ArchivedDid Jesus die for our sins or did God save Him?Two comments for you Abdullah.
The first is a question. If Jesus was not the "Lamb of God" who then is?
Long before the crucifixion took place, Jesus had been called "the Lamb of God" by His cousin John.
Now look at the Gospel accounts that use the Isaiah 53 passages to explain things happening in the Gospels relating to Jesus. Scripture affirms scripture, when Jesus is called the Lamb of God in so many different places, you cannot just claim corruption, this is something to be taken note of.
Some of these allusions are very clear. Others use parallel concepts that probably have their root in Isaiah 53. Where appropriate, I have boldfaced the words that are central to the allusion or parallel. Verses are listed in the order the appear in the New Testament. The left column shows the corresponding verse in Isaiah.
42:1
And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1:11 = Matthew 3:17
53:4
"This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.'" (Matthew 8:17; quotes Is 53:4)
42:1-4
Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he leads justice to victory.
In his name the nations will put their hope." (Matthew 12:18-21; quotes Is 42:1-4)
52:12-53:12
"just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28=Mark 10:45; conceptual parallel. See "for many" language in Is 53:11-12)
53:11-12
"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:28 = Mark 14:24)
53:3
"Jesus replied, 'To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?'"(Mark 9:12)
53:12
"It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment." (Luke 22:37; Jesus quotes Is 53:12)
53:1-12,
52:13
"He said to them, 'How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." (Luke 24:25-27)
53:6-7, 12
"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" (John 1:29)
"When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, 'Look, the Lamb of God!' " (John 1:36)
52:13
"The crowd spoke up, 'We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, "The Son of Man must be lifted up"? Who is this "Son of Man"?'" (John 12:34)
53:1
"This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: 'Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?'" (John 12:38, quotes Is 53:1)
53:7-8
"The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
'He was led like a sheep to the slaughter
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.'
The eunuch asked Philip, 'Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?' Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus." (Acts 8:32-35; quotes Is 53:7-8)
53:11-12
"Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification." (Romans 5:16)
"For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:19)
53:1
"But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed our message?'" (Romans 10:16, quotes Is 53:1)
52:15
"Rather, as it is written:
'Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.'" (Romans 15:21, quotes Is 52:15)
53.1-12
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve." (1 Cor. 15:3-5)
53:11
"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5:21, conceptual parallel)
53:6, 12
"Who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father." (Galatians 1:4)
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
"...and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:2)
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." (Ephesians 5:25)
53:10
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men -- the testimony given in its proper time." (1 Tim. 2:5-6)
53:10
"Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." (Titus 2:14)
53:4, 6, 11, 12
"so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." (Hebrews 9:28)
52:13-53:12
"...Trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow." (1 Peter 1:11)
Isaish 53:11, 9,7, 5, 6
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
"He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth." (quotes Is 53:9)
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (quotes Is 53:5) For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." (1 Peter 2:24-25)
53:11
"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit..." (1 Peter 3:18)
53:11
"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2)
Isaiah 53:4, 6, 11, 12
"But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin." (1 John 3:5)
Isaiah 53:10
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10)
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In these verses you quoted in Isaiah 53 we read of the coming Saviour described as "like a lamb led to the slaughter" (v.7). To truly understand the lamb of God concept you HAVE to remember Abraham and the command to sacrifice His son. In this call to Abraham we see firstly God's revelation of his plan of salvation given when he told Abraham to sacrifice a lamb instead of his son. Then throughout the ecclesiastical history of the Jews thousands of lambs were sacrificed as types of atonement for sin. Now in Isaiah we read of the great Servant of God who was to come who was to offer himself like a lamb. It is to this man that God would draw your attention and when Jesus finally came John the Baptist exclaimed of him:
"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1.29).
The Apostle Peter later said of Jesus Christ:
"The prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours searched and enquired about this salvation; they enquired what person or time was indicated by the Spirit of Christ within them when predicting the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glory." (1 Peter 1.10).
While declaring the salvation which was to come through this Lamb of God of whom they spoke, all the prophets wondered about the identity of this saviour of the world. We are told that no one will enter paradise but only "those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." (Revelation 21.27).
The Gospels are full of the completed story of His crucifixion. Yes he spoke at his trial, but always it was consistent with the words of His ministry. He never attempted to pursuade them to let him go. He had plenty of opportunity to talk his way to freedom. On one occasion, Pilate even asked him if he realised that he (pilate) had the power to let him go or to crucify him.
The crowd were declaring that Jesus had claimed to be the Son of God, and demanded he be put to death, something Pilate became terrified over. He said to Jesus "where are you from" but Jesus DID NOT answer" despite the warning from pilate that he held Jesus' life in his very hand, Jesus spoke nothing, until he said "If God hadn't given you the power, you couldn't do anything to me at all. " John 19:7-11
Why did Jesus not answer anything in His defence.. the most important reason is found in John 10. Jesus had already determined when He was going to die. He knew it wasn't the crowd, Pilate or anyone else that caused His death.. HE CHOSE TO DIE. His words to anyone at the crucifixion were irrelevent as words of defence.. they were carefully chosen words by the Good Shepherd, who was about to lay down His life for the sheep.
"I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I lay down my life that I may take it again. No one takes it from me but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down and power to take it again." (John 10.11,17-18).
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