Isaiah recorded four unique prophetic messages about one called the servant of the
Lord. However, none of the messages identify the servant by name. The four passages are
Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:1-13; 50:4-11; and 52:13-53:12. Therefore, they are called the
"anonymous servant" passages. The New Testament identifies these passages as
referring to Jesus Christ (see Mt. 8:17; 12:18-21; 27:43; Acts 8:32-33). The following
analysis of the songs gathers their content together under logical headings.
A. Person of the Servant
1. He is a man.
- Is. 49:1 - "called and formed from the womb"; no evidence of personification
or anthropomorphism
- Is. 53:2,3 - The contrast is made between "he" and "him" vs.
"we". The term "man" is used in vs. 3. The contrast is between the
servant and the Jews. (see also v.8,11,& 52:14)
- Is. 53:8 - The servant dies. This is never taught of the Jewish people -- only the
opposite, that they will never pass away.
2. He is wholly obedient and righteous, unlike Israel.
- Is. 50:5 - "I was not disobedient"
- Is. 53:9 - "He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit found in his
mouth"
3. He is Spirit-filled.
- Is. 42:1 - "I will put my Spirit upon Him"
B. The Ministry of the Servant
1. He will begin His ministry in obscurity and seeming failure
- Is. 49:2 - "In the shadow of His hand he has concealed me... he has hidden me in
his quiver"
- Is. 49:4 - "I have toiled in vain"
- Is. 53:2 - "he has no stately form or majesty ... nor appearance that we should be
attracted to him"
2. The servant executes a prophetic or teaching ministry.
- Is. 42:1,3 - "He will faithfully bring forth justice"--carries the idea of
definitive decision or judgment
- Is. 42:4 - they "will...wait for his (oral) teaching"
- Is. 42:6 - "a light to the nations"--to bring God's knowledge to Gentiles
(49:6)
- Is. 50:4 - his obedience results in the ability to teach faithfully and effectively
3. The Servant is humiliated and persecuted.
- Is. 50:6 - smitten, beard plucked, spat upon, humiliated
- Is. 52:14 - appearance marred
- Is. 53:3 - despised, forsaken, sorrowful, grievous
- Is. 53:4 - afflicted, bearing grief and sorrows
- Is. 53:7 - oppressed, afflicted
- Is. 53:8,9 - killed and buried
- Is. 53:10 - put to grief
- Is. 53:5 - crushed, scourged
4. Yet the servant is not disheartened or discouraged.
- Is. 42:2,4 - He will not lament, be dishearted or crushed.
- Is. 49:4 - first part of the verse is answered by the second
- Is. 50:7-9 - shows his trust in God in the face of disgrace and opponents.
5. He atones by substitutionary death.
- Is. 52:15 - "sprinkles nations" --ritual blood sprinkling would be the only
interpretation possible
- Is. 53:4 - bears griefs and sorrows
- Is. 53:5 - pierced, wounded for other's transgressions (also, 3 more statements)
- Is. 53:6 - our iniquity falls on Him
- Is. 53:8 - dies as substitution for the Jews ("my people")
- Is. 53:10 - is the guilt offering for others sins
- Is. 53:11 - bears iniquities
- Is. 53:12 - bore sin
6. His death is redemptive: on this basis the servant justifies, reconciles, heals,
sprinkles, becomes a guilt offering and intercedes for "his offspring" from all
nations.
- He will "justify the many" Is. 53:12
- Is. 53:12 - "interceded for transgressors"
- Is. 42:7; 49:9; 42:22 - "sets captives free" --more apt to be a spiritual
"freeing" because of 42:1-4,6. Both passages are spiritual as opposed to
political. However, he will a keep the captives from hunger and thirst, and will lead
them. This could be a reference to a regathering of the Diaspora (49:8-12).
- Is. 42:6; 49:8 - He will establish a New Covenant with the Jews.
- Is. 49:5,6 - He will reconcile both Jews and Gentiles to God. Although there is a
transition from Jews (5) to Gentiles (6), it does not revoke the Jews' covenant. According
to other passages, he will still reconcile the Jewish nation as a whole.
7. He is raised from the dead.
- Is. 53:10 - "He will prolong his days" --this, after the servant is dead,
would be hard to explain any other way.
8. He is glorified.
- Is. 49:7 - "Kings shall see and rise" --standing up was (and is) a way of
paying tribute. Kings never stood for a visitor -- the visitor never sat down.
- Is. 52:15 - "Kings will shut their mouths on account"
- Is. 53:12 - "I will allot him a portion with the great"
Summary
There is not one character trait or part of the ministry except B-3 which in any way
applies to the Jewish nation. Most are decidedly impossible. However, every part was
fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth except the ruling- kingship--which is to come.
Return to the Outlines page
Return to the Xenos home page
Ask Dennis a
question or share a comment.
Ask Gary a
question or share a comment.
