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Isaiah

About this book
Chapter 53

1 Who would have believed what we just heard? When was the Lord’s power revealed through him? 2 He sprouted up like a twig before God, like a root out of parched soil; he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him.⁠ 3 He was despised and rejected by people,⁠ one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant. 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. 7 He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth.⁠ Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block,⁠ like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth.⁠ 8 He was led away after an unjust trial—but who even cared? Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded. 9 They intended to bury him with criminals, but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb because he had committed no violent deeds, nor had he spoken deceitfully. 10 Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill,⁠ once restitution is made, he will see descendants and enjoy long life,⁠ and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.⁠ 11 Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done.⁠ “My servant will acquit many, for he carried their sins.⁠ 12 So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death⁠ and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels.”⁠

Texts in conversation

Compare Isaiah 53:5 and John 2:19 and Jonathan Isaiah 53:6

Hebrew Bible · New Testament · Targum

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Summary

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.

Passages

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.
740–450 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Isaiah

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.
90–110 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in John

Jonathan Isaiah 53:6

Targum
5 Therefore He will pray for our sins, and our iniquities will be forgiven for His sake; for we are considered crushed, smitten of the LORD, and afflicted. 6 He will build the house of the sanctuary, which was profaned on account of our sins; He was delivered over on account of our iniquities, and through His teaching peace will be multiplied upon us, and through the teaching of His words our sins will be forgiven us. 7 All we like sheep have been scattered; everyone of us has turned to his own way; and it pleased the LORD to forgive the sins of all of us for His sake.
200–300 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Jonathan Isaiah

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 ..."
Mirosław S. Wróbel, “Ideological and Intertextual Relations Between the Targum Isaiah and the Gospel of John,” Collectanea Theologica 93.1 (2023): 85–102.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Comments

  • Could the phrase He shall build the house of the sanctuary, which has been profaned on account of our sins; added after 70 AD?

    chengxiufan, April 11, 2025

Isaiah 53:5 and John 2:19 and Jonathan Isaiah 53:6

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