Beaten, spat upon, ridiculed, rejected, pierced and killed.
The TALMUD (Berachos 5a), the MIDRASH (Rabba Isa53:12) and many other Rabbinical Sources have declared that the "Suffering Servant" mentioned in ISAIAH 53 is the "Nation of Israel".
But truly, Is this really the case? And what does the TANAKH say?
ISAIAH 53
Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
CRITICAL EXAMINATION
CASE 1:
The Suffering Servant is killed.
Isaiah 53:8-9 For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
If the entire Nation of Israel was killed (cut off from the land of the living), then all survivors cannot be Jewish.
CASE 2:
The SINS of everyone are placed on the Suffering Servant
Isaiah 53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin...
Isaiah 53:12 …he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
If the Sins of the world are placed on the Jewish people, which Jewish person can be saved?
For it is written;
Ezekiel 18:20 The one who sins is the one who will die.
Exodus 32:33 The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my Book."
CASE 3:
The Suffering Servant is Righteous.
Isaiah 53:11 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; and by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Every single nation under Earth contains citizens that lie. This suffering servant therefore cannot be representative of any nation. It is impossible.
The survival of the Nation of Israel depends on its military. This has been a necessity for almost every nation since antiquity. Defense requires violence. This "suffering servant" therefore cannot be a nation but an individual.
CASE 4:
The Suffering Servant is silent.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
When afflicted;
Humans speak out and protest... and the "Nation of Israel" is correct and justifiable in protesting very loudly over antisemitism and over any attacks to its people.
But this Suffering Servant, He suffered in silence. So again, this not the "Nation of Israel".
CASE 5:
The Suffering Servant forgives his transgressors.
Isaiah 53:12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
The "Nation of Israel" justifiably locates those who have done grave crimes against its citizens and dispatches them. This "Suffering Servant" forgave the transgressors.
CONCLUSION
There is no doubt that the Jewish people have suffered persecution disproportionately throughout history than any other ethnoreligious group. The history of the "Nation of Israel" has very strong parallels with the ISAIAH 53 prophecy of the "Suffering Servant".
And just as the "Suffering Servant" gains victory and secures great blessings for the many. The Jewish people have also done the same.
Representing just a fraction of the world's population, The Jewish people have significantly blessed human civilization with their contribution to the sciences, the arts, music, medicine, technology, media, finance and Religion.
The TANAKH reveals that the "Nation of Israel" are a TYPE of "Suffering Servant" but the Jewish people cannot be the literal "Suffering Servant" who takes on the sins of the World.
Then who is this "Suffering Servant" ?
He was despised and rejected.
Isaiah 53:2-3 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
This humble man is a king
Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
After he dies, he rises from the dead!
Isaiah 53:11 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
Psalm 18:46 The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!
2 Samuel 22:47 The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior!
He lives and will return to Earth.
Job 19:25 But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth.