Servant Song III in Isaiah

“The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning He awakens, He awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.” (Isaiah 50:4-6, ESV) [Read Isaiah 50:4-11]

Isaiah 50:4-11 has been identified by scholars as the third of the Servant Songs. We have looked the last two days at the first two, Isaiah 42:1-4 and Isaiah 49:1-6. This one is a bit different in that the Servant himself describes how he is faithful to God. He has the tongue of one who is taught. How helpful is that? He uses this ability to encourage and sustain the weary. Every morning God awakens the servant and he is ready to hear, to be taught. But even with listening to God, being taught by Him, there is persecution for the Servant. Those who oppose him strike his back, pull out his beard, ridicule and spit upon him. This is very indicative of the Suffering Servant, Jesus Christ, who endured scourging, spitting and beating. The prophecy of His suffering told of here and in other places in Isaiah are in all four gospels, in Matthew 26:67, in Mark 14:45, in Luke 22:63-65 and in John 19:1. Here is the one from Matthew 26:67: “Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, ‘Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?” The Suffering Servant that Isaiah told about in his Servant Songs was Jesus Christ the Lord. Even though the Jews of Jesus’ day knew these scriptures, they could not relate them to the teacher, healer, miracle worker, and the one arrested, mocked and killed on the cross. They expected a Messiah who was militarily strong and overcoming, whose Kingdom would rout the Roman rule.

Verses 7-11 in this Servant Song pose some problems in interpretation. Even though hard times come upon the Suffering Servant, He will be steadfast, will not flinch. Verse 8 reminds us of a court and those seeking vindication. Did not that happen to Jesus in the mock trial before the Sanhedrin and His appearance before Pilate? The metaphor of the vindicators wearing out like a moth-eaten garment shows there is no substance to their claims, full of holes. No hymn ends this Servant Song, but it seems to turn to the disciples who are enduring persecution. They are asked if they fear and trust God. Or do they light their own lights and try to live by their own illumination? This hearkens back to the example of the Suffering Servant who, by contrast follows, listens to and is taught by God. “I and my Father are one,” Jesus said. The last part of 50:11 warns of those who foolishly continue to follow their own light without relying upon God. Is it to gain their attention that the prophet warns them if they walk in their own light they will end up in torment? Certainly this is true and definitely a caustic warning. Will the warning work to turn them back to God?

As in the first two Servant Songs, Isaiah touches on the role of the Suffering Servant and of His disciples. An outline emerges from these verses:

I. The Servant listened and learned (50:4-5)
II. The Servant endured suffering (50:6)
III. The Servant confidently depended on God (50:7-9) IV. Disciples are challenged to follow the Servant’s example (50:9-11)

Prayer: God, help us as we study this Servant Song that we will accept and follow the teaching of Your Word. With praise we pray: “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23 KJV).

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Thursday, September 23, 2010