BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 / Keywords 53:5-6

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

 

The Suffering and Glory of the Servant

13 See, my servant will act wisely[b];

    he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him[c]—

    his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being

    and his form marred beyond human likeness—

15 so he will sprinkle many nations,[d]

    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 mankind,

    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces

    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

4 Surely he took up our pain

    and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God,

    stricken 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 on him,

    and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

    each of us has turned to our 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 its shearers is silent,

    so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression[e] and judgment he was taken away.

    Yet who of his generation protested?

For he was cut off from the land of the living;

    for the transgression of my people he was punished.[f]

9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,

    and with the rich in his death,

though he had done no violence,

    nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,

    and though the Lord makes[g] his life an offering for sin,

he will see his offspring and prolong his days,

    and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.

11 After he has suffered,

    he will see the light of life[h] and be satisfied[i];

by his knowledge[j] my righteous servant will justify many,

    and he will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,[k]

    and he will divide the spoils with the strong,[l]

because he poured out his life unto death,

    and was numbered with the transgressors.

For he bore the sin of many,

    and made intercession for the transgressors.

Footnotes

b. Isaiah 52:13 Or will prosper

c. Isaiah 52:14 Hebrew you

d. Isaiah 52:15 Or so will many nations be amazed at him (see also Septuagint)

e. Isaiah 53:8 Or From arrest

f. Isaiah 53:8 Or generation considered / that he was cut off from the land of the living, / that he was punished for the transgression of my people?

g. Isaiah 53:10 Hebrew though you make

h. Isaiah 53:11 Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text does not have the light of life.

i. Isaiah 53:11 Or (with Masoretic Text) 11 He will see the fruit of his suffering / and will be satisfied

j. Isaiah 53:11 Or by knowledge of him

k. Isaiah 53:12 Or many

l. Isaiah 53:12 Or numerous

 

1. This passage finds its fulfillment in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God’s people thought that the coming Messiah would be a triumphant king who would be lifted up and highly exalted. They never imagined that the Messiah would come as a suffering servant. Jesus came like a tender shoot, a baby in a manger. He lived a simple, humble life and had no physical beauty like a root out of dry ground. He was despised and rejected. He knew what it was like to suffer and was familiar with pain. He is a friend of sinners and empathizes with our weakness and pains. He is our merciful High Priest.

 

2. Yet his suffering was not for himself. He bore our suffering and pain in our place. He was pierced for our sins and his punishment brought us peace with God. His wounds brought healing for us. We all went astray like sheep, but Jesus became our good Shepherd who laid down his life to bear all our iniquities. He became the sin offering in obedience to God’s will; though innocent, he was numbered with transgressors as he was crucified between two criminals. However, God vindicated him by raising him from the dead, conquering death and making us righteous in his sight through faith in Jesus.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for Jesus who willingly suffered in my place and bore my sins on the cross. I come to you with my pains and sins and with grateful heart.

One Word Jesus bore my sins in my place