A key emphasis of Brevard Childs's distinguished career has been to show not only that the canon of Scripture comprises both Old and New Testaments but also that the concept of -canon- includes the way the Christian church continues to wrestle in every age with the meaning of its sacred texts. In this new volume Childs uses the book of Isaiah as a case study of the church's endeavor throughout history to understand its Scriptures. In each chapter Childs focuses on a different Christian age, using the work of key figures to illustrate the church's changing views of Isaiah. After looking at the Septuagint translation, Childs examines commentaries and tractates from the patristic, Reformation, and modern periods. His review shows that despite an enormous diversity in time, culture, nationality, and audience, these works nevertheless display a -family resemblance- in their theological understandings of this central Old Testament text. Childs also reveals how the church struggled to adapt to changing social and historical conditions, often by correcting or refining traditional methodologies, while at the same time maintaining a theological stance measured by faithfulness to Jesus Christ. In an important final chapter Childs draws out some implications of his work for modern debates over the role of Scripture in the life of the church. Of great value to scholars, ministers, and students, this book will also draw general readers into the exciting theological debate currently raging in the Christian church about the faithful interpretation of Scripture.

In this addition to the critically acclaimed "The Old Testament Library", internationally renowned scholar Brevard Childs writes on what arguably is the Old Testament's most important theological book. Childs furnishes a fresh translation from the original Hebrew and discusses questions of text, linguistics, historical background and literary architecture. He also presents a theological interpretation of the text.

This clear and readable introduction provides guidance on the history and theology of the book of Isaiah.

For more than four decades, Alan Stringfellow's Bible studies have brought greater insight into God’s Word to thousands of believers. Now, the author of Through the Bible in One Year and Great Characters of the Bible leads readers on a chapter-by-chapter study of the book of Isaiah. Stringfellow's in-depth teaching will bring clarity and understanding to one of the most prophetic books in Scripture. With this study, readers will learn… How to identify the major themes of Isaiah All the main doctrines and truths The importance and relevance of prophecy Essential context and background for the little-known prophet Isaiah The role Isaiah plays in the coming of the Messiah By embarking on this journey, believers will learn to better understand and appreciate the role of the prophet--to foretell the future, but also to speak truth to a lost and sinful generation. Stringfellow makes powerful connections between the wealth and plenty of Isaiah's time and the abundance and decadence of our present world. The true value of this prophecy is that it occupies us with a Person, and not merely with events—the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, who came to suffer and will return to reign. All of this is foretold by a great poetic genius whose gripping words and imagery could only have been inspired by the hand of God.

Bryan E. Beyer follows previous bestselling texts with this comprehensive introduction to the book of Isaiah. Here is a survey with depth, presenting the prophet's overarching themes and sweeping issues while including copious details that round out a study of the man and his work. Chapters begin with outlines and objectives that allow easy entry into the discussion and end with conclusions and study questions that aid comprehension and recall. Informative sidebars delve further into the language, theological connections, and controversies of Isaiah. This volume is useful to any serious student of the Bible.

The early church received the Scriptures of Israel as Christian Scriptures and did not change them. The older testament was received as a witness to God, and when a newer testament emerged, the older was not dismissed, harmonized, or edited. Rather, the church moved forward with a two-testament witness. Christopher Seitz, an internationally renowned expert in canonical interpretation, illuminates the two-testament character of Scripture and its significance for the contemporary church. He interacts critically with current interest in the New Testament's use of the Old Testament and addresses an issue of perennial concern: how to hear both testaments as Christian witness.

In addition to challenging historical-critical readings in the tradition after Duhm, this book presents three ways of reading the text based on variations of linguistic theory: one linguistic, one narratological and one intertextual. In these readings the trope personification is central.

This memorial volume both displays and evaluates the canonical approach of Brevard S. Childs, whose attention to history through time animated his interest in the Bible’s use in the church through the ages up to and including the present. Just as Childs wrote on a wide range of topics canonical and theological—both Testaments, Isaiah and Exodus, the Pauline letters, the history of biblical interpretation, biblical theology, and historical, theological, and methodological questions—the contributors to this volume, seasoned colleagues as well as younger scholars who studied with Childs, offer an international collection of historical, theological, and New Testament essays as well as contributions focused on the Old Testament. The contributors are Stephen B. Chapman, Brevard S. Childs, Don Collett, Daniel R. Driver, Mark W. Elliott, Leonard G. Finn, Mark Gignilliat, Bernd Janowski, Jörg Jeremias, Leander E. Keck, Neil B. MacDonald, David L. Petersen, Murray A. Rae, C. Kavin Rowe, and Christopher R. Seitz.

Today’s biblical scholars and dogmaticians are giving a significant amount of attention to the topic of theological exegesis. A resource turned to for guidance and insight in this discussion is the history of interpretation, and Karl Barth’s voice registers loudly as a helpful model for engaging Scripture and its subject matter. Most readers of Barth’s theological exegesis encounter him on the level of his New Testament exegesis. This is understandable from several different vantage points. Unfortunately, Barth’s theological exegesis of the Old Testament has not received the attention it deserves. This book seeks to fill this lacuna as it encounters Barth’s theological exegesis of Isaiah in the Church Dogmatics. From the Church’s inception, Isaiah has been understood as Christian Scripture. In the Church Dogmatics we find Barth reading Isaiah in multi-functional and multi-layered ways as he seeks to hear Isaiah as a living witness to God’s triune revelation of himself in Jesus Christ.

An internationally renowned expert in canonical interpretation illuminates the two-testament character of Scripture and its significance for the contemporary church.