Isaiah 50:6

“I gave my back to the smiters, &c.] To Pontius Pilate, and those he ordered to scourge him, (<402726>Matthew 27:26) and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; of the beard; which, is painful, so a great indignity and affront. The Septuagint renders it, “and my cheeks to blows”; eiv rapismata, a word used by the evangelists when they speak of Christ being smitten and stricken with the palms of men’s hands, and seem to refer to this passage, (<411465>Mark 14:65 <431822>John 18:22 <330501> Micah 5:1): I hid not my face from shame and spitting; or from shameful spitting; they spit in his face, and exposed him to shame, and which was a shameful usage of him, and yet he took it patiently,…”

“smiters--with scourges and with the open hand (Isa 52:14; Mar 14:65). Literally fulfilled (Mat 27:26; Mat 26:27; Luk 18:33). To "pluck the hair" is the highest insult that can be offered an Oriental (Sa2 10:4; Lam 3:30). "I gave" implies the voluntary nature of His sufferings; His example corresponds to His precept (Mat 5:39). spitting--To spit in another's presence is an insult in the East, much more on one; most of all in the face (Job 30:10; Mat 27:30; Luk 18:32).”

“I gave my back to the smiters - I submitted willingly to be scourged, or whipped. This is one of the parts of this chapter which can be applied to no other one but the Messiah. There is not the slightest evidence, whatever may be supposed to have been the probability, that Isaiah was subjected to any such trial as this, or that he was scourged in a public manner. Yet it was literally fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 27:26; compare Luke 18:33). And my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair - literally, ‘My cheeks to hose who pluck, or pull.’ The word used here (מרט māraṭ) means properly to polish, to sharpen, to make smooth; then to make smooth the head, to make bald; that is,…”

“I gave - I patiently yielded up myself to those who smote me. Isaiah 50:8”

“50:6 beat me . . . pulled out my beard . . . mockery and spitting: These connections with the experience of Jesus at his crucifixion are too close to be coincidental—Jesus is the true suffering servant (see Matt 27:27-31).”

“gave: Lam 3:30; Mic 5:1; Mat 5:39, Mat 26:67, Mat 27:26; Mar 14:65, Mar 15:19; Luk 22:63, Luk 22:64; Joh 18:22; Heb 12:2 my cheeks: The eastern people always held the beard in great veneration; and to pluck a man's beard is one of the grossest indignities that can be offered. D'Arvieux gives a remarkable instance of an Arab, who, having received a wound in his jaw, chose to hazard his life rather than suffer the surgeon to cut off his beard. See note on Sa2 10:4. that plucked: Neh 13:25 I hid: Another instance of the utmost contempt and detestation. Throughout the East it is highly offensive to spit in any one's presence; and if this is such an indignity, how much more spitting in the face?…”