THE QURAN CONFIRMS THAT JESUS IS ISAIAH’S SUFFERING SERVANT!

In this post I will show how Muhammad invariably confirmed that Jesus is the righteous Servant of God of Isaiah 53 who offers himself as a vicarious sacrifice and a guilt offering for the sins of the world.

MUHAMMAD CONFIRMS THE PRESERVATION OF THE HOLY BIBLE

A. Jews and Christians commanded to believe in and live in accordance with the Scriptures in their possession, which included the Torah and Gospel:

Hast thou not regarded those who were given a portion of the Book, being called to the Book of God, that it might decide between them, and then a party of them turned away, swerving aside? S. 3:23 Arberry

All food was lawful to the Children of Israel save what Israel forbade for himself before the Torah was sent down. Say: ‘Bring you the Torah now, and recite it, if you are truthful.’ S. 3:93 Arberry

Yet how will they make thee their judge seeing they have the Torah, wherein is God’s judgment, then thereafter turn their backs? They are not believers. Surely We sent down the Torah, wherein IS guidance and light; thereby the Prophets who had surrendered themselves gave judgment for those of Jewry, as did the masters and the rabbis, following such portion of God’s Book as they were given to keep and were witnesses to. So fear not men, but fear you Me; and sell not My signs for a little price. Whoso judges not according to what God has sent down – they are the unbelievers. And therein We prescribed for them: ‘A life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds retaliation‘; but whosoever forgoes it as a freewill offering, that shall be for him an expiation. Whoso judges not according to what God has sent down — they are the evildoers. And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus son of Mary, confirming the Torah before him and We gave to him the Gospel, wherein IS guidance and light, and confirming the Torah before it, as a guidance and an admonition unto the godfearing. So let the People of the Gospel judge according to what God has sent down therein. Whosoever judges not according to what God has sent down — they are the ungodly. S. 5:43-47 Arberry

Had they performed the Torah and the Gospel, and what was sent down to them from their Lord, they would have. eaten both what was above them, and what was beneath their feet. Some of them are a just nation; but many of them — evil are the things they do… Say: ‘People of the Book, you do not stand on anything, until you perform the Torah and the Gospel, and what was sent down to you from your Lord.’ And what has been sent down to thee from thy Lord will surely increase many of them in insolence and unbelief; so grieve not for the people of the unbelievers. S. 5:66, 68 Arberry

B. Muhammad testified that the original Scriptures which God inspired and sent down were still in existence during his time:

those who follow the Messenger, ‘the Prophet of the common folk, whom they find written down WITH THEM in the Torah and the Gospel, bidding them to honour, and forbidding them dishonour, making lawful for them the good things and making unlawful for them the corrupt things, and relieving them of their loads, and the fetters that were upon them. Those who believe in him and succour him and help him, and follow the light that has been sent down with him — they are the prosperers.’ S. 7:157 Arberry

And what of him who stands upon a clear sign from his Lord, and a witness from Him recites it, and before him IS the Book of Moses for an ensample and a mercy? Those believe in it; but whosoever disbelieves in it, being one of the partisans, his promised land is the Fire. So be thou not in doubt of it; it is the truth from thy Lord, but most men do not believe. S. 11:17 Arberry

Truly it IS in the Scriptures of the ancients. Was it not a sign for them, that it is known to the learned of the Children of Israel? S. 26:196-197 Arberry

Or has he not been told of what IS in the scrolls of Moses, and Abraham, he who paid his debt in full? That no soul laden bears the load of another, S. 53:36-38 Arberry

Muhammad was sent to confirm the reliability and inspiration of those holy Scriptures, which the Jews and Christians possessed at that time:

O Children of Israel! Remember My favour wherewith I favoured you, and fulfil your (part of the) covenant, I shall fulfil My (part of the) covenant, and fear Me. And believe in that which I reveal, confirming that which YE POSSESS ALREADY (of the Scripture), and be not first to disbelieve therein, and part not with My revelations for a trifling price, and keep your duty unto Me. Confound not truth with falsehood, nor knowingly conceal the truth. Establish worship, pay the poor-due, and bow your heads with those who bow (in worship). Enjoin ye righteousness upon mankind while ye yourselves forget (to practise it)? And ye ARE READERS of the Scripture! Have ye then no sense? S. 2:40-44 Pickthall

And when there cometh unto them a scripture from Allah, confirming that in THEIR POSSESSION – though before that they were asking for a signal triumph over those who disbelieved – and when there cometh unto them that which they know (to be the truth) they disbelieve therein. The curse of Allah is on disbelievers. S. 2:91 Pickthall

And when it is said unto them: Believe in that which Allah hath revealed, they say: We believe in that which was revealed unto us. And they disbelieve in that which cometh after it, though it is the truth confirming that which they POSSESS. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Why then slew ye the prophets of Allah aforetime, if ye are (indeed) believers? S.2:91 Pickthall

Say: ‘Whosoever is an enemy to Gabriel — he it was that brought it down upon thy heart by the leave of God, confirming what was before it, and for a guidance and good tidings to the believers.’ S. 2:97 Arberry

And when there cometh unto them a messenger from Allah, confirming that which they POSSESS, a party of those who have received the Scripture fling the Scripture of Allah behind their backs as if they knew not, S. 2:101 Pickthall

Those unto whom We have given the Scripture, who read it with the right reading, those believe in it. And whoso disbelieveth in it, those are they who are the losers. S. 2:121 Pickthall

He sent down to you this scripture, truthfully, confirming all previous scriptures, and He sent down the Torah and the Gospel before that, to guide the people, and He sent down the statute book. Those who disbelieve in GOD’s revelations incur severe retribution. GOD is Almighty, Avenger. S. 3:3-4 Rashad Khalifa

You who have been given the Book, believe in what We have sent down, confirming what IS WITH YOU, before We obliterate faces, and turn them upon their backs, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-men, and God’s command is done. S. 4:47 Arberry

We have also sent down unto thee the book [of the Koran] with truth, confirming that scripture which [was revealed] before it; and preserving the same safe [from corruption]. Judge therefore between them according to that which God hath revealed; and follow not their desires, [by swerving] from the truth which hath come unto thee. Unto every of you have we given a law, and an open path; and if God had pleased, he had surely made you one people; but [he hath thought fit to give you different laws], that he might try you in that which he hath given you [respectively]. Therefore strive to excel each other in good works: Unto God shall ye all return, and [then] will he declare unto you that concerning which ye have disagreed. S. 5:48 Sale

This is a Book We have sent down, blessed and confirming that which was before it, and for thee to warn the Mother of Cities and those about her; and those who believe in the world to come believe in it, and watch over their prayers. S. 6:92

This Koran could not have been forged apart from God; but it is a confirmation of what IS before it, and a distinguishing of the Book, wherein is no doubt, from the Lord of all Being. S. 10:37 Arberry

In their history verily there is a lesson for men of understanding. It is no invented story but a confirmation of the EXISTING (Scripture) and a detailed explanation of everything, and a guidance and a mercy for folk who believe. S. 12:111 Pickthall

And that We have revealed to thee of the Book is the truth, confirming what IS before it; God is aware of and sees His servants. S. 35:31 Arberry

Yet before it was the Book of Moses for a model and a mercy; and this is a Book confirming, in Arabic tongue, to warn the evildoers, and good tidings to the good-doers… They said, ‘Our people, we have heard a Book that was sent down after Moses, confirming what was before it, guiding to the truth and to a straight path. S. 46:12, 30 Arberry

C. Muhammad and Muslims were/are commanded to believe in those very Scriptures that the Jews and Christians possessed:

That is the Book, wherein is no doubt, a guidance to the godfearing who believe in the Unseen, and perform the prayer, and expend of that We have provided them; who believe in what has been sent down to thee and what has been sent down before thee, and have faith in the Hereafter; S. 2:2-4 Arberry

Say you: ‘We believe in God, and in that which has been sent down on us and sent down on Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob, and the Tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and the Prophets, of their Lord; we make no division between any of them, and to Him we surrender.’ S. 2:136 Arberry

The Messenger believes in what was sent down to him from his Lord, and the believers; each one believes in God and His angels, and in His Books and His Messengers; we make no division between any one of His Messengers. They say, ‘We hear, and obey. Our Lord, grant us Thy forgiveness; unto Thee is the homecoming.’ S. 2:285 Arberry

When Allah made (His) covenant with the prophets, (He said): Behold that which I have given you of the Scripture and knowledge. And afterward there will come unto you a messenger, confirming that which ye possess. Ye shall believe in him and ye shall help him. He said: Do ye agree, and will ye take up My burden (which I lay upon you) in this (matter)? They answered: We agree. He said: Then bear ye witness. I will be a witness with you… Say (O Muhammad): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and that which was vouchsafed unto Moses and Jesus and the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered. S. 3:81, 84 Pickthall

Ha, there you are; you love them, and they love you not; you believe in the Book, all of it, and when they meet you they say, ‘We believe,’ but when they go privily, they bite at you their fingers, enraged. Say: ‘Die in your rage; God knows the thoughts in the breasts.’ S. 3:119 Arberry

O believers, believe in God and His Messenger and the Book He has sent down on His Messenger and the Book which He sent down before. Whoso disbelieves in God and His angels and His Books, and His Messengers, and the Last Day, has surely gone astray into far error. S. 4:136 Arberry

Say: ‘People of the Book, do you blame us for any other cause than that we believe in God, and what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down before, and that most of you are ungodly?’ S. 5:59 Arberry

Dispute not with the People of the Book save in the fairer manner, except for those of them that do wrong; and say, ‘We believe in what has been sent down to us, and what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is One, and to Him we have surrendered.’ S. 29:46 Arberry

D. People are warned of being severely tortured for rejecting the Scriptures of the messengers:

Those who cry lies to the Book and that wherewith We sent Our Messengers — soon they will know! When the fetters and chains are on their necks, and they dragged into the boiling water, then into the Fire they are poured; S. 40:70-72 Arberry

The foregoing binds every Muslim to affirm and believe in the textual incorruptibility and inspiration of the books of the Holy Bible. As such, Muslims must accept the doctrines taught by these inspired Scriptures.

OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY

According to the prophet Isaiah, God will send forth a sinless, righteous Servant to die for the sins of the people, thereby making atonement for sinners, whom YHVH will then resurrect and exalt to reign with God on high.

“Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked—But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 52:13-53:12

What makes the language that Isaiah employed in relation the Messiah’s exaltation rather amazing is that the prophet used the exact same terms to describe YHVH’s enthronement over creation!

Note the passage again:

“Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled (yarum we’nissa) and be very high.” Isaiah 52:13

Now contrast this with the proceeding verses:

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up (ram we’nissa), and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!’ And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: ‘Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.’” Isaiah 6:1-5

“The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high (marom); He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness… ‘Now I will rise,’ says the LORD; ‘Now I will be exalted (eromam), Now I will lift Myself up (ennase).’” Isaiah 33:5, 10

“For thus says the High and Lofty One (ram we’nissa) Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high (marom) and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’” Isaiah 57:15

The aforementioned texts make it abundantly clear that YHVH will resurrect his holy Servant from the dead in order to exalt him to dwell on high with him on his heavenly throne.

JEWISH INTERPRETATION

Here’s how Jewish sources, specifically rabbinic authorities, interpreted Isaiah’s prophecy:

d. Yalqut.

1. Who art thou, O great Mountain? (Zech. iv. 7.) This refers to the King Messiah. And why does he call him ‘the great mountain?’ because he is greater than the patriarchs, as it is said, ‘My servant shall be high, and lifted up, and lofty exceedingly’–he will be higher than Abraham, who says, ‘I raise high my hands unto the Lord’ (Gen. xiv. 22); lifted up above Moses, to whom it is said, ‘Lift it up into they bosom’ (Num. xi. 12); loftier than the ministering angels of whom it is written, ‘Their wheels were lofty and terrible’ (Ez. i. 18). And out of whom does he come forth? Out of David.

2. I will tell of the institution (Ps. ii. 7). Already are the words [concerning my servant] told in the institution of the Pentateuch, of the book of the Prophets, and of Hagiographa: in the Pentateuch where are they told? ‘Israel is my firstborn’ (Ex. iv. 22); in the Prophets where? ‘Behold my servant will deal prudently,’ and near to it, ‘My servant whom I uphold’ (xlii. 1) in the Hagiographa, where? ‘The Lord said to my lord,’ and ‘The Lord said unto me’ (Ps. cx. 1, ii. 7). (Yalqut Shim‘oni, 2:571, as quoted in The “Suffering Servant” of Isaiah According to the Jewish Interpreters, translated by Samuel R. Driver and Adolf Neubauer, with an introduction by Edward B. Pusey [Hermon Press, New York: Reprinted in 1969], pp. 9-10; bold emphasis mine)

And:

“I will now proceed to my exposition. ¹³ Behold my servant shall have understanding. From the prophet’s saying ‘understanding,’ it may be seen that all the lofty predicates which he assigns to him have their source in this attribute; in virtue of his comprehensive intelligence he will attain an elevation above that even of the most perfect men in the world. He shall be high and exalted, and lofty exceedingly. According to the Midrash of our Rabbis; he will be higher than Abraham, who was first of all a ‘high father,’ and afterwards a father of a multitude. He will be more exalted than Moses, who was ‘exalted’ above the exalted ones of Levi (cf. Num. iii. 32), who was a prophet such that ‘none arose like him in Israel,’ (Deut. xxxiv. 10), who ‘saved’ Israel ‘with a great salvation’ (cf. I Chron. xi. 14) when they came out of Egypt, and the report of whom spread into all places until ‘the dukes of Edom were confounded’ before him, and ‘trembling seized the mighty men of Moab, and all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away’ (Ex. xv. 15). But this one will be exalted far above Moses: for when he gathers together our scattered ones from the four corners of the earth, he will be exalted in the eyes of all the kings in the whole world, and all of them will serve him, and will exalt him above them, as Daniel prophesies concerning him, ‘All nations, peoples, and tongues shall serve him’ (Dan. vii. 14, 27). He will be loftier than Solomon, whose dignity was so lofty that he is said to have ‘sat on the throne of the Lord’ (I Chron. xxix. 23), and our Rabbis say that he was king over both the upper and the nether world. But the King Messiah, in his ALL-COMPREHENDING INTELLIGENCE, will be loftier than Solomon. Exceedingly above the ministering angels, because that same comprehensive intelligence will approach [God] more nearly than theirs. For it is an exceedingly high privilege, that one whose nature is compound and material should attain to a grade of intelligence more nearly Divine than that which belongs to the incorporeal; and so it is said of him that ‘his strength is greater than that of the ministering angels,’ because these have no impediment in the exercise of their intellect, whereas that which is compound is continually impeded in consequence of material element in its nature. Accordingly, the grade of his intelligence being such as this, he is said to be ‘lofty exceedingly,’ and his strength to be ‘greater than the angels.’… And when this ‘servant of the Lord’ is born, he will continue to be marked by the possession of intelligence enabling him to acquire from God what it is impossible for any to acquire until he reaches that height wither none of the sons of men, EXCEPT HIM, have ever ascended: from that day he will be counted with his people Israel, and will share their subjugation and distress; ‘in all their affliction’ (Is. lxiii. 9) he will be exceedingly afflicted; and because of their being outcasts and scattered to the ends of the world, his grief will be such that the colour of his countenance will be changed from that of a man, and pangs and sicknesses will seize him (for great grief, as physicians know, by producing melancholy, subjects a man to many diseases); and all the chastisements which come upon him in consequence of his grief will be for our sakes, and not from any deficiency or sin on his part which might bring punishment in his train, BECAUSE HE IS PERFECT, IN THE COMPLETENESS OF PERFECTION, as Isaiah says (xi. 2f.). Truly all his pains and sicknesses will be for us…” (R. Mosheh Kohen Ibn Crispin (14^th century AD), as cited by Driver & Neubauer, pp. 101-103; bold and capital emphasis mine)

And:

Rabbi Naphtali ben Asher Altschuler also sees Moshiach suffering as an atonement for all of Israel, but adds that we would consider him “hated by God”…¹

Rabbi Naphtali ben Asher Altschuler:

“…he suffered in order that by his sufferings atonement might be made for the whole of Israel, as it is said of the prophet Micah, that the blood issuing from him made atonement for all Israel. The sickness which ought to have fallen upon us was borne by him: the prophet means to say, When the Messiah son of Joseph shall die between the gates, and be a marvel in the eyes of creation, why must the penalty he bears be so severe? What is his sin, and what [is] his transgression, except that he will bear the chastisement of Israel, according to the words smitten of God [Isaiah 53:4]? Others consider that the passage speaks of the Messiah who is now with the pains of the world to come (as it stands in the Gemara) and endures so the sufferings of Israel. And yet we – it is Israel who are speaking – thought that he had been hated of God. But it was not so: he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, and the chastisement which was afterwards to secure was upon him. [Isaiah 53:5]¹

Ramban says that when Moshiach is faced with the revilings of his oppressors, he will “give no answer, but keep silent and cease not to entreat for Israel”…²

Ramban:

“… He was oppressed and he was afflicted [Isaiah 53:7]: for when he first comes, ‘meek and riding upon an ass,’ the oppressors and officers of every city will come to him, and afflict him with revilings and insults, reproaching both him and the God in whose name he appears, like Moses our master, who, when Pharaoh said, I know not the Lord, answered him not, neither said, The God of heaven and earth who will destroy thee quickly, etc., but kept silence. So will the Messiah give no answer, but keep silent, and cease not to entreat for Israel…”³ (Douglas Pyle, What The Rabbonim Say About Moshiach [No publisher listed, Third edition (paperback), 2010], 6. Chevley (Sufferings Of) Moshiach, pp. 49-50; emphasis mine)

¹ Neubauer, pp. 282-283. (Ibid., p. 49)

¹ Driver and Neubauer, (English translation), p. 321.

² Shaval, p. 89.

³ Driver and Neubauer (English translation), p. 82. (Ibid., p. 50)

There’s more:

The Zohar states that once it was the rituals and sacrifices that removed diseases from the world; now it is Moshiach…¹

Zohar, Exodus, Vayaqhel 212a:

“As long as Israel dwelt in the Holy Land, the rituals and the Sacrifices they performed [in the Temple] removed all those diseases from the world; now the Messiah removes them from the children of the world.”²

The Yalkut Hadash affirms that while Israel was in the Land, they freed themselves from punishments by means of offerings, but now Moshiach frees us from them…³

Yalkut Hadash, nun tet, mishmot:

“… While Israel were in their own land they freed themselves from such sicknesses and other punishments by means of offerings, but now the Messiah frees them from them, as it is written, He was wounded for our transgressions…’ (Isaiah 53:5)”⁴

Midrash Aseret Memrot informs us that Moshiach will make his soul a “corban asham” according as it is written in Isaiah 53:10…¹

Midrash Aseret Memrot:

“The Messiah, in order to atone for them both [for Adam and David] will make his soul a trespass offering, (Isaiah 53:10) as it is written next to this Parashah ‘Behold my servant.’ (Isaiah 53:12)”²

Note: in this Midrash above, the word used for “trespass offering” that Moshiach would make of his soul, is the same word in the Hebrew (“asham”) used over and over in Leviticus when the cohen would offer a corban asham on the mizbeach (altar).

The famous second century Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai sees Moshiach in a remarkable light…³

Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai:

“The meaning of the words ‘bruised for our iniquities’ [Isaiah 53:5], is, that since the Messiah bears our iniquities, which produce the effect of his being bruised, it follows that whoso will not admit that the Messiah thus suffers for our iniquities, must endure and suffer for them himself.”¹ (Ibid., pp. 53-55; emphasis mine)

¹Moshe Margoliot, Shemot, Vayaqhel 212, p. 421.

² Patai (English translation), Zohar (Exodus) 212a, p. 116.

³ Israel ben Benjamin of Belzec, Yalkut Hadash (Lublin: Kalonimus Kalman, 1647 or 1648), photocopied. Brooklyn, NY, Renaissance Hebrew, 1994.

⁴ Driver and Neubauer (English translation; from the later Yalkut, styled Souls), p. 396. (Ibid., p. 53)

¹ Rabbi Menachem Azariah of Fano, with commentary by Megini Shlomo and Yoel Moshe, Sefer Aseret (Jerusalem: Hamad Press Ltd., 1999), part 2, chapter 7…

² Driver (English translation), p. 394

³ Neubauer, p. 331. (Ibid., p. 54)

¹ Driver (English translation), see Introduction, p. xl (words of Shimon ben Yochai as given by R. Elijah de Vidas, 16^th century Kabbalist of Safed and pupil of Rabbi Moses Cordovero of Spain). (Ibid., p. 55)

Once again:

The idea that it was the righteous in Israel suffering because of gentile persecution against them gained popularity after Rashi, in his Biblical commentary, said it was so. Radak followed suit as did ibn Ezra. On the other hand, we have a great Jewish thinker like Rambam who assigned Isaiah 53 to Moshiach, finding a description of him there. Moshe ibn Crispin lends his voice to that of Rambam and feels that anyone who said the passage referred to Israel is giving the text an unnatural reading. Here is what they say:

Rambam in his Egeret Teman (Letter to Yemen)…¹

Rambam, “Letter to Yemen”:

“What is the manner of Messiah’s advent, …thou canst not know this so far as it to be said of him that he is ‘the son of such a one, and is of such and such a family:’ there shall rise up one of whom none have known before, and the signs and wonders which they shall see performed by him will be the proofs of his true origin; for the Almighty, where he declares to us his mind upon the mater says, ‘behold the man whose name is the Branch, and shall branch forth out of his place’ (Zechariah 6:12). And Isaiah speaks similarly of the time when he will appear, without his father or mother, or family being known ‘He came up as a sucker before him, and as a root out of dry earth, etc.’ (Isaiah 53:2). But the unique phenomenon attending his manifestation is, that all the kings of the earth will be thrown into terror at the fame [of] him…that they will lay their hands upon their mouth; in the words of Isaiah, when describing the manner in which the kings will hearken to him, ‘At him kings will shut their mouth; for that which had not been told them have they seen, and that which they had not heard they have perceived’ (Isaiah 52:15)²

Moshe Kohen ibn Crispin complains that some, avoiding the natural, literal interpretation of the text, have said that the prophet Isaiah speaks here collectively (of Israel)…¹

Moshe Kohen ibn Crispin:

“The expression my servant [Isaiah 52:13] they compare rashly with 41:8, ‘thou Israel art my servant,’ where the prophet is speaking of Israel (which would be singular); here, however, he does not mention Israel, but simply says my servant; we cannot therefore understand the word in the same sense. Again in 41:8 he addresses the whole nation by the name of their father Israel (or Jacob, as he continues, ‘Jacob whim I have chosen’), but here he says my servant alone, and uniformly applies the singular, and as there is no cause constraining us to do so, why should we here interpret the word collectively, and thereby distort the passage from its natural sense?

… As then it seemed to me that the doors of the literal interpretation of the Parashah were shut in their face, and that ‘they wearied themselves to find the entrance,’ having forsaken the knowledge of our Teachers…”²

Moshe Kohen ibn Crispin continues, saying that to interpret this passage of Israel and not Moshiach is “forced and far-fetched”…¹

Moshe Kohen ibn Crispin:

“I am pleased to interpret it, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEACHING OF OUR RABBIS, OF THE KING MESSIAH, and will be careful, so far as I am able, to adhere to the literal sense; thus possibly, I shall be free from the forced and far-fetched interpretations of which others have been guilty…This prophecy was delivered by Isaiah at the divine command for the purpose of making known to us something about the nature of the Messiah who is to come to deliver Israel, and his life for the day when he arrive at discretion, until his advent as a redeemer, in order that if anyone arise claiming himself to be the Messiah, we may reflect and look to see whether we can observe in him any resemblance, then we may believe that he is the Messiah our righteousness…”² (Ibid., pp. 57-60; emphasis mine)

¹ Neubauer, p. 322.

² Halkin, p. 8. (Ibid., p. 58)

¹ Neubauer, p. 95 (Taken from Bodleian Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford University, UK).

² Driver (English translation), p. 95. (Ibid., p. 59)

¹ Neubauer, pp. 95, 96, 108.

² Driver and Neubauer, pp. 99, 100, 114. (Ibid., p. 60)

Finally:

Rabbi Naphtali ben Asher Altschuler expresses his surprise that Rashi and Rabbi David Kimchi also did not apply Isaiah 52:13 through chapter 53 to Moshiach…³

Rabbi Naphtali ben Asher Altschuler:

“I will now proceed to explain these verses of our own Messiah, who, God willing, will come speedily in our days! I am surprised that Rashi and Rabbi David Kimchi have not, with the Targum, applied them to the Messiah likewise.”¹

Rabbi Altschuler then gives his reasoning for referring these verses to Moshiach…²

R. Naphtali Altschuler continues:

“The prophet says he shall be ‘high and exalted and lofty,’ expressing the idea under various forms, in order to indicate that his exaltation will be something extraordinary. It is a proof that the Parashah refers to our Messiah, that alluding to the future Deliverance, the prophet said before, ‘Break forth into joy, you waste places of Jerusalem’ (52:9), and ‘How beautiful on the mountains,’ etc. (52:7), and immediately afterwards continues, ‘Behold my servant shall prosper,’ [Isaiah 52:13] etc.”³

Rabbi Moshe Alsheich, interpreting this passage of Moshiach, reminds us that “our rabbis with one voice” referred it to Moshiach also…¹

Rabbi Moshe Alscheich:

“I therefore, in my humility, am come after them; [the commentators], not with any sense of wisdom I am about to utter, but merely with the object of applying to its elucidation a straightforward method in accord with the literal sense of the text…I may remark, then, THAT OUR RABBIS WITH ONE VOICE ACCEPT AND AFFIRM THE OPINION THAT THE PROPHET IS SPEAKING OF THE KING MESSIAH, and shall ourselves adhere to the same view…”² (Ibid., pp. 60-62; capital emphasis mine)

³Altschuler R. Naphtali ben Asher, Ayelah Sheluchah (“Hind Sent Forth”): A Commentary on the First Prophets, Book 4 (Amsterdam: Proops Publishers, 1777)

¹ Driver and Neubauer (English translation), p. 319.

² Altschuler, op. cit.

³ Driver and Neubauer (English Translation), p. 319. (Ibid., pp. 60-61)

¹ Joseph Wiess, Sefer Merot Hatzovot, Moshe Alscheich (Brooklyn, NY: Nechmod Printing Corp., 1977), Vol. 1, p. 294.

² Driver (English translation), p. 102. (Ibid., p. 62)

NEW TESTAMENT APPLICATION

It comes as no surprise that Christ and his inspired followers directly quote Isaiah 53 to explain Jesus’ vicarious, substitutionary death, resurrection and physical ascension into heavenly glory:

“When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.’” Matthew 8:16-17

“For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.” Luke 22:37

“Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go near and overtake this chariot.’ So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?’ And he said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was this: ‘He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.’ So the eunuch answered Philip and said, ‘I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?’ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” Acts 8:29-35

“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth’; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:21-25

We even find manifold allusions to Isaiah 52:13-53:12 all throughout the NT documents:

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.’” Matthew 26:26-28

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

“Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:25-27

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’… And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’” John 1:29, 36

“he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.” Acts 2:31-33

“The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.” Acts 3:13-15, 26

“Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 5:31

“Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Romans 8:34

“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom THE GREATER PART REMAIN TO THE PRESENT, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

“that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:19-21

“Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

“how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?… who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life… Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” Hebrews 7:16, 23-27

“how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?… Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” Hebrews 9:14, 23-28

“Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into… knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:10-12, 18-19

THE MUHAMMADAN DILEMMA

Here’s where the problem lay for Muslims.

The Quran knows of no other Messiah except Jesus:

When the angels said, ‘Mary, God gives thee good tidings of a Word from Him whose name is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; high honoured shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God. S. 3:45 Arberry

People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say not as to God but the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not, ‘Three.’ Refrain; better is it for you. God is only One God. Glory be to Him — That He should have a son! To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth; God suffices for a guardian. The Messiah will not disdain to be a servant of God, neither the angels who are near stationed to Him. Whosoever disdains to serve Him, and waxes proud, He will assuredly muster them to Him, all of them. S. 4:171-172 Arberry

The Messiah, son of Mary, was only a Messenger; Messengers before him passed away; his mother was a just woman; they both ate food. Behold, how We make clear the signs to them; then behold, how they perverted are! S. 5:75 Arberry

The Jews say, ‘Ezra is the Son of God’; the Christians say, ‘The Messiah is the Son of God.’ That is the utterance of their mouths, conforming with the unbelievers before them. God assail them! How they are perverted! S. 9:30 Arberry

Since the Quran confirms the authority and inspiration of the Holy Bible, and since it agrees that Jesus is the Messiah, this means that the Muslim scripture as inadvertently confirmed that Jesus is the Suffering Servant whom the prophet Isaiah said would come to offer his life as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world!

Here’s a summation of the points made in this post, showing how Muhammad testified to Jesus being the Suffering Servant prophesied by Isaiah:

Muhammad confirmed the reliability, authenticity, inspiration and preservation of the Holy Bible.
Muhammad testified that Jesus is the Messiah of God.
The Holy Bible, which Muhammad bore witness to being the inspired Word of God, contains a prophecy in Isaiah 52:13-53:12 stating that YHVH would raise up his righteous Servant for the express purpose of dying for the sins of the world in order to make atonement for the nations.
This God-breathed prophecy of Isaiah further testifies that YHVH would then resurrect his Servant and exalt him to reign alongside of him.
Both rabbinic Jewish interpretation and the testimony of Jesus and his inspired emissaries bear witness that God’s Servant which Isaiah announced would suffer, die and be exalted is the Messiah.
Both the inspired Christian Scriptures, which Muhammad came to confirm, and the Quran identify Jesus as the Messiah whom God sent into the world.
As such, Muhammad ended up bearing witness to the vicarious death, resurrection, exaltation and glorification of Jesus Christ.

There is simply no logical, consistent way of denying the preceding facts.

FURTHER READING

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 in Jewish Tradition

Aramaic Paraphrase of Isaiah 52:13-53:12

PRE-CHRISTIAN EXEGESIS OF ISAIAH 52:13-53:12

ISAIAH 53 IS NOT ABOUT NATIONAL ISRAEL

More Proof that Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Cannot Be National Israel

Isaiah’s Suffering Servant: More Prophetic Hints for the Messiah’s Divinity and Priestly Role

A Leading Jewish Rabbi Exposes the Duplicity of Jewish anti-Christian Missionaries!

How Rabbinic Judaism’s Belief in Two Messiahs proves that Jesus is the Christ

An anti-Christian Rabbi Proves Muhammad is a false prophet! Pt. 1

An anti-Christian Rabbi Proves Muhammad is a false prophet! Pt. 2