Scripture Reading: Isa. 53:1-3; 1 Cor. 1:22-24; 2 Cor. 8:9; Mark 6:1-6

Ⅰ　

The arm of Jehovah is a figure of speech signifying Jehovah Himself in His power; thus, the arm of Jehovah is God Himself in His saving power— Isa. 53:1b:

A　

When the Lord Jesus came out to preach the gospel, that was the unveiling of the arm of Jehovah—Luke 4:14, 18-19; Mark 1:14-15.

B　

The Old Testament term is the arm of Jehovah; the New Testament term is the power of God—1 Cor. 1:24.

C　

Although Christ was unveiled as the arm of Jehovah, many did not see that He was Jehovah Himself coming in power to save them; they did not believe, because He grew up like a tender plant before Jehovah and like a root out of dry ground—Isa. 53:2a; John 1:46; Matt. 13:55.

D　

When the Lord Jesus comes back, the remnant of Israel will repent and wail (Zech. 12:10-14); at that time they will confess the contents of Isaiah 53, and this chapter will be a full taste to them.

Ⅱ　

As the complete God, signified by the arm of Jehovah, the power of God, Christ became a perfect man, signified by a man of sorrows—Isa. 53:1b, 3a; John 1:1, 14; 1 Tim. 2:5:

A　

The arm of Jehovah is Jehovah in His power, and the man of sorrows is Jesus; when these two are added together, they equal incarnation.

B　

In 1 Corinthians 1:22-24 Christ crucified corresponds to the man of sorrows in Isaiah 53:3, and the power of God corresponds to the arm of Jehovah in verse 1.

Ⅲ　

As a perfect man, the Lord Jesus lived a lowly and sorrowful human life—vv. 2-3:

A　

He grew up like a tender plant before Jehovah and like a root out of dry ground—v. 2a:

１　

The plant here refers to a sprout, which is tender, small, and delicate; because He was such a small, delicate person, no one would pay attention to Him.

２　

He grew up like a root out of dry ground; this means that He was born of a poor family—v. 2b; Luke 2:21-24; 2 Cor. 8:9; cf. Lev. 12:8.

３　

The Lord Jesus was raised in the home of a poor carpenter in the despised town of Nazareth and in the despised province of Galilee; this was the fulfillment of the dry ground in Isaiah 53:2b.

B　

He had no attracting form nor majesty that men should look upon Him—v. 2c:

１　

Jesus had neither an attracting form, nor did He have a beautiful appearance; He did not have any form or comeliness that would cause others to appreciate Him.

２　

Instead of majesty, He had poverty, and instead of a beautiful appearance, He had a visage and form that were disfigured—52:14.

C　

Christ was despised and forsaken by men, like one from whom men hide their faces and whom men do not esteem—53:3.

D　

The Lord Jesus lived as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; this was a part of Christ's qualifications for accomplishing redemption—v. 3a:

１　

He was not a man of enjoyment, happiness, or blessing.

２　

As we consider Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, Luke 22, and Matthew 27, we see a portrait of Christ as a despised man of sorrows.

E　

Christ's being such a man and His living such a lowly and sorrowful human life fully qualified Him to be the Savior to save us from Satan, sin, death, and self—Heb. 2:14-18; Matt. 1:21.

Ⅳ　

Mark 6:1-6 may be regarded as a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 53:2-3:

A　

The Nazarenes, blinded by their natural knowledge, knew the Lord Jesus according to the flesh, not according to the Spirit—Mark 6:2-3; 2 Cor. 5:16.

B　

Only in the Gospel of Mark is the Lord Jesus called a carpenter—6:3:

１　

Carpentry is not a magnificent work, but it requires much fineness and patience; in such a work the Lord Jesus was found in fashion as a man (Phil. 2:8), not in loftiness but in lowliness, fineness, and patience.

２　

In Mark 6:3 the word carpenter is used in a despising manner:

ａ　

The Nazarenes were astounded by His teaching, by His wisdom, and by His works of power, but they regarded Him as a person of low status— vv. 2-3.

ｂ　

They were stumbled in Him because, although they heard wonderful words out of His mouth and saw some of His marvelous deeds, they considered that He did not have a high status or degree.

ｃ　

They saw the Lord Jesus as one who was merely a carpenter; therefore, they were stumbled in Him, and they despised Him.

C　

The record in Mark 6:1-6 should cause us to ask ourselves what we want and what we value.