What Does This Have to Do with the Price of Tea in China?

Sunday’s Message:
Yesterday, Pastor Ken (PK) continued his series on Spreading the Good News, with a focus on Spirit-led Evangelism, and reached the part of the account in Acts 8 where Philip was asked by the Ethiopian eunuch, “of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?” (Acts 8:34). We find in verses 32-33, the section of Isaiah which the eunuch was reading was from chapter 53,

32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

In explaining this passage, PK first shed a great deal of light onto it from a Jewish perspective.

The first thing PK explained (which is commonly understood to most) was that while we are familiar with the Suffering Servant passage of Isaiah 53, the chapters are verse divisions are not part of the original scriptures. In fact, many scholars point to Stephen Langton, in the 13th century AD, as to the first person who introduced these section breaks; followed by the Wycliffe Bible about 100 years after. This is actually significant to understand when we read the Bible because, when it was originally penned, and for over a millennium, the books of the Bible were simply long pieces of writing.

While chapters and verses are great to be able to reference passages, and all be on the same page (figuratively), sometimes it becomes a hinderance to our Bible study. This is because when we seek to determine the context of a verse, we tend to stay within the chapter itself. However, there are many times that, in order to get the full context of a verse, we need to go one, two, or sometimes three (or more) chapters back, to find the whole context of the verse.

You might be thinking, “okay, fine, but what does this have to do with the price of tea in China?” (or in other words, what does this have to do with what we’re currently talking about?) Quite a lot actually! Again, while most people are familiar with the Suffering Servant chapter of Isaiah 53, many people do not realize that the context of this passage actually begins in chapter 52 (which is something PK explained).

Isaiah 52:13-15
13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for [that] which had not been told them shall they see; and [that] which they had not heard shall they consider.

At the end of chapter 52, we read Isaiah’s prophesy about a time when a “servant” comes who shall “sprinkle many nations.” This “servant” is also said to have his appearance become marred, and he shall cause the astonishment of many. Then, as seen in the use of the pronoun “he” in 53:2 (and through the rest of chapter 53), the description, and actions, of this “servant” continue.

“Okay, again though, what does this have to do with the price of tea in China? So, chapter 52 is the beginning of the discussion of the Messiah in chapter 53. I get that. What about the tea?”

Well, this is where PK brings in a very interesting Jewish perspective.

He explains that a couple hundred years before the events of Acts 8, the Jewish rabbi’s have regularly taught that the description in Isaiah 53 is referring to the coming Messiah. This was a very commonly held view within Jewish thought. However, the Jewish rabbis also expected the Messiah to come and free them from the oppression of Rome and institute the Messianic Kingdom. So, when Jesus arrived in the first century, and died on the cross, the rabbis began questioning whether Isaiah 53 was actually written about their coming Messiah.

Over the centuries that followed, Rabbi Rashi introduced a different view of Isaiah 53, in which he had re-interpreted the prophecy from it referring to the Messiah, to it referring to the nation of Israel. Because of Rashi’s influence, it had sadly become the predominantly held orthodox Jewish position today. However, there are some problems with this view. So, let’s get back to the “tea in China.”

Remember that the context of Isaiah 53 actually begins with the end of chapter 52. And it is quite clear that the references there point to a “person” and not a “nation”. There is the reference of the image and physical appearance of this person, and that his physical appearance is compared with the “sons of men.” Based on these descriptions, it’s quite evident that it’s referring to a person. After all, where do we see a nation compared to the “sons of men”?

But then, when we get into chapter 53, we continue to see that this person is still being referred to. Beginning in verse 2, and onwards through the chapter, there is a constant reference to “he/him/his”. This indicates that the “servant” described in chapter 52, continues to be the focus throughout chapter 53.

Not only do the pronouns point to the same person in chapter 52, but when had a nation ever been “... wounded for our transgressions, ... bruised for our iniquities” or how would a nation receive “... the chastisement of our peace” or how can a nation bring healing through his “stripes”? These are all clear indicators that the entirety of chapter 53 is still referring to the Messiah at the end of chapter 52.

Even though today, the orthodox Jewish position is that chapter 53 is speaking about the nation of Israel, it is a wrongly held view quite contradictory from the context of chapters 52-53, and even opposed to the formerly, historically held rabbinic Judaism view.

Wow! What great Jewish insight indeed!

After PK spent a good deal of time explaining the technical side of this Jewish perspective, he brought more great understanding from the Acts 8 passage. Recall that the Ethiopian eunuch was wondering whom the passage, that he was reading, was speaking of;

Acts 8:32-33
“... He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.”

PK pointed out a couple things. First, that, as the Messiah was “led as a sheep to the slaughter”, Jesus went willingly. At no point in time was Jesus forced to go. No amount of people, soldiers, guards, angels, demons, etc., could ever move Jesus by force. PK also mentioned that if Jesus wanted to go free, He certainly wouldn’t need to call 10,000 angels to deliver Him. Jesus could’ve simply spoken a word and became free. After all, through Jesus, the entire universe came into existence. And when He was arrested in the garden, when they inquired about Him being the person they were looking for, He stated “I Am”, and immediately they all fell. No, Jesus wasn’t forced to go to the slaughter; Jesus willingly went.

PK stressed that it was because of Jesus’ love for you and I, and all of mankind, that He willingly chose to go to the cross, to shed His blood (and rise again on the third day), in order that through faith in His substitutionary sacrifice for our sins, we can become a child of God and receive eternal life. It was because of love that Jesus went to the slaughter, not because of force.

Another interesting aspect of PKs message was that in the passage the eunuch was reading, it said that Jesus would remain silent and wouldn’t open His mouth at His trial. This is profoundly meaningful because, if you recall, the Sanhedrin held a mockery of a trial; false witnesses, no evidence of anything which warranted a death penalty. It was the most unjust trial ever known to mankind, and yet Jesus kept silent. Rather than contending with His creation, the Creator allowed His creation to go through with this, so that He would fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 53. That is meekness! That is strength under control! That is the beauty of the willing sacrifice of Jesus.

Finally, knowing what passage the eunuch was reading, we find that Philip “... preached unto him Jesus.” Powerful! Philip knew the passage was about Jesus, and began explaining the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, as the only sacrifice for the sins of the world. Another testimony that the early witness of Isaiah 53 was pointing towards the life of Jesus Christ. With this, as he closed the message, PK stated that when we are doing Spirit-led Evangelism, we must give the word of God. We must speak Jesus.

Sunday’s Echo:
Nearing the conclusion of his series, PK again had some great insights: Jewish perspective, relevance of context for understanding & interpretation, the love of Jesus seen through His willingly going to the cross for our sins. Some very apologetically equipping, and powerful insights yesterday.

But with the focus of this section being Spirit-led Evangelism, the one thing I would encourage each of us to carry forward this week, is the focus that without Jesus in our evangelism, it fails to be Spirit-led evangelism. Jesus is the center of our faith. After all, it’s only because of His life, death, and resurrection, that we can even become a child of God and be eternally secure.

So, how can we not tell the world of the great love Jesus has for everyone, who willingly went to the cross in order that we might be able to live with Him for eternity? This is a love that can be shared non-confrontationally, and a message that the world needs to continue to hear.

So, this week, as we have opportunity, may we seek to “preach Jesus”, with love, grace, and truth.

(full sermon is linked below)