in
St. Mel's Cathedral, Ireland Christians traditionally see the servant as
Jesus Christ. The songs are quoted to and applied to Jesus multiple times in the New Testament, as described in following sections. Another Christian interpretation combines aspects of the traditional Christian and the Jewish interpretation. This position sees the servant as an example of '
corporate personality', where an individual can represent a group, and vice versa. Thus, in this case, the servant corresponds to Israel, yet at the same time corresponds to an individual (that is, the
Messiah) who represents Israel.
The first song The first poem has God speaking of his selection of the servant who will bring justice to earth. Here the servant is described as God's agent of justice, a king who brings justice in both royal and prophetic roles, yet justice is established neither by proclamation nor by force. He does not ecstatically announce salvation in the marketplace as prophets were bound to do, but instead moves quietly and confidently to establish right religion (Isaiah 42:1-4). The first four verses are quoted in
Matthew's gospel, where it is said that the prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus' withdrawal from the cities of
Galilee and his request that the crowds do not make him known.
The second song The second poem, written from the servant's point of view, is an account of his prenatal calling by God to lead both Israel and the nations. The servant is now portrayed as the
prophet of the Lord equipped and called to restore the nation to God. Yet, anticipating the fourth song, he is without success. Taken with the picture of the servant in the first song, his success will come not by political or military action, but by becoming a light to the
gentiles. Ultimately his victory is in God's hands. Isaiah 49:1-6. is quoted by Simeon in concerning the infant Jesus Christ during the time of His mother Mary's purification.
The third song The third poem (Isaiah 50:4-9) has a darker yet more confident tone than the others. Although the song gives a first-person description of how the servant was beaten and abused, here the servant is described both as teacher and learner who follows the path God places him on without pulling back. Echoing the first song's "a bruised reed he will not break", he sustains the weary with a word. His vindication is left in God's hands. The song is seen by New Testament commentators as a Messianic prophecy of Jesus Christ. Verse 6 is quoted in
Handel's "
Messiah", and there is an allusion in
Luke 9:51 to verse 7 ("Therefore I have set my face like a flint"), as Jesus "set his face steadfastly" to go to
Jerusalem.
The fourth song of the
Nativity,
Crucifixion and
Resurrection of Jesus; under the Crucifixion image is a quotation from the servant song in
Latin translation: (
NIV: "Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.") The fourth of the servant songs begins at Isaiah 52:13, continuing through 53:12 where it continues the discussion of the suffering servant. Christians consider this song to be clearly a
messianic prophecy of Jesus as do the gospels themselves. Jesus quoted one sentence in Isaiah 53:12 of this fourth servant song as referring to himself in Luke 22:37, and the New Testament cites it as referring to Jesus Christ in Matthew 8:17, Mark 15:28, John 12:38, Acts 8:32–33, Romans 10:16, 15:21 and 1 Peter 2:22.
Methodist founder
John Wesley suggested that it is "so evident" that "it is Christ who is here spoken of". The Servant has moved from being a king in the first song to being someone who is bearing, and being punished, for the sins of others. Christians understand this as referring to the whole of humanity, as is shown in , , and elsewhere. He has no descendants (53:8), was killed (53:8,9). Posthumously, then, the Servant is vindicated by God (53:10-12), with an allusion to resurrection (53:11,12). ==References==