"NO FORM NOR COMLINESS" Isaiah 53.2, by Malcom Horlock
They saw nothing in Jesus that corresponded to their expectations. They saw no royal robes, no diadems on His brow, no magnificent reninue in attendance, no men of earthly rank and status to support His cause. They saw only a Galilean tradesman, accompanied by a small band of untutored followers and supported by a group of pious women. In their eyes He therefore lacked both "form" (that which is fair and favoured) and "comleliness" (honor, majesty and excellency), for He offered them none of the eternal insignia of royalty which they associated with the coming Messiah.
Consider the reaction of the men in the synagogue of Nazareth to Jesus' teaching. No doubt they woud have been awed at His wisdom if He had been the son of some great and learned rabbi. But they were absolutely staggered that the One they know as "the carpenter, the son of Mary" (Mr. 6.3) should teach as He did. They asked in bewildered astonishment, "what wisdom is this?" (Mr. 6.2). To them, as a "carpenter", His skill lay in His hands. In their eyes, He was far more likely to make a pulpit than occupy one! Certainly Jesus had undergone none of the extensive study and training necessary to qualify Him as a religious teacher. The Jews of Jerusalem similarly marvelled, "How knoweth this man letters, having never studied?" (Jn. 7.15)
Significantly, the Greek Old Testament renders our text, "no form nor glory". In his Gospel, John reports that Isaiah himself and earlier seen the "glory" of Jesus (Jn. 12.41). Now Isaiah has to come to terms with the fact that, when the Lord appeared as the Messiah, His own nation would perceive "no glory" in Him. Only the favoured few would then "behold" His inner glory (Jn. 1.14).
written by Malcom Horlock, from Cardiff, Wales, U.K. This is an example of the excellent ministry found in the book Day by Day, Christ Foreshadowed, Precious Seed Publications www.preciousseed.org
