But you shall be called the priests of the Lord: to you it shall be said: Ye ministers of our God: you shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and you shall pride yourselves in their glory.

“כהני The priests. I said already that the meaning of כהן is, one that ministers; it is therefore qualified here by the genitive of our God. The other nations will resemble the Israelites, and the Israelites will be like the Aaronites; the Israelites will therefore receive the abundance of nations as their tithes. תתאמרו=תתימרו Shall ye boast yourselves. Comp. האמרת thou hast boasted (Deut. 26:17).”

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon. Here he promises the people gladness. And it is divided into two parts. In the first he promises joy; in the second the people receive the promise and give thanks, there, "Rejoicing I will rejoice in the Lord." Concerning the first, two things. First he receives the office of announcing joy; second he foretells the reason or matter of the joy: "and they shall be called." Concerning the first, two things. First the gift of prophecy is touched upon: "the Spirit of the Lord is upon me" — Isaiah — whom he has anointed, filling him with the office of prophecy. 2 Peter 1: "for prophecy was not brought at any time by the will of man, but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Spirit." Or of Christ, of whom above, 11: "the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him." And in Psalm 44: "God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of exultation above your fellows." Luke 4: "This Scripture today." Second, the act of the prophet or of Christ is touched upon, which is twofold: to foretell rewards to the good, "to announce": James 1: "receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls"; and to confer remedies on the wretched. As to those who are cast down by faintheartedness: "that I might heal," by consoling, or by forgiving sins, if this is understood of Christ. Psalm 146: "who heals the contrite of heart, and binds up their bruises." And as to those who were held in captivity, to whom he announces the benefit of liberation: "and that I might preach to the captives," literally; or captive under the Devil, and in their own errors. Above, 49: "that you might say to those who are bound, Go forth." And the time of liberation: "and that I might preach the acceptable year," as to the liberation of the Jews; "of vengeance," as to the Chaldeans. Or the time of grace, in which he took vengeance on the Devil, repressing his power. John 12: "now is the judgment of the world, now shall the prince of this world be cast out." Psalm 64: "you will bless the crown," and Psalm 101: "because the time has come." And as to those who are swallowed up by sorrow, to whom he announces joy: "that I might comfort all," generally; "that I might appoint," specifically. Ecclesiasticus 48: "in a great spirit he saw the last things." And the sign of joy, when the signs of sorrow are turned into signs of gladness, and this is: "and that I might give to them." Above, 28: "in that day the Lord shall be a crown of glory." "And they shall be called." Here he foretells the matter of the joy: and first as to the restoration of the buildings, setting forth the condition of those who rebuild: "they shall be called in it" — namely, in Jerusalem, by the command and permission of Cyrus — "the mighty ones of justice," constant in doing justice, not moved by the threats of adversaries; or the apostles. Ecclesiasticus 39: "like a rose planted." And the restoration of the buildings: "and they shall build," the aforesaid men, or the apostles. Above, 58: "and the deserts of ages shall be built up in you." Second, as to the preservation of possessions: "and strangers shall stand." This could be fulfilled literally, in that some newcomers might be occupied in these lowly services, as with the Gibeonites: Hosea 9: "let them live and to use." Or mystically: the Gentiles — preachers, and afterward the simple of the Church — both guard and cultivate the Church herself by merits and teachings. Note on that word, "he has anointed me," that God the Father anoints Christ: first with the oil of priestly dignity, as a priest for offering sacrifices. Ecclesiasticus 45: "he anointed him with holy oil." Second, with the oil of royal power, as a king for governing. 2 Kings 12: "I have anointed you king and prince of my people." Third, with the oil of immense strength, as a warrior for fighting. 2 Kings 1: "How is the shield of the mighty cast away, the shield of Saul and of Jonathan, as though he were not anointed with oil?" Fourth, with the oil of surpassing gladness, as one generous in showing mercy. Psalm 111: "a pleasant man is he who shows mercy and lends." Psalm 44: "God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows." Likewise the devout servant anoints Christ: first with the tears of compunction. Matthew 6: "anoint your head, and wash your face." Second, with the ointment of devotion. Luke 7: "but she has anointed my feet with ointment." Third, with the oil of pure intention. Ecclesiastes 9: "let your garments be white at all times, and let not oil be lacking from your head." Fourth, with the oil of praise and thanksgiving. Genesis 28: "rising in the morning, Jacob took the stone and set it up as a memorial, and poured oil upon it," et cetera. "But you, priests." Here he foretells the matter of the joy as to the glory of men: and concerning this he does three things. First he shows the perfection of the glory, because they are glorious in spiritual things: "priests," as leading a holy life worthy of the priesthood. As 2 Kings 8, concerning the sons of David; Wisdom 5: "how they are numbered among the sons of God, and their lot is among the saints." Glorious also in temporal things: "strength" — that is, you shall be refreshed, you shall be sustained by the strength of the Persians and the Medes. "You shall glory" — you shall be exalted. Above, 60: "when the multitude of the sea shall be converted to you, the strength of the Gentiles shall come to you." Mystically, the apostles are priests, as teachers of the Gentiles, and delighted by the strength of the martyrs. And he assigns the reason for the perfection: "for confusion" — as if to say: from the lack of spiritual and temporal things you had confusion. "They shall praise" — the neighbors seeing — "the portion," the recompense of double goods made to them by God. Zechariah 9: "today also I declare that I will render double to you." Mystically the Church receives rewards in the goods of soul and body for the double confusion arising from the unbelief of the Gentiles and the Jews. Second, he touches on the duration of the glory: "everlasting joy." This is true as long as they remain in justice, as is explained in Jeremiah 18. Above, 35: "everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness." And he assigns the reason: "because I am the Lord." And the sense is: by the fact that the Lord loves justice, he will grant you to be just, so that thus you may please him; and he will make with you a covenant of everlasting joy. "Hating": Ecclesiasticus 34: "he who offers sacrifice from the substance of the poor is as one who sacrifices his own son in the sight of his own father." "An everlasting covenant." Jeremiah 31: "and I will make with the house of Israel and the house of Judah a new covenant." Third, the spreading abroad of the glory: "and it shall be known," which is to be referred either to the Jews, who were famous for the worship of religion, or to the spiritual seed of the apostles. Ecclesiasticus 44: "even forever." "Rejoicing I will rejoice." Here the people receive the promise and give thanks. And concerning this he does two things. First, in the person of the people, or of the Church, he expresses the joy of the heart: "rejoicing." Habakkuk 3: "but I will rejoice in the Lord, and I will exult in God my Jesus." Second, he confesses the divine benefit: and first under the likeness of garments, inasmuch as divine benefits protect from miseries: "because he has clothed me with the garments of salvation"; above, 52: "put on the garments of your gladness." Second, under the likeness of ornaments, inasmuch as they adorn: "as a bridegroom," mystically as to the perfect in the Church acting in the place of Christ; "as a bride," as to the imperfect. Baruch 5: "I will clothe you round about with a double garment." Third, under the likeness of sprouting plants, as to fruit: "for as the earth." Above, 35: "budding it shall bud."”

“But ye shall be named the priests of the Lord,.... Or, "and ye shall be named", &c. which Jerom understands of the builders of cities, pastors of flocks, the ploughmen and vinedressers, the strangers and the sons of the alien, that these also should be called priests: but rather it designs the Jews, when they shall be called and converted, and when there will be no more the distinction of priests and common people, but they shall all be kings and priests unto God, a royal priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices to him, all ceremonial ones being at an end: men shall call you the ministers of our God; Christian men shall call, own, and acknowledge you to be the servants of Christ, of Immanuel, God with us, having professed faith in him, and submitted to his ordinances: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles; converted Gentiles, who shall join themselves with Jewish converts in the same church state; who shall bring their wealth with them, and with it support the interest of Christ; see Isa 60:5, or this may be understood of their spiritual riches, the unsearchable riches of Christ revealed in the Gospel, which the Gentiles have long possessed, but now the Jews shall have a share with them: and in their glory shall you boast yourselves; not in being the seed of Abraham, as formerly; in birth privileges, in carnal rites and ceremonies, such as circumcision and others; but in what is the glory of the Gentiles, Christ himself, who is their glory, and of whom they glory; as also his Gospel, and the ordinances of it, which are the glory of every nation possessed of them: or, "ye shall delight yourselves" (z); in the Lord; in communion and conversation with his people, and in the enjoyment of the privileges of his house with them: or, "ye shall lift up or exalt yourselves", or "be exalted" (a); to the same degree of honour and glory, being all kings and priests unto God. (z) "oblectabitis", Tigurine, version. So the Targum. (a) "Summe efferetis vos", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Vitringa; "exaltabimini", Munster, Pagninus. So Ben Melech, and R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 89. 2.”

“Priests. They were greatly honoured, (Exodus xix. 6.) so that the sons of David had the appellation. The Jews had still to labour as before. Christians become heirs to these promises, and are styled a royal priesthood, 1 Peter ii. 9., and Apocalypse i. 6. They have received the Scriptures from the Jews, and employ human sciences for the advancement of religion. The wisest pagans yield to the force of truth.”

“But ye--as contrasted with the strangers. Ye shall have no need to attend to your flocks and lands: "strangers" will do that for you; your exclusive business will be the service of Jehovah as His "priests" (Exo 19:6, which remains yet to be realized; compare as to the spiritual Israel, Isa 66:21; Pe1 2:5, Pe1 2:9; Rev 1:6; Rev 5:10). Ministers-- (Eze 44:11). eat . . . riches of . . . Gentiles-- (Isa 60:5-11). in their glory . . . boast yourselves--rather, "in their splendor ye shall be substituted in their stead"; ye shall substitute yourselves [MAURER].”