Christians love to quote “by his stripes we are healed” and claim that this is a prophetic description of Jesus, along with a select few other passages within the chapter.
But how does that stand up to scrutiny?
Well for starters, some of the descriptors are completely ignored because they don’t fit.
Horribly Disfigured? Hard No!
Whether this description of this servant, this man, this metaphor – whatever it is, we’ll call it a man, actually starts the chapter before Isaiah 53, in Isaiah 52:13-15 where see see that this man is horribly disfigured. Was Jesus known as a disfigured person? No
When we get to Chapter 53:2-3 we also see that deformity or ugliness reiterated. He was so ugly that people hid their faces from him.
“He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; “
A Man Of Sorrows? No!
I honestly don’t know any Christians who would describe Jesus as a man of sorrows. It doesn’t fit. Christians would say he brought love, light, forgiveness peace to the world – not that he was a ‘man of sorrows’. Did he experience sorrow? Sure, we all do! But again, in general terms, to describe Jesus as a man of sorrows does not work.
Despised And Rejected By Men? No!
Generally-speaking, once again, this does not fit.
And this verse is, indeed, speaking in general terms. It states “He is despised and rejected of men“.
Concerning Jesus, the exact opposite would be more accurate – that he was popular, drew huge crowds, and gained a huge following. He is the most influential person in history to date! Was he despised and rejected by men? Sure, politicians and religious leaders to name a few, but in general terms, the opposite is true.
He Opened Not His Mouth? Hard No!
Verse 7 states, ” He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”
Simply not true. He did open his mouth and spoke often.
If Christians wish to say he was silent after his arrest, that’s not even close to true. In front of the Sanhedrin, and again in front of Pilate he absolutely spoke up.
Jesus In Front Of The Sanhedrin
The exchange is found in Luke 22:26-69 The Sanhedrin was the supreme Jewish council and court in Jerusalem.
Sanhedrin: If You are the Christ, tell us.
Jesus: If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I ask a question, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.
That’s hardly silence. It’s actually an answer to their question that he knew would piss off the leaders off!
Now, in front of Pilate was Jesus silent?
Jesus In Front Of Pilate
The next exchange where Jesus again, is far from silent, is found in John 18:33-37 . Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea.
Pilate: Art thou the King of the Jews?
Jesus: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
Pilate: Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Jesus: My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Pilate: Art thou a king then?
Jesus: Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Claims that Jesus was silent before his oppressors are patently false.
He Made His Grave With The Wicked? It’s a Stretch!
The exact words from Isaiah state: “And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death”
There is nothing to suggest he made his ‘grave’ with the wicked.
Christians will grasp at straws saying that he died alongside two criminals. ‘Dying alongside’ and ‘making a grave with” are two different things. It’s a shame that I have to point that out. Criminals were not just thrown into graves. In fact, typically, in crucifixions, the bodies were left on the crosses to rot. They stayed there to be eaten by scavengers and seen by all.
There is no evidence that either criminal went to the grave with him.
If you really want to stretch it out to make it fit, go for it. I’m not going to argue with.
“And with the rich his death”
Joseph of Arimathea? Sure! I’ll give you that! No prob! It is said that Jesus was in the tomb that belonged to a rich man known as Joseph of Arimathae.
He Shall See His Seed? Hard No!
Verse 10: Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Seed means offspring, so we’ll give that a no.
Aside from that, does anyone else think that its weird that it pleased the Lord to bruise him?
Prolonged Days? Hard No
Verse 10 says he shall prolong his days. Did Jesus have a prolonged life? Knowing that he was on earth only 33 years, that’s a hard no.
Stretch It, Exaggerate, Make It Fit
I suppose you can stretch some of these items to make them fit where you want them to fit.
However, if you to describe Jesus with seven descriptors, you would likely not choose even one of the ones listed here.
Challenge To Christians
If you read this and rejected all of it, which would not be atypical for a Christian, I leave you with a challenge.
Please think about this.
Let’s say you have a neighbor or coworker or friend asking you about the prophesies of Jesus.
Are you really going to go through this list and tell them these things?
1) He was disfigured
2) He was a man of sorrow
3) He was despised and rejected among men
4) He didn’t defend himself
5) He made a grave with the wicked
6) He had offspring
7) He had a long life
Free Your Mind 
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