This text is from Adam Sasbout (Adamus Sasboutus, c. 1505–1556), a Dutch Carthusian monk and theologian from Delft, active during the early reformation period. His Commentaria in Isaiam Prophetam (Commentaries on the Prophet Isaiah) were published in the mid-16th century (e.g., Cologne, 1555; Lyon, 1565). Sasbout is known for a concise, clear exegetical style that synthesizes patristic authority (particularly Jerome) with the textual precision characteristic of early humanist scholarship. He died in 1556, and his commentaries were widely printed in Catholic Europe (Cologne, Lyon, Paris) throughout the 16th century.
Adam Sasbout, Commentary on Isaiah 42:1-9
The Biblical Text (Isaiah 42:1-4)
Is 42:1: "Behold my servant, I will uphold him; my chosen, in whom my soul is well pleased. I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the nations."
Is 42:2: "He shall not cry out, nor lift up his voice, nor make his voice heard in the street."
Is 42;3: "A bruised reed he shall not break, and smoking flax he shall not quench; he shall bring forth judgment in truth."
Is 42:4: "He shall not be sad nor turbulent, until he establishes judgment in the earth; and the islands shall await his law."
"Behold my servant, I will uphold him..."
Some of the Jews interpret these things concerning Jacob; others concerning Isaiah or Cyrus—let the studious examine these views. But we have a most certain commentary in Matthew, chapter 12, where these things are interpreted concerning Christ. And it is a continuous discourse with the preceding chapters.
"My servant": Christ, who according to the dispensation of the flesh assumed was a servant, but truly according to divinity was not a servant but equal to the Father. The Septuagint and Matthew read "my chosen." Now, the words are ambiguous in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, pertaining sometimes to condition, sometimes to family.
"He shall bring forth judgment to the nations": "Judgment" in Scripture is sometimes that by which we discern between good and evils. And then the sense is this: The Gentiles have hitherto erred and could not recognize the truth, being entangled in errors concerning the worship of idols and many other things. This servant of mine, Christ, shall bring forth true judgment; He shall propose to the Gentiles the Gospel, in which they may learn to discern true worship from false.
There is also another judgment which is made between two defendants, such as in John when it is said: "Now is the judgment of the world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out" (John 12:31). If this is taken in that mode, the sense is: He Himself shall take the part of judge between the devil and the human race, and shall pronounce sentence for the human race against the devil.
"He shall not cry out..."
Paul used "clamor" in the same signification in the Epistle to the Ephesians (4:31): "Let all bitterness, and anger, and indignation, and clamor, and blasphemy be taken away from you." The sense therefore is: Christ, according to the human nature assumed, my servant, will not be of a fierce and impatient genius; He will not be bitter; He will not be indignant.
"Nor shall he accept persons": Literally in Hebrew it is "he shall not accept," or "he shall not assume," or "he shall not lift up." Jerome, however, added "person" from his own understanding, perhaps because this word in this signification is sometimes found in Scripture, but with something added, as "to accept the face" or "the soul." In the commentaries, however, he gives another sense: "He shall not accept persons in judgment," or "He shall not lift up his voice," so that it is an interpretation of the prior clause.
"Nor shall his voice be heard outside": The sense is: He shall do nothing for ostentation and vain glory. By all these things is signified the modesty and meekness of Christ.
"A bruised reed he shall not break": The humanity of Christ toward the weak and imbecile is signified. Although someone is a sinner, although he begins to fall into sin, He will not crush him, He will not cast him away, but will nourish him.
"And smoking flax he shall not quench": Those who are near to their extinction, He will preserve by His clemency.
St. Jerome's Commentary on Matthew 12 has this: "He who does not extend a hand to a sinner, nor bears the burdens of brothers, this one breaks the bruised reed. And he who contemns a small spark of faith in the little ones, this one quenches the smoking flax. He who today does not give effort that he may correct the erring as much as he can, that one breaks the bruised reed."
"In truth he shall bring forth judgment..."：That is, He shall bring forth the true worship of God and true judgment. True, I say, worship by which God the Father is gladdened and placated.
"Until he establishes judgment in the earth..."：That is, He shall exhibit all these things, namely modesty and meekness and humanity, so that men, even Gentiles, may judge rightly. This happens when the will of God is fulfilled in heaven and on earth.
"And the islands shall await his law": The Septuagint interpreters placed this more manifestly, and after them the Evangelist Matthew, in this way: "And in his name the Gentiles shall hope" (Matthew 12:21), who in the Scriptures are called "islands" because on every side they lie open to the incursions of persecutors. So here Jerome in Isaiah. From which commentary it is clear that he acknowledged the metaphor in "islands." But from the custom of Scripture in the preceding chapters, we have noted something else. Jerome delivers the exposition of this place in the Epistle to Algasia, Question 11.
The Biblical Text (Isaiah 42:5-9)
Is 42:5: "Thus says the Lord God, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who established the earth and the things that spring from it, who gives breath to the people who are upon it, and spirit to those who tread upon it."
Is 42:6: "I the Lord have called you in justice, and I have taken hold of your hand, and I have preserved you, and I have given you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations."
Is 42:7: "That you may open the eyes of the blind, and bring out from confinement the bound, from the house of prison those sitting in darkness."
Is 42:8: "I am the Lord, this is my name: I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven images."
Is 42:9: "Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I will make them known to you."
"Thus says the Lord God..."
"I am the Lord": That is, my name. These things having been premised, lest anyone think it to be a light promise: I, the Lord of heaven and earth, the creator of all things, predict and promise these things.
"I the Lord have called you in justice": Justice, namely, of my promises. I promised you to Abraham and his [seed], and I have fulfilled the promise.
"And I have taken hold of your hand": That is, I have extended helping hands.
"And I have preserved you": These things are understood concerning Christ according to the dispensation of the assumed flesh, just as was said above.
"And I have given you for a covenant..."：That is, you shall be the peacemaker between me and men; through you I shall be reconciled to the human race. You shall be a light to the Gentiles. You shall open the eyes of the blind. The Gentiles are blind; they judge badly concerning the true worship of God. You shall remove their blindness, and all who are bound and enclosed in sins, you shall liberate them and loose them.
"I am the Lord..."：This does not exclude the Son, but idols. Hence concerning the true worship of God and true justice, this follows: "I will not give my glory to graven images." But in all these chapters the prophet willingly touches upon the worship of idols, so that from this also it may be perceived that he looked chiefly to the vocation of the Gentiles, who among the other nations were most especially given to the worship of idols.
He says therefore: I am the Lord, not your idols. The name "Lord" is proper and peculiar to me. I by my very nature am Lord. They indeed are lords by name, but by another's benefit. "I will not give": That is, I will not suffer anymore glory and latria, or worship due to me, to be spent on idols and the gods of the Gentiles, Jove, Mercury, and the rest, so that they are called gods and Lords anymore. I will not bear it.
"Behold the former things..."：Those things which long ago I predicted through Moses and the prophets to be future, behold they have come. That is, they have obtained their effect. As if to say: There is no reason for you to doubt my promises. Hitherto I have performed those things which I promised and predicted future.
"New things also I declare..."：Now I predict to you that Christ my Son shall sometime be born, who shall liberate you far otherwise than anyone has hitherto liberated you.
CONTINUE.
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