Isaiah Old and New: Exegesis, Intertextuality, and Hermeneutics

by Ben Witherington III (Editor)

Reading the Book of Isaiah in its original context is the crucial prerequisite for reading its citation and use in later interpretation, including the New Testament writings, argues Ben Witherington III. Here he offers pastors, teachers, and students an accessible commentary to Isaiah, as well as a reasoned consideration of how Isaiah was heard and read in early Christianity. By reading "forward and backward" Witherington advances the scholarly discussion of intertextuality and opens a new avenue for biblical theology.

Genres: Old Testament, Biblical Studies, Theology, New Testament

524 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2017

About the author

Ben Witherington III (PhD, University of Durham) is Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, and is on the doctoral faculty at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is the author or coauthor of more than thirty books, including The Jesus Quest, The Paul Quest, and The New York Times bestseller The Brother of Jesus. He has appeared on the History Channel, NBC, ABC, CBS, and CNN.

Reviews

[Whitney Dziurawiec · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't read the appendices but I appreciated Witherington's commentary. This was more geared toward the new testament's interpretation of Isaiah, which was a helpful final commentary for me as I wrapped up my study of the book.

[Alan Fuller · Rating 2 out of 5]

"..many modern scholars and commentators of various sorts have treated the Christian interpretation of Isaiah (often including the interpretation by the NT writers themselves) as a guide to how one should not interpret the book, as a sort of “map of misreading.” (Kindle Locations 7756-7759).

Witherington engages this discussion by analyzing both the history and present state of Isaiah's interpretation. He makes some interesting points. He notes that there is no specific historical individual who matches such passages as Isaiah 52-53 before the time of Christ. Imposing time on figurative language can miss the theological point. The prophet speaks confidently about the future because of the way Yahweh has dealt with Israel in the past. Christ as the wisdom of God (1 Co 1:24,30) is the humble and obedient servant (Php 2:7) who followed Israel in the wilderness (1 Co 10:4).

So what does the author decide about the conflict between modern and ancient interpretation? The OT is mainly about the Father's relationship with Israel and not allegory. Christians need to learn from Jewish exegesis of the OT.

"Yes, Jesus is God and manifests God’s identity and glory, but no, he is not Yahweh, and it is Yahweh whom Isaiah sees in Isaiah 6." (9547-9548)

Sounds a bit like Marcion to me.

[Marc Axelrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super scholarly survey of what Isaiah meant and how it is used in the NT

Witherington shows that New Testament writers mined Isaiah homiletically, thematically, analogically, allegorically, and artistically to convey Christ to the masses. Understanding what Isaiah meant in its original contacts and seeing how it was understood and utilized in the New Testament is fruitful for having a better understanding of Scripture as a whole. This is definitely meant for the more scholarly among us, but it is a highly helpful study.