Isa 42:19 | JFB | STEP | 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 ), 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 ( ), [Gesenius]. The language, "my servant" (compare ), "messenger" (Mal 3:1), "perfect" ( ; ; ), can, in the full antitypical sense, only apply to Christ. So 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 ( , ). Thus there is a transition by contrast from the moral blindness of Israel ( ) to the patient blindness and deafness of Messiah [Horsley].

‏ Isaiah 42:19

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].