Sefer Yochanan (Gospel According to John) Chapter 6 Pt.2Eat My Flesh & Drink My Blood (John 6:33-71)27/3/2020
“For the soul living of the flesh is in the blood; and Him I have given to all of you upon the altar to purge, make reconciliation upon your soul existence: for the blood, He is in the soul purging reconciliation.” -Vayikra (Leviticus) 17:11 (Author’s Translation) Introduction:
What follows is the extension of Yeshua’s exposition regarding the manna from the heavens and His identity as the “True Manna” from the heavens. This idea is further developed and illuminated in the hearing of His listeners and culminates in a sifting of the wheat from the chaff (making a distinction between the devout disciples and the faithless ones). Leaving only the faithful few at His side. 34 Therefore (oun[G]), they said to Him (Yeshua), “Lord, Master (Kurios[G], Adoniy[H]), always give (tanah lanu[H]) us this (touton[G], et[H], ha-zeh[H]) the bread (ho artos[G], ha-lechem[H]).” 34 Therefore, they said to Yeshua, “Lord, Master, always give us this the bread.” “Therefore” relates to all that has gone before, the sign of the loaves and fishes, the sign of the walking on water, and the subsequent teaching regarding the true Author of the manna given to Israel’s forebears. They are responding to the words that Yeshua has just spoken concerning His identity as the bread from heaven, however, they have not understood what He has said. “JOHN 6:33 For the bread (lechem[H]) of God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]) is Him (hu[H]) Who comes down (hayoreid[H]) out of the heavens (ouranos[G], ha-shamayim[H]), and gives (notein[H]) living (zoe[G], chayiym[H]) to the world (kosmos[G], laolam[H]).” “They” That is, some of those present. It is impossible to know how many addressed Yeshua with this request. “Lord” To call Yeshua Lord denotes respect but it does not reflect the inner being of those who are petitioning Him. “Always give us this bread” This is an ironically insightful use of language, however, it is clear from their response later in the text, that they were seeking something other than what Yeshua was offering. At Yeshua’s final Pesach (Passover) Seder meal one of those present reflected their first century Jewish understanding of the metaphysical nature of the Olam Haba (World to come/Kingdom of God & His Messiah King): “When one of those who reclined at table with Him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” -Luke 14:15 (ESV) Our sages say of the manna: “in the manna were all kinds of tastes, and everyone of the Israelites tasted all that he desired; for so it is written in Devarim (Deut.) 2:7, "these forty years the Lord your God has been with you, you have lacked nothing", or "not wanted for anything"; what is anything? when he desired to eat anything, and said with his mouth, O that I had fat to eat, immediately there was in his mouth the taste of fat. Young men tasted the taste of bread, old men the taste of honey, and children the taste of oil.'' -Shemot Rabba, sect. 25. fol. 108. 4. And: "whoever desired flesh, he tasted it, and whoever desired fish, he tasted it, and whoever desired fowl, chicken, pheasant, or pea hen, so he tasted whatever he desired.'' -Bamidbar Rabba, sect. 7. fol. 188. 1. 35 Yeshua[H, A] (Iesous[G], YHVH Saves, Jesus, Joshua) said to them, “I Am, I exist, I’m present, I’m happening, I AM He (ego eimi [G], Anachiy hu[H]) the bread (ho artos[G], lechem[H]) of the life, living (ho zoe[G], ha-chayiym[H]); all (kol[H]) who come (ha-bah[H]) to Me (eme[G]) will not hunger, continue to be hungry (peinao[G]), and all who believe, are persuaded of, have placed confidence, trusted (pisteuo[G], yamiyn[H]) in Me (eme[G]) will never at any time, perpetually (popote[G], od[H]) suffer from thirst (dispsao[G]). 35 Yeshua said to them, “I Am, I exist, I’m present, I’m happening, I AM He the bread of the life, living; all who come to Me will not hunger, continue to be hungry, and all who believe, are persuaded of, have placed confidence, trusted in Me will never at any time, perpetually suffer from thirst. “I AM, I Exist” This is the self-existing statement of God the Father (Ex. 3:14; Jn. 1:1-3; 6:20; 8:58). For the religiously observant Jewish reader there is no question that Yeshua is claiming deity. “I Am the bread of perpetual living” Yeshua is not just a form of bread but is the eternally sustaining bread of the unbroken age (Olam Haba) “all who come to Me will not hunger, continue to be hungry,” Coming to Yeshua is the first step in response to His invitation. One can’t believe, trust, without first having come. The Kohen who wrote the book of Hebrews reminds us: “But without faith it is impossible to please God: because in order for a person to come to God, that person must first believe that God exists, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” -Hebrews 11:6 (Author’s translation) To hunger is to be devoid of the necessary fuel for existence. Therefore, to be free from hunger is to be perpetually energized. “and all who believe in Me will never at any time, perpetually suffer from thirst.” Coming to God through Yeshua is the beginning, believing is a continuing act of the will and by its nature means the receipt of salvation (yeshuah). To thirst means to be devoid of the primary resource of life. To use modern terminology, the body is made up predominantly of water, and can survive not more than three days without it. How much more important then, are the metaphorical waters of eternal existence. Yeshua promises these mayiym chatiym (living waters) to all who continue to believe in Him. 36 And I (ve’Aniy[H]) behold, pay attention (hineih[H]) have spoken to you, since (hoti[G]) indeed (kai[G], gam[H]) you have seen, observed (horao[G], chaziytim[H]) Me (otiy[H]) with your eyes, and yet are not (lo[H]) persuaded, convinced, trusting, believing (pisteuo[G], te’miynu[H]). 36 And I, behold, pay attention, have spoken to you, since indeed you have seen, observed Me with your eyes, and yet are not persuaded, convinced, trusting, believing. In other words. Yeshua is expounding on the concepts He has seeded in order to provide His hearers with the greatest possible opportunity to receive His teaching and come to repentance. 37 All [individually] (kol[H]) that My Father [the Father] (ho Pater[G], Aviy[H]) gives (yit’nenu[H], didomi[G]) Me will come (Yavo[H]) to Me (eme[G]), and the one who comes (erchomai[G], ve’haba[H]) to Me I will certainly not (lo[H]) cast, drive, send, repulse (ekballo[G], eh’dafenu[H]) outside (exo[G], hachutzah[H]). 37 All (individually) that My Father [the Father] gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast, drive, send, repulse outside. In one verse the foolish debate pitting predestination against freewill is silenced. “All individually that my Father GIVES Me (Predestination)… and the one who comes to Me (Freewill)…” Therefore the answer to the false choice “Freewill or Predestination?” is “Yes!” Grace is offered to all but can only be received by the repentant. Predestination can’t exist without Love. Love can’t be reciprocated without Freewill. Therefore, the Chooser, knowing the outcome, proposes relationship, and the chosen choose to be predestined. Predestination is a fruit of God’s nature stemming from the fact that He sees the end from the beginning (something we are incapable of ). Freewill is the seed of our view from within time and space, that when fully grown produces the tree from which it came. 38 For (kiy[H]) I have not (lo[H]) come down (katabaino[G], yarad’tiy[H]) from (min[H]) the heavens (ouranos[G], ha-shamayim[H]) to do, make, accomplish (poieo[G], la’asot[H]) My own will, determinations, wishes (thelema[G], retzoniy[H]), but the will, determinations, wishes of Him (thelema[G], im-retzon[H]) Who sent Me (pempo[G], sholchiy[H]). 38 For I have not come down from the heavens to do, make, accomplish My own will, determinations, wishes, but the will, determinations, wishes of Him who sent Me. Having descended from the Father in the heavens, Yeshua has come to do the will of the Father Who sent Him. The Hebrew “sholchiy” meaning sent me is related to the Hebrew Shaliyach, sent one, emissary or Apostle. In these terms Yeshua is the first and Ultimate Apostle. As is the case in all things, Yeshua submits His will to God’s will, thus showing the order and unity of the Godhead. The Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son but the Son is not outside the Father, and therefore He submits to the Father. 39 And this is (ve’zeh[H]) the will, determination, wish of Him [the Father] (thelema[G], retzon ha-Av[H]) Who sent Me (pempo[G], sh’lachaniy[H]), that of all [individually] (kol[H]) that He has given (didomi[G], hanitan[H]) Me I destroy, render useless (apollumi[G]) nothing (lo-yovar[H]), but raise it up (anistemi[G], akiymenu[H]) on [in] the extreme, uttermost, last (eschatos[G]) day (hemera[G]) [bayom ha-acharon[H]]. 39 And this is the will, determination, wish of Him [the Father] Who sent Me, that of all [individually] that He has given Me I destroy, render useless nothing, but raise it up on [in] the extreme, uttermost, last day. “All that He has given Me” Includes all creation and those human beings who have been predestined to become His. Note that nothing given to Yeshua will suffer destruction. The resurrection is the resurrection and transformation of the present body into a transcendent metaphysical body. We will not rise as spirits alone (a pagan Gnostic idea) but as a redeemed unity of body, mind, spirit, heart, soul, breath. It’s interesting to note that the Zohar speaks in similar terms regarding the resurrection of the latter day: ולא יתאביד כלום, "and not anything shall be lost", but all shall rise again; for, lo, it is said, Dan. 12:2, "and many of them that sleep in the dust", &c.'' -Zohar in Exod. fol. 43. 4. 40 For this is the will, determination, wish (thelema[G], retzon[H]) of My Father (Pater mou[G], Aviy[H]), that everyone individually (pas[G], kol[H]) who beholds, sees (theoreo[G], ha-roeh[H]) the Son (ho uihos[G], et ha-Ben[H]) and believes, is persuaded, trusts (pisteuo[G], uma’amiyn[H]) in Him will have, hold (echo[G]) eternal, perpetual, unending, life, living (zoe aionios[G], chayeiy olam[H]) [living in a perpetual world], and I Myself (ego[G], va’Aniy[H]) will raise him up (anistemi[G], akiymenu[H]) on [in] the extreme, uttermost, last (eschatos[G]) day (hemera[G]) [bayom ha-acharon[H]].” 40 For this is the will, determination, wish of My Father, that everyone individually who beholds, sees the Son and believes, is persuaded, trusts in Him will have, hold eternal, perpetual, unending, life, living [living in a perpetual world], and I Myself will raise him up on [in] the extreme, uttermost, last day.” Note that all who believe will hold or have (past tense) unending life. This life begins upon receipt of Yeshua and not at the resurrection. Those who receive Yeshua have already begun to live eternally. The life a believer lives in Yeshua is transcendent by nature of His transcendent person dwelling within each believer. “Yeshua said to her, ‘I Am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will continue to live, even if he dies.’” -Yochanan (John) 11:25 "They shall be gathered from their captivity, they shall sit under the shadow of their Messiah, "and the dead shall live", and good shall be multiplied in the land.'' -Targum Hosea 14:8 "the holy blessed God will quicken the righteous, and they shall not return to their dust.'' -T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 92. 1. "the land (of the living), whose dead live first in the days of the Messiah.” -T. Hieros. Kilaim, fol. 32. 3. It is said that Rabbi Jeremiah wanted to he buried with his clothes and shoes on, and his staff in his hand, so that when the Messiah came, he would be ready (T. Hieros. Kilaim, foi. 32. 3. col. 2.). Kimchi says regarding Isaiah 66:5: "They shall live at the resurrection of the dead, in the days of the Messiah.'' And regarding Jeremiah 23:20: ""ye" shall consider, and not "they" shall consider; which intimates the "resurrection of the dead in the days of the Messiah".'' Iben Ezra says regarding Daniel 12:2: "The righteous which die in captivity shall live, when the Redeemer comes;'' 41 Therefore the Judeans, religious Jews (Ioudaios[G], Ha-Yehudiym[H]) were grumbling, muttering, speaking in a low tone (gogguzo[G]) about Him (Yeshua), because He said, “I Am, I exist, I’m present, I’m happening, I AM He (Ego[G] eimi[G], Anochiy[H]) Him (hu[H]) the bread (ho artos[G], ha-lechem[H]) that came down (katabaino[G], hayoreid[H]) out of heavens (ho ouranos[G], min-hashamayim[H]).” 42 They were saying, “Is not this Yeshua[H] [A] (Iesous[G] YHVH Saves), the son (uihos[G], ben[H]) of Yosef[H] (Joseph: YHVH adds), whose father (et aviyu[H]) and mother (et imo[H]) we know (yod’iym[H])? How does He now say, ‘I have come down (batiy[H]) out of the heavens (ek ho ouranos[G], min-hashamayim[H])?” 41 Therefore the Judeans, religious Jews were grumbling, muttering, speaking in a low tone about Him, because He said, “I am, I exist, I’m present, I’m happening, I AM He, Him the bread that came down out of heaven.” 42 They were saying, “Is not this Yeshua, the son of Yosef, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of the heavens?” Those Judean religious Jews speaking about Yeshua (behind His back as it were) did so in a muttering low tone in order to speak ill of Him without Him being able to hear clearly. These same Judeans may have consisted of those who had been offended by His healing on the Shabbat during Purim in Jerusalem. The Hebrew text makes it very clear why the Judeans were upset. In Hebrew Yeshua said “I Am Him the bread that came down from the heavens”. To them this could be heard as nothing short of blasphemy. The “I Am” phrase being the same as in the former use and referring to Yeshua’s deity. Notice that these particular Judeans were familiar with the family of Yeshua. Perhaps even close to the family in community with them. They knew Yosef and Miriyam and were incredulous at the idea that an uneducated labourer’s son might claim such high standing. “How does He now say” is equivalent to, “What qualifies him to speak this way?” or “This guy’s got a lot of chutzpah if He thinks He can get away with saying…” 43 Yeshua[H] [A] (Iesous[G] YHVH Saves) answered and said to them, “Do not mutter, grumble, speak in a low tone (gogguzo[G]) among yourselves. 44 No one (oudeis[G]) is able, has the power to (dunamai[G]) come (erchomai[G], lavo[H]) to Me unless My Father [the Father] (ho Pater[G], Aviy[H]) Who sent (pempo[G], shelachaniy[H]) Me draws, drags (helkuo[G]) him; and I (Kago[G], va’Aniy[H]) will raise him up (anistemi[G], akiymenu[H]) on the extreme last (eschatos[G]) day (hemera[G]) [bayom ha-acharon[H]]. 43 Yeshua answered and said to them, “Do not mutter, grumble, speak in a low tone among yourselves. 44 No one is able, has the power to come to Me unless My Father [the Father] Who sent Me draws, drags him; and I will raise him up on the extreme last day. Yeshua rebukes them for their rudeness and explains their own incredulity to them. The Greek uses helkuo, meaning to drag, perhaps an allusion to the way His hearers will later come to faith in Him. 45 It is written (grapho[G], katuv[H]) in the Prophets (Prophetes[G], Neviyim[H]), ‘And they shall all (vekulam[H]) be taught (y’lamdu[H]) of God (Elohiym[H], Theos[G]).’ For yes (Lachein[H]), everyone individually (Pas[G], kol[H]) who has heard (shama[H]) and learned (v’lamad[H]) from (min[H]) the Father (ho Pater[G], ha-Av[H]), comes to Me (yavo eilay[H]). 46 Not that anyone human (Adam[H]) has seen the Father (ho Pater[G], et ha-Av[H]), except the One Who is from the God (ho Theos[G], ha-Elohiym[H]); He (Hu[H]) has seen (ra’ah[H]) the Father (ho Theos[G]), the God (et ha-Elohiym[H]). 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ For yes, everyone individually who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone human has seen the Father, except the One Who is from the God; He has seen the Father, the God. “And no man has ascended up to the heavens, except He Who came down from the heavens, even the Son of man Who is in the heavens.” -Yochanan (John) 3:13 (Author’s translation) “It is written in the Prophets” Isaiah 54:13; Jeremiah 31:34; Micah 4:2. The Neviyim (the Prophets) is a section of the wider body of Hebrew Scripture (Tanakh) that collects the prophetic writings of God’s prophets. “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” - Isaiah 54:13 (KJV) “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” - Jeremiah 31:34 (KJV) “and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” -Micah 4:2 (ESV) The Zohar confines those being taught by God to the ethnic, religious, chosen people of Israel: "they are truly taught of God from whom prophecy comes, which does not to all the world, but to Israel only, of whom it is written, "and all thy children are taught of God".'' 47 Amen[H] [G]Amen[H] [G] (B’emet[H], B’emet[H]), In truth, In truth, It’s certain, it’s certain, I say to you, he who believes, is convinced, is persuaded, trusts, has, holds (echo[G]) eternal, perpetual, unending, life, living (zoe aionios[G], chayeiy olam[H]) [living in a perpetual world]. 47 Amen Amen, In truth, In truth, It’s certain, it’s certain, I say to you, he who believes, is convinced, is persuaded, trusts, has, holds eternal, perpetual, unending, life, living. As is always the case the double Amen is a testimony to the firmly established nature of that which Yeshua is about to say. Once again it is affirmed that the person who believes in Yeshua already has life unending. 48 I am, I exist, I’m present, I’m happening, I AM He (ego eimi[G], Anochiy Hu[H]) the bread (ho artos[G], ha lechem[H]) of the life, the living (ho zoe[G], hachayiym[H]). 49 Your fathers (pateros[G], avoteiychem[H]) ate the manna (manna[G], ha man[H]: “What is it?”) in the wilderness (eremos[G], bamid’bar[H]: ba[in the] mi [from] davar [Word, essence, substance]), and they died (apothnesko[G], va’amutu[H]). 50 This is the bread (ho artos[G], ha lechem[H]) which comes down (katabaino[G], hayoreid[H]) out of the heavens (ho ouranos[G], min-hashamayim[H]), so that one may eat of it and not die (me apothnesko[G], velo yamut [H]). 48 I am, I exist, I’m present, I’m happening, I AM He the bread of the life, the living. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which comes down out of the heavens, so that one may eat of it and not die. Yet another “I Am” statement. The writer of John’s Gospel saturates His account with titles and figurative language pointing to the deity of Yeshua. Yeshua reminds His hearers that the manna their forebears ate was temporal, resulting in the eventual death of their ancestors. Yeshua however was born in Beit Lechem “House of Bread”, the source of all sustenance, and He is the Bread of Eternal Living. The bread that once eaten will perpetuate a person’s life. 51 I am, I exist, I’m present, I’m happening, I AM He (ego eimi [G], Anachiy[H]) the bread (ho artos[G], ha lechem[H]), the living (ho zoe[G], hachayiym[H]) that came down (katabaino[G], hayoreid[H]) out of the heavens (ho ouranos[G], min-hashamayim[H]); if anyone eats of this one specific (toutou to[G]) bread (artos[G], lechem[H]), he will live (yich’yeh[H]), breathe (zao[G]) into (eis[G]) the unbroken age (ho aion[G], le’olam[H]) into the world everlasting; and the bread (ho artos[G], ha lechem[H]) also which I will give (didomi[G], et’nenu[H]) for the life, living (zoe[G], chayeiy[H]) of the world (ho kosmos[G], ha-olam[H]) is in My flesh (sarx[G], b’shariy[H]).” 51 I am, I exist, I’m present, I’m happening, I AM He the bread, the living, that came down out of the heavens; if anyone eats of this one specific bread, he will live, breathe into the unbroken age, into the world everlasting; and the bread also which I will give for the life, living of the world is in My flesh.” “I AM, I Exist” This is the self-existing statement of God the Father (Ex. 3:14; Jn. 1:1-3; 6:20; 8:58). “if anyone eats of this one specific (toutou to[G]) bread (artos[G], lechem[H])” The Greek text is interesting, leaving no room for a general or esoteric application of the bread Who is Yeshua. “This specific Yeshua (bread)” there is no other means of eternal sustenance. Elsewhere Yochanan writes: “Yeshua said to him, I Am Ha-Derekh (the way), Ha-Emet (the truth), and Ha-Chayiym (the life, living): no one person can come to the Father, except through, by, with Me.” -Yochanan (John) 14:6 YBYV “Yeshua said to her, "I Am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will continue to live, even if he dies.” -Yochanan (John) 11:25 “he will live, breathe into the unbroken age, into the world everlasting” Notice that living and breathing are a unity. The Breath and Spirit are intrinsic and necessary. The Spirit of God is the breath of the believer Who maintains an unbroken life from the inception of belief into perpetuity. “and the bread also which I will give for the life, living of the world is in My flesh.” Some so called “Messianics” teach a disconnect between these words and the symbolism alluded to by Yeshua concerning the bread (matzah) and the wine (Kos Ge’ulah) of Pesach (Passover). They’re wrong! Unlike the synoptic Gospels Yochanan’s (John) Gospel does not allude to the symbolic use of the Pesach elements by Yeshua as pertaining to His body and blood. Therefore, the present text is an allusion to that which John does not mention elsewhere but is fundamentally important. Yeshua is saying that He will give His flesh, His human existence as a sacrifice so that those who believe might have the life eternal which He has promised. Therefore, there is an intrinsic connection between the present verse and the symbolic use of the matzot at Pesach (Passover). Yeshua is the Pesach Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world. 52 Then the Judeans, religious Jews (Ioudaios[G], Ha-Yehudiym[H]) began to argue, fighting (machomai[G]) with one another, saying, “How can this man give (didomi[G]) us His flesh (sarx[G], b’saro[H]) to eat (phago[G, le’echol[H])?” 52 Then the Judeans, religious Jews began to argue, fighting with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” “Then the Judeans, religious Jews began to argue, fighting with one another” We note that the Judean religious Jews were not in agreement over what Yeshua had said and done. Some were clearly of the opinion that there was value in Yeshua’s signs and mashaliym (parables, metaphors, allegories), while others were fiercely opposed to Yeshua’s teaching. Thus, there was an argument between the Judean religious Jews concerning what they perceived as a difficult teaching. 53 So Yeshua[H] [A] (Iesous[G] YHVH Saves) said to them, “Amen[H] [G]Amen[H] [G] (B’emet[H], B’emet[H]), In truth, In truth, It’s certain, it’s certain, I say (Aniy omeir[H]) to you, unless you eat (phago[G], tochlu[H]) the flesh (ho sarx[G], et b’saro[H]) of the Son of the Man, humanity (ho uihos ho anthropos[G], ben ha-Adam[H]) and drink (pino[G], ush’tiytem[H]) His blood (aima[G], et damo[H]), you have, hold (echo[G]) no life, living (zoe[G], chayiym[H]) in (en[G]) yourselves (heautou[G], Qnoma[A]: underlying substance). 53 So Yeshua said to them, “Amen Amen, In truth, In truth, It’s certain, it’s certain, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of the Man, humanity and drink His blood, you have, hold no life, living in yourselves. “Amen Amen” This is firmly and eternally established truth. Listen, pay attention, hear, receive, understand, implement! It is not as many suppose, that Yeshua’s Jewish hearers thought He was suggesting cannibalism or pagan ritual. They were used to rabbis speaking in mashaliym (parables) and using metaphorical sayings like these. To the contrary, they considered it a hard teaching because they understood that Yeshua was saying they must live and continue to live as He lived, and that somehow He was also saying that it was possible for His very substance to be received by them and enable them to live this way. It was not difficult because it was non-kosher but because it was hyper-kosher. A similar idea is addressed by our rabbis in the Midrash Rabbah to Ecclesiastes 2:24 where the issue of food and drink in the grave is addressed: “‘The days of his life’; and that alludes to the grave. So are there food and drink in the grave that accompany a person to the grave? Of course not. Therefore, ‘food and drink’ must mean Torah and mitzvot’” -Midrash Rabah to Ecclesiastes 2:24 The point being that it was common practice for the rabbis and sages of Judaism to use figurative and metaphorical language when addressing spiritual subjects that are beyond the paradigm of the present age. In this respect Yeshua’s teaching was no different from that of a number of His contemporaries. 54 He who chews (trogo[G]) My flesh (sarx[G], b’sariy[H]) and drinks (pino[G], vehashoteh[H]) My blood (aima[G], et dami[H]) has, holds (echo[G]) eternal, perpetual, unending, life, living (zoe aionios[G], chayeiy olam[H]) [living in a perpetual world], and I (Kago[G], va’Aniy[H]) will raise him up (anistemi[G], akiymenu[H]) on the extreme last (eschatos[G]) day (hemera[G]) [bayom ha-acharon[H]]. 54 He who chews My flesh and drinks My blood has, holds eternal, perpetual, unending, life, living [living in a perpetual world], and I will raise him up on the extreme last day. The Torah instructs us that “the life of the flesh is in the blood”. Yeshua is expounding the ultimate fulfilment of this phrase from the Torah. The blood of flesh affected by sin and subject to the temporal world is inevitably destroyed but the blood of God with us (Immanuel) is sinless, and having entered the world manifest as a human being, God Himself offers His blood to humanity so that we might transcend the limitations of the fallen creation and be born from above into eternal life through Yeshua, Who is God with us. It is Yeshua’s blood that has been given upon the altar to make atonement for all who receive Him. “For the soul living of the flesh is in the blood; and Him I have given to all of you upon the altar to purge, make reconciliation upon your soul existence: for the blood, He is in the soul purging reconciliation.” -Vayikra (Leviticus) 17:11 “and I will raise him up on the extreme last day.” This phrase is completely consistent with the teaching and future hope of the P’rushiym (Pharisees). Yeshua is not alluding to anything new, He is simply illuminating the fullness of what is known and revealing its ultimate Goal, that is, Yeshua Himself (Romans 10:4). 55 For My flesh (sarx[G], b’sariy[H]) is true (alethes[G], be’emet[H]) food (brosis[G], ochel[H]), and My blood (aima[G], damiy[H]) is true (alethes[G], be’emet[H]) drink (posis[G], shikuy[H]). 56 He who chews (trogo[G], ochel[H]) My flesh (sarx[G], b’sariy[H]) and drinks (veshoteh[H]) My blood (aima[G], damiy[H]) abides, remains (meno[G], yaliyn[H]) in Me (en, biy[H]), and I (va’Aniy[H]) in him (vo[H]). 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 He who chews My flesh and drinks My blood abides, remains in Me, and I in him. “My flesh is true food” Here, “true” is synonymous with “indestructible”. The temporal food of the fallen creation does not qualify as “true” food because it perishes along with the body. But Yeshua’s flesh, His life, is true food and true drink because it does not perish. He is from everlasting to everlasting and is thus able to sustain all who come to God through Him. “He who chews My flesh and drinks My blood abides, remains in Me, and I in him.” Notice the present and continuous verb “trogo” (chews, chewing). The act of eating Yeshua’s sacrificial way of living, the act of continuing to feed on His character and chew on His nature, is a perpetual exercise. Receiving Him is the beginning of an eternal meal. The present and continued practice of holiness born of faith. “abides, remains in Me, and I in him.” Note that we who eat His flesh and drink His blood (metaphors) are related to Him in the same way that He is related to God. We are in Him and He is in us but we are never outside of Him. 57 Accordingly (kathos[G]) the living (ho zoe[G], hachay[H]) Father (Pater[G], ha Av[H]) sent (apostello[G], sh’lachniy[H]) Me, and I (Anochiy[H]) live, breathe (zao[G], chay[H]) through (dia[G]) of My Father (Aviy[H]) [the Father] (ho Pater[G]), so he who chews on (trogo[G], ha ochel[H]) Me, he also will live, breathe (zao[G], yich’yeh[H]) through (dia[G]) Me. 57 Accordingly the living Father sent Me, and I live, breathe through of My Father, so he who chews on Me, he also will live, breathe through Me. Once again Yeshua gives all glory back to the Father Who has given all glory to the Son. Yeshua never fails to submit His ministry to the Father. In this example we find the nature of the One Whom we seek to abide in. The life of the disciple of Yeshua is lived in, through and with Him, and this of the Father. Ultimately all life is from God. It is worth noting the very similar ideas expressed in the Talmud Bavliy: “Says Rab, the Israelites shall "eat" the years of the Messiah: says R. Joseph, it is certainly so; but who shall "eat him?" shall Chellek and Billek (two judges in Sodom) אכלי לה אכלוהו, "they ate him" in the days of Hezekiah.” -T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 98. 2. & 99. 1. Therefore, the sages taught that sinners ate the Messiah (Metaphorically speaking) in the days of Hezekiah. This agrees with Yeshua's message of redemption from sin through the eating of His flesh (Metaphorical). In other words, only the person who admits to being a sinner can receive and benefit from Yeshua's substitutionary sacrificial blood. 58 This is the bread (ho artos[G], ha lechem[H]) which came down (katabaino[G], hayoreid[H]) out of the heavens (ho ouranos[G], min-hashamayim[H]); not as your fathers (pateros[G], avoteiychem[H]) who ate (phago[G], ochel[H]) and died (apothnesko[G], yamutu[H]); he who eats chews on (trogo[G], ochel[H]) this specific (touton ho[G]) bread (artos[G], lechem[H]) will live, breathe (zao[G], yich’yeh[H]) into (eis[G]) the (ho[G]) unbroken age (aion[G]), the world perpetual (leolam[H]).” 58 This is the bread which came down out of the heavens; not as your fathers who ate and died; he who eats chews on this specific bread will live, breathe into the unbroken age, the world perpetual.” Yeshua reaffirms the fact that He is the “True” eternal manna from the heavens which will remain, as opposed to the temporal manna of Israel’s forebears, which perished. 59 These things (devariym[H]) He (Yeshua) said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum (K’far Nachum[H]). 59 These things He (Yeshua) said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. As discussed in previous articles, K’far Nachum was the home town of Yeshua’s ministry years. Appropriately named “Village of Comfort”. 60 Therefore many of His disciples (mathetes[G], talmidim[H]), when they heard this said, “This is a hard (sleros[G], kasheh[H]) word (logos[G], ha-davar[H]); who is able (dunamai[G]) to hear it (akouo[G], lish’ma[H])?” 60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a hard word; who is able to hear it?” Take careful note that these are His disciples (not the twelve but the wider following), and not the Judean religious Jews (though some of them may be included). Therefore, it is those who have been following Yeshua who have decided that what He is saying is too hard to accept (which is what “hear” infers). Let me repeat, it is not as many suppose, that Yeshua’s Jewish hearers thought He was suggesting cannibalism or pagan ritual. They were used to rabbis speaking in mashaliym (parables) and using metaphorical sayings like these. To the contrary, they considered it a hard teaching because they understood that Yeshua was saying they must live and continue to live as He lived, and that somehow He was also saying that it was possible for His very substance to be received by them and enable them to live this way. It was not difficult because it was non-kosher but because it was hyper-kosher. “This is a hard word” A hard word or case is one that is difficult to discern by using common sense. The Torah alludes to this very thing in regard to the judgements of Moses: “And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves.” -Exodus 18:26 (ESV) The point is that Yeshua the “Prophet” like Moses, is the One Who must be looked to in order for this “hard word” to be adjudicated. In rabbinical Judaism the phrase “hard saying (word)” is used in the same way: מה הדבר קשה, "is this an hard saying with you?"'' -Mishnah. Nidda, c. 8, sect. 3. 61 But Yeshua[H, A] (Iesous[G], YHVH Saves, Jesus, Joshua), seeing, discerning, perceiving (eido[G]) that His disciples (mathetes[G], talmidim[H]) muttered, grumbled, spoke in hushed tones (gogguzo[G]) at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble (skandalizo[G], l’mich’shol[H])? 61 But Yeshua, seeing, discerning, perceiving that His disciples muttered, grumbled, spoke in hushed tones at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? The wider body of disciples had fallen into the same disbelieving and rude behaviour of those who had been confronting Yeshua. Therefore, Yeshua gives them an opportunity to repent. Put simply He is saying, “Will you choose to walk in the light of My teaching, even when it’s hard, or will you choose to stumble over My teaching like those walking in darkness?” 62 What then if you become spectators watching (theoreo[G]) the Son (ho uihos[G]) of Man (anthropos[G]) [ben ha-Adam[H]] ascending (anabaino[G], oleh[H]) to where He was before (proteron[G])? 62 What then if you become spectators watching the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? Yeshua qualifies His challenge by pointing out that “harder things (devariym, from Davar)” are yet to come, such as the death and resurrection of the Son of Man and His ascension to the Father in the heavens. In other words, “If you can’t navigate the present teaching how will you make sense of the ultimate fulfilment of it?” 63 It is the Spirit (ho pneuma[G], ha-Ruach[H]) Who gives (hanotein[H]) living (chayiym[H]), bears living (zoopoieo[G]); the flesh (ho sarx[G], ha-basar[H]) profits nothing; the words, substance, essence, spoken things (ho rhema[G], hadevariym[H]) that I have spoken to you are Spirit (pneuma[G], ruach[H]) and are living (zoe[G], chayiym[H]). 64 But there are some of you who do not believe, trust (ya’amiynu[H]).” For Yeshua knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe (ma’amiyniym[H]), and who His betrayer (ha-moseir[H]) would be. 63 It is the Spirit Who gives living, bears living; the flesh profits nothing; the words, substance, essence, spoken things that I have spoken to you are Spirit and are living. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe, trust.” For Yeshua knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who His betrayer would be. “It is the Spirit Who gives birth to life” This is an allusion to the beginning of creation and the Spirit of God brooding over the deep. This illuminates the phrase “Yeshua knew from the beginning… who His betrayer would be.” It is not a spirit but the Spirit of God Who gives life. “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God hovered, brooded, nurtured upon the face of the waters.” -Bereishit (Genesis) 1:2 “the flesh profits nothing” This is not a Gnostic teaching as some suppose, it does not mean that all physical things are “evil”. Flesh here refers specifically to the sin affected flesh of fallen humanity. Because the fallen nature and its flesh will perish the specific form of flesh in question profits nothing. “the words, substance, essence, spoken things that I have spoken to you are Spirit and are living.” The word of Yeshua is of the same Spirit Who brooded over creation and are therefore perpetual and living, never perishing. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one is able to (dunamai[G]) come to Me unless it has been given (didomi[G]) him from the Father (ho Pater[G], ha Av[H]).” 66 As a result of this many of His disciples (mathetes[G], talmidim[H]) withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one is able to come to Me unless it has been given him from the Father.” 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. Yeshua’s words may have seemed overly harsh to those who had been following Him so faithfully for so long. However, Yeshua was intentionally weeding out those who would fail to perpetuate faith in Him. Many believers today choose to be offended by the hard teaching of some, not because the teaching is error but because it has exposed their sin and challenged them to pursue a deeper faith. 67 So Yeshua said to the twelve, “You don’t want to go away also, do you?” 68 Shimon[H] (Hears God) Kefa[H] (Peter: Rock) answered Him, “Lord (Kurios[G], Adoniy[H]), to whom shall we go? You have words, utterances, spoken things (rhema[G], divreiy[H]) of eternal living (zoe aionios[G], chayeiy olam[H]). 67 So Yeshua said to the twelve, “You don’t want to go away also, do you?” 68 Shimon Kefa answered Him, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have words, utterances, spoken things of eternal living. Peter, is speaking on behalf of the twelve, note that He says “to whom shall we go?” He responds to Yeshua in humility. Peter is not saying that He or the twelve are finding Yeshua’s words “easy”, to the contrary, they too are finding Yeshua’s teaching “hard”, rather Peter is saying, “We know you, we trust Your character, we see Your nature, we are witness to Your sinless life, Your teaching is difficult to receive but it’s Your teaching which we believe is from God, so, to whom will we go but You? You are speaking eternity into our temporal existence.” Where the many disciples who left Yeshua failed through pride, Peter and the twelve remained through humility. They too found Yeshua’s teaching hard, but rather than allow their own inability to understand guide their decision making they instead chose to trust in Yeshua, His nature, character and His relationship with them. Like the disciples of Yeshua we too must learn that the person of Yeshua, the person of God is our certain secure peace, and not temporal things, events or circumstances. The hard things that come from God are worthwhile because they pierce and illuminate the complacent ease of the darkness. We don’t receive the hard things because they are hard but because they are from God. 69 We have believed, are convinced, trust (pisteuo[G]) and have come to learn, know (ginosko[G]) that You are the most Holy (hagios[G], k’dosh[H]) One of the God (ho Theos[G], ha Elohiym[H]).” 69 We have believed, are convinced, trust and have come to learn, know that You are the most Holy One of the God.” Peter echoes the sentiment held by the twelve. They have come to know Yeshua’s person, His character, and the testimony of His deeds, and they are convinced that He is the promised holy One of God. 70 Yeshua answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a slanderer, accuser (diabolos[G], satan[H])?” 70 Yeshua answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a slanderer, accuser?” Yeshua chose His own betrayer. God is in control of all things. To have security in the storm is to know that God is in the storm. Both the Hebrew satan and Greek diabolos mean slanderer or accuser. Neither word is a noun unless qualified and if qualified by the definite article “The”, each word refers to that individual “the Satan”. In the present case the text is speaking of an accuser, Yehudah the disciple. He is not “the Satan”, he is an accuser (satan). 71 Now He meant Yehudah[H] (Judah, Judas) the son of Shimon Iysh k’riyot (Simon a man of the town), for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him. 71 Now He meant Yehudah the son of Shimon Iysh k’riyot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him. It is sadly ironic that the King born of Yehudah is to be betrayed by Yehudah from the tribe of Yehudah. Yehudah was the son of a man from the village of K’riyot. It is interesting to note that in modern Hebrew K’riyot means “collisions” or “crashes”. So the name of Judas Iscariot meant Praise the son of a man of collisions. Copyright Yaakov Brown 2020 My warning to Gentile Christians who misappropriate Scripture spoken specifically to the Jewish people is this, do not steal from your older brother those things which God has given directly to him (ethnic, religious Israel), rather be satisfied with that which God has given you and enjoy the benefits of being under the promises given to your older brother, remembering that as soon as you attempt to come out from under those promises in order to usurp him (ethnic, religious Israel), you are no longer under the shadow of those promises, and have therefore, made yourselves subject to retribution. HaShem disciplines the ones He loves. Be discerning in your use of Scripture. Introduction:
Having illuminated the character of the Servant-Redeemer in Isaiah 53, the prophet now resumes his message concerning the redemption of the people of Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical). The present chapter picks up where 52:12 left off, beginning with a song of rejoicing at the restoration of Zion in the favour and actionable love of God, Who has maintained His unbroken love for her throughout her wayward journey of discipline. We should remember that these words were spoken to Israel prior to her exile in Babylon and refer to that yet future time when she will be returned to the Land of Israel following her captivity. In turn, these are prophetic words that reach beyond Israel’s ancient history and into the future in order that they might be truly complete in the redemption of Israel through Messiah Yeshua. We are witness to days when weapons are being formed against Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical), in the land and in the diaspora. These weapons are manifest in many forms, arms, media, political rhetoric, ideologies, spiritual theologies and many more. Worse still, some of these weapons are the fruit of so called “Christian” ministries, NGOs and members of governments and church councils (WCC, EAPPI). It is timely therefore, that we warn of the fate awaiting those who form weapons against God’s chosen ethnic people the Jews, Israel. Isa 54:1 “Raniy Overcome, cry out, shout for joy, akarah barren one, who did not yaladah bear, give birth (a breaking forth from the womb); pitzchiy break forth, break out rinah into a ringing cry ve’tzahaliy and a shrill cry, you who have not chalah, travailed in labour! Kiy rabiym For many are beneiy-shomeimah the children of the desolate, devastated, stunned, deflowered a.mibeneiy as opposed to the children ve’ulah of those under the rule of husbands (baaliym) alt. a. will be more than the children of her who is married,” says HaShem (YHVH: Mercy). “Sing praise, O Jerusalem, which was as a barren woman that bears not;'' -Targum Yonatan (2 Century CE) Both the Targum and the commentator Iben Ezra agree that the remnant of Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) are being referred to here. To be barren in ancient Jewish culture was a thing of great shame. The bearing of children and in particular male heirs who would continue the family name, was at the forefront of ancient cultural norms. Thus, the ancient Hebrew reader of Isaiah is significantly impacted by this figure of the barren woman and the resulting restoration of her womb and the fruit that comes forth from her. This is perhaps the ultimate illustration of true prosperity as understood by the ancient Jewish mind. As a result of her sin and in the discipline of her captivity Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) was like a rejected wife. Though, as I made clear in my commentary on Isaiah 50, she had not been utterly divorced (re: Judah has never been given a certificate [Get] of divorcement). Therefore, the returning exiles are pictured here as the restored barren woman who now has children more numerous than the woman (Israel prior to exile living in the land) who had been married (albeit under false husbands, the Ba’aliym). In other words, disobedient Israel had fathered children while worshipping false gods in the land and as a result had been sent into captivity where she became barren, physically, emotionally, spiritually. However, her return to God, her true Ba’al (Husband), will mean that she bears more children, physically, spiritually, and fills the promised land given to her forebears by God’s everlasting covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In the end, due to God’s mercy, she will become greater in number than she was prior to her exile (Isa.49:19-20). This is unheard of. We have seen it time and again throughout Israel’s history of exile and return. We witness it today as the population numbers of Jews grow toward 14,700,000 after being reduced to 9,500,500 following the pogroms and Shoah (holocaust) of the early 20th century CE. “No longer will you be termed ‘Forsaken’, no longer your land termed ‘Desolate’. Instead you will be called, ‘My Delight is in Her’ and your land, ‘Married’. For Adonai delights in you, and your land will be married.” -Isaiah 62:4 (TLV) In his letter to the Galatian believers (Gal. 4:27) Rav Shaul (Paul the Apostle) explains the present text of Isaiah as an allegory for the figurative son bound by the consequences of sin according to the Torah (Ishmael) and the figurative son set free from sin according to the Spirit of God (Isaac). Thus, the Rav shaul retrospectively shows that it is redeemed Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) that is being referred to by the prophet Isaiah as being once barren (in sin) and now fruitful (in right action) through the redemptive work of the Servant-Redeemer of the previous chapter. The figure of the barren woman is used throughout Scripture (Genesis.11:30; 16:1-2; 25:21; 29:31; Judges 13:2; 1 Sam 1:1-5; Luke 1:7) and is ultimately referring to Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Leah, the matriarchs of Israel (Gen.11:30; 16:1-2; 25:21; 29:31; ). Therefore, it’s fitting that it be used here in reference to collective Israel (ethnic, religious) and her restoration. Jewish commentators understand this prophecy to refer to our (Jews) deliverance from our present condition by the Messiah; and of the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the prosperity of it (Tishbi, p. 227; Lexic. Talmud. col. 996, 2229). While this understanding sees a physical restoration (Which is of course part of what has happened and will be made complete in the future), it is not opposed to a spiritual restoration (Which is of course necessary). Those commentators who demand one interpretation over the other offer nothing more than a false choice that seeks to place limits on the redemptive work of God. Like children we must accept the truth that both outcomes are true, cohesive and made manifest in the eternal present according to God’s will. Isa 54:2 “Harchiyviy Enlarge, widen, grow mekom a place oholeich of your tent, viyriyot and let the curtains mishkenotayich of your dwellings (from mishkan) be yatu stretched out, extended; lo-tachshochiy do not hold back; lengthen your cords and chazekiy strengthen your stakes. Once again the enlargement of Israel’s Tent (worship centre), the stretching out of her dwellings, and the securing of her cords by staking them in the land, is both literal and figurative, physical and spiritual. It applies to exiled Israel’s (ethnic, religious) final return to the land of Israel and at the same time to the coming of the eternal Jerusalem out of the heavens. The physical restoration and the spiritual restoration will converge at the second coming of the King Messiah. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when the city shall be rebuilt for the LORD from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. And the measuring line shall go out farther, straight to the hill Gareb, and shall then turn to Goah. The whole valley of the dead bodies and the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be sacred to the LORD. It shall not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.” -Jeremiah 31:38-40 (ESV) The Hebrew “mekom” place, denotes Ha-Makom (The Place), a reference to the Temple Mount. Likewise, the Hebrew “mishkenot” dwellings, denotes Ha-Mishkan (The Dwelling, The Tent of Meeting). Therefore, by way of remez we see an allusion to the connection between the Holy Mountain and the faith of the individual, the family, and collective Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) within their own dwellings. The drash that is born from this is one that encourages the practice of being constantly aware that wherever we are we are in the presence of God. Our tents (families, bodies) are, through the Servant King Messiah, an extension of the Tent (Mishkan) of meeting. Thus, we are to strengthen our diligent actions in the practice of worshipping God in spirit and in truth. The enlargement and extension, the strengthening and securing of our tents as an extension of God’s tent, will result in the Gospel of redemption possessing the nations for their good. “Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an untroubled habitation, an immovable tent, whose stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.” -Isaiah 33:20 (ESV) Isa 54:3 For yamiyn by the right hand usemol and to the left side tifrotziy you will break through, burst over, breach, abroad, ve’zar’eich and your offspring goyim yiyrash will possess, inherit the nations and ve’ariym and the cities (full of terror) neshamot made desolate, yoshiyvu they will inhabit, dwell in. This is not a spreading out that results from captivity and diaspora, rather this is a spreading out of the kingdom of God from Israel (both the land and the people) to the nations of the world. This is a precursor to the Olam Haba (World to Come), and of the continued ministry of Israel through the Messiah. The possession of the nations is for the benefit of the nations, that they might receive God’s redemptive offer through the King (Servant) Messiah Yeshua. “On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.” -Genesis 15:18-21 (ESV) “For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land. In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.” -Psalm 37:9-11 (ESV) “Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.” -Isaiah 60:21 (ESV) “I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah possessors of my mountains; my chosen shall possess it, and my servants shall dwell there.” -Isaiah 65:9 (ESV) The phrase “break through…” is a poetic allusion to the breaking forth of children (Gen.38:29; Hosea.13:13) from the fruitful womb of the restored people of Israel represented by the figure of the once barren woman in verse 1. Thus, the spiritual fruit that gave birth to the physical fruit, will in turn bring spiritual rebirth to Israel (ethnic, religious) and from Israel life will proceed to the nations. Isa 54:4 “Al-tiyriy No Fear, kiy because you will not teivoshiy be put to shame; ve’lo tikalmiy and no humiliation, confusion, reproach, kiy because you will not be disgraced; for voshet the shame of your youth you will forget, and the scorn of your widowhood you will not remember od perpetually, going round, continually. “Al-tiyriy No Fear, kiy because you will not teivoshiy be put to shame…” This will be a physical, emotional, mental reality for the returned and restored captives of Israel. Furthermore, it is a profound spiritual truth. The Shaliach (Sent one) Yochanan (John) writes: “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Yeshua. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.” -1 John 4:17-19 The Hebrew text of Isaiah 54:4 does not say “Fear not” rather it says, “No fear”. This is a statement of fact and not a commandment. There is no fear because, “you will not be put to shame.” This is the counterpoint to those who will be ashamed at the judgement for lack of repentance and because they have no covering for their sin. Therefore, the present verse of Isaiah (while also a physical historical reality) is a word to the elect remnant of repentant Israel (ethnic, religious). It is an illumination of what the Servant King Messiah has birthed among them. They will have no fear because they have been redeemed, forgiven, covered, restored in Him, and will not be put to shame, nor confused or disgraced as a result of sin. “The shame of your youth you will forget…” The past sins of the nation of Israel, both individual and corporate will be forgotten both by God and by Israel because of the saving vicarious sacrificial death and the resurrection of the Servant King Messiah (referred to in the previous chapter). “So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.’” -Isaiah 28:16 (NIV) “The shame of your youth” is probably a reference to Israel’s Egyptian bondage, and “the scorn of your widowhood” to her exile in Babylon. “I warned you when you felt secure, but you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your way from your youth; you have not obeyed me.” -Jeremiah 22:21 (NIV) “Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good.” -Psalm 25:7 (NIV) “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: “This is what the Lord says: “‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.” -Jeremiah 2:2 (NIV) Isa 54:5 Kiy For vo’alayich your Husband (from Ba’al) osayich (from asah fashion from something) is your Maker, HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) Tze’vaot Who goes warring (of hosts) shemo is His name; ve’goaleich and your (Kinsmen) Redeemer Kedush Yisrael the Holy One of Israel, Eloheiy the God chol-ha’aretz of the whole earth (land) yikarei He is called. There is a depth of poetic irony in the counter distinctions of this verse that can be easily lost to those who either don’t know Israel’s history of prostitution to false husbands (Ba’aliym) or are unaware of the Hebrew idioms present. The prophet Hosea, who began his ministry prior to Isaiah, and for a short time, a contemporary of Isaiah, writes: “There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. ‘In that day,’ declares the Lord, “you will call me ‘Iyshiy my man (Husband)’; you will no longer call me ‘Ba’aliy my master (Husband).’ I will remove the names of the ha-ba’aliym (Husbands, masters, false gods) from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked.” -Hosea 2:15-17 “Your Ba’al Husband (Master) is your Maker” HaShem makes clear to Israel that He is her true Husband (Ba’al, Master) as opposed to the false Husbands (Ba’aliym) she has been worshipping. HaShem alone is Israel’s Maker. The Hebrew here is “osayich” (from asah fashion from something). Thus, Israel the ethnic people through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were fashioned from humanity (Bara, created from nothing). God draws Israel’s attention to His character as it relates to her transformation. Ancient Israel, like so many modern Christians, had submitted her faith to the popular worldview of her time rather than allowing her faith to transform her and the world around her. In the present verse HaShem identifies Himself to Israel in the following ways:
Following these Names, the Hebrew text says, “yikarei” He is proclaimed! Because He has placed His name on Israel (ethnic, religious), His reputation is both soiled and honoured in her. Thus, discipline always begins with her. She must be made aware of Who He is and in repentance receive His love for her, so that all humanity might behold the One true God YHVH.
“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder.” -Zephaniah 3:9 (NIV) Isa 54:6 Kiy-cheishah For a woman (wife) azuvah forsaken, desolate va’atzuvat and grieved, in pain, ruach of spirit: HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) has called you, ve’eishet and like a wife ne’uriym of youth when she is timaeis rejected, cast off, amar says Elohayich your God. The imagery here is that of a woman who has been left to fend for herself in a hostile climate. In Israel’s case God had left her in this situation as a result of her sin and by means of discipline. This is why the text refers to the woman being “grieved of spirit”. This grief is that of a realisation of the sinful nature as a result of the grief of the flesh (earthly life). HaShem has identified Israel this way. In other words, He sees her grief and the potential of her repentant heart. Israel is also seen as a woman cast off in youth who did not please her husband, however, as I mentioned in the introduction to this chapter in reference to my commentary on Isaiah 50, Israel had not been utterly divorced (re: Judah has never been given a certificate [Get] of divorcement) [see my commentary on Isaiah 50:1]. “I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.” -Hosea 2:19 God’s betrothal to Israel (ethnic, religious) is an everlasting one that is maintained by His faithfulness and not subject to Israel’s failures. “For as a woman forsaken, and afflicted in spirit, the Shekinah, the Lord, met thee, like a woman of youth which was forsaken, says thy God.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE) It is interesting to note that the 2nd Century Targum sees the “Shekinah” (A Talmudic Hebrew word denoting the feminine manifest presence of God) as being present with Israel in her forsaken state. This fits the spirit of the text which clearly shows that even in her seeming abandonment, God was present, observing and guiding Israel toward redemption and restoration. Isa 54:7 Be’rega katan In a brief (small) moment (wait a moment) azavtich I forsook you, uverachamiym gedoliym but with great compassion (like that of a mother’s womb) akabetzeich I will gather you. “Be’rega katan In a brief (small) moment (wait a moment) azavtich I forsook you…” What seemed to Israel to be a long period of suffering is none the less called “small, brief” by HaShem, Who in the eternal view of redemption considers the 70 year time frame of Israel’s Babylonian exile to be nothing more than a moment. In light of the restoration of Israel and the life awaiting those restored ones in the Olam Haba (World to Come), the exile is truly brief. In truth God was present during Israel’s exile and the word “forsook” is an expression that conveys the perspective of the captive Israelites. “With great compassion (like that of a mother’s womb) I will gather you.” The juxtaposition of the Hebrew is delightful. The katan (small) moment of forsaking is compensated for by gedoliym (greatness, expanses) of compassion. The compensation is not equitable to the suffering of discipline, for HaShem “does not repay us as our sins deserve” (Psalm 103:10). How is this possible in light of His justice? It is possible because He has paid the price that is owed for our sins through His Son our Servant King Messiah. Thus, though we suffer the consequences of our sin for a short (katan) time, we who in repentance have received Him will none the less be gathered in great (gedoliym) compassion. In Yeshua, this great compassion is continually offered to all who would believe, first and always for the Jew and also always for the nations. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” -Matthew 23:37 (TLV) Isa 54:8 Beshetzef In a flood ketzef of anger histartiy panay I concealed My face rega for a moment (wait a moment) mimeich from you, u’ve’chesed but in loving kindness, faithfulness, olam everlasting richamtiych I will have compassion, mercy on you,” says goaleich your (Kinsmen) Redeemer HaShem (YHVH: Mercy). “For a little moment I removed the presence of my Shekinah, yea, for a short time from thee, but with everlasting kindness, which shall not cease, will I have mercy on thee, says the Lord thy Redeemer.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE) The Targum alludes to the removal not of God’s presence but rather of His manifest presence (Shekinah). Thus, all things exist in God and He manifests Himself within time and space in order that we might come to realise what this truly means. We note that the Hebrew speaks of a flood of anger. This is because there is a poetic comparison being made with the flood of Noah mentioned in the following verse. “I concealed My face for a moment (wait a moment) from you” God’s face is ever present but our ability to perceive His countenance is limited by our sin. Thus, we are reliant on His loving kindness everlasting compassion and mercy in order to behold Him in His glory. And this is made possible only because He acts as our Redeemer, giving of Himself in the manifest form of His Son the King Messiah. There is a sense in which God is speaking to us in our captivity and saying, “Wait a moment, I’m coming” while at the same time being present, even closer than breathing (Deut.30:14). Once again the use of Hebrew conveys the immenseness of God’s Mercy and compassion when compared to our temporary (seeming) isolation as a result of our sin. He is angry for rega (a moment), but as a result of His loving action (chesed) He affords us olam (everlasting) compassion, faithfulness, wellbeing. All because He is our Redeemer (As Messiah, our kinsman) Mercy (YHVH) Himself. In anger God allowed Israel’s temporary disciplining. However, because His love and mercy precede His judgement, and because He has placed His Name on the people of Israel, His compassion will bring about the promised Messianic reign. The repentant remnant of Israel once given into the hands of the nations, will one day rule over all the nations under the greater son of David, the King Messiah Yeshua. “Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.” -Daniel 7:27 (NIV) “The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Foreigners will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob.” -Isaiah 14:1 (NIV) Isa 54:9 “Kiy For meiy the waters Noach (rest) of Noah zot so is this liy to Me: asher which nishbatiy as I have sworn me’avor no more going over the meiy-Noach waters of Noah od perpetually, continually al -haaretz on the earth (land), Ken yes, of course true, so nishbatiy I have sworn miketzof that I will not be angry allayich with (on) you, umigeor-bach and rebuke you. The waters of Noah (the flood) are here compared to the flood of God’s anger against rebellious Israel in the previous verse. Put simply, “In the same way that I have promised to never flood the earth again, I also affirm that upon your repentant return I will never withdraw from you in anger again.” This is an allusion to the final redeemed state of the remnant of Israel who accept the Servant King Messiah and come under the atonement of His vicarious sacrifice. We note that in reference to the removal of anger the Hebrew says “od” perpetual, going round forever. The Targum Yonatan further illuminates the means for the removal of God’s anger from Israel (ethnic, religious) by using the figure for Messiah from John 1, “Word” D’var (The Word), Messiah Himself. “This shall be before me as the days of Noah, when I swore by my Word, that the waters of the deluge, which were in the days of Noah, shall no more pass over the earth; thus I swear by my Word, that my anger shall not be hurled upon thee, neither will I reprove thee.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE) The Babylonian Talmud interprets Isaiah 54:9 as referring to the times of the Messiah (Talmud. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 99. 1.). Therefore, it is clear that this verse refers to that time following the fullness of the nation’s when all the remnant of Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) will be saved (Romans 11:25). Isa 54:10 For hehariym the mountains yamushu may depart (be removed) u’hagevaot and the hills temutenah be shaken (overturned), ve’chasdiy and my loving kindness, steadfast love, faithfulness will mei’iteich lo-yamush not depart from you, u’veriyt and the covenant (cutting) shelomiy of My peace (wholeness, wellbeing, security) will lo tamut not be shaken, overturned, removed,” says merachameich the One Who outworks mercy, has compassion on you, HaShem (YHVH: Mercy). The opening phrase is an allusion to the removal of the sin affected created order and the restoration of all things. “The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.” -Revelation 6:14 (ESV) HaShem assures Israel’s remnant that even at the passing away of the known world His love and faithfulness will remain as it always has. Included in this eternal promise is the covenant that brings Israel everlasting peace, wholeness, wellbeing. This is the covenant made in the blood of the Servant King Messiah (as explained in the previous chapter) bears the fruit of eternal peace. “Covenant of My Peace” finds its origin in the text of the Torah and is given to Phinehas, who is a type for the Messiah. “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace, and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’” -Numbers 25:11-13 (ESV) Isa 54:11 “Aniyah afflicted one, so’arah storm-tossed and lo nachamah not comforted, hineih behold, now, pay attention, anochiy I marbiytz will lay bapuch antimony (A lustrous sparkling grey metalloid) avanayich as your stones vi’sadtiych and your foundations basapiyriym in sapphires. Iben Ezra suggests that the “afflicted storm tossed one” refers to Jerusalem. This is consistent with the remainder of the verse which clearly talks about a future manifestation of Jerusalem reconstructed with precious stones. This future Jerusalem is described in the Revelation of Yeshua to Yochanan (John): “The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,” -Revelation 21:19 (ESV) The Hebrew “Hineih” calls the reader to attention. In response to the afflicted one who is devoid of comfort, Hashem speaks of walls (security) made of precious immovable stones. This is both literal and figurative. The Jerusalem promised to redeemed Israel will offer eternal protection in the presence of God Himself made manifest on the new earth at the end of the age. Isa 54:12 Ve’samtiy And I will make (appoint) kadchod agates (a translucent variety of microcrystalline quartz) shimshotayich your windows, pinnacles (sun reflecting objects), u’shearayich and your gates leavneiy ekdach of fiery glowing stones, ve’col-gevuleich and all your borders, territory leavneiy of stones cheifetz that are precious, delightful, longed for, desirable. The ramparts of the future Jerusalem will reflect the light of God and shine as a beacon to the nations. The gates of the future Jerusalem will be fiery, symbolising the judgement through which all will enter. That fire symbolising that which warms the redeemed and destroys the wicked. The New Jerusalem of Revelation is described as follows: “18 The material of the wall was jasper (red); and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper (purple: Gad); the second, sapphire (blue: Simeon); the third, Carnelian (translucent multi-coloured: Reuben); the fourth, emerald (deep green: Zebulun); 20 the fifth, sardonyx (red laced black: Issachar); the sixth, sardius (red: Judah); the seventh, chrysolite (yellow: Dan); the eighth, beryl (light green multi-coloured: Asher); the ninth, topaz (greyish blue: Naphtali); the tenth, chrysoprase (greenish yellow: Ephraim); the eleventh, jacinth (deep blue: Manasseh); the twelfth, amethyst (violet: Benjamin). 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 I saw no Sanctuary in it, for HaShem (Merciful) God (Judge) the Almighty (Shaddai) and the Lamb are its Temple.” -Revelation 21:18-22 Each of the jewels listed here represent the jewels embedded on the High Priests breastplate. They each represent a tribe of Israel but are listed in an unusual way. The traditional birth order of the tribes of Israel is: Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim and Manasseh. The order of the tribes as they appear on the priestly breastplate is: Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Reuben, Simeon, Gad, Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin, Dan, Asher, Naphtali. We’re told that the foundation stones have the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb on them. In other words the foundations of the apostolic ministry, the tribes of Israel, have the apostles’ names written on them in the same way that the messengers of the twelve gates have the names of the twelve tribes written on them. The purpose of these patterns is to illuminate the meaning of God’s dwelling with humanity based on the premise that He gave a pattern of foreshadowing in the encampment of Israel during her desert wandering. Shaliyachim (Apostles) Shevetiym (Tribes) 1.) Simon Peter (Shimon Kefa) HE HAS HEARD/ ROCK Reuben BEHOLD A SON 2.) Andrew MANLY Simeon HEARS AND OBEYS 3.) James (Yaakov Ben-Zavdai) FOLLOWER Judah PRAISE 4.) John (Yochanan) G-D IS GRACIOUS Issachar REWARD 5.) Philip FRIEND Zebulun DWELL, HONOUR, GIFT 6.) Bartholomew (Bar-Talmai) COVENANT SON OF FURROW Benjamin SON OF MY RIGHT HAND 7.) Thomas (T’oma) TWIN Dan JUDGE 8.) Matthew (Levi) JOINED Naphtali WRESTLE 9.) James (Yaakov Bar-Halfai) FOLLOWER Gad PROVIDENCE 10.) Thaddaeus (Taddai) COURAGEOUS HEART Asher HAPPY 11.) Simon the Zealot (Shimon) HE HAS HEARD Ephraim FRUITFULL 12.) Paul INQUIRED OF G-D Manasseh FORGET (Shaul [Paul] replaces Judas Iscariot by heavenly edict) So why are the jewels representing the tribes listed contrary to the birth order? The answer is in the connection between the priesthood (breastplate), the encampment (tribes/jewels) and the Mishkan, dwelling of God with His people (Rev. 21:3). The order of the jewels corresponds to the order of the tribes as per their encampment around the Mishkan (Tent of meeting) in the desert, beginning with Gad at the south west corner of the camp, followed by the remaining tribes in an anti-clockwise direction, circling the tent of meeting and ending with Benjamin alongside Gad on the opposite side of the south west corner. All of this is a beautiful and elaborate way of connecting God’s temporal dwelling with Israel in the desert to His eternal dwelling (New Jerusalem, new heavens and new earth) with humanity in the Olam Haba (world to come). The names of the apostles combine with the tribes of Israel to unite the people of G-d in an eternal priesthood born of the redemptive work of G-d through His Son, our Messiah Yeshua. The Rabbis agree with Yochanan’s vision of a New Jerusalem with gates made from pearls: “The Holy One, Blessed is He, will in the Olam Haba (World to come), bring precious stones and pearls which are 30 cubits by 30 cubits and will cut out from them openings which are 10 cubits by 20 cubits, and will set them up in the gates of Jerusalem.” –Baba Bathra 75a The transparent gold/glass streets emphasise the flawless state of the city. The reason for there being no Sanctuary (holy place) in the city is that the city itself is the Holy of Holies (cube, foreshadowed by the Holy of Holies of Solomon’s temple). G-d Himself and the Lamb are its temple, and the redeemed are the bricks of the temple: “Don’t you realize that all of you together are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you (both corporately and individually)?” –1 Corinthians 3:16 The trifold title of G-d, “HaShem (Merciful) G-d (Judge) the Almighty (Shaddai)” emphasizes His primary attributes: He is merciful, just and all powerful. Isa 54:13 Vechol-banayich And all your children limudeiy will be taught by HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), ve’rav and great will be shalom the peace, wholeness, wellbeing of banayich your children. “And no longer shall each one teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” -Jeremiah 31:34 (ESV) This speaks of a time when God will make Himself the personal teacher of everyone who receives Him. This is made possible through the Servant King Messiah. Redeemed Israel will be taught by God through His Messiah and through the Spirit. The result will be everlasting peace, wholeness and well-being. A midrash applies this verse to the times of the Messiah, when all Israel will learn the Torah directly from the Lord (Midrash Tillim, apud Yalkut in Psal. xxi. 1). Yeshua says: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.” -John 6:43-45 (NIV) Isa 54:14 Bitz’dakah In righteousness (right action) tikonaniy you shall be established, made firm; rachakiy you shall be far meioshek from oppression, because you will lo tiyraiy not fear; u’mimechitah and from terror, destruction, ruin, for it will lo tikrav eilayich not come near you. Without the righteousness of God Israel could never remain firmly established; not in the land, not in faith, not in posterity. The righteousness spoken of here is not the righteousness of Israel’s faithful but the righteousness of God, purchased for Israel by the faithful Servant King Messiah Who is born of her in the flesh and of God in the Spirit. Thus, the righteousness that is the fruit of Messiah’s vicarious sacrifice is the righteousness that will perpetually establish redeemed and restored Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical). “The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.” -Zephaniah 3:15 (NIV) “Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.” -Isaiah 26:2 (NIV) “And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning…” -2 Samuel 7:10 (NIV) “But I will encamp at my temple to guard it against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch.” -Zechariah 9:8 (NIV) The better translation of “Kiy lo tiyraiy” is, “Because No Fear!” In short, due to the righteousness of Israel in Messiah which firmly establishes God’s eternal kingdom on earth, oppression wont touch you, because, No Fear! “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Yeshua. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.” -1 John 4:17-19 Isa 54:15 Hein Now, pay attention, gor if a stranger yagur stirs up strife, efes naught (zero), nothing of it meiotiy is from Me; miy-gar whoever stirs up strife itach with you alayich yipol will fall because of you. The shorter form “Hein” carries a similar sense to “Hineih”. Pay attention! This is the second of three “Pay attention” proclamations in this chapter, all of which occur in the latter quarter of the passage. It’s as if God were firmly establishing peace for His people by forewarning her that there is a time coming when it would appear that they are doomed despite God’s promises: however, this would be a last flailing attempt by the enemies of God and of Israel, nothing more than smoke and mirrors. Those who gather against Israel will be destroyed in her midst. “Behold, the captivity of thy people shall surely be gathered unto thee: in the end, the kings of the nations, who are gathered together to oppress thee, Jerusalem, shall be cast down in the midst of thee.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE) The Targum which reads “Shall be cast down in the midst of you” may well be referring, albeit unwittingly, to Revelation 11:13, where 7000 perish in the midst of an earthquake in Jerusalem, following which Israel gives glory to God. This is probably the catalyst for the time of Israel’s restoration through Messiah to God as an entire remnant nation (Romans 11:25). Iben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, interpret those who stir up strife for Israel in the latter days as being the prophetically significant figurative enemy nations of Gog and Magog. The Revelation of Yeshua to Yochanan (John) describes those who will stir up trouble against Israel in the last days: “And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Ha-Meggido.” -Revelation 16:12-16 This is a transitional warning to the restored remnant. Redeemed Israel is not to allow any perceived temporary threat to cause her fear. Nor is she to doubt the promise of Hashem in regard to her security in His righteousness. Those that appear to have the power to stir up trouble for Israel will be defeated because of her association with Hashem, made manifest in righteousness through the King Messiah. The same God Who has returned and restored Israel will also fully fill all the promises He has made to her. This remains a dire warning today to all those nations who plot against the modern Jewish State and the Jewish people throughout the world. Know this, if you stir up trouble against Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) you will fall because of God’s devotion to her. Isa 54:16 Hineih Behold, now, pay attention, anochiy I baratiy I have created (from nothing) charash the smith nofeiach who blows be’eish on the fire pecham coals u’motziy and brings out, produces cheliy a weapon, instrument, vessel lemaaseihu for his purpose, work. Ve’anochiy And I baratiy I have created (from nothing) mashchiyt the corrupt, decaying, destroyer le’chabeil to bind; This is now the third and final “Hineih” of the chapter, “Now Pay Attention!” Before God makes it clear that any and all weapons formed against Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) will be defeated, He reminds Israel that He is the Creator of all things and that her enemies cannot form anything except that which God has allowed them to use. He does this in part to show that the enemies of Israel are formed of the created things but the God Who protects her is all existing, uncreated, everlasting, and relies on nothing and no one in order to act in her defence. This certain and immutable security is given to Israel as a promissory note prior to the events of the latter days. “The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it over the coals, fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. Yet when he is hungry, his strength fails. When he drinks no water, he gets tired.” -Isaiah 44:12 (TLV) “Behold, the Lord GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.” -Isaiah 50:9 (ESV) Isa 54:17 Col-keliy All weapons, instruments, vessels yutzar formed alayich against you lo will not yitzlach prosper, succeed, advance vechol-lashon and all tongues, languages takum-itach that rise against you lamishpat in judgement tarshiyiy you shall refute, condemn. Zot This nachalat is the heritage avdeiy of the servants of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), ve’tzidkatam and their righteousness, justice, vindication mei’itiy is from Me, neum-YHVH declares, reveals, proclaims HaShem (YHVH: Mercy).” “No weapon that is formed against thee, Jerusalem, shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from me, says the Lord.” -Targum Yonatan (2nd Century CE) This promise to Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) is made to her prior to her exiled state and made perfect in her through her restoration. It applies not only to physical weapons but also to all forms of weaponry, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, political etc. It is important to note that the text reads as a promise to Israel. “No weapon formed against you…” Therefore, the common Christian practice of reframing this promise to apply to the individual believer by paraphrasing the text as, “No weapon formed against me will prosper…” is at best presumptuous and at worst a violation. This promise is made specifically to the ethnic, religious people of Israel and applies to followers of Messiah Yeshua only in so far as they walk in unity with Messiah and in defence of the cause of God’s chosen nation Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical), the Jewish people. When I consider the irony of modern Christian practice with regard to this verse I am at once both incredulous and on behalf of those Christians who misuse this verse, terrified. For example, the Christian that uses this verse to reassure themselves while holding a political position of resistance against the modern Jewish State of Israel (approx. 6.7 million Jews), is in fact cursing themselves. How? By quoting this promise they invoke the contextual, historical and prophetic power of this promise as it applies to the ethnic people of Israel whom they are siding against. Thus, by speaking this promise they bring judgement against themselves as those who form weapons against the Jewish people. It is unwise to make a general paraphrase of a Biblical text in order to personalise it, when the plain historical, contextual meaning does not allow for it. This is a habit that results in tragic misinterpretation of Scripture and is informed by selfish pride rather than selfless submission. We are prone to forcing our faith to submit to our worldview, when in fact we should be humbling ourselves before God and asking Him to transform our world view according to our faith in Him through His King Messiah. We do not critique Scripture, to the contrary, the Scripture critiques us. My warning to Gentile Christians who misappropriate Scripture spoken specifically to the Jewish people is this, do not steal from your older brother those things which God has given directly to him (ethnic, religious Israel), rather be satisfied with that which God has given you and enjoy the benefits of being under the promises given to your older brother, remembering that as soon as you attempt to come out from under those promises in order to usurp him (ethnic, religious Israel), you are no longer under the shadow of those promises, and have therefore, made yourselves subject to retribution. HaShem disciplines the ones He loves. Be discerning in your use of Scripture. “It will be like a hungry man dreaming and behold, he is eating, but awakes with his hunger unsatisfied, or like a thirsty man dreaming and behold, he is drinking, but awakes faint, his soul thirsting. So it will be with the multitude of all the nations warring against Mount Zion.” -Isaiah 29:8 (TLV) “Behold, all who were angry at you will be ashamed and disgraced. Those who quarrel with you will be as nothing and perish.” -Isaiah 41:11(TLV) Copyright 2019 Yaakov Brown "At that time they shall declare to the Messiah the troubles of Israel in captivity, and the wicked which are among them, that do not mind to know the Lord; he shall lift up his voice, and weep over the wicked among them; as it is said, ‘he was wounded for our transgressions’.'' - Zohar in Exod. fol. 85. 2. Introduction:
This chapter continues the prophet’s illumination of the Servant of God Whom he introduces afresh in Isaiah 52:13. Thus, as explained in my previous commentary on that chapter, the entirety of this portion from 52:13-53:12 is one cohesive prophetic message within the meta-narrative of the scroll of Isaiah. I also explained in the previous commentary on chapter 52, that the modern Jewish and Liberal Christian theological assertion that the Servant is representative of Israel the people is untenable when weighed against the plain meaning of the text and the relevant historical and Biblical evidence to the contrary. While I acknowledge that The Servant is intrinsically connected to Israel and a representative of the people of Israel (a Jew, born of her), He cannot be both Israel (the ethnic/religious people) and the one Who is “struck, stricken” for the sake of Israel’s transgressions, at the same time (53:8). For this and many other reasons which will become clear as we follow the plain meaning of the text of Isaiah 53 to its logical goal, it is impossible to conclude, as the majority of our modern Rabbis have, that this portion of Isaiah applies to the people of Israel. The Suffering Servant Prophesied and Fulfilled
This portion of Isaiah’s scroll (52:13-53:12) has 5 distinct sections that act together fluidly in order to provide a clear and concise prophetic picture of the Servant of HaShem.
The text speaks of an individual Who offers Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice for the atoning of Israel’s sins and subsequently, for the atoning of the sins of all who will accept God’s redemptive gift. Isa 53:1 Miy Who he’emiyn has believed (found faith in) lishmoateinu the message which we have heard? And to whom has the arm of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) been revealed? The prophet himself cannot be the sole speaker of these words (his prophesying of them not withstanding), which are spoken by a group, thus, “our message”. The reference to this passage in Rav Shaul’s (Paul’s) letter to the Roman believers appears to apply the “our” of Isaiah 53:1 to the remnant among Israel who had believed. Thus, in one sense Rav Shaul is implying that Israel’s faithful were saying, “Lord, who has believed our message?” While this might include the prophets (Isaiah not withstanding), it doesn’t appear to refer to them alone. “But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’” -Romans 10:16 The better translation of the phrase “Who has believed our message?” is in fact, “Who has believed the message we have heard?” Therefore, message itself is the cumulative testimony of the forebears and prophets of Israel which had been imparted to Israel from her inception, prophetically speaking of the coming of the Deliverer appointed to redeem and completely save Israel from her sins. Thus, the first verse of Isaiah 53 is spoken by those among Israel’s remnant at the time of the Babylonian captivity and from that point (in a prophetic sense) throughout Israel’s future existence until the return of the Messiah (Servant). Iben Ezra attributes this verse to the nations, however, due to the fact that according to Isaiah 52:15 the nations receive with faith the good news of things which they had not heard before; the present verse cannot apply to them. On the other hand Israel is mourning the fact that she had failed to put her faith in the good news which she had been hearing through her prophets from time immemorial. Thus, having concluded that it is Israel who is speaking, it makes sense that she speaks from a position of incredulity with regard to her failure to believe. The remnant of Israel (ethnic/religious) speaks to both herself and the nations saying, “And to whom has the arm of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) been revealed?” We know from Isaiah 52:10 that the Arm of HaShem has been made bare “in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” Therefore, in one sense Israel’s confession of her own disbelief makes it possible for her to become the light to the nations she was always meant to be through the redeeming work of the Servant Messiah Who has been sent to take upon Himself all her transgressions, and indeed, the transgressions of all who would receive Him. So it is that from the beginning of Isaiah 53 there is a clear distinction being made between Israel (ethnic/religious/corporate) and the Servant Redeemer of Israel (a unique individual, albeit a Jew [Israelite]). This, as we have seen in my commentary on Isaiah 52, and as we will yet see in the present commentary, is the view most common to our ancient Rabbis and commentators. “The arm of the Lord” is a figure for the strength and wisdom of HaShem made manifest in His redemptive acts throughout history. This strength is of course yet another figure for the work of the Servant King Messiah. Therefore, it’s spoken of here to the people of Israel 700 years before the birth of the Servant, as an allusion to the redemptive work of the Servant as described in the subsequent verses. Isa 53:2 Vaya’al For he grew up kayoneik like a sapling (a young plant) lefanayv before his face, vechashoresh and as a root mei-eretz tziyah from dry ground; he had no toar form ve’lo and no hadar splendour, honour, majesty that we should look at him, and no mareh spectacular appearance venechmedeihu that we should desire, take pleasure in, delight in him. The humble beginnings of the Servant are described here. He is said to have no royal splendour about His visage. This is important because almost all of Israel was looking only for a triumphant King Messiah in the line of David (Israel was not wrong in this, just lacking a full understanding of the greater work of the coming Messiah). Therefore, she did not expect a humble seemingly unroyal Messiah. The Hebrew “yoneik” refers to a plant that has just burst through the soil. A vulnerable young suckling. The Hebrew “sheresh” (from sharash) refers to a root and thus connects the present verse to Isaiah 11:1 where the prophet says: “And then will come out a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a green branch misharashayhu from his root will bear fruit.” Note that the same root “sharash” is used here to describe the “root” that comes from Jesse. This is an allusion to the fact that the Messiah will be born of the line of David, and thus, will be the King Messiah Who reigns on the throne of David. Therefore, Isaiah 53:2 connects the Kingly nature of the Messiah in juxtaposition against the humble lack of royal visage of the Servant. In a beautiful irony of practice the Servant, although He is royalty, choses to come without pomp or ceremony, royal clothing or position. In fact, such will be the lowliness of his station that His people will not recognise Him as being special or honourable: nor will they desire Him to rule over them. “And it has come to pass in that day that the shoresh root of Jesse will stand to be a sign, banner, miracle for the peoples. The nations will seek for Him, and His resting place will be glory.” -Isaiah 11:10 There can be little doubt that the King Messiah (Who is to reign on David’s throne re: Jesse) of the early part of Isaiah’s scroll is also the Servant of the latter part of Isaiah’s scroll. “mei-eretz tziyah” (from earth that is dry), can be understood in multiple ways. The condition of Israel in the first century CE at the time when Messiah Yeshua was born into this world, was truly dry in both a physical and spiritual sense. God had not spoken through a prophet to Israel for approximately 400 years prior to the birth of Yochanan (John). In addition to this Israel had been under Roman occupation for some time and prior to that had suffered under the oppression of Antiochus Epiphanes (Syrophoenician) among others. Under Roman occupation the illegitimate king Herod had usurped the throne of Judah, which when added to the rarity of the “Bat Kol” (Audible voice of the Holy Spirit: lit. daughters voice), the lack of true prophetic voices and the political subjugation of the Jewish people, made for a truly dry land from which the Servant would come forth. “Eretz Tziyah” (Dry/Parched ground) is also literally the meaning of the proper noun Tziyon (Parched land). Thus, quite literally, the Servant will be born of Zion, of a daughter of Zion, of the tribe of Judah, in the line of David. Furthermore, the Servant comes to offer living waters (John 4:14) that will saturate refresh and rejuvenate the dry land. Isa 53:3 Nivzeh He was despised (held in contempt) vachadal and rejected by iyshiym men (human beings), iysh a man machovot of sorrows (afflictions) vidua and a deep knowing (acquainted) concerning sickness, weakness, affliction, grief; uchemasteir and as one from whom people hide their paniym faces nivzeh He was despised (held in contempt), ve’lo and we did not chashavnuhu esteem him. It’s clear that the afflictions suffered by the Servant are both physical and spiritual. There are of course no words to truly describe the weight of the affliction suffered for the sins of humanity. The opening word “Nivzeh” (despised, held in contempt), links the Servant to the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 49:7: “Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises (holds in contempt), to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Adonai that is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” Early rabbinic literature recognizes that part of the Messiah’s ministry includes suffering: “The Messiah—what is his name? …The Rabbis say, ‘the Leprous one’: Those of the house of Rabbi say, ‘the sick one’, as it is said, ‘surely he has borne our sickness.’” -Sanhedrin 98b, Babylonian Talmud Some of our ancient Rabbis struggled to understand the divergent elements of Isaiah 52:13-53:12. As a result the two Messiah theory developed. Mashiach Ben Yosef, the suffering Messiah (Isaiah 50:5-7 & 53). Mashiach Ben David, the triumphant King Messiah who subdues the nations and establishes his Messianic kingdom (Psalm 2 & 110). Messiah Ben Yosef is said to die in the battle against Edom (figuratively Rome): he is followed by Messiah Ben David, who establishes His kingdom of righteousness after defeating the gentile nations. The irony of this interpretation is that the two Messiah figures accurately divide the ministry of the living Messiah Yeshua, Who came first as the suffering Servant (Ben Yosef) and will come again as the victorious King (Ben David). The Brit Ha-Chadashah (NT) solves the question of divergent themes by revealing the advent of the King Messiah and subsequently describing His second coming (Mt. 23:29; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:14-17 etc.) “He was despised (held in contempt) and rejected by men (human beings),” Note the past tense. HaShem speaks into time and space through His prophet Isaiah, that which has already been made complete outside of time and space. The Hebrew plural “iyshim” (men) is the poetic form of “anashiym”. “Iyshiym” refers specifically to men of stature (Prov.8:4; Psalm 141:4). Thus, the Servant is shunned by leading men: kings, political leaders, spiritual leaders etc. Yeshua’s contemporaries struggled to come to terms with his humble birth and the town of His upbringing, which is not even mentioned in rabbinic literature. “‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked.” -John 1:46a (NIV) “Still others asked, ‘How can the Messiah come from Galilee’”? -John 1:41b (NIV) “A man of afflictions and of a deep knowing (acquainted) concerning sickness, weakness, affliction, grief…” Although it is true that the Messiah was familiar with grief (it is likely that His earthly father Joseph died prior to the beginning of Messiah’s ministry, and He is seen grieving deeply at the tomb of Lazarus), the meaning of the text appears to convey that the Servant was familiar with the cause of disease and sickness and was knowledgeable in a transcendent way concerning the healing of such disease and afflictions. Additionally, the Messiah Himself suffered great affliction both physical and spiritual prior to and during His crucifixion. “And as one from whom people hide their faces” As a result of His affliction the people of Israel turned away from Him, the disfigurement resulting from His beating, whipping and crucifixion making Him a hideous sight to behold. He was despised (held in contempt), and we did not esteem him.” The Hebrew “nivzeh” (despised) is repeated here as affirmation of the fullness of His people’s rejection of Him. In particular He was despised by many of Israel’s first century religious leaders. To this day as a result of the modern rabbinic polemic against Yeshua, His name is rendered in modern Hebrew as Yeshu which is an acronym for the curse “Ye’mach Sh’mo” meaning, “May His name be blotted out!” This disgusting curse is further evidence of the ongoing rejection of the Servant King Messiah by our people. “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him; but the world did not know Him. He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him. But whoever did receive Him, those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God.” -John 1:10-12 (TLV) Isa 53:4 Achein Certainly cholayeinu our sicknesses, weaknesses, diseases he has nasa borne, carried, lifted up (a sign) umachoveiynu and our sorrows, pain sevalam he has dragged along, bared as a load; yet we esteemed him nagua struck (diseased) mukeih beaten, killed, slain by Elohiym (God: Judge), umeuneh and afflicted, oppressed, humbled. “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.” -John 19:34 (TLV) “Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him, even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth shall mourn because of Him. Yes, amen!” -Revelation 1:7 (TLV) “Certainly our sicknesses, weaknesses, diseases he has nasa borne, carried, lifted up (a sign)” The sickness described here is the result of sin’s entry into the world (and death with it). Or else, why does the Hebrew employ the word “nasa”, which is used in connection with the Torah sacrifices of expiation (Lev.5:1, 17; 10:17; 16:22; 17:16; 20:19-20; 24:15). “Who His own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.” -1 Peter 2:24 (ASV) “Nasa” is also a sign (nisi) that points to a mighty work of Hashem. Yeshua quite literally bore (healed) our (The people of Israel) sicknesses and diseases during His earthly ministry: “And when Yeshua was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying sick of a fever. And He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she arose, and ministered unto him. And when even was come, they brought unto Him many possessed with demons: and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, ‘He took our infirmities, and bare our diseases.’” -Matthew 8:14-17 “Our sorrows, pain he has dragged along, bared as a load” I’m surprised that few if any comment on the descriptive Hebrew language here in regard to the last hours of the Messiah’s life. After all, He quite literally dragged the cross (means of His death) along until He was relieved by Shimon of Cyrene. “Yet we esteemed him nagua struck mukeih beaten, killed, slain by Elohiym (God: Judge), umeuneh and afflicted, oppressed, humbled.” The Hebrew “nagua” is associated to terrible diseases such as leprosy (Gen. 12:17; Lev. 13:5; 1 Sam. 6:9; 2 Kings 15:5), and “mukeih” to divine retribution for heinous sin (Though the servant is not suffering for His own sin re: next verse). The Talmud says of the Messiah that he is "a leper of the house of Rabbi is his name'' - T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 98. 2. Sadly, the Talmud calls Yeshua a “transgressor”, ironic, given that Yeshua died for the transgressions of those who penned and codified the Talmud. Maimonides states that Yeshua deserved the violent death which He suffered. Once again ironic, given that it is in fact Maimonides who deserved the rightful punishment for his sins, and yet Yeshua was willing to die also for Maimonides. So much for the human wisdom of our rabbis. I have visited the tomb of Maimonides, it is dead and lifeless. The tomb of Yeshua however is empty, He is alive and living by His Spirit within me. He is transcendent and seated at the right hand of the Father. Isa 53:5 Vehu And he mecholal was pierced (defiled, polluted) mipeshaeinu for our transgressions (rebellions); meduka he was crushed (broken, became contrite) meiavonoteiynu for our iniquities (perversity, depravity, guilt); Musar The chastisement (discipline) shelomeinu of our peace, wholeness, wellbeing alayv was placed upon him, uvachavurato and by his wounds (stripes, bruises, blows) nirpa-lanu we are healed, made healthy (whole). As I have previously shown, the Servant cannot be Israel the people. Why? Because the entire history and character of the people of Israel as a whole is contrary to the description of God’s faithful Servant, Who takes upon Himself the sins of His people (inferring that He is not guilty of their sins) and redeems all willing human beings. Israel the collective people on the other hand are repeatedly denounced by the prophet Isaiah as being deaf and blind to the will of God (42:19-20; 43:24). The prophet’s words state that the people do not even deserve the name Israel (Overcome in God), and that their allegiance to YHVH is insincere (48:1). Further, Isaiah speaking from God pronounces his nation “an obstinate people with a neck like iron sinew and their forehead like brass” (48:4). Thus, Israel the people, like all people, are sinners in need of salvation. Fortunately for Israel, the Servant King Messiah was pierced for our transgressions. We are reminded again that our ancient Rabbis understood these words to be referring to the King Messiah: “Chastisements are divided into three parts, one to David and the fathers, one to our generation, and one to the King Messiah; as it is written, ‘he was wounded for our transgressions; and bruised for our iniquities’:'' - Mechilta apud Yalkut, par. 2. fol 90. “Messiah Son of David who loves Jerusalem… Elijah takes Him by the head…and says, ‘You must bear the sufferings and wounds by which the Almighty chastises you for Israel’s sins’ and so it is written, ‘He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities.’” -Midrash Konen; 11 Century CE “The children of the world are members one of another. When the Holy One desires to give healing to the world, He smites one just man amongst them, and for his sake heals all the rest. From where do we learn this? From the saying, ‘he was wounded for our transgressions; and bruised for our iniquities’”. -Zohar, Numbers, Phinchus 218a Furthermore, our Rabbis also testify to the wickedness of Israel and her need for the Messiah: "At that time they shall declare to the Messiah the troubles of Israel in captivity, and the wicked which are among them, that do not mind to know the Lord; he shall lift up his voice, and weep over the wicked among them; as it is said, ‘he was wounded for our transgressions’, &c.'' - Zohar in Exod. fol. 85. 2. See also Midrash Ruth, fol. 33. 2. and Zohar in Deut. fol. 117. 3. and R. Moses Hadarsan apud Galatia de Arcan. Cath. Ver. I. 8. c. 15 p. 586. and in I. 6. c. 2. p. 436. “And he was pierced (defiled, polluted) for our transgressions (rebellions);” The Hebrew “mecholal” meaning pierced, could only have been written by a divinely inspired prophet of God. These words, spoken and recorded some 700 years before the birth (into this world) of Messiah Yeshua, describe exactly what happened to Him, both physically and spiritually. “Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgota). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Yeshua in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Yeshua of nazareth, the king of the jews.” -John 19:17-19 Crucifixion involved the nailing of hands and feet to a cross beam position equal to or slightly below the top of a firmly established upright post. Thus, Yeshua had is hands and feet pierced quite literally. The Psalmist, writing over 500 years before the birth (into this world) of Yeshua the Servant of God, wrote: “Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. 12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13 Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. 15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. 17 All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” -Psalm 22:11-18 (NIV) “But when they came to Yeshua and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Yeshua in the side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.” -John 19:33-35 “He was crushed (broken, became contrite) for our iniquities (perversity, depravity, guilt); The chastisement (discipline) of our peace, wholeness, wellbeing was placed upon him, and by his wounds (stripes, bruises, blows) we are healed, made healthy (whole).” The entire sacrificial system of the Torah is symbolic of substitution. “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” -Leviticus 17:11 (NIV) One of the primary stories of the Torah “Ha-Akeidah” The Binding of Isaac, binds Israel to the faith of Abraham and frees her from bondage to sin through the substitution of the Ram, who is a figure for the promised Messiah, and highlights the fact that the Messiah will be a substitutionary sacrifice for Israel (Jacob). While Jacob was still in the loins of Isaac, the Ram took his place on the altar (of Moriah) [Genesis 22]. “He was crushed (broken, became contrite) for our iniquities (perversity, depravity, guilt);” We note that the Servant takes a punishment upon Himself that was meant for us (Israel, ethnic, religious). Not only was He crushed on our behalf, He took the suffering willingly, the Hebrew “meduka” denotes contrite acceptance. “The chastisement (discipline) of our peace, wholeness, wellbeing was placed upon him, and by his wounds (stripes, bruises, blows) we are healed, made healthy (whole).” As a result of the Servant’s substitutionary sacrifice and because our sin has not just been covered but has been atoned for, annihilated by His blood shed for us, we are made whole, given peace, physical and spiritual, temporal and transcendent. Those who receive the Servant King Messiah enter the eternal present. Though we die, yet will we live. The Hebrew “Musar shelomeinu” reads, “The chastisement that secures our peace”. There is everlasting security in the receipt of the sacrificial love of the Servant King Messiah. “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” -Hebrews 19:22 (NIV) “The next day Yochanan saw Yeshua coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” -John 1:29 At a time yet future, all ethnic/religious Israel will look upon the Servant King Messiah and repent in mourning, acknowledging that for our sake He has been pierced (Zech. 12:10). Thus the redemption of the entire remnant of ethnic/religious Israel will take place through Messiah Yeshua at His second coming following the coming in of the fullness of the nations (Romans 11:25-26). “Then I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication, when they will look toward Me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son and grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for a firstborn.” -Zechariah 12:10 (TLV) “For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be ignorant of this mystery—lest you be wise in your own eyes—that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer shall come out of Zion. He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” -Romans 11:25-26 (TLV) Isa 53:6 Kulanu All we katzon like sheep taiynu we have wandered, erred, staggered, gone astray; iysh each human being (man) ledarko to his own way paniynu we have turned; and HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) hifgiya has laid on him (caused him to encounter, make intercession for) et avon the perversity, depravity, guilt, iniquity of kulanu us all. In reference to Genesis 49:11, the Jewish commentator R. Kahana writes: "As the ass bears burdens, and the garments of travellers, so the King Messiah will bear upon him the sins of the whole world; as it is said, ‘the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all’” - Apud Galatin. de Cathol. Ver. I. 10. c. 6. p. 663, and Siphre in ib. l. 8. c. 20. p. 599. The righteous remnant of the people of Israel speak here of the nature of human beings, themselves included. This is a confession of the sin nature and its fruit. As is so often the case in the TaNakh (OT), Israel are figuratively referred to as sheep. However, what’s different here is that Israel self-identify as sheep who have strayed from the Shepherd’s (YHVH) instruction, guidance and the safe pasture of His kingdom. It is also literally true that the sin of Israel had been the reason for their being led into captivity. Thus, they physically strayed into Babylon, leaving the promised land of Israel behind them. “For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’ but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” -1 Peter 2:25 “Each human being to his own way we have turned” Both as individuals and corporately human beings (iysh used in an iconic way) have fallen short of the holiness of God. Israel includes herself in this and acknowledges that she has turned to her “own way” rather than continuing in the “way of the Lord”. “And Adonai has laid on him (caused him to encounter, make intercession for) the perversity, depravity, guilt, iniquity of us all.” The problem of sin is addressed here. Sin must be atoned for. A substitution must be made (Lev.17:11; Hebrews 9:22). Thus, the Servant becomes the vicarious sacrifice for Israel and all humanity. It is Adonai Himself that has laid the utter depravity of human sin on the Servant. Once again, Israel cannot be both those who have gone astray and the one on whom the sins of those who have gone astray are laid upon. Israel corporate is not the Servant. The Servant is an individual born of her on whom Adonai will lay the sins of Israel and of all humanity. The core doctrine of the fallen nature of humanity is supported throughout Scripture: “No one living is righteous before you.” -Psalm 143:2b “Surely there is no one on earth so righteous as to do good without ever sinning.” -Ecclesiastes 7:19 “For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.’” -Romans 3:9b-12 (Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20) “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” -Romans 3:23 “God made Him who had no sin to be a sin offering for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” -2 Corinthians 5:21 Isa 53:7 He was oppressed (tormented), and he was afflicted, and did not open his mouth; kaseh like a lamb latevach led to the slaughter, ucheracheil and like a ewe lifneiy before the face of its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. “He was oppressed (tormented), and he was afflicted,” The Servant King Messiah suffered both physical and spiritual affliction. “and did not open his mouth” This is repeated in the last clause. The firmly established humility and silence of the falsely accused Messiah is evident in the Brit HaChadashah (NT) account (Matt. 26:62-63, 27:12). “Like a lamb led to the slaughter, and like a ewe before the face of its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” The NT references to Yeshua as the “Lamb of God” are born of the story of the Passover and Israel’s exodus from Egyptian bondage (Ex.12:3, 4, 7). The blood of the Pesach Lamb was painted on the door posts of Jewish homes as a symbol of God’s protection and deliverance of the family who lived within. Additionally, vicarious animal sacrifice is well established in the TaNakh (OT). The extreme submissive behaviour of the Servant cannot be attributed to Israel as a nation. The nation of Israel has many virtues but suffering silently is not among them. Throughout our history we have resisted our oppressors. Even in the most heinous case of our persecution (the Shoah) the Holocaust, we resisted wherever possible. Therefore, as a nation Israel does not qualify for the position of Servant as described in Isaiah 53. Isa 53:8 Meiotzer From restraint (prison, oppression) umishpat and judgment lukach he was seized, taken away; ve’et-doro and as for his generation, miy who yesocheicha has considered it? Kiy For nigzar he was cut off mei’eretz from the land chayiym of the living, mipesha for the transgression, rebellion amiy of My people nega lamo he was stricken (diseased, marked, plagued). “From restraint (prison, oppression) and judgment he was seized, taken away” He was not treated fairly with a proper trial. He was taken out of prison and summarily judged and sentenced to death contrary to both Jewish and Roman law. “And as for his generation, who has considered it? For he was cut off from the land of the living” His generation refers to any for whom he might have been a progenitor. The Servant will have no physical children born of His natural seed. Why? Because He was cut off (murdered, killed) from the land (Israel, the earth) of living (the present world). “He was cut off from the land of the living, for the transgression, rebellion of My people he was stricken (diseased, marked, plagued).” These words are prophesied spoken through Isaiah by the Spirit of God. Thus, Israel is called “My people” by both God Himself and the prophet. If the Servant is to be killed as a vicarious sacrifice for Isaiah’s people (Israel), He cannot be corporate Israel. The same is true of the ethnic/religious people of God. Israel (ethnic/religious) are God’s people. This latter clause shows clearly that the Servant is killed (cut off) as a substitutionary sacrifice (because of transgression) for Israel (My people). Those who claim that the Hebrew “lamo” is solely plural are incorrect, it is used here to refer to the singular Servant in the same way it is used in the singular in Job 20:23, 22:2 and Isaiah 44:15. “Philip ran up and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 ‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone guides me?’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture that he was reading was this: ‘He was led as a sheep to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opens not His Mouth. 33 In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who shall recount His generation? For His life is taken away from the earth.’ 34 The eunuch replied to Philip, ‘Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about—himself or someone else?’ 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he proclaimed the Good News about Yeshua.” -Acts 8:30-35 (TLV) “Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.” -John 10:17 Isa 53:9 And they made kivro his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no mirmah deceit in his mouth. The Hebrew “kever” grave, is here used to describe the physical status of a dead body. Thus, the Servant’s physical death was like that of the wicked (albeit undeserved). This is why the subsequent phrase “and with a rich man in his death” is added in describing the nature of the Servant’s tomb. “Now when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had also become a disciple of Yeshua. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for Yeshua’s body. Then Pilate ordered it to be given up. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. 60 And he laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. Then he rolled a large stone up to the door of the tomb and went away.” -Matthew 27:57-60 Isa 53:10 Yet HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) chafeitz desired to bruise (crush) him; hecheliy He has put him to grief; im-tasiym with his appointment as an offering for guilt nafsho by his soul (life, being), yireh he will see his zera offspring; ya’ariych he will prolong his yamiym days; ve’cheifetz and the desire of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) beyado in his hand yitzlach will advance, rush, succeed, progress, prosper. Iben Ezra says these words are spoken of the generation that shall return to God, and to the true religion, at the coming of the Messiah. An old midrash says: “The Messiah, in order to atone for them both (Adam & David), will make his soul a trespass offering; as it is written next to [prior to] this parashah [Isa.53:10], “Behold My Servamt” [Isa.52:13]. -Midrash Aseret Memrot We note that the desire or will of Hashem begins and completes the verse. In order for the will of Hashem to bring redemption and the advancement of His kingdom, He must also will the means of that redemption, suffering in and with the Servant King Messiah for the sin of His people, and indeed, for all people. “Yet HaShem desired to bruise (crush) him” This connects the present passage to the prophecy of Genesis 3:15, where the Serpent Satan is said to bruise the heel of the Messiah. In the present text the bruising is ascribed to HaShem. Thus we understand that Satan is subject to HaShem and is allowed to act only according to God’s purposes for the redemption of His chosen. “He has put him to grief; with his appointment as an offering for guilt by his soul (life, being)” The text could not be more clear. The Servant is to be a guilt offering, that is a substitutionary offering for the sins of others. He is to complete His atoning work by giving His very soul (life). “Asham” is a trespass offering that is distinct from every other sacrifice. It was made by an individual as a substitutionary compensation for any wrong doing committed by that person. It removed the person’s guilt and set them free (Lev. 5:15). The central tenant of this and many other sacrifices was the need to satisfy the justice demanded by the Holy God of Israel, Creator of the universe and God over all things. “How much more shall the blood of Messiah, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” -Hebrews9:14 “Him who knew no sin He made to be a sin offering on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” -2 Corinthians 5:21 “and walk in love, even as Messiah also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odour of a sweet smell.” -Ephesians 5:2 “He will see his offspring; he will prolong his days” The “seed” (offspring) in question are spiritual seed (Psalm 22:30; Isa. 65:25; Malachi 2:15): those who receive Him. We know this because Yeshua Himself explained that the resurrected do not procreate (Luke 20:34-36). “He will prolong His days” is a figurative way of describing the Olam Haba (World to come). “Certainly, certainly, I say to you, except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abides by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” -John 12:24 “His seed also will I make to endure for ever, And his throne as the days of heaven.” -Psalm 89:29 “The desire of HaShem in his hand will advance” In the hand (actions) of the resurrected Servant King Messiah the desire of HaShem will advance. The Servant, a son of Israel, will thus make it possible for Israel to fulfil her calling to be a light to the nations (Isa.49:6). The Spirit will be poured out and the kingdom of God will grow and await the Messiah’s return, the final resurrection and the Olam Haba (World to come). Isa 53:11 Meiamal From the anguish of nafsho his soul yireh he will see and be satisfied; bedato by the knowledge (perception, skill, understanding, wisdom, discernment) of Him yatzdiyk tzadiyk avdiy the righteous one, My servant, larabiym will justify many, va’avonotam and their iniquities (depravity, perversity, guilt) hu he yisbil shall bear. “From the anguish of his soul he will see and be satisfied” The Servant King Messiah will look back on His suffering and death, and resurrected He will see the resulting fruit of His anguish and be satisfied. “looking to Yeshua the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” -Hebrews 12:2 “By the knowledge of Him the righteous one, My servant, will justify many, and their iniquities he shall bear.” The Servant King Messiah will justify “many”, not only Israelites (ethnic/religious) but also people from the nations. They will be justified through the knowledge of Him. Not just mental assent but true knowledge learned in relationship through practiced faith placed in Him. “Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.” -Daniel 9:24 The Servant King Messiah’s ministry of bearing the sin of many goes beyond the finished work of His death and resurrection to His continued work as the Great High Priest Mediator for all who believe (Hebrews 8:6). “As through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous.” -Romans 5:19 Isa 53:12 Lachein Therefore, achalek I will divide him barabiym among the many, ve’et and from the atzumiym strong (mighty, numerous) he shall divide the spoil, tachat asher for the sake of (beneath) which he’erah he poured out lamavet to death, nafsho his soul ve’et-posheiym and with the transgressors was numbered; vehu and he cheit-rabiym nasa bore the sin of many, velaposheiym and for the transgressors yafgiya made intercession. “Therefore, I will divide him among the many” This opening phrase uses the Hebrew “rabiym” which can be understood as “great ones” or “many”. The same word is used at the end of the verse and refers to the many believers who will receive the forgiveness of sin through the Messiah’s finished work. Therefore, it seems unlikely that “rabiym” refers to “men of stature, kings, politicians, religious leaders” as some suggest. The more consistent understanding is that the body of the Servant King Messiah’s is divided among the “many” in Israel and among the nations, who, later in the verse are interceded for by the Servant. That is, those who receive Him. “And from the strong (mighty, numerous) he shall divide the spoil” Here, the “mighty” may refer to the men of stature of 52:15. The Servant Messiah will one day yet future divide the spoils of all the mighty rulers of the earth. “for the sake of (beneath) which he poured out to death, his soul” For the sake of the many and the strong, the Servant will pour out His life unto death. “And with the transgressors was numbered” The Servant was crucified as a criminal in spite of the fact that He was innocent and there were no legitimate legal reasons for His execution (Matt. 27:38). “And he bore the sin of many, and for the transgressors made intercession.” Even as He was dying on the cross the Servant King Messiah Yeshua spoke words, not of vengeance or hatred but of intercession: “But Yeshua was saying, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ Then they cast lots, dividing up His clothing.” -Luke 23:34 (TLV) The Servant King Messiah Yeshua continues to make intercession today for all who put their trust in Him: “But now Yeshua has obtained a more excellent ministry, insofar as He is the mediator of a better covenant which has been enacted on better promises.” -Hebrews 8:6 (TLV) © 2019 Yaakov Brown |
Yaakov BrownFounder of the Beth Melekh International Messiah Following Jewish Community, Archives
February 2024
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