God Justifies
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Four passages in Isaiah - “The Servant Songs” (poetry) (42:1-4, 49:1-6, 50:4-9, 52:13-53:12)
42:1 “Bring justice to the nations”
49:5 “to lead back the people of Israel” to God
49:6 “a light” so that other nations will recognize God's “saving power”
50:6; 52:14; 53:3-5,7 suffers physical pain and humiliation
Who is the servant in these songs?
Matt 12:18-21 - quotes from Is 42:1-4
Luke 22:37 (Jesus) - quotes from Is 53:12
Philip (Acts 8:26-35) - quotes from Is 53
Therefore we have it on very good authority that Jesus is the suffering servant of Is 53
Chiastic Structure (Inverted parallelism)
Chiasmus is a form of poetry based upon symmetry of ideas rather than rhythm and rhyme. The chiastic structure allows meaning of the poetry to be more easily preserved in translation from one language to another—provided the translator is aware of the structure—whereas poetry based on rhythm and rhyme is generally impossible to translate in a way that preserves both rhythm and rhyme and the original meaning.
Also…requites additional study to understand the structure
[70]The suffering servant (Isa 52:13-53:12)
A(52:13-15) See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted (52:13)
B(53:1-3) "He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity (53:3)"
C(53:4-5a) "he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins (53:5)"
D(53:5b) by his stripes we were healed (53:5)
C'(53:6-8) smitten for the sin of his people (53:8)
B'(53:9-10) the LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity (53:10)
A'(53:11-12) I will give him his portion among the great, and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty (53:12)
God Justifies - ?
Righteous? - meeting my obligations (“there is none righteous, no not one” Rom 3:10)
Declares righteous - on what basis? Jesus’ righteousness, substitutionary atonement
1 John 1:9 “faithful and just”
Despised
Despised
13 See, my servant will be successful; he will be raised and lifted up and greatly exalted. 14 Just as many were appalled at you— his appearance was so disfigured that he did not look like a man, and his form did not resemble a human being— 15 so he will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of him, for they will see what had not been told them, and they will understand what they had not heard. 1 Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him.
v. 13 “shall act wisely” - examples?
Is it lawful to pay taxes?
v. 1 “Who has believed?”
Yes - Anna, Simeon, the disciples
No - Jesus’ own family, religious leaders, the crowds, civil authorities
v. 2 “like a root out of dry ground” - olive tree picture
v. 3 how contemptible, despicable, and revolting he was considered by some...isolated from the community around him by his own people
Smith, G. (2009). Isaiah 40-66 (Vol. 15B, p. 446). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Substitute
Substitute
4 Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds.
v. 4 “bore our sicknesses”
Jesus experienced, healed, bore the pain of sickness
v. 5 “pierced” - before crucifixion was even invented (400 BC)
Willing
Willing
7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth. 8 He was taken away because of oppression and judgment, and who considered his fate? For he was cut off from the land of the living; he was struck because of my people’s rebellion. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, but he was with a rich man at his death, because he had done no violence and had not spoken deceitfully.
v. 7 John the Baptist - “behold, the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei) who takes away the sin of the world.
v. 9 “they made his grave” - that was the intent! But God had other plans - Joseph of Arimathaea, hints at Jesus’ vindication
Sacrificed
Sacrificed
10 Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely. When you make him a guilt offering, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished. 11 After his anguish, he will see light and be satisfied. By his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many, and he will carry their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him the many as a portion, and he will receive the mighty as spoil, because he willingly submitted to death, and was counted among the rebels; yet he bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels.
v. 10 “the Lord was pleased” - in the garden of Gethsemane, “not my will but thine”
v. 11 “by his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many”
No Jesus, No Peace
Know Jesus, Know Peace
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
v. 12 “the many as a portion” - believers
“the mighty as spoil” - those who reject Christ