What does Isaias Chapter 53 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The speakers contrast their earlier estimation with infirmities and iniquities borne. The willing, silent offering retains the chapter’s burial wording and conditional promise. Knowledge, longlived seed, spoils and prayer conclude the servant account.

Chapter breakdown

Isaias 53 asks who believes the report and receives revelation of the Lord's arm. A tender plant and root from thirsty ground describe one without beauty or comeliness to attract the observers. Despised and abject, acquainted with sorrow and infirmity, his look is hidden and unesteemed. Those speaking confess that he bears their infirmities and sorrows though they had thought him like a leper, struck and afflicted by God. This is a comparison and mistaken estimation, not a clinical diagnosis.

Wounds and bruises are related to their iniquities and sins, with chastisement of peace and healing. Wandering sheep each turn their own way while the Lord lays all their iniquity upon him. Offered by his own will, he remains silent like sheep led to slaughter or a lamb before a shearer. Taken from distress and judgment, he is cut off from the living, with a question about declaring his generation. The text says he gives the ungodly for burial and rich for death, having no iniquity or deceit; it does not narrate a particular wealthy man's grave.

The Lord is pleased to bruise him in infirmity. The conditional laying down of life for sin precedes longlived seed and prosperous divine will. His soul's labor leads to seeing and fullness, and the just servant's knowledge justifies many while bearing iniquities. Many are distributed to him and spoils divided because of death, reputation with the wicked, bearing sins and prayer for transgressors. The edition heading identifies Christ's passion. Resurrection, a biased courtroom, chronic pain and the precise identity of seed are not independently narrated here.

The story inside

Opening: The speakers contrast their earlier estimation with infirmities and iniquities borne. Development: The willing, silent offering retains the chapter’s burial wording and conditional promise. Conclusion: Knowledge, longlived seed, spoils and prayer conclude the servant account.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The speakers contrast their earlier estimation with infirmities and iniquities borne.
2
The willing, silent offering retains the chapter’s burial wording and conditional promise.
3
Knowledge, longlived seed, spoils and prayer conclude the servant account.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 82961–82970
53:4. Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted. 53:5. But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed. 53:6. All we like sheep have gone astray, every one hath turned aside into his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Lines 82972–82982
53:7. He was offered because it was his own will, and he opened not his mouth: he shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth. 53:8. He was taken away from distress, and from judgment: who shall declare his generation? because he is cut off out of the land of the living: for the wickedness of my people have I struck him. 53:9. And he shall give the ungodly for his burial, and the rich for his death: because he hath done no iniquity, neither was there deceit in his mouth.
Lines 82988–82995
53:11. Because his soul hath laboured, he shall see and be filled: by his knowledge shall this my just servant justify many, and he shall bear their iniquities. 53:12. Therefore will I distribute to him very many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because he hath delivered his soul unto death, and was reputed with the wicked: and he hath borne the sins of many, and hath prayed for the transgressors.