What does "He will be raised and lifted up" imply about Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection? Immediate Literary Context Isaiah 52:13 inaugurates the Servant Song that runs through 53:12. The three verbs—“prosper,” “raised,” “lifted up”—form a crescendo. Verse 14 immediately juxtaposes the Servant’s shocking disfigurement, proving the exaltation occurs by way of suffering. The Hebrew nāśāʾ (“lifted”) consistently connotes physical elevation (Exodus 14:8; Isaiah 6:1). Thus the text anticipates both a literal lifting and a majestic exaltation. Prophetic Vocabulary of Elevation 1. Raised (rām) – speaks of restoration to life (2 Kings 8:5; Hosea 6:2). 2. Lifted up (nāśāʾ) – evokes suspension above the earth (Numbers 21:9). 3. Highly exalted (gāḇaḥ me’ōḏ) – used of Yahweh’s unique supremacy (Isaiah 6:1). Applied to one Person, these verbs predict a single historical arc: humiliation, elevation, cosmic enthronement. Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint Confirmation The Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaᵃ, dated ~125 BC) preserves the exact Hebrew sequence, refuting claims of Christian redaction. The Septuagint (3rd–2nd cent. BC) renders it, “He shall be exalted and glorified exceedingly,” the Greek hypsōthēsetai matching John’s “lifted up” terminology, centuries before the crucifixion. New Testament Fulfillment in the Crucifixion Jesus explicitly ties Isaiah’s language to His death: • “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up” (John 3:14-15). Roman execution by crucifixion literally “lifted” the victim. Archaeological finds such as the heel bone of Yehoḥanan (Giv‘at ha-Mivtar, AD 30s) confirm the practice precisely in Jesus’ timeframe. Resurrection as ‘Raising’ Peter’s Pentecost sermon—“God raised Him up, releasing Him from the agony of death” (Acts 2:24)—quotes Psalm 16 and applies Isaiah’s Servant hope. The verb egeirō (“raise”) dominates the earliest creed (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) dated within five years of the event, attested by eleven independent sources inside the New Testament. The empty-tomb tradition is bolstered by the early Jerusalem proclamation—easily falsifiable if the body remained. Ascension and Heavenly Enthronement Luke’s narrative closes with Christ “taken up” (Acts 1:9); Daniel 7:13-14 shows the Son of Man receiving dominion. Isaiah’s triple elevation telescopes cross, resurrection, and ascension into one prophetic vista—death downward, resurrection upward, ascension heavenward. Tri-Fold Elevation Pattern Elsewhere in Scripture Philippians 2:8-11 rehearses the same descent-ascent trajectory: 1. Obedient death (crucifixion). 2. Resurrection exaltation. 3. Universal confession of lordship. Peter echoes it: “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed… God exalted Him to His right hand” (Acts 5:30-31). Theological Implications: Vicarious Atonement Isaiah 53:5 continues: “He was pierced for our transgressions.” The Servant’s lifting is substitutionary, satisfying divine justice and enabling reconciliation (Romans 3:25-26). Assertion of bodily resurrection authenticates the atonement (Romans 4:25). Historical Corroboration • Tacitus (Ann. 15.44) verifies Jesus’ execution under Pontius Pilate. • Josephus (Ant. 18.3.3) notes followers who “reported He had appeared to them alive.” • The Nazareth Inscription (1st cent.) threatens grave robbers—implicit governmental reaction to resurrection claims. • Early Christian hymn fragments (Papyrus Oxy. 1787, AD 50s) celebrate a risen, exalted Christ parallel to Isaiah’s vocabulary. Philosophical and Scientific Considerations A dead man’s verified return to life defies closed-system materialism, aligning with the intelligent-design inference that information-rich events (creation, resurrection) originate from a transcendent Mind. Miraculous healings—such as the medically documented 1981 Lourdes cure of Jean-Pierre Bély—continue the Servant’s restorative mission, giving empirical warrant to supernatural action. Practical Application for the Reader 1. Trust: The Servant’s lifting validates the gospel; repent and believe (Mark 1:15). 2. Worship: Join the heavenly chorus, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 5:12). 3. Mission: Proclaim the Servant’s exaltation “to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 52:10). Summary “He will be raised and lifted up” foretells one seamless redemptive movement—crucifixion, resurrection, ascension—confirming Jesus as Yahweh’s Servant-King. The convergence of textual integrity, archaeological data, eyewitness testimony, and ongoing transformative power renders the prophecy incontrovertible and its promise of salvation urgently personal. |
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