Rooted Series Part 9

Jesus the Messiah part 1

June 6, 2008

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Welcome to another Rooted study where we discussed Jesus the Messiah.  In this study we got into the book of Isaiah chapter 53 examining one of the major ministries or roles of what the Messiah was sent to do.  There were people in Israel waiting for the Messiah to come (and around the world) and they had various expectations with who he was to be, what he would do, and Isaiah 53 was a text of prophecy among the Jews concerning the Messiah. The Messiah to come was expected to be King, deliver Israel, and set up the kingdom of God, among other things.  However many forgot or rejected the suffering Messiah prophecy or prophecies during the time of Jesus claiming to be the Messiah, the One sent, and that His life was to be a suffering sacrifice for the sins of the people. Now thousands of years later after the time of Jesus Christ the beliefs of Jews is still complex with various views on who they believe Messiah to be and what he is to do. 

In our live study chat we had a good turn in the room with good discussions.  Information shared concerning the Messiah being the suffering Servant from Isaiah 53 was from Jews for Jesus ministry.  Below are quotes of Isaiah 53 of various Rabbis and Jewish sources concerning the suffering Messiah, suffering Servant.  I encourage you to check out these quotes yourself and you are welcome to share comments or questions with us at the AFC blog discussions site. www.afcministry.blogspot.com

http://www.jewsforjesus.org/answers/prophecy/isaiah53chart

Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 98b

The Rabbis said: His name is "the leper scholar," as it is written, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted. [Isaiah 53:4].

Soncino Talmud edition.

Ruth Rabbah 5:6

The fifth interpretation [of Ruth 2:14] makes it refer to the Messiah. Come hither: approach to royal state. And eat of the BREAD refers to the bread of royalty; AND DIP THY MORSEL IN THE VINEGAR refers to his sufferings, as it is said, But he was wounded because of our transgressions. (Isa. LIII, 5).

Soncino Midrash Rabbah (vol. 8, p. 64).

Another statement from Yefeth ben Ali:

By the words "surely he hath carried our sicknesses," they mean that the pains and sickness which he fell into were merited by them, but that he bore them instead. . . . And here I think it necessary to pause for a few moments, in order to explain why God caused these sicknesses to attach themselves to the Messiah for the sake of Israel. . . . The nation deserved from God greater punishment than that which actually came upon them, but not being strong enough to bear it. . . God appoints his servant to carry their sins, and by doing so lighten their punishment in order that Israel might not be completely exterminated.

Driver and Neubauer, pp. 23 ff.; Soloff pp. 108-109.

Nachmanides (R. Moshe ben Nachman)(13th c.)

The right view respecting this Parashah is to suppose that by the phrase "my servant" the whole of Israel is meant. . . .As a different opinion, however, is adopted by the Midrash, which refers it to the Messiah, it is necessary for us to explain it in conformity with the view there maintained. The prophet says, The Messiah, the son of David of whom the text speaks, will never be conquered or perish by the hands of his enemies. And, in fact the text teaches this clearly. . . .

And by his stripes we were healed -- because the stripes by which he is vexed and distressed will heal us; God will pardon us for his righteousness, and we shall be healed both from our own transgressions and from the iniquities of our fathers.

Driver and Neubauer, pp. 78 ff.

R. Mosheh Kohen ibn Crispin (14th c.)

This Parashah the commentators agree in explaining of the Captivity of Israel, although the singular number is used in it throughout. . . .As there is no cause constraining us to do so, why should we here interpret the word collectively, and thereby distort the passage from its natural sense?. . . As then it seemed to me that the doors of the literal interpretation of the Parashah were shut in their face, and that "they wearied themselves to find the entrance," having forsaken the knowledge of our Teachers, and inclined after the "stubbornness of their own hearts," and of their own opinion, I am pleased to interpret it, in accordance with the teaching of our Rabbis, of the King Messiah, and will be careful, so far as I am able, to adhere to the literal sense.

Driver and Neubauer, pp. 99-100.

Another comment from R. Mosheh Kohen ibn Crispin

If his soul makes itself into a trespass-offering, implying that his soul will treat itself as guilty, and so receive punishment for our trespasses and transgressions.

Driver and Neubauer, p. 112.

Herz Homberg (18th-19th c.)

The fact is, that it refers to the King Messiah, who will come in the latter days, when it will be the Lord's good pleasure to redeem Irael from among the different nations of the earth.....Whatever he underwent was in consequence of their own transgression, the Lord having chosen him to be a trespass-offering, like the scape-goat which bore all the iniquities of the house of Israel.

Driver and Neubauer, p. 400-401.

The musaf (additional) service for the Day of Atonement, Philips machzor (20th c.)

Our righteous anointed is departed from us: horror hath seized us, and we have non to justify us. He hath borne the yoke of our iniquities, and our transgression, and is wounded because of our transgression. He beareth our sins on his shoulder, that he may find pardon for our iniquities. We shall be healed by his wound, at the time that the Eternal will create him (the Messiah) as a new creature. O bring him up from the circle of the earth. Raise him up from Seir, to assemble us the second time on Mount Lebanon, by the hand of Yinnon.

A. Th. Philips, Machzor Leyom Kippur / Prayer Book for the Day of Atonement with English Translation; Revised and Enlarged Edition (New York: Hebrew Publishing Company, 1931), p. 239. The passage can also be found in, e.g., the 1937 edition. Also, Driver and Neubauer, p. 399.