That say, let him make speed, [and] hasten his
work
Either the punishment of their sins, threatened by the prophets;
which, because not speedily and immediately executed, therefore
they did not believe it ever would; and in a daring and insolent
manner call upon God to inflict it: that we may see
[it],
or feel it; for, as for words or threatenings, they regarded them
not; thus deriding God and his judgments, and disbelieving both,
like the mockers in the last days, described in ( 2 Peter 3:3 2 Peter 3:4 ) and, in
contempt of him, do not so much as mention his name; though the
Syriac version expresses the word "Lord", and the Arabic version
"God": or rather the great work of redemption and salvation by
the Messiah; for, as they did not believe Jesus to be the
Messiah, so they ridiculed and despised salvation by him, mocking
him as a Saviour, and calling upon him, in a sarcastic way, to
hasten and do his work he pretended to come about; see ( Matthew
27:42 ) for to the Jews in Christ's time this prophecy
belongs. The Targum interprets it, "his miracle"; the Jews were
always for signs and miracles; they sought them of Jesus of
Nazareth; they urged the doing of them; they were very solicitous
and importunate, and in haste to have them done, that they might
see and believe, as they pretended; and expressed themselves in
almost the same words as here; "what sign shewest thou then, that
we may see and believe thee? what dost thou work?" ( John 6:30 ) this is an
instance of their drawing iniquity and sin in the manner before
complained of: and let the counsel of the Holy One of
Israel draw nigh and come,
that we may know [it]!
not that they believed him to be the Holy One of Israel, but
because the prophet had made mention of this title, ( Isaiah 1:4 ) as he often
does in this prophecy afterwards, and applies it to the Redeemer;
therefore they use it: so the Jews put an "if" upon Christ being
the King of Israel, ( Matthew
27:42 ) wherefore, in a daring, jeering, and ironic manner,
urge that what is said to be in the purposes and decrees of God,
or what was agreed upon between him and the Messiah, who said he
was the son of God, in the council and covenant of grace and
peace, as pretended, might speedily come to pass; all which
expresses their blasphemy, impiety, and unbelief; and shows that
they did not believe, but derided any counsel or decree of God,
respecting spiritual and eternal salvation by the Messiah,
especially by Jesus of Nazareth: or the conversion of the
Gentiles, or the spread of the Gospel, and the enlargement of the
kingdom and interest of Christ in the world, are meant, Kimchi,
on the text, owns that these words belong to the Jews in the
present day, and makes this confession,
``it appears that our prophets said the truth for now we believe not.''
