Isa 35:5, 42:16, 18-19, Joh 9:39 | JFB | STEP | 5-6. Language figuratively, descriptive of the joy felt at the deliverance from Assyria and Babylon; literally, true of the antitypical times of Messiah and His miracles (see Margin references, ; ; 2Jo 5, 8; ).

‏ Isaiah 35:5

5-6. Language figuratively, descriptive of the joy felt at the deliverance from Assyria and Babylon; literally, true of the antitypical times of Messiah and His miracles (see Margin references, Mt 11:5; Lu 7:2; 2Jo 5, 8; Ac 3:2).

‏ Isaiah 42:16

13-16. Jehovah will no longer restrain His wrath: He will go forth as a mighty warrior (Ex 15:3) to destroy His people's and His enemies, and to deliver Israel (compare Psa 45:3).

stir up jealousy--rouse His indignation.

roar--image from the battle cry of a warrior.

‏ Isaiah 42:18-19

18. deaf--namely, to the voice of God.

blind--to your duty and interest; wilfully so (Is 42:20). In this they differ from "the blind" (Is 42:16). The Jews are referred to. He had said, God would destroy the heathen idolatry; here he remembers that even Israel, His "servant" (Is 42:19), from whom better things might have been expected, is tainted with this sin.

19. my servant--namely, Israel. Who of the heathen is so blind? Considering Israel's high privileges, the heathen's blindness was as nothing compared with that of Israelite idolaters.

my messenger ... sent--Israel was designed by God to be the herald of His truth to other nations.

perfect--furnished with institutions, civil and religious, suited to their perfect well-being. Compare the title, "Jeshurun," the perfect one, applied to Israel (compare Is 44:2), as the type of Messiah [Vitringa]. Or translate, the friend of God, which Israel was by virtue of descent from Abraham, who was so called (Is 41:8), [Gesenius]. The language, "my servant" (compare Is 42:1), "messenger" (Mal 3:1), "perfect" (Ro 10:4; He 2:10; 1Pe 2:22), can, in the full antitypical sense, only apply to Christ. So Is 42:21 plainly refers to Him. "Blind" and "deaf" in His case refer to His endurance of suffering and reproach, as though He neither saw nor heard (Psa 38:13, 14). Thus there is a transition by contrast from the moral blindness of Israel (Is 42:18) to the patient blindness and deafness of Messiah [Horsley].

‏ John 9:39

39-41. Jesus said--perhaps at the same time, but after a crowd, including some of the skeptical and scornful rulers, had, on seeing Jesus talking with the healed youth, hastened to the spot.

that they which see not might see, &c.--rising to that sight of which the natural vision communicated to the youth was but the symbol. (See on Joh 9:5, and compare Lu 4:18).

that they which see might be made blind--judicially incapable of apprehending and receiving the truth, to which they have wilfully shut their eyes.