All humans are G-d's children and His servants. The question is: who is the servant of Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53? It isn't Jesus. For trinitarians who think Jesus IS G-d -- how could he be both G-d and G-d's servant? He is his OWN servant??? Some missionaries will say Jesus "served" humanity. . . This is not the claim of the list maker. Being G-d's servant is different from serving mankind. How do we know this with certainty that the servant of Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53. is not Jesus? He simply does not fit Isaiah's description of the suffering servant of Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53. Consider:
These are just some glaring examples showing that the servant in Isaiah 53 simply does not "fit" Jesus. Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53:5 is not in the list above -- but it is usually badly translated in Christian versions which usually have: “He was wounded for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities." This is incorrect and conveys the wrong impression that the servant suffered FOR others (as in "Jesus died for your sins"). The correct translation is: “He (the servant) was wounded because of our transgressions (מִפְּשָׁעֵ֔נוּ / pesha), and crushed because of our iniquities (מֵעֲוֹנֹתֵ֑ינוּ / avon).” This conveys that the Servant suffered as a result of the sinfulness of others – not the opposite as Christians contend – that the Servant suffered to atone for the sins of others. The book of Isaiah was not originally written in chapters -- they were a Christian invention. Read through the book of Isaiah and you will see that the prophet himself is called G-d's servant, as is the Jewish nation. Time and time again Isaiah identifies G-d's servant as Israel. Y'shayahu / Isaiah 41:8 - 9. "But you, Israel My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, who loved Me, Whom I grasped from the ends of the earth, and from its nobles I called you, and I said to you, "You are My servant"; I chose you and I did not despise you." and Y'shayahu / Isaiah 44:1. "And now, hearken, Jacob (Jacob's name was changed to Israel and Jews are often called "Jacob" and "Israel") My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen. 2. So said HaShem your Maker, and He Who formed you from the womb shall aid you. Fear not, My servant Jacob, and Jeshurun (the Jews) whom I have chosen." and Y'shayahu / Isaiah 44:21 "Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you." and Y'shayahu / Isaiah 45:4. "For the sake of My servant Jacob, and Israel My chosen one, and I called to you by your name; I surnamed you, yet you have not known Me." and Y'shayahu / Isaiah 49:3 - 7. "And He said to me (Isaiah), "You are My servant, Israel, about whom I will boast. . . This is what HaShem says- the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel- to him who was despised and abhorred by the nations, to the servant of rulers: "Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of HaShem , who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." Israel. Not the messiah. In chapter 41 G-d tells the non-Jewish nations listen to His words. Having listened to G-d the nations may approach and speak if they wish to appeal their judgments. G-d calls Israel (the Jewish people) His servant and tells them (and the other nations) that He (G-d) will return ALL the Jews to the land of Israel after exile. "But you, Israel My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, who loved Me,. Whom I grasped from the ends of the earth, and from its nobles I called you, and I said to you, "You are My servant"; I chose you and I did not despise you." Y'shayahu / Isaiah 41:8-9. What of Romans 5? It says that Jesus had to die to remove the "sin" of Adam. This is the Christian concept of original sin. Romans says "just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus." Except there is no such thing as original sin. To even suggest that G-d would allow all humans to be tainted by the sins of one person -- even Adam -- does great slander to Him. The Torah tells us time and again that no one can die for the sins of another -- and it also tells us we are not born sinners. G-d also tells us that we are inclined to sin from our youth. Genesis 8: Again, Br'eshit / Genesis 8:21 . . ."G-d said to Himself, ". . . the inclination of man's heart is evil from his youth." From our youth we are inclined to sin. Youth. Inclined. Inclined means you may lean in that direction, but you do not have to sin, let alone were you born tainted with sin. Read D'varim / Deuteronomy 30:15 "See! Today I have set before you [a free choice] between life and good [on one side], and death and evil [on the other]. . .30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses! Before you I have placed life and death, the blessing and the curse. You must choose life, so that you and your descendants will survive." We are not born into sin. To sin or not to sin is our choice. If we were all condemned to sin (as the concept of original sin asserts) then why would G-d punish us for something we couldn't control? Is the Chrstian god so cruel that he would let man be so condemned? This is, perhaps, their idea of a loving god? It is not the G-d of the T'nach, T'hillim / Psalm 5:4 "You are not a G-d who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell." There is no such thing as "original sin." You are not born into sin. You are not condemned to a mythical hell for the "crime" of having been born! It is a terrible lie. G-d has given us free will -- we can choose good or evil. The choice is ours. When we choose good we grow spiritually. When we choose evil (to sin) we may be indulging our physical lives, but at the risk of our spiritual growth. How could anyone "dying" for you help you grow spiritually? Only you have the ability to choose your own path. G-d has given you the means to choose, and He has given you the means to overcome sin -- through repentance and becoming a better person. Your path to overcoming sin is not a human sacrifice (something forbidden by G-d). No, you have the ability within yourself. Atonement is accomplished the holy acts of communicating with G-d, תְּפִלָּה / (tefillah), turning to G-d (תשובה / teshuva) , and good deeds (צדקה / tzedakah / being good to others). We have been given the ability to choose between good and evil, so that assuredly, by choosing good we will live. With repentance, so that G-d forgives us our trespasses, and choosing good, mankind is freed from the unhappy state of sinfulness. The Jewish people have an eternal "Tree of Life" at hand, if they choose benefit from it - it is the Torah: Mishlei / Proverbs 3:18 - It [Wisdom=Torah] is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and those who draw near it are fortunate." 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