12:37 Although Jesus 4 had performed 5 so many miraculous signs before them, they still refused to believe in him, 12:38 so that the word 6 of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled. He said, 7 “Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord 8 been revealed?” 9 12:39 For this reason they could not believe, 10 because again Isaiah said,
12:40 “He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart, 11
so that they would not see with their eyes
and understand with their heart, 12
and turn to me, 13 and I would heal them.” 14
19:14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. 15 He said, “Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy 16 the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them. 17
26:11 O Lord, you are ready to act, 18
but they don’t even notice.
They will see and be put to shame by your angry judgment against humankind, 19
yes, fire will consume your enemies. 20
53:1 Who would have believed 21 what we 22 just heard? 23
When 24 was the Lord’s power 25 revealed through him?
1 tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).
2 tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).
3 tc Several early and important witnesses (Ì66,75 B W a b sa) lack θεοῦ (qeou, “God”) here, thus reading “the only one,” while most of the rest of the tradition, including some important
4 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Or “done.”
6 tn Or “message.”
7 tn Grk “who said.”
8 tn “The arm of the Lord” is an idiom for “God’s great power” (as exemplified through Jesus’ miraculous signs). This response of unbelief is interpreted by the author as a fulfillment of the prophetic words of Isaiah (Isa 53:1). The phrase ὁ βραχίων κυρίου (Jo braciwn kuriou) is a figurative reference to God’s activity and power which has been revealed in the sign-miracles which Jesus has performed (compare the previous verse).
9 sn A quotation from Isa 53:1.
10 sn The author explicitly states here that Jesus’ Jewish opponents could not believe, and quotes Isa 6:10 to show that God had in fact blinded their eyes and hardened their heart. This OT passage was used elsewhere in the NT to explain Jewish unbelief: Paul’s final words in Acts (28:26-27) are a quotation of this same passage, which he uses to explain why the Jewish people have not accepted the gospel he has preached. A similar passage (Isa 29:10) is quoted in a similar context in Rom 11:8.
11 tn Or “closed their mind.”
12 tn Or “their mind.”
13 tn One could also translate στραφῶσιν (strafwsin) as “repent” or “change their ways,” but both of these terms would be subject to misinterpretation by the modern English reader. The idea is one of turning back to God, however. The words “to me” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
14 sn A quotation from Isa 6:10.
15 sn The language has to be interpreted in the light of the context and the social customs. The men are called “sons-in-law” (literally “the takers of his daughters”), but the daughters had not yet had sex with a man. It is better to translate the phrase “who were going to marry his daughters.” Since formal marriage contracts were binding, the husbands-to-be could already be called sons-in-law.
16 tn The Hebrew active participle expresses an imminent action.
17 tn Heb “and he was like one taunting in the eyes of his sons-in-law.” These men mistakenly thought Lot was ridiculing them and their lifestyle. Their response illustrates how morally insensitive they had become.
18 tn Heb “O Lord, your hand is lifted up.”
19 tn Heb “They will see and be ashamed of zeal of people.” Some take the prefixed verbs as jussives and translate the statement as a prayer, “Let them see and be put to shame.” The meaning of the phrase קִנְאַת־עָם (qin’at-’am, “zeal of people”) is unclear. The translation assumes that this refers to God’s angry judgment upon people. Another option is to understand the phrase as referring to God’s zealous, protective love of his covenant people. In this case one might translate, “by your zealous devotion to your people.”
20 tn Heb “yes, fire, your enemies, will consume them.” Many understand the prefixed verb form to be jussive and translate, “let [fire] consume” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV). The mem suffixed to the verb may be enclitic; if a pronominal suffix, it refers back to “your enemies.”
21 tn The perfect has a hypothetical force in this rhetorical question. For another example, see Gen 21:7.
22 sn The speaker shifts here from God to an unidentified group (note the first person plural pronouns throughout vv. 1-6). The content of the speech suggests that the prophet speaks here as representative of the sinful nation Israel. The group acknowledges its sin and recognizes that the servant suffered on their behalf.
23 tn The first half of v. 1 is traditionally translated, “Who has believed our report?” or “Who has believed our message?” as if the group speaking is lamenting that no one will believe what they have to say. But that doesn’t seem to be the point in this context. Here the group speaking does not cast itself in the role of a preacher or evangelist. No, they are repentant sinners, who finally see the light. The phrase “our report” can mean (1) the report which we deliver, or (2) the report which was delivered to us. The latter fits better here, where the report is most naturally taken as the announcement that has just been made in 52:13-15.
24 tn Heb “to whom” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
25 tn Heb “the arm of the Lord.” The “arm of the Lord” is a metaphor of military power; it pictures the Lord as a warrior who bares his arm, takes up his weapon, and crushes his enemies (cf. 51:9-10; 63:5-6). But Israel had not seen the Lord’s military power at work in the servant.
26 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
27 tn Or “obey”; Grk “hear.” See the note on the phrase “respond to” in v. 29.
28 sn The concluding statement of the parable, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead, provides a hint that even Jesus’ resurrection will not help some to respond. The message of God should be good enough. Scripture is the sign to be heeded.
29 tn Grk “while it is said.”
30 tn Grk “today if you hear his voice.”
31 sn A quotation from Ps 95:7b-8.
32 tn Grk “through Moses.”
33 tn Grk “he”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.
34 sn An allusion to God’s judgment pronounced in Num 14:29, 32.
35 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “So” to indicate a summary or conclusion to the argument of the preceding paragraph.