april 29, 2015isaiah 53 – the christian interpretation: valid or not? page 1 of 13 who is the...

April 29, 2015 Isaiah 53 – The Christian Interpretation: Valid or Not? of 13

Who Is the Suffering Servant in “Isaiah 53”?

Part II – The Christian Interpretation: Valid or Not?

A Counter-Missionary Education Lesson

by

Uri Yosef, Ph.D., Director of EducationVirtual Yeshiva of the Messiah Truth Project, Inc.

[The article on this topic is located here - http://thejewishhome.org/counter/Isa53CP.pdf]

Copyright © Uri Yosef 2015 for the Messiah Truth Project, Inc.All rights reserved

Counter-Missionary Education

http://thejewishhome.org/counter/Isa53CP.pdf


Introduction

Testing of our new hypothesis continues in the Validation stage of the Scientific Method with the verse-by-verse analysis of Segment 2 – Isaiah 53:1-4.

It was noted in Segment 1 that the Hebrew text of “Isaiah 53” will serve as our “proof text” for the analysis. The Christian interpretation asserts that the “voice” switches from God to the Jews as we transition from Segment 1 into Segment 2. Yet, according to the Hebrew text, and even its various translations, this cannot be true for the simple reason that at the end of Segment 1 God speaks of the surprised reaction by the nations and their kings at the commencement of the messianic era, and as Segment 2 begins, the startled leaders of those nations begin to express their astonishment. This conclusion is also supported from within the Hebrew Bible, which contains no accounts that describe the rejection of the Messiah by the Jews, and their bewildered reaction when, at some future time, they realize their mistake.

New Hypothesis: The Messiah is the servant in "Isaiah 53"


Segment 2 – Isaiah 53:1-4

Isaiah King James Version

Translation Jewish Translation from the

Hebrew Hebrew Text ʤʩ̡ʹ ʩ

53:1

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?(i)

Who would have believed our report, and to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed?

ʔ̡ˣʸ ʍʦ˒˒h ʒ̋ʕ̡ʗʮʍ̌ʑʬʯʩʑʮʎʠʓʤʩʑʮʟʤʕ̋ʕʬʍʢʑhʩʑʮʚʬʔ̡ʤʥʤʩ

ʠ,ʢh

53:2

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

And he came up like a sapling before it, and like a root out from dry ground; he had no features and no splendor; and we saw him that he had no appearance; and how could we desire him?

ˇ ʓyʖ̄ ʔʫʍʥʥʩʕhʕɹʍʬ̫ ʒhx ˕ʔ̠ʬʔ̡ʔ̞ʔʥˣʬy ˋʖ̋ ʚʠ ʤ˄ʕ̞ʑʁɻ ʓyʓʠʒʮ

˒ʤʒʠ ʍʸ ʑhʍʥyʕʣʕʤʠ˄ʍʥʟ˒ ʤʒʣʍʮʍʧʓhʍʥʤʓʠ ʍʸ ʔʮʚʠ˄ʍʥ

ʡ,ʢh

53:3

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.(ii)

He was despised and forsaken by men; a man of pains, and accustomed to illness, and as one from whom we would hide our faces; he was despised, and we had no regard for him.

ˇ ʩʑʠʭʩʑ̌ʩʑʠʬʔʣʏʧʔʥʤʓʦʍʡʑhʩʑʬʖʧʔ̡˒ʣʩʑʥ̋ˣʡʖʠʍʫʔʮ

ʤʓʦʍʡʑh˒ ˚ʓ̇ʑʮʭʩʑhʕ̋ʸ ʒsʍɦʔʮʍʫ˒ʟ˒ ʤʗhʍʡʔ̌ ʏʧʠ˄ʍʥ

ʢ,ʢh

53:4

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.(iii)

Indeed, he bore our illnesses and our pains – he has carried them, yet we had regarded him plagued, smitten by God, and oppressed.

ʠʕ̍ʕhʠ˒ʤ˒ʰʒʩʕʬʐʧʯʒʫ̩˒h ʍʧʔhʏʠʔʥʭʕʬʕʡʍɦ˒ʰʩʒʡʖʠʍʫʔʮ˒

ʭʩʤʬʠʤʒ̠ʗʮʔ̡˒ʢʕh˒ ʤʗhʍʡʔ̌ ʏʧʟʤʓ̊ʗ̡ʍʮ˒

ʣ,ʢh

The King James Version (KJV) translation is shown with pointers to cross-referenced passages in the New Testament. These references are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB). However, the corresponding passages below the table are quoted from the KJV for consistency.


Segment 2 – Isaiah 53:1-4

Cross-referenced passages for the table on Slide 3

(i) John 12:38(KJV) – That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Romans 10:16(KJV) – But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? (ii) Luke 18:31-33(KJV) – (31) Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. (32) For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: (33) And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. [See also Mark 10:33-34; John 1:10-11] (iii) Matthew 8:17(KJV) – That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.


Testing the New Hypothesis: Segment 2

Verification Stage

This verse relates how the nations and their kings, who were mentioned in the previous verse, will not see God's mighty arm of salvation until the messianic era commences, as Isaiah himself declares several verses earlier:

[Hebrew Bible] Question: Can Isaiah 53:1 apply to the Messiah?

As was described in Part I, allusions in the Hebrew Bible to God’s “arm”, "hand", and “finger”, etc., often are metaphoric references to God’s taking direct action and to His acts of vindication, and these are commonly used to point to the physical and spiritual redemption of the Jewish people. Such terms are never used in the Hebrew Bible as metaphors for the Messiah, neither is reference made anywhere else in the Hebrew Bible to the salvation of a suffering Messiah. [Hebrew Bible] Answer: NO!

Isaiah King James Version Translation Jewish Translation from the Hebrew Hebrew Text ʤʩ̡ʹ ʩ

53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?(i)

Who would have believed our report, and to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed?

˒h ʒ̋ʕ̡ʗʮʍ̌ʑʬʯʩʑʮʎʠʓʤʩʑʮʩʑʮʚʬʔ̡ʤʥʤʩʔ̡ˣʸ ʍʦ˒

ʟʤʕ̋ʕʬʍʢʑh ʠ,ʢh

Isaiah 52:10 –The Lord has revealed His Holy Arm to the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God!


Testing the New Hypothesis: Segment 2 (continued)

[New Testament] Question: Can Isaiah 53:1 apply to Jesus?

This verse is cross-referenced with two verses in the New Testament, John 12:38 and Romans 10:16, both of which allege that the Jews who, even after having seen Jesus perform miracles, refused to accept him. But, how could this verse suddenly speak of the Jews, when the previous verse points to the startled kings of many nations? There are no such descriptions of Jews present in the Hebrew Bible and, therefore, adhering to the context, this is the "voice" of the leaders of the (Gentile) nations, as they begin to describe the extent of the astonishment. The authors of these two cross-referenced passages in the New Testament either misrepresented or misunderstood Isaiah's words and attributed them to the wrong "speakers". [New Testament] Answer: NO!



The metaphors employed in this verse describe an entity that appeared on the scene but was not expected to survive or, if it survived, it was not going to grow into something beautiful that is desired by everyone.


Although the imagery of a young tree growing in dry and parched soil is used in reference to the Jewish people, it is never used in the Hebrew Bible to describe the Messiah.

[Hebrew Bible] Answer: NO!

Isaiah King James Version Translation Jewish Translation from the

Hebrew Hebrew Text ʤʩ̡ʹ ʩ

53:2

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.


ʥʩʕhʕɹʍʬ̫ ʒhx ˕ʔ̠ʬʔ̡ʔ̞ʔʥʵ ʓyʓʠʒʮ̌ ʓyʖ̄ ʔʫʍʥ

ˣʬy ˋʖ̋ ʚʠ ʤ˄ʕ̞ʑʁ˒ʤʒʠ ʍʸ ʑhʍʥyʕʣʕʤʠ˄ʍʥ

ʤʓʠ ʍʸ ʔʮʚʠ˄ʍʥʟ˒ ʤʒʣʍʮʍʧʓhʍʥ

ʡ,ʢh




The New Testament depicts the handsome, charismatic, and wise Jesus constantly gaining popularity among ever growing multitudes. Even within Jerusalem itself, great multitudes were still loyal to Jesus as he was on his way to being crucified (Luke 23:27).

If that was true, how could the present verse possibly refer to the massive rejection of Jesus' message by the Jews at the time of his death? As it regards his followers outside of Jerusalem, they were probably unaware of these events and would not have rejected him at that time.

Moreover, with some 2/3rd of the world's Jewry in the first century C.E. living outside the Land of Israel, it is also likely that the majority of his Jewish contemporaries in the Diaspora never even heard of Jesus. Even the well-known Jewish historian Philo of Alexandria [20 B.C.E.-50 C.E.], a contemporary of Jesus, never mentioned him in his works. Clearly, the rejection of Jesus by the Jews was not yet an issue at the time of his death. [New Testament] Answer: NO!



This verse describes a pathetic entity, forsaken and afflicted with sickness, being despised by the multitudes that could not even bear to look at it.


Descriptions of the Messiah as being forsaken, sickly, and despised by all are not found anywhere in the Hebrew Bible.


Isaiah King James Version Translation Jewish Translation from the Hebrew Hebrew Text ʤʩ̡ʹ ʩ

53:3

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.(ii)


ʭʩʑ̌ʩʑʠʬʔʣʏʧʔʥʤʓʦʍʡʑhʔ̡˒ʣʩʑʥ̋ˣʡʖʠʍʫʔʮ̌ ʩʑʠʭʩʑhʕ̋ʸ ʒsʍɦʔʮʍʫ˒ ʩʑʬʖʧ

ʠ˄ʍʥʤʓʦʍʡʑh˒ ˚ʓ̇ʑʮʟ˒ ʤʗhʍʡʔ̌ ʏʧ

ʢ,ʢh




There are two major issues here:

• The description of the servant in this verse, conflicts with New Testament accounts that describe Jesus: - In his youth, he was loved by all (Luke 2:40,47,52) - He was a popular preacher (Mark 3:7-9) - He was "praised by all" (Luke 4:14-15) - He is followed by multitudes who acclaim him as a prophet (Matthew 4:25, 21:9-11) - Fearing “a riot of the people”, the Romans had to spirit him away to be crucified (Mark 14:1-2)

• Nowhere in the New Testament is Jesus described as having been afflicted with disease and pain. If he were in this condition, why would God have chosen to put Himself into such an afflicted and decrepit body? Moreover, how could Jesus qualify as an "unblemished sacrifice" being in such an "imperfect" body? [New Testament] Answer: NO!


Testing the New Hypothesis: Segment 2 (continued)Isaiah

King James Version Translation

Jewish Translation from the Hebrew

Hebrew Text ʤʩ̡ʹ ʩ

53:4

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.(iii)


ʠʕ̍ʕhʠ˒ʤ˒ʰʒʩʕʬʐʧʯʒʫ̩˒h ʍʧʔhʏʠʔʥʭʕʬʕʡʍɦ˒ʰʩʒʡʖʠʍʫʔʮ˒

ʭʩʤʬʠʤʒ̠ʗʮʔ̡˒ʢʕh˒ ʤʗhʍʡʔ̌ ʏʧʟʤʓ̊ʗ̡ʍʮ˒

ʣ,ʢh

This verse continues to elaborate on the perceived condition of the servant. Not only is this pathetic entity afflicted with illnesses and pains, it was regarded as having been plagued, oppressed, and smitten at the hand of God.


The Messiah is never described in the Hebrew Bible in these terms, and certainly not as someone smitten by God. As the one who will preside over the execution and completion of the messianic agenda, he will be blessed by God, and will be a greatly respected and powerful leader.



Testing the New Hypothesis: Segment 2 (continued) [New Testament] Question: Can Isaiah 53:4 apply to Jesus?

The cross-reference to this verse at Matthew 8:17 promotes the notion of vicarious punishment, which is strictly forbidden in the Hebrew Bible, and leads to an unfortunate misinterpretation of Isaiah 53:4.

Nowhere in the New Testament is Jesus described as being sickly, oppressed, and smitten by God. According to accounts in the New Testament, while on the cross, Jesus complained to God about being forsaken (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). Yet, according to King David, God does not forsake a righteous person:

If the accounts in the New Testament are accurate and Jesus was forsaken by God, then they give rise to several questions. If, as most Christians believe, Jesus, as part of the godhead, was God, then ask yourself:

- How could God possibly forsake Himself?- How could God not have been able to help Himself while on the cross?- How could Jesus have been righteous when he claimed to have been forsaken by God? [New Testament] Answer: NO!

Psalms 37:25 – I was young, I also aged, and I have not seen a righteous man forsaken and his seed seeking bread.


Interim Summary – Segment 2: Isaiah 53:1-4

Our new hypothesis:

Results of the verse-by-verse testing: New Hypothesis Generic (from HB) Specific (from NT)

Original Hypothesis

Isaiah Jewish Translation from the Hebrew

Does "the Messiah=Servant"

Fit?

Does "Jesus = Servant"

Fit?

Results from testing

"Israel = Servant"

53:1 Who would have believed our report, and to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed?

NO NO YES

53:2


NO NO YES

53:3


NO NO YES

53:4


NO NO YES

New Hypothesis: The Messiah is the servant in "Isaiah 53"

april 29, 2015isaiah 53 – the christian interpretation: valid or not? page 1 of 13 who is the...

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