Post by cgpb on Oct 7, 2014 9:04:13 GMT -8
The following thread can also be viewed at the following link:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S_awOqkkS0
Isaiah 53:7 says that “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 her shearers is silent so he did not open his mouth.”
The Jewish objection here is that the passage cannot refer to Jesus because Jesus cried out several times on the cross and once near blasphemy.
This verse is clearly referring to Jesus’ trial before his crucifixion, not His cry out whilst suffering on the cross.
In Psalm 22:1 David cries out the same words in a time of pain and anguish. He says
“My God, My God why have you forsaken me” and likewise Jesus cries out the same words in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34. This is not blasphemy but the words of a godly sufferer who is victimized by the vicious and prolonged attacks of enemies whom he has not provoked and from whom the Lord has yet to deliver him. If one accuses Jesus for near blasphemy, then one must also accuse David of the same thing.
Jesus’ trial was famous for the fact that:
He did not resist arrest
He did not respond, retaliate or try to come up with arguments to defend Himself
He showed no resistance when being nailed to the Cross and being crucified
We see the fulfillment of this in the following scriptures:
“Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent. (Matthew 26:62-63)
"When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor." (Matthew 27:12-14)
"Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer." (Mark 14:60)
"The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”5 But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed." (Mark 15:3-5)
"When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him." (Luke 23:8-10)
The scriptures tell us that Jesus didn’t answer the High Priest, Pilate nor Herod at His trials nor did He try to resist or fight back even though He could have foe He told them:
"Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Mat. 26:53-54)
It is one thing to be led to the slaughter knowing you have no power to fight back or retaliate and it is another to be led to the slaughter knowing you have the power to retaliate but choose not to use that power because you know something of greater significance shall be worked out.
Jews take the verse “Like a lamb going to the slaughter”and say that the same could be said about a multitude of people in the history of the world – especially when they die as willing martyrs.
The problem with this objection is that it doesn’t take into account the dimensional aspect of prophetic language which is applicable to different people at different times under different circumstances. Oftentimes the language of prophecy is the language of truth mechanisms and the fact that it can apply to other people doesn’t nullify the fact that Jesus is the fulfillment of it.
Just like in Genesis 28:13-15, we understand that God is prophesying to Jacob about the deliverance of the Israelites through Moses into the promised land. Likewise this same prophecy could have been applied 4.000 years later to the Jews in the Diaspora, just before Israel became a nation in May 14 1948. If a Jew had used this scripture in the 20th century to allude to the rebirth of Israel as a nation, no Jew would have a problem with this, nor would they start getting theological about its interpretation. The fact that this scripture could be applied in this century doesn’t nullify the fact that Moses leading the Israelites into the promised land was the initial fulfillment of it.
Many understand to apply the prophetic truth understanding or mechanism of Genesis to a later date under different circumstances but will raise objections to the same truth process when they have to apply it to Isaiah 53:7. Evidently the problem is not in their reasoning but in stubbornness to refuse truth.
