INTRODUCTION:  This chapter is one of the greatest chapters on Christ in the Bible. Although it emphasizes the sufferings of Christ for the sinner, the entire gospel can be found: the birth and life of Christ, His sufferings and death, His burial, His resurrection, and His glorification. Of this chapter, the Baptist preacher J. Frank Norris said: “The greatest chapter, the highest mountain peak of the whole Bible. This chapter should be memorized by all.”

I.                     REJECTED OF MEN (53:1-3

A.      Unknown (53:1; quoted in John 12:38 and Romans 10:16)

1.       The report is not believed (John 1:11; 8:13-14; 1John 5:10-11)

2.       The arm of the Lord is not revealed (Matthew 11:25; 16:17)

3.       Note: Christ is here pictured as the arm of the Lord (Job 40:9; Psalm 98:1; Isaiah 40:10; 51:9; Jeremiah 32:17)

B.      Unimpressive (53:2a)

1.       A tender plant (Matthew 11:28-30; 12:18-20)

2.       A root out of dry ground (Isaiah 11:1-2, 10); the picture is of a plant that apparently died, but still had a living root and later sprang up from that root (Job 14:7-9; Daniel 4:23)

C.      Undesirable (53:2b); although this passage may partially apply to the physical appearance of Christ during His life (no mention is ever made of Christ having a striking appearance), the main application of this text certainly points to His condition on the cross. He had been whipped until His bones could be seen through the shredded flesh (Psalm 22:17). The soldiers had blindfolded him and punched Him in the face (Luke 22:64). The crown of thorns had further disfigured his face with blood running down on all sides. In addition to all this, His beard had been pulled out by His tormentors (Isaiah 50:6). As a result, “his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” (Isaiah 52:14). That is, He no longer even looked like a man.

1.       No form (Isaiah 52:14); compare to the earth in Genesis 1:2

2.       No comeliness (Psalm 22:6)

3.       No beauty

D.      Rejected (53:3a)

1.       Rejected of men (John 1:10-11)

2.       A man of sorrows (Matthew 26:37-38)

3.       Acquainted with grief (Hebrews 12:2)

E.      Despised (53:3b; 49:7)

1.       We hid our faces from Him (Job 13:24)

2.       We esteemed Him not (Luke 16:15)

II.                   AFFLICTED FOR MEN (53:4-9)

A.      His Substitution (53:4-6)

1.       His burden (v.4a)

a.      Bearing our griefs

b.      Carrying our sorrows

2.       His rejection (v.4b)

a.      According to our estimation

b.      He was being punished by God

(1)     Stricken of God

(2)     Smitten of God

(3)     Afflicted of God

(4)     Note: that is, He was only being punished for God for something wrong that He had done

3.       His payment (v.5; 2Corinthians 5:21)

a.      The debt (Galatians 3:13)

(1)     Wounded for our transgressions

(2)     Bruised for our iniquities

b.      The purchase

(1)     Chastised for our peace

(2)     Striped for our healing (1Peter 2:24-25)

4.       His benefactors (v.6)

a.      The sheep who have gone astray (1Peter 3:18)

b.      The rebellious who have taken their own way (Proverbs 14:12)

c.      The sinners whose iniquity is laid on the Saviour (Hebrews 9:26)

B.      His Silence (53:7)

1.       He opened not His mouth

a.      Though oppressed

b.      Though afflicted (Hebrews 5:8)

2.       He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter (John 1:29; Revelation 5:6; 13:8)

a.      As a sheep is silent before the shearers

b.      So the Saviour was silent (Matthew 27:12-14; 1Peter 2:21-23)

C.      His Separation (53:8-9) – “cut off out of the land of the living”

1.       Taken from prison (v.8; Matthew 27:15-18)

2.       Taken from judgment (v.8; John 18:38; 19:4, 6)

3.       For the transgression of His people (v.8; Matthew 27:22-25; Acts 2:23)

4.       Made his grave with the wicked (v.9; Matthew 27:38)

5.       Made his grave with the rich (v.9; Matthew 27:57-60)

III.                  APPROVED BY GOD (53:10-12)

A.      His Payment (53:10a)

1.       Bruised by the Lord

2.       Bruised to please the Lord

3.       Made His soul an offering for sin (Psalm 16:10)

B.      His Promotion (53:10b)

1.       He shall see His seed – paradise (Luke 23:43)

2.       He shall prolong His days – resurrection (John 10:17-18)

3.       He shall prosper – glorification (John 17:5)

C.      His Propitiation (53:11)

1.       The Father sees the suffering of the Son

2.       The Father is satisfied

3.       The righteous servant justifies many

a.      By His knowledge; He knew what it took to pay for their sins

b.      By bearing their iniquity

4.       Outline on Propitiation. Note: propitiation is mentioned by name in scripture in three places (Romans 3:25; 1John 2:2; 4:10). It is the act of the Son by which He satisfies the demand of the Father that judgment must be made against sin. By propitiation, the Son experiences the wrath of the Father on sin for the sake of those who will trust in Him as Saviour.

a.      The need for propitiation

(1)     God’s demands (Habakkuk 1:13; Romans 6:23a)

(2)     Our failure (Job 25:4-6; Romans 8:7)

(3)     Our weakness (Psalm 49:6-8; Romans 5:6-10)

b.      The provision of propitiation

(1)     Motivated by love (1John 4:10; John 3:16)

(2)     Extending to all (1John 2:2; 2Peter 3:9)

(3)     Received by faith (Romans 3:25; 10:8-17)

D.      His Portion (53:12)

1.       He receives His inheritance

2.       He has proven His worth

a.      By pouring out His soul unto death

b.      By being numbered with the transgressors (Matthew 15:28)

c.      By bearing the sin of many (1Timothy 2:5-6)

d.      By making intercession for transgressors (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25)

CONCLUSION: Jesus Christ did all this for us. Have you trusted in Him?

I see the crowd in Pilate’s hall,

I mark their wrathful mien;

Their shouts of “Crucify!” appall,

With blasphemy between.

And of that shouting multitude

I feel that I am one;

And in that din of voices rude

I recognize my own.

‘Twas I that shed the sacred blood,

I nailed Him to the tree,

I crucified the Christ of God,

I joined the mockery.

Around the cross the throng I see

Mocking the Sufferer’s groan;

Yet still my voice it seems to be

As if I mocked alone.

                        Horatius Bonar

MEMORY VERSES: Memorize the entire chapter.