“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (KJV, Is. 53:7).
“He was oppressed”
Isaiah continues to speak of the harsh treatment of the Servant of God. Many years before Christ came, Isaiah looked ahead to a time in which God would send His Servant to a world that would reject Him. Like the prophets who came before Jesus, so would Christ be rejected by sinful men.
The prophet in the Old Testament was often met with a challenging life. Moses, although he was exalted by God, was often despised by his people. The Israelites frequently came against Moses and often sought to usurp his authority.
When someone truly speaks the Word of God, it may cause division and animosity. The Christian should not seek animosity. However, it is an inevitable outcome at times. The reality of such a statement can be seen in the life of King Ahab.
King Ahab was a wicked king who did not like to be told he was in the wrong. After Ahab committed a grievous sin, the Word of the Lord came to Elijah. Elijah was told to go and communicate the Word of the Lord to King Ahab. Therefore Elijah went as the servant of God and prophet of God.
Surely enough, Elijah meets with King Ahab, and the Bible tells of King Ahab’s reception. Scripture says, “And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me. O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord” (1 Kings 21:20). King Ahab declared Elijah his enemy because Elijah spoke the Word of God.
The oppression of Christ came from Christ being the Prophet of God. Had Christ not spoken the words of God, He would not have been an “enemy” to the people. Thus, they would not have looked upon Him as King Ahab looked upon Elijah. Nevertheless, Christ came to do the will of God, and therefore He suffered under much oppression.
The Hebrew word translated as oppressed is nagas which carries the meaning of driving an animal, workman, or debtor. As the context will reveal, Jesus was driven like an animal, a lamb, to the slaughter.
“and he was afflicted”
Not only was Jesus oppressed, but He was also afflicted. It is important to note that Jesus’ affliction came by way of living in the will of God rather than outside of it. The Christian will also experience times of affliction while living in the will of God, and he should not interpret all afflictions as coming from sinful choices.
The Hebrew word translated as afflicted is anah and denotes someone looking down upon another. It consists of depressing, afflicting, chastening, hurting, and dealing hard with someone. The affliction of Christ was a grotesque act and display of sin.
However, the same Hebrew word and various forms of it are used in Psalm 119 when the writer says, “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me” (Ps. 119:50), and, “I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me” (Ps. 119:75). Thus, the Word of God would have been a comfort to Jesus, and knowing the faithfulness of the Father amid affliction would have been an anchor.
“yet he opened not his mouth”
Despite the oppression and affliction, Jesus opened not His mouth. The teaching presented in this passage is remarkable. Peter uses it elsewhere when he says, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1 Pet. 2:21-23). The heart of the teaching can be seen in Jesus’ response to affliction.
Peter stated that Jesus did not return evil for evil. Instead, He entrusted Himself to the Father amid harsh treatment. He looked to the Father, as did the Psalmist, as One Who was faithful amid affliction and sovereign over all. Ultimately God was in control. God did not make the people treat Jesus harshly, but at the same time, paradoxically, He was in control. If the events of life were to spiral out of God’s control, the believer could not entrust himself to God. However, the believer can look to God as One Who is in control, may at times sovereignly ordain affliction, but also works all things for the believer’s good.
“he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter”
The will of God was ultimately that Christ would die a substitutionary death. The words of Isaiah 53:7 are rich with Gospel applications. In the New Testament, an Ethiopian man was reading Isaiah 53:7-8. He was seeking God but did not quite understand the implications of what he was reading. The Bible says, “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot” (Acts 8:29). Philip asked the man if he understood what he was reading. The man said, “…How can I, except some man should guide me…” (Acts 8:31), and followed up with the question, “I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or some other man?” (Acts 8:35). Thus the Ethiopian man wanted to know if the Servant of God in Isaiah 53:7 was Isaiah or if Isaiah was speaking of someone else.
Then the Bible says Philip explained the passage to the man. It does not tell us precisely what Philip said, but one can be sure the substitutionary death of Christ for sinners was the main message. Jesus came to the earth to live a sinless life so that He could die as the spotless Lamb of Calvary. He was the Lamb of God Who came to take away the sins of the world. He was the Scapegoat sent into the wilderness to remove the people’s sins as far as the east is from the west and the sacrificial Goat of which the blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.
Christ’s life was given as atonement for a world that did not receive him. He was oppressed and afflicted by the ones He came to save.
“and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth”
Nevertheless, He did not open His mouth like a sheep before its shearers. It is remarkable to see the accuracy with which the Old Testament prophecies have been fulfilled. When Jesus was before the Sanhedrin, Matthew says, “And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witnesses against thee? But Jesus held his peace…” (Matt. 26:62-63). Later when Jesus was before Pilate, Matthew says, “And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing” (Matt. 27:12). When Pilate questioned Jesus, John says, “And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer” (John 19:9). When Jesus was before Herod, Luke says that Herod “…questioned him with many words; but he answered nothing” (Luke 23:9). Jesus opened not his mouth.
The example of Christ is remarkable. He did not attempt to save His life or defend His innocence. He knew that the accusations were false. It was clear that He had committed no crime deserving of death. Nevertheless, the Father’s will meant the Son would die a substitutionary death.
Jesus entrusted Himself to the Father and was like a lamb led to the slaughter.
Final prayer
Father, I thank You for the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. I realize that I have sinned against You and that the wages of sin is death. Therefore my actions deserved punishment. However, You sent Christ to die in my place so that I could be forgiven of my sin and reconciled to You. Thank You, Father. In Jesus’ name, Amen.