Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching Isaiah: Chapters 40-66

by Paul D. Hanson

Publisher:

John Knox

, 1995

Overview

The latter half of the sixth century B.C.E. found the Jewish community fragmented and under great strife after having been conquered by the Babylonian armies. As a response to a growing despair over life in servitude and exile, Isaiah 40–66 was written. Paul Hanson examines the writings of Second Isaiah. What he discovers is a poetic argument for a loving and attentive God and the rightful place of God's creatures in the unfolding of history. This commentary provides a wealth of insight into the world and worldview of Second Isaiah.

Key Features

• Detailed introduction
• Bibliography

Contents

Top Highlights

“The problem is not that the people are unreligious. That would be easy to condemn. No, they are hyper correct in their religious observances and delighted to exhibit their piety, but in their very exercise of religion they miss the essential point, God’s order of compassionate justice.” (Page 204)

“‘comfort, comfort my people, speak tenderly to Jerusalem.’ This word of comfort has specific content: The era of warfare under which Israel has suffered incalculable loss and shame has come to an end. Termination of conflict, however, is not attributed to luck or chance. It is given specific theological grounding: Peace has returned as a result of the restoration of a proper relation between Israel and her God, that is, ‘her iniquity is pardoned’ (v. 2, rsv).” (Page 19)

“Thus the sovereign of the world draws the sublime beings of heaven into the mission of comforting, pardoning, and redeeming the broken nation. In a world dreading the influences of various divine forces, some good, some evil, Israel receives the assurance that the heavenly beings constituting the divine council are participants in the redemptive drama of the one true God.” (Page 18)

“Those who had cried out from their anguish to God for deliverance need fear no longer, for they are about to experience God’s intervention on their behalf. No longer would earthly oppressors determine their fate. The barrier of sin that had cut them off from their source had been removed.” (Page 24)

“First an unusual invitation is extended. The list of those to be included is not limited to people of social standing, not even to people of sufficient means to come properly attired. The only requirement is hunger and thirst.” (Page 177)

Praise for the Print Edition

The Interpretation series from Westminster John Knox Press is clearly established as a rich source for teaching and preaching. They have tapped the talents of a varied and esteemed group of contributors, resulting in what is clearly the essential comprehensive commentary series on the Bible.

—W. Eugene March, A.B. Rhodes Professor of Old Testament Emeritus at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary

The Interpretation series is an invaluable resource for any leader or scholar interested in interpreting the biblical text to the broader church. Its works are essential for pastors, educators, and church libraries.

—Brian K. Blount, President and Professor of New Testament at Union Theological Seminary

Product Details

• Title: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching Isaiah: Chapters 40-66
• Author: Paul D. Hanson
• Publisher: John Knox Press
• Publication Date: 1995
• Pages: 255

About Paul D. Hanson

Paul Hanson has taught at Harvard since 1971, and was Lamont Professor of Divinity until July 2009, when he became Lamont Research Professor. After completing his PhD in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations in 1970, he spent a year doing archaeological research in Israel, and he has spent sabbatical years in Israel and Germany and most recently at Princeton. In his courses he focuses on Hebrew prophecy, Jewish literature of the Second Temple Period, the religion of the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia and Egypt, and biblical theology. He is currently working to complete a book examining the interplay between religion and politics, with emphasis on American faith communities rooted in biblical tradition. The titles of his books give an indication of his range of scholarly interests: The Dawn of Apocalyptic: The Historical and Sociological Roots of Jewish Apocalyptic Eschatology; Dynamic Transcendence: The Correlation of Confessional Heritage and Contemporary Experience in a Biblical Model of Divine Activity; The Diversity of Scripture: A Theological Interpretation; Visionaries and Their Apocalypses; Old Testament Apocalyptic; The People Called: The Growth of Community in the Bible; and Isaiah 40-66.