Bible Treasury, Volume 3, 2nd Edition, January 1861.
(1st. Edition, January [03 1861 207])
Isaiah 53:11; Daniel 12:3.
(To the Editor of the Bible Treasury)
The writer on Daniel in the Bible Treasury of this month objects, and I think correctly, to the generally received idea that, in Isaiah 53:11, "by his knowledge" means, by the knowledge of him.
On Consulting the Englishman's Hebrew Concordance, I find the precise form of the Hebrew word occurs only in one other place: "By his knowledge the depths," etc., (Prov. 3:20,) clearly by God's knowledge. "By his knowledge," (Isaiah 53:11,) I take to be Christ's knowledge of God. (Comp. Matt. 11:27; John 1:18; John 3:13-19; John 17:3-26; 1 John 5:20, etc.)
The Son is the exponent of the Father. All was an enigma, so to speak, until He came, who uttered things kept secret from the foundation of the world. Now that God desired mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6.) He that teacheth man knowledge. (Psalm 94:10.) I cannot concur with the writer in altering "shall justify" for "instructing in righteousness." The word translated "justify" occurs in that precise form of the verb only in Exodus 23:7: "I will not justify the wicked;" i.e., God will not make or pronounce a wicked man a just man. Again, "God forbid that I should justify you;" (Job 27:5;) i.e., acknowledge you to be just in what you have spoken. "By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 53:11.)
God is now known as the God that justifieth the ungodly. He is the just God and the Saviour, just and the justifier of him that believeth on Jesus; for He gives the ungodly, the poor sinner, a righteousness, and in doing so demonstrates His own righteousness. (Rom. 3:21-26.) Thus grace reigns through righteousness. (Rom. 5:21.)
December. R.S.
If R.S. had more fully weighed the context of the scriptures in question, he would have found the key with far more certainty than the mere occurrence of the word, indicated by a concordance, can afford. Everyone who consults a Hebrew lexicon may see that the usual, regular meaning of tsadaq is "justify;" but this sense, even where it, or something like it, might be given in English, is susceptible of very considerable modification according to the proposition in which it occurs. Hence it is even used for cleansing the sanctuary in Daniel 8:14. And I find that Gesenius (in voce) takes the word substantially as I do, in the two passages we are discussing. "Justum s. probum, pium reddidit aliquem, exemplo et doctrinâ. Indeed, R.S.'s admission, that "by his knowledge" means Christ's own knowledge of God, seems to me decisive of the question. He might teach many thereby; but how could knowledge "justify?" This would be strange doctrine. "To instruct in righteousness", restores the balance. Still plainer is Daniel 12. We can understand Christ justifying by His blood, by His obedience, though not by His knowledge; but how human teachers could "justify " anyone, is to me an enigma. Here the Authorised Version is to my mind much nearer the truth; for there "justify" is dropped for "turn to righteousness." But I have already given reason enough in the "Remarks" for preferring instruct in righteousness. For the object here is "the many," not many; and this phrase is a standing one in our prophet for the apostate mass in Israel, who may be instructed in, but assuredly are not turned to, righteousness. This, the necessary meaning in Daniel 12, makes an excellent and consistent sense in Isaiah 53.