Month: April 2021

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

they shall not hunger or thirst,

neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,

for he who has pity on them will lead them,

and by springs of water will guide them. ISA 49:10

Sanhedrin 92a:6

Rabbi Elazar says: Any communal leader who leads the community calmly, without anger and honestly, is privileged and leads them in the world to come, as it is stated: “For he who has pity upon them will lead them, and by springs of water shall guide them” (Isa 49:10). Just as he led them in this world, so too will he guide them in the world to come.

36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

John Gill

But I said to you—The substance of what follows in Joh 6:26 though the Persic and Ethiopic versions render it, “I say to you”; and so refers not to anything before said, but to what he was about to say:

That you have seen me and yet do not believe—That is, they had not only seen him in person, which many kings, prophets, and righteous men had desired, but not enjoyed, yet nevertheless believed; but they had seen his miracles, and had shared in the advantages of them, being healed, and fed corporeally by him, and yet believed not in him as the spiritual Saviour and Redeemer of their souls; nor did they come to him in a spiritual way, for eternal life and salvation.

37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

you whom I took from the ends of the earth,

and called from its farthest corners,

saying to you, “You are my servant,

I have chosen you and not cast you off”; ISA 41:9

Rashi

Whom I took—I took you for my share. Comp. (Exo 4:4) “And he put out his hand and caught it.”

I . . . called . . . you by name for my share, “my firstborn son, Israel” (ibid. v. 22).

From the ends of the earth—From the other nations.

And . . . from its farthest corners—From the greatest of them.

And not cast you off like Esau, as it is said (Mal 1:3), “But Esau I have hated.”

38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

John Gill

For I have come down from heaven—By change of place, or local motion; for Christ is the immense, infinite, and omnipresent God, and cannot be said properly to move from place to place; for he fills all places, even heaven and earth, with his presence, and was in heaven as the Son of God, at the same time he was here on earth as the son of man: therefore this must be understood in a manner becoming his proper deity, his divine sonship, and personality: this descent was by the assumption of the human nature into union with his divine person, which was an instance of amazing grace and condescension. The Jew objects to this, and says,

“if this respects the descent of the soul, the soul of every man descended from thence; but if it respects the body, the rest of the evangelists contradict his words, particularly Luke, when he says (Luk 2:7), that his mother brought him forth at Bethlehem.”

But this descent regards neither his soul nor body, but his divine person, which always was in heaven, and not any local descent of that; but, as before observed, an assumption of human nature, which he took of the virgin on earth; and so there is no contradiction between the evangelists; nor is descent from heaven unsuitable to Christ as a divine person, since it is ascribed to God (Gen 11:7; 18:21); and if God may be said to go down from heaven by some display of his power, and intimation of his presence, Christ may be said to descend from heaven by that marvellous work of his, taking upon him our nature, and walking up and down on earth in the form of a servant; and which was done with this view, as he says,

Not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me—That is, not to do his own will, as separate from his Father’s, and much less as contrary to it; otherwise he did come to do his own will, which, as God, was the same with his Father’s, he being one with him in nature, and so in power and will; and though his will, as man, was distinct from his Father’s, yet not repugnant, but resigned to it: and this will he came to do, was to preach the gospel, fulfil the law, work miracles, and obtain the eternal redemption and salvation of his people. What the above Jewish writer objects to this part of the text is of very little moment: whose words are;

“moreover, what he says, ‘not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me,’ shows, that he that sent, is not one and the same with him that is sent, seeing the will of him that is sent, is not as the will of him that sends.”

It is readily granted that they are not one and the same person; they are two distinct persons, which sending, and being sent, do clearly show; but then they are one in nature, though distinct in person, and they agree in will and work. Christ came not to do any will of his own different from that of his Father’s; nor do these words imply a difference of wills in them, much less a contrariety in them, but rather the sameness of them.

8 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;

in the scroll of the book it is written of me:

John Gill

Then I said—As in the council and covenant of peace, when and where he declared his willingness to come into the world, and make satisfaction for the sins of his people; so when the fulness of time was come for his appearance in human nature he repeated the same; for of the time of his coming into the world are these words interpreted (Heb 10:5); when sacrifice and offering God would not have any longer continued, and when a body was prepared him, then he said,

Behold, I have come—O Father; as Apollinarius, in his metaphrase, adds; that is, freely, and without compulsion; immediately, at once, without any delay; and he himself, and not another; and this not by change of place, but by assumption of nature; taking the body, or human nature, prepared for him, and uniting it to himself; to which the word “behold” is prefixed as a note of attention and admiration; the incarnation of Christ being a wonderful affair, and of the utmost moment and importance;

In the scroll of the book it is written of me—Either in the book of divine predestination, in the purposes and decrees of God (Psa 139:16); or in the book of the Scriptures; either in general (Luk 24:27, 44; Joh 5:39); or particularly in the book of the Psalms (Psa 1:1-2; 2:2, 6-7); or rather in the book of the law, the five books of Moses, since these were the only books or volumes that were composed at the writing of this Psalm; and it has respect not to Exo 21:6; nor Deu 17:18; nor Deu 18:15; but rather Gen 3:15; and seeing the coming of Christ into the world was not only appointed of God, agreed to by Christ, but was prophesied of, and penned down in the sacred writings; therefore at the appointed time he came, freely and willingly. This book is called a volume, or roll, alluding to the manner of writing formerly; when what was written was finished, it was rolled about a stick in the manner of a cylinder; and in this form is the book of the law with the Jews to this day (see Gill on Luk 4:17).

Rashi

Then at the time of the giving of the law, behold I came to you to be bound in your covenant. (Exo 24:7): “We will do and be obedient,” and this matter is written as testimony concerning me in the scroll of the book, i.e., in the law of Moses.

9 I delight to do your will, O my God;

your law is within my heart.” PSA 40:8-9

John Gill

I delight to do your will, O my God—This he came down from heaven to do, and this he did do, by preaching the gospel, and working miracles; and above all by obtaining eternal redemption for his people, which he effected by fulfilling the law, becoming a sacrifice, and suffering and dying in their room; all which were the will of God, and grateful to him, and in doing which Christ took the utmost delight and pleasure (Luk 12:50; Joh 4:34);

Your law is within my heart—Either the whole moral law, under which he was, as man, and the surety of his people; and which was written upon his heart, and which he perfectly obeyed; or that particular law, injunction, and command laid upon him by his Father, to offer himself a sacrifice, and lay down his life for men; which he agreed to, had it in his mind, his heart was set upon it, and he cheerfully complied with it (Joh 10:18; 14:31).

Rashi

Your law is within my heart—Even my food is according to your law; I ate neither unclean beasts nor untithed produce.

39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.

If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 1SA 25:29

Chagigah 12b:13

The souls of the righteous are found in heaven, as it is written: “And the life of my master shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God” (1Sa 25:29). Spirits and souls that are to be created are found there, as it is written: “For the spirit that enwraps itself is from me, and the breath of life that I made” (Isa 57:16), which indicates that the spirit to be released into the world, wrapped around a body, is located close to God. The dew that the Holy One, blessed be he, will use to revive the dead is found in heaven, as it is written: “Rain in abundance, God, you will shed abroad; you confirmed your inheritance as it languished” (Psa 68:10).

40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

21 Declare and present your case;

let them take counsel together!

Who told this long ago?

Who declared it of old?

Was it not I, the Lord?

And there is no other god besides me,

a righteous God and a Savior;

there is none besides me.

Rashi

Who told this long ago—Who of your idols is it that told long ago that your God brought salvation, each one to its worshipers?

Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no other—For I announce what I am destined to do for my people, and I fulfill My words.

22 Turn to me and be saved,

all the ends of the earth!

For I am God, and there is no other. ISA 45:21-22

Rashi

Turn to me and abandon your graven images, all the ends of the earth, and, thereby, you shall be saved.

24 “Before they call I will answer;

while they are yet speaking I will hear.

John Gill

Before they call I will answer—The sense is, should they be attacked by any enemy, or fear that they shall be disturbed by them, and so turn themselves of making application to the Lord for help; while they are preparing for prayer, stirring up one another to it, and appointing a season for it, to meet together on that account; before they are able to put up one petition in a regular way, the Lord will appear for them, and give an answer of peace:

While they are yet speaking I will hear—While they are praying to him, he hears and answers, and grants their requests, and more, as he did Daniel. This shows the readiness of the Lord to help and assist his people in any time of trouble, or when they may fear an enemy; and is a great encouragement to attend the throne of grace constantly.

Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.” DAN 10:12

John Gill

Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel”—Perceiving him to shake and tremble, and to be intimidated at his presence, he speaks comfortably to him, and encourages him to lay aside his fears, that he might be more capable of attending to what he was about to say to him; and which had a tendency of themselves to remove his fears, and increase his confidence in the Lord:

For from the first day you set your heart to understand—Not so much the former visions which he had an understanding of, as the future state of his people; or rather, the reason of their present distressed condition, being hindered by their enemies in rebuilding their city and temple:

And humbled yourself before your God—To humble himself in prayer, and to afflict himself by fasting:

Your words have been heard—His prayers were heard, and an answer ordered to be given, the very first day he began to pray, and fast, and mourn, though it was now full three weeks since; just as, at the beginning of his former supplications, Gabriel had a commandment to go and show him that they were heard (Dan 9:23):

And I have come forth because of your words—On account of his prayers, to bring an answer to them; the reason why he came no sooner, when it was three weeks since he received his order, is as follows.

Taanit 8b:10

They said to him: From where do you know this, the fact that one may take a fast upon himself that he cannot observe? Rabbi Zeira said to them that the reason is as it is written: “Then he said to me, ‘Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to fast before your God, your words have been heard’ ” (Dan 10:12). This verse indicates that from the moment one turns his heart to fast, his prayers are heard.

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. MAR 11:24

John Gill

Therefore I tell you—For encouragement in prayer more particularly, without which nothing should be attempted, and especially which is above the power of nature, and is of a miraculous kind:

Whatever you ask in prayer—That is, according to the revealed will of God, is for the confirmation of his gospel, and for the glory of his name:

Believe that you have received it, and it will be yours—The petitions that are desired, and the things asked in them: that is, be as much assured of having them, as if you had already received them, and you shall have them; for the sense can never be, that they should believe they received them before they had them; this would be a contradiction in terms; and Beza’s ancient copy, and one of Stephens’ copies read it, “believe that you will receive,” as in (Mat 21:22), and so the Vulgate Latin version; with which agree the Arabic and Ethiopic versions, which render it, “believe that you will enjoy,” or “obtain”; and the Syriac version, “believe that you are about to receive”; and great faith it is so to believe; and this is the prayer of faith; see 1Jn 5:14-15.

25 The wolf and the lamb shall graze together;

the lion shall eat straw like the ox,

and dust shall be the serpent’s food.

They shall not hurt or destroy

in all my holy mountain,”

says the Lord. ISA 65:24-25

John Gill

The wolf and the lamb shall graze together—Or, “as one”: as if they were one, of the same kind and nature, and lived upon the same food. The people of God are comparable to lambs, for their harmlessness and innocence; and wicked men to wolves, for their fierceness and cruelty; but, by the grace of God, the latter become as mild and as gentle as the former, and live upon the same spiritual food, and join with them in attendance on the word and ordinances, where they find spiritual refreshment and comfort together; such who have been persecutors of the church shall now become members of it; and many instances of this kind, as there were in the first times of the gospel, so there shall be in the latter day:

The lions shall eat straw like the ox—To which creature the ministers of the gospel are compared for their laboriousness, as wicked persecutors are to lions; and sometimes the latter have been so changed by the grace of God, as to become preachers of it, as Saul was, and very probably many will hereafter; however, there will be no persecution of the church after those days; wolves and lions will have their nature changed, and be in fellowship with the saints, and be better employed than before in persecuting them:

And dust shall be the serpent’s food—The food of the old serpent, the devil, as was threatened (Gen 3:14), to which he shall now be confined; he shall not be able to bite the saints, being bruised under their feet; he shall only have power over carnal, worldly, earthly minded men; and shall not be able to give the church any trouble, by instigating men to persecute it:

“They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord—That is, Satan and his emissaries; wicked men, comparable to lions and wolves, shall no more drink the blood of the saints, or persecute the church of God; after the calling of the Jews, and the bringing in the fulness of the Gentiles, and the destruction of antichrist, there will be no more persecution of the church of Christ, the mountain of God’s holiness; he has said it, and we may be assured of the truth of it (see Gill on Isa 11:9). (This verse may also apply to the Millenial state, in which the effects of the curse on the animals is to be removed. However, from this verse it seems that the curse on snakes is permanent. Editor.)

Rashi

Shall eat straw and will not have to destroy animals.

And . . . the serpent’s—Indeed, dust is the serpent’s food, which is always available for him. And the Midrash Aggadah explains: The lion shall eat straw like the ox. Since we find that Esau will fall into the hands of the sons of Joseph, as it is said (Oba 1:18): “The house of Esau stubble, and the house of Joseph a flame etc.” But that they should fall into the hands of the remaining tribes, who were compared to beasts, we do not find. It is, therefore, stated: “The lion shall eat straw like the ox.” Those tribes that were compared to a lion, such as Judah and Dan, like Joseph, who was compared to an ox, shall devour Esau who was compared to straw.

Tractate Kallah Rabbati 3:22

BARAITHA. Do not slander your fellow-man for there is no healing to whoever slanders.

GEMARA. Whence do we learn this? From the instance of the serpent; as it is written, The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. Raba said: Hence it may be inferred that the wolf, lion, bear and leopard sinned and the All-merciful made them hated by his creatures; but the reason why they will be healed is that their guilt is not like the serpent’s. The wolf is the first to pounce upon its prey, the lion the first to steal; but as for the serpent, because it engaged in slander there is no healing for it.

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,

John Gill

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? A way of speaking much like that in the Talmud, “Do you know that the world to come is not made but for the righteous?” Without a righteousness there will be no entrance into the world of bliss and happiness hereafter; and this must be a better righteousness than what a sinful creature is capable of working out, and no other than the righteousness of Christ. It was a loss and want of righteousness that cast the angels down from heaven, and turned Adam out of paradise; and whoever of his remnant: are destitute of one, will fall short of enjoying the glory of God; for it is not agreeable to the holy nature of God, to his infinite justice and righteous law, to admit any into heaven without a righteousness: hence a judgment seat is erected, before which all must stand; and those that will be found without a righteousness, will be for ever excluded the kingdom of heaven; and could any unrighteous persons be received there, it would spoil the pleasure and happiness of the saints. Now this is said, partly to dissuade the Corinthians from going to law with each other before unrighteous persons, who have no right to the kingdom of God, and living and dying as they are, will have no share in it; and therefore since they are not to be fellow heirs and companions with them in another world, they should not bring their causes before them in this; and partly to reprove them for their injurious and unrighteous actions among themselves, their tricking and defrauding of one another, with other sins they were guilty of; which, if not repented of, would show, that notwithstanding their profession, they were destitute of the grace of God, were unfit to be in the kingdom of God, in a gospel church state here below, and would be shut out of the kingdom of heaven hereafter.

Do not be deceived—Imagining, that through your knowledge and profession you shall be saved, live as you will:

Neither the sexually immoral—Such as are guilty of uncleanness with persons in a single state:

Nor idolaters—Who worship more gods than one, and not the true God; who do service to them that are not gods, and perform what the Jews call “strange service”: and not only fall down to stocks and stones, but serve various lusts and pleasures, the idols of their own hearts:

Nor adulterers—Such as have criminal conversation with persons in a married state:

Nor men who practice homosexuality—Or “soft,” or, as the Syriac renders it, “corrupters”; that is, of themselves, by voluntary pollution, such as are guilty of the sin of Onan (Gen 38:8-9). Sodomites.

10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1CO 6:9-11

The world God wants for us is peaceful. God gives us a glimpse of the kingdom here: He will be so close to his people that he will answer before they call and hear them even as they begin to speak. Not even the animals considered natural enemies will hurt or destroy each other in his kingdom. How have you glimpsed God’s kingdom peace on this earth?

20 No more shall there be in it

an infant who lives but a few days,

or an old man who does not fill out his days,

for the young man shall die a hundred years old,

and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.

John Gill

No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days—That is, no more shall there be carried out from in it, from Jerusalem, or any other place where the church of God is, to the grave, in order to be interred, an infant that has lived but a few days, a very common thing now; but, in the latter day, such instances will be rare, or rather there will be none at all; every child born will live to the age of man, and not be cut off by any premature death, either by any natural disease, or by famine, or sword, or any other calamity, which will now have no place:

Or an old man who does not fill out his days—Who, though he may in some sense, or in comparison of others, be said to be old, yet has not arrived to the full term of man’s life, threescore years and ten, or more; for it seems, by what follows, as if the term of human life will be lengthened in the latter day, and reach in common to a hundred years; so that as long life is always reckoned a temporal happiness, among the rest that shall be enjoyed, this will be one in the latter day; and which is to be understood not of the Millennium state, in which there will be no death (Rev 21:4), which yet will be in this, as the following words show; but of the state preceding that, even the spiritual reign of Christ:

For the young man shall die a hundred years old—Not that that shall be reckoned a young man that shall die at a hundred years of age, the life of man being now, in these days of the Messiah, as long as they were before the flood, as the Jewish interpreters imagine; but the child that is now born, or he that is now a child, shall live to the age of a hundred years, and not die before: but lest this outward happiness should be trusted to, and a man should imagine that therefore he is in a happy state for eternity, being blessed with such a long life, it follows, “and” or

Though the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed—For though this shall be common in this state to good men and bad men, to live a hundred years, yet their death will not be alike; the good man will be blessed, and enter into a happy state of joy and peace; but the wicked man, though he lives as long as the other in this world, shall be accursed at death, and to all eternity; see Ecc 8:12-13.

Rashi

An infant—Heb. עוּל יָמִים, a youth. Comp. (Lam 2:11) “young children.” 

Shall die a hundred years old—He shall be subject to punishments to be liable to death for a capital sin. So it is explained in Bereishit Rabbah 26:2.

Shall be accursed for a sin requiring an anathema.

21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;

they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

John Gill

They shall build houses and inhabit them—In Jerusalem, and other parts of Judea: though this need not be limited to the Jews, but be considered as reaching to all the Lord’s people, the Gentiles also; who will be in no fear of enemies, or ever be disturbed by them, but shall dwell in their own houses peaceably and quietly; this is the reverse of what is threatened to the wicked (Deu 28:30):

They shall plant vineyards—And eat their fruit; they shall both live to dwell in their houses when built, and till their vineyards bring forth fruit, and then eat of them; and they shall be preserved from enemies breaking in upon them, and wasting their plantations.

8 The Lord has sworn by his right hand

and by his mighty arm:

“I will not again give your grain

to be food for your enemies,

and foreigners shall not drink your wine

for which you have labored;

John Gill

The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm—By Christ, say some, who is the arm of the Lord, the power of God, by whom he made the world, and upholds all things; but though he sometimes is said to swear to him, and concerning him, yet is never said to swear by him; rather the attribute of omnipotence is here designed; as God is sometimes said to swear by his holiness, so here by his almighty power; the consideration of which itself is a great encouragement to faith, to believe the fulfilment of promises, because God is able; but his swearing by it is a further confirmation of it; it is as if he had said, let me not be thought to be the omnipotent God I am, if I do not do so and so; or as sure as I have such a right hand, and arm of strength, what follows shall certainly be accomplished:

I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and the sons of the strangers shall not drink your wine for which you have labored—This was threatened to the people of Israel, in case of sinning against God, and revolting from him; and was accomplished in the times of their captivity in Babylon (Deu 28:33; Jer 5:17), but here it is promised, and the strongest assurance given, it should be so no more; which cannot respect the deliverance of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity; for it is certain that after that their enemies did eat their grain, and drink their wine; the Romans came and took away their city and nation, as they feared, and all their good things; therefore this must refer to future times, to times yet to come, when this people, being converted, shall be restored to their own land, and enjoy great plenty of good things, and never more be disturbed by their enemies: though all this may be understood in a spiritual sense of the “grain” and “wine” of the gospel, and the ministration of it; which was first provided for them, and they were invited to partake of it; and in preparing which the apostles and first ministers of the word, being Jews, “labored”; but they rejecting it, it was carried to the Gentiles, who had been their “enemies,” and were “aliens” from the commonwealth of Israel, which they gladly received and fed upon; but now it is promised, that the gospel, being again brought to them, should no more be taken from them, but ever continue with them; even all the means of grace, and ordinances of the gospel, for the comfort and refreshment of their souls.

9 but those who garner it shall eat it

and praise the Lord,

and those who gather it shall drink it

in the courts of my sanctuary.” ISA 62:8-9

Rashi

Shall eat it—This refers back to “your grain.”

Shall drink it—This refers back to “your wine.”

22 They shall not build and another inhabit;

they shall not plant and another eat;

for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,

and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

Rashi

Like the days of a tree—Jonathan renders: the tree of life.

23 They shall not labor in vain

or bear children for calamity,

for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord,

and their descendants with them. ISA 65:20-23

John Gill

They shall not labor in vain—As they do, who build houses, and enemies come and turn them out of them, and dwell in them themselves; or who plant vineyards, and sow their fields, and strangers come and devour them; or they are smitten with blasting and mildew:

Or bear children for calamity—For death, as the Targum; or for a curse, as the Septuagint: the tense is, they shall not beget and bear children, that shall immediately die by some distemper or another, or be taken off by famine, sword, or pestilence, to the great grief and trouble of their parents; but these shall live, and outlive their parents, so that their death will never be a trouble to them:

For they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord, and their descendants with them—Or, “they shall be a seed, the blessed of the Lord”; or, “they shall be the offspring blessed of God,” or “the Lord,” as the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions; or, as the Targum,

“a seed whom the Lord blessed”;

a spiritual offspring of the church, a seed raised up to serve the Lord, whom he blesses with temporal and spiritual blessings; and their descendants also, being made a spiritual offspring by the grace of God, and succeeding them in the church, and treading in their steps.

And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. GEN 12:2

Pesachim 117b:11

Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said with regard to God’s blessing of Abraham: “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing,” (Gen 12:2). “And I will make of you a great nation”; this is fulfilled in the opening of the first blessing of the Amida, as Jews say: God of Abraham. “And I will bless you”; this is fulfilled when they say: God of Isaac, as it is a blessing for a father when the name of his son is eternalized. “And make your name great”; this is fulfilled when they say: God of Jacob.

Rashi

And I will make of you a great nation—Since travelling is the cause of three things—it decreases (breaks up) family life, it reduces one’s wealth and lessens one’s fame, he therefore needed these three blessings: that God should promise him children, wealth and a great name (Bereishit Rabbah 39:11).

And I will bless you—With wealth (Bereishit Rabbah 39:11).

So that you will be a blessing—Blessings are entrusted to you; hitherto they were in my power—I blessed Adam and Noah. From now on you shall bless whomsoever you wish (Bereishit Rabbah 39:11). Another explanation is: And I will make of you a great nation, this alludes to the fact that we say in our prayer “God of Abraham”; And I will bless you—that we say, “God of Isaac”; And make your name great—that we say, “God of Jacob.” One might think that we should conclude the benediction in which these invocations are recited by mentioning again the names of all the patriarchs—the text therefore states “so that you will be a blessing” meaning, with you (i.e. with your name only) shall they conclude the benediction and not with them (their names) (Pesachim 117b).

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1CO 15:58

The world God wants for us is full of life and prosperity, where everyone reaches old age without fear of sickness or accidents; anyone who takes time to build a house will have time to live in it; and anyone who invests their resources will enjoy a stable livelihood. Even parenthood will be a time of joy in every instance. What do you think will change in the world God has for us?

17 For behold, I create new heavens

and a new earth,

and the former things shall not be remembered

or come into mind.

Rashi

New heavens—The princes above shall be renewed, and the princes of Israel shall be the upper princes and the princes of the heathens (the nations [Parshandatha]) will be lower, and so on the earth. ([K’li Paz reads:] The princes above shall be renewed, to raise up the humble and to humble the high ones, and so on the earth.) And some say that there will actually be new heavens, and that is correct, for Scripture proves it (infra 66:22): “For as the new heavens, etc.”

And I have put my words in your mouth

and covered you in the shadow of my hand,

establishing the heavens

and laying the foundations of the earth,

and saying to Zion, “You are my people.” ISA 51:16

Rashi

Establishing the heavens to preserve the people about whom it was said that they shall be as many as the stars of the heavens from Jonathan.

And laying the foundations of the earth—And laying the foundations of the congregation about whom it is said that they shall be as many as the dust of the earth from Jonathan.

Sanhedrin 99b:11

Rav says: It is as though he built a palace of heaven above and of earth below, as it is stated: “And I have placed my words in your mouth and I have covered you in the shadow of my hand, to plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, ‘You are my people’ ” (Isa 51:16). One who has the word of God placed in his mouth through Bible study has established heaven and earth. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: One who engages in Bible study also protects the entire world, as it is stated: “And I have covered you in the shadow of my hand.” And Levi says: He also advances the coming of the redemption, as it is stated: “And say to Zion, ‘You are my people’ ”

For as the new heavens and the new earth

that I make

shall remain before me, says the Lord,

so shall your offspring and your name remain. ISA 66:22

Tractate Kallah Rabbati 8:21

“Five acquisitions.” Just as the heavens and the earth will be renewed in the future, so also will Israel be renewed in the future, as it is stated, For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain. By whose merit? By the merit of Abraham and by the merit of the law. And where? In the temple.

For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. JOH 3:34

John Gill

For he whom God has sent—Still meaning Christ, who was sent in human nature, in the likeness of sinful flesh, in the fulness of time; to be the Savior of the world, of that which was lost, of the chief of sinners; and to preach the glad tidings of the gospel, which is more especially here designed; and for which he was abundantly qualified by the Spirit of God, with which he was anointed.

Utters the words of God—The words which God gave unto him; the doctrines of grace; the word of truth; the word of faith; the word of righteousness; the word of reconciliation; the words of salvation and eternal life; the whole mind and will of God; and whatever he spoke were as true as the oracles of God.

For he he gives the Spirit without measure—As he did to the prophets of the Old Testament, and to the apostles of the New; and to the ordinary ministers of the word, who have gifts differing one from another; to one is given one gift of the Spirit; and to another, another gift, as the Spirit pleases; and to everyone is given grace, or gifts of grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ (Eph 4:7). To which agrees what the Jews say of the Holy Spirit, and his gifts.

“Says R. Joden bar R. Simeon, even the waters which descend from above are not given, but, ‘in measure’—Says R. Acha, even the Holy Spirit, which dwells upon the prophets, does not dwell, ‘in weight.’ ”

But the Lord Jesus has every gift of the Spirit, and the fulness of grace in him: he is anointed with the oil of gladness, with the Holy Spirit above his fellows; and has an immeasurable unction of the Holy One; which, like the precious oil poured on Aaron, descends from him to the members of his body.

But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 2PE 3:13

18 But be glad and rejoice forever

in that which I create;

for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy,

and her people to be a gladness.

4 Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you!

5 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,

for you judge the peoples with equity

and guide the nations upon earth.

Rashi

For you judge the peoples with equity—Favorably.

You . . . guide them—You . . . guide them in a fair way; therefore, all peoples praise you.

because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. ACT 17:31

6 Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you! PSA 67:4-6

10 Sing to the Lord a new song,

his praise from the end of the earth,

you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it,

the coastlands and their inhabitants.

11 Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice,

the villages that Kedar inhabits;

let the habitants of Sela sing for joy,

let them shout from the top of the mountains.

Rashi

Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice—Their voice in song.

The villages that Kedar inhabits—(Connected to “Let the desert . . . lift up.” Let the desert of Kedar, where they now dwell in tents, lift up their voice and sing. It is like: And the villages with which Kedar is settled.) The desert of Kedar, where they now dwell in tents, will be permanent cities and villages.

Habitants of Sela—The dead who will be resurrected. So did Jonathan render this.

Let them shout from the top of the mountains—Let them lift up their voices from the top of the mountains from Jonathan.

12 Let them give glory to the Lord,

and declare his praise in the coastlands. ISA 42:10-12

Rejoice always 1TH 5:16

19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem

and be glad in my people;

no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping

and the cry of distress. ISA 65:17-19

Go out, O daughters of Zion,

and look upon King Solomon,

with the crown with which his mother crowned him

on the day of his wedding,

on the day of the gladness of his heart. SON 3:11

Rashi

O daughters of Zion—Heb. צִיוֹן. Children who are distinguished (מְצֻיָנִין) as his, through circumcision, phylacteries, and ritual fringes.

With the crown with which his mother crowned him—The tent of meeting, which was adorned with hues of blue, purple, and scarlet. Rabbi Nechunya said, “Rabbi Shimon son of Yochai asked Rabbi Elazar the son of Rabbi Yose, ‘Perhaps you heard from your father what is meaning of “with the crown with which his mother crowned him”?’ He replied, ‘This is a parable of a king who had an only daughter of whom he was very fond. He could not stop loving her until he called her “my daughter,” as it is stated (Psa 45:11): “Hear, O daughter, and consider.” He could not stop loving her until he called her “my sister,” as it is stated (below 5:2): “Open to me, my sister, my love.” He could not stop loving her until he called her “my mother,” as it is stated (Isa 51:4): “Give attention to me, my people, and . . . my nation (וּלְאוּמִי).” It is written: וּלְאֻמִי which can be read as וּלְאִמִי, and to my mother. Rabbi Shimon son Yochai stood up and kissed him on his head, etc.

On the day of his wedding—The day of the giving of the law, when they crowned him as their King and accepted his yoke.

On the day of the gladness of his heart—This is the eighth day of the installation, tabernacle was dedicated in the wilderness.

Taanit 26b:6

And similarly, it says in another verse: “Go out, daughters of Zion, and look upon King Solomon, with the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day of the gladness of his heart” (Son 3:11). This verse is explained as an allusion to special days: “On the day of his wedding”; this is the giving of the law through the second set of tablets on the Day of Atonement. The name King Solomon in this context, which also means king of peace, is interpreted as a reference to God. “On the day of the gladness of his heart”; this is the building of the temple, may it be rebuilt speedily in our days.

He will swallow up death forever;

and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,

and the reproach of his people he will take away

from all the earth,

for the Lord has spoken. ISA 25:8

Pesachim 68a:15

As we have been discussing the world of the future and the resurrection of the dead, the Gemara cites additional statements on these topics. Ulla raised a contradiction between two verses: In one verse it is written: “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the insult of his people he shall take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken” (Isa 25:8). And in another verse it is written: “No more shall there be in it an infant who lives a few days, or an old man who has not filled his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old” (Isa 65:20), implying that people will live long lives, but death will not be totally eradicated. Ulla answers: This is not difficult: Here, in the first verse, it is referring to Jews, who will not die at all, while there, in the second verse, it is referring to Gentiles, who will live exceedingly long lives but eventually die. The Gemara asks: What are Gentiles doing there in the future world? The Gemara answers: As it is written: “Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and vineyard workers” (Isa 61:5).

Rashi

He will swallow up death—He will cover it and hide it forever from Israel.

3 So he told them this parable:

5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. LUK 15:3, 5

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,

and he will guide them to springs of living water,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. REV 7:17

The world God wants for us is joyful. The city he promises to create is designed to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. God wants to enjoy spending time with his people and blessing them. He even wants to remove any cause for the sound of weeping and the cry of distress. What does a joyful world look like to you?

35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

12 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country.

13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. MAR 16:12-13

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!”

John Gill

As they were talking about these things—While the two disciples, that came from Emmaus, were giving the above relation; just as they had finished it, and had scarcely done speaking:

Jesus himself stood among them—The apostles; who were assembled together in a certain house, the doors being shut for fear of the Jews; and it was on the evening of the same day Christ rose from the dead, and late at night see Joh 20:19; nd without hearing the doors opened, or the sound of the feet of Jesus, and without seeing him come in, and approach unto them, he, in a moment, at once, stood in the middle of them, as if he had immediately rose up out of the earth before them; and so the Persic version renders it, “Jesus rose up out the midst of them”: by his power he opened the and secretly let himself in, and shut them again at once; and by the agility of his body moved so swiftly, that he was not discerned until he was among them, where he stood to be seen, and known by them; whereby he made that good in a corporeal sense, which he had promised in a spiritual sense (Mat 18:20), and was an emblem of his presence in his churches, and with his ministers, to the end of the world.

And said to them, “Peace to you!”—Which was an usual form of salutation among the Jews (see Gill on Joh 20:19). The Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions add, “I am he, fear not”; but this clause is not in the Greek copies.

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;

I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, ISA 57:18

Rashi

I have seen his ways when he humbled himself before me, when troubles befell him.

But I will heal him; I will lead him—Heb. וְאַנְחֵהוּ. I will lead him in the way of healing. Alternatively, וְאַנְחֵהוּ is an expression of rest and tranquility.

Him and his mourners—To those who are troubled over him.

37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.

The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 1SA 28:13

Chagigah 4b:9

The Gemara asks: In the case of Samuel, what is it that he feared? As it is written: “And the woman said to Saul, ‘I see a god coming up [olim] out of the earth’ (1Sa 28:13). “Olim,” in the plural form, indicates that there were two of them. One of them was Samuel, but the other, who was he? The Gemara explains that Samuel went and brought Moses with him. He said to Moses: Perhaps, heaven forbid, I was summoned for judgment by God; stand with me and testify on my behalf that there is nothing that you wrote in the law that I did not fulfill.

Rashi

I see a god coming up out of the earth—Two angels, Moses and Samuel, for Samuel feared, “Perhaps I am being summoned for judgement,” and he therefore brought Moses up with him, as it is stated in Chagigah and Taanit.

38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?

John Gill

And he said to them, “Why are you troubled”—Who had more reason to rejoice, and be glad, as they were when they knew that it was Jesus:

And why do doubts arise in your hearts?—Whether what they saw was Jesus, or an apparition, which gave them a great deal of trouble and uneasiness, and filled them with fright and terror; as it was, and is usual with persons when they fancy they see a spirit, or an apparition; see Mat 14:26.

39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

John Gill

See my hands and my feet—The Evangelist John adds, “and side”; that is, the prints of the nails and spear, in his hands, and feet, and side; and the wounds they made there, and the scars they left behind; by which they might be convinced he was not a spirit, and be assured of the truth of his resurrection, and that in the same numerical body in which he suffered; as well as that it might be observed by them how great was his love to them, to endure what he did for them.

Touch me, and see—Or know by feeling, as well as by sight; so that if the one was not sufficient, the other might confirm; sight might be deceived, but feeling could not: Apollonius Tyaneus, to them that did not know whether he was alive or dead, and who took him for a spirit, proposed himself to be touched, and handled, that they might be convinced:

For a spirit does not have flesh and bones—Nothing but appearance, or air at most; no solid substance to be felt and handled:

As you see that I have—Or may perceive, both by sight and feeling.

40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.

41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”

26 And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them.

Avot D’Rabbi Natan 30:4

Rabbi Shimon would say: Such is the punishment for a liar, that even when he speaks the truth, no one listens to him. So we find with the children of Jacob, who deceived their father. In the beginning he believed them, as it says (Gen 37:31), “They took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat,” and then it says (Gen 37:33), “He identified it and said, ‘This is my son’s robe.’ ” But afterward, even when they spoke the truth to him, he did not believe them, as it says (Gen 45:26), (“His heart became numb, for he did not believe them.”) “They told him, and said: Joseph is still alive . . . but he did not believe them.”

Some say that the Holy Spirit that had departed from Jacob now returned to him, as it says (Gen 45:27), “The spirit of their father Jacob was revived.”

Rashi

And they told him, “He is ruler”—And he rules.

And his heart became numb—His heart passed away and went away from believing—his heart did not turn to believe these words. The word וַיָפָג has the same meaning as (Beitzah 14a) “all spices let their taste pass away” in the language of the Mishnah. Similar is (Lam 3:49) “without respite (הֲפֻגוֹת).”

27 But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.

Rashi

All the words of Joseph—As evidence that it was Joseph who was sending this message he had informed them of the religious subject he had been studying with his father at the time when he left him, viz., the section of the heifer that had its neck broken (Deu 21). It is to this that Scripture refers in the words “and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent”—and it does not state “that Pharaoh had sent” (Bereishit Rabbah 94:3).

The spirit of . . . Jacob revived—The glory that had departed from him, rested again upon him (cf. Onkelos).

28 And Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.” GEN 45:26-28

Rashi

Enough; Joseph my son is still alive—Much joy and pleasure is still in store for me, since Joseph my son is still alive.

42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,

John Gill

They gave him a piece of broiled fish—Which was left by them at supper, of which they had been eating; for being fishermen, most of them, this was agreeable food to them.

43 and he took it and ate before them.

44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel. GEN 3:15

Rashi

I will put enmity—Your sole intention was that Adam should die by eating it first and that you should then take Eve for yourself (Bereishit Rabbah 20:5), and you came to speak to Eve first only because women are easily influenced and know how to influence their husbands; therefore “I will put enmity.”

He shall bruise your head—Like (Deu 9:21), “And crushed it” which is translated by Onkelos as “I pounded it.”

And you shall bruise his heel—You shall have no height and you shall bruise him on the heel, and even from there you shall kill him. The word תְּשׁוּפֶנוּ is like (Isa 40:24): “He blows (נָשַׁף) on them.” When a serpent comes to bite, it blows with a kind of hissing sound, and since the two words coincide i.e., they sound alike, they are both used here.

45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?” EXO 4:11

Rashi

Who has made man’s mouth—Who taught you to speak when you were arraigned in judgment before Pharaoh on account of the Egyptian whom you slew?

Who makes him mute—Who made Pharaoh mute so that he could not insist upon the carrying out of his command to kill you? Who made his ministers deaf so that they could not hear when he gave orders concerning you? And who made the executioners blind so that they could not see when you fled from the platform and escaped? (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 10)

Is it not I whose name is the Lord do all this?

46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,

I gave my back to those who strike,

and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;

I hid not my face

from disgrace and spitting. ISA 50:6

Rashi

I gave my back to those who strike—He said to me, Isaiah, my children are obstinate; my children are bothersome. You may go on the condition that you do not become angry with them. I said to him, On that condition.

47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. GEN 12:3

Rashi

In you . . . shall be blessed—There are many aggadoth, but this is its plain sense: A man says to his son, “May you be like Abraham.” This, too, is the meaning wherever the phrase “shall be blessed with you” occurs in Scripture, and the following example proves this (Gen 48:20): “By you Israel shall pronounce blessings, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.’ ”

48 You are witnesses of these things.