Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse emphasizes that people "hid their faces" from him, not just that they ignored him. This imagery suggests an active aversion, as if his very presence or appearance was so distressing that people couldn't bear to look, akin to how one might avert their gaze from a leper or a scene of extreme suffering.
This passage comes right after a description of the Suffering Servant's humble beginnings and lack of outward appeal, and it sets the stage for explaining why his suffering was necessary. The prophet Isaiah is painting a picture of someone utterly rejected and overlooked by society, leading into the explanation that this rejection and suffering were part of a divine plan for humanity's salvation.
The verse paints a stark picture of being actively pushed away. This isn't just about not being liked; it's about being intentionally shunned.
The Hebrew word often translated as 'rejected' here carries a profound sense of being forsaken or abandoned. It suggests a deliberate turning away, not merely a lack of popularity.
The prophecy doesn't just say he experienced sorrow, but that he was intimately familiar with it. What does this deep acquaintance reveal about his connection to us?
The terms used for 'sorrows' and 'grief' in this verse can encompass not just emotional pain but also physical suffering and sickness. This isn't a distant observer of pain, but someone deeply embedded within it.
Understand the original words
mak'ob · Hebrew Noun
Deep emotional, physical, or mental pain and distress. In Scripture, it often refers to the natural consequences of sin in a fallen world.
This psalm expresses a deep sense of abandonment and scorn, mirroring the prophetic description of the suffering servant being 'despised and rejected' and not esteemed.
Luke 18:31-34Jesus explicitly tells his disciples about the suffering foretold by the prophets, including being rejected and treated with contempt, which directly relates to Isaiah's depiction.
Matthew 27:39-43This passage vividly illustrates the public scorn and mockery Jesus endured, fulfilling the prophecy of him being despised and not esteemed by those who passed by.
Philippians 2:5-8This New Testament passage describes Christ's humility and willingness to take on the form of a servant, enduring suffering and a shameful death, reflecting the 'man of sorrows' described in Isaiah.
wesleyIsaiah 53:3: "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; he was despised, and we esteemed him not."
53:3 We hid - We scorned to look upon him.
clarkeIsaiah 53:3: "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; he was despised, and we esteemed him not."
Acquainted with grief - For וידוע vidua, familiar with grief, eight MSS. and one edition have וירע veyada, and knowing grief; the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate read it ויודע veyodea. We hid as it were our faces from him "As one that hideth his face from us" - For וכמסתר uchemaster, four MSS. (two ancient) have ו…
The verse emphasizes that people "hid their faces" from him, not just that they ignored him. This imagery suggests an active aversion, as if his very presence or appearance was so distressing that people couldn't bear to look, akin to how one might avert their gaze from a leper or a scene of extreme suffering.
This passage comes right after a description of the Suffering Servant's humble beginnings and lack of outward appeal, and it sets the stage for explaining why his suffering was necessary. The prophet Isaiah is painting a picture of someone utterly rejected and overlooked by society, leading into the explanation that this rejection and suffering were part of a divine plan for humanity's salvation.
This passage comes right after a description of the Suffering Servant's humble beginnings and lack of outward appeal, and it sets the stage for explaining why his suffering was necessary. The prophet Isaiah is painting a picture of someone utterly rejected and overlooked by society, leading into the explanation that this rejection and suffering were part of a divine plan for humanity's salvation.
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The imagery of 'hiding faces' is powerful. It suggests not just turning away but a deep aversion and a refusal to even look.
The phrase 'as one from whom men hide their faces' paints a picture of extreme revulsion and shame. It’s a profound act of social and personal rejection.
"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not." — The verse emphasizes that people "hid their faces" from him, not just that they ignored him. This imagery suggests an active aversion, as if his very presence or appearance was so distressing that pe…
