Isaiah 53:2
He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
He grew up before Him
This phrase indicates the presence and nurturing of God in the life of the servant, who is understood to be the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Hebrew root for "grew up" is "גָּדַל" (gadal), which conveys the idea of becoming great or strong. This growth is not merely physical but also spiritual and moral, under the watchful eye of God ("before Him"). Historically, this reflects Jesus' upbringing in Nazareth, where He was raised in a humble environment, yet under divine providence and purpose.

like a tender shoot
The imagery of a "tender shoot" suggests vulnerability and humility. The Hebrew word "יוֹנֵק" (yonek) refers to a young plant or sprout, emphasizing the Messiah's humble beginnings. This metaphor highlights the contrast between the expected grandeur of a king and the actual humble and unassuming nature of Jesus' earthly life. It also alludes to the prophecy of the "Branch" from the line of David (Isaiah 11:1), symbolizing new life and hope.

and like a root out of dry ground
This phrase underscores the unlikely and miraculous emergence of the Messiah. The "root" (Hebrew "שֹׁרֶשׁ", shoresh) signifies life and sustenance, while "dry ground" suggests barrenness and desolation. Historically, this reflects the spiritual dryness of Israel at the time of Jesus' birth, under Roman occupation and religious legalism. Despite these conditions, Jesus emerged as the source of life and salvation, fulfilling God's promises in an unexpected way.

He had no stately form or majesty
This description challenges the expectations of a regal and majestic Messiah. The Hebrew words "תֹּאַר" (to'ar) for "form" and "הָדָר" (hadar) for "majesty" indicate outward appearance and splendor. Jesus did not possess the physical attributes or royal demeanor that people anticipated in a king. This aligns with the New Testament portrayal of Jesus as humble and approachable, emphasizing His mission to serve rather than to be served (Mark 10:45).

to attract us
The phrase "to attract us" suggests that Jesus' appeal was not based on physical appearance or worldly allure. The Hebrew root "חָמַד" (chamad) means to desire or take pleasure in. This highlights the spiritual nature of Jesus' mission, drawing people through His teachings, love, and sacrifice rather than through external beauty or charisma. It reflects the deeper, transformative attraction of His message and character.

no beauty that we should desire Him
This final phrase reiterates the theme of Jesus' unassuming appearance. The Hebrew word "מַרְאֶה" (mar'eh) for "beauty" refers to visual attractiveness. The lack of physical allure emphasizes the importance of inner beauty and spiritual truth. Jesus' life and ministry focused on the heart and soul, inviting people to look beyond the superficial and embrace the profound truth of God's love and redemption. This challenges believers to value spiritual depth over outward appearances, aligning with the biblical principle that God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Servant
This passage is part of the "Servant Songs" in Isaiah, which Christians traditionally interpret as referring to Jesus Christ. The Servant is depicted as humble and unassuming.

2. Isaiah
The prophet who authored the book, providing prophecies about the coming Messiah and the salvation of God's people.

3. Israel
The nation to whom Isaiah prophesied, often seen as the "dry ground" from which the Servant arises, symbolizing spiritual barrenness.

4. God
The one before whom the Servant grows up, indicating divine oversight and purpose in the Servant's life.

5. Messianic Prophecy
This event refers to the foretelling of the coming of the Messiah, who Christians believe is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Teaching Points
Humility of the Messiah
Jesus' life exemplifies humility, as He did not come with earthly majesty or beauty. Believers are called to emulate this humility in their own lives.

God's Perspective vs. Human Perspective
God values inner character over outward appearance. Christians should focus on cultivating inner beauty and godliness rather than external appearances.

Spiritual Growth in Barren Places
Just as the Servant grew from "dry ground," believers can grow spiritually even in difficult or barren circumstances, trusting in God's provision and purpose.

Recognizing True Beauty
True beauty and worth are found in Christ's character and sacrifice. Christians should seek to recognize and value these qualities in themselves and others.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the description of the Servant in Isaiah 53:2 challenge our cultural perceptions of beauty and success?

2. In what ways can we cultivate humility in our daily lives, following the example of the Servant?

3. Reflect on a time when you experienced spiritual growth in a "dry" or challenging season. How did God work in that situation?

4. How can we better align our values with God's perspective, focusing on inner character rather than outward appearance?

5. What are some practical ways we can recognize and appreciate the true beauty and worth in others, as demonstrated by the Servant?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Philippians 2:7-8
This passage describes Jesus taking the form of a servant and humbling Himself, which aligns with the humble appearance of the Servant in Isaiah 53:2.

John 1:10-11
These verses speak of Jesus coming into the world and not being recognized or received by His own, reflecting the lack of attraction or majesty mentioned in Isaiah 53:2.

1 Samuel 16:7
When God chooses David, He emphasizes looking at the heart rather than outward appearance, paralleling the lack of physical beauty in the Servant.
A Root Out of a Dry GroundIsaiah 53:2
Christ a Tender PlantIsaiah 53:2
Christ Assumed an Appearance of MeannessIsaiah 53:2
Christ Binds Humanity into a BrotherhoodH. Macmillan, LL. D.Isaiah 53:2
Christ not the Product of PalestineC. Clemance, D.D.Isaiah 53:2
Christ the Living RootH. Macmillan, LL. D.Isaiah 53:2
Christ Uncomely and Yet BeautifulIsaiah 53:2
Christianity and the SensuousJ. H. Newman, B. D.Isaiah 53:2
Christ's BeautyJ. Parker, D. D.Isaiah 53:2
Christ's Growth Before GodH. Macmillan, LL. D.Isaiah 53:2
Christ's Humble AppearanceR. Bogg, D.D.Isaiah 53:2
Christ's Meanness on Earth no Objection AgainstR. FiddesIsaiah 53:2
God Accomplishes Great Things by Unlikely MeansIsaiah 53:2
God to be TrustedIsaiah 53:2
God's Use of the MeanIsaiah 53:2
Growth Before GodP. J. Rollo.Isaiah 53:2
Missing Christ's BeautyCecil H. Wright.Isaiah 53:2
No Beauty in ChristJ. Trapp.Isaiah 53:2
PovertyIsaiah 53:2
Religion a Weariness to the Natural ManJ.H. Newman, B.D.Isaiah 53:2
The Attractive and the Unattractive in Jesus ChristW. Clarkson Isaiah 53:2
The Depraved EyeW.M. Statham Isaiah 53:2
The Dry GroundH. Macmillan, LL. D.Isaiah 53:2
The Love of Beauty (In ArtJ. H. Newman, B. D.Isaiah 53:2
The Mean not Necessarily DespicableIsaiah 53:2
The Real Character of the MessiahC. Moore, M. A.Isaiah 53:2
The Root Out of a Dry GroundH. Macmillan, LL. D.Isaiah 53:2
The Root Out of a Dry GroundH. Macmillan, LL. D.Isaiah 53:2
The Unfoldings of the Root of JesseH. Macmillan, LL. D.Isaiah 53:2
A Faithful Minister's SorrowJ. Durham.Isaiah 53:1-12
A Heavy Complaint and LamentationT. Boston, M.A.Isaiah 53:1-12
Christ in IsaiahF. Sessions.Isaiah 53:1-12
Christ Preached, But RejectedIsaiah 53:1-12
Christ Rejected in Our TimeIsaiah 53:1-12
Divine Power Necessary for Believing the Gospel ReportT. Boston, M. A.Isaiah 53:1-12
Do the Prophets BelieveJ. Parker, D.D.Isaiah 53:1-12
Evidences of Non-SuccessT. Boston, M. A.Isaiah 53:1-12
Gentile Prejudice Against ChristIsaiah 53:1-12
Jewish Prejudice Against ChristIsaiah 53:1-12
Ministerial SolicitudeEssex Congregational RemembrancerIsaiah 53:1-12
Preaching and HearingJ. Durham.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Arm of God and Human FaithF. B. Meyer, B. A.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Arm of the LordJ. Parker, D.D.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Arm of the Lord RevealedJ. Durham.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Credibility and Importance of the Gospel ReportJ. Lathrop, D.D.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Gospel-ReportT. Boston, M. A.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Jewish Nation a Vicarious SuffererA. Crawford, M.A.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Jewish Nation was a Type of ChristA. Crawford, M.A.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Jews and Messianic ProphecyIsaiah 53:1-12
The Little Success of the Gospel Matter of LamentationT. Boston, M. A.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Messiah Referred to in Isaiah 53R.W. Moss, D.D.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Might of the Saving Arm, and How to Obtain ItF. B. Meyer, B.A.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Monarch in DisguiseC. Clemance, D.D.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Necessity of FaithJ. Durham.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Offer of Christ in the GospelJ. Durham.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Prevalence of UnbeliefE. Cooper.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Rarity of Believing the Gospel-ReportT. Boston, M. A.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Servant and IsraelA. B. Davidson, D.D.Isaiah 53:1-12
The Suffering SaviourIsaiah 53:1-12
People
Isaiah
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Appearance, Attract, Attracted, Beauty, Comeliness, Delicate, Delight, Desire, Dry, Form, Forth, Grace, Grew, Ground, Grow, Growth, Honour, Lordliness, Majesty, Nothing, Observe, Parched, Plant, Pleasure, Root, Sapling, Shoot, Shot, Stately, Tender, Yea
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Isaiah 53:2

     4040   beauty
     5935   riddles
     5966   tenderness

Isaiah 53:1-3

     1105   God, power of
     4504   roots

Isaiah 53:2-3

     2051   Christ, majesty of
     5173   outward appearance

Isaiah 53:2-4

     5879   humiliation

Isaiah 53:2-7

     2036   Christ, humility

Library
October 7. "He Opened not his Mouth" (Isa. Liii. 7).
"He opened not His mouth" (Isa. liii. 7). How much grace it requires to bear a misunderstanding rightly, and to receive an unkind judgment in holy sweetness! Nothing tests a Christian character more than to have some evil thing said about him. This is the file that soon proves whether we are electro-plate or solid gold. If we could only know the blessings that lie hidden in our lives, we would say, like David, when Shimei cursed him, "Let him curse; it may be the Lord will requite me good for his
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

The Suffering Servant --iv
'It pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when 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.'--ISAIAH liii. 10. We have seen a distinct progress of thought in the preceding verses. There was first the outline of the sorrows and rejection of the Servant; second, the profound explanation of these as being for us; third, the sufferings, death and burial of the Servant. We have
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Suffering Servant --V
'He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; and He shall bear their iniquities'--ISAIAH liii. 11. These are all but the closing words of this great prophecy, and are the fitting crown of all that has gone before. We have been listening to the voice of a member of the race to whom the Servant of the Lord belonged, whether we limit that to the Jewish people or include in it all humanity. That voice has been confessing
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Suffering Servant --vi
'Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.'--ISAIAH liii. 12. The first clause of this verse is somewhat difficult. There are two ways of understanding it. One is that adopted in A. V., according to which the suffering Servant is represented as equal to the greatest conquerors.
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Suffering Servant-I
'For He grew up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3. He was despised, and rejected of men, a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.'--ISAIAH liii, 2, 3. To hold fast the fulfilment of this prophecy of the Suffering Servant in Jesus it is not necessary to deny its reference to Israel.
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Suffering Servant-ii
'Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5. 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. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid (made to light) on Him the iniquity of us all.'--ISAIAH liii. 4-6. The note struck lightly in the close of the preceding
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Messiah Despised, and Rejected of Men
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrow, and acquainted with grief. T he heathen moralists, ignorant of the character and perfections of God, the true dignity and immorality of the soul, and the root and extent of human depravity, had no better foundation, for what they call virtue, than pride; no higher aim in their regulations, than the interests of society, and the conduct of civil life. They expressed, indeed, occasionally, some sentiments of a superior kind; but these, however just
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Sin Charged Upon the Surety
All we like sheep have gone astray: we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. C omparisons, in the Scripture, are frequently to be understood with great limitation: perhaps, out of many circumstances, only one is justly applicable to the case. Thus, when our Lord says, Behold, I come as a thief (Revelation 16:15) , --common sense will fix the resemblance to a single point, that He will come suddenly, and unexpectedly. So when wandering sinners
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Messiah's Innocence vindicated
He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken. L et not plain Christians be stumbled because there are difficulties in the prophetical parts of the Scriptures, and because translators and expositors sometimes explain them with some difference, as to the sense. Whatever directly relates to our faith, practice, and comfort, may be plainly collected from innumerable
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Messiah Suffering and Wounded for Us
Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: ..... 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. W hen our Lord was transfigured, Moses and Elijah appeared in glory and conversed with Him. Had we been informed of the interview only, we should probably have desired to know the subject of their conversation, as we might reasonably suppose it turned upon very interesting and important
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

April the Second "On Him!"
"The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." --ISAIAH liii. Let me tell a dream which was given by night to one of my dearest friends. He beheld a stupendous range of glorious sun-lit mountains, with their lower slopes enfolded in white mist. "Lord," he cried, "I pray that I may dwell upon those heights!" "Thou must first descend into the vale," a voice replied. Into the vale he went. And down there he found himself surrounded with all manner of fierce, ugly, loathsome things. As he looked
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Religion a Weariness to the Natural Man.
"He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him."--Isaiah liii. 2. "Religion is a weariness;" such is the judgment commonly passed, often avowed, concerning the greatest of blessings which Almighty God has bestowed upon us. And when God gave the blessing, He at the same time foretold that such would be the judgment of the world upon it, even as manifested in the gracious Person of Him whom He sent to give it to us. "He hath no form nor
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

The Crucifixion.
"He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth."--Isaiah liii. 7. St. Peter makes it almost a description of a Christian, that he loves Him whom he has not seen; speaking of Christ, he says, "whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Again he speaks of "tasting that the
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

Of Justification by Christ
It has been objected by some, who dissent from, nay, I may add, by others also, who actually are friends to the present ecclesiastical establishment, that the ministers of the Church of England preach themselves, and not Christ Jesus the Lord; that they entertain their people with lectures of mere morality, without declaring to them the glad tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ. How well grounded such an objection may be, is not my business to inquire: All I shall say at present to the point is,
George Whitefield—Selected Sermons of George Whitefield

Expiation
Now, Jesus Christ has been made by God an offering for sin; and oh that to-night we may be able to do in reality what the Jew did in metaphor! May we put our hand upon the head of Christ Jesus; as we see him offered up upon the cross for guilty men, may we know that our sins are transferred to him, and may we be able to cry, in the ecstasy of faith, "Great God, I am clean; through Jesus' blood I am clean." I. In trying now to expound the doctrine of Christ's being an offering for sin, we will begin
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 10: 1864

Sin Laid on Jesus
I hear no dolorous wailings attending this confession of sin; for the next sentence makes it almost a song. "The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." It is the most grievous sentence of the three; but it is the most charming and the most full of comfort. Strange is it that where misery was concentrated mercy reigned, and where sorrow reached her climax there it is that a weary soul finds sweetest rest. The Savior bruised is the healing of bruised hearts. I want now to draw the hearts of
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 12: 1866

Our Expectation
But, my brothers, he is not dead. Some years ago, someone, wishing to mock our holy faith, brought out a handbill, which was plastered everywhere--"Can you trust in a dead man?" Our answer would have been, "No; nobody can trust in a man who is dead." But it was known by those who printed the bill that they were misrepresenting our faith. Jesus is no longer dead. He rose again the third day. We have sure and infallible proofs of it. It is an historical fact, better proved than almost any other which
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

The Death of Christ
Taking our text, then, as a guide, we propose to visit Calvary, hoping to have the help of the Holy Spirit whilst we look upon him who died upon the cross. I would have you notice this morning, first of all, the cause of Christ's death--"It pleased the Lord to bruise him." "It pleased Jehovah to bruise him," saith the original; "he hath put him to grief." Secondly, the reason of Christ's death--"When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin." Christ died because he was an offering for sin. And
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

The Friend of Sinners
Our text, in its threefold character, shows the intimate connection which exists between Jesus and sinners, for in none of its sentences is there meaning unless there be a sinner, and unless Christ has come into connection with him. It is this one point which I want to work out this morning, and may God bless it to many a sinner's troubled conscience. "He was numbered with the transgressors; he bare the sin of many, and he made intercession for the transgressors." It is for transgressors all the
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 8: 1863

Eighteenth Day. Patience.
"He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter."--Isa. liii, 7. How great was the patience of Jesus! Even among His own disciples, how forbearingly He endured their blindness, their misconceptions and hardness of heart! Philip had been for three years with Him, yet he had "not known Him!"--all that time he had remained in strange and culpable ignorance of his Lord's dignity and glory. See how tenderly Jesus bears with him; giving him nothing in reply for his confession of ignorance but unparalleled
John R. Macduff—The Mind of Jesus

List of Authorities
CHIEFLY USED IN WRITING THIS BOOK. Alford: Greek Testament. Von der Alm: Heidn. u. jüd. Urtheile über Jesu u. die alten Christen. Altingius: Dissertationes et Orationes. Apocrypha: S.P.C.K. Commentary on. The Apocryphal Gospels. Auerbach: Berith Abraham. Bacher: Die Agada der Babylon. Amoräer. Bäck: Geschichte des Jüd. Volkes u.seiner Literatur. Baedeker: Syrien u. Palästina. Bähr: Gesetz über Falsche Zeugen nach Bible u. Talmud. Barclay: City of the Great
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

What Messiah did the Jews Expect?
1. The most important point here is to keep in mind the organic unity of the Old Testament. Its predictions are not isolated, but features of one grand prophetic picture; its ritual and institutions parts of one great system; its history, not loosely connected events, but an organic development tending towards a definite end. Viewed in its innermost substance, the history of the Old Testament is not different from its typical institutions, nor yet these two from its predictions. The idea, underlying
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Consolations against Impatience in Sickness.
If in thy sickness by extremity of pain thou be driven to impatience, meditate-- 1. That thy sins have deserved the pains of hell; therefore thou mayest with greater patience endure these fatherly corrections. 2. That these are the scourges of thy heavenly Father, and the rod is in his hand. If thou didst suffer with reverence, being a child, the corrections of thy earthly parents, how much rather shouldst thou now subject thyself, being the child of God, to the chastisement of thy heavenly Father,
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Believe and be Saved
It is the Holy Spirit alone that can draw us to the cross and fasten us to the Saviour. He who thinks he can do without the Spirit, has yet to learn his own sinfulness and helplessness. The gospel would be no good news to the dead in sin, if it did not tell of the love and power of the divine Spirit, as explicitly as it announces the love and power of the divine Substitute. But, while keeping this in mind, we may try to learn from Scripture what is written concerning the bond which connects us individually
Horatius Bangs, D.D.—God's Way of Peace

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