He was Pierced for Our Transgressions

Scripture Reading

Prayer

Introduction

Advent

Q: Who is Jesus

Isaiah intro

Servant Songs ( 42:1–13; 49:1–13; and 50:4–11)

Final servant song

climax of servant prophecies

Skip to the end, Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of all the “servant” prophecies

too simple to state “Jesus is the servant”

Sometimes it is Israel, but Jesus is the perfect Israel and succeeded where Israel failed

Begin Exposition

Isaiah 52:13–15 ESV

13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. 14 As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind— 15 so shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.

(13) God is the speaker in the beginning of this passage

“Act wisely” = have personal success because of insight

The servant will be exhalted

“lifted up”

As a King

Basically, this verse in announcing the the servant will one day be exalted

This is important because of the first 3 songs (esp. the 3rd) presenting the mistreatment of the servant that would normally be tied failure

(14) In previous servant songs, the servant is described in ways that seem inconsistent with many Jewish notions of the Messiah.

In this verse, the readers are reminded of this appalling appearance.

“you” brief direct address

(15) The nations are astonished.

They were astonished at this “sprinkling”

Unclear meaning here

Word often used in Leviticus for sprinkling blood on a sacrificial altar

We must be careful not to read into this too much

What is clear is that there is some type of act that causes the nations to be astonished in a positive way. We know more than this verse as Christians. We know how to servant did this (through the shedding of His blood).

I. The Servant’s exaltation will come through suffering (52:13-15)

Remember, Jesus suffered to be your King.

He didn’t have to but He did it out of love and obedience to the Father who willed it out of love.

We should be willing to suffer for Him

Begin Point 2

Isaiah 53:1–3 ESV

1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

(1) These verses are spoken by a groups identified as we/us/our

I think the best understanding of this us group is those who believe are testifying about the Servant

This verse is basically asking who will listen to the testimony

(2) Verse 2 begins the testimony

Origin and appearance

(3)despised/rejected, not esteemed (valued), Man of sorrows, someone that you don’t look at (Think Peter)

Isaiah 53:4–6 ESV

4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

(4) Continued testimony, people misunderstand the purpose of His suffering (think Job)

(5) He suffered, we benefited

(6) We sinned, he bore our sins

These verses basically teach that the Servant suffered in the place of the speakers of this testimony. (Vicarious suffering)

Isaiah 53:7–9 ESV

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not 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, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

(7) He submitted to death

(8) He died for the sins of others

(9) He was burried

II. The innocent Servant was killed in place of those who believe (53:1-9)

Begin Point 3

Isaiah 53:10–12 ESV

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Still the testimony of the people yet testifying of the Lord’s perspective.

(10) God’s plan: Even the crushing of the servant will bring success

(11) Many are made righteous through the suffering of the servant

(12) God will exalt the Servant

III. The Father’s plan has always been to have His wrath over sin satisfied in the crushing of the Servant (53:10-12)