Isaiah 53:6
But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.
Calvinist, Erwin Lutzer: “But does the Bible actually teach that Christ died only for the elect? Here are some of the passage used to show that Christ came for the specific purpose of payment a ransom only for those whom God had chosen: … But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities.” (The Doctrines That Divide, p.185, emphasis mine)
5-Point Calvinists who teach that the Lord’s atonement at Calvary is limited in scope to only those of the alleged, eternal flock of the Father, often cite verses like Isaiah 53:5-6. Their argument is that Jesus did not give His life as a “ransom for all” (1st Timothy 2:6), but rather for all of the elect.
Question: Did Isaiah mention our transgressions, our iniquities and our well-being in order to limit the scope of who the Lord died for?
Answer: If yes, then it would also limit who he is saying have gone astray. Jesus died for all.
When Paul wrote Romans 3:23, he likely had
Isaiah 53:6 in mind: “For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God.”
Similarly, Isaiah 53:6 states: “All of us like
sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned
to his own way; but the LORD has caused the
iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”
Question: When Isaiah said “all of us,” in that the Lord has caused the iniquity of “us all” to fall on Him, do you suppose that this was an attempt to draw a contrast between all of Israel vs. all of the rest of the world?
Answer: Arguing against a universal atonement at Isaiah 53:5, comes at the cost of arguing against universal condemnation at Isaiah 53:6.
This reminds me of 1st John 2:1-2: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins....” If the apostle John had stopped there, what do you think that they every Calvinist would insist? They would have argued that “anyone” is limited to “we” insomuch as Jesus is only the propitiation for the sins of the elect, and not for the sins of the whole world. However, the apostle John added: “...and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” Isaiah 53:5-6 has the same thrust, insomuch as Jesus died for our sins, and not ours only but for those of the whole world, since all we like sheep have gone astray.
