Isaiah 43:22-24 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

But thou hast not called upon me— This reproof may be connected in a two-fold manner with the preceding discourse. First, that the prophet, while he consoles the better part of the church, and confirms their faith by the predictions and promises of great things to come, may at the same time reprove the greater and worst part of the church, and give them to know that these benefits were not conferred upon the church for their sake, or that they should have any part in them; but that, on the contrary, they might be assured that they should incur the severest judgments of God. Or, secondly, the connection may be thus: that after the prophet had foretold and promised the singular blessings of deliverance from exile, and the privileges of the oeconomy of grace, to be exhibited in their proper time, he yet informs the Jewish people that these benefits should proceed solely from the grace of God: that the worship which they had paid him by their sacrifices and offerings so abounded with defects, that it could not be esteemed true worship; nay, that Jehovah was determined not to pass by the grievous sins of the people and the priests unpunished. Therefore, whatever benefit should happen to the church, it was to be ascribed solely to his grace, not to their merits. This method of connecting the passage seems better to agree with the context; particularly the 27th verse. The sweet cane refers to that aromatic cane, probably the cinnamon, which was made use of for the incense. See Jeremiah 6:20. Bishop Lowth reads the last clause of Isaiah 43:23 and Isaiah 43:24. I have not burthened thee with exacting oblations; nor wearied thee with demands of frankincense: thou hast not purchased for me with silver the aromatic reed: neither hast thou satiated me with the fat of thy sacrifices. On the contrary, thou hast burthened me with thy sins, &c.