As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
The marred servant is Christ, the Lord's servant and Messiah, whose face and body were disfigured by suffering more deeply than any other person. Those who looked on him were struck with astonishment mingled with sorrow, terror, amazement and fear. That disfiguring was seen when fasting and mental agony left him weak and wasted in the wilderness, when bloody sweat and anguish convulsed his face in Gethsemane, and when mockery, scourging, thorns and the cross tore him at his trial and death. He was so marred while standing in humanity's place under the weight, curse and separation of the world's sin, choosing through redeeming love to meet the test where Adam failed, overcome Satan and save the guilty at any cost to himself. As both Victim and High Priest he gave his slain life for the world and then cast the virtue of his blood toward heaven to reconcile man to God, so that his death convicted witnesses, led them to the Scriptures, and carried his salvation to many nations.
Person and Wording
The marred servant is Christ, the Lord's servant and Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. His visage marred more than any man and his form more than the sons of men means his face and his body were profoundly disfigured by suffering beyond any other person. That disfigurement came through abuse meekly endured, mockery and blows and humiliation, a crown of thorns and bleeding wounds, with no kindness or sympathy offered him, as he bore the consequences of sin on behalf of humanity. His face bore the marks of agony, beaded and stained in Gethsemane, pale and grief-stricken with bloody sweat.
As many were astonied at thee means those who saw him were astonished at his terribly altered appearance. In Gethsemane his disciples were struck with sorrow and surprise at the sight of him. When the drowsy disciples woke to see his face marked with bloody sweat and his body in anguish beyond human understanding, from superhuman soul-agony in the position of a lost soul under the power of darkness in a death struggle over bearing loathsome sin, they were filled with fear, and saw it with terror and amazement. At the crucifixion those who looked on were likewise astonished at the severity of his disfigurement.
Times of Fulfillment
The marring was seen at the close of forty days and nights of fasting and prayer in the wilderness, when hunger and mental agony left him weak, emaciated, worn, haggard, and wasted in face and body beyond any other man. After forty days and nights without food in the barren wilderness the glory that had shone from his face was gone, and the weight of the world's sins brought a sorrow and anguish fallen humanity had never known. His emaciated, haggard appearance resulted from the forty days of fasting and the mental agony of the wilderness temptation.
He had gone there alone to contemplate his mission as deliverer, to lay out his work of freeing captives, and to brace himself by fasting and prayer for his blood-stained path. At first he was shut in by the Father's glory and lifted above human weakness in communion with God, and then the glory departed and he was left to battle temptation pressing upon him every moment while his human nature shrank from the coming conflict. After his divine glory had departed from view, the burden of the world's sins and his long fast left him emaciated and marked by anguish beyond what fallen humanity had experienced.
In that weakened state Satan saw his opportunity and supposed he could overcome him. Satan knew he had gone into the wilderness and chose that weakened moment as the best time to approach him.
In Gethsemane his brow and face were marred by bloody sweat, paleness, grief, and anguish of mind, beaded and stained with blood. His face was pale and grief-stricken, convulsed and fallen in a dying condition on the cold ground, and his form seemed more disfigured than any human form. His bodily anguish was beyond human understanding, and the drowsy disciples who woke to see him were struck with sorrow and surprise and filled with fear. His face bore the marks of agony in Gethsemane while bearing the world's sin in humanity's place.
At his trial and scourging the prophecy was fulfilled as he meekly endured mockery, blows, humiliation, a crown of thorns, and bleeding wounds, with no kindness or sympathy offered him. Those who knew Scripture saw the foretold suffering in what they witnessed. On the cross he hung in human agony, mocked and challenged to come down, suffering for others, after being betrayed, mocked, and mistreated as the destiny of the lost world was at stake. Before the cross his face was careworn yet peaceful, revealing love, mercy, purity, goodness and heavenly nobility with no trace of sin except weariness caused by others' sins, soon to be marred by the cruelty of those for whom he came to give his life.
Reasons He Suffered
He was marred while bearing the world's sin in humanity's place, taking the position of a lost soul under the power of darkness and under separation from the Father. The weight laid on him was human sin, griefs, woes, loathsome sin, and the curse of sin, endured in superhuman soul-agony and a death struggle beyond human understanding. In Gethsemane his pale, grief-stricken face was beaded and stained with bloody sweat, and he fainted as in death, his life nearly extinguished by anguish over bearing humanity's griefs, woes, and sins. His wounds, humiliation, and disfigurement beyond other people came as he bore the consequences of sin on behalf of humanity, condemned by sinful people.
His suffering exposed what humanity does under Satan's control and revealed the outcome if Satan ruled the world. He endured it through eternal, redeeming love, choosing to suffer to save the guilty at any cost to himself. This choice was made while the destiny of the lost world was at stake, as he submitted to God's will and then was betrayed, mocked, and mistreated. As humanity's representative he met the test of appetite where Adam failed, to overcome Satan, break his power, and redeem humanity from the fall.
That representative conflict began after fasting nearly six weeks in a barren wilderness, enduring hunger and temptation in humanity's place until emaciated and marred in face more than other men's. After his divine glory had departed from view, the burden of the world's sins and his long fast left him emaciated and marked by anguish beyond what fallen humanity had experienced. In Gethsemane he trod the winepress alone with none of the people with him, prostrate with no disciple to comfort, lift his head, or bathe his brow while disciples slept or watched drowsy. His brow and face were marred more than the sons of men by bloody sweat, anguish of mind, and a dying condition on the cold ground, pale and convulsed and then blood-stained and fallen, bearing the final crisis alone with no sympathy or tender care from them.
Yet he was not alone, because he and the Father are one and God suffered with his Son. All heaven watched with sympathy, and an angel was sent to lift his head and support him to drink the cup. The marred visage is evidence of the Father's boundless love in giving up his Son to reproach, agony, and death so perishing millions may gain everlasting life. Before the cross his face was careworn yet peaceful, revealing love, mercy, purity, goodness and heavenly nobility with no trace of sin except weariness caused by others' sins, soon to be marred by the cruelty of those for whom he came to give his life, when he would hang on the cross revealing God's unspeakable love to the world, to angels, and to men.
Priesthood and Nations
The marred face and form is the giving of his life for the world as the slain sacrifice, fulfilling the sanctuary type as both Victim and High Priest. After he gave his life he fulfilled the sprinkling of many nations, clothed in his own spotless robes of righteousness as the high priest was clothed in white robes. In that priestly work he cast the virtue of his offering as a crimson current toward the holy place, reconciling man to God through the blood of the cross. This answered to the temple service in which the high priest caught in his hand the gushing blood of the slain sacrifice and cast it seven times toward the tabernacle or temple as an expression of perfection.
The crucifixion scene made a lasting impression on its witnesses, and many were converted. Reports of his death convicted hearers and led them to search the Scriptures. In this way the suffering and death carried the message about Christ to many nations.
Together with Isaiah 51 and Isaiah 53, the passage reveals the life-giving Saviour furnished to fallen, sinful man, the only hope of a life that measures with the life of God. He gave himself to stand at the head of humanity to enable men and women to become sons and daughters of God. Clothing divinity with humanity, he encircles the race with his long human arm while grasping the throne of the Infinite with his divine arm, placing man on vantage ground with the Infinite Father as Mediator between God and man, without whom even the highest and most learned would remain mere infants.
The prophecy belongs to Isaiah's prophecies of the Messiah's first coming in humiliation, in contrast to the glory of his second coming. At twelve years old Jesus used questions about these prophecies to show that his mission involved more than the earthly exaltation expected. Though his appearance was marred beyond that of any other person, the redeemed now behold him in glory with countenance shining with love, standing in majesty among them before they enter God's city.
Response and Application
The disfigurement foretold was seen in his trial and scourging, when his appearance was marred beyond that of other people through mockery, a crown of thorns, and bleeding wounds, with no kindness or sympathy offered him. Those who knew the Scriptures recognized in what they witnessed the suffering that had been foretold.
The prophecies of his work in Isaiah 52-54 are given to be studied as a help and a blessing when the liberty of his church is endangered. They strengthen his people against discouragement under oppression that rejoices evildoers and transgressors of the Sabbath. They call to true missionary work in public ministry and house-to-house labor, to wide-awake watchfulness, to separation from selfishness, and to wholehearted aroused service. In such service the efficacy of his grace and the arm of the Lord seen in his life are revealed, bringing victory, restored confidence, seeing eye to eye, and unity in the churches.
His face was marred with sorrow and anguish more than other people's, and that suffering was on behalf of sinners to save them from pride, vanity, and love of pleasure that crowd out love for him. His countenance is still marred by sorrow because of sins and neglected duties that turn people from God and make the broad road attractive. That sorrow is especially grievous when those who profess to follow him choose amusements that put God out of mind and leave no welcome for him. Such amusements make sin attractive, and over them his countenance was marred by sorrow more than that of other people.
The marred servant is Christ, the Lord's servant and Messiah, whose face and body were disfigured by suffering more deeply than any other person. Those who looked on him were struck with astonishment mingled with sorrow, terror, amazement and fear. That disfiguring was seen when fasting and mental agony left him weak and wasted in the wilderness, when bloody sweat and anguish convulsed his face in Gethsemane, and when mockery, scourging, thorns and the cross tore him at his trial and death. He was so marred while standing in humanity's place under the weight, curse and separation of the world's sin, choosing through redeeming love to meet the test where Adam failed, overcome Satan and save the guilty at any cost to himself. As both Victim and High Priest he gave his slain life for the world and then cast the virtue of his blood toward heaven to reconcile man to God, so that his death convicted witnesses, led them to the Scriptures, and carried his salvation to many nations.
Person and Wording
The marred servant is Christ, the Lord's servant and Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. His visage marred more than any man and his form more than the sons of men means his face and his body were profoundly disfigured by suffering beyond any other person. That disfigurement came through abuse meekly endured, mockery and blows and humiliation, a crown of thorns and bleeding wounds, with no kindness or sympathy offered him, as he bore the consequences of sin on behalf of humanity. His face bore the marks of agony, beaded and stained in Gethsemane, pale and grief-stricken with bloody sweat.
As many were astonied at thee means those who saw him were astonished at his terribly altered appearance. In Gethsemane his disciples were struck with sorrow and surprise at the sight of him. When the drowsy disciples woke to see his face marked with bloody sweat and his body in anguish beyond human understanding, from superhuman soul-agony in the position of a lost soul under the power of darkness in a death struggle over bearing loathsome sin, they were filled with fear, and saw it with terror and amazement. At the crucifixion those who looked on were likewise astonished at the severity of his disfigurement.
Times of Fulfillment
The marring was seen at the close of forty days and nights of fasting and prayer in the wilderness, when hunger and mental agony left him weak, emaciated, worn, haggard, and wasted in face and body beyond any other man. After forty days and nights without food in the barren wilderness the glory that had shone from his face was gone, and the weight of the world's sins brought a sorrow and anguish fallen humanity had never known. His emaciated, haggard appearance resulted from the forty days of fasting and the mental agony of the wilderness temptation.
He had gone there alone to contemplate his mission as deliverer, to lay out his work of freeing captives, and to brace himself by fasting and prayer for his blood-stained path. At first he was shut in by the Father's glory and lifted above human weakness in communion with God, and then the glory departed and he was left to battle temptation pressing upon him every moment while his human nature shrank from the coming conflict. After his divine glory had departed from view, the burden of the world's sins and his long fast left him emaciated and marked by anguish beyond what fallen humanity had experienced.
In that weakened state Satan saw his opportunity and supposed he could overcome him. Satan knew he had gone into the wilderness and chose that weakened moment as the best time to approach him.
In Gethsemane his brow and face were marred by bloody sweat, paleness, grief, and anguish of mind, beaded and stained with blood. His face was pale and grief-stricken, convulsed and fallen in a dying condition on the cold ground, and his form seemed more disfigured than any human form. His bodily anguish was beyond human understanding, and the drowsy disciples who woke to see him were struck with sorrow and surprise and filled with fear. His face bore the marks of agony in Gethsemane while bearing the world's sin in humanity's place.
At his trial and scourging the prophecy was fulfilled as he meekly endured mockery, blows, humiliation, a crown of thorns, and bleeding wounds, with no kindness or sympathy offered him. Those who knew Scripture saw the foretold suffering in what they witnessed. On the cross he hung in human agony, mocked and challenged to come down, suffering for others, after being betrayed, mocked, and mistreated as the destiny of the lost world was at stake. Before the cross his face was careworn yet peaceful, revealing love, mercy, purity, goodness and heavenly nobility with no trace of sin except weariness caused by others' sins, soon to be marred by the cruelty of those for whom he came to give his life.
Reasons He Suffered
He was marred while bearing the world's sin in humanity's place, taking the position of a lost soul under the power of darkness and under separation from the Father. The weight laid on him was human sin, griefs, woes, loathsome sin, and the curse of sin, endured in superhuman soul-agony and a death struggle beyond human understanding. In Gethsemane his pale, grief-stricken face was beaded and stained with bloody sweat, and he fainted as in death, his life nearly extinguished by anguish over bearing humanity's griefs, woes, and sins. His wounds, humiliation, and disfigurement beyond other people came as he bore the consequences of sin on behalf of humanity, condemned by sinful people.
His suffering exposed what humanity does under Satan's control and revealed the outcome if Satan ruled the world. He endured it through eternal, redeeming love, choosing to suffer to save the guilty at any cost to himself. This choice was made while the destiny of the lost world was at stake, as he submitted to God's will and then was betrayed, mocked, and mistreated. As humanity's representative he met the test of appetite where Adam failed, to overcome Satan, break his power, and redeem humanity from the fall.
That representative conflict began after fasting nearly six weeks in a barren wilderness, enduring hunger and temptation in humanity's place until emaciated and marred in face more than other men's. After his divine glory had departed from view, the burden of the world's sins and his long fast left him emaciated and marked by anguish beyond what fallen humanity had experienced. In Gethsemane he trod the winepress alone with none of the people with him, prostrate with no disciple to comfort, lift his head, or bathe his brow while disciples slept or watched drowsy. His brow and face were marred more than the sons of men by bloody sweat, anguish of mind, and a dying condition on the cold ground, pale and convulsed and then blood-stained and fallen, bearing the final crisis alone with no sympathy or tender care from them.
Yet he was not alone, because he and the Father are one and God suffered with his Son. All heaven watched with sympathy, and an angel was sent to lift his head and support him to drink the cup. The marred visage is evidence of the Father's boundless love in giving up his Son to reproach, agony, and death so perishing millions may gain everlasting life. Before the cross his face was careworn yet peaceful, revealing love, mercy, purity, goodness and heavenly nobility with no trace of sin except weariness caused by others' sins, soon to be marred by the cruelty of those for whom he came to give his life, when he would hang on the cross revealing God's unspeakable love to the world, to angels, and to men.
Priesthood and Nations
The marred face and form is the giving of his life for the world as the slain sacrifice, fulfilling the sanctuary type as both Victim and High Priest. After he gave his life he fulfilled the sprinkling of many nations, clothed in his own spotless robes of righteousness as the high priest was clothed in white robes. In that priestly work he cast the virtue of his offering as a crimson current toward the holy place, reconciling man to God through the blood of the cross. This answered to the temple service in which the high priest caught in his hand the gushing blood of the slain sacrifice and cast it seven times toward the tabernacle or temple as an expression of perfection.
The crucifixion scene made a lasting impression on its witnesses, and many were converted. Reports of his death convicted hearers and led them to search the Scriptures. In this way the suffering and death carried the message about Christ to many nations.
Together with Isaiah 51 and Isaiah 53, the passage reveals the life-giving Saviour furnished to fallen, sinful man, the only hope of a life that measures with the life of God. He gave himself to stand at the head of humanity to enable men and women to become sons and daughters of God. Clothing divinity with humanity, he encircles the race with his long human arm while grasping the throne of the Infinite with his divine arm, placing man on vantage ground with the Infinite Father as Mediator between God and man, without whom even the highest and most learned would remain mere infants.
The prophecy belongs to Isaiah's prophecies of the Messiah's first coming in humiliation, in contrast to the glory of his second coming. At twelve years old Jesus used questions about these prophecies to show that his mission involved more than the earthly exaltation expected. Though his appearance was marred beyond that of any other person, the redeemed now behold him in glory with countenance shining with love, standing in majesty among them before they enter God's city.
Response and Application
The disfigurement foretold was seen in his trial and scourging, when his appearance was marred beyond that of other people through mockery, a crown of thorns, and bleeding wounds, with no kindness or sympathy offered him. Those who knew the Scriptures recognized in what they witnessed the suffering that had been foretold.
The prophecies of his work in Isaiah 52-54 are given to be studied as a help and a blessing when the liberty of his church is endangered. They strengthen his people against discouragement under oppression that rejoices evildoers and transgressors of the Sabbath. They call to true missionary work in public ministry and house-to-house labor, to wide-awake watchfulness, to separation from selfishness, and to wholehearted aroused service. In such service the efficacy of his grace and the arm of the Lord seen in his life are revealed, bringing victory, restored confidence, seeing eye to eye, and unity in the churches.
His face was marred with sorrow and anguish more than other people's, and that suffering was on behalf of sinners to save them from pride, vanity, and love of pleasure that crowd out love for him. His countenance is still marred by sorrow because of sins and neglected duties that turn people from God and make the broad road attractive. That sorrow is especially grievous when those who profess to follow him choose amusements that put God out of mind and leave no welcome for him. Such amusements make sin attractive, and over them his countenance was marred by sorrow more than that of other people.