Second Isaiah: Third and Fourths Suffering Servant Songs

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Second Isaiah Third and Fourths Suffering
Servant Songs

• John Mayo
• Group III
• 7 May 2007

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Agenda

• Introduction to the hymns
• Third Servant Song ( parts)
• Fourth Servant Song ( parts)
• Introduction of Activity

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Introduction to the Hymns

• The Hymns
• The conclusion, therefore, to which I feel
  compelled is that the Songs are by
  Deutero-Isaiah My own conviction is that the
  Songs are somewhat later than the prophecy it
  would be natural for separate pieces to have been
  composed at intervals- Christopher North, The
  Suffering Servant in Deutro-Isaiah

Another Suffering Servant
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Hymn Three Introduction

• Found in Isaiah 50 4-9 (some commentators
  consider the hymn up to vs. 11).
• Continues and amplifies themes of the suffering
  of the servant and his patient endurance.
• Of all Deutero-Isaiahs servant songs this is
  probably the easiest to understand- Westerman
• Divided into three sections (Baltzer)
• Presentation by servant of his task and authority
  (4)
• What has happened to the servant (5-8)
• Blessing and curses (9-11)

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Hymn Three Text

• Is. 504 The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained
  tongue, That I might know how to speak to the
  weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after
  morning he opens my ear that I may hear
• Is. 505-8 And I have not rebelled, have not
  turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me,
  my cheeks to those who plucked my beard My face
  I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The
  Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not
  disgraced I have set my face like flint, knowing
  that I shall not be put to shame. He is near who
  upholds my right if anyone wishes to oppose me,
  let us appear together. Who disputes my right?
  Let him confront me.
• Is. 509-11 See, the Lord GOD is my help who
  will prove me wrong? Lo, they will all wear out
  like cloth, the moth will eat them up. Who among
  you fears the LORD, heeds his servants voice,
  And walks in darkness without any light, Trusting
  in the name of the LORD and relying on his God?
  All of you kindle flames and carry about you
  fiery darts Walk by the light of your own fire
  and by the flares you have burnt! This is your
  fate from my hand you shall lie down in a place
  of pain.

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Part I Is. 504

• The hymn begins hGwOh?y yDnOdSa- stresses the
  superiority of God
• MyîdwmIl- Literally means taught- can refer
  also to students and/or teachers
• Or, even a disciple
• Unique because of term itself and because in
  direct relationship with God
• This revelation did not happen once, but morning
  after morning
• Must, like Israel, be aroused to hear
• Revelation is continuous, ongoing continuity of
  office
• He has learned well

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Part II Is. 505-8

• This part begins with what is known in Hebrew as
  a waw-adversative.
• Contrasts negatively sharply with what has come
  before it
• Despite all that comes, I have not turned my back
  on the Lord.
• Vs. 6 is revolutionary to the Ancient Near East-
  Westerman
• The servant concedes that the punishment he is
  receiving must be in someway justified and thus
  simply takes the punishment on himself
• Quite revolutionary for the times
• Example To pluck ones beard was seen as a gross
  insult.

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Part II Is. 505-8 (Cont.)

• Vs. 7 contains waw-adversive
• Despite all indications to the contrary, the
  servant remain confident that God remains on the
  side of the servant.
• Vs. 8 brings the text into a legal context-
  possibly not meant literally, but to provide a
  context for his confidence in his position.

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Part III Is. 509-11

• von Rad on including in view of what they say
  about the Servants suffering and his faith I
  prefer to include these verses. They contain an
  exhortation- or rather, a threat
• Blessing to those who heed the servants voice
  and trusts in the Lord
• Curse to those who persecute him- they will wear
  out like cloth and they shall lie down in the
  place of pain.
• Appears to be an editorial comment inserted. If
  it was authentic, great question as to who was
  speaking the servant or the Lord (possibly
  through the servant)

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Is 504-11 Genera

• This reading could seem very much like a lament
  by the servant.
• Yet, there is another element as well
• Confidence in the Lord
• Most commentators do not place this text as a
  lament, rather as a psalm of trust

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DISCUSSION ON SUFFERING SERVANT SONG III
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Suffering Servant IV Introduction

• The text of this song, in places, has been
  severely compromised
• This does not mean that if it had been perfectly
  preserved that it would be easier to answer the
  questions around this passage
• This text has three main characters
• Suffering Servant
• Yahweh
• Chorus

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Suffering Servant IV Introduction

• The text of this Song is usually broken down into
  three parts
• Von Rad calls this a prophetic liturgy, but he
  cautions that much more is happening here than in
  the context of a real liturgical service.

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Part I Is. 5213-15 The Text

• Is. 5213 See, my servant shall prosper, he shall
  be raised high and greatly exalted.
• Is. 5214 Even as many were amazed at him so
  marred was his look beyond that of man, and his
  appearance beyond that of mortals
• Is. 5215 So shall he startle many nations,
  because of him kings shall stand speechless For
  those who have not been told shall see, those who
  have not heard shall ponder it.

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Is. 5213-15

• This is a divine proclamation, that though it
  seems as though the Servant fails, his mission is
  ultimately a great success
• What appears to fail will be revealed in a moment
  of illumination as victory.

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Is. 5213-15

• The text seems to start in an odd way, declaring
  the triumph of the servant beforehand.
• This song, thus can only be understood if one
  reads it in view of the end.
• Begins with hEnIh behold, or see- picks up
  from the last song of the servant declaring his
  trust in the Lord.
• Three-fold sequence of moving up
• Prosper- Arrive at honor
• Raised high- Something carries him up (passive)
• Greatly exalted- Will be taken into the presence
  of the Lord

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Is. 5213-15

• In 14, the Lord addresses the servant directly,
  and seems even to turn for a moment toward him
  before continuing.
• as many- Does not mean all, but beyond ability
  to count
• Who is the many Jews or Gentiles?
• In 15, So shall he startle- MyIbår M8Iywøg
  h?zÅy NEk Thus he shall sprinkle nations-
  Not a literal sprinkling, but many nations shall
  perform a cleansing ritual upon the servant.
• 15 also caries the connotation that this is
  unheard of- this is something unusual

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Is. 531-10 The Text

• Is. 531 Who would believe what we have heard? To
  whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
• Is. 532 He grew up like a sapling before him,
  like a shoot from the parched earth There was in
  him no stately bearing to make us look at him,
  nor appearance that would attract us to him.
• Is. 533 He was spurned and avoided by men, a man
  of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, One of
  those from whom men hide their faces, spurned,
  and we held him in no esteem.
• Is. 534 Yet it was our infirmities that he bore,
  our sufferings that he endured, While we thought
  of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and
  afflicted.
• Is. 535 But he was pierced for our offenses,
  crushed for our sins, Upon him was the
  chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes
  we were healed.
• Is. 536 We had all gone astray like sheep, each
  following his own way But the LORD laid upon him
  the guilt of us all.
• Is. 537 Though he was harshly treated, he
  submitted and opened not his mouth Like a lamb
  led to the slaughter or a sheep before the
  shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth.
  
• Is. 538 Oppressed and condemned, he was taken
  away, and who would have thought any more of his
  destiny? When he was cut off from the land of the
  living, and smitten for the sin of his people,
• Is. 539 A grave was assigned him among the
  wicked and a burial place with evildoers, Though
  he had done no wrong nor spoken any falsehood.
• Is. 5310 But the LORD was pleased to crush him
  in infirmity. If he gives his life as an
  offering for sin, he shall see his descendants in
  a long life, and the will of the LORD shall be
  accomplished through him.
• Is. 5311 Because of his affliction he shall see
  the light in fullness of days Through his
  suffering, my servant shall justify many, and
  their guilt he shall bear.
• Is. 5312 Therefore I will give him his portion
  among the great, and he shall divide the spoils
  with the mighty, Because he surrendered himself
  to death and was counted among the wicked And he
  shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon
  for their offenses.

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Is. 531-3

• Subtle change in speaker- no longer Yahweh, but
  now it is the chorus.
• Who is this chorus?- Probably Israel.
• There is also a subtle change in text from the
  present and future to the past- entire section in
  retrospect
• Must read text in light of triumph of the servant
  
• Chorus is accusing themselves of their blindness,
  but at the time they were innocent.

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Is. 534-9 as a whole

• This is not meant to be an actual thorough
  listing of the servants sufferings, but simply
  to drive home the point that, by all indications
  to the Ancient Near Eastern mentality, he was
  stricken and cursed by God.

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Is. 534-9

• 4-6
• The servant takes upon himself the sins of the
  many, and through this death, the chorus recounts
  that this brings salvation.
• Unknowingly, the chorus was in solidarity with
  him, and as the verses goes on, they realize that
  they were in solidarity with him.
• 5-9
• Another subtle shift in the text- The chorus
  begins to speak more factually at this point and
  describe how he endured the sufferings silently

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Is. 537-9

• Questions with this text
• Did the servant actually die?
• Seems to have, but also here very poetic- cf. Ps.
  31, 89.
• For the Israelites in exile, death was much more
  than physical
• Loss of hope, great weakness physically and
  morally
• If he did, what did he die of?
• 534- our infirmities lit. sickness (some talk
  of him as a leper from extra biblical sources)
• Violence- cf. entirety of text
• Common execution- 538 Oppressed and condemned,
  he was taken away
• Buried and assigned a place among the wicked
• Could be literal
• Or be referring to Babylon
• Either way- shameful death and burial

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Is. 5310-11

• Begins with another waw-adversive- turning point
• The exultation of the servant by Yahweh

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Is 5310-12

• This section of the text is extremely corrupted.
• The servant is offered as an offering for sins
• This is very much like the Levites in the temple
  offering sacrifice for sins, but here it goes
  beyond this
• These sins are willful sins, in addition to the
  sins of inadvertence the Levites offered
  sacrifice for
• Corresponds to the great concern by the
  Israelites for sin during the exile.
• Evidence of penance services for sin in Babylon.
• Separate from Israel, but in his sacrifice, comes
  back
• Although the servant was not fruitful in this
  life, because of his self-sacrifice, he is
  fruitful in the next life.
• Priesthood.

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Discussion on Servant Song IV
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The Ultimate Question About this Passage is
WHO IS THE SUFFERING SERVANT FOR ISRAEL?