Praise of the suffering servant

Isaiah 52:13–53:12

*This is one of the most famous passages in Isaiah and one of the most famous messianic prophecies in the Bible. In its format, this poem is an encomium—a poem that praises its subject with such formulas as a formal introduction to the subject, the distinguished ancestry of the subject, a catalog of praiseworthy acts and attributes, the superiority of the subject to all rivals, and a conclusion urging the reader to emulate the person or quality being praised. This song of the suffering servant is actually a parody of the conventional encomium: although it praises the subject with the conventional categories, it inverts them and praises him for what the world at large would regard as unpraiseworthy qualities. A lead-in promises to praise the subject in standard terms (52:13), but the suffering servant is then praised for being marred beyond parallel (52:14–15), for being of undistinguished ancestry and social standing (53:1–2), for acts that by conventional standards would render him contemptible (53:3–6), and for a life’s conclusion that is the opposite of a conventional success story (53:7–9). Verses 3–6 stress the subject’s redemptive actions, and verses 7–9 highlight their tragic nature when judged by ordinary standards of success. The concluding section reads more like a standard encomium, as the suffering servant is praised for what his suffering has accomplished (53:10–12). Even here there are reversals and paradoxes, as the suffering servant triumphs not because he defeated his enemies in open combat for personal benefit but because he gave his life for others. Read the rest of this entry »

This week, I’m featuring some photos taken about 3 years ago. It’s interesting to reminisce how things were when I was just three years younger. (The first photos is taken from my friend, Steph’s baptism; the bottom 2 is from the last CCF of 2004-2005.)

Charitie Lees Bancroft, Vikki Cook

Verse 1:
Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong, a perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is “Love,”
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

Chorus 1:
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heav’n He stands
no tongue can bid me thence depart.
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

Verse 2:
When Satan tempts me to despair,
and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.

Chorus 2:
Because the sinless Saviour died,
my sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
to look on him and pardon me.
to look on him and pardon me.

Verse 3:
Behold him there! the risen Lamb,
my perfect, spotless Righteousness,
the great unchangeable I AM,
the King of glory and of grace!

Chorus 3:
One with Himself I cannot die,
My soul is purchased by His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
with Christ, my Saviour and my God
with Christ, my Saviour and my God

As you all know, it’s Good Friday. So today’s Phriday Photos features photos from Campus Challenge 2005 that aim to commemorate this very occaision of Christ on the Cross.

1. Who hath believed our report?
   and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2. For he grew up before him like a young plant,
   and like a root out of dry ground;
   he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
   and no beauty that we should desire him.
3. He was despised and rejected by people.
   He was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering.
   He was despised like one from whom people turn their faces,
   and we didn’t consider him to be worth anything.
4. Surely he has borne our infirmities
   and carried our diseases;
   yet we accounted him stricken,
   struck down by God, and afflicted.
5. But he was pierced for our rebellion,
   crushed for our sins.
   He was beaten so we could be whole.
   He was whipped so we could be healed.
6. We all went astray like sheep,
   Each going his own way;
   And the LORD visited upon him
   The guilt of all of us.
7. Ill-treated and afflicted,
   he never opened his mouth,
   like a lamb led to the slaughter-house,
   like a sheep dumb before its shearers
   he never opened 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 made His grave with the wicked,
   and with a rich man at His death,
   although He had done no violence
   and had not spoken deceitfully.
10. Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
    and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin,
    he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
    and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
11. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
    By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
    For He shall bear their iniquities.
12. And so I will give him a place of honor,
    a place among the great and powerful.
    He willingly gave his life
    and shared the fate of evil men.
    He took the place of many sinners
    and prayed that they might be forgiven.

(KJV:1; ESV:2; GW:3; NRSV:4; NLT:5; NJPS:6; NJB:7; NET:8; HCSB:9; TNIV: 10; NKJV:11; TEV/GNB:12)

(HT: Better Bibles Blog)

14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21 But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22 For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” 23 And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.

Luke 22:14-23