Was Jesus the Suffering Servant Depicted in Isaiah 53?
Just how strong is the case for Jesus being the long-promised Messiah?
The most comprehensive description of the Messiah is in Isaiah 53 where the prophet foretells the Messiah suffering and dying for our sins. Here are just a few portions of that messianic prophecy:
He took our suffering on him….the Lord has put on him the punishment for all the evil we have done….but he didn’t say a word. He was like a lamb being led to be killed….He was put to death….He had done nothing wrong.…He willingly gave his life….he carried away the sins of many…and asked forgiveness for those who sinned.26
So, how do Jewish rabbis today deal with the obvious parallels between Isaiah 53 and their fulfillment by Jesus of Nazareth?
Unbelievably, most Jewish people are unaware of Isaiah’s 53rd chapter because the synagogue readings of the weekly Haftarah purposely omit it, skipping from chapter 52 to 54.27 Most rabbis today believe Isaiah 53 refers to the suffering servant as the nation of Israel, rather than the Messiah.28
Click here to read page 6 of 8 about “Where is the Jewish Messiah?”