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Answer: According to the Gospels, Jesus was, throughout
his entire lifetime, greatly desired by an ever growing
multitude of people (Luke 2:40, 46-47). Jesus' positive
attributes are strikingly illustrated in Luke's summation
of his formative years: "And Jesus kept increasing in
wisdom and in physical growth [helikia, cf. Luke 19:3],
and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52). In this
statement, it is asserted that Jesus was wise, tall
in stature, and enjoyed popularity even in the years
prior to his active ministry. This verse shows that
his handsome appearance, charismatic personality, and
wisdom attracted many followers.
There are some Christian commentators who say that
Isaiah 53:2 refers to the Jewish rejection of Jesus'
message at the time of his death. But, we can assume
that outside of Jerusalem his still loyal following
was unaware of events in the capital and that even there,
besides his secret followers (John 12:42) great multitudes
were still loyal (Luke 23:27). On the way to being executed
the Gospel of Luke maintains that "there were following
him a great multitude of the people, and of women who
were mourning and lamenting him" (Luke 23:27).
Overall, the great majority of Jesus' Jewish contemporaries
in the Land of Israel and the Diaspora never heard of
him. Therefore, the question of large-scale Jewish rejection
of Jesus does not yet enter the picture.
Other Christian commentators see Isaiah 53:2 as a
reaction to Jesus' physical state at his crucifixion.
According to the Gospel of Luke, this notion is without
justification. Luke writes that those who followed Jesus
to his execution were not turned away by his supposed
haggard appearance (Luke 23:27).
Especially, in Luke's passion account, those who reject
Jesus are vocal, but appear in the minority. In sum,
the type of rejection the Gospels say Jesus experienced
in his last hours of life is by no means expressed in
the wording of verse two. According to all the Gospel
accounts, those who allegedly ridicule Jesus, prior
to his execution and at the crucifixion site itself,
do not deride his physical condition but, rather, his
messianic pretensions (Matthew 27:41-43; Mark 15:29-32;
Luke 22:63-64, 23:35-37).
The Christian claim that this verse refers to Jesus
is simply without any factual basis. |
