Product Description

As in the other volumes of the New International Version Application Commentary, this book, a Silver Medallion award winner, helps the reader not only to understand accurately what the text of Isaiah says, but also what it means and how that meaning can apply to living in the twenty-first century.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35507 in Books
• Published on: 2003-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 736 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780310206132
• Condition: USED - VERY GOOD
• Notes:
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From the Back Cover
A unique commentary that explores each passage from three vital perspectives: original meaning, bridging context, contemporary significance

Isaiah wrestles with the realities of people who are not convicted by the truth but actually hardened by it, and with a God whose actions sometimes seem unintelligible, or even worse, appears to be absent. Yet Isaiah penetrates beyond these experiences to an even greater reality. Isaiah sees God’s rule over history and his capacity to take the worst of human actions and use it for good. He declares the truth that even in the darkest hours, the Holy One of Israel is infinitely trustworthy.

About the Author
Dr. John N. Oswalt (Ph.D., Brandeis University) is research professor of Old Testament at Wesley Biblical Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. He is the author of numerous articles and several books, including the two-volume commentary on Isaiah in the New International Commentary on the Old Testament series and Called to be Holy: A Biblical Prespective.

Customer Reviews

A must for those preaching and teaching through Isaiah
As a pastor who looks for great ideas to develop sermon points in commentaries, I have found this commentary to be the very best one I have for Isaiah. As the NIVAC series does so well, this commentary gives some exegetical information, contextual bridging from ancient to contemporary settings, and then wrestles with contemporary issues and real life needs.

For example, Oswalt deals with several theological ramifications from Hezekiah's story in Isaiah 38-39. (Hezekiah's life was extended by 15 years after crying out to God in prayer). Oswalts exegetical comments are careful, insightful and lead to practical and powerful application. In this passage he points out that Hezekiah's illness was not necessarily a result of sin, and deals with the issue that sin is often a result of sin but not always. He brings in both concepts with multiple scripture references.

Then he swings to the issue of God's sovereignty, man's freewill and the Open Theism debate and it's potential support from an overly simplistic interpretation of this passage. He clearly and without a lot of fluff deals accurately with that issue. He leaves no room for an over emphasis on God's sovereignty in light of the multiple references to human freewill, yet fully embraces a biblical concept of sovereignty. He also explains with a minimum of verbage (something I always appreciate by a technical scholar) why Open Theism is an over simplistic conclusion from this passage. He shows why this passage does not warrant a conclusion that has too much of an emphasis on the 'freewill of man' or an over emphasis on the Sovereignty of God. The points are pretty hard to reject if one welcomes all the data involved and comes without a blinding bias.

This particular volume in the NIVAC series may be the very best one that exists. It certainly is my best one, and I have several. It is also a 'Gold Medallion Book' sporting the coveted award on the front cover. So it has been widely embraced by a variety of editors, scholars and pastor/teachers. In fact I will say this much...I stopped using this commentary series after finding several of them promoting applications that I thought were way out of touch with the people I minister to. This commentary has completely reversed that general thought in my mind.

As I work through Isaiah, I find myself turning to this volume more and more. It's a great companion to the more technical and less practical 'The Prophecy of Isaiah' by Motyer, and to the NICOT 2 volume series by this same author, Oswalt.

It's my recommendation that you buy this volume first unless you are only doing a more critical exegetical paper. In that case I recommend Oswalt's NICOT and Motyer's volumes instead. I went ahead and got all four books and am not sorry at all. They are all fantastic tools.

I am grateful for great scholars who provide so many helpful insights to the text.

Great book for preachers and bible study leaders
I use this to prepare bible study guideline for my church's cell group bible study.

This is the book that I needed. It contains important and profound theological discussions, but at the same time down to the earth dealing with everyday issues.

Fair to good
This is another good commentary in the NIV Application Commentary Series. I have really liked most of their other commentaries, but this one is only fair to good. The problem I have with this particular book is the overly conservative stance of the author. I think of myself as somewhat conservative, but this author is (at times) too conservative for my taste. This book is still good and I still read it for my weekly Isaiah Bible study lessons along side my other commentaries. It's a good addition to a library, but it probably should not be read as the only Isaiah commentary.