Isaiah 53

Isaiah 53:12 (ESV)

Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,

and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,

because he poured out his soul to death

and was numbered with the transgressors;

yet he bore the sin of many,

and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53 is the gospel in the Old Testament. It is Jesus before Pilate. It is Jesus on the cross. It is Jesus in the grave. It is Jesus conquering sin and death. How can one “divide the spoil with the strong” if he has “poured out his soul to death?” The answer is the resurrection. Reading this chapter in light of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus you cannot help but see that this chapter points straight to him.

As Christians we commonly agree that Jesus died for our sins. Yet I wonder whether, even in saying the words, we forget the incredibly unprecedented reality of these words, “He bore the sin of man and makes intercession for the transgressors.” It is actually for sinners that Jesus prayed, “Father forgive them.” It was for Roman executioners and Jewish hypocritical leaders that Jesus prayed those words as he hung on the cross, his life slipping away. It was for people who intentionally sent him to his death, knowing who he claimed to be and what amazing wonders he had performed. It was to protect their own place of privilege that they choose themselves over him, yet he prayed, “Forgive them.” It was for Romans who beat, mocked, and spit upon Jesus that he prayed that prayer.

Yet we, in our own hypocrisy, tend to divide the world into two groups. There are good sinners and bad sinners. It was for us good sinners that Jesus died. Bad sinners are to be avoided. Jesus was called a friend of sinners, and it was the bad sinners that he was accused of befriending. It was not only for us good sinners that Jesus died. He died for the druggies and alcoholics. He died for the drug dealers, for the human traffickers, for the people who murder their friends, write obscene words on the side of churches, throw urine in the faces of police officers, and detonate bombs in public spaces. Do we really believe that those are the kind of people Jesus died for? If we do, how should that change us? “He bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for transgressors.” When was the last time you prayed for one of the bad sinners?

How might we live out the grace of God toward them? This is hard, but this is what Jesus death and resurrection is about. It is about taking the lives of people like murdering Saul and transforming them into martyr Paul. Jesus didn’t die for good sinners. He died for sinners.

May the mind of Christ my savior

Live in me from day to day

By his power and love controlling

All I do and say.

Kate B. Wilkinson