Mike's Meanderings and Musings

In your opinion, what is the best interpretation of the identity of the servant in the servant songs of Isaiah?

Hans Walter Wolff argues that Jesus thought of himself as the fulfillment of the Suffering Servant poem

Scandanavian School of Ivan Ignell argues that the dying and rising God was a staple of Mediteranean religions, especially in Egypt and that the Suffering Servant poem is a Hebrew version of a Persian awareness

Who is the servant?

Options:
Jesus
The writer himself – not likely because the servant dies and is resurrected – the prophet would have to fit this description
Cyrus based on reference to Cyrus as the Messiah (Isa 45:13)
Righteous remnant of Israel – This is the corporate view
A new Moses – Deut 18:15 – This is the stance of the Hermeneia commentary on Deutero-Isaiah
Those who fill the role – According to this line of thought, the servant’s identity is purposefully left obscure in order to demand that the listening/reading audience consider their own role.  The servant position is therefore a kind of invitation to fill the role.  Goldingay argues something like this.

~ by mikesmith on December 3, 2009.