Isaiah 53:4-6, 10-12
Isaiah 53 is all about God’s suffering servant. The prophet Isaiah recorded these words long before the servant would come and do and experience all that is that is prophesied in the text before us. The identity of the suffering servant who was “wounded for our transgressions” is known to every born again Christian. Christians know that Isaiah 53 speaks of Christ Jesus.
The identity of the servant was hidden until the Son came in a body of flesh and suffered the things recorded here. Yet, untold millions, even billions, do not know the identity of the person who was wounded for them. It is God’s intent that all men should know His servant’s identity. It was for this reason that He gave the words of Isaiah 53 to the prophet.
Beginning with verse one and continuing through verse 6, the speaker identifies himself using the plural pronouns, our or we. Just who is “we” and to whom does “our” refer? There is no single group which satisfies every use of these plural pronouns. In verse one, “our” refers to them who issued “our report”. The “we” of verses 2 and 3 includes only those who would see the servant in the flesh and directly witness his ministry.
In verse 4, the plural pronouns represent a general group which characterizes mankind in an overall sense. The burden which Christ Jesus carried upon the cross was the sin of all people (past, present and future). Yet the vast majority of men who looked upon His crucifixion concluded that He was being punished by God. It is not the vast majority, however, which states “Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.” Only believers can make this statement. God’s word is amazing. The prophet Isaiah prophesied 2,750 years ago the very words which born again Christians of today would declare.
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John declare Jesus Christ to be God the Son who came in a body of flesh, lived without sin, was judged by men and crucified upon the cross, died, buried and resurrected on the third day. Most believers, particularly Gentiles, came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through the declaration of the gospel as presented in the New Testament. Reading Isaiah 53:5 by such believers for the first time can be an overwhelming experience because the words they read express the truth which is in their hearts. It was Jesus who was wounded for our transgressions; it was Jesus who bruised for our iniquities; by the punishment that was placed on Jesus, we are healed; through Jesus we have peace with God. God is awesome. He knows our very thoughts and reveals them to us through Isaiah.
It is with sorrow that we read, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way”. With these words we confess our failings — failings that God the Father, by His grace, laid upon the Son. The Son suffered for us, in our place. He has borne our judgment.
In verse 10, an unknown narrator speaks. Gone are the plural first person pronouns. The narrator states, “it pleased the Lord to bruise him”. Listen carefully to these words and you can hear: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son . . .” It pleased God to bruise (utterly crush) Him and to put Him to grief (to pierce Him) and to make His soul an offering for sin. We do not know the identity of this unknown narrator, but we do know that the narrator possesses a full knowledge of God. The narrator knows that once God has made His servant’s soul an offering for sin that His servant shall see His seed and the days of His servant shall be prolonged. It is only after His servant’s soul is made an offering that the servant shall see His seed. God’s servant produces seed — seed that is dependent upon His soul being made an offering for sin. Without the shedding of blood, there is no seed. God’s servant shall see His seed, but there is no seed if the servant does not taste death. The dead cannot see. Yet, the servant shall see. How can this be? God shall prolong the days of His servant.
Verse 10 does not directly state that God shall resurrect His servant from the dead, but He that is dead cannot see and He that is dead cannot prosper. The resurrection is clearly implied.
In verse 11 and 12, God the Father speaks directly to all who have the ears to hear. God’s righteous servant shall see the travail of his soul. Jesus went to the cross with full knowledge of the burden which He would bear. God’s righteous servant would be satisfied. Jesus would successfully fulfill the Father’s will. God’s righteous servant would justify many. Jesus’ righteousness would be counted for all who would call upon Him, believing. God would reward His righteous servant. Jesus now sits at the right hand of God the Father. His righteous servant would divide the fruit of His victory with the strong. Jesus shall reward all who believe according to their works. God’s righteous servant would both bear the sin of many and make intercession for the transgressors. Jesus is both savior and high priest.
Isaiah was given this prophetic description of God’s suffering servant such that men might recognize the One who gave Himself for them. The recognition of Christ Jesus in Isaiah 53 by New Testament believers is cause for comfort and joy. Comfort in that God’s plan of salvation has been in place from the beginning and joy in the knowledge that the work of Christ Jesus is sufficient. God has given us the gift of comfort and joy to share with others. Let us so do.
