At this season of the year, as our thoughts turn to the observance of Passover (the Lord's Supper) and its abiding significance in our lives, I thought it might be appropriate to present a message to you emphasizing the importance, depth and personal meaning of the suffering of Christ. The Old Testament chapter of Isaiah 53, last of the Four Servant Songs, is mentioned in the New Testament more than any other Old Testament scripture. I will attempt to discuss and more thoroughly explain this seminal passage.

My overall purpose in this study is to hopefully settle in the reader's mind a deeper and clearer understanding of the role of Jesus as "The Suffering Servant" and what that suffering means for each of us.

Now, let's explore the Fourth Servant Song in detail: Isa. 53:1-12:

1. Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

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.

3. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows [margin: pains] and acquainted with grief [margin: sickness]; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

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.

9. His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was as a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

10. But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; [margin: He made Him sick] if He would render Himself [margin: His soul] as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure [margin: will of] of the Lord will prosper in His hand.

11. As a result of the anguish [margin: toilsome labor] 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.

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 [margin: His soul] to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.

To receive a healthier spiritual benefit from this "song" let's further examine the individual verses in depth.

Isa. 53:1 is a prophecy applied to Christ. In the New Testament gospel of John, chapter 12, verse 37-38 is written: 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?" These verses confirm that the author of the GOSPEL OF JOHN found fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy in Jesus. The Apostle Paul also referred to this prophecy in Rom. 10:16.

Isa. 53:2 confirms a prophecy found earlier in Isa. 11:1: 1. Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

Isa. 53:3 also confirms a previous prophecy in Isa. 49:7: 7. "Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One, to the despised One, to the One abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers, kings will see and arise, princes will also bow down, because of the Lord who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You." A New Testament fulfillment of Isa. 53:3 can be found in Luke 18:31-33: 31. Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32. "For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked, and mistreated and spit upon, 33. and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again." (These verses also are affirmation that Jesus Himself knew He was/is the Messiah.) We should also look at John 1:11-12: 11. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. Let's look at the noun "sorrows" in Isa. 53:3. STRONG'S #4341, mak'owb, mak-obe is a feminine form of mak'obah, mak-o-bah, from #3510, ka'ab, kaw-ab, to feel pain, also anguish, affliction. According to BROWN-DRIVER-BRIGGS, #4341 when applied to the "Suffering Servant" passage of Isa. 53, both physical and mental pain are meant.

Isa. 53:4 finds fulfillment in the New Testament scripture, Matt. 8:17: 17. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases."

Isa. 53:5 is the "heart and soul" of the "Suffering Servant's" song. I have divided it into 4 sub-sections and will quote this verse from the KJV: 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. The Amplified Bible reads: 5. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. Rotherham's Emphasized Bible shows this verse as follows: 5. Yet [[he]] was pierced for transgressions that were ours, was crushed for iniquities that were ours,--[[the chastisement for our well-being]] was upon him, and <by his stripes> there is healing for us. The 4 subsections using the words of the KJV:

A. But he was wounded for our transgressions 1. wounded -- pierced through (NASB), tormented (KJV margin), STRONG'S #6588. pesha peh'-shah; a revolt (national, moral or religious)-- rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass. Note: THIS CLEARLY TELLS US THAT JESUS DIED FOR EVERY NATIONAL, MORAL AND/OR RELIGIOUS SIN EVER COMMITTED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PANORAMA OF HUMAN HISTORY. Comparable verses for this sub-section are Old Testament Psa. 22:16 and Zech. 12:10 and New Testament John 19:34. Psa. 22:16. For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they pierced my hands and my feet [alternate reading: like a lion my....]. Bullinger's The Companion Bible comments on this verse: "As a lion [they break up] my hands and my feet". The Amplified Bible reads: 16. For (like a pack of) dogs they have encompassed me: a company of evildoers has encircled me, they pierced my hands and my feet. Zech. 12:10. I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. John 19:34. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

B. He was bruised for our iniquities 1. bruised -- STRONG'S #1792. daka', daw-kaw'; to crumble; tran. to bruise (lit. or fig.) -- beat to pieces, break (in pieces), bruise, contrite, crush, destroy, humble, oppress, smite 2. iniquities -- STRONG'S #5771. 'avon, aw-vone; perversity, i.e, (moral) evil: -- fault, iniquity, mischief, punishment (of iniquity), sin Comparable New Testament scriptures are Rom. 4:25 and 1 Cor. 15:3: Rom. 4:25. He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. 1 Cor. 15:3. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. Note: PAUL AND EVERY OTHER New Testament WRITER WERE ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THAT JESUS FULFILLED THIS PROPHETIC VERSE.

C. The chastisement for our peace was upon him 1. chastisement -- STRONG'S #4148. muwcar, moo-sawr': from 3256; yacar, yaw-sar'; a prim. root; to chastise, lit. (with blows). prop. chastisement; fig. reproof, warning or instruction: also restraint:--bond, chastening, chastisement, check, correction, discipline, doctrine, instruction, rebuke Heb. 12:5-8, 10-11:5, and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; 6. FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." 7. It is our discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8. But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 10. For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11. all discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.Note: Jesus was chastened, disciplined, not because He deserved it, but to reconcile us to (bring us peace with) God the Father. Comparable New Testament scripture: Heb. 5:8: 8. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 2. peace -- STRONG'S #7965. shalom, shaw-lome': safe, i.e, (fig.) well, happy. friendly; also (abstr.) welfare, i.e, health, prosperity and peace. Note: HAVE YOU EVER STOPPED TO REALIZE THAT JESUS DIED SO THAT WE MAY PROSPER AND LIVE IN PEACE BOTH WITH OTHER HUMANS AND ALSO WITH GOD?

D. With his stripes we are healed 1. stripes -- STRONG'S #2250. chabbuwrah, khab-boo-raw'; or chabburah, khab-boo-raw'; or chaburah, khab-oo-raw'; from 2266; prop. bound (with stripes), i.e, a weal (or black-and-blue mark itself): -- blueness, bruise, hurt, stripe, wound Comparable Old Testament scripture: Isa. 50:6 and New Testament Matt. 26:67-68, 27:30, Mark 14:65, 15:19, Luke 22:63-64 and 1 Pet. 2:24: Isa. 50:6. I gave My back to those who strike Me, and my cheeks to those whose pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting. Matt. 26:67. Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped [margin: beat Him with rods] Him, 68. and said, "Prophesy to us, You Christ, who is the one who hit You?" 27:30. They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. Mark 14:65. Some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and say to Him, "Prophesy!" And the officers received Him with slaps in the face. 15:19. They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. Luke 22:63. Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking Him and beating Him, 64. and they blindfolded Him and were asking Him, saying, "Prophesy, who is the one who hit You?" 1 Pet. 2:24. and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.Note: PETER ASSERTS THAT OUR "HEALING" HAS ALREADY BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. WE SHOULD REJOICE GREATLY IN THIS.

Isa. 53:6 has fulfillment in 2 Cor. 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.

Isa. 53:7 demands our attention to the noun "oppressed" which is STRONG'S #5065. nagas, naw-gas'; a prim. root; to drive (an animal, a workman, a debtor, an army); by impl. to tax, harass, tyrannize A New Testament scripture showing fulfillment of this verse is Acts 8:32 where we find the Ethiopian eunuch reading: 32. Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearers is silent, so He does not open His mouth. (Other New Testament scriptures that apply are Matt. 26:62-63 and Mark 15:3-5.)

Isa. 53:8 is fulfilled in Matt. 27:11-26: 11. Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" And Jesus said to him, "It is as you say." 12. And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer. 13. Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?" 14. And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge [margin: word], so the governor was quite amazed. 15. Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16. At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. 17. So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" 18. For he knew that because of envy they had turned Him over. 19. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night [margin: today] I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him." 20. But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. 21. But the governor said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas." 22. Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Crucify Him!" 23. An he said, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they kept shouting all the more, saying, "crucify Him!" 24. When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this Man's blood; see to that yourselves." 25. And all the people said, "His blood shall be on us and on our children!" 26. Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. (See also Luke 23:1-25).

Isa. 53:9 is fulfilled in Matt. 27:57-60. 57. When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60. and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. "Death" in v.9 is in the intensive tense in the Greek which means simply that Jesus died many deaths. Joseph of Arimathea buried Jesus out of an act of love because he himself had been forgiven much. (Compare Luke 7:47). There is also a tradition that he was the uncle of Jesus. This verse in Isa. 53 can also find a fulfillment in 1 Pet. 1:21-22: 21. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22. WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH.

Isa. 53:10 "putting Him to grief" has note in margin: Lit. He made Him sick. "He would render Himself as a guilt offering" turns us to the following scriptures: Lev. 5:16, 6:5, John 1:29, 1 Cor. 1:30, Rom. 3:25, Heb. 7:26, 1 Pet. 2:22 Lev. 5:16. "He shall make restitution for that which he has sinned against the holy thing, and shall add to it a fifth part of it and give it to the priest. The priest shall then make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and it will be forgiven him." [Note: 2 Cor. 5:21: He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.] Lev. 6:5. or anything about which he swore falsely; he shall make restitution for it in full and add to it one-fifth more. He shall give it to the one to whom it belongs on the day he presents his guilt offering. John 1:29. The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." 1 Cor. 1:30. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. Rom. 3:25. whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation [margin: a propitiatory sacrifice] in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God, He passed over the sins previously committed. Heb. 7:26. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens. 1 Pet. 2:22. WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH. "Offspring" refers to "spiritual descendants".

Isa. 53:11 "anguish" (travail in the KJV) is STRONG'S #5998-99, 'amal, aw-mal, aw-mawl and means "toilsome labor". Other scriptures relevant to this passage are John 10:14-18: 14. "I am the good shepherd, and I know my own and My own know Me, 15. even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16. "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17. "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18. "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I have received from My Father." Phil. 2:8. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. The Amplified Bible has this: 8. And after He has appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross! Isa. 45:25. "In the LORD all the offspring of Israel will be justified and will glory." Rom. 5:18-19: 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. "Servant" refers us to Isa. 42:1: 1. "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations." "Justify" finds New Testament references in the following scriptures: Acts 13:38-39: 38. "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39. and through [margin: by] Him everyone who believes is freed [margin: justified] from [margin: by] all things, from which you could not be freed [margin: justified] through [margin: by] the Law of Moses." Rom. 5:15-16: 15. But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. The Amplified Bible renders Rom. 5:15-16 as follows: 15. But God's free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass [His grace is out of all proportion to the fall of man]. For if many died through one man's falling away (his lapse, his offense), much more profusely did God's grace and the free gift [that comes] through the undeserved favor of the one Man Jesus Christ abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many. 16. Nor is the free gift at all to be compared to the effect of that one [man's] sin. For the sentence [following the trespass] of one [man] brought condemnation, whereas the free gift [following] many transgressions brings justification (an act of righteousness).

Isa. 53:12 includes the phrase, "And He was numbered with the transgressors" which leads us to the New Testament scripture. Luke 22:37 where Jesus attests that this prophesy is fulfilled in Him: 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."

In conclusion, it is greatly important to note AND TO REMEMBER that whatever our doctrinal differences may be, the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, His suffering which words can never adequately describe, must ever be THE ONE UNIFIER in our walk for Him. I would like to close with this verse found in the gospel of John; words which Jesus Himself uttered on the same night in which He was betrayed: John 15:13: 13. "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.." (NKJV).

*All scriptural references are from the NASB unless otherwise noted.

** Copyright April 16, 2006. Permission is granted to copy all or part of this paper if credit is made to author.