At a glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authorship | Traditional: Isaiah son of Amoz (single author); critical: 2-3 authors over centuries (Proto-Isaiah Isaiah 1-39; Deutero-Isaiah Isaiah 40-55; Trito-Isaiah Isaiah 56-66) |
| Date | Traditional: ~740-680 BC; critical: 8th c. and 6th c. and post-exilic |
| Audience | Judah during Assyrian crisis and beyond |
| Genre | Prophecy and apocalyptic and poetry |
| Purpose | Call to covenant faithfulness and judgment and hope of Messianic deliverance |
| Chapters | 66 |
Authorship debate
| View | Position |
|---|---|
| Single Isaiah (traditional) | Mainstream evangelical and Jewish and Catholic and Orthodox tradition. NT consistently quotes "Isaiah" for material from all sections (Matthew 3:3; Matthew 4:14-16; John 12:38-41; Acts 8:28-33; Romans 10:16) |
| Multiple Isaiahs (critical) | Critical OT scholarship since 19th century, based on historical references (Cyrus named in Isaiah 44-45 well before his time) and stylistic features and theological emphases |
| Conservative response | Predictive prophecy (naming Cyrus) consistent with conservative view of Scripture; stylistic and thematic differences within single author's lifetime and ministry |
This reference notes the debate; mainstream evangelical affirms single authorship; critical scholarship favors multiple. NT clearly treats Isaiah as unified.
Outline
| Section | Chapters | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Judgment and judgment-hope | 1-39 | "Book of Judgment", confrontation with Judah; Assyrian crisis (Isaiah 7); historical interlude (Isaiah 36-39) |
| Comfort and restoration | 40-55 | "Book of Comfort", comfort and return and Servant Songs |
| Future glory | 56-66 | Post-exilic restoration and new heavens and new earth |
Main themes
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| Holiness of God | Holy, holy, holy (Isaiah 6:3) |
| Sin and judgment | Honest exposure of Judah's sin |
| Covenant restoration | Yahweh's promised future restoration |
| Messianic prophecy | "Unto us a child is born" (Isaiah 9); virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14); Suffering Servant (Isaiah 52-53) |
| Servant Songs | Isaiah 42; 49; 50; 52-53 |
| New heavens and new earth | Isaiah 65-66, cosmic restoration |
| Yahweh as savior | "Besides me there is no Savior" (Isaiah 43:11) |
Key passages
- Isaiah 1:18, "though your sins are like scarlet"
- Isaiah 6, Isaiah's vision and commissioning
- Isaiah 7:14, virgin / young woman birth
- Isaiah 9:6-7, "For unto us a Child is born"
- Isaiah 11:1-10, Davidic Messianic king
- Isaiah 40, comfort and voice in wilderness
- Isaiah 42; 49; 50; 52:13-53:12, Servant Songs
- Isaiah 55, invitation to free salvation
- Isaiah 61, Messianic anointing (cited Luke 4:18-19)
- Isaiah 65-66, new heavens and new earth
NT use
Isaiah is the most-quoted OT book in NT alongside Psalms. Used extensively:
- Matthew 3:3 and John 1:23, John as Isaiah 40 forerunner
- Matthew 4:14-16, Jesus's ministry in Galilee fulfills Isaiah 9:1-2
- Matthew 12:18-21, Servant of Isaiah 42
- Acts 8:28-33, Ethiopian eunuch reads Isaiah 53
- Romans 10:16, Israel's unbelief from Isaiah 53:1
- 1 Peter 2:22-25, Christ as Suffering Servant