Theme · christological
Suffering Servant
Isaiah's four Servant Songs (42, 49, 50, 52–53) progressively reveal a figure who is called, rejected, afflicted, and ultimately vindicated. The fourth song reaches its climax: 'He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities.' The Ethiopian eunuch in Acts reads this passage and asks, 'Of whom does the prophet speak?' Philip begins with that very Scripture and tells him the good news about Jesus. The New Testament consistently identifies Jesus as this servant — silent before his accusers, numbered with transgressors, making intercession for the guilty.
Related doctrines
Passages expressing this theme
- 1Pet 1:11 — Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
- 1Pet 2:22 — Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
- 1Pet 2:23 — Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
- 1Pet 2:24 — Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
- 1Tim 1:15 — This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
- Acts 4:27 — For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
- Acts 8:32 — The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
- Acts 8:33 — In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
- Acts 26:23 — That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
- Col 2:14 — Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
- Heb 2:9 — But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
- Heb 12:3 — For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
- Isa 42:1 — Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
- Isa 42:3 — A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
- Isa 49:3 — And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
- Isa 50:6 — I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
- Isa 50:7 — For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
- Isa 52:13 — Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
- Isa 52:14 — As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
- Isa 53:1 — Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
- Isa 53:2 — For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
- Isa 53:3 — He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
- Isa 53:4 — Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
- Isa 53:5 — But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
- Isa 53:6 — All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
The Church Fathers on Suffering Servant
He was offered. Here he shows his meekness in suffering. And first, he sets out the meekness itself, and first, as to his voluntary offering of himself: he was offered, to God the Father as a victim for us, because it was his own will: I will freely sacrifice to you (Ps 53:8[54:6]); second, as to his patient…
From this point the voluntary act of the Savior is signified in the trial of those being allotted with. For as a sheep led to sacrifice, or a lamb before the one who shaves it (forced and subdued, it does not even have the capacity to moan), so he was silent willingly in his suffering. (see Isa. 53:7-8) [THEODORE OF…
This speech shows a mind willing to suffer; vainly would the Prophets have prophesied truly, unless the Lord asserts their truth by His suffering.
That is, the sufferings and the resurrection.
Suffering is a real bond, an encouragement to greater love, and the basis of spiritual perfection and godliness. Listen to the one who says: "If you want to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation." And again Christ said: "In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage." And again: "straight and…
In other women there is pain of the body, in her there is pain of the heart; in others there is pain of corruption, in her there is pain of compassion and charity. Whence she invites us to consider her sorrow, in Jeremiah: "All you," she says, "who pass by the way, attend and see if there is any sorrow like my…