Author: Administrador

This final section of Isaiah, known as “Third Isaiah” (Isaiah 56-66), is written to the residents of Jerusalem during and after Israel’s return in 539 BCE.  The Back Story (or Historical Context) Taken as a whole book, Isaiah has addressed and tried to explain the Babylonian exile the Israelites had been under for 50 years, … Continue reading “Isaiah 58:1-9a [9b-12] Commentary by Amy Oden”

Among the many things darkness may symbolize in the Bible, one of them is the silence of God. While lament psalms typically possess a movement from lament toward thanksgiving, Psalm 88 is unique because it solely contains complaint. It begins and ends in darkness, and culminates in the psalmist admitting, “The darkness is my closest … Continue reading “Isaiah 58:1-9a [9b-12] Commentary by Bo Lim”

“The foreigners who join themselves to the Lord” and “eunuchs who keep my [the Lord’s] Sabbaths…and hold fast my covenants” are the particular marks of the salvation and deliverance that God will perform and reveal. The salvation and deliverance of God are near (NRSV translates “soon” and the NIV “close at hand.”) and the inclusion … Continue reading “Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 Commentary by Richard W. Nysse”

Imagine a trumpet bleating atop the highest peak to announce the gathering of all the peoples of the world. This is not just any gathering, like a U2 concert, or an Inauguration, or the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, but a great convention of the world for joyful worship of the Lord.  Isaiah’s vision of salvation … Continue reading “Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 Commentary by Ingrid Lilly”

Many people have sound reasons for disregarding or leaving church, not least of which is the insidious line-drawing done by Christians. Favoring of our own judgment of who is in and who is out, we too often displace the Lord as sovereign of all that is. Whether it’s politics done in the name of “justice” … Continue reading “Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 Commentary by Samuel Giere”

The job description of the prophet contains among other less than coveted tasks the ability to speak a life-giving word of hope when all the events seem to point to the contrary. In Isaiah 55:10-13 one sees the prophet performing this task particularly well when in but a few short verses, the prophet is able … Continue reading “Isaiah 55:10-13 Commentary by Juliana Claassens”

These last few verses of Isaiah 55 offer an image of new creation with the natural world serving as a metaphor for the life-giving movement and effectiveness of the word of the Lord. This passage is a foundation for understanding God’s relationship to Christian proclamation. In the interest of the integrity of the text, reconsider … Continue reading “Isaiah 55:10-13 Commentary by Samuel Giere”

When Cardinal Bergoglio, a Jesuit priest from South America, was elected Pope last year, many Roman Catholics were shocked that something so unexpected had occurred. In a similar way, many people around the world were amazed when the United States elected an African-American, Barack Obama, to be President. Sometimes, just when you get used to … Continue reading “Isaiah 55:1-11 Commentary by Corrine Carvalho”

Any preacher whose congregation will be celebrating the Vigil of Easter will encounter this text when the assembly listens to Old Testament (OT) readings. This is one of at least four — and as many as twelve — of the most significant faith stories from our Hebrew ancestors that through the centuries have been chosen … Continue reading “Isaiah 55:1-11 Commentary by Melinda Quivik”

 Isaiah 55:1-9 comprises most of the final hymn of the exilic portion of Isaiah (chapters 40-55, commonly called Second Isaiah), which invites exiles living outside of Judah in the sixth century B.C.E., at the dawn of Persian rule, to uproot themselves, move to a land their generation never knew, and reclaim their ancestral home.  For … Continue reading “Isaiah 55:1-9 Commentary by Patricia Tull”