KJV Isaiah 53:2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him
NASB Isaiah 53:2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
Where do we begin? Every phrase from here on throughout this incredible chapter is filled with gold. Each statement leads to meditation, rich and fruitful in its bounty. Consider just the opening statement:
“He shall grow up before Him.”
The fact that He grew attests to the genuineness of His humanity. He grew as a baby would grow. He began as an infant of days, dependent, “helpless” (yet possessing all wisdom and strength), and vulnerable. He moved through infancy and childhood with this significant difference: “He grew in grace” (Luke 2:40) while we grow and increase in our guilt.
He advanced through His teen years without the characteristic rebellious stage. We are told that, as a boy of twelve, He went down to Nazareth and was subject to His parents (Luke 2:51). And He continued to grow through the teen years into young adulthood, working over a carpenter’s bench, awaiting God’s time for His entrance into public ministry.
He grew up with brothers and sisters watching, observing, and, no doubt, at times, goading and annoying Him. Yet those years fail to record any blot on His life. So spotless was His testimony that when He returned to the synagogue in Nazareth where He had been brought up, despite the piercing nature of His ministry, the only accusation they could raise against Him was His humble origin: “Is not this Joseph’s son?”
But we dare not stop at this, or we will miss the true glory of this statement. He not only grew as a normal child, sin apart, but He grew up before Him, His Master! Herein lies the true wealth of this statement.
That quiet time He knew
At Nazareth
Saw one with purpose true
At Nazareth
Grow up in all His ways
To God His Father’s praise
Precious indeed those days
At Nazareth
William Kirkpatrick NBHB #462
From the moment of conception, He was growing before the eye of His Father. As a child in the home, a boy in the neighbourhood, a brother in the family, a worker in the carpenter’s shop — all was done primarily before the eye and for the pleasure of His Master-Father.
Here then was life as God intended it to be lived —pleasing Him in the everyday routine of life. Here was finally a Man Who displayed the ideal for humanity, living amongst men yet loving the Lord with all His heart, mind, and soul, and His neighbour as Himself. Finally, there was a Man on earth content with God alone. Peer pressure, human expectations, and societal demands all meant nothing to Him. He was living for the pleasure of God alone. He grew up “before Him.”
When faced with decisions, we frequently and wisely ask ourselves, “Will this please God?” He never had to ask; there was never conflict in His soul. He always instinctively did what pleased His Father. Sin has reset our default position to “self.” His default position was always set on His Master.