1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

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Isaiah 53:1 Who *hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

John 12:38.; Romans 10:16.
Revealed. Who could have believed such things? The apostles complain how few were converted, John 12:38., and Romans 10:16. (Calmet) --- These would not submit, though the gospel was not against reason. (Worthington)
Isaiah 53:2 And he shall grow up as a tender plant before him, and as a root out of a thirsty ground: there is no beauty in him, nor comeliness: and we have seen him, and there was no sightliness, that we should be desirous of him:

Plant. Hebrew also, "suckling child." (Septuagint, etc.) --- Ground. The blessed Virgin [Mary]. (Calmet) --- Was. Septuagint, "he had no appearance nor beauty. But his appearance was abject and deficient above all men; a," etc. --- That we. Literally, "and we have desired him." Notwithstanding his abject condition, He was the desired of all nations, and by his wounds we are healed. (Haydock) --- Some assert that the person of Christ was not beautiful, while others think that his wounds prevented it from being discerned. Salmeron would supply a negation from the first number: "We have not desired him."
Isaiah 53:3 *Despised, and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with infirmity: and his look was as it were hidden and despised, whereupon we esteemed him not.

Mark 9:11.
Not. The whole life of Christ was spent in the midst of poverty, and contradictions, Hebrews 4:15. He has thus taught us to despise ourselves.
Isaiah 53:4 *Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted.

Matthew 8:17.
Sorrows. Healing them by his own afflictions, Matthew 8:15. Sickness is an effect of sin, which Jesus came to destroy, 1 Peter 2:24 --- Leper, who was bound to have his face covered, ver. 3., and Leviticus 13:45. --- God. Payva (Def. Trin. iv.) assures us that many Jews were converted by the perusal of this chapter, and particularly of this verse, which may be rendered "as a God wounded and afflicted." (Calmet)
Isaiah 53:5 *But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed.

1 Corinthians 15:3.
Healed. He inculcates this important truth repeatedly. Christ nailed the hand-writing that was against us to the cross, Colossians 2:14. (Haydock)
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray, every one hath turned aside into his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.

Astray. We belong to his fold, Isaias 40:11., John 10:11., and Luke 15:4.--- Laid. Septuagint, "abandoned him to our sins," as to so many executioners; (Calmet) "and he, because he had been abused, opened," etc. (Haydock)
Isaiah 53:7 He was offered because it was his own will, and he opened not his mouth: he shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, *and he shall not open his mouth.

Matthew 26:63.; Acts 8:32.
Will. The pagans were very attentive that the victim should not make much resistance. (Macrobius 3:5.) --- God loves a cheerful giver. (Haydock) --- Our Saviour offers himself willingly, knowing the inefficacy of legal victims, Psalm 39:7. (Calmet)
Isaiah 53:8 He was taken away from distress, and from judgment: who shall declare his generation? because he is cut off out of the land of the living: for the wickedness of my people have I struck him.

Judgment, or by an unjust and cruel judgment. (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "from prison and judgment." (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "in humiliation, (Haydock) or humility, his judgment was taken away," or rescinded, by his glorious resurrection. St. Philip follows this version in explaining this passage to the eunuch, Acts 8:33. --- Generation, from his eternal Father or from the Virgin [Mary], his incarnation, life, resurrection, or posterity in the Church. All these may be meant, and are inexplicable. (Calmet)
Isaiah 53:9 And he shall give the ungodly for his burial, and the rich for his death: *because he hath done no iniquity, neither was there deceit in his mouth.

1 Peter 2:22.; 1 John 3:5.
Death. Hebrew, "and he made his grave with the wicked men, and with the rich man, in his death." (Haydock) --- Grave and death seem to be transposed; and we might better read, "He was taken up with wicked men in his death, and with a rich man was his sepulchre." This indeed is only a conjecture, but well grounded in the context. See Josue 24:19. (Kennicott) --- Septuagint, "and I will give the wicked for his grave, and the rich men for his death." (Haydock) --- The rich man may denote the small number of Jews who embraced the faith. (Calmet) --- They esteemed themselves rich, and were highly favoured by God; yet they were blinded, (Haydock) and given up to the Romans, in punishment of their deicide, Matthew 27:25. The Church is gathered both from Jews and Gentiles, ver. 10. (Calmet) (St. Jerome) --- "He will send to hell the wicked," (Chaldean) who slew him. (Menochius) --- Christ was buried where malefactors were generally, yet honourably, in the tomb of Joseph [of Arimathea]. (Worthington) (Matthew 27:57.)
Isaiah 53:10 And the Lord was pleased to bruise him in infirmity: if he shall lay down his life for sin, he shall see a long-lived seed, and the will of the Lord shall be prosperous in his hand.

Bruise. Septuagint, "to cleanse him from the wound." (Haydock) --- God was pleased that he should satisfy for our crimes. --- Hand. Christ has died for all, and established a Church which shall not perish.
Isaiah 53:11 Because his soul hath laboured, he shall see and be filled: by his knowledge shall this my just servant justify many, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I distribute to him very many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because he hath delivered his soul unto death, *and was reputed with the wicked: and he hath borne the sins of many, **and hath prayed for the transgressors.

Mark 15:28.; Luke 22:37. --- ** Luke 23:34.
Many. Even to the ends of the earth, Psalm 2:8. --- Strong. Demons, Jews, etc. Hebrew, "with the strong" apostles. --- Wicked thieves. Barabbas, etc. --- Transgressors. His executioners. The gospel could not speak plainer. (Calmet)