He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Ver. 7. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,] Heb., It, the punishment of our sin, was exacted; and he, being our surety, was afflicted. Or, It was exacted, and he answered, i.e., satisfied.
Yet he opened not his mouth.] Though he "suffered, the just for the unjust," 1Pe 3:18 with the unjust, upon unjust causes, under unjust judges, and by unjust punishments. Silence and sufferance was the language of this holy Lamb, "dumb before the shearer," insomuch as that Pilate wondered exceedingly. The eunuch also wondered when he read this text, Acts 8:32, and was converted. And the like is related of a certain earl called Eleazar, a a choleric man, but much altered for the better by a study of Christ and of his patience. "I beseech you, by the meekness of Christ," saith Paul; and Peter, who was an eyewitness of his patience, propoundeth him for a worthy pattern. 1Pe 2:23 Vide mihi languidum, exhaustum, cruentatum, trementum, et gementem Iesum tuum, et evanescet omnis impatientiae effectus. Christ upon the cross is as a doctor in his chair, where he readeth unto us all a lecture of patience.
He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter.] Or, As a sheep that is led to the slaughter, which, when we see done, we should think of Christ, and see him as it were in an opera glass. The saints of old did so in their sacrifices; and this was that hidden wisdom David speaks of, Psalms 51:8; the ceremonial law was their gospel.
And as a sheep before her shearer is dumb.] The word Rachel signifieth an ewe. Genesis 31:38 ; Gen 32:14 This ewe hath brought forth many lambs, such as was Lambert and the rest of the martyrs, who, to words of scorn and petulance, returned Isaac's apology to his brother Ishmael, patience and silence; insomuch as that the persecutors said that they were possessed with a dumb devil. b This was a kind of blasphemy.
a In vita eius apud Surium.
b Acts and Mon., fol. 811.