In
Isaiah 53, there are numerous prophecies to the Messiah who is yet to come. First, the words lay
out the plan for Christ's eventual crucifixion:
But he was
pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the
punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah
53:5)
In this verse, echoes of later New Testament
references to what Roman soldiers did to Christ's body before they removed him from the cross
can be heard:
One of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with
a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. (John 19:34)
Christ's punishmentbeing beaten prior to the crucifixionis also evident in this text
found in Isaiah. His suffering and "wounds" provide for the "healed" souls
of sinners found later in the New Testament.
Isaiah 53:8 is a prophecy of the
conviction of Christ in front of Pilate:
By oppression and
judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
In Luke 23, Christ appears for judgement before Pilate, and
although Pilate himself tells the crowd that Jesus has committed no crime, the crowd insists
that Pilate kill Jesus and release a known murderer instead:
Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. But they kept shouting,
Crucify him! Crucify him!
For the third time he demanded, Why? What crime
has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged,
and then I will release him.
But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding
that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they
demanded. As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and
murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished. (Luke 23:20€“25)
Just as predicted in Isaiah, no one came to rescue Jesus. He was
judged and was condemned to death as an act of extreme oppression.
Isaiah
53:9 provides the prophecy for Christ's place of crucifixion:
He was assigned a grave with the wicked
In Luke
23:32€“33, Christ hangs on a cross between two criminals:
Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to a
place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucifiedone
on his right and one on his left.
Again, the prophesies
found in Isaiah align with the details of Jesus's life and death. Christ himself was aware of
the predictions found in Isaiah and noted, It is written: 'And he was numbered with the
transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me
is reaching its fulfillment (Luke 22:37). The quote he references is found in Isaiah
53:12.
Jesus also knew, then, that his suffering ultimately provides the path
to salvation for all of mankind. Verse 12 goes on to say,
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the
transgressors.
The Messiah, who was prophesied in Isaiah,
was a humble servant of the Lord who willingly bore the sin of each individual person and
offered himself as the needed sacrifice for mankind's transgressions against
God.