3 He was despised and forsaken of men , A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief ; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised , and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore , And our sorrows He carried ; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken , Smitten of God , and afflicted . 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions , He was crushed for our iniquities ; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed . 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray , Each of us has turned to his own way ; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted , Yet He did not open His mouth ; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter , And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers , So He did not open His mouth . 8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation , who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people , to whom the stroke was due? 9 His grave was assigned with wicked men , Yet He was with a rich man in His death , Because He had done no violence , Nor was there any deceit in His mouth .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 53:3-9
Commentary on Isaiah 53:1-3
(Read Isaiah 53:1-3)
No where in all the Old Testament is it so plainly and fully prophesied, that Christ ought to suffer, and then to enter into his glory, as in this chapter. But to this day few discern, or will acknowledge, that Divine power which goes with the word. The authentic and most important report of salvation for sinners, through the Son of God, is disregarded. The low condition he submitted to, and his appearance in the world, were not agreeable to the ideas the Jews had formed of the Messiah. It was expected that he should come in pomp; instead of that, he grew up as a plant, silently, and insensibly. He had nothing of the glory which one might have thought to meet with him. His whole life was not only humble as to outward condition, but also sorrowful. Being made sin for us, he underwent the sentence sin had exposed us to. Carnal hearts see nothing in the Lord Jesus to desire an interest in him. Alas! by how many is he still despised in his people, and rejected as to his doctrine and authority!
Commentary on Isaiah 53:4-9
(Read Isaiah 53:4-9)
In these verses is an account of the sufferings of Christ; also of the design of his sufferings. It was for our sins, and in our stead, that our Lord Jesus suffered. We have all sinned, and have come short of the glory of God. Sinners have their beloved sin, their own evil way, of which they are fond. Our sins deserve all griefs and sorrows, even the most severe. We are saved from the ruin, to which by sin we become liable, by laying our sins on Christ. This atonement was to be made for our sins. And this is the only way of salvation. Our sins were the thorns in Christ's head, the nails in his hands and feet, the spear in his side. He was delivered to death for our offences. By his sufferings he purchased for us the Spirit and grace of God, to mortify our corruptions, which are the distempers of our souls. We may well endure our lighter sufferings, if He has taught us to esteem all things but loss for him, and to love him who has first loved us.