Fathers

Isaiah 53

Tap a verse to read the Fathers. Press and hold, then drag, to make a card.

Who has believed our message? To whom has Yahweh’s arm been revealed? For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him. Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he didn’t open his mouth. He was taken away by oppression and judgment. As for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people? They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring. He will prolong his days and Yahweh’s pleasure will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion with the great. He will divide the plunder with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

About · Privacy · Credits · Support VRSZ

What the Fathers say

Isaiah 53:6

Eastern Fathers

Clement of Alexandria

Isaiah says [about Christ], "The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all," that is, to correct our iniquities and set them right. For that reason, he alone is able to forgive our sins, he who has been appointed by the Father of all as our educator, for he alone is able to separate obedience from disobedience.

The Instructor Book 1 ↗

Western Saints

Jerome

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. All, as it is said, have gone astray like sheep, and we are in need of God's mercy, saying in the psalm: I have strayed like a lost sheep (Ps. CXVIII, 176); which in the parable of the Good Shepherd in the Gospel was carried on his concerned shoulders (Matth. XV). But the following verse shows who these sheep are. …

Commentary on Isaiah ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Third, he shows the imminent necessity on our part, for all are sick, and thus all need a physician, and no one else can offer a sufficient remedy: for there is no distinction of Jew and Greek, for all have sinned and do need (Rom 3:22–23) penance; all we like sheep have gone astray: for you were as sheep without a shepherd (1 Pet 2:25).

Commentary on Isaiah ↗