“This was to fulfill
What was spoken
Through the prophet Isaiah.
‘He took our infirmities.
He bore our diseases.’”
ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος Αὐτὸς τὰς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν ἔλαβεν καὶ τὰς νόσους ἐβάστασεν.
Once again, this citation of Deutero-Isaiah, chapter 53:4, is unique to Matthew, who said that Jesus was the fulfillment of the spoken prophecy of the prophet Isaiah (ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος). He would take on our infirmities (Αὐτὸς τὰς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν ἔλαβεν). He would bear our diseases (καὶ τὰς νόσους ἐβάστασεν). However, there was no mention of his healing others or casting out demons in this original citation from Isaiah. According to Second Isaiah, this suffering servant Messiah would become a scapegoat for all of us since he would bear our infirmities and diseases. He would suffer our illness. God would strike and afflict him. He would be wounded for our transgressions and crushed for our sins. His punishment would make us whole. His bruises would heal us. This was Matthew’s attempt to show that Jesus was the expected Messiah. However, the original text did not have the Messiah healing people, but rather suffering like the rest of us.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 