Isaiah Chapter 53

Isaiah 53, The Atoning Suffering and Victory of the Messiah

Isaiah 53 is one of the clearest Old Testament revelations of the substitutionary suffering, death, burial, resurrection, and triumph of the Messiah. Isaiah 52 ended by introducing the Servant who would be exalted, extolled, and very high, yet whose visage would be marred more than any man. Isaiah 53 explains why He suffered. He did not suffer for His own sins. He suffered for ours. He bore griefs, carried sorrows, was wounded for transgressions, bruised for iniquities, chastised for our peace, and by His stripes we are healed. The chapter moves from rejection to atonement, from silence before accusers to death with the wicked and burial with the rich, then from death to resurrection victory, satisfaction, justification, reward, and intercession. The notes provided cover Isaiah 53:1-12, including the Messiah’s rejection, His bearing of sin, His silent suffering, His death, His sinless burial, His soul as an offering for sin, His resurrection life, His justification of many, and His reward after pouring out His soul unto death.

Isaiah 53:1-3

Isaiah 53:1-3, KJV, “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there no beauty that we should desire him. He despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he despised, and we esteemed him not.”

Isaiah begins with the question, “Who hath believed our report?” This anticipates the unbelief that would meet the message of the suffering Messiah. The report is astonishing because the Servant who is exalted and very high is also despised, rejected, wounded, bruised, and cut off. The natural mind does not expect God’s salvation to come through a suffering Substitute.

The second question is, “and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?” The arm of the Lord speaks of divine strength and saving power. Yet in this chapter, God’s arm is revealed through One who appears weak, despised, afflicted, and crucified. The power of God is displayed through what men consider weakness.

1 Corinthians 1:23-24, KJV, “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ power of God, and wisdom of God.”

Christ crucified is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

The Servant grows up “as a tender plant.” This speaks of apparent weakness, humility, and vulnerability. Jesus did not appear as a mighty cedar in the eyes of men. He came in lowliness. He grew in obscurity. He entered the world in humility.

Luke 2:52, KJV, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”

He grew truly as man, yet always before the Father.

He is also “as a root out of a dry ground.” Dry ground suggests barrenness, difficulty, and unlikely conditions. Christ came out of Israel in a spiritually dry season, under Roman occupation, through humble circumstances, from Nazareth, a place men did not honor.

John 1:46, KJV, “And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.”

Men did not expect glory from such dry ground, but God brought the Savior from it.

Isaiah says, “he hath no form nor comeliness,” and “there is no beauty that we should desire him.” This does not mean Jesus was ugly. It means He did not attract men by outward splendor, worldly charisma, royal display, or physical beauty. His glory was spiritual and moral, not the kind of appearance the flesh naturally values.

This rebukes the tendency to dress up the gospel with fleshly appeal. Christ does not need worldly polish to be made desirable. The Holy Spirit opens eyes to His true glory.

Verse 3 says, “He is despised and rejected of men.” This was fulfilled in the earthly ministry of Jesus. The leaders rejected Him. The nation as a whole did not receive Him. The crowd cried for His crucifixion.

John 1:11, KJV, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”

He is “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” Jesus knew grief intimately. His sorrow was not sinful self pity. His sorrow was holy grief over sin, unbelief, death, hypocrisy, hardness of heart, and the misery of fallen humanity.

John 11:35, KJV, “Jesus wept.”

Luke 19:41-42, KJV, “And when he was come near, he beheld city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, things which belong unto thy peace! but now they hid from thine eyes.”

Christ’s sorrow was pure, loving, and redemptive.

Isaiah says, “we hid as it were our faces from him.” Men recoiled from Him. They did not esteem Him. This exposes the blindness of the human heart. Men naturally value outward beauty, status, force, and worldly success, but God’s chosen Servant came in humility and was despised.

Isaiah 53:4-6

Isaiah 53:4-6, KJV, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he wounded for our transgressions, he bruised for our iniquities: chastisement of our peace upon him; and with his stripes we healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and LORD hath laid on him iniquity of us all.”

Verse 4 begins with certainty, “Surely.” The Servant truly bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. He entered into the burden of fallen humanity. He did not stand far from human suffering. He carried it.

Matthew connects this verse to Jesus’ healing ministry.

Matthew 8:16-17, KJV, “When even was come, they brought unto him many that possessed with devils: and he cast out spirits with word, and healed all that sick: That it might fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”

Christ’s compassion in healing displayed His burden bearing mercy.

Yet men misunderstood His suffering. “We did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” That statement is partly true. He was stricken. He was smitten of God. He was afflicted. But men failed to understand why. They thought He suffered because He deserved it. In reality, He suffered because we deserved it.

Verse 5 gives the heart of the chapter, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.” The word “for” is central. His suffering was substitutionary. It was on behalf of sinners and in the place of sinners. He was pierced because of our rebellion. He was crushed because of our guilt.

1 Peter 2:24, KJV, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye healed.”

Peter applies Isaiah 53 directly to Christ’s sin bearing death.

The phrase “the chastisement of our peace was upon him” means the punishment necessary to bring us peace with God fell upon Christ. Peace with God is not sentimental. It is judicial. Our sin created enmity. Christ bore the chastisement so peace could be made.

Romans 5:1, KJV, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Peace with God comes through justification by faith in Christ.

Isaiah says, “with his stripes we are healed.” This healing is rooted in Christ’s suffering. The New Testament applies this both to Christ’s healing ministry and to spiritual restoration from sin. The ultimate healing purchased by Christ includes the full redemption of body and soul, but its complete physical fulfillment awaits resurrection glory.

Romans 8:23, KJV, “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have firstfruits of Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, to wit, redemption of our body.”

Christ purchased total redemption, but believers still await the full redemption of the body.

Verse 6 describes the universal need, “All we like sheep have gone astray.” Every man has wandered. Each one has turned to his own way. Sin is not merely breaking rules. It is turning from God’s way to our own way.

The temptation is to condemn another man’s way of sin while excusing our own. But Isaiah says “all we” and “every one.” No one is excluded from guilt.

Then comes the glorious substitution, “and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The Father laid the guilt upon the Son. The Son willingly bore it. This is not divine abuse. This is the triune God accomplishing redemption. The Father sends, the Son obeys, and the Spirit applies the finished work.

2 Corinthians 5:21, KJV, “For he hath made him sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might made righteousness of God in him.”

Christ knew no sin, yet He was made sin for us, so that we might be made righteous in Him.

Isaiah 53:7-9

Isaiah 53:7-9, KJV, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he brought as lamb to slaughter, and as sheep before her shearers dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of land of living: for transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with wicked, and with rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither any deceit in his mouth.”

The Servant was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth in self defense. This was fulfilled in the trials of Jesus. He did not answer His accusers as a guilty man trying to escape judgment. He remained silent in obedience, dignity, and submission to the Father.

Mark 15:3-5, KJV, “And chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.”

His silence was not helplessness. It was obedience. Jesus was never a victim of circumstance. He willingly laid down His life.

John 10:17-18, KJV, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”

Isaiah says He was “brought as a lamb to the slaughter.” This identifies Him as the sacrificial Lamb. John the Baptist recognized this when he saw Jesus.

John 1:29, KJV, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold Lamb of God, which taketh away sin of world.”

The Lamb goes to slaughter, but He goes willingly.

Verse 8 says, “He was taken from prison and from judgment.” Jesus was arrested, tried unjustly, condemned, and taken away. The question follows, “and who shall declare his generation?” He was cut off without physical descendants and without ordinary human continuation. Yet Isaiah will soon say He shall see His seed, showing that His resurrection and spiritual offspring answer this apparent barrenness.

The phrase “he was cut off out of the land of the living” clearly declares His death. The Servant does not merely suffer. He dies. He is cut off violently and judicially.

Daniel uses similar language of Messiah being cut off.

Daniel 9:26, KJV, “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah cut off, but not for himself: and people of prince that shall come shall destroy city and sanctuary; and end thereof with flood, and unto end of war desolations determined.”

Messiah is cut off, but not for Himself. Isaiah says the same truth, “for the transgression of my people was he stricken.”

Verse 9 says, “And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death.” Jesus died between criminals, numbered with the wicked.

Luke 23:32-33, KJV, “And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to put to death. And when they were come to place, which called Calvary, there they crucified him, and malefactors, one on right hand, and other on left.”

Yet He was buried with the rich, in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea.

Matthew 27:57-60, KJV, “When even was come, there came rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded body to delivered. And when Joseph had taken body, he wrapped it in clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in rock: and he rolled great stone to door of sepulchre, and departed.”

The burial with the rich testified to His innocence and honor, even after shameful death.

Isaiah adds, “because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.” Christ was sinless. He suffered as a Substitute, not as a sinner.

1 Peter 2:22, KJV, “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.”

The Lamb was without blemish.

Isaiah 53:10-11

Isaiah 53:10-11, KJV, “Yet it pleased LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul offering for sin, he shall see seed, he shall prolong days, and pleasure of LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see travail of his soul, and shall satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”

Verse 10 is staggering, “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him.” This does not mean the Father took pleasure in the Son’s pain considered by itself. It means the Father was pleased with the redemptive purpose accomplished through the Son’s suffering. The cross was not an accident, not Satan’s victory, and not merely Rome’s cruelty. It was the ordained plan of God.

Acts 2:23, KJV, “Him, being delivered by determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.”

The crucifixion was carried out by wicked hands, yet it occurred according to God’s determinate counsel and foreknowledge.

The Lord “hath put him to grief.” At the cross, Christ bore divine judgment as the sin bearing Substitute. He was treated as guilty so guilty sinners could be forgiven.

The phrase “when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin” is sacrificial language. The Servant’s soul is offered as the sin offering. This is substitutionary atonement. He does not merely inspire. He atones. He does not merely show love. He satisfies justice.

Hebrews 10:10-12, KJV, “By which will we sanctified through offering of body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on right hand of God.”

Christ offered one sacrifice for sins forever.

Then Isaiah turns from death to life, “he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days.” The Servant dies, yet He lives. He is cut off, yet He sees His seed. He has no ordinary physical generation, yet He has spiritual offspring. This implies resurrection. Death does not end His work.

Hebrews 2:10, KJV, “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

Christ brings many sons unto glory. These are His seed.

The promise continues, “and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” The will of God succeeds through the Servant. His suffering does not frustrate God’s purpose. It fulfills it.

Verse 11 says, “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” Christ will look upon the fruit of His suffering and be satisfied. The redeemed people, the justified many, the conquered sin, the defeated death, the glorified Father, and the completed work will satisfy Him.

Hebrews 12:2, KJV, “Looking unto Jesus author and finisher of faith; who for joy that set before him endured cross, despising shame, and set down at right hand of throne of God.”

The joy set before Him sustained Him through the cross.

The Lord says, “by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.” The Servant is righteous. He justifies many, not because they are righteous in themselves, but because He bears their iniquities. Knowing Him in faith brings justification.

Romans 3:24-26, KJV, “Being justified freely by his grace through redemption that in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for remission of sins that past, through forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might just, and justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

God is just and the justifier because Christ bore sin and satisfied justice.

Isaiah 53:12

Isaiah 53:12, KJV, “Therefore will I divide him portion with great, and he shall divide spoil with strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he numbered with transgressors; and he bare sin of many, and made intercession for transgressors.”

The chapter ends with victory and reward. “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong.” The language is that of triumph after battle. The Servant wins. He receives the reward of His conquest. His humiliation leads to exaltation.

The reason for His reward is stated, “because he hath poured out his soul unto death.” His sacrifice was total. He held nothing back. He poured out His life fully.

Philippians 2:8-9, KJV, “And being found in fashion as man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even death of cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him name which above every name.”

Because He humbled Himself unto death, God highly exalted Him.

Isaiah says, “he was numbered with the transgressors.” Jesus was crucified between criminals, counted among sinners though He Himself was sinless.

Mark 15:27-28, KJV, “And with him they crucify two thieves; one on his right hand, and other on his left. And scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with transgressors.”

The Gospel explicitly says this fulfilled Isaiah.

The Servant “bare the sin of many.” This repeats the central theme of the chapter. He bears sin. He does not merely sympathize with sinners. He carries their guilt as Substitute.

Hebrews 9:28, KJV, “So Christ was once offered to bear sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear second time without sin unto salvation.”

Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.

Finally, He “made intercession for the transgressors.” This was seen at the cross when Jesus prayed for those who crucified Him.

Luke 23:34, KJV, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

He also continues as the intercessor for His people.

Hebrews 7:25, KJV, “Wherefore he able also to save them to uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Isaiah 53 ends in triumph. The despised Servant becomes the victorious Redeemer. The Man of sorrows becomes the satisfied Savior. The One cut off from the land of the living lives to see His seed. The One numbered with transgressors justifies many. The One who bore sin divides the spoil in victory.