This post is the third of three in a debate I had with a Facebook friend on the existence of God.

Resolved: Biblical prophecy offers evidence for God.

In the late 6th century or early 7th century AD a Jewish poet, Eleazar ben Kalir, known for writing Hebrew liturgical verse, wrote this prayer for Yom Kippur:

“The Messiah our righteousness has turned from us. We are alarmed, we have no one to justify us. Our sins and the yoke of our transgressions he bore. He was bruised for our iniquities. He carried on his shoulders our sins. With his stripes we are healed. Almighty God, hasten the day that he might come to us anew; that we may hear from Mt. Lebanon, a second time through the Messiah”

Mt. Lebanon meaning the Temple. Yom Kipper is the Day of Atonement and confession of past sins. This ancient hymn-prayer was sung during the Musaf Service on Yom Kippur and was included in some Siddurs (Jewish prayer book).

This is significant for two reasons:

1. It makes use of Isaiah 53.
2. It connects Isaiah 53 to the Messiah.

Eleazar ben Kalir was not alone. For example consider these rabbinical comments:

“Dip your morsel of bread in the vinegar (Ruth 2:14). This refers to the Messiah’s sufferings, for it is said in Isaiah (53:5): ‘He was pierced through for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities’” (Midrash Ruth Rabbah, 2.14).

“Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘The Messiah – what is his name?’… And our Rabbis said, ‘the pale one . . . is his name,’ as it is written ‘Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows – yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted.’” (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 98, p. 2).

Since the most ancient Jewish sources attribute Isaiah 53 to the Messiah we have sound reason to likewise view Isaiah 53 as Messianic, and to conclude that this would have been the understanding of this passage by the original reader (knowing that Isaiah covers a wide-range of prophetic times) as well as Second Temple Period Jews. This is especially true once we consider the documents of the New Testament which plainly looked to Isaiah 53 as Messianic.

Isaiah was Prophet and Poet:

As we saw in my last OP, David was not only king, but was also a poet (having written a large number of the Psalms) and a prophet. So in like manner Isaiah was not only a prophet but also a poet, and Isaiah 53 is in Hebrew poetic verse. For example Isaiah 53:5 in Hebrew reads:

וְהוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵנוּ

מְדֻכָּא מֵעֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ

מוּסַר שְׁלֹומֵנוּ

עָלָיו וּבַחֲבֻרָתֹו

נִרְפָּא־לָֽנוּ

The literal English is:

But he wounded our transgressions

Crushed for iniquities

The chastisement for our peace

Upon him, with his stripes

Are healed we

While the English does not reflect this, the Hebrew is clearly poetic. Remembering that the Hebrew is read from right to left, notice that each line ends with the same Hebrew letter – the letter ו (vav), thus producing a type of rhyme in Hebrew. This type of poetic rhyme is consistent throughout this chapter (as well as a great deal of Isaiah itself). It is of importance in that sometimes the choice of wording, as in poetic verse, is used for rhythmic cadence and not necessarily strict wooden meaning. This should be kept in the reader’s mind when reading Isaiah and in applying various passages.

As prophet, Isaiah makes predictions not only relevant to immediate fulfillment, but also to the coming Messiah, and to the end of all time. Just as Revelation speaks of a new heaven and new earth, so does Isaiah in chapter 66. This reflects the Jewish understanding of prophecy that were mentioned in the first two OPs of “already, but not yet.” Isaiah presents Messiah as the suffering servant (as recognized by the ancient rabbis mentioned above) and the coming King Messiah in the last days.

The Jews of the first century AD longed for the King Messiah who they hoped would rid Israel of the Roman Empire. And while many failed to see the Messiah’s first coming as one who suffers, the Jewish writers of the New Testament most certainly saw Isaiah foretelling of the Messiah who suffered for our sins and purchased our redemption. The New Testament quotes from the book of Isaiah dozens of times, and at least 9 times from this passage in Isaiah (Matthew 8:17; Mark 15:28; Luke 22:37; John 12:48; Acts 8:32; Romans 10:16; 15:21; 1 Peter 2:22, 24). This fact alone shows the New Testament writers attesting to Isaiah 53 as Messianic and that Jesus Christ is the Suffering Servant and Messiah King.

The Suffering Servant

There are four servant songs (Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:1-13; 50:4-11 and 52:13-53:12). The final servant song involves Isaiah 53 and actually begins in 52:13, since there were no chapter and verse devisions in the original manuscripts. While much could be said about Isaiah 52:13-53:12, I have decided to first let the passage and it’s fulfillment speak for itself.

• Isaiah 52:13-15

“Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.”

• Luke 18:31-34

“Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.” (also Matthew 26:67-68; 27:26-30).

• Isaiah 53:1

“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

• John 12:37-38

“But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Isaiah 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?”

• Isaiah 53:2

“For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.”

• Philippians 2:7-8

“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

• Isaiah 53:3

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

• Luke 4:28-29

“And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.”

• Matthew 27:21-23

“The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.”

• Luke 19:41-42

“And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.”

• Isaiah 53:4

”Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”

• 1 Peter 3:18

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

• Isaiah 53:5

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

• Matthew 8:16-17

“When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”

• Colossians 1:20

“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

• 1 Peter 2:24

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

• Isaiah 53:6

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

• Galatians 1:4

“Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:”

• Isaiah 53:7

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”

• Matthew 27:27-31

“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. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.”

• Matthew 27:12-14

“And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.”

• John 1:29

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

• Isaiah 53:8

“He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.”

• Matthew 27:22

“Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.”

• 1 John 2:2

“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

• Isaiah 53:9

“And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.”

• Matthew 27:57-60

“When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.”

• Luke 23:33

“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.”

• John 18:38

“Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.”

• Isaiah 53:10

“Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”

• Hebrews 10:12

“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;”

• Revelation 1:17-18

“And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

• John 1:12

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

• Isaiah 53:11

“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.“

• John 12:27

“Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.”

• John 17:4

“I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

• Romans 5:8-9

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

• Hebrews 9:28

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

• Isaiah 53:12

“Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.“

• Hebrews 2:9

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

• Matthew 27:38

“Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.”

• Luke 23:34

“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

• Acts 13:34

“And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.”

If you would like to read this without the New Testament passages you can do so here at Isaiah 52:13-53:12. And, if you would like to read it in a Jewish-English translation you can do so at Jewish Bible Isaiah 53 (JPS). The passage in Isaiah is clear, as are the New Testament fulfillment. In all of Scripture, and in all of history, only one Person fulfills Isaiah 53 – Jesus Christ, the King Messiah.

This is not to say that there have not been objections to Christ as fulfillment of this passage, and that is what I will next address.

Possible Objection:

The Suffering Servant is Israel, not the Messiah.

As I said, there are four songs of the Servant (Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:1-13; 50:4-11 and 52:13-53:12), and it is true that the great rabbi of the Middle Ages, Rabbi Rashi, attributed Isaiah 53 to the nation of Israel. But other prominent rabbis interpreted the passage as Messianic (such as Moses ben Nachman, the Talmudic rabbis, and Mose Alshech). In fact, Alshech wrote, “Our rabbis with one voice accept and affirm the opinion that the prophet (Isaiah) is speaking of the Messiah, and we shall ourselves also adhere to the same view.” As I mentioned at the beginning of this OP, attributing this passage to Messiah is the oldest interpretation of the passage.

It is also true that Israel as a people is called “my servant” in Isaiah. However, that does not exclude an individual (such as the Messiah) as servant, or that every time Isaiah speaks of God’s servant that it is always Israel, it’s not. The medieval Rabbi Metsudat David has the prophet Isaiah standing for the people of Israel as a whole. He writes, “Behold, before Me, you [meaning the prophet] are like the entire multitude of Israel [hamon yisra’el], and I glory in you as in all of them.”

More importantly, the context informs us as to an individual or a people. For example, in Isaiah 42:1 we read, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” The Jewish Targum, an Aramaic paraphrase, reads, “my servant, Messiah” in this passage. Rabbi David Kimchi, one of the leading Rabbinic commentators of the medieval period, says of Isaiah 42:1 that this refers to “King Messiah” (as does Rabbi Metsudat David). Thus illustrating that rabbinical authorities identified God’s servant sometimes as Israel and sometimes as the Messiah.

However, when referencing the plural as the servant we find that servant is spiritually blind, “Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. 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?” (Isaiah 42:18-19). That servant (vs. 18-19) is blind while the Messiah gives sight, “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” (Isaiah 42:6-7). Again, it’s context. The Servant of Isaiah 53 is not bind or sinful, but One who bears the sins of others (Isaiah 53:4-5).

We find something similar in Isaiah 50:4-11. The servant here is one who gives his “back to the miters, and my cheeks to them that pluck off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting” (50:6). But prior to describing this suffering Servant, Isaiah says of Israel, “Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? Or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.” This is in direct contrast with the Servant of verses 4-11 who suffers and the Servant who suffers for the transgressions of others, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). Israel cannot be both transgressor and one who pays for the transgressions of others.

In Isaiah 44:21 we read, “Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee, thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.” Here Israel (the children of Jacob) are called God’s servant. But the next verse speaks of Israel’s failures, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.” This is in direct contrast with the Servant of Isaiah 53 who, as mentioned, “was wounded for our transgressions” and “was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5) and on whom “the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

Jesus did not remain silent.

Some have objected to Isaiah 53 referring to Jesus because Jesus spoke while on the cross and when asked questions by Pilate and Caiaphas, the High Priest. Yet Isaiah 53:7 says this suffering Servant “opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openers not his mouth.”

This is an odd objection especially in light of the context of the New Testament. All four Gospels attest to Christ remaining silent while on trail:

Matthew 26:63

“But Jesus remained silent. And the hight priest said to him, ‘I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.’”

Mark 14:61

“But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’”

Luke 23:9

“So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer.”

John 19:9

“He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, ‘Where are you from?’ But Jesus gave him no answer.”

Likewise, we find the same in Acts 8:32-33; 1 Peter 2:23; Matthew 27:12-14; and Mark 15:5.

It is also interesting in how the Septuagint renders Isaiah 53:7-8. It reads:

“And he, because of his affliction, opens not his mouth: he was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken away from the earth: because of the iniquities of my people he was led to death.”

The earliest Greek translation by Jewish scholars (the LXX) translated before the crucifixion of Christ not only tell us that He was silent when accused, but also “in his humiliation his judgment was taken away.” The judgement of Pilate was that he found no fault in Christ and wanted to release Him, however the crown overruled this judgement and Christ was led to crucifixion where “his life is taken away from the earth: because of the iniquities of my (God’s) people he was led to death.” This shows us how Second Temple Period Jews understood this passage and even provides an additional prophecy which is fulfilled in Luke 23:4 and John 18:38-40.

The text does not demand absolute silence, for even sheep baa when sheared. Contextually it refers to making a defense or plea – which Jesus did not do. When falsely accused Jesus remained silent. When privately and directly asked by Pilate if he was “king of the Jews” Jesus responded with “thou sayest.” (Matthew 27:11). But when falsely accursed by the chief priests and leaders, Jesus remained silent (Matthew 27:12). That is not a defense or a plea.

What is more striking is when asked by the High Priest, “Are you the Christ (the Messiah), the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus offers no defense, but responds with, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:61-62). This passage not only shows that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, but also the one foretold by Daniel (as in my first OP). The Jews recognized the “One like the Son of Man coming with clouds of heaven” (Daniel 7:13) to be on pair with “the Ancient of Days,” the Lord God. So Christ’s response was not a defense but a declaration that He was the Second Person of the Trinity, One of Two Powers which the Biblical Israelites and Second Temple Period Jews taught who ruled in Heaven. That is to say, He is God. Which is why the High Priest responded the way he does, “Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, ‘What need we any further witnesses? Ye have head the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.” (Mark 14:63-64). Under Jewish law when the High Priest commands comment and adjures the name of God, he is acting as Judge and the accused must respond, which is why Jesus remained silent until then.

Why use past tense in Isaiah 53?

Isaiah did not write in past tense in Hebrew. The Hebrew does not use tenses as we do in English. This was written in what is known as perfect aspect – seeing the action verbs as a whole without respect to time. Scholars refer to this as the prophetic perfect and is used elsewhere in Scripture.

Rabbi David Kimchi (1160-1235 AD) recognized this and wrote:

“And you should know that it is a typical behavior of the past tense verbs in the holy language to use a past tense verb in place of a future tense verb (which are indicated by the letters איתן), and this is mostly in prophecies because the matter is clear as if it passed, because it has already been decreed.” (Sefer Mikhlol).

Not only is Isaiah 53 a prophecy as Kimchi notes, but the Hebrew letters איתן are used in Isaiah 53 and the example I first noted above in Isaiah 53:5 illustrate this.

Therefore, the Biblical Israelite and Second Temple Jews would have seen this as prophetic perfect – an action without respect to time and therefore a future event can be written as past tense.

Jesus did not have any children and the text speaks of his seed.

True, Jesus did not have any physical children. But the text does not demand that the Servant of Isaiah 53 have physical children. Spiritual children would likewise be considered “seed” (1 Peter 1:3).

It should also be noted that the Servant of Isaiah 53 sees “his seed” and has “prolong his days” after He is crushed and has made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich (vs. 9-10). So the Servant of Isaiah 53 dies for the sins of others, is buried with the rich, and then is made alive to see his seed and has his days prolonged (lives forever). These verses match exactly what we find in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ who by his atonement purchased redemption so that we can be born again and become sons of God.

Conclusion:

All three passages that I have discussed (Daniel 9:24-27; Psalm 22; and Isaiah 53) were all written prior to the main events (birth, ministry of Christ and His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, His crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection) as well as historical side notes found within these prophecies (exact number of days, parting of garments and casting lots, dying with the wicked, buried with the rich) all establish future foretold. Taken together, we have a powerful case for Jesus as the Messiah. Furthermore, we have seen that Biblical Israelites and Second Temple Period Jews would have understood the events as presented in the above passages. Unless these things can be disproven beyond doubt and shown to be false – then we are warranted to accept them as prophetic, and thus they provide a strong case for the existence of God.