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Advent Lessons

Lesson 5 · January 30, 1892

The Suffering Saviour.—Isaiah 53

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(Memory Verses, 3-5.)

Golden Text: "He hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." .

Notes

The fifty-third chapter of Isaiah is a prophecy of Christ from the standpoint of the Christian dispensation, with his glory and kingdom yet future. The tense of the verbs in the Revised Version, as well as the matter itself, makes this clear.

  1. 1.In contemplating the people who slew Christ and the wonderful message of the gospel which centers in his person, what question were his servants constrained to ask? ; see also ; .
  2. 2.What does the prophet say of Christ's person as he was manifest among men? .

Notes

This statement does not mean that Christ's appearance was repulsive. They expected a monarch whose glory and splendor outshone that of Solomon, but Christ's appearance was such that they could not naturally expect anything from him. They desired the beauty of worldly glory; they did not find in him what they desired. His birth was also lowly, as a root out of dry ground.

  1. 3.How was this fulfilled? .
  2. 4.How did the prophet say that men would regard this man of sorrows? .
  3. 5.How was this fulfilled? ; see also ; .
  4. 6.By whose afflictions was he made sorrowful? , first part. See ; , and elsewhere.

Notes

"Grief" and "griefs," in verses 3 and 4, are in the Revised Version translated "sickness" and "sicknesses."

  1. 7.Yet what did these sorrows lead men to conclude? .
  2. 8.For, or on whose account, did Jesus bear all these sufferings? ; .
  3. 9.How many are in need of the grace and healing of Christ? ; , first two clauses.
  4. 10.How great was the burden of sin that rested upon him? ; .
  5. 11.How did he bear these sufferings? .

Notes

Boothroyd and others render the first part of this verse, "It was exacted, and he was made answerable;" that is, God's infinite holiness and justice could not remit the penalty due the transgression of his perfect law. The innocent One was made to bear it.

  1. 12.What is said of the injustice toward him? , first part. "In his low estate, his judgment was taken away, and the [injustice and cruelty of the] men of his generation, who can describe?"—Boothroyd.
  2. 13.Yet on account of whom was all this injustice borne? , last part. Boothroyd reads: "He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he smitten to death." See .
  3. 14.What kind of a burial attested his innocence? , first part.

Notes

Boothroyd reads: "And he was placed with the wicked in his death, but with the rich in his sepulcher." See . A criminal was not allowed such burial.

  1. 15.Was this suffering a part of the divine plan? , last part; , first part.

Notes

Boothroyd connects the verses thus: "Although he had done no wrong, neither was guile found in his mouth; yet it pleased the Lord to crush him with affliction," or, as in our version, "to bruise him; he hath put him to grief."

  1. 16.What part did Jesus personally take in this offering? ; .
  2. 17.What did the prophet say should result to Christ from the offering of his soul or life for man's sins? , last part.
  3. 18.What is the pleasure of the Lord that shall prosper in his hands? , first clause. The humility and suffering are the foundation of honor and power. See ; .
  4. 19.To what extent will the sufferings of Christ prosper? , first part. They will prosper to the full satisfaction of Christ in looking upon the kingdom he has redeemed and the souls he has saved. See ; .
  5. 20.What will he do for those who know and trust in him? ; ; .
  6. 21.Over whom and how will he completely triumph? .

Notes

Again we give the translation of Boothroyd, as better expressing the sense: "Therefore will I give to him as a portion the great; and the mighty [Satan and his angels] shall he possess as a spoil [see ; ]; because he poured out his soul unto death," etc. For divine commentary on this chapter, see .

Bible texts in this lesson

Isaiah 53:6 · Isaiah 53:1 · Romans 10:16 · John 12:37 · John 12:38 · John 12:2 · Mark 6:2 · Mark 6:3 · Isaiah 53:3 · John 1:10 · John 1:11 · John 6:66 · Matthew 26:56 · Isaiah 53:4 · Hebrews 4:15 · John 11:35 · Isaiah 53:5 · 2 Corinthians 5:21 · Romans 3:23 · John 1:29 · John 1:7 · John 1:8 · Hebrews 2:9 · Hebrews 2:10 · Matthew 27:57-60 · Titus 2:14 · Mark 14:36 · Mark 14:10 · Colossians 1:19 · Philippians 2:6-9 · Philippians 2:11 · Hebrews 12:2 · Isaiah 62:3 · Isaiah 62:4 · Isaiah 53:11 · John 17:3 · Romans 5:1 · Romans 5:9 · Isaiah 53:12 · Genesis 3:15 · Genesis 22:17 · Matthew 12:28 · Matthew 12:29 · Hebrews 2:14-18

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