Limitless Word

The Suffering Servant

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Isaiah's mysterious servant — wounded for our transgressions — and the one who fulfils him.

Deep in Isaiah a figure appears called simply "my servant" — chosen, gentle, a light to the nations, yet despised, pierced, and crushed for the sins of others, only to be raised and exalted. For centuries readers wondered who he was. The New Testament answers without hesitation: an Ethiopian official reads Isaiah 53 and Philip "told him the good news about Jesus." Follow the servant songs and you are reading the gospel before the gospel.
  1. 1

    Behold my servant

    Isaiah 42:1

    “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

    The first servant song: chosen, Spirit-anointed, gentle — "a light for the nations."
  2. 2

    A light to the nations

    Isaiah 49:6

    Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

    The servant's mission widens beyond Israel to the ends of the earth.
  3. 3

    I gave my back to those who strike

    Isaiah 50:6

    I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.

    The servant submits to suffering and shame without turning away.
  4. 4

    Pierced for our transgressions

    Isaiah 53:5

    But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

    The great fourth song: wounded, crushed, and bearing the sin of many.
  5. 5

    Philip tells him the good news

    Acts 8:35

    Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

    An Ethiopian reads Isaiah 53 and asks who it means; Philip answers: Jesus.
  6. 6

    By his wounds you are healed

    1 Peter 2:24

    who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

    Peter applies the servant song directly to Christ on the tree.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.