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Online Summer Bible Study, 2004
Week 7 (July 18-24): Isaiah 1-20

Hello all,

Here we are in Isaiah, which Augustine presented as the book of the Bible that should be read first. I will be quoting from "Isaiah 1-39" by Christopher Seitz (John Knox Press, 1993), part of the "Interpretation" series. In fact, that's all I will be doing--I must confess to being somewhat overwhelmed by Isaiah so far. Hopefully I will have some coherent thoughts before we are done with it!

The book of Isaiah can be divided into "three separate collections (chaps.1-39; 40-55; 56-66), presumably originating in the public proclamation of three discretely inspired individuals or schools, spanning a period of several centuries, if not more--right up to the Christian era itself." (p.2)

"Interpreters now agree that one can see within chapters 1-39 evidence of literary additions--at times sporadic, on other occasions more comprehensive--supplied by editors under the influence of Second Isaiah chapters and the wider experience of the fall of Jerusalem and the exile." (p.2)

Key theological concepts and terminology in Isaiah include "an emphasis on Zion, God as 'the Holy One of Israel,' and themes of sin and forgiveness." (p.3)

"it would be wrong to classify the material as oracles *against* nations, since salvation can finally attend their fate...other sections of Isaiah...clearly envision the ultimate worship of Israel's God by foreign nations" (pp. 8-9)

"he knows that refusals to hear are not indications of the vanity of his preaching or the impotence of his God but that they are, rather, signs of the extent of Israel's deafness and the accuracy of the divine diagnosis." (p.27)

"the presentation of these twelve chapters has a coherence and significance that is the result of conscious editorial efforts. The historical preaching of the prophet Isaiah has been secondarily interpreted and presented in a new literary format." (p.29)

"Israel continued to look for the fulfillment of Isaiah's vision of restoration...long after Isaiah had himself passed from view. His message belonged not to himself but remained the 'spiritual possession' both of God and the generations who continued to look to him." (p.31)

"In the presentation of chapters 1-12 we learned of a timetable in which Assyria would gradually ravage God's vineyard, Ahaz would be replaced by Immanuel, Assyria would then suddenly be halted, and a new king and a new Israel would arise." (p.120)

"The nations section makes clear that all military strength and political stratagem--no matter how shrewd or carefully wrought--is nothing before the wisdom and counsel of Israel's God." (p. 124)

"God has a purpose, not just for his own people, but for the whole earth and each one of its nations." (p. 130)

"Moreover, while the first oracle maintains the general theme of judgment against Egypt (19:16-17)...the final four are far from condemnatory and indeed speak in unprecedented terms of Egypt's inclusion with Israel as the people of one God...this is no simple picture of universalism, depicting a time when various religions and various gods are exchanged and found mutually enriching. Egypt and Assyria turn and worship Israel's God and are incorporated as God's people only by virtue of an extreme cas of divine initiative and grace. Such is God's will 'on that day': to bring all nations under his sovereign rule and benefaction." (pp.150-152)

"the plan of Yahweh is a plan that has been set from eternity" (p.155).

Peace,
Mark Kille
John P. Webster Library

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