Suffering Servant

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. — Isaiah 53:1-4

The book of Isaiah was written roughly 700 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. This fact may not seem all that significant at first glance. There were a lot of people who lived 700 years before Jesus was born. However, if you take time to read Isaiah 52:13–53:12, you would think Isaiah was present as Jesus grew up in Nazareth. The Holy Spirit inspired Isaiah to write about the coming Messiah and what would take place during His time on earth.

Isaiah tells us that Jesus had no form or majesty that we would take notice of Him. Jesus grew up outside the notice of most people. He was in Nazareth, and His appearance did not draw people in. In fact, Jesus was despised and rejected by mankind. Jesus came to the very world He created, and people did not esteem Him or accept Him. Isaiah describes Jesus as a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He took our grief upon Himself and carried our sorrows. We can often be overwhelmed by our own grief and sorrow, yet Jesus took all our grief and sorrow upon Himself. It is no wonder that Jesus was esteemed as stricken and smitten by God. Jesus suffered this for God’s glory and our benefit. As you look forward to Easter Sunday, take time to reflect on all that Jesus took upon Himself at His crucifixion. 

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned⁠—every one⁠—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. — Isaiah 53:5-6

Not only did Jesus take on our grief and sorrow, He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. He had no sin of His own, yet He took the full punishment for all of our sins. We cannot fully understand the magnitude of that crushing burden. He experienced the wrath for our sins. He was mocked, beaten, and killed by people He created. He bore the sins of the very people who condemned Him to death. He hung upon a tree so that we could be set free. God laid our iniquity upon Him. We were healed through His wounds. His sacrifice and suffering brought us peace with God. Our salvation is only possible because of Jesus’ sacrifice.

Take time to read Isaiah 53 and meditate upon what Jesus endured for our sake. Taking time to think about what Jesus went through gives us all the more reason to celebrate His glorious resurrection.