He beareth the sin of many, and for the
transgressors He shall make intercession." By [Hebrew: vhva], it is
indicated that the subsequent words are no more to be viewed as
depending on [Hebrew: tHt awr].--[Hebrew: ipgie] must not, as is done
by the LXX., be referred to the state of humiliation; for the Future in
the preceding verses has reference to the exaltation. The parallel
[Hebrew: nwa] must therefore be viewed as a _Praeteritum propheticum_.
It corresponds with [Hebrew: isbl] in ver. 11, and, like it, does not
designate something done but once by the Servant of God, but something
which He does constantly. The intercession is [Pg 310] here brought
into close connection with the bearing of the sin, by which Christ
represents himself as being the true _sin-offering_ (comp. ver. 10,
where He was designated as the true _trespass-offering_), and hence it
is equivalent to: He will make intercession for sinners, by taking upon
himself their sin,--of which the thief on the cross was the first
instance. This close connection, and the deep meaning suggested by it,
are overlooked and lost by those expositors who, in the intercession,
think of prayer only. _The servant of God, on the contrary, makes
intercession, by pleading before God His merit, as the ground of the
acceptance of the transgressors, and of the pardon of their sins._ This
is evident from the connection also in which: "For the transgressors He
shall make intercession," stands with: "He was numbered with the
transgressors." The vicarious suffering is thereby pointed out as the
ground of the intercession. _Calvin_ says: "Under the Old Testament
dispensation, the High-priest, who never went in without blood, made
intercession for the people. What was there foreshadowed has been
fulfilled in Christ. For, in the first place. He offered up the
sacrifice of His body, and shed His blood, and thus suffered the
punishment due to us. And, in the second place, in order that the
expiation might profit us. He undertakes the office of an advocate, and
makes intercession for all who, by faith, lay hold of this sacrifice."
Comp. Rom. viii. 34: [Greek: hos kai entunchanei huper hemon]; Hebr.
ix. 24, according to which passage Christ is entered into the holy
places [Greek: nun emphanisthenai to prosopo tou Theou huper hemon]; 1
John ii. 1: [Greek: parakleton echomen pros ton patera Iesoun Christon
dikaion].

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