THE SUFFERING SERVANT OF GOD
Meditations in Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12
THE LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH

"He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was deceit in his mouth."
Isaiah 53:9

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THE plain message of this verse before us in this sermon is the fact that The Servant, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, was condemned as a criminal, but the real truth was that he was sinless, the spotless Lamb of God. This is a truth of utmost importance. Throughout the Old Testament sacrifices we are told that the lamb for sacrifice had to be a perfect specimen. The description used was a �lamb without blemish�. These sacrifices all looked forward to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and were an interim provision until Christ�s perfect sacrifice for sin had been made, and then passed away after that time.

The verse foretells perfectly the historical truth which we know. Christ�s false condemnation as a criminal follows the historical facts exactly. The words �He was assigned a grave with the wicked� is an exact description of the fact. To crucify was to assign a person to the grave of the wicked - to brand them as wicked and to exact the sentence of death. Those crucified were usually buried at the place where they had been crucified - the place of their shame, the place of the wicked.

However there was an intervention in the case of Jesus, for Joseph of Arimathea came and took the body of Jesus and buried him in his own grave - the grave of a rich person. So Jesus was assigned a grave with the wicked by his crucifixion, but also with the rich, through the action of Joseph. The prophecy is exact and was perfectly fulfilled.

At the same time there was, and is, no doubt that Jesus had done no wrong and was sinless. In spite of the apparent testimony recorded by his being crucified, he was without sin and the one and only sinless and perfect human being. The sinlessness of Jesus is asserted time and again in the New Testament, see Hebrews 7:26; 9:14; 1 Peter 2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who condemned Jesus, gave testimony himself to the purity of Jesus, when he said that he found no fault in Jesus.

So often the outward evidence tells one story, though the truth is quite another story. Outwardly the fact Jesus was crucified after a judicial sentence makes it seem that Jesus was a great criminal. The truth however was quite the opposite for he was the only really good man. This truth must be affirmed, and the implications of it made known.

The facts set forth in our text first of all bring a tremendous indictment against the world, and exposes the truth about the world and humanity.

Here in our verse we have recorded the greatest injustice the world has ever known, and at the same time exposes the awful truth about our world.

There is no other person who has suffered injustice in our world, and there are millions of them, who can say that they are without blame in any way. We are hearing over and over again in the judicial system even of Great Britain, whose judicial system is better than most, of people who have suffered unjust sentences in the courts, because of evidence being withheld, or testimony twisted, or because of corruption somewhere in the judicial system. But in all these cases none of those who suffered injustice could say that they were without blame in any way, and that their lives were perfect. In the particular event that brought punishment they can say that they were guiltless of that specific indictment, but the fact is so often plain that there was so much in their lives which was blameworthy, and deserved condemnation.

In the case of the injustice done to Christ there was no grounds for condemnation in any way whatsoever. The life of Christ was a sinless spotless life. Not only did Christ commit no sin, but also his life was one of total perfection in that no second was wasted in doing the best in every way. Even if often we can say we have not sinned, yet we can never say that we have never wasted time, or been less than perfect even in the good things we have done. In the case of Jesus there was utter perfection in every way, and without pride or vain glory.

The world, through evil men, condemned the Prince of Glory, the sinless Son of God. There could not be any greater injustice than this. The indictment against the world is further aggravated because the injustice was done with �malice aforethought�. The Jews who brought Jesus to trial were determined to get him condemned, and even when they could find nothing with which to condemn him, and knew it, they still fabricated intentionally accusations against him that were untrue, simply to get him condemned. They then pressed their false accusation with ruthless determination until they got what they wanted. They did this without any sense of guilt, even pleading they were doing it for good reasons. They showed this by being ready to take any guilt for this crime on themselves and on their posterity.

Pontius Pilate also condemned Jesus intentionally. It is true that he did not want to condemn, but he was more ready to please the Jews than do what was right. He was more concerned for his own comfort and convenience than in the rights of Jesus.

The sad truth is that this is what the world is like. This injustice is a mirror image of the truth about the world of humanity. In St. John 3 we have the indictment spelt out that men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. This melancholy fact is seen all down history in the acts of humanity, which we see so blatantly all over the world all over the world at this time. Paul�s words in Galatians 1:4 describing the world as �this present evil world� is the exact and nasty truth about human society.

The fact that Jesus "had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth" is essential to his work as the perfect sacrifice for sin. The injustice done to Jesus, and his perfect purity, needs to be asserted and proclaimed, because of its implication with regard to his sacrificial death.

We have already touched on the fact that, in the Old Testament sacrifices, the lamb chosen for sacrifice had to be a lamb �without blemish�, that is a lamb perfect in every way. This was a bodily perfection, but it emphasised the fact that, for the lamb to provide forgiveness of sin for the one offering it, it had to be perfect in order to be a sacrifice of worth, and so achieve the atonement required. If the lamb was blemished in any way, it could not be used to pay the price of the sin of the one offering it to God.

The lamb was only an animal, and as Hebrews 9:12 implies could not really atone for sin, but the animal sacrifice was meant to convey a message that the shedding of blood was the only way in which sin could be atoned for. If the sinner is to be saved from death, another must die in the sinner�s place. Further, that the lamb had to be without blemish, also conveyed a message. It was the message that the substitute who would die in the place of the sinner, must not be a sinner, so that the sin borne in death, and atoned for, could be the sin of another.

The letter to the Hebrews emphasises the fact that animal sacrifices could not really take away sin (Hebrews 10:4). Only a perfect sacrifice of a sinless substitute, who also was of infinite value as the Son of God, could atone for sin. Also if a human being is the sinner, it must be a human being who must pay the price of the sin. So we read in Hebrews that because Jesus was sinless, he was the perfect and effective sacrifice for sin. We read in Hebrews 7:26 that Christ was "one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners". Because of this he is a perfect high priest because he does not have to offer any sacrifice for his own sin, and that he is the perfect sacrifice for sin because he is sinless, able successfully to bear the sins of others because "through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God." (Hebrews 9:14).

This testimony in this prophecy to the blamelessness and holiness of Jesus is our assurance that Jesus made the perfect sacrifice for sin, and was able to bear the sin of others, and bear it eternal away.

Lastly, we have, in the prophecy of our text, an example to follow. We read in 1 Peter 2:21,22 "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you and example, that you should follow in his steps. �He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.�" Peter then goes on to explain the example by reminding us that Jesus did not hurl insults, retaliate, or make any threats, but trusted himself to the judge of all - to God, and allowed himself to bear our sins in his body on the tree. Jesus, though without sin totally, accepted all the blame for our sin, and bore the punishment that we may go free.

We are totally unable to bear the sins of others and atone for them. We are totally unable to bear the punishment for our sin so that it is atoned for. However we are called to be like our Saviour, and in so doing we proclaim his death and his sacrifice to others, commend Jesus to others and the way of life that is being Christ�s disciple. Further it is one of the ploys of the devil that he causes us to rise in anger and hurt and pride when we are treated badly, so that we retaliate and defend ourselves. By this means Satan causes rifts in the body of Christ; causes Christ�s work to be upset; and make us upset and hurt so that we are unable to be useful to the Lord.

From time to time, and more often than not when we are earnestly seeking to witness for Christ, we are treated unjustly by others, and even by those we are seeking to help. It may be that our labours are not recognized or appreciated. It may be that our efforts are denigrated, and obstacles are intentionally put in our way. It may be that others are treated with more worth than we are. It may be that our labour of love for Christ is criticized and condemned, and sometimes by people who seem to be doing nothing themselves. It may be that all sorts of obstacles are put in our way unnecessarily just to make things difficult or to discourage us. It may be that people criticize us behind our back. All this is unjust and very hard to bear. Naturally we want to defend ourselves. Sometimes the pain is so great that we can�t help but hit back. Often things gets so bad that we stop doing the work for Jesus we have been doing, or leave the church or fellowship where we have been treated so unjustly. If we behave like this we are not following the example of Christ.

Further, when we do react against injustice, the outcome is very often that Satan wins in the situation. Either we cause further hurt, or relationships are strained, or the work we were doing ceases.

It is so hard to endure under such injustice and not take any action to justify ourselves and correct the injustice, but Peter tells us in verse 20 of chapter 2 of his first letter that to bear the injustice without complaining is commendable before God. We will need much help and strength from God, because we must not grow bitter within. We will need to pray much that the Holy Spirit will place in our hearts great Christ-like love for those who are hurting us. When we are hurt we will be wise to seek Jesus and remember his great love for us and his example that has brought eternal blessings for us. The most important thing to remember is that when we fail to remember Christ�s example and follow it, and then defend ourselves, we will usually be doing the devil�s business and furthering his work in destroying the work of God, and hiding the love of God from others.

Jesus had every right to defend himself when he was falsely accused because he was sinless and undefiled, separate from sinners. Instead for love�s sake he endured the cross, despising the shame, so that you and I may be saved eternally and dwell in the love of God.

We may be unjustly treated, but we can never say that we are wholly without blame. It is my experience when, in my ministry I have had to mediate in a dispute or and upset in relationships, that there is problems on both sides, and both sides can point to areas where there has been wrong on the part of the other. It may be true that we have been the one most treated badly and unjustly, but rarely, if at all, can we say that there is nothing in the way we have behaved that has been without blame.

If Christ could suffer for us and endure the shame, so that we may be loved and forgiven, can we not in our lesser way, love those who treated us badly, and suffer injustice without retaliation.

All this is said in the context of ordinary human relations, and specially in the context of the church and its fellowship. Some are falsely accused in the courts of our land, and receive injustice through the judiciary which brands us in society, and may destroy our livelihood, and even place us in prison. We have a right to defend ourselves in such cases as this, though even here we must do it in a Christ-like way, and not in malice and an unforgiving spirit.