Candace's treasurer wondered whether the passage he quoted applied to its author,
but the language and grammar of verses 4-6 of the 53rd chapter incriminates
Isaiah right along with the other Jews for whom the righteous servant died.
A popular interpretation of Isa 53:11 is that 49:1-3 identifies the righteous servant
as the corporate people of Israel; viz; the Jews. However, aside from the fact that
pious Jews abhor human sacrifice, the Jews of Isaiah's day have to be ruled out of
the equation because his prophecy portrays them as rotten to the core. Not one
good thing is credited to the people of Israel in Isaiah's day anywhere in his entire
prophecy.
In point of fact, the very first chapter portrays them as rebellious children who have
even less appreciation for God's providence than burros and oxen. The 49th chapter
depicts them as needy of spiritual renewal (Isa 49:5-6) and in the 58th chapter
they are depicted as lawbreakers, hypocritical, self righteous, wicked, oppressive,
uncharitable, cruel, and unloving (Isa 58:1 7).
The 53rd chapter itself depicts them all as astray, transgressors, iniquitous, and
deserving punishment, whereas the righteous servant is depicted in favor with God
(Isa 53:2), and innocent (Isa 53:5, Isa 53:6, Isa 53:8, and Isa 53:9)
The Talmud teaches that Isaiah 53 refers to Messiah (Sanhedrin 98). The Targum
of Jonathan begins it with the words Ha yatslakh avdee Mashikha, which mean:
Behold my servant the Messiah shall prosper. Others believed Isaiah 53 spoke of
the sufferings of Messiah; e.g. Rabbi Moshe Kohen Ibn Crispin. (a.k.a. Ibn Krispin)
Rabbi Mosheh El-Sheikh (a.k.a. Alshekh) claimed: "our Rabbis with one voice
accept and affirm the opinion that the prophet [Isaiah] is speaking of King
Messiah." (cf. Acts 8:26-36)
King Messiah goes by a variety of labels in the Old Testament. At Isa 11:1 10 he's
called "a sprig of Jesse" viz: a man of the house of David. At Jer 23:5-6, Jer 33:15
16, Zech 3:8-9, and Zech 6:12-13 he's called "the branch". In every instance
wherein Messiah's character is mentioned, he's always portrayed as a man of
impeccable integrity, and unfailing righteousness, justice, equity, and faithfulness.
NOTE: There is a day coming when every Jew residing in the State of Israel will be
100% righteous to a man (Isa 60:21). But of course not before the fulfillment of
the sifting predicted at Ezek 36:24-27 along with implementing the new covenant
described by Jer 31:31-34 and Ezek 36:24-27
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