Who prophesied about the suffering servant?

Answer Details

The prophecy of the suffering servant is found in the book of Isaiah, most prominently in Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12. This passage describes a servant who is "despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3). The servant bears the sins of others, is wounded for their transgressions, and by his stripes they are healed. He is led like a lamb to the slaughter and makes no protest.

Isaiah is the prophet most closely associated with the suffering servant passages. Christians interpret these prophecies as pointing to Jesus Christ, while Jewish tradition offers other interpretations (such as the nation of Israel itself as the servant). Regardless of interpretation, the textual source is clearly the book of Isaiah.

Jeremiah is known as the "weeping prophet" and prophesied the fall of Jerusalem and the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Ezekiel prophesied during the Babylonian exile with dramatic visions (the valley of dry bones, the new temple). Malachi, the last Old Testament prophet, addressed issues of worship and faithfulness. None of these prophets authored the suffering servant passages.