Unpacking Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 52:13 - 53:12 The Suffering Servant

[JohnD70X7]

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 52:13 - 53:12

13Behold My servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and he shall be very high.		יגהִנֵּ֥ה יַשְׂכִּ֖יל עַבְדִּ֑י יָר֧וּם וְנִשָּׂ֛א וְגָבַ֖הּ מְאֹֽד:
14As many wondered about you, "How marred his appearance is from that of a man, and his features from that of people!"		ידכַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר שָֽׁמְמ֚וּ עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ רַבִּ֔ים כֵּן־מִשְׁחַ֥ת מֵאִ֖ישׁ מַרְאֵ֑הוּ וְתֹֽאֲר֖וֹ מִבְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם:
15So shall he cast down many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for, what had not been told them they saw, and [at] what they had not heard they gazed.		טוכֵּ֚ן יַזֶּה֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים עָלָ֛יו יִקְפְּצ֥וּ מְלָכִ֖ים פִּיהֶ֑ם כִּ֠י אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־סֻפַּ֚ר לָהֶם֙ רָא֔וּ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־שָֽׁמְע֖וּ הִתְבּוֹנָֽנוּ:

1Who would have believed our report, and to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed?		אמִ֥י הֶֽאֱמִ֖ין לִשְׁמֻֽעָתֵ֑נוּ וּזְר֥וֹעַ יְהֹוָ֖ה עַל־מִ֥י נִגְלָֽתָה:
2And he came up like a sapling before it, and like a root from dry ground, he had neither form nor comeliness; and we saw him that he had no appearance. Now shall we desire him?		בוַיַּ֨עַל כַּיּוֹנֵ֜ק לְפָנָ֗יו וְכַשֹּׁ֙רֶשׁ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ צִיָּ֔ה לֹא־תֹ֥אַר ל֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א הָדָ֑ר וְנִרְאֵ֥הוּ וְלֹֽא־מַרְאֶ֖ה וְנֶֽחְמְדֵֽהוּ:
3Despised and rejected by men, a man of pains and accustomed to illness, and as one who hides his face from us, despised and we held him of no account.		גנִבְזֶה֙ וַֽחֲדַ֣ל אִישִׁ֔ים אִ֥ישׁ מַכְאֹב֖וֹת וִיד֣וּעַ חֹ֑לִי וּכְמַסְתֵּ֚ר פָּנִים֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ נִבְזֶ֖ה וְלֹ֥א חֲשַׁבְנֻֽהוּ:
4Indeed, he bore our illnesses, and our pains-he carried them, yet we accounted him as plagued, smitten by God and oppressed.		דאָכֵ֚ן חֳלָיֵ֙נוּ֙ ה֣וּא נָשָׂ֔א וּמַכְאֹבֵ֖ינוּ סְבָלָ֑ם וַֽאֲנַ֣חְנוּ חֲשַׁבְנֻ֔הוּ נָג֛וּעַ מֻכֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים וּמְעֻנֶּֽה:
5But he was pained because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; the chastisement of our welfare was upon him, and with his wound we were healed.		הוְהוּא֙ מְחֹלָ֣ל מִפְּשָׁעֵ֔נוּ מְדֻכָּ֖א מֵֽעֲוֹֽנוֹתֵ֑ינוּ מוּסַ֚ר שְׁלוֹמֵ֙נוּ֙ עָלָ֔יו וּבַֽחֲבֻֽרָת֖וֹ נִרְפָּא־לָֽנוּ:
6We all went astray like sheep, we have turned, each one on his way, and the Lord accepted his prayers for the iniquity of all of us.		וכֻּלָּ֙נוּ֙ כַּצֹּ֣אן תָּעִ֔ינוּ אִ֥ישׁ לְדַרְכּ֖וֹ פָּנִ֑ינוּ וַֽיהֹוָה֙ הִפְגִּ֣יעַ בּ֔וֹ אֵ֖ת עֲו‍ֹ֥ן כֻּלָּֽנוּ:
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he would not open his mouth; like a lamb to the slaughter he would be brought, and like a ewe that is mute before her shearers, and he would not open his mouth.		זנִגַּ֨שׂ וְה֣וּא נַֽעֲנֶה֘ וְלֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־פִּיו֒ כַּשֶּׂה֙ לַטֶּ֣בַח יוּבָ֔ל וּכְרָחֵ֕ל לִפְנֵ֥י גֹֽזְזֶ֖יהָ נֶֽאֱלָ֑מָה וְלֹ֥א יִפְתַּ֖ח פִּֽיו:
8From imprisonment and from judgment he is taken, and his generation who shall tell? For he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the transgression of my people, a plague befell them.		חמֵעֹ֚צֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט֙ לֻקָּ֔ח וְאֶת־דּוֹר֖וֹ מִ֣י יְשׂוֹחֵ֑חַ כִּ֚י נִגְזַר֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּ֔ים מִפֶּ֥שַׁע עַמִּ֖י נֶ֥גַע לָֽמוֹ:
9And he gave his grave to the wicked, and to the wealthy with his kinds of death, because he committed no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.		טוַיִּתֵּ֚ן אֶת־רְשָׁעִים֙ קִבְר֔וֹ וְאֶת־עָשִׁ֖יר בְּמֹתָ֑יו עַל לֹֽא־חָמָ֣ס עָשָׂ֔ה וְלֹ֥א מִרְמָ֖ה בְּפִֽיו:

10And the Lord wished to crush him, He made him ill; if his soul makes itself restitution, he shall see children, he shall prolong his days, and God's purpose shall prosper in his hand.		יוַֽיהֹוָ֞ה חָפֵ֚ץ דַּכְּאוֹ֙ הֶֽחֱלִ֔י אִם־תָּשִׂ֚ים אָשָׁם֙ נַפְשׁ֔וֹ יִרְאֶ֥ה זֶ֖רַע יַֽאֲרִ֣יךְ יָמִ֑ים וְחֵ֥פֶץ יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיָד֥וֹ יִצְלָֽח:
11From the toil of his soul he would see, he would be satisfied; with his knowledge My servant would vindicate the just for many, and their iniquities he would bear.		יאמֵֽעֲמַ֚ל נַפְשׁוֹ֙ יִרְאֶ֣ה יִשְׂבָּ֔ע בְּדַעְתּ֗וֹ יַצְדִּ֥יק צַדִּ֛יק עַבְדִּ֖י לָֽרַבִּ֑ים וַֽעֲו‍ֹנֹתָ֖ם ה֥וּא יִסְבֹּֽל:
12Therefore, I will allot him a portion in public, and with the strong he shall share plunder, because he poured out his soul to death, and with transgressors he was counted; and he bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.		יבלָכֵ֞ן אֲחַלֶּק־ל֣וֹ בָֽרַבִּ֗ים וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים֘ יְחַלֵּ֣ק שָׁלָל֒ תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶֽעֱרָ֚ה לַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נַפְשׁ֔וֹ וְאֶת־פֹּֽשְׁעִ֖ים נִמְנָ֑ה וְהוּא֙ חֵֽטְא־רַבִּ֣ים נָשָׂ֔א וְלַפֹּֽשְׁעִ֖ים יַפְגִּֽיעַ:

 

[JohnD70X7]

In a debate with Rabbi JT, the Spirit bade me grant the good Rabbi's premise that the servant in Isaiah 53 is Israel. Rabbi JT was delighted that a Christian apologist finally admitted the passage has nothing to do with Jesus. I responded that he had jumped to the wrong conclusion. The Suffering Servant is Israel. But we have not established which Israel the passage is referring to. The Rabbi asked what did I mean?

There are several Israels in scripture:

• Jacob Israel
• The Children (People) of Israel
• The Northern Kingdom Israel
• Israel the modern State
• And one more Israel...

Israel is a contraction of the words:

Yish (He)
Sarar (Prince)
Elohiym (God)

The Ultimate Prince of God is none other than the Messiah.

The good Rabbi did not buy what had just been shown him, but he did admit he never thought of it that way before.

 

[JohnD70X7]

Points to remember about the passage...

The suffering servant cannot be the people of Israel because the suffering of the servant is to the benefit of others. Jews suffering for the benefit of Gentiles?

And the language of the passage is that of a singular person suffering for the many.

 

[JohnD70X7]

No one else in all history fit the prophetic bill other than Yeshua Jesus.

 

[daq]

In a debate with Rabbi JT, the Spirit bade me grant the good Rabbi's premise that the servant in Isaiah 53 is Israel. Rabbi JT was delighted that a Christian apologist finally admitted the passage has nothing to do with Jesus. I responded that he had jumped to the wrong conclusion. The Suffering Servant is Israel. But we have not established which Israel the passage is referring to. The Rabbi asked what did I mean?

There are several Israels in scripture:

• Jacob Israel
• The Children (People) of Israel
• The Northern Kingdom Israel
• Israel the modern State
• And one more Israel...

Israel is a contraction of the words:

Yish (He)
Sarar (Prince)
Elohiym (God)

The Ultimate Prince of God is none other than the Messiah.

The good Rabbi did not buy what had just been shown him, but he did admit he never thought of it that way before.

Shalom John, and welcome to the MJ board. Sar is with a shin but pointed as samek, (which I understand you probably already know), so I perceive-read it as Yi-S[a]ra-El. Moreover sar/sara/sra may also be in the sense in which it is used in Yeshayah 9:6, in the word misrah, (government, empire, but better said, princely power (to rule)). In this sense all one needs is the yod/yud prefix, (Yi), which already means he in the name Yisrael. If you say Yish, it appears you are suggesting two words out of one same letter, (yish and sar), so I am wondering if there is a reason why you put it this way? (in other words are you suggesting a sod meaning that you did not elaborate in this post?).

But that aside, indeed, Ισρα-Ηλ is a theophoric name.

 

[JohnD70X7]

I am using the origins of these words.

 

[daq]

I am using the origins of these words.

It appears to be the verb srh, (שָׂרָה), which is used in the explanation of the name in the passage from where the name originates, (Gen 32:28, and it's also used in Hosea 12:3-4). Not a big deal, I suppose, I was just curious in the previous post.

 

[JohnD70X7]

Again, using the origin of the sar / sarah = sarar to the contraction Yi / sra / el

 

[JohnD70X7]

In all the ways, Yeshua Jesus fits the prophetic bill (Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12):

• My servant (servant of YHVH)
• shall prosper / be exalted / lifted up / shall be very high

Yet previously he was:

• Despised and rejected by men
• a man of pains and accustomed to illness
• as one who hides his face from us
• despised and we held him of no account

His intercessory sacrifice / mission was clear:

• Indeed, he bore our illnesses,
• and our pains-he carried them,
• yet we accounted him as plagued,
• smitten by God
• oppressed
• he was pained because of our transgressions,
• crushed because of our iniquities;
• the chastisement of our welfare was upon him,
• and with his wound we were healed.

The potential universal application to man all of which have fallen:

• We all went astray like sheep, we have turned, each one on his way,
• the Lord accepted his prayers for the iniquity of all of us.

There's the world peace... with the LORD which is greater than any form of world peace with man.
Bought and paid for by the blood of the Most Innocent:

• He was oppressed,
• he was afflicted,
• yet he would not open his mouth; like a lamb to the slaughter
• he would be brought, and like a ewe that is mute before her shearers, and he would not open his mouth.
• From imprisonment and from judgment he is taken,
• and his generation who shall tell? For he was cut off from the land of the living;
• because of the transgression of my people, a plague befell them

Notice the holiness of this servant and that all who fell into sin benefits from his sacrifice:

• he gave his grave to the wicked,
• to the wealthy with his kinds of death,
• because he committed no violence,
• there was no deceit in his mouth

The LORD's plan to receive this payment for human sin debt:

• the Lord wished to crush him,
• He made him ill;
• his soul makes itself restitution,
• he shall see children,
• he shall prolong his days **
• God's purpose shall prosper in his hand

** Note the resurrection in the prolonging of the days of the one whose sacrifice was grave!

Reiterating the purpose for this sacrifice:

• From the toil of his soul he would see,
• he would be satisfied;
• with his knowledge My servant would vindicate the just for many,
• and their iniquities he would bear.

From Yeshua Jesus' sacrifice, the Father would be satisfied from the sin debt man otherwise owed him.
And by the knowledge of Yeshua Jesus and his sacrifice he would vindicate and justify many.

Our iniquities he bore!

Conclusion:

• Therefore, I will allot him a portion in public,
• with the strong he shall share plunder,
• because he poured out his soul to death,
• with transgressors he was counted;
• he bore the sin of many,
• interceded for the transgressors.

Yeshua Jesus is the resurrected King of Kings and LORD of Lords.

 

[daq]

Again, using the origin of the sar / sarah = sarar to the contraction Yi / sra / el

Thanks, at least that helps me understand how you can justify replacing the name Yisrael with Yeshua Jesus.

In a debate with Rabbi JT, the Spirit bade me grant the good Rabbi's premise that the servant in Isaiah 53 is Israel.

No one else in all history fit the prophetic bill other than Yeshua Jesus.

 

[JohnD70X7]

 

[daq]

I do not understand how doubling down addresses the issue that was raised.

If you say this:

In a debate with Rabbi JT, the Spirit bade me grant the good Rabbi's premise that the servant in Isaiah 53 is Israel.

Then you say this:

And the language of the passage is that of a singular person suffering for the many.

Where is the justification for changing the name Yisrael to "Yeshua Jesus", or Yeshua, or Jesus, or Yeshu, or Jesu, or any other form of that name?

No one else in all history fit the prophetic bill other than Yeshua Jesus.

I am not sure you fully understand what I am getting at: I have no problem with your first two statements quoted above herein, the issue I am raising concerns only the changing of the name Yisrael into Yeshua, (or Jesus, Yeshu, Jesu, etc., etc.). If you are going to present this exegesis to Jews, do you not think this will ever come up once you get into a deeper discussion of the passage, if and when you find someone willing to go into this subject at more length?

 

[JohnD70X7]

Um, I am pointing out that The Prince of God (Yisra'el) is another name for Yeshua Jesus.

 

[Yusuphhai]

Who is Israel?

An Egyptian Christian said Israeli and Egyptian Christian is the Bride of the Lamb.

Isaiah 19:25 The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance."