Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

¹THE expositors Christian have misinterpreted this place, as if that which is here said should appertain unto Christ, seeing the Prophet speaks simply of God himself, and thus they have made a Jesus died all over with red, in regard he was thoroughly bathed in his own blood which he shed upon the Cross. But the Prophet had no such meaning at all. The true and plain sense is, That the Lord presents himself here clothed with red garments before the people, to advertise all that he would maintain the cause of his chosen, ²and be avenged on their enemies. For whilst the people of God were pressed with infinite miseries, and that the Idumeans, with the rest of their adversaries (who were as it seemed out of all danger) overflowed in all excess of riot: it might dangerously tempt the Jews to think, either that these things were guided by fortune; or that God made §1light account of his children: or that at least §2he chastised them with over great severity. §3So then, if God corrected the Jews because of the contempt of his name and religion; how much more were the Idumeans and other enemies to be roughly dealt withal, being the sworn enemies thereof? The Prophet meets with this so cumbersome a temptation by bringing in God the avenger,