Jesus as Servant
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Jesus as Servant
Jesus as Servant
We are looking at the fourth of the four Servant Songs/Poems in the OT book of Isaiah.
We are looking at these in the context of our study through the Gospel of Luke we just wrapped up.
Hebrews were expecting:
King that will rule the world with peace
Messiah that will make all behave
Judge that will crush enemies
What really happened was:
King that makes peace with sinners
Messiah that forgives all
Judge that is full of patience
This section of Isaiah is well known to Christians, since it seems to describe what happened to Jesus.
NT authors seem to support that.
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 are referenced directly and by allusion in the NT:
This passage (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) is quoted in:
Every Gospel, Acts, Romans (3x), 1st Corinthians, and 1st Peter (3x)
And alluded to in:
Every Gospel, Acts, Romans (4x), 1st Corinthians (2x), Hebrews, 1st Peter (7x), 1st John, and Revelation (4x)
Now, for you Bible Nerds, when we are done going through Isaiah 53, go home and read Isaiah 54 and Isaiah 55.
You will find there is an order to the layout of those texts.
53: is the servant giving his life to redeem his people
54: is the rebuilding of the new city and guarantee of God’s protection
55: is the invitation for “all who are thirsty.” (Like woman at the well)
56: is the blessings for all Nations (promise to Abraham)
So, let’s read through the entire poem, and then we are going to center in on a single section.
We will try to unpack some thoughts here and see if we can understand it.
Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.
As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
so shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.
Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
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.
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.
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
It is quite a section of scripture.
The longest of the Servant Poems, you can see how this resonates with the story of Jesus.
Written hundreds of years before Jesus’ arrival, it was picked up by NT Authors and they would link the Servant of the LORD with Jesus.
The whole event still does not make sense.
Where is the King!
Here is where I want to concentrate today, and the theme is consistent between all the poems.
Perhaps you have picked it up by now.
All of us like sheep had wandered, each had turned his face to his own way. Yahweh—he let fall on him the waywardness of all of us. He was put down, but he was one who let himself be afflicted, and he wouldn’t open his mouth. Like a sheep that’s led to slaughter or like a ewe that’s silent before its shearers, he wouldn’t open his mouth.
This comparison of us like sheep is fascinating.
By the way, who is the Shepherd? (the LORD)
But look at the CONTRAST.
HOW DO WE BEHAVE...
HOW DOES THE SERVANT BEHAVE...
What is this servant going through?
******Yahweh, he let fall on him (the servant)
This summarizes something I want to address.
Fall on him: the waywardness of all of us
Put down:
Let himself be afflicted:
And HE WOULD NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH...
Wow...
WHY? Why does it go down like this?
While Yahweh desired the crushing of the one he weakened, if with his whole person he lays down a reparation offering, He’ll see offspring, he’ll prolong his life, and Yahweh’s desire will succeed in his hand.
Hang with me in this language, it will all come together.
It is disturbing when we read things like this, BUT, it might be for a better long-term outcome.
*****If with his whole person (the servant)
A reparation offering. A very specific offering in Leviticus. A GUILT offering.
It is a TECHNICAL FUNCTION in the SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM.
SPECIFIC Category of OFFENSE.
A breach of FAITH, like the violation of a covenant.
Like placing yourself above your wife when you were not asked too.
Like listening to a snake instead of God
Like taking and eating food you were told not too.
Like making an improper offering
Like following sin and murdering your brother (Cain)
A DESECRATION of a SACRED AREA or OBJECT
Like polluting a sacred garden
Like spilling innocent blood on the earth (Abel)
Like oppressing women and slaves
Like spreading violence all over the earth.
Like making yourself (object, the image) unclean, impure
IF....IF....This SERVANT presents a GUILT OFFERING....
THEN....
******He’ll see offspring
What was the command to the first humans?
Be fruitful.
*******He’ll prolong his life
What was the original state of humans?
Live with God.
WHAT IS GOD’s desire...
THE ORIGINAL DESIRE in Genesis?
******God’s desire will succeed in HIS (servant) hand
The original desire will be realized.
Plan A will happen through Jesus.
THIS IS WHAT THE NT authors SAW in JESUS.
As I said before...
Hebrews were expecting:
King that will rule the world with peace
Messiah that will make all behave
Judge that will crush enemies
What really happened was:
King that makes peace with sinners
Messiah that forgives all
Judge that is full of patience
But, when we continue reading, we find the story of Jesus in Isaiah.
Isaiah 53: The Servant redeems people
Isaiah 54: The Garden city is rebuilt
Isaiah 55: Come, “All who are thirsty”
Isaiah 56: God will never leave you
And that is the story of Jesus.