If a commoner brought a sheep as a “sin offering” / חַטָּאת / chatat it was a female, adult sheep. Animals sacrificed by the Jews were all representative of pagan gods. If Christians want to see Jesus as a "sacrifice" it means he was a pagan god who was sacrificed to the real G-d. Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53:7 is not about sacrificial animals. In the gentile nations are speaking of G-d's servant who, before they recognized the servant, they had thought was subhuman and rejected. "He was persecuted and afflicted but did not open his mouth; like a sheep being led to the slaughter or a ewe that is silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth." Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53:7: A victim, not a sacrifice. ''like a sheep being led to the slaughter." Slaughter. A victim, not a sacrifice. The point of verse 7 is that the servant has been treated horribly -- and even as the servant endured all kinds of evil -- from beatings, to exiles to murders -- the servant was persecuted and afflicted, but "he did not open his mouth. Like a sheep being led to the slaughter or a lamb that is silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth." The T'nach (Jewish bible) never describes the messiah as a sheep or lamb -- but it does often compare the Jewish people as a whole to sheep. In Zechariah 11 G-d says to prepare shepherds (leaders) for the flock (Israel), . The nations of exile bought, sold and slaughtered them with impunity, praising G-d for delivering the Jews into their hands. "So said the L-rd, my G-d: Tend the flock of slaughter, whose buyers shall slay them and not be guilty; and whose sellers shall say, "Blessed be the L-rd, for I have become wealthy"; and whose shepherds shall not have pity on them." Zechariah 11:4-5. Zechariah echoes the message of Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53. The gentile nations abused the Jews in exile, praising G-d for their windfall even as they thought the Jews were rejected. "You (G-d) deliver us (the Jewish people) as sheep to be eaten, and You scatter us among the nations. . . For it is for Your sake that we are killed all the time, [that] we are considered as sheep for the slaughter." T'hillim / Psalm 44:12, 23. Note that both Zechariah 11:4 and T'hillim / Psalm 44:23 speak of Jews as sheep being led to the slaughter: "the flock of slaughter. . . slay them. . ." Zechariah 11:4. "as sheep for the slaughter" T'hillim / Psalm 44:23 Now read the claimed "proof text" about Jesus: "like a sheep being led to the slaughter or a ewe that is silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth." Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53:7: The Jews. Even though the bible itself uses the analogy of the Jews being led like sheep to the slaughter in multiple locations (and none referenced to the messiah), missionaries may still claim that because "not all Jews are righteous" (or all Jews remained silent in the face of horrors) Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53 can't be about the Jewish people. Some missionaries such as Michael Brown will make claims including: “throughout” Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12 the servant is depicted as “completely” righteous" Where? Nowhere in does the prophet ever say the servant has been or is "completely" righteous. Doubling down Brown (a missionary) goes on to say: “Isaiah presents a picture of a totally righteous, guileless servant of the L-rd” No, actually Isaiah presents no such picture. Isaiah does say that the servant is killed but not because of any violence he committed or lies he might have said. That is "it." All the prophet Isaiah actually says is that the gentile nations are oppressing the servant and are killing him unjustly. There is nothing to even infer, let alone "state" that the servant is “completely righteous” or “without sin”. Nothing. Neither does it mean that all Jews throughout all time had to be righteous. Isaiah is speaking of those Jews who were mistreated and killed unjustly. The servant of G-d is precisely that: a servant. The definition does not include those who were NOT G-d's servant and who rejected Him. Here is a translation along with the Artscroll Stone Edition footnotes at the bottom of each response to aid in your understanding of the passage. Y'shayahu / Isaiah 52:13 Behold, My servant will succeed; he will be exalted and become high and exceedingly lofty. 14 Just as multitudes were astonished over you (saying) "His appearance is too marred to be a man's, and his visage to be human, 15 so will the many nations exclaim about him, and kings will shut their mouths (in amazement) for they will see that which had never been told to them, and will perceive things they had never heard. 53:1 Who would believe what we have heard! For whom has the arm of HaShem been revealed? 2 In the past he grew like a sapling or like the root from dry ground; he had neither form nor beauty. We saw him, but without a desirable appearance. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of pains and accustomed to being sick. As one from whom we would hide our faces; he was despised and we had no regard for him. 4 But in truth it was our ills and he carried our pains -- but we had regarded him diseased, stricken by G-d and afflicted! 5 He was wounded as a result (because of) our rebellious transgressions, and oppressed as a result our iniquities. The chastisement upon him was for our benefit, and through his wounds we were healed. 6 We have all strayed like sheep each of us turning his own way and HaShem inflicted upon him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was persecuted and afflicted but did not open his mouth; like a sheep being led to the slaughter or a ewe that is silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth. 8 he was removed far away from the land where they lived and a plague came upon them (לָֽמוֹ / lamo) through the transgression of my people (the gentile nations). He submitted to the grave with the wicked and joined with the wealthy in his executions (בְּמֹתָ֑יו / b'motav) 9 He submitted himself to his grave like evil men; and the wealthy (submitted) to his executions for committing no crime and with no deceit in his mouth. 10 HaShem desired to oppress him and He afflicted him; if his physical being would acknowledge guilt he would see offspring and live long days and the desire or HaShem would succeed in his hand. 11. He (he servant) would see (the purpose) and be satisfied with his life's (not immortal soul) distress. With his knowledge My servant will cause the multitudes to be righteous; it is their וַעֲוֹנתָם / iniquities (for impulsive, lustful wrongdoings) that he will carry. 12. Therefore, I will assign him a portion in public and he will divide the mighty as spoils -- in return for having poured out his life for death and being counted among the wicked, for he bore the sin of the many, and prayed for the wicked. Footnotes from Artscroll Stone Edition: Isaiah 52:13 i.e. G-d's servant the people of Israel (Rashi) 52:15 Just as Israel had once been astonishingly degraded, so it will astonish the nations by its exaltedness when the time of redemption arrives. 53:1-3 this is the prophecy foretelling what the nations and their kings will exclaim when they witness Israel's rejuvenation. The nations will contrast their former scornful attitude toward the Jews (vv. 1-3) with their new realization of Israel's grandeur (vv 4-7). 53:5 we brought suffering upon Israel for our own selfish purposes; it was not, as we had claimed, that G-d was punishing Israel for its own evil behavior. 53:6 We sinned by inflicting punishment upon Israel. Such oppression is often described as "Hashem's punishment" (see 10:5, Habakkuk 1:12), for He decreed that it should happen (Abarbanel). 53:8 When Israel's exile is finally ended the nations will marvel that such a generation could have survived the expulsion from "the land of the living, i.e. Israel, that the nations had sinfully inflicted upon it. 53:9 Ordinary Jews chose to die like common criminals, rather than renounce their faith; and wealthy Jews were killed for no reason other than to enable their wicked conquerors to confiscate their riches (Radak). 53:10 That is, Israel. G-d replies to the nations that Israel's suffering was a punishment for its own sins; and when the people realize this and repent, they will be redeemed and rewarded. 53:11 Israel will teach the nations of G-d's righteousness.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Photos used under Creative Commons from dionhinchcliffe, paulasenciogonzalez, paulasenciogonzalez, amy32080, petersbar, Aaron Stokes, amboo who?, Damian Gadal, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, SharonaGott, Udo Schröter, paulasenciogonzalez, Joybot, zeevveez, ianmunroe, freeqstyler, quinn.anya, Ivy Nichols, Groman123, UnknownNet Photography, torbakhopper, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, CarbonNYC [in SF!], dgoomany, Lion Multimedia Production U.S.A., oldandsolo, dbeck03