The Suffering Servant

In 'The Suffering Servant: Isaiah 53 for the Life of the Church' McConville delivers a compelling exploration of Isaiah 53 (more specifically Isaiah 52:13–53:12), skillfully dissecting its form and exposition while giving comfort to the Church. McConville is, yes a capable scholar (he has written a new commentary on Isaiah in the Baker Commentary Series) but here he writes for the hearts in the pew. One can tell McConville had more pages to devout to the Suffering Servant in this book and we benefit from it.

The last two chapters entitles the Servant and Christ and The Servant in the Church's Ministry is especially impactful.

McConville writes in chapter 4: As representative, Jesus can stand in relation to all people in all times and places—­the ultimate extension of Isaiah 53’s “many.” It is as if they are deemed to be present because he is present...A substitute, however, may actually take my place. Therefore, citing Colin Gunton “we have to say that Jesus is our substitute, because he does for us what we cannot do for ourselves.”

McConville's insightful analysis and clear prose make this book a valuable resource for both scholars and those seeking a deeper understanding of Isaiah's profound themes but more importantly those suffering through these hard times and looking for relief. Many will be referencing this book throughout the church calendar when preaching on the death and resurrection of Christ.

His concluding remarks are as follows: The story of the Servant calls readers to servant-­like response. What this might be in any case is a matter of judgment, perception, and imagination rather than mere obedience to command. But in grasping it, we will be in touch with the deepest understanding of what it means to be human in God’s world.

I really appreciated this in-depth study of Isaiah 53.

The author acknowledges that there are differing interpretations of parts of this famous chapter, but points out that such ambiguities can be beneficial in terms of encouraging us to wrestle with Scripture.

McConville gives a detailed exposition of the text, including looking at the original Hebrew words and phrases,. Although this is quite technical, McConville does a great job of explaining the meaning of the Hebrew, so that the reader is drawn in rather than excluded. There's also lots of practical stuff that focuses on how a deeper knowledge of this chapter can speak to how we live our lives as Christian believers in the 21st Century. This is not a book to skim through, but a slow and reflective reading will bring fresh perspective to a familiar passage..