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Isaiah 52:13 - The Suffering And Triumph Of The Servant.

Isaiah 52:13 (NASB) Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.

Isaiah 52:13 (NIV) See, my servant will act wisely[a]; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. [a Or will prosper]

Isaiah 52:13 (AMP) Behold, My Servant shall deal wisely and shall prosper; He shall be exalted and extolled and shall stand very high.

CONTEXT

52:13-53:12 This is one of the most treasured and important passages in the OT. These verses present the Servant suffering vicariously for men's sins. Traditional Jewish interpretation understood the passage to be speaking of Messiah, as, of course, did the early Christians, who believed Jesus to be that Messiah (Acts 8:35). Not until the twelfth century did the view emerge that the nation Israel is referred to, a view that has since become dominant in Judaism. But the Servant is distinguished from the "people" (Isaiah 53:8), and He is an innocent victim, something that could not be said of the nation (Isaiah 53:9). [Ryrie SB]

52:13-53:12 This is the last and most memorable of the 4 Messiah/Servant-songs (cf. 42:1-9; 49:1-13; 50:4-11). This section contains unarguable, incontrovertible proof that God is the author of Scripture and Jesus is the fulfillment of messianic prophecy. The details are so minute that no human could have predicted them by accident and no imposter fulfilled them by cunning. Clearly this refers to Messiah Jesus, as the NT attests (cf. Matt 8:17; Mk 15:28; Lk 22:37; Jn 12:38; Ac 8:28-35; Ro 10:16; 1Pe 2:21-25). It is often alluded to without being quoted (cf. Mk 9:12; Ro 4:25; 1Co 15:3; 2Co 5:21; 1Pe 1:19; 1Jn 3:5). [MacArthur SB 2003]

52:13-53:12 This is the fourth of four passages that speak about the promised servant (see note on 42:1-4). The Hebrew poem is carefully constructed in five three-line stanzas. It begins with the servant's exaltation (52:13), proceeds to the humiliation (52:14-53:9), and ends with his exaltation (53:10-12). The faithful servant's suffering would bring reconciliation between God and humans. The Lord Jesus perfectly fulfilled this prophecy (see ch 40; Matt 8:17; Acts 8:30-35; Rom 10:15-17; 15:21; 1 Pet 2:24-25). [NLT SB 2008]

52:13-53:12 The fourth and longest of the four servant songs (see note on 42:1-4). It constitutes the central and most important unit in chs. 40-66, as well as in chs. 49-57 (see note on 39:8) ... It is frequently quoted in the NT and is often referred to as the "gospel in the OT" or the "gospel of Isaiah" [NIV SB 2020]

52:13-53:12 The Final Revelation of the Ministering Servant. This is the fullest statement in Isaiah of the means by which Yahweh would restore his people to himself, making it possible for him to fulfill his assertions in chs. 41-48 that they are his chosen servants. The servant is "the arm of the Lord" (53:1; see also 50:2; 51:5, 9), but a very unexpected one. His power for deliverance is in surrender, both to Yahweh and to his abusers. But that self-sacrifice for the sins of his people and all people will make victory possible over the sin that holds the world in bondage. It is apparent both from Jesus' own statements and those of the NT writers that all of them understood this passage to be speaking of Jesus' life and ministry (Matt 8:17; Acts 8:30-35; Rom 10:15-17; 15:21; 1 Pet 2:22, 24-25). The pronouns in the passage are very important: "I" generally refers to Yahweh; "he" refers to the servant; "we," "us," and "our" refer to the prophet and his audience; "you" refers to the audience. There is no reason to limit the scope of the audience. As noted above, the servant's work is not only for "Jacob" but for all the nations (49:6). [NIV SB 2018 Carlson]

52:13-15 Here is a summary and preview of the humiliation and exaltation of the Servant, described in more detail in 53:1-12. The details cover the work of Christ in His substitutionary death, His burial, His resurrection, His saving of sinners, His intercession, and His kingdom. [MacArthur SB 2003]

WORD STUDY

My Servant. The Servant of the Lord, as the term is used here, is the Messiah, our Lord Jesus. This was the interpretation of this passage by Christ himself, the writers of the New Testament, and orthodox Christianity ever since. [TLB footnote]

The Servant, as the term is used here, is the Messiah, our Lord Jesus. He would be highly exalted because of his sacrifice, described in chapter 53. [Life Application SB]

My Servant. The Aramaic Targum identifies the Lord's servant here as "the Messiah." [NIV SB 2020]

Act Wisely. this describes him [the Servant] in terms used only of God elsewhere in the book: "raised and lifted up" (cf. 6:1; 57:15). [NIV SB 2018 Carlson]

High And Lifted Up. The same words are used of God in Isaiah 6:1 (cf. Phil. 2:9-11). [Ryrie SB]

Raised And Lifted Up. Words that describe the Lord in Isaiah's vision (see 6:1 and note; 57:15). Christ's exaltation is referred to in Ac 2:33; 3:13; Eph 1:20-23; Php 2:9-11 (see also 1Pe 1:10-11). [NIV SB 2020]

COMMENTARY

   I have Christmas glasses that don't sharpen your vision; they distort it. When I put on the cardboard frames and look at Christmas lights, the plastic lenses shape the lights into objects. If I'm wearing the angel glasses, each light will be reflected as an angel. Put on the snowflake glasses and the entire Christmas tree is covered in snowflake lights. I have several different pairs, and our family enjoys passing them around, declaring which is their favorite.
   Even without the nifty glasses, my view at Christmas has been distorted. Growing up, my children celebrated the Savior's birthday. We sang Christmas hymns, donated gifts, and attended Christmas services. But commercialism, Santa Claus, and characters in holiday movies had the stronger attraction. Keeping Christ at the center of Christmas required effort.
   A few seasons ago while listening to a favorite podcast, I learned about Advent. My church doesn't observe the season, so I didn't really know much about it. The podcast guest explained why believers celebrate Advent and how her book would guide readers through the weeks leading up to Christmas. I decided to give it a try and ordered her book.
   Beginning the first Sunday of Advent, I followed through scripture, prayers, hymns, and activities, remembering the profound need for, and miracle of, the Messiah. Each day immersed me deeper into anticipating Jesus's birth and further from a distorted worldly holiday. When Christmas morning arrived, my heart had prepared room for Baby Jesus. The lens of Advent cleared up my view by shining a bright light on Christ and exalting Him at the center of Christmas. Karen Sargent
   Faith Step: Invite a friend who hasn't experienced Advent to observe the holiday with you this Christmas. [Mornings With Jesus 2024 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY

Isaiah 53:3-5 - LOVE AND SACRIFICE SUPREME.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220414-1114.html

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/