In these aspirations the prophecy gives expression to one of the least lovely traits of Judaism. But it is only fair to remember that the same prophecy generously assigns a place within the sacred community to the eunuch and the foreigner, if they keep the Sabbath and hold fast the covenant (Chap. 56). III. THE STYLE OF TRITO-ISAIAH The literary style of Chaps. 56-66 is imitative rather than original. Echoes, in particular, of Chaps. 40-55, are frequent so frequent that the two groups have till a few years ago been universally ascribed to the same hand. The writer's powers are seen at their best in his description of the Jerusalem to be, parts of which are almost as fine as anything in the Old Testament. No one can miss the beauty and cadence of the following passage, for example, even in the ordinary English prose translation: Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, But thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, And thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day, Neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; But the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, Thy sun shall no more go down, Neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; For the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, And the days of thy mourning shall be ended (60: 18-20). ANALYSIS OF CHAPTERS 56-66 1. A word of cheer to those who are in danger of being excluded from the church (56: 1-8). 2. The demoralization of leaders and people (56:9-57:13). (1) The sensuous leaders (56:9–57:2). (2) The idolatrous people (57: 3-13). 3. Blessings in store for the faithful (57:14-21). (2) The sabbath (58:13f). 5. The sinful people and the divine deliverance (chap. 59). (1) The sins (59: 1-8). (2) The confession (59:9-15). (3) The deliverance (59: 16-21). 6. The glory of the new Jerusalem (chap. 60). 7. The proclamation of Zion's redemption (chaps. 61 and 62). 8. The destruction of the foes of Zion (63: 1-6). 9. Passionate prayer for the divine favor (63 : 7-64:12). (1) Thanksgiving for ancient mercies (63: 7-14). (2) Passionate entreaty for the divine forgiveness and pity (63: 1564: 12). 10. The blessedness of the faithful and the doom of the apostates (chaps. 65 and 66). (1) The fate of the apostates (65 : 1−7). (2) The destiny of the faithful in the impending judgment (65: 8-12). (3) The great contrast (65: 13-16). (4) The glorious future (65: 17–25). (5) Doom pronounced upon those who purpose to build a rival temple (66: 1-4). (6) The faithful cheered by the promise of Zion's prosperity (66: 5-14). (7) The judgment (66:15-18 a). (8) Jehovah's glory announced throughout the world: the complete TRITO-ISAIAH (Chaps. 56-66) A WORD OF CHEER TO THOSE WHO ARE IN DANGER OF 56. Thus saith the LORD, "Keep ye judgement, and do righteousness: For my salvation is near to come, And my righteousness to be revealed." 56: 1-8. The exile is over. For more than half a century, Israel has been in her own land; and questions are arising about the constitution of the church. Shall it include only those who are Jews by birth, or others also? The presence of aliens must, in many cases, have been a menace to the purity of Hebrew religion, and one can easily understand the rigor of the exclusive measures of Ezra (Chaps. 9 f.), which belong no doubt to this same period; but our prophet, like the writer of the book of Ruth, takes here a more generous view of the foreigner, and is willing to give him a place in the religious community, if he consents to observe the Jewish law the sabbath being significantly singled out for special emphasis. In the sequel, it was the policy of the sterner Ezra, not of the larger-hearted prophet, that prevailed. With regard to eunuchs also, the hope of the prophet was more generous than the demands of the law (Deut. 23: 1). Exhortation to keep the Law (vss. I f.) 1 f. The glorious future described as my salvation is to be won by keeping judgment, practically the commandments of the law. During the exile, when sacrifice was impossible, circumcision, and the hallowing of the sabbath, came to be important marks of Judaism, and they remained so (cf. Neh. 13: 17). Its prominence here (cf. vs. 6) is significant. In vs. I righteousness is obviously used in two senses; in the second half of the verse, it is = salvation (as in Deutero-Isaiah); in the first it is=legal righteousness, and defined more narrowly in the last half of vs. 2. 56: 1 2. Blessed is the man that doeth this, And the son of man that holdeth fast by it; And keepeth his hand from doing any evil. 3. Neither let the 'stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, "The LORD will surely separate me from his people": Neither let the enunch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree." 4. For thus saith the LORD "Of the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, And choose the things that please me, And hold fast by my covenant: 5. Unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a 2 memorial and a name Better than of sons and of daughters; 1 SV foreigner. 2 m. Gr. place; Heb. hand. Consolation to Proselytes and Eunuchs (vss. 3-8) 3. Will surely separate foreigners who acknowledged Jehovah appear to have suspected that exclusive measures against them were in contemplation, as indeed they were (cf. Ezra 10: 11). The eunuchs would probably be Hebrews serving at the Persian court (cf. 39: 7). Their grievance was twofold, excluded as they were by law (Deut. 23: 1) from a present place in the congregation, and debarred through their childlessness being a dry treefrom any place in the future life and worship of Israel. 4 f. Proselytes and eunuchs are not to be disheartened, for. In the words of consolation, the eunuch comes first (4 f.), then the proselyte (6 f.). Hold fast, etc.: i.e. fulfil the obligations of the Jewish law. The consolation of the eunuch, like his grievance, will be twofold: he will be given a place in the congregation, and his name will be perpetuated (like the childless Absalom's, 2 Sam. 18: 18) by the erection of a memorial or monument, within the I will give 1 them an everlasting name, That shall not be cut off. 6. Also the 2 strangers that join themselves to the LORD, To minister unto him, and to love the name of the LORD, To be his servants, Every one that keepeth the sabbath from profan- 7. Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, And make them joyful in my House of Prayer; Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar: For mine House shall be called an House of Prayer Mat. 21:13 for all peoples." 8. The Lord GOD which gathereth 1 Heb. him; Gr. them. 2 SV foreigners. temple precincts (the walls of my house) a memorial which will be as permanent as the temple itself (cf. 55: 13). 6 f. Similarly, foreigners who devoutly acknowledged Jehovah would also be admitted to the privileges of worship. My holy mountain, the temple mountain. The temple, the house of sacrifice, is now twice significantly called house of prayer. During the exile prayer and the spiritual aspect of religion generally would doubtless attain a prominence they had never enjoyed before. In the temple, the sacrifices of these devout foreigners shall be accepted, and their prayers heard (1 Kings 8:43). For all peoples, not without qualification, but on condition of obedience to the Jewish law (vs. 6). This clause is strikingly quoted by our Lord (Mark II: 17). 8. A very noble verse which sums up the thought of the section. Some of Israel's exiles are already gathered back to their own land; Mk. II: 17 Lk. 19:46 |