But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
Isaiah in today’s passage is giving us a detailed account before hand account of what Jesus would suffer on our behalves. If you think I am lying to you, then go and read the rest of Isaiah 53 and you will see that it describes in great detail a suffering servant. And it describes this suffering servant as having committed no sins. Now that we have the background for today’s verse let’s look at what today’s verse is telling us in some detail.
The word “transgress” means to cross a line or step outside of a boundary, as in violating a law or committing a crime. We should all be in agreement that all of humanity has violated God’s prefect law, and that our crime is actually against God. We should, also, all be in agreement that our defiance and opposition to God are so extreme that they demand the most severe penalty: death (Romans 6:23) and eternal separation from God. Christ was crucified because God allowed him to take our place, as our substitute, and suffer the death penalty that our sin deserved. By admitting our sin and accepting Christ’s sacrifice as our own, we can receive forgiveness and have peace with God, which is the healing that Isaiah prophesied that Christ’s wounds would bring.
Today’s Bible Readings:
Joshua 24, Luke 21:1-28, Psalm 89:38-52 and Proverbs 13:20-23
