Isaiah 53:5-6
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "the chastisement that brought us peace" isn't just about suffering, but specifically about the discipline or correction that restores harmony between us and God. His crushing pain wasn't mere punishment; it was the necessary consequence that ended the divine feud and ushered in reconciliation.
This passage is part of the Suffering Servant prophecy, which describes a figure who will bear the iniquities of many. The preceding verses highlight the Servant's rejection and suffering, while the verses that follow will detail the results of his sacrifice and his eventual exaltation. This verse specifically unpacks why he suffers, emphasizing that his pain and brokenness are vicarious, taken on for humanity's transgressions and iniquities.
The verse uses powerful, visceral language to describe what happened to the Servant. What does this intense imagery reveal about the depth of our sin and the price of our reconciliation with God?
Isaiah 53:5 doesn't hold back when describing the suffering of the Servant. He is described as 'wounded,' 'bruised,' and 'crushed.' These aren't just physical injuries; they represent the full weight of God's judgment being borne on his behalf.
The severity of these descriptions underscores that our sin is not a minor issue. It required an immense, crushing sacrifice to bring about peace with a holy God.
The same suffering that crushed the Servant becomes the source of our healing. How can injury lead to restoration, and what does this reveal about God's redemptive plan?
The second half of the verse shifts from the cost of peace to the benefit of healing. The 'stripes' of the Servant are directly linked to our 'healing.' This is a profound paradox: suffering brings salvation.
Understand the original words
pesha' · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting a failure to observe the law, a violation of a trust, or an act of rebellion against God’s authority. It implies a conscious breach of the covenant relationship.
avon · Hebrew Noun
A moral term referring to twistedness, perversity, or guilt. It signifies an act that deviates from the moral standard established by God, often carrying the idea of associated guilt and the need for punishment.
musar · Hebrew Noun
Discipline, correction, or punishment intended to bring about repentance or restoration. In a substitutionary context, it refers to the penalty suffered by one party to secure the welfare or peace of another.
shalom · Hebrew Noun
Isaiah's prophecy of a suffering servant speaks into a historical context of exile and return, offering hope for restoration and atonement that resonated deeply with a people yearning for God's intervention.
c. 740 BC— this verse
Prophecy of Isaiah
Isaiah the prophet delivers his message in the Kingdom of Judah during a time of political instability and impending Assyrian threat.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of its population and a stark warning for Judah.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, besieging Jerusalem. The city is miraculously spared, but the land suffers significant devastation.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonian Empire conquers Judah, destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, and exiles a large portion of the population. This event deeply shapes Jewish identity and eschatology.
This passage directly quotes and applies Isaiah 53:5 to Jesus' suffering, emphasizing that 'by his wounds you have been healed,' underscoring the vicarious nature of Christ's atonement for our spiritual healing.
Matthew 8:17This verse reflects on Jesus healing many, explicitly connecting it to the prophecy in Isaiah 53:4, 'He took our illnesses and bore our diseases,' highlighting the suffering servant's role in bringing physical and spiritual well-being.
Romans 5:1This passage echoes the theme of peace found in Isaiah 53:5 by explaining that 'since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,' showing how Christ's sacrifice establishes reconciliation with God.
Galatians 3:13This verse speaks of Christ redeeming us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, which powerfully parallels the idea in Isaiah 53:5 that Christ was 'crushed for our iniquities' to remove the penalty we deserved.
Colossians 1:20This passage states that God was pleased 'through him to reconcile to himself all things...by making peace through the blood of his cross,' directly connecting the concept of peace through Christ's sacrificial death, as foretold in Isaiah 53:5.
clarkeIsaiah 53:5: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
The chastisement of our peace "The chastisement by which our peace is effected" - Twenty-one MSS. and six editions have the word fully and regularly expressed, שלמינו shelomeynu; pacificationum nostrarum, "our pacification;" that by which we are brought into a state of peace and favor with God. Ar. Montan.
pulpitIsaiah 53:5: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
Verse 5. - But he was wounded for our transgressions. This verse contains four asseverations of the great truth that all Christ's sufferings were for us, and constituted the atonement for our sins. The form is varied, but the truth is one. Christ was "wounded" or "pierced" (1) by the thorns; (2) by the nails; and (3) by the…
The phrase "the chastisement that brought us peace" isn't just about suffering, but specifically about the discipline or correction that restores harmony between us and God. His crushing pain wasn't mere punishment; it was the necessary consequence that ended the divine feud and ushered in reconciliation.
This passage is part of the Suffering Servant prophecy, which describes a figure who will bear the iniquities of many. The preceding verses highlight the Servant's rejection and suffering, while the verses that follow will detail the results of his sacrifice and his eventual exaltation. This verse specifically unpacks why he suffers, emphasizing that his pain and brokenness are vicarious, taken on for humanity's transgressions and iniquities.
This passage is part of the Suffering Servant prophecy, which describes a figure who will bear the iniquities of many. The preceding verses highlight the Servant's rejection and suffering, while the verses that follow will detail the results of his sacrifice and his eventual exaltation. This verse specifically unpacks he suffers, emphasizing that his pain and brokenness are vicarious, taken on for humanity's transgressions and iniquities.
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This imagery calls us to see Christ's suffering not just as an act of punishment, but as a potent remedy that mends what our transgressions have broken.
A state of wholeness, completeness, or reconciliation with God. It encompasses not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of divine well-being and covenantal harmony.
'āwōn · Hebrew Noun
A term representing the moral failure of humanity and a state of being disconnected from God. It encompasses both the act of breaking God’s law and the resulting corruption of human nature.
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
Refers to the covenant name of God, YHWH, the self-existent one who revealed Himself to Israel as their Savior and Redeemer. It is the name signifying God's faithfulness to His promises.
tāʿâ · Hebrew Verb
The state of moral separation from God where humans act according to their own desires rather than His revealed will. It characterizes humanity's inherent tendency to drift away from divine authority.
c. 539 BC
Return from Exile
Following the Persian conquest of Babylon, Cyrus the Great allows Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, marking a new era.
"But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have t…" — The phrase "the chastisement that brought us peace" isn't just about suffering, but specifically about the discipline or correction that restores harmony between us and God. His crushing pain was…
