Paul The Arm Of Christ

The "Shield" Committee hopes that articles "from our younger writes" will become a regular feature of this magazine and extends an invitation to young brothers and sisters to record the fruits of their study and meditation of the Word, "to the edifying of ecclesia"

In Isaiah 42 we are introduced to those magnificent prophecies of “Yahweh’s Servant”. It is said of this Servant that he shall be given for a covenant of the people (i.e. Israel—see Luke 2. 32) and for a light of the Gentiles, the then blind prisoners sitting in darkness (v. 56 and 57).

The prophet emphasises this aspect in chap. 49. 6, 9 and again in chap. 52. 10, 15, where we read that Yahweh hath made bare His Holy Arm (i.e. Christ—chap. 53. 1) in the eyes of all nations, and that the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. This language is well known to us all, but what is involved in its fulfilment?

This last-mentioned verse is quoted by John the Baptist in Luke 3. 6 and applied to the first advent of the Servant, Jesus. The point we wish to be grasped is that Jesus Christ never fulfilled these prophec­ies. It is recorded specifically, “I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mat. 15. 24, 18. 11). While upon earth the scope of his ministry did not include the Gentiles, for which cause he gave definite commandment to the disciples that they should not go to the way of the Gentiles (Mat, 10. 5-6).

What, then, of John the Baptist’s citation of these words from Isaiah 52? Are they exaggerated or extravagant in their applica­tion here?

The answer to our problem is seen from several remarkable quotations by the apostle Paul, wherein he appropriates these prophecies of Messiah to himself and which give testimony to that spoken to Ananias in Acts 9. 15. In Acts 13. 47, we read, “The Lord commanded us, saying, ‘I have set thee (i.e. the apostle) to be a light of the Gentiles’.” These words will be seen to be a citation from that 6th verse of Isaiah 49, which undoubtedly refers to Christ. A similar quotation is found in Rom. 10. 15, where the apostle has changed the “him” of Isaiah 52. 7 to “them” (of which he is the leader). Yet a third example is found in Romans 15, where Paul is stating his calling as the minister to the Gentiles, that the gospel of Christ might be fully preached to all nations. He finishes this section in v. 21 by quoting from Isaiah 52. 15, the very heart of the Servant Prophecies, and applying it to his work.

It is obvious, therefore, that the apostle must fit into the plan of God in a very special way, for these quotations make him a subject of the Servant Prophecies. The quotations, therefore, demand that Paul be very closely identified with the Lord. Let us, then, look at some of the evidence of the Spirit.

Testimony Of The Galatian Letter

To an ecclesia that had fallen away from the apostle Paul and his teachings (chap. 1. 6), he sets before them clearly and power­fully his wonderful position in Christ and Paul-The Arm Of Christ the excellence, the Christ-likeness, of his walk. He writes in chap. 1. 15-16, “that it pleased God … to reveal His son in me”. In chap. 3. 1 he states that before their very eyes “Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth”, because, as in chap. 2. 20, “Christ liveth in me” (cf. Phil. 1. 20). The theme is beautifully demonstrated again in chap. 4. 14, 19. A thought that leads to humility is, “How many of us would dare to use such boldness of speech?” Yet the Spirit penned these words to demonstrate to the Galatians, and to us, the exalted position on the Divine Honour Roll of the apostle Paul.

Isaiah’s prophecy of the sufferings of Yahweh’s servant begins at chap. 52. 12 and ends at the end of chap. 53. The citations of Paul from chap. 52 mentioned above lead us to the inescapable conclusion that, as Paul is identified with the Messiah in the proclamation to the Gentiles, he must also be identified with Messiah in his sufferings, described in chap. 53.

This comparison is striking!

Isa. 52. 14: “his visage was so marred”-Paul:

“I have in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus” (Gal. 6. 17);

Isa. 53. 3: “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”-Paul: “that which cometh on me daily, the care of all the ecclesias” (2 Cor. 11. 27-29).

  1. 5: “with his stripes”-Paul: “in stripes above measure” (2 Cor. 11. 23-25);
  2. 8: “he was taken from prison and from judg­ment”-Paul: “in prisons more frequent” (2 Cor. 11.23);
  3. 8: “he was cut off”-Paul: “I die daily” (1 Cor. 15. 31; 2 Cor. 11. 23);
  4. 10: “his soul an offering for sin”-Paul: “I am now ready to be offered” (Phin. 2 17; 2 Tim. 4. 6);

“he shall see his seed”-Paul: “I have begotten you through the gospel” (1 Cor. 4. 15­17; Gal. 4. 19; 1 Tim. I. 2);

“by his knowledge shall my righteous servant”-Paul: “I be certainly not uncultured in knowledge” 2 Cor. 11. 6. Rotherham);

“he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he poured out his soul unto death” -Paul: “our light affliction worketh for us . . . an eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4 17; Rom. 8. 18).

The climax of this wonderful and stirring analogy is found in the play upon “and he was numbered with the transgressors”, for we read of Paul, “I am crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2. 20). We may feel that this statement is taken a little too far in that the apostle should take his place with Christ between the two thieves impaled upon the cross. Yet let us remember that it was in the district of Galatia that the Jews, infuriated by his teaching of Jesus as the Christ, stoned him and dragged his limp exhausted body from the city, thinking “he was dead”. So was he crucified with Christ, and from it experienced, in type, the resurrection in which he hoped (Acts 13. 19-20; cf. 2 Cor. 9-10).

There is, therefore, no doubt that Paul filled up that which was behind of the tribulations of Christ in his flesh for the sake of the ecclesia (Col. 1. 24).

Likeminded With The Apostle

Our examination of Paul as the suffering servant of the Lord Jesus Christ gives rise to some of the most stirring exhortation, for the apostle beseeches us, “be ye followers of me” (1 Cor. 4. 16).

One young man, whose name signifies “dear to God”, heeded this call with great tenacity and caused his father in the Truth to write to him, “Thou hast been a diligent follower, (margin) of my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, Iongsuffering, love, patience, persecutions, afflictions” (2 Tim.10-11). Paul says further that as a son with the father (cf. the Lord Jesus Christ with his Father) “he hath served with me in the gospel” (Phil. 2. 22).

What of ourselves in these perilous days when “pride, fullness of bread and abun­dance of idleness” are the captions of the day? Truly, physical persecution and afflic­tion are not with us at the moment, but let us be assured that, if we are relaxed and comfortable in our walk, being tainted by the structure of the society of today, then we are far from the way of life of the de­voted, zealous apostle Paul. We need to picture in our minds this wonderful servant of Christ in all his “weariness, painfulness, hunger, thirst, cold and nakedness”.

How did he develop the faith by which he was able to overcome in all these trials? The answer is given to all (young men) that would be followers of Paul-see 1 Tim.

13-16. We must meditate upon the Truth, live the Truth, preach the Truth and make this goal our sole aspiration.

If we do this in honesty, we shall feel the power in our beloved elder brother’s words, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ