Remembering that I’m a Catholic and believe Isaiah 53 does speak of Jesus, read it in the context of the Jewish people, the holocaust, and the founding of the modern state of Israel.
1 'Who would have believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of HaShem been revealed?
2 For he shot up right forth as a sapling, and as a root out of a dry ground; he had no form nor comeliness, that we should look upon him, nor beauty that we should delight in him.
This could speak to the origins of the Jews from the desert or the fact that they have been down for the count many times only to recover to the amazement of all around. They’ve been looked down upon by all other races.
3
He was despised, and forsaken of men, a man of pains, and acquainted with disease, and as one from whom men hide their face: he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Speaks for itself, the Jews as a race have long suffered.
4 Surely our diseases he did bear, and our pains he carried; whereas we did esteem him stricken, smitten of G-d, and afflicted
.Christians have often viewed the Jews as cut offf from God.
5 But he was wounded because of our transgressions, he was crushed because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our welfare was upon him, and with his stripes we were healed.
The suffering of the Jews is also part of what maintains them as a people.
6 All we like sheep did go astray, we turned every one to his own way; and HaShem hath made to light on him the iniquity of us all.
During the Holocaust the secular Jews were killed along side the religious Jews.
7 He was oppressed, though he humbled himself and opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before her shearers is dumb; yea, he opened not his mouth.
With a few notable exceptions the Jews have borne the torment society has inflicted upon them…namely during the holocaust.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away, and with his generation who did reason? for he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due.
Especially during the Holocaust and for those who endured it they seemed to be down for the count…cut off from the living…almost anihilated.
9 And they made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich his tomb; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.’
The Jews were unjustly persecuted throughout history…rich and poor alike.
10 Yet it pleased HaShem to crush him by disease; to see if his soul would offer itself in restitution, that he might see his seed, prolong his days, and that the purpose of HaShem might prosper by his hand:
Inspite of the persecution the Jews are still God’s Chosen and God used the shame and guilt of the holocaust to help establish modern Israel.
11 Of the travail of his soul he shall see to the full, even My servant, who by his knowledge did justify the Righteous One to the many, and their iniquities he did bear.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion among the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the mighty; because he bared his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
The Jewish people have been revived, directly related (in my opinion) to the guilt of the West for the holocaust the nation of Israel was formed…the Jewish people, almost extinct in Europe, have now risen to a stong modern nation.
You don’t have to follow my meager attempt at analyizing this scripture, but if you read IS 53 with the thought of what the Jews have suffered, especially during the holocaust, and the modern nation of Israel you can see how it can also be applied to the Jews as a whole.
