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

of the book?

Who is the servant?

Duhm: poems added secondarily by someone who had leprosy

Mowinckel: Second Isaiah himself Sellin: 1898 = Zerubbabel; 1901 =

Jehoiachin; 1922 = Moses Or does the servant represent Israel? the

prophet and Israel?

The “Servant” in Second Isaiah

Word servant appears 21 times in 40-55 19 times singular; 2 times plural (44:26;

54:17) 8 times in servant poems; 1x = Israel; 2x =

not Israel; 5x = unclear 13 times elsewhere; = 8x explicitly Israel;

3x implicitly Israel; 2 plural

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!

not by proclamation nor by force Israel makes clear to the world Yahweh’s

sovereignty in experiencing deliverance from Babylon

Supplement to the first song vv 5-9 Breath of humanity has a common source,

v. 5 Covenant to people, light to nations Opening of eyes, freeing from prison Former things have come to pass; new

things I now declare

The Second Servant Poem 49:1-6

Servant reports to nations his pre-natal call The servant as God’s secret weapon You (prophet?) are my servant, you are

Israel, in whom I will be glorified! v.3 I have labored in vain My “right” is in Yahweh’s hands

More on Second Servant poem

vv. 5-6 servant has mission to Israel and to the nations

Has the prophet become the true Israel? after 49:6 exiles = Zion and Jerusalem

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?

Supplements to the Second Song

V. 7 anticipates the suffering and vindicated servant of 52:13-53:12

vv. 8-12 associates the servant with the “job description” in 42:1-9

The task that belonged to Israel as servant now belongs to individual servant of 49:1-6

Restoration of land, gathering of diaspora, light to nations and covenant to people

The Third Servant Poem 50:4-9

Psalm of confidence by one who has experienced opposition

Servant sustains the weary with a word “Prophetic” Israel (or Second Isaiah?) did

not rebel Lord Yahweh helps me; who can put me in

the wrong? The one who vindicates me is near…the master of my case

Response to third song in 3rd person--50:10-11 What is the vocation of the those who hear

Second Isaiah’s good news? They walk in darkness but trust in the name

of Yahweh and lean on God. What is the fate of those who reject the word

of the servant and light their own fires? They shall lie down in torment (cf. 66:24)

Structure of the Fourth Song

52:13-15 speech of Yahweh announcing ultimate destiny of servant (cf. v. 15 with 49:7)

53:1-11a Confession of the “we” about the work of the servant. We = them in 53:15b

53:11b-12 Divine speech about servant’s destiny--exalted because of his intercession for others and his death

The “servant” and the “servants”* Achievement of the servant 40:1-52:11 The work of the servants 54:1-66:24 The servant suffers on behalf of the servants The servant’s suffering and death are

Israel’s, on behalf of the nations * = 54:17; 56:6; 63:17; 65:9, 13, 14, 15;

66:14

The Fourth Servant Poem 53:1-11a Who is “we” and “us”? the nations? The “many”?

The “servants”? Servant made a disgusting appearance; people

could not stand to look at him 53:4-6 “We” people change their evaluation of the

servant He bore our sicknesses, our iniquities, our

rebellions In the servant’s wounds is healing for us.

The Fourth Servant Poem 53:1-11a continued The servant never said a mumbling word

53:7 (cf. 42:2) Was the servant killed? Was Second Isaiah

executed? Did Israel in exile die a metaphorical death? 53:8

Servant dies ignominiously 53:9 Servant’s life = a sin offering followed by

coming vindication 53:10

The Fourth Servant Poem 53:10-12 Yahweh again the speaker Through his humiliation/knowledge the

servant makes the “many” righteous Final vindication because

servant poured himself out unto death servant carried the sins of many (Deut 4:21-24) servant prayed for them (Deut 9:25-29)

NT echoes

If the servant originally is the prophet and/or Israel

And if Jesus is the servant Then we--in our good confession--are also

called and empowered to be servants

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

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