Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: June 15, 2008
PROPHECIES OF THE DEATH OF JESUS (Part 2)
Ben Justice
[CONTINUATION OF LAST WEEK]
The Exaltation of the Messiah — 52:13-15
In these verses, Isaiah spoke in the future tense. However, in chapter 53:1-9, he used the
past tense (spoken of as if it already happened). In verses 10-12, he returned back to the
future tense.
Isaiah began verse 13 by saying, “Behold.” This word is intended to draw attention to the
Servant. God, through Isaiah, said, “my servant shall deal prudently.” Another word for
“prudently” would be “wisely.” He would live in harmony with the will of the Father (cf.
Heb. 4:15).
Notice the exaltation of the Servant, as Isaiah depicted in verse 13 — “he shall be exalted
and extolled, and be very high.” Of course, the climax of Jesus’ exaltation was reached
when he was raised from the dead and exalted to God’s right hand (Heb. 8:1).
Verse 14 speaks relative to the suffering of the Servant. The sufferings that he would
experience would be so bad that many would be astonished (lit. appalled) at it. Later, in
chapter 53:3, we will see this emphasized again. Homer Hailey reminds us,
Note that neither this description nor the one in 53:2 has reference to the Servant’s facial
features or stature, but to the humiliation, suffering, and shame to which He was
subjected (see ref. in last week’s bulletin, Pg. 435).
The word “sprinkle” in verse 15 means “startle” (ASVfn). The meaning is this: After the
Servant suffers (v. 14) and is exalted (v. 13), he will startle or shock many nations and
even kings will be startled. The reason is given in the latter half of the passage (the word
“for” points to the reason). Isaiah said, “for that which had not been told them shall they
see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.” In other words, they will see
and understand what they had not previously seen or understood.
The Sufferings of the Messiah — 53:1-3
Isaiah asked two questions in verse 1:
1.) Who hath believed our report?
2.) To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
The questions are actually from the Suffering Servant. The two questions asked by God’s
Servant reveal his anguish due to man’s rejection of him. Who believed the Messiah’s
message? The answer is not many.
“The arm of the Lord” is a figure to represent the power of God that was extended. Even
though the Lord’s arm had been extended in the miracles of Christ’s personal ministry
most of the Jews refused to believe that he was the Son of God. This passage is actually
quoted in John 12:37-38 and applied to the Jews. Paul also quoted it in Rom. 10:16. Not
only was the Lord’s message rejected but also his miraculous deeds.
According to verse 2, the Servant shall grow up before God (his Father) as a tender plant
and as a root out of dry ground. This indicates that the odds would be against him —
“tender plant” and “root out of dry ground.” No doubt, this refers to the dry religious,
political, and moral desert in which the Messiah would find himself. However, God was
with him (cf. John 8:29).
The Messiah would not be anything of which man would care to look at. There would be no
physical beauty that the people would desire or look upon. Thus, people would not follow
him for physical reasons, but for spiritual. As Wayne Jackson put it, “Becoming a disciple
of Christ must be based strictly upon spiritual grounds” (Wayne Jackson, “Isaiah,” Pg.
107).
Listen to the words of Isaiah in verse 3 — "He is despised and rejected of men; a man or
sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised,
and we esteemed him not.” Just a very causal reading of the gospel accounts, one can see
that the Messiah was indeed despised and rejected of men. He was truly a man of sorrows
and acquainted with grief. This was not due to any bodily illnesses of the Messiah, but
rather refers to the spiritual sickness of the human race — the fruit of their sin. That
Christ was despised is demonstrated in a number of ways:
1.) Accused of Sabbath-breaking (Matt. 12:1-7; John 5:1-18).
2.) Accused of being possessed of a demon (John 12:24).
3.) Accused of blasphemy (John 8:58; Mark 14:61-64).
4.) Accused of conspiracy against Rome (John 18:33-36).
5.) Accused of being born illegitimately (John 8:41).
Even though he was rejected of men he wasn’t by God (cf. Ps. 118:22).
Jesus was truly a “man of sorrows.” Luke 19:41, John 11:35, and Heb. 5:7 are all
references to Jesus’ tears. As Jackson aptly noted,
Being a “man of sorrows” was not consistent with the Jewish expectation of their
Messiah/Deliverer — this was one of the reasons they rejected Christ (Ibid.).
Men hid their faces from him, that is, they considered him contemptible. Hence, they
turned away from him.
They esteemed him not, that is, they treated the most important person in the world as
someone to be ignored.
There are three major but sad things in this verse:
1.) He is despised and rejected.
2.) He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
3.) He was estimated to be of little value and worth to anyone.
Homer Hailey summarized this verse like this:
Men, calloused by sin and steeped in their own iniquities, despised such a tender and holy
spirit, failing to see in Him the true Servant of God who could lift them to solid spiritual
health and right relationship with their Creator. Doing nothing but good, He came to save
God’s people, but they repaid Him by doing nothing but evil and bad (Ibid., Pg. 437).
The Atonement of the Servant — 53:4-6
In the previous three verses, the prophet pictured the sufferings of the Messiah. In these
verses, the reasons for that suffering are detailed. The prophet relates to us the spiritual
significance of the Messiah’s death. Listen to these beautiful words:
Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten
of God, and afflicted. (5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (6)
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath
laid on him the iniquity of us all.
The Submission of the Servant — 53:7-9
In verse 7, the Servant is pictured as being submissive to his sufferings and trial.
In verse 8, the Servant is pictured as being submissive to his death.
In verse 9, the Servant is pictured as being submissive to his burial.
There were five trials Christ went through and each one illegal. The context of the people
referred to in these verses indicates their mind set — “who gives a hoot.”
All of these things were done to Jesus even though “he had done no violence, neither was
any deceit in his mouth” (v. 9). Only Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled the claims enunciated by
Isaiah.
The Victory and Reward of the Servant — 53:10-12
Even though the Messiah was subject to rejection and crucifixion, in the final analysis he
was exalted and rewarded — IT WAS A VICTORY. Verse 12 gives four reasons why he was
given this victory and reward:
1.) Because he poured out his life unto death.
2.) Because he allowed himself to be counted among the transgressors.
3.) Because he bore the sins of many.
4.) Because he kept on making intercession for transgressors.
Lord willing next week, we will study the Messianic Psalm.