Day 7, Tuesday, 20th February: Isaiah 44.21-29. On the Composition of the Bible
There's lots of discussion about which humans wrote what in the Bible. We don't know for sure whether the title of each gospel correctly identifies its author. People often incorrectly ascribe the letter to the Hebrews to Paul, perhaps because he wrote so many of the New Testament's other letters, and Hebrews, like them, is often difficult reading! In a number of languages the first 5 books of the Hebrew Scriptures - which are together called the "Pentateuch" in English, are called the books of Moses. Yet despite the tradition that Moses set down much more than the 10 Commandments while he was on Mt Sinai, there may be parts of the Pentateuch that pre-date Moses, and parts written during the Babylonian exile, long after Moses.
It is also possible that some individual books of the Bible may be the work of more than one person. At a trivial level Paul seems to have dictated some of his letters to an amanuensis. On at least one occasion he signed off himself with the words "See with what large letters I write to you." More deeply, in some parts of the bible it's possible to detect changes in the writing style, subject matter and theology. For example, in 1 Samuel there seems to be a debate about whether introducing a king in Israel or continuing with no central authority except God Himself is the better idea. Both points of view are put. From the late seventeenth to the late nineteenth centuries scholars developed what is called the JEDP Documentary Hypothesis. Just as German car-makers are now "reverse engineering" the American electric car called the Tesla, pulling it apart and putting it back together again in an effort to discover why it is so good(!), German biblical scholars picked apart the Pentateuch, suggesting that it was made up of 4 different documentary sources which they called J(ahwist), E(lohist), D(euteronomist) and P(priestly). At some point, went the documentary hypothesis, these 4 separate documents were brought together by a "redactor" (editor). If that sounds unlikely, just think of the sharp distinction between the "semi-myth, semi-history" of Genesis 1-11, and the much more historical feel of chapters 12ff. The documentary hypothesis also notes the different Hebrew words used for God: "elohim" and the written "Yahweh" for which Jews always read as "Adonai" (Lord) out of respect for the name of God.
Similarly, many biblical scholars believe that although the great prophet Isaiah ben Amoz wrote the first 39 chapters of the Book named for him, there is a distinct change in the writing style at chapter 40. Some ascribe chapter 40 - 66 to Isaiah's school of prophets (always assuming he had one!), and called this "deutero-Isaiah". Others have suggested that the last few chapters of Isaiah have been included by still more of the great man's school at some still later date. Hmm...that's starting to smell a bit like someone's PhD thesis topic for mine, but perhaps I'm cynical!
Wisely, Peter Walker has avoided all of this in his commentary in With Love to the World on Isaiah 44.21-28. I've included it because I think there is a change in chapter 40. With wonderful words of comfort and reassurances that God IS great, greater than the Babylonian god Marduk, and will prevail in His own time, Isaiah seeks to help his people, having in chapter 38 prophesied into King Hezekiah's severe illness and in 39 having prophesied that the Babylonians would conquer the kingdom of Judah.
One of Isaiah's, particular Deutero-Isaiah's, great qualities is his ability to transcend the power politics of his time. It is a quality that we really need in Australia today. Isaiah's "cosmic reassurance" transcends Israel's sin and the threat to her posed by that time's super powers, and focuses upon the greatness and the love of God. A friend and colleague just posted on Facebook about his despair at the way in which the climate crisis is causing the world he knows to crumble before his eyes. "Read Isaiah!" I suggested.
It is also possible that some individual books of the Bible may be the work of more than one person. At a trivial level Paul seems to have dictated some of his letters to an amanuensis. On at least one occasion he signed off himself with the words "See with what large letters I write to you." More deeply, in some parts of the bible it's possible to detect changes in the writing style, subject matter and theology. For example, in 1 Samuel there seems to be a debate about whether introducing a king in Israel or continuing with no central authority except God Himself is the better idea. Both points of view are put. From the late seventeenth to the late nineteenth centuries scholars developed what is called the JEDP Documentary Hypothesis. Just as German car-makers are now "reverse engineering" the American electric car called the Tesla, pulling it apart and putting it back together again in an effort to discover why it is so good(!), German biblical scholars picked apart the Pentateuch, suggesting that it was made up of 4 different documentary sources which they called J(ahwist), E(lohist), D(euteronomist) and P(priestly). At some point, went the documentary hypothesis, these 4 separate documents were brought together by a "redactor" (editor). If that sounds unlikely, just think of the sharp distinction between the "semi-myth, semi-history" of Genesis 1-11, and the much more historical feel of chapters 12ff. The documentary hypothesis also notes the different Hebrew words used for God: "elohim" and the written "Yahweh" for which Jews always read as "Adonai" (Lord) out of respect for the name of God.
Similarly, many biblical scholars believe that although the great prophet Isaiah ben Amoz wrote the first 39 chapters of the Book named for him, there is a distinct change in the writing style at chapter 40. Some ascribe chapter 40 - 66 to Isaiah's school of prophets (always assuming he had one!), and called this "deutero-Isaiah". Others have suggested that the last few chapters of Isaiah have been included by still more of the great man's school at some still later date. Hmm...that's starting to smell a bit like someone's PhD thesis topic for mine, but perhaps I'm cynical!
Wisely, Peter Walker has avoided all of this in his commentary in With Love to the World on Isaiah 44.21-28. I've included it because I think there is a change in chapter 40. With wonderful words of comfort and reassurances that God IS great, greater than the Babylonian god Marduk, and will prevail in His own time, Isaiah seeks to help his people, having in chapter 38 prophesied into King Hezekiah's severe illness and in 39 having prophesied that the Babylonians would conquer the kingdom of Judah.
One of Isaiah's, particular Deutero-Isaiah's, great qualities is his ability to transcend the power politics of his time. It is a quality that we really need in Australia today. Isaiah's "cosmic reassurance" transcends Israel's sin and the threat to her posed by that time's super powers, and focuses upon the greatness and the love of God. A friend and colleague just posted on Facebook about his despair at the way in which the climate crisis is causing the world he knows to crumble before his eyes. "Read Isaiah!" I suggested.
Comments
Post a Comment