Today's reading includes a messianic hymn linking the Messiah's earthly ministry with Galilee - a place of no religious distinction. There were no major Yahwist religious centers here like those that existed farther south, in Samaria...
Today's reading includes a messianic hymn (vv. 1-7) linking the Messiah's earthly ministry with Galilee - a place of no religious distinction. There were no major Yahwist religious centers here like those that existed farther south, in Samaria, and Jerusalem with its Temple was, by local standards, rather far away. But none of this prevented Galilee from hearing the preaching of the Messiah-Christ or from becoming the place where the Savior's childhood passed.
External greatness and ancient tradition do not always help the work of God. Who knows what Jesus' childhood would have been like if He had spent it not in quiet Nazareth, but in Jerusalem? God's plan often requires quietness and hiddenness, especially at the first stages, when its fulfillment is only beginning. Human plans, by contrast, often assume from the very start noise, fame, and the earthly greatness that fallen man loves so much (vv. 8-10).
Today's reading not accidentally contrasts despised Galilee with the Kingdom of Israel. The irony of the situation was that Galilee belonged, though not completely, to this state, but was considered in it a remote backwater, of no interest to anyone and of no distinction. All the large cities and all the important political and religious centers of the country lay farther south, in Samaria. Galilee, however, was a border region already partly settled by Gentiles (which is why the prophet calls it "of the nations," v. 1). But centuries passed, and of the Kingdom of Israel, whose rulers were proud of the greatness of their, in essence, quite small country, only memories remained. And the most famous city in this land today is not even Bethel, which was the religious capital of the North and one of the most ancient Yahwist religious centers, but Nazareth, which in the flourishing era of the Northern Kingdom did not yet exist at all and later was by no means distinguished by fame until it was glorified by the One to whom Isaiah bore witness.
9 Joy in the midst of affliction, Isa 9:1-5.
The birth, person, office, and kingdom of Christ, Isa 9:6-7.
Judgments for their pride, Isa 9:8-12.
For their impenitency and hypocrisy, Isa 9:13-21.
9:6 For - Having spoken of the glorious light, and joy, and victory of God's people, he now proceeds to shew the ground of it. Us - Unto us Jews, of whom Christ was born, and to whom he was primarily sent.A child - The Messiah by the consent of interpreters, not only Christian, but Jewish: for so the ancient Hebrew doctors understood the place, and particularly the Chaldee paraphrast; although the latter Jews, out of opposition to Christ, wrest it to Hezekiah.Which extravagant conceit, as it hath no foundation in this or any other text of scripture, so it is fully confuted by the following titles, which are such as cannot without blasphemy and nonsense be ascribed to Hezekiah, nor indeed to any mere mortal man, as we shall see. Is born - Or, shall be born, as the prophets generally speak. The government - Of God's people, to whom he is given. Shoulders - Upon him, or in his hands. He mentions shoulders, because great burdens are commonly laid upon men's shoulders. His name - This is not to be taken for a description of his name, but of his glorious nature and qualities. Wonderful counsellor - And so Christ is, because he hath been the counsellor of his church in all ages, and the author and giver of all those excellent counsels delivered not only by the apostles, but also by the prophets, and hath gathered and enlarged, and preserved his church, by admirable counsels and methods of his providence, and, in a word, hath in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col 2:3.Mighty God - This title can agree to no man but Christ, who was God as well as man, to whom the title of God or Jehovah is given, both in the Old and New Testament. And it is a true observation, that this Hebrew word El is never used in the singular number, of any creature, but only of the almighty God. The father - The father of eternity. Who, though as man he was then unborn, yet was and is from everlasting to everlasting.