Chapter Overview
Summary
Isaiah 53 is THE SUFFERING SERVANT chapter — the SINGLE-MOST-CHRISTOLOGICALLY-FORMATIVE chapter in-the-OT. Cited explicitly in NINE NT-PASSAGES: Matthew 8:17, Mark 15:28, Luke 22:37, John 12:38, Acts 8:32–33, Romans 10:16, 15:21, 1 Peter 2:22–25, and quoted-throughout-the-NT-as-substructure of-passion-Christology. The chapter narrates-the-Servant's voluntary-suffering, vicarious-atonement, and ultimate-vindication. The LXX-Isaiah's renderings of-this-chapter are-the-TEXTUAL-FORM that-most-NT-citations follow.
Notable Variants
53:1 → John 12:38, Romans 10:16; 53:4 → Matthew 8:17 ('he took our infirmities'); 53:5 'he was wounded for our transgressions' atonement-thesis; 53:7 → Acts 8:32–33 (Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch); 53:9 → 1 Peter 2:22; 53:11 'by his knowledge shall the righteous one make many righteous' justification; 53:12 → Mark 15:28 / Luke 22:37 'numbered with the transgressors.'
Structural Notes
MT Isaiah 53 = LXX Isaiah 53. 12 verses. THE SUFFERING SERVANT — the most-cited single-chapter in-the-OT for-NT-Christology.
Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
Masoretic (WLC)
מִי הֶאֱמִין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵנוּ וּזְרוֹעַ יְהוָה עַל־מִי נִגְלָתָה
Who has believed what they heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
Septuagint (LXX)
κύριε τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν καὶ ὁ βραχίων κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη
Lord, who has believed our report? And the arm of the Lord, to whom has it been revealed?
JOHN 12:38 + ROMANS 10:16 DOUBLE CITATION. JOHN 12:38: 'so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED WHAT HE HEARD FROM US, AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED?' ROMANS 10:16: 'But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says: LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED WHAT HE HAS HEARD FROM US?' Both-citations follow-the-LXX, including-the-LXX-addition of-'kyrie' (Lord) at-the-beginning, absent-from-MT.
For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.
'For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him' tracks MT. ROOT-OUT-OF-DRY-GROUND. Christ's-humble-origins (Bethlehem, Nazareth carpenter's son). The-Servant-without-physical-glory.
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. As one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
'He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not' tracks MT. MAN-OF-SORROWS. Handel's Messiah Part II, no. 23 ('He was despised'). Christological-passion-prediction. Hebrews 4:15 ('one who in every respect has been tempted as we are') extends.
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
Masoretic (WLC)
אָכֵן חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא וּמַכְאֹבֵינוּ סְבָלָם וַאֲנַחְנוּ חֲשַׁבְנֻהוּ נָגוּעַ מֻכֵּה אֱלֹהִים וּמְעֻנֶּה
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted
Septuagint (LXX)
οὗτος τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν φέρει καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν ὀδυνᾶται καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐλογισάμεθα αὐτὸν εἶναι ἐν πόνῳ καὶ ἐν πληγῇ καὶ ἐν κακώσει
He bears our sins and is in pain for us; yet we considered him to be in trouble, and in a stroke, and in affliction
MATTHEW 8:17 CITATION. Matthew applies-this-verse to-Christ's-healing-ministry: 'This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: HE TOOK OUR ILLNESSES AND BORE OUR DISEASES (autos tas astheneias hēmōn elaben kai tas nosous ebastasen).' Matthew's-translation differs-from-the-LXX (which-renders-as-sins, not-illnesses) and-may-reflect-direct-Hebrew (which-uses-cholayenu = sicknesses). Matthew applies-the-Servant's-bearing to-Christ's-physical-healing-ministry. Christ-takes-on-the-burden of-creation's-disease.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by his wounds we are healed.
'But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed' tracks MT. THE ATONEMENT-THESIS-VERSE. The most-explicit-substitutionary-atonement-statement in-the-OT. WOUNDED-FOR-OUR-TRANSGRESSIONS / CRUSHED-FOR-OUR-INIQUITIES / CHASTISEMENT-FOR-OUR-PEACE / STRIPES-FOR-OUR-HEALING. 1 PETER 2:24 directly-cites: 'BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED (hou tō mōlōpi iathēte).'
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each one, to his own way, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
'All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned — every one — to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all' tracks MT. ALL-WE-LIKE-SHEEP. The universal-human-condition + the divine-imposing-of-sin-on-the-Servant. 1 PETER 2:25 ('you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls') extends.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
Masoretic (WLC)
נִגַּשׂ וְהוּא נַעֲנֶה וְלֹא יִפְתַּח־פִּיו כַּשֶּׂה לַטֶּבַח יוּבָל וּכְרָחֵל לִפְנֵי גֹזְזֶיהָ נֶאֱלָמָה וְלֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיו
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth
Septuagint (LXX)
καὶ αὐτὸς διὰ τὸ κεκακῶσθαι οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείροντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ
And he, because of his affliction, opened not his mouth; like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before the one who shears him, so he opened not his mouth
ACTS 8:32–33 EXPLICIT CITATION. The Ethiopian-eunuch reads-this-very-verse when-Philip-finds-him: 'Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: LIKE A SHEEP HE WAS LED TO THE SLAUGHTER, AND LIKE A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE OPENS NOT HIS MOUTH. IN HIS HUMILIATION JUSTICE WAS DENIED HIM. WHO CAN DESCRIBE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE EARTH (Acts 8:32–33).' Philip-then-explains: 'beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.' This is-the-classic NT-Christological-application of-Isa 53. The verse becomes-the-paradigmatic-Christological-text for-evangelization. JOHN 1:29's 'Behold, the LAMB OF GOD who takes away the sin of the world!' is-the-theological-payoff.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?
'By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?' tracks MT. CUT-OFF-FROM-LAND-OF-LIVING. Acts 8:33 cites this-verse. Christ's-cutting-off in-execution.
And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
'And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth' tracks MT. WITH-WICKED / WITH-RICH-MAN. Christologically-fulfilled — crucified-between-criminals (Matt 27:38) and-buried-in-rich-man's-tomb (Matt 27:57–60 Joseph of Arimathea). 1 PETER 2:22 cites: 'HE COMMITTED NO SIN, NEITHER WAS DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH (hos hamartian ouk epoiēsen, oude heurethē dolos en tō stomati autou).'
Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; He has put him to grief. When his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; and the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
'Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand' tracks MT. WILL-OF-LORD-TO-CRUSH-HIM. The most-difficult-passage of-Isa 53 — divine-purpose in-Servant's-suffering. GUILT-OFFERING (asham). The Servant's-soul as-asham-sacrifice. Hebrews 9:14 ('the blood of Christ … offered himself without blemish to God') extends.
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied. By his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
'Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities' tracks MT. MAKE-MANY-RIGHTEOUS. Romans 5:19 ('by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous') Christologically-extends. The justification-by-the-righteous-one's-knowledge-and-bearing-of-iniquities. Pauline-justification-doctrine grounded-here.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Masoretic (WLC)
לָכֵן אֲחַלֶּק־לוֹ בָרַבִּים וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים יְחַלֵּק שָׁלָל תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱרָה לַמָּוֶת נַפְשׁוֹ וְאֶת־פֹּשְׁעִים נִמְנָה וְהוּא חֵטְא־רַבִּים נָשָׂא וְלַפֹּשְׁעִים יַפְגִּיעַ
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors
Septuagint (LXX)
διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸς κληρονομήσει πολλοὺς καὶ τῶν ἰσχυρῶν μεριεῖ σκῦλα ἀνθ᾽ ὧν παρεδόθη εἰς θάνατον ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀνόμοις ἐλογίσθη καὶ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτίας πολλῶν ἀνήνεγκεν καὶ διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν παρεδόθη
Therefore he shall inherit many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because his soul was delivered up to death, and he was reckoned among the lawless; and he himself bore the sins of many, and was delivered up because of their sins
MARK 15:28 / LUKE 22:37 CITATION — NUMBERED-WITH-TRANSGRESSORS. Luke 22:37 (Jesus' Last Supper words): 'For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS (kai meta anomōn elogisthē). For what is written about me has its fulfillment.' Mark 15:28 (variant text-tradition) cites at-the-crucifixion: 'And the scripture was fulfilled which says: He was numbered with the transgressors.' Christ's-deliberate-self-application of-this-verse to-his-passion.
BORE-SINS-OF-MANY. 1 PETER 2:24 ('he himself BORE OUR SINS in his body on the tree,' tas hamartias hēmōn autos anēnegken) cites verbatim-from-LXX. The substitutionary-atonement explicitly-Christological. The-fourth-Servant-Song closes-as Christology's-bedrock.