
In complex and turbulent times God’s people have always turned to the scriptures for help in making sense of what God is doing in human history (God’s mission) and what is expected of those faithful to God (the mission of God’s people).
This course will focus the question of interpretation through the biblical book of Isaiah. Isaiah is an example of interpretation of earlier scriptures and is itself extensively reinterpreted in the New Testament. Isaiah invites and enables readers to interpret its meaning in various contexts, ancient and modern, helping make sense of God and the world around.
Utilising the latest scholarship we will examine selected examples of explicit citations of scripture and more allusive, implicit references; seeking to understand what techniques and convictions were guiding their interpretation and re-use of scripture. Using insights gained from the NT’s use of Isaiah (particularly Mark and Luke), students will work towards readings of Isaiah and its legacy for integration into their own contexts of mission and ministry.