Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Isaiah 55:2

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Isaiah 55:2. Wherefore do ye spend — Why should ye be so zealously attached to a doctrine from which your souls derive neither comfort nor nourishment?

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

God’s free provision (55:1-13)

Many of the Jews had made life reasonably tolerable for themselves in Babylon. The prophet knew that they were so settled that they might not want to uproot themselves and face the hardships of life back in their desolated homeland. Many were more concerned with making life easier for themselves than with knowing God and looking to him for their provision. God warns against this self-centred attitude and invites them to trust fully in him. The blessings he gives are free. They cannot be bought with money, but they bring more satisfaction than all the temporary benefits that people might manage to gain (55:1-2).
If the people respond to God’s purposes for them, the divine blessings will extend far beyond the borders of the restored nation. When God’s people take his message to other nations, people who previously had no knowledge of God will become followers of the God of Israel. God’s people will see his covenant promises to David fulfilled beyond their expectations (3-5).
First, however, God requires repentance. When people turn from their sin to God, he forgives them freely according to his mercy (6-7). This mercy is so great that it is beyond human understanding. What God has prepared for his people is greater than they have ever imagined (8-9).
As surely as rain soaks into the ground and makes plants grow (it does not float back up to the clouds), so will God’s promise of Israel’s restoration come true (it will not return to God fruitless). God will lead his people out of Babylon and back to their homeland. The world of nature will rejoice along with God’s people, and their land will become fruitful again (10-13).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David."

"Everyone that thirsteth" "It is not improbable that Jesus had his eye on this very passage when he pronounced the blessing upon those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6)."Albert Barnes' Commentary, Vol. II, p. 297.

The great misunderstanding here is simply that of supposing that the wonderful blessings of the grace and mercy of God are unconditional! Another error is that of limiting the conditions to conform to human theories of salvation, as did Archer: "The price for admission into eternal life is repentance and faith plus nothing"!Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 640. What about the new birth? of which Jesus said, "Except ye be born again, ye cannot see the kingdom of God." What about holiness, "without which no man shall see God"? What about "eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God"? of which Christ said, "Except ye eat my flesh and drink my blood" ye have no life in you." And what about a hundred other things which are definitely laid down as requirements for entering into life? As Dummelow pointed out, "The exhortation (Isaiah 55:6-7) here shows that the promises are conditional."J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, p. 448. People who really wish to know what the conditions are should read their New Testaments instead of listening to the theories of men.

"Water, wine, milk" "These are symbols of spiritual sustenance afforded those who live in fellowship with God."Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), p. 348. It is of interest that a literal interpretation of this, as they understood it, led "to the custom of Latin Churches (but not those in Africa) of giving wine and milk to the newly-baptized."Jerome, as quoted in T. K. Cheyne's Commentary, Vol. II, p. 58.

"For that which satisfieth not" The immortal soul of man cannot be satisfied with the most wonderful things that the world has to offer. Man cannot be satisfied, with wealth, with honor, or with pleasure. "Where is the man who was ever satisfied with wealth, and who says he has enough? Where is the man who is satisfied with pleasure, vanity, or gaiety? There is a void in the human heart which such things cannot fill"Albert Barnes' Commentary, Vol. II, p. 298. On William Rockefeller's tomb in Tarrytown Cemetery, New York, there is this inscription, "Our souls, Oh God, were made for thee; and never shall they rest until they rest in thee."

"I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David" This unequivocally identifies the kingdom and covenant of the Suffering Servant with the Davidic, Kingly Messiah, the great fact which Peter stressed on the day of Pentecost when he spoke of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the enthronement of the Son of David (Christ) upon David's throne in heaven! As Barnes noted, "This covenant would be made with all who would come to God."Ibid., p. 299, That New Covenant would not be identified with any race or nation, but it would be between Almighty God and all mankind!

"The sure mercies of David" These are the promises God made to David, that of his seed one would rise up to inherit an everlasting kingdom (2 Samuel 7:12). "The promises to David, rightly understood, involve all of the essential points of the Christian covenant."Pulpit Commentary, Vol. II, p. 329.

CONCERNING DAVID'S THRONE

God's promise to David that of his seed one would sit upon the throne that would be established forever, just cited above, has led to all kinds of wild speculations about Jesus coming back to earth and sitting upon David's throne in Jerusalem. All such speculations are nullified by plain statements of God's Word. As to anyone of the seed of David ever more occupying his literal throne in Jerusalem, all that ended when God said of the last Davidic king, Coniah (Jeconiah), that, "No more shall a man of his seed prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling in Judah" (Jeremiah 22:30). He had an illegal successor, Zedekiah, but he was terminated; and again God said, "This also shall be no more, until he come, whose right it is; and I will give it to him." (Ezekiel 21:27). "Christ the Servant is the One, whose right it is; and the promise to David was fulfilled in his coming."Homer Hailey, p. 453.

This is the only place that David is named in Isaiah 40-66, "But this is enough to identify the kingly Messiah of Isaiah 7:14 with the Servant of Isaiah 42:1."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 619.

This harmonizes absolutely with the declaration of Hosea that "in the latter days," that is, in the times of Messiah, Israel would return to their God and David their king would come, (Hosea 3:5), thus specifying the times of Jesus as when that would occur; and his ascension to heaven also harmonizes with the revelation that David's throne would not be in the literal Jerusalem at all, but "in heaven." (Psalms 89:35-37 in KJV).

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Wherefore do ye spend money - Margin, ‘Weigh.’ That is, in Hebrew, ‘weigh silver.’ Before money was coined, the precious metals were weighed, and hence, to make a payment is represented as weighing out silver Genesis 23:16.

For that which is not bread - The idea here is, that people are endeavoring to purchase happiness, and are disappointed. Bread is the support of life; it is therefore emblematic of whatever contributes to support and comfort. And in regard to the pursuit of happiness in the pleasures of life, and in ambition, vanity, and vice, people are as much disappointed, as he would be who should spend his money, and procure nothing that would sustain life.

And your labor for that which satisfieth not - You toil, and expend the avails of your labor for that which does not produce satisfaction. What a striking description of the condition of the world! The immortal mind will not be satisfied with wealth, pleasure, or honor. It never has been. Where is the man who is satisfied with his wealth, and who says it is enough? Where is there one who is satisfied with pleasure, and vanity, and gaiety? There is a void in the heart which these things do not, cannot fill. There is a consciousness that the soul was made for higher and nobler purposes, and that nothing but God can meet its boundless desires. Where is the man who has ever been satisfied with ambition? Alexander wept on the throne of the world; and though Diocletian and Charles V descended voluntarily from the throne to private life, it was because there was nothing in royalty to satisfy the soul, and not because they found happiness enough there. There never was a more simple and true description of this whole world than in this expression of Isaiah, that people are spending their money and their labor for that which satisfieth not.

Hearken diligently unto me - The idea is, that by attending to his words and embracing his offers, they would find that without money or price which they were vainly seeking at so much expense and with so much toil.

And eat ... - The prophet here returns to the image in the former verse. They were invited to partake of that which would nourish the soul, and which would fill it with joy.

And let your soul delight itself in fatness - ‘Fatness in the Scriptures is used to denote the richest food Genesis 27:28-39; Job 36:16; Psalms 65:11, and hence, is an emblem of the rich and abundant blessings resulting from the favor of God Psalms 36:9; Psalms 63:5.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

2.Wherefore do ye spend money? ⁽⁷⁶⁾ He complains of the ingratitude and madness of men, in rejecting or disdaining the kindness of God who offers all things freely, and yet harassing themselves greatly about various trifles which cannot yield them any advantage. Men are so enchanted by the devil, that they choose rather to wander through deserts, and to vex themselves in vain, than to rely on the grace which God offers to them. The experience of the present age abundantly shows that the Prophet not only expostulated with his own nation, but exclaimed against all men, to whatever age they might belong; for all the posterity of Adam have been seized with such madness that, in seeking the road to a heavenly life, ⁽⁷⁷⁾ they altogether go astray, and follow their own vain opinions rather than the voice of God.

The Prophet does not complain of the slothfulness of those who, altogether forgetful of themselves and of God, take no concern about the spiritual life of the soul; (there are many such persons;) but of those who desire life, and yet do not understand the method or way of obtaining it, and wander in uncertainty through deserts and untrodden paths. Here, therefore, are condemned all the methods which men contrive, in opposition to the Word of God, for obtaining salvation, and they are pronounced to be useless expenses; for by the word “money” he denotes all the industry, study, or labor which belongs to man. Not that God values a single farthing all our idle attempts to worship him, but because labors foolishly undertaken are reckoned valuable by the judgment of the flesh.

And your labor, not so as to be satisfied. We see that by the word “bread” is here meant the same as was formerly meant by “waters,” and that he gives the name “labor” to that which he formerly called “money.” As if he had said, “Men toil without any advantage; for, when they follow their own inventions, however eagerly they may vex and weary themselves, they have no right to expect any reward.” Thus he affirms that they who labor in an inconsiderate manner cannot “be satisfied;“ for they who forsake God, and attempt new methods of salvation, can never “be satisfied.” “They feed on wind,” as Hosea says. (Hosea 12:1) They may, indeed, imagine that they are full, when they are swelled with vain confidence, but are like persons who, in consequence of being swollen with wind, do not perceive their hunger. Yet it would be better for them to be sore pressed by hunger and thirst, that it might lead them to call on the Lord with earnestness of heart, as it is said in the Psalm, “My soul is as a thirsty land before thee.” (Psalms 143:6) But bread alone, or water alone, would not be enough to “satisfy,” and by neither of them could life be supported; and that is the reason why the Prophet has made use of a variety of terms, in order to show that the Lord abundantly supplies everything that is necessary for life, that we may not think that we ought to seek aid from any other quarter.

Hear ye by hearing me. ⁽⁷⁸⁾ Because every person is led into error by his own counsel, and all who neglect God vanish away in wicked imaginations, the Prophet here adds the remedy, which is, that we must depend entirely on the mouth of God. Whoever shall submit to his word will have no reason to fear that he shall spend his strength on things of no value. Here we see the amazing goodness of God, who offers his grace to men, though they are unthankful and unworthy.

But he adds the condition; for there is no way by which we can enter into life but by “hearing” him; and as the cause of our destruction is, that we are deaf to the voice of God, so the road to life is open, if we lend our ears to him. ⁽⁷⁹⁾ In order to make a deeper impression upon us, he repeats the same admonition, and doubles the same word, “Hear ye by hearing;“ and, in order to draw us more gently, he solemnly declares that it depends entirely on ourselves whether or not he will “delight” us even to fullness with all abundance of blessings.

(76) “Spend. Hebrews Weigh.” (Eng. Ver.) “In the first clause there is reference to the primitive custom of weighing instead of counting money, from which have arisen several of the most familiar denominations, such as the Hebrew ‘shekel,’ the Greek ‘talent,’ the French ‘livre,’ and the English ‘pound.’ The essential idea here is that of paying.” ­ Alexander.

(77) “En cherchant le chemin de vie eternelle.” “In seeking the road to eternal life.”

(78) “Hearken diligently unto me.” ­ Eng. Ver.

(79) “Si nons l’escoutons attentivement.” “If we listen to him attentively.”

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 55

Ho, every one that thirsteth ( Isaiah 55:1 ),

Going into the glorious Kingdom Age. Now, God detests and hates commercialism. God hates how people take advantage of one another. Profiteering on someone else. God is going to bring down the whole commercial system. And when God brings it down there is going to be great rejoicing in heaven, though on earth there's going to be tremendous mourning and lamentation. But in Revelation 18:1-24 God spends a whole chapter telling of how He's going to bring down this whole commercial world that have put people into bondage through credit cards. And it makes slaves out of people. Put people under all kinds of financial pressures. Taking advantage of people's misfortunes. And God hates it with a passion. And He's going to bring it down. And in the new age that is going to be established by Jesus Christ, no commercialism at all. Man's greed will not have an opportunity of exploiting the weaker man or his fellowman or the poorer man. "Ho, every one that thirsteth."

come to the waters, and he that has no money; come, buy, and eat; yea, come, and buy the wine and milk without money and without price ( Isaiah 55:1 ).

God is going to allow the earth to just bring forth abundantly and every man shall see, set 'neath his own vine and fig tree and they shall live in peace together. There won't be the greed that has actually created so many of the horrible wars in our history. Those men who profit over wars, those men who have the commercial interest and all who can make great gain through bringing a nation against a nation, all would be gone. The basis of greed will be gone. Everything will be free. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, just come. Help yourself. Take what you want. No money. No price."

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread? ( Isaiah 55:2 )

The Lord said.

you labor for that which does not satisfy? ( Isaiah 55:2 )

As He speaks out against our whole system today, how that we labor so hard to get things that really don't satisfy. Why is it that you do this?

hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and a commander to the people ( Isaiah 55:2-4 ).

So Christ shall come and sit upon the throne of David and order it and establish it in righteousness and in judgment. And He shall be as a witness to the people, a leader, a commander.

Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew thee not shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon ( Isaiah 55:5-7 ).

Oh, what beautiful words of God to us tonight. Call upon the Lord while He is near, while He may be found. "Seek Him while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near: let the wicked forsake his way, the unrighteous man his thoughts of evil: return to the Lord, for God will have mercy; He will abundantly pardon you." For God says,

My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD ( Isaiah 55:8 ).

I will vouch for that. I don't understand so many times why God does the things He does. His thoughts are not my thoughts. Nor are His ways my ways. I would do many things much differently. I wouldn't do them more wisely; I'd just do them differently. But you see, the difference between God's thoughts and my thoughts, and God's ways and my ways, is that God knows the end from the beginning. Therefore, He doesn't do something and wonder if it's right. When He does it, He knows it's right. Now the way I do things, I do them and I hope it's right. And sometimes it is. But many times it isn't. But when I started doing it, I was sure it was.

So many times I think that this is the best way; and then I find out it isn't. There was a much better way. So God says, "Hey, My thoughts are not your thoughts. My ways are not your ways."

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, and my thoughts than your thoughts ( Isaiah 55:9 ).

There is such a difference, and yet herein is the folly of man, because I get angry with God sometimes because He doesn't do it my way. Now isn't that ridiculous? For a person to get angry with God because God has done something a way they didn't want it done or a way they wouldn't do it? Now if I did it my way, I would never have any troubles. I would never have any weakness. I would never have any problems. If I did it my way, it'd just be smooth sailing all the way. No storms. But that's not God's way. For you see, if I did it my way, I would never develop any strength of character. I would become a very weak flabby, spoiled person. Miserable to be around 'cause I would not understand a person that did have problems. A person that did experience weaknesses. I would become intolerable towards them. So God doesn't let me do it my way. God lets me fall. God lets me stumble. God lets me experience weaknesses. God lets me experience troubles, trials, problems, difficulties. So that when my brother is in need, I can come to him in meekness and lift him, as I consider myself realizing that I too am tempted. So God's ways are really best.

Now for me to insist that God do it my way is sheer folly. Because now I am exalting my knowledge above God's. For me to demand that God does it my way, "God, I want You to do this now. I'm speaking this into existence. I want You to do it!" Oh man, how foolish! Because you see, that's exalting my knowledge, my ways, my thoughts. It's seeking to make them supreme instead of God supreme. Who knows all things and knows so much better than I know.

Now the wrath of God is going to be revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of man who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness. And for you to hold the truth of God, and yet exalt yourself and your thoughts and your ways above Him is holding the truth of God in unrighteousness. That's the wrong way to hold the truth of God because you say, "Well, God is supreme, God knows everything." And then I say, "Now God, I demand that You do this or I command You, Lord, to do this." That is not making God supreme. That's now making me supreme and my ways supreme. So I'm holding the truth of God in righteousness. I'm saying, "God, I know better than You know. My way is better than Your way." How much better it is, how much more glorifying to God it is, what a great witness it is when I can just say, "Oh God, Your will be done. I just commit myself and my ways to You, Lord. That Your will will be done in my life. You do what is best. You do what You know is best." And not to question and not to challenge and not to gripe and not to complain when things aren't going my way. Not to give God such a miserable time.

Oh again, if I were God, man, would I put a plug in some people's mouths as they come whining and complaining. And the minute I'd hear that, "Aw, God," I'd just... Whining to God. Of course, I'm very intolerable towards whining. Talk to my kids. Man, that's one thing I could never stand, a whining kid. And they learned that. My kids may do a lot of bad things, but they don't whine. And I can imagine God's attitude towards the constant griping and whining and all that He hears from people because He isn't doing something to suit me, to suit my way. To harmonize with my thoughts.

But yet, "as high as the heaven is above the earth." Now how high that is, I don't know and I don't think anybody knows, but it's out there. It's high. Just how high I don't know, but it's awfully high. So are God's thoughts higher than mine, and His ways are higher than mine. So surely the wisest thing I could ever do is just to commit my way unto the Lord and that's what the scripture tells me to do. "Commit your way unto the Lord, and He shall bring it to pass" ( Psalms 37:5 ). Whatever He plans. Whatever He purposes. He'll bring it to pass if I just commit my way to Him.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but it waters the earth, and makes it to bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it ( Isaiah 55:10-11 ).

Now God here uses a very common figure-an occurrence of nature, the rain and the snow, to illustrate His Word. How that they come down from heaven, even as God's Word has come to us not as an invention of man as some would have you to think, but "all scripture is given by inspiration of God" ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ). "Holy men of old wrote as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit" ( 2 Peter 1:21 ). God's Word is come to us from heaven and the purpose of God's Word is to work here on earth, not to work in heaven, but it's to work here on earth. Its effect and its fruit and its result is here on earth.

Now even as rain comes down to water the earth in order that it might spark into life, all of the potential that is there in that dirt, you look at a dry, parched, dusty field, barren. But yet in that dirt, in that dry field there's all kinds of latent life forms. Out on the desert, dry, parched sand. But just get a few inches of rain, the beauty, the glory that is there as the rain sparks into life. All of the seeds and everything else that are there and the desert turns purple. It turns yellow. It turns golden. It turns blue with all of the beautiful flowers, as the seeds have been touched by the rain and brought forth into life. So our lives as God's Word comes to us is able to transform our lives and bring into life that spirit.

The Word of God is that which comes to our spirit and brings life to our spirit and thus brings forth all of the glory and the potential of our being. Man without the Word of God remains dead, lifeless, barren, deserty. But oh, when God's Word like rain begins to just soak my life, the fruit, the results as it waters in order that it might bud blossoms forth. "To give seed to the sower and bread to the eater." The first effect of God's work in my life is towards me, what it has done for me. And the second is bread to the eater, what God can do through me in helping others. "So is My Word, it shall not return unto Me void." God's Word will not come back void. "He that goeth forth with weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again, bringing the sheaves with him" ( Psalms 126:6 ).

You go forth with the Word of God, the seed. Now the seed is the Word, Jesus said. You go forth bearing the precious seed, the Word of God, carrying it to others. Doubtless you're going to come again with a harvest. For God's Word will not return unto Him void. Now learn to start using the Word and quit defending it. It doesn't need your defense. It needs that you just use the Word of God. How many people have started to read the Bible in order that they might learn it better so that they can better argue against it and have ended up believing. I think of Lou Madison in our congregation here, and his wife loved the Lord, was a Christian. And Lou was so angry. With his engineering mind, he was going to read the Bible so that he could just tear to shreds her whole faith. Destroy it. And as he got to reading the Bible in order that he might destroy his wife's faith, God's Word didn't return void, and faith was planted in Lou's heart. They ended up together in the faith instead of out of the faith, because God's Word won't return void. If a person would only read with an open heart, "God's Word will not return void, it shall accomplish that which God pleases, it shall prosper in the thing for which God sent it."

Now God has sent His Word to bring you hope, to bring you encouragement, to bring you joy, to bring you life. And all of these things will come to you as you read the Word of God. It's not going to return void. It's going to accomplish the purposes for which He has sent it. So how important for us to just let the Word of God soak into our lives. Just each day get a new drenching of God's Word and just let it soak in. Oh, how it will cause your life to just bud forth with glory and the beauty.

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and the trees of the field shall clap their hands ( Isaiah 55:12 ).

Oh, that person who is saturated in the Word of God. All nature seems to just come into harmony and into tune. It's just glorious as you come into harmony with God, you come into harmony with the nature around you. And you begin to see things you never saw before. I've always said, hey, if you're not a Christian be sure that you give your life to the Lord before you take your vacation. You cannot enjoy your vacation completely unless you have Christ in your heart. And I'll tell you, you'll see things through Christ-filled eyes that you have never seen before. Those flowers that you used to just trample down in the meadows, you'll be enthralled with them, with their design, with their color, with their beauty. You'll see new things. The hills will break forth into singing. The trees will clap their hands. And oh, you'll just come in tune and in harmony with God's creation.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off ( Isaiah 55:13 ).

God's glorious day of restoration. The glorious thing about teaching the Word of God I never need to worry about the result because God's Word won't return void. He's going to accomplish the purposes for which He sent it. And I can always know that you're going to go away and be blessed because you've been here. And that's sort of comforting to know. If I stood up here and gave you my word all evening, then I'd worry all week about what had happened to it. But because we give to you God's word, we commend you now unto the Word of God. That God might work in your life His glorious work as now by the Spirit He makes application of the truths to your life and as He begins His work of enriching you in His love through His grace.

May God be with you this week and keep your life steadfast in Him. And may you grow up into Christ in all things as your life comes into that place of maturity that God wants you to know and to experience in Jesus Christ. And thus may your life be rich and full as God's Word works in you through the Spirit. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Free salvation 55:1-5

The people would need to listen to and rely on God’s unconditional promise, but their salvation would cost them nothing.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

It is ridiculous to spend one’s hard-earned money for what does not satisfy, yet that is what multitudes of people do when they pursue things of only temporal value. The Lord urged the hearers to listen carefully to Him. They should choose what was satisfying and what would yield true abundance (cf. Matthew 6:19-21). People can either work for nothing or receive for nothing (cf. Romans 6:23).

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?.... Lavish away time, opportunities, and strength, in reading and hearing false doctrine, which is not bread, but chaff; is not wholesome, does not nourish, but is harmful and destructive; eats as does a canker, instead of feeding and refreshing; such as the vain philosophy of the Gentiles, the traditions of the Jews, and the errors and heresies of false teachers:

and your labour for that which satisfieth not? labouring to seek for happiness in worldly things, which is not to be had; or to obtain righteousness by the works of the law, which is not to be attained to in that way; all such labour is in vain, no satisfaction is enjoyed, nor peace and comfort had, nor any solid food; these are husks which swine eat:

hearken diligently unto me; not the prophet, but the Lord himself. The Targum renders it,

"my Word;''

the essential Word, Christ Jesus, hearken to his doctrine, which is bread, and of a satisfying nature:

and eat ye that which is good; not the law, as the Jewish commentators; but the good word of God, the Gospel, which being found and eaten by faith, or mixed with faith by them that hear it, and so digested, is the joy and rejoicing of the heart:

and let your soul delight itself in fatness; in the goodness and fatness of the Lord's house, attending on the word and ordinances with spiritual pleasure and delight; and which is the way to become fat and flourishing in spiritual things; see Psalms 36:8.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.   2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.   3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.   4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.   5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

      Here, I. We are all invited to come and take the benefit of that provision which the grace of God has made for poor souls in the new covenant, of that which is the heritage of the servants of the Lord (Isaiah 54:17; Isaiah 54:17), and not only their heritage hereafter, but their cup now, Isaiah 55:1; Isaiah 55:1. Observe,

      1. Who are invited: Ho, every one. Not the Jews only, to whom first the word of salvation was sent, but the Gentiles, the poor and the maimed, the halt and the blind, are called to this marriage supper, whoever can be picked up out of the highways and the hedges. It intimates that in Christ there is enough for all and enough for each, that ministers are to make a general offer of life and salvation to all, that in gospel times the invitation should be more largely made than it had been and should be sent to the Gentiles, and that the gospel covenant excludes none that do not exclude themselves. The invitation is published with an Oyez-Ho, take notice of it. He that has ears to hear let him hear.

      2. What is the qualification required in those that shall be welcome--they must thirst. All shall be welcome to gospel grace upon those terms only that gospel grace be welcome to them. Those that are satisfied with the world and its enjoyments for a portion, and seek not for a happiness in the favour of God,--those that depend upon the merit of their own works for a righteousness, and see no need they have of Christ and his righteousness,--these do not thirst; they have no sense of their need, are in no pain or uneasiness about their souls, and therefore will not condescend so far as to be beholden to Christ. But those that thirst are invited to the waters, as those that labour, and are heavy-laden, are invited to Christ for rest. Note, Where God gives grace he first gives a thirsting after it; and, where he has given a thirsting after it, he will give it, Psalms 81:10.

      3. Whither they are invited: Come you to the waters. Come to the water-side, to the ports, and quays, and wharfs, on the navigable rivers, into which goods are imported; thither come and buy, for that is the market-place of foreign commodities; and to us they would have been for ever foreign if Christ had not brought in an everlasting righteousness. Come to Christ; for he is the fountain opened; he is the rock smitten. Come to holy ordinances, to those streams that make glad the city of our God; come to them, and though they may seem to you plain and common things, like waters, yet to those who believe in Christ the things signified will be as wine and mile, abundantly refreshing. Come to the healing waters; come to the living waters. Whoever will, let him come, and partake of the waters of life,Revelation 22:17. Our Saviour referred to it, John 7:37. If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink.

      4. What they are invited to do. (1.) Come, and buy. Never did any tradesman court customers that he hoped to get by as Christ courts us to that which we only are to be gainers by. "Come and buy, and we can assure you you shall have a good bargain, which you will never repent of nor lose by. Come and buy; make it your own by an application of the grace of the gospel to yourselves; make it your own upon Christ's terms, nay, your own upon any terms, nor deliberating whether you shall agree to them." (2.) "Come, and eat; make it still more your own, as that which we eat is more our own than that which we only buy." We must buy the truth, not that we may lay it by to be looked at, but that we may feed and feast upon it, and that the spiritual life may be nourished and strengthened by it. We must buy necessary provisions for our souls, be willing to part with any thing, though ever so dear to us, so that we may but have Christ and his graces and comforts. We must part with sin, because it is an opposition to Christ, part with all opinion of our own righteousness, as standing in competition with Christ, and part with life itself, and its most necessary supports, rather than quit our interest in Christ. And, when we have bought what we need, let us not deny ourselves the comfortable use of it, but enjoy it, and eat the labour of our hands: Buy, and eat.

      5. What is the provision they are invited to: "Come, and buy wine and milk, which will not only quench the thirst" (fair water would do that), "but nourish the body, and revive the spirits." The world comes short of our expectations. We promise ourselves, at least, water in it, but we are disappointed of that, as the troops of Tema,Job 6:19. But Christ outdoes our expectations. We come to the waters, and would be glad of them, but we find there wine and milk, which were the staple commodities of the tribe of Judah, and which the Shiloh of that tribe is furnished with to entertain the gathering of the people to him,Genesis 49:10; Genesis 49:12. His eyes shall be red with wine and his teeth white with milk. We must come to Christ, to have milk for babes, to nourish and cherish those that are but lately born again; and with him strong men shall find that which will be a cordial to them: they shall have wine to make glad their hearts. We must part with our puddle-water, nay, with our poison, that we may procure this wine and milk.

      6. The free communication of this provision: Buy it without money, and without price. A strange way of buying, not only without ready money (that is common enough), but without any money, or the promise of any; yet it seems not so strange to those who have observed Christ's counsel to Laodicea, that was wretchedly poor, to come and buy,Revelation 3:17; Revelation 3:18. Our buying without money intimates, (1.) That the gifts offered us are invaluable and such as no price can be set upon. Wisdom is that which cannot be gotten for gold. (2.) That he who offers them has no need of us, nor of any returns we can make him. He makes us these proposals, not because he has occasion to sell, but because he has a disposition to give. (3.) That the things offered are already bought and paid for. Christ purchased them at the full value, with price, not with money, but with his own blood,1 Peter 1:19. (4.) That we shall be welcome to the benefits of the promise, though we are utterly unworthy of them, and cannot make a tender of any thing that looks like a valuable consideration. We ourselves are not of any value, nor is any thing we have or can do, and we must own it, that, if Christ and heaven be ours, we may see ourselves for ever indebted to free grace.

      II. We are earnestly pressed and persuaded (and O that we would be prevailed with!) to accept this invitation, and make this good bargain for ourselves.

      1. That which we are persuaded to is to hearken to God and to his proposals: "Hearken diligently unto me,Isaiah 55:2; Isaiah 55:2. Not only give me the hearing, but approve of what I say, and apply it to yourselves (Isaiah 55:3; Isaiah 55:3): Incline your ear, as you do to that which you find yourselves concerned in and pleased with; bow the ear, and let the proud heart stoop to the humbling methods of the gospel; bend the ear this way, that you may hear with attention and remark; hear, and come unto me; not only come and treat with me, but comply with me, come up to my terms;" accept God's offers as very advantageous; answer his demands as very fit and reasonable.

      2. The arguments used to persuade us to this are taken,

      (1.) From the unspeakable wrong we do to ourselves if we neglect and refuse this invitation: "Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread, which will not yield you, no, not beggar's food, dry bread, when with me you may have wine and milk without money? Wherefore do you spend your labour and toil for that which will not be so much as dry bread to you, for it satisfies not?" See here, [1.] The vanity of the things of this world. They are not bread, not proper food for a soul; they afford no suitable nourishment or refreshment. Bread is the staff of the natural life, but it affords no support at all to the spiritual life. All the wealth and pleasure in the world will not make one meal's meat for a soul. Eternal truth and eternal good are the only food for a rational and immortal soul, the life of which consists in reconciliation and conformity to God, and in union and communion with him, which the things of the world will not at all befriend. They satisfy not; they yield not any solid comfort and content to the soul, nor enable it to say, "Now I have what I would have." Nay, they do not satisfy even the appetites of the body. The more men have the more they would have, Ecclesiastes 1:8. Haman was unsatisfied in the midst of his abundance. They flatter, but they do not fill; they please for a while, like the dream of a hungry man, who awakes and his soul is empty. They soon surfeit, but they never satisfy; they cloy a man, but do not content him, or make him truly easy. It is all vanity and vexation. [2.] The folly of the children of this world. They spend their money and labour for these uncertain unsatisfying things. Rich people live by their money, poor people by their labour; but both mistake their truest interest, while the one is trading, the other toiling, for the world, both promising themselves satisfaction and happiness in it, but both miserably disappointed. God vouchsafes compassionately to reason with them: "Wherefore do you thus act against your own interest? Why do you suffer yourselves to be thus imposed upon?" Let us reason with ourselves, and let the result of these reasonings be a holy resolution not to labour for the meat that perishes, but for that which endures to everlasting life,John 6:27. Let all the disappointments we meet with in the world help to drive us to Christ, and lead us to seek for satisfaction in him only. This is the way to make sure which will be made sure.

      (2.) From the unspeakable kindness we do to ourselves if we accept this invitation and comply with it. [1.] hereby we secure to ourselves present pleasure and satisfaction: "If you hearken to Christ, you eat that which is good, which is both wholesome and pleasant, good in itself and good for you." God's good word and promise, a good conscience, and the comforts of God's good Spirit, are a continual feast to those that hearken diligently and obediently to Christ. Their souls shall delight themselves in fatness, that is, in the riches and most grateful delights. Here the invitation is not, "Come, and buy," lest that should discourage, but, "Come, and eat; come and entertain yourselves with that which will be abundantly pleasing; eat, O friends!" It is sad to think that men should need to be courted thus to their own bliss. [2.] Hereby we secure to ourselves lasting happiness: "Hear, and your soul shall live; you shall not only be saved from perishing eternally, but you shall be eternally blessed:" for less than that cannot be the life of an immortal soul. The words of Christ are spirit and life, life to spirits (John 6:33; John 6:63), the words of this life, Acts 5:20. On what easy terms is happiness offered to us! It is but "Hear, and you shall live." [3.] The great God graciously secures all this to us: "Come to me, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, will put myself into covenant-relations and under covenant-engagements to you, and thereby settle upon you the sure mercies of David." Note, First, If we come to God to serve him, he will covenant with us to do us good and make us happy; such are his condescension to us and concern for us. Secondly, God's covenant with us is an everlasting covenant--its contrivance from everlasting, its continuance to everlasting. Thirdly, The benefits of this covenant are mercies suited to our case, who, being miserable, are the proper objects of mercy. They come from God's mercy, and are ordered every way in kindness to us. Fourthly, They are the mercies of David, such mercies as God promised to David (Psalms 89:28; Psalms 89:29, c.), which are called the mercies of David his servant, and are appealed to by Solomon, 2 Chronicles 6:42. It shall be a covenant as sure as that with David, Jeremiah 33:25; Jeremiah 33:26. The covenant of royalty was a figure of the covenant of grace, 2 Samuel 23:5. Or, rather, by David here we are to understand the Messiah. Covenant-mercies are all his mercies; they are purchased by him; they are promised in him; they are treasured up in his hand, and out of his hand they are dispensed to us. He is the Mediator and trustee of the covenant; to him this is applied, Acts 13:34. They are the ta hosia (the word used there, and by the Septuagint here)--the holy things of David, for they are confirmed by the holiness of God (Psalms 89:35) and are intended to advance holiness among men. Fifthly, They are sure mercies. The covenant, being well-ordered in all things, is sure. It is sure in the general proposal of it; God is real and sincere, serious and in earnest, in the offer of these mercies. It is sure in the particular application of it to believers; God's gifts and callings are without repentance. They are the mercies of David, and therefore sure, for in Christ the promises are all yea and amen.

      III. Jesus Christ is promised for the making good of all the other promises which we are here invited to accept of, Isaiah 55:4; Isaiah 55:4. He is that David whose sure mercies all the blessings and benefits of the covenant are. "And God has given him in his purpose and promise, has constituted and appointed him, and in the fulness of time will as surely send him as if he had already come, to be all that to us which is necessary to our having the benefit of these preparations." He has given him freely; for what more free than a gift? There was nothing in us to merit such a favour, but Christ is the gift of God. We want one, 1. To attest the truth of the promises which we are invited to take the benefit of; and Christ is given for a witness that God is willing to receive us into his favour upon gospel terms, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers, that we may venture our souls upon those promises with entire satisfaction. Christ is a faithful witness, we may take his word--a competent witness, for he lay in the bosom of the Father from eternity, and was perfectly apprised of the whole matter. Christ, as a prophet, testifies the will of God to the world; and to believe is to receive his testimony. 2. To assist us in closing with the invitation, and coming up to the terms of it. We know not how to find the way to the waters where we are to be supplied, but Christ is given to be a leader. We know not what to do that we may be qualified or it, and become sharers in it, but he is given for a commander, to show us what to do and enable us to do it. Much difficulty and opposition lie in our way to Christ; we have spiritual enemies to grapple with, but, to animate us for the conflict, we have a good captain, like Joshua, a leader and commander to tread our enemies under our feet and to put us in possession of the land of promise. Christ is a commander by his precept and a leader by his example; our business is to obey him and follow him.

      IV. The Master of the feast being fixed, it is next to be furnished with guests, for the provision shall not be lost, nor made in vain, Isaiah 55:5; Isaiah 55:5. 1. The Gentiles shall be called to this feast, shall be invited out of the highways and the hedges: "Thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, that is, that was not formerly called and owned as thy nation, that thou didst not send prophets to as to Israel, the people whom God knew above all the families of the earth." The Gentiles shall now be favoured as they never were before; their knowing God is said to be rather their being known of God,Galatians 4:9. 2. They shall come at the call: Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee; those that had long been afar off from Christ shall be made nigh; those that had been running from him shall run to him, with the greatest speed and alacrity imaginable. There shall be a concourse of believing Gentiles to Christ, who, being lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to him. Now see the reason, (1.) Why the Gentiles will thus flock to Christ; it is because of the Lord his God, because he is the Son of God, and is declared to be so with power, because they now see his God is one with whom they have to do, and there is no coming to him as their God but by making an interest in his Son. Those that are brought to be acquainted with God, and understand how the concern lies between them and him, cannot but run to Jesus Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and Man, and there is no coming to God but by him. (2.) Why God will bring them to him; it is because he is the Holy One of Israel, true to his promises, and he has promised to glorify him by giving him the heathen for his inheritance. When Greeks began to enquire after Christ he said, The hour has come that the Son of man should be glorified,John 12:22; John 12:23. And his being glorified in his resurrection and ascension was the great argument by which multitudes were wrought upon to run to him.