Suffering Servant

Introduction

We may note in passing that [Jesus] was never regarded as a mere moral teacher. He did not produce that effect on any of the people who actually met Him. He produced mainly three effects—Hatred—Terror—Adoration. There was no trace of people expressing mild approval.”

–C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)

The Servant of the LORD

Isaiah 42:1-7

Isaiah 49:1-9

Isaiah 50:4-9

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

7 centuries before Jesus

Substitutionary Atonement

Atonement - reparation for a wrong or injury.

Father takes blame for son.

The Suffering Servant

Isaiah 52:13-53:3

Isaiah 52:13 “13 Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.”

My Servant

lifted up/exalted

Isaiah 52:14 “14 Just as many were astonished at you, My people, So His appearance was marred more than any man And His form more than the sons of men.”

astonished at you, My people

appearance was marred

Isaiah 52:15 “15 Thus He will sprinkle many nations, Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; For what had not been told them they will see, And what they had not heard they will understand.”

sprinkle

Kings will shut their mouths (v 14 - astonished at Jesus)

see and understand

Isaiah 53:1 “1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

John 12:37-38 “37 But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?””

Romans 10:15-16 “15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” (52:7) 16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?””

Isaiah 53:2 “2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.”

Grew up - Isaiah 11:1 “1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse...”

not stately form

take pleasure in his appearance.

Isaiah 53:3 “3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”

despised and forsaken of men

man of sorrows (pain) - appeal to His humanity

did not esteem Him - John 1:10-11 “10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.”

Isaiah 53:4-8 “4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. 8 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? ”

The Relationship (vv. 4-8) - our, He, we, him.

His Response (vv. 7-8)

Matthew 27:24-44

Isaiah 53:9 “9 His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.”

Matthew 27:57-60

Conclusion

Isaiah 53:10 “10 But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.”

John 1:29 NASB95

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Isaiah 53:11 “11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.”

Romans 5:18–19 NASB95

18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

Isaiah 53:12 “12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.”

Portion with the great - Philippians 2:9-11 “9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Numbered with the transgressors - Luke 22:37 “37 “For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘And He was numbered with transgressors’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.””

bore the sin of many - 2 Corinthians 5:21 “21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Double Jeopardy