Isaiah 53

Study Guide 58: Isaiah 49-54 GOD’ S SERVANT Overview Isaiah powerfully portrayed the awesome greatness of Israel’ s Sovereign Lord. In power the Holy One of Isaiah will come to: enforce obedience blot out injustice exercise kingly power judge the earth fulfill the covenant promises be welcomed by Israel win the allegiance of mankind. Now, suddenly, Isaiah introduced a different theme. The King will be a Servant! As Servant, He will: be obedient suffer injustice will not raise His voice will become a covenant will be rejected by Israel will be mocked and spit on. And, at the climax of these revelations, is the explicit picture in Isaiah 53:1-12 of the Servant’ s substitutionary death! The contrast between Isaiah’ s image of the Sovereign Lord, acting in power, and his image of the Servant, suffering for others, was puzzling to Old Testament saints. But now, in Jesus, we at last understand the unity of God’ s plan. Jesus suffered, but will return in glory. And, in Isaiah’ s vision of a Suffering Servant, we see our Lord more clearly — and we better understand our calling to be servants too. SERVANT. In Old Testament thought it was not demeaning to be a servant. One Hebrew term, sarit, suggests that the “ servant” serves an important person to whom he is close, and that what the servant does is truly significant.

Commentary And now the Lord says — He who formed me in the womb to be His servant to bring Jacob back to Him and gather Israel to Himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength — He says: “ It is too small a thing for you to be My servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.” This is what the Lord says — the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel — to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: “ Kings will see You and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of the Lord, who is faithful.” Isaiah 49:5-7 A Servant? At first the title “ Servant” seems out of place among all the splenderous titles which Isaiah gave God: The Holy One. The Redeemer. The Sovereign Lord. The Everlasting God. All these names seem so much more appropriate to that Person who is unveiled in this great prophetic book. Yet “ Servant” may most fully display the glory and wonder of our God. The title is one that Jesus chose for Himself and held out His lifestyle as a model for His disciples to adopt. When the Twelve, hungry for splendor, argued over who would be greatest, Jesus called them together and said: You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:25-28Jesus saw Himself and His mission in the perspective of servanthood. Indeed, He is The Servant of the Lord spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah and by New Testament writers. Paul wrote in Philippians that Jesus: Being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! Phi 2:6-8Such passages, with Isaiah’ s portrait, give us several distinctive impressions of the Servant. His desire was to serve God. His stance before men was one of humility. His mission was to bring others deliverance. His servanthood involved great personal suffering. His strength came from God, who up held Him in and through His mission. How greatly these qualities contrast with the lifestyle of Israel, against which Isaiah cried. Her attitude was arrogant and proud. Her goal was to gather wealth and comforts for herself. She chose whatever pathway seemed to promise the easiest life. She failed to rely on God, but relied instead on her own strength or on alliances with pagan nations. Only the servant relies on and knows God. The servant. There has been much debate over just who Isaiah’ s servant really is. In some cases the prophet seems to refer to Israel. In other cases the reference is clearly to the Messiah. Some have insisted that every servant passage is essentially messianic and thus speaks of Christ. Looking through the whole Scripture, it is clear that the idea of “ the Servant of the Lord” is not reserved for the coming Messiah alone. Various prophets speak of themselves as the Lord’ s servants (2 Samuel 7:19; 1 Kings 18:36). David and even Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 25:9) are identified as servants of the Lord. The nation Israel is also specifically identified as God’ s servant (Isaiah 49:3). But when Israel failed to fulfill her servant role, Isaiah turned to reveal a messianic Servant who would come and accomplish salvation (Isaiah 49:6). The New Testament uses the term “ servant” to refer to the people of God in general (Acts 4:29; Revelation 2:20). It also is used in reference to the community of Israel (Luke 1:54). But most often in the New Testament the title “ servant” refers to Jesus (Matthew 12:18; Acts 3:13; Acts 4:27, Acts 4:30). In the New Testament each believer-servant ministers to the whole community of faith, taking as his example the Lord’ s own servant life (cf. Mark 10:43; 1 Corinthians 4:5 with Mark 10:35-45; Matthew 23:8-12; John 13:1-17). THE Servant. Just as it’ s clear that Isaiah used “ servant” to designate more than one group of individuals, it is also clear that among the servants of the Lord there is One who has a preeminent place. This Servant, unlike others, never fails to do the will of the Lord. This Servant draws on God’ s strength and accomplishes His purpose. This Servant is clearly the promised Messiah, the One through whom all of God’ s purposes for Creation will be fulfilled. Isaiah 52:13-53:12 is a clear Old Testament prophecy of Christ’ s death and even explains its meaning. This passage is referred to explicitly in the New Testament some 10 times (Matthew 8:17; Luke 22:37; John 12:38; Acts 8:32-33; Romans 10:16; 1 Peter 2:22, 1 Peter 2:24-25). What is particularly striking in Isaiah is the fact that the God revealed in all His glorious splendor is also the God of the Incarnation. He comes to be Servant as well as King. This paradox is captured in Phi 2:1-30. The passage describes Jesus’ willing descent from glory to take on the form of the Servant, and as a servant to be obedient even to death. But His death is a return to glory. Because He served: Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phi 2:9-11The Lord is the Servant. The Servant is Lord. Lessons from servanthood. Jesus taught that we who believe in Him need to follow His steps, and serve one another as He served us (see 1 Peter 2:21; John 13:3-17; Matthew 20:26-28). Christ called us to be servants who are faithful in our appointed tasks (see Matt. 24:45-25:30). Paul exhorts us to develop the servant’ s attitude (Phi 2:1-4). The same lessons are found in the Old Testament. God called Israel to be His servant, the agent through whom He could make Himself known to mankind. Israel arrogantly turned away from the path of obedience to the Heavenly Lord. Rather than reveal God to the nations, Israel became like the nations, and her value to God and to man was lost. But God did not discard His servant Israel; instead He acted to redeem her. God Himself entered the world as Immanuel, the Servant. In salvation’ s ultimate act of obedience, He died for Israel and called all humankind back to God. In the Servant of the Lord we find our deepest revelation of the character and love of God, for in the Servant we meet the one who sacrifices Himself for the good of mankind. What does all this mean for us? We too are called to be servants, walking in Jesus’ steps. As we commit ourselves to the Heavenly Lord, He will strengthen and direct us, and through us do good to all men. God’ s servants find fulfillment and meaning in life. But beware! The servant ministry requires a servant’ s heart. We must rely fully on God, and prize Jesus’ attitude of humility if we are to know exaltation by the One who rewards all who choose to obey Him. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Matthew 20:25-28 offers us a powerful explanation by Jesus of servanthood. In the passage the way of the servant is contrasted with the way of “ Gentile rulers” who exercise power and authority. Place a T-shaped chart on a large chalkboard. Title the left side “ servant,” the right “ ruler.” Divide your group into teams of four. Each is to find contrasts and comparisons that this passage may suggest between the servant and secular rulers. Contrasts need not be specifically in the text, but may be suggested by the images themselves. After about eight minutes, come together to list comparisons/contrasts on the chart. Then discuss: “ What does it mean to be a servant of God today? What are specific ways that we can be servants in our homes? Our churches?”

Servant Portraits in Isaiah Isaiah contains a number of brief references to a servant (Isaiah 41:8-9; Isaiah 42:19; Isaiah 43:10; Isaiah 44:1-2, Isaiah 44:21, Isaiah 44:26; Isaiah 45:4; Isaiah 48:20). In addition there are four major passages (Isaiah 42:1-9; Isaiah 49:1-6; Isaiah 50:4-10; 52:13-53:12). It is helpful in understanding these middle chapters of Isaiah to look at them through the Servant’ s eyes. What are the characteristics of a servant? Israel, the servant chosen by God (Isaiah 41:8-9), failed to realize that one who receives God’ s grace becomes an agent of grace. Missing this meaning of the covenant, Israel, with haughty disdain, stubbornly chose a lifestyle of selfishness and wickedness. Now Isaiah introduced a Servant who was totally unlike Israel, a Servant who would pick up the shambles of the unfinished task and would redeem not only Israel but all mankind.

Isaiah 42:1-9“Here is My Servant.” These words commence a unique unveiling. The One who accomplished God’ s purposes would be no bold conqueror. Instead the One who established justice on earth would be a Servant who: Will not shout or cry out, or raise His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. Isaiah 42:2-3The initial imagery is understandable. The Servant would not be strident or attract attention to Himself as He went about His mission. Humility, not forcefulness, would identify Him. But what of the second? What of the bruised reed and the smoldering flax? The Hebrew language does not describe with abstract concepts, but with vivid word pictures. The images of the bruised reed and smoldering wick would have been understood by Isaiah’ s readers. The bruised reed conjured up the picture of a shepherd, who selected a reed from which to make a shepherd’ s pipe (flute). The shepherd cut the reed, then gently tapped the back with a smooth stone. Rotating the reed, he continued tapping. He had to be gentle, because if he bruised the reed with the stone it would be worthless as an instrument. He would have to toss it away and begin all over again. The same was true of smoking flax. In Isaiah’ s day the lamp was a small bowl of oil in which a bit of flax was dropped as a wick. After a time, the flax became encrusted with carbon. The wick began to sputter and to smoke. Such a wick was useless, to be plucked from the bowl and tossed out. To the Servant of the Lord, the worthless of the world have great value! He will not casually snap the bruised human twig or discard the useless human flax. Instead, He commits Himself to bring them justice, and to bring them hope. Isaiah moved on. The Creator of the heavens and earth had committed Himself to walk beside the Servant and would make the Servant Himself be a covenant: To open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. Isaiah 42:7 Isaiah 49:1-50:3 The first seven verses of this section reintroduce the servant theme. Israel herself had been called by God to be “ My servant, Israel, in whom I will display My splendor” (Isaiah 49:3). But Israel was forced to confess that she had failed, and fallen far short of that purpose (Isaiah 49:4). Then came a new revelation: One who was formed in the womb to be God’ s Servant will gather Israel again to the Lord (Isaiah 49:5) and, beyond that, will become: A light for the Gentiles, that you may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth. Isaiah 49:6In spite of the Servant’ s initial rejection by the world, God has not rejected Him. God will act through Christ in total faithfulness to His expressed purpose of doing good for all men (Isaiah 49:7). Restoration (Isaiah 49:8-26). The Servant had been introduced. Now Isaiah described the healing and restoration God will accomplish through Him. The captives will return; they will shout for joy; the Gentiles will honor the chosen people. In the punishment of oppressors: All mankind will know that I, the Lord, am your Saviour, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. Isaiah 49:26While Israel was in Captivity she despaired God’ s favor. But had God ever divorced Himself from Israel? (Isaiah 50:1) Is God too weak to rescue? (Isaiah 50:2) No. Through the ministry of the Servant restoration will come, and lost hope will turn to joy.

Isaiah 50:4-52:12 This passage begins with a further unveiling of the Servant (Isaiah 50:4-10). He was committed to obedience. While Israel stubbornly refused to respond to the Lord, the Servant would be completely responsive to God’ s will. Isaiah 50:4. Because the Servant listens intently and obediently “ morning by morning,” He has wisdom to “ know the word that sustains the weary.” Obedience qualifies and marks the Servant as He pursues His ministry. Isaiah 50:5. The open ear (to hear) comes with obedience. The Servant could hear God’ s voice because “ I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back.” Isaiah 50:6-7. The choice to obey God brought the Servant into conflict with men. But even the most degrading of insults failed to shame or deter Him. “ I set My face like flint.” Total commitment rests on total confidence in God. “ I will not be put to shame.” Isaiah 50:8-9. Rather than react vengefully, the Servant waits for God’ s vindication. Because the Sovereign Lord helps the Servant, no case against Him can stand. Every human opponent will “ wear out like a garment,” while God remains forever the same. Isaiah 50:10. The Servant’ s obedience provided the example for Israel. All who fear the Lord will obey the word of the Servant and trust in the name of the Lord. Those who rely on God, as the Servant relied, will have deliverance. Isaiah 51:1-16. Salvation is everlasting. How comforting the Servant’ s message to those “ who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord.” When God’ s people listen to the Servant, justice, righteousness, and peace will light the world. How good to know that “ the cowering prisoners will soon be set free” (Isaiah 51:14). Isaiah 51:17-21. Wrath is past. In the first half of Isaiah, the prophet saw the grim prospect of God’ s coming day of retribution. But he calls those who have experienced wrath to awake! (Isaiah 51:17) God takes from their hand the cup of judgment that makes them drunken. Now He calls out to them through the Servant: Awake, awake, O Zion, clothe yourself with strength. Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, the Holy City. . . . Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, O Jerusalem. Isaiah 52:1-2The good news is, God reigns! His return to Zion will cause the people to break out into songs of joy. The way of obedience to God is not a path to bondage but to freedom. The ministry of the Servant breaks the chains from the necks of God’ s people. Today too many are enslaved. They are enslaved to anxiety, to passion, to greed, to fear of others, to self-doubt. The Servant offers them freedom. But to find the true freedom that God provides we who have trusted Jesus must walk the path He walked, and become willing servants of our God. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Here’ s a way to help your group members discover for themselves the exciting truths revealed in Isaiah’ s “ servant” passages. Use this study before giving any lecture input on the Servant of the Lord in Isaiah. Divide into teams of four or five people. Ask each team to read these “ servant” references in Isaiah and answer the following questions:

Isaiah 43:8-9Isa_45:4 Isaiah 43:10Isa_48:20 Isaiah 44:1-2, Isaiah 44:21, Isaiah 44:26Isa_49:1-6 Isaiah 50:4-11Who is the servant referred to in this passage? What do we learn about servanthood? What do we learn about THE Servant? After reports, discuss: “ What would it mean for me to live a servant life today?”

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 This passage, which focuses on the suffering of God’ s Servant, unmistakably describes and explains the meaning of the death of Jesus Christ. It is one of the most vivid and important of all Old Testament prophetic passages, and might well be the focus of a separate group session. What are the most powerful teachings of this final, and central, servant passage in Isaiah? Isaiah 52:13-15. The wisdom of the Servant led Him to make choices that seem foolish to men. He chose a path, obedience, that led to intense and terrible suffering. When finally men do understand, an awed and stunned humanity will at last begin to sense the depth of the love and holiness of our God. Isaiah 53:1-3. Those looking for the glorious King of Old Testament prophecy will despise the Servant, who had “ no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him.” To those hungry for outward glory, what attraction could there be to One who was despised, rejected, sorrowful, and familiar with suffering? Looking ahead Isaiah realized that the people of Messiah’ s own time would hide their faces from Him in shame, considering Him of no value or worth. Isaiah 53:4-6. Isaiah went deeper into the great misunderstanding. As the Servant’ s obedience led Him into deeper and deeper suffering, and finally death, His contemporaries were convinced that He had been “ stricken [and thus rejected] by God.” In fact, the suffering He underwent was for the sins of God’ s people. He took our place, bearing our weaknesses and sorrows. He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, punished for our rebellion, and took on His shoulders the iniquity of us all. The Servant’ s great act of self-sacrifice brought peace, healed, and lifted the sin-guilt from us. Isaiah 53:7-9. Isaiah pointed out that the Servant’ s suffering was voluntary. No word of complaint passed His lips. In Isaiah 53:8 and Isaiah 53:9 Isaiah described what would actually happen to Jesus some 700 years after! He was taken from arrest (otzer, “ oppression” ) to an unjust trial. He died a painful death, and yet was given honorable burial among the rich. Because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in Him, the Servant was spared the final disgrace intended by His enemies. Isaiah 53:10-12. We should not ignore the responsibility of the wicked men who plotted the Servant’ s death. But we must also realize that God Himself chose this course for His Servant. And that the Servant freely elected to become a guilt offering, and thus be both priest and sacrifice. This passage tells us the startling results for the Servant. Though He died, as the sacrifice must always die, the Servant will see His offspring prolong His days be the Agent who carries out God’ s will for men see the light of life gain great satisfaction take His place among the great gain the treasures associated with victory. How could a dead man continue past the time of His self-sacrifice and gain all these rewards? The resurrection of Jesus gives God’ s historical, definitive answer. God raised His Servant to life again; death could not hold Him captive. But there are exciting results for men as well. We are beneficiaries of the Servant’ s sacrificial act. We become His offspring, and because of Jesus take our place as children of God. We experience justification, and find in the Servant of the Lord the freedom from the sins He bore in our place. LINK TO LIFE: CHILDREN Jesus died so that we might become God’ s children. Even young children can grasp enough of God’ s saving love to respond to the offer of salvation. But how can we explain faith’ s response to the Lord? Here’ s one way. Have a coin or some other thing of value for each child in your class. Put the coins on a low table beside name cards. Explain that the coins are gifts. Anyone who wants to receive the gift can get up, find his name card, and take the gift reserved there for him or her. If some children do not go get their gift, tell them again they may pick it up. But do not pick it up for them. Then explain: “ Jesus died so we could each have our sins forgiven and become God’ s children. This too is a gift.” Have the boys and girls close their eyes, and imagine that this gift is right in front of them too. Let them imagine reaching out to take God’ s gift. Then thank God for the gift that we have received from Him.

Teaching Guide Prepare Read and meditate on Isaiah 53:1-12.

Explore

1. Give a minilecture contrasting Isaiah’ s exalted images of the Sovereign Lord with his images of the Servant (see overview).
2. Or launch with team studies of brief “ Servant” passages (see “ link-to-life” above).

Expand

1. What are the implications of the choice of a servant lifestyle? Use a T-shaped chart to record group members’ insights gained from Jesus’ words in Matthew 20:25-28.
2. Or read through Isaiah 53:1-12 together, letting your group members make observations on what they see in the text. Divide into three study groups. Each group will look at different New Testament passages which refer to this key Old Testament chapter. Each group should then summarize what the New Testament says about it or its teaching. Team 1: Matthew 8:17; Luke 22:37; Romans 10:16; 1 Peter 2:22. Team 2: John 12:38; Acts 8:32-33; Romans 15:21; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 2:24-25. Team 3: Hebrews 10:1-39.

Apply Ask each person to select one phrase from Isaiah 53:1-12 which expresses something important Jesus has done for him or her. Give two additional minutes for each to meditate on the selected phrase. Then close with sentence prayers. Ask each to use this form: “ Jesus, thank You for serving me in Your death and (fill in the selected phrase). In response, help me to serve others by . . . (complete as desired).”