John embraces the notion that Jesus is the Servant so openly here that we should probably also see the Servant behind his distinctive description of Jesus’ death and ascension as his being “lifted up” (hypsoō, John 3:14; 8:28; 12:32) and “glorified” (doxazō, 7:39; 12:16; 12:23; 13:31; 17:1, 5, 24). With these expressions, John may intend for his readers to hear an echo of Isa. 52:13 (LXX),8 where the Lord says, “My Servant shall understand and be exalted [hypsōthēsetai] and glorified [doxasthēsetai] greatly.”
As with the other gospels, therefore, in John, Jesus’ rejection was a necessary fulfillment of God’s will as it was described long before in Isaiah’s description of the Servant of the Lord. Jesus was rejected because Isaiah had said that the Servant of the Lord must be rejected, and Jesus was the Servant of the Lord.
Thielman, F. (2005). Theology of the New Testament: A Canonical and Synthetic Approach (pp. 188–189). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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