solely to the mercy of God that, according to chap.
xlviii. 11, Israel owes deliverance from the severe suffering into
which they fell in the way of their sins. One may confidently assert
there is not a single page in the whole book, which does not offer a
striking refutation of this view. And most miserable are the expedients
to which, in the face of such facts, the defenders of this view betake
themselves. _Rosenmueller_ was of opinion, that the Prophet introduced
those Gentiles only as speaking, who, by this flattery, wished to gain
the favour of the Jews,--without considering that it is just in the
words of the Lord, in ver. 11, that the absolute righteousness of the
Servant of God is most strongly expressed. _Hitzig_ is of opinion, that
the people had indeed suffered for their sins; but that the punishment
had been greater than their sins, and that by this surplus the Gentiles
were benefited. But the Prophet expressly contradicts such a gross
view. He repeatedly declares that the punishment was still mitigated by
mercy; that, in the way of their works, Israel would have found total
destruction. Thus, _e.g._, chap. xlviii. 9: "For my name's sake will I
be long-suffering, and for my praise will I moderate mine anger unto
thee, that I cut thee not off;" chap. i. 9: "Except the Lord of Hosts
had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom; we
should have been like unto Gomorrah." In order to be fully convinced
how much this view of Israel, enforced upon the godly men of the Old
Testament, is in contradiction to their own view, the prayer of Ezra
may still be compared in Neh. ix., especially ver. 20 ff.--(c.) The
sufferings of the Jewish people cannot be vicarious, because they are
destitute of the very first condition of substitution, viz.,
sinlessness and righteousness. That even _Hitzig_ does not venture to
claim for them. But how can an ungodly man, even supposing that his
punishment is too severe, justify others [Pg 339] by a righteousness of
his which does not exist? _Finally_--The fourth sign, patience, so
little belongs to the Jewish people, that it is one of the main tasks
of our Prophet himself to oppose their murmuring impatience; comp.
_e.g._, chap. xlv. 9 ff.

Against the hypothesis that the people are the subject of the prophecy,
there is the circumstance that it carries along with it the unnatural
supposition that, in chap. liii. 1-10, the heathens are introduced as
speaking. Decisive