Isaiah 53:4-6

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 53:4-5

The Divine account of the sufferings of Christ. In these words, which remain ever fresh and sacred, though they are so familiar to our hearts, we have— I. A SAD AND STRIKING PICTURE . It is the picture of the Servant of the Lord, wounded, bruised, chastened, stricken. We cannot fail to see in it the sufferings of the holy Saviour. We see him: 1 . Wounded in body; not only a-hungered and athirst, not only weary with long-continued labours and without the promise of the soft... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 53:4-5

Man's thoughts of God's Sufferer. The prophet sets before us an unusual Sufferer, and bids us think what can be the explanation of such sufferings. 1 . It might be punishment for sin; as was David's bitter trial in the matter of Absalom. 2 . It might be discipline of character; as was the suffering of Job. Neither of these will suffice for the case that Isaiah presents. 3 . It might be vicarious, a burden-bearing for others. This only will suffice to explain the unusual woes of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 53:4-6

The suffering Servant of Jehovah. I. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE SUFFERING . It depicts, by simple force of language, its extreme intensity—not a suffering springing from internal weakness of nature, and so withering and dying like a lamp for want of oil, but " like a torch in its full flame bent and ruffled, and at length blown out by the breath of a north wind." It was a diffused suffering, according to the expression of the psalmist, "like water in his bowels, or oil in his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 53:5

But he was wounded for our transgressions . This verse contains four asseverations of the great truth that all Christ's sufferings were for us, and constituted the atonement for our sins. The form is varied, but the truth is one. Christ was "wounded" or "pierced" The wounds inflicted by the nails caused his death, He was bruised; or, crushed (comp. Isaiah 3:15 ; Isaiah 19:10 ; Isaiah 57:15 . Psalms 72:4 ). "No stronger expression could be found in Hebrew to denote severity of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 53:5

The Divine atonement. "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities." We shall never understand the atonement. From Anselm's day to our own there have been ever-changing theories of it. But the fact remains; and, mysterious as it is, we learn that there was a Godward aspect of it, as well as a manward aspect. But into "the cup which my Father hath given me to drink" no man, no angel, can look. I. THIS IS THE REVELATION OF DIVINE ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 53:6

All we like sheep have gone astray. "All we" means either the whole nation of Israel, which "went astray" in the wilderness of sin ( Psalms 107:4 ; Psalms 119:176 ; Ezekiel 34:6 ), or else the whole race of mankind, which had wandered from the right path, and needed atonement and redemption even mere than Israel itself We have turned every one to his own way. Collectively and individually, the whole world had sinned. There was "none that did good" absolutely—"no, not one" ( Psalms... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 53:6

Departure and distance from God. These words, though very pictorial and poetical, indicate with great clearness the cardinal truths of religion and even of Christianity, and they express for us the thought and feeling common to all devout spirits. We see in them— I. THE HOME WHENCE WE HAVE DEPARTED . It is not stated, but it is clearly implied, that the fold or home whence we have gone astray is. 1 . That of God , our Creator, our Father, our Divine Friend; it is that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 53:6

Where shall iniquity be laid? Some chapters and verses of the Bible are so sacred to us that we almost fear to open and examine them; and yet those are the very portions that best reward a loving and reverent examination. This chapter is the gem of Isaiah's writings. This verse is the conclusion to which the prophet comes, as he here views the long sad story of the Saviour's sufferings. "The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." We consider— I. MAN 'S INIQUITY . The word... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 53:4

Surely - This is an exceedingly important verse, and is one that is attended with considerable difficulty, from the manner in which it is quoted in the New Testament. The general sense, as it stands in the Hebrew, is not indeed difficult. It is immediately connected in signification with the previous verse. The meaning is, that those who had despised and rejected the Messiah, had greatly erred in condemning him on account of his sufferings and humiliation. ‘We turned away from him in horror and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 53:5

But he was wounded - Margin, ‘Tormented.’ Jerome and the Septuagint also render this, ‘He was wounded.’ Junius and Tremellius, ‘He was affected with grief.’ The Chaldee has given a singular paraphrase of it, showing how confused was the view of the whole passage in the mind of that interpreter. ‘And he shall build the house of the sanctuary which was defiled on account of our sins, and which was delivered on account of our iniquities. And in his doctrine, peace shall be multiplied to us. And... read more

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