God, confident of final triumph (Isa 53:10-12; 1Pe 2:23). So the ministers of Christ (1Co 4:1-5; 1Pe 4:19).

5. The reason why He was confident that His work would be accepted and rewarded, namely, because He is "glorious in the eyes of Jehovah," &c.

to bring Jacob again to him— (Mt 15:24; Ac 3:26).

Though Israel be not gathered—metaphor from a scattered flock which the shepherd gathers together again; or a hen and her chickens (Mt 23:37). Instead of the text "not," the Keri has the similar Hebrew word, "to Him," which the parallelism favors: "And that Israel may be gathered to Him."

yet—rather, parenthetically. "For I am glorious, &c., and My God is My strength." Then (Isa 49:6) resuming the words from the beginning of Isa 49:5, "He saith" (I repeat), &c. HORSLEY explains, "Notwithstanding the incredulity of the Jews, Messiah shall be glorified in the conversion of the Gentiles," reading as English Version: but if the Keri be read, "Israel shall at one time or other be gathered, notwithstanding their incredulity during Messiah's sojourn on earth."

Acts 20:26

26. I am pure from the blood of all men— (Ac 18:6; and compare 1Sa 12:3, 5; Eze 3:17-21; 33:8, 9).