SATISFIED
50
excommunication awaiting any Israelite who confessed Him, none were forthcoming. From all considerations we
are inclined more to the rendering propounded by Jenour than by others, which is as follows:
`From help and from justice He was taken away'.
The LXX is quoted in Acts 8:33 where it reads, `In His humiliation His judgment was taken away'. He was denied
a regular trial, and those helps which were normally granted to accused persons were withheld.
`Who testifieth to His way of life?'- The Mishna (a collection of Rabbinical traditions) states that before anyone was
punished for a capital crime, proclamation before the prisoner was made in these words: `Whoever knows anything
concerning his innocence, let him come and declare it'. When our Saviour requested that His disciples should be
asked to bear witness as to His doctrine, the only answer was a blow from one of the officers which stood by (John
18:21,22).
`And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death' (Isa. 53:9).
Calvin understands the word `rich' to be a synonym for `wicked'. Govet, following Dr. Kennicott's translation,
reads:
`He was taken up with wicked men in His death and with the rich man was His sepulchre'.
which seems to be a prophetic anticipation of the `thieves' (plural) and of Joseph of Arimathaea, the rich man
(singular). The Companion Bible supplies a comment on the word translated `made' in Isaiah 53:9 showing that it
could mean `appointed', but nathan, the Hebrew word in question, is found in the record of Absalom's death, where
we read `he was taken up between the heaven and the earth' (2 Sam. 18:9), and, for the Hebrew student, we note that
De Rossi found the word in one of his Spanish MSS pointed to read passively. On more than one occasion the
Saviour spoke of the manner of His death as that of being `lifted up' (John 3:14; 8:28; 12:32,34). It is therefore in
full harmony with the truth thus to understand Isaiah 53:9.
The word `wicked' is plural, (there were two thieves crucified with Christ), but the word `rich' is singular. The
New Testament particularly records the fact that Joseph of Arimathaea, who begged of Pilate the body of Jesus, was
a `rich man'. Thus the unjust character of His trial, and the character and circumstances of those most intimately
associated with His death are clearly foretold in this wondrous prophecy.
`Because He had done no violence' (Isa. 53:9) - The first word in this clause has been rendered by some translators
`although', making the sense `although He had done no violence yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him', which does
most certainly accord with the doctrine of the atonement. The Companion Bible, however, makes no comment, and
the absence of comment here is eloquent, for Dr. Bullinger was a Hebrew scholar and keen enough to have seen the
value of such a translation. The comment of Birks seems the soundest: he says that these words `are neither the
cause nor the impediment "though" or "because". They seem to note simply the fact of the strange contrast between
His spotless innocence, and His dishonourable death', consequently he translates the passage,
`When He had done no violence'.
As we read this foreshadowing of the great Sacrifice for sin, may we ever remind ourselves that He was
wounded for our transgressions, and so echo the grateful words of the apostle, `The Son of God Who loved me, and
gave Himself for me'.
`THE PLEASURE OF THE LORD SHALL PROSPER IN HIS HAND' (Isa. 53:10)
We now draw to the conclusion of this mighty chapter of redeeming love. The great solitary Figure, so clearly
seen centuries before His advent, is given one title, `My Servant' (Isa. 52:13), `My righteous Servant' (Isa. 53:11).
His humiliation and His exaltation are the two subjects that divide this prophetic passage between them. His
humiliation has now been surveyed. We have seen Him `a root out of a dry ground' treated by Israel as a leper, yet
bearing our griefs and carrying our sorrows; wounded for our transgressions and bringing healing by His very
stripes.
We now approach the glorious conclusion. While the actual word `resurrection' is not employed by the prophet
here, the fact of resurrection is most surely to be found in Isaiah 53. The Servant of the Lord is not only bruised and