Isa 53:1
53:1 Who {a} hath believed our report? and to whom is the {b}
     arm of the LORD revealed?

     (a) The prophet shows that very few will receive their
         preaching from Christ, and from their deliverance by
         him, Joh 12:38, Ro 10:16.
     (b) Meaning, that no one can believe but whose hearts God
         touches with the virtue of his Holy Spirit.

Isa 53:2
53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a
     {c} root out of a dry {d} ground: he hath no form nor
     comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty
     that we should desire him.

     (c) The beginning of Christ's kingdom will be small and
         contemptible in the sight of man, but it will grow
         wonderfully and flourish before God.
     (d) Read Isa 11:1.

Isa 53:3
53:3 He is despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and
     acquainted with {e} grief: and we hid as it were [our]
     faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

     (e) Which was by God's singular providence for the comfort
         of sinners, He 4:15.

Isa 53:4
53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried {f} our
     sorrows: yet we did esteem him {g} stricken, smitten by
     God, and afflicted.

     (f) That is, the punishment due to our sins, for which he
         has both suffered and made satisfaction,
         Mt 8:17, 1Pe 2:24.
     (g) We judge evil, thinking that he was punished for his
         own sins, and not for ours.

Isa 53:5
53:5 But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was]
     bruised for our iniquities: the {h} chastisement for our
     peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

     (h) He was chastised for our reconciliation,
         1Co 15:3.

Isa 53:6
53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every
     one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the {i}
     iniquity of us all.

     (i) Meaning, the punishment of our iniquity, and not the
         fault itself.

Isa 53:7
53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he {k} opened
     not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter,
     and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened
     not his mouth.

     (k) But willingly and patiently obeyed his father's
         appointment, Mt 26:63, Ac 8:32.

Isa 53:8
53:8 He was taken from {l} prison and from judgment: {m} and who
     shall declare his generation? for he was cut off from the
     land of the living: for the transgression of my people was
     he stricken.

     (l) From the cross and grave, after that he was condemned.
     (m) Though he died for sin, yet after his resurrection he
         will live forever and this his death is to restore life
         to his members, Ro 6:9.

Isa 53:9
53:9 {n} And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the
     rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither
     [was any] deceit in his mouth.

     (n) God the Father delivered him into the hands of the
         wicked, and to the powers of the world to do with him
         what they would.

Isa 53:10
53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him]
      to grief: when {o} thou shalt make his soul an offering
      for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his]
      days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his
      hand.

      (o) Christ by offering up himself will give life to his
          Church, and so cause them to live with him forever.

Isa 53:11
53:11 He shall see of the {p} travail of his soul, [and] shall
      be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my {q} righteous
      servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

      (p) That is, the fruit and effect of his labour, which is
          the salvation of his Church.
      (q) Christ will justify by faith through his word, while
          Moses could not justify by the law.

Isa 53:12
53:12 Therefore I will divide to him [a portion] with the great,
      and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because {r}
      he hath poured out his soul to death: and he was numbered
      with the transgressors; and he bore the sin {s} of many,
      and made intercession for the transgressors.

      (r) Because he humbled himself, therefore he will be
          extolled to glory, Php 2:7-2:12.
      (s) That is, of all that believe in him.