Isaiah's Servant in Paul


Book Description

Paul seems to read Isaiah's Servant with reference to himself. Daniel Cole examines Paul's use of texts within Isa. 49-54 to explain why the apostle does this and what the ethical implications are. He demonstrates that the coherent salvation history of the Servant prophecy guides Paul throughou -- Contracubierta.




Paul and Isaiah's Servants


Book Description

Paul's reading of the Old Testament continues to witness to the significance of reading the Old Testament in a Christian way. This study argues that a theological approach to understanding Paul's appeal to and reading of the Old Testament, especially Isaiah, offers important insights into the ways in which Christians should read the Old Testament and a two-testament canon today. By way of example, this study explores the ways in which Isaiah 40-66's canonical form presents the gospel in miniature with its movement from Israel to Servant to servants. It is subsequently argued that Paul follows this literary movement in his own theological reflection in 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:10. Jesus takes on the unique role and identity of the Servant of Isaiah 40-55, and Paul takes on the role of the servants of the Servant in Isaiah 53-66. From this exegetical exploration conclusions are drawn in the final chapter that seek to apply a term from the history of interpretation to Paul's reading, that is, the plain sense of Scripture. What does an appeal to plain sense broker? And does Paul's reading of the Old Testament look anything like a plain sense reading? Gignilliat concludes that Paul is reading the Old Testament in such a way that the literal sense and its figural potential and capacity are not divorced but are actually organically linked in what can be termed a plain sense reading.




Believer's Bible Commentary


Book Description

Make Bible study a part of your daily life with the thorough yet easy-to-read commentary that turns complicated theology into practical understanding. The second edition of Believer's Bible Commentary is a one-volume guide that helps the average reader develop basic knowledge of the Bible. This commentary, written by the late William MacDonald, explores the deeper meanings of every biblical book and tackles controversial issues from a theologically conservative standpoint while also presenting alternative views. Serving as a friendly introduction to Bible study, Believer's Bible Commentary gives clarity and context to scripture in easy-to-understand language. Features: Introductions, notes, and bibliographies for each book of the Bible A balanced approach to linguistic studies and useful application Comments on the text are augmented by practical applications of spiritual truths and by a study of typology, where appropriate Colorful maps of the Holy Land and other useful study helps Can be used with any Bible translation but is best used with the New King James version




The Followers of Jesus as the 'Servant'


Book Description

Luke models his portrayal both of Jesus and his disciples in Luke-Acts after the human agent of the Isaianic New Exodus in Isaiah 40-66, the servant. In the Isaianic New Exodus the servant is integral to the restoration; the servant's mission being embodied is, to a great extent, how the New Exodus comes to fruition. The servant connection is at times explicit, as Jesus is identified with the servant in Luke 4:18-19 (quoting Isa 61:1-2 [with 58:6]); Luke 22:37 (citing Isa 53:12); and Acts 8:32-33 (Isa 53:7-8). Regarding the disciples, Isa 49:6 is quoted by Paul in Acts 13:47 in reference to himself and Barnabas, though a focus only on quotations is too limiting. Allusions to servant passages abound. This work argues that Luke sees Jesus fulfilling the servant role in an ultimate sense, but that his followers, modelled after him in Acts, also embody it. This can be seen in Luke's use of Isaianic servant imagery, including suffering, lack of violent response (to unjust treatment) and language in the disciples' characterization.




The Suffering Servant


Book Description

Translated by Daniel P. Bailey The Servant Song of Isaiah 53 has been highly significant in both Jewish and Christian thought. Rarely, however, has it been explored from the broad range of perspectives represented in this long-awaited volume. In "The Suffering Servant ten talented biblical interpreters trace the influence of the Servant Song text through the centuries, unpacking the theological meanings of this rich passage of scripture and its uses in various religious contexts. Chapters examine in depth Isaiah 52:13-53:12 in the Hebrew original and in later writings, including pre-Christian Jewish literature, the New Testament, the Isaiah Targum, the early church fathers, and a sixteenth-century rabbinic document informed by Jewish-Christian dialogue. Contributors: Jostein Adna Daniel P. Bailey Gerlinde Feine Martin Hengel Hans-Jurgen Hermisson Otfried Hofius Wolfgang Hullstrung Bernd Janowski Christoph Markschies Stefan Schreiner Hermann Spieckermann Peter Stuhlmacher




Isaiah's Servants in Early Judaism and Christianity


Book Description

The Book of Isaiah describes an Israelite group called the "servants," who suffered for their righteousness and were promised vindication. This collection of essays shows how the Isaian "servants" texts were used by early Jewish and Christian readers to shape their own community identity. It includes analyses of Psalms 22, 69, and 102, Daniel, Wisdom of Solomon, Mark, Luke and Acts, Romans, 2 Corinthians, Philippians, 1 Peter, Revelation, and Targum Jonathan on Isaiah, as well as investigations into the relationship between exegesis and identity formation and into how the Isaian Servant(s) are presented within the framework of Israel's history.




The Gospel According to Isaiah 53


Book Description

Written by eleven biblical scholars, this study explores the theology of the suffering servant in Isaiah 53 and answers a number of imporant questions: What is a Christian interpretation of Isaiah 53? What is a Jewish interpretation of Isaiah 53? How did the New Testament writers understand Isaiah 53? How should forgiveness and salvation be understood in Isaiah 53? How can Isaiah 53 be used in Jewish evangelism? How do we preach Isaiah 53?




Jesus and the Suffering Servant


Book Description

Did Jesus of Nazareth live and die without the teaching about the righteous Servant of the Lord in Isaiah 53 having exerted any significant influence on his ministry? Did the use of Isaiah 53 to interpret his mission actually begin with Jesus?




Paul and Isaiah's Servant


Book Description

This dissertation concerns the intersection between the New Testament use of the Old Testament, hermeneutics, and ethics in Paul's use of Isaiah's servant prophecy. After setting out the need for this study, the first stage of the research examines the verses in their original Masoretic context and demonstrates that Isaiah's servant prophecies are tightly integrated into their context to form one broad prophetic arc. This arc promises that a servant will save people from sin through his victorious death and ensuing work through his followers and thus bring them into God's new creation; it is therefore truly a salvation history. The second stage of the research considers the extant Second Temple interpretations of these verses, especially by Isaiah's Septuagint translator. In each case the author's conception of history is shown to warrant both the choice and use of the particular verses. The third stage considers Paul's use of Isaiah's Servant prophecy in Romans, 2 Corinthians, and Galatians. With respect to hermeneutical warrant, Paul uses the texts of Isaiah in line with its salvation history, which he argues has reached its fulfilment in the death of Christ and the ensuing proclamation of the gospel. More than this, Paul's own union with Christ also warrants his application of several of these texts to his own life and ministry--especially from Isa 49--as Jesus Christ the servant continues to discharge his work of the proclamation of the gospel to the nations through his servant Paul. With respect to his ethics, Paul uses Isaiah's prophecy of the servant to define the place of and the relationships between God, Jesus, himself, his Christian hearers, gentiles who have not heard the message of the gospel, Jews, and all those who refuse to obey the gospel by trusting its message and messenger. Paul draws both general and specific ethical entailments on the basis of these relationships. This suggests, therefore, that Paul does work with an indicative-imperative ethic, although the indicative side of the construal must be salvation-historically shaped to do justice to the way in which Paul conceives of ethics for both himself and his hearers.




Isaiah 53


Book Description

Who is the servant of Isaiah 52:13-53:12? Answering this question is what this study is all about. Through the centuries countless commentaries have been written, tracts have been distributed, debates have raged over the identification of the servant in this passage. Here we investigate the evidence presented over the last 2000 thousand years for the two leading candidates for this role of servant of the Lord. The two are Jesus and the Jewish people. Christians see in this passage the literal fulfillment by Jesus of all it contains. Jews see it in its plain meaning as a historical overview of Jewish history and the suffering to be endured by the nation of Israel until the final redemption. Source materials used by opposing sides in discussing this passage are thoroughly reviewed. In particular, each verse in the passage is studied in depth. But, the purpose of this volume is not simply to have an intellectual discussion of the issues involved. Its intent is to make it an unavoidable issue for Christians that there are very real disqualifications of Jesus from being the suffering servant and to identify the subject of the servant passage as none other than the nation of Israel. Furthermore, we seek to educate Jews so they do not fall prey to those who would have them believe Jesus is the Messiah.