Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many… 1. Here is a state supposed with regard to the many — that they would need to be justified. Look at history. Let us look into our own hearts. Let us look at the pure and holy law. 2. The prophet foresees One who would be an exception to the many. While to them iniquities belong, this one would be the "righteous Servant." There has been but One in all history to whom this expression could completely and unreservedly apply. 3. Nor did the prophet foresee this One merely as one Righteous One amid a desolate waste of sin, but he foresees Him taking on Himself the liabilities of the race. "He shall bear their iniquities." 4. The knowledge of this Righteous One should have peculiar value. "By His knowledge;" this and no more will the Hebrew term bear. But we may understand either — by the knowledge He has, or by the knowledge that He imparts, or by the knowledge of Himself that men should gain. Either way a sense is conveyed that is intelligible and true. 5. Where the Righteous One is thus known, He accomplishes a glorious justifying act. By means of the saving acquaintance with Him which believing penitents make, when, confessing their sin, they rely on Him for pardon, He, in the exercise of His own royal rights, absolves them from all their guilt, and releases them from the condemning sentence of the law of God. 6. As the result of this release the penitents are re-set in a position of favour, grace, and love. 7. The ground or reason of His justifying the many, is that He bore their iniquities. The justifying is not only a sequence, but the consequence of His bearing our sins. (C. Clemance, D.D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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