The Servant Songs in Second Isaiah 42 1

The Servant Songs in Second Isaiah 42: 1 -4 (5 -9) n 49: 1 -6 (7//52: 13 -53: 12, 8 -12//42: 1 -9) n 50: 4 -9 (10 -11) n 52: 13 -53: 12 n Should they be read separately from the rest of the book? n

Who is the servant? Duhm: poems added secondarily by someone who had leprosy n Mowinckel: Second Isaiah himself n Sellin: 1898 = Zerubbabel; 1901 = Jehoiachin; 1922 = Moses n Or does the servant represent Israel? the prophet and Israel? n

The “Servant” in Second Isaiah Word servant appears 21 times in 40 -55 n 19 times singular; 2 times plural (44: 26; 54: 17) n 8 times in servant poems; 1 x = Israel; 2 x = not Israel; 5 x = unclear n 13 times elsewhere; = 8 x explicitly Israel; 3 x implicitly Israel; 2 plural n

The First Servant Poem 42: 1 -4 v. 1: servant is agent of “justice” (restoration of God’s order in the world) to the nations (combines royal and prophetic functions). See 40: 27! n not by proclamation nor by force n Israel makes clear to the world Yahweh’s sovereignty in experiencing deliverance from Babylon n

Supplement to the first song vv 59 Breath of humanity has a common source, v. 5 n Covenant to people, light to nations n Opening of eyes, freeing from prison n Former things have come to pass; new things I now declare n

The Second Servant Poem 49: 1 -6 Servant reports to nations his pre-natal call n The servant as God’s secret weapon n You (prophet? ) are my servant, you are Israel, in whom I will be glorified! v. 3 n I have labored in vain n My “right” is in Yahweh’s hands n

More on Second Servant poem vv. 5 -6 servant has mission to Israel and to the nations n Has the prophet become the true Israel? after 49: 6 exiles = Zion and Jerusalem n If the central positive message of Second Isaiah is the new Exodus, does the servant figure indicate the vocation of those who are to be freed? n

Supplements to the Second Song V. 7 anticipates the suffering and vindicated servant of 52: 13 -53: 12 n vv. 8 -12 associates the servant with the “job description” in 42: 1 -9 n The task that belonged to Israel as servant now belongs to individual servant of 49: 1 -6 n Restoration of land, gathering of diaspora, light to nations and covenant to people n n

The Third Servant Poem 50: 4 -9 Psalm of confidence by one who has experienced opposition n Servant sustains the weary with a word n “Prophetic” Israel (or Second Isaiah? ) did not rebel n Lord Yahweh helps me; who can put me in the wrong? The one who vindicates me is near…the master of my case n

Response to third song in 3 rd person--50: 10 -11 What is the vocation of the those who hear Second Isaiah’s good news? n They walk in darkness but trust in the name of Yahweh and lean on God. n What is the fate of those who reject the word of the servant and light their own fires? n They shall lie down in torment (cf. 66: 24) n

Structure of the Fourth Song 52: 13 -15 speech of Yahweh announcing ultimate destiny of servant (cf. v. 15 with 49: 7) n 53: 1 -11 a Confession of the “we” about the work of the servant. We = them in 53: 15 b n 53: 11 b-12 Divine speech about servant’s destiny--exalted because of his intercession for others and his death n

The “servant” and the “servants”* Achievement of the servant 40: 1 -52: 11 n The work of the servants 54: 1 -66: 24 n The servant suffers on behalf of the servants n The servant’s suffering and death are Israel’s, on behalf of the nations n * = 54: 17; 56: 6; 63: 17; 65: 9, 13, 14, 15; 66: 14 n

The Fourth Servant Poem 53: 111 a Who is “we” and “us”? the nations? The “many”? The “servants”? n Servant made a disgusting appearance; people could not stand to look at him n 53: 4 -6 “We” people change their evaluation of the servant n He bore our sicknesses, our iniquities, our rebellions n In the servant’s wounds is healing for us. n

The Fourth Servant Poem 53: 111 a continued The servant never said a mumbling word 53: 7 (cf. 42: 2) n Was the servant killed? Was Second Isaiah executed? Did Israel in exile die a metaphorical death? 53: 8 n Servant dies ignominiously 53: 9 n Servant’s life = a sin offering followed by coming vindication 53: 10 n

The Fourth Servant Poem 53: 1012 Yahweh again the speaker n Through his humiliation/knowledge the servant makes the “many” righteous n Final vindication because n n servant poured himself out unto death n servant carried the sins of many (Deut 4: 21 -24) n servant prayed for them (Deut 9: 25 -29)

NT echoes If the servant originally is the prophet and/or Israel n And if Jesus is the servant n Then we--in our good confession--are also called and empowered to be servants n

Second Isaiah and the Priestly Writer P looked back to the everlasting covenant with the ancestors and to the possibility of reestablishing an ideal “Mosaic” community n Second Isaiah: Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? 43: 18 -19 n