Isaiah 53
The Suffering Servant
Introduction 52:13-15
These verses serve as a summary and preview to the prophecy of the Suffering Servant in chapter 53.
Verse
13
Behold,
My
Servant
shall
rule
well;
He
shall
be
exalted and extolled, and be very high.
exalted
and
extolled,
and
be
very
high
refers
to
his
final
exaltation and glory.
Verse
14
Just
as
many
were
astonished
at
You
(so
much
was
the
disfigurement
from
man,
His
appearance
and
His
form
from
the sons of mankind);
During
the
period
of
his
trial,
Jesus
was
so
badly
beaten
on
his
face
that
he
hardly
looked
like
a
man,
leaving
many
astonished
at his appearance. (
Matt 26:67
Matt 27:30
John 19:3
)
Verse
15
so
He
sprinkles
from
many
nations;
the
kings
shall
shut
their
mouths
at
Him;
for
they
will
see
that
which
was
not
told to them; yea, what they had not heard, nor understood.
Sprinkling
is
often
associated
with
cleansing
from
sin
in
the
Old
Testament.
Isaiah
is
foretelling
the
Messiah’s
cleansing
work
on
many nations.
Shut
their
mouths
at
him
implies
being
startled
at
his
cleansing
work; not understood or foreseen by his accusers.
Chapter 53: the main body of this prophecy
Unbelief in his message
Verse
1
Who
has
believed
our
report?
And
to
whom
is
the
arm of Jehovah revealed?
Isaiah
is
expecting
the
apparent
contradiction
of
a
suffering
Messiah
who
will
also
bring
salvation
and
cleansing
to
the
nations, to be the cause of
unbelief
,
and consequent rejection
.
T
he
arm
of
Jehovah
is
a
picture
of
the
power
and
might
of
God
that will be evident.
No apparent worthy credentials
Verse
2
For
He
comes
up
before
Him
as
a
tender
plant,
and
as
a
root
out
of
a
dry
ground;
He
has
no
form
nor
majesty
that
we
should
see
Him,
nor
an
appearance
that
we
should
desire
Him.
Jesus
grew
up
as
an
ordinary
child,
a
tender
plant,
seemingly
weak
and
insignificant.
The
‘dry
ground’
referring
to
the
Roman
occupied
Palestine,
of
which
Galilee
is
a
region,
being
spiritually
dry.
Yet
Jesus
increased
in
wisdom
and
stature,
and
in
favour
with God and man
[Luke 2:52].
As
a
grown
man,
Jesus
had
no
form
or
majesty
or
appearance
that
we
should
desire
him.
In
other
words,
no
advantage
of
good
looks
or
stature
as
depicted
in
some
modern
day
art
and
films.
Despised and rejected
Verse
3
He
is
despised
and
rejected
of
men;
a
Man
of
sorrows,
and
acquainted
with
grief;
and
as
it
were
a
hiding
of
faces from Him, He being despised, and we esteemed Him not.
A
Man
of
sorrows,
and
acquainted
with
grief
would
be
more
indicative
of
compassion
than
Jesus’
general
countenance.
Yet
Isaiah
is
prophesying
that
appearing
to
be
a
man
of
sorrows
will be seen as dominant trait by many.
Because
there
was
nothing
outwardly
handsome
or
charismatic
about
Jesus,
people
would
not
be
naturally
attracted
to
him,
even
having
a
low
opinion
to
the
degree
of
despising
him.
All
contributing to his rejection.
(
John 1:10-11
Matt 16:21
Luke 18:31-33
)
His vicarious suffering provides atonement for our sins 4-6
Verse
4
Surely
He
has
borne
our
griefs,
and
carried
our
sorrows;
yet
we
esteemed
Him
stricken,
smitten
of
God,
and
afflicted.
Isaiah
is
not
yet
talking
about
sins
and
guilt,
rather
that
Jesus
would
take
upon
himself
our
griefs
and
sorrows
as
if
they
were
his own.
yet
we
esteemed
Him
stricken,
smitten
of
God,
and
afflicted
each
of
which
Jesus
suffered,
but
the
implication
here
by
the
word ‘yet’ implies it was not understood why. (
Matt 8:16-17
)
Verse
5
But
He
was
wounded
for
our
transgressions;
He
was
bruised
for
our
iniquities;
the
chastisement
of
our
peace
was
on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed.
Now
Isaiah
tells
us
why
Jesus
was
stricken,
smitten
of
God,
and
afflicted:
for
our
transgressions
and
for
our
iniquities.
It
is
for
us
that Jesus suffered.
Isaiah
prophesied
that
Jesus
would
be
beaten
with
many
stripes
before
his
crucifixion.
Our
healing
-
Jesus
bearing
our
sins - is found in his suffering. (
1 Pet 2:24
)
Verse
6
All
we
like
sheep
have
gone
astray;
we
have
turned,
each
one
to
his
own
way;
and
Jehovah
has
laid
on
Him
the
iniquity of us all.
Isaiah
now
tells
us
the
need
for
Jesus’
atoning
work.
We
have
strayed
from
God’s
way
and
each
turned
to
our
own
way.
Jesus
bore
the
iniquity
of
us
all.
The
only
way
possible
for
sinful
people
to
approach
a
perfect
God
is
for
our
sins
to
be
taken
away.
Jesus
did
that
to
enable
us
to
become
righteous
in
God’s
sight. (
1 Pet 2:25
2 Cor 5:21
)
His trial
Verse
7
He
was
oppressed,
and
He
was
afflicted;
yet
He
opened
not
His
mouth.
He
is
brought
as
a
lamb
to
the
slaughter;
and
as
a
sheep
before
its
shearers
is
dumb,
so
He
opened not His mouth.
During
his
trials
leading
up
to
his
crucifixion,
Jesus
never
opened
his
mouth
to
defend
himself,
despite
the
suffering
he
had to endure.
Although
the
phrase
led
as
a
lamb
to
the
slaughter
is
used,
we
have
to
remember
his
death
on
the
cross
was
always
part
of
the plan and Jesus was in control.
(
Mark 15:3-5
1 Peter 2:23
Luke 23:20-23
Matt 27:29-31
)
His crucifixion
Verse
8
He
was
taken
from
prison
and
from
judgment;
and
who
shall
declare
His
generation?
For
He
was
cut
off
out
of
the
land
of
the
living;
for
the
transgression
of
My
people
He
was
stricken
This
is
obvious,
to
us,
a
reference
to
Jesus’
confinement
before
his crucifixion.
For
He
was
cut
off
from
the
land
of
the
living
;
is
the
first
indication
in
this
prophecy
that
Jesus
would
die,
his
death
being
for the transgression of My people.
His burial
Verse
9
And
He
put
His
grave
with
the
wicked,
and
with
a
rich
one
in
His
death;
although
He
had
done
no
violence,
nor
was
any deceit in His mouth.
Jesus
died
in
the
company
of
two
criminals
and
there
is
no
indication
that
those
contriving
his
death
had
any
intention
other
than
he
should
end
up
in
a
common
grave,
despite
having
done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.
However,
Joseph
of
Arimathea,
a
wealthy
man,
persuaded
Pilate to let him have Jesus’ body for burial. (
Luke 23:50-53
)
Ultimately to be exalted (10-12)
Verse
10
Yet
it
pleased
Jehovah
to
crush
Him;
to
grieve
Him;
that
He
should
put
forth
His
soul
as
a
guilt-offering.
He
shall
see
His
seed,
He
shall
prolong
His
days,
and
the
will
of
Jehovah
shall prosper in His hand.
Jesus
death
was
not
the
result
of
man’s
intent;
it
was
God’s
ordained plan, His victory, not man or Satan’s. (
Matt 26:39
)
It
was
the
accomplished
work
of
God
to
reconcile
the
world
to
Himself through Jesus as the one-time guilt offering.
Jesus
resurrection
having
conquered
death,
God’s
redeeming
work continues through him, producing countless seed.
Verse
11
He
shall
see
the
fruit
of
the
travail
of
His
soul.
He
shall
be
fully
satisfied.
By
His
knowledge
shall
My
righteous
Servant justify for many; and He shall bear their iniquities.
Jesus
will
see
the
continuing
fruit
of
his
work,
for
which
he
can
be fully satisfied
.
Through
our
knowing
Jesus,
and
recognising
what
he
has
done
for
us,
God’s
righteous
Servant
will
justify
many
by
bearing
their iniquities.
(
Acts 13:38-39
Romans 5:15,18
1Corinthians 15:3-4
)
Verse
12
Therefore
I
will
divide
to
Him
with
the
great,
and
He
shall
divide
the
spoil
with
the
strong;
because
He
has
poured
out
His
soul
to
death;
and
He
was
counted
among
the
transgressors;
and
He
bore
the
sin
of
many,
and
made
intercession for transgressors.
Dividing
the
spoil
is
imagery
of
a
victorious
battle.
We
are
the
recipients of the spoil from Jesus’ victory on the cross.
The
Spirit
Himself
bears
witness
with
our
spirit
that
we
are
the
children of God.
(
Rom 8:16-17
)
Jesus’
work
was
completed
on
the
cross:
It
is
finished!
[John
19:30],
but
its
purpose
continues
in
converting
unbelievers
and
as our intercessor in prayer.
If you would like to read a detailed study guide for Isaiah 53, one can be found here
Therefore God has highly exalted Him, and has given Him a name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of heavenly ones, and of earthly ones, and of ones under the earth;
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
[Philippians 2:9-11]
Isaiah’s writings are formidable examples of prophecy in the Old Testament, as noted by
John MacArthur
.
In reality, the subject of Isaiah 53 should really start at 52:13, from which we read:
An
introduction
(52:13-15),
Unbelief
in
his
message
(53:1),
No
apparent
credentials
(53:2),
Despised
and
rejected
(53:3),
His
vicarious
suffering
provides
atonement
for
our
sins
(53:4-6),
His
trial
(53:7),
His
crucifixion
(53:8),
His
burial
(53:9),
Ultimately
to be exalted (53:10-12).
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