Texts in Conversation
The Aramaic translation of Isaiah 53 in the Targum reshapes the suffering servant to a triumphant Messiah who brings peace, judges sin, and rebuilds the temple. John uses similar language for Jesus, suggesting it was influenced by an Aramaic tradition.
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Isaiah 53:5
Hebrew Bible
4 But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. 5 He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed. 6 All of us had wandered off like sheep; each of us had strayed off on his own path, but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him.
Date: 7th-5th Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Jonathan Isaiah 53:6
Targum
5 Therefore He shall pray for our sins, and our iniquities for His sake shall be forgiven us; for we are considered crushed, smitten of the Lord, and afflicted. 6 He shall build the house of the sanctuary, which has been profaned on account of our sins; He was delivered over on account of our iniquities, and through His doctrine peace shall be multiplied upon us, and through the teaching of His words our sins shall be forgiven us. 7 All we like sheep have been scattered, every one of us has turned to his own way; it pleased the Lord to forgive the sins of all of us for His sake.
Date: 200-300 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
John 2:19
New Testament
18 So then the Jewish leaders responded, “What sign can you show us, since you are doing these things?” 19 Jesus replied, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.” 20 Then the Jewish leaders said to him, “This temple has been under construction for 46 years, and are you going to raise it up in three days?” 21 But Jesus was speaking about the temple of his body.
Date: 90-110 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... In the fourth song about the suffering servant of YHWH, in the targumic translation the servant appears not as suffering and humiliated, but as triumphant and exalted (Targum Isaiah 52:13–53:12). In light of the targumic tradition, one can better understand John’s Christology, in which the crucified Messiah is shown in triumph and glory. In the Targum Isaiah, there is a reference to the future Messiah, who, as Teacher of peace, Defender and Judge, will rebuild the temple destroyed because of human sins (Targum Isaiah 53:5) ... This text allows us to look at John’s Jesus, the Messiah and Son of God, who becomes the New Temple, in a new light ..."
Wróbel, Mirosław S.
Ideological and Intertextual Relations Between the Targum Isaiah and the Gospel of John
(pp. 85-102) Collectanea Theologica, No. 93, 2023
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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Could the phrase He shall build the house of the sanctuary, which has been profaned on account of our sins; added after 70 AD?