| THE SUFFERING SERVANT |
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| servant went underground, as it were, lying dormant for centuries. Then, in a very dramatic scene early in his ministry, Jesus quoted from one of the servant passages in Isaiah (Luke 4:18-19). "Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, 'Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing' " (Luke 4:20-21). Following his example, the New Testament writers named Jesus as the servant, at least ten times. In one instance, Philip corrected an Ethopian official who had wondered if the suffering servant referred to an ancient prophet (Acts 8:26-35). The Final Sacrifice Isaiah 49-55 includes vivid scenes of the servant's sufferings, predictions that found their fulfillment in Jesus' death on the cross. Written like an eyewitness account, they were actually composed centures before Christ's death. According to Isaiah, the servant died for a very specific purpose: "He was pierced for our transgressions" (53:5). Through his wounds, the suffering servant won a great victory. His death made possible a future when all that is wrong on earth will be set right. Significantly, the book of Isaiah does not end with the suffering servant image. It goes on to describe a wonderful life in a new heaven and new earth made possible by the servant's death. Life Questions: If you had been a Jew in Jesus' day, would you have been disappointed in the Messiah? Why did Jesus choose to come as a suffering servant rather than, say, a triumphant army general? |