Search Hack 2 | FORBIDDEN chapter: Isaiah 53 | Search Hack 2

Isaiah 53 is a monumental chapter of scripture often called “the forbidden chapter” among Jews. Throughout all of Isaiah the prophet prophesied of many things like destruction, freedom from bondage, and salvation.

Chapter 53 specifically is when Isaiah prophesies of Christ. It is left out of the Jewish Torah because of arguments and great confusion in the synagogue’s. This confusion can mean the difference of being a Jew or a Christian. Isaiah 53 is also well quoted by modern LDS apostles like Elder Holland – “Isaiah is by every standard the Messianic prophet of the Old Testament” – but Isaiah 53 is perhaps most famous for Handel’s Messiah, which, you all hear at Christmas.

Isaiah is a confusing book because Isaiah speaks in a sort of code that makes it hard to tell who he’s referring to. To understand it, you should study it rather than just read it.

The gospel library app for your phone and tablet has great study tools – let’s apply them to Isaiah 53. In this chapter Isaiah is referring to someone using the pronoun “he”. It is difficult to discern who “he” is until verses three and four that say “he is rejected of men a man of sorrows” and “he hath borne our griefs”. Then verse 5 says “he was wounded for our transgressions” and “with His stripes we are healed”.

Now we can tell Isaiah’s referring to Christ and we can use the red highlight tool every time he refers to Christ (as red is the standard for Christ). Using the highlight tool to discern who Isaiah is referring to in different parts of the book is crucial to understanding his timeless message.

We’ve just studied the most controversial chapter in Isaiah. Some faiths refer to Isaiah as the fifth gospel after Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Why do you think that is? You decide.