<p>12:17&nbsp;<em>That it might be fulfilled-</em>&nbsp;This is often stated as the reason why the Lord did and said things. He was consciously seeking to be 'the word made flesh' and consciously tried to fulfil the Old Testament prophecies. Despite strong resistance to this idea by some expositors, Harry Whittaker particularly, it seems to me the most natural understanding of the phrase and the force of the word &quot;That...&quot;.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying</em>- The implication could be that Isaiah publicly spoke these words, directing Israel's attention to a &quot;servant&quot; figure of his own time, who all the same failed to be Messianic as intended, meaning that the prophecy had its fulfilment reapplied in Jesus. Or perhaps it was because the Lord was addressing people who had largely only&nbsp;<em>heard</em>&nbsp;Isaiah being read. Literacy was only a few percent in first century Palestine, and nobody had the Old Testament scrolls at home. Therefore the Lord speaks in terms of Isaiah&nbsp;<em>speaking</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>saying</em>, rather than writing and us reading.&nbsp;</p>