Isaiah 52:13-53:7 Bible Study, Friday Morning 04-04-08
The book of Isaiah holds more about the person of Jesus Christ than any other Old Testament book in the Bible. I thought we could study one of the prophetic and depictive passages about Jesus from this deep and rich book. I don’t want to focus on tearing the passage apart or looking at the Hebrew or psychoanalyzing the prophet Isaiah.
What I would like is to draw upon the wisdom of the group and how God is speaking to each of us. One way to do this is simply to read the passage listed and ask God to speak to you through what you read. Some people hear God best through analyzing the Hebrew or praying about each verse or reading a commentary. Whatever method you want to use is up to you. One method I have used is to break it up into sections of 3 or so verses & spend a little time on them each day. This method allows you to think about each section in depth and meditate on the passage as a whole throughout the week. In other words I have purposefully not formatted any questions into the study in order to allow for what is on each of our hearts.
KJV
Isaiah 52: 13Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
14As many were astonied at you; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
15So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
53: 1Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness: and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3He 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.
4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
NIV
Isaiah 52: 13 See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness
15 so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.
53: 1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.