At one time an elderly Jewish man who said he was a
rabbi lived in our neighborhood. When we would see each other outside we would speak. He told me that he was born
in Turkey. I noticed that his wife always walked behind him. I always called him sir, as I knew not to call him
rabbi. Mt. 23:6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and
the chief seats in the synagogues, 7: and
greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi,
Rabbi. 8: But be not ye called Rabbi: for one
is your Master, even Christ and all ye are brethren.
I asked him what his first name was. It was Mayier, and that's what I called him after that.
One day after not seeing Mayier for a long time I met him at the green grocers. He said "Where have you been, Where have you been, what have you been doing?"
I said "I've been home a lot reading the Bible."
When he heard this he really perked up. But then he said "You are perfect. Do you know that you are perfect?" I was shocked and said "Oh no, only God is perfect."
After that he said "When you go home read Isaiah 53." I said "That's about our Jewish Messiah, Jesus." He said "Oh yes, I know.
I asked him if he had a complete old and new testament Bible. He said "no."
I asked him how he found out about Isaiah 53. He told me that whenever he and his wife go to another city to visit their daughter, they stay at a hotel and there is always a Bible to read. I told him that I had a new Bible, and asked if he would like to have it. He said "yes." I had him wait while I ran upstairs to bring him the Bible. He seemed happy to have it and asked if he could pay for it. I said "no." God's word is given freely. When I returned home I reread Is. 53.
Shortly after this Mayier died.
Isaiah 53
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2For 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. 3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
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