Isaiah 53:2

He. That is, the “servant” introduced in ch. 52:13, Messiah (see on ch. 41:8).

Before him. Probably meaning “before God,” in the sense of being submissive to His will, and subject to His care (see on Luke 2:49).

As a tender plant. Christ grew to manhood — physically, mentally, and spiritually — in harmony with the natural laws of human development (see on Luke 2:52). As a plant draws nourishment from the soil, so He was to draw on the wisdom and strength of God. The figure of a “tender plant” seems to be an allusion to the “Branch” of Isa. 11:1.

Dry ground. A plant growing in dry ground appears stunted and unattractive. The Jewish leaders found the character of Jesus unappealing.

A root. Heb. shoresh. Though the word is used in its literal sense, it appears much more often in the OT in a figurative sense. The figure is based on the fact that in many instances a plant or tree may be cut down to the root, but that if the root remains the plant will grow up again. Here the word for “root” is equivalent to “tender plant.”

No beauty. Literally, “no appearance,” that is, nothing to attract the attention. Men were not to be attracted to Christ by a display of supernatural glory, but by the beauty of a righteous life (see DA 23, 27, 43). He walked among men as a man — a perfect Man. Isaiah does not refer to Christ’s personal appearance as a man, however, but only to the fact that He was not the kind of Messiah the Jews were interested in (see on Luke 4:29). For comment on Jesus’ personal appearance see on Luke 2:52.