Isa 54:1, 60:3-4, Gal 4:26 | JFB | STEP | 1. Sing —for joy ( ). barren —the Jewish Church once forsaken by God, and therefore during that time destitute of spiritual children ( ). didst not bear —during the Babylonian exile primarily. Secondarily, and chiefly, during Israel's present dispersion. the children —the Gentiles adopted by special grace into the original Church ( ). than . . . married wife —than were her spiritual children, when Israel was still a married wife (under the law, before the Babylonian exile), before God put her away [MAURER ]. So Paul contrasts the universal Church of the New Testament with the Church of the Old Testament legal dispensation, quoting this very passage ( ). But the full accomplishment of it is yet future.

Isaiah 54:1

1. Sing—for joy (Zep 3:14).

barren—the Jewish Church once forsaken by God, and therefore during that time destitute of spiritual children (Isa 54:6).

didst not bear—during the Babylonian exile primarily. Secondarily, and chiefly, during Israel's present dispersion.

the children—the Gentiles adopted by special grace into the original Church (Isa 54:3; Isa 49:20, 21).

than . . . married wife—than were her spiritual children, when Israel was still a married wife (under the law, before the Babylonian exile), before God put her away [MAURER]. So Paul contrasts the universal Church of the New Testament with the Church of the Old Testament legal dispensation, quoting this very passage (Ga 4:27). But the full accomplishment of it is yet future.

Isaiah 60:3-4

3. (Isa 2:3; 11:10; 43:6; 49:22; 66:12).

kings— (Isa 49:7, 23; 52:15).

thy rising—rather, "thy sun-rising," that is, "to the brightness that riseth upon thee."

4. Lift up . . . eyes—Jerusalem is addressed as a female with eyes cast down from grief.

all they . . . they—The Gentile peoples come together to bring back the dispersed Hebrews, restore their city, and worship Jehovah with offerings.

nursed at thy side—rather "carried at thy side." It is the custom in the East to carry the children astride on the hip, with the arms around the body (Isa 66:12).

Galatians 4:26

26. This verse stands instead of the sentence which we should expect, to correspond to Ga 4:24, "One from Mount Sinai," namely, the other covenant from the heavenly mount above, which is (answers in the allegory to) Sarah.

Jerusalem . . . above— (Heb 12:22), "the heavenly Jerusalem." "New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God" (Re 3:12; 21:2). Here "the Messianic theocracy, which before Christ's second appearing is the Church, and after it, Christ's kingdom of glory" [MEYER].

free—as Sarah was; opposed to "she is in bondage" (Ga 4:25).

all—omitted in many of the oldest manuscripts, though supported by some. "Mother of us," namely, believers who are already members of the invisible Church, the heavenly Jerusalem, hereafter to be manifested (Heb 12:22).