One of the most controversial passages in the Bible is found in Isaiah 53. It is, in fact, so controversialthat it has been called “the forbidden chapter” by some who have wanted to avoid the controversy. In reality, the context actually begins at chapter 52:13 and continues through all twelve verses of chapter 53. This passage refers to a Suffering Servant and, among rabbis, it has brought much controversy. This is because in Christian theology, the Servant is identified as Jesus the Christ, our Messiah. However, that is not the traditional teaching within Jewish synagogues. So, by leaving the passage out of the listed prophetic readings of the Tanakh, the controversy can be partially avoided — although debates behind the scenes by the rabbis have offered alternative explanations of the passage.
The question of the true identity of Jesus Christ is the subject of great controversy around the globe, and it has been so for 2,000 years. This is certainly no less the case among Jewish people. Rabbis have hotly debated this issue. Can you imagine the spiritual struggle of a rabbi — after decades of teaching that the Messiah has not yet come, after decades of studying Torah and debating Talmud, guiding people through the ancient wisdom of the Jewish fathers, and then coming face to face with the realization that the very One that he has rejected and has taught others to reject — is the promised Messiah after all? There are many testimonies of that very thing happening today and in many places throughout the world.
This, of course, does not just apply to rabbis. It is the same for Muslim sheikhs, imams, and mullahs who have found that they themselves had been taught wrong their entire lives and subsequently, had taught others the error as well. The great religions of the world share one major common denominator: the rejection of WHO Jesus Christ really was. He may have been a great teacher, a great healer, and great prophet, and a good man, but he could not be of divine origin. Even modern day western cults share the same common denominator. They deny that Jesus was sent by God in the human body of a man, as the Son of God.
With that in mind, let’s take a good look at Isaiah 52:13-15 and 53:1-12 — the passage describing the suffering servant. It is included in its entirety below, starting with the last three verses of chapter 52. For the sake of easier understanding, it is provided in the Living Bible version of the Scriptures.
13See, my Servant shall prosper, He shall be highly exalted. 14, 15Yet many shall be amazed when they see Him — yes, even far-off foreign nations and their kings; they shall stand dumbfounded, speechless in His presence. For they shall see my Servant beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know it was a person standing there. So shall He cleanse many nations.
1BUT, OH, HOW few believe it! Who will listen? To whom will God reveal His saving power? 2In God’s eyes He was like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground. But in our eyes there was no attractiveness at all, nothing to make us want Him. 3We despised Him and rejected Him — a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way when He went by. He was despised and we didn’t care.
4Yet it was our grief that He bore, our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, for His own sins! 5But He was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was chastised that we might have peace, He was lashed — and we were healed! 6We are the ones who strayed away like sheep! We, who left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on Him the guilt and sins of every one of us!
7He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He never said a word. He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He stood silent before the ones condemning Him. 8From prison and trial they led Him away to His death. But who among the people of that day realized it was their sins that He was dying for — that He was suffering their punishment? 9He was buried like a criminal in a rich man’s grave, but He had done no wrong, and had never spoken an evil word.
10Yet it was the Lord’s good plan to bruise Him and fill Him with grief. But when His soul has been made an offering for sin, then He shall have a multitude of children, many heirs. He shall live again and God’s program shall prosper in His hands. 11And when He sees all that is accomplished by the anguish of His soul, He shall be satisfied, and because of what He has experienced, my Righteous Servant shall make many to be counted righteous before God, for He shall bear all their sins. 12Therefore I will give Him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because He has poured out His soul unto death. He was counted as a sinner, and He bore the sins of many, and He pled with God for sinners.
One explanation offered by many rabbis as to the identity of the suffering servant in these verses is that, instead of referring to a personal messiah, it is rather referring to the nation of Israel as a whole. But if we examine the wording carefully, that does not make sense. In the New King James translation, verses 4-5 read: “we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities.” It has been taught by rabbis for centuries that this suffering servant in the passage is Israel personified — the Jewish people bearing the sins and hatred of the nations. But when we read on, the text itself contradicts this understanding. It says the servant would be sinless, that his suffering would bring healing to many, and after his death, he would see the light of life and be satisfied. How could this possibly be national Israel when the passage itself distinguishes between the Servant and the people, speaking of him dying for our transgressions or people’s sin?
Below, are references to well-known Jewish rabbis as well as to some ancient Jewish writings — all of which are readily available to anyone desiring to read and research. Although most Jewish rabbis still don’t accept Jesus Christ as Yahweh’s Messiah, these ancient writings point out that many rabbis in past centuries did not agree with the denial of Jesus Christ’s real identity by the majority of Jewish theologians. This is important because, as “the chosen people”, not only were the Jews the “vessel” used to bring the Messiah into the human race, but the Jews were also chosen as the vessels to bring the Word of God — our Bible, to the world. And, that they did — both the Old Testament and all of the books of the New Testament with the exception of the Book of Luke and the Book of Acts, which were written by the Gentile physician, Luke. Even though Judaism still does not accept the divinity of Jesus Christ today which results in their rejection of the New Testament — even though written by Jewish writers, the Bible tells us that their eyes will be opened during the Time of Jacob’s Trouble outlined in the Book of Revelation.
The Bible not only answers many common questions asked by the Jewish people, but also asked by Muslims, and multitudes representing religious beliefs in our world today. The revelation of the true identity of Jesus Christ as Isaiah’s Suffering Servant is being hastened all around our world today. Why so much today? Because His return is at the door!! Praise God!
It is interesting to note that historically, before Christianity became a threat to Jewish identity, many rabbis had actually interpreted Isaiah 53 as referring to the Messiah Himself. Some well known rabbis and even portions of the Talmud in Sanhedrin 98b spoke of a Suffering Messiah. When was that interpretation changed? Was it because the text demanded it or was it because it did not fit the interpretation presented as a counter argument?
As we also look at Psalm 22, again in the Living Bible translation, we see: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? The psalm goes on to describe hands and feet being pierced, bones out of joint, lots being cast for clothing, and the sufferer being mocked by crowds.
“ 1My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? Why do you refuse to help me or even to listen to my groans?”
6 “But I am a worm, not a man, scorned and despised by my own people and by all mankind. 7Everyone who sees me mocks and sneers and shrugs. ‘Is this the one who rolled his burden on the Lord?’ they laugh. 8‘Is this the one who claims the Lord delights in him? We’ll believe it when we see God rescue him!’ 9 10 11Lord, how you have helped me before! You took me safely from my mother’s womb and brought me through the years of infancy. I have depended upon you since birth; you have always been my God. Don’t leave me now, for trouble is near and no one else can possibly help.
12I am surrounded by fearsome enemies, strong as the giant bulls from Bashan. 13They come at me with open jaws, like roaring lions attacking their prey. 14My strength has drained away like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart melts like wax; 15my strength has dried up like sun-baked clay; my tongue sticks to my mouth, for you have laid me in the dust of death. 16The enemy, this gang of evil men, circles me like a pack of dogs, they have pierced my hands and feet. 17I can count every bone in my body. See these men of evil gloat and stare; 18they divide my clothes among themselves by a toss of dice.
Was this just an example of David’s personal exasperation and stress written as poetry? How could it be? David had never had his hands and feet pierced. He was never hung on display while people gambled for his clothing. But, Someone historically has experienced exactly this and the details were written down at least five hundred years before crucifixion was first used by the Persians or Assyrians — one thousand years before Jesus was crucified. Can you imagine the mathematical probabilities of this being a coincidence? Impossible!
Next, we have to ask about Daniel 9:24-27 (also in the Living Bible translation):
24 “Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation from iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. 25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. 26And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27Then shall he confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate. Even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.”
The angel Gabriel tells Daniel that from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the prince, there would be 69 weeks of years, which equals 483 years. Using the decree in 444 BC as the starting point, exactly as Daniel described, this timeline lands precisely in the first century, right at the time of Jesus. But what should cause a skeptic’s blood to run cold is the passage that says the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing and that He will come before the Temple and Jerusalem are destroyed. The Temple was destroyed in 70 AD. If the Messiah didn’t come before that date according to Daniel’s prophecy, then the prophecy failed. But Bible prophecy has never failed, nor will it ever. This means that either Daniel was wrong or the Messiah did come in the first century and somehow, He was missed.
Zechariah 12:10 speaks of one looking upon the one they have pierced and mourning for Him as for an only son.
And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yet, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. Zechariah 12:10
Micah 5:2 says that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, yet His origins would be from ancient times — suggesting pre-existence.
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose going forth are from of old, from everlasting. Micah 5:2
The Passover which was first instituted in Exodus 12 and is celebrated even today in every Jewish community, must also be considered. Can we really ignore all the symbolism of the Passover? The symbolism is everywhere — the lamb without blemish, sacrificed at twilight, its blood marking the doorposts so the angel of death would pass over, not one bone of the sacrificial lamb broken. The matza, the unleavened bread that Jews break and hide and search for. The middle matza of the three that bears stripes from baking, which seems to echo Isaiah’s description of the Servant being pierced, and by His stripes we are healed. The cup of redemption that speaks of the blood covenant. The entire Passover seems to be shouting a Name that seems to offend more people than any other. Why?
How about Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when the high priest would take two goats. One would be sacrificed, its blood sprinkled on the mercy seat for the forgiveness of Israel’s sins. The other, the scapegoat, would have the sins of the people confessed over it before being sent into the wilderness to carry those sins away. Two goats but one atonement, one sacrifice. And, isn’t it interesting, this ceremony ended when the temple was destroyed. For 2,000 years there has been no way for the Jewish people to fulfill the atonement sacrifice that Leviticus 17 says is required — that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. Either God changed his mind about how atonement works, or He provided a different sacrifice, one that would last beyond the temple, beyond the priesthood, into perpetuity.
1And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to Aaron, to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘This is the thing which the LORD has commanded, saying: 3 “Whatever man of the house of Israel who kills an ox or lamb or goat in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp, 4and does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting to offer an offering to the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD, the guilt of bloodshed shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people, 5to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they offer in the open field, that they may bring them to the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to the priest, and offer them as peace offerings to the LORD. 6And the priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and burn the fat for a sweet aroma to the LORD.” Leviticus 17:1-6
In the Talmud Sukkah 52a, there is a discussion about two messiahs, Mashiach Ben Yseph, who would suffer and die, and Mashiach Ben David, who would reign and conquer. Rabbis have taught for centuries that these were two separate people coming at different times. What if they are the same Person coming twice? What if the suffering Servant and the conquering King were both Jesus — first coming to die for sins, and then returning to establish His kingdom?
Even the Targum Jonathan, an ancient Aramaic paraphrase of the prophets, explicitly identifies the Servant in Isaiah 52:13 as the Messiah. The ancient interpreters saw it. The medieval rabbi Moshe Cohen Iben Crispen, writing in the 14th century, actually lamented that his fellow rabbis were twisting the plain meaning of Isaiah 53 to avoid the Christian interpretation when honesty demanded that they acknowledge that Isaiah 53 spoke of an individual sufferer. Other rabbis centuries ago have spoken of the Messiah being hidden, rejected, considered nothing in the eyes of men, before being revealed. These were not Christian scholars. These were rabbis, Jewish sages and teachers. They had seen something extraordinary, something that defied the accepted narrative.
In the Talmud Sanhedrin 97a – 98b, we find a startling admission. The rabbis discussed when the Messiah would come and they concluded that all the predestined dates had passed. One rabbi even said, “Let Him come, but let me not see Him because the birth pangs of His coming would be too terrible.” They knew. The ancient rabbis knew that according to their own calculations, the Messiah should already have come. The Talmud was compiled between 200 and 500 AD. This means that these rabbis were writing after Jesus’ time in Jerusalem, and after the temple destruction, and they were grappling with the uncomfortable reality that their Messiah was somehow overdue. What if He wasn’t overdue? What if he had come exactly on time and they had missed Him?
Another question: What if the genealogies in the New Testament which so many have dismissed are not fabrications? The Gospel of Matthew traces Jesus through the royal line of David via Solomon, establishing His legal right to the throne through adoptive father, Joseph. The Gospel of Luke traces Him through David’s other son, Nathan, showing His biological descent through Mary. Both lines converge at David, fulfilling the requirement that Messiah must be a son of David.
Messianic Jews now pray the Amida (the silent prayer of the 19 blessings), the standing prayer many traditional Jewish people have recited a thousand times — but with Yeshua’s Name woven naturally into the ancient words. They sing the Shama, “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one” with passion. They keep the Shabbat and they celebrate the feasts. They honor the Torah, but they do it all while acknowledging that the sacrificial system has been fulfilled — that the ultimate Passover Lamb has been slain, that the new covenant Jeremiah promised has been instituted. They have discovered the deepest truth of Judaism.
In Zechariah 14, we find a description of the Messiah’s feet standing on the Mount of Olives — the same mountain from which the Gospel says Jesus ascended and to which He will return.
3Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. 4And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it to the south. Zechariah 14:3-4
In Zechariah 13:7 we find: “Strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered”, which Jesus Himself quoted on the night of His betrayal.
“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My Companion,” says the LORD of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered…” Zechariah 13:7
What was it that happened after the crucifixion? The disciples and followers of Jesus were indeed scattered. They had just seen their Master murdered by the Romans and not not only were they confused, they feared for their lives.
In Psalm 16, God says He will not abandon His Holy One to the grave or let Him see decay. This prophecy makes no sense for David, who died and was buried and whose tomb was still known in Jerusalem, but makes perfect sense for someone who would rise from the dead on the third day — which He did!
For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. Psalm 16:10
Then in Psalm 69, another psalm by David, we read in verse 21: “They gave me poison for food, and for My thirst, they gave me sour wine to drink.” The Gospel accounts say that on the cross, Jesus was offered sour wine mixed with gall. This wasn’t a detail that the disciples could have fabricated or staged. You can’t orchestrate your own execution down to what mockers will offer you to drink. Either this was the most extraordinary coincidence in human history, or David was prophetically describing something that would happen to someone else 1,000 years later — someone who would suffer in ways David never did. This had to be Someone whose suffering would carry the greatest significance imaginable.
They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. Psalm 69:10
28After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. John 19:28-30
Let’s consider this impossible list of prophecies of Jesus’ first coming:
- Born in Bethlehem: Micah 5:2
- From the line of David: Isaiah 11:1
- Born of a virgin: Isaiah 7:14
- Performed miracles, opening blind eyes and deaf ears: Isaiah 35
- Would teach in parables as foretold: Psalm 78:2
- Would be rejected by His own people: Isaiah 53:3
- Would enter Jerusalem on a donkey: Zechariah 9:9
- Would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, which would be thrown into the temple and used to buy a potter’s field: Zechariah 11:12-13
The details are so specific they can’t possibly be coincidence. The probability calculations are absolutely astronomical. Mathematicians have made the calculations that the odds of one person fulfilling just eight of the major messianic prophecies by chance, are 1 in a million billion (One quintillion – 1,000,000,000,000,000,000). This has been compared to covering the entire American state of Texas (approximately the size of Iraq and Syria combined) with silver dollars, 2 feet deep (.66 meter), putting a special mark on one of them, and asking someone blindfolded to pick the right coin on the first try. Those would be the odds. Amazing! And, Jesus didn’t just fulfill eight prophecies. He fulfilled a great many more, depending on how you count the details. Could it be that God is shouting a message through the mathematical impossibility of the Messiah being anyone else?
For those who are looking, Jesus can be found throughout the pages of the Bible:
- The bronze serpent lifted up in the wilderness so that whoever looked upon it would be healed — a picture of the Messiah lifted up on a cross.
- In Joseph, rejected by his brothers, sold for silver, suffering unjustly, but ultimately saving his family from death and revealing himself with tears of love.
- He is found in the Passover lamb, the scapegoat, the temple veil, the ark of the covenant with its mercy seat sprinkled with blood. Every sacrifice, every feast, every prophecy has been pointing toward Yeshua all along. The Torah wasn’t abolished. It was accomplished. The covenant wasn’t broken, it was expanded to include all nations. Just as God had promised Abraham that through his seed, all the families of the earth would be blessed.
Adding to the evidence found in the Old Testament and ancient Jewish documents, we have the interchanges between the Jewish high priest, Caiaphas and Pilate hours prior to the crucifixion.
It is hard to ignore when Jesus stood before the high priest, Caiaphas. It reads this way in Matthew 26:
57And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58But Peter followed him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end. 59Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, 60but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, 61 “This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days. 62And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do you answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 63But Jesus kept silent.
And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” 64Jesus said to him, “It is as you said, Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. 65Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! 66What do you think?” They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.” 67Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, 68saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?” Matthew 26:57-68
What is easily missed in a quick reading of this passage is the fact that Jesus was directly referring to a passage in the Old Testament, identifying Himself as the very One being referred to. The significance of Jesus having identified Himself this way is that He depicted Himself as the heavenly figure who comes with the clouds of heaven, approaching the Ancient of Days and being given dominion, glory, and His Kingdom. This figure was seen as a messianic figure who will establish God’s eternal Kingdom. By identifying Himself as the Son of Man, Jesus aligned His mission with this prophetic vision — indicating that He was the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy. This title also emphasized Jesus’ humanity as it highlighted His identification with humanity while also claiming a unique and exalted role in God’s redemptive plan. Caiaphas knew exactly what Jesus was saying. This was enough to push Caiaphus over the edge and he now had what he wanted. He accused Jesus of blasphemy but the problem was, Caiaphus really was looking at the real Messiah. Here’s how the Old Testament passage reads:
13 “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. 14Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14
Caiaphus was so jealous of Jesus’ sway over the people and so anxious to have this man killed that he blinded to the fact that this was the very Messiah Himself that he was condemning to death. Amazing! This brings to mind what is said in Psalm 2 in which the Holy Spirit is giving instruction for men to acknowledge the identity of the Son of Man before He returns in His power and glory to deal with a wicked Christ-rejecting world. The message is quite plain.
10Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. 12Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. Psalm 2:10-12
A second crucial exchange was between Jesus and Pilate.
28Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. 29Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” 30They answered and said to him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.” 31Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” 32that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die.
33Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” 34Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?” 35Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?” 36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” 37Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.” John 18:28-38
Here again we have confirmation. The perfect Lamb of God — the Suffering Messiah of Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 was being condemned to death — not for His own sins, but for the sins of the world just as was foretold throughout the Old Testament. Pilate, to his credit, informed the crowd that Jesus was innocent, hoping that they would respond to some sense. They did not.
After Jesus made the statement above: “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice,’ Pilate asked Him: “What is truth?” What Pilate failed to recognize was that the very source of all Truth was standing right in front of him, looking straight into his eyes! When Pilate couldn’t satisfy the mob, he offered them a choice that he hoped would save Jesus’ life. As was custom, a criminal was to be set free at Passover. Pilate picked one of the worst of the worst, offering the crowd the choice between Jesus and Barabbas. Certainly they would opt to release Jesus! But, no!
So, Pilate had Jesus flogged, hoping that this would be enough to satisfy the crowd. It is pretty obvious as you read through the verses of this prophecy that He is a Suffering Servant. The passage in Isaiah 52-53 makes it pretty clear that the whole experience at the cross was extremely brutal. The suffering was beyond what most of us can imagine. Most of us in the West don’t have much stomach for the violence and lack of respect for life that is found in many other cultures. This was the case in Roman culture. As stated earlier, crucifixion wasn’t invented by the Romans. It originated with either the Assyrians or Persians, but the Romans took it to another level of brutality. Notice comments by the onlookers in chapter 52:14 (New International Version): “… Just as there were many who were appalled at Him — His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and His form marred beyond human likeness.” The verse in the Living Bible reads like this: “They shall see my servant beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know it was a person standing there.”
The scourging involved two soldiers who were called lictors, each with a whip. They would deliver diagonal blows to the back of the victim who was tied to a post, leaving his back fully exposed and taut. The leather thongs used by the Roman soldiers were called flagellum and were embedded with pieces of glass, lead, and bone. This would cause the flesh to be grabbed and torn. Scholars tell us that this would rip through muscle, the subcutaneous tissues, sometimes even eviscerate the victims. Ancient writers say that the organs were sometimes exposed to sight, the deep tissue and the organs within. Many never survived the ordeal. After that scourging, and by the way, not only the scourging, but the soldiers beat Him up, hit Him in the face, blindfolded Him, saying: “Who struck you?”
When Jesus was brought before Pilate again, he paraded Him in front of the crazed mob and said, “Behold the man!” It was like he was trying to draw on some sympathy from the crowd as if to say, “Pity this poor creature! Haven’t you seen enough?” The crowd only shouted louder, “CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!!” And Pilate complied and had Him crucified — just as was foretold in the Old Testament.
In no way is the purpose of this writing to put all the blame on the first century Jews for crucifying Jesus. Were they guilty? Yes. So was King Herod, so was the Roman governor, Pilate, so was the crowd. If we had been there, would we have done differently under the same circumstances?
For 2,000 years, the Jewish people have been trying to practice Judaism without its cornerstone. That’s like trying to celebrate Passover without the lamb. Yom Kippur without the sacrifice. Hanukkah without the temple. Beautiful traditions and rich theology are worthless without the recognition of Yeshua as the Messiah.
The Messiah has come and He is about to return. The long exile of the Jewish people can be over for any willing to accept the Truth of the matter. Many Jews and Gentiles alike open the Scriptures with fresh eyes. Read Isaiah 52:13 – Isaiah 53;1-12. Read Psalm 22. Read Daniel 9. Read Zechariah 12. What do these passages mean? Who do they describe? Does the evidence point to a Messiah still coming, or one who has already come? The truth is there hidden in plain sight, waiting for anyone brave or curious enough to look.
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is calling his people home. The door is Yeshua, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The Jewish Messiah who came for the Jew first, came also for the Gentile. The God of all gods is not willing that anyone perish — contrary to the commands of false gods leading people into a deception that ends in destruction and eternal loss.
Note what we find written by the Apostle Paul in Colossians 1, keeping in mind that he had been a powerful Pharisee himself, persecuting and having Christians killed for their faith in Jesus — until having his own “Come to Jesus” moment on the road to Damascus. This same Jesus is returning very, very SOON! Praise GOD!
19For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless, and above reproach in His sight — 23if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. Colossians 1:19-23
Forever in His Service,
Jake Geier (aka Jack)