In our Sunday morning adult Bible Study we have been engaged in an in-depth look at the book of Isaiah. We have finally made it to Isaiah 53. In the time of Jesus, Hebrews interpreted the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 to be Israel as a whole. This is notably true of the Targum of Isaiah, a work finished in about 200 BC but including older interpretations of the biblical book. Early Christians read the story of the suffering servant typologically. Since Jesus took on many aspects of Israel (see Matthew 1-4 especially), it was fitting that his career as the suffering servant should be interpreted in light of the images of Isaiah 53. Whatever the original intent of the chapter, it became an ideal portrayal of the one who died so that all might live.
Isaiah 53:7 he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,so he did not open his mouth. In the Old Testament, people offered animals as sacrifices for their sins. Here, the sinless servant of the Lord offers himself for our sins. Jesus is the lamb of offered for the sins of all people. John the Baptist hailed Jesus as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world: John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Also see Revelation 5:6-14. John was alluding to this passage in Isaiah as well as to the Passover sacrifice in Exodus 12. The Messiah suffered for our sake, bearing our sins to make us acceptable to God. What can we say to such love? What should our response be?