FULFILLMENT 

So he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And he was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written:  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Then he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:16-21)

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. (Luke 1:32-33)

For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel. (Luke 2:30-32)

Then they spat in his face and beat him; and others struck him with the palms of their hands saying, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who is the one who struck you?” (Matthew 26:67-68)

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And they bowed the knee before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they took the robe off him, put his own clothes on him, and led him away to be crucified. (Matthew 27:27-31)

Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Messiah to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah, that his soul was not left in Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus, God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he poured out this which you now see and hear. (Acts 2:29-33)

Why the Messiah Must Be a Person – and Not a Nation

1. Israel is not an innocent sufferer.

Israel as a nation was, at times, unrighteous, in need of forgiveness and redemption.

2. Israel is not a silent sufferer.

The Hebrew Bible has many examples of Israel’s complaint against unjust suffering.

3. Israel never died.

Israel has never died as Isaiah 53 describes. Despite its many enemies and lengthy exile, Israel has had a continual existence throughout its history.

4. The language of the text points to the suffering of an individual, not a nation.

There is ample evidence of Rabbinic support for a suffering Messiah (see next section further down). Also, if the Servant dies on behalf of the nation, it cannot be the nation itself that dies.