By Christina M Wilson

“My People” and Gentiles Together in One Tent

Septuagint Isaiah 52:15 introduces what Septuagint Isaiah 54:1-3 completes. Namely, God intends to include Gentiles in Israel’s own tent of habitation. Most importantly, however, the Servant dominates the prophesies of these several chapters. It is by means of his Servant that God accomplishes all he intends for his own people and for Gentiles.

I. God’s Servant

The person of the Servant dominates from 52:13 through at least 55:5.

A. THE SERVANT’S EXALTATION

First, God glorifies his Servant.

Behold, my servant shall understand, and be exalted, and exceedingly. (Isaiah 52:13 LXE)

B. REJECTION AND SUFFERING

Second, verse 52:14 and the bulk of Isaiah 53 delineate the Servant’s rejection and suffering at the hands of the “sons of men” (vs 14).

As many shall be amazed at you, so shall your face be without glory from men, and your glory shall not be honored by the sons of men. (Isaiah 52:14 LXE) 

C. GLORIFIED AGAIN

Finally, the Servant shall be glorified again.

54:5b for he has glorified you… 12a Therefore he shall inherit many, and he shall divide the spoils of the mighty; (Isaiah 55:5, 12a Septuagint)

II. Israel

Beginning in Isaiah 52:11, God addresses his own people directly. He continues interacting with his people up to and including chapter 54. God specifically names his people in Isaiah 53:8, “… because of the iniquities of my people he was led to death.” When chapter 54 opens, God still addresses his people. When he tells them in Isaiah 54:2-3 to “enlarge the place of your tent… for you will spread abroad to the right and to the left,” he clearly means the tent of his own people.

Readers have no doubt that in spite of the reprehensible way his people treated his Servant, God intends to bless them. The text speaks about God’s own people. This is so strongly stated, it’s not even debatable.

III. Gentiles

But then, God brings Gentiles into the Servant’s realm. Specific mention of Gentile inclusion occurs both at the beginning and ending of the “Fourth Servant Song.”

GENTILES AT THE BEGINNING

52:15 Thus shall many nations wonder at him; and kings shall keep their mouths shut: for they to whom no report was brought concerning him, shall see; and they who have not heard, shall consider. (Isaiah 52:15 Septuagint)

GENTILES AT THE ENDING

Even though commentators specify that the Fourth Servant Song ends with chapter 53, biblical context itself includes the verses which follow.

54:1 Rejoice, you barren that bear not; break forth and cry, you that do not travail: for more are the children of the desolate than of her that has a husband: for the Lord has said, 2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and of your curtains: fix the pins, spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your pins; 3 spread forth your tent yet to the right and the left: for your seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and you shall make the desolate cities to be inhabited. (Isaiah 54:1-3 Septuagint)

Without the New Testament, it might be difficult to verify that the children of 54:1 refers to Gentiles. But Paul quotes this verse in Galatians 4:27.

In Paul’s context, Sarah, wife of Abraham, is “the desolate one.” Her children he calls “children of promise,” born by the “Jerusalem above.” He refers of course, to the inclusion of believing Gentiles among Abraham’s extended progeny.

Whatever clarity of identification Isaiah’s verse 1 lacks, however, verse 3 supplies by name. The “children of the desolate” (the children of the barren woman) are Gentiles.

WHOSE “SEED SHALL INHERIT THE GENTILES”?

Who is the one whose seed inherits the Gentiles? Who is this the “desolate” or “barren woman”? The Septuagint text of Isaiah 54:3 (LXE) states, “Your seed shall inherit the Gentiles.” The verb “shall inherit” is active (verb indicative future active third person singular.) The word “your” in the phrase “your seed” refers back to the “barren” woman of verse 1. The particular form of the verb “to inherit” implies an object, which the word “Gentiles” supplies. So, the seed of the barren woman will inherit the Gentiles.

But who is this barren woman? Although the Septuagint text itself does not specifically indicate Sarah or Israel as the barren woman, Isaiah’s context strongly indicates Israel. Additionally, Paul indicates Isaac, born of Sarah, as the son of “promise” in Galatians 4:23. He adds to this that Isaiah’s children born to the barren woman refers to Gentile believers (Galatians 4:27.) This is the verse where he quotes Isaiah 54:3. Combining all these evidences, it seems likely that Isaiah addresses Israel directly in 54:1-3 Septuagint. And although it would be difficult to prove, it is at least possible that Isaiah himself looks back to Sarah as the “barren woman.” It remains clear, however, that the seed of the barren, or desolate woman, are they whom Isaiah commands to “Rejoice!”

Although the above paragraphs may appear circular, the context of Isaiah 54:1-3 LXE allows readers to first determine that Gentile believers are the ones whom the barren woman will inherit. Knowing this fact allows readers to determine from Isaiah and Paul in Galatians that the barren woman is Israel, and more specifically, Sarah. It is Sarah to whom the “son of promise” is born. The progeny (seed) of this one, according to Paul, includes all believers, both Gentile and Israelite.

DIFFERENCE IN TEXT–SEPTUAGINT VERSUS MASORETIC

Here is a difference between the Septuagint text and the Masoretic. As presented above, the Septuagint states that “the seed” of the barren woman (the seed of Sarah, according to Paul) “shall inherit the Gentiles.” Translations based upon the Masoretic text, however, use words with a different nuance. For example, the ESV writes, “Your offspring will possess the nations.” NET Bible interprets the word possess as “conquer.” “Your descendants will conquer nations.” The NIV writes, “Your descendants will dispossess the nations.” Thankfully, the older KJV lines up with the Septuagint. It translates the Hebrew as, “Thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles.”

POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE FOR GENTILES?

The point of all this is that the Septuagint text calls for great rejoicing. The synopsis of the plot is that Israel, God’s people, will reject their Messiah, the chosen Servant of the Lord. He will suffer and die at their hands, as he bears their sin and shame (Isaiah 53:12). Then, Isaiah performs a sudden about face and opens chapter 54 with “Rejoice!” (verse 1). He follows with the birth announcement of a vast number of children. This calls for celebration! For children are a blessing in this culture.

2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and of your curtains: fix the pins, spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your pins; 3a spread forth your tent yet to the right and the left: (Isaiah 54:2-3a LXE)

These extra children are Gentile believers in God’s Servant (Isaiah 54:3b LXE). What happens to these Gentiles? In the Septuagint and the KJV, they join God’s people inside Israel’s own enlarged tent. They live with God’s people. Isaiah here describes one tent, in which both Israel and Gentiles dwell together. And Isaiah says to Israel, “REJOICE!” This is not a conquering, a subjugation, or a setting aside of nations, as in the NET; this is inclusion–an adoption. Paul spells this out extremely clearly in Ephesians 2:11-21.

There Is No “Parenthesis”

Some commentators insist that the “church” is a “parenthesis.” This kind of statement is so not true. Throughout all of Isaiah and especially here, God demonstrates that his heart has always been for both Israel and Gentiles. “For God so loved the world…” Because God chose to work through a particular race at the beginning of his calling a people to himself, does not mean that he ever intended for that race exclusively to be his own child in a special way unique to themselves.

Yes, Israel came first in point of time. But that timing does not make Israel privileged above all the rest. In fact, God has only one, unique and particular special child. That individual is his Servant, God’s only-begotten. He is the “firstborn” of God (Colossians 1:15, 18; Revelation 1:5). He alone is superior and more blessed than everyone else (John 1:1-18). And this Servant shares his inheritance in God freely with Israel first, then Gentiles–the whole world of believers gathered together in one tent.

The Point of Isaiah’s Text

The point of Isaiah’s text in chapters 52-53 is to announce his blessing upon all people through his Servant. God includes both believing Israel and believing Gentiles in his blessing. God through his Servant blesses both together, as one. They will live in one tent.

Isaiah rejoices over this. God rejoices. God and Isaiah intend for us, God’s original family and extended family to rejoice, as well. Like the father of the prodigal son, God through his prophet calls for joyful celebration and song. We rejoice because God’s family has grown. His provision through his Servant is abundantly sufficient for everyone together.

Dear reader, let none of us commit the grievous error of the prodigal’s elder brother (Luke 15:11-32). This one went about moping and sulking because he was no longer “special.” He behaved jealously in response to his father’s open welcoming of a lost sinner into the fold. Let us not be like this elder brother. We are one family in Christ. Let us rejoice in God and his Servant together.

By Christina M Wilson

The Fourth Servant Song Septuagint: Journal 2.53 discusses the Septuagint report of Isaiah 53:10-12.

Content: Part Seven

10 The Lord also is pleased to purge him from his stroke. If you can give an offering for sin, your soul shall see a long-lived seed: 11 the Lord also is pleased to take away from the travail of his soul, to show him light, and to form him with understanding; to justify the just one who serves many well; and he shall bear their sins. 12 Therefore he shall inherit many, and he shall divide the spoils of the mighty; because his soul was delivered to death: and he was numbered among the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and was delivered because of their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:10-12 LXE)

Summary of the Plot

Although the details of the Greek, and even the Hebrew, are uncertain here, the overall thrust of the passage is clear. Here is what we know:

• The Servant is innocent and righteous before God (Isaiah 53:4-9).
• The Servant died as a sacrifice for the sins of others (Isaiah 53:4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12 and LXE).
• The Lord receives with satisfaction offering for sin. Life is given to those who make such offering (verse 10).
• Like a passive sheep and silent lamb, the Servant allows himself to be such an offering (verse 7).
• God is delighted to reward his Servant (verses 10-12).

The Reward

PART ONE: REWARD FOR GOD’S PEOPLE

Verses 11 and 12 state that the Servant is indeed the sin-offering presented in verse 10. Isaiah 53:10 Septuagint explains, “If you offer for sin, your soul shall see a long-lived offspring” (NETS). The Servant presented himself to God as such an offering. The passage explains, “He shall bear their sins” (verse 11), and “He bore the sins of many, and was delivered because of their iniquity” (verse 12).

Notice the subtlety. As many people as may make a sin-offering to God, God will bless on an individual basis. “If you offer (both the pronoun and verb are plural) for sin, your (plural) soul (singular) shall see (singular) a long-lived offspring.” The words “if” and “offer” form a third class condition (1). That is, the blessing is conditioned upon the offering. God doesn’t offer universal forgiveness because of the Servant’s offering, nor does he offer it to the nation as a whole. The people one by one must offer to God their sin-offering, who is the Servant.

We hear many testimonies today about how someone “received” Christ into their heart as their own personal Savior. But this language falls short. It’s not just that believers must “receive” Christ into their heart. They must give Christ to God as their own personal sin-offering. Belief in Christ entails this element of vicarious (substitutionary) sin-offering by the Servant. God places no limit on the number of people who can so offer. Verse 12 states that the Servant bore the sins of “many.”

If all this appears difficult to understand, I agree. I believe it is difficult to understand. The disciples didn’t understand, not until Jesus himself explained it to them. And, marvelous blessing, God gave us Paul and the other New Testament writers to explain even more.

But with all this grammar, we must not cease to be amazed that both God and his Servant wanted to do this. “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NET). And even without the details of the grammar, Isaiah’s Fourth Servant Song makes clear the Servant’s role. He is the sacrifice for the iniquities of many. John explains in his gospel that the “many” are all who believe (πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων) on him. Isaiah explains that God’s blessing comes to all who give to God the Servant as their offering for their sin. This is what it means to “believe on him.” Worshipers believe on God’s Servant (Christ) by giving him to God as their sin-offering.

PART TWO: REWARD FOR THE SERVANT

The Servant suffered horrendously, but in the end, it is a win-win-win situation. God wins. Because he punished his Servant, he did not need to destroy the world. The people win. Those who accept the Servant and present him to God as their sin-offering get blessed by God with long life and progeny. And finally, the Servant wins. This passage makes clear that God is very well-pleased with his Servant.

• “The Lord also is pleased to purge him from his stroke” (verse 10)
• “the Lord also is pleased to take away from the travail of his soul” (verse 11)
• “to show him light” (v 11)
• “and to form him with understanding” (v 11)
• “to justify the just one who serves many well” (v 11)
• “Therefore he shall inherit many” (verse 12)
• “and he shall divide the spoils of the mighty” (v 12)

Truly, the Fourth Servant Song is a song of God’s deepest pleasure in his Servant. These verses burst with God’s delight in him. The Apostle Paul sums this chapter up in his letter to the Philippians.

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11 ESV)

And in Isaiah’s own words:

Behold, my servant shall understand, and be exalted, and glorified exceedingly. (Isaiah 52:13 LXE)

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1 Wallace, Daniel. Greek Grammar: Beyond the Basics. Zondervan, 1996, pg. 689.

By Christina M Wilson

The Fourth Servant Song Septuagint: Journal 2.52 discusses the Septuagint report of Isaiah 53:8-9.

Content: Part Six

8 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken away from the earth: because of the iniquities of my people he was led to death. 9 And I will give the wicked for his burial, and the rich for his death for he practised no iniquity, nor craft with his mouth. (Isaiah 53:8-9 LXE)

Questions About the Word “Judgment”

The phrase, “his judgment was taken away” is difficult to understand. The Greek word for “judgment” (κρίσις–from which we get our English word “crisis”) can mean a trial or the sentence passed down at a trial, including a pronouncement of innocence, as the case may be. “Who shall declare his generation?” is easier. In context, this phrase means that no one will be able to recite the names of his progeny in his lineage, “for his life is taken away from the earth.” “Before he bore any children” is implied.

As a whole then, the text reveals clearly that the Servant died (“because of the the iniquities of my people he was led to death”) and was buried (“I will give the wicked for his burial, and the rich for his death…”). His “humiliation” refers back to his dishonor (vs 3), the pain of his bearing “our” sins (vs 4), his trouble, suffering, and affliction (vs 4), his wounds, chastisement, and bruises (vs 5), and his not opening his mouth to defend himself.

Definitely, the “trial” was most unjust. Readers know this because the text constantly mentions the vicarious nature of the Servant’s suffering. That is, he bore the sins of others. He took upon himself the suffering justly due to others. Nor did he protest. He did not open his mouth to defend himself, and no one else rose up to defend him.

CONCLUSION CONCERNING “JUDGMENT”

Bearing in mind all of the above contextual considerations, it seems best to adopt here the reading derived from the Masoretic text. NET offers a stunning paraphrase which seems to catch the meaning.

He was led away after an unjust trial– but who even cared? (Isaiah 53:8 NET)

The NRS writes:

By a perversion of justice he was taken away. (Isaiah 53:8 RSV)

Paul also summarizes the content of verses 8-9:

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried… (1Corinthians 15:3 ESV)

“The Wicked for His Burial”

9 And I will give the wicked for his burial… (Isaiah 53:9a LXE)

Here again, it remains difficult for readers today to discover an exact translation or paraphrase for the meaning of these words. The Greek specifically states, “I will give the wicked” (plural). The Greek word translated as “for” (ἀντί) however, can also mean “instead of” (Thayer). Although I will not press the point, it might be possible to understand the entire phrase as, “I will give the wicked in exchange for his burial.” In this regard, all four gospel accounts reveal how Pilate gave the notorious criminal Barabbas his freedom in exchange for fulfilling the Jewish leaders’ desire to have Christ crucified (Matthew 27:15-26).

“The Rich for His Death”

The Greek sentence reads, “I will give the wicked [in exchange for] his burial and the rich [in exchange for his death]; for he practised no iniquity, nor craft with his mouth” (2 Peter 2:22). Once again, the NET paraphrases the sense of the meaning:

They intended to bury him with criminals, but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb, because he had committed no violent deeds, nor had he spoken deceitfully. (Isaiah 53:9 NET)

Not only did the trial judge, the Roman governor Pilate, exchange an attested criminal (Barabbas) for the life of Messiah, but Christ also hung between two other convicted criminals (Luke 23:32, 39-41; John 19:18). Ordinarily, he would have been dumped into a pit or left out in the open (1) with the two convicted robbers, but Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man, buried Jesus the Christ in his own immaculate tomb (John 19:38-41).

God, the Speaker in Isaiah 8b-9a

The text of Chapter 53 changes speaker in the latter portion of verse 8. Previously, a narrator, most likely Isaiah speaking for all the faithful people, spoke about the Servant, referring to him in third person (he, him). Yet, readers infer the presence of God in the background, because verse 1 begins with the second person direct address, “O Lord” (not present in the Masoretic).

In verse 8b, God himself speaks:

…because of the iniquities of my people he was led to death. (Isaiah 53:8b LXE) (2)

The use of first person continues through verse 9a in the Septuagint, although the Masoretic text changes back to third person plural (they). When considering these things, readers need always to bear in mind that the writers of the New Testament relied heavily upon the Septuagint in their understanding of the Old. Verse 9a Septuagint reads:

And I will give the wicked for his burial, and the rich for his death;… (Isaiah 53:9a LXE)

The verbs concerning the Servant are for the most part third person passive in the entire Fourth Servant Song. The song has others describing what will happen to the Servant, as though he is a passive spectator. The introduction of first person here in verses 8 and 9 is therefore startling.

Readers know that Isaiah himself is not the first person speaker. First, throughout the book, Isaiah never claims to be the “owner” of “my people” in the sense the phrase is used here. The prophet may at times identify with God’s people, but he never calls the people his own, as though he were their leader or great guide. Further, Isaiah is not the one who controls the death and burial of God’s Servant, as though he had power to direct events. Therefore, the speaker must be God.

IMPLICATIONS OF GOD AS SPEAKER

Why interject God’s first person voice at this moment in the text? Namely, the appearance of God inserting himself into the narrative in first person singular establishes the fact of his being in charge of this whole situation concerning his Servant. He claims the people as his own. He acknowledges that his own people’s iniquities lead to the Servant’s passive death. Further, God names himself as the one who controls the situation in detail. God arranges the exchange between the wicked and his Servant in burial, as well as the exchange with a rich man in his death.

If God were not in charge of this situation, would it make any sense for the Servant to pray to him in the Garden of Gethsemane that he remove “this cup” from his lips? (Luke 22:42). Jesus Messiah did not blame Pilate for his death. Rather, he acknowledged to this governor/judge that God directed these events (John 19:10-11). Even on the cross, the Servant knew that God’s will prevailed in this situation (Mark 15:34).

God is the one who delivered to Moses the laws and commandments concerning the sacrificial system to atone for the sins of the people. Here, in Isaiah 53:8b and 9a Septuagint, God continues to exert his control over the details of the sacrifice that he will declare sufficient to assuage his own sense of justice.

And God manifests his satisfaction with the sacrifice of his Servant in the very next verse.

To be continued Lord willing… Content: Part Seven

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1 “Roman Funerary Practices,” accessed March 12, 2022 at Roman funerary practices – Wikipedia.

2 A NET translator’s note for their paraphrase of the Masoretic text acknowledges that the Hebrew does indeed contain the pronoun “my.” However, for reasons of their own, they prefer to substitute “his own people” for “my people.”

By Christina M Wilson. Reposted from JustOneSmallVoice.com.

The Fourth Servant Song Septuagint: Devotional 2.51 discusses the Septuagint report of Isaiah 53:7.

Content: Part Five

7 And he, because of his affliction, opens not his mouth: he was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7 LXE)

A Simple Solution to an Awkward Text: Verse 7

The way the Greek reads (as reflected in the majority of English translations), the text of verse 7 appears to the American ear to be saying something like this, He was afflicted, and because he was so afflicted, [therefore] he opens not his mouth. In other words, it sounds as though the affliction was causing him not to open his mouth in protest. Obviously, this meaning is difficult to understand in the context of the overall situation of the Servant.

But, the Greek language, wonderfully, has the amazing characteristic of not depending upon word order to generate meaning. This is due to the high degree of inflection (grammatical tagging) built into nearly every word. This character trait of Greek differs from English. English over the years has dropped most of its grammatical tags, or inflections. In exchange for these, English depends upon word order to establish a good degree of its meaning.

An alternate translation into English of the Septuagint text of 53:7 clarifies the meaning of the sentence as a whole. By simply exchanging the order of the phrases but nothing else, the sense of the entire sentence (as attested by nearly everyone) becomes so much clearer.

7 And he opens not his mouth on account of ill-treatment. As a sheep is led to the slaughter and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he does not open his mouth (1).

The above word order accords with the interpretation most English translations supply. The statement now gives the meaning, In spite of ill-treatment, he opens not his mouth.

The Metaphors of Verse 7

Isaiah uses two metaphors in verse 7.

1. a sheep led to slaughter
2. a lamb about to have its coat sheared

Why aren’t the Greek nouns switched around? Why not a lamb about to be killed and a sheep about to be sheared?

METAPHOR ONE: A SHEEP LED TO SLAUGHTER

1. An Image of Violence

The image of the first metaphor establishes the act, or action, that befell the Servant. The entire phrase, “a sheep led to slaughter,” is violent. The metaphor, as written, does not reflect the somber, reverential, and orderly sacrificing of a lamb to God, according to the law given in the Old Testament. While it is true that the New Testament characterizes Messiah as the “lamb” of God who was sacrificed for our sins (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7; and Revelation 5:12), the Septuagint phrase displays neither honor nor reverence.

The word “slaughter” in Isaiah and elsewhere refers to a negative judgment and punishment. See for example Isaiah 34:2, 6; 65:12; and Romans 8:36. The Servant of Isaiah 52:13 LXE will be “glorified exceedingly.” But this same Servant will be led like an unprotesting sheep about to be violently killed. In God’s eyes, the Servant was a sacrifice for sins. According to human eyes, the Servant was brutally punished in falsehood of having committed crimes of which he was innocent.

2. An Image of Human Identification

Verse 6 states, “All we as sheep have gone astray; every one has gone astray in his way; and the Lord gave him up for our sins.” The Servant represents humankind so strongly that Isaiah refers to him in verse 7 as one of us, as a “sheep.” Whereas our being sheep led to sin and lostness, the Servant’s being a sheep led to a violent death. Our failure to stay close to the precepts of God led to the servant’s slaughter at the hands of unrighteous men. Our sheep-like nature led us into sin. The Servant’s sheep-like nature led him to follow God’s lead to his own slaughter, a violent death (see Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 4:15).

METAPHOR TWO: A LAMB BEFORE THE SHEARER

How many parents remember the first haircut they ever gave their child? Perhaps this occurred at home; perhaps in a professional salon or barbershop. The image of the second metaphor establishes the character of the Servant. The Servant behaved himself like a young sheep, a lamb, inexperienced and innocent. Some of our children behave as an inexperienced lamb when they receive their first haircut. More often, perhaps, the children cried and screamed when they saw the barber’s blade.

Little lambs have never had their wool cut. They can be led to the shearer quietly, without protest. This is the image Isaiah establishes. This image focuses on the character and nature of the Servant as he faces his “slaughter.” He is quiet, calm, and trusting of the hand that leads him. He does not defend himself. The New Testament paints the accurate fulfillment of this prophecy. See Matthew 26:62-63; Mark 15:4-5; Luke 23:8-9; and John 18:10-11.

Reprise

It is good at this point to revisit Isaiah 53:1a, “O Lord, who has believed our report?” In paraphrase of that statement, These things are so astonishing that they seem beyond belief. That the Servant of God, portrayed cumulatively throughout Isaiah as divine, that such a one should silently endure this kind of treatment seems preposterous. Perhaps this is why no one recognized Christ the Servant when he came. Perhaps, refusing to accept this difficult report of Isaiah, they reinterpreted it or rubbed it from their minds.

To be continued… Content: Part Six, Verse 8

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1 Watson, Francis B. (2009) ‘Mistranslation and the death of Christ : Isaiah 53 LXX and its Pauline Reception.’,
in Translating the New Testament : text, translation, theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, pp. 215-250. Available at  https://dro.dur.ac.uk/8991/1/. Accessed on March 11, 2022.

In answer to the question, Why read the Septuagint of Isaiah? Watson writes on page 233, “From one perspective, Isaiah 53 in Greek is a seriously flawed representative of the Hebrew original. From another perspective, it can be seen as supplanting that Hebrew original, functioning directly as scripture in Greek-speaking Jewish and Christian communities with no possibility but also no need of recourse to the Hebrew. Thus it is this text that survives in multiple copies, whereas the more accurate translation of Symmachus must be laboriously reconstructed from scattered fragments of evidence. If the Greek text is at some points less lucid than the Hebrew. at other points it is more so – notably in its testimony to the Servant’s death and vindication. If each of its “mistranslations” represents the loss of an original semantic content, its place is always taken by a new semantic content, or at least by a semantic potential waiting to be realized. Ironically, it is precisely the deviations from the Hebrew that establish this as an independent text in its own right, not as a mere local representative of a distant foreign original. Without recognizing them as such, it was precisely in the deviations that early Christians first glimpsed the possibility of a positive soteriological interpretation of the death of Christ. In the light of such momentous discoveries as this, it is unsurprising that the Septuagint could be viewed as an inspired text in its own right.”

By Christina M Wilson. Previously published at https://justonesmallvoice.com/fourth-servant-song-septuagint-devotional-2-50/.

The Fourth Servant Song Septuagint: Devotional 2.50 discusses the Septuagint report of Isaiah 53:4-6.

Content: Part Four

4 He bears our sins, and is pained for us: yet we accounted him to be in trouble, and in suffering, and in affliction. 5 But he was wounded on account of our sins, and was bruised because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his bruises we were healed. 6 All we as sheep have gone astray; every one has gone astray in his way; and the Lord gave him up for our sins. (Isaiah 53:4-6 LXE) [1]

Recollections of a Young Christian

When I became a Christian, I only knew that I needed a Savior, and God was the only such person on my horizon. He helped me and introduced me to his Son, the Lord Jesus. In those first years, I confess I did not understand the connection between the cross and my being made right with God. How did Jesus’s dying on a cross mean that I was okay with God? How did his action help me? Why did God perceive Christ’s crucifixion as relevant to me and my sins?

Isaiah 53:4-6 Septuagint supplies the answer to my question. And, apparently I was not alone in my lack of comprehension. The people Isaiah writes about in Chapter 53 neither believed (Isaiah 53:1) nor understood (Isaiah 53:4-6). I am eternally grateful to God for his grace in saving this ignorant enemy, myself. Yes, before I in desperation cried out to him for his help, I was an enemy, like the rest (Romans 5:10).

Why the Servant Suffers

I. THE HUMAN VANTAGE

The NET Bible supplies a useful paraphrase for verse 4b.

… even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. (Isaiah 53:4 NET)

Those who witnessed the Servant’s suffering looked upon him without understanding. They saw someone whom God punished for his own sins, “for something he had done.” Even the Servant’s disciples remained completely confused by what had transpired (Luke 24:10-11 ESV, 13-26 ESV).

On a personal note, I remember a time as a nonbelieving adolescent, when I looked upon Jesus exactly like this. I saw him as a naked, broken man, shamefully and publicly exposed, a completely humble and humiliated person. I in my blindly ignorant pride did not want to be associated either with him or his followers. How very “foolish” and “slow of heart” I was (Luke 24:25 ESV).

Isaiah explains the cause of the disbelief and lack of understanding.

All we as sheep have gone astray; every one has gone astray in his way… (Isaiah 53:6a LXE)

II. GOD’S VANTAGE

But God…

God’s vantage is infinitely higher than our own (Isaiah 55:8-9). God punished his Servant out of love for us, his created sheep.

4 He bears our sins, and is pained for us… 5 But he was wounded on account of our sins, and was bruised because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his bruises we were healed. 6 … and the Lord gave him up for our sins. (Isaiah 53:4-6 LXE)

The Septuagint version brings out this concept fully. God’s Servant became a sin offering, a sacrifice for our sin. And once more, on a personal note, I give thanks to God that he turned my heart around. God enabled me to see my sin as sin. When I was in position to see this and the destruction of life my own sin caused myself and others, then, and only then, did I cry out to God for his help. And he came. He helped. He pointed me to the Lord Jesus Christ. And I believed. Praise God for his mercy to individuals everywhere.

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1 The Septuagint reads differently than the Masoretic in the first portion of 53:4. The Masoretic states, “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried.” The Septuagint writes, “He bears our sins, and is pained for us.” According to Archer and Chirichigno, Matthew in 8:17 apparently translates from the Hebrew (Masoretic) rather than from the Septuagint. In context, Matthew’s verse reads, “16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases” (Matthew 8:16-17 ESV).

Definitely, Matthew applies Isaiah’s griefs and sorrows (Masoretic) to physical ailments, which Jesus healed. While sin is the root cause of all illness, Matthew’s text does not so state. The Septuagint’s text lacks Matthew’s dimension of physical healing, which has richly supplied countless believers of all times.

To be continued… Content: Part Five

By Christina M Wilson. Previously published at https://justonesmallvoice.com/fourth-servant-song-septuagint-devotional-2-49/.

The Fourth Servant Song Septuagint: Journal 2.49 discusses the Septuagint report of Isaiah 53:3b. 

Content: Part Three

3b he was a man in suffering, and acquainted with the bearing of sickness, for his face is turned from us: he was dishonored, and not esteemed. (Isaiah 53:3b LXE) 

Further Descriptions of Suffering and Dishonor

I. SUFFERING

Other English translations of the Septuagint provide synonyms for “suffering” in 53:3b, namely “calamity” (NETS) and “wounded” (Fred Miller). Isaiah uses the word in the very beginning of the book to describe the condition of Judah itself (Isaiah 1:6 LXE). Brenton translates it as “bruise.” Other occurrences in the book of Isaiah refer to a blow of punishment from the Lord, often fatal (Isaiah 14:6 LXE; 19:22; 30:26, and 31). Isaiah uses it again with reference to God’s Servant in 53:4 and 10. Translations for this word from the Hebrew text include “sorrows” (ESV and NASB), “suffering” (NIV), and “experienced pain” (NET).

In terms of fulfillment in the life of Messiah Jesus, readers know from the gospel accounts that Jesus lived what some might describe as a physically demanding ministry. For example, he often camped outside, he walked long miles, he slept little, experienced hunger and thirst, and worked long hours. Of course, the final, fatal “blow” came from God himself, who through the Holy Spirit led the Christ to the cross. Isaiah writes more of that in the verses following.

II. ACQUAINTED WITH THE BEARING OF SICKNESS

Hebrew translations for “acquainted with the bearing of sickness” include “acquainted with grief” (ESV and NASB), “familiar with pain” (NIV), and “acquainted with illness” (NET). Translating from Greek, NETS writes, “knowing how to bear sickness.” The gospel narratives do not record any occasions of Jesus becoming sick himself. He did, however, know more than any man concerning the diseases and illnesses of others. He healed every single person who came to him for help. The gospels describe multitudes of these.

III. HIS FACE TURNED FROM US

Current American English does not often use the metaphor, “turning one’s face away.” Such a bodily motion would indicate, however, a withdrawal from others, an entering into a personal meditative moment, or refusal to communicate. The Septuagint statement seems to indicate a state of shame. That is, Brenton’s translation uses a colon followed by the further explanation that the Servant was “dishonored, and not esteemed.” The Masoretic (Hebrew) turns the phrase around. The people who saw the Servant turned their faces away from him, rather than he from them–“people hid their faces from him” (Isaiah 53:3 NET). In either event, the turning reflected broken communication of some kind.

IV. DISHONORED

Isaiah describes the Servant as “dishonored.” Jesus the Messiah/Servant certainly fit that description.

So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. (John 8:59 ESV)

The Jewish leaders picked up rocks again to stone him to death. (John 10:31 NET)

31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. (Luke 18:31 ESV)

and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” (Matthew 27:29 ESV)

V. NOT ESTEEMED

Septuagint Isaiah prophesies that God’s Servant will be “not esteemed.” The greatest fulfillment of this prophecy occurred during the Christ’s passion and crucifixion. What could indicated less esteem than the brutal, purposeful slaying of the Son of God upon the cross?

Conclusion

When considering the second half of Isaiah 53:3 LXE, readers should bear in mind the astonishment expressed in Isaiah 53:1 LXE.

O Lord, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? (Isaiah 53:1 LXE) 

Isaiah 52:13 LXE fed the expectation of a highly exalted (in the sense of honored), glorious Servant/Messiah.

Behold, my servant shall understand, and be exalted, and glorified exceedingly. 

And yet, verse 13 and the following verse indicate that God is he who will glorify his Servant. The people of Israel will not do so.

As many shall be amazed at you, so shall your face be without glory from men, and your glory shall not be honored by the sons of men. (Isaiah 52:14 LXE)

Jesus alone understood this prophecy and explained it to his disciples after his resurrection from a highly ignoble death.

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (Luke 24:24-25 ESV)

And, the Apostle Paul and others received commandment from the ascended Lord to spread the gospel among the Gentiles. Paul’s doing so fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 52:15 LXE.

Thus shall many nations wonder at him; and kings shall keep their mouths shut: for they to whom no report was brought concerning him, shall see; and they who have not heard, shall consider.

In other words, in the Old Testament God gifted only Israel with direct revelation of his Word. The Gentile nations had not received it. Neither did Christ minister to the Gentiles. Until Stephen, Paul, and others preached the gospel of the risen Christ, the Gentile peoples fulfilled the phrase “they who have not heard.” Nevertheless, when they did hear, they sincerely allowed their hearts to “consider,” or to “understand” and be saved.

Reader, what about you?

By Christina M Wilson. Previously published at https://justonesmallvoice.com/fourth-servant-song-isaiah-devotional-2-48/.

The “Fourth Servant Song: Isaiah Devotional 2.48” discusses the report of Isaiah 53:2.

Content: Part Two

2 We brought a report as of a child before him; he is as a root in a thirsty land: he has no form nor comeliness; and we saw him, but he had no form nor beauty. 3 But his form was ignoble, and inferior to that of the children of men; he was a man in suffering, and acquainted with the bearing of sickness, for his face is turned from us: he was dishonored, and not esteemed. (Isaiah 53:2-3 LXE)

Similarities with the Gospels

The beginning of the “Gospel of Isaiah” resembles the gospels of the New Testament. Isaiah 53:1 LXE mentions “a report.” Verses 2 and 3a present the first aspect of the content of the report.

Outward Appearance

I. THE REPORT

The report, or “announcement,” (from the Greek ἀναγγέλλω – ana-gel-low) concerns “a child” who grew up “before” God (him), or in his presence.

• Likewise, the Gospel of John (“gospel” is also from the Greek εὐαγγέλιον ev-ang-gel-i-on) opens with a description of the Word’s eternal abiding in the presence of God. The text states that the Word was “with” God, or face to face with God (John 1:1).
• Luke adds to this a lengthy description of the birth (Luke 1:5-2:39 ESV) of Jesus. He follows this with a short description of Jesus’s childhood (Luke 2:40-52 ESV). Luke’s narrative demonstrates the reverent nature of Jesus’s family. He also displays Jesus’s own intense interest in the teachings of God at an early age.

II. A ROOT IN A THIRSTY LAND

Isaiah describes the Servant child as someone who grows in an environment of adversity. He resembles a bare root in dry ground.

• Likewise, the Messiah Jesus’s family’s status and upbringing offered little by way of social and religious training and opportunity. His father was a carpenter, and Mary his mother was not a young woman of any social standing. Together, they represented the lower economic working class.
• Metaphorically, the land of Israel at the time of the Servant Jesus’s birth was indeed “thirsty.” The people had not heard a prophetic word from their God for several centuries. Their religious leaders, the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, and lawyers followed a legalistic, somewhat cruel interpretation of the law that displayed little mercy (Luke 11:46). The people thirsted for a word of blessing from their God.

III. NO FORM NOR COMELINESS

2… he has no form nor comeliness… but he had no form nor beauty. 3 But his form was ignoble, and inferior to that of the children of men; (Isaiah 53:2-3 LXE)

Fred Miller offers a better translation from the Septuagint Greek of these verses. He brings out the strong force of the series of negatives the Greek contains.

2 … There is no form to him nor glory when we see him and he has neither form nor beauty 3. But his form is without honor lacking less than all men (Fred Miller) [emphasis added]

• The Greek reads, “οὐκ… οὐδὲ… οὐκ… οὐδὲ,” or “no… and not… no… and not.” In other words, the Greek expresses everything that represents the opposite of what people would expect in a great leader who would “understand… be exalted… and glorified exceedingly” (Isaiah 52:13 LXE).
• The Gospel of John bears witness to the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. John the Baptist and Jesus were related (Luke 1:36). Further, the Old Testament prophesied John’s role and message as the forerunner of Messiah (Isaiah 40:3 and context; Matthew 3:3; Malachi 3:1). Yet, John writes in his gospel three times that neither he nor the religious leaders could recognize Messiah the Servant Jesus by means of his outward appearance among them (John 1:26, 31, and 33). God needed to provide a miraculous, foretold “sign” in order for John to specifically be able to identify Jesus as the One. The Spirit of God descended as a dove upon Jesus at his baptism. This is the sign of recognition that God gave John (John 1:32-34).

IV. WE SAW HIM

• The Isaiah text reads, “… and we saw him.“ (See above Isaiah 53:2 LXE.)
• John the Apostle everywhere emphasizes the fact that John the Baptist, he himself, and other disciples “saw” the Servant Jesus as he performed his miraculous signs.

John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him… 32… “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33… He on whom you seethe Spirit descend and remain 34… And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (ESV)    

1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life–
2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it… 3 that which we have seen and heard… (ESV)

Concluding Comment

Truly, God in his Word wastes none of the details he gave Isaiah his prophet.

To be continued… Content: Part Three

By Christina M Wilson. Previously published at https://justonesmallvoice.com/fourth-servant-song-content-isaiah-devotional-2-47/.

Isaiah Journal 2.47 will discuss some of the features of Isaiah’s Fourth Servant Song.

Introduction–Isaiah 52:13-15 LXE 

VERSE 13

Never has any mouth spoken a more concise synopsis of human history:

Behold, my servant shall understand, and be exalted, and glorified exceedingly. (Isaiah 52:13 LXE)

1. God’s Servant (Messiah) sums up in his person the purpose and totality of humanity. Of all people on earth at any time or place, God’s Servant alone understands. He understands all that God is and is about. He understands everything about the human heart.

2. God’s Servant shall be exalted, both physically (on the cross) and positionally. He will be King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15).

3. God’s Servant is for the whole world. Kings represent as head their own nation or people groups. The kings of “many nations” (without limit) will have nothing more to add to him, to command concerning him, or to deny him. They will be silent before him.

4. The last two clauses of verse 13 state, “… they to whom no report was brought concerning Him shall see; and they who did not hear shall understand” (SAAS) (1). These statements and the entire verse open the Servant’s ministry to all humanity, to the whole world, to those who are not of Israeli descent (see the Apostle Paul’s understanding in Romans 15:21).

5. Even though the text of these three verses does not specifically mention the children of Israel, Israel’s God speaks. The Servant is the God of Israel’s Servant. Therefore, through their relationship with God, and by extension his Servant, this Scripture includes the people of Israel.

MOVING ON

Speaker

Readers should always remember that none of the original texts contain chapter numbers, verse numbers, section titles, or paragraph spaces. Editors have added these for ease of reading and discussion. Content determines unit boundaries. The Fourth Servant Song begins with Isaiah 52:13 and continues through Isaiah 53:12. Verse 13 introduces the Servant with the words, “Behold, My Servant…” (SAAS). The remainder of the passage describes the Servant and his actions.

Isaiah 53:1 LXE, therefore, falls within the passage, but not at its beginning. It does introduce, however, a change of speaker. Such transitions contribute to the organizational structure of Old Testament texts, such as this prophecy and psalms. So, who speaks the first verse of chapter 53?

• God spoke the first sentences of the opening of the song (Isaiah 52:13) . Readers know that God speaks the words, “My Servant,” because Isaiah has already established this through prior passages that form the “My Servant” context. (See, for example Isaiah 49:1-6 LXE and the prior post Isaiah Devotional 2.25.)
• Readers can also reasonably conclude that God speaks verse 14, as well. There God addresses his Servant directly using the words “you” and “your” (Isaiah 52:14 LXE).
• The following verse, verse 15, uses only third person (him). It may be either God or Isaiah the prophet speaking.
• After this, Isaiah 53:1 LXE switches immediately to first person plural. The Septuagint text states, “our report.” The Masoretic translations alternate between “what we just heard” (NET) and “our report” (NASB 2020). This indicates that Isaiah the prophet speaks for himself and the entire group of God’s people. He identifies himself with Israel, the people (Isaiah Devotional Journal 2.46, the section labeled “Confession”).

When?

Most of the verbs of  verses 53:1-8 occur in simple past or passive tenses with a few present tenses included. One could say that Isaiah uses prophetic past tense to indicate future occurrences. But Isaiah doesn’t always use the prophetic past tense. To the contrary, the word “shall” occurs in 49 per cent of Isaiah’s total of 1290 verses.

The point is that the prophet speaks these words as though he were present during the events of the Servant’s life. The text reads as though Isaiah himself participates as one of the actors in those events. He could have been one of the Servant’s disciples reporting the events as he or she saw them. Such is the strength of Isaiah’s identification with the people and the occurrences he describes. The immediacy of his writing style brings the reader along with him. The text allows readers to experience what Isaiah writes in their very own personal way. The narrative thus produces a very strong dramatic effect.

Content: Part One

In the opening words of Isaiah the participating prophet, he addresses the Lord directly. That is, he prays. His tone is one of amazement and wonder in the realm of pathos, or sadness. Just a few verses back (52:13) God presents his Servant as the most wonderful of all human beings ever. Then, when witnesses of the actual (though future) events report what they saw and heard concerning the mighty acts of the Lord (the “arm of the Lord”) through his Servant, no one believes. How can this be? How incredibly tragic this is.

O Lord, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? (Isaiah 53:1 LXE)

The Apostle John in his gospel quotes Isaiah 53:1 LXE exactly, word for word (both Isaiah and John are written in Greek). Paul in Romans also quotes the first sentence exactly. Of course, he also writes in Greek.

John 12:37 But though He had performed so many signs in their sight, they still were not believing in Him. 38 This happened so that the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke would be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (NASB 2020)

Romans 10:16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” (NASB 2020)

John quotes Isaiah as an historian would, to indicate that the people who saw the miracles Jesus performed fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy. In doing so, he confirms both Isaiah’s prophecy and Jesus’s identity as God’s Servant Messiah. Paul’s purpose differs somewhat. He writes apologetically in Romans 10. That is, he seeks to explain how and why God includes Gentile believers in his kingdom, while the people of Israel appear to be excluded. He gives the element of believing faith as the reason. The Gentiles believe, whereas the bulk of Israel does not.

Content: Part Two to be continued in next post 

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1 SAAS: “Scripture taken from the St. Athanasius Academy Septuagint^TM. Copyright © 2008 by St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

By Christina M Wilson. Previously published at https://justonesmallvoice.com/plain-speech-of-fourth-servant-song-devotional-2-46/.

Plain Speech

When Jesus spoke in the New Testament, he used many parables. Often his disciples did not understand his meaning. Consequently, Jesus would have to take them aside to explain to them privately the interpretation of what he had said (see Luke 8:8-11 for one example). But one day Jesus did speak plainly to his disciples. The Apostle John records their reaction.

25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father… 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! (John 16:25-29 ESV)

Speaking personally, nothing in all of Isaiah has been simple for me. I have had to struggle with every bit of it, sometimes for days or a week on end. For me, the process of reading Isaiah has resembled seeking meaning from a secret code. But God has treated me graciously. Speaking for myself alone, the rewards have been great. I want to say that I am a different person than I was when I began.

But Isaiah 52:13-53:12 LXE is different. Here, the prophet and the text speak with plain speech. Isaiah uses everyday language to describe the suffering God’s Servant will endure. He does not change topics, but speaks of one subject throughout the passage. If I were to describe the “texture” of the text, I would say it is rounded, whole, smooth. There are no sharp, jagged edges to prick and puzzle.

What about specifics?

Specifics of Style

This portion of text differs from others in just a few ways.

1. Isaiah Speaks (Isaiah 52:13-53:12 LXE)

God himself has spoken through Isaiah for most of the previous chapters. Isaiah the writer has said very little. Here in the Fourth Servant Song, Isaiah speaks as narrator. He speaks in first person plural on behalf of God’s people as a whole in verses 1 through 6. He also uses third person singular when describing the Servant. This pattern begins in chapter 52:15 and persists throughout chapter 53. One exception occurs in 53:9. There, God apparently breaks in with his own first person. Except for verse 9, Isaiah appears to speak in his own voice throughout. This has not happened for many chapters.

2. Consistency

The consistency of person Isaiah uses results in ease of reading and comprehension. In other portions of Isaiah, the frequent changes of person often indicate a change of speaker. Isaiah’s sudden changes result in difficulty of interpretation. Generally, Isaiah does not announce his changes. He uses very few transitions. The result is that the text hops about in an unpredictable way that makes following along difficult. This section about God’s Servant is not like that.

Isaiah maintains a singular focus throughout the servant’s song. The Servant is the topic, and Isaiah adheres to his description of him throughout. When reading other portions of Isaiah, the reader often faces the dilemma of not knowing of whom the passage speaks. While it is true that all of chapter 53 never names its subject, Isaiah 52:13 LXE clearly states “my Servant” in God’s own voice. Because verse 13 begins the Fourth Servant Song, readers know of whom Isaiah speaks throughout chapter 53. (Readers may confer the prior post for details on the identity of God’s Servant.)

3. An Unusual Description

The prophet continues for fifteen verses describing the specific and intimate details of the character and life of a single individual. This fact in itself is unusual. For example, the book of Isaiah consumes four chapters relating the events surrounding the life of King Hezekiah (Isaiah 36-39). Isaiah writes about Hezekiah by means of dramatic narrative. Readers must read the stories and deduce for themselves what kind of person Hezekiah was.

Contrary to the chapters concerning Hezekiah, Isaiah writes bluntly and directly about the nature of the Servant and the events of his life. After reading these fifteen verses, readers will be able to describe the kind of person the Servant will be. They will know his personality even. In the book of Isaiah, the fifteen verses of the Fourth Servant Song form an unusual segment.

4. Confession

The verses of Isaiah 53:4-8 LXE read like a confessional. The prophet assumes the identity of God’s people and confesses in first person plural on their behalf the iniquity of them all. This portion resembles Daniel’s prayer of confession on behalf of his people in Daniel 9. It also resembles Nehemiah’s confessional prayer in Nehemiah 1:5-11.

5. Tone

Overall, the tone of the Fourth Servant Song is quiet, subdued, and non-dramatic. God does not express his righteous anger, nor does he condemn. In consideration of the identity of the Servant and the fact of his gruesome death in verse 7, Isaiah presents the entire description without dramatic outbursts of passion.

In contrast to the emotional understatement of this chapter, the first verse of chapter 54 breaks upon the reader with the suddenness of loud crashing cymbals. Unlike this chapter, those verses shout. The tone changes dramatically to one of excited commands: Rejoice! Enlarge your tents! Get everything ready,  for the Gentiles will be bringing their children!

Unique in Isaiah, the closing verses of chapter 52 and the entirety of chapter 53 are like an orchestra of strings playing slow, meditative music. The overall effect is contemplative, inviting the reader to linger, to ponder, to identify, to confess…

By Christina M Wilson. Previously published at https://justonesmallvoice.com/my-servant-passages-in-isaiah-isaiah-devotional-2-45/.

Introduction

The previous post explored why “my Servant” in Isaiah’s Fourth Servant Song cannot be either Isaiah or Israel the people (Devotional 2.44). This post will present a more detailed look at all the “my servant” passages in Isaiah. It will consider them one by one.

Other “My Servant” Passages in Isaiah

Several “my servant” passages occur before the one in the First Servant Song of Isaiah 42. No confusion exists for Isaiah 20:3; 22:20; and 37:35. The text identifies these three servants as Isaiah, Eliakim, and David respectively. The question posing the most difficulty is whether or not the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 is Israel God’s people or an individual. Based only upon the precedents established by previous uses of the phrase in Isaiah, the answer could fall either way. Therefore, the most important consideration for any given passage is its content and context. Because of this, we will consider in detail each of the passages in Isaiah which use the phrase “my servant” (other than the first three mentioned at the outset of this paragraph).

PASSAGE ONE

The next “my servant” passage begins in Isaiah 41:8. In this verse, God identifies his servant as Isaiah and Jacob. He addresses them as singular. Could this be the same servant as in Isaiah 52:13? Such a case might be made, until the reader arrives at Isaiah 41:14. There readers discover that in translations from the Hebrew, God addresses Israel and Jacob as a “worm” (Isaiah 41:14 ESV, NASB). But God in later chapters never addresses his special Servant as anything other than wonderful and glorious. The Septuagint does not use the word “worm” but writes, “Israel few in number.” Notice that, unlike in verse 8, God in verse 14 addresses Israel and Jacob as plural. Combining these items, readers can reasonably conclude that this passage does not refer to the “my Servant” of Isaiah 52.

PASSAGE TWO

Continuing in sequence, the next “my servant” passage begins in Isaiah 42:1. The passage Isaiah 42:1-4 is popularly known as the First Servant Song. Here the vocabulary changes significantly. “Jacob is my servant, I will help him: Israel is my chosen, my soul has accepted him; I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles” (LXE). Even though the Septuagint uses the same proper names as the previous passage, the tone and content are different. Note that the Hebrew text does not use the names Israel or Jacob in referencing the servant in this verse (Isaiah 42:1 ESV). An important result of the Greek verse, then, is to identify God’s Servant as a child of Israel and Jacob. He is of their seed.

Isaiah 42:4 LXE is part of the same passage. It states, “In his name shall the Gentiles trust.” The Greek word “trust” which God, as speaker, uses is “hope.” This hope is religious, as in the hope one displays while waiting for salvation. English versions of Romans 15:12, while quoting this verse, translate the Isaiah verse with the word “hope.” We know that Gentiles never trusted, or hoped, in the name of Israel for their salvation. Therefore, even though the Septuagint labels the Servant in this First Servant Song with the words, “Jacob is my servant, I will help him: Israel is my chosen, my soul has accepted him” (verse 1), the servant is not the nation or people of Israel. Matthew 12:18f. identifies the servant as Jesus Christ.

PASSAGE THREE

The next mention of “my servant” occurs in Isaiah 43:10 LXE. There are three witnesses named in the Septuagint translation of this verse. The first is “you” plural and would reasonably refer to God’s people. Second, God names himself as his own witness. Third, God names “my servant whom I have chosen.” The Masoretic Hebrew text reads quite differently. The two versions follow.

Septuagint: Be you [plural command] my witnesses, and I too am a witness, says the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen: that you may know, and believe, and understand that I am he: before me there was no other God, and after me there shall be none. (Isaiah 43:10 LXE)

Masoretic: “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. (Isaiah 43:10 ESV)

In the Masoretic translation above, there is but one witness. This witness is God’s people as a collective group. Unlike the Septuagint, God does not name himself as witness. But most important for our purpose, the Masoretic states that “you” plural as a group are also God’s servant (“my servant”) whom he has chosen.

The Greek text, on the other hand, presents three witnesses, as already mentioned: God’s people, God himself, and “my servant.” The word order of the Greek places the phrase “my servant” at a far distance from “you” plural. This makes it difficult to read “my servant” as being identical to “you.” Also, the three witnesses are distinguished by the word “and” as connectors. The sentence structure reads witness one, and God as witness two, and my servant as witness three.

Conclusion: The Masoretic indicates “my servant” to be Israel collectively, but the Septuagint does not. The Septuagint names “my servant” as a witness. For purposes of this investigation, I think it fair to simply eliminate this verse as ambiguous (2).

PASSAGE FOUR

Twice in two consecutive verses the phrase “my servant” appears again in Isaiah 44:1 and 44:2 LXE. The context begins, however, in chapter 43 and stretches down at least through 44:8. In this entire passage, God addresses his people. The “my servant” in verses one and two, therefore, refers to his people Israel and Jacob.

PASSAGE FIVE

Isaiah 44:21 LXE contains the next occurrence of the label “my servant.” In fact this term occurs twice in the one verse. Once again, however, the content of these verses and those which immediately follow indicate clearly that God addresses his sinful people Israel.

PASSAGE SIX

In Isaiah 45:4 LXE, God speaks directly to Cyrus the Persian. Although the verse contains the phrases, “For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my elect,” the immediate context does not indicate whether “my servant” points to God’s people or to his singular Servant. The near context of Israel’s return from exile, however, would indicate that God refers to his people in this verse.

PASSAGES SEVEN AND EIGHT

Popular commentary labels Isaiah 49:1-6 LXE as the Second Servant Song. Verse 3 contains the statement, “You are my servant, O Israel, and in you I will be glorified.” What in this passages serves to distinguish that this occurrence of “my servant, O Israel” differs from the previous three? In those verses, the same phrase “my servant” and two specific identifiers “Israel” and “Jacob” refer to the people of God. How can readers know that this passage, which uses nearly the same words, refers to a different, singular Servant of God?

A single word reveals the answer: context. First, verse 5 is extremely interesting.

And now, thus says the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his own servant, to gather Jacob to him and Israel. I shall be gathered and glorified before the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. (Isaiah 49:5 LXE)

As a first consideration, the Lord possibly may have formed his people from a metaphorical womb to be his servant. However, if “his own servant” refers to his people Israel, then the people would be gathering the people (“formed… to gather Jacob to him and Israel”). On the face of it, that doesn’t seem possible. But (in the Septuagint), the next clause states that very thing, “I shall be gathered and glorified.” Note that the text does not say, “We shall be gathered…” But okay… let’s put this verse on hold and read the next verse.

And he said to me, It is a great thing for you to be called my servant, to establish the tribes of Jacob, and to recover the dispersion of Israel: behold, I have given you for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the end of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6 LXE) 

Verse 6 forms the near context of verse 5 and the previous verses. There are two points to consider here in verse 6.

1. First, in consideration of plain, ordinary speech, God in verse 6 appears to address someone (“me”) who is not also Jacob and Israel. He addresses someone other than these entities. Let’s expand this conclusion. If the servant Israel is identical with the people Israel, then Israel would “recover the dispersion of Israel.” Israel would recover its own dispersion. A much simpler explanation is that in different contexts there are two, distinct servants, both known as Israel. One is plural and refers to the people. The other is singular and refers to a specific individual. But if verse 6 names an individual, then verse 5, whose wording is very similar, would also concern the same individual. We will return to the “hold” placed on verse 5 shortly.

2. Before that however, verse 6 presents further considerations. Verse six uses salvation language with regard to the Servant and the Gentiles.

• First, Isaiah writes, “I have given you for the covenant of a race” (1) (See Isaiah 42:6). Nowhere in Scripture or history does God give Israel the people or nation to be the “covenant of a race.”
• Second, God states that the Servant is “to be for salvation to the end of the earth.” 

2 Samuel 7:18 NETS presents a similar Greek grammatical construction as the second phrase above, “to be for salvation…”

And now this is what you shall say to my slave Dauid [David]: This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the sheepfold for you to be leader for my people, for Israel 2 Samuel 7:18 NETS [emphasis added]

Even if one cannot read Greek, the eyes can determine the similarities in the following texts.

1) τοῦ εἶναί    2) σε   3) εἰς    4) ἡγούμενον   ἐπὶ   τὸν λαόν    μου   ἐπὶ  τὸν Ισραηλ (2Sa 7:8 LXX)
       to be           you      for           leader       for  the people   my    for  the  Israel

1) τοῦ εἶναί    2) σε   3)εἰς      4) σωτηρίαν   ἕως   ἐσχάτου    τῆς     γῆς         (Isaiah 49:6 LXX)
….to be            you     for          salvation      to       end        of the  earth

Here is the point. The Samuel passage states clearly that David will be leader of God’s people Israel. Likewise, the Isaiah passage clearly states that the Servant will be salvation to the end of the earth, i.e., everywhere and for everyone. Again, God’s purpose for David is to make him leader. God’s purpose for his Servant is to make him salvation.

But can a person be salvation? My faith tells me “yes,” in the same sense that a person can be a covenant. Also, Luke in Acts 4:12 places salvation in Christ. Consider the following verses: Luke 2:30; 3:6; Acts 4:12; 13:47; Hebrews 2:10; 5:9; and Revelation 7:10.

I sincerely believe that God’s intention for Israel the people had always been for them to lead Gentiles to the light of God and to salvation in him. The historical record and prophecies of Isaiah indicate that Israel failed in this mission. However, the Servant verses establish that God’s singular, special Servant was born of Israel. He himself was one of the people, part of Israel. Isaiah places the Servant as a “stand-in,” the representative for all Israel. He represents all the people of Israel as he leads the Gentile nations to God’s covenant, light, and salvation. Through and in him, all of God’s intention and promises to the people are fulfilled.

The very structure of Isaiah indicates this truth. Some of the servant passages apply to the people Israel as a whole. Some apply only to God’s singular, special Servant. Yet Isaiah weaves these passages in and out among themselves throughout the second portion of his book, which begins in chapter 40.

Back to Verse 5

Verse 6 forms part of the context for verse 5. Verse 6 clearly points to a singular person as God’s Servant. Therefore, the Servant in verse 5 is this same person, singular. The text states that God formed him “to gather Jacob to him and Israel.” In the very next sentence the Servant states, “I shall be gathered and glorified before the Lord.” The Greek verb is first person singular, “I shall be gathered…” The verb “gather” contains a prefix that means “with” or “together.” The word synagogue begins with the same prefix. In fact, synagogue means “a gathering together” or “a bringing together” (Thayer). In plain, ordinary speech, then, it sounds as though the Servant states that in him many people shall be gathered. Or, in other words, he himself comprises a gathering of many people. Such a statement has no concrete-literal reality. A single individual cannot be a composite of thousands or millions. One must turn to a spiritual fulfillment for a statement like this.

Yet, isn’t a composite body exactly what the New Testament teaches about the ascended Christ? The New Testament often uses the phrase “in him.” (See Acts 17: 28; 1 Corinthians 1:5; Ephesians 1:4; 1:10; 2:22; 2 Thessalonians 1:12; and 1 John 2:6, to name a few.) Christ himself prayed, “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21 ESV). New Testament Scripture also teaches that the church is “one body in Christ” (Romans 12:5). 1 Corinthians 12 teaches the same concept (see especially 1 Corinthians 12:27).

PASSAGE NINE

The final passage in Isaiah that uses the phrase “my Servant” begins in Isaiah 52:13. This is the verse that begins the Fourth Servant Song about God’s suffering Servant. The passage extends as a unified whole from 52:13 through 53:12. All these verses form one context. This verse offers several evidences that the Servant is a single, concrete-physical individual, not a collective gathering of people known as Israel and Jacob. What are these evidences?

1. Bearing in mind that the singular tense and third person “he” could conceivably apply to a collective group of people, Israel, verse 53:6 offers the first definitive statement that such is not the case.

All we as sheep have gone astray; every one has gone astray in his way; and the Lord gave him up for our sins. (Isaiah 53:6 LXE)

This verse presents a plural subject “we” and a singular object “him.” The sentence, “And the Lord gave him up for our sins,” clearly distinguishes two sets of people. One belongs to the group of plural people characterized by “our sins.” The other is a singular person, “him,” whom the Lord gave up. Verses 7 and 8 continue speaking of a singular individual, “he.”

2. Isaiah 53:8 LXE also distinguishes two separate characters. One group, introduced by a first person narrator, Isaiah calls “my people,” clearly plural. The other is a singular person “he” who “was led to death,” a singular verb, on behalf of “my people,” plural.

3. Verse 9 speaks of this individual occupying a particular grave. Such a statement could not apply even metaphorically to a group.

4. Isaiah 53:12 LXE also names two distinct sets of people. One is the individual “he,” or “my Servant,” from Isaiah 52:13. The other is a group of “many,” whose sins the individual “he” bore.

5. Other readers who may look for further evidence will most likely find it.

Because the passage stands as a unified whole, the individual known as “he” in the latter verses of chapter 53 is the same person whom God calls “my Servant” in the first verse of the passage, that is, Isaiah 52:13 LXE.

To learn more about God’s Servant, see the previous posts, Isaiah Devotional 2.42 and Isaiah Devotional 2.43.

Who Then Is the Suffering Servant?

The suffering Servant is the same singular Servant, God’s own special Servant, whom Isaiah presents in various passages throughout the book. This blog has explored these passages (2).

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1 The Alexandrine text of the Septuagint does not contain the phrase “covenant of a race.” It does, however, include the phrase in Isaiah 42:6.

2 A personal note: When I first began reading Scripture in the interlinear Septuagint, I noticed that this version brings forth Christ clearly and regularly, more so than many English translations of the Masoretic text. The revelation of Christ in its pages became one of the main reasons why I began to study Greek. Isaiah 43:10 LXE provides a good example of the presence of Christ in the Septuagint.