This is the first of 43 (yes 43!) claimed prophecies tied to Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53 -- which begins with Y'shayahu / Isaiah 52:13. There were no chapters originally -- they were a Christian "invention." The last three lines of Y'shayahu / Isaiah 52 are part of the preamble to the first few lines in Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53 . In order to understand the subject of one must start at the end of "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. " Y'shayahu / Isaiah 52:13 - 15. (The quote is from the Artscroll Stone Edition translation, the link is to the Judaica Press translation). The claim by the missionary is that Jesus was exalted. When? Jesus was supposedly born a poor son of a carpenter. He lived his adult life as a poor preacher wandering the land. Supposedly there were thousands who followed him in his lifetime, but when did he ever become "high" let alone "lofty"? "Lofty" means rising to a great height -- and while the Christian bible claims Jesus was "king of the Jews" the plain fact is that he was never the Jewish king. He never held a position of power. No, he was simply a "rabble rouser" whom the Romans killed, as they killed tens of thousands of other Jews. Read it again "Behold, My servant will succeed; he will be exalted and become high and exceedingly lofty."
This first of 43 claims brings up a major point: does the servant in Isaiah "fit" Jesus? The answer is no -- and there is a blog post you may wish to read entitled Can Isaiah 53 be about Jesus? To understand who the servant in Isaiah 53 might be one must consider this passage IN CONTEXT of the entire book of Isaiah -- particularly Chapters 40 - 66 of Sefer Y'shayahu (the book of Isaiah) which discuss how G-d comforts the Jews who He is sending into exile --but the message of these chapters is one of hope of eventual return to the land of Israel and forgiveness. Isaiah 40 - 66 speaks time and time again about Israel as G-d's servant who suffers, but who is later exalted. There are four passages commonly known as the Four Servant Songs which are critical to understanding that chapters 52 - 53 are speaking of the Jewish nation, and not of Jesus who simply does not fit the information the prophet gives us about the servant.
Both Acts 1 and Ephesians 1 (the claimed “fulfillment” of Jesus’ exaltation) take place IN HEAVEN after Jesus’ resurrection. Who wrote it? What human was in heaven to witness Jesus’ supposed elevation in heaven? Human beings wrote the Christian bible – so these claims are obviously untrue – someone just decided they “sound good.” But even if Jesus WERE exalted in heaven this does not fit Isaiah’s prophecy. Isaiah tells us: " 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." Y'shayahu / Isaiah 52:15. Never been told. They will SEE (for themselves). They will perceive things they never heard. True, kings and nations later became Christian – but when did those same kings and nations say of Jesus 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. " Y'shayahu / Isaiah 52:15. ? The kings and nations who are today Christian – were TOLD about Jesus. They were given the “good word” – the gospels and the Christian religion. Isaiah says the nations and kings were NEVER told, but perceived things they never heard. This does not fit Jesus. The only way the kings and nations worship or even believe that Jesus was the messiah is the exact opposite – they believe it because they were told. No, Jesus does not fit the prophecy of Isaiah claimed by the list maker. Yet again the list maker (and many other missionaries) are lifting a word out of context and claiming it to be about Jesus when read in context it simply does not fit 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