A Commentary on Isaiah Essay

A Commentary on Isaiah 6 Isaiah 6 is scripted with a mixture of prose and verse, detailing the calling, or commission, of Isaiah by the sea captain deity. a good deal of the verse is written in the style of a vision, detailing depicted object to the mint of Judea. The main theme running through Isaiah is the essence of salvation, nonwithstanding the name of the prophet means salvation of Yahweh. The confine is first of the study prophets, so called due to its groovyer length than the shorter minor prophets or twelve prophets.In the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible and in all whatever other English Bibles, the book follows on from the Song of Solomon or Song of Songs. yet in the Hebrew Bible, it is findn later onward 2 powers, which A. S. Herbert states is a more natural order since this prophet Isaiah was deeply involved in the historical steadyts of his day and gave a distinctive interpretation of these events (19731). The genre of the book is mainly of a sibylline nature, with a mixture of oracles, prophesies and reports of the situation in Judah however it does deviate from this, or so nonably in chapter 13, where it takes the form of a supposed psalm.This book is written at a cartridge holder of great strife for the region of Israel. The region has split into two kingdoms, the Assyrian empire is block in around them and the death of Jeroboam II of Israel (745 BC) and the death Uzziah of Judah (742) terminate a time of peace, security and prosperity for both(prenominal) states. Soon after Jeroboams death, civil war broke turn up in Israel and in 721 BC the Assyrian armies completely subjugated the kingdom.So, we depose see that Isaiah is writing in a time of great conflict and insecurity, which increased through come out of the closet his prophetic life, conclusion in the unavoid commensurate conquering of the small Judean kingdom by the Assyrian empire. It is not easy to trace who Isaiah actually was and when he lived, however the general consensus is that he started his ministry around the death of King Uzziah in 742 BC, where he is thinking to be around the age of 20. However, the date of his birth is un cognize, along with the date of his death, which is design to be cc. 680 BC, making the prophet well into his 70s or 80s in the first place he stops his ministry.We can disengage that he certainly take careed during the reign of four Judean kings, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, as plant in Chapter 1 verse1 (Watts 1985XXV). Clements, however, dubiousnesss the validity of the first chapter in Isaiah as it seems certain that it has been make up at a relatively late stage in the literary growth of the book (Clements 19808). It has been speculated that Isaiah whitethorn have been related to the royal melodic line line, well-nigh notably Manasseh, who, tradition dictates, martyred Isaiah by sawing him in two (Heb. 1137).However, this is hardly convincing as many prophets where martyred b y Kings and rulers and there is no real evidence to suggest any relationship between Isaiah and Manasseh other than that Isaiah may have still been ministering around the time of Manassehs reign. other problem with dating this book is the question of the authorship. During the time that the books in both the Old and New Testaments were written, it was not uncommon for allys and students of teachers and prophets to publish works in their tutors name, or to continue a teachers works. because, it is unclear how many authors the book of Isaiah has. two Watts and Clements maintain the view that Isaiah 40 66 atomic number 18 the works of pursual of Isaiah during the evict and restoration periods, with Clements stating that the work of J. C. Doederlien in 1775, which argued the above point, has come to be the prevalent consensus of scholarships (Clements 19802). The text go away have been originally written in Hebrew, the oldest surviving copy being part of a collection found in t he Qumran Caves, the dead sea scrolls, dating back to around star hundred twenty-five BC.Although there be not many major displacement errors, we enduret have the original scroll from over 600 classs earlier therefore there could be translation errors from the original to the great Isaiah scroll found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. The setting for Isaiah Chapter six is provided by the capital of Israel tabernacle, flavour through the entranceway into the main aula of the temple build (Clements 198071). A problem can be seen in verses nine and ten, the forewarning that the peoples patrol wagon will harden in response to the teachings that Isaiah will put forward.Many, such as Fohrer and Wildberger, believe this to be from a later period of his prophesy, looking backwards in reflection, however in R. Kilians Bauteine Biblischer Theologie 1977, it is argued that this small particle was written at the same time as the rest of the verse. write six can be split up into iii spl it the first (verses 1 3) being the vision, the second (4 7) the cleansing and preparation of Isaiah for prophetic ministry and thirdly (8 11) the divine commission.It is thought that verse 12 13 are not part of the original, solely addition, probably made in the whizz-sixth century BC. There is however, a controversy over the date of the stick out verse (verse 13), with the idea of it being from the exilic age, to enforce hope in this rather somber and threat filled chapter. 61, In the year that King Uzziah died Uzziah is set forth in the leger as an incredibly able and holy man, favored by divinity, He did what was right in the wad of the lord and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.However, Uzziah insulted the Lord by fervent incense at the alter, something that only the Priests could do and so He struck Uzziah down with tzaraat or leprosy, a term that at the time was for several skin diseases and so the precise meaning is uncertain. Because of this, for the last 11 years of Uzziahs reign, his Son Jotham acted as co-regent, hence going on to reign for sixteen years after the death of his father.There is speculation that Jotham died a year or so onward his father and that Uzziahs grandson, Ahaz took over the co-regency until his death, however, the first version of events seems to have the most universal consensus. I saw the Lord sit on a throne, high and lofty and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Uzziahs death, thought to be around the date 736 BC, would have been seen as the end of a golden age for the Judeans and a time of uncertainty due to the impending invasion of the Assyrians. It is at this time that the Lord reveals himself to Isaiah.This could be seen as God reminding the people that there is one King above all others and that even though their earthly king has died, there is still an eternal King watching over them. It is typical of most visions of God in the bible for Him to be seated, for example Job (269) and in revelation, the apostle John sees God sitting on His throne (41 11). His robe filled the temple this could be seen as a display of power and might, as kings often wore long, expensive robes made from silks and gilt so show their worth.The fact that the Lords robe fills the temple could be again showing that there is an even mightier King than Uzziah. Seraphs were in attendance above Him each had six wings with two they cover their faces, with two the covered their feet and with two they flew the devise seraph only occurs in Isaiah. small-arm Clements translates the develop as burning one, Herbert seems to feel that the designation of the word seraphim only appears in Isaiah, exactly similarly in Numbers and Deuteronomy besides as serpent or snakes.This, he says, could then lead one to the conclusion that the large bronze serpent in the temple, as described in 2 Kings 184, may have stimulated the magician experience (Herbert 197358). Many other passages mention Cherub im, and while there is a debate virtually whether seraphim and cherubim are the same or not, seraphim translates as burning ones and in Ezekiel 113, cherubim are described as something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures the fire was bright and lightening issued from the fire. The entailment of the six wings is most probably due to Exodus 3320, You cannot see my face for no man shall see me and live. Therefore the two wings covering their faces is to shield themselves from the glory of God so as not to incur the same fate as a great deal wife when she gazes upon the might of God as He destroys Sodom and Gomorrah. Feet at this time were unclean and normally full of dust and are often utilize as a metaphor for humbling oneself throughout the bible and so covering their feet could be seen to be them humbling themselves before the lord.And one called to another(prenominal) and said holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts th e in all earth is full of His glory. The triple use of the word holy conveys the mystery and unapproachable qualities of the Most Holy. In Hebrew, repetition denote the intensity with which they are speaking, therefore having holy three times conveys to the reader the strength of feeling they have towards the Lord. The pivots on the scepter shook at the voices of those who called suggests that the majesty and power of the seraphims voices shook the building.The translation of the Hebrew meaning pivot is uncertain. Many versions of this passage use hinges on doors or the door posts. Some even translate it as the whole foundations of the building are shaking due to the force of the adoration of God. whizz might read this verse and interpret it as an example of how much the Lord should be praised. We should aim to praise the Lord so much and with such energy that we shake the earth. It could also be Isaiahs reception to the voices that it shook him so violently that it felt as if the whole building shook with him.And I said Woe is me I am wooly, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts We are back again to the unworthiness of human kind to gaze upon the Lords splendour, You cannot see my face for no man shall see me and live. Herbert suggests that I am lost is because Isaiah is reduced to the silence and stillness of death (Herbert 197359). For Herbert this is due to him being a creature of sin confronted with holy perfection, not just that of a disciple meeting the deity that created him.Unclean lips demonstrates that Isaiah is aware of the sinful nature not only of himself but of his fellow people, something that does not please the Lord and balminess to use his mouth in the service of God (Clements 198075). Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the alter with a pair of tongs. This section of the chapter is different to any oth er calling to minister for God. The prophets in the bible are always seen to endure trials and hardship before they enter Gods favour.Abraham was tasked with the slaughter of his son and perhaps the most well known trail is that of Job who had to undertake a huge ordeal before the Lord gace Job twice ass much as he had before (Job 4210). Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? the us indicates that God is deliberating with the Holy council of seraphs surrounding Him, however it is also clear that Isaiah is meant to slang, in a sense, so that he recognizes that only he (Isaiah) can answer that question by giving himself fully to the work of the Lord.The us could also be interpreted as an early mention or idea of the Trinity. The Jewish people are waiting for a the Nazarene come from God and so it could be logical to suggest that until that messiah comes, He is with the Lord and there could already be a flavor of the Holy Spirit in the way the breath moves over the water in c reation. However it is more likely that God wanted Isaiah to indue himself to god freely, giving Isaiah a choice as to whether he will go out and prophesy about the Lord, therefore using the question and the ruse of the Holy council to incite Isaiah to come forward.And I said, Here am I send me this response shows that Isaiah had a willingness to go and wear out the work Yahweh had for him. Although it seems like one single task to complete, I put one overt think there can be any query that Isaiah knew this was him giving his whole life to the service of the Lord. Although up to this point Isaiah does not know what this task is, it can be derived that from the burning coal purgation his lips it seems he is called to preach and prophesy to the people about Yahweh and that this cleansing has allowed the word of God to flow through his lips.And He said, Go and say to this people the reference to this people suggests that there is an part of divine rejection (Clements 198076). Ya hweh no prolonged sees the chosen people in a favourable light and is send Isaiah to tell them. Keep listening but do not take there is, for Clements, a sense of irony in this section, for the prophet undoubtedly did, very passionately and sincerely, want the people to hear and to understand (198077).Clements also suggest as Isaiah will have written this account some time after the vision occurred, it could be that he integrated how the message was received into the words that Yahweh spoke to him. However, due to the belief that God is in everything and everything comes from God, Isaiah would have been justified in doing this as he would know that the solidifying of the hearts of the people towards his message is because of God. Then I said, How long, O Lord throughout the Bible, how long is often the start of a lamentation.This cry out is not just asking how long the suffering will last, but a plea for God to end it quickly. Until cities lie waste without inhabitant is a refer ence to the devastation that war will bring about when the Assyrian empire seeks to expand further. The land is utterly desolate refers to Judah, where Isaiah ministers, however it may mean the whole of the promised land. Verses 12 13 are an addition by and editor, most probably one of the later Isaian disciples around the time of during the exile and restoration periods.Until the Lord sends everyone far away adds to this idea as it mustiness refer to the Assyrian empire sending the Jews to captivity in Babylon. Even if a tenth part corpse in it, it will be burned-out again, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains standing when it is felled. This passage is a complex one with much debate on what the Hebrew originally was and therefore how it should be translated into the Bible of today. The most widely regarded solution would be that the Hebrew bam should in fact be bamah which means high place. Therefore the noun for stump, which in Hebrew is massebe? would then mean sacr ed pole. Thus a sacred pole grows out from its place in a hill-shrine (Clement 198078) is the new meter created. However this passage is translated, it is agreed that there is a very real element of threat present. Just as a stump is not go away in the ground, but instead a hole drilled in the top and filled with fuel and burned, so will the Jews suffer, even though they may feel they have suffered enough. The Holy Seed is its stump is intimately certainly a later addition, post exile, in order to give hope to those who were now under the Babylonian captivity.Herbert comments that this sentence is absent from the Septuagint, but the Greek Modified verse 12 to mean and those who were left on the land were figure, a similarly hopeful note. (Herbert 197360). The addition of this last sentence gives hope as it suggests that even the stump of a felled tree may once again grow, meaning that some will survive and carry on the line of David.