THE SUFFERING SERVANT

The prophecies of the advent of Jesus Christ as a suffering servant is written in the book of Old
Testament, which is in Isaiah 53 even though it is mention in other Old Testament book like in
Psalm 22. There are some great people who really captivates by this very chapter. Kyle Yates called
it, “The Mt. Everest of Old Testament Prophecy”, Polycarp called it, “The golden passional of
the Old Testament Evangelist”, Spurgeon called it, “A Bible in miniature, the gospel in its
essence”. However, many modern scholars do not believe that the “suffering servant” mention in
Isaiah 53 refers to Messiah. But Isaiah is clear that he speaks of Messiah, as many ancient scholars
concluded.
The prophet Isaiah redefines for us who and what Messiah would be. Here is the Suffering Servant
of Isaiah 53: Who bore our griefs (v.4), who carried our sorrows (v4), who pierced for our
transgression (v5), who crushed for our iniquities (v5), who was slaughtered (v7), who oppressed
and afflicted (v.7), who was cut off (v.8), who was bruised by the Lord (v.10) whose soul was
made a sin offering (v.10), who was put to grief (v.10), who bore the sin of many (v.12), who
made intercession for the transgressors (12). This is suffering servant of Isaiah, He is the Lord
Jesus Christ.

So, as we survey chapter 53 of Isaiah, we will see some of the significant facets in first three verses
in this chapter.

1. The Servant rejection (53:1-3)

i. He appeared to be insignificant, not important (v.1)
In v.1 we see that how Lord’s servant was rejected. They misjudged the Lord’s
servant and did not believe the message about Him. It seems like there is a contrast
between the phrase “arm of the Lord” which speaks of the power of God and “root
out of dry ground” which picture the humiliation and weakness. We know that our
God is an almighty God, there no weakness in Him but in this verse it mention
about humiliation, weakness and helplessness of Him. When God made the
universe, he used his fingers (Ps. 8:3) and when he delivered Israel from Egypt, it
was by his strong Hand (Ex. 13:3). Yes, there no weakness in him; He is powerful.
However, to save the lost sinners he bare all his mighty arm, yet people still refuse
to believe the demonstration of God almighty to save the lost sinners.

ii. He appeared to be nobody, not a somebody (v.2)

The servant is God himself, yet he becomes human and grows up like ordinary man.
The child is born to us - that is his humanity (Isai. 9:6). In writing about the future
of Israel, prophet Isaiah used the image of tree. He depict Messiah as the branch of
the Lord (4:2). The proud nation will be cut down like a tree but out of David’s
dead stump, the ‘rod of Jesse” will come (11:1). As it predicted, Messiah came in
the lineage of David in the form of human (Rev. 22:16).
 The coming of the Servant of Lord’s in the form of ordinary man might be the
reason that His appearance is not attracted to the people. People wants to see Him
with a glorious and royal entry to accept him as a Servant send from the Lord most
High.
But in contrast to the expectation of the people, Messiah came to this world as
nobody who is insignificant to save the lost sinners. Like prophet Jeremiah wrote,
“His thought are higher than ours”; no human was unable to comprehend the
salvation plan of God for the sinners.
iii. He appeared to be looser, not a winner (v.3)
When Jesus was born, Israel nation was not in a place of paradise. Politically and
spiritually they were in a dry ground of wilderness. He did come as a great mature
tree but rather he came as a ‘tender tree’. On top of that He was born in poverty in
Bethlehem and grew up in a carpenter’s shop in despised Nazareth (John. 1:43-46).
Will the people be attracted by His appearance? Not at all for the people because
they expect much higher than his humbly appearance.
They ashamed of Him because He did not represent the things which is important
to them. Things like wealth (Lk.16:14), social prestige (14:7), reputation (18:9-
14), being served by others (22:24-27). However, Messiah the suffering servant
appeared in contrast to the things which they expect which is mention above. He is
rejected today for the same reason. People thought He is the looser as Christ was
crucified and die on the cross and the same by the Satan. But Christ said, “It is
finished”, He completed the work of Salvation on the cross of Calvary.

Conclusion: As we have seen from the first three verses, we find out three significant facets; he
appeared to be insignificant, nobody and looser in the eyes of human being to save the lost sinners.
Here is the difference of characteristic between God-man and human being. We also wanted to be
a significant person who noticed by the people, to be somebody respect by all the people and to be
a winner who always look up by the people. But the Servant king appeared opposite to what the
people anticipate. Many people misunderstood Him even today by His appearance yet He is my
Saviour, your Saviour and Saviour of the whole universe. People expect Him, especially the Jews
people to deliver them politically but God plan was different from the expectation of Jews people.
So also, some people might have the same thought like Jews people but God had much greater
concerned for the lost soul to received eternal life. Once we were in the bondage of sin, but God
delivered us from bondage of sin to eternal life. We deserved death but in His great mercy God
gave us eternal life. So, let us be thankful for this great gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, the
Suffering servant. And let us take this glad tidings to the ends of the earth.