It is common for the Jews to interpret the Lord’s Servant in the prophecy of Isaiah as either king Hezekiah or the Jewish nation itself. It is just as common for Christian expositors to use the term “the suffering Servant” in Isa 52:13-53:12. The latter term has arisen because Isa 53 is about suffering, but it opens the door to identifying the suffering Servant with national Israel.

It is much better to retain the Scriptural terminology and call Him “My righteous Servant” Isa 53:11. It is the failure to understand the use of this term which has led commentators to use the term “suffering Servant”.

“My righteousness Servant” is in contrast to national Israel as the Lord’s failed servant, which runs all the way through the prophecy. If commentators had employed biblical terminology, this misinterpretation that national Israel is the suffering servant would never have got off the ground. This demonstrates the importance of keeping to biblical terminology.

Links:

3 Sep 2018: The role of God’s righteous Servant in the scheme of redemption.