Holy Week · Wednesday of Holy Week · Year C
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Israel’s Sin and the Servant’s Obedience
April 12, 2028
Overview & Insights
“I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard.” (Isaiah 50:6)
In 50:4 the subject suddenly changes again—in two senses. The grammatical subject is once again a human “I” rather than a divine “I,” and the thematic subject is the pressure upon this human “I.” In both respects the passage parallels 49:1–6, and it will emerge that 50:4–52:12 forms a sequence parallel to 49:1–50:4, analogous to double sequences we have noted earlier in chapters 40–55. The arrangement of sections is not as tightly parallel as in earlier instances, but the parallelism again means that the second sequence develops issues raised in the first. Here, as there, that involves discussion of the role of Yahweh’s servant (50:4–11 as 49:1–6), but here the destiny of Zion and the way the destiny of the Babylonian community relates to it (51:1–52:12 as 49:7–50:3) receive more attention.
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Commentary
Isaiah 50:4-9a Working Preacher
A commentary on the third Servant Song, the servant who does not hide his face from shame.
Isaiah 50 Enduring Word · David Guzik
A verse-by-verse evangelical commentary on the obedient, suffering servant.
Classic commentaries on Isaiah 50 BibleHub
Aggregated classic commentaries on the Servant Song verse by verse.
Isaiah 50 Commentary Precept Austin
Inductive verse-by-verse notes and cross-references drawing many conservative sources.
Background & Word Study
Isaiah 50 in Hebrew, with Jewish commentary Sefaria
The Hebrew text with classical Jewish commentary on the servant passage.
Isaiah, book overview Enter the Bible
A background summary of the book's structure, setting, and themes.
Overview: Isaiah 40-66 BibleProject
An animated overview mapping the literary design and themes of Isaiah 40-66.
Isaiah 50:4 Hebrew interlinear BibleHub
Word-by-word Hebrew with parsing and Strong's numbers for close study.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
How does the Servant respond to suffering?
Given the tongue of a teacher, the obedient Servant does not turn back but sets his face like flint, trusting the God who helps him, an image of Christ in his Passion.
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