Theological Commentary of the Old Testament. Isaiah 55–66

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Ulrich Berges
• Subject Area: Roman Catholic Theology
• Term: from 2021 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 446841844

The objective of this application is the completion of a commentary of the Book of Isaiah. The missing volume about Isaiah 55-66 will finalize the 6-volume edition in the renowned series „Herders Theologischer Kommentar zum Alten Testament“ (HThKAT). The author of the first three volumes about Isaiah 1-39 was Prof. Dr. Willem Beuken: Isaiah 1-2 (2003), Isaiah 13-27 (2007), and Isaiah 28-39 (2010). The applicant is responsible for chapters 40-66. The volumes about Isaiah 40-48 (2008) and Isaiah 49-54 (2015) have already been published, the last in a timely manner due to the funding of a deputy professorship in December 2013 granted by the DFG. Through a new grant, I will be able to successfully finish my work on Isaiah 55-66 encompassing more than 600 pages.This volume is not only the keystone of the commentary as a whole, but will also focus on the pragmatics of the book of Isaiah. The theology of the book can only be understood when seen from the end. Therefore, the last volume of the commentary will not only complete the exegesis up to Isaiah 66,24, but will work out the leading perspectives and theological key issues of the Book of Isaiah. These are condensing in the last main part in the following way: a. the theology of Zion works up to a climax in this book by orchestrating the salvation by Zion in Isaiah 60-62; b. the ethical aspirations advocated by the prophet from Jerusalem come again into focus in the social and ritual criticism of Isaiah 56,9 – 59,21; c. the group character originating, inter alia, in Isaiah and his disciples (compare 8,16-18), breaks fresh ground by incorporating the servant songs of Deutero-Isaiah in the “servants” of Trito-Isaiah. The lament of the people in 63,7 – 64,11, which is intentionally placed after the judgement of God treading the wine press against Edom (63,1-6), is the initial impetus for the definite separation into servants and opponents in Isaiah 65-66. The servant community is open for followers of JHWH from foreign nations (compare 56,1-8; 66,17-23), which is in clear opposition to Ezra-Nehemiah (and also Ezekiel).In current research on Old-Testament prophecy, these chapters of the Book of Isaiah play a central role and bring along a change of paradigm. Unlike in previous studies (starting with the commentary on Isaiah by Duhm from 1882), the post-exilic prophecy generally and “Trito-Isaiah” specifically are not a phenomenon of decline, but they are a pronouncedly creative undertaking which could only be achieved by skilled literati and not by single authors (epigones). What is true for the creation of the Old Testament in general, is also and specifically true for the last part of the Book of Isaiah: the younger the texts are, the more self-referential they become. This process of innerbiblical exegesis will be clearly traced in the commentary of Is 55–66.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants