Isaiah 53: did Judaism always consider Israel the suffering servant?

<p>Isaiah 53 is likely the most cited passage in the Hebrew Bible by Christians. Yet there are important debates on how to interpret the passage. This is the first part of a series where I will seek to address these controversies.</p> <p>This article is on the common criticism that Christian interpretations do not reflect the original intention of Isaiah. It is often argued the traditional Jewish view of Isaiah 53 had nothing to do with the Messiah:</p> <p>Despite strong objections from conservative Christian apologists, the prevailing rabbinic interpretation of Isaiah 53 ascribes the &ldquo;servant&rdquo; to the nation of Israel who silently endured unimaginable suffering at the hands of its gentile oppressors.</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/interfaith-now/isaiah-53-did-judaism-always-consider-israel-the-suffering-servant-135fbfef2188"><strong>Website</strong></a></p>