Our Suffering Servant 4

Our Silent, Suffering, & Resurrected Servant

Text: Isaiah 53:7-9 (briefly mention verse 10)

Introduction

While we are to glean the most important truth about Jesus from this prophecy (His future agony, death, and resurrection), the main purpose is to inform Israel that they will one day look back and see the gospel for what it is and who provided it and these words will be there lament.

Isreal is the only nation of which the Bible speaks about that will one day in the future turn in faith toward the Messiah Jesus Christ. That was God’s promise to them.

This chapter is written in the past tense even though it is telling of a future suffering of Jesus. This gives you the understanding that it is written from the vantage point of Israel lamenting and repenting from their long rejection of Jesus Christ.

There is a phrase we come too that I have yet to wrap my mind around. Isaiah said in verse 7, “He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter.” Isn’t it astonishing that Jesus, the incarnate Son, creator of the cosmos, who had legions of angels at His command, possessing all power, who could dissolve the sun and every star and planet could be “brought” anywhere?

However, we come to the place in this chapter where the mouth of Jesus is emphasized. This is not because he used His words, but rather he kept his all powerful words or resistance reserved leading up to His execution.

Have you ever heard the proverb, “Silence speaks louder than words?”

As we continue our journey through this golden chapter, we are reminded of this fact, Jesus humbled Himself to the form of a servant and permitted a wicked generation to lead Him to a agonizing death to provide forgiveness of sin and purging of guilt to the human race. He can do that today because HE IS ALIVE!!!

1) Silence & Suffering

A. Jesus remained silent before His accusers

a) It started with the betrayal and Jewish Council

“He was oppressed and afflicted”

“opened not his mouth…as a lamb to slaughter…as a sheep before her shearers is dumb”

While the mass of sheep would be led by what is called a “Judas sheep” to be slaughtered or sheared in dumb fashion, Jesus was anything but ignorant of what He was heading toward.

Jesus was not “dumb” silent, He was lovingly silent.

Isaiah is referring to the future miscarried justice toward Christ by the religious elite of His day.

In other words, Jesus allowed the situation to develop to appear as if He had His back up against the wall.

The Sanhedrin had to make their illegal move under the cover of night.

As we know, it began with the betrayal of Judas.

It was illegal for the temple guard to serve the high priest as he did to make the arrest. Jewish law called for a Citizen’s arrest.

It was illegal to try a capital charge by night, especially if it involved the death sentence.

The Sanhedrin members had no interest in real justice. All they wanted was to put on Jesus a guilty verdict and a sentencing of death.

The Sanhedrin’s phony trial and false claims were crumbling. Jesus had remained silent because all claims were false.

Caiaphas had a clever idea to create as many witnesses as he needed.

He walked to the middle of the court said this — Matthew 26:63 “63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.”

Jesus then replied — Matthew 26:64 “64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

Caiaphas made a violent gesture — Matthew 26:65 “65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.”

From that point, the crowd answered by saying he was guilty, spitting in his face, hitting him…

b) Jesus’ trial ended with a trial before the heathen; Pilate and Herod Antipas

The Sanhedrin council quickly brought Jesus to Pilate. Only Romans could issue death by crucifixion.

Pilate quickly learned that Jesus was a Galilean and new that fell under Herod’s jurisdiction.

Can you imagine Herod’s excitement to finally get to meet this miracle worker face-to-face.

Herod became infuriated when Jesus failed to perform any miracle and even ignored him altogether.

Herod sent Him with soldier who put one of Herod’s cast-off robes on him, and pretended to pay homage to Him.

Herod then sends Jesus back to Pilate.

You begin to see who the real prisoner is in this process; Pilate.

Pilate tried his best to avoid making a decision on Christ. He thought he could remain neutral when it came to Jesus.

APP — There is no one who can remain neutral about Jesus Christ!!!

Notice verse 8 — “He was taken from prison and from judgment”

Pilate gave Jesus over to the Jews to crucify.

B. Jesus was “cut off out of the land of the living”

“cut off” = to be wrenched; torn from.

to be excluded ⇔ be cut off v. — to be prevented from entering or kept out of somewhere, conceived of as being cut off.

Here we are speaking of the most violent of deaths this world has ever witnessed.

(v7) “as a lamb to the slaughter” — The “Judas sheep” would lead the way to the executioner and all the remaining sheep would follow and not a sound would be made as each one stepped forward to have the necks slit.

Quote: “There was the fearful pain as the iron nails were driven through hands and feet. There was the sickening thud as the cross was dropped into its socket, the agonizing continuous pain as the weight of the body was thrown onto the nail wounds, and the torture of the unnatural position and of disjointed bones. In many cases, as with that of Christ, the whole terrible business came after the victim had been scourged to the bone. Every movement sent fresh stabs of pain through the nervous system. The sufferer had to cope with the lacerated veins, crushed tendons, inflammation, terrible cramps from tortured muscles and swelling arteries, especially those of the stomach. Added to all this were the swarming flies, the burning heat, the raging thirst.” (John Phillips)

This was a type of execution that was to last even up to a few days but were rushed to end Him.

They would brake the legs of the victim to rush asphyxiation.

2) Preservation & Resurrection

A. Sovereign preservation from the Father

a) Preservation at the cross

Evil men were bound and determined to give Jesus the greatest ruin to his life. No ounce of respect would be wasted on the one they called a blasphemer.

However, here is where the “sovereign” Father drew the line.

No man will take the life of the Son.

God in His sovereignty permitted the spirit of the Son to depart from His body.

John 19:30–37 “30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. 31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. 35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. 36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.”

b) Preservation at the burial

Verse 9 says, “And he made his grave with the wicked”

Some theologians estimate that it is not all unlikely that the wicked hands who nailed him to the cross would have thrown His body where previous human bones and sewage was thrown; a place called Gehinnom (aka Gehenna).

What a final mockery that would have been to the precious body of Jesus Christ.

Verse 9 also says, “But with the rich at His death”

“Because he had done no violence, Neither was any deceit in his mouth.”

If that very well was the intent of that wicked generation, God preserved His Son from being discarded in such a way.

John 19:38–42 “38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. 39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. 42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.”

Often people like to point out that Joseph was a believer who lived in fear.

It may be more accurate to see him as someone knowing what opportunity would be lost at the time of Jesus burial if he had been found out about his devotion to Jesus. The same goes for Nicodemus.

B. Sovereign preparation and resurrection by the Father

Given the understanding of poverty and wealth, it is believed that Nicodemus provided the expensive spices required in Jewish burials to bury Jesus properly.

Only the hands of friends handled the body of Jesus following His death.

Loving hands embalmed Him.

Loving hands placed Him in a new tomb.

However, even though Nicodemus gave a great gesture of faith in providing spices, they were not needed to prevent decay.

Q — what brings decay and death to our bodies? Did Jesus ever sin?

This sin that was placed on Jesus and paid for by Jesus’ death was conquered and left at the cross.

Sin nor the effects brought about by sin could penetrate the tomb those three days and nights!

Some Theologians say that if His body had laid there a thousand years, His body would have never decade.

Sin had met it’s match! Jesus finished the work of atoning for sin.

C. (v10) “He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand”

John 20:11–16 “11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.”

Each one of us today has either been encountered, is being encountered, or will be encountered by the risen, living, victorious, eternal Christ.

What will you do with Jesus when He calls out your name?

Salvation is the moment you place a trusting faith in Jesus alone as Savior and Lord over your life.

Conclusion

Poem: Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall, Friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all: Hearken what meaneth the sudden call! What will you do with Jesus? Jesus is standing on trial still, You can be false to Him if you will, You can be faithful through good or ill: What will you do with Jesus? Will you evade Him, as Pilate tried? Or will you choose Him, what e’er betide? Vainly you struggle from Him to hide: What will you do with Jesus? What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be; Some day your heart will be asking, “What will He do with me?” —Albert B. Simpson (1843–1919)