Isaiah 52:13-53:12 - The Suffering Servant

by Katrina

LINK: Isaiah 52:13-53:12

BACKGROUND
Wow! This is a rich passage! It speaks very clearly of Jesus' death and atonement for sin. Early Jewish interpretation of this passage was that the servant referred to the Messiah, which is also what the early Church believed. During the 12th century Jewish teachers developed the view that the servant referred to the nation of Israel. However, 53:8 clearly distinguishes the servant from the people, and verse nine states that the servant was an innocent victim. The end of the chapter clearly speaks of his death as being for others, including verse ten which says he gave himself as a guilt offering. Some rabbis skip this chapter when teaching the book of Isaiah, rather than struggle with the identity of this "servant." We know that the servant described here is Jesus. So all of today's reading contains the scarlet thread of redemption!

52:13-15 - The Servant will be "high and lifted up, and greatly exalted." This is equating the Servant with God Himself. Compare to Isaiah 6:1, ". . . I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted . . ." He will be so brutally treated that he won't be recognizable. The gospels tell of the Roman soldiers in Pilate's court abusing Jesus before the crucifixion. And by His sacrifice, He will "sprinkle many nations." The priests sprinkled blood of a sacrificed animal for purification. So Jesus will sprinkle His blood over all nations to purify us.

53:1-3 - Jesus would appear insignificant to the world. He humiliated Himself by becoming a man, and men would not recognize His worth. Paul talks of this in Philippians 2:5-11.

53:4-9 - These six verses grip my heart. Because I have strayed like a sheep, God placed all my sin, iniquity, sorrow, grief, chastening on Jesus. He carried the weight of all of it, and not only for me, but for everyone in the world! He bore my transgression and died for it. He had never sinned Himself and did not deserve death Himself. But He allowed Himself to be led like a lamb to slaughter. He was silent and willingly submitted Himself to that death. . . . for my sake!

53:10-12 - We see the victory in the final three verses. Jesus gave Himself as a guilt offering, and that offering satisfied God's demands. Therefore, we can be justified. Jesus interceded for us when we could do nothing for ourselves and provided the way for our salvation.

REFLECTION
This whole passage is one to reflect upon. It's only 15 verses, but they are incredible ones. Read this passage through slowly several times today and ponder the salvation Jesus has provided for you.

APPLICATION
Chapter 53 would be a great one to memorize!

PRAYER
Lord, you sent your son as a lamb, to be sacrificed for my sin. I could never provide my own sacrifice good enough to remove my sin. But Jesus did it for me. What an incredible salvation you have given me! I praise and exalt the risen Lamb of God! Amen.