Isaiah 42:1-9 is the first of the readings for this upcoming Sunday (January 8th) and goes as follows:
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope." 5 This is what God the LORD says-- he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: 6 "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. 8 "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. 9 See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."
Many theologians acknowledge that this portion of text finds itself in the midst of the work(s) of Isaiah referring to God's charges against Israel (trial if you will) and God's divine council in the midst of those charges. Look how the first 4 verses involve God's presentation of God's servant to Israel. Notice the authority, support, and anointing that the servant will have under God's direction. Pay particular attention to how the focus shifts from Israel to the servant in the next five verses. God establishes/reminds both the servant and the bystander Israel who God is (Creator, Sustainer) and then informs the servant of his task. Notice how the tasks presented in verses 6 and 7 define what the justice God speaks of earlier is to look like.
I am a little disenfranchised with the Revised Common Lectionary's decision to not include verses 10-13 in the reading for this coming Sunday. Here is a good rule taught to me by my seminary professors: always read a little before and a little after whatever text you are given. Doing this might very well add to the context of the situation at hand and give you new insight. Even though the verses aren't included in the Lectionary for this reading, I encourage you to go and read them for yourselves. These last verses round out the previous discourse with a hymn that is enjoined by all creation. I would invite you to consider if there is any significance between the way that God has called his servant to act (in quietness and gentleness in the early verses of this text) juxtaposed with the explosive call for all of creation to sing out a new song.
At the end of the day, I think one of the most profound nuggets in this text (the first 9 verses) is the connection between the anointing of the Lord and Justice; and consequently the relationship between righteousness and acts of mercy and service. I believe it was Wesley that said: "there is no holiness without social holiness." So how is our own anointing, our own righteousness shaped or bound by the covenantal language of this passage out of Isaiah?
Please add to the converstaion by commenting below!
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope." 5 This is what God the LORD says-- he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: 6 "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. 8 "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. 9 See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."
Many theologians acknowledge that this portion of text finds itself in the midst of the work(s) of Isaiah referring to God's charges against Israel (trial if you will) and God's divine council in the midst of those charges. Look how the first 4 verses involve God's presentation of God's servant to Israel. Notice the authority, support, and anointing that the servant will have under God's direction. Pay particular attention to how the focus shifts from Israel to the servant in the next five verses. God establishes/reminds both the servant and the bystander Israel who God is (Creator, Sustainer) and then informs the servant of his task. Notice how the tasks presented in verses 6 and 7 define what the justice God speaks of earlier is to look like.
I am a little disenfranchised with the Revised Common Lectionary's decision to not include verses 10-13 in the reading for this coming Sunday. Here is a good rule taught to me by my seminary professors: always read a little before and a little after whatever text you are given. Doing this might very well add to the context of the situation at hand and give you new insight. Even though the verses aren't included in the Lectionary for this reading, I encourage you to go and read them for yourselves. These last verses round out the previous discourse with a hymn that is enjoined by all creation. I would invite you to consider if there is any significance between the way that God has called his servant to act (in quietness and gentleness in the early verses of this text) juxtaposed with the explosive call for all of creation to sing out a new song.
At the end of the day, I think one of the most profound nuggets in this text (the first 9 verses) is the connection between the anointing of the Lord and Justice; and consequently the relationship between righteousness and acts of mercy and service. I believe it was Wesley that said: "there is no holiness without social holiness." So how is our own anointing, our own righteousness shaped or bound by the covenantal language of this passage out of Isaiah?
Please add to the converstaion by commenting below!
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