Isaiah 53:1-7

1 The people reply, ¹ "Who would have believed what we now report? Who could have seen the Lord's hand in this?

2 It was the will of the Lord that his servant grow like a plant taking root in dry ground. He had no dignity or beauty to make us take notice of him. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing that would draw us to him.

3 We despised him and rejected him; he endured suffering and pain. No one would even look at him - we ignored him as if he were nothing.

4 "But he endured the suffering that should have been ours, ² the pain that we should have borne. All the while we thought that his suffering was punishment sent by God.

5 But because of our sins he was wounded, ³ beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he received.

6 All of us were like sheep that were lost, ⁴ each of us going his own way. But the Lord made the punishment fall on him, the punishment all of us deserved.

7 "He was treated harshly, but endured it humbly; ⁵ he never said a word. Like a lamb about to be slaughtered, like a sheep about to be sheared, he never said a word.

Isaiah 53:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 53

This chapter treats of the mean appearance of Christ in human nature, his sufferings in it, and the glory that should follow. It begins with a complaint of the small number of those that believed the report concerning him, the power of God not being exerted, Isa 53:1, the reason of this general disbelief was the meanness of his outward circumstances, and the want of comeliness in him; hence he was treated with general neglect and contempt, Isa 52:2,3 was the more unkind and ungenerous, since it was the griefs and sorrows of others he bore, and their sins also, for which he was wounded and bruised, that they might have healing, Isa 53:4-6, yet he took and bore all patiently, like a lamb at the slaughter, and the sheep under the shearer, Isa 53:7, which was the more extraordinary, since he was used, both in life and at death, in so rigorous and barbarous a manner, and all for the sins of others, having been guilty of none himself, Isa 53:8,9, and, what is most amazing, the Lord himself had a hand in grieving and bruising him, Isa 53:10, though for his encouragement, and a reward to him, as man and Mediator, for all his sufferings, it is intimated that he should succeed and prosper, have a numerous issue, should justify many, and have a portion and spoil divided with the great and mighty, Isa 53:10-12.

Cross References

• 1. 53.1Romans 10.16;John 12.38.
• 2. 53.4Matthew 8.17.
• 3. 53.5 1 Peter 2.24.
• 4. 53.6 1 Peter 2.25.
• 5. 53.7Revelation 5.6.+O+N53.7, 8Acts 8.32, 33.