Christopher's Meanderings

Isaiah 2:1             A secondary superscription reintroduces us to the vision of Isaiah. These are words he saw in a vision which came to him (cf. Lam. 2:9; Ez.7:26). Put another way, these words are not just his own creation. The prophets were earlier called seers (1 Sam. 9:9) and this points us to one of the realities of prophecy.             As prophecy is a vision from God, the prophets make known a present reality to the people of God. The visions seen are not necessarily about the future but are instead about a contingent future following a failure to change in the present. The present is necessarily a part of the vision of the prophets. The vision is necessary because the people’s spiritual blindness has become so much a part of their lives that they can no longer see what they are doing. Prophets speak the truth as they imagine a new way of being ( I love much of Walter Brueggemann's writing in The Prophetic Imagination) .              Jesus refers to this same sp

Isaiah 1:29-31             Recalling that the wicked would be broken into splinters, the prophet now brings the section and chapter to a close. The sacred trees are both literally and figuratively meant for the fire and destruction. No longer can the people turn to the created order to find their meaning. Vs. 29 (cf. 2:8, 57:5 Hosea 4:13): In some manuscripts verse 29 reads as “they will be ashamed of the sacred trees” other manuscripts replace “they” with “you.” The sense is the same. In cases where we see sin at work, it is important to remember we are all capable of the sin at hand in the text. If we come to the text and assume it cannot be also implicating us, we miss out on the possibility of conviction and repentance which is one over-reaching goal of the text. In any case, to cast the blame at either a “they” or “you” without seeing our own sin is willful ignorance. The sacred trees are signs of the fertility cults at work in and among the Jewish people. A few year

It is refreshing to read a meditative work born out of life experiences. Although written for Christians and non-Christians alike, Addison Hodges Hart's Taking Jesus at His Word  will appeal most to people who already believe in the message of Jesus.  Jesus is presented as a teacher, but also as Lord.  Every chapter reads easily.  This is not to say that Hart has softened the message of Jesus.  Rather, his writing style invites readers to sit and ponder the words of the Messiah. And yet we have much more than introspection.  There is also a call to action.  Some readers may be off-put by the pragmatic leanings of Hart.  From my perspective, this is one thing I agree wholeheartedly with the author about.  Orthopraxy in its proper context is always appropriate.  On the other hand, I do have my methodological concerns with the book.  Throughout, there is an implied approach to hermeneutics and exegesis with which I do not agree.   My concern is not that Hart, or any other auth