But when he seeth his children, the work of my hands,
in
the midst of him
That is, it will be a pleasure to the church of God, signified by
Jacob, when they shall observe a great number of Jacob's
posterity, or of the Jews, born again, become the "children" of
the church, born in her, and nursed up at her side, dandled on
her knees, and sucking at the breasts of her consolation; and so
in the midst of her, members of her, and in communion with her,
having been begotten again, by means of her ministers, through
the Gospel, by the Spirit and grace of God; and so "the work of
his hands", his new creatures, formed for and by himself; his
workmanship, created in Jesus Christ, curiously wrought by his
hands, as well as engraven on them: they shall sanctify my
name;
meaning either the spiritual seed of Jacob, those regenerated
ones, the nation that shall be born at once; these shall sanctify
the name of the Lord, not by making, but by declaring him to be
holy; by believing in his name; by seeking to him for
righteousness and holiness; by embracing his doctrines, and
submitting to his ordinances; which will add to the pleasure of
the church of Christ. So the Vulgate Latin version renders it,
"but when he seeth his children---sanctifying my name"; or else
Jacob, that is, the church of Christ, is here meant, who, upon
seeing such a large number of Jewish converts, shall sanctify the
name of the Lord, or give him praise and glory on account of it;
which is repeated with some addition, and sanctify the Holy
One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel;
reverence his name and his sanctuary, his word and his
ordinances, worship him inwardly and outwardly, fear the Lord and
his goodness, both the church and these new converts, ( Hosea 3:5 ) .
Isaiah 29:23
