THE SUFFERING SERVANT (ISAIAH 53:1-12)
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Bill Hybels told about a particular Indian tribe who was suffering from the affects of a severe drought. Food was scarce and the members of the tribe were beginning to steal from each other in order to survive. The chief knew that that would be the death of the tribe so he issued a law that the next person caught stealing would be taken to the center of the village, tied to a pole and publicly whipped.
The next day, sure enough a thief was caught. Everyone turned up to see who it was and to witness the punishment. To everyone’s shock, the thief turned out to be the Chief ’s own mom. What was he going to do? He was a good chief, and could not justly ignore the law he had made the day before. He had to be just. But good grief, this was his mom. She was old, and frail, the beating could very well kill her. And he loved her. How could he cause her to suffer?
What do you think he should do? Which should win: His love or his justice? Well, here’s what he does. He orders that her wrists be tied to the pole so the beating can begin. And he calls the punisher to step forward, whip in hand.
But before he gives the order to commence, be steps in between his mom and the punisher. He stretches his broad shoulders across her frail back and with her body completely protected underneath his own, orders that the punishment be carried out.
As the cords of the whip fall, they fall on him, and he absorbs the full brunt of her penalty. In that act he was both just, in carrying out the penalty, and loving, by suffering it himself.
The most stirring, striking and shocking way to introduce Jesus the Messiah in the Bible, as attested in Acts 8:32, is Isaiah 53. The Messiah is both vulnerable and victorious, defenseless and dominant, tyrannized and triumphant. Christ is the Suffering Servant, the Sacrificed Lamb of God (John 1:29), the spotless and unblemished Lamb (1 Peter 1:19). This passage is a landmark in poetic literature, prophetic literature and Old Testament literature. The three sections can be introduced by the Lord’s name and work (vv 1, 6, 10).
How is God’s will and wisdom manifested in Jesus’ sufferings? What causes Jesus to suffer and die for mankind? What does His suffering mean to us?
Be Drawn to the Dear Lamb
1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Here is my version how different religions view suffering:
Hinduism Buddhism Islam Christianity
Deserved Denial Destiny Disobedience (sin)
Self-made
(accruement) Subjugation (attachment) Submission
Substitution
(atonement)
It’s in your past It’s in your mind It’s in God’s will Jesus paid it all
Hindus see suffering as deserved and self-made, an accruement from the past misdeeds. To avoid suffering, Buddhists deny themselves and subjugate attachment to things and people, feelings and desires. Muslims calls for submission as a negative, passive and muted response to the destiny or fate of God for man. Christians see suffering as a result of disobedience but Jesus was God’s atonement and substitute for the sins of man. It’s been said, Jesus came to pay a debt He didn’t owe because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay.”
The identity of the mysterious person or subject of the author is waiting to be “revealed” (v 1), which means uncovered (Gen 9:21), appear (Gen 35:7), discover (Ex 20:26), open (Num 22:31), show (1 Sam 20:2) and publish (Est 3:14). He is waiting to be approached, accepted, and acknowledged by the reader. There is three “no” in verse 2 - no form nor comeliness; no beauty (KJV). The first refers to structure, the second splendor - by implication, to favor, honor and uplifted, and the third for looks, sight and countenance. Desire (v 2) means pleasant (Gen 2:9), desire (Gen 3:6), covet (Ex 20:17), precious (2 Chron 20:25) and beloved (Dan 9:23). Nobody embraces the person, envies His position or epitomizes the persecution.
Form Comeliness Beauty
Structure Splendor Sight
Three words are repeated in verse 3 and 4 – sorrows, grief, and esteem. Sorrows (suffering/pain in NIV) is plural and grief is singular. Sorrow is grief, pain and anguish, while grief is sickness (Deut 7:15) and disease (2 Kings 8:8). Sorrows are in the heart versus grief is in the health. The two main verbs in verse 3 is acquainted and esteem (KJV). “Familiar with pain” is “acquainted with grief” (KJV), which is to know grief passively. Hold in esteem/Esteem (v 3) means consider, count or conceive. The first is his experience (“familiar with pain”) and the other is others’ estimate. The three relationships are reversed, first the focus on himself (v 3, He is…), followed by the focus on His relationship with others (v 3, we hid…) and finally the focus on His relationship with God (v 4, smitten of God):
He
With Others With God
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:
3 and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:
4 yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
KJV
It ends with chastisement, condemnation and censure by God – the worst, the highest and lowest form of punishment. On top of being despised and disregarded (esteem) by men, he was damned by God.
The “he” and “we” relationship is unmistaken and unleashed in verses 2-7:
HE WE Meaning
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; 2 and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. Our distancing from Him Separated
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised 3 and we esteemed him not. Our disregard of Him Scorned
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: 4 yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Our distortion of Him Suffered
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; 5 and with his stripes we are healed.
Our discovery about Him (finally!) Sacrificed
Verse 4’s leading verbs are took up/borne, bore/carried and esteemed. Take up (v 4) is usually translated as bear (Gen 4:13), lift up (Gen 13:10), carry (Gen 46:5), while bear/carry has to with the load or burden. He lifted, lightened and lessened our burdens.
“Pierced” and “crushed” (v 5) refer to his being “stained” (pierced) and “smashed” (crushed) respectively. Pierced is often translated as defile (Gen 49:4), polluted (Ex 20:25), profane (Lev 18:21) and stain (Isa 23:9), while crushed is broken in pieces (Job 19:2), smite down (Ps 143:3). One is religiously and morally, and the other is physically and bodily. However, the leading verb is “healed” (rapha), also translated as physicians (Gen 50:2), repair (1 Kings 18:30), made whole (Job 5:18) and cure (Jer 33:6). The word means more than physical healing of diseases (Ps 103:3); other usages in the Bible include healing one’s soul (Ps 41:4), broken in heart (Ps 147:3, Zech 11:16), wound (Isa 30:26, Jer 30:17), hurt (Jer 6:14) and backsliding (Hos 14:4). The context refers to “our” - our griefs, our sorrows (v 4), our transgressions, our iniquities and our peace (v 5).
Be Delivered by the Dying Lamb
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
After the death of her father, the daughter tried to persuade her 80-year-old mother to move in with her. The older woman was adamant: “No! Absolutely not! I've always said I'd never live with any of my kids. I've seen too many problems arise from that kind of situation.”
The younger woman said, “Yes, Mom, but you're different.”
“I know I am,” replied her mother, “But you're not.”
Verse 6 has two “all” – none is exempted, excused or excluded, and verses 7-9 are the circumstances and cause of His death - before, during and after.
Before: Gone astray (v 6) is translated as wander (Gen 20:13), go astray (Ex 23:4), seduce (2 Kings 21:9), err (2 Chron 33:9), stagger (Job 12:25), deceive (Job 15:31), out of the way (Isa 28:7). Turn (v 6) is to look, face and head. Verse 6 is the course (gone astray) and the consequences (laid on him). The first is the direction, the second is the disaster and the third is the deliverance. “Laid” (v 6) is a rare and lighter translation. It is usually to fall – force, hoist or level upon a person, as in violence and viciousness (Ex 5:3, Judg 8:21, 1 Sam 22:17, 2 Sam 1:15, 1 Kings 2:25).
During: Verse 7 has sheep (common gender), lamb (young) and sheep (feminine). The five leading verbs in verse 7 are oppressed, opened, led (brought), silent (dumb), opened. Oppress (v 7) is translated as taskmaster (Ex 3:7), exact (Deut 15:3) and distressed (1 Sam 13:6). Open (v 7, “open not his mouth” 2x) in the same book can be translated as loose (Isa 5:27) and unstopped (Isa 35:5). Led (v 7) can be translated as carry (Job 10:19), brought forth (Job 21:30) and led forth (Isa 55:12). Silent (v 7, is dumb) is a verb, translated as bound (Gen 37:7), dumb (Ps 39:2).
Oppress Open Led Silent Open
Cruelty Call/cry Carried Calm Call/cry
After: The three verbs in verse 8 are taken, protest (declare), cut off. Cut off (v 8) is divide (1 Kings 3:25), cut down (2 Kings 6:4), snatch (Isa 9:20). Jesus died a horrific, hideous and heinous; hate-filled, heavy-handed and heartless.
Taken Protest Cut off
Caught Complain Complete
The overall picture from verses 6-9 can be charted:
The Lord 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Us all Shouldered
Her shearers 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 her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Her shearers Slaughtered
My people 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 was he stricken.
My people Substituted – “for”
Others 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. His death Stigmatized
Be Devoted to the Divine Lamb
10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 11 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied ; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.
The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree’s life, drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up. If you give up when it’s winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfilment of your fall.
The leading verbs in verse 10 are will (pleased), cause to suffer, make (offering) - before, see (seed), prolong (days), and prosper - after.
Will (pleased) Cause to suffer Make (offering) See (seed) Prolong (days) Prosper
Satisfaction Suffering Sacrifice Seed Stay Succeed
Pleased Punishment Propitiation Posterity Permanence Proven
Will (v 10) means delight (Gen 34:19), like (Deut 25:8), pleased (Judg 13:23) and favor (2 Sam 20:11). Verse 10’s first verb ““will/pleased” is the focus because the verse ends with the noun form “will/pleasure.” It is the Lord’s delight in His submission, servanthood and selflessness. “Cause to suffer” (v 10) is worse in meaning, with the emphasis on the results: weak (Judg 16:7), sick (1 Sam 19:14), wounded (1 Kings 22:34) and grievous (Jer 10:19). Prolong is tarried long (Num 9:19), lengthen (Deut 25:15), outlive (Judg 2:7) and defer (Prov 19:11). Prosper is to be proven, profitable and preeminent. Offspring/seed is posterity, prolong is permanence, and prosper is preeminence.
The four leading verbs in verse 11 are see, satisfy, justify and bear. Verse 11 adds “their,” so it is not about the person (“his”) anymore, unlike the previous verse also that has only the second person singular pronoun “he.” The title “my servant” occurs fifteen times in Isaiah, of which eleven times the servant is named (e.g. Isaiah, David, Jacob), but four times are merely “my servant” (Isa 42:1, 19, 43:10, 49:6), which refers to the Messiah, along with “my righteous servant” (v 11). He is not just “My servant,” but “My righteous servant” because he will justify or make righteous (verb form from noun “righteous”) the iniquities, transgressions and sin of many. Many (v 11) and “iniquities” include “their” iniquities (v 11) includes “our” iniquities (v 5) and the iniquity of “us all” (v 6). Transgressions comprise “our” transgressions (v 5) and the transgression of “my people” (v 8). Sin denotes “sin of many” (v 12). All is plural, prominent and purposeful.
The three words for sin are:
Pesha (disobedience, insubordination) Avon (depravity, immorality) Chet (damage, injury)
V 5 transgressions (noun)
8 transgression (noun)
12 transgressors (verb form twice) V 5 iniquities
6 iniquity
11 iniquities
V 12 sin
(Translation:
Gen 41:9 faults;
Eccl 10:4 offences)
See Satisfied Justify Bear
His soul (KJV) (His soul) His knowledge
My righteous servant “Their” iniquities
The last verse (v 12) has two repetitions (divide and transgressors) and five leading verbs: divide (twice), poured out, numbered, bore, made intercession – all verbs describing people (great, strong, his, many, transgressors). The last verse has two “many” – “great” and “many.” The last verse also ends with transgressors – for people, rather than transgressions.
Give (divide) Divide the spoils Poured out Numbered Bore Made intercession
the great with the strong his life with the transgressors the sin of many for the transgressors
Greatness Gain Gift Grouping Guilt Guidance
Conclusion: Much as we face hardship and distress, the Bible tells us the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom 8:18). For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2 Cor 4:17). As witnesses to the sufferings of Christ, we shall also be partakers of the glory that shall be revealed (1 Peter 5:1). Are you ashamed of Christ and His word (Luke 9:26)? Are you ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Rom 1:16) and the testimony of our Lord (2 Tim 1:8)? Do you know He died for you to deliver you from death to life, to turn from darkness into light, from yielding to sin to yielding to righteousness?
