The Theology of the Book of Isaiah

Goldingay is a leading Old Testament scholar. His writing is set apart by a conversational tone that helps complicated ideas be understood. The book of Isaiah is notoriously difficult to read and develop a "big picture" out of due to legitimate questions about authorship. In this book Goldingay provides a framework for understanding Isaiah as a whole. It takes the discussion past the authorship issues and uncovers the unique theology found by reading the entire book as a whole.

I am really enjoying this book and all of the bookings I purchased. They all read very well, and are very informative.

A bit superficial in spots, but quite insightful generally.

Well written and very informative book.

Quick delivery. Good job!

The author supports the concept of multiple authors for the book of Isaiah. This is liberal theology and if you sit back and try to shoot holes in scripture because you lack the faith to believe that specific predictive prophecy is possible (e.g. mentioning Cyrus by name), then you will be in trouble when the storms of life come your way. If you don't trust that all things are possible with God, who are you going to lean on when problems arise in your life? Save your money. If you want a solid, biblical teaching on the book of Isaiah, search for John N. Oswalt (author).

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.”

The biblical book of Isaiah has always been one of my favorite books because of its unique revelation of God's plan for the future of Israel and the Messiah specifically. It is, of course, a difficult book to understand at times. John Goldingay's new book, THE THEOLOGY OF ISAIAH, is a helpful book because of its size and the focus that Goldingay exercises. This isn't an exhaustive commentary on the book of Isaiah. Instead, it is a series of snapshots of the most important concepts that are revealed in Isaiah. This was a great book to read because it gives such a clear outline of Isaiah's thought as well as digestible summaries of Isaiah's theology. I especially enjoyed the later chapters that dealt with issues of human and divine planning as well as divine sovereignty and human freedom. This book is very helpful for anyone who wants to study the book of Isaiah.Review copy provided by InterVarsity Press

Very good

John Goldingay est un très bon spécialiste du livre d'Esaïe (ou Isaïe), dont il a déjà publié des commentaires exégétiques techniques. Dans ce livre plus accessible et moins long, il décrit la théologie du livre en s'attachant à considérer chacune des trois parties de l'ouvrage, mais aussi en traitant de thèmes transversaux. On peut parfois rester sur sa faim après la lecture d'un chapitre, mais si l'on souhaite lire un ouvrage relativement simple et rafraîchissant sur le sujet, c'est un choix valable.