2018, October 21 ~ Isaiah 53:4-12 and Hebrews 5:1-10

Isaiah 53:4-12

The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Ancient Israel’s history. The writings were compiled from about 700 BCE to about 300 BCE.

Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and are the words of a prophet (one who speaks for YHWH) who called for Jerusalem to repent in the 20 years before Jerusalem came under siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. “Second Isaiah” is Chapters 40 to 55. In these chapters, a prophet brought hope to the Judeans during the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they had suffered enough and would return to Jerusalem. “Third Isaiah” is Chapters 56 to 66 and, for the most part, are the words of a prophet who gave encouragement to Judeans who returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile.

Today’s reading is part of Second Isaiah and is part of the Fourth Suffering Servant Poem (Is. 52:13 to 53:12). The identity of the “Suffering Servant” is sometimes understood as the prophet Isaiah but is more commonly is seen as the Judeans themselves, whose suffering in the Exile (as the servants of YHWH) would lead to vindication by YHWH and the restoration of Jerusalem after 539 BCE. Today’s reading concludes on the hopeful note that the servant will have long life and a “portion with the great” and notes that “he poured himself out to death” and “bore the sins of many.”

Many elements of the Suffering Servant Poems and Psalm 22 were used by the author of the Gospel According to Mark (and therefore by the authors of the other Synoptic Gospels) to describe the sufferings of Jesus of Nazareth in his Passion and Death. In particular, “Mark” used this Suffering Servant Poem for the representation that “the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

Hebrews 5:1-10

Although the Letter to the Hebrews is sometimes attributed to Paul, most scholars agree that it was written sometime after Paul’s death in 62 CE, but before 100 CE. The letter introduced a number of important theological themes.

The letter emphasized that Jesus (as high priest) is able to sympathize with our weaknesses because he (as a human) had been tested as we are. The presentation of Jesus as high priest in the Letter to the Hebrews is unique in the Christian Scriptures and reflects the continuing process in early Christianity of developing images to describe who and what Jesus of Nazareth was (and is).

In today’s reading, citing Psalm 2.7, the author states that Jesus was appointed high priest by God, and that Jesus was a high priest “according to the order of Melchizedek” (quoting Ps. 110.4). In Genesis 14, King Melchizedek of Salem (the old name of Jerusalem) was introduced as the priest of The Lord Most High who made an offering of bread and wine and then blessed Abraham. In the final verses of today’s reading, the author emphasized Jesus’ humanity and asserted that Jesus “learned obedience” and was “made perfect” so he would be a source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.