Jesus Messiah was Isaiah’s Suffering Servant. He who embodied Israel suffered as Israel’s representative. The rabbis of Israel never joined the idea of Messiah and the Suffering Servant being one and the same person. Jesus did (Lu 24:26). Peter, reflecting the theology of the day, was rebuked for trying to turn Jesus from his announced path of suffering (Mt 16:23). The merging of these two biblical themes into one Person reveals God’s great plan of redemption. Jesus chose to rescue through suffering. His kingdom citizens are to count it joy to suffer with Him (Mt 5:11-12).
“Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.” Isaiah 53:4-6 (NASB)
