I doubt I’ve ever seen a full commentary on Isaiah 53 (that great prophetic Chapter about our Lord’s Suffering on the Cross) that did not include Isaiah 52:13-15 in the discussion!
In fact, Isaiah 52:13-15 (today’s Bible Study Text) is the introduction to the whole of Isaiah 53. Its very “prelude.”
Thus, de facto (automatically) … these three verses are all about Jesus! At least from the Christian point of view. (By the way, “de facto” is pure Latin, literally translated as “of fact.” We’d often say today: “matter of fact.”)
Here they are, those verses: “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.” With the Lord God, the Father, obviously speaking!
Jesus, God’s “SERVANT!”
The Gospel of Mark particularly introduces our Lord as this Servant! As in: “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (serve), and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
“Deal prudently” means “to be wise, to act wisely.” (Paul claimed for Jesus, in Colossians 2:3: “In Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom.”)
And Jesus is to be “exalted and extolled.” (Paul again, after Jesus died on the Cross, post Resurrection and Ascension … “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11)
But before this Exaltation, necessarily comes Jesus’ Humiliation! Calvary, the old rugged Tree! Isaiah 52 says more, shifting mid-Text from second person to third: “Many were astonied (amazed) at Thee; His visage (appearance) was so marred (disfigured) more than any man, and His form (shape) more than the sons of men.” Verse 14, so beaten and scarred during His Passion, during His arrest, trial(s) and beatings!
Yet, cryptically … “So He shall sprinkle many nations.” I believe this to be a “hint” of the Blood Jesus freely sheds on Calvary! (The scholars, some of them, believe the verb just means “to startle.” But, to me, that detracts from the Glory of the Cross! Jesus’ BLOOD washes away sin!)
And Jesus’ great Feat, Accomplishment, Victory on that Cross … impacts everyone! Even Royalty! “The kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.” The whole wide world … amazed at Jesus!
Revelation 1:7 just might fit here, Jesus’ Second Coming to earth: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”
Wow!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
What an Introduction!
Isaiah the author!
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