The Message of Isaiah 40-55 A Literary-Theological Commentary

by Goldingay, John

• ISBN13: 9780567030382
• ISBN10: 0567030385
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-12-27
• Publisher: Bloomsbury T&T Clark

Summary

The Message of Isaiah 40-55 traces the argument of Isaiah 40-55 to show how the chapters bring a message of encouragement and challenge about God's intention to restore the Judean community, some of whose members are in exile in Babylon, others living in the city of Jerusalem that has lain devastated since it fell to the Babylonians in 587. The chapters hold before this community's eyes a vision of the nature of its God as the powerful creator and the loving restorer. In the course of following the argument, the reader becomes aware that the chapters have to deal with their audience's mysterious resistance to their message. It cannot give God the kind of response the message needs and deserves, nor can it fulfil the role as God's servant that is designed for it. God nevertheless remains committed to it. The prophet eventually becomes aware of a distinctive personal calling to embody that response, until the people are ready to do so. It is the prophet's willingness to do this (notwithstanding the suffering it brings) that embodies the kind of ministry that needs to be exercised to them so that they may be brought back to God and find a restoration of spirit, as well as a physical restoration.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Abbreviations	ix
PART I INTRODUCTION (40.1-31)	1	(76)
Introduction	3	(6)
Yhwh is Returning to Jerusalem (40.1-11)	9	(24)
Yhwh the Creator has Jacob-Israel's Destiny in Hand (40.12-31)	33	(44)
PART II YHWH'S VINDICATION AND DELIVERANCE (41.1-44.23)	77	(174)
Yhwh's Unique Power and Yhwh's Commitment to Servant Israel (41.1-20)	79	(52)
Yhwh's Unique Power and Yhwh's Achievement through the Servant (41.21-42.17)	131	(46)
Yhwh's Commitment to Blind and Deaf Jacob-Israel (42.18-43.21)	177	(38)
Yhwh's Commitment to Using Jacob-Israel as Witness (43.22-44.23 [45.8])	215	(36)
PART III YHWH'S WORK WITH CYRUS (44.24--48.22)	251	(112)
The Triumph of Cyrus (44.24--45.25)	253	(48)
The Fall of Babylon's Gods and Their City (46.1--47.15)	301	(38)
The Challenge to Jacob-Israel (48.1-22)	339	(24)
PART IV THE SERVANT AND ZION (49.1--52.12)	363	(98)
The Servant's Testimony and Its Implications (49.1--13)	365	(18)
Yhwh's Response to Abandoned Zion (49.14--50.3)	383	(18)
The Awakening of Yhwh's Servant (50.4--11)	401	(16)
The Awakening of Yhwh and of Zion (51.1--52.12)	417	(44)
PART V YHWH'S ACT OF RESTORATION AND TRANSFORMATION (52.13--55.13)	461	(98)
Yhwh's Act of Restoration and Transformation	463	(6)
The Fruitfulness of the Servant's Ministry (52.13--53.12)	469	(52)
The Renewing of the Abandoned Woman/City (54.1--17a)	521	(22)
Conclusion: The Broadening of the Covenant Commitment (54.17b--55.13)	543	(16)
Bibliography	559	(6)
Indices	565