By His Wounds We Are Healed
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Key Verse: 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
All scripture quotations are from the NIV84, unless otherwise indicated.
The pertinent content is highlighted
Significance of this passage:
It is the Gospel, the real Gospel!
Amazingly detailed, accurate prediction 700 years beforehand.
Predicts the suffering, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (1Co 15:3-4).
Evidential basis for our faith.
The things predicted here, in every detail, were witnessed by the Apostles as having been fulfilled by Christ.
Proof that our Gospel is from God, not a human invention.
Prayer for this study:
Understand what our sins deserve: Wrath.
The sufferings of the Messiah under God's wrath show the seriousness and vileness of our sin before the holy God.
Understand the necessity of Christ's atoning death to rescue us from the penalty of sin.
That the LORD Jesus may be highly exalted in our heart
That we might highly view his work on the cross as powerful, as that which unfailingly achieves its intended effect.
That we would receive of renewed and profound appreciation of the person and work of Christ that he would be worshipped, the One by whose sacrificial, efficacious, salvific love, we have been ransomed.
Background:
Written after Sennacherib's attack in 701 B.C recorded in Isa 36.
Written in the context of God's promise starting in Isa 40 about the return from exile.
Known commonly as the "Suffering Servant" prophecy.
Known commonly as the fourth "Servant Song"
From the 1892 commentary of Dr Bernhard Duhm on Isaiah.
Misnomer: It is a poem rather than a "song"; it has no rhymes and is not sung.
The other Servant songs are Isa 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-9.
Divided into five stanzas of three verses each.
Symmetrical layout:
The outer stanzas (first and fifth stanzas) are about his resurrection and his exaltation. He applies his finished sacrifice to us.
Stanzas 2 and 4 are about his rejection.
The middle stanza is about the significance of his death. He took our sin upon himself.
1. Read 52:13-15. Who is this Servant? What will he achieve? (13) Why will many be appalled at him? (14) In what sense will he "sprinkle many nations"? (15; Exo 24:8; Eze 36:25; 1Pe 1:2)
1-1) Read 52:13-15.
ANSWER:
Isa 52:13-15 See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. 14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him -- his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness -- 15 so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.
1-2) Who is this Servant?
ANSWER:
He is the promised Messiah or Christ.
Before Rashi (ca. 1050), Jewish rabbis unanimously considered this passage to be referring to the Messiah. In fact, the first century Aramaic translation of this verse reads, "Behold, my servant the Messiah..." However, Origen in A.D. 248 records a Jewish counter-missionary interpretation of this passage as referring to the Jewish nation.
He is Jesus (Luk 22:37; Acts 8:32-35; Jn 12:37-38; Ro 15:21; 10:16; Mat 8:17; 1Pe 2:21-24; Luk 24:26-27, 46; Mk 9:12).
Jesus himself says that this passage refers to him (Luk 22:37).
1-3) What will he achieve? (13)
ANSWER:
Isa 52:13 See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
He will achieve success.
The word "wisely" means that he will act with such wisdom as to succeed in his objectives.
The two parts of the couplet are saying the same thing but in different ways. (Again, this passage is a Hebrew poem in which each verse is a couplet with each of the two parts expressing a parallel idea). So, in light of the second cola about the Servant's exaltation, we understand that the word "wisely" in the first cola is heavily imbued with the idea of success.
The wisdom that leads to glory is way of the cross -- the way of self-sacrifice and suffering (Luk 24:26; Heb 12:2).
Exaltation will be his reward. The Messiah will accomplish his salvific purpose and will be highly exalted.
These are the same words used of God in his exalted status. "But you, O LORD, are exalted forever" (Psa 92:8). Hence, the Messiah will be exalted to the right hand of God, with a name above every name, with glory and honor and power equal to that of God the Father (Rev 5:12; Php 2:9-11; Isa 45:23; cf. Gen 41:40).
Is this Servant highly exalted in your heart? That which God zealously seeks is to magnify the name of his Son. His aim is that our hearts would be full of the knowledge of his glory as displayed in his Son (Php 2:11; Jdg 7:2; Eph 3:21). God is not pleased when his precious Son is not held in high honor (Jn 5:23; Mat 17:5).
The people-pleasing, popular gospel affirms our worthiness of God's love and affirms our smartness and our inherent goodness and ability so that we feel good. But having an elevated view of ourselves means a lower view of the cross and of Christ's atoning work.
But the gospel of God as presented here is preeminently Christ-focused and takes a high view of his accomplishment at Calvary. It's all about his glory, his greatness, his power, his wisdom, and his love displayed on the cross for sinners who are wicked, unworthy of love, and sheep-like (meaning, dumb and stubborn and helpless). Man is humbled and Christ is exalted. All the credit goes, not to me, but to him in the Gospel of God.
There are two simultaneous realities about the crucifixion: One is its outward shame and degradation. The other is the spiritual exaltation of the Messiah as a life-giving sacrifice (Jn 17:1; 12:23).
The Hebrew word for "lifted" may have had the meaning of "execute". This double meaning is also found in the Aramaic and Greek translations of the word "raised".
1-4) Why will many be appalled at him? (14)
ANSWER:
Isa 52:14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him -- his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness --
Because of his disfigured appearance; because of the beatings and flogging.
His supreme exaltation (v13) is juxtaposed with his supreme degradation (v14).
Commensurate with the depths to which he descended are the heights to which he would be lifted.
Displayed here is Jesus lifted up on the cross: The utmost depths of degradation and suffering into which he descended for us.
The depths of his degradation were necessary because of the magnitude of our offenses before the eyes of the thrice holy God.
Christ, the mighty Arm of the Lord (v1), plunged into the depths of the sufferings and death in order to extricate us from what our sins we deserved, that everlasting destruction in hell.
1-5) In what sense will he "sprinkle many nations"? (15; Exo 24:8; Eze 36:25; 1Pe 1:2)
ANSWER:
Isa 52:15 so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.
Exo 24:8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words."
Eze 36:25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
1Pe 1:2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Two possible translations of this verse hinge on the interpretation of the word nazah which means "to spirt, i.e. besprinkle (especially in expiation)".
Interpretation #1:
He will "startle" many nations (LXX, NET, RSV, JPS)
The Hebrew word "sprinkle" (nazah) in v15 is not accompanied by the preposition al meaning, "above, over, upon, or against" (i.e. the object of the verb does not have the preposition in front of it). That preposition appears three words later:
Consequently some interpreters doubt that the idea of “sprinkling” is present. Instead, an alternative meaning, "startle," is drawn from the Arabic homonym nazâ.
"startle" seems reasonable:
Considering v14, [Just as A, so B] A and B should be similar:
A: many were appalled at him. [Terrified] because of suffering of Jesus
B: many nations will marvel at him: because of suffering/cleansing of Jesus.
Interpretation #2:
He will "sprinkle" many nations, gentiles as well as Israel (NIV, NAS, KJV, NKJV, HCSB).
"sprinkle" also makes sense according to the parallel structure [Just as A, so B]:
A: many were appalled by his crucifixion (v14)
B: many nations will he sprinkle by his crucifixion (v15)
"sprinkle" is consistent with the priestly language of the fourth Servant Song (e.g. "guilt offering" v10).
The word "sprinkle" (Heb. nazah) refers to sprinkling blood lightly with just the finger (flicking) rather than the heavier splattering (splashing) done with the whole hand (Heb. zaraq).
The word for sprinkling used on the Day of Atonement in Lev 16:14-15 is nazah. That's the same word used here in 52:15. The High Priest, once a year, entered the Most Holy Place and flicked with his finger seven times the bull's blood on the atonement cover.
The word for sprinkling used in the inaugural covenant ceremony at Sinai in Exo 24:8 is zaraq. Hence, copious amounts of blood were splattered on the people.
Eze 36:25 refers to spiritual sprinkling of the New Covenant. It reads, "I will sprinkle [zaraq] clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols."
He will sprinkle in the sense of salvifically cleansing those he inwardly calls through the gospel proclamation (Jn 10:3, 16; Heb 12:24; Eze 36:25).
The LXX (Greek translation of the OT) reads, "...and kings shall keep their mouths shut: for they to whom no report was brought concerning him, shall see; and they who have not heard, shall consider." Paul, quoting this from the LXX in Ro 15:20-21, applies it to the preaching of the gospel in new Gentile areas. In light of this Scripture, we understand that the sprinkling here refers metaphorically to the salvation dispensed by the gospel proclamation and divine revelation of what Jesus did on the cross (Isa 53:1b; Ro 10:16-17).
The Risen Jesus is metaphorically pictured here as the High Priest who sprinkles his blood sacrifice on the Gentile nations and thereby savingly atones for their sin (1Pe 1:2; Heb 9:15-17; 10:22; 12:24; Mat 26:28). He efficaciously sprinkles it through the gospel proclamation (Isa 55:3, 11-13; Jas 1:18; 1Th 1:4-5).
The mouths of Gentile kings are shut because of their reverence and awe before the glorious Risen Servant who is supernaturally revealed to them through the gospel.
2. Read 53:1-3. What is ‘our message’? Who is speaking? What does verse 1 imply? Why is it so hard to believe? (1Cor 1:22-23) How is the Servant described? (2) How is he treated by people? (3)
2-1) Read 53:1-3.
ANSWER:
Isa 53:1-3 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 men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
2-2) What is ‘our message’?
ANSWER:
Isa 52:13-15 See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. 14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him -- his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness -- 15 so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.
The message is contained in what preceded this verse (52:13-15), the message about the Servant.
2-3) Who is speaking?
ANSWER:
The prophet speaks here as representative.
The time frame is AFTER the resurrection (v4).
Isaiah speaks on behalf of those who believed the Gospel
This is the same group in verse 5 who profess faith and say they have been healed.
These believers are Israelites (in verse 8, Isaiah speaks of “my people”).
Could it be that Isaiah is speaking here on behalf of other prophets? This does not comport with verse 3 in which the same group says "we esteemed him not".
The phrase “our message” can mean (a) the message which we deliver, or (b) the message which was delivered to us. Which one fits?
In view of the fact that this group for whom he speaks is believing Israel, the phrase "our message" must primarily mean (b), the gospel message which was delivered to them.
2-4) What does verse 1 imply?
ANSWER:
Isa 53:1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
It implies that few believed.
Israel did not welcome Jesus in his first coming (Jn 1:9-11, 12:37; Ro 10:16)
Ro 10:16 reads, "But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?""
They utter stunned amazement at the national unbelief in the face of incontrovertible proofs.
Joh 12:37-38 reads, "Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: "Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?""
2-5) Why is it so hard to believe? (1Cor 1:22-23)
ANSWER:
1Co 1:22-23 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
Jews: Suffering Servant was a stumbling block (1Cor 1:23a)
Because they were looking for a powerful, charismatic, political messiah
He did not have kingly appearance (v2).
His origin was lowly (v2)
His end was shameful and terrible (v4).
Instead of inflicting suffering on Israel's enemies, the Messiah King is himself a sufferer.
Gentiles: Suffering Servant was foolishness (1Cor 1:23b)
Because they were looking for [worldly, mysterious, popular] wisdom.
How could these believers believe this ‘hard-to-believe’ message?
Not because they are smarter than others, or high IQ (Mat 16:17).
The unregenerate mind is in the state of death (Ro 8:6) and is blinded by sin and is in darkness (Deu 29:4; Jn 3:19-20) and, therefore, cannot rightly apprehend the light of the glory of his person (2Co 4:4; Jn 1:5; 3:3; 8:43; 1Co 2:14).
But because God called/drew them (Jn 17:6; 6:44)
But because Jesus is the power/wisdom of God (1Cor 1:24)
But because the Holy Spirit convicts the hearts of people to believe (Jn 16:8-11)
The Hebrew word here for "reveal" (Heb. galah) is translated in the LXX (the Greek OT translation used in the apostolic times) as apokalupto. This is the same word appears in Mat 16:17 and Mat 11:27.
Faith is by revelation from above: 1Co 2:7-8; 2Pe 1:1; Acts 13:48; Heb 12:2; Php 1:29; Jn 6:29; Jer 24:7; Mat 16:17.
Therefore, spiritual rebirth is absolutely necessary to respond to the gospel message (Jer 24:7; Eze 36:25-27; Acts 16:14; Jn 3:3, 8; 1:13; 5:25; Jas 1:18; 1Jn 4:5-6; Jn 8:43, 47; 1Co 2:14; Ro 3:11).
The Servant is characterized as the Lord's saving "arm"
The arm of the LORD refers generally to God's strength, power and might. Here it refers particularly to his power to save.
It recalls Isa 52:10 which reads, "The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God."
The Messiah is God himself. Our arm is a part of us. Likewise, the Messiah is God's own arm -- God rolling up his sleeve, figuratively, to work salvation (Isa 59:16; 63:5).
The Messiah is, therefore, God incarnate, the mighty outstretched arm of the Lord himself, reaching down into this world through the incarnate person of his Son to deliver us (Isa 52:8; Col 2:9).
2-6) How is the Servant described? (2)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:2 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.
As a tender shoot: Like a root out of dry ground
A tender shoot is weak and vulnerable.
This refers to a shoot called a "sucker" which grows from a plant's root rather than from its stem.
A root out of dry ground is neither beautiful nor attractive.
No beauty or majesty; no attraction; no desirable appearance. (v2b)
He did not have the “advantage” of good looks.
He did not have the impressiveness that one would expect
Born in humble, adverse circumstance:
Born in Nazareth, a despised place (Joh 1:46).
Born to a poor family (as indicated by the offering made after his birth, Luk 2:24; Lev 12:8; 2Co 8:9)
Born in an enslaved nation, degraded by Rome.
Only discerning eye of faith can see the glory and majesty of Jesus.
Implications of the appearance of Jesus
The effort to make the Jesus/the gospel attractive to the world.
Dress up Jesus as a skillful teacher, charismatic CEO, miracle worker etc.
To make the gospel more relevant to the worldly culture, to new generations (but c.f. 1Co 9:22).
The only one who can make Christ attractive is the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:14; 1Co 2:8-10; Mat 16:17; 13:44; 2Co 3:14-18)
2-7) How is he treated by people? (3)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
He was despised and rejected by men
People did not respect or esteem Jesus.
Hiding the face is a sign of rejection (Isa 8:17; 54:8).
Natural man despises and rejects Christ (Jn 3:20; 7:7; Col 1:21; Ro 5:10; 8:7).
Because there was nothing outwardly beautiful or charismatic about the Messiah.
He did not fit the picture of a Messiah -- at least the political one that the nation expected. This made it so difficult for the people of Israel to believe in him -- those who did not look for a savior from sin.
Men value physical beauty and charisma but God sees the heart (1Sam 16:7)
Jesus was a man of sorrows and familiar with pain.
Jesus came from heaven and entered into our plight and our sufferings.
He understands sorrows and pains because he himself experienced it (Heb 4:15)
Not self-pity: his sorrow was for others, for sinners (Luk 19:41-44; Mat 23:37).
Because he knows the sinfulness of men and the consequences of sin.
3. Read verses 4-6. What does he do for us? (4a) How do we consider him? (4b) How and why does he suffer? (5a) What do his wounds and punishment bring us? (5b) How have we been like sheep? (6a) What does the Lord lay on him? (6b)
3-1) Read verses 4-6.
ANSWER:
Isa 53:4-6 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten 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 upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
3-2) What does he do for us? (4a)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:4a Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows...
He took up [carried away, lifted up, took away] our pain and bore [a heavy load] of our suffering.
He took up our "infirmities" and "sorrows" which signify the punishment of sin (v5).
He took up and carried away the penalty of actual sins of actual persons (1Pe 2:24).
He suffered and died only for those named in his book of life (Rev 21:27; 20:15; 13:8; 17:8; Heb 10:14; 1Pe 1:2). Christ purposefully, out of redemptive love, came to this earth to bear in himself on the cross the penalty due to the sin of only those named persons, the elect whom the Father appointed him to save (Jn 6:39; 17:2, 9; 10:27-29).
He "bore the sin of many" (v12b). In his body on the tree, he bore the penalty for the actual sins of many definite individuals (not "all" but "many") and thereby actually took it all away (Jn 1:29; Col 2:13-14).
He carried away "our" sins! Repetition of the word "our" is for emphasis.
Contextually, these words are the confession strictly of that small group of Israelites who believed the gospel message. Yet, in light of 1Pe 2:24, these words are to be properly understood as applying to every true believer, Jew or Gentile.
With the universal atonement scheme, Christ died for all to make every man savable, to make salvation possible for all. But in this passage, Christ's death effectuates salvation, effectuates the carrying away of the punishment of sin, effectuates peace, healing, etc. These things are spoken of, not as that which was made possible, but as having been definitely obtained on the cross. So, a richer, deeper, stronger salvific love is spoken of here, one that is truly personal and powerful, special and efficacious, one by which we can truly say, "...I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20b; Eph 5:25; Jn 10:14-15, 28; Ro 8:34, 39).
He "surely" did this -- not hypothetically, conditionally or potentially.
He did it already -- past tense -- 2000 years ago.
He surely took on himself the full penalty our sins deserve.
Each person for whom he suffered will not suffer wrath (no double jeopardy).
Every particular sin was paid for in full (Jn 19:30; Col 2:13-14).
Application of “Jesus took our pain and suffering”
We do not have to carry or bear our pain and suffering.
Bring all our pain and suffering and put them down before the cross of Jesus.
He will take them away as far as the east is from the west (Psa 103:12)
3-3) How do we consider him? (4b)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:4b ...yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
People thought Jesus was punished by God due to his own sins (i.e. he deserved it; he had it coming).
People did not understand the reason why Jesus had to suffer so much.
People never thought that they were terrible sinners who deserved to be punished by God.
In order to receive Jesus, we need to know our need for him:
know that we are terrible sinners before God.
know that we are deserving of death, hell, eternal wrath
without knowing our need, we reject him.
God showed his own love for us when we were still deep in sin (Rom 5:8)
Nevertheless, he "surely" took up our infirmities (sins).
Objective fact of history.
His accomplishment on Calvary is the power that conforms how we consider him (1Th 1:4-5; Jer 24:7; Eze 36:27; Zec 12:10; Acts 5:31; 11:18; Jer 31:33; Php 1:29; Heb 12:2; Isa 55:11-12; Acts 13:48; 2Pe 1:1).
3-4) How and why does he suffer? (5a)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:5a But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities...
Jesus was pierced/crushed/punished/wounded by God for us:
The words "for our" are repeated for emphasis.
This is full of language of substitution with visual, graphic words.
Pierced: Hands, feet, and his side were pierced (Psa 22:16; Zec 12:10; Jn 19:34)
Crushed:
The word "crushed" or "bruised" (KJV, NKJV, RSV) comes from the Hebrew word daka meaning "to crumble" or "to bruise" or "beat to pieces, break (in pieces)".
This word "crushed" may metaphorically refer to the spiritual agonies Christ suffered.
He was punched (Jn 19:3), slapped (Mat 26:67), beaten on his head with a staff (Mat 27:30)
Punished officially at the hands of Pilate: Flogged by leather thongs with bone (Mk 15:15) and thereby severely wounded.
His sufferings were far more than physical
The words in v11, "After the suffering of his soul," indicate that it was his soul and not just his body that suffered.
The curse of God was upon him (Gal 3:13; Deu 21:23; Mat 27:46)
The fury of God's wrath was upon him (Mat 20:22; 26:39; Jn 18:11; Jer 25:15; Rev 14:10).
Why did Jesus have to suffer so much?
Because of our transgressions (evil acts).
Because of our iniquities (the evil inside of us).
God hates evil thoughts, desires, motives (Pro 15:26; 8:13; Gen 8:21); they are filthy (Mat 15:19-20). Nothing is hidden from his eyes (Heb 4:13).
Because of the punishment we deserved.
He became the object of God's wrath, the object of God's curse.
On him was imputed all the sins we accumulated over the course of our lifetime.
On him was the fury of a Holy God justly angered by sin -- on him was the unquenchable fire of the wrath of the Almighty (Deu 32:22; Isa 33:14; Rev 14:10-11; 20:15; Mat 3:12).
God is absolutely holy (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8). It intrinsic to his nature to punish sin (Psa 11:7). Because of his holy nature he cannot be unjust (Job. 34:10-11; Gen 18:25) and cannot allow sin to remain unpunished (Jos 24:19; Exo 23:7; Pro 17:15; Pro 24:12; Ro 3:25-26; Exo 34:7; Num 14:18).
The price of sin is infinite (Psa 49:7-9). The punishment does not end in physical death but lasts eternally in hell (Mat 25:46). That's because of the infinite value of the God whom we have sinned against. But the infinitely precious blood of Christ paid in full what our offenses merited (1Pe 1:18-20; Col 2:13).
God's love was shown in sending the Messiah to die for us.
He did this, not because of our worthiness, but in spite of our unworthiness (Ro 4:5; Mat 7:11; 19:17; Ro 7:18; 2Ti 1:9; Eze 36:22-23).
God's love on the cross was shown in the midst of his wrath toward sin (Jn 3:14-15; Nu 16:46; 21:4-9).
God is love but his love does not trump his holiness or his justice or his fury.
3-5) What do his wounds and punishment bring us? (5b)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:5b ...the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
The suffering of Jesus brings us
Sin-forgiveness: sin is extremely serious
Peace with God: God's wrath is appeased (Ro 5:1).
He brought actual peace, not potential peace.
We have been united with God through Christ (Ro 6:6; 5:10).
Healing spiritually (1Pe 2:24-25; Mat 8:16-17; 1Co 6:11).
Soundness of mind
God gives us a mind that is controlled by the Spirit (Ro 8:6, 9; Eze 36:27) rather than by the madness of sin and of evil spirits (Ecc 9:3; Mk 5:15; Eph 2:2-3; Php 3:19). 2Ti 1:7 reads, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." This tells us what our spirit is like under the control of God's Spirit -- this is the spirit that he (the Spirit of God) causes us to have. The word translated "self-discipline" is the Greek word sophronismos (so-fron-is-mos'), a compound word comprised of the Greek word sozo (to save, heal, make whole) plus the word phren (mind). Hence, the compound word literally means, 'saved mind' or 'healed mind'-- that's not the real meaning, of course, but, nevertheless, it describes exactly what a saved mind (or healed mind) is like. This word is translated in the KJV and NKJV as "sound mind", the HCSB as "sound judgment", and the AMP as "calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control." A saved-person's mind is mind healed and a healed mind is a holy mind, a mind under Christ's control, cured of the dominion of cravings, lusts, and pride (1Jn 2:16; Jn 8:31-32; Pro 8:13) -- a mind that exalts and adores Christ and is empowered to hold his truth (2Co 10:5; 1Jn 2:14; Php 2:13; Eph 3:16-17, 20), to treasure and honor and obey it (Luk 8:15; Psa 1:2; Isa 66:2).
The healing also consists in being crazy (out of our mind) for Christ -- being passionately in love with him (2Co 5:13; Jn 17:26; 4:24; 2Sa 6:14; Php 3:3; 1Th 5:19; SS 8:7), crazy with desire to find him in Scripture, to see him in our life and in his body the church.
What makes us different from others who don't repent and believe? His wounds. Period. God's ambition is for having in our heart an exalted view of his Servant as one "raised and lifted up and highly exalted" -- exalted as the one who is saving us, not giving us what all our sins deserve! His righteousness and glory and power and wisdom is what we boast (Gal 6:14; 1Co 2:7-8; 1Co 15:10; Eph 3:21; 1Co 4:7).
Not perfectly healed yet
We are not perfectly healed yet in the sense of not having indwelling sin and not having to struggle against it. 1Pe 2:11 says for us "to abstain from sinful desires, which war against [our] soul". Sin wars presently against our soul. This is normative Christian experience; we don't attain sinless perfection in this flesh (Jas 3:2; 1Jn 1:8; Php 3:12; Ecc 7:20; Heb 10:14).
The power to love and obey Jesus, where does that come from? Is it from me? Step #1 in sanctification is a gospel-shaped mind (understanding and faith): We are weak, he is strong. A high view of what Christ accomplished and a low view of our ability is a right gospel perspective. Ongoing healing, in the sense of progress in sanctification, begins with a right faith, a mind sobered by the gospel, in which we depend on the wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ (Jn 15:5-6; Jer 17:5; Mat 9:12-13; Ro 8:26; Mat 5:3; 1Co 4:7). We have a war to fight against sin and only by remaining in Jesus, depending on his flesh and blood sacrifice (Jn 6:55-56; 13:8, 10; 1Jn 1:9, 7; Rev 12:11; Pro 28:13), can we derive the power to deny ourselves, crucify the flesh (Ro 6:12-13; 8:13), and prevail over sin and conquer it (Ro 6:14).
Unending, unconditional benefits of a unilateral, eternal covenant with God in his blood (Mat 26:28; Heb 9:15-17; Jer 32:40; Gen 15:17-18; Gal 3:17-18, 29).
These are our confessions of faith.
Remember what Jesus has done for us:
Jesus was pierced/crushed/punished/wounded for us.
Remember what blessing we have received from Jesus.
Jesus purchased our forgiveness, sin-forgiving grace, peace, healing
Give thanks/glory to God for what He has done for us through Jesus Christ.
Praise God for Jesus forever and ever.
Discernment for prosperity gospel
Popular health-wealth gospel here on earth is not the gospel at all (Gal 1:6,7)
Because physical healing is not guaranteed here on earth (1Ti 5:23; Gal 4:13-14; 2Cor 12:8-9)
Physical healings in the NT are for the authentication of the gospel and for teaching the power of the gospel to save us from sin (Mk 16:20; Acts 2:22; Mat 8:16-17; 2Co 12:12).
Physical healings in the NT are for teaching that faith in Christ is the means by which we receive true healing, the healing of our soul (Mat 9:29; Jn 9:5-7).
Ultimately healing is promised in the kingdom of God (Rev 21:4)
Implication of the ‘past tense’ of these verbs
Redemption is already finished.
We are forgiven/ healed and have peace with God already (1Pe 2:24).
Totality of salvation is fulfilled even before Isaiah prophesied (Mat 25:34; 2Ti 1:9; 1Co 2:7; Rev 13:8, 17:8).
Points to the efficacy of Christ's redemptive work. Not hypothetical but unfailingly accomplishes its purpose for those he purchased.
3-6) How have we been like sheep? (6a)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:6a We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way...
We all like sheep have gone astray.
Character of sheep: dumb and stubborn and helpless.
We purposely disobeyed God’s way: Spiritually dumb (Psa 94:11; 1Co 1:21; 2:14).
We do not want to change our ways even if it was wrong: Stubborn.
We cannot survive without our Shepherd: Helpless (Mat 9:36; Eze 34:5-6, 8; Nu 27:17). Without his help, we get lost and cannot find our way back and then perish.
Note: Sheep do not find their shepherd. Consequently, our Good Shepherd had to go and find us (Luk 19:10; Jn 10:3; 15:16, 19; Ro 9:16).
Low view of man: The Bible does not affirm our smartness, inherent goodness or ability. Rather, we are characterized over and over as sheep (Psa 74:1; 78:52; 79:13; 119:176; Eze 34:16; Jer 50:6; 2Chr 18:16; Mat 10:6; Luk 15:4; Jn 10:11, 14-15; 21:16; 1Pe 2:25). The Gospel of God is all about his glory, his greatness, his power, his sovereignty, his wisdom, and his love in saving us.
All of us, every single one of us, have gone astray: no exception (Ro 3:23). Apostle Paul spent 3 chapters to establish the fact in the book of Romans.
We are sinners before God.
The "we" and the "us" is not all of humanity. The word "all" applies only to the group called "we" and means that each and every person of that group are the ones being referred to. This "we" group (the persons speaking here) are those who profess faith in the Messiah (vs. 4-5). Not only so, but 1Pe 2:24-25 reads, "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." In light of that Scripture and especially the words "you have returned", Isa 53:6 is properly understood as applying to every person who truly believes and has repented.
Each of us has turned to our own way
Motto of this world: ‘have your way’ ‘Just do it’ ‘Do whatever you want’
Our own way is sinful, wicked, and damned way (Mat 7:13; Pro 16:25).
Because our hearts are desperately wicked; full of sins (Jer 17:9; Ecc 9:3; Mat 7:11; 19:17)
Motto of the Scripture: God’s way: Surrender to His way (Mat 7:14; 16:24-26).
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (Jn 14:6)
There is no other way except Jesus
3-7) What does the Lord lay on him? (6b)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:6b ...and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
The iniquity of us all was laid on Jesus.
God imputed to Jesus the guilt of our sin
Imputation is first introduced in Gen 15:6 where God "credited" righteousness to Abraham. Gen 15:6 reads, "Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness." The word "credited" in the LXX is logizomai (log-id'-zom-ai) and is the same word used in Ro 4:3. The word means "metaphorically to pass to one's account, to impute". Imputation is taught extensively in Ro 4:1-12, 22-25, the word logizomai appearing 11 times in that text.
Our sin was imputed to Jesus at his death (v 6) and, in his resurrection, he imputes his righteousness to us (v 11; Ro 4:25).
Jesus who is sinless suffered and died in our place as our substitute.
The Good Shepherd laid down his life for the sheep (Jn 10:11).
Jesus was placed under the full weight and penalty of our sin, under the wrath of the Father to satisfy his justice and secure our forgiveness by his blood (Num 16:46; Lev 1:4; 17:11).
This is unbelievable to the world yet believable to believers and worthy to be believed.
4. Read verses 7-9. What does he do when he is oppressed and afflicted? (7a) What does he do when he is led like a lamb to the slaughter? (7b) What happens to him? (8a) For what is he stricken? (8b) With who is he assigned a grave? (9)
4-1) Read verses 7-9.
ANSWER:
Isa 53:7-9 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 her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 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.
4-2) What does he do when he is oppressed and afflicted? (7a)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:7 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 her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
He did not open his mouth (Mk 15:2-5; 14:61; Luk 23:9; Mat 26:63)
He was silent before his accusers despite the injustice, the pain and the suffering.
Not because he was helpless but he was in control (Jn 10:18, 19:11, 19:30)
Never speaking to defend himself, only to glorify God (1Pe 2:23).
4-3) What does he do when he is led like a lamb to the slaughter? (7b)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:7 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 her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
He did not open his mouth (Mk 15:2-5), like a lamb to the slaughter
Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29; Rev 5:9)
Jesus was the perfect, blameless, spotless lamb for atonement (1Pe 1:19).
4-4) What happens to him? (8a)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:8a By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living;
He was subjected to oppressive, unfair trials and was unjustly condemned (Mat 26:57-68; 27:20-26).
The Ethiopian eunuch was reading this from a personal copy of the Greek OT (LXX) (Acs 8:26-39). Act 8:35 reads, "Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus."
He was killed, having no descendants.
For a Jew, not having offspring was a great tragedy.
He was killed, and no one cared.
4-5) For what is he stricken? (8b)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:8b for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
For "my" people, the Jewish people (Jn 11:51), who are also "his" people (Mat 1:21).
His people include the Gentiles (Jn 11:52; 10:16).
For our "transgressions".
For our "sins" according to this Scripture (1Co 15:3).
Substitutionary suffering and death is repeated in this passage over and over again.
Human sacrifice is forbidden in the Law (Lev 18:21, 24-25; Deu 18:10; Jer 7:31; 19:5; 32:35; Eze 23:37, 39) but human sacrifice is indisputably, explicitly described here.
Human sacrifice is wrong because, among other things, man is sinful and impure. Each must die for his own sin.
Jewish counter-missionaries emphasize that Jesus would not be accepted by God as a sacrifice, for this is an abomination. Yet they contradict themselves by claiming that this suffering Servant in Isa 53 is the nation of Israel.
The death of the perfect human, the Messiah, described here is foreshadowed elsewhere (Gen 3:15; 22:2; Psa 22:15; 40:6-8; Dan 9:26; Exo 12:7; Nu 21:9).
4-6) With who is he assigned a grave? (9)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:9 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.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked (v9a)
Jesus was crucified together with the wicked (Lk 23:32-33)
The bodies of the victims were normally left on the crosses
He was assigned a grave with a rich man (singular) in his deaths (plural)
Jesus was buried in the tomb of the wealthy [Joseph of Arimathea; Lk 23:50-56]
His body was wrapped in 75 pounds of costly spices (Jn 19:39-40).
He was buried, not left on the cross, according to this Scripture (1Co 15:4).
He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth
Despite all the pain and suffering, he remained holy, without sins (Heb 4:15).
5. Read verses 10-12. What does the Lord will? (10a) What does the Lord make his life? (10b) What will he see and what will prosper in his hand? (10c) What will happen after the suffering of his soul? (11a) What will he do? (11b) How will the Servant be rewarded? (12a) Why will he be rewarded? (12b)
5-1) Read verses 10-12.
ANSWER:
Isa 53:10-12 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 11 After the suffering of his soul, 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.
5-2) What does the Lord will? (10a)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:10a Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer...
The Lord’s will:
Will [Hebrew: chephets: delight, pleasure]
More accurate translation: It was God’s pleasure to crush him.
The Father's sacrifice of his Only Son did not itself please him but rather the results of his death: sin forgiveness, reconciliation was pleasing to God.
The suffering of the Servant was ordained by the Lord
God crushed Jesus and caused him to suffer.
His death was not because of the Jews or Romans but because of God.
Jesus’ suffering was God’s will, plan and pleasure.
5-3) What does the Lord make his life? (10b)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:10b ...and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering...
God made Jesus as a guilt offering (2Cor 5:21).
The guilt-offering is the only offering specified in the Law that was explicitly used for intentional sins (Lev 6:2-5; 19:20-22).
The guilt offering (Heb. asham) involves restitution, the payment of 120% of the damages to the injured party, as well as the presentation of the sacrificial animal itself (Lev 6:2-5; 5:15-16). Lev 6:5 reads, "He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day he presents his guilt offering."
Hence:
We have incurred a debt to God against whom we have sinned
That debt is characterized in quantitative, commercial terms (it has a "value" to which "a fifth" should be added in Lev 6:5).
God himself has paid the debt we owe by making his Son a guilt offering.
Our debt is infinite (Psa 49:8).
Nevertheless, the life of God's precious only Son is of infinite worth and value because of the dignity and perfection of his Son who is full of the infinite glory of God (Jn 1:14, 27; Heb 1:3; 2Cor 4:6; 2Pe 1:17).
His life is abundantly sufficient to pay the debt of the whole world, of anyone who truly believes (1Jn 2:2; 1Ti 2:6; Jn 6:51; 3:18).
Efficacious: If God makes his life a debt payment, then the persons he pays for are most assuredly and irrevocably bought. They are his purchased possessions (Acts 20:28; 1Pe 1:18-19; 1Co 6:20; 7:23; Rev 5:9; Gal 3:13; 4:5; Mat 20:28; Heb 9:15).
Jesus' last utterance (followed by Luk 23:46) on the cross in John 19:30 was the Greek word tetelestai ("It is finished"), a word which has, as one of its secondary meanings, the notion of "to pay" (Thayer) or "discharge (a debt)" (Strong). Hence, Jesus expressed by this that he had now suffered the full penalty in commercial terms for the sin of the church in his body and soul under the full strength of God's wrath.
5-4) What will he see and what will prosper in his hand? (10c)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:10c ...he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
He will see his offspring and prolong his days.
The suffering, death and burial do not end the story of Jesus.
He lives to see his seed, his spiritual descendants.
God is our Father spiritually, yet Christ is spoken of here as begetting children.
Christ is elsewhere spoken of as having seed (Jn 12:24; Psa 22:30; Heb 2:13; Psa 89:29).
The will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
Will [Hebrew: chephets: delight, pleasure]
More accurate translation: The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
The redemption of people prospers in his hand (Mk 16:20).
The resurrected Christ will successfully dispense spiritual life to those for whom he effectually procured it by his sufferings and death (Jn 5:24-25; 11:43; Eph 2:5).
5-5) What will happen after the suffering of his soul? (11a)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:11a After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied;
He will see the light of life
He overcomes the power of death; his life prevails.
He was raised, according to this Scripture (1Co 15:4).
Fulfillment of Psa 16:10, "nor will you let your Holy One see decay."
His sufferings were more than just physical: It was a suffering in his "soul" (Mat 26:38; Luk 22:44; 12:50; Jn 12:27).
The word “light” does not appear in the Masoretic Text (the Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible) but appears in the Great Isaiah Scroll and the Septuagint
He shall be satisfied because of the redemption of his people.
Satisfaction in seeing that none are lost but that all are saved for whom he suffered and died.
As the labor pains are followed by the joy of new life, so every suffering and agony of his was worth it.
He WILL be satisfied. He will not need to hope for a good outcome.
5-6) What will he do? (11b)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:11b by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
He will justify many.
The Hebrew is literally, 'will justify just servant the many,' (the word "just" in its adjective and verb forms are side by side).
Jesus’ righteousness makes us ‘righteous’ before God (Ro 5:19).
His righteousness is imputed to those who put their trust in him.
We are clothed with the righteousness of Christ (Mat 22:11; Gen 3:21; 2Co 5:21; Gal 3:27; Php 3:9).
The supreme paradox here is that the Servant remains righteous (just) even though he justifies wicked sinners. To acquit the guilty is to pervert justice and God hates injustice (Pro 17:15; Psa 11:7; Exo 23:7). Yet the Risen Servant is still righteous because he has satisfied God's justice on behalf of those he justifies (Ro 3:26).
He will justify the "many" (all the believing ones).
He will do it -- not conditionally, not hypothetically, but most assuredly and infallibly, it will be done. Not mentioned is the cooperation in this process of those whom he bought. That, too, is what he infallibly accomplishes, to his glory alone (1Th 1:4-5; Acts 5:31; 11:18; 16:14; Jn 6:37, 44; Eph 2:8-9).
How will he do this? "By his knowledge." By the knowledge of himself that he imparts to us, we acquire saving faith (2Pe 1:1; 1Jn 5:20; Mat 11:27).
Saving faith is by supernatural revelation as indicated in verse 1, "...and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"
By means of "his knowledge" (revelation), the salvation obtained on the cross is infallibly applied by the Risen Servant to the persons for whom he died.
The Risen Servant appears as a High Priest who will "sprinkle" by the gospel proclamation those he purchased, revealing of himself powerfully (Isa 52:15; 1Th 1:4-5; 1Pe 1:2).
He will bear their iniquities
He has already taken away our sin forever (Heb 10:14) but he always lives to apply to us the saving benefits of his atoning sacrifice by means of his intercession (Heb 7:25; 9:15; 1Jn 2:1-2).
As our Risen High Priest, Christ bears our iniquities by his intercession before the Father on our behalf (v12b; Ro 8:34). It is effectual because each sin for which he intercedes was already paid for on the cross, thereby satisfying the Father's justice.
5-7) How will the Servant be rewarded? (12a)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:12a Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong...
The sufferings bring Jesus glory.
"Therefore" means as a consequence. As a consequence of his suffering, he will be exalted. "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place..." (Php 2:9-11)
This exaltation is in fulfillment of 52:13, "...he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted."
He will be given a portion among the great (Psa 110:3; Rev 19:14).
He will divide the spoil [plunder] with the strong.
Military metaphor: The image is that of a mighty warrior dividing the spoils of his victory in battle.
He will distribute the spoil to those made strong in him (Rev 2:26-27; 12:11; Eph 4:7-13; 6:10-17; 2Ti 2:1).
The "many" and the "strong" are the "kings" of 52:10 and the spiritual "offspring" of vs 8, 10.
We will share with the spoil of Jesus’ victory (Ro 8:17)!
We will inherit/receive every spiritual blessing in Jesus (Eph 1:3)
5-8) Why will he be rewarded? (12b)
ANSWER:
Isa 53:12b ...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.
Because he poured out his life unto death.
Life [Heb. nephesh: a soul, living being, life, passion]
Poured out: nothing left; nothing more he could give.
Total/complete sacrifice on the cross (Psa 22:14)
This is echoed in Php 2:7-8, "but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross!"
He was numbered with the transgressors according to the words of Jesus himself (Luk 22:37).
Jesus had no sin but became sin for us (2Co 5:21).
He bore the sin of "many":
Substitutionary death is repeated over and over (v4-6b, 8b, 11b, 12b).
In his body on the tree, he suffered for the actual sins of many definite individuals on their behalf and in their place (1Pe 2:24).
"Many" but not all (Mat 20:28; 26:28; Heb 9:28). For example, he did not bear the sin of the millions in hell who never heard the gospel. Not one drop of his precious blood was poured out ineffectually and in vain.
He made intercession for the transgressors
The "many" whose sin he bore (paid in full) are the ones he intercedes for (Jn 17:9, 2, 24; 1Jn 2:1-2; Ro 8:32-34; Heb 7:25).
None of his prayers are ineffectual. The persons for whom the Risen Servant intercedes before the Father are saved completely (Heb 7:25).
In Conclusion
By his wounds we are healed. Praise God for what he has so powerfully accomplished on the cross and for his ongoing priestly administration from his throne of his accomplishment to us.
We have received of a healed mind (sophronismos, 2Ti 1:7): a mind that is gospel-shaped, a Christ-controlled and Christ-exalting mind.
Let us have a humble, sobered, Christ-depending mind.
The healing is not over in the sense that sanctification is an ongoing and life-long process.
May the Lord help us to depend on the cross by which we may make further progress in the faith -- depend on his wounds by which we may love his people with the love he has shown us.
One Word: By His wounds we are healed.
By His Wounds We Are Healed
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Key Verse: 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
1. Read 52:13-15. Who is this Servant? What will he achieve? (13) Why will many be appalled at him? (14) In what sense will he "sprinkle many nations"? (15; Exo 24:8; Eze 36:25; 1Pe 1:2)
2. Read 53:1-3. What is ‘our message’? Who is speaking? What does verse 1 imply? Why is it so hard to believe? (1Cor 1:22-23) How is the Servant described? (2) How is he treated by people? (3)
3. Read verses 4-6. What does he do for us? (4a) How do we consider him? (4b) How and why does he suffer? (5a) What do his wounds and punishment bring us? (5b) How have we been like sheep? (6a) What does the Lord lay on him? (6b)
4. Read verses 7-9. What does he do when he is oppressed and afflicted? (7a) What does he do when he is led like a lamb to the slaughter? (7b) What happens to him? (8a) For what is he stricken? (8b) With who is he assigned a grave? (9)
5. Read verses 10-12. What does the Lord will? (10a) What does the Lord make his life? (10b) What will he see and what will prosper in his hand? (10c) What will happen after the suffering of his soul? (11a) What will he do? (11b) How will the Servant be rewarded? (12a) Why will he be rewarded? (12b)
Endnotes
"On Is. xliii. 10, the Targum renders ‘My servant’ by ‘My servant the Messiah.’" (The life and times of Jesus the Messiah, By Alfred Edersheim, Pg 1551) The Targums were Aramaic translations of the Hebrew.
"I remember that once in a discussion with some whom the Jews regard as learned I used these prophecies [Isaiah 52:13-53:8]. At this the Jew said that these prophecies referred to the whole people as though of a single individual, since they were scattered in the dispersion and smitten, that as a result of the scattering of the Jews among the other nations many might become proselytes." (Origen, Contra Celsum, trans. Henry Chadwick, Pg 50).
The Hebrew word for "lifted up" in v13 is from H5375 נָשָׂא נָסָה nasa' (naw-saw') (or nacah, Psalm 4) v. and has the meaning of "to lift, bear up, carry, take". But Edersheim cites a Midrash (Jewish story for interpretation of Scripture) that shows that the word nasa also has the meaning of "execute". He says, “There is a curiously illustrative passage here (in Pesiqta R. 10), when a king, having given orders that the head of his son should be ' lifted up ' (), that it should be hanged up () is exhorted by the tutor to spare what was his 'moneginos' (only begotten). On the king's replying that he was bound by the orders he had given, the tutor answers by pointing out that the verb Nasa [H5375] means lifting up in the sense of exalting, as well as of executing.” (The life and times of Jesus the Messiah, Volume 2, By Alfred Edersheim, Pg 171)
The Aramaic word zeqaph is used in verse 13 in the Targum for the word "raised" (ruwm, H7311).
(Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, HYPERLINK "http://cal1.cn.huc.edu/get_a_chapter?file=62012⊂=52&cset=U" http://cal1.cn.huc.edu/get_a_chapter?file=62012&sub=52&cset=U, accessed 05/24/13) “Possibly the double meaning of "lift up" in John 3:14; 12:32-36, i.e. hang and exalt, alludes to an Aramaic rendering (zeqaph) of Isaiah 52:13, which carries both meanings; the terminology is clarified in the Synoptic Gospels where Jesus prophesies that he is to "be killed and rise" (Mark 8:31; cf. Luke 18:33). A similar double entendre may he present in Acts 3:22-26 where “raise up” apparently is used both of Messiah’s preresurrection ministry and of his resurrection.” (Bruce Corley, Biblical Hermeneutics: A Comprehensive Introduction to Interpreting Scripture, Pg 76) “...there is also the verb Zeqaph (זְקַף), which in the Aramaic and in the Syriac is used both for lifting up and for hanging—specifically for crucifying;” (The life and times of Jesus the Messiah, Volume 2, By Alfred Edersheim, Pg 171) “The extent to which the use of the term “lifting up” in John has been determined by the linguistic background has been much debated. The old Aramaic zeqaph means to get up, lift up, hang up; it could signify, on the one hand, raising a criminal on a stake for his execution, and, on the other, lifting up one who is bowed down. In Ezra 6:11 it is used of Impaling an offender and In the Old Syriac (a form of Aramaic) and the Peshitta it translates in Mark 15:24 the term crucify.” (Gospel of life: theology in the fourth Gospel , George Raymond Beasley-Murray , 1991, Page 48) The verb zeqaph is Strong's H2211 זְקַף zqaph (zek-af') meaning, 1. to hang, i.e. impale [(Aramaic) corresponding to H2210] The NAS exhaustive concordance says that it means, "to raise, lift up". The root word H2210 is zâqaph meaning, to lift, that is, (figuratively) comfort: - raise (up).
The word "raised" is translated in v13 of the LXX using the word hupsoo. Below is a snapshot of the word in its inflected form as it appears in the LXX ( HYPERLINK "http://apostolic.interlinearbible.org/isaiah/52.htm" http://apostolic.interlinearbible.org/isaiah/52.htm):
The word hupsoo [G5312 ὑψόω hupsoo (hoop-soh'-o) v.] means both "to lift up on high, to exalt". The word appears 16 times in the NT to refer to exaltation. But, it was used by Jesus in John 3:14; 8:28; 12:32, 34 in reference to his crucifixion. Thayer's Greek Lexicon reads, "ὑψόω, ὑψῶ; future ὑψώσω; 1 aorist ὕψωσα; passive, 1 aorist ὑψωθην; 1 future ὑψωθήσομαι; (ὕψος); (Batr. 81; Hippocrates, others); the Sept. very often for רוּם, also for גָּבַהּ, נָשָׂא, גָּדַל, etc.; to lift up on high, to exalt, (Vulg.exalto): τινα or τί, properly, of place, John 3:14{a}; used of the elevation of Jesus on the cross, John 3:14{b}; ; with ἐκ τῆς γῆς added, to remove from (literally, out of) the earth by crucifixion (ὑψοῦν τινα followed by ἐκ, Psalm 9:14), John 12:32 (the Evangelist himself interprets the word of the lifting up upon the cross, but a careful comparison of John 8:28 and John 12:32 renders it probable that Jesus spoke of the heavenly exaltation which he was to attain by the crucifixion (cf. John 12:23ff, John 13:31ff, Luke 24:26), and employed the Aramaic word רוּם, the ambiguity of which allowed it to be understood of the crucifixion; cf. Bleek, Beiträge zur Evangelienkritik, p. 231f; (the 'lifting up' includes death and the victory over death; the passion itself is regarded as a glorification; cf. Westcott at the passage)); τινα ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ (opposed to καταβιβάζειν (or καταβαίνειν ἕως ᾅδου), metaphorically, to raise to the very summit of opulence and prosperity, passive, Matthew 11:23; Luke 10:15 (others understood exaltation in privilege as referred to in these passages (see Matthew 11:21)); simply τινα, to exalt, to raise to dignity, honor, and happiness: Luke 1:52 (where opposed to ταπεινῷ); Acts 13:17; to that state of mind which ought to characterize a Christian, 2 Corinthians 11:7; to raise the spirits by the blessings of salvation, James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6; ἐμαυτόν, to exalt oneself (with haughtiness and empty pride) (opposed to ταπεινῷ), Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14; — in these same passages ὑψωθήσεται occurs, he shall be raised to honor. By a union of the literal and the tropical senses God is said ὑψῶσαι Christ τῇ δεξιά αὐτοῦ, Acts 5:31; passive, Acts 2:33; the dative in this phrase, judged according to Greek usage, hardly bears any other meaning than with (by means of) his right hand (his power) (R. V. text); but the context forbids it to denote anything except at (to) the right hand of God (so R. V. marginal reading); hence, the opinion of those has great probability who regard Peter's phrase as formed on the model of the Aramaean לְיָמִין; cf. Bleek, Einl. in das N. T. edition 1, p. 346 (but see Winer's Grammar, 214 (201), 215 (202); Meyer at the passage Compare: ὑπερυψόω.)"
"Traditionally the verb hZ\y~ (Hiphil) has been understood as a causative of hz`n`, “spurt, spatter,” and translated, “sprinkle.” In this case the passage pictures the servant as a priest who “sprinkles” (or spiritually cleanses) the nations. Though the verb hz`n` does occur in the Hiphil with the meaning “sprinkle,” the usual interpretation is problematic. In all other instances where the object or person sprinkled is indicated, the verb is combined with a preposition. This is not the case in Isaiah 52:15, unless one takes the following wyl*u*, “on him,” with the preceding line. But then one would have to emend the verb to a plural, make the nations the subject of the verb “sprinkle,” and take the servant as the object. Consequently some interpreters doubt the cultic idea of “sprinkling” is present here. Some emend the text; others propose a homonymic root meaning “spring, leap,” which in the Hiphil could mean “cause to leap, startle” and would fit the parallelism of the verse nicely."(Biblical Studies Press, New English Translation, 2006) "The verb nâzâh signified primarily to leap or spring; hence hizzâh, with the causative meaning to sprinkle. The kal combines the intransitive and transitive meanings of the word “spirt,” and is used in the former sense in Isa 63:3, to signify the springing up or sprouting up of any liquid scattered about in drops. The Arabic nazâ (see Ges. Thes.) shows that this verb may also be applied to the springing or leaping of living beings, caused by excess of emotion. And accordingly we follow the majority of the commentators in adopting the rendering exsilire faciet. The fact that whole nations are the object, and not merely individuals, proves nothing to the contrary, as Hab 3:6 clearly shows. The reference is to their leaping up in amazement (lxx θαυμάσονται); and the verb denotes less an external than an internal movement." (Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsh, 1890, Pg 308)
"sprin'-k'-l, sprin'-kling (zaraq, nazah; rhantizein): The first word means "to toss" or "scatter abundantly," e.g. in handfuls, as dust on the head (Job 2:12) or blood from a bowl (Ex 9:8). The other Hebrew word is used of sprinkling with the finger (Lev 14:7; Lev 16:14, etc.). In the account of Jezebel's death the word is used in its literal meaning of "spurt" (2Ki 9:33)." (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Entry: Sprinkling, 1913, James Orr, M.A., D.D.) Naza is "...a spattering or (Hiphil) sprinkling of blood, oil, or water with one's finger (Lev. 4:6) or a 'sprinkler' (Lev. 14:7). It is distinguished from zaraq, a heavier 'sprinkling' executed with the whole hand (Ex. 9:8; 29:20-21; Lev. 4:6)" (Harris, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, vol. 2, p. 566) "Nazah (נזה ) occurs twenty-four times, and is always rendered to sprinkle. It is not necessarily used in a ceremonial sense. The LXX renders it by ῥαίνω , ῥαντίζω , and their compounds. It is applied to the priest's sprinkling of blood with the finger before the vail, or on the side of the altar, or on the mercy-seat, on the occasion of the sin offering, in Leviticus 4:6; Leviticus 4:17; Leviticus 5:9; Leviticus 16:14-15; Leviticus 16:19. It is also applied to the sprinkling of the blood of the bird on the leper with hyssop, Leviticus 14:7; Leviticus 14:51; to the sprinkling the water of purifying and separation, Numbers 8:7; Numbers 19:21; and to the sprinkling of oil with the finger, Leviticus 8:11; Leviticus 8:30; Leviticus 14:16; Leviticus 14:27. The word is used with a spiritual significance in Isaiah 52:15, 'So shall he sprinkle many nations.' It signifies dropping, whilst Zarak marks pouring forth." (Robert Baker Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, 1871, Entry for 'Sprinkling')
Below is a snapshot of the Greek word in its inflected form as it appears in the LXX ( HYPERLINK "http://apostolic.interlinearbible.org/isaiah/53.htm" http://apostolic.interlinearbible.org/isaiah/53.htm):
And the lemma (dictionary entry) form is shown below ( HYPERLINK "http://biblesuite.com/greek/601.htm" http://biblesuite.com/greek/601.htm):
Here is that word in its inflected form in Mat 16:17 ( HYPERLINK "http://interlinearbible.org/matthew/16-17.htm" http://interlinearbible.org/matthew/16-17.htm):
Notice that the Strong's number, #601, appearing above the word, is the same as the LXX word in Isa 53:1. And here is the word in its inflected form in Mat 11:27 ( HYPERLINK "http://interlinearbible.org/matthew/11-27.htm" http://interlinearbible.org/matthew/11-27.htm):
Again, notice that the Strong's number, #601, appearing above the word, is the same as the LXX word in Isa 53:1.
"he grew up כּיּונק, like the suckling, i.e., (in a horticultural sense) the tender twig which sucks up its nourishment from the root and stem (not as Hitzig supposes, according to Eze 31:16, from the moisture in the soil); for the tender twig upon a tree, or trunk, or stalk, is called ינקת (for which we have יונק here): vid., Eze 17:22, the twig of a cedar; Psa 80:12 (11), of a vine; Job 8:16, of a liana. It is thought of here as a layer, as in Eze 17:22; and, indeed, as the second figure shows when taken in connection with Isa 11:1, as having been laid down after the proud cedar of the Davidic monarchy from which it sprang had been felled; for elsewhere it is compared to a shoot which springs from the root left in the ground after the tree has been felled. Both figures depict the lowly and unattractive character of the small though vigorous beginning. The expression “out of dry ground,” which belongs to both figures, brings out, in addition, the miserable character of the external circumstances in the midst of which the birth and growth of the servant had taken place." (Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsh, 1890, Pg 288) "The servant grows before Yahweh ‘like a sucker’ — the word elsewhere denotes a baby boy. ‘Root’, too, applies to an ordinary individual in Job 8.17; 14.8; 18.16; 29.19, but also to a people in Hos. 9.16; 14.5 161; 2Kgs 19.30; Ps. 80.9 1101, and to a king in Isa. 11.10; Ezek. 17.6—9. A sucker is a shoot from a plant’s root rather than from its stem, and presumably ‘root’ carries the same connotation. ‘He grew like a sucker before him [the actual word order] and like a root’ or ‘he grew before him like a sucker from a root’ (if we are to interweave the two cola) would naturally suggest that the servant developed a ministry that manifested God’s care and blessing. But ‘sucker’ hints at an ambiguity. For some bushes and trees, suckers are a normal way to propagate, and there is no negative implication in the OT use of the word (see Ezek. 17.22; Hos. 14.6, [7]; Ps. 80.11 [12]; Job 8.16; 14.7; 15.30). But from some plants, suckers are a defective and ineffective way to propagate: they lead to no genuine growth. Such suckers may grow (for instance) when the ground is hard and dry and cannot sustain proper growth. At the end of the line it indeed transpires that the growth takes place ‘out of dry ground’ and therefore not very healthily. In the parallelism, as ‘he grew up before him’ applies in the second colon as well as the first, but ‘out of dry ground’ applies in the first as well as the second. And delaying the latter until the very end means that the line’s real point does not become clear until its last word, ‘dry’. The servant recalls individual, community or king fainting for lack of water in a dry land and needing dry land to he transformed by the gift o water (e.g., 35.1; 41.18; Pss. 63.1 [21; 105.41; 107.35). Perhaps the implication is that he grows out of a people who have themselves been turned into dry ground (see esp. Ezek. 19.13, of a king; also Jer. 50.12; Hos. 2.3 151; Zeph. 2.13). The assertion that he grows ‘before God’ is therefore a paradoxical one; its significance will be explored in vv. 4—12. But this fact about the nature of his growth begins to explain why no one would have believed a message about his being the place where Yhwh’s arm revealed itself." (The Message of Isaiah 40-55: A Literary-Theological Commentary, John Goldingay, Pg 497)
Richard Baxter, a prominent 17th century Puritan pastor, wrote, "Doth it say any where that he died only for his Sheep, or his Elect, and exclude the Non-Elect? There is no such word in all the Bible.” (Richard Baxter, Universal Redemption of Mankind by the Lord Jesus Christ, 1694, Pgs 282-283). That word "only" appears in Rev 21:27* which reads, "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life." This speaks to the exclusivity and efficacy of Christ's death. Because the Lamb's book contains the names of those purchased by the blood of the slain Lamb (a most reasonable, compelling inference drawn from Rev 5:9 and 13:8), we know that Christ died for those people only. Only those named persons will enter the Holy City and enjoy eternity with God, according to Rev 21:27. Also note that Heb 2:9 is not in conflict with Rev 21:27. Heb 2:9 says that Christ tasted death for "everyone" (note that the clause "might taste death for everyone" is a purpose clause and, hence, the subjunctive mood of the verb "tasting" geuomai denotes purpose not possibility. Thus, we should understand Heb 2:9 as saying that he actually and effectually tasted death). Although Heb 2:9 has the word "everyone", the next verse uses the word "many". Heb 2:10 says, "In bringing many sons to glory". This, like Rev 21:27, speaks of the power and efficacy of death Christ tasted on behalf of any person. That person is unfailingly brought into glory. Salvation is not just made possible for that person, but rather he is justified, sanctified and glorified -- the whole process, every step of the way. Certainly, it is the "many" persons (verse 10) and not literally "everyone" (verse 9) who will be brought into glory by Christ through the death he tasted on their behalf. (Everyone is not going to be saved, Mat 25:46; Dan 12:2). In light of this, the word "everyone" in verse 9 is properly understood as meaning that Christ tasted death, not just for the Jews, but for multitudes without distinction, even Gentiles (which might seem scandalous to the Jewish Christians for whom the book of Hebrews was written). While it is certainly true that God most earnestly calls in the gospel for all men to repent and believe in Christ, promising sincerely that those who do so will be saved (Jn 5:34; 6:51; 1Ti 2:3-4), only those for whom he died will effectually hear the gospel and rightly respond (Mat 22:14; Acts 13:48). The whole world is loved by God (Jn 3:16), but only the church is redemptively and efficaciously loved (Eph 5:25-26; Rev 21:27).
*NOTE: The phrase "but only" here in Rev 21:27 is a translation of the two words ei me (literally, "if not", see HYPERLINK "http://interlinearbible.org/revelation/21-27.htm" http://interlinearbible.org/revelation/21-27.htm, and HYPERLINK "http://biblesuite.com/greek/1508.htm" http://biblesuite.com/greek/1508.htm). The word "only" in Greek is monos and that word is not present in Rev 21:27. And there are many old English translations that don't contain the word "only" in Rev 21:27. Instead, they just use the word "but". This is true in the 1395 Wycliffe Bible, 1535 Coverdale Bible, 1582 Douay–Rheims Catholic Bible (translated from the 405 Vulgate), 1587 Geneva Bible or the 1611 KJV. Some modern English Bibles that don't have the word "only" are the 1833 Webster, 1852 Murdock, 1898 YLT, 2005 ACV, 2010 LEB. Modern English Bibles that contain the phrase "but only" in Rev 21:27 are quite numerous (NKJV, RSV, NAS, HCSB, NET, NIV84, TNIV, NIV2011, AMP, WEB, etc.). The ESV just has "only".
The atonement is not applied until the point of belief is reached and the elect will unfailingly reach that point (Ro 8:29-30). But regarding perseverance in the faith, see Rev 3:5; Jn 15:6; Heb 6:4-6; 10:26-27 and c.f. Mat 7:23; 1Jn 2:19; 3:9, 6; 5:18; Jn 6:37-40, 44; 10:28-29; Heb 7:25 etc. The warnings and terrors threatened in Scripture are never hypothetical but yet they are the very means through which those who are purchased of God through Christ are forever established (Jer 32:40; Pro 14:27; Psa 119:102; Exo 20:20; Jn 10:27; 1Co 10:11). Charles Spurgeon memorably and wonderfully describes it this way: "God preserves his children from falling away; but he keeps them by the use of means; and one of these is, the terrors of the law, showing them what would happen if they were to fall away. There is a deep precipice: what is the best way to keep any one from going down there? Why, to tell him that if he did he would inevitably be dashed to pieces. In some old castle there is a deep cellar, where there is a vast amount of fixed air and gas, which would kill anybody who went down. What does the guide say? "If you go down you will never come up alive." Who thinks of going down? The very fact of the guide telling us what the consequences would be, keeps us from it. Our friend puts away from us a cup of arsenic; he does not want us to drink it, but he says, "If you drink it, it will kill you." Does he suppose for a moment that we should drink it. No; he tells us the consequences, and he is sure we will not do it. So God says, "My child, if you fall over this precipice you will be dashed to pieces."" (Final Perseverance, Charles Spurgeon, 1856).
"σώζω sōzō sode'-zo; From a primary word σῶς sōs̄ (contraction for the obsolete σάος saos, “safe”); to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): - heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole." (James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, 1890, Entry: G4982)
The question arises: If he already took away wrath, why are believers objects of wrath until they believe in Jesus (c.f. Jn 3:18; Eph 2:3)? The answer is that they are indeed objects of wrath but, over against this, they are objects of God's salvific and efficacious love (Eph 2:4-5) by which they are drawn to Christ for salvation.
“Sheep are not only dependent creatures; they are also singularly unintelligent, prone to wandering and unable to fìnd their way to a sheepfold even when it is within sight.” (Leland Ryken, Dictionary of biblical imagery, Pg 782) “Those who watch sheep carefully, or keep them as pets, find them by no means devoid of intelligence. They have, however, a stupid habit of following, without scruple, the leader of the flock; so that, when sheep are being driven across a narrow bridge, or where a fence separates the road from a precipice, if anything occur to deter them from proceeding in the proper path, and one break over the fence of parapet, more of the flock may be expected to follow, as has sometimes happened to their utter destruction.” (William Robert Chambers, Chambers’s Encyclopedia, a dictionary of universal knowledge, Pg 378). “Sheep can recognize individual human and ovine faces, and remember them for years... Sheep are frequently thought of as extremely unintelligent animals. A sheep's herd mentality and quickness to flee and panic in the face of stress often make shepherding a difficult endeavor for the uninitiated. Despite these perceptions, a University of Illinois monograph on sheep found them to be just below pigs and on par with cattle in IQ, and some sheep have shown problem-solving abilities; a flock in West Yorkshire, England allegedly found a way to get over cattle grids by rolling on their backs, although documentation of this has relied on anecdotal accounts. In addition to long-term facial recognition of individuals, sheep can also differentiate emotional states through facial characteristics.” (Sheep, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 25 Sep. 2011 <http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheep>))
Here is the LXX of Gen 15:6 ( HYPERLINK "http://apostolic.interlinearbible.org/genesis/15.htm" http://apostolic.interlinearbible.org/genesis/15.htm):
and here is the Greek of Ro 4:3 ( HYPERLINK "http://interlinearbible.org/romans/4-3.htm" http://interlinearbible.org/romans/4-3.htm):
Not surprisingly they are identical because the apostles quoted chiefly from the LXX.
(Thayer's Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament, Jospeh Henry Thayer, D.D., 1896) ( HYPERLINK "http://biblesuite.com/greek/3049.htm" http://biblesuite.com/greek/3049.htm).
"The eunuch was studying the whole account of the sufferer whom the prophet here describes. The verses quoted here are Isaiah liii. 7, 8, and are given word for word from the LXX, which it is most probable that the eunuch was reading, as being made in Egypt that version was most likely to be circulated among those Jews with whom this man would be brought into communication. Philip also belonging to the Grecians (vi. 5) would be most familiar with the Greek translation." (The Acts of the Apostles (I-XIV), Joseph Rawson Lumby, 1879, Pg 106)
There are alternative ways this verse can be translated. The NIV 1984 textnote reads, "Yet who of his generation considered / that he was cut off from the land of the living / for the transgression of my people, / to whom the blow was due?" The NET Bible reads, "He was led away after an unjust trial – but who even cared? Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded." The NAS reads, "By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?" Verse 9 is also found in Acts 8:33 which is drawn from the LXX. There are no alternatives for how that text can be translated. The NIV84 of Acts 8:33 reads, "In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth." The KJV reads, "In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth."
"What would Pilate and the soldiers guarding the cross, who were in charge of the body of Jesus, have been most likely to do with it? There is a distinct possibility that they might have done nothing at all with the body, but simply left it hanging on the cross. As Martin Hengel has observed, the Romans used crucifixion not only as a punishment but also as a deterrent, and while the punitive effect of crucifixion may have ended when the victim died, the deterrent effect did not have to. The impact of crucifixion could go on for days at a time, as the body of one who had crossed the purposes of Rome was left hanging in public view, rotting in the sun, with birds pecking away at it. ... On balance, then, the Romans involved with the death of Jesus naturally would have expected that the body would remain on the cross, unless Pilate ordered otherwise. It was something of a commonplace in the Empire that victims of crucifixion would become food for carrion-birds, unless the clemency of a governor intervened. Certainly Rome had its reasons for leaving its victims on public display. This fact can help to explain an interesting detail in Mark’s account of the burial of Jesus: Mark 15:43 says that Joseph of Arimathea “dared” (tolmesas) to approach Pilate and request the body of Jesus. Why “dared?” Because such a request would indeed have been daring in light of the fact that victims often remained hanging on crosses as symbols of Roman will. On the other hand, a request by a Jewish leader for the body of Jesus would not have been out of place, either, since Roman prefects—including at least one that we know of in first-century Jerusalem—did allow the burial of crucifixion victims. In the case of Jesus, such an allowance was likely, since Jesus was not caught up in a mass crucifixion, and his death did not come at a time of revolt against Rome. The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day generally cooperated with Pilate in preserving public order in Jerusalem, and the occasion of Jesus’ death was a Jewish religious holiday. It may have taken a little nerve, then, but someone like Joseph of Arimathea could have reasonably expected that Pilate would grant his request for the body of Jesus." (Authenticating the Activities of Jesus, Bruce Chilton and Craig A. Evans, 2002, Pgs 432-436) "...it was the Roman custom to leave criminals hanging on the crosses for days, till their bodies wore devoured by birds and wild animals; the Jewish Law enacted that when bodies wore penally suspended, they should be taken down and buried before night (Deut. xxi. 22, 23), that the land might not be defiled. Tomorrow (beginning at sunset), being a specialIy solemn day, as combining the sabbath and the Passover celebration, the Jews were particularly anxious that the crucified bodies of our Lord and the two robbers should be taken away and put out of sight before the sabbath began. To effect this object, they went to Pilate, and begged him to put an end to their suffering by the sharp, short process of breaking their legs." (St. Matthew, Volume 2, Arthur Lukyn Williams, 1894, Pg 597)
The Hebrew word translated "death" is actually plural. Here is how verse 9 looks in the ISA (Interlinear Scripture Analyzer, a free download from HYPERLINK "http://www.scripture4all.org/" http://www.scripture4all.org/):
Delitzsh explains, " is a plur. exaggerativus here, as in Eze 28:10 (compare memōthē in Eze 28:8 and Jer 16:4); it is applied to a violent death, the very pain of which makes it like dying again and again." (Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsh, 1890, Pg 329). Jewish counter-missionaries see this plural word as a confirmation that the servant is the nation of Israel. However, it is to note that, in verse 12, the word "death" is singular. Another issue here is that the couplet in verse 9 is supposed to express a parallelism but "with the rich" is not a parallel to "with the wicked". One expositor explains, "Verse 9 presents an enigma, a striking prediction fulfilled in due time, and a transition to the final stanza, which describes the Servant’s vindication. The enigma consists in the apparent juxtaposition of “the wicked” and “the rich,” the former more appropriate to his rejection and the latter to his ultimate vindication. We are forced to conclude that the parallelism is not synonymous but antithetical, the first line indicating the human intention and the second the divinely ordained intervention and transference." (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol 6, Proverbs-Isaiah, Tremper Longman III, Pg 801-802)
The KJV reads, "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand." The NKJV, NAS, and HCSB also use the word "pleasure".
The word “light” appears on column #44 line #19 word #6 of the Great Isaiah Scroll which is now displayed online ( HYPERLINK "http://www.imj.org.il/shrine_center/Isaiah_Scrolling/index.html" Dead Sea Scrolls). Here is the scroll:
INCLUDEPICTURE "http://1thingiask4.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/column44_zoom.jpg?w=640" \* MERGEFORMATINET
And here is the translation (the content in RED is not in the Masoretic text):
The NIV textnote reads, "Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text does not have the light of life." Here is the LXX ( HYPERLINK "http://apostolic.interlinearbible.org/isaiah/53.htm" http://apostolic.interlinearbible.org/isaiah/53.htm):
The word order is unusual. Here is a snapshot of the Hebrew ( HYPERLINK "http://interlinearbible.org/isaiah/53.htm" http://interlinearbible.org/isaiah/53.htm):
The two words, #6662 and #6663, above are the adjective and verb form of the same root, tsedeq. Interestingly, the LXX has follows the same pattern, placing the adjective and verb forms side by side:
"The adjective “righteous” and the verb “will justify,” coming from the same Hebrew root (sdq), are placed next to each other in the Hebrew, as though to stress their relationship." (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol 6, Proverbs-Isaiah, Tremper Longman III, Pg 803) "‘My righteous servant’ is scarcely emphatic enough. The words in the original stand in an unusual order, which might be represented by ‘the righteous one, My servant,’ and is intended to put emphasis on the Servant’s righteousness, as well as to suggest the connection between His righteousness and His ‘justifying,’ in virtue of His being righteous. ‘Justify’ is an unusual form, and means to procure for, or impart righteousness to. ‘The many’ has stress on the article, and is the antithesis not to all, but to few. We might render it 'the masses' an indefinite expression, which if not declaring universality, approaches very near to it, as in Romans v. 19 and Matthew xxvi. 28." (Expositions Of Holy Scripture Isaiah And Jeremiah, Alexander MacLaren, Pg 321).
There are two translation issues here: 1) The phrase can be alternatively translated: The NIV textnote reads, "Or by knowledge of him"; and 2) Some translations (e.g. NET, HCSB) put this phrase "by his knowledge" with the preceding clause so that the Servant is said to be satisfied with the outcome of his experience. But most translations (KJV, NKJV, RSV, NAS, etc) link the phrase with the words that follow it. One expositor explains, "Some commentators take the words "by his knowledge" with the preceding clause; but, as Young points out, the Masoretic accentuation, representing of course the Jewish traditional understanding, links it with the words that follow it." (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol 6, Proverbs-Isaiah, Tremper Longman III, Pg 802) Another writes, "First, the interpreter must decide where to divide the first half of the verse from the second half. NIV and NASB follow those who break the verse after “be satisfied” while NRSV and HCSB end the first half of the verse after “by his knowledge.” The later approach divides the verse more evenly into two equal halves and should be followed." (The New American Commentary - Isaiah 40-66, Gary V. Smith, Pg 462) Also note that the word "knowledge" ( bedatow) is the noun form of the verb yada which has to do with personal experiential knowledge.
The AMP reads, "by His knowledge of Himself [which He possesses and imparts to others] shall My [uncompromisingly] righteous One, My Servant, justify many and make many righteous (upright and in right standing with God)...".
A few translations differ from the NIV on this verse. The HCSB reads, "Therefore I will give Him the many as a portion, and He will receive the mighty as spoil...". The LXX also reads, "Therefore he shall inherit many, and he shall divide the spoils of the mighty..." The Vulgate (and Douay–Rheims Catholic Bible) reads, "Therefore will I distribute to him very many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong..." ( HYPERLINK "http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=0&b=27&c=53" http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=0&b=27&c=53). But most translations (KJV, NKJV, RSV, NAS, NET, etc.) agree with the NIV text on verse 12 and for good reason. The translation issue hinges on the two prepositions shown in the ISA (Interlinear Scripture Analyzer, a free download from HYPERLINK "http://www.scripture4all.org/" http://www.scripture4all.org/) snapshot below in RED:
Delitzsh writes, "Luther follows the lxx and Vulgate, and adopts the rendering, “Therefore will I give Him a great multitude for booty;” and Hävernick, Stier, and others adopt essentially the same rendering, “Therefore will I apportion to Him the many.” But, as Job 39:17 clearly shows, this clause can only mean, “Therefore will I give Him a portion in the many.” If, however, chillēq b' means to have a portion in anything, and not to give the thing itself as a portion, it is evident that bârabbı̄m here are not the many, but the great; and this is favoured by the parallel clause. The ideas of greatness and force, both in multitude and might, are bound up together in rabh and ‛âtsūm (see Isa 8:7), and the context only can decide which rendering is to be adopted when these ideas are separated from one another. What is meant by “giving a portion bârabbı̄m,” is clearly seen from such passages as Isa 52:15; Isa 49:7, according to which the great ones of the earth will be brought to do homage to Him, or at all events to submit to Him. The second clause is rendered by Luther, “and He shall have the strong for a prey.” This is at any rate better than the rendering of the lxx and Vulgate, “et fortium dividet spolia.” But Pro 16:19 shows that את is a preposition. Strong ones surround Him, and fight along with Him. The reference here is to the people of which it is said in Psa 110:3, “They people are thorough devotion in the day of Thy power;” and this people, which goes with Him to battle, and joins with Him in the conquest of the hostile powers of the world (Rev 19:14), also participates in the enjoyment of the spoils of His victory." (Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsh, 1890, Pg 338-339) Another expositor writes, "The Septuagint and Vulgate make the many and the strong the very spoil to be divided (κληρονομήσει πολλούς, dispertiam ei plurimos). The same construction is retained by Lowth, Martini, Rosenmiiller, Hengstenberg, and others. It would scarcely be natural, however, even if both adjectives were preceded by the ambiguous particle , much less when the first has before it, which occurs no where else as a connective of this verb with its object. It is better therefore to adopt the usual construction, sanctioned by Calvin, Gesenius, and Ewald, which supposes him to be described as equal to the greatest conquerors. If this is not enough, or if the sense is frigid, as Martini alleges, it is not the fault of the interpreter, who has no right to strengthen the expressions of his author by means of forced constructions. The simple meaning of the first clause is that he shall be triumphant, not that others shall be sharers in his victory, but that he shall be as gloriously successful in his enterprise as other victors ever were in theirs. Indeed the same sense may be thus obtained, for which the writers above mentioned have departed from the obvious construction, if, instead of making and denote comparison, we understand them to denote locality, and to describe him as obtaining spoil not with but among the many and the strong, and thus securing as the fruits of victory not only their possessions but themselves. Hengstenberg gives the sense of mighty, simply because that idea is expressed by the parallel term ; which rather proves the contrary, as a synonymous parallelism would in this case be enfeebling, and the very same word is admitted to mean many by Hengstenberg himself in the last clause. Abarbenel's objection, that Christ never waged war or divided spoil, has been eagerly caught up and repeated by the rationalistic school of critics. But Hengstenberg has clearly shown that spiritual triumphs must be here intended, because no others could be represented as the fruit of voluntary humiliation and vicarious suffering, and because the same thing is described in the context as a sprinkling of the nations, as a bearing of their guilt, as their justification. The many and the strong of this verse are the nations and the kings of ch. 52:15, the spiritual seed of v. 8 and 10 above." (Commentary on Isaiah, Joseph Addison Alexander, 1870, Pg 306)
Is this intercession a reference to Jesus' prayer on the cross (Luk 23:34)? Luk 23:34a reads, "Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."" Owen remarks on Luk 23:34, "...this prayer is not for all men, but only for that handful of the Jews by whom he was crucified. Now, from a prayer for them to infer a prayer for all and every man that ever were, are, or shall be, is a wild deduction." (The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, John Owen, Pg 66) It is also important to note that Jesus' prayer in Luk 23:34 is missing from many of the earliest manuscripts. The NIV text note on Luk 23:34a reads, "Some early manuscripts do not have this sentence." but the word "some" is an understatement. "The omission of these words in early and diverse manuscripts (the earliest being P75) cannot be explained as a scribal blunder. But were the words purposely excised? Westcott and Hort (1882, 68) considered willful excision to be absolutely unthinkable... It is easier to explain that the words were not written by Luke but were added later (as early as the second century—for it is attested to by Hegesippus and the Diatessaron). If the words came from an oral tradition, many scholars are of the opinion that they are authentic. Indeed, Westcott and Hort (1882, 67) considered these words and 22:43-44 to be “the most precious among the remains of the evangelic tradition which were rescued from oblivion by the scribes of the second century” But what if the words did not come from an oral tradition about Jesus’ life and sayings?.... Contrary to the external evidence and good internal arguments, the words appear in the three Greek editions (TR WH NU) and in all English translations because they have become so much a part of the traditional gospel text that editors of Greek texts and Bible translators alike are not willing to excise this classic statement from their text." (New Testament Text and Translation Commentary, Philip W. Comfort, Pg 239) The NET Bible TC note on Luk 23:34 reads, "Many important mss (Ì75 Í1 B D* W Q 070 579 1241 pc sys sa) lack v. 34a. It is included in Í*,2 (A) C D2 L Y 0250 Ë1,(13) 33 Ï lat syc,p,h. It also fits a major Lukan theme of forgiving the enemies (6:27-36), and it has a parallel in Stephen’s response in Acts 7:60. The lack of parallels in the other Gospels argues also for inclusion here. On the other hand, the fact of the parallel in Acts 7:60 may well have prompted early scribes to insert the saying in Luke’s Gospel alone. Further, there is the great difficulty of explaining why early and diverse witnesses lack the saying. A decision is difficult, but even those who regard the verse as inauthentic literarily often consider it to be authentic historically. For this reason it has been placed in single brackets in the translation." Nathan Eubank, professor of Scripture at Notre Dame Seminary (a Catholic seminary), argues that there is some support for the inclusion of Luk 23:34a. He states, "The evidence for the spuriousness of Luke 23:34a is both early and diverse. The prayer is missing from arguably the two strongest Alexandrian witnesses, p75 and Codex Vaticanus, as well as from 579 and the Sahidic version. It is missing also from important Western witnesses—most notably, the first hand of Codex Bezae and the Old Latin manuscripts a and d—and from the Caesarean manuscript Codex Koridethi. Finally, it is missing from Byzantine manuscripts stretching from Codex W in the late fourth century to 597 in the thirteenth century. Although it lacks the august company of an early papyrus, the long reading also enjoys early and diverse attestation... Moreover, one of these pre-fourth-century witnesses is Origen (ca. 185-254), whose citations of Luke consistently support the Alexandrian text... patristic citations offer a powerful and neglected counterweight to the papyrus. The prayer is cited by Irenaeus (Haer. 3.18.5) and apparently by Marcion (in Epiphanius, Pan. 42.11.6) in the second century, Hippolytus (Ben. Is. Jac. 27.28) in the late second or early third century, as well as Origen (Pasch. 2.43.7-14; Hom. Lev. 2.1.5) in the third and Eusebius (Hist. eccl. 2.23) in the fourth. Ephrem cites the prayer three times in his commentary on the Diatessaron, which suggests that the prayer was in Tatian’s text in the middle of the second century (10.14; 21.3; 21.18)." ("A Disconcerting Prayer: On the Originality of Luke 23:34a", Nathan Eubank, 2010, Pg 521-523)
Copyright © 2024 LA UBF All rights reserved.