Ancient Jewish writings agree that Messiah would be the Suffering Servant prophesied by Isaiah.
Isa 52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
Isa 52:14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
Isa 52:15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
Isa 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
Isa 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Isa 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Isa 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Isa 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
This portion of Scripture declares that the Suffering Servant would be crushed for the sins of His people, eventually being put to death. Yet, verses 10-11 declare that this Servant would again see “the light of life” and reign in order to justify “his offspring and prolong his days,” and that “the will of the LORD” will “prosper in his hand”. This points to a bodily resurrection. The only way for the servant to be “assigned a grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death” and then “see the light of life” is if He were to be miraculously raised from the dead!
“The Messiah our righteousness has turned from us. We are alarmed, we have no one to justify us. Our sins and the yoke of our transgressions he bore. He was bruised for our iniquities. He carried on his shoulders our sins. With his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53). Almighty God, hasten the day that he might come to us anew; that we may hear from Mt. Lebanon (figurative reference to the Temple), a second time through the Messiah.” {Ancient hymn-prayer by Eliezer Hakkalir sung during the Musaf Service on Yom Kippur; included in some Siddurs}
“Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘The Messiah – what is his name?’… And our Rabbis said, ‘the pale one… is his name,’ as it is written ‘Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows – yet we considered him stricken by G~d, smitten by him and afflicted.’” {Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 98}
“Dip your morsel of bread in the vinegar (Ruth 2:14). This refers to the Messiah’s sufferings, for it is said in Isaiah 53:5: ‘He was pierced through for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.’” {Midrash Ruth Rabbah, 2.14}
“The Holy One, blessed be He, will tell him (the Messiah) in detail what will befall him… their sins will cause you to bend down as under a yoke of iron and make you like a calf whose eyes grow dim with suffering and will choke your spirit as with a yoke, and because of their sins your tongue will cleave to the roof of your mouth. Are you willing to endure such things?… The Messiah will say: ‘Master of the universe with joy in my soul and gladness in my heart I take this suffering upon myself provided that not one person in Israel shall perish, so that not only those who are alive be saved in my days, but also those who are dead, who died from the days of Adam up to the time of redemption.’” {Pesikta Rabbati, Piska 36.1; Zohar II. 212a}
Theses quotes come from a series of pictures being shared on facebook but due to request will be shared on this blog as well. Click on the link if you want to comment there, or you can comment here on WordPress if you desire.
Previous posts:
Yahshua/Jesus from Rabbinic Sources – Rosh Hashana Machzor
Yahshua/Jesus from Rabbinic Sources – Messiah the LORD
Yahshua/Jesus from Rabbinic Sources – The LORD our Righteousness
Yahshua/Jesus from Rabbinic Sources – The Son of God
Yahshua/Jesus from Rabbinic Sources – Messiah born in Bethlehem
Yahshua/Jesus from Rabbinic Sources – King & Priest
littleguyintheeye@gmail.com
Little Guy in the Eye 