A Few Thoughts on Isaiah's
"Fourth Servant-Song"
By Jonathan Mitchell
Isa. 52:13-53:12, LXX
Scholars have long debated to whom the designation, "servant/Servant," was referring - whether to Israel, to the expected Messiah, or to someone else. The first three "servant-songs" (as scholars termed them) are found in Isa. 42:1-4, 49:1-6 and 50:3-9. Some have even suggested that these referred to Cyrus or Zerubbabel or Jeremiah, or even to Isaiah, himself. However, the Christian tradition that has the most currency is that these were prophesies that spoke of the expected Messiah that was to come, and thus, to Jesus Christ. This passage is here on offer as a subject for meditation: first, simply for reading the text with the understanding of Christ being the Servant of God, of whom the prophet speaks; second, with the idea of letting it speak to each of us, who are the Body of Christ, and pondering how what is said of God's servant may apply to, or have been experienced by, us.
In considering the latter application, we should only imagine it as applying to us in that we are joined unto the Head (Christ), and that we are branches of the Vine (Jn. 15:1ff). It should be in the sense in which Jesus told His disciples to take up their crosses and follow Him (Mat. 16:24-25). Recall that Jesus told them, in Jn. 13:34,
"I am giving to you folks a new implanted goal (an inward purposed directive different from that which had been formerly; an impartation of a finished product and destiny that is new in kind and character): that you folks are to be continuously and progressively loving (or: should constantly accept, and give yourselves to,) one another, just as (correspondingly as; to the same level as; in the sphere as) I love, accept, and fully give Myself to, you folks so that you also may constantly (or: would habitually) love, accept, fully give yourselves to, and drive toward union with, one another."
Then, in Jn. 15:13, He laid out a central maxim of the Good News:
"No one continues holding (or: having) greater Love (full self-giving; urge toward reunion) than this: that someone should place (set; lay; put) his soul (or: inner being; self; person; consciousness which is him) over [the situation or circumstances of; = cover] (or: on behalf of) his friends."
When Jesus was on the cross, demonstrating God's love for humanity, it was a manifestation of the Glory of God - God's reputation; His assumed appearance. And so, consider what Paul instructed us, in 2 Cor. 3:18,
"But we all, ourselves - having a face that has been uncovered and remains unveiled [note: as with Moses, before the Lord, Ex. 34:34] - being folks who by a mirror are continuously observing, as ourselves, the Lord's glory (or: being those who progressively reflect - from ourselves as by a mirror - the assumed appearance and repute of, and from, [our] Owner), are presently being continuously and progressively transformed into the very same image and form, from glory unto glory - in accord with and exactly as - from [the] Lord's Breath-effect (or: from [the] Spirit and Attitude of, and which is, [the] Lord)."
Many other examples can be cited, such as,
"the works (actions; deeds) which I Myself am constantly doing (habitually performing; progressively making, constructing, creating, forming) that person also will proceed doing (performing; making; creating; producing), and he will progressively be doing..." (Jn. 14:12).
So, with these thoughts in mind, consider the text:
Isa. 52:13. Look and consider: My Servant (or: Child; Slave-boy) will eventually and progressively make things flow together, and will keep on understanding with intelligence, and later, He will proceed being lifted up, and then will continue being set on high and keep on being progressively exalted and will continuously be exceedingly glorified (given an assumed appearance with a reputation which calls forth praise; held in esteem and with good opinions; filled with glory).
On the last clause, about being glorified, consider the final parenthetical offering,
"filled with glory,"
and then think of Rom. 8:30b, as well as the types in 2 Chron. 5:14 and Ezk. 43:1-12. We are now the Temple of God (1 Cor. 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16). The
"being lifted up, and then will continue being set on high"happened to Him at His resurrection, and then to His servant-boys on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Pause, and ponder this.
14. In the same manner and way as (or: Just, as following the custom and way of life), many people will progressively be amazed and astonished (or: will continue receding and standing out of the midst, or will proceed being driven out of their senses as if standing outside of themselves) at You. So, accordingly, your external form and appearance will continue (or: progressively be) devoid of glory, admiration, praise, esteem or repute from these people (or: the humans). And then, the glory which is You (or: Your assumed appearance; the praise-evoking manifestation from You) [will be absent, unseen, or disappear] from humanity's sons (or: sons of [the] people).
Here we can see how Christ stepped into the role of the first Adam, and how the Logos was incarnated into the human predicament. We are reminded of how Paul described His descent to be among us, in Phil. 2:
5. You see, this way of thinking (this attitude and disposition) is continuously within and among you folks (or, as an imperative: So let this minding be habitually within you folks) - which [is] also within Christ Jesus,
6. Who, starting and continuing as inherently existing (or: beginning under; subsisting) within God's form (or: in an outward mold which is God), He does not consider the [situation] to be equals in and by God a plunder (or: a pillaging; a robbery; a snatching; or: a thing or situation seized and held), (or: Who, [although] constantly humbly and supportively ruling in union with an external shape and an outward appearance from God, did not give consideration to a seizure: the [situation] to continuously exist being the same things with God, even on the same levels in God, or equal [things; aspects] to God,)
7. but to the contrary, He empties Himself (or: removed the contents of Himself; made Himself empty), receiving (or: taking; accepting) a slave's form (external shape; outward mold), coming to be (or: birthing Himself) within an effect of humanity's (mankind's; people's) likeness.
8. And so, being found in an outward fashion, mode of circumstance, condition, form-appearance (or: character, role, phase, configuration, manner) as a human (a person; a man), He lowers Himself (or: humbled Himself; made Himself low; degrades Himself; levels Himself off), coming to be (or: birthing Himself) a submissive, obedient One (one who gives the ear and listens) as far as (or: to the point of; until) death - but death of a cross (torture stake)!
And so in His humbled condition, the Glory that He was continued unseen and absent from the awareness of humanity. The elites of 1st century Judea did not recognize their Messiah. And likewise, folks do not recognize Him within His brothers (Mat. 25:40-44). But then, in union with His resurrection, His servant-boys "would eventually and progressively make things flow together, and would keep on [giving] understanding with intelligence." And this, many have observed, among His servant-children.
15. In such a condition, and under such circumstances, many ethnic groups will, one-after-another, express admiration (or: many nations will continuously experience astonishment and wonder) at Him (or: upon the ground of, or upon the presence of, Him). Even kings will proceed shutting and continue constraining their mouth: that (or: because) to, for and among such folks where it was not announced, published, reported or proclaimed concerning (or: about) Him, these folks will progressively be seeing. And the folks not having heard will progressively make things flow together, take notice so as to perceive, intelligently comprehend, and then continue understanding.
The first two proclamations have been seen throughout history. The final pronouncement is astounding: folks NOT HAVING HEARD,
"will progressively make things flow together, take notice so as to perceive, intelligently comprehend, and then continue understanding."
It is all a work of God upon, and within, humanity.
Isa. 53:1. O LORD (= Yahweh), who has trusted in the report from us (or: believes our announcement; puts faith in our hearing)? And so, to whom (or: for whom; in whom; by whom) has the Arm of [the] LORD (= Yahweh) been revealed, disclosed or unveiled?
This is a common expression of doubt that can often assail His servant-children. We can at times tend to feel that our proclamations and teachings have been to no avail. But despite this, we have learned to simply wait for the time when God causes those scatterings of the Seed to experience germination, and then send forth the roots and the sprouts.
2. We brought back news (gave a report and made a proclamation): [He is] like a Child under instruction (or: a young boy; servant; slave-boy) [other MSS: He grew up as a child], before Him (or: within His sight and presence); like a Root in a thirsty region (or: soil; Land). There is not a form (or: external appearance; pattern; shape; or: class; kind) to (or: for; with) Him, nor glory (reputation; assumed appearance; manifestation which calls forth praise). And so we saw Him, and He had no form (or: external appearance; pattern; shape; or: class; kind) nor even beauty (fine quality; ideal show).
The prophets projected this about Him; the evangelists recorded it about His early life and ministry. Many of His servants have continued heralding this Message about Him, and how most people viewed Him. He did not "look like" a messiah. And then, among those who were not granted the ability to see or hear, from time to time (Mat. 13:13-15), and for their seasons of blindness (Rom. 11:25), His servant-children would, from time to time, experience things in which they could relate to His experiences and situations:
"to intimately and with insight experientially know Him, and the ability - even the power - of His resurrection and also the [other MSS: a] common existence (participation; partnership, sharing and fellowship) of the results and from the effects of His experiences [note: these include good times/feelings and passions, as well as sufferings] - being a person that is being continuously conformed by (being progressively brought together with the form of; being habitually configured to) His death" (Phil. 3:10).
or: habitually forsaking [all]) compared to (at the side of) the sons of the humans; a person (a human) continuously existing in union with (being centered in and within the midst of) calamity and affliction from a blow
(or: a beating; or: a plague) and having seen and so knowing (perceiving) [what it is; how] to repeatedly bear sickness and to continue carrying infirmity, weakness and disease (physical ailment; illness). Because His face (or: presence) had been turned away and rejected
(or: Because His countenance was dejected and turned-away), He was unvalued, dishonored, despised, disgraced, treated with disrespect, and so He was not esteemed, was discredited, was not considered, and was not taken into account.
It does not take much imagination to see this picture, when we think of Jesus' life, ministry and crucifixion. To ordinary perception (i.e., without the unveiling of our eyes, in order to perceive with the influence of the Spirit), He would have been considered a failure, and no messiah, at all. Many of His servant-children have been viewed in the same way, from a great variety of personal situations, and lives.
4. This One (or: Person) continuously bears, and progressively or repeatedly carries away, our failures to hit the target (mistakes; errors; deviations; sins), and He continuously feels pain (or: repeatedly suffers a disagreeable sensation; is habitually grieved and regularly experiences sorrow) concerning us (or: around about our [plight; situation; predicament]). And so, we considered, and thus account, Him to constantly be in the midst of misery (centered in troubled labor; in union with stressful and exhaustive affliction), and within the midst of calamity (or: centered in a blow or a wounding stroke) [some MSS add: under, or by, God], and in the midst of ill-treatment (or: centered in an ugly, worthless and bad situation).
Again, can we not also relate to these descriptions? But how about,
"continuously bears, and progressively or repeatedly carries away, our failures to hit the target (mistakes; errors; deviations; sins)"? Well, are we not called upon to bear one another's burdens (Gal. 6:2)?
Are we not also asked to bear, or even carry for them, the failures, mistakes, errors, deviations and sins of other people? Is this not the work of Love?
"[Love] continuously covers all mankind; it is habitually loyal to all humanity; it constantly has an expectation for all mankind; it is continuously remaining under and giving support to all people" (1 Cor. 13:7)?
This, of course, is His Love, but it works through us.
5. Now (or: Yet; But) He was wounded and damaged through, and because of, our failures to hit the target (sins; deviations; errors; mistakes), and He was weakened and made sick (ill; infirm) through (or: because of) our acts of lawlessness: child-training and discipline, which had a view to our peace-from-the-joining, [came] upon Him; by, in and with His bruise we were (or: are) suddenly and miraculously healed. Cf Isa. 38:17
We, also, have been wounded and damaged through things that others have done. We have certainly been weakened and made sick through, and because of, acts of lawlessness by both individuals, religions, corporations and governments (the beasts of empires). And yet, in God's economy and purposes, it has been "child-training and discipline" (Heb. 12:5-13). These experiences had a view to our peace-from-the-joining, but they created bruises. Still, as with Him, these have been worked into good (Rom. 8:28), as seen through the eyes of faith and trust. When we are "walking in the Spirit," our endurance of abuse, from others, works for the healing of others. This is called the cruciform life. It is taking up our crosses, and following Him, for the sake of others.
Notice that His bruising brought a sudden, and miraculous, corporate healing ("WE were, or are... healed"). This was the healing of the nation, or applying this to the work of the cross, the healing of humanity - equivalent to the eschatological deliverance that came through Christ, "once for all." The imagery of vss. 4-10 may be taken from the Day of Atonement (or: of Covering; Lev. 16:15-34), during the third major feast of Israel, which was done to "cleanse" the people from all their sins and failures (vs. 30). It was
"to make an atonement (or: a covering) for the sons of Israel," corporately (vs. 34). Cf Ps. 51:10-17
6. All we, like sheep, have wandered astray - humanity (or: [the] human) has strayed in, with and by its (or: his) own road (path; way) - and so [the] LORD (= Yahweh) committed, transferred, commended and transmitted Him into our failures (entrusted Him with our errors; granted and handed Him over for our deviations; delivered Him up to be associated with our missings of the Target; surrendered Him for our sins; gave Him over to another's hands by our mistakes).
Christ did this to free humanity from its bondage to sin, and from its prison of death. And, do not parents often enter into the effects of their children's "wandering astray," and in many ways become "transmitted into their children's failures"? Does not God's Love (within them) "surrender them for their children's sins" and then they work for the restoration of their children? You see, Jesus is the Way that we are called to live, if He has called us to discipleship. Only by being "in Christ" can this be effective to bring about good.
7. And yet He Himself, because of the [situation of] having been ill-treated in an ugly situation (treated in a worthless and bad manner), continued not opening His mouth. Like a sheep, He was led upon a slaughter (or: on a slaying [place]), and like a lamb [is] silent (without a sound; voiceless; without a voice) before (or: set in position against) the person shearing it, thus so, He continued not opening His mouth.
How often is it hard to simply keep our mouths shut? How often do we feel that we are being sheared by unscrupulous people in this world? Jesus set the example when He did not lash out against folks at His trial, and within His passion? Well, He calls us to this Christ-Life. In 1 Pet. 3:9, we are instructed not to be:
8. Centered in this low status and condition (or: Within the midst of the Humiliation; In union with this experience of being abased), His deciding and judging (or: the separating and evaluating of Him; or: the opportunity for a fair trial of Him; the chance or ability for Him to divide, separate and make decisions) was lifted up and carried (or: taken) away. So who will continue fully taking over the lead of His generation (or: will proceed conducting a thorough narration to set out in detail, recount or describe His generation, or the birth of Him, or the generation from Him)? Because, you see, His life proceeds being taken away from the Land (or: the Life, which is Him, is now being taken up from the earth). From (= On account of) the acts (or: deeds) of lawlessness of my (or: My) People, He was led into (or: unto) death.
We can contemplate the humbling that He endured, and all the loss that He experienced. Well, many people can relate to this kind of situation. Losing a job because of a government regulation; suffering an accident or illness which leaves us unable to continue our ways of life; etc. When bankrupt, or when our children die, our future can seem hopeless. Jacob shared with us the
"wisdom which is above" (Jas. 3:17)
when he shared this:
"You folks must consequently be made low (humbled; demoted; brought to a low station), in the Lord's sight (= in [Yahweh's, or Christ's] presence), and then He will progressively lift you up (or: continue elevating you)" (Jas. 4:10).
Jesus was murdered. We have also observed that our lives can be lost in many different ways, "On account of the acts of lawlessness" done by others, we can experience devastation, or death.
9. And so, I will proceed giving and entrusting (or: appointing, assigning or surrendering) the misery-gushed, unprofitable, unsound, malicious and harmful folks as the places of His burial (or: those [serving as] His burial place and sepulcher; or: in correspondence to the mode of, and preparation for, His burial), and the rich folks, in correspondence to and in consideration of, His death - because He did not commit, practice or produce lawlessness, nor did He build that which is without a law - nor yet [was] bait, fraud, guile, treachery or deceit in His mouth.
Jesus was buried in misery-gushed Judea, yet in the tomb of a rich man among those folks. But He was the Seed, planted in manure-rich soil. And what amazing Good did God work this into! He was the Good Seed - one that had no corruption, and that operated within God's principle of Life. He was not like the serpent within people - there was no "bait, fraud, guile, treachery or deceit in His mouth."
10. So [the] LORD (= Yahweh), from desire, continued purposing to cleanse Him from the blow (the beating; the calamity; the plague) - so if you folks would give [an offering] concerning failure to hit the target (deviation; sin; error; a mistake), the soul (consciousness; inner being) of you folks will continue seeing and progressively perceiving a long-lived Seed (or: offspring) [with other MSS: Should you people at some point give your inner life (person and consciousness) around sin, or concerning a mistake, it will continue seeing a long-lived offspring] -
He was cleansed from the blow by His resurrection. The same applies to us, for He placed us within Himself (Rom. 6:3-7).
The prophet was speaking from the perspective of the temple cultus of his time (in the old covenant). We have been included within Christ's giving of Himself to us, and over the human predicament. Through Him, our soul "will continue seeing and progressively perceiving a long-lived Seed (or: offspring)." In Christ, we continue living and bearing His fruit of the Spirit.
The alternate MS reading once again brings us into the picture: our lives can make a difference, as we live giving ourselves around the mistakes of folks within our realms of influence.
11. and yet, [the] LORD (= Yahweh) kept on purposing to take away (or: remove; or: separate, as the choice part and as a tribute) from the pain and misery of His soul (consciousness and inner being), and then to point out and demonstrate Light in and by Him, and thus to shape and mold, in and by the Understanding (or: with this intelligence). And so He Himself will continue taking and bearing-up (or: keep on bringing-back [from them] so as to carry-up) their failures (deviations; errors; mistakes; sins) [in order] to bring eschatological deliverance and turn folks in the right direction (or: to institute the Way pointed out; to demonstrate fairness and equity; to establish rightwised relationships) in and by [the] Just One ([the] Fair Person; [the] One who is pointed in the right direction) - the One continuously slaving well for and among [the] Many (or: within many people; by many [groups]).
God worked His pain and misery into a demonstration of the Light, which thus "shaped and molded" folks "in and by the Understanding (or: with this intelligence)." He does the same within, and then through, us. He takes [value or fruit?] from what is created within us through the pain and misery of this life, as Paul shows us, in Rom. 5:
4. Yet the remaining and abiding under [produces] a quality of being approved by testing (examined and tested approval; a state of seeming to be fit for use, from having passed its testing); in turn, the quality of being approved by testing [produces] expectation and hope.
5. Now the expectation (or: expectant hope) does not habitually bring down shame (disgrace; dishonor; thus: disappointment), because God's Love (the urge toward reunion and the unambiguous, uniting acceptance from God; God's giving of Himself to [us]; the Love, which is God,) has been poured out in a gush and shed forth so that it now floods within our hearts, permeating the core of our being, through [the] Set-apart Breath-effect (or: Holy Spirit; a Sacred Attitude) being given to us, in us and for us.
His work of the cross changed the world, and His work continues viable. He still works through His corporate body (servant-children) as His Life is spread from them to others,
"to bring eschatological deliverance and turn folks in the right direction."
This is done via His Spirit,
"in and by [the] Just One, the One continuously slaving well for, and among, [the] Many (or: within many people; by many [groups])."
12. Because of this, He Himself will continue inheriting [the] Many and will keep on causing [the] Many to inherit, and thus will progressively divide the spoils of and from the strong folks, because His soul was committed, transferred, commended and handed over unto (surrendered and entrusted into the midst of) death, and He was considered and viewed (or: reckoned as being) among the lawless folks. So He, Himself, took up and carried the failures (deviations; errors; sins; etc.) of [the] Many, and through their acts of lawlessness (or: because of their constructs that were without a law, and their additions that had no law), He Himself was transferred, entrusted, committed, delivered, surrendered, handed over and given to [our] side.
The first clause is echoed in Rom. 5:15b,
"For you see, since by (or: in) the effect of the fall to the side (the result of the stumbling aside and offense) of the one THE MANY (= the mass of humanity) died, MUCH MORE (= greater) [is] the Grace of God (God's Grace; favor which is God), and the gift (gratuitous benefit) within Grace (centered in a joy-producing act of Favor) - by that of the One Man, Jesus Christ - surrounded (or: encircles) into an encompassing abundance, surplus and excess into THE MANY (or: THOSE Many; = the mass of humanity)."
The second clause of, "dividing the spoils of and from the strong folks," speaks of taking the Kingdom from the Judean leadership, as Jesus said to them:
"God's reign (or: the kingdom of God; the influence and activity of God's sovereignty) will be progressively lifted up away from you folks, and it will proceed being given to an ethnic multitude (or: nation; people group; swarm of people) consistently producing its fruit!" (Mat. 21:43). This was, "because His soul was committed, transferred, commended and handed over unto (surrendered and entrusted into the midst of) death, and He was considered and viewed (or: reckoned as being) among the lawless folks."
The final sentence of this prophecy foretells,
"So He, Himself, took up and carried the failures (deviations; errors; sins; etc.) of [the] Many..."
and ends saying nothing about His resurrection. The prophet was not given a view, at this point, of the grandeur that would be the result of His death by their hands.
If our reactions to the lawlessness of others is led by His Spirit (Rom. 8:14), would not the results of the Spirit, within our reactions, produce and spread His resurrection Life into our realms of influence? Why else would He ask us to take up our crosses and follow Him? Paul instructs us in Phil. 2:13
"for you see, God is the One habitually operating with inward activity, repeatedly working within, constantly causing function and progressively producing effects within, among, and in union with, you folks - both the [condition] to be habitually willing (intending; purposing; resolving) and the [situation] to be continuously effecting the action, repeatedly operating to cause function and habitually setting at work so as to produce - for the sake of and over the pleasing good form and the thinking of goodness in delightful imagination."
Jesus resides within us, by His Spirit, and
"Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and today and on into the ages" (Heb. 13:8).
In 2 Cor. 5:19, Paul informs us that,
"God was existing within Christ (God was and continued being centered in, and in union with [the] Anointed One) progressively and completely transforming [the] aggregate of humanity (or: world) to be other [than it is]..."
He will always be the Anointed Savior.
Jonathan
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