Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. ⁵But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. —Isaiah 53:4-5
There is no question of whom Isaiah is speaking. This is the Suffering Servant, God’s Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
It’s hard to imagine memorizing a better passage in all of Scripture that is so clear about what Jesus has done for us. I mean crystal clear. And simple.
There are two concepts here: first, what Jesus has done; and second, how what he has done is for us. Isaiah tells us He has borne grief and carried sorrow. He was pierced for transgressions, even crushed, punished, and wounded. Now a lot is going on there. It is quite the curse. Jesus surely is the suffering servant. He is the one afflicted.
But it’s not just that Jesus bore grief, or that He was pierced or crushed or wounded. It’s that he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, that he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by his wounds we are healed.
Or to bring it home a little more, He has borne your grief. Yes, yes He has. Your sorrows are the ones he carried. Your transgressions—all your sins—that’s why he was pierced. For you. He was crushed, absolutely slaughtered, for your iniquities. It was a slaughter you deserved, a punishment reserved for you, but He took it himself, in your place, so that you get peace. His wounds have healed you.
Will you trust Him? Christian, will you forsake the foolish pursuit of man’s approval? Will you abandon the vain drive to “make something” of yourself? Will you stop condemning yourself for past sins? Will you relinquish the shame you’ve harbored for so long? Will you?
Jesus has died, and He has died for you.
For Reflection
Meditate on the freedom and joy of being forgiven.
Who can share this joy with?