Isaiah 53:1-12
The Servant Bears Our Sins
1Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
3He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
4Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.
5But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
6We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.
7He 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.
8By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was stricken for the transgression of My people.
9He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.
10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
11After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.
12Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
Berean Standard Bible
Isaiah asks who has believed the message and to whom the arm of the LORD has been revealed. The servant grows like a tender shoot from dry ground. He has no impressive appearance that would make people want him, and he is despised and rejected.
Yet he bears griefs and carries sorrows. People think he is stricken by God, but Isaiah says he is pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
We all wander like sheep, each turning to his own way, and the LORD lays our iniquity on the servant. He is oppressed and afflicted, yet he does not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to slaughter, he accepts suffering without deceit or retaliation.
He is cut off from the land of the living and assigned a grave with the wicked, though he has done no violence. Yet the LORD will prolong his days, and the servant will see light and be satisfied. He bears the sin of many and intercedes for transgressors.
How We Know
Acts 8 says Philip begins with this passage to explain the good news about Jesus. Peter also uses its language to describe Jesus bearing sins and responding to suffering without deceit. Those New Testament readings identify Jesus with the servant while Isaiah's poem itself presents the servant's innocent, suffering mission.
Questions
1 How is the servant first described?
AnswerHe is like a tender shoot from dry ground, without impressive appearance, despised and rejected.
2 What does he carry?
AnswerHe carries griefs, sorrows, and the iniquity of others.
3 How does he respond when afflicted?
AnswerHe remains silent and does not answer with deceit or retaliation.
4 What is the servant's final work?
AnswerHe bears the sin of many and intercedes for transgressors.
What This Means for Us
The passage does not minimize sin or suffering. It says peace comes at a cost borne by the servant, not through pretending that harm was insignificant.
Receive mercy without using it to excuse your own wrong. When you have been hurt, seek truth and justice without copying the violence you condemn; the servant's quietness is not permission for abuse, but a picture of faithful innocence.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for bearing sin and interceding for transgressors. Make us grateful for your mercy, honest about our wrong, and faithful when suffering tempts us toward deceit or retaliation. Amen.