ISAIAH 53 MISSING

ISAIAH 53: MISSING?

Hugh Fogelman

Torah Readings: Each week in synagogue, Jews read a passage from the Torah――referred to as a parshah. The first parshah, for example, is Parashat Bereishit, which covers from the beginning of Genesis to the story of Noah. There are over 50 parshahs, so that in the course of a year, the entire Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy) is read in synagogue services. Also, the weekly parshah is followed by a passage from the prophets, which is referred to as a haftarah. “Haftarah” comes from the Hebrew root Feh-Tet-Resh and means “Concluding Portion.” Usually, the haftarah portion is no longer than one chapter, and has some relation to the Torah portion of the week.

Unfortunately, in ignorance, malevolence or both:

1. Christians claim that in the Synagogue cycle of biblical readings, Jews do not read Isaiah 53. They say parts of Isaiah 51 and some of Isaiah 52 are read then the reading abruptly comes to an end. Christian missionaries sometimes refer to this as “the missing chapter.” Some even go so far as to claim that ancient rabbis removed this chapter from regular synagogue readings to keep Jews from seeing the obvious picture the chapter paints of Jesus.

2. Christians claim that Isaiah 53 can not refer to “Israel” because “The Chapter” speaks of the ONE who would die for the sins of the world having no sin of His own. They claim this could not mean Israel because Israel was a “sinful” nation. Therefore the Christians only see this as Jesus.

Answer to #1

Haftarahs were chosen according to their meaning in relation to the Torah portion of the week. Chapter 53 of Isaiah did not bare relevance to the Torah portion of the week. It was not censored and can be found in every Jewish Bible, and this chapter, along with all the books of the Jewish Bible is studied by Jews everywhere throughout the world.

Answer to #2

I encourage you to look at the original text of Isaiah, which is written in Hebrew. Once you gain proficiency in Hebrew and become able to read scripture using your own ability, you will see many discrepancies between the original Hebrew and the Christian translation.

In context, it is clear that Isaiah 53 talks about Israel. Isaiah 52 talks about Israel and Isaiah 54 talks about Israel. Yes, Isaiah 53 talks about Israel too; no matter what Christians and their missionaries claim. Here is part of chapter 53 translated from the original Hebrew without the mistakes:

(1) Who would believe what we have heard! For whom has the arm of the Almighty been revealed! (2) Formerly he grew like a sapling or like a root from arid ground; he had neither form nor grandeur; we saw him, but without such visage that we could desire him. (3) He was despised and isolated from men, a man of pains and accustomed to illness. As one from whom we would hide our faces; he was despised, and we had no regard for him.

COMMENTARY: Following in the footsteps of the previous chapter (52) these verses continue to describe the amazement of the world when they see the Jewish people redeemed. In particular, these verses written in an exclamatory fashion describe how the nations “despised” the Jewish people and gave “no regard” for them. The reason it is written in the singular is because the Jews are regarded as one body, called “Israel.” There are many instances of the Jewish people being referred to with a singular pronoun throughout the Hebrew Bible.

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(4) But in truth, it was our ills that he bore and our pains that he carried - but we had regarded him diseased, stricken by G-d, and afflicted! (5) He was pained because of our rebellious sins and oppressed through our iniquity; the chastisement upon him was for our benefit and through his wounds, we were healed. (6) We have all strayed like sheep, each of us turning his own way, and the Almighty inflicted upon him the iniquity of us all.

COMMENTARY: These verses explain how nations punished Israel for their own reasons, but not “for the Jews own good,” as they had claimed. The verses continue in this manner until the end of the chapter.

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(7) He was persecuted and afflicted, but he did not open his mouth; like a sheep being led to the slaughter or an ewe that is silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth. (8) Now that he has been released from captivity and judgment, who could have imagined such a generation? For he had been removed from the land of the living, an affliction upon him that was my people's sin.

COMMENTARY: Verse seven prophesizes regarding the many hardships the children of Israel would endure in their exile. A look at history will prove that these prophecies have already become true. In the 11th century CE Jews were “persecuted and afflicted” by crusaders who brutally tortured and killed Jews in the name of their lord Jesus. In this century the Nazis “led” the Jews “to the slaughter” like a “ewe that is silent before her shearers.” Having been “exiled” from the “Land of the Living” (the Land of Israel) it appeared to the world that the Jews would die out all together. (See newspaper articles from the 1950s.) Verse eight again tells of the surprise of all the nations of the world when they see that the Jews will be gathered back to the homeland. “How is it possible that the nation we tortured has returned home?” they will ask.

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(9) He submitted himself to his grave like wicked men; and the wealthy submitted to his executions, for committing no crime and with no deceit in his mouth.

COMMENTARY: There are countless stories throughout history, of Jews who were given the alternative to accept Jesus or die by the edge of a sword. Instead of profaning themselves with conversion they “submitted themselves to the grave” and died the death of a common criminal. Also “wealthy” Jews were “submitted to executions for committing no crime,” only so that they could robbed of their riches.

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(10) The Almighty desired to oppress him and He afflicted him; if his soul would acknowledge guilt, he would see offspring and live long days and desire of the Almighty would succeed in his hand.

COMMENTARY: “The Almighty desired to oppress him (Israel)” because they deserved to be punished for their sins. If the Jews would only “acknowledge” their “guilt” they would be able to see their “offspring and live long days.”

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(11) He would see the purpose and be satisfied with his souls distress. With his knowledge My servant will teach G-d's righteousness to the multitudes; it is their iniquities that he will carry. (12) Therefore, I will assign him a portion from the multitudes and he will divide the mighty as spoils - in return for having poured out his soul for death and being counted among the wicked, for he bore the sin of the multitudes, and prayed for the wicked.

COMMENTARY: Verse eleven is still talking about Israel, and how they will teach all the nations about G-d. Verse twelve talks of how the Jews pray for the welfare of the nations they are exiled into.

Some people have thought, regarding the above passage, that the “suffering servant” can't be Israel since Israel has sins. But why can't the “suffering servant” have sins? G-d gave the world a very special gift―”repentance.” Repentance is the power to return to the proper path from which one strayed. In Judaism there is no such thing as a sinless person.

Even Moses didn't leave this earth 100% free from sin! But he was still considered a righteous person. That is because “righteousness” not only takes into account how many righteous acts a person has done, but it also includes an accounting of the ability to do “Repentance” after accidental sins. Repentance is not only available for Jews, but gentiles also.

So, now you have it; properly translated from the original Hebrew. Study it, not some Christian bible with an agenda! No longer drink down stream from the herd.

Many of the earliest church fathers knew they were mistranslating the Bible, but did so anyway. They did this with ine ourpose in mind; to sell Jesus. Here is just a short list¹ of some of their names and what they wrote:

a. St. Gregory, 4th century Bishop of Nanianzus, wrote, “A little jargon is all that is necessary to impose on the people. The less they comprehend, the more they admire. Our forefathers and doctors have often said not what they thought, but what circumstances and necessity dictated.”

b. Dr. Herbert Marsh, 19th century English Bishop, wrote, “It is a certain fact that several readings in our common printed text are nothing more than alterations made by Origen...”

c. Lucius Coelius Firmianes Lactantius, 3rd century Church Father, wrote, “Among those who seek power and gain from their religion, there will never be wanting an inclination to forge and lie for it.”

Why Jesus could not have been the “Suffering Servant:” Christianity claims “In the royal terminology of ancient Near East “servant” meant something like “trusted envoy” or “confidential representative.” (New International Version, pg. 1069)

Trusted Envoy – Confidential Representative: This makes no sense because Trinitians claim Jesus was part of the God-head; many go so far as to claim Jesus was God Himself in human form. How could Jesus then be his own “trusted envoy” or “confidential representative?” Simple, He could not! THINK!

Either Jesus was God in human form or he was God’s servant. Christian theology cannot have it both ways! However, Israel, the Jewish nation fits the bill to a “T.” Israel indeed was God’s servant, as told in Isaiah over four times.

There are a couple of important points one should know.

1. If Isaiah 53 referred to Jesus why was Peter surprised to learn that Jesus would suffer? Matthew 16:21-22 records; “From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer and be killed…Peter took him rebuking him saying, Be it far from thee, lord, this shall not be unto thee.” Peter would have known the Hebrew Scriptures–after all, they built a church in his name and the first Pope was named Peter. Peter would have said; “Hurray, prophecy is being fulfilled!” But, he did not. Or, Jesus himself would have said; “I have come to suffer and die as Isaiah prophesied”. But he did not.

2. Who would you ask to understand the meaning and concept of Communism, a student of Karl Marx or someone who read all of Karl Marx’s books? Of course the answer would be that the student who talked with Karl Marx and asked him questions about his thinking would be the one you would seek for the truth.

The same thing applies to Isaiah on all the chapters and verses in his book. Isaiah, being a rabbi told his students, who became future rabbis, exactly just what he was writing. Christians have the chutzpah to claim that Isaiah did not say what he said―that he was wrong.

Rabbis today explain just what Isaiah meant when he wrote the 53^rd chapter; exactly the same it has been for over 2,000 years.

Christians today are telling anyone who will listen without thinking for themselves;

a. that rabbis are wrong and they are right and

b. that Isaiah was prophesying about Jesus, not about the Jewish people who throughout history were God’s Suffering Servant.

3. Christians read the Hebrew Bible from the “outside in” (preconceived notions)―instead of reading it from the “inside out.”

FOOTNOTE:

1. From http://www.drazin.com/

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