Isaiah 53)
1 Who (the questions are asked by the prophet, and the answer is "no one" or few. Quoted in John 12:38 and Rom.10:16) put faith in our report? (= hearing, fig., put for the subject-mater which is heard) and to whom is the arm of the Lord (fig., put for what is worked by it) revealed? (made bare)
2 For He shall grow up before Him (i.e. Yahaveh) as a sapling, and as a root-sprout out of a dry ground (the "root" [David] of which He was the offspring was will near extinct): He has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him (i.e. the people who saw Him. The interpretation is for the Jews of our Lord's day. The application is for us. The nation will yet say it in their confession and weeping), there is no beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He is despised and rejected (fulfilled in John 1:10,11; 8:48; 10:20) of the chief men (cp. John 7:48,49); a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him (cp. 50:6. Ps.22:6,7; and John 8:48. Mark 3:21,30. John 18:40); He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. (When your loved one runs from you it really hurts.)
4 Surely He (and no one else. Emphatic. Quoted in Matt. 8:17) has borne our griefs, and the punishment for our sorrows: (fig., put for the judgment which was brought about by their sins. See Ezek.4:4. Matt.8:17. Cp. vv.11,12) yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten by God, and humbled.
5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement which procured our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. (quoted in 1 Pet.2:24. Remember this when you take communion.)
6 All 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. (fig., by which the statement is emphasized as containing the essence of the whole chapter. Quoted in 1 Pet.2:22. He could handle it.)
7 He was oppressed (or, hard pressed), and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth (Idiom for silence and submission. Cp. 1 Pet. 2:22,23): He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, (cp. John 1:36. Quoted in Acts 8:32,33) and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opens not His mouth. (Pilot knew he was innocent.)
8 He was taken by constraint and by sentence He was taken away: and who shall declare His generation? (= as to the men of His age [i.e. His contemporaries], who ponders, or considers as to this seed, seeing He is to be "cut of"?) for He was cut off out of the land of the living: (Cp. Dan. 9:26. Thus the climax of this prophecy is reached: (1) a hint [42:4]; (2) open lament [49:4]; (3) personal suffering [50:6]; now (4) a violent death) for the transgression of My People was He stricken. (He was that Passover lamb, He is our Passover. Evil must passover us if we have Him in us. His body took the stripes, we get the healing.)
9 And He made His grave (= one [or they] appointed, or assigned [His grave]; or, it [His grave] was appointed) with the criminals (i.e. malefactors. These have a separate part assigned in all Jewish cemeteries), and with a rich [man] (tomb of Joseph of Arimethea, His uncle, His kinsman-redeemer. Cp. Matt. 27:59,60. Mark 15:43,46. Luke 23:53. John 19:40-42) when He was dead (cp. Mark 15:42-47. John 19:38,39); because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth. (quoted in 1 Pet.2:22)
10 Yet the Lord purposed to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief:
when you shall make (this introduces the break in the Dispensations, which is the subject of the rest of the chapter: the "glory which shall follow" the sufferings) to Himself the trespass an offering (see Lev.14:12,21 for this is a peculiarly Levitical word, and cannot be understood apart from it. In Ps. 40 it is the aspect of the whole burnt offering), He shall see His seed ("see" corresponding with "see" in 52:15: i.e. the result, issue, and reward of His sufferings. Cp. Ps. 22:30; 24:6; 25:13. The Chaldee Tagum reads, "they [His seed] shall see the kingdom of the Messiah". You are going to see those that enter into the kingdom of heaven), He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall purpose in His hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of Himself, and shall be satisfied (not disappointed. We do not have an impotent Father, or a disappointed Christ, or a defeated Holy Spirit, as is so commonly preached; but an omnipotent Father, an all-victorious Christ, and an almighty Holy Spirit, able to break the hardest heart [mind] and subdue the stoutest will):Satisfied by His knowledge, My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. (His knowledge pulls you through.)
12 Therefore will I appoint (or, assign) Him a portion among the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He has poured out Himself to death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, (see Lev.10:17. Num. 9:13; 18:22. Quoted in Mark 15:28. Luke 22:37) and interposed for the transgressors. (He did this all for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.)