Isaiah 53:9, commentary and pictures

He was counted among criminals in his death, executed as a wrongdoer by wicked hands though he had disturbed no peace. Yet in that same death he was with the wealthy, when influential followers claimed his body and laid it in a new unused tomb. This was fitting because he was wholly without sin in thought, word, and deed, never deceiving or harming anyone but speaking only pure truth. His innocent suffering was by divine purpose as the sin-bearing substitute, wounded for the transgressions of others to bring pardon, healing, and everlasting life. The exact fulfillment proves him to be the promised Messiah, the Son of God, and leaves a pattern of patient endurance under false accusation for all who follow him.

Death and Burial Foretold

Even the manner of his death was foretold, with every step of his lowly, self-denying life and way shown in prophecy, including the time and manner of his first appearing. All he passed through in being refused and rejected, in the humiliation he received, in the death he died, and in rising on the third day, was ordained in the councils between the Father and the Son and foretold by prophets and men inspired by the Holy Spirit. He opened the Scriptures to his disciples step by step to show that every specification of the prophecies concerning him was fulfilled in what they had witnessed and what he suffered in his own person to secure the salvation of the human race. This fulfillment declares the nature of his kingdom to be spiritual, not a temporal kingdom to reign as temporal king on David's throne in this world, and the Old Testament representations of his sufferings are to be sacredly cherished and searched diligently.

He made his grave with the wicked by being counted among the wicked in his death and assigned a grave among them. He was crucified as a criminal by wicked hands, put to death among the wicked as a disturber of the peace though innocent and truthful. He descended into the grave as the sin-bearer, opening a grave for the sins of all who accept him as their personal Saviour.

He was with the rich in his death when he was associated in death with the rich and buried with them. Joseph and Nicodemus, wealthy and influential men, obtained his body and laid it in Joseph's new tomb in which no one had ever been buried, and their actions matched the prophecy.

Because he had done no violence and no deceit was in his mouth, his life was sinless with no violence in his acts and no deceit in his speech. He committed no violent wrong and spoke no deceit, doing no sin and never deceiving or defrauding anyone, but speaking only pure, holy, and ennobling truth. Though Satan assailed him in every point, he sinned not in thought, word, or deed, and walking in the midst of sin he stayed holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, with nothing in his character answering temptation. His innocence stands against the wickedness for which he suffered, for he was innocent when sentenced to death for claiming to be the Messiah, and his bruising and grief came by the Lord's pleasure, who put him to grief.

The spices used by Joseph and Nicodemus to prevent decay were unnecessary, because his body was not to see corruption. His sinless body came forth from the tomb untarnished by corruption, having no guile and never having sinned. He rose on the third day as foretold.

Sinless Substitute Promised

Isaiah 53 proves that Jesus of Nazareth is the real Messiah, the Son of God, perfectly fulfilled in his life, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension. It sets forth his rejection and sufferings in the world in beautiful harmony between written prophecy and the facts characterizing the life of the lowly Galilean. It describes the promised Messiah's character, treatment and death, and those predictions were fulfilled in Jesus' life, ministry and death. It convinced seekers like Wolff that Jesus was the Messiah, according with the belief that he was killed despite having done no wrong. It shows he was innocent when the Jewish tribunal sentenced him to death for claiming to be the Messiah, and that the Jews killed him as they had slain the prophets of old.

The voice of Christ spoke through the prophets and patriarchs from Adam onward, beginning with Moses and the prophets, and he himself expounded these prophecies to provide inspired proof of who he is. He is the key that unlocks the Old Testament and gives access to its riches, so that without him the Passover and all religious services and ceremonies cannot be explained and are valueless, just as the brazen serpent lifted up in the wilderness pointed to Christ lifted up on the cross. The prophecy foretold that the Saviour would come in humility and poverty to be rejected, despised and slain, contrary to Jewish expectation. He came as prophecy had declared at his first advent, including rejection, suffering and death, not as the temporal ruler the people expected.

All he passed through in being refused and rejected, in the humiliation he received, in the death he died, and in rising on the third day, was ordained in the councils between the Father and the Son and foretold by prophets and men inspired by the Holy Spirit. Christ opened the Scriptures to his disciples step by step to show that every specification concerning him was fulfilled in what they had witnessed and what he suffered in his own person to secure salvation. This fulfillment declares the nature of his kingdom to be spiritual, not a temporal kingdom to reign as temporal king on David's throne in this world. The prophecy means the Messiah comes not only to bring wonderful elevation to the Jewish nation but to suffer and die as the Lamb of God, holding deep truths long obscured yet vital to salvation.

Though innocent and truthful, with no violence in his acts and no deceit in his speech, he was counted among the wicked in death and buried with the rich. Even the manner of his death was foretold, and his bruising and grief came by the Lord's pleasure, who put him to grief under divine justice. His innocent suffering and death were part of his work as the sin-bearing sacrifice, substitute and surety for others, carrying their iniquities though pure and undefiled. He bore the burden of sin and the world's sins, was wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities, and shed his blood for sinners. His death made atonement and opened hope for fallen humanity, bringing healing, peace, pardon and everlasting life to those redeemed through him.

Isaiah 53 reveals Jesus Christ as fallen, sinful humanity's life-giving Saviour and its only hope of a life that measures with the life of God. His self-giving work makes him the Mediator between God and humanity and enables people to become sons and daughters of God. His sinless life in human nature revealed God's true character and refuted Satan's charge against God, as pure light exposing error and deception. He did no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth, living perfect obedience to cover human unworthiness with his righteousness and clothe repentant sinners who come to him. He willingly endured the cross in view of the joy of saving people, and seeing the redeemed brought him joy and satisfaction rather than defeat.

When Jesus was twelve years old at the feast in Jerusalem, the veil was lifted on his mission and work. From what he saw and heard in the temple courts, with communication from his Father that he was to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord as Prophet of the Most High God, he knew he was to be the great sacrifice for sin fulfilled in him. In the school in the temple he set this prophecy of the suffering Lamb before the leading rabbis, questioning them on its meaning to show how narrow and superficial their wisdom was and to place truth in a new aspect.

Isaiah 53 proves that Jesus of Nazareth is the real Messiah, the Son of God, perfectly fulfilled in his life, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension. It sets forth his rejection and sufferings in the world in beautiful harmony between written prophecy and the facts characterizing the life of the lowly Galilean. It describes the promised Messiah's character, treatment and death, and those predictions were fulfilled in Jesus' life, ministry and death. It convinced seekers like Wolff that Jesus was the Messiah, according with the belief that he was killed despite having done no wrong. It shows he was innocent when the Jewish tribunal sentenced him to death for claiming to be the Messiah, and that the Jews killed him as they had slain the prophets of old.

The voice of Christ spoke through the prophets and patriarchs from Adam onward, beginning with Moses and the prophets, and he himself expounded these prophecies to provide inspired proof of who he is. He is the key that unlocks the Old Testament and gives access to its riches, so that without him the Passover and all religious services and ceremonies cannot be explained and are valueless, just as the brazen serpent lifted up in the wilderness pointed to Christ lifted up on the cross. The prophecy foretold that the Saviour would come in humility and poverty to be rejected, despised and slain, contrary to Jewish expectation. He came as prophecy had declared at his first advent, including rejection, suffering and death, not as the temporal ruler the people expected.

All he passed through in being refused and rejected, in the humiliation he received, in the death he died, and in rising on the third day, was ordained in the councils between the Father and the Son and foretold by prophets and men inspired by the Holy Spirit. Christ opened the Scriptures to his disciples step by step to show that every specification concerning him was fulfilled in what they had witnessed and what he suffered in his own person to secure salvation. This fulfillment declares the nature of his kingdom to be spiritual, not a temporal kingdom to reign as temporal king on David's throne in this world. The prophecy means the Messiah comes not only to bring wonderful elevation to the Jewish nation but to suffer and die as the Lamb of God, holding deep truths long obscured yet vital to salvation.

Though innocent and truthful, with no violence in his acts and no deceit in his speech, he was counted among the wicked in death and buried with the rich. Even the manner of his death was foretold, and his bruising and grief came by the Lord's pleasure, who put him to grief under divine justice. His innocent suffering and death were part of his work as the sin-bearing sacrifice, substitute and surety for others, carrying their iniquities though pure and undefiled. He bore the burden of sin and the world's sins, was wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities, and shed his blood for sinners. His death made atonement and opened hope for fallen humanity, bringing healing, peace, pardon and everlasting life to those redeemed through him.

Isaiah 53 reveals Jesus Christ as fallen, sinful humanity's life-giving Saviour and its only hope of a life that measures with the life of God. His self-giving work makes him the Mediator between God and humanity and enables people to become sons and daughters of God. His sinless life in human nature revealed God's true character and refuted Satan's charge against God, as pure light exposing error and deception. He did no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth, living perfect obedience to cover human unworthiness with his righteousness and clothe repentant sinners who come to him. He willingly endured the cross in view of the joy of saving people, and seeing the redeemed brought him joy and satisfaction rather than defeat.

When Jesus was twelve years old at the feast in Jerusalem, the veil was lifted on his mission and work. From what he saw and heard in the temple courts, with communication from his Father that he was to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord as Prophet of the Most High God, he knew he was to be the great sacrifice for sin fulfilled in him. In the school in the temple he set this prophecy of the suffering Lamb before the leading rabbis, questioning them on its meaning to show how narrow and superficial their wisdom was and to place truth in a new aspect.

Pattern for Believers

Isaiah 53:9 means he committed no violent wrong and spoke no deceit, sinning not in thought, word, or deed though assailed in every point, and walking in the midst of sin he remained holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners. When wrongfully accused he opened not his mouth to justify himself, giving an example of patient forbearance under false accusation to those tempted to lose temper and speak words that grieve the Holy Spirit. When he was reviled he reviled not again, when he suffered he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously. Enduring grief and suffering wrongfully for conscience toward God with patience is thankworthy and acceptable with God, for he suffered for us leaving an example that believers are called to follow, having himself borne our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousness, and by his stripes we were healed, as sheep gone astray now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of souls. He patiently submitted to all the humiliation and torture that could be devised against him, gave his life to save the world, and died so others might live, though innocent and having committed no sin and spoken no deceit.

Believers are called to follow that example and share his humiliation and suffering rather than avoid the cross out of fear or timidity. His innocence, assigned a grave among the wicked and associated in death with the rich though he had done no violence and spoken no deceit, stands against the wickedness for which he suffered. His humiliation and suffering belong to the prophecy that secured pardon and everlasting life for those redeemed through him, and his suffering was not defeat, for seeing the redeemed brought him joy and satisfaction. Suffering for his sake is therefore an honor, in contrast to weak, sinful men, since he was holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners, with no sin and no deceit in his speech.

To be Christ-like is to have no guile in the mouth, for he was wholly sinless and truthful and no deceit was found in his mouth. He never deceived or defrauded anyone, never turned from what was right to win favor, and never spoke guile, and his words were pure, holy, and ennobling. He spoke the truth fearlessly and exposed hypocrisy and dishonesty, and though enemies opposed and misrepresented him his life remained without flaw so they could bring no truthful charge against him. His character was without flaw and his life a perfect example and pattern of righteousness, revealing in human nature God's true character, refuting the charge against God, exposing the world's error and deception as pure light, and offering to cover human unworthiness with his righteousness. Guile found in the mouth proves a person wrong in the sight of God, having transgressed God's commandment, far from God and far from the truth, and indulging the passions of the carnal heart and the infirmities of the natural heart instead of overcoming them by grace.