Below are some preliminary questions to assist in the study of this passage. For a comprehensive study of the passage, download the Study Guide (PDF download).
1. How is the Lord’s servant described in Isaiah 53:2 (printed below?) Note: The Lord’s servant is none other than Jesus the Messiah.
…he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him; and when we looked at him, there was nothing in his appearance that would cause us to desire him. (Isaiah 53:2)
In Isaiah 53:2 the Lord’s servant is figuratively compared to a feeble little shoot sprouting up out of the parched ground: “he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground.” One certainly does not expect great things from such a plant; one does not even expect such a plant to survive, let alone grow into a mighty tree or a beautiful flower of the field. The Lord’s servant is further described as having neither an attractive form nor physical beauty, indeed, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him; and when we looked at him, there was nothing in his appearance that would cause us to desire him.” There was nothing to be seen in our Lord’s physical appearance and demeanor that would make Him naturally appealing to us.
2. How was the Lord’s servant treated by men? See Isaiah 53:3 (printed below)
He was despised and rejected by men; he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we did not hold him in esteem. (Isaiah 53:3)
From the description given of the Lord’s servant in verse 2 it is no wonder that in verse 3 come these words: “he was despised and rejected by men.” The point is that our Lord in His physical appearance and demeanor (note Matthew 11:29 for a further revelation of His demeanor) came far short of what pagan men envision their gods and super heroes would be if they were to assume human form—He did not match up to what natural men look for and admire in a leader. Consequently, men looked upon Him with contempt and totally dismissed Him as a potential leader or as a threat to their rule. Note: when our Lord displayed His divine and miraculous power the crowd was attracted by that power, but when it became clear that He would not employ that power as would a conquering general, they forsook Him.
3. How did the Lord Himself treat His servant? See Isaiah 53:4 (printed below)
Surely he has borne our afflictions and carried our sorrows; but we regarded him as one who was stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted as an evildoer. (Isaiah 53:4)
Isaiah 53:4 testifies, “we regarded him as one who was stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted as an evildoer.” That is to say, we saw Him as one upon whom the full brunt of the wrath of God was administered: “stricken, smitten, afflicted.” We witnessed Him being executed as the vilest criminal (Deuteronomy 21:22-23), we heard Him cry out that He was forsaken by God (Mark 15:33-34).
4. Why did the Lord treat His faithful servant in this way? See Isaiah 53:5-6 (printed below)
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment was laid upon him for our peace, and by his wounds we are healed. (6) We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but Jehovah has laid upon him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5-6)
We regarded the Lord’s servant as a man rejected by God, cursed by God; but we came to understand that He was made to be a curse for us in order to procure our salvation. He was identifying Himself with us in our state of sin and misery, taking upon Himself the plagues of body and soul that are part of the consequence of sin, part of life in this present sinful world which is under the righteous curse of God (verse 4). According to verse 5, the righteous judgment of God and the awesome justice of God were enacted against Him in full measure on behalf of all those who put their faith in Him (note 2 Corinthians 5:21 and Galatians 3:13). Verse 6 is the statement of universal guilt and the offer of all-sufficient atonement for all who receive Christ (note 1 Peter 3:18).
5. What promise does the Lord make to His faithful servant in Isaiah 52:13 (printed below?)
See, my servant will be successful; he will become high and lifted up, he will be greatly exalted. (Isaiah 52:13)
In Isaiah 52:13 the Lord pledges that His faithful servant shall be wonderfully exalted: “my servant will be successful; he will become high and lifted up, he will be greatly exalted.” Despite His suffering and humiliation and death by crucifixion, indeed, precisely because of His faithful acceptance of such suffering, the Lord declares that His servant shall be glorified and highly exalted (note Philippians 2:8-11). These promises began to attain their fulfillment with Christ’s resurrection and ascension, and they will yet achieve their ultimate fulfillment with His return in glory (note 2 Thessalonians 1:7,10).
