Discourses
by John Calvin and Matthew Henry on Isaiah 43:11-12
Edited
& Prefaced by R.P. Woitowitz Sr.
I,
even I am the Lord, and beside me there is no Savior. I have
declared, and I have saved, and I have showed, when there was no
strange god among you: therefore you are my witnesses, saith the
Lord, that I am God. - Isaiah 43:11-12 - Geneva Bible Translation
I,
I, Yaweh and there is no, from apart, from me , one saving. I, I tell
and I save, and I announce, and there is no in you, alien one and you
witnesses of me, averment of Yaweh and I, El - Hebrew Translation -
Interlinear Bible Translation.
Brethren:
A
quick preface noting the word “averment”, in the Hebrew
translation. It is conjugated from the word Aver, that, when used as
a verb means to; “To affirm with confidence; to declare in a
positive manner, as in confidence of asserting the truth.” - Source
- Webster’s Dictionary Ed 1913
R.P.
Woitowitz
“ Here
the Lord employs lofty language, as having obtained the victory.
Already he had sufficiently explained in what manner he must be
known, and had shewn that there is no God except himself; and now, in
order to confirm this doctrine, he exclaims, “I alone am Jehovah,
there is none besides me.” This shews how dangerous it is to
contrive anything about God out of our own fancy; for when we make
any kind of graven image, we produce an idol instead of God. We
ought, therefore, to embrace nothing but what has proceeded from
God[Read Matthew 4:4], so as not to allow ourselves any liberty on
this subject. After God has revealed himself to us, we ought to make
progress in the knowledge of him, and to grow and be strengthened
every day; for this is the meaning of the repetition, I, I.
That
we may not suppose that his eternal essence only is here exhibited,
but also his power and goodness, which he constantly exercises
towards us, and by which he is fully revealed, he adds an epithet as
a distinguishing mark, that “he is the only Savior.” The world
falls into the mistake of giving a naked and empty name to God, and
at the same time conveying his authority to another; God is indeed
mentioned, but is robbed of his honor, when his offices are
distributed into so many parts, (a) that hardly anything is left to
him but a naked and empty name. They boast, indeed, of worshipping
God alone; but when we come to what it belongs to God to do, they
make as many gods as they have creatures, and distribute among them
his power and authority. But the Lord has determined that these shall
remain entire and uninfringed, and they cannot be conveyed to another
without shocking blasphemy; for he alone does good to men, he alone
defends and preserves them. The last clause of the verse expresses
that knowledge which is derived from experience, that we may not seek
salvation in any other than in him who its the only author of it.
Hence we learn that the chief part of the worship of God consists in
faith, when he is acknowledged to be the beginning and the end of
life, when we bestow on him the title of Savior, and do not convey to
another what he declares to belong to himself and to reside in him
alone.
This
verse is a sort of recapitulation of the preceding; for Jehovah again
relates that he foretold future events, and that he had actually
accomplished what he foretold. To tell relates to foreknowledge, and
to save relates to power and goodness. In a word, he means that he
alone is God, who both knows and does all things. Although these
things were spoken to the Jews, yet let us know that they belong to
us also; for all the predictions that have come down to us ought to
be regarded by us as so many proofs both of the knowledge and of the
power of God, that we may rely on him alone.
That
superstitions may be banished, and that he may be elevated to the
throne of his heavenly doctrine, he again mentions that he displayed
his power, and gave tokens of his grace, without being aided by any
one; and hence it follows, that they who shall not be satisfied with
him alone, will be excessively ungrateful and wicked. “At the
time,” says he, “when ye worshiped no strange god, I openly and
publicly displayed my power; and therefore it is unlawful to bestow
on false gods what belongs to me.” And yet in these words he does
not so much commend the piety or religion of the people, as he
excludes all foreign aid; as if he had said, that while the Jews knew
no other God, the miracles wrought by him were so numerous and so
great, that it was perfectly evident that none but he is God. At the
same time Isaiah remarks that our unbelief hinders God from
displaying his power amongst us. Away, then, with all errors and all
wavering and doubtful opinions about God, if we wish to have
experience of his power! for if we turn our minds to superstitions or
idols, we shall undoubtedly render ourselves unworthy of his
assistance and kindness.(b)
At
length he again summons them as witnesses, accusing them of base and
shameful ingratitude, if they conceal what he had abundantly made
known to them; for the greater and more numerous the testimonies by
which he has manifested to us his power and might, so much the more
are we bound to declare them to others.” - John Calvin
“You,
O Israelites! all you that are called by my name, you are all my
witnesses, and so is my servant whom I have chosen.’’ It was
Christ himself that was so described (See Isaiah 42:1 ), My servant
and my elect. Observe: All the prophets that testified to Christ, and
Christ himself, the great prophet, are here appealed to as God’s
witnesses.
God’s
people are witnesses for him, and can attest, upon their own
knowledge and experience, concerning the power of his grace, the
sweetness of his comforts, the tenderness of his providence, and the
truth of his promise. They will be forward to witness for him that he
is gracious and that no word of his has fallen to the ground.
His
prophets are in a particular manner witnesses for him, with whom his
secret is, and who know more of him than others do. But the Messiah
especially is given to be a witness for him to the people; having
lain in his bosom from eternity, he has declared him.
[Observe
again]: Let us see what the point is which these witnesses are called
to prove: You are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God. Note,
Those who do themselves acknowledge that the Lord is God should be
ready to testify what they know of him to others, that they also may
be brought to the acknowledgment of it. I believed, therefore have I
spoken. Particularly, ‘Since you cannot but know, and believe, and
understand, you must be ready to bear record, that I am he, the only
true God, that I am a being self-existent and self-sufficient; I am
he whom you are to fear, and worship, and trust in.’” - Matthew
Henry
(a)
Editor’s thought - I think what was being inferred herein is a
reference to the Apostle Paul’s comments and thoughts that we are
all one body, and one church, and there should not be any division
among us. [Read Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 1:11-13, 3:4-6;, 10:17,
12:14-21]
R.P.
Woitowitz Sr.
(b)
Editor's Comment – We in this nation, have already done so
