3) could hardly be significantthey say. He laments the cruelty inflicted upon him and yet confesses his faith in God, despite the appearance that he has been abandoned to his enemies. Blessing comes with repentance from the sin that has caused the suffering. If Jesus had come forth like a mighty warrior and overthrown the power of Rome, many would have said that this was exactly the way they expected His kingly role to be fulfilled. Later, after the resurrection, Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch in his chariot, reading the Suffering Servant song from Isaiah 53. It is foolishness in our way of doing things, but it is wisdom in God's economy. If we Christians have learned to see in sufferings the purpose of God, and in vicarious suffering Gods most holy service; if patience and self-sacrifice have come to be part of our spiritual lifethe power to make this change in our faith has been Christs example. This is justice. Once we trust Christ as our Savior, we are made members of his mystical body, and are therefore called to follow him. A Consideration of Difficulties in the Text of Isaiah 53:11. Bib Trans 17 (1966):27-31. 8:31-33). A little later, Jesus will repeat the same prophecy to them, but they will still refuse to hear what He is saying because they are too busy deciding who will be most important in the Kingdom (Mk. The center of the poem is put in the mouths of a group called we, who tell the story of the servant. Or was there? The final oracles describe the entire purpose of the Servant that a sinless man should die for the redemption of sinners. The Servant accepts vicarious and substitutionary suffering on behalf of his people (53:4-6, 12). These texts are found in Isaiah 42:19; 49:16; 50:29; and 52:1353:12. This is the main point of Isaiah 49-55, which describes this new servants mission, first to Israel and then to all nations. We consider the sufferer an unlucky person who is falling by the way. There are many wonderful things we can say about God. Jesus shame on the cross and his everlasting glory are more closely interlinked than we fathom, as Isaiah promises. God would be exalted through humiliation. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lords hand double for all her sins. He did not open his mouth, but was silent like a sheep led to the slaughter. Verse three reports that he was despised, that is, looked down on, held in contempt, as well as rejected. Pp. The earliest believers were totally disillusioned when Jesus was sentenced to die upon the cross. Verse two describes his beginnings: like a tender plant in a parched ground. The suffering, which seems to be misfortune, is here seen as the Servants wisdom which will issue in his glory. We hear that his death was actually the opposite of failure. How will it go down? In the Mass we hear the priest quoting Jesus directly, when taking the cup filled with wine, He instituted the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist in anticipation of His sacrifice on Calvary: This is my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant, it will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven; Do this in memory of me. Up to now the servant has been Israel, the remnant, Cyrus, the prophet, and ultimately a prophecy of the Messiah. The vantage point of this prophetic voice is positioned after the exile, which is described here as a period of hard service that came about as a result of Israels sins. Now that Israel has paid its dues, God announces comfort (in Hebrew, nakham) that a new day has dawned. Not so with the suffering Servant. Note the parallelism of this fifth verse: he was wounded for our transgressions and he was crushed for our iniquities. The contrast is between he and our. All his suffering was because of our rebellions and sins. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Murray, H. An Approach to the Fourth Servant Song. Compass 13 (1979):43-46. The Servant has humble origins with little outward prospects for success (53:1-2). Sin led to the exile, so even though the Lord could use Cyrus to bring His people back to their homeland (Isa. If we are to bear one anothers burdens, it will mean that we will have to put ourselves out for others, to suffer with them, to give of our time, our talents, and our finances. What we discover, however, is that Jesus fulfilled these roles in ways that were unexpected. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.". 63-73. As the nations live in right relationships, they will live in a world envisioned by the Ten Commandments. 52:7). This article will explore these 10 . They will face persecution in the dark days that lie ahead (described in Isaiah 56-59 and 63-65a), but ultimately they will inherit the new Jerusalem that God has in store (Isaiah 60-62). We dislike pain and suffering; we turn away from it, forgetting that it has a reason, a future, and a God. Tim Mackie is a writer and the Chief Education Officer for BibleProject. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The mission of Suffering Servant is to bring justice to the nations through the instruction for which the entire world is waiting. Why was this Servant the unique sample of silence under suffering? Guilty Israel, who not only ended up in exile for their sins, but also killed Gods servant sent to them, is pronounced righteous, not for anything they have done, but because of what the servant did on their behalf. Paul was a prisoner while he was writing this book; however, his theme for this book was to rejoice. The prophet Isaiah prophesied in the Eighth Century B.C. Whybray, R. N. Thanksgiving for a Liberated Prophet: An Interpretation of Isaiah Chapter 53. Subscribe to the HonorShame blog to receive email updates. Schwarz, Gunther. While the death and resurrection is the climax of these prophetic passages, these aspects of the Suffering Servant were realizedin the Messiahs entire life. With the Rich in His Death. Bible and Spade 6 (1977):56-59. Then youll enjoy Timothy Tennents book, The Fulfillment: Jesus and the Old Testament, where he explores how Jesus Christ fulfills many Old Testament characters, stories, themes, and practices. The mystery of the Suffering Servant is, indeed, a strange design. The Lord may call on us to suffer and even perhaps to die. What is so remarkable is that although he was afflicted and oppressed, he did not open his mouth. The unfolding picture of the Servant is predicted to cause astonishment among the nations, and silence the kings of the earth (52:15). There was nothing about the servant that looked impressive or important (Isaiah 53:1-3). 7:117; Ps. THE PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD. This devotional will focus on the fourth Suffering Servant song found in Isaiah 52:1353:12. It pleased the LORD to bruise him begins the theological explanation of the suffering. No one could have imagined that Jesus would come to suffer and die on the cross. For your Maker is your husband,theLordof hosts is his name. Acts 5:41 is another place where glory is IN (not after) the experience of shameAnd they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. This is also Pauls logic throughout 2 Corour shame is the demonstration of Gods glory. Parts 4 and 5. This is the point the prophecy makes about the Servants sufferingsthey are practical. Design by Perceptions Studio. Christ did not need to say that He was the Suffering Servant because what He did and said made that clear. Rather, Christ came to proclaim a kingdom not of this world whose marks were not power, glory and wealth, but of God whose marks are justice, peace and joy that is given by the Holy Spirit (Rm. Blythin, Islwyn. inquire no more! The contrast is staggeringhe will startle kings (startle is preferable to the translation sprinkle). Why do you say, Israel, My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God?". Wesley summed up this amazing truth in his hymn And Can It Be?. Who is this?! It was the will of God that this Servant experience suffering, for it was through the vicarious suffering of the Servant that my righteous servant will justify many (53:11) and bear the sin of many, making intercession for the transgressors (53:12). What follows is a very famous biblical poem: In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. It is in the arms of His great embrace that we discover what it really means to be a child of God, adopted into His family. The second set of expressions clarify the purpose of this vicarious or substitutionary suffering as redemptive: The chastisement of our peace and by his stripes we are healed. All interpreters of this verse agree that the peace, the healing, is ours in consequence of the chastisement and scourging. Echoing the first song's "a bruised reed he will not break," he sustains the weary with a word. Tenacity ("stick-to-it-ness") This, more than anything else, has beaten many a would-be . In the book of Isaiah, chapters 1-39 describe judgment, hope, and a future messianic King. This is the surprise fifth figure of Christ as Suffering Servant. We make snap judgments about suffering on the surface. More civilized peoples have dealt more kindly with them; but sufferers remain a problem for philosophers and a severe test of the faith of religious people. Achieving exaltation through suffering is a strange thing indeed. John Mark captures Jesus on the move. An indepth study of Isaiah 53: The Suffering "Righteous Servant" By Serge Lazar. 213-221. Daabe, P. R. The Effect of Repetition in the Suffering Servant Song. JBL 103 (1984):77-84. 2:19-23). It means that he will live skillfully according to the plan of God so that he may be prosperous and have good success. Now at 51 years old, Im still struggling to get the truth of Gods love into my heart. You may have been disappointed in the love you received from your parents, or, if you are married, from your spouse. The Suffering Servant: Scapegoat or Example? Proceedings of the Irish Biblical Association 4 (1980):59-67. In reality, the servant was suffering and dying on behalf of Israels sin and unfaithfulness. The Suffering Messiah and Isaiah 53 in the Light of Rabbinic Literature. Springfielder 39 (1976):177-182. Isaiah 49 describes how this individual servant of Yahweh is given the title Israel (49:3) and given Israels job of bringing justice and good news to the nations. He experiences suffering and affliction (53:3). But the story does not end there, as if Christ's sacrifice was the end of the story, for Good Friday makes no sense unless it is considered in the resplendent light of Easter. Jesus, perfect Suffering Servant, You have made us whole again. InHow Jesus Saves: Atonement for Ordinary People, Joshua McNall unpacks the meaning of Jesuss life and death for everyday people. . (Isa 61:7), The nationswill see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new namethat the mouth of theLordwill bestow. First, the Suffering Servant is sent on a mission from God. Nothing else can. He left his fathers throne above, so free, so infinite his grace, No, youre reading the book of Isaiah. Success with God may not include fame and fortune, health and happinessas the world knows them. In a world of discourse where the subtext is taken for granted, it can be presupposed and is most powerfully present when it is only alluded to, providing the allusions are appropriate. Koch, K. Messias und Sundenvergebung in Jesaja 53Targum. JSJ 3 (1972):117-148. View our current career opportunities. But, reading all four servant passages in the broader historical-literary contexts reveals much more. All of their messianic hopes seemed to be dashed to the ground. He was sent on a mission from God that would involve suffering on behalf of others. God would ultimately be victorious through apparent defeat. It is not natural for people to see any profit in suffering; rather, mankind staggers over it, considering it a tragedy, a hindrance to progress, a fate to be avoided. It is the will of God that we demonstrate the same type of sacrificial love that he had. The context begins in Isaiah 52:13 and continues through Isaiah 53:12: This is very intelligible, because it is based on love. God was satisfied, yea, pleased with the obedient suffering of the Servant, whom we know to be our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the author of Introducing Biblical Hebrew and Grammar, Holiness to the Lord: A Guide to the Exposition of the Book of Leviticus, Creation and Blessing: A Guide to the Study and Exposit More. But its going to happen in a surprising way. But if we submit to Gods will and sacrifice self for others, or for the building up of the faith of others, we shall then be living out the love of Christ in this world, and please our heavenly Father. The Suffering Servant speaks his response to his mission in the Second oracle. Were talking about a daily alignment of our life to the light and love of Jesus, as we read in Ephesians: Our work is anchored in helping dissatisfied and passionate believers follow that ancient hymn. After his rejection and death, we all of a sudden read that the servant will look upon descendants and live long days and see the light and be satisfied (Isaiah 53:10-11). The Wake-Up Call is a daily encouragement to shake off the slumber of our busy lives and turn our eyes toward Jesus. His beginnings were unlikely. In the Old Testament sufferers broke out into one of two voicesthe voice of guilt or the voice of doubt. But secondarily, it is also exemplary for all suffering that is accomplished for others. 132 The significant theological ideas of this song make the many alternative suggestions for its meaning highly unlikely. How exactly does a brutal and shameful crucifixion bring salvation? Down through history the sufferer has been the astonishment and the stumblingblock of humanity. it found out me! 1:25; 5:14). Instead, God says hes going to do a new thing, hidden and unknown to you (48:6), and then, like a bolt out of the blue, we hear a new voice speak up in Isaiah 48:16: Behold, the sovereign Lord has sent me, endowed with his Spirit.. It basically means that God willed the suffering. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). 42:1-4; 49:1-7; 50:4-11; 52:13-53) that Jesus combines with the Son of Man prophecy from Daniel 7 to explain the kind of Messiah He is. Baptized as a baby in a Lutheran Church. We may observe a Moses interceding for the sinful people, asking God to take his life so that wrath could be averted from those worshiping the golden calf. Aslan knew a deeper magic from before the dawn of time. That knowledge was that if a willing victim who had committed no treachery offered up his life for the traitor, then death itself would be overturned. 9. It was his way of bearing the sins of his people so that the guilty can be pronounced righteous before God (53:11b). Because he knew the truth. The Cross And Our Response to Trials (1 Peter 4:12-19), 8. There was no preparation to consider the possibility that God Himself would come to earth as the Great High Priest and then offer Himself as the sacrifice before rising again as the victorious King. So powerful. It is love alone that transforms us. The glorification in the first oracle and the exaltation in the fourth oracle find their fulfillment in Christ's resurrection. This is where knowledge of biblical Hebrew is absolutely crucial. The servant is sent on a mission from God. It was Israel who rejected Gods servant, and they led him to his death and killed him (Isaiah 53:7-9). The messiahs justice-restoring salvation is a means to the end goal of Gods name being rightly honored. In thisstudy author, Michael Halcombwalks the reader through a vision of what a life of faith in Jesus Christ, Gods Son, can look like in the midst of a culture that directly contradicts our values. In Isaiah 48, God accuses the post-exile Israelites of continuing their hollow allegiance and idolatry, which ultimately disqualifies them from being Gods servant to the nations. It is that part of the service of humankind, to which we are all born, and of the reality of which we daily grow more aware. Mitteilungen: wie ein Reis vor ihm? ZAW 83 (1971):255-256. A servant is someone who carries out the will of another. Munich: Kaiser, 1974. Zimmerli, W. Zur Vorgeschichte von Jes 53. Studien zur alttestamentliche Theologie und Prophetie. Devout Jews would have all been familiar with these themes. Originally published in Tabletalk, our daily Bible study magazine. Savant. But now you can see why the book of Isaiah, along with the Psalms, are the most quoted Old Testament books by Jesus, as well as the apostles who wrote the New Testament! Still, modern Jews are not wholly incorrect, although they miss the essential point. We invite you and your family or team to join us! Finally, his suffering will bring justice, salvation, and blessing to all nations. Related Topics: Christology, Suffering, Trials, Persecution, Dr Ross joined the faculty of Beeson Divinity School in 2002 as Beeson Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew. This is reminiscent of the baptism of Jesus when the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove and the Father said to Jesus You are my beloved Son. John Calvin comments on today's passage as to why salvation through the Suffering Servant is so despised the world over: "The loftiness of the mystery is a reason why it scarcely obtains credit in the world. at the Synagogue in Nazareth (Lk. Both clearly identify the "suffering servant" in Isaiah 53 as the nation of Israel, who suffered as a humiliated individual at the hands of the gentile nations. In the ever growing clear vision of the Messiah, the Hebrew prophet introduces Yahweh's Servant (42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12). Nevertheless, our LORD says that the world hated Him, and if it hated Him, it will hate us as well. 2:2). Get your copy from our store here. Jesus Himself identifies His mission as Suffering Servant by conforming Himself to what is described in the fourth oracle, Is. Yes, God is lovewe know it because Jesus Christ came into the world as the Suffering Servant. It is Gods love that transforms us and empowers us to change. Jesus knew full well the purpose of his suffering, and willingly submitted to it as his service to God the Father in order to provide for us salvation. All of this evidence should have an effect on Gods covenant people. Such positive behavioural characteristics can be assumed to pave the way for the emergence of positive, compassionate, and emotionally healthy organizations that . Yet this exaltation does not occur in a manner that human beings would expect. Although the song gives a first-person description of how the servant was beaten and abused, here the servant is described both as teacher and learner who follows the path God places him on without pulling back. Your email address will not be published. In this section they realize that the suffering is vicarious. God's own divine initiative is now enacted to accomplish for his people what they could not accomplish for themselves. He reveals who he is through what he does. It spoke to me. I have often wondered about the meaning of the verse in Philippians 4:5. On you my favor rests (Mk. He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering (53:3). There are four passages in Isaiah that highlight this fifth major figure, which is mysteriously known simply as the Suffering Servant. What they did not realize, however, is that there was a deeper plan that they had not anticipated: namely, that God would reveal his greatest glory through suffering. If people at first make rash observations about the suffering of Gods Servant, they are soon led in their conscience to realize its purpose. So the effect of the suffering of our Lord is full atonement. Learn how your comment data is processed. Komlosh, Yehuda. The first three verses give us an overview of the section: through the humiliation of suffering the Servant of the LORD will be exalted. Muller, Hans-Peter. They go beyond the typical survival skills list, since what matters most is what lies in your head and in your heart. Exegesis: After looking at 52: 13-52: 12 as a whole, the suffering servant brings reconciliation between the chosen people oflsrael and the Lord through the placing of transgressions on the servant. The overriding theme of the Gospel of Mark is that Jesus came to serve. Isaiah depicts this historic moment of salvation with the language of new creation and new exodus. Yet again, God would rescue his people from shame and restore their honor. The Suffering Servant of the Lord: A Prophecy of Jesus Christ Apr 22, 2023 As a disciple, his every day begins with obedient listening; he is in intimate communion with God, sharing God's own heart. Hopefully youll re-read the four Servant Songs (or the whole book of Isaiah!) Stone, Marvin A. JSOT Supp 4. 2) Jesus never sought to please Himself but always to please the Father ( John 5:30 ). This helps them have a holistic perspective on any situation. We will never hate our sin enough to leave it. Vicarious suffering is not a curse. Jesus Christ not only comes to earth as perfect man (the second Adam), but He also comes as our High Priest, our Prophet-Redeemer, our Final Sacrifice, our Lawgiver and our King. In this story of the servants death and resurrection, we discover the love of God that leads to true life. The Countenance of the Servant of the LORD, Was It Marred? JQR 65 (1975):217-220. Exhibit A is the fact that just as he promised through Isaiah (see Isa 13:17), hes raised up the Persians and Cyrus, their king, to topple Babylon, who took them into exile (see Isaiah 41:2-5, 41:25, 45:13). It is in the presence of the Crucified One, Gods Suffering Servant, that we finally begin to see the full contours of Gods great plan. Click here to get yours free in your inbox each morning! The servant tells us that his message is rejected by his fellow Israelites, and hes beaten and forsaken (Isaiah 50). (Isa 54:4-5), Instead of your shame you will receive a doubleportion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. Summary and Evaluation of Bultmanns View on the Use of Isaiah 53 by Jesus and the Early Church. Indian Journal of Theology 20 (1971):98-108. Seeking Gods FaceA New HS Book with Practical Reflections, Developing Communities with Redefined Honor & Shame, Paul & and the Power of Grace (Book Review), Honor-Shame and Relativism: What Evangelicals Dont Get about Donald Trump, 7 Problems with Defining Honor & Shame, Book: Shame-informed Counselling and Psychotherapy, And [the Lord] said to me, You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be, But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have, Behold my servant shall act wisely; he shall be.
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