Isaiah 53:4-5

DISCOURSE: 968
THE TRUE CAUSE OF OUR LORD’S SUFFERINGS

Isaiah 53:4. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

WHATEVER difficulty there may be in ascertaining the precise import of some passages of Scripture, the fundamental doctrines of our religion are all so plainly revealed, that he who runs may read them. There is not any truth indeed, however strongly declared, which has not been controverted by those who exalt their own reason above the word of God. But to the humble mind, that is willing to receive instruction, and that looks to God for the teaching of his Spirit, the general doctrines of Christianity, and that of the atonement in particular, are as clear as the sun at noon-day. The wisdom of some has been so perverted, that they could not see any reference to Christ in this whole chapter. But no person that is not either blinded by prejudice, or intoxicated with the pride of human learning, can fail of applying the words of our text to him, “who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification.” The prophet spake not as a matter of doubtful disputation, when he declared the cause of the Messiah’s sufferings: but with the fullest confidence asserted, that “Surely he hath borne our griefs,” yea, “he died, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.” In his words we may observe—

I. The apprehended cause of our Lord’s sufferings—

It was a commonly received opinion, that heavy afflictions were indications of God’s displeasure on account of some enormous sin.
This idea prevailed much among the Jews: their history abounded with instances of God’s immediate interposition to punish sin; from whence they inferred, that every signal judgment proceeded from the same cause. It should seem that they had adopted this uncharitable mode of judging respecting those on whom the tower in Siloam fell, or whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices, as though they were sinners above all others of their own nation [Note: Luke 13:2; Luke 13:4.]. On one occasion they openly avowed this principle, ascribing the blindness of a man who had been born blind, either to some peculiar wickedness in his parents, or to some heinous crimes, which he himself had committed in a former state of existence [Note: John 9:2.]. Indeed this sentiment was the foundation of all the dispute between Job and his friends: they argued on the presumption that no good man was ever left to endure very grievous trials; but that the wrath of God against hypocritical or audacious sinners would be visibly displayed in this world [Note: Job 4:7.]. This idea also obtained among the heathen world. When Paul, after his shipwreck on the island of Malta, was bitten by a viper which fastened on his hand, the inhabitants instantly exclaimed, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, vengeance suffereth not to live [Note: Acts 28:4.].”

Now this construction was put upon the sufferings of our Lord. The people saw Jesus dying under a more accumulated weight of misery than ever had been endured by man. No one since the foundation of the world had been so universally execrated, or had met with so little compassion from his fellow-creatures. They therefore concluded, that God had marked him out as an object fit to have every species and degree of cruelty exercised towards him; “they esteemed him stricken, judicially [Note: This is the import of the words.] smitten of God himself.” What a shocking indignity was this! That they should not merely regard him as a sinner, but as the most atrocious sinner in the universe, who deserved to have a murderer preferred before him!

But this was both foretold by the prophets, and fully obviated by the occurrences of his life.
In two different Psalms, confessedly relating to Christ, it was foretold that his enemies would conspire against him, and vindicate their conduct towards him from this consideration, that God himself had pointed him out by his judgments as deserving every thing that could be inflicted on him: “All that hate me whisper together against me, against me do they devise my hurt. An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth, let him rise up no more [Note: Psalms 41:7.].” And again, “Mine enemies speak against me, and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, saying, God hath forsaken him; persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver [Note: Psalms 71:10.].” This vile imputation on his character therefore becomes, in this view, a testimony on his behalf; since it was ordained that such indignities should be offered to the Messiah; and in this, as well as in a thousand other instances, the Scriptures were literally accomplished in him.

But God provided a further antidote to this impression in the occurrences of his life. Even while his enemies were conspiring to take away his life, our Lord appealed to them respecting his own innocence, “Which of you convinceth me of sin [Note: John 8:46.]? And the very judge who pronounced the sentence of death against him, was constrained no less than three times to acknowledge publicly, that he could find no fault in him [Note: Luke 23:4; Luke 23:14; Luke 23:22.].

The supposed cause of our Lord’s sufferings being thus evidently founded in misapprehension and prejudice, we shall point out,

II.

The real cause—

This is stated in general as originating in our wretchedness and misery.

St. Matthew, quoting the first words of the text, says, that they were accomplished when our Lord healed the multitudes of those who flocked around him [Note: Mutt. 8: 16, 17.]. And this was true, inasmuch as the maladies under which men groan, are the consequences of sin; and his removing of bodily disorders was emblematical of the spiritual diseases, which he also came to heal. But the evangelist must not be understood to say, that the prophecy related to nothing more than the sympathizing with the afflicted, and the healing of their disorders; for St. Peter, quoting the very same passage, declares that Jesus “bare, not our sorrows merely, but our sins, in his own body on the tree, and healed them by his stripes [Note: 1 Peter 2:24.].” Hence, then, we perceive that as sin had introduced all manner of temporal, spiritual, and eternal miseries into the world, it was for the removal of them that Jesus submitted to all the sufferings which were inflicted on him.

But mare particularly the prophet informs us that Jesus suffered,

1. For the expiating of our guilt—

It is certainly true, that, wherever suffering is endured by an intelligent creature, there guilt must have previously been either contracted, or imputed. The brute animals would never have felt pain, if they had not been subjected to it on account of man’s transgression [Note: Romans 8:20.]. Now our Lord himself “knew no sin;” and yet endured infinitely more from God, from men, and from devils, than ever had been inflicted on any human being. But he had undertaken to redeem us from the curse of the broken law. He had engaged to pay the debt, which a whole world of sinners had contracted; and so to discharge it, that not one farthing should ever be exacted of those who should trust in him. Here then was the true cause of all his sufferings. Is it asked, What it was that occasioned him such diversified and unutterable torments? We answer, Men and devils were the executioners; but our sins were the meritorious cause: “He was wounded for our transgresions, and bruised for our iniquities.” There is not a sin which we have ever committed, that was not “as a sword in his bones;” and it was only by his bearing of our sins in his own body on the tree, that the guilt of them, and the curse due to them, could be taken away from us. Nothing less than this sacrifice could satisfy the demands of divine justice. As for “the blood of bulls and of goats, it was not possible that they should take away sin:” nor could we remove it by any offerings we could bring: rather, therefore, than we should perish for ever, Christ laid down “his own life a ransom for us.”

2. For the effecting of our peace—

God was filled with indignation against his guilty creatures: nor could he, consistently with the honour of his moral government, be reconciled to his offending people, without manifesting in some way or other, his abhorrence of their evil deeds. What then should be done? What expedient should be found for the punishing of sin, and yet saving the sinner? Behold, the Son of God himself offers to become our substitute! “On me be their curse, O my Father: let thy sword awake against me, who am thy fellow: inflict their punishment on me, and let them go free; yea, be reconciled to them for my sake.” The offer is graciously accepted; and, agreeably to the prediction before us, “the chastisement of our peace was upon him;” so that God is now reconciled to every believing penitent: he embraces the returning prodigal in his arms, and feasts him with the richest tokens of parental affection. To this agrees the testimony of the great Apostle [Note: Colossians 1:20.]; and it is confirmed by the happy experience of multitudes in every age.

3. For the renovating of our nature—

As sin has incensed the wrath of God, so has it disordered all the powers of man. There is not a faculty either of body or soul, which is not filled with this dire contagion, and rendered incapable of exercising its proper functions to the glory of God. But the same expedient that was devised for the expiating of our guilt, and the effecting of our peace, was also the most proper for the renovating of our nature. The blood which Jesus shed upon the cross is as a balm, which heals the disorders of our souls, and restores to man the free and legitimate use of all his powers. This, no less than the foregoing, was a principal end of all his sufferings. Did he give his back to the smiters, so that they even “ploughed it up with scourges, and made long their furrows?” It was that “by his stripes we might be healed:” he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works [Note: Titus 2:14.]. And it is worthy of observation, that St. Peter, quoting the text, omits all mention of other ends, and fixes upon this alone; “he bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead unto sin, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed [Note: 1 Peter 2:24.].”

It would be unpardonable, if, on such a subject as this, we did not lead you to consider,
1.

What obligations we lie under to love the Lord!

If a fellow-creature should submit to excruciating torments for us, how deeply should we feel, and how gratefully acknowledge, our obligations to him! We should wonder at such a proof of affection even from the dearest friend or relative. What then shall we say to these tokens of love from one, to whom, in the whole course of our lives, we had shewn ourselves the most determined enemies? What shall we think of the Lord Jesus, leaving the bosom of his Father on purpose to endure these things for us; to endure all that men or devils could inflict, and all that our sins had merited? Shall we feel no grateful emotions rising in our bosom? Shall our hearts be still frozen and obdurate? O let us contemplate the wounds and bruises, the chastisements and stripes which he bare for us. Let us follow him through the whole scene of his sufferings, and say, with confidence and wonder, “Surely” it was all for me; to redeem me from destruction, to exalt me to glory. Base as human nature is, it could not long withstand the influence of such a sight: at the view of him, whom we have pierced, our unfeeling hearts would relent [Note: Zechariah 12:10.]; and constrained to admire the unsearchable heights and depths of his love, we should burst forth into acclamations and hosannas, “to him who loved us and gave himself for us.”

2. What obligations we lie under to put our trust in him!

What does the self-righteous Pharisee declare, but this? “I will not trust in the Lord Jesus: he was indeed wounded for my transgressions; but I despise the way of healing by his stripes; I can heal myself better by my own works; and I will rather wage eternal war with heaven, than owe my peace to the chastisement of another.” Can any thing exceed the ingratitude which such a disposition involves in it? As for all the mockings and revilings of the Son of God, when he hung upon the cross, they were as nothing in comparison of this, because they were vented through an ignorance of his real character; whereas we acknowledge him as our Saviour, and yet rob him of his glory, and make his death of none effect. Let us then turn from such conduct with abhorrence: let us look to him, that we may be “justified by his blood,” and experience the full efficacy of his atonement: so shall Jesus himself be “satisfied when he beholds this fruit of his travail,” and we shall be distinguished monuments of his love and mercy to all eternity.