Isaiah 53: 7 states:
“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”
These three references to Him refraining from “opening his mouth” and being “dumb” (meaning silent) are referring to more than His failure to respond to Herod’s inquiries. (Luke 23: 8-9.) This is a reference to Christ’s “Word,” which if employed, could have moved mountains, held armies at defiance, and summoned “twelve legions of angels” to His defense. (Matt. 26: 52-53.) Pilate was told that he may have been the Roman Procurator, but he had no power over Christ which Christ did not permit. (John 19: 7-11.)
Christ remained silent, choosing to exercise meekness in the face of the threat aimed at Him. (“Meekness” as explained in Beloved Enos, which is really a great power.) It was in this sense the Isaiah found His silence to be prophetically remarkable. One of the great signs of the Messiah. He would be the One whose words could have exercised power to defy armies, but who refrained from speaking those words. He would, instead, voluntarily submit to the abuse and scorn of those who hated Him.
As to our Lord being shorn, Isaiah also foretells His beard being plucked by those who would smite, abuse and strike Him. (Isa. 50: 6.) Surely our Lord was indeed “shorn” as a “sheep” before His sacrifice.
I have never heard this before (the interpretation, I mean). Of course I’ve read the Isaiah passage, but never knew what it meant. Did they actually pluck out his entire beard?
Yes. It was intended by His persecutors as a symbol of degrading or humiliating Him.