We have hitherto expounded the passage before us without any regard to the difference of the interpretation as to the whole, and have supposed the reference to Christ to be the correct one. But it is still incumbent upon us: I. to give the history of the interpretation; II. to refute the arguments against the Messianic interpretation; III. to state the arguments in favour of it; and IV. to show that the non-Messianic interpretation is untenable.
[Footnote 1: One needs only to consider passages such as this, to be enabled to distinguish between the ideal and real Present, and to be convinced of the utter futility of the chief argument against the genuineness of the second part, viz., that the Babylonish exile appears as present. "Proceeding from the certainty of deliverance"--so _Hitzig_ remarks--"the Prophet here _beholds_ in spirit that going on, to which, in chap. xl. 9, he exhorts." If the Prophet beholds at all in the spirit, why should he not see in spirit the misery also?]
[Footnote 2: _Simonis. Onom._: יזיה, _quem aspergat_, _i.e._, _purificet et expiet Domimus_; _Gesenius_: _quod vix aliter explicari potest quam_: _quem consperget_, _i.e._, _expiabit Jehova._ _Fürst_ gives a different derivation; but it at once shows itself to be untenable.]
[Footnote 3: In order to defend this explanation, interpreters have referred to the LXX: οὕτω θαυμάσονται ἔθνη πολλὰ ἐπʼ αὐτῳ̂; but even _Martini_ remarks: "From a dark passage, they have tried, by ingenious conjecturing, to bring out any sense whatsoever."]
[Footnote 4: Thus _Theodoret_ says: "For they who did not receive the prophetic promises and announcements, but served idols, shall, through the messengers of the truth, see the power of the promised One, and perceive His greatness." _Jerome_: "The rulers of the world, who had not the Law and the Prophets, and to whom no prophecies concerning Him were given, even they shall see and perceive. By the comparison with them, the hardness of the Jews is reproved, who, although they saw and heard, yet verified Isaiah's prophecy against them." _Calvin_: "The Jews had, through the Law and the Prophets, heard something of Christ, but to the Gentiles He was altogether unknown. Hence it follows that these words properly refer to the Gentiles."]