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.
This prophetic description of the suffering Servant (fulfilled in Christ) reveals His rejection and sorrows. 'Despised' (bazah) means treated with contempt, regarded as worthless. 'Rejected' (chadal) conveys being forsaken, abandoned by others. 'A man of sorrows' shows His intimate acquaintance with grief—not occasional sadness but one whose life was characterized by suffering. 'We hid as it were our faces from him'—people turned away in disgust or indifference. 'We esteemed him not' means we considered Him insignificant, without value. This describes humanity's response to Jesus: religious leaders rejected Him, crowds turned away, disciples fled, and even today many dismiss Him.
Historical Context
Written 700 years before Christ, Isaiah's detailed description of Messiah's suffering confounded Jewish expectations of a conquering king. Jesus's life perfectly fulfilled this prophecy—rejected by religious leaders, abandoned by friends, despised by crowds who chose Barabbas. The cross epitomized this rejection: executed as a criminal, mocked by observers. Yet Peter explains this rejection was predicted (Acts 3:18) and necessary for salvation. The early church, facing similar rejection, found comfort knowing their Messiah experienced it first.
Questions for Reflection
How does Jesus's experience of rejection and sorrow comfort you when you face similar experiences?
In what ways do people today still 'hide their faces' from Christ and 'esteem him not,' and how should we respond?
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Analysis & Commentary
This prophetic description of the suffering Servant (fulfilled in Christ) reveals His rejection and sorrows. 'Despised' (bazah) means treated with contempt, regarded as worthless. 'Rejected' (chadal) conveys being forsaken, abandoned by others. 'A man of sorrows' shows His intimate acquaintance with grief—not occasional sadness but one whose life was characterized by suffering. 'We hid as it were our faces from him'—people turned away in disgust or indifference. 'We esteemed him not' means we considered Him insignificant, without value. This describes humanity's response to Jesus: religious leaders rejected Him, crowds turned away, disciples fled, and even today many dismiss Him.