Holy spirit endowment

HOLY SPIRIT ENDOWMENT
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Isaiah48:16 16"Comenear me and listen to this:
"From the first announcement I have not spoken in
secret; at the time it happens, I am there." And now
the Sovereign LORD has sent me, endowed with his
Spirit.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The New Revelation
Isaiah48:12-22
E. Johnson
The verses containa summary of the contents of Isaiah40-47. Godis the First
and the Last - the sole Creator. Prophecyis an evidence of his claims; and so
is the mission of Cyrus.
I. THE REVELATION CONCERNING GOD. FirstJacobandIsrael, the
chosenpeople, are called to listen. Jehovahis the Alpha and the Omega of the
universe. The First Cause and Reasonofthings; he gave the first impulse to
their course, the goalof which will still be himself. Before the earth and the
heavens were, his was the creative hand, guided by the creative mind. Then

the idolatrous nations are summoned to assemble, andchallengedto produce
a powerof prophecy to rival that of Jehovah.
II. CONCERNING CYRUS. "He whom Jehovahhath loved," to whom he
hath spoken, whom he hath called, shall have a prosperous career, performing
the Divine pleasure on Babylon and on Chaldea. In ver. 20 the prophet sees
the destructionof Babylon as an accomplishedfact. Thence let a ringing cry
go forth to the end of the earth! Jehovahhath redeemed the people! Already
they have drunk of the refreshing waters in the desert. And that peace, which
is the sum of all blessings, and which can never be the portion of the ungodly,
is theirs.
III. APPEAL TO CONSCIENCE AND EXPERIENCE. Letthe chosenpeople
draw neat. and commune with their God. From the first he has spokento
them, not in dark and ambiguous oracles, but in words of clearness and
unmistakable purport. And now he is to speak againby the mouth of his
present servant, and to crown his revelations by the greatestofthem all. And
what of Israel? Doubly tender is the reproachand the expostulation. Why
have the people not walkedin the straight way in which he would have led
them? He is their "Teacherto their profit;" why have they chosenwhat is
unprofitable? and followed after the "not-profitable" gods (Jeremiah2:11; cf.
Micah6:8; Psalm 23:3)? He would lead them in the straight path, but Israel
has forcedhim, as it were, to lead them by the circuitous path of affliction.
The appealto experience turns upon this point - the profitableness of
godliness, whichhas the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to
come. "Deepdown in human nature lies the idea of a covenant betweenthe
worshipper and his god. In return for external service, the god gives help and
protection. The prophets, with a generous freedom, retain so much of this
theory as matches with the truths revealedto them. Jehovah's protectionis
still conditional, but the conditions extend to the inner as well as the outer
man" (Cheyne). Obedience alone brings peace and prosperity. If men had but
hearkenedto God, their peace wouldhave been as the greatvolume of the
Euphrates, and their blessedness, reflecting the favour of Jehovah, as the
multitudinous waves ofthe sea;its posterity as the sand of the sea, oras the
fishes that swarm in its waters. Its name would have been imperishable. It is,
then, the "hearing ear" and the "perceiving heart" which above all are

needed as conditions of true temporal and spiritual well-being. To hear so as
to be prickedin heart; to hear so as to follow and prosecute the things we
hear; - this alone is to hear in the Scripture sense. And here we are reminded
of the need of the Holy Spirit's influence, without which we may see and never
perceive, and hear and never understand. There must be an aptness between
the objectand the faculty. Things sensible must be knownby sense;things
mental by the mind; and things spiritual by some principle infused into the
soul from above. "Two sit togetherand hear the same sermon. One finds a
hidden spiritual virtue in the Word, by which he lives and grows and thrives.
Another finds no such virtue in it; perhaps it pleases his reason, and there is
an end. This proceeds from the want of the spiritual, perceiving heart. Why is
it that a man is so affectedwith music that all his passions are moved by it,
while brutes are not at all pleased? Becausethere is in man a principle of
reasonconcurring with his sense, whichdiscovers the sweetnessandharmony
of the sounds that bare sense is not able to discern." And so of the things of
God. Open thou mine eyes and mine ears;let my noblestfaculties be ever in
communion with the noblest, my spiritual nature be awakenedby the Spirit,
and againrespond to his influence! - this should be our prayer. We will
hearkenunto and obey him who hath the words of eternallife: this should be
our resolve. - J.
Biblical Illustrator
And now the Lord Godand His Spirit hath sent me.
Isaiah48:16
Holy Spirit
Prof. A. B. Davidson, D.D., Prof. S.R. Driver, D.D.
"And now the Lord God hath sent Me with His Spirit." The Spirit does not
send, hut is sent.
(Prof. A. B. Davidson, D.D.)Note the tendency in chaps. 40.-66, to treat the
Divine Spirit as a separate personality(Isaiah 40:13;63:10,11,14).

(Prof. S.R. Driver, D.D.)
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
Come ye near unto me - After the word ‫וברק‬ kirbu, "draw near," a MS. adds
era sesrevgnidecerp owt eht dna sihtsa ,hcihw ";snoitan eyO" ,miyog ‫גוים‬
plainly addressedto the idolatrous nations, reproaching their gods as unable
to predict future events, is probably genuine.
Hear ye this "And hear ye this" - A MS. adds the conjunction, ‫ועמשו‬ vashimu
; and so the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate.
I have not spokenin secret - The Alexandrine copy of the Septuagintadds
here, ουδε εν τοπῳ γης σκοτεινω, "nor in a dark place of the earth," as in
Isaiah45:19. That it stands rightly, or at leaststoodvery early, in this place of
the Versionof the Septuagint, is highly probable, because it is acknowledged
by the Arabic Version, and by the Coptic MS. St. Germain de Prez, Paris,
translated likewise from the Septuagint. But whether it should be inserted, as
of right belonging to the Hebrew text, may be doubted; for a transcriber of
the Greek Versionmight easily add it by memory from the parallel place; and
it is not necessaryto the sense.
From the time that it was "Before the time when it began to exist" - An
ancient MS. has ‫םתויה‬ heyotham, "they beganto exist;" and so another had it
at first. From the time that the expedition of Cyrus was planned, there was
God managing the whole by the economy of his providence.
There am I "I had decreedit" - I take ‫םש‬ sham for a verb, not an adverb.
And now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me "And now the Lord
Jehovahhath sent me, and his Spirit" -

Τις εστιν ὁ εν τῳ Ησαιῳ λεγων, Και νυν Κυριος απεστειλε με και το Πνευμα
αυτου;εν ᾡ, αμφιβολουοντος του ῥητου, ποτερονὁ Πατηρ και το Ἁγιον
Πνευμα απεστειλαν του Ιησουν, η ὁ Πατηρ απεστειλε τον τε Χριστον και το
Ἁγιον Πνευμα το δευτερον εστιν αληθες .
"Who is it that saith in Isaiah, And now the Lord hath sent me and his Spirit?
in which, as the expressionis ambiguous, is it the Father and the Holy Spirit
who have sent Jesus;or the Father, who hath sent both Christ and the Holy
Spirit. The latter is the true interpretation." - Origen cont. Cels. lib. 1.
I have kept to the order of the words of the original, on purpose that the
ambiguity, which Origenremarks in the Version of the Septuagint, and which
is the same in the Hebrew might still remain; and the sense whlchhe gives to
it, be offered to the reader's judgment, which is wholly excluded in our
translation.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Isaiah48:16". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/isaiah-
48.html. 1832.
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Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
Come ye near unto me - (see Isaiah48:14).
I have not spokenin secret - (See the notes at Isaiah45:19). The idea here is,
that he had foretold the raising up of Cyrus, and his agencyin delivering his
people, in terms so plain that it could not be pretended that it was
conjectured, and so clearthat there was no ambiguity.

From the time that it was, there am I - From the moment when the purpose
was formed, and when it began to be accomplished, I was present. The
meaning is, that everything in regardto raising up Cyrus, and to the delivery
of his people from Babylon, had been entirely under his direction.
And now the Lord Godand his Spirit hath sent me - There is evidently a
change in the speakerhere. In the former part of the verse, it is God who is
the speaker.But here it is he who is sent to bear the message. Or, if this should
be regarded, as Lowth and many others suppose, as the Messiahwho is
speaking to the exiled Jews, then it is an assertionthat he had been sent by the
Lord God and his Spirit. There is an ambiguity in the original, which is not
retained in our common translation. The Hebrew is, ‹And now the Lord
Yahweh hath sent me, and his Spirit;‘ and the meaning may be either, as in
our version, that Yahweh and his Spirit were united in sending the person
referred to; or that Yahweh had sent him, and at the same time had also sent
his Spirit to accompanywhat he said. Grotius renders it, ‹The Lord by his
Spirit bas given me these commands.‘ Jerome understands the word ‹Spirit‘
as in the nominative case, andas meaning that the Spirit united with Yahweh
in sending the personreferred to - Dominus Deus misit me, et spiritus ejus.
The Septuagint, like the Hebrew, is ambiguous - Νῦν κύριος κύριος ἀπέστειλέ
με, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ Nun kurios kurios apesteile me kaito pneuma autou
The Syriac has the same ambiguity. The Targum of Jonathanrenders it, ‹And
now Jehovah(‫יי‬ yeyâ ) God hath sent me and his word.‘ It is perhaps not
possible to determine, where there is such ambiguity in the form of the
sentence, whatis the exactmeaning. As it is not common, however, in the
Scriptures, to speak ofthe Spirit of God as sending, or commissioning his
servants;and as the objectof the speakerhere is evidently to conciliate
respectfor his messageas being inspired, it is probably to be regardedas
meaning that he had been sent by Yahweh and was accompaniedwishthe
influences of his Spirit. Many of the reformers, and others since their time
have supposedthat this refers to the Messiah, and have endeavoredto derive
a demonstration from this verse of the doctrine of the Trinity. The argument
which it has been supposed these words furnish on that subject is, that three
persons are here spokenof, the personwho sends, that is, God the Father; the

person who is sent, that is, the Messiah;and the Spirit, who concurs in
sending him, or by whom he is endowed.
But the evidence that this refers to the Messiahis too slight to lay the
foundation for such an argument; and nothing is gained to the cause oftruth
by such forced interpretations. “It would require more time, and toil, and
ingenuity to demonstrate that this passage hadreference to the Messiah, than
it would to demontstrate the doctrine of the Trinity, and the divinity of the
Redeemer, from the unequivocal declarations ofthe New Testament.” The
remark of Calvin on this verse, and on this mode of interpretation, is full of
goodsense:‹This verse interpreters explain in different ways. Many refer it to
Christ, but the prophet designs no such thing. Cavendoe autem sunt nobis
violentoe et coactoe interpretations - (such forced and violent interpretations
are to be avoided).‘ The scope ofthe passagedemands, as it seems to me, that
it should be referred to the prophet himself. His objectis, to state that he had
not come at his own instance, or without being commissioned. He had been
sent by God, and was attended by the Spirit of inspiration. He foretold events
which the Spirit of Godalone could make known to mankind. It is, therefore,
a strong asseverationthat his words demanded their attention, and that they
had every ground of consolation, andevery possible evidence that they would
be rescuedfrom their bondage. It is a full claim to divine inspiration, and is
one of the many assertions whichare found in the Scriptures where the sacred
writers claim to have been sent by God, and taught by his Spirit.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon Isaiah48:16". "Barnes'Notesonthe New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/isaiah-
48.html. 1870.

The Biblical Illustrator
Isaiah48:16
And now the Lord Godand His Spirit hath sent me
The Holy Spirit
“And now the Lord God hath sent Me with His Spirit.
” The Spirit does not send, hut is sent. (Prof. A. B. Davidson, D. D.)
Note the tendency in chaps. 40-66, to treat the Divine Spirit as a separate
personality (Isaiah 40:13;Isaiah63:10; Isaiah36:11; Isaiah36:14). (Prof. S.
R. Driver, D. D.)
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Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Exell, JosephS. "Commentary on "Isaiah48:16". The Biblical Illustrator.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/isaiah-48.html. 1905-1909.
New York.
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
"Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; from the beginning I have not spokenin
secret;from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord Jehovahhath
sent me, and his Spirit."
This verse is often made the first verse in the secondaddress, and by some, the
last paragraphin the first address. We agree with the American Standard

Version paragraphing which treats it as the last verse of the first section;but
due to its importance we shall discuss it separately. The factof the obvious
prophecy of the Son of God as having been sent to our world by the Father
certainly identifies it as among the "new things" mentioned in Isaiah48:6.
And, like almost every other prophecy of Christ in the Old Testament, it is
subject to all kinds of interpretations. Calvin and many other scholars have
seenit as a prophecy of the sending of Isaiah. Barnes agreedwith this, stating
that, "The scope ofthe passagedemands, it seems to me, that it should be
referred to the prophet Isaiah."[14]However, we believe that Hailey is correct
in his declarationthat, "The coming of Jesus is the theme of this prophecy;
the entire Old Testamentlooks forwardto Christ's coming to carry forward
the purpose of Jehovah;and the Holy Spirit would accompanyChrist on that
mission, and then complete the work after the Son's return to the Father; let it
be remembered that the prophecy is here declaring new things to come in the
future."[15] Lowth explained the passagethus: "Who is it that saith in Isaiah,
`And now hath the Lord sent me and his Spirit'? in which, as the passage is
ambiguous, is it the Father and the Holy Spirit who hath sentJesus;or the
Father who hath sent both Christ and the Holy Spirit? The latter is the true
interpretation."[16]The Fathersent Jesus when he was born in Bethlehem;
and the Father sent the Holy Spirit upon the occasionofthe baptism of Christ
(Matthew 3:16). Thus, as Kidner put it, "This is a glimpse from afar of the
Trinity."[17] As Cheyne expressedit, "I cannotbut think that we have both
here and in Genesis 1:2 an early trace of what is known as the Christian
doctrine of the Holy Spirit."[18]
The speakerhere is therefore, the pre-incarnate Christ who identifies himself
as the one sent... to convey God's message ofsalvationto mankind. Here is
almost the equivalent of another Old Testamentquotation, Psalms 40;6-8,
where again the pre-incarnate Christ is the speaker, andhis subject the
projectedvisitation of our poor earth by the Dayspring from on High. The
author of Hebrews discussedthis at length (Hebrews 10:5-7). See my comment
on this in Vol. 10 of the New TestamentSeries (Hebrews), pp. 213ff.
Jamieson, noting that Isaiah, not Christ, is the author of the passage,stated
that, "Isaiahhere speaks notin his own person so much as in that of the
Messiah, to whom alone, in the fullest sense, the words apply."[19]

Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Isaiah48:16". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/isaiah-48.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
Come ye near unto me, hear ye this,.... An address to the Jews, to attend the
ministry of Christ, and hear the doctrine he had delivered to them:
I have not spokenin secretfrom the beginning; from the beginning of his
ministry; which be exercisednot in private houses, but in the synagoguesof
the Jews, andin the temple, whither a large concourse ofpeople resorted,
John 18:20,
from the time that it was, there am I; from the time that his ministry began
there, he was in the same places, in Judea and Galilee, always publicly
preaching the Gospel, and doing good:or rather, "before the time that it was,
there was I"F14;Christ existed before his incarnation, before he appeared as
the greatProphet in Israel;he existedas the Word and Son of God from all
eternity, and was with God his Father from everlasting;he was by him, and
brought up with him, and lay in his bosom so early:
and now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me; in the fulness of time, in
the likeness ofsinful flesh, to preach the Gospel, fulfil the law, and to redeem
and save the Lord's people. Here is a glorious testimony of a trinity of Persons
in the Godhead;Christ the Son of God is sent in human nature, and as
MediatorJehovahthe Father and the Spirit are the senders of him; and so is a

proof of the mission, commission, and authority of Christ, who came not of
himself, but was sent of God, John 8:42, it may be rendered, "and now the
Lord God hath sent me and his Spirit"F15;both were sent of God, and in this
order; first, Christ, to be the Redeemerand Saviour; and then the Spirit, to be
the Convincerand Comforter; see John 14:26.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Isaiah 48:16". "The New JohnGill Exposition of
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/isaiah-
48.html. 1999.
Geneva Study Bible
Come ye near to me, hear ye this; I have not spokenin secretfrom the s
beginning; from the time that it was, there [am] I: and now the Lord GOD,
and his Spirit, hath t sent me.
(s) Since the time that I declaredmyself to your fathers.
(t) Thus the Prophet speaks forhimself, and to assure them of these things.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon Isaiah 48:16". "The 1599Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/isaiah-48.html.
1599-1645.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
in secret— (Isaiah 45:19). Jehovahforetold Cyrus‘ advent, not with the
studied ambiguity of heathen oracles,but plainly.
from the time, etc. — From the moment that the purpose beganto be
accomplishedin the raising up of Cyrus I was present.
sent me — The prophet here speaks, claiming attention to his announcement
as to Cyrus, on the ground of his mission from God and His Spirit. But he
speaks notin his own personso much as in that of Messiah, to whom alone in
the fullest sense the words apply (Isaiah 61:1; John 10:36). Plainly, Isaiah
49:1, which is the continuation of the forty-eighth chapter, from Isaiah 48:16,
where the change of speakerfrom God (Isaiah48:1, Isaiah 48:12-15)begins, is
the language ofMessiah. Luke 4:1, Luke 4:14, Luke 4:18, shows that the
Spirit combined with the Father in sending the Son: therefore “His Spirit” is
nominative to “sent,” not accusative, following it.
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.

This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Isaiah48:16". "Commentary Criticaland Explanatory on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/isaiah-48.html. 1871-8.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spokenin secretfrom the
beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and
his Spirit, hath sentme.
In secret— l have openly revealed my mind to you.
The beginning — Either from the first time that I began to prophecy until this
time: or from the beginning of my taking you to be my people, and of
revealing my mind unto you.
From the time — From the time that I first spoke of it, I am or was there, to
effectwhat I had foretold.
The Lord — God by his Spirit.
Me — The prophet Isaiah;who was a type of Christ, and so this may have a
respectto him also.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography

Wesley, John. "Commentary on Isaiah 48:16". "JohnWesley's Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/isaiah-48.html. 1765.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
16.Draw nearto me, hear this. He againaddresses the Jews, and, by bidding
them draw near, goes out, as it were, to meet them, and to receive them
kindly. Yet at the same time he indirectly glances attheir revolt, shewing that
they would not be capable of receiving sound doctrine, if they did not
withdraw from error. It was no small crime that they were so far removed
from God, to whom they ought to have been united in a friendly manner.
They were at a great distance from him, not as to space, but as to the
agreementof the heart. The “drawing near,” therefore, means that we should
lay aside our natural dispositions and be ready to hear him. And this must
proceedfrom his grace;for we can never be prepared to do this, if he do not
lead us to himself.
Not from the beginning have I spokenin secret. Commentators explain this
passagein various ways. Many apply it to Christ, though the Prophet meant
no such thing; but we ought to guard againstviolent and forced
interpretations. Others explain it as relating to the Prophet himself, but that is
not more suitable; for this discourse would not be applicable to a man. I think,
therefore, that Isaiahintroduces God as speaking, in order to reproachthe
people with ingratitude, because “fromthe beginning,” that is, from the time
that he began to revealhimself to their fathers, he did not speak obscurelyor
secretly. Hence it follows, that all the ignorance that was in them ought to be
ascribedto their depravity, because of their own accordthey forsook the light.
From the time that it was done, I was there. When he says that he was present
at the time that the event occurred, the meaning is, that what he had uttered
with his mouth was carried into execution by his strength and by his power.
Justly, therefore, does he affirm that he gave tokens of his presence, when, by

accomplishing all things, he not only proved the truth of the predictions by the
event itself, but shewedthat those things which are supposedto be accidental
are governedby his authority. In a word, he mentions the ancient promises of
God and the fulfillment of them, in order to shew that God will always be like
himself. Those who saythat Isaiah will be presentin spirit, when the Lord
shall bring back his people, torture the Prophet’s words, and produce nothing
that agrees withhis meaning.
And now Jehovahhath sent me. Isaiahnow begins to speak of himself, and
applies this statement to the preceding doctrine, and testifies that that God,
who hath spokenfrom the beginning, now speakethby him, and consequently
that we ought to believe those things which Godnow speakethby him, in the
same manner as if he were visibly present. Hence we ought to draw a useful
doctrine, namely, that all the miracles which the Lord has performed ought to
be brought to our remembrance, that we may confirm his truth in our hearts.
It is no slight argument, that the Lord had from the beginning a distinct
people, whom he taught, to whom he made sure promises, and to whom he
performed those promises, and whom he never deceived, evenin the smallest
matter; for all things were performed and fulfilled in due time. Whenever,
therefore, any doubt arises, we ought to betake ourselves to these examples,
“Godhath always assistedhis people; not now, for the first time, hath he
spokento them, and he did not deceive his people by words which were dark
or ambiguous, but spoke plainly and clearly.” Thus the Prophet declares that
he brings forward nothing of his own, but that he was sent by God, who has
proved himself to be faithful.
And his Spirit. He mentions “the Spirit,” not as if he meant something
different from God, because he is of the same essencewith him; for in one
essenceofGod we acknowledgeThree Persons;but he names “The Spirit,”
because He is the only teacherand director of all the prophets. Paul says, that
“no man cansay that Jesus is Christ, but by the Spirit,” and a little after he
says that “the gifts of God are various, but that it is one and the same Spirit
who workethall things in all.” (1 Corinthians 12:3.) This passage is also a
clearproof of the divinity of the Spirit, since the prophets are sent by him; for
it belongs to God alone to send them, as it is by the authority of the prince

alone that ambassadors are sent;and since the Spirit does this, — since he
directs them, and gives to them powerand efficacy, unquestionably he is God.
From this passagewe learnalso, that they who have not this direction of the
Spirit, though they boastof having been sent by God, ought to be rejected;
such as those Popish bands of wolves which glory in the name of pastors and
teachers, andimpudently boast of their mission, though they are altogether
opposedto the Spirit of God, and to his doctrine. In vain do they boastof
having been sentor authorized by God, when they are not adorned with the
gifts of the Spirit, which are necessaryfor the execution of such an office. To
pretend to having the inspiration of the Spirit, while they are entirely destitute
of faith, and have not even the slightestspark of doctrine, is excessively
disgusting. Let us suppose an assemblyof mitred bishops, the greaterpart of
whom are known to be ignorant, and among three hundred of whom there
shall scarcelybe found ten who have a moderate share of the rudiments of
piety; what could be more foolish than for such an assemblyto boastof being
governedby “the Spirit?“
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on Isaiah 48:16". "Calvin's Commentary on the
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/isaiah-48.html.
1840-57.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
Isaiah48:16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spokenin secret
from the beginning; from the time that it was, there [am] I: and now the Lord
GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

Ver. 16. Come ye near unto me and hear this.] God callethoften for audience,
as knowing our dulness and crossness, ouroscitance andinadvertence: a good
mirror for ministers.
I have not spokenin secret.]See Isaiah41:26.
From the time that it was, there am I,] viz., At the creation. {as Proverbs 8:22-
23} Or, I have from everlasting been the author of that counselby which all
these things have had, as it were, their first beginning; and afterwards, in
their appointed time, I have brought them forth by my power. (a)
And now the Lord Godand his Spirit hath sent me,] i.e., Me, Isaiahthe
prophet, whose writings should therefore be prized and believed by us as most
authentic and authoritative, because he was commissionedby the blessed
Trinity.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Isaiah 48:16". JohnTrapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/isaiah-
48.html. 1865-1868.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Isaiah48:16. Come ye near unto me— See chap. Isaiah45:19-20. Fromthe
time that it was, there am I, means, "Fromthe time that this expedition of

Cyrus began first to exist:" And now the Lord God hath sent me, and his
Spirit: "And now, when the event is hastening to its completion, Behold, I am
present, sent by Jehovah, with the Spirit of the Father, to your succourand
assistance."Thatnow refers to the immediate time of their deliverance,
appears from the 20th verse, and we have often observed, that the prophets
speak of future events as if present. See Vitringa, and the more spiritual
interpretation in the REFLECTIONS.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Coke, Thomas. "Commentaryon Isaiah48:16". Thomas Coke Commentary
on the Holy Bible. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tcc/isaiah-
48.html. 1801-1803.
Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae
DISCOURSE:947
OFFICES OF THE HOLY TRINITY IN THE WORK OF REDEMPTION
Isaiah48:16. Now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
SO mysterious and important a doctrine as that of a Trinity of Persons in the
Godheadought not to be founded on any grounds which are not clear, strong,
adequate, convincing. But it may be illustrated from passages onwhich we
could not altogetherventure to establishit. Such is the passage whichI have
now brought before you. It might well be supposed, that so important a
doctrine as this should pervade the Holy Scriptures, just in the way that all
the fundamental doctrines of our religion do; and that there should be
intimations of it in many places, where the express mention of it would not be

expectedto occur. And this we find throughout the whole Scriptures, as I shall
presently take occasionto shew. In the whole chapterwhich precedes this,
from whence my text is taken, God is declaring that he will destroyBabylon,
and bring out from thence his captive people, and restore them to their own
land: and, throughout the chapter which is before us, he warns his people to
bear in remembrance, that he had foretold this event severalhundred years
before it should be accomplished;and that, consequently, when it should
occur, they must trace it, not, as they would be ready to do, to their idols, but
to Jehovahhimself, who had foreordained it for the glory of his own name,
and who had designed it to be a type of a yet greaterdeliverance, which he
would in due seasoneffectfor a ruined world. It is in this connexionthat the
speakersays, “Nowthe Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me; “that is, hath
commissionedme to announce to you these greatevents.
But it is a matter of doubt, who the speakeris. If it be the prophet, then the
sense ofthe passageis clear:but if it be the same divine Personas is speaking
throughout the whole context, namely, the Son of God, the Saviour of Israel,
the Messiah, thena small alteration must be made in our translation; and the
passagemust be read, “Now the Lord God hath sent me, and his Spirit;” that
is, hath sent me to effect this greatdeliverance, and his Spirit to revealit to
you; and both myself and the Holy Spirit, to accomplishthat infinitely greater
deliverance that is prefigured by it. This is the sense which the most approved
expositors adopt, and which therefore I also shall follow:though, as far as
respects the use which I shall make of the passage,it is of no moment which
constructionwe prefer; since, in either case, a plurality of persons in the
Godheadis clearly intimated. I propose, then, to consider,
I. The distinction of Persons in the Godhead—
I have already observed, that we might reasonablyexpect the doctrine of the
Trinity, if it be indeed true, to pervade the Holy Scriptures throughout.
Accordingly, we do find it more or less clearlyintimated from the beginning.
Let us trace it in the Scriptures,
1. Of the Old Testament—

[In the very first chapter of the Bible, where the creationof all things is
declared, there is a plurality of persons mentioned, as determining to complete
the whole by the formation of man: “Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness [Note:Genesis 1:26.].” So again, at the expulsion of man from
Paradise, a similar representationof the Deity is given: “The Lord God said,
Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know goodand evil [Note:Genesis
3:22.].” At the building of the TowerofBabel, also, the Deity speaks ofhimself
in the same manner: “Go to, let us go down, and there confound their
language, that they may not understand one another’s speech[Note:Genesis
11:7.].”
In like manner, when the Messiahis spokenof, a plurality of persons in the
Godheadis almost always marked. Is his qualification for his work stated? It
is said, “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him [Note:Isaiah 11:2.].” Is his
mission plainly declared? It is said, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me;
because the Lord hath anointed me to preachgoodtidings to the meek [Note:
Isaiah61:1.].” Is the effectof his mission foretold? It is said, “Many nations
shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will
dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shall know that the Lord of Hosts hath
sent me unto thee [Note: Zechariah2:11.].”]
2. Of the New Testament—
[The Saviour’s incarnation was announced in these terms to his Virgin
Mother: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the powerof the Highest
shall overshadow thee:therefore, also, that holy thing which shall be born of
thee shall be called The Son of God [Note: Luke 1:35.].” Was he consecrated
to his Mediatorialoffice at his baptism? The accountgiven of it is, “Jesus,
when he was baptized, went up straightwayout of the water; and, lo! the
heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a
dove, and lighting upon him: and, lo! a voice from heavensaying, This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am wellpleased[Note: Matthew 3:16-17.].” Were
disciples to be gatheredto him by his Gospel? He said, “Go, and teachall
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost[Note: Matthew 28:19.].” Were they to receive all kinds of
blessings from God? They are instructed distinctly to acknowledgethe Three

Persons ofthe Godhead;and to pray, that “the grace ofthe Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, may be with them
[Note:2 Corinthians 13:14.].”]
But this distinction of Persons in the Godheadwill more clearly appear, by
considering,
II. The particular offices which they severallysustain in the economyof
redemption—
God the Father is the fountain from whom the whole of salvationproceeds—
[It is he who “sends his Son,” and “delivers him up for us all.” It is he, also,
who “sends the Holy Spirit,” to apply to our souls the benefits which Christ
has purchasedfor us. On this part of our subject it is unnecessaryto enlarge,
because respecting it we are all agreed.]
The Lord Jesus Christ has come to procure salvationfor us—
[As Mediator, God and man, he was the Father’s servant [Note:Isaiah42:1.],
sent to effectfor us this greatsalvation. In undertaking the work, he
voluntarily engagedto redeem us; saying, “Lo, I come:in the volume of the
book it is written of me; I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy Law is
within my heart [Note: Psalms 40:6-8.].” In executing the work, he acted
freely throughout, “giving himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice unto God
of a sweet-smelling savour[Note:Ephesians 5:2.]:” yea, on the very cross “he,
through the eternalSpirit, offered himself without spotunto God [Note:
Hebrews 9:14.].” And, as he voluntarily laid down his life for us, so by his own
powerhe resumed it [Note:John 10:18.];and went up to heaven to “intercede
for us [Note:Hebrews 7:25.],” and “to prepare a place for us [Note:John
14:2.],” and to administer to us all needful grace [Note:Ephesians 1:22-23.]:
and in due time he will come again, and take us to himself [Note:John 14:3.],
and invest us with crowns and kingdoms like his own [Note:Luke 22:29.].]
The Holy Spirit applies to us what the Lord Jesus has procured—
[As by the Spirit’s agencythe man Jesus was enabledto execute the whole of
his work;so, when the Saviour was gone to heaven, the Spirit descended, to

complete the work which Jesus had begun. “He testified of Christ,” by the
miraculous powers which he imparted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost
[Note:John 15:26.]. He also “glorifiedChrist, by taking of the things that
were his, and shewing them unto his disciples [Note:John 16:14.].” To this
very hour does he, by the mighty operationof his poweron the souls of men,
“convince them of sin, of righteousness, andof judgment [Note:John 16:8.].”
He “comforts them” in their sorrows [Note:John 14:16.].;he “sanctifies them
throughout [Note:1 Thessalonians 5:23.];” he “bears witness to them that
they are the Lord’s [Note:Romans 8:16.]; and he “seals them unto the day of
redemption [Note:Ephesians 1:13-14.].” And at the last day, “as he raised
Christ himself from the dead, so will he raise us also ”to a final participation
of his kingdom and glory [Note:Romans 8:11.].
And now, in all this, have I spokentoo minutely, or too confidently? I have
said no more than what St. Peter has spokenin one short verse;when he said
of all true believers, that they are “electaccording to the foreknowledgeof
God the Father, through sanctificationof the Spirit, unto obedience, and
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ [Note:1 Peter1:2.].”]
Let me now proceedto shew,
III. The comfort which the knowledge ofthis factis calculatedto impart—
Were I to enter at all fully into this subject, I should not know where to begin,
or where to end. But it must suffice to mention two things; which must, of
necessity, presentthemselves to every reflecting mind.
Have the SacredThree so concurred in the work of redemption? Then we
may be assuredof,
1. The readiness of God to save us—
[Men exceedinglymistake this matter. They think themselves willing to be
saved: they doubt only of God’s willingness to save them. But were men as
willing to acceptsalvationas God is to bestow it, not one would ever perish.
Did God, unsolicited, provide us a Saviour? Did the Lord Jesus Christ
undertake to effectsalvationfor us? Did the Holy Spirit engage to apply that
salvationto us! and can we doubt whether God be willing to save even the

very chief of sinners? I am well aware, that men will pretend to found their
doubts only on their own unworthiness. But where is any worthiness to be
found in man? Who was worthy, that God should devise this plan; or that
Christ should execute it; or that the Holy Spirit should apply it? Or who will
presume to stand on the footing of his own worthiness, evenof the food he
eats, or of the air he breathes? It is not as worthy that we are to come to God,
but as unworthy: and the more we feelour unworthiness, the more acceptable
shall we be to God; who bids us come to him for every thing, “without money
and without price.” Only reflecton what God has already done for you; and
you may wellsay, “He that hath sent his Son to die for me, and his Spirit to
renew me, how shall he not with them also freely give me all things [Note:
Romans 8:32.]?”]
2. The sufficiency of the salvationprovided for us—
[What is there that the wisdom of the Fatherhas overlooked? Whereinhas the
Lord Jesus Christ failed to accomplishthe work assignedhim? What is there
which the Holy Spirit is unable or unwilling to impart? Find some flaw; find
some defect; before you call in question either the suitableness orsufficiency
of this salvation. If you were to be saved by your own poweror goodness, you
might well be filled with doubts and fears:but when all that the Father’s love,
the Son’s merit, and the Spirit’s powercan effect, is offered you freely, you
must needs say, “All things are mine; and I um Christ’s; and Christ is God’s
[Note:1 Corinthians 3:22-23.].”]
Thus have we takenthe passage according to a rendering somewhatdifferent
from that which our version has given us. But, for our application of it, we
will take it in the sense in which the translators of our Bible understood it:
and we will not only consider it as spokenby the prophet to the Church at his
day, but we will even adopt it ourselves, as anaddress which we at this time
are authorized and commissionedto deliver unto you: “Now the Lord God
and his Spirit hath sentme,” yes, even me,
1. To testify to you of this redemption—
[Prophets and apostles had no other commissionthan that which is given to
every faithful minister of Christ; which is, “to testify the Gospelof the grace

of God.” They indeed were inspired; and were, many of them at least, endued
with miraculous powers, to which we can make no pretensions:but the
messageborne by them and us is one and the same, that “Godwas in Christ
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespassesunto them.”
This ministry of reconciliation, I say, is committed unto us: and “we, as
ambassadors ofGod, beseechyou in Christ’s stead, Be ye reconciledto God
[Note:2 Corinthians 5:20.]” — — —]
2. To urge your acceptanceofit—
[Who amongstyou does not need it? The captivity of Israel in Babylon is but a
very faint image of your captivity to sin and Satan. And what is there under
heaven to be compared with it? If you had crowns and kingdoms, they could
not make you happy: and in a short time they would vanish away, and leave
you more destitute than the most miserable man on earth. O let me remind
you what stupendous efforts have been made by God for you! and let me
entreat you not to receive this grace in vain!” — — —]
3. To remind you that all the glory of it must be God’s alone—
[This was the principal point which the prophet was ordered to inculcate. The
people were in danger of ascribing to their idols what was done by Jehovah
alone. And is there not the same tendency amongstyou? Are not you prone to
think that, in some respect, your own arm has savedyou? Who has not often
“sacrificedto his own net, and burned incense to his own drag?” O Brethren,
remember that “Jehovahis a jealous God,” and “will not give his glory to
another.” I demand of you, therefore, that you give all the glory to the Triune
God; and that you begin on earth the song which is prepared for you in
heaven, even “blessing and honour and glory and powerbe unto Him that
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever [Note:
Revelation5:13.].”]

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Simeon, Charles. "Commentary on Isaiah 48:16". Charles Simeon's Horae
Homileticae. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/shh/isaiah-
48.html. 1832.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
Come ye near unto me, that you may the better hear me, as it follows. A
speechof God after the manner of men.
I have not spokenin secret;I have not smotheredthe counseland word of
God, but have plainly and publicly declaredit. unto you; or, I have openly
revealedmy mind to you. See Poole "Isaiah45:19", where these very words
are spokenby God in his own name, as here by the prophet in God’s name;
and so all comes to one.
From the beginning; either,
1. From the first time that I beganto prophesy until this time. Or,
2. From the beginning of my taking you to be my people, and of revealing my
mind to you. See Poole "Isaiah41:26".
From the time that it was these words also, as well as the former, are the
words, either,
1. Of the prophet; and so the sense seems to be this, From the time that I was
first calledto be a prophet, I have been there, i.e. I have diligently pursued my
prophetical function; I have hearkenedfrom time to time, to hear what God
would speak to me, that I might impart it to you. Or,

2. Of God; and then the sense may be this, From the time that I first spoke of
it, or foretold it, I am or was there, to take care to effect what I had foretold; I
minded it carefully from that time, as being then more especiallyobligedto do
it, lestmy truth or power should be questioned. Or the words may be thus
rendered and explained, from the time that this shall be, when the time
appointed for the doing of this work shall come, there I will be, to encourage
and assistCyrus in the work. There am I: this is opposedto those foregoing
words, from the beginning. God and his Spirit; God by his Spirit; or, God,
even the Spirit or the Holy Ghost, to whom the sending and inspiring of God’s
prophets is ascribed, 2 Peter1:21. Hath sent me, to wit, the prophet Isaiah;
who yet was a type of Christ, and so this may have a respectto him also.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Isaiah48:16". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/isaiah-48.html. 1685.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
16. This verse is hard to understand from ambiguity.
Come ye near unto me, hear ye this — It is scarcelyto be doubted that the
party summoned is Israel, and that the subject to be communicated is, what
follows to the latter member of the verse. But who is the speaker?Some hold
it to be the prophet in behalf of Jehovah;but most of the commentators think
it is Jehovahhimself, summoning his nation to hear still further concerning
himself. Moreover, from the interactions of personalityin the Godhead of
Jehovahin trinity, and from the well-settledfacts as deduced from the two

Testaments, thatthe transacting divinity, or the Jehovahof the Old
Testament, is the Son of God of the New Testament, not a small number of
expositors find a satisfying explanation of the verse in supposing the Second
Personof the Trinity to be here the speaker. Among these may be named
Basil, Augustine, Vitringa, Alexander, Henderson, Stier, Delitzsch, Birks,
Nagelsbach, etc.
I have not spokenin secret — The coincidence ofresembling verbiage in texts
known to bespokenby or applying to Christ, is takenas evidence of the truth
of this theory, as in Christ’s words. John 18:20.
From the time that it was, there am I — See Proverbs 8:27, and Christ’s
words, “Before Abraham was, I am:” — “I am hath sent me,” etc: language
quite coincident in expressionwith passagesappertaining to facts and features
of Christ.
And now — Antithetic to the previous “from the beginning.” From the
foundation of the earth (Proverbs viii) I was present through human history,
as the Wisdom of God, aiding the plan looking to man’s redemption.
And (or but) now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me — The prophet
is the mouthpiece in these antithetic sentences, but for whom does he speak in
this? For himself, as not a few hold, or for Christ, or Messiah, yet
unincarnated, as the majority of expositors hold? Evidently, from lack of the
conditions required, not for the prophet. The conditions are something more
than being the recorderof these statements. The prophet elsewhere (Isaiah
6:8) speaks ofand for the three Persons, andmost probably here for the
SecondPerson. See, forthe same reference, Exodus 23:20;Isaiah61:1;
Malachi3:1; John 3:34; John 7:16; John 17:18; John 20:21. From these
citations the clause is by most settledas meaning Christ here, and should read,
for this meaning: “The Lord God hath sent me, with his Spirit.” Sent me to
Israel, with the Spirit’s aid, to enlarge in Israel’s mind (now about to close his
exile) the greatconsolation, and(as Logos, orWord) also the revelation.
Christ’s mission here, then, is not the incarnation, but the signal providence of
the return from Babylon. By this interpretation the predicates of the Jehovah
of the Old Testamentare in nowise changed, who is throughout the divine

Regent, the divine Wisdom and Revealer. Co-acting withJehovah the Father,
the source ofall divine counsels, and with the Spirit who inspires leadership
and prophecy, He, Jehovahthe Son, administers, disciplines, consoles,and
instructs.
Some of the old reformed theologians have stoutly claimed, in this view of the
Old Testamenttenor and purport, that strong proofs of the doctrine of the
Trinity canbe made out. It is to be observed, however, that Calvin, the great
exegete ofthe Reformation, was gravelyconservative on this passage.He says:
“This verse interpreters explain in various ways. Many refer it to Christ, but
the prophet designs no such thing. Such forcedand violent interpretations are
to be avoided.” Barnes also says, with emphasis:“It would require more time,
and toil, and ingenuity, to demonstrate that this passagehad reference to
Messiah, than it would to demonstrate the doctrines of the Trinity and
Divinity of the Redeemerfrom unequivocal declarations ofthe New
Testament.” No doubt this caution is extreme. In pursuance of a proper
caution, this much may be admitted: In so far as the prophet speaks and sets
in prophecy as the speakerand writer for Jehovah, who, in the New
Testament, by various indications and proofs, appears in the incarnated
divinity of Jesus Christ, so far only are these words to be regardedin a
Messianic point of view. Further, whether the prophet himself apprehended
this dogmatic view of the words is far from certain. The action of the Revealer
upon the old prophetic minds in their deliverances was doubtless in
proportion to their power at the time to apprehend. See Zechariah2:7-9.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on Isaiah 48:16". "Whedon's Commentary
on the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/isaiah-
48.html. 1874-1909.

Expository Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable
God againurged His people to listen carefully (cf. Isaiah 48:1; Isaiah48:12;
Isaiah48:14). From the beginning, God"s promises concerning the future had
not been vague and ambiguous. They could be verified easily, and they
evidenced Yahweh"s nearness in human life. Godwas there when He made
those predictions.
"When Jesus Christ incarnatedGod on earth, this was not some shocking new
modality of revelation; it was the logicalendpoint of all that God had been
doing in and through Israel up to that point." [Note: Oswalt, The Book . . . 40-
66 , p278.]
The speakerofthe lastpart of this verse is unclear. God appears to have been
speaking in the first part of the verse, but now we read that God sent "Me."
This may be Isaiah speaking. [Note:Ibid.] If Song of Solomon , the point is
that God and His Spirit had sent Isaiah to communicate and to confirm the
truthfulness of what Godhad just said. Another view is that Messiah, the
Servant, speaks (cf. Isaiah48:12). [Note:Motyer, p381;Grogan, p281;Young,
3:259;J. Martin, pp1102-3;Delitzsch, 2:253;Jennings, p564; Archer, p643;
and Ortlund, p320.]The point then would be that the Messiahwouldtestify to
the truth of what God had just said-empoweredby the Spirit. A third view is
that the speakeris an unknown leader. [Note: Watts, Isaiah34-66 , p178.]I
prefer the secondview. The Servant speaks againin Isaiah 49:1-6. Since the
speakerin the contextis the Lord, it seems more natural that a member of the
Godheadwould saythese words than the prophet. If true, this is one of the
clearestOld Testamentintimations of the Trinity.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Constable, Thomas. DD. "Commentaryon Isaiah 48:16". "ExpositoryNotes
of Dr. Thomas Constable".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dcc/isaiah-48.html. 2012.
JosephBenson's Commentaryof the Old and New Testaments
Isaiah48:16. Come ye near unto me, &c. — That you may the better hear me.
Here, as in Isaiah 48:14, Jacoband Israelare summoned to hearkento the
prophet speaking in God’s name, and as a type of the greatprophet, by whom
God has in these last days spokenunto us. I have not spokenin secret — I
have not suppressed, concealed, orkept back the counseland word of God, or
any part thereof, but have declaredit openly and publicly. See note on Isaiah
45:19, where these very words are spokenby Godin his own name, as they are
here by the prophet in God’s name. From the beginning — From the first
time that I beganto prophesy until now: or, if the prophet be consideredas
uttering God’s words, the meaning is, From the beginning of my taking you to
be my people, and revealing my mind to you. From the time that it was, there
am, or rather, was, I — These words also, as well as the former, are the words
either, 1st, Of the prophet; and so the sense is, From the time that I was first
calledto be a prophet, I have been there, that is, I have diligently pursued my
prophetical function; I have hearkened, from time to time, to hear what God
would speak to me, that I might impart it to you: or, 2d, Of God; and then the
sense may be this: From the time that I first foretold it, I was there to take
care to effectwhat I predicted. And now — This is opposedto the foregoing
words, from the beginning; the Lord God and his Spirit — God, by his Spirit,
or God, even the Spirit, namely, the Holy Ghost, to whom the sending and

inspiring of God’s prophets is ascribed, 2 Peter1:21; hath sent me — Namely,
the prophet, who yet was a type of Christ, and so this may have a respectto
him also.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Benson, Joseph. "Commentaryon Isaiah48:16". JosephBenson's
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rbc/isaiah-
48.html. 1857.
George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
Spirit. The Fathers here find the three Persons ofthe blessedTrinity specified.
Isaias was not from the beginning, though the text may also speak of him
(Calmet) as the spoke long before the event, by divine inspiration. (Chaldean)
(St. Jerome)
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Haydock, George Leo. "Commentaryon Isaiah 48:16". "George Haydock's
Catholic Bible Commentary".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hcc/isaiah-48.html. 1859.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
not spokenin secret. Referenceto Pentateuch(Deuteronomy 30:11). Compare
Isaiah45:19. App-92.
and His Spirit, hath sent Me: or, hath sent both Me and His Spirit: i.e. the
prophet, and His Spirit the inspirer of the messagesentby Isaiah(compare
Acts 28:25), "wellspake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah", &c. Note the great
doctrine of the Trinity.
Spirit. Hebrew. ruach. App-9.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on Isaiah 48:16". "E.W.
Bullinger's Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/isaiah-48.html. 1909-1922.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spokenin secretfrom the
beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and
his Spirit, hath sentme.
I have not spokenin secret - (Isaiah45:19.) Yahweh foretold Cyrus' advent
not with the studied ambiguity of paganoracles, but plainly.
From the time that it was, there (am) I - from the moment that the purpose
beganto be accomplishedin the raising up of Cyrus, I was present.
And now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me. The prophet here
speaks, claiming attention to his announcement as to Cyrus, on the ground of

his missionfrom God and His Spirit. But he speaks notin his own personso
much as in that of Messiah, to whom alone, in the fullest sense, the words
apply (Isaiah 61:1; John 10:36). Plainly, Isaiah49:1, which is the continuation
of Isaiah 48:1-22 from Isaiah48:16, where the change of speakerfrom God
(Isaiah 48:1; Isaiah48:12-15)begins, is the language of Messiah. Luke 4:1;
Luke 4:14; Luke 4:18, shows that the Spirit combined with the Father in
sending the Son: therefore "His Spirit" is therefore nominative to "sent," not
accusative, following it. Not as Barnes, 'The Lord God hath sent me, and His
Spirit.' The Vulgate, and seemingly the Septuagint, Chaldaic, Arabic, and
Syriac support the English version. As Messiahcame forth, sent by God the
Father and the Spirit, so the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father in the name of
the Son(John 14:26).
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Isaiah48:16". "Commentary Criticaland Explanatory on the Whole Bible -
Unabridged". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/isaiah-
48.html. 1871-8.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(16) Come ye near unto me.—Here the address would seemto be made to
Israel. At first Jehovahappears as the speaker, andas using much the same
language as before. At the close the prophet appears abruptly, as speaking in
his ownperson. Perhaps, indeed, the prophet is the speaker throughout. A
paraphrase will perhaps help to explain the sequence of thought. “I have not
from the beginning of my prophetic work spokenin dark, ambiguous speeches
like the oracles ofthe heathen. From the time that the greatwork beganto

unfold itself I was present, contemplating it. Now the time of revelation has
come. The Lord God hath sent me (this is the Hebrew order); and His Spirit.
This gives, it is believed, an adequate explanation. By some interpreters the
closing words are referred to the mysterious “Servant of the Lord,” and by
others the Spirit is made the object and not the subjectof the word “sent.”
END OF STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Question:
Goodmorning Michael,
I was reading this morning in Isaiahand have a question. Chapter 48:16
reads:"Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spokenin secretfrom
the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD,
and his Spirit, hath sent me."
Is Jesus speaking?I had always thought it was God the Fatherspeaking, but
this clearlystates that "I" is speaking and the Lord God and his Spirit have
sent Him. I'm sure I am a long way from understanding the nature of God
and the Triune, but this verse got me to want to better understand what is
being said and by whom.
Answer:
You have done some excellentreading with understanding of the
passage. This chapteris the conclusionof the theme of Jehovah’s controversy
with Israelconcerning their idolatry. In the conclusionof the chapter it is
recorded“There is no peace, saiththe Lord, unto the wicked.” (Isaiah48:22)

The word Lord is Jehovah, and often the word refers to the Personof the
Lord Jesus Christ. This is of particular importance in the reading because
chapters forty-nine through fifty-seven deal with Jehovah’s controversywith
Israelconcerning their treatment of Messiah. Noticethe ending of that
division which says “There is no peace, saithmy God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah
57:21)
In chapter forty-eight we see confirmation of that in the use of two
things as God makes His point concerning His controversywith Israel
concerning their conduct, both pastand future. The first of these is the mighty
acts of God in Creation:
“Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand
hath spanned the heavens:when I call unto them, they stand up together.”
(Isaiah 48:13)Scripture identifies The Word as the Personof the godhead
who is active in Creation. ProofHe is the speakerin this passage. The second
is the appealto prophecy of which the Lord Jesus stands at the pinnacle of all
prophetic utterance.
A final point in the identification of the Personof the godheadis in the
use of Names to identify Himself. He says in particular that He is “thy
Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 48:17)The speakeralso points to
His teaching function which is handed from Messiahto the Holy Spirit after
the ascensionofthe RisenLord. All of this serves to identify the Personof the
Triune God speaking as the Master.
Jonsquill Ministries
What is the meaning of Isaiah 48:16? Does it sound like it either speaks of
multiple deities OR the Trinity?

Or is there some other way to understand this? (For example, how do rabbis
of Orthodox Judaism understand the passage?)
Isaiah48:16:
“I have not spokenin secretfrom the beginning; From the time that it was,
there am I; and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.”
BestAnswer: To answeryou, this phrase is describing the means by which
God sends and empowers His prophets and His Son; that is, by His Spirit. For
examble, Isaiah59:21 says, 'As for Me,' says the LORD, 'this is My covenant
with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in
your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth....' When the Bible uses the
term 'Spirit' with reference to God, it is speaking ofGod in action, God
working among mankind. Another example is Isaiah61:1, which says, 'The
Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to
preach goodtidings to the poor....'
♥ SJC ♥ · 9 years ago
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"Come closerand listen. I have always told you plainly what would happen so
you would have no trouble understanding. And now the SovereignLORD and
his Spirit have sent me with this message."
The prophet is speaking, he has a messagefrom Hashem. The prophet is
saying that he was sentof the Spirit of God who revealed the messageto him.
The SovereignLORD is the title. The Holy Spirit is the means.
No it's not talking about multiple deities or trinity.
opalist · 9 years ago
NO multiples, no deities.
God sent Isaiahby means of his holy spirit to prophesy to the Israelites letting
them know in advance that Cyrus the Persianwill deliver them from Babylon.
Taylor · 9 years ago
Hi Avid Reader:
You are indeed correct. The passageimplicitly screams ofthe Trinity. There
are many such passagesin Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs,Isaiah, Daniel, etc.
Take a look at the following verses for other examples out of the Hebrew
Scriptures that implictly speak ofthe Trinity.

Gen 1:1 - In the beginning God (Elohim-plural) created(bara-singular)...
...And God (Elohim-Plural) said (Singular)
Pro 30:4 Who hath ascendedup into heaven, or descended? who hath
gatheredthe wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who
hath establishedall the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his
son's name, if thou cansttell?
Daniel 7 talks about the Sonof Man being presentedto the Ancient of Days
(the Son)
In the Hebrew Scriptures there are three Persons identified as Jehovah/ El /
Elohim, namely the Father, Son, and Spirit.
ADDITIONAL NOTE:
I forgota most significant passage - Deut 6:4, known to Jewishaudiences as
the "Shema".
"Hearoh Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord." The intention of the Hebrew
is absolutely hidden in our English translations. I'll repeatthe verse with the
meaning of specific important words.
"Hearoh Israel, the Lord (Jehovah-Singular)our God (Elohim-Plural) is one
(echad-one COMPOSITE unity) Lord (Jehovah-Singular). Deut 6:4
EXPLCITLY in the Hebrew states that God is a "composite"unity.
Collecting all of the verses tha discuss God's nature in the Old Testament,

shows that there are three Persons saidto be part of the that composite unity,
name the Father, the Son(the Memra=Logos), andthe Holy Spirit (ruach)
Spock · 9 years ago
We see from verse 12 that this is the Lord speaking through Isaiah to the
Children of Israel. From here to verse 16, it is somewhatdifficult to follow the
pronouns. Let's do the best we can, because that would be extremely
important (to figure out who the "me" is in verse 16):
12¶Hearkenunto me [Jehovah/Jesus Christ], O Jacoband Israel, my
[Jehovah's]called; I [Jehovah] am he; I [Jehovah] am the first, I [Jehovah]
also am the last.
13Mine [Jehovah's]hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my
[Jehovah's]right hand hath spanned the heavens:when I [Jehovah] callunto
them [the earth and heavens], they [the earth and heavens] stand up together.
14All ye [Children of Israel], assemble yourselves, and hear; which among
them [Children of Israel]hath declared these things? The Lord hath loved
him [Israel]: he [the Lord] will do his [Israel's]pleasure on Babylon, and his
[the Lord's] arm shall be on the Chaldeans.
15I [Jehovah], even I [Jehovah], have spoken;yea, I [Jehovah] have called
him [Israel]: I have brought him [Israel], and he [the Lord] shall make his
[Israel's]way prosperous.
[note the new paragraph]

16¶Come ye [Israel] near unto me [Isaiah], hear ye [Israel] this; I [Isaiah]
have not spokenin secretfrom the beginning; from the time that it [the
beginning] was, there am I [Isaiah]: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit,
hath sent me.
So, the primary thing to take note of here is the sectionbreak. This is because,
at this point, Isaiahstops speaking for the Lord and returns to speaking for
Himself. It's almost as if Isaiah pauses for effectand says "Now, listento
this:" and then he, Isaiah, says something like I've been around since the
beginning of all of this and now God sent me.
This is Isaiah insisting that he is not holding anything back and that he is
speaking for the Lord to Israel. Note how the next verse starts.
I hope that helps a bit :o) *whew* I spent quite a bit of time on this one :op
Please feelfree to e-mail me!
Chris B · 9 years ago
In Isaiah 6:8, "And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send,
and who will go for us? Then I said: 'Here am I; send me.'
Clearly the Almighty is speaking, so who's the "us" and who is being sent?
Let's look earlier in the same chapter:
Isaiah6:2 "Above Him (the LORD)stood the seraphim; eachone had six
wings: with two he coveredhis face and with two he coveredhis feet, and with

two he did fly... [6] Then flew unto me one of the seraphim, with a glowing
stone in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; [7]
and he touched my mouth with it, and said: Lo, this hath touched your lips;
and your iniquity is takenaway, and thy sin expiated. [8] And I heard the
voice of the Lord, saying:Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I
said: 'Here am I; send me.' [9] And He said: 'Go, and tell this people: you
indeed hear, but don't understand; and you indeed see, but perceive not."
The context shows that the one who is being sent is Isaiah the prophet. So who
are the "us?"
I don't think it's at all a stretchto think that the ''us'' in verse 8 is a reference
to the only other characters mentionedpreviously in the same chapter -- the
seraphim, one of which speaks to Isaiah in verse 7.
Now, back to Isaiah48:16 -
"Come ye near unto Me, hear ye this: From the beginning I have not spoken
in secret;from the time that it [feminine] was, there am I. Now, the Lord
Y/H/W/H hath sent me, and His spirit. [17] Thus saith Y/H/W/H, thy
Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:I am YHWH thy God, who teacheththee
for thy profit, who leadeth thee by the waythat thou shouldest go."
I think it is reasonable to suggestthat the "me" who is sent in 48:16 is the
same "me" who offers himself to be sent in 6:8 -- none other than Isaiahthe
prophet himself. And who is His spirit? I think it likewise reasonable to
suggestthat the same one of the seraphim who spoke with Isaiah in his
prophecy in 6:7 is the spirit mentioned in 48:16, or possibly another angel.
And if you think this is a stretch, you should then know that the meaning of
the word "seraphim" is burning ones, of whom it is said in

Psalm104:4 "He makes His angels spirits / winds, His ministers a flaming fire
."
your conscious ·9 years ago
The Trinity also here is another Trinity verse that you may like "Thus saith
the Lord of hosts, Egypt has laboured for thee; and the merchandise of the
Ethiopians, and the Sabeans, menof stature, shall pass over to thee; and shall
be thy servants;and they shall follow after thee bound in fetters, and shall
pass over to thee, and shall do obeisance to thee, and make supplication to
thee: because Godis in thee; and there is no God beside thee, O Lord. For
thou art God, yet we knew it not, the God of Israel, the Saviour" Isaiah
45:14,15 LXX
Ricky· 9 years ago
https://answers.yahoo.com/
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What does 'God and His Spirit' mean in Isaiah48:16?
Submitted: 1/16/2008
Posta comment or
ask a follow-up question
Question:
Can you please elaborate onthe meaning of Isaiah48:16?
Answer:
Isaiah48:16 says, 'Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spokenin secret
from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord
GOD and His Spirit
have sent Me.'In the short term this verse speaks ofthe sending of Isaiahthe
prophet; in the long term it speaks ofthe sending of the Christ. Some
interpret the phrase 'the Lord God and His Spirit' as a reference to the first
and third persons of the trinity. We disagree with this interpretation. We see
this phrase as a describing the mean by which God sends and empowers His
prophets and His Son; that is, by His Spirit. For examble, Isaiah59:21 says,
'As for Me,' says the LORD, 'this is My covenantwith them: My Spirit who is
upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart
from your mouth....' When the Bible uses the term 'Spirit' with reference to
God, it is speaking ofGod in action, Godworking among mankind. Another

example is Isaiah 61:1, which says, 'The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
because the LORD has anointed Me to preachgoodtidings to the poor....'
Jesus statedmatter-of-factly that 'God is a Spirit' (John 4:24). There is not
one Spirit who is God and another Spirit who is the Holy Spirit. According to
Paul there is 'one Spirit' (Ephesians 4:4). And in Isaiah 45:5 the Lord Himself
declares, 'I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me.'
If the Spirit is anyone other than the Lord God Himself, then He is not God at
all.
gloriouschurch.com/
The Trinity in Isaiah
Postedon April 28, 2012 by Rina
“Come near to Me: Hear this, not from the beginning in secrethave I spoken.
From the time of its Being, there I was. And now, Lord Yahweh has sent Me
and His Spirit.” (Isaiah48:16)
The above quoted verse is a transliteration of the Hebrew of Isaiah 48:16.
(I will spare you the gory details of the syntax, which too many of my friends,
will be much appreciated. My wife included.) I am writing about this to
continue on the theme of the last few post regarding Christian Deity from the
Old Testament. I mention the syntax and exegesis (translationand exact
meaning of the text) because I’ve been using a “Peshat”approachto prove the
existence ofthe Trinity from the Tanach(Old Testament). Additionally, I’ve
quoted the transliteration above because I believe that most English
translations get it wrong. They will write something like “Come near me and
listen to this: From the first announcement I have not spokenin secretat the
time it happens, I am there. And now, the SovereignLORD has sentme with
His Spirit.” (New International Version) It is my opinion that this translation
misses the essenceofthe text. Mainly, that God is identifying His Triune

Nature in this verse. Godis speaking in the verse. He speaks ofthree distinct
beings. First, the speaker, second, the Lord Yahweh, and lastly, His Spirit.
Additionally, this speakerstates, “Fromthe time of its Being”, the word in
Hebrew for Being is the same word from which “Yahweh” is formulated. The
speakeris identifying His eternal nature and thus, identifies Himself as
Yahweh. But, let’s not just take my word for it, let’s hear from the
theologians.
Keil and Delitzschwrite, “Up to this point Jehovahis speaking;but who is
it that now proceeds to say, “And now—namely, now that the redemption of
Israelis about to appear (‫ה‬ ְ‫ע‬ַ‫ת‬ ָּ‫ו‬ being here, as in many other instances, e.g.,Isa.
33:10, the turning-point of salvation)—now that the Lord Jehovahsent me
and His Spirit?” The majority of the commentators assume that the prophet
comes forwardhere in his own person, behind Him whom he has introduced,
and interrupts Him. But although it is perfectly true, that in all prophecy,
from Deuteronomy onwards, words of Jehovahthrough the prophet and
words of the prophet of Jehovah alternate in constant, and often harsh
transitions, and that our prophet has this mark of divine inspiration in
common with all the other prophets (cf., Isa. 62:5, 6), it must also be borne in
mind, that hitherto he has not spokenonce objectively of himself, except quite
indirectly (vid., Isa. 40:6; 44:26), to say nothing of actually coming forward in
his ownperson. Whether this takes place further on, more especiallyin Isa.
61, we will leave for the present; but here, since the prophet has not spokenin
his ownperson before, whereas, onthe other hand, these words are followed
in Isa. 49:1ff. by an address concerning himself from that servantof Jehovah
who announces himself as the restorerof Israel and light of the Gentiles, and
who cannot therefore be ether Israel as a nation or the author of these
prophecies, nothing is more natural than to suppose that the words, “And now
hath the Lord,” etc., form a prelude to the words of the One unequalled
servant of Jehovahconcerning Himself which occur in Isa. 49. The
surprisingly mysterious way in which the words of Jehovahsuddenly pass into
those of His messenger, whichis only comparable to Zech. 2:12ff., 4:9 (where
the speakeris also not the prophet, but a divine messengerexaltedabove him),
can only be explained in this manner. And in no other way canwe explain the
‫ה‬ ְ‫ע‬ַ‫ת‬ ָּ‫,ו‬ which means that, after Jehovahhas prepared the way for the

redemption of Israel by the raising up of Cyrus, in accordancewith prophecy,
and by his success in arms, He has senthim, the speakerin this case, to carry
out, in a mediatorial capacity, the redemption thus prepared, and that not by
force of arms, but in the powerof the Spirit of God (Isa. 42:1; cf., Zech. 4:6).
Consequently the Spirit is not spokenof here as joining in the sending (as
Umbreit and Stier suppose, after Jerome and the Targum: the Septuagintis
indefinite, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ);nor do we ever find the Spirit mentioned in
such co-ordination as this (see, onthe other hand, Zech. 7:12, per spiritum
suum ). The meaning is, that it is also sent, i.e., sent in and with the servant of
Jehovah, who is speaking here. To convey this meaning, there was no necessity
to write either ‫רלָׁש‬ ָּ‫ו‬ ‫י‬ ‫ת‬‫ת‬‫י‬ ַָׁ‫ּו‬ ְ‫ֹו‬ or ‫תירוָׁו‬ ‫ו‬ ָּ‫ו‬ ‫,ֹוּוָׁרי‬ since the expressionis just the
same as that in Isa. 29:7, ‫צ‬ ְ‫ת‬ ְ‫י‬‫ָי‬ ָּ‫למ‬ ְ‫יה‬ ‫בו‬‫;ָי‬and the Vav may be regardedas the
Vav of companionship (Mitschaft, lit., with-ship, as the Arabs call it; see at
Isa. 42:5). (1) Notice this last part, the Vav of companionship. In Hebrew this
vav is attachedto the beginning of a word and is almostalways translated
“and” and almost never “with”. Thus, the trinity is defined in the verse.
What is the sense of all this? Basically, the text speaks ofthree individuals.
Lord YHWH, and the messengerwho steps forward to speak, a pre-incarnate
Messiah, andthe Sprit which linguistically is connectedby companionship
and, as such, represents a separate being in the text. The trinity is here
clearly (Peshatly)defined in the Hebrew of the Old Testament. The speaker
clearly identifies His co-eternalexistence withLord Yahweh (Hebrew is
Adonai YHWH) and the Spirit. This is strikingly similar to what Jesus says
about Himself to a group of Jews. He states, “BeforeAbraham was, I am.”
Jesus is clearly making a claim to Deity and His messageis clearly understood
by the Jews. Theypick up stones to stone Him.
Endnotes
R.L. Harris, Editor; GleasonArcher, Jr. and Bruce Waltke, Associate
Editors, TheologicalWordbook ofthe Old Testament, MoodyPress, Chicago,
1980, page 465

Isaiah48:16 – Yahweh has sent me
{Isaiah 48:16}“Come near to me and hear this: From the beginning I have
not spokenin secret;from the time that it was, there am I.” Now the Lord
Jehovahhas sent me, with his Spirit.
{Isaiah 48:17}Thus says Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I
am Jehovahyour God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way
that you should go. — RLIV
The claim is made that this verse shows three persons in one Godhead. One
even claims that this verse contains one of the cleareststatements ofthe trinity
doctrine in the Old Testament. In fact, however, we find nothing at all about
the trinity doctrine in Isaiah 48:16. What the trinitarian actually presents as
the trinity is the imaginative assumptions that the trinitarian places over the
scripture.
As usual with the trinitarian proof-texts, there is nothing in this verse about
three persons in Yahweh. The trinitarian has to imagine the trinitarian dogma
applies, formulate assumptions basedon that imagination, and then read
those assumptions into what is stated, so that, in effect, what they actually
present as proof is what one can imagine and assume concerning the
scripture, not what is actually said in the scripture. Evidently what they are
assuming here is that Jesus is one of the persons of Yahweh, and the Jesus is
sent by another person of Yahweh, and the spirit is another person of
Yahweh, and either that Yahweh’s spirit as a person of Yahweh was sent by
Yahweh, or that Yahweh’s spirit as a personof Yahweh sends another person
of Yahweh, that is, Jesus. In reality, all through the Bible, Yahweh is
presentedas a unipersonal God; He is never presentedas being more than one
person.

Actually, Isaiahis the prophet who is writing the above, and is evidently the
one referred to as being sent (Isaiah 6:9,10)by Yahweh. Isaiah speaks of
himself as sent to Israelby Yahweh, and he also speaksofYahweh’s spirit
being sent. In much of the book, Isaiahis quoting what Yahweh has said, but
in this verse he suddenly stops quoting Yahweh and speaks ofhimself as being
sent by Yahweh. This is not all that unusual in Isaiah’s writings, that is, that
he stops quoting Yahweh, and starts speaking of himself, or someone else,
without giving any indication of such a change.
A similar case is Isaiah8:1-3. One could read verse three as a continuation of
the quotation of Yahweh’s words in verse one, thus making Yahweh as the
one who went to the prophetess, but common sense tells us that Isaiahstopped
quoting Yahweh and beganreferring to himself.
We find the same principle in Isaiah 48:16,17.There we can see that the the
latter part of verse 16 goes with the beginning of verse 17, and is not part of
the quotation of Yahweh, but rather Isaiah’s own remarks:“And now the
Lord Yahweh, and his spirit, has sent me — this what Yahweh says, your
redeemer, the holy one of Israel,…” afterwhich Isaiahreturns to quoting the
words of Yahweh.
Below are some translations that have punctuation similar to ours.
“Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spokenin secret,
from the time it came to be I have been there.” And now the Lord GOD has
sent me and his Spirit. — RevisedStandard Version.
“Now come close to me and hear what I say. From the beginning I have
spokenopenly and have always made my words come true.” (Now the
SovereignLord has given me his powerand sent me.) — Today’s English
Version
“Come to me and listen to this. From the beginning I have spokenopenly.
From the time it began, I was there.” Now, the Lord God has sent me with his
Spirit. — New Century Version
“Come near to me, YOU people. Hear this. From the start I have spokenin no
place of concealmentat all. From the time of its occurring I have been there.”

And now the SovereignLord Jehovahhimself has sentme, even his spirit. —
New World Translation, 1971 edition.
A slightly different punctuation appears in this translation:
Come to me and hear this! Notfrom the beginning did I speak it in secret;At
the time it comes to pass, I am present; “Now the Lord GOD has sent me, and
his spirit.” — The New American Bible
Even if this verse were referring to Jesus as the one sent, it still does not say
anything about three persons in one Yahweh. The one who sentJesus is still
the only true God, and the one sent by the only true Godis still not the only
true God who senthim. — John 17:1,3.
Thus it should be apparent to all that the doctrine that Jesus is Yahweh is not
found in Isaiah48:16 (as it is not found anywhere else in the Bible). There is
definitely nothing here to indicate that God’s spirit is a separate sentiencyyet
the Supreme Omniscient Being. And even more definitely we do not find
anything in the verse about Yahweh as three persons, or of three persons in
one “Godhead.” https://tanah44.wixsite.com/
Posts:129
THE HOLY TRINITYIN ISAIAH 48:16 Jul 19, 2018 at10:48pm
Quote

Postby ichthus on Jul 19, 2018 at10:48pm
“Draw near to Me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spokenin secret,
from the time it came to be I have been there. And now the Lord GOD has
sent Me, and His Spirit” (verse 16)
We here have a very clearOld Testamentwitness to the Holy Trinity. The
Speakeris “Yahweh”, and He is said to be sent by anotherPerson, Who is,
“YahwehElohim”. We are also told that the Holy Spirit is also sent, the Third
Person. Thoughthe Holy Spirit is not here referred to as “Yahweh”, or
“Elohim”, He clearlyis Almighty God, as He is referred to in the Book of Job,
as the Creator, “the Spirit of God has made me” (33:4). The Hebrew word,
“asah” (made), is used in Genesis 2:4 (and elsewhere) forthe completedwork
of creation. See also the fifth point below.
Firstly, to deny that the Speakeris the Lord Jesus Christ, there are some who
suppose that a fresh speakeris introduced with the words, “and now the Lord
God has”, and his speechonly extends to the end of verse 16. But, who can this
new speakerbe? Canit be the Prophet Isaiah himself, as some have
suggested?. There is no grammatical, or any other reasonto suggestany new
speakeratthis point. All this is nothing but conjecture.
The Targum of JonathanBen Uzie (1st cent. A.D. in oralform; 5th cent.
written form), reads here:
“The prophet saith: And now the Lord God and His Word, hath sent me” (C
W H Pauli; The Chaldee Paraphrase onthe Prophet Isaiah, pp.166-167)

This is the earliestevidence for the words ascribedto Isaiah. Note, that
“Spirit” has been changedto “Word”. It is also the earliestfor the reading
that makes “the Word” (or “Spirit”), the secondsubject. See point 3 below.
The Speakerin this verse, as the passage willshow, is none other than the
Lord Jesus Christ.
The words in this verse are like those found in verse 3, “I have declaredthe
former things from the beginning”, and verse 5, “I have even from the
beginning declaredit to you”. In verse 12 and 13 the Speakersays, “Listento
Me, O Jacoband Israel, My called; I am He, I am the First, I also am the Last.
My hand has also laid the foundation of the earth”. Language that canhardly
be use by Isaiah, or any other human being! Then, in verse 15 we read, “I,
even I have spoken, yes, and I have called him”. In the very next verse, we
read, “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I am
the LORD your God, Who teaches youto profit, Who leads you by the way
you should go”. As the Speakerofverse 16 here continues, it is clearthat He is
Yahweh, Who is Speaking, and not the Prophet Isaiah. This same Speaker
also says, “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar!
The LORD has calledMe from the womb” (49:1). In verse 5 He is called“His
Servant”, which clearly can only refer to Jesus Christ. None of these things
could have been said by the Prophet Isaiah.
Secondly, the order of the words in the lastsentence, is “And now the Lord
GOD has sent me, and his Spirit”, which is how the Hebrew, Greek Old
Testament(Septuagint), and Latin Vulgate, render it. And not as found in
versions like the King James, which reads:“and now the Lord GOD, and his
Spirit, hath sent me.”.It is interesting that the Jehovah’s Witnessesrenderit,
“And now the SovereignLord Jehovahhas sent me, and his spirit”. They have

“spirit”, insteadof “Spirit”, because they deny the Holy Spirit is Almighty
God, as they also deny the Holy Trinity.
“LXX. , as usual, keepthe Heb. order: but as Kay says, " It has been generally
assumed, on the authority of Origen, that the rendering of the LXX is
ambiguous. But even his greatname is not sufficient to persuade one that...the
enclitic me can be readily co-ordinatedwith the following noun." He asserts
similarly that the suffix-pronoun in the Heb. cannot be so co-ordinated, and
claims the support of Heb. accents, andof the Targum, which latter Cheyne
considers probable but not certain. Lowth quotes Origen (adv. Cels. 1.)and
translates with intentional ambiguity. Calvin, Vitringa, Henderson,
Alexander, Knobel, Gesenius, Hitzig, Ewald, Delitzsch, Cheyne (doubtfully,
and he appears to suspectthe passage), Davidson(note in Temple Bible),
Skinner, and W. E. Barnes all take the Heb. as 'hath sent me and His Spirit'
(obj.).” (R Ottley, The Book ofIsaiah According to the Septuagint, p.330)
“And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit” (The Holy Scriptures
According to the Masoretic Text, A New Translation. The JewishPublication
Societyof America. 5677-1917)
“And now, the Lord Eternalhath sent me, and his Spirit” (Isaac Leeser, The
Twenty-FourBooks ofthe Holy Scriptures: Carefully TranslatedAccording
to the Massoretic Text)
“And now the Lord God hath sent me, and His spirit” (Hebrew-English
TanakhThe JewishBible, Varda Books.Hebrew text—Keter Israel1.1tm—is
setto match Leningrad Codex, the oldestcomplete manuscript of Hebrew
bible)

“and now the Adonai YHWH has sent me, and His Spirit” (James Trimm,
The Hebraic-Roots VersionScriptures, RevisedEdition. )
“ and now, the Lord God has sentme, and His spirit.” (The Complete Jewish
Bible, with RashiCommentary, chabad.org)
“And now the Lord God has sent me, endowed with His spirit. " (in a footnote
reads, “lit. and His spirit”). Which is “sentme, and His spirit”. (Adele Berlin
and Marc Zvi Brettler The JewishStudy Bible)
“I have not spokenin secretfrom beginning from the time that it was, there
am I : and now the Lord Eternal hath sentme, and his spirit.” (Dr A Benisch;
JewishSchooland Family Bible, Vol. III)
“And now the Lord Lord hath sent me and his spirit.” (Charles Thomson, The
Septuagint in English)
“and now the Lord has sent me and his spirit” (A New English Translationof
the Septuagint, edited by Albert Pietersma and G Wright. Tr. Moises Silva).
The Greek Old Testamentversion(LXX), is basedon Hebrew manuscripts
that were about 150 years before the Birth of Jesus, andmuch older than our
surviving Hebrew manuscripts.
“Draw near to me, and hear this: from the beginning I have not spokenin
secret;at the time it came to be, I was there. And now the Lord God has sent
me and his spirit.” (Martin Abegg Jr., PeterFlint and Eugene Ulrich. The
DeadSea Scrolls Bible) The DSS of the Book of Isaiah, is said to date from
around 125 B.C.

The Douay-Rheims Bible, which is basedon Jerome’s Latin Vulgate of the 4th
century, which was translatedfrom Hebrew manuscripts, reads, “And now
the Lord GOD has sentme, and his Spirit”
The following English versions also use the “Spirit” as the second“object”,
and render it, “And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit”
English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Holman Christian
Standard Bible, GOD'S WORD Translation, New American Standard 1977,
Jubilee Bible 2000, AmericanStandard Version, John Darby Translation,
English RevisedVersion, Young’s Literal Translation, RevisedStandard
Version, New RevisedStandard Version, World English Bible.
Thirdly, there are some who suppose there is some ambiguity in the original
Hebrew and early versions. Again, without any justification, other than
following the opinion the early Church heretic, Origen(A.D.185-254), “Who is
it that saith in Isaiah, And now the Lord hath sent me and his Spirit? in
which, as the expressionis ambiguous, is it the Father and the Holy Spirit who
have sent Jesus;or the Father, who hath sent both Christ and the Holy Spirit.
The latter is the true interpretation.” - Origen cont. Cels. lib. 1.
While Origen rightly concludes that the correctreading is, “And now the
Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit”, his suggestionthat the text is not
clear, is not correct, as there is no grammaticalobjectionin taking the
“Spirit” as the second“object”, andbeing “sent”;rather than the second
“subject”, as joint “sender”. The word order clearlyshows that the Holy
Spirit is here also “sent” by the Father, as is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Fourthly, it is clearfrom the New Testament, that God the Father did send
both the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as the Holy Spirit.
For Jesus Christwe have:
“and the FatherHimself, Who has sentMe” (John 5:37, and elsewhere)
For the Holy Spirit we have:
“But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Fatherwill send in My Name”
(John 14:26, and elsewhere)
Jesus Christ Himself saidthat He would send the Holy Spirit:
"But when the Helper comes, whomI shall send to you from the Father, the
Spirit of Truth Who proceeds from [comes from besides]the Father, He will
testify of Me” (John 15:26)
There is no Scripture that says the Holy Spirit “sent” the Lord Jesus Christ
for the purpose of His Ministry or Work. We do read of the Holy Spirit
“anointing” the Lord Jesus Christ for the Ministry. “the Spirit of the Lord
God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preachthe Gospel”
(Isaiah 61:1). Jesus quotes these words to Himself in Luke’s Gospel:“the
Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the
Gospel” (4:18).

It should be noted, that because one Personin the Godhead, “sends” another,
that those who are “sent”, and in no way “inferior” to the “sender”. The Bible
is very clearthat the Fatheris “God” (John 1:1), and Jesus Christ is “God”
(John 1:1, 20:28;Titus 2:13), and the Holy Spirit is “God” (Acts 5:3-4). But,
this is not to be understood as “Three Gods”, but rather, Three “Persons”,
Who are equally “God”, in the One “Godhead”, as we read of “God” in Paul’s
letter to the Church at Rome, “theiotes” (“Godhead”, in KJV, NKJV; and
“divine nature”, in NASB, ESV), the latter is what the Greek means.
Fifthly, we see here that the Holy Spirit is also a “Person”,and not as some
blasphemously teach, “an active force” of God. The fact that the Father is said
to “send” the Son and Holy Spirit, it is evident that both must be equally
“Persons”, as both are representedin the New Testamentas being “sent”, for
specific purposes in the redemption of man. We read also in Isaiah, where the
Israelites are said to have, “rebelledand grieved His (God the Father’s)
Spirit” (63:10). This also shows that the Holy Spirit is a “PersonalBeing”,as
it is not possible to “rebel” against, or “grieve” something “impersonal”.
Sixthly, The Interpreter’s Bible commentary, among others, have assumed
that there is a problem with this text in the passage,and, because they cannot
acceptthe fact that the words are Spokenby the Lord Jesus Christ, conclude
that the words are “probably a gloss”,which means there are not part of the
original Book ofIsaiah, but added later, for which there is no evidence.
“And now the Lord GOD has sent me and his Spirit: The line is a crux
interpretum. One might expect an antithesis to what has preceded. But the
first personalpronoun is most exceptional(see 40:6). Moreover, and his Spirit
is awkwardhere, and devoid of goodparallel in prophecy (61:1; Mic, 3:8 are
not relevant here). Various emendations have been proposed. Volz emends to
"and now I send him [Cyrus] on his way' Others emend, and “his Spirit”, to

mm, "his chosenone." The problem does not admit any solution. This line is
probably a gloss”. (Volume V, p.561)
Just because we do not like or acceptor understand something that is found in
the Holy Bible, we cannot conclude that maybe it does not belong there, or
alter it so that it says what we want it to! This is exactly what the Jehovah’s
Witnesses have done with texts like John 1:1, were, because of“theological”
reasons alone, they translate the final clause, “and the Word as a god”. And
the RevisedStandard Versions, adopts “young woman” in Isaiah 7:14, instead
of what the Hebrew actually says, “virgin”. The Interpreter’s Bible
commentary show that many have tampered with the Truth, by “various
emendations”, which is quite disgracefulto do this to the Word of Almighty
God!
There is not a shred of evidence, that can show that the Speakerin verse 16, as
in the entire passage, is not the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is clearlyYAHWEH.
“the name ‫יהוה‬ being derived from the verb ‫ְה‬‫ו‬ ְ‫ה‬ to be, was consideredto
signify God as eternaland immutable, who will never be other than the same.
Allusion is made to the same etymology, Hos. 12:6 , ‫רש‬ ָֹּ‫ָת‬ ‫ְה‬‫ו‬‫הי‬ָּ‫י‬ “Jehovah(i.e. the
eternal, the immutable) is his name.” (Gesenius)
ancient-hebrew.proboards.com/

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