The Elect is there. He proclaims righteousness in truth. God has put his spirit upon him (Isai. 42:1 ff.). He shall establish judgment upon the earth; the cities wait upon his teaching. But before the glory dawns and the bearer of the divine spirit rules with power and righteousness over the peoples he must pass through an estate of humiliation. Others do not understand why he is put to shame. They think God has rejected him, and know not that he bears their infirmities, is pierced for their transgressions, and smitten for their offences. The oppressed servant is meek and openeth not his mouth. For the transgression of the people he is stricken to death. Then, however, will the Lord glorify him. He hath called him to this from his mother’s womb. He is ordained to bring again Jacob and to save Israel. He shall be for a light to the Gentiles, that God’s salvation may extend unto the ends of the earth (Isai. 49:1 ff.; Isai. 52:1 ff.; Isai. 53:1 ff.). [pg 238] Upon the delineation of the suffering of the servant of God there follows a description of the judgment upon the whole world and upon Israel (Isa. 54-65). In the end, however, the glory of God breaks forth. He is enthroned above the new heaven and the new earth (Isa. 65 and 66). When the Judgment is accomplished, then the rejoicing breaks out, for the blessed out of the whole world, out of every tribe and nation, will gather unto him and do him reverence. One must grasp the dramatic unity in these chapters in order to enter into sympathy with one who sought here mysterious intimation about the things of the last time. Jesus’ idea of the Passion is in the end completely absorbed in that of the Deutero-Isaiah. Like the servant of God, he too is destined to reign in glory. But first he appears, meek and unrecognised, in the rôle of a preacher who works righteousness. He must pass also through suffering and humiliation ere God permit the glorious consummation to dawn. What he endures is an atonement for the iniquity of others. This is a secret between himself and God. The others cannot and need not understand it, for when the glory dawns they will recognise that he has suffered for them. Wherefore Jesus did not need to explain [pg 239] his Passion to the people and to the Disciples, and ought not to do so. It must remain a secret,—so it is written in the Scripture. Even to those to whom he foretold what was coming he uttered it as a secret. At his appearing as Son of Man the scales must fall from their eyes. In the glory of the Kingdom they then shall recognise that he has suffered in order that they may be spared and have peace. The secret is intelligible only retrospectively, from the point of view of the glory that shall be revealed.