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The Theology of the Book of Isaiah
Preaching 's Preacher's Guide to the Best Bible Reference "Yahweh sits enthroned, high and lifted up
A shoot grows from the stump of Jesse
A Servant pours himself out to death
Kings and nations stream to Zion" The book of Isaiah's imagery sparkles as it inspires. It draws us in to meditate and extends our vision toward the future. But what should we make of this sprawling and puzzling book―so layered and complex in its composition―as a whole? John Goldingay helps us make sense of this "book called Isaiah" as a tapestry of patterned collages, parts put together in an intentional whole. The Theology of the Book of Isaiah studies the prophecies, messages and theology of each section of the complex book, then unfurls its unifying themes―from Zion to David to the Holy One of Israel. Like a program guide to Handel's Messiah , Goldingay helps us see, hear and understand the grandeur of this prophetic masterpiece among the Prophets.
A shoot grows from the stump of Jesse
A Servant pours himself out to death
Kings and nations stream to Zion" The book of Isaiah's imagery sparkles as it inspires. It draws us in to meditate and extends our vision toward the future. But what should we make of this sprawling and puzzling book―so layered and complex in its composition―as a whole? John Goldingay helps us make sense of this "book called Isaiah" as a tapestry of patterned collages, parts put together in an intentional whole. The Theology of the Book of Isaiah studies the prophecies, messages and theology of each section of the complex book, then unfurls its unifying themes―from Zion to David to the Holy One of Israel. Like a program guide to Handel's Messiah , Goldingay helps us see, hear and understand the grandeur of this prophetic masterpiece among the Prophets.
160 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2014
60 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
John E. Goldingay
87 books68 followersJohn Goldingay is David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. An internationally respected Old Testament scholar, Goldingay is the author of many commentaries and books.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 10, 2014
There is a long and honored tradition of reading Isaiah as speaking of Christ, especially in the Suffering Servant passages. Without minimizing this tradition, Goldingay asks a different question. How would the book be understood by readers at the time it was written? After answering this question by working through the book's five major sections, he then considers major themes that run through the book as a whole--revelation, God the Holy One, the critique of Israel, the nations, David, the Day of Yahweh and more. A solid resource for anyone wanting to get a quick handle on this large and complex book. (Disclosure: I work for the publisher.)
May 10, 2020
Some good nuggets, but overall I didn’t agree on his perspective on the servant songs and the messianic passages. Left me wanting more in the way of meditations on how Isaiah points to Christ.
August 11, 2025
I appreciated Goldingays concise style, he was easy to read. I also appreciate the existence of a less than 150 page overview of the theology of Isaiah.
However, his rejection of a Messianic and Typological hermeneutic made much of his commentary less than desirable for a conservative audience. His view of Isaiah 7, 9, and 53 were startling. It would receive a standing ovation from Jewish readers.
Last thought. Goldingay spoke with lots of hesitancy. There seemed a lack of confidence in his interpretations. I appreciate intellectual honesty, dont get me wrong, but I like to see scholars take a stand more than I saw Goldingay do in this volume.
if you are a Reformed reader, I wouldn't spend your time reading this, unless you want a concise view of an modernistic framework of Isaiah.
However, his rejection of a Messianic and Typological hermeneutic made much of his commentary less than desirable for a conservative audience. His view of Isaiah 7, 9, and 53 were startling. It would receive a standing ovation from Jewish readers.
Last thought. Goldingay spoke with lots of hesitancy. There seemed a lack of confidence in his interpretations. I appreciate intellectual honesty, dont get me wrong, but I like to see scholars take a stand more than I saw Goldingay do in this volume.
if you are a Reformed reader, I wouldn't spend your time reading this, unless you want a concise view of an modernistic framework of Isaiah.
October 27, 2015
Summary: Taking the book of Isaiah as a whole and as it would have been read by its first readers, Goldingay both considers the theologies present in each major section of Isaiah, and traces the theological themes emerging from the book as a whole.
I wish I had this book a few years ago when I was teaching Isaiah in an adult ed class at my church. Isaiah's 66 chapters encompass a sweeping vision extending from the reigns of Ahaz and Hezekiah to the post-exilic destiny of Israel and the nations. Most of the commentaries on Isaiah are multi-volume or lengthy single volume works. What makes this a great resource is that it is both a concise work and yet gives the reader a good grasp of the framework of the book and key theological themes, crucial to understanding the book. What is also refreshing is that rather than pursuing the endless discussion of "how many Isaiahs are there?" he simply deals with the book as we have it, "the book called Isaiah".
Goldingay notes what many of us who have taught Isaiah have seen--this is no ordinary book of sequential narrative or discourse. Rather it is a collection of prophecies occurring over an extended period of time. Goldingay contends that this collection can be considered as five or six "collages" that make up the book: Chapters 1-12; chapters 13-27 (or a separate collage of 24-27); chapters 28-39; chapters 40-55; and chapters 56-66. The first part of the book then delineates the major theological themes to be found within each "collage".
The second part of the book explores the theology that emerges from "the book called Isaiah" as a whole. The themes he explores, each in a short chapter are:
*Revelation: Words of Yahweh mediated through human agents
*The God of Israel, the Holy One, Yahweh Armies
*Holy as Upright and Merciful
*Israel and Judah
*Jerusalem and Zion Critiqued and Threatened
*Jerusalem and Zion Chastised and Restored
*The Remains
*The Nations
*The Empires and Their Kings
*Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
*Divine Planning and Human Planning
*David
*Yahweh's Day
One thing that the reader should be aware of is that Goldingay does not read Isaiah in light of the New Testament but as its first readers would have considered it, which is actually careful scholarship and interpretation controlled by what is found within the book itself. This is most evident in his discussion of the "servant" passages, which he treats in terms of Israel, the prophet, and eventually Cyrus. I think he is right in the sense that these were in fact the only interpretive options that would have made sense to the first readers. Yet, this seems to evade the question of who in fact fulfilled this--neither Israel, Isaiah, nor Cyrus completely do so. The question the Ethiopian eunuch asks Philip recorded in Acts 8:34 reflects this enigma: "About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”
One of the most significant insights comes in his discussion, which recurs at several points of holiness as uprightness and mercifulness (mispat and sedaqa). He writes at one point:
"Mispat and sedaqa thus suggests the faithful exercise of power in community. People with power control resources; they will therefore make sure that ordinary people can share in resources such as land and food. People with power do control decision making in court, which meets at the city gate; they will see that judicial decisions are made in a fair way. People with power control what happens in community worship; they will make sure that it is offered in a way that is faithful to Yahweh." (p. 22-23)
Israel in Isaiah's day, and the church in our own have rarely worked with such a comprehensive vision of holiness, and we see that this is both Israel's problem, and the realization of this vision, Yahweh's intention. Goldingay's approach teases out important themes like this, and Yahweh's ultimate intention not only for Israel but the nations that might often be missed.
I would commend this book for anyone looking for a concise treatment of this book, including those, like me, who might be attempting to teach "the book called Isaiah" in an adult ed setting. Yet there is also the academic depth to make this an assigned text either in a seminary level course on Isaiah, or a wider survey of the prophets.
I wish I had this book a few years ago when I was teaching Isaiah in an adult ed class at my church. Isaiah's 66 chapters encompass a sweeping vision extending from the reigns of Ahaz and Hezekiah to the post-exilic destiny of Israel and the nations. Most of the commentaries on Isaiah are multi-volume or lengthy single volume works. What makes this a great resource is that it is both a concise work and yet gives the reader a good grasp of the framework of the book and key theological themes, crucial to understanding the book. What is also refreshing is that rather than pursuing the endless discussion of "how many Isaiahs are there?" he simply deals with the book as we have it, "the book called Isaiah".
Goldingay notes what many of us who have taught Isaiah have seen--this is no ordinary book of sequential narrative or discourse. Rather it is a collection of prophecies occurring over an extended period of time. Goldingay contends that this collection can be considered as five or six "collages" that make up the book: Chapters 1-12; chapters 13-27 (or a separate collage of 24-27); chapters 28-39; chapters 40-55; and chapters 56-66. The first part of the book then delineates the major theological themes to be found within each "collage".
The second part of the book explores the theology that emerges from "the book called Isaiah" as a whole. The themes he explores, each in a short chapter are:
*Revelation: Words of Yahweh mediated through human agents
*The God of Israel, the Holy One, Yahweh Armies
*Holy as Upright and Merciful
*Israel and Judah
*Jerusalem and Zion Critiqued and Threatened
*Jerusalem and Zion Chastised and Restored
*The Remains
*The Nations
*The Empires and Their Kings
*Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
*Divine Planning and Human Planning
*David
*Yahweh's Day
One thing that the reader should be aware of is that Goldingay does not read Isaiah in light of the New Testament but as its first readers would have considered it, which is actually careful scholarship and interpretation controlled by what is found within the book itself. This is most evident in his discussion of the "servant" passages, which he treats in terms of Israel, the prophet, and eventually Cyrus. I think he is right in the sense that these were in fact the only interpretive options that would have made sense to the first readers. Yet, this seems to evade the question of who in fact fulfilled this--neither Israel, Isaiah, nor Cyrus completely do so. The question the Ethiopian eunuch asks Philip recorded in Acts 8:34 reflects this enigma: "About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”
One of the most significant insights comes in his discussion, which recurs at several points of holiness as uprightness and mercifulness (mispat and sedaqa). He writes at one point:
"Mispat and sedaqa thus suggests the faithful exercise of power in community. People with power control resources; they will therefore make sure that ordinary people can share in resources such as land and food. People with power do control decision making in court, which meets at the city gate; they will see that judicial decisions are made in a fair way. People with power control what happens in community worship; they will make sure that it is offered in a way that is faithful to Yahweh." (p. 22-23)
Israel in Isaiah's day, and the church in our own have rarely worked with such a comprehensive vision of holiness, and we see that this is both Israel's problem, and the realization of this vision, Yahweh's intention. Goldingay's approach teases out important themes like this, and Yahweh's ultimate intention not only for Israel but the nations that might often be missed.
I would commend this book for anyone looking for a concise treatment of this book, including those, like me, who might be attempting to teach "the book called Isaiah" in an adult ed setting. Yet there is also the academic depth to make this an assigned text either in a seminary level course on Isaiah, or a wider survey of the prophets.
December 22, 2025
I have to recommend this book to anyone who wants a concise but comprehensive overview of the book of Isaiah. Note that he writes from the perspective of how it would have been understood by its original readers, not so much of how Christians have subsequently understood it - this is a legitimate scholarly approach. The author was a professor of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary and an ordained Anglican priest of the Church of England, retired now, I believe.
The book is divided into two sections. The first describes the collages that make up the book from beginning to end. While he has his own beliefs about the book's authorship (Isaiah 1-39 by Isaiah ben Amoz in the 8th-7th century BC in the reigns of Kings Ahaz and Hezekiah; Isaiah 40-55 by "Second Isaiah"; and Isaiah 56-66 perhaps by "Third Isaiah"), the collages especially in chapters 1-39 are collections of prophecies from various times sometime expanding on or commenting on earlier prophecies. Prophecies are not to be understood as mere predictions of the future. They are warnings of what might happen if the people or their rulers do not repent, for instance. Some of them are doom and gloom; others are promises of restoration. The collages are not in chronological order. Chapters 40-55 are more chronological and reflect the time of the return from exile to Jerusalem. King Cyrus of Persia is seen as God's (unknowing) servant. Chapters 56-66 reflect a somewhat later period after the exiles have returned to Jerusalem and the problems they faced and what the prophet sees as problems with their calling to be God's servants (which he understands they were called to be).
The second part of the book is a discussion of the theology that emerges from the book taken as a whole. Throughout, the people need to be faithful and trust in God, to act justly. The prophet produces oracles against the nations - the "superpowers" of the day - Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and also Judah's neighbors, Philistia, Ammon, Moab, the Northern Kingdom of Israel (which fell to Assyria in 712 BC in Isaiah's lifetime) and others. But he also issues warnings to the people of Judah. Divine sovereignty and human responsibility are discussed. God is inclined to be merciful above all, but if people do not listen to warnings, there will be consequences. But God will not abandon the remnant of his people, because he has chosen them.
The book is divided into two sections. The first describes the collages that make up the book from beginning to end. While he has his own beliefs about the book's authorship (Isaiah 1-39 by Isaiah ben Amoz in the 8th-7th century BC in the reigns of Kings Ahaz and Hezekiah; Isaiah 40-55 by "Second Isaiah"; and Isaiah 56-66 perhaps by "Third Isaiah"), the collages especially in chapters 1-39 are collections of prophecies from various times sometime expanding on or commenting on earlier prophecies. Prophecies are not to be understood as mere predictions of the future. They are warnings of what might happen if the people or their rulers do not repent, for instance. Some of them are doom and gloom; others are promises of restoration. The collages are not in chronological order. Chapters 40-55 are more chronological and reflect the time of the return from exile to Jerusalem. King Cyrus of Persia is seen as God's (unknowing) servant. Chapters 56-66 reflect a somewhat later period after the exiles have returned to Jerusalem and the problems they faced and what the prophet sees as problems with their calling to be God's servants (which he understands they were called to be).
The second part of the book is a discussion of the theology that emerges from the book taken as a whole. Throughout, the people need to be faithful and trust in God, to act justly. The prophet produces oracles against the nations - the "superpowers" of the day - Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and also Judah's neighbors, Philistia, Ammon, Moab, the Northern Kingdom of Israel (which fell to Assyria in 712 BC in Isaiah's lifetime) and others. But he also issues warnings to the people of Judah. Divine sovereignty and human responsibility are discussed. God is inclined to be merciful above all, but if people do not listen to warnings, there will be consequences. But God will not abandon the remnant of his people, because he has chosen them.
December 31, 2024
The book of Isaiah is one of the longest and most theologically significant books of the Old Testament. The beginner reader might be overwhelmed by the amount of poetry, historical data, theological language and obscure references present in the book.
Dr. Goldingay has written a brief introduction to the book of Isaiah in his Theology of the Book of Isaiah. This little book lays out the theological topics in the book.
Beginning by discussion the composition of the book and the three 'collections,' he breaks down the different theological foci of each these sections. This relates to critical scholarships' identification of 2nd and 3rd Isaiah. Goldingay acknowledges that there different authors and that the final book took centuries to reach its final form.
The second part highlights different theological topics throughout the entire book. This provides insight into the Biblical theology of the book and how different parts of Isaiah reflect differently on them.
Although technical, this book is easily accessible for people not familiar with biblical scholarship.
Highly recommended for pastors and people interested in Bible study.
Grade: A
Dr. Goldingay has written a brief introduction to the book of Isaiah in his Theology of the Book of Isaiah. This little book lays out the theological topics in the book.
Beginning by discussion the composition of the book and the three 'collections,' he breaks down the different theological foci of each these sections. This relates to critical scholarships' identification of 2nd and 3rd Isaiah. Goldingay acknowledges that there different authors and that the final book took centuries to reach its final form.
The second part highlights different theological topics throughout the entire book. This provides insight into the Biblical theology of the book and how different parts of Isaiah reflect differently on them.
Although technical, this book is easily accessible for people not familiar with biblical scholarship.
Highly recommended for pastors and people interested in Bible study.
Grade: A
June 13, 2014
The book of Isaiah is a giant of a book, both in terms of its theology and overall length. Containing largely prophecy with a few elements of historical importance included in the mix, this book contains a wealth of information, some of which can be confusing, misunderstood, or misapplied if the reader is not careful to think through the truths of what the prophetic messages found in Isaiah are relaying. Add to those issues the reality that most commentaries on Isaiah, even popular and supposedly layman friendly efforts, are often left on the shelf due to their sheer size. While there is certainly nothing wrong with in-depth commentaries and digging into the vast treasures found in Scripture, there is often a need for a more readable approach to certain books that whet the appetite for further study. Dr. John Goldingay’s overview of Isaiah aptly called The Theology of the Book of Isaiah is just what the proverbial doctor ordered.
Dr. Goldingay divides this excellent book into two parts with part one working through the major sections of Isaiah with a brief yet informative look at the overarching theological message of this book. Part two builds on the information provided in part one by further unpacking many of the larger theological treatises found throughout Isaiah. As one can imagine, Goldingay covers a lot of ground in a short amount of space in this book; however, the reader is provided with a number of valuable insights into the message of Isaiah and how we are to understand that message.
I appreciated the description Goldingay gives to the various sections of Isaiah, namely viewing them as collages of sorts, an apt description that rejects the idea of randomness in favor or viewing the material in Isaiah as “purposefully put together” to relay a cogent and consistent message. Goldingay rightly states a recurring theme or feature found throughout these collages is that of “God as Israel’s Holy One.” An outgrowth of the two major collages in Isaiah and the subsets of those collages is the “outworking of this description of God.” This underlying message is found in the text of Isaiah regardless of whether the prophecies or historical elements are relayed to the reader in a straightforward or circular manner.
Another helpful aspect of this book is the manner in which Goldingay works through the various layers of Isaiah, namely those elements that are either not as straightforward in presentation as one may originally think or those portions of Isaiah that circle back to the aforementioned underlying theme of God as the Holy One of Israel. Goldingay works through these difficult aspects of Isaiah in a manner that provides the reader with a sound and purposeful understanding of the text. His purpose in this book is not to explore each and every minute detail of the original languages or to explore each and every prophecy to its complete end. While he does engage those issues, his overall purpose is providing the reader with the means to grasp the overall message and thrust of what God is saying through the book of Isaiah and why it matters.
There is one portion of Goldingay’s exegesis and application of Isaiah that may give some individual’s a level of pause at first glance and that is his treatment of the servant passages of Isaiah. Most traditionally and immediately attribute the servant passages as a description of the Messiah, Jesus Christ while also noting the fact that at times God uses nations and individuals as a type of messiah to bring about His divine purposes. This dual fulfillment as it is called is the typical approach to Isaiah 53 for example. Goldingay does not argue against the reality that in the overarching construct of Scripture, Jesus is most certainly the Messiah, the promised Suffering Servant sent to bear our sin on the cross, the sinless Lamb led to slaughter on our behalf. What Goldingay does remind the reader is the immediate focus of the prophecies in Isaiah, specifically the fact that historical characters such as Cyrus were God’s anointed and shepherd in that specific period of history given the term shepherd as used in the period of the Old Testament “was a recognized way to describe the role of a king. A shepherd is in charge of his sheep both in terms of controlling them and of providing for them. Applied to a king, the image suggests both the holding of authority and the responsibility to protect the people.” This does not mean of course that Christ is not THE suffering Servant who is the perfect example of what it looks like to shepherd the people in the perfect servant-prophet construct. What it does present is the necessity to understand the immediate purpose of such prophecies, in this case the use by God of individuals such as Cyrus for His purposes that ultimately lead to the coming of the Messiah and the realization by God’s people of Jesus as the Messiah promised long ago. If anything, Goldingay provides the needed element of stressing the need to analyze such prophecies and not forgetting the more immediate significance of such passages in our effort to apply the more overarching truth of the perfect example of the suffering servant to the coming and work of Christ.
I highly recommend this book to all believers interested in getting a solid grasp of Isaiah, how to approach its message, and those focused on learning the underlying theological truths found in this amazing book of Scripture. Goldingay provides valuable insight into the structure and message of Isaiah and does so in a way that is accessible to believers or all theological levels.
I received this book for free from InterVarsity Press for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Dr. Goldingay divides this excellent book into two parts with part one working through the major sections of Isaiah with a brief yet informative look at the overarching theological message of this book. Part two builds on the information provided in part one by further unpacking many of the larger theological treatises found throughout Isaiah. As one can imagine, Goldingay covers a lot of ground in a short amount of space in this book; however, the reader is provided with a number of valuable insights into the message of Isaiah and how we are to understand that message.
I appreciated the description Goldingay gives to the various sections of Isaiah, namely viewing them as collages of sorts, an apt description that rejects the idea of randomness in favor or viewing the material in Isaiah as “purposefully put together” to relay a cogent and consistent message. Goldingay rightly states a recurring theme or feature found throughout these collages is that of “God as Israel’s Holy One.” An outgrowth of the two major collages in Isaiah and the subsets of those collages is the “outworking of this description of God.” This underlying message is found in the text of Isaiah regardless of whether the prophecies or historical elements are relayed to the reader in a straightforward or circular manner.
Another helpful aspect of this book is the manner in which Goldingay works through the various layers of Isaiah, namely those elements that are either not as straightforward in presentation as one may originally think or those portions of Isaiah that circle back to the aforementioned underlying theme of God as the Holy One of Israel. Goldingay works through these difficult aspects of Isaiah in a manner that provides the reader with a sound and purposeful understanding of the text. His purpose in this book is not to explore each and every minute detail of the original languages or to explore each and every prophecy to its complete end. While he does engage those issues, his overall purpose is providing the reader with the means to grasp the overall message and thrust of what God is saying through the book of Isaiah and why it matters.
There is one portion of Goldingay’s exegesis and application of Isaiah that may give some individual’s a level of pause at first glance and that is his treatment of the servant passages of Isaiah. Most traditionally and immediately attribute the servant passages as a description of the Messiah, Jesus Christ while also noting the fact that at times God uses nations and individuals as a type of messiah to bring about His divine purposes. This dual fulfillment as it is called is the typical approach to Isaiah 53 for example. Goldingay does not argue against the reality that in the overarching construct of Scripture, Jesus is most certainly the Messiah, the promised Suffering Servant sent to bear our sin on the cross, the sinless Lamb led to slaughter on our behalf. What Goldingay does remind the reader is the immediate focus of the prophecies in Isaiah, specifically the fact that historical characters such as Cyrus were God’s anointed and shepherd in that specific period of history given the term shepherd as used in the period of the Old Testament “was a recognized way to describe the role of a king. A shepherd is in charge of his sheep both in terms of controlling them and of providing for them. Applied to a king, the image suggests both the holding of authority and the responsibility to protect the people.” This does not mean of course that Christ is not THE suffering Servant who is the perfect example of what it looks like to shepherd the people in the perfect servant-prophet construct. What it does present is the necessity to understand the immediate purpose of such prophecies, in this case the use by God of individuals such as Cyrus for His purposes that ultimately lead to the coming of the Messiah and the realization by God’s people of Jesus as the Messiah promised long ago. If anything, Goldingay provides the needed element of stressing the need to analyze such prophecies and not forgetting the more immediate significance of such passages in our effort to apply the more overarching truth of the perfect example of the suffering servant to the coming and work of Christ.
I highly recommend this book to all believers interested in getting a solid grasp of Isaiah, how to approach its message, and those focused on learning the underlying theological truths found in this amazing book of Scripture. Goldingay provides valuable insight into the structure and message of Isaiah and does so in a way that is accessible to believers or all theological levels.
I received this book for free from InterVarsity Press for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
August 21, 2019
Mixed bag, in my opinion. Appreciated how Goldingay structured the outline of the Book of Isaiah as five district "collages." I think his view of authorship, following Abraham Ibn Ezra, opens more questions than solves. Goldingay rightly wants the reader to understand Isaiah as he would have been understood by his contemporaries. He rightly sees the over-arching theme being the holiness of Israel's God. Trusting in this Holy God is the big issue in the midst of the heightened political situation Judah finds itself in.
March 9, 2023
There is so much to read on Isaiah that would be superior to this little book. The author's own commentary would be a better use of one's time. It is fine, but does not add that much to the discussion plus the author's irritating insistence on translating "Lord of Hosts" as "Yahweh Armies" gets old! He has much better work and others have done better work on Isaiah.
The best part of the book is his division of the book into "collages." That is a helpful way to think about Isaiah's design.
The best part of the book is his division of the book into "collages." That is a helpful way to think about Isaiah's design.
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March 31, 2022Isaiah is a tough book of the Bible to read: poetry, prose, prophesy , multiple authors, symbols, and timeframes. This book can give some assistance, although it is not the last word. A few corrections/reminders I got from this book are: 1.) I should be careful/humble about romanticizing the remnant…to be a part of the remnant is God’s mercy and not a reflection of a human’s goodness. 2.) Sabbath became a “key marker of keeping the covenant, attaching oneself and ministering to Yahweh, of loving Yahweh, and being Yahweh’s servants 3.) Foreigners, exiles, & eunuchs are welcome! Following Yahweh was never meant to remain exclusive…”Yahweh’s plan was to reach the world by relating to Israel in particular.” How would history (& our present) look if we and those who came before us understood that? Opens up more questions for me!
February 12, 2019
Some helpful insights. Typical critical view of the biblical text.
October 6, 2022
Excellent overview of the Book of Isaiah by someone having written both lay-level and highly technical commentaries on the book. That all is distilled here in a very readable fashion.
February 17, 2023
Learned a lot. Author doesn't incorporate NT understandings and usages of texts enough though.
June 7, 2023
Helpful on themes and an option for structure. Quite accessible. Similarly to John Watt’s book there’s some weird ideas and claims. Sometimes he contradicts himself. Overall quite helpful!
October 22, 2024
Used this for my studies and to help me write a major essay for my degree - such great insights and revelations to gain from this book !!
November 4, 2014
This book is a perfect companion for reading alongside Isaiah and I'd venture to say it would make a very good guide for a small groups approach to reading Isaiah allowing the group to work through sections of Isaiah then returning to get a "big picture" of Isaiah's theology.This book is a perfect companion for reading alongside Isaiah and I'd venture to say it would make a very good guide for a small groups approach to reading Isaiah allowing the group to work through sections of Isaiah then returning to get a "big picture" of Isaiah's theology.
Read my full review here: http://www.brianleport.com/personal-b...
Read my full review here: http://www.brianleport.com/personal-b...
June 13, 2015
I have quite a few commentaries on the book of Isaiah and this is by far the best. Because of its length, it is clearly not intended to be a highly technical. Yet, somehow it manages to provide both a clear sweeping overview along with specific, technical comments that send you searching for more.
We gave this book out as a supplemental resource to lay people to read along with their small group Bible studies and our 12-week preaching series. Readers found the book accessible and helpful as many of them were trying to understand Isaiah for the very first time.
We gave this book out as a supplemental resource to lay people to read along with their small group Bible studies and our 12-week preaching series. Readers found the book accessible and helpful as many of them were trying to understand Isaiah for the very first time.
January 19, 2016
This is a helpful book for preachers and Sunday school teachers, however this is not a scholarly volume. Because Godlingay does not dismiss the critical views of the authorship of Isaiah, I would not urge evangelical believers of my Church to read it.
July 23, 2014
I just finished this little book, and I'm astounded at the theological depths Goldingay plunges us into. Everything from politics to justice is covered, in incredibly relevant ways. Magisterial.
September 3, 2015
Great, short treatment. Goldingay manages to briefly address critical matters and get to the heart of the book, the Holy One of Israel.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews