Is isaiah 53 the suffering servant a prophecy about. Evangelicals tend to read this passage as how the suffering servant removes sinners guilt before god or how people need the servant to bear their guilt cf. Is isaiah 53 the suffering servant a prophecy about jesus. What is described here is the ideal sufferer, the suffering servant. One of the main sources for prophecies about the messiah is the old testament book of isaiah. The book begins by establishing the themes of judgment and consequent renewal for the righteous. It is identified by a superscription as the words of the 8thcentury bce prophet isaiah ben amoz, but there is extensive evidence that much of it was composed during the babylonian. He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to him. The suffering servant by marshall roth the 53rd chapter of isaiah is a beautiful, poetic song, one of the four servant songs in which the prophet describes the climactic period of world history when the messiah will arrive and the jewish people assume the role as the spiritual leaders of humanity. The servant passages of isaiah living word bible church. Isaiah was held in such a high regard that the book was sometimes referred to as the fifth gospel, the prophet who wrote more precisely of christ and the church than any.
This commentary challenge is taken from the everyday bible commentary on isaiah 5253, focusing on the suffering servant. Isaiah 53 nasb the suffering servant who has bible gateway. However, isaiah contains some passages which describe someone who does not fit the typical picture of a messiah the suffering servant. Still, modern jews are not wholly incorrect, although they miss the essential point. Some scholars have called these passages songs, or songs of the suffering servant. Scholars, rabbis and christian clergy differ in their interpretations of these passages in isaiah 52 and 53. This plan is for anyone who desires to deepen their study of scripture and begin to discover the profound significance and wonder of the prophecy of the. Nov 18, 2015 isaiah 53 is central for understanding the identity of jesus christ. We were told that he would be the son of god isaiah 9.
So the notes will first offer the findings of these observations and then draw them together into. The majority of scholars relate their perspective to the exilic period. Bible study the messiah in isaiah the suffering servant. There are technically three separate parts to the book of isaiah. In rabbinic interpretations of isaiah 53, the suffering servant described in the passage is not jesus of nazarethbut rather the remnant of israel, treated as one person. There are four passages in isaiah that highlight this fifth major figure, which is mysteriously known simply as the suffering servant. The prophet spoke of events to come that many have attempted to discern. He does not identify the servant in his prophecy, but we who know the lord jesus christ can see that it is he. There are four times in the book of isaiah that the suffering servant is discussed, but the fourth is the most significant of all the passages and thats the one i want to look at this morning. But ultimately, isaiahs portrait of the suffering servant king as the true victor over human evil didnt come from nowhere. The suffering servant songs in the book of isaiah there are a group passages called the suffering servant songs.
This servant was commissioned by god to redeem judah, but endured great suffering. For this important chapter it will be helpful to work through the passage first and observe the material to be interpreted. The suffering servant who has believed our message. The book of isaiah is the first of the major prophets in the old testament. Isaiah 53 nasb the suffering servant who has bible. Chapter 53 of the book of isaiah may be the most hotly disputed passage in all of scripture with good reason. It includes the songs of the suffering servant and four separate passages referring to the nation of israel. The servant of god has no question about his call from god.
The suffering of our lord corresponds to the letter with the picture isaiah draws. The 53rd chapter of isaiah has often been called the suffering servant passage. How can a person possibly miss the vicarious, substitutionary, suffering of this pure and righteous innocent servant. May 23, 2016 the servant has humble origins with little outward prospects for success 53. The suffering servant of isaiah the bart ehrman blog.
God specified through isaiah that a messiah would come, but he was very clear about how he would arrive. Christianity claims that these verses in isaiah 53 foretell a specific, individual person as the messiah, or savior of the world from sin, while judaism maintains they point instead to a faithful remnant group of the jewish people. He is the one highly exalted before whom kings shut their mouths. Mark portrays jesus as the suffering servant most likely in fulfillment of the servant passages in isaiah specifically isaiah 52. While the suffering servant passage is commonly associated with isaiah 53, it begins at the end of isaiah 52. So it was that isaiahs transcendent god and suffering servant entered the world in the lowliest of forms and became for luke, the universal saviour, in deed and in word. Perhaps the greatest of all messianic prophecies in the tanakh the hebrew scriptures the old testament concerning the advent of the jewish messiah is found in the 53rd chapter of the prophet isaiah. A very influential portion of isaiah was the four socalled songs of the suffering servant from isaiah 42, 49, 50 and 52, in which god calls upon his servant to lead the nations the servant is horribly abused, sacrifices himself in accepting the punishment due others, and is finally rewarded. Its very rewarding for those who make the journey, however, and one of the discoveries that you will make when you read this book is the inclusion of four socalled servant songs toward the end. I dont remember when or where it happened, but i remember the shock i felt when i first heard that many, perhaps most, old testament scholars. There are four passages in the book of isaiah that are usually referred to as the servant passages or servant songs. Protoisaiah chapters 9, deuteroisaiah chapters 4055 and tritoisaiah chapters 5666.
The book of isaiah is one of the most complex books of the old testament. Most scholars agree that the book of isaiah contains material covering different historical periods in the history of israel. Messiah is the shoot who sprung up from the fallen davidic dynasty. The gospel writers identify jesus of nazareth as fulfilling these verses. Bible sermon on the great prophecy on the suffering messiah who saves and forgives sinners. The suffering servant of isaiah 53 is introduced by isaiah 52. The strongest argument for the unity of isaiah is the expression the holy one of israel, a title for god that occurs 12 times in chs. Why is the gospel of mark said to present jesus as the. Indeed, its direct and indirect use by our lord jesus christ and its vast role in the life of the church had led the fathers to refer to it as the fifth gospel. It is the fourth in a series of passages dealing with the servant or the servant of the lord.
The passage is divided into five stanzas of three verses each. However, isaiah 53 contains numerous clear statements of substitutionary suffering which cannot be. It is not known whether the author of 2 isaiah has inherited these passages from an earlier tradition that he has incorporated into his book or if they are his own creation. The identity of the suffering servant is a vexed question. I believe harmony will be brought about when these propositions are accepted about isaiahs suffering servant, 1 there are two messiahs isaiah had in view, not one, and that one of them is god himself come in the flesh, 2 that the suffering of both of these messiahs are similar, but distinctly not identical, and 3 the dramatic anonymity of the human messiah is purposely and deliberately. For he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground. Isaiah 4253 the servant songs of isaiah abide in christ, inc. This section of the prophets, also known as the suffering servant, has been long understood by the. The speakers, in this mostdebated chapter, are the stunned kings of nations who will bear witness to the messianic age and the final. This plan will provide a backdrop of information about israel and highlight key themes found in the book of isaiah.
Apr 02, 2018 biblical references to the suffering servant. Mar 26, 2005 the suffering servant is an enigmatic figure described in the book of the prophet isaiah. In a prior article we examined three of the four suffering servant passages in the book of isaiah. Well, the suffering servant in isaiahs famous passage is clearly an individual, for 53. The book of isaiah has four oracles of a suffering servant isa 42. D espite strong objections from conservative christian apologists, the prevailing rabbinic interpretation of isaiah 53 ascribes the servant to the nation of israel who silently endured unimaginable suffering at the hands of its gentile oppressors.
This beloved chapter in isaiah is often called the su. Though david and israel are called servants in isaiah these passages cannot refer to them, instead they find fulfilment in the lord jesus christ. In both passages, the servant is a light to the gentiles 42. Indeed, its direct and indirect use by our lord jesus christ and its vast role in the life of the church had led the fathers to refer to it.
The suffering servant is a famous passage from isaiah 53, which christians claim is a messianic prophecy about jesus. Was jesus of nazareth the suffering servant of whom the prophet isaiah spoke in chapter 53 of his book. The substantial new book the gospel according to isaiah 53. Isaiah 53 is central for understanding the identity of jesus christ.
This is hands down the most quoted passage from the. West minster press, 1962, has pointed out how much the parables revolve around this basic theme. The words of isaiah about his birth and his death are seemingly some of the clearest and most specific passages in isaiah about the coming king. Following in the footsteps of the previous chapter isaiah. Many scholars today challenge the claim that isaiah wrote the entire book that bears his name. The songs are four poems written about a certain servant of yhwh hebrew. The suffering servant of isaiah 52 and 53 the book of isaiah provides a message to the nation of israel and is one of the most powerful books of prophecy in the bible. Isaiah 9 contains oracles that reflect the time of the prophet isaiah, who prophesied in judah in the eighth century b. In the case of the servant, the onlookers initially judge him guilty because of his suffering but, in some way not explained, they come to.
The identity of the suffering servant in isaiah t h e o. What passages in the book of isaiah point to the servanthood of the. The following study was written in response to a jewish readers objection to identifying the servant of isaiah 52. We can interpret these as foreshadowing for the coming of jesus christ.
Jesus christ fulfills the suffering servant songs of isaiah 4253. Apr 09, 2020 beyond doubt, the suffering servant of isaiah 53 refers to messiah. The servant accepts vicarious and substitutionary suffering on behalf of his people 53. While much attention has been focused upon this biblical chapter, there are four important passages that isaiah penned on the ministry of the. There are several important themes that are found in these passages. Isaiah, then, presents us with a picture of the ideal suffering servant. Commentary on isaiah 5253 the suffering servant tough. As one of the major prophets major referring to the size of the book itself, isaiah is a huge tome that takes a while to get through. The key passages regarding jesus are about the virgin birth 7. By referring to the messiah as the servant, isaiah connects him with the previous servant of jehovah passages. Why is the gospel of mark said to present jesus as the servant.
The suffering servant of isaiah 52 and 53 2170 words. We will focus on the fourth suffering servant song since it is the most disputed portion of isaiah. Most popular isaiah bible verses bible study tools. Before partaking of the lords supper, brethren will often read from the. Rather, it frequently is argued that the jewish people in general are in view. The servant songs also called the servant poems or the songs of the suffering servant are four songs in the book of isaiah in the hebrew bible, which include isaiah 42. It is isaiah chapter 52 starting at verse and goes to the end of chapter 53. He was called from the womb, so this was not an afterthought.
Isaiah 53 must be understood as referring to the coming davidic king, the. The suffering servant of isaiah and the suffering of job. In the book of isaiah there are a group passages called the suffering servant songs. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Proto isaiah chapters 9, deutero isaiah chapters 4055 and trito isaiah chapters 5666. Christianity points to pronouns used in isaiah 53 to determine identities. The suffering servant is an enigmatic figure described in the book of the prophet isaiah. The remarkable suffering servant of isaiah 4055 preaching. Isaiah sees him wounded, bruised, chastised, pierced, plagued and cursed for our sins. What biblical passages and traditions is isaiah 53 drawing on. Henri blocher, in the servant songs, entitles the four songs. Given that isaiahs first three servant songs clearly identify israel as gods servant, and the surrounding chapters of isaiah 53 clearly speak of israel as a suffering and humiliated individual, liberal christian scholarship frequently ascribes the servant in isaiahs fourth servant song to the nation of israel. The book of isaiah was foundational for the early followers of jesus and helped motivate their mission to bring good news to the nations see acts. Isaiah and the suffering servant motif bibleproject.