Isaiah turns often to speak of the storied, shadow-kept ‘servant of YHWH’ with clear indication that what the figure represents is a people. In about equal measure, the ‘servant’ is figured as a person.
The latter is the case in Isaiah 50.
The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.
But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. (Isaiah 50:4–7 ESV)
This servant assumes a learner’s pose. YHWH’s morning wake-up call joins a God-opening of his ears, so that he might learn. He learns willingly, though in context it cannot have been easily.
It seems that this servant’s formation—his education, as it were—is an abusive one. He is beaten, his beard is yanked painfully, the saliva of his detractors spatters him with their venom.
Only YHWH himself stands between abuse and defeat.
Curiously, what emerges from this painful experience is a rock-like strength. Knowing that YHWH stands with him in the presence of his enemies, he sets his face like flint.
There is a strength in weakness. We come to it only as we wipe other people’s spit from our bruised cheeks.
Canter Bridge 
Leave a Reply