ISAIAH 53
By Ernst Loewy
This passage has been called quite correctly Israel’s Lamentation and Confession. It sets forth the Fulsomeness of Suffering, the SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH of the Servant of God. At the same time it is also a prophecy of the future conversion of the nation, to which we look forward with prayerful anticipation.
The chapter opens with a question: “Who hath believed our report?” Literally it is ‘that which we have heard,’ concerning the Servant’s humility and honour. The natural application of this and the next question is to the partial unbelief of the Jewish nation. That is how Saul of Tarsus understood the verse when he wrote in Romans 10:16, “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?” Dr. Isaac Leeser’s translation is very suggestive: ‘Who would have believed our report?’
In the second verse we learn of Messiah’s birth and its accompanying circumstances. Tender plant is a sapling. A similar picture is presented in chapter 11:1. There the shoot proceeded from the stump of Jesse, here out of arid soil. This symbolizes a people physically and spiritually in bondage. Not only was His outward appearance unattractive, His whole advent was so different from what His misguided people had been led to believe or expect, that little or no attention was paid to Him. In the last recorded words of our Lord He links His humble beginning with His eternal glorification: “I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star” (Revelation 22:16).
The key-note of verse 3 is “despised,” being repeated. More than that, He was rejected, forsaken by men. As a “Man of sorrows” He experienced grief, i.e. inner as well as physical suffering.
Synagogue and Church agree in substance on verses 4-6, but differ on the identity of the Sufferer. Dr. Israel W. Slotky observed in his erudite commentary: ‘It is now frankly acknowledged that he was the victim who bore the dire penalties which the iniquities of others have incurred.’
Verse 4 falls into two antithetical halves governed by the independent pronouns he and we. The contrite penitents are contrasting their false estimate of Him with His actual accomplishment. He is pictured as bearing our diseases and pain, the consequent evils of man’s sin. However, their mistaken notion is three-fold: Firstly He is “stricken.” The word is from a root generally denoting striking with leprosy. This has given rise to the Jewish tradition that one of the names of the Messiah is ‘The Leprous One of the house of Rabbi,’ i.e. Rabbi Jehuda the saint, the editor of the Mishna. Secondly, “smitten of God,” in the sense of ‘as a punishment for his sins.’ And thirdly, “afflicted,” or bowed down with grief.
The contrast is continued, “But He ...” The people’s erroneous concept was three-fold, whereas the achievement of the Sufferer is given in four stages. First of all, He “was wounded for our transgressions.” That is very emphatic. Literally he was pierced, a strong expression speaking of violent death. Then, the chastisement leading to our peace was upon Him, and finally “through His stripes we are healed.” Peter, the leader of the disciple band re-echoed this in his First Epistle. “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (chapter 2:24).
If a personal word is permissible, allow me to say that this verse takes me back to a memorable evening in January of 1939. Reading the book of the prophet Isaiah in my search for truth and peace I had reached this chapter. All of a sudden the question of my soul’s salvation became clear to me. On the one hand, the futility of my weekly attendance at the synagogue and my endeavours to observe kashrut, i.e. dietary laws to become acceptable to God, and on the other, Messiah Jesus bearing the punishment leading to my peace. From seeker to finder, Hallelujah!
The epanaphora, a statement beginning and ending with the same word, of v. 6 contains two great truths. The first is that there is no exception to the universal waywardness of mankind. “All we ... have gone astray,” the nation of Israel in particular being like “sheep that have not a shepherd” (1 Kings 22:17). Still, secondly, Jehovah provided atonement for all of them. “The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Notice the careful choice of the word for iniquity. No other noun could have expressed adequately the fulness of Messiah’s redemptive work in all of its aspects. It denotes not only sin and transgression as such, but also the guilt incurred thereby and the consequent punishment. The A.V. is not doing justice to the procedure: “hath laid” may give the impression of a gentle transfer, whereas the Hebrew states forcefully that all of this was ‘caused to fall’ upon the Righteous Servant in order “to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:7).
Next, “He was oppressed,” here in the sense of ill-treated, “and He was afflicted.” The A.J.V. renders it ‘though he humbled himself.’ This brings out His voluntary submission to the suffering inflicted upon Him, which is further illustrated and emphasised by the two-fold “He opened not His mouth.” Remember that He said, “Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.” We note that after recording Messiah’s words, the beloved disciple adds, “There was a division therefore among the Jews for these sayings” (John 10:17-19). Now as then, Jewish believers in Christ are taking their stand for Him while others oppose Him.
This is followed by one of the most difficult verses of the chapter. “He was taken from prison and from judgment.” The fact brought out here is not His deliverance from suffering in the sense of being spared the ordeal, but rather that He was taken away out of the midst of suffering. ‘Who of His generation considered?’
The remaining two clauses are insurmountable barriers to Jewish exegetes who contend that the nation of Israel is depicted here. “Cut off out of the land of the living” cannot denote anything but death. However, we join in the jubilant exclamation: Am Yisrael Chai, the nation of Israel is alive!
The literal rendering of the final clause is ‘for the transgression of My people was the stroke upon Him.’ If He represents the Jewish people, the question arises as to who are “My people?” It was Caiaphas who counselled: “Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. and this spake he not of himself; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation” (John 11:49-51). “Happy art thou, O Israel.”
Finally we have the account of His burial, following on the description of His patient suffering and violent manner of His death. “And He made” is literally: ‘he gave.’ Since the subject is indefinite, ‘and one assigned’ would be a good rendering. The allotment was “His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death.” Once again the meaning is so abundantly clear and such a striking prophecy of Messiah’s actual burial. The Jewish leaders would have assigned His grave with that of the two malefactors who were crucified with Him, but His body was handed to Joseph of Arimathea, “a rich man” (Matthew 27:57) who placed it in his own rock sepulchre. “Because ...” the honourable burial was a reward of His sinlessness.
May many of our friends experience what Peter wrote to his Jewish flock. Messiah “also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps ... Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree ... For ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
We have come to the conclusion of this blessed, precious chapter. To recapitulate, we started out with The Fearsomeness of Suffering, the Summary Description of Ch. 52:13-15. Next we considered The Fulsomeness of Suffering, the Substitutionary Death foretold in Ch. 53:1-9. Now we see The Fruit of Suffering, the Subsequent Distinction set forth in the final three verses.
It was Peter, the spokesman of the disciple band who wrote in his First Epistle to Jewish readers, “Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you; Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ who was in them did signify, when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (ch. 1:9-11).
The last stanza of our chapter contains an account of Messiah’s exaltation and glory as pointed out by Peter. Dr. I. W. Slotki introduced the section as follows in his erudite commentary: ‘The servant’s patiently borne suffering for other people’s sins will culminate in the spiritual uplift of many and in his own physical or spiritual rejuvenation. He will enjoy a glorious future, offspring, long life, prosperity and influence.’
Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise Him. Think of it! While it is true that men inflicted the crushing blow upon the Servant described here, the ultimate or supreme cause is traced back to the Almighty. He, the only wise God, rendered the wickedness of man subservient to His “determinate counsel” (Acts 2:23).
The next clause reads ‘When His soul shall make an offering for sin.’ This is literally a guilt-offering, asham in Hebrew, one that frequently called for restitution. As one commentator put it, ‘In general it denotes what one person pays to make good an injury done by him to another.’ See Romans 6:9&10, “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God.”
Next, “by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many.” Some Jewish exegetes separate the words “My righteous Servant,” appending my servant to the first phrase and then speaking of the justifying work of the Righteous One. There is obviously no need for this, unless we are not prepared to give up the untenable contention of identifying the servant with the nation of Israel. Furthermore, it involves a transposition of words which is contrary to all known rules.
The saying “by His knowledge” may be either subjective, i.e. according to His knowledge, or objective, by the knowledge of Him. The latter is far more plausible, specially in the light of Messiah’s own words in John 17:3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.” Many will be made righteous by Him because they will receive His righteousness, whereas He will bear their iniquities.
The final verse begins with “Therefore,” viz. on account of His undeserved suffering so patiently borne, the sacrifice of Himself for the sins of others so willingly offered and His intercessory ministry so readily executed. “With the great” may also be translated ‘among the many.’ This corresponds to the previous verse where Messiah is said to have brought righteousness to the many.
Dividing the spoil speaks of victory over the enemy. “And He was numbered” is a Passive presented very beautifully by Dr. F. Delitzsch ‘and He let Himself be reckoned among transgressors.’ While this was an erroneous reckoning, the last two clauses are glorious realities. The A.J.V. renders them, ‘yet he bore the sins of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.’
The last verb is in the indefinite future, signifying a work begun, but not yet ended. Messiah’s high priestly ministry began on the cross when He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34) and is continued right through the present gospel age. If you are longing for pardon and peace, Messiah Jesus “is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).
...Back to Messiah in the Tanach
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
©2004-2007 New Covenant House. All rights reserved. Copyright to individual articles held by authors. View Privacy Policy.