Isaiah 53:1-3 What God plans to do is so upside-down, so paradoxical, who would ever believe it? What follows in the chapter is God’s supernatural wisdom (1 Cor 1:18-24). There was nothing extraordinary about Jesus’ appearance. Even so, he was despised and rejected (Mark 14:65; 15:9-15; John 19:15).
Isaiah 53:4-6 Jesus died on our behalf, bearing our transgressions. He was the perfect mediator who stood in between God and humanity as our representative (1 Tim 2:3-6). However, his suffering for our sin does not mean we are free to live however we want (John 15:1-2, 6, 10).
Three questions about Jesus as our substitute:
1. How is it just for the perpetrators to go free while an innocent person suffers instead?
2. If the debt is paid, then how can we say God forgave?
3. If my sins are paid for, then why does it matter how I live?
Isaiah 53:7-9 Though he suffered unjustly, he remained quiet (Mark 14:58-62; John 19:9-11; Mat 27:11-14). No one understood what was really happening except for him and God (1 Cor 2:6-8).
Isaiah 53:10-12 Yahweh was pleased to crush him, not because He enjoyed the process, but because of the incalculable good that would result from this voluntary action. This is no case of divine child abuse but the horrifying result of our own sin meeting the wrath of a holy God, hungry for redemption not blood. Furthermore, it is essential to stress that this servant of Yahweh volunteered for this work.
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