“For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’  For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” – Luke 22:37

My dear reader, when we contemplate the central statement of this verse, “He was numbered with the transgressors”, our minds may immediately think of all the ways in which Jesus, the beloved Son of God, was constantly surrounded by a sinful generation.  He was numbered among them constantly.

Such thoughts may sound dreary and unbecoming of the Holy One of God, who knew no sin.  Our minds may drift to the numerous scenes which marked His life and earthly ministry:

• Born of a virgin, in human flesh, into the reek of a lowly stable. 
• No room for Him at the Inn. 
• Hunted by Herod, who wanted this boy-king dead.
• He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him.
• The religious priestly-establishment attempting to entrap and condemn Him at every turn.
• Bearing long with an evil and adulterous generation.
• His own disciples so weak, fumbling, and faithless.  “How long shall I be with you?”
• Mobbed by the multitudes who only wanted physical bread and healings.
• His own inner circle did not even fully understand His purpose.
• In the end, they too forsook Him and fled.
• He was tried by the wicked and profane.
• He was delivered into the hands of sinful men.
• He was condemned and accursed by a hate-filled mob.
• Flogged, beaten, and brutally mocked by a battalion.
• Crucified as the Divine curse, becoming sin, and lifted up as the very image of the Serpent.
• Crucified between 2 thieves. 
• Suspended between and rejected by both heaven and earth.
• Railed upon by a watching throng.  
• Forsaken by His God in the 3 hours of darkness.
• They made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man in His death.

However, if these woeful scenes are all we have to consider, then we have a pitiful view of what it really meant for Jesus to be “numbered with the transgressors.”  And thus, my dear reader, I urge you to look again, for there is something more to be seen here!  Far more, in fact!  When Jesus made this statement in Luke 22:37, He made it crystal clear that He was fulfilling Scripture, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.”

It is here that our attention must now be directed to the Scripture He is directly quoting as a being fulfilled in Himself.  Jesus is quoting from the servant songs of Isaiah.  And in particular, Isaiah 53, the song of the Suffering Servant!

“Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” –  Isaiah 53:12

This passage has long been the foolish debate of the over-educated scholarly rabble, who bumble along in their cerebral echo-chambers.  Many claim that since such a noteworthy passage of substitutionary suffering is never explicitly applied to Jesus or quoted at length in the apostolic epistles, it cannot possibly be talking about Jesus.

However, in just this one statement in Luke, Jesus wholly identifies Himself to be the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53!  “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me . . . for what is written about me has its fulfillment.”

Isaiah, like Abraham, saw Christ’s day and was glad!  Isaiah wrote explicitly about Jesus when he penned the contents of the 53^rd chapter.  Jesus was the Suffering Servant of his Gospel oracle, who “poured out His soul to death”.

Oh what glory!  Oh what majesty!  Oh what a turning of our understanding here!

Can you see it yet my dear reader!  There are only the overflowing riches of pure redemptive love and Gospel grace to be seen in this singular statement about Jesus: “He was numbered with the transgressors.”

It is no more a wearying epithet.  It is no longer a dreary reality that He had to put up with.

To the contrary!  It is Good News! We can exceedingly rejoice that He came, in overflowing love, to be numbered with us transgressors!  His coming was the rescue mission of the Father.  This Immanuel took on the fullness of our feeble and mortal frame.  He took all the fullness of our transgressions upon Himself on that accursed Tree, and bore them away forever!  In this way, He was the Servant of servants.  He was the elder brother who truly served the younger!

And now Christ bids us to rejoice that we are presently numbered with Him as redeemed brothers:

“For He who sanctifies (Jesus) and those who are sanctified (us) all have one source.  That is why He is NOT ASHAMED to call us brothers.” – Hebrews 2:11

Truly my dear reader, Jesus was numbered with us in His death, so that we might be numbered with Him in His resurrection power, by the Spirit, forever.   He shall never be ashamed to call us brothers! For who shall bring any charge against God’s elect, even to those whom He has justified by His own redeeming blood?    Rejoice, beloved saints!  The future is bright!  We shall ever be with the Lord, and His coming is soon!  Keep yourselves in His magnificent saving love.  Amen.