The context clearly shows that, in the prophet's view, the suffering
Messiah in His exalted royalty is the agent of this, as of all divine
acts. He is clothed with majesty, and it is 'in His hand,' or through
His agency, that all 'the pleasure of the Lord' is brought to pass. The
contrast with the figure in chap. liii. is ever to be kept in view. The
lowliness, the weales and bruises, the form without comeliness are
gone, and for these we see a conqueror, glorious in apparel and
striding onwards in conscious strength.
But the access of majesty does not imply the putting off of lowliness
and meekness. There is much that is severe and terrible in the figure
that rises here before the prophet's vision, but both aspects equally
belong to the glorified Christ, and that duality in His character makes
each element more impressive. His long-suffering mercy and more than
human tenderness do not hamper His arm when it is bared to smite; His
judicial severity does not dam up the flow of His mercy and tenderness.
When He was on earth, He wept over Jerusalem, but His tears did not
hinder His pronouncing woe on the city. His love leads Him to warn
before He smites, but it does not contradict His threatenings, nor
augur our impunity. Nay rather, love compels Him to smite. And, more
terrible still, it is His very love that smites most severely hearts
that have rejected it and learn their folly and sin too late.