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Isaiah 53:1
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John Bunyan
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- Adam Clarke
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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Who hath believed our report? - The report of the prophets, of John the Baptist, and Christ's own report of himself. The Jews did not receive the report, and for this reason he was not manifested to them as the promised Messiah. 'He came unto his own, but his own received him not.' Before the Father he grew up as a tender plant: but to the Jews he was as a root out of a dry ground. 'He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.'
John Gill Bible Commentary
Who hath believed our report?.... Or "hearing" (a). Not what we hear, but others hear from us; the doctrine of the Gospel, which is a report of the love, grace, and mercy of God in Christ; of Christ himself, his person, offices, obedience, sufferings, and death, and of free and full salvation by him: it is a good report, a true and faithful one, and to be believed, and yet there are always but few that give credit to it; there were but few in the times of the Prophet Isaiah that believed what he had before reported, or was about to report, concerning the Messiah; and but few in the times of Christ and his apostles, whom the prophet here represented; for to those times are the words applied, Joh 12:38, the Jews had the report first made unto them, and saw the facts that were done, and yet believed not; when Gentile kings, and their subjects, listened with the most profound silence, and heard with the greatest attention and reverence, as in the latter part of the preceding chapter, to which some think this is opposed; wherefore some begin the text with the adversative particle "but". According to the Septuagint and Arabic versions, the words are directed to God the Father, for they render them, "Lord, who hath believed", &c.; and so they are quoted in the above places in the New Testament: and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? meaning either the Gospel itself, the power of God unto salvation, hidden from the generality of men; for though externally, yet not internally revealed and made known; which to do is the Lord's work, and is owing to his special grace: or Christ, who is the power of God, by whom all the works of creation, providence, grace, and salvation, are wrought; and by whom the blessings of grace are dispensed; and by whom the Lord upholds all things, and supports his people; and who was not revealed but to a very few, as the true Messiah, as God's salvation, and in them the hope of glory: or else the powerful and efficacious grace of the Spirit, and the exertion and display of it, which is necessary to a true and spiritual believing the Gospel, and the report of it; which, unless it comes with the power and Spirit of God, is ineffectual. (a) , Sept.; "auditui nostro", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
The prophet, in the close of the former chapter, had foreseen and foretold the kind reception which the gospel of Christ should find among the Gentiles, that nations and their kings should bid it welcome, that those who had not seen him should believe in him; and though they had not any prophecies among them of gospel grace, which might raise their expectations, and dispose them to entertain it, yet upon the first notice of it they should give it its due weight and consideration. Now here he foretels, with wonder, the unbelief of the Jews, notwithstanding the previous notices they had of the coming of the Messiah in the Old Testament and the opportunity they had of being personally acquainted with him. Observe here, I. The contempt they put upon the gospel of Christ, Isa 53:1. The unbelief of the Jews in our Saviour's time is expressly said to be the fulfilling of this word, Joh 12:38. And it is applied likewise to the little success which the apostles' preaching met with among Jews and Gentiles, Rom 10:16. Note, 1. Of the many that hear the report of the gospel there are few, very few, that believe it. It is reported openly and publicly, not whispered in a corner, or confined to the schools, but proclaimed to all; and it is so faithful a saying, and so well worthy of all acceptation, that one would think it should be universally received and believed. But it is quite otherwise; few believed the prophets who spoke before of Christ; when he came himself none of the rulers nor of the Pharisees followed him, and but here and there one of the common people; and, when the apostles carried this report all the world over, some in every place believed, but comparatively very few. To this day, of the many that profess to believe this report, there are few that cordially embrace it and submit to the power of it. 2. Therefore people believe not the report of the gospel, because the arm of the Lord is not revealed to them; they do not discern, nor will be brought to acknowledge, that divine power which goes along with the word. The arm of the Lord is made bare (as was said, Isa 52:10) in the miracles that were wrought to confirm Christ's doctrine, in the wonderful success of it, and its energy upon the conscience; though it is a still voice, it is a strong one; but they do not perceive this, nor do they experience in themselves that working of the Spirit which makes the word effectual. They believe not the gospel because, by rebelling against the light they had, they had forfeited the grace of God, which therefore he justly denied them and withheld from them, and for want of that they believed not. 3. This is a thing we ought to be much affected with; it is to be wondered at, and greatly lamented, and ministers may go to God and complain of it to him, as the prophet here. What a pity is it that such rich grace should be received in vain, that precious souls should perish at the pool's side, because they will not step in and be healed! II. The contempt they put upon the person of Christ because of the meanness of his appearance, Isa 53:2, Isa 53:3. This seems to come in as a reason why they rejected his doctrine, because they were prejudiced against his person. When he was on earth many that heard him preach, and could not but approve of what they heard, would not give it any regard or entertainment, because it came from one that made so small a figure and had no external advantages to recommend him. Observe here, 1. The low condition he submitted to, and how he abased and emptied himself. The entry he made into the world, and the character he wore in it, were no way agreeable to the ideas which the Jews had formed of the Messiah and their expectations concerning him, but quite the reverse. (1.) It was expected that his extraction would be very great and noble. He was to be the Son of David, of a family that had a name like to the names of the great men that were in the earth, Sa2 7:9. But he sprang out of this royal and illustrious family when it was reduced and sunk, and Joseph, that son of David, who was his supposed father, was but a poor carpenter, perhaps a ship-carpenter, for most of his relations were fishermen. This is here meant by his being a root out of a dry ground, his being born of a mean and despicable family, in the north, in Galilee, of a family out of which, like a dry and desert ground, nothing green, nothing great, was expected, in a country of such small repute that it was thought no good thing could come out of it. His mother, being a virgin, was as dry ground, yet from her he sprang who is not only fruit, but root. The seed on the stony ground had no root; but, though Christ grew out of a dry ground, he is both the root and the offspring of David, the root of the good olive. (2.) It was expected that he should make a public entry, and come in pomp and with observation; but, instead of that, he grew up before God, not before men. God had his eye upon him, but men regarded him not: He grew up as a tender plant, silently and insensibly, and without any noise, as the corn, that tender plant, grows up, we know not how, Mar 4:27. Christ rose as a tender plant, which, one would have thought, might easily be crushed, or might be nipped in one frosty night. The gospel of Christ, in its beginning, was as a grain of mustard-seed, so inconsiderable did it seem, Mat 13:31, Mat 13:32. (3.) It was expected that he should have some uncommon beauty in his face and person, which should charm the eye, attract the heart, and raise the expectations of all that saw him. But there was nothing of this kind in him; not that he was in the least deformed or misshapen, but he had no form nor comeliness, nothing extraordinary, which one might have thought to meet with in the countenance of an incarnate deity. Those who saw him could not see that there was any beauty in him that they should desire him, nothing in him more than in another beloved, Sol 5:9. Moses, when he was born, was exceedingly fair, to such a degree that it was looked upon as a happy presage, Act 7:20; Heb 11:23. David, when he was anointed, was of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to, Sa1 16:12. But our Lord Jesus had nothing of that to recommend him. Or it may refer not so much to his person as to the manner of his appearing in the world, which had nothing in it of sensible glory. His gospel is preached, not with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but with all plainness, agreeable to the subject. (4.) It was expected that he should live a pleasant life, and have a full enjoyment of all the delights of the sons and daughters of men, which would have invited all sorts to him; but, on the contrary, he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. It was not only his last scene that was tragical, but his whole life was so, not only mean, but miserable, - but one continued chain Of labour, sorrow, and consuming pain. - Sir R. Blackmore Thus, being made sin for us, he underwent the sentence sin had subjected us to, that we should eat in sorrow all the days of our life (Gen 3:17), and thereby relaxed much of the rigour and extremity of the sentence as to us. His condition was, upon many accounts, sorrowful. He was unsettled, had not where to lay his head, lived upon alms, was opposed and menaced, and endured the contradiction of sinners against himself. His spirit was tender, and he admitted the impressions of sorrow. We never read that he laughed, but often that he wept. Lentulus, in his epistle to the Roman senate concerning Jesus, says, "he was never seen to laugh;" and so worn and macerated was he with continual grief that when he was but a little above thirty years of age he was taken to be nearly fifty, Joh 8:57. Grief was his intimate acquaintance; for he acquainted himself with the grievances of others, and sympathized with them, and he never set his own at a distance; for in his transfiguration he talked of his own decease, and in his triumph he wept over Jerusalem. Let us look unto him and mourn. 2. The low opinion that men had of him, upon this account. Being generally apt to judge of persons and things by the sight of the eye, and according to outward appearance, they saw no beauty in him that they should desire him. There was a great deal of true beauty in him, the beauty of holiness and the beauty of goodness, enough to render him the desire of all nations; but the far greater part of those among whom he lived, and conversed, saw none of this beauty, for it was spiritually discerned. Carnal hearts see no excellency in the Lord Jesus, nothing that should induce them to desire an acquaintance with him or interest in him. Nay, he is not only not desired, but he is despised and rejected, abandoned and abhorred, a reproach of men, an abject, one that men were shy of keeping company with and had not any esteem for, a worm and no man. He was despised as a mean man, rejected as a bad man. He was the stone which the builders refused; they would not have him to reign over them. Men, who should have had so much reason as to understand things better, so much tenderness as not to trample upon a man in misery - men whom he came to seek and save rejected him: "We hid as it were our faces from him, looked another way, and his sufferings were as nothing to us; though never sorrow was like unto his sorrow. Nay, we not only behaved as having no concern for him, but as loathing him, and having him in detestation." It may be read, He hid as it were his face from us, concealed the glory of his majesty, and drew a veil over it, and therefore he was despised and we esteemed him not, because we could not see through that veil. Christ having undertaken to make satisfaction to the justice of God for the injury man had done him in his honour by sin (and God cannot be injured except in his honour), he did it not only by divesting himself of the glories due to an incarnate deity, but by submitting himself to the disgraces due to the worst of men and malefactors; and thus by vilifying himself he glorified his Father: but this is a good reason why we should esteem him highly, and study to do him honour; let him be received by us whom men rejected.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
53:1 our message: The identity of the speaker has been debated—the main possibilities are (1) a faithful remnant of Israel, and (2) Isaiah himself. Most likely, Isaiah the prophet was speaking for and with Israel. • powerful arm: God’s strength, so dramatically described in the previous chapters (see 50:2; 51:5, 9; 52:10), would actually manifest itself in weakness and apparent helplessness through the servant’s humiliation and exaltation (see 1 Cor 1:27-30).
Isaiah 53:1
The Suffering Servant
1Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
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- Commentary
A Few Sighs From Hell (Reading)
By John Bunyan4.6K36:41ISA 28:16ISA 53:1MAT 6:33LUK 16:24JHN 3:16ROM 10:16HEB 2:3In this sermon transcript, the preacher warns the listeners to consider the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and not to delay in accepting it. He emphasizes the consequences of rejecting this grace, stating that those who do will eventually find themselves in hell, crying out in anguish. The preacher highlights the foolishness of choosing worldly pleasures and sin over the offer of salvation and eternal life. He compares the state of the ungodly to someone in a swoon, unaware of their surroundings until they wake up in hell. The sermon emphasizes the importance of recognizing one's spiritual state and accepting God's grace before it is too late.
The Way to Paradise
By A.W. Tozer3.5K39:50ParadiseDEU 32:1ISA 53:1JER 33:3MAT 13:7MRK 4:24JHN 15:14ACT 1:8In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of believing in the word of God and accepting Jesus as one's advocate. He encourages the listeners to come out on God's side and align themselves with Him in all aspects of life. The preacher highlights the miraculous work of Jesus, from His sacrifice on the cross to His resurrection and ascension. He urges the audience to be careful with the message of salvation and emphasizes the need to obey and follow Jesus. The sermon also mentions the powerful witness of believers and the impact it has on others, particularly young people. The preacher reminds the listeners of the eternal life that awaits believers and the expendability of earthly life in comparison. The sermon concludes with the assurance that preparations are being made in heaven for the future life.
The Power of Gentle Hands
By Carter Conlon2.5K54:04IntimacyPSA 110:2ISA 40:10ISA 52:10ISA 53:1ISA 59:16MAT 6:33In this sermon, the speaker focuses on Isaiah chapter 40 verse 10, which describes the coming of the Lord with a strong hand and His arm ruling for Him. The speaker highlights the anticipation and longing of the people of Israel for a Messiah who would deliver them from their enemies. The people wondered how this Messiah would display His power and reign over their oppressors. The speaker emphasizes the hope and expectation of the people for a powerful Savior who would bring deliverance and rule with authority.
To Whom Is the Arm of the Lord Revealed
By Art Katz2.5K55:04One True GodEXO 32:6ISA 53:1JER 17:5MAT 11:27JAS 1:17The video begins with a blurred image that gradually comes into focus, revealing a white lamb. A man dressed in biblical garments appears and ties the legs of the lamb. The man then proceeds to sacrifice the lamb on a stone altar, causing blood to cascade down the stones. The video highlights the significance of witnessing a sacrifice and the shedding of blood, which has been a part of Jewish tradition for thousands of years. The sermon references several verses from the book of Isaiah that speak of God's arm and his role as a shepherd who gathers and cares for his flock.
How Shall People Come to Faith in Christ?
By John Piper2.3K42:31ISA 52:7ISA 53:1ROM 10:13In this sermon, Pastor John focuses on the relevance of Romans 10:13-21 in understanding salvation and spreading the gospel. He emphasizes the importance of calling upon the name of the Lord for salvation, but highlights the need for belief and hearing the message of the gospel. The role of preachers and being sent to share the good news is also highlighted. Pastor John emphasizes the beauty of those who bring the gospel to places where it wouldn't otherwise reach, whether it's across the street or across the world.
The Blessed Path of Suffering
By Zac Poonen2.2K1:03:34SufferingISA 53:1PHP 4:11REV 2:9In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of following the example of Christ in suffering. He highlights the story of a man in a Chinese prison who converted 600 prisoners through his faith and endurance. The speaker challenges the notion of flashy and self-centered leaders, stating that true servants of the Lord embrace the lowest of people and take up the cause of the black sheep. He also encourages believers to discern between what is spiritual and soulish, and to understand the distinctions between the old and new covenants in the Bible.
Fren-05 Message for Ywam
By Art Katz2.0K1:06:45Prophetic MessagePSA 118:22ISA 53:1MAT 24:14ACT 11:26ROM 10:151PE 2:92PE 3:10In this sermon, the speaker discusses the cataclysmic event of the earth being burned and consumed, as described in the Bible. The speaker emphasizes the importance of conducting oneself with piety and good behavior in light of this impending event. The sermon also references Matthew 24, where Jesus is asked about the sign of his coming, and highlights the significance of the gospel being preached to all nations before the end comes. The speaker then discusses the role of para-church organizations in filling a void and the importance of the church being a true witness and sending body.
Judgment Predicted on the Ungodly
By Aaron Dunlop1.9K30:52JudgmentISA 53:1OBA 1:1In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the first verse of the book of Obadiah. The verse talks about a rumor from the Lord and an ambassador being sent to gather nations against Edom in battle. The speaker emphasizes the atmosphere of judgment and destruction that permeates the air in those Middle Eastern countries. The sermon is divided into three parts: the rumor heard among the people, the action set in motion among the nations, and the judgment that will be done to the heathen. The speaker also discusses the reverberating rumor that is sent from God against sin and heathenism, which will ultimately lead to the destruction of Edom.
The Arm of the Lord - Part 4
By T. Austin-Sparks1.8K51:36God's WorkISA 53:1ISA 53:10MAT 6:33ROM 1:18ROM 6:23ROM 8:1EPH 5:27In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of not compromising the holiness of God. He shares a testimony of witnessing the power of God in the Far East, where a small group of believers grew into a large and thriving church. The speaker then discusses the new prospect found in Romans 8, where there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. He explains that God's purpose is to build His glorious church, and despite the deplorable state of the world, God is able to accomplish His plans. The speaker also mentions the life principle of Watchman Nee, who believed in keeping things small and allowing God to bring about enlargement. The sermon concludes with the question of how to respond to deterring factors and the seriousness of the situation, suggesting that we should persevere and trust in God's power.
The Arm of the Lord - Part 11
By T. Austin-Sparks1.7K47:30God's WorkISA 53:1In this sermon, the speaker discusses how God created a beautiful vessel at the beginning of creation and filled it with His fullness. However, sin entered the world and caused disintegration and conflict within humanity. The speaker emphasizes that the solution to this problem is found in Christ, who will gather together all things and create a new order where conflicts and diversities will no longer exist. The sermon concludes by highlighting the importance of knowing and experiencing God's power, support, protection, and deliverance in our lives.
The Arm of the Lord - Part 5
By T. Austin-Sparks1.7K47:54God's WorkISA 52:13ISA 53:1ISA 54:1ISA 60:1ROM 3:191CO 3:10In this sermon, the speaker discusses the new prospect and hope that comes with the foundation laid by the cross. The Lord is focused on recovering, restoring, and rebuilding His people. The speaker highlights the bright and hopeful notes struck in the later chapters of Isaiah, but also acknowledges the presence of dark clouds that bring uncertainty. The sermon emphasizes the importance of putting only what is suitable and according to the cross of the Lord Jesus on God's foundation, as there are many things to which God says no.
Isaiah 53
By William MacDonald1.5K32:43Suffering ServantPSA 19:1ISA 53:1ISA 53:12MAT 6:33JHN 3:16EPH 2:8REV 2:17In this sermon, Eric Shorken shares his personal testimony of coming to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior. He reflects on the hymn "How Great Thou Art" and how it reminds him of the awe-inspiring power of God displayed in the creation of the universe. Eric also mentions an experiment with a telescope that aimed to see the outer limits of the universe. He emphasizes the importance of experiencing the grace of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and encourages listeners to acknowledge their need for a Savior.
(Romans) Problems and Pictures
By Willie Mullan1.4K57:23ProblemsISA 53:1MAT 6:33ACT 5:29ROM 10:14ROM 10:161PE 4:17In this sermon, the preacher discusses four questions posed by Paul in the Bible. The questions revolve around the importance of belief, hearing, and preaching the word of God. The preacher emphasizes the logical impossibilities of rejecting the message of God, which is the gospel of Christ crucified. He urges the listeners to not ignore or reject this good news, as it is the power of the Holy Spirit that brings faith and salvation. The sermon concludes with a warning about the consequences of disregarding the message of God and a call to repentance.
Prepared Instrument
By Carl Armerding1.3K39:58VesselECC 10:19ISA 6:10ISA 53:1MAT 6:33JHN 12:40ACT 8:35In this sermon, the speaker discusses the theme of being a prepared soul and instrument for God's message. He emphasizes the importance of reading and understanding the Word of God. The speaker also reflects on the stories of individuals who have hit rock bottom and found redemption through the gospel. Additionally, the sermon touches on the extension of Pentecost to Samaria and the sending of the gospel into Africa.
Satan and the Gospel
By Mariano Di Gangi1.1K28:34SatanISA 53:1MAT 6:332CO 4:1EPH 4:12In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of the integrity of the gospel ministry. He highlights the need for a plain proclamation of the truth, without deception or distortion. The preacher also discusses the opposition faced by Christian ministry from Satan, who blinds the minds of unbelievers. Lastly, he emphasizes that Christian ministry should focus on benefiting the body of Christ and serving the Lord, rather than seeking to please men. The sermon references the Bible, particularly the teachings of Jesus in the Gospel of John and the prophet Isaiah.
Look Upon Him
By Erlo Stegen95300:00ChristISA 52:13ISA 53:1In this sermon, the speaker reflects on growing up in a home without musical instruments or worldly distractions. He emphasizes the importance of not despising God's visitation and warns of the terrible consequences for those who do not respond to it. The speaker mentions certain churches that refrain from playing musical instruments during the week of the Lord's passion, resuming on the day of His resurrection. He also highlights the significance of recognizing the time of God's visitation, drawing parallels to the destruction of Jerusalem and the need to understand the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Acts 13
By Bill Gallatin8491:21:59ExpositionalISA 53:1ISA 61:1MAT 6:33ACT 13:40In this sermon, Pastor Bill Gallatin teaches from the Book of Acts chapter 13, starting with verse 1. He begins by emphasizing the importance of faithfully sharing the word of God and allowing it to penetrate hearts. Paul's message to the Israelites and God-fearing Gentiles highlights the history of God's chosen people and His faithfulness to them. The sermon also touches on the importance of diligently seeking God and His plan for our lives, rather than just seeking temporary spiritual experiences. The sermon concludes with the pastor sharing about a gathering of outreach pastors who sought the Lord's guidance for the upcoming year.
The Life and Times of Isaiah
By Steve Gallagher82747:40IsaiahISA 40:3ISA 41:3ISA 42:1ISA 52:7ISA 53:1ISA 53:4ISA 53:7ISA 61:1ISA 65:1MAT 3:3MAT 8:17MAT 12:17MRK 1:2LUK 3:4LUK 4:17JHN 1:23JHN 12:38ACT 8:28ROM 10:15ROM 10:20In this sermon, the speaker discusses the book of Isaiah and its structure. The book is divided into several sections, each with a different focus. The first section denounces Judah, while the second section denounces other nations. The third section, known as Isaiah's Apocalypse, is a fascinating part of the scripture. The speaker also mentions that the book is chronological, starting from chapter one and progressing through the events in order.
(Christ in Isaiah) Part 4
By Tom Orr77251:17ISA 1:6ISA 6:10ISA 53:1ISA 53:5ISA 63:1ISA 64:6JHN 12:37In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the concept of the servant in the book of Isaiah, specifically in chapters 52 and 53. The preacher emphasizes the importance of spreading the message of the good news and asks who has believed their report. The preacher highlights the significance of Jesus as the servant who startled many nations and the test of faith that he faced. The sermon concludes with a discussion of Isaiah 53, where the speaker explores the question of who has believed the report of the servant and the revelation of the arm of the Lord.
Easter (1988) - the Sorrows of Christ
By Mariano Di Gangi65732:08SorrowISA 53:1In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the message of the prophet Isaiah in chapter 53. The passage describes a figure who is humble, unattractive, and familiar with suffering. The preacher emphasizes the contrast between the beauty of those who bring good news and the rejection of the message they proclaim. Despite proclaiming the salvation of God, the messengers find that their message is not believed and the power of God's arm is not revealed to the people.
John's Gospel - Understanding Unbelief
By John Vissers64434:38UnbeliefISA 6:10ISA 53:1MRK 4:12JHN 12:37ROM 10:16In this sermon, the preacher discusses the purpose of parables in the Bible, specifically in Mark chapter 4 and verse 12. He explains that parables are not meant to make things clear, but rather to hide the depth of the revelation and harden hearts. The preacher also references Isaiah 53-1 and Romans 10:16 to highlight the reality of unbelief among the Jews. He emphasizes that God's purpose in election will stand and that faith is a gift that some people have not received. The sermon concludes with a prayer for God to prepare the hearts of the listeners to receive His Word.
The Eternal Anguish of God
By Sandeep Poonen53215:37ISA 53:1ISA 53:10HEB 10:10HEB 10:12
This sermon delves into the profound sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the Eternal One who offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, experiencing eternal separation from God to pay the penalty for our sins. It emphasizes the eternal nature of God's anguish over our sins and the satisfaction found in the redemption of the many through Jesus' sacrifice, highlighting the eternal impact of God's sacrifice and the call to embrace the fellowship of Christ's anguish as we seek to be conformed to His image.
Basics of Revival
By Glenn Meldrum50543:46RevivalISA 53:1JER 17:5MAT 6:33In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of preaching the word of God, even if it takes longer than the usual time allotted for a sermon. He highlights the significance of relying on God for everything, as without Him, we can do nothing. The preacher also discusses the need for unity behind church leadership in order to experience revival. He references Jeremiah 2:13 to illustrate how people often put their trust in worldly things instead of relying on God's provision.
Embracing Christ or Kris Kringle
By Phil Beach Jr.5146:04Embracing ChristChristmasThe True Meaning of ChristmasISA 53:1Phil Beach Jr. emphasizes the importance of choosing between embracing Christ and the commercialized figure of Kris Kringle during the Christmas season. He highlights the need for humility and a right spirit to truly understand the message of Christ, contrasting the genuine humility of the first Christmas with the distractions of modern celebrations. The sermon encourages reflection on the true meaning of Christmas, urging listeners to seek the Spirit of Christ rather than the superficiality associated with Kris Kringle. Beach Jr. calls for a deeper engagement with Scripture to grasp the significance of Christ's birth and its implications for our lives today.
The Captivity of the Righteous Part 5
By Phil Beach Jr.301:14:39True DiscipleshipChristian LifeDevotion to GodISA 53:1MAT 6:33MAT 11:28MAT 22:37LUK 14:26JHN 12:43JHN 21:22ACT 4:32PHP 3:191PE 3:3Phil Beach Jr. emphasizes the importance of finding true satisfaction and peace in God rather than in worldly concerns, particularly for young people who often fret about their future. He encourages them to devote their hearts fully to God, assuring that if they seek Him first, everything else will fall into place. The sermon highlights the need to prioritize following Jesus over seeking the approval of others, as true discipleship requires a willingness to lay aside personal ambitions and societal pressures. Beach also addresses the dangers of being captivated by health, wealth, and family, urging believers to seek freedom from these distractions to fully embrace their relationship with Christ.
- Adam Clarke
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Who hath believed our report? - The report of the prophets, of John the Baptist, and Christ's own report of himself. The Jews did not receive the report, and for this reason he was not manifested to them as the promised Messiah. 'He came unto his own, but his own received him not.' Before the Father he grew up as a tender plant: but to the Jews he was as a root out of a dry ground. 'He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.'
John Gill Bible Commentary
Who hath believed our report?.... Or "hearing" (a). Not what we hear, but others hear from us; the doctrine of the Gospel, which is a report of the love, grace, and mercy of God in Christ; of Christ himself, his person, offices, obedience, sufferings, and death, and of free and full salvation by him: it is a good report, a true and faithful one, and to be believed, and yet there are always but few that give credit to it; there were but few in the times of the Prophet Isaiah that believed what he had before reported, or was about to report, concerning the Messiah; and but few in the times of Christ and his apostles, whom the prophet here represented; for to those times are the words applied, Joh 12:38, the Jews had the report first made unto them, and saw the facts that were done, and yet believed not; when Gentile kings, and their subjects, listened with the most profound silence, and heard with the greatest attention and reverence, as in the latter part of the preceding chapter, to which some think this is opposed; wherefore some begin the text with the adversative particle "but". According to the Septuagint and Arabic versions, the words are directed to God the Father, for they render them, "Lord, who hath believed", &c.; and so they are quoted in the above places in the New Testament: and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? meaning either the Gospel itself, the power of God unto salvation, hidden from the generality of men; for though externally, yet not internally revealed and made known; which to do is the Lord's work, and is owing to his special grace: or Christ, who is the power of God, by whom all the works of creation, providence, grace, and salvation, are wrought; and by whom the blessings of grace are dispensed; and by whom the Lord upholds all things, and supports his people; and who was not revealed but to a very few, as the true Messiah, as God's salvation, and in them the hope of glory: or else the powerful and efficacious grace of the Spirit, and the exertion and display of it, which is necessary to a true and spiritual believing the Gospel, and the report of it; which, unless it comes with the power and Spirit of God, is ineffectual. (a) , Sept.; "auditui nostro", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
The prophet, in the close of the former chapter, had foreseen and foretold the kind reception which the gospel of Christ should find among the Gentiles, that nations and their kings should bid it welcome, that those who had not seen him should believe in him; and though they had not any prophecies among them of gospel grace, which might raise their expectations, and dispose them to entertain it, yet upon the first notice of it they should give it its due weight and consideration. Now here he foretels, with wonder, the unbelief of the Jews, notwithstanding the previous notices they had of the coming of the Messiah in the Old Testament and the opportunity they had of being personally acquainted with him. Observe here, I. The contempt they put upon the gospel of Christ, Isa 53:1. The unbelief of the Jews in our Saviour's time is expressly said to be the fulfilling of this word, Joh 12:38. And it is applied likewise to the little success which the apostles' preaching met with among Jews and Gentiles, Rom 10:16. Note, 1. Of the many that hear the report of the gospel there are few, very few, that believe it. It is reported openly and publicly, not whispered in a corner, or confined to the schools, but proclaimed to all; and it is so faithful a saying, and so well worthy of all acceptation, that one would think it should be universally received and believed. But it is quite otherwise; few believed the prophets who spoke before of Christ; when he came himself none of the rulers nor of the Pharisees followed him, and but here and there one of the common people; and, when the apostles carried this report all the world over, some in every place believed, but comparatively very few. To this day, of the many that profess to believe this report, there are few that cordially embrace it and submit to the power of it. 2. Therefore people believe not the report of the gospel, because the arm of the Lord is not revealed to them; they do not discern, nor will be brought to acknowledge, that divine power which goes along with the word. The arm of the Lord is made bare (as was said, Isa 52:10) in the miracles that were wrought to confirm Christ's doctrine, in the wonderful success of it, and its energy upon the conscience; though it is a still voice, it is a strong one; but they do not perceive this, nor do they experience in themselves that working of the Spirit which makes the word effectual. They believe not the gospel because, by rebelling against the light they had, they had forfeited the grace of God, which therefore he justly denied them and withheld from them, and for want of that they believed not. 3. This is a thing we ought to be much affected with; it is to be wondered at, and greatly lamented, and ministers may go to God and complain of it to him, as the prophet here. What a pity is it that such rich grace should be received in vain, that precious souls should perish at the pool's side, because they will not step in and be healed! II. The contempt they put upon the person of Christ because of the meanness of his appearance, Isa 53:2, Isa 53:3. This seems to come in as a reason why they rejected his doctrine, because they were prejudiced against his person. When he was on earth many that heard him preach, and could not but approve of what they heard, would not give it any regard or entertainment, because it came from one that made so small a figure and had no external advantages to recommend him. Observe here, 1. The low condition he submitted to, and how he abased and emptied himself. The entry he made into the world, and the character he wore in it, were no way agreeable to the ideas which the Jews had formed of the Messiah and their expectations concerning him, but quite the reverse. (1.) It was expected that his extraction would be very great and noble. He was to be the Son of David, of a family that had a name like to the names of the great men that were in the earth, Sa2 7:9. But he sprang out of this royal and illustrious family when it was reduced and sunk, and Joseph, that son of David, who was his supposed father, was but a poor carpenter, perhaps a ship-carpenter, for most of his relations were fishermen. This is here meant by his being a root out of a dry ground, his being born of a mean and despicable family, in the north, in Galilee, of a family out of which, like a dry and desert ground, nothing green, nothing great, was expected, in a country of such small repute that it was thought no good thing could come out of it. His mother, being a virgin, was as dry ground, yet from her he sprang who is not only fruit, but root. The seed on the stony ground had no root; but, though Christ grew out of a dry ground, he is both the root and the offspring of David, the root of the good olive. (2.) It was expected that he should make a public entry, and come in pomp and with observation; but, instead of that, he grew up before God, not before men. God had his eye upon him, but men regarded him not: He grew up as a tender plant, silently and insensibly, and without any noise, as the corn, that tender plant, grows up, we know not how, Mar 4:27. Christ rose as a tender plant, which, one would have thought, might easily be crushed, or might be nipped in one frosty night. The gospel of Christ, in its beginning, was as a grain of mustard-seed, so inconsiderable did it seem, Mat 13:31, Mat 13:32. (3.) It was expected that he should have some uncommon beauty in his face and person, which should charm the eye, attract the heart, and raise the expectations of all that saw him. But there was nothing of this kind in him; not that he was in the least deformed or misshapen, but he had no form nor comeliness, nothing extraordinary, which one might have thought to meet with in the countenance of an incarnate deity. Those who saw him could not see that there was any beauty in him that they should desire him, nothing in him more than in another beloved, Sol 5:9. Moses, when he was born, was exceedingly fair, to such a degree that it was looked upon as a happy presage, Act 7:20; Heb 11:23. David, when he was anointed, was of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to, Sa1 16:12. But our Lord Jesus had nothing of that to recommend him. Or it may refer not so much to his person as to the manner of his appearing in the world, which had nothing in it of sensible glory. His gospel is preached, not with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but with all plainness, agreeable to the subject. (4.) It was expected that he should live a pleasant life, and have a full enjoyment of all the delights of the sons and daughters of men, which would have invited all sorts to him; but, on the contrary, he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. It was not only his last scene that was tragical, but his whole life was so, not only mean, but miserable, - but one continued chain Of labour, sorrow, and consuming pain. - Sir R. Blackmore Thus, being made sin for us, he underwent the sentence sin had subjected us to, that we should eat in sorrow all the days of our life (Gen 3:17), and thereby relaxed much of the rigour and extremity of the sentence as to us. His condition was, upon many accounts, sorrowful. He was unsettled, had not where to lay his head, lived upon alms, was opposed and menaced, and endured the contradiction of sinners against himself. His spirit was tender, and he admitted the impressions of sorrow. We never read that he laughed, but often that he wept. Lentulus, in his epistle to the Roman senate concerning Jesus, says, "he was never seen to laugh;" and so worn and macerated was he with continual grief that when he was but a little above thirty years of age he was taken to be nearly fifty, Joh 8:57. Grief was his intimate acquaintance; for he acquainted himself with the grievances of others, and sympathized with them, and he never set his own at a distance; for in his transfiguration he talked of his own decease, and in his triumph he wept over Jerusalem. Let us look unto him and mourn. 2. The low opinion that men had of him, upon this account. Being generally apt to judge of persons and things by the sight of the eye, and according to outward appearance, they saw no beauty in him that they should desire him. There was a great deal of true beauty in him, the beauty of holiness and the beauty of goodness, enough to render him the desire of all nations; but the far greater part of those among whom he lived, and conversed, saw none of this beauty, for it was spiritually discerned. Carnal hearts see no excellency in the Lord Jesus, nothing that should induce them to desire an acquaintance with him or interest in him. Nay, he is not only not desired, but he is despised and rejected, abandoned and abhorred, a reproach of men, an abject, one that men were shy of keeping company with and had not any esteem for, a worm and no man. He was despised as a mean man, rejected as a bad man. He was the stone which the builders refused; they would not have him to reign over them. Men, who should have had so much reason as to understand things better, so much tenderness as not to trample upon a man in misery - men whom he came to seek and save rejected him: "We hid as it were our faces from him, looked another way, and his sufferings were as nothing to us; though never sorrow was like unto his sorrow. Nay, we not only behaved as having no concern for him, but as loathing him, and having him in detestation." It may be read, He hid as it were his face from us, concealed the glory of his majesty, and drew a veil over it, and therefore he was despised and we esteemed him not, because we could not see through that veil. Christ having undertaken to make satisfaction to the justice of God for the injury man had done him in his honour by sin (and God cannot be injured except in his honour), he did it not only by divesting himself of the glories due to an incarnate deity, but by submitting himself to the disgraces due to the worst of men and malefactors; and thus by vilifying himself he glorified his Father: but this is a good reason why we should esteem him highly, and study to do him honour; let him be received by us whom men rejected.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
53:1 our message: The identity of the speaker has been debated—the main possibilities are (1) a faithful remnant of Israel, and (2) Isaiah himself. Most likely, Isaiah the prophet was speaking for and with Israel. • powerful arm: God’s strength, so dramatically described in the previous chapters (see 50:2; 51:5, 9; 52:10), would actually manifest itself in weakness and apparent helplessness through the servant’s humiliation and exaltation (see 1 Cor 1:27-30).