3. Interpretations of the Servant

The question of the identity of the figure depicted in Isaiah 42 has intrigued biblical interpreters for centuries. From antiquity onwards, exegetes have proposed diverse perspectives, attributing the Servant's role to various figures.

3.1. Jewish Scholarly Interpretations

Jewish interpretations of the ‘Servant’ in Isaiah 42 vary. The LXX[1] and some Jewish commentators[2] understand the Servant as representing the nation of Israel, tasked with bringing divine justice and knowledge to the world. The Aramaic Targum[3] inserts the word ‘Messiah’ after the Servant in Isaiah 42:1, describing him as a chosen figure through whom God will bring judgement to the nations. This messianic interpretation emphasises a future redemptive role for an individual rather than a collective mission. This interpretation is also upheld by scholars such as Rabbi David Kimhi[4] (d. 1235), a prominent medieval Jewish biblical commentator. Abraham Ibn Ezra[5] (d. 1167) proposes that the Servant could refer to an individual prophet, such as Isaiah, who serves as an embodiment of Israel's covenantal ideals, whereas Saadia Gaon (d. 942) views the Servant as referring to Cyrus.

Summarising the two major Jewish positions, Brevard S. Childs writes:

Hellenistic Judaism took its lead from the LXX and identified the servant with the people of Israel. However, Palestinian Judaism tended to interpret the passage messianically. It comes as little surprise that the Targum inserts the title Messiah in apposition to the servant in 42:1.[6]

3.2. Christian Scholarly Interpretations

Christian interpretations of the ‘Servant’ in Isaiah 42 often centre on the figure of Jesus Christ (pbuh), who is seen as the ultimate fulfilment of the Servant's role. From the early Church Fathers to contemporary theologians, this passage has been understood as a messianic prophecy that prefigures Christ's life and mission. The Gospel according to Matthew explicitly links Isaiah 42:1-4 to Jesus, portraying him as the gentle and faithful Servant who brings hope to the nations.[7] This interpretation is foundational in Christian theology, underscoring the Servant as the archetype of humility, obedience, and divine purpose.

3.3. Modern Critical Perspectives on the Servant

Modern critical scholarship on the Servant in Isaiah 42 engages with various interpretations informed by historical, sociological, and literary approaches. Many scholars situate the passage within the context of "Second Isaiah,"[8] written during the Babylonian Exile, interpreting the Servant as a representation of exiled Israel or a faithful remnant tasked with embodying divine ideals. For instance, Bernhard Duhm (d. 1928) famously identified the "Servant Songs" as distinct units within Deutero-Isaiah, providing a foundation for understanding the Servant as an exilic figure. Others propose historical figures like Cyrus the Great as the Servant, emphasising his role as an instrument of God’s justice and deliverance, even as a non-Israelite, an interpretation reflected in works such as Joseph Blenkinsopp's Isaiah 40–55: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary.

Quite interestingly, some scholars have revived an old proposal of identifying the Servant with Moses (pbuh) or a second Moses figure.[9] In other words, the Servant is the 'prophet like Moses' promised in Deuteronomy 18:14ff. and 34:10ff.

__________

[1] “Jacob is my servant; I will help him. Israel is my chosen one; my soul has accepted him. I have given my spirit upon him; he shall bring forth justice for the nations.”

 Ἰακὼβ ὁ παῖς μου, ἀντιλήμψομαι αὐτοῦ· Ἰσραὴλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου, προσεδέξατο αὐτὸν ἡ ψυχή μου· ἔδωκα τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν, κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐξοίσει·

[2] See, for example, Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (d. 1105):

Behold My servant Jacob is not like you, for I will support him.

הן עבדי יעקב אינו כמותכם כי אתמוך בו:

[3] Targum Jonathan on Isa. 42:1:

“Behold, my servant, the Messiah, whom I bring, my chosen in whom one delights: as for my Word, I will put my Holy Spirit upon him; he shall reveal my judgement unto the nations.”

הָא עַבְדִי מְשִׁיחָא אֶקְרְבִינֵהּ בְּחִירִי דְאִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ מֵימְרִי אֶתֵּן רוּחָא דְקוּדְשִׁי עֲלוֹהִי דִינִין לְעַמְמִין יְגַלֵי:

[4] "Behold, My servant. This refers to the King Messiah, as we have explained."

הן עבדי. זהו מלך המשיח כמו שפירשנו:

[5] "Indeed, most of the commentators have said that 'My servant' [should be corrected to 'My servants'] refers to the righteous ones of Israel. The Gaon (Saadia Gaon) said that it refers to Cyrus, but what seems correct in my eyes is that it refers to the prophet, who speaks on his behalf, as it was mentioned: 'I will make you a light to the nations, and I will give you as a covenant for the people.'"

הן. רובי המפרשים אמרו כי עבדיהם [צ"ל עבדי הם] צדיקי ישראל ויאמר הגאון כי הוא כורש, והנכון בעיני שהוא הנביא, והוא מדבר בעד נפשו כאשר הזכיר ונתתיך לאור גוים ואתנך לברית עם

[6] Brevard S. Childs, Isaiah: A Commentary (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2001), 327.

[7] Matt. 12:18-20.

[8] Second Isaiah (also known as Deutero-Isaiah) is the scholarly designation for chapters 40–55 of the Book of Isaiah. Modern critical scholarship generally attributes these chapters to an anonymous prophet writing during the Babylonian Exile (6th century BCE), rather than to the historical Isaiah of the 8th century BCE.

[9] Gordon P. Hugenberger, “The Servant of the Lord in the ‘Servant Songs’ of Isaiah: A Second Moses Figure,” in The Lord’s Anointed: Interpretation of Old Testament Messianic Texts, ed. P. E. Satterthwaite, R. S. Hess, and G. J. Wenham, (Carlisle, UK: The Paternoster Press; Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1995), 119–138; John L. McKenzie, Second Isaiah: A New Translation with Introduction, Notes, and Commentary, AB 20 (New York: Doubleday, 1968), 38. Their argument is mainly based on the claim that the context is full of allusions to and motifs from the Pentateuch (e.g., diaspora, wilderness, covenant, and Torah) that suggest a reinterpreted figure of Moses. Further, “Moses led the people, directed them in battle, judged them, and appointed commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, who assisted him in administering justice.”