The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary

von J. Alec Motyer

Verlag:

IVP

, 1996

Overview

Drawing on a lifetime of study and teaching the book, J. Alec Motyer presents a landmark, single-volume commentary on the prophecy of Isaiah. He emphasizes the grammatical, historical, structural, literary, and theological dimensions of the text, and pays particular attention to three central and recurring themes: the messianic hope, the motif of the city, and the theology of the Holy One of Israel.

Contents

Top Highlights

“A single theme binds the first thirty-seven chapters of Isaiah: the king who reigns in Zion.” (Page 37)

“Faith is the central reality of the Lord’s people, not just their distinctiveness but their ground of existence. No faith, no people.” (Page 83)

“Holiness is God’s hidden glory; glory is God’s all-present holiness.” (Page 77)

“As a title it is full of majesty and mystery: the God who is transcendent in holiness has brought himself into close relationship with a specified people whereby they may claim that he is theirs and he that they are his. The whole Isaianic literature is an explication of this basic situation: the awesome threat which holiness constitutes to an unworthy, careless, rejecting and unresponsive people (chapters 1–37); the lengths to which the Holy One will go to deal with sin, reclaim the sinner and create a righteous people for himself (chapters 40–55); and the eternal state of holiness which he will prepare for them and wherein they will enjoy him for ever (chapters 56–66).” (Page 18)

“The following commentary attempts this task in detail, but an initial overview will set the scene by tracing five unificatory lines which bind the Isaianic literature: the Messianic hope, the motif of the city, the Holy One of Israel, history and faith and literary and structural features.” (Page 13)

About J. Alec Motyer

J. Alec Motyer (1924–2016) was a renowned Old Testament pastor and scholar. With extensive experience in parish ministry, he was principal of Trinity College in Bristol, England, and was well known as a Bible expositor. His books include The Prophecy of Isaiah, and he was the Old Testament editor of The Bible Speaks Today commentary series.