Penal Substitution

1. Penal Substitution Did Jesus Die in My Place?

2. Comments on Isaiah • The written prophecy of Isaiah has two purposes: (1) to try to bring Judah to repentance so she will not be taken into captivity as a result of the temporal judgment of God and (2) to let them know that God will one day send a deliverer who will set up a kingdom that will not be exclusively for Jews.

3. Comments on Isaiah • These two themes are frequently intermeshed or entwined one with another. Some of the things of which he writes have a double application – a primary one for those of his day and a secondary one for those of a future generation. • According to Peter, the Old Testament prophets did not fully understand what their predictions of the future were all about.

4. 1 Peter 1:10-11 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,  searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.  

5. 1 Peter 1:12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things which angels desire to look into.

6. Comments on Isaiah • Even the Jewish ruling class struggled to harmonize the prophecies of a suffering servant with those of a triumphant king. The prophetic types of Christ and his office were so varied that the “fathers” were very much confused. This is what led to the questions that the rulers asked John the baptizer.

7. John 1:19-20 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  

8. John 1:21-22 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."  Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"

9. Isaiah 53:1-2 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?  For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.  

10. Isaiah 53:3-4 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.  Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.  

11. Isaiah 53:5-6 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

12. Isaiah 53:3-5 • It was the Jewish rulers who “despised and rejected” Him; “the common people heard Him gladly.” (Mark 12:37) • His “sorrow” and “grief” were not over anything He had done but over the sins of mankind. (Gen. 6:6) • He was grieved as was His Father. The “we” who “turned our backs on Him” are the people of His own nation initially, and people the world over eventually.

13. Isaiah 53:3-5 • “We” did not necessarily despise Him but “we did not care” that “He was despised.” • He carried our weaknesses and our sorrows weighed Him down. But in what sense did He carry our weaknesses? • It was most likely in His own heart. Our sorrows weighed him down emotionally (compare 2 Cor. 11:29)

14. Isaiah 53:3-6 • “We thought,” etc., but we were wrong. • He was not pierced “in place of” our rebellion but “because of” our rebellion. • Likewise, He was not crushed “instead of” our sins but “because of” our sins. • His beating and whipping was a prelude to His crucifixion which sealed His covenant, which contained conditions whereby we could be made whole.

15. Isaiah 53:3-6 • Verse 6 says the same thing as Rom. 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” • “We have turned, everyone, to his own way” is equivalent to Eccl. 7:29 “See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.” • It was by His sealing a covenant whereby we may all receive forgiveness that our iniquities were all laid on Him.

16. Isaiah 53:7-8 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.  He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.  

17. Isaiah 53:9-10 And they made His grave with the wicked-- But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You 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.

18. Isaiah 53:11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.  

19. Isaiah 53:12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.