This is the first of four suffering servant poems written during the Babylonian captivity. The Israelites had been crushed and their land destroyed; they were living in exile. The servant represents Israel. In this poem, the people were reminded that they were God's people and that God was faithful and would bring redemption to them; in fact, God would use the Israelites as a covenant and a light to all the nations. Through Israel's experience of punishment and restoration, all nations would recognize the sovereignty of God who created the universe. This gave them hope and courage.

Jesus came to Bethany to visit his good friends, Lazarus, Mary and Martha. As an expression of her love and devotion for Jesus, Mary took expensive perfume and anointed him in preparation for his burial, even though this was only clear later. The cost of the perfume was approximately the equivalent of a year's wages and Judas Iscariot seemed to be concerned about why the perfume had not been sold and the money given to the poor. However, John explained that Judas' motivation was not love for the poor but a desire to steal the money. Many Jews came to see Lazarus because Jesus had raised him from the dead, so the chief priests began to plot to kill Lazarus as well as Jesus. Fear that the people would follow Jesus motivated the chief priests. How often fear is what motivates acts of evil and injustice!