Month: April 2021

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

10 Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.”

Rashi

Who was confined for he found him at home.

He said, “Let us meet”—Shemaiah was a false prophet who had received a bribe from Sanballat and his colleagues to frighten Nehemiah in order to stop the work.

For they are coming to kill you—For Sanballat and his colleagues will come to kill you.

And they are coming . . . by night—Therefore, he warned him to enter the temple and to close the doors about himself, because the doors of the gates of the city had not been made, as it says at the beginning of the chapter (verse 1): “Although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates.”

11 But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.” NEH 6:10-11

Rashi

Should such a man as I run away—This is a question: Should such a man as I run away to enter the temple?

I will not go in—I will not go in there because of fear of death, and I will not transgress the commandments of the Holy One, blessed be he, that a stranger (a non-priest) may not enter his temple.

20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

John Gill

And when he had said this—That is, declared he sent them forth in like manner as his Father sent him:

He breathed on them—In allusion to God’s breathing the breath of life into man, at his creation; or rather, to the Spirit himself, who is the breath of God, and proceeds from him, as from the Father; and who breathes both upon persons in regeneration, and in qualifying for ministerial service, at the instance and influence of Christ: and such an opinion the Jews have of the Spirit of the Messiah, who say that

“the Spirit went from between the wings of the cherubim, ‘and breathed upon him’ by the decree, or order of the word of the Lord.”

And said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit”—Meaning not the grace of the Holy Spirit in regeneration, which they had received already; but the gifts of the Spirit, to qualify them for the work he now sent them to do, and which were not now actually bestowed; but this breathing on them, and the words that attended it, were a symbol, pledge, and confirmation, of what they were to receive on the day of Pentecost: hence it appears, that it is the Spirit of God, who, by his gifts and grace, makes and qualifies men to be ministers of the gospel; and our Lord by this action, and these words, gives a very considerable proof of his deity.

23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Jesus and Thomas

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.

John Gill

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin—The person here spoken of, is described by his Hebrew name Thomas, and his Greek one the Twin, which both signify a twin; and perhaps he was one. It was common with the Jews to have two names, a Jewish and a Gentile one; by the one they went in the land of Israel, and by the other when without the land; no, they often went by one name in Judea, and by another in Galilee; where Thomas might go by the name of the Twin with the Greeks, that might live with the Jews in some of those parts: he is also said to be “one of the twelve” apostles, which was their number at first, though Judas now was gone off from them, and therefore are sometimes only called the “eleven”; but this having been their complement, it is still retained; but what is observed of him to his disadvantage and discredit is, that he

Was not with them when Jesus came—Beza’s ancient copy reads, “he was not there with them”; and so read the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions; he either had not returned to the rest after their scattering one from another upon the apprehending of Christ; or did not choose to assemble with the rest, for fear of the Jews; or was taken up with some business and affair of life; however, he was not with the rest of the disciples, when they were assembled together, and Jesus appeared among them: as it is of good consequence to attend the assemblies of Christ’s disciples and followers, so it is of bad consequence to neglect or forsake them: it is frequently to good purpose that persons attend them; here God comes and blesses his people, Jesus grants his presence, the graces of the Spirit are increased, and drawn forth into exercise; souls that have lost sight of Christ find him, disconsolate ones are comforted, weak ones strengthened, and hungry ones fed: on the other hand, not to attend is of bad consequence; neglect of assembling together exposes to many snares and temptations; brings on a spiritual leanness; leads to an indifference and lukewarmness: issues in a low degree of grace, and a non-exercise of it, and in a loss of Christ’s presence.

25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

If I summoned him and he answered me,

I would not believe that he was listening to my voice. JOB 9:16

Rashi

I would not believe—I would be unable to believe out of my fear for him, for how do I not see him?

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

It will be said on that day,

“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him,

that he might save us.

This is the Lord; we have waited for him;

let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” ISA 25:9

Rashi

It will be said—(Lit., and he shall say, i.e.,) his people (shall say) on that day, “Behold, etc.”

We have waited for him, that he might save us—We were hoping for him, that he might save us.

29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Purpose of This Book

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

John Gill

Now Jesus did many other signs—Besides these wonderful appearances to his disciples once and again, when the doors were shut about them: and which signs refer not to what was done before, but after his resurrection; and which he did,

In the presence of the disciples—For he appeared to, and conversed with no other but them after his resurrection:

Which are not written in this book—Of John’s gospel; though they may be elsewhere; such as his appearing to the two disciples going to Emmaus, and to the eleven on a mountain in Galilee, and to five hundred brethren at once, which other inspired writers speak of: and many there are which he did; which are not particularly written in this, nor in any other book; for he was seen of his disciples forty days, and showed himself alive, by many infallible proofs; all of which are not recorded.

31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

7 I will tell of the decree:

The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;

today I have begotten you.

Rashi

I will tell of the decree—Said David, “This is an established decree, and one that I have received to tell this and to make known.”

The Lord said to me through Nathan, Gad, and Samuel.

You are my Son—The head over Israel, who are called “My firstborn son.” And they will endure through you, as is stated concerning Abner (2Sa 3:18): “for the Lord has promised, etc., ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save . . . Israel.’ ” And for their sake, you are before me as a son because they are all dependent upon you.

Today I have for I have enthroned you over them.

Begotten you to be called my son and to be beloved to me as a son for their sake, as it is stated (2Sa 7:14) concerning Solomon: “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.” We find further concerning David (Psa 89:27) “He shall call me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’ ”

Sukkah 52a:6

The Sages taught: To Messiah the son of David, who is destined to be revealed swiftly in our time, the Holy One, blessed be he, says: Ask of me anything and I will give you whatever you wish, as it is stated: “I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession” (Psa 2:7-8). Once the Messiah the son of David saw Messiah the son of Joseph, who was killed, he says to the Holy One, blessed be he: Master of the universe, I ask of you only life; that I will not suffer the same fate. The Holy One, blessed be he, says to him: Life? Even before you stated this request, your father, David, already prophesied about you with regard to this matter precisely, as it is stated: “He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever and ever” (Psa 21:5).

12 Kiss the Son,

lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,

for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him. PSA 2:7, 12

Sanhedrin 92a:1

The people [leom] curse him [yikkevuhu], but a blessing is on the head of him who provides” (Pro 11:26). And the term leom is referring to nothing other than fetuses, as it is stated: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one leom shall overcome the other leom” (Gen 25:23). And kabbo is referring to nothing other than curse, as it is stated in the statement of Balaam: “How can I curse one who is not cursed [kabbo] by God?” (Num 23:8). And bar is referring to nothing other than the law, as it is stated: “Pay homage to bar, lest he be angry” (Psa 2:12), i.e., observe the law to avoid God’s wrath.

Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples

1 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.

John Gill

After this—The resurrection of Christ from the dead, his appearance to Mary Magdalene, and twice to his disciples; once when Thomas was absent, and at another time when he was present:

Jesus showed himself again to the disciples—A third time, as in Joh 21:14 though not to them all; seven are only mentioned, as together, when he appeared to them:

By the Sea of Tiberias—The same with the Sea of Galilee; see Joh 6:1 for after the second appearance of Christ to his disciples, they went from Jerusalem to Galilee, by the order of Christ, who appointed to meet them there (Mat 28:10, 16),

And he showed himself in this way—The manner in which he made his appearance, and the persons to whom, are as follow.

But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee. MAT 26:32

2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.

John Gill

Simon Peter—Who though he had denied his Lord, dearly loved him, and truly believed in him, kept with the rest of his disciples, and was waiting for another interview with him:

Thomas (called the Twin)—Who, though for a while an unbeliever with respect to the resurrection of Christ, was now fully assured of it, and, for the future, was unwilling to lose any opportunity of meeting with his risen Lord.

Nathanael of Cana in Galilee—An Israelite indeed, in whom there was no deceit. Dr. Lightfoot thinks he is the same with Bartholomew, and so one of the eleven. The Syriac version reads it, “Cotne,” and the Persic, Catneh of Galilee; no doubt the same place is meant, where Jesus turned water into wine, of which Nathanael was an inhabitant:

The sons of Zebedee—Who were James, whom Herod killed with the sword, and John, the writer of this gospel:

And two others of his disciples—Who are thought to be Andrew and Philip; which is very likely, since they were both of Bethsaida (Joh 1:44), a city in Galilee, and not far from the Sea of Tiberias. Andrew is particularly mentioned by Nonnus: so that here were seven of them in all; four of them, according to this account, being wanting; who must be James the less, the brother of our Lord, Judas called Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Matthew the tax collector.

21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.

22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. MAT 4:21-22

3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. MAT 4:18-20

4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

John Gill

Just as day was breaking—The day began to dawn, and light to appear, very early in the morning; for Christ visits his right early, and is a present help to them in their time of trouble.

Jesus stood on the shore—On firm ground, whilst his disciples were beating about in the waves, and toiling to no purpose. So Christ, risen from the dead, is glorified, is in heaven; but not unmindful of his people amidst all their afflictions in this world:

Yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus—Though he was so near them that they could hear what he said; but it not being broad daylight they could not distinctly discern him, or their eyes might be held that they could not know him. So Christ is sometimes near his people, and they know it not.

After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. MAR 16:12

5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”

Trust in the Lord, and do good;

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. PSA 37:3

Rashi

Trust in the Lord and do not say, “If I do not rob and steal,” or “If I give charity to a poor man, how will I sustain myself?”

And do good—Then you will dwell in the land for a long time.

And befriend faithfulness—You will eat and be sustained from the reward of your faithfulness, that you believed in the Holy One, blessed be he, to rely on him and do good.

6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. ACT 2:41

7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.

Many waters cannot quench love,

neither can floods drown it.

If a man offered for love

all the wealth of his house,

he would be utterly despised. SON 8:7

Rashi

Many waters—The nations.

Many waters cannot quench love—Since he refers to them with an expression of coals, the term “cannot quench” is appropriate for them.

Neither can . . . drown it—Not through force or terror nor even through enticement and seduction.

Floods—Their princes and their kings.

If a man offered for love all his wealth—In exchange for your love.

He would be utterly despised—On all these the Holy One, blessed be he, and his tribunal testify that to this extent the congregation of Israel clings to her beloved.

8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

John Gill

The other disciples came in the boat—The same that they were fishing in, in which they came to Christ as soon as they could, not choosing to expose themselves, as Peter did; nor was it proper that they should leave the ship, and, as it was, might have hands few enough to bring ship and net, so full of fish, safe to shore; and the rather, they did not think fit to do as he did,

Dragging the net full of fish—Towing the net full of fish all along in the water, till they came to land; an emblem of laborious gospel ministers, who being once embarked in the work of the ministry, continue in it to the end, notwithstanding all toil, labour, and difficulties that attend them; and will at last bring the souls with them they have been made useful to, with great satisfaction and joy, to their dear Lord and master.

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread.

29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.

30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. LUK 12:29-31

10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”

John Gill

Jesus said to them—The disciples:

Bring some of the fish that you have just caught—For they might have caught some before, though so few and small, as scarcely to be reckoned any; nor were they bid to bring all they had taken, only some of them, to add to these Christ had prepared for them on land; they being both indeed of a miraculous production, and the effects of his divine power. Christ’s view in ordering to bring some of them, and put to those that lay upon the coals, was partly that they might have enough to make a meal of for them all; and also, that they might have a more perfect knowledge of the miracle done, by seeing the number and largeness of the fish, and by bringing the net full of them to shore unbroken; and may be an emblem of the bringing of souls to Christ by the ministry of the word, thereby adding to those that are already gathered.

11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.

6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.

7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” LUK 5:6-8

12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.

But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. MAR 9:32

30 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.

Rashi

Why is it that you ask—We have no fixed name; our names change, all depending upon the service we are commanded to carry out as the errand with which we are charged (Bereishit Rabbah 78:4).

31 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” GEN 32:30-31

13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish.

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. LUK 24:42-43

14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

John Gill

This was now the third time—Or day of Christ’s appearance to his disciples: he appeared to them first on the same day he rose, and then a second time eight days after, or that day a week later, and now at the Sea of Tiberias; for within this compass of time he had made more appearances than three, though to particular persons, and not to such a number of the disciples as at these three times:

That Jesus showed himself to the disciples after he was raised from the dead—And thus, as by the mouth of two or three witnesses, everything is established; so by these three principal appearances of Christ to his disciples, his resurrection from the dead was confirmed.

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.

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;

he has put him to grief;

when his soul makes an offering for guilt,

he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;

the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Rashi

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief—Yet it was the will of the Holy One, blessed be he, to crush him and to cause him to repent; therefore, he has put him to grief.

When his soul makes an offering for guilt, etc.—Said the Holy One, blessed be he, “I will see, if his soul will be given and delivered with my holiness to return it to me as an offering for guilt for all that he betrayed me, I will pay him his recompense, and he will see his offspring, etc.” This word אָשָׁם is an expression of ransom that one gives to the one against when he sinned, amende in O.F., to free from faults, similar to the matter mentioned in the episode of the Philistines (1Sa 6:3), “Do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt offering (אָשָׁם).”

and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” MAT 3:17

11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;

by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,

make many to be accounted righteous,

and he shall bear their iniquities.

Rashi

Out of the anguish of his soul he shall eat and be satisfied, and he would not rob and plunder.

By his knowledge shall the righteous one . . . be accounted righteous—My servant shall judge justly all those who came to litigate before him.

And he shall bear their iniquities—He shall bear, in the manner of all the righteous, as it is said (Num 18:1): “You and your sons shall bear iniquity of the sanctuary.”

12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,

and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,

because he poured out his soul to death

and was numbered with the transgressors;

yet he bore the sin of many,

and makes intercession for the transgressors. ISA 53:10-12

Rashi

Therefore—Because he did this, I will divide him an inheritance and a lot in public with the patriarchs.

He poured out his soul to death—Heb. הֶעֱרָה. An expression like (Gen 24:20), “So she . . . emptied (וַתְּעַר) her jar.”

And was numbered with the transgressors—He suffered torments as if he had sinned and transgressed, and this is because of others; he bore the sin of many.

And makes intercession for the transgressors through his sufferings, for good came to the world through him.

Even though Jesus suffered greatly, the good news is he is victorious and his suffering has a purpose. Isaiah declared that the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Through Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice, the will of the Lord came to pass. Those who put their faith in Jesus have been given his righteousness. Jesus is not a mere victim, but a victor! He triumphed over sin and death so that we could live the way God designed us to—in harmonious relationship with him and his creation. Jesus called us the salt and light of the earth (Mat 5:13-14), and his people can make a difference on earth in the way they live. How does knowing that Jesus is victorious give you hope and help you share this hope with others?

13 You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

John Gill

You are the salt of the earth—This is to be understood of the disciples and apostles of Christ; who might be compared to “salt,” because of the savoury doctrines they preached; as all such are, which are agreeable to the Scriptures, and are of the evangelic kind, which are full of Christ, serve to exalt him, and to magnify the grace of God; and are suitable to the experiences of the saints, and are according to godliness, and tend to promote it: also because of their savoury lives and conversations; whereby they recommended, and gave sanction to the doctrines they preached, were examples to the saints, and checks upon wicked men. These were the salt “of the earth”; that is, of the inhabitants of the earth, not of the land of Judea only, where they first lived and preached, but of the whole world, into which they were afterwards sent to preach the gospel.

But if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?—The “taste” here supposed that it may be lost, cannot mean the taste of grace, or true grace itself, which cannot be lost, being an incorruptible seed; but either gifts qualifying men for the ministry, which may cease; or the savoury doctrines of the gospel, which may be departed from; or a seeming savoury conversation, which may be neglected; or that seeming taste, zeal, and affection, with which the gospel is preached, which may be dropped: and particular respect seems to be had to Judas, whom Christ had chosen to the apostleship, and was a devil; and who he knew would lose his usefulness and place, and become an unprofitable wretch, and at last be rejected of God and men; and this case is proposed to them all, in order to engage them to take heed to themselves, their doctrine and ministry. Moreover, this is but a supposition;

If salt—And proves no matter of fact; and the Jews have a saying, that all that season lose their taste, “but salt does not lose its taste.” Should it do so,

It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet—Salt is no longer good for anything except to make things savoury, and preserve from putrefacation; and when it has lost its taste, it is of no use, neither to men nor beasts, as some things are when corrupted; nor is it of any use to the land, or dunghill, for it makes barren, and not fruitful: so ministers of the word, when they have dropped the savoury doctrines of the gospel, or have quitted their former seeming savoury and exemplary conversations; as their usefulness is gone, so, generally speaking, it is never retrieved; they are cast out of the churches of Christ, and are treated with contempt by everyone.

You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. LEV 2:13

Berakhot 5a:19

And that is the statement of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, as Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The word covenant is used with regard to salt, and the word covenant is used with regard to afflictions. The word covenant is used with regard to salt, as it is written: “The salt of the covenant with your God should not be excluded from your grain offering; with all your sacrifices you shall offer salt” (Lev 2:13). And the word covenant is used with regard to afflictions, as it is written: “These are the words of the covenant” (Deu 28:69). Just as, in the covenant mentioned with regard to salt, the salt sweetens the taste of the meat and renders it edible, so too in the covenant mentioned with regard to suffering, the suffering cleanses a person’s transgressions, purifying him for a more sublime existence.

John Gill

You shall season all your grain offerings with salt—Which makes food savoury, and preserves from putrefaction; denoting the savouriness and acceptableness of Christ as a grain offering to his people, he being savoury food, such as their souls love, as well as to God the Father, who is well pleased with his sacrifice; and also the perpetuity of his sacrifice, which always has the same virtue in it, and of him as a grain offering, who is that grain which endures to everlasting life (Joh 6:27) and also the grave and gracious conversation of those that by faith feed upon him (Mar 9:50; Col 4:6),

You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering—This seems to suggest the reason why salt was used in grain offerings, and in all others, because it was a symbol of the perpetuity of the covenant, which from thence is called a covenant of salt (Num 18:19), namely, the covenant of the priesthood, to which these sacrifices belonged (Num 25:13) hence the Targum of Jonathan,

“because the twenty four gifts of the priests are decreed by the covenant of salt, therefore upon all your offerings you shall offer salt.”

With all your offerings you shall offer salt—Even those that were not to be eaten, as well as those that were; as the burnt offering of the herd, of the flock, and of fowls, and their several parts; all were obliged to be salted that were offered, excepting wine, blood, wood, and incense; hence there was a room in the temple where salt was laid up for this purpose, called “the salt room”; and which was provided by the congregation, and not by a private person; our Lord has reference to this law in Mar 9:49 the Gentiles always made use of salt in their sacrifices.

14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. MAT 5:13-14

John Gill

You are the light of the world—What the luminaries, the sun and moon, are in the heavens, with respect to corporal light, that the apostles were in the world with regard to spiritual light; carrying and spreading the light of the gospel not only in Judea, but all over the world, which was in great darkness of ignorance and error; and through a divine blessing attending their ministry, many were turned from the darkness of Judaism and Gentilism, of sin and infidelity, to the marvellous light of divine grace. The Jews were wont to say, that of the Israelites in general, and particularly of their council, and of their learned doctors, what Christ more truly applies here to his apostles; they observe, that

“on the fourth day it was said, ‘let there be light’: which was done with respect to the Israelites, because they are they, ‘which give light to the world,’ as it is written (Dan 12:3),”

And in another place, say they,

“how beautiful are the great ones of the congregation, and the wise men, who sit in the council! For they are they, ‘that enlighten the world,’ the people of the house of Israel.”

So. R. Meir, R. Akiba his disciple, and R. Judah the prince, are each of them called “the light of the world”; as R. Jochanan ben Zaccai is by his disciples, “the lamp of the world”: and it was usual for the head of a school, or of an university to be styled, “the light of the world”; but this title much better agrees and suits with the persons Christ gives it to, who, no question, had a view to those exalted characters the Jews gave to their celebrated Rabbins.

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden—Alluding either to Nazareth, where he was educated, and had lately preached, which was built on an hill, from the brow of which the inhabitants sought to have cast him headlong (Luk 4:29), or to Capernaum, which, on account of its height, is said to be

Exalted to heaven—(Mat 11:23) or to the city of Jerusalem, which was situated on a very considerable eminence. The land of Israel, the Jews say, was higher than all other lands; and the temple at Jerusalem was higher than any other part of the land of Israel. And as a city cannot be hidden which is built on a high place, so neither could, nor ought the doctrines which the apostles were commissioned to preach, be hidden, or concealed from men: they were not to shun to declare the whole counsel of God, nor study to avoid the reproaches and persecutions of men; for they were to be “made a spectacle”; to be set as in a public theatre, to be seen by “the world, angels, and men.”

6 he says:

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant

to raise up the tribes of Jacob

and to bring back the preserved of Israel;

I will make you as a light for the nations,

that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Rashi

He says: “It is too light a thing that you should be, etc.”—In my eyes, it is too small a gift that you should have this alone, that you be my servant to raise up Jacob and to bring back to me the preserved of Israel, and behold I add more to you, “And I will make you as a light for the nations,” to prophesy concerning the downfall of Babylon, which will be a joy for the whole world.

And the preserved of Israel—Heb. וּנְצוּרֵי. Comp. (Pro 7:10) “With a heart surrounded by evil thoughts (וּנְצֻרַת),” that their heart is surrounded by the inclination of sinful thoughts, like a city besieged by a bulwark of those who besiege it.

9 saying to the prisoners, “Come out,”

to those who are in darkness, “Appear.”

They shall feed along the ways;

on all bare heights shall be their pasture;

10 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 49:6, 9-10

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he opened not his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so he opened not his mouth.

Rashi

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted—Behold he was oppressed by taskmasters and people who exert pressure.

And he was afflicted with verbal taunts, sorparlec in O.F.

Yet he opened not his mouth—He would suffer and remain silent like the lamb that is brought to the slaughter, and like the sheep that before its shearers is silent.

So he opened not his mouth—This refers to the lamb brought to the slaughter.

But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” MAT 26:63

John Gill

But Jesus remained silent—Knowing it would signify nothing, whatever he should say, they being set upon his death, the time of which was now come; and therefore he quietly submits, and says nothing in his own defence to prevent it. To be silent in a court of judicature, Apollonius Tyanaeus says, is the fourth virtue; this Christ had, and all others.

And the high priest said to him—Though Christ had said nothing, a way of speaking very frequent among the Jews, and in the sacred writings.

I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God—The Christ; the anointed, that David speaks of in Psa 2, and who is there said to be the Son of God (Psa 2:2, 7), to which the high priest seems to have respect; since there is no other passage, in which both these characters meet; and which was understood by the ancient Jews of the Messiah, as is owned by modern ones. Jesus was given out to be the Messiah, and his disciples believed him to be the Son of God, and he had affirmed himself to be so; wherefore the high priest, exerting his priestly power and authority, puts him upon his oath; or at least with an oath made by the living God, charges him to tell the truth, and which when ever any heard the voice of swearing, he was obliged to do (Lev 5:1).

12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer.

13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?”

14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. MAT 27:12-14

9 And they made his grave with the wicked

and with a rich man in his death,

although he had done no violence,

and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Rashi

And they made his grave with the wicked—He subjected himself to be buried according to anything the wicked of the heathens (nations mss., K’li Paz) would decree upon him, for they would penalize him in death and the burial of donkeys in the intestines of the dogs.

With the wicked—According to the will of the wicked, he was willing to be buried, and he would not deny the living God.

And with a rich man in his death and to the will of the ruler he subjected himself to all kinds of death that he decreed upon him, because he did not wish to agree to (denial) of the law to commit evil and to rob like all the heathens (nations mss., K’li Paz) among whom he lived.

And there was no deceit in his mouth to accept idolatry (to accept a pagan deity as God Parshandatha).

that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 1CO 15:4

John Gill

That he was buried—That is, according to the Scriptures; for as he died and was raised according to the Scriptures, he was buried according to them; which speak of his being in hell, in “Sheol,” in the grave, and of his making his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death (Psa 16:10; Isa 53:9), and which had their accomplishment through Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man, who begged the body of Jesus, wrapped in linen, and laid it in his own new tomb. And besides these Scripture prophecies of his burial, Jonah’s being three days and three nights in the whale’s belly was a type of it, and according to which our Lord himself foretold it (Mat 12:40). Now since this was prophesied of, and typified, and had its actual accomplishment, it was very proper for the apostle to take notice of it, both to confirm the certainty of Christ’s death, and the truth of his resurrection, which his death and burial are mentioned, in order to lead on to, and next follows:

That he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures—That he should rise again from the dead was very plainly hinted or expressed in several prophecies which speak of the rising of his dead body, of its not being left in the grave so long as to see corruption; and which therefore could not be in it more than three days; and of his lifting up his head after he had drank of the brook by the way; of his ascension to heaven, and session at the right hand of God, which suppose his resurrection (Psa 16:10; 68:18; 110:1, 7; Isa 26:19). And that he should rise again the third day, is not only suggested in Hos 6:2 but was prefigured by the deliverance of Isaac on the third day after Abraham had given him up for dead, from whence he received him, in a figure of Christ’s resurrection; and by Jonah’s deliverance out of the whale’s belly, after he had been in it three days. The Jews take a particular notice of the third day as remarkable for many things they observe, as

“of the third day Abraham lift up his eyes (Gen 22:4), of the third day of the tribes (Gen 42:18), of the third day of the spies (Jos 2:16), of the third day of the giving of the law (Exo 19:16), of the third day of Jonah (Jon 1:17), of the third day of them that came out of the captivity (Ezr 8:15), of the third day of the resurrection of the dead, as it is written (Hos 6:2) ‘after two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.’ ”

From which passage, it is clear, that they under stood the prophecy in Hosea of the resurrection of the dead; and it is observable, that among the remarkable third days they take notice of, are the two instances of Isaac’s and Jonah’s deliverances, which were Scripture types of Christ’s resurrection. From which observations they establish this as a maxim, that

“God does not leave the righteous in distress more than three days.”

That Christ did rise again from the dead, in pursuance of those prophecies and types, the apostle afterwards proves by an induction of particular instances of persons who were eyewitnesses of it.

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;

he has put him to grief;

when his soul makes an offering for guilt,

he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;

the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. ISA 53:7, 9-10

Rashi

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief—Yet it was the will of the Holy One, blessed be he, to crush him and to cause him to repent; therefore, he has put him to grief.

When his soul makes an offering for guilt, etc.—Said the Holy One, blessed be he, “I will see, if his soul will be given and delivered with my holiness to return it to me as an offering for guilt for all that he betrayed me, I will pay him his recompense, and he will see his offspring, etc.” This word אָשָׁם is an expression of ransom that one gives to the one against when he sinned, amende in O.F., to free from faults, similar to the matter mentioned in the episode of the Philistines (1Sa 6:3), “Do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt offering (אָשָׁם).”

and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” MAT 3:17

The suffering servant described by Isaiah was pitiful. He was made to endure rejection, affliction, and persecution, even though he had done no violence and there was no deceit in his mouth (Isa 53:9). Jesus endured all this because it was the will of the LORD for him to serve and save humanity. There is no one who has suffered like Jesus, yet his compassion and grace are still available for us. What does Heb 4:15 say about how Jesus, the suffering servant, related to us as human beings?

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. HEB 4:15

John Gill

For we do not have a high priest—That is cruel and unmerciful; the saints have a high priest, but not such an one:

Who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses—Such as bodily diseases and wants, persecutions from men, and the temptations of Satan; under all which Christ sympathizes with his people; and which sympathy of his arises from his knowledge and experience of these things, and the share he has had of them, and from that union there is between him and his people: and it is not a bare sympathy, but is attended with his assistance, support, and deliverance; and the consideration of it is of great comfort to the saints:

But one who in every respect has been tempted as we are—Of the temptations of Christ, and of the saints (see Gill on Heb 2:18)

Yet without sin—There was no sin in his nature; though he was encompassed about with infirmities, yet not with sinful infirmities, only sinless ones; nor was there any sin in his temptations; though he was solicited to sin by Satan, yet he could find none in him to work upon; nor could he draw him into the commission of any sin.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

Rashi

Surely he has borne our griefs—Heb. אָכֵן, an expression of “but” in all places. But now we see that this came to him not because of his low state, but that he was chastised with sorrows so that all the nations be atoned for with Israel’s suffering. The griefs that should rightfully have come upon us, he has borne.

Yet we esteemed him—We thought that he was hated by the Omnipresent, but he was not so, but he was pierced for our transgressions and he was crushed for our iniquities.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed. ISA 53:4-5

Rashi

Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace—The chastisement due to the peace that we enjoyed, came upon him, for he was chastised so that there be peace for the entire world.

for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. LUK 4:2