As a perfect man, Christ lived a lowly and sorrowful human life. His birth was lowly, and His family also was in a lowly state. His living was also full of sorrow.
1. Growing Up like a Tender Plant before Jehovah,
and like a Root out of Dry Ground
First, He grew up like a tender plant (like a small, delicate person) before Jehovah (Isa. 53:2a). The plant here actually refers to a sprout, which is very tender, small, and delicate. Christ did not grow up like a large tree, but like a small, delicate sprout. Because He was such, no one would pay any attention to Him. He also grew up like a root out of dry ground, meaning that He was born of a poor family. His mother, Mary, and her husband, Joseph, lived in a despised city called Nazareth, in a despised region, Galilee. It is true that they were descendants of David, but David reigned approximately one thousand years before Jesus was born. When Mary and Joseph came into being, the royal family had become insignificant. In Isaiah 11:1 the royal family of Jesse was likened to the stump of a tree. From that stump a sprout, Christ, came out. Hence, His birth was very lowly.
2. Having No Attracting Form nor Majesty
that Men Should Look upon Him
Second, the Lord Jesus had no attracting form nor majesty that men should look upon Him, nor beautiful appearance that men should desire Him (53:2b). If Jesus had been very handsome and attractive, very majestic and powerful, everyone would have been attracted to Him. But Jesus had neither an attracting form nor majesty, nor did He have a beautiful appearance. Instead of majesty, He had poverty, and instead of a beautiful appearance, He had a visage and form that were disfigured (52:14).
3. Being Despised and Forsaken of Men,
like One from Whom Men Hide Their Faces
and Whom Men Do Not Esteem
Third, Christ was despised and forsaken of men, like one from whom men hide their faces and whom men do not esteem (53:3). Often when the Jews saw Him, they hid their faces. When He was hanging on the cross, many hid their faces from Him. Furthermore, they did not regard or respect Him. This was Christ’s human living.
4. Living as a Man of Sorrows
and Acquainted with Grief
Fourth, Christ lived as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (53:3a). As a man in His human living, Christ did not have riches; rather, He had sorrows. Moreover, He was acquainted with grief. He knew nothing but sorrow and grief. This was not for redemption; rather, this was part of Christ’s qualifications for accomplishing redemption.
thank You Lord for dying on the cross of calvary for my sins. indeed it is finished!!! all my long standing battles, delays, difficulties are finished because you took them away when you died on the cross.
B. As a Perfect Man
to Live a Lowly and Sorrowful
Human Life
1. Growing Up like a Tender Plant
before Jehovah, and like a
Root out of Dry Ground
First, He grew up like a tender plant (like a small, delicate person) before Jehovah (Isa. 53:2a). The plant here actually refers to a sprout, which is very tender, small, and delicate. Christ did not grow up like a large tree, but like a small, delicate sprout. Because He was such, no one would pay any attention to Him. He also grew up like a root out of dry ground, meaning that He was born of a poor family. His mother, Mary, and her husband, Joseph, lived in a despised city called Nazareth, in a despised region, Galilee. It is true that they were descendants of David, but David reigned approximately one thousand years before Jesus was born. When Mary and Joseph came into being, the royal family had become insignificant. In Isaiah 11:1 the royal family of Jesse was likened to the stump of a tree. From that stump a sprout, Christ, came out. Hence, His birth was very lowly.
2. Having No Attracting Form
nor Majesty that Men Should
Look upon Him
Second, the Lord Jesus had no attracting form nor majesty that men should look upon Him, nor beautiful appearance that men should desire Him (53:2b). If Jesus had been very handsome and attractive, very majestic and powerful, everyone would have been attracted to Him. But Jesus had neither an attracting form nor majesty, nor did He have a beautiful appearance. Instead of majesty, He had poverty, and instead of a beautiful appearance, He had a visage and form that were disfigured (52:14).
3. Being Despised and Forsaken of Men,
like One from Whom Men Hide Their Faces
and Whom Men Do Not Esteem
Third, Christ was despised and forsaken of men, like one from whom men hide their faces and whom men do not esteem (53:3). Often when the Jews saw Him, they hid their faces. When He was hanging on the cross, many hid their faces from Him. Furthermore, they did not regard or respect Him. This was Christ’s human living.
4. Living as a Man of Sorrows
and Acquainted with Grief
Fourth, Christ lived as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (53:3a). As a man in His human living, Christ did not have riches; rather, He had sorrows. Moreover, He was acquainted with grief. He knew nothing but sorrow and grief. This was not for redemption; rather, this was part of Christ’s qualifications for accomplishing redemption.
Although I’ve always loved this hymn, I didn’t know what it was to be a man of sorrows in the manner of our Lord until facing the painful reality of rejection by those who seemingly mattered most, for the sake of truth. And I would never trade away the abiding in Him that I now enjoy and know that in my weakness, I would have never gained otherwise. Thank you for healing me and being my only Friend, my Lord and Master, Jehoshua ha Meshiach. I pray you bring me to fall at Your feet, any day now.
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Man of Sorrows, what a name
h10819Man of Sorrows, what a name46da93c026d54687fb0f12149b6c11d87ab0f7f297aacf3cc71e4ad23d6dcf7ba3fa10b0bc9c9467https://www.hymnal.net/enencomplete lyrics archive