לתשובת המינים

Isaiah 53 in the Context of T'nakh

Once my studies of so-called Messianic prophecies led me to the conclusion that the Nazarene wasn't the Messiah, much less divine, I was still not sure that Isaiah 53 (52:13-53:12) wasn't Messianic. Although my experience with other alleged Messianic prophecies indicated that their was a more plausible explanation than that given by Christianity, nevertheless not convinced that Israel (that is particularly the righteous who have remained true to the Covenant) was the subject of this passage. Upon further examination I found my hesitation to be unfounded. In my studies I found that the language used in this passage echoes that used to describe Israel throughout the T'nakh. Likewise the verses which missionaries objected where inapplicable to Israel had parallels in other passages explicitly referring to Israel. Using such verses we will show that identifying the servant as Israel is consistent with references throughout the T'nakh.

Many missionaries dismiss the possibility of Israel being the Servant either because our passage speaks of an individual or because when Scripture speaks of Israel collectively it does so in the feminine. "Isaiah customarily refers to the Jewish people in the first-person plural, like ‘our’ or ‘we,’"¹ Our passage, however, opens "Behold My servant shall prosper..." using the masculine singular. The objection is unfounded though since we see other instances where Israel is explicitly discussed, using the masculine singular. A great example is Jeremiah 30:10 which reads, "But as for you, do not fear, My servant Jacob, the word of Hashem, do not be afraid, Israel; for behold, I am saving you from distant places..." Not only do we see the collective Israel referred to in the masculine singular but we see the term "servant" applied to Israel specifically.

Lamentations tells us that when the nations see Israel in its desolation, "All your enemies open their mouths wide at you: they whistle and gnash their teeth. They say, 'We have devoured her. Indeed, this is the day we longed for; we have seen it." (2:16) and "All our enemies have opened their mouths wide at us" (3:46). In Isaiah 52:15 we see a contrast, the derisive shock of the nations at the servant gives way to "and kings will shut their mouths for they will see that which had never been told to them and will perceive things they have never heard." The nations of world's glee will end once the see that Israel's downfall is not permanent and seeing the redemption will silence their gloating.

As we move into the beginning of chapter 53 we see that the growth of the servant is likened to a root (ׂשּׂרֶש) and a tender plant (יוֹנֵק) in verse 2. It might come as little surprise that the Psalmist uses the same similes to describe Israel's growth after the exodus from Egypt. "You cleared a space before it; it stuck its roots (שָׁרָשֶׁיהָ) and filled the land...It stretched its boughs until the sea, and its tender shoots (יוֹנְקוֹתֶיהָ) until the river" (Psalms 80:10,12).

Of course central to the Christian interpretation is the suffering of the servant. Verse 3 reads, "He was despised and isolated from men, a man of pains and accustomed to illness." The disgrace of the servant is echoed in the disgrace of Israel among the nations, "You make us a disgrace to our neighbors, the mockery and scorn of those around us; you make us a byword among the nations, a cause for the nations to shake their heads" (Psalms 44:14,15).

And then there is the famous verse comparing the servant to "a sheep being led [silently] to the slaughter' (vs. 7). Similar imagery is used to describe Israel’s torment by the nations, "You deliver us like sheep to be eaten" (vs. 12). And later on in the passage; "Because of Your sake we are killed all the time, we are considered as sheep for slaughter" (vs. 23). This is yet another example where the description of the servant is recognizable as the same language which is applicable to Israel.

Even the death of the servant, "he had been removed from the land of the living", has its parallel in passages concerning Israel. In Hosea 6:1-2 we read, "Come let us return to Hashem, for He has mangled us and He will heal us; He has smitten and He will bandage us. He will heal us after two days; on the third day He will raise us up and we will live before Him." (emphasis added). Furthermore commentators such as the Radak understand Ezekiel's resurrection of the bones in chapter 37 to symbolically represent Israel's "resurrection" from exile, "And I will put My spirit into you, and you shall live, and I will set you on your land...." (verse 14, Judaica Books of the Prophets, Ezekiel, volume 2). We see the exile and redemption of Israel expressed in terms of death and resurrection in Jeremiah 31:14-15, "Thus said Hashem: A voice is heard on high, wailing, bitter weeping, Rachel weeps for her children; she refuses to be consoled for her children, for they are gone. Thus said Hashem: ‘Restrain you voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; for there is reward for your accomplishment--the word of Hashem--and they will return from the enemies land.’" May we merit to see the time when all Israel will return to the Holy Land in peace and security.

Christian apologists counter that the servant is described as suffering innocently, while the Bible clearly indicates Israel is exiled for its sins. Our passage reads, "for committing no crime and with no deceit in his mouth". It is certainly true that the Bible equates exile for the land with punishment for sin. Nevertheless note Psalms 44:18-22, "All this came upon us yet we have not forgotten You, and we have not been false to Your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our footsteps strayed from Your path, even when You crushed us in the place of serpents and shrouded us in the shadow of death." One must realize that human suffering is never a black and white issue. Yes, in a very real sense Israel is punished for its sins, but that is only part of the story. Scripture recognizes that, to a degree, Israel is punished despite its obedience. One should not make the mistake of Job's friends; one should not expect that the finite intellect can fully grasp the divine plan as it pertains to suffering. Similarly we read that Balak prophesied about Israel, "He perceived no iniquity in Jacob, and saw no perversity in Israel. Hashem his God is with him, and the friendship of the King is in him." (Num. 23:21).

So the picture of Israel painted by Scripture is very much the same as that of the servant in Isaiah 52:13 through 53:12. Israel is God's chosen servant which arose from obscurity in Egypt into a mighty nation. Israel was despised by the nations and suffered the death of exile. Israel suffered, despite it's loyalty to God, but God will return them to their land and heal them. But not all is lost because the servant's suffering was not in vain but brought health to others, and we learn that through Israel's suffering of exile, "it will happen that ten men, of all different languages of the nations, will take hold, they will hold of the corner of the garment of a Jewish man, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you!" (Zechariah 8:23). I myself, born a non Jew, have benefited personally by joining the exiled Jewish people. The righteous remnant of Israel will be found without deceit in their mouth (Zechariah 3:13, Isaiah 53:9). Point by point we see that the servant is none other than Israel

¹ The Case for Christ, page 132.