My Servant: Israel or Jesus?

by Terry Wane Benton

The skeptic claims: "Christian interpretations emerged over the centuries, often distorting the original meanings by selectively quoting verses and overlooking the nuances of Hebrew grammar. For example, in Isaiah 49:3, the servant is explicitly identified as “Israel.”

Here, the skeptic took a verse out of its context and pretended that “My Servant” means “Israel” in every context. This effort aims to persuade you that Isaiah 52-53 is referring to Israel rather than speaking of the Messiah, Jesus.

When you read chapters 49-53, you will see that the skeptic makes a glaring error that was either blatantly careless or intentionally deceptive. It appears that the skeptic was hoping you would take his word for it and assume that, because Isaiah 49:3 mentions Israel as “My Servant,” you would simply assume that this is the “real” context and usage in Isaiah 52-53.

Let me bring to your attention this deceptive move on the skeptic’s part.

God has many different “servants”, not just Israel. It depends on the context as to whom He may be calling someone “My Servant” and in what role a particular servant may be called into action. In Jeremiah, Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar are referred to as “My Servant” (Jeremiah 25:9; 27:6) because they served God’s purpose of chastising Israel. He calls different ones to serve in various roles. In Isaiah 49:3, Israel is referred to as “My Servant”, but in Isaiah 49:5, Isaiah is described as “My Servant.” The service Isaiah provided was “to bring Jacob (Israel) back to God” and “so that Israel is gathered to Him (God).” So, in the same text and context, “My Servant” might refer to Israel when He looks back to the role they served in, but then, since Israel failed and fell away from God, Isaiah becomes “My Servant” to try to bring Israel back.

In Isaiah 49:6, Isaiah would be “a light to the Gentiles.” Through the Gentiles studying and hearing the words of Isaiah, they would see the light and come to God, even when Israel ceased to be the light to the Gentiles.

In Isaiah 50:10, He asks Israel, “Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant?” So, Israel is not “My Servant” in every text.

In Isaiah 52:13, “My Servant” is a “man” (Isaiah 52:14). His visage is marred more than any man. “He” is not Israel. He shall sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths at him (Isaiah 52:15). As we move into chapter 53, Isaiah is still talking about a specific man as “My Servant.” He contrasts this specific Servant (a man) with “we” and “us” (the collective people of Israel). “He has no form or comeliness; and when we (Israelites) see him (Jesus)….We hid our faces from him (Jesus) (Isaiah 53:3). “He has borne our griefs" (Isaiah 53:4). “The Lord laid on him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

There is no way to make “My Servant” be Israel in this text. You have to have an agenda to intentionally avoid seeing Jesus. Jesus is the one who was made an offering for sin. Israel was not made an offering for sin. Israel was among those who needed what this Servant came to provide. After Jesus’ soul was made an offering for sin, His days were prolonged. Nobody ever thought this text was about “Israel, My Servant” until after they needed an agenda to get Jesus out of the text, and by doing so, they keep proving that they were the “stiff-necked” people Moses said they were. But we are not fooled. We see Jesus here as the only viable candidate for this amazing prophecy!