LaVrai.COM - The Truth - Who Twists Isaiah 53

I’ve been reading through the book of Isaiah very carefully, trying to read it from a casual, non-Christian perspective…and it was working out great until I got to Isaiah 53. Now, I’ve read in places that say Christians like to twist and misinterpret this chapter to serve their own views that Jesus is the Messiah. Outreach Judaism, for example, is one of these places. It is a great resource and the gentleman who answers the questions (Rabbi Tovia Singer) does a very great job of responding to readers’ questions. This is his primary response to someone asking about Jesus in relation to one of Isaiah 53’s verses, which I think is a load of bologna:

The 53rd chapter of Isaiah begins with an extraordinary biblical text in which the prophet vividly describes the surprised reaction of the gentile kings of nations at the end of days as they finally behold the righteous remnant of the Jewish people raised up and glorified. The astonished reaction of the gentiles to the messianic age is a common theme in the prophets and is emphasized in this chapter. What has caused these leaders of the world’s nations to be so startled? Why are they so amazed? Everything that they have ever heard or considered is in stark contrast to what they are finally witnessing in the messianic age. They will place their hands over their mouths in numbed bewilderment as they behold the glory of the remnant of the Jewish people, finally vindicated and redeemed by the arm of the Lord.

I don’t know how anyone can get from this chapter that ‘My servant’ of whom GOD is speaking is a whole nation, ‘the remnant of the Jewish people.’ I read chapter 52 and 54 of Isaiah…and I still don’t see how anyone can seriously interpret that GOD is speaking of a body of people when HE says ‘My Servant’ in this particular context.

First off, let’s look at Isaiah 52, in which the LORD speaks of Israel’s redemption from her oppressors:

(3-6) For thus said the LORD: You were sold for no price, and shall be redeemed without money. For thus said the Lord GOD: Of old, My people went down to Egypt to sojourn there; but Assyria has robbed them, giving nothing in return, what therefore do I gain here? –declares the LORD– For My people has been carried off for nothing, their mockers howl –declares the LORD– And constantly, unceasingly, My name is reviled. Assuredly, My people shall learn My name, Assuredly [they shall learn] on that day that I, the one who promised, am now at hand.

Notice in the verses above from Isaiah 52 that the LORD speaks of ‘My people,’ not of ‘My servant’ as HE does in chapter 53 of Isaiah. Notice also that the verses above speak of a ‘them,’ ‘their’ and ‘they.’ There is no mention of a ‘him,’ ‘his’ or ‘he.’ The LORD is definitely talking about HIS first born, the people of Israel in chapter 52. But suddenly, Mr. Tovia expects us to start assuming the singular person being spoken of in the last stanza of chapter 52 and all of chapter 53 of Isaiah is actually a singular group of peoples…referred to as ‘My servant.’ Let’s read a little more.

Isaiah 52:8-9 & 13-15 Hark! Your watchmen raise their voices, as one they shout for joy; For every eye shall behold the LORD’s return to Zion. Raise a shout together, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD will comfort His people, will redeem Jerusalem. …”Indeed, My servant shall prosper, be exalted and raised to great heights. Just as the many were appalled at him–so marred was his appearance, unlike that of man, his form, beyond human semblance–just so he shall startle many nations. Kings shall be silenced because of him, for they sall see what has not been told them, shall behold what they have never heard.”

And Mr. Singer supposes that Isaiah goes from writing of ‘His people’ to the LORD speaking of the people as ‘My servant’ and describing how this [body of people] will have the kings of the earth in awe — and how people were once appalled at this [body of people] because its appearance was marred and this [body of people] didn’t resemble man, nor did this [body of people] look human… Sure, Mr. Singer, and whomever espouses this interpretation, I’ll believe that.

Isaiah 53:2- (speaking of ‘My servant’) “…For he has grown, by His favor, like a tree crown, like a tree trunk out of arid ground. He had no form or beauty, that we should look at him: No charm, that we should find him pleasing. He was despised, shunned by men, a man of suffering, familiar with disease. As one who hid his face from us, He was despised, we held him of no account. Yet it was our sickness that he was bearing, our suffering that he endured. We accounted him plagued, smitten and afflicted by GOD; But he was wounded because of our sins, crushed because of our iniquities. He bore the chastisement that made us whole, and by his bruises we were healed. We all went astray like sheep, each going his own way; and the LORD visited upon him the guilt of us all.”

The people of Israel were punished for all the world’s guilt and sins against GOD? I thought those of Judaism believe that each person is held accountable for his guilt by GOD, and that no one else can bear the guilt or punishment for another’s sin. Why would GOD hold Israel accountable for the whole world’s sin? I don’t see what else can be interpreted here if one is to believe that the ‘he’ being spoken of in these verses is the same ‘My servant,’ aka ‘My people.’ So the kings of the world will be amazed at the glorification of the righteous remnant of Israel, who were ‘wounded for (their) sins?’

When you read the text, as with every other part of the Bible, when someone is speaking directly, it is placed in quotes. If Mr. Singer wants me to believe that the words spoken in Isaiah 53:1-6 are written as if spoken by these remorseful kings, he needs to explain why the verses immediately following do not have any quotes and continues speaking of this ‘he’ person…but also speaks of ‘my people.’ This is obviously Isaiah reflecting on these future events the LORD has revealed to him.

This is what the prophet Isaiah writes in chapter 53:8-9 By oppressive judgment he was taken away, who could describe his abode? For he was cut off from the land of the living through the sin of my people, who deserved the punishment. And his grave was set among the wicked, and with the rich, in his death–though he had done no injustice and had spoken no falsehood.

Now, that’s definitely Isaiah talking, not one of these future kings lamenting and not GOD since Isaiah says ‘my LORD.’ Isaiah says this man, this servant chosen by GOD, was killed for the sin of ‘my people’ (the house of Israel).

I don’t care who you think this person is of whom the LORD speaks, but you can’t convince me — when I can read and understand for myself — that Isaiah 53 is speaking of the the righteous remnant of Israel as ‘My servant.’ The text, along with the chapter proceeding it and the one after (Isaiah 54 is speaking of the nation of Israel — which is spoken of as a woman in metaphor…not as a man), supports the conclusion that Isaiah 53 is speaking of a man, one person, through whom GOD Almighty will fulfill HIS purpose.