Reasonable that it's about Jesus? Without going into too much depth on this subject, because of its sheer complexity, I am just curious what you have to say about the fact that "Isaiah"—pretending here, for simplicity's sake, that it was only one author, despite evidence to the contrary—identifies God's servant as anything but Jesus, or even resembling Jesus: But you, O Israel, my servant... [Isaiah 41:8]
But now listen, O Jacob, my servant, Israel, whom I have chosen... [Isa. 44:1]
Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant... [Isa. 44:21]
For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen... [Isa. 45:4]
He said to me, 'You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor'... [Isa. 49:3]
Do you really think that, after identifying the servant as Jacob, Israel all along, all of a sudden "Isaiah" in chapter 53 drops Jacob, that—is Israel, as his servant, and introduces another one? Just curious.
Sorry this has taken so long but work has consumed me.
Do you really think that, after identifying the servant as Jacob, Israel all along, all of a sudden “Isaiah” in chapter 53 drops Jacob, that—is Israel, as his servant, and introduces another one? Just curious.
Isaiah’s four Servant Songs present God’s ultimate plan of salvation: Isaiah chapters 42, 49, 50 and 52-53.
In Isaiah 42, Isaiah presents two servants. Isaiah 42:6-7 describes an individual who is a “light of the Gentiles,” and who opens the eyes of the blind; and Isaiah 42:18-20 describes a ‘blinded servant’ who sees many things yet does not understand. The Scriptures showing the contrast and distinction between God’s two servants follow:
The servant that gives light: Jesus
Isaiah 42:6-7 “I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”
Lk. 2:30-32 “For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,”
The blinded servant: Israel
Isaiah 42:18-20 “Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. (19) Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’S servant? (20) Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.”
Isaiah 6:9-10 “And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. (10) Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.”
Zechariah 3:8 testifies that the Branch, the Messiah, is God’s servant. “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.” Isaiah identifies the Branch as Jesus, 11:1-2 “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.”
Jesus quotes this Isaiah passage as identifying himself as the servant; In Matthew 12:18-21, “ Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.”
In the second song of Isaiah 49:1-13, although Israel is named again as the servant (v.3); the writer switches immediately to one greater than Israel. Here, it is revealed that the Messiah has a two-fold task.
1. Bring Israel back and gather the nation to himself (v.5-6). “… And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel
2. . God says: “… I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
These two themes are picked up in the gospels in the song of Mary (Lk. 1:54) and in the statements of Simeon concerning the baby Jesus (Lk. 2:30-32).
The third servant song in Isaiah 50:4-11 identifies the servant as Jesus. Here the servant says, “I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting” (cf. Mt. 26:67, “Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, and in 27:26-30 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.”)
The fourth song of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 again identifies the “suffering servant” as Jesus. Here the servant suffers and dies for the sins of his people (53:5); that he will be led like a lamb to the slaughter (v.7). all this was in the Lord’s will (v.10). (John 12:38, “That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?”; Matt 8:17, “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” and Matt 27.)