For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of
the
afflicted
That is, Christ, who was afflicted by men, both by their tongues,
and by their hands; by devils, by the temptations of Satan for
Christ suffered being tempted, though he was not overcome; and by
his attacks upon him, both in the garden and on the cross; and by
the Lord himself, Jehovah his Father, who laid on him the
iniquity and chastisement of his people, bruised him, and put him
to grief; awoke the sword of justice against him, and spared him
not: his afflictions were many, both in body and soul; in body,
being scourged, buffeted, bruised, pierced, racked, and tortured
on the cross; in soul, being made exceeding sorrowful, and an
offering for sin; sustaining his Father's wrath, and seeking and
enduring affliction by the rod of it; see ( Isaiah 53:4 Isaiah 53:7 ) ; now,
though his afflictions and sufferings were despised by men, and
he was despised and abhorred on account of them; yet not by his
Father, he took pleasure in them, and in him as suffering for his
people; not simply considered, as if he delighted in his
sufferings as such, but as they were agreeable to his counsel and
covenant, and brought about the salvation of his chosen ones: he
accepted them in the room and stead of his people; the sacrifice
of Christ was of a sweet smelling savour to him; he was well
pleased with his righteousness, his law being magnified and made
honourable by it; and his death was precious in his sight, being
the propitiation for the sins of his people; so far was he from
despising and abhorring the afflictions of his son. And this is
mentioned as a reason or argument for praise and thanksgiving in
them that fear the Lord; since God has looked upon the redemption
price his Son has paid for them sufficient; has not despised, but
accepted of it as the ransom of their souls: some render the
words, "the prayer of the afflicted"; so the Targum, and the
Septuagint version, and the versions that follow that; which
agrees with the next words:
neither hath he hid his face from him;
when men did, as ashamed of him, ( Isaiah 53:3 ) ; for
though he forsook him for a while, and in a little wrath hid his
face from him for a moment, that he might bear the whole curse of
the law for us; yet he returned again, and did not hide his face
from him for even;
but when he cried unto him, he heard;
cried not only on account of his crucifiers, that God would
forgive them; but on account of himself, that he would not be
afar off from him; that he would take his spirit or soul into his
hands, into which he committed it; that he would deliver him from
the power of death and the grave, and loose their bands; in all
which he was heard, ( Hebrews 5:7 ) .
