Isaiah 52:7 - 53:12
(Isaiah 53:4-12)
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- Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
- Hebrew Interlinear Bible, WLCv, WLC5, CHES, AV.
- The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
- The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Hebrew text with concordance, commentaries. Chapter 53.
- The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.Chapter 53.
- Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
- Text From "The Coming Of Melchizedek," 11Q13 of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
- Chapter VIII, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians, Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110). (Longer Version - 4th cent interpolation)
- Chapter X, The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians, Polycarp of Smyrna (c 115).
- Chapter V of the Epistle of Barnabas. (ca. 130)
- Chapter L, Chapter LI, The First Apology of Justin Martyr. (c 150)
- Chapter XIII, Chapter XVII, Chapter XLII, Chapter XLIII, Chapter LXIII, Chapter XCVII, Chapter CXI, Chapter CXIV, Chapter CXVIII, Dialogue With Trypho, Justin Martyr. (c 160)
- II.XXVIII.5, III.XII.8, III.XIII.1, III.XIX.2, IV.XXIII.2, IV.XXXIII.1, 11, 12, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
- Chapter IX, Chapter X, Chapter XIII, Chapter XIV, Adversus Judaeos, Tertullian (c. 198)
- Chapter XVIII, On Baptism, Tertullian (c. 198)
- I.8, III.1, Paedagogus, Clement of Alexandria (c 200)
- II.5, II.6, Stromata, Clement of Alexandria (c 200)
- III.7, III.17, III.19, III.22, III.23, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 209)
- IV.8, IV.10, IV.13, IV.14, IV.21, IV.34, IV.40, IV.42, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 210)
- Chapter XIV, Chapter XVIII, On Idolatry, Tertullian (c. 211)
- Chapter IX, Chapter XV, On the Flesh of Christ, Tertullian (c. 211)
- Chapter XX, On the Resurrection of the Flesh, Tertullian (c. 211)
- V.2, V.5, V.18, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 212)
- Concerning Flight in Persecution (paragraph 12) Tertullian (c. 212)
- Chapter XI, Chapter XIII, Chapter XXX, Against Praxeas, Tertullian (c. 213)
- Chapter XVIII, On Modesty, Tertullian (c. 217)
- II.VI.4, First Principles (De Principiis), Origen. (c.225)
- V.II, The Refutation of all Heresies (Philosophumena), Hippolytus of Rome. (c. 225)
- I.11, I.15, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Origen. (c.228)
- VI.35, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Philocalia [anthology of Origen prepared by St. Basil and St. Gregory Nazianzen], Origen. (c.230)
- I.LIV, II.LIX, VI.LXXV, VII.XVI, VIII.LIV, Against Celsus, Origen (c. 246)
- XII.29, XII.30, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Origen. (c.247)
- Epistle VI -- Cyprian of Carthage (c. 250)
- On the Lapsed -- Cyprian of Carthage (c. 251)
- I.2, Ecclesiastical History, Eusebius of Caesarea, (c. 320).
- Part 34, On the Incarnation of the Word, Athanasius of Alexandria, c. 318.
- Statement of Faith, Athanasius of Alexandria, c. 330.
- Rashi's Commentary, c. 1075. chabad.org. Chapter 53.
- From the Geneva Notes.
Chapter 53. (c.
1599)
- "The prophets who are your watchmen will publish your deliverance: this was begun under Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah, but was accomplished under Christ."
- From
Matthew Henry's
Commentary.
Chapter 53.
(c.1700)
- "His ministers proclaim these good tidings: keeping themselves clean from the pollutions of the world, they are beautiful to those to whom they are sent."
- From
Wesley's Notes.
Chapter.
53. John Wesley (1703-1791)
- "The mountains - Of Judea, to which these glad tidings were brought, and from which they were spread abroad into other countries."
- He
Poured Out His Soul, from The Poor Man's Portions, Robert Hawker, c.
1800.
- "Now, my soul, let this day's meditation be sacred to the view of thy Redeemer pouring out his soul unto death."
- From the
Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
Chapter 53.
- "...good tidings--only partially applying to the return from Babylon. Fully, and antitypically, the Gospel (Lu 2:10, 11), "beginning at Jerusalem" (Lu 24:17), "the city of the great King" (Mt 5:35), where Messiah shall, at the final restoration of Israel, "reign" as peculiarly Zion's God ("Thy God reigneth"; compare Ps 2:6)."
- "The
Great Revival; Isaiah 52:10," Charles H. Spurgeon, 1858.
- "My heart is glad within me this day, for I am the bearer of good tidings. My soul has been made exceedingly full of happiness, by the tidings of a great revival of religion throughout the United States."
- "The
Death of Christ; Isaiah 53:10," Charles H. Spurgeon, 1858.
- "Beloved, it is not only true that God did design and did permit with willingness the death of Christ; it is moreover, true that the unutterable agonies that clothed the death of the Saviour with superhuman terror, were the effect of the Father's bruising of Christ in very act and deed."
- "The
Vanguard and Reward of the Church; Isaiah 52:12," Charles H. Spurgeon,
1859.
- "I see the church emerge, as it were, from the bowels of Christ."
- "Friend
of Sinners; Isaiah 53:12," Charles H. Spurgeon, 1862.
- "A vague notion is abroad in the world that the benefit of Christ's passion is intended only for good people. The preaching of some ministers, and the talk of some professors, would lead the uninstructed to imagine that Christ came into the world to save the righteous, to call the godly to repentance, and to heal those who never were sick."
- "Expiation;
Isaiah 53:10," Charles H. Spurgeon, 1864.
- "If I am to be cast into hell merely that I am to teach to others the tremendousness of the divine holiness, I shall say there is no justice in this; but if my sin intrinsically and of itself deserves the wrath of God, and I am sent to perdition as the result of this fact, I close my lips, and have nothing to say."
- "The
Sheep Before the Shearers: Isaiah 53:7," Charles H. Spurgeon. From Farm
Sermons (c 1875).
- "Remember, first, that our Lord was dumb and opened not his mouth against his adversaries, and did not accuse one of them of cruelty or injustice."
- Contemporary Commentary, Studies and Exegesis:
- Commentary, Isaiah 52:13-53-12, Samuel Giere, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2016.
- "Preparing to preach on Good Friday is preparing to wander about in the heart of the mystery of God's reconciling activity in Jesus Christ and (most importantly!) inviting your hearers and by extension ..."
- Commentary, Isaiah 53:4-12, Patricia Tull, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2015.
- "If we can seek to emulate the servant's faithfulness, and that of Jesus himself, in choosing to bear others' sins, we will be reading Isaiah 53 for all it is worth."
- "Hope Springs Eternal!" John C Holbert, Opening the Old Testament, 2013.
- "We ask that God rule with justice and righteousness so that our darkness may become light, so that God's world may at last truly become God's world and not ours alone."
- Commentary, Isaiah 52:7-10, Dirk G. Lange, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2012.
- "The 'watchers' know of this wondrous news as they see the feet of the messenger running towards them. The 'feet' is here used figuratively: beautiful refers not to the feet but to the entire messenger/message."
- Commentary, Isaiah 53:4-12, Amy Erickson, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2012.
- "Because there are numerous 'right' answers to the question of the servant's identity, we look at each one who suffers with new eyes and new attention."
- "Christ's Body Broken For You, Pt 2," "Worthy Is the Lamb" (worship resource) compiled by Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, 2012.
- Commentary, Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Mark S. Gignilliat, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2012.
- The Old Testament Readings (Isaiah 52:7-10, Christmas Day): Weekly Comments on the Revised Common
Lectionary, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church,
Melbourne, Australia.
- "It is important...to remember that ?the salvation of our God? that we see focussed in Christ belongs to the ongoing work of God in all times and places, and among all peoples. It is our part in this universal love of God that must lead us to ?break forth together in singing? again this Christmas."
- "How
Beautiful," Paul Jaster, Christmas Day, Sabbatheology, The
Crossings Community, 2009.
- "Thanks to this wondrous child, the bruised become the healed. The wounded become healers."
-
The Old Testament Readings
(Good Friday): Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church,
Melbourne, Australia.
- "The suffering servant figure, especially in Isa. 52:13-53:12 has been a major influence on how Christianity has understood the death of Jesus."
- Commentary, (Good Friday), Background, Insights from Literary Structure, Theological Message, Ways to Present the Text. Anna Grant-Henderson, Uniting Church in Australia.
-
Commentary, Isaiah 53:1-9, Stephanie Buckhanon Crowder,
The African American Lectionary, 2008.
- "On the cross, Jesus was despised, so that we might be valued. Jesus was rejected, so that we might be accepted."
- Servant of the Lord: Verse
Commentary on Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Dennis Bratcher, Christian Resource Institute.
- "We should not let the fact that the servant in this context most likely refers to the nation of Israel lessen its importance for us or diminish its truth. The New Testament writers understood this passage well."
- Isaiah 53:4-12, (Pentecost 19) Studies on Old Testament texts from Series B, Ralph W. Klein, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
-
Commentary,
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (Good Friday), Charles L. Aaron, Jr., Preaching This Week,
WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
- "Even though our passage has many seeming parallels to Jesus' experience, we should not see this passage as a 'prediction' of Jesus' passion. The prophet wrote to the people of his own time, presenting the 'suffering servant' as a means of redemption for the experience of the exile."
- Isaiah 52:7-10, Christmas, Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
- Isaiah 52:7-10 (Christmas Day), Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12 (Good Friday), Studies on Old Testament texts from Series A, B, C, Ralph W. Klein, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
-
Zion Comforted,
(Advent) Interpreting the Book of Isaiah: Yahweh's Changeless Purpose in the Changing
History of Zion, Lee E. Snook, Texts in Context, Word & World, Luther
Northwestern Theological Seminary, 1983.
- "If Yahweh is to rescue the captives in Babylon, something other than the mediated presence of Yahweh (through priest, prophet and king) will be required."
-
"Suffering Servants," Waldemar Janzen, (other resources
at)
"Suffering," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian
Ethics at Baylor University, 2005.
- "In the prophets, the suffering servant, and Jesus, the suffering of those called into God's service is clothed with ever deepening significance."
-
"Minjung
and Power: A Biblical and Theological Perspective on Doularchy
(Servanthood)," Kim Yong-Bock, at
Religion
OnLine.
- "Doularchy in 21st century politics should mean that the Minjung become a comprehensive sovereign in the bond of servanthood, liberated and not enslaved, erect and not bowed down. This means direct participation in authority and politics by the mutually serving community for the enhancement of all life; it means the covenant solidarity of all Minjung and all living things throughout the earth."
- Commentary, Isaiah 52:13-53-12, Samuel Giere, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2016.
- Recommended articles
from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are
linked below.
ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of
selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices.
- Allen, Ronald J.,
"Removing Anti-Jewish Toxins from Advent Preaching," The Living
Pulpit, 1997.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Barré, Michael L., S.S.,
"Textual and Rhetorical-critical Observations of the Last Servant Song
(Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12)," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 2000.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Battenfield, James R.,
"Isaiah LIII 10: Taking an 'If' Out of the Sacrifice of the Servant,"
Vetus Testamentum, 1982.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Bergey, Ronald,
"The Rhetorical Role of Reiteration in the Suffering Servant Poem (Isa
52:13-53:12)," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society,
1997.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Ceresko, Anthony R., O.S.F.S.,
"The Rhetorical Strategy of the Fourth Servant Song (Isaiah 52:13-53:12):
Poetry and the Exodus-New Exodus," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly,
1994.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Chisholm, Robert B., Jr., "The Christological
Fulfillment of Isaiah's Servant Songs," Bibliotheca Sacra, 2006.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Davies, Andrew, "Oratorio as
Exegesis: The Use of the Book of Isaiah in Handel's Messiah,"
Biblical Interpretation, 2007.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Day, John,
"DA'AT 'Humiliation' in Isaiah LIII 11 in the Light of Isaiah LIII 3
and Daniel XII 4, and the Oldest Known Interpretation of the Suffering
Servant," Vetus Testamentum, 1980.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Gaiser, Frederick J.,
"A Preacher's Conversation with Second Isaiah," Word & World,
1994.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Goldingay, John, "Isaiah 53 in the Pulpit,"
Perspectives in Religious Studies, 2008.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Joachimsen, Kristin, "Steck's Five Stories of
the
Servant in Isaiah 52:13-53:12, and Beyond," Vetus Testamentum,
2007.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Lindsey, F. Duane,
"The Career of the Servant in Isaiah 52:13-53:12," Bibliotheca Sacra,
1983.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Litwak, Kenneth,
"The Use of Quotations from Isaiah 52:13-53:12 in the New Testament,"
Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 1983.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Nelson, Susan L.,
"Facing Evil: Evil's Many Faces,"
Interpretation, 2003. (See also,
"Evil," issue focus,
Interpretation, 2003.)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Oswalt, John N.,
"Isaiah 52:13-53:12: Servant of All," Calvin Theological Journal, 2005.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Raabe, Paul R.,
"The Effect of Repetition in the Suffering Servant Song," Journal of
Biblical Literature, 1984.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Reichenbach, Bruce R.,
"'By His Stripes We Are Healed'," Journal of the Evangelical
Theological Society, 1998.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Snook, Lee E., "Interpreting the Book
of Isaiah: Yahweh's Changeless Purpose in the Changing History of Zion,"
Word & World, 1983.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Treves, Marco,
"Isaiah, LIII," Vetus Testamentum, 1974.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Walton, John H.,
"The Imagery of the Substitute King Ritual in Isaiah's Fourth Servant Song,"
Journal of Biblical Literature, 2003.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wilcox, Peter,
and David Paton-Williams,
"The Servant Songs in Deutero-Isaiah," Journal for the Study of the
Old Testament, 1988.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Williamson, H.G.M.,
"DA'AT in Isaiah LIII 11," Vetus Testamentum, 1978.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wilshire, Leland Edward,
"The Servant-City: A New Interpretation of the 'Servant of the Lord' in the
Servant Songs of Deutero-Isaiah," Journal of Biblical Literature,
1975.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Allen, Ronald J.,
"Removing Anti-Jewish Toxins from Advent Preaching," The Living
Pulpit, 1997.
- Sermons:
- Wounded Healers -- Sermon based on Isaiah 52:13--53:12 by Charles D. Reeb from SermonStudio.
- "Your God Reigns," Isaiah 52:7-10, Christmas Eve/Day, Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson, Dim Lamp, 2008.
- Reviews:
- Janowski, Bernd and Peter Stuhlmacher, editors, Bailey, Daniel P., translator. The Suffering Servant: Isaiah 53 in Jewish and Christian Sources. Eerdmans, 2004. Reviews by Roger Nam and William Barker, Journal of Biblical Literature, 2005.
- Review: Jim W. Adams, The Performative Nature and Function of Isaiah 40-55. T&T Clark, 2006. Review by Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer, Review of Biblical Literature, 2008.
- With Children:
- Worshiping with Children, Palm/Passion Sunday, Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2016.
- "Storypath Lectionary Links: Connecting Children's Literature with our Faith Story," 2016, Union Presbyterian Seminary.
- "All of Us Were Like Sheep that Had Wandered Off," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
- "Christ's Sacrifice Is Foretold," children's study, puzzles, coloring sheet, etc. Higher Praise Christian Center.
- "Scapegoat," "The Good Shepherd," Jim Kerlin, childrensermons.com.
- Isaiah 52:9, memory verse activity, MSSS Crafts and Resources for Bible Stories.
- Drama:
- "Who Is Jesus?" Nina Wallestad, Dramatic License. Conditions of Use.
- Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
- Images for this week's readings, Pitts Theology Library Digital Image Archive.
- Isaiah 52:7, Isaiah 53:5, Isaiah 53:5, Heartlight - Free Christian PowerPoint Backgrounds.
- Clip Art: Isaiah 53, Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld woodcuts, World Mission Collection, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
- Hymns and Music:
- Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
- Hymns with Scripture Allusions: Isaiah 52:2, 7, 10, 17; 53:1, 34, 5, 6, 7. The Cyber Hymnal.
- Hymn selections (United Methodist) and more from Hymnsite.com.
- Hymn Selections, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship.
- At Digital Hymnal (midi files, guitar chords, karaoke files, projection text):
- Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
- Movies Listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
- Study Links and Resources for the Book of Isaiah
