Who is the "servant" in the scriptures? Mashiach? Israel? What did early sources say on this matter?

  • One of the questions often is raised is whether the Servant refers to Israel or the Mashiach. Scripture DOES use the term servant to refer to Israel in different places. Rashi comments on this fact for example.
  • God can call anyone “His Servant”... for example he does this in Jeremiah 27:6 of the wicked king Nebuchadnezzar and also Isaiah 45:1.
  • In the book of Isaiah the Lord calls Jacob his "servant"... but the description here is of a servant who rescues and restores Jacob...how can this be? (See Isaiah 42:1-4, Isaiah 49:1-6, Isaiah 50:4-9, Isaiah 52:13, and Isaiah 53)
  • Let us comapre:

For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

Isaiah 45:4 (KJV)

Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

Isaiah 44:21-22 (KJV)

For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;

Isaiah 59:12

  • In most of the scriptures above the servant has transgressed and needs sins covered.
  • But in Isaiah 52:13 and into Chapter 53 the Servant is called righteous and instead is the one bearing these sins for others:

Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

Isaiah 52:13

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Isaiah 53:9 and 11

I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.

Isaiah 44:22-23 (KJV)

  • Here G-d is removing the sin from the nation Israel...
  • By comparison, the servant in Isaiah 53 is a sin offering, justifying those needing it:

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Isaiah 53:10-11

  • While Rashi and others took a view of the Servant being Israel, the Rambam amongst other Rabbis took the ancient view of the servant referring to the Messiah, a view held even into the 16th century.
  • Even in the Talmud the scriptures in Isaiah about suffering are noted to be the Massiach!

"Behold, My Servant the Messiah shall prosper..."

Targum ("Targum Jonathan") to Isaiah 52:13

The great mountain spoken of by the prophet Zechariah (4:7) is no other than Messiah, Son of David, and he is called 'the Great Mountain,' because he towers above the Patriarchs, is greater than Moses, and is above the ministering angels. As Isaiah says (52:10), 'Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.'

Midrash Tanchuma Toldos

"The Rabbis said: His name is "the leper scholar," as it is written, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted. [Isaiah 53:4]."

Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 98b

Come hither: approach to royal state. And eat of the BREAD refers to the bread of royalty; AND DIP THY MORSEL IN THE VINEGAR refers to his sufferings, as it is said, But he was wounded because of our transgressions. (Isaiah 53:5)

Midrash Ruth Rabbah 5:6

"Moreover , when thy children take to transgressions and evil deeds, I will see one righteous man amongst them who will be able to say to My Attribute of Justice, "Enough!" whereupon I will take him and make him atone for them!"

Midrash Genesis Rabbah 44:5

  • If this "servant" is bearing "our griefs, our sorrows" and "justifying many".... and "our" here is referring to the readers of Isaiah, ie: the Jewish nation, how can this servant be Israel itself? This servant must be someone different than the nation itself for any of these verses to make sense.
  • In addition it is clear from writings such as the Talmud that even early Jewish people looked to these verses as discussing the Messiah.