The Messiah’s Secret – Isaiah 53                                                                                   
“David foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus, God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.” Acts 2: 31, 32.                                                                                            

Isaiah 53: 1-12. Luke 24: 13-47

Since the book of Isaiah was written, the ‘Suffering Servant’ in chapter 53 has led many to interpret its meaning to there being two Messiahs. Evidence was found in Qumran Scrolls.

 Qumran Scrolls 

Between 1947 – 1956 972 scrolls were found in caves in Qumran by the Dead Sea. They have since been radiocarbon dated it estimated that they were written between 385BC and  82 AD.  Several of the fragments of parchment reveal that the Essene, a religious sect of Judaism wrote of their belief in two Messiahs. One from the tribe of Aaron and the other of Judah, priest and king. This view is disputed among leading Theologians today.

“Many scholars believe that the Essenes were connected with the rise of the Pharisees in the centuries before the birth of Jesus.” John Drane ‘Introducing the Old Testament.”

The Essenes view at that time was not held by the majority of Jewish teachers at Jerusalem, they held the traditional belief of the Messiah who would be a descendant of King David. 

Formulation of the Jewish Talmud.

In the second century AD,  during the formulation of the Jewish Talmud Jewish rabbis studied the messianic prophesies in the Hebrew Scriptures, especially Isaiah 53 and they concluded that there were two Messiahs. Arnold Fruchtenbaum "Jesus was a Jew" page 24.

The First Messiah.

Isaiah had depicted a man as the ‘suffering servant,’ the rabbis named him ‘the son of the  Joseph,’ he would undergo a great deal of suffering that would end in death. This servant would suffer and die for the sins of others. The passage goes on to indicate that this servant would be resurrected.

The Second Messiah.

The rabbis believed that the second Messiah would raise the first Messiah back to life, he would come as a conquering king who would destroy the enemies of Israel and set up the messianic kingdom of peace and prosperity.  Arnold Fruchtenbaum "Jesus was a Jew" page 24.

Arnold Fruchtenbaum  writes: “An ancient eleventh century Jewish writing by (Rabbi Shlomoh Yizchaki, better known as Rishi.  Rabbi Rishi put forward his theory of two Messiah’s from Isaiah 53." He uses the suffering servant as an allegory, the first Messiah son of Joseph, and the second Messiah king David’s descendant both representing the people of Israel in their suffering in a Gentile world.

Arnold Fruchtenbaum’s own view.

Arnold Fruchtenbaum suggests: “But to make the passage in Isaiah speak of a collective body of Israel seems to force the interpretation. The passage taken by itself seems to have only one individual in mind.” In his book he refers us to the passage and points out where the words clearly speak of an individual and where they speak collectively. Isaiah includes himself with the collective body of Israel.

Summary of Isaiah 53: 1-12.

 I. The Jewish people confess they do not recognize the Servant in his person and calling.

2. The people noted that there was nothing special about him. His childhood was no different from any other child. His personality and his outward appearance did not make him stand out from others.

3 The prophet would suggest that he was not charismatic, he did not attract people to him, but instead he was despised and rejected by men in general. He was sorrowful and grieved for the loss of people’s hearts towards God. 

4. The people confess that at the time of his suffering, they considered his suffering to be the punishment of God for his own sins. 
Now, however, they acknowledge that the Servant’s suffering was on behalf of others. The Servant was afflicted, taking the punishment would be laid upon him.

 5. The people will understand the Servants suffering more deeply, through his suffering he will heal their sicknesses and diseases, "By his stripes we are healed."                                                                                                                                                

6. Only God could bring about reconciliation through a substitute being made for sins.The people confess that they had gone astray; they each had gone their own way.                         

7. The prophet appears to be speaking as he describes the suffering that leads to the Servants death. The Servant submits to all the hostility against him.

8.The sentence of death was from a judicial court of law, although he was innocent of all the charges made against him, he did not deserve death. The Servant was executed as a criminal.

9. The Servant was buried not as a criminal, but his burial was in a rich man’s tomb.

10. It is hard for us to understand how God allowed his precious Son to die for the sins of mankind. His death brings about forgiveness and reconciliation with God. He prolongs the Servants days as God would raise him from the dead.

11. God accepts the offering of his Servants sacrifice of his life laid down. The Servant will justify many through faith in him.

12.The Servant greatly blessed by God having brought to fruition the redeeming plan of God for all creation. Through his love for God his Father and for us his children, he was mocked, ridiculed and despised.

Matthew in his Gospel identifies Jesus' healing ministry  with Isaiah's 'Suffering Servant' "This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases." 
Christians believe that Jesus fulfilled these scriptures in Isaiah 53 in his suffering and death becoming our substitute for our sins against God, followed by his resurrection.  Through faith in Jesus we are redeemed, set free from sin and raised with him in newness of life that is eternal.  We enter into a relationship with Jesus in receiving the Holy Spirit. 

A more recent Jewish view.
Even today Rishi’s view of the Suffering Servant being the people of Israel is held by the rabbi of the Menorah Synagogue in Manchester England, but he also stated that the Messiah was the land of Israel.

Shoah Seminar – May 5th 2000 held at the Menorah Synagogue, Manchester. ( Notes taken at the seminar)

Twelve years ago I was invited to attend the Shoah Seminar at Menorah Synagogue in Manchester England. This day was in preparation for the first Holocaust Memorial Day in our area that took place on 27th January 2001.

The Rabbi of Menorah Synagogue when he spoke on the Holocaust, Holocaust meaning ‘burnt sacrifice.’ He referred to the Jews that had been taken by the Nazis to the concentration camps fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter 53 ‘the suffering servant’. The people of the Holocaust were the burnt offerings for the atonement for their nation’s sin against God. Also the rabbi stated that God established the new covenant when the state of Israel came into being after the Second World War, and that the land of Israel, was their Messiah.

Whilst I respect Rabbi’s interpretation of his own Jewish scriptures, and I feel great sorrow for their suffering in the camps during the second world war, as a Christian through the churches study of the Hebrew Scriptures, I see the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy of the ‘Suffering Servant’ in Jesus, his suffering and subsequent death. Jesus being the sin bearer for the people of Israel and all humanity.

King David prophesied that the Messiah’s body would not be burnt by fire. Jesus’ body was not consumed by fire, nor was he corrupted by sin.  

“David foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus, God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.” Acts 2: 31, 32. Psalm 16: 10. 49: 9.  

In Jesus' bodily resurrection he did a complete work of redemption. Not only redeeming the believing Jewish people, but all those who have faith in him. The Messiah, the descendant of King David establishing his kingdom in the hearts of people. (Jesus will return and conquer the Antichrist)  

Philip called Jesus son of Joseph

At the early stage of Jesus’ ministry he had spoken nothing concerning his suffering and death. John the disciple records the conversation between Philip and Nathanael. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” John 1: 45. 
                                                                          

The all knowing Lord our God put in place through this conversation between the disciples, the true interpretation of Isaiah 53, in that any later reference to the son of Joseph, would point to being fulfilled in Jesus. The fulfilment of the one Messiah in Jesus’ suffering and death and resurrection were God himself raised Jesus from the dead.
Yet to be fulfilled the prophecy of Jesus being the governor of Israel. Matthew 2: 6. Micah 5: 2.                                                                   
The Early Church.
The majority of the Jews in the gospels were looking for the coming of the descendant of King David. Luke 1: 31-33.
They were expecting the Messiah the Son of David the deliverer of Israel.  In our reading on the road to Emmaus, Cleopas and the other disciple in conversation with the stranger said, “But we had hoped that he was the one who would redeem Israel." They believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the descendant of King David. 
When they arrived at the village they invited the stranger to stay with them and he did so.  When they sat down for the evening meal, he broke and blessed the bread and gave it to them. At that moment these two disciples recognized Jesus, the stranger was Jesus and then in a moment he was gone, no longer sat at the table with them. 
Take hold of the promise in Revelation 2: 20 “Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” It speaks of having fellowship with Jesus, like the disciples invited Jesus to stay with them at the village. Jesus would have you invite him into your life, as he knocks gently on the door of your heart.                                                                                                                                 

Under Law.

We also understand that the people at the time of Jesus had been taught that when the Messiah comes he would remain forever. John 12: 34. 

It had been part of God’s plan to keep the chief priests and rulers from understanding the scriptures that related to the one Messiah’s suffering, death and resurrection, also including his disciples.

When these two disciples returned to Jerusalem to the house where the disciples and followers were staying soon afterwards Jesus appeared in the room where they were gathered. The resurrected Jesus, whom God had raised from the dead, revealed himself to them and breathed on to them the Holy Spirit and also he had opened up their minds to understand the scriptures concerning his suffering and resurrection. Luke 24:21, 44-47.

The bringing in of the messianic kingdom would have followed soon after Jesus’ ascension. Acts 3: 17-end. 

The Messiah's Secret. 

It was a call to the nation, but the chief priest Caiaphas and many of the council rejected Jesus as the Messiah at and after Pentecost that was when the disciples proclaimed the prophesies concerning the suffering death and resurrection had been fulfilled by Jesus. 

After the dispersion of the Christian community at Jerusalem Philip went to the city of Samaria and proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ (Greek for Messiah) He was later directed by an angel to go towards the south on the desert road that went down from Jerusalem to Gaza. He responded and as he walked along the road a chariot came by. In the chariot was an Ethiopian man, who he recognised as being a minister of the Ethiopian Queens’s treasury. He had been to Jerusalem to worship there and was returning home.

Philip led by the Holy Spirit went alongside the chariot and as he did so he heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah, Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading. The man replied that he needed someone to guide him in the understanding of the scripture; he invited Philip to join him in his chariot. The passage that he was reading was this: “As a sheep is led to the slaughter or a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe this generation? For his life is taken up from the earth.” Isaiah 53: 7,8.

The man asked Philip,”About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Philip than began to tell him the good news about Jesus and in response to hearing about Jesus the man was baptised and he went on his way rejoicing. Philip was caught up by the Spirit and was found at Azotus and from there he went to Caesarea, preached the good news about Jesus along the way. Acts 8: 26-40

”The man asked Philip, "About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”                                                                                                                      

The Ethiopian man thought that the scriptures were referring to the one Messiah. After hearing from Philip that this scripture had been fulfilled in Jesus, he discovered it was true, Jesus.the suffering servant resurrected by God from the dead, the redeemer of Israel and of all those who believe in his name, he gave power to become the children of God.
(Link with earlier blog "A Kept Secret")