Isaiah Old And New

Reading the Book of Isaiah in its original context is the crucial prerequisite for reading its citation and use in later interpretation, including the New Testament writings, argues Ben Witherington III. Here he offers pastors, teachers, and students an accessible commentary to Isaiah, as well as a reasoned consideration of how Isaiah was heard and read in early Christianity. By reading "forward and backward" Witherington advances the scholarly discussion of intertextuality and opens a new avenue for biblical theology.

The book of Isaiah has nourished the church throughout the centuries. However, its massive size can be intimidating; its historical setting can seem distant, opaque, varied; its organization and composition can seem disjointed and fragmented; its abundance of terse, poetic language can make its message seem veiled—and where are those explicit prophecies about Christ? These are typical experiences for many who try to read, let alone teach or preach, through Isaiah. Andrew Abernethy's conviction is that thematic points of reference can be of great help in encountering Isaiah and its rich theological message. In view of what the structure of the book of Isaiah aims to emphasize, this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume employs the concept of "kingdom" as an entry point for organizing the book's major themes. In many respects, Isaiah provides a people living amidst imperial contexts with a theological interpretation of them in the light of YHWH's past, present and future sovereign reign. Four features of "kingdom" frame Abernethy's study: God, the King; the lead agents of the King; the realm of the kingdom and the people of the King. While his primary aim is to show how "kingdom" is fundamental to Isaiah when understood within its Old Testament context, interspersed canonical reflections assist those who are wrestling with how to read Isaiah as Christian Scripture in and for the church. Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.

This collection of essays arises from the lively discussions in the Formation of the Book of Isaiah Seminar of the Society of Biblical Literature. The essays exhibit the diversity that has always been present in the Seminar. Each contributor has a unique perspective and thus extends the frontiers of research on the book of Isaiah. Yet, taken as a whole, the essays fall into two broad groups, being either 'objective' in their approach to the text-embracing historical-critical method or a synchronic approach in which text rather than reader is the focus-or 'postmodern', in the sense that meaning is in no small degree located in what the reader does. In addition to the editors, the contributors are Mark Biddle, David Carr, Edgar Conrad, Chris Franke, Kathryn Pfisterer Darr, Rolf Rendtorff, Gerald Sheppard, Benjamin Sommer, Gary Stansell, and Roy Wells.

A classic in conservative Old Testament scholarship, this three-volume commentary concentrates primarily on the meaning of the text of Isaiah rather than on specific textual problems. Volume 1 covers chapters 1-18; Volume 2 looks at chapters 19-39; Volume 3 surveys chapters 40-66.

The book of Isaiah is outstanding in its brilliance of style, poetic power, and foretaste of the hope of the gospel. It tells how God himself has provided the highway to holiness for those who have been redeemed. These are images that evoke the exodus from Egypt and foreshadow Christ's achievement at the cross. There is joy even in Isaiah's portrayal of judgment—rebuilding within the demolition, the new replacing the old—as world events reveal God's hand. In the visionary world of Isaiah, the varied themes and imagery of the Old Testament converge and blend as they project an extraordinary climax of the story of Israel and of the world. Barry Webb calls Isaiah the Romans of the Old Testament, where all the threads come together and the big picture of God's purposes are most clearly set forth. Attuned to the magnificent literary architecture of Isaiah, Webb escorts us through this prophecy and trains our ears and hearts to resonate with its great biblical-theological themes. Part of the beloved Bible Speaks Today series, The Message of Isaiah offers an insightful, readable exposition of the biblical text and thought-provoking discussion of how its meaning relates to contemporary life. Used by students and teachers around the world, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are ideal for those studying or preaching the Bible and anyone who wants to delve deeper into the text. This revised edition of a classic volume features lightly updated language and a new interior design.

What is the "way of the LORD" in the book of Isaiah? Many scholars have adopted Walter Zimmerli's proposal that the "way" in Second Isaiah is a literal and physical highway extending from Babylon to Jerusalem only to be reinterpreted as a spiritual, metaphorical, and pious way of living in Third Isaiah. This book will properly define each mention of the "way" in Isaiah as well as provide a coherent interpretation of this theme's theological significance within the book. The way of the LORD is initially conceived of in the 1st half of the book as a highway leading to Zion common to both the dispersed Israelites as well as the nations. In Isaiah, Chs 34-35 provide a paradigm of what this way will entail and its theological significance.

The second of John N. Oswalt's two-part study of the book of Isaiah for the NICOT series, this commentary provides exegetical and theological exposition on the latter twenty-seven chapters of Isaiah for scholars, pastors, and students.