Charles Spurgeon Commentary Isaiah 53:4-5

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." — Isaiah 53:4-5 (ASV)

Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

If this does not teach the doctrine of a vicarious atonement, what does it teach? If Christ's sufferings were not endured in our place, as our substitute, what do these words mean?

Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

He had not a pang to suffer on his own account, nothing to cause him grief in anything he had done:

"For sins not his own, he died to atone;
Was love or was sorrow like this ever known?"

Scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet, peradventure, for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes, we are healed.

It is substitution, you see, all through—Christ suffering instead of us—the Innocent dying for the guilty—the Lord of glory bearing the sin of rebellious men.

Why do men raise objections to this precious truth? It is their only hope of salvation. Why do we still have to say, Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

But those who are enlightened from above, and led to see their own state of ruin, and their absolute need of a Saviour, will rejoice to know that the Lord has laid help upon One who is mighty, and that he has anointed his only-begotten Son to stand in our place and stead.

Did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Wonderful medicine! Marvelous healing! Where shall we find the like? The Physician drinks the bitter draft, and so cures the patient; whoever heard of such a wonder as this? The Physician is put to death, and that great sacrifice heals the patient; whoever heard of such a thing as this before? The whole gospel in a nutshell lies in this verse: He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Now comes another wonderful verse, such as Luther was accustomed to call "a little Bible." It begins with "all" and it ends with "all."

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

What a joyous note there is in that sorrowful line, With his stripes we are healed! Glory be to God, we are healed of our soul-sickness, cured of the disease of sin, by this strange surgery, not by stripes upon ourselves, but by stripes upon our Lord!