"Pierced for Our Transgressions"

Why did the Messiah have to suffer and die?  Isaiah explains:  "Truly our sicknesses were what he himself carried; and as for our pains, he bore them.  But we ourselves accounted him as plagued, stricken by God and afflicted. But he was being pierced for our transgressions; he was being crushed for our errors. The chastisement  meant for our peace was upon him, and because of his wounds there has been a healing for us.  Like sheep we have all of us wandered about; it was each one to his own way that we have turned; and Jehovah himself has caused the error  of us all to meet up with that one." -Isaiah  53:4-6.

The Messiah carried the sicknesses of others and bore their pains.  He lifted up their burdens, so to speak, place them on his shoulders, and carried them. And since sickness and pain are consequences of mankind's sinful state, the Messiah carried the sins of others.  Many did not understand  the reason for his suffering and believed that God was punishing him, plaguing him with a loathesome disease.  The Messiah's suffering culminated in his being pierced , crushed,  and wounded-strong words that denote a violent and painful death. But his death has atoning power; it provides the basis for recovering those who wander about in error and sin, helping them to find peace with God.

How did Jesus bear the suffering of others?  The Gospel of Matthew, quoting Isaiah 53:4, says: "People brought him many demon-possessed persons; and he expelled the spirits with a word, and he cured all who were faring badly; that there might be fulfilled what was spoken  through Isaiah the prophet, saying: 'He himself took our sicknesses and carried our diseases.' " (Matthew 8:16, 17) By curing those who came to him with various diseases, Jesus, in effect, took their suffering upon himself. And such healings drew on his vitality.  (Luke 8:43-48)  His ability to heal all kinds of ailments-physical and spiritual-proved that he was empowered to cleanse people from sin. -Matthew 9:2-8.

Yet, to many it seemed that Jesus was "plagued" by God. After all, he suffered at the instigation of respected religious leaders.  Remember, though, that he did not suffer on account of any sins of his own.  "Christ suffered for you," says Peter, "leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely.  He committed no sin, nor was  deception found in his mouth.  He himself bore our sins in his own body upon the stake, in order that we might be done with sins and live to righteousness.  And 'by his stripes you were healed.' " (1 Peter  2:21, 22, 24)  We were all at one time lost in sin,  (actually, still are) "like sheep, going astray."  (1 Peter 2:25) Through Jesus, however, Jehovah provided redemption from our sinful state.  He caused our error to "meet up with" Jesus, to rest upon him.  The sinless Jesus willingly suffered the penalty for our sins.  By undeservedly suffering a shameful death on a stake, he made it possible for us to be reconciled to God.

Next time:  'He Let Himself Be Afflicted'

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, Volume II, 2001