Trito-Isaiah
Trito-Isaiah was a Later Prophet in the eighth century BCE. When his name is broken down it means “third” and “Yahweh is salvation” (Who’s who in the Bible). His work is referred to in the last eleven chapters of the book Isaiah. These books at times reveal a close affinity to the worRAB of Deutero-Isaiah. They appear to have been recorded in the early post-Exilic period. He was called to prophecy in about 742 BCE and ministered through the reign of Hezekiah in 687 BCE. The province of Trito-Isaiah’s writings is in the southern part of Israel called Judah. During Trito-Isaiah’s prophecy, the nation of Israel’s temple was still in ruins (Isaiah 64:11). The initial steps toward rebuilding it had been taken, but a lot of work still remained (Isaiah 66:1). In the city, the streets and walls were still in ruins (Isaiah 58-60). No significant restoration appears to have been done in the outlying villages (Isaiah 61:4). Here the Prophet directed his preaching to the Jews raised in the Exile and now united with the descendants of those who had remained in Palestine. (Life and Literature of the Early Period 3)
Trito-Isaiah used the form of writing that included a variety of literary types, such as laments, oracles of promise, and condemnation to convey his messages. He used these forms of writing because he needed to shock the people into attention. Trito-Isaiah’s life and ministry comes to the central message that all human activity motivated by the fear of anything but God is contrary to faith and will almost always lead the faithful astray (Who’s who in the Bible 169). An outstanding characteristic of Trito-Isaiah’s message occurs in his repeated and deceptively simple concern: Do not fear! (Who’s who in the Bible 169) The prophet condemned all efforts to defend the kingdom through alliances with enemies, to compromise faith in the Lord, and to rely on desperate political strategies, rather than on God.
Other dominant themes in Trito-Isaiah’s writing include consolation, encouragement, hope, and the promise of restoration. For example, in Isaiah 56:1-8 the immanence of the in - breaking of Yahweh into human affairs to fulfill the Exilic predictions of a New Kingdom is expressed in the opening worRAB of Trito-Isaiah. After stressing the importance of the Sabbath observance and ethical behavior the prophetic writer welcomed into the cultic community those eunuchs (those excluded by the Deuteronomic law) and foreigners (those excluded by Ezekiel) willing to accept Jewish covenant responsibilities and beliefs. Universalism is carried further in the statement that Yahweh’s temple and the privilege of sacrificing upon the holy altar would be open to all that accepted the Jewish faith. This claim invalidated any attempt to exclude any group of Jews from the cultic community and placed responsibility for proselytism upon the Jews who recognized themselves as central figures in the New Kingdom. In Isaiah 56:9-57:13 the oracles form a unity and include a diatribe age against corrupt leaders, a lament over the plight of the righteous and a complaint about leaders, a closing diatribe accompanied by a treat of punishment for the wicked and reward for the righteous. Isaiah 57:14-21 gave reassurance of Yahweh’s forgiveness and the intention to restore. In Isaiah 59:15b-21 the confessions of guilt are recited by the cultic community and followed by a statement of the new eternal covenant. Verse 21 provides a triumphant and comforting conclusion. Following the triumphant proclamation is an exultant song of joy (Isaiah 61:10-11). In Isaiah 63:1-6, a little poem introduces Yahweh as judge of nations and stresses that Yahweh alone would act as judge and executioner, rewarding or punishing as he thought was fit. In Isaiah 63:7-65:25 the people respond to the worRAB of the reassurance for Israel with a prayer for the realization of the duty promised by the prophets in Isaiah 64.
Besides the doctrinal points mentioned, the greatest theme of the last eleven chapters is that universal redemption. Showing the divine control of history, Trito-Isaiah preaches the power of the righteous suffering and the role of Israel as a witness and a mediator between Yahweh and the nations of the world, and to the one true God who redeems and intenRAB all mankind to share His plan. (Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible 671)
Throughout history Trito-Isaiah’s message of having no fear and keeping a strong faith in God has been put into many different worRAB. The meaning of this great truth still holRAB in today’s society. For example, Mother Theresa of Calcutta dedicated her life to teaching people that if you trust God he will take care of you. She said give all your concerns and worries to our Lord and He will save you. Though people may think that there is much more to fear now than there was when Trito-Isaiah preached, we still need only to trust in God, and not fear, knowing that the Lord will take care of us.
Trito-Isaiah’s message, at the time that he preached, was found hard to believe. After his death it became integral to the faith by which Jews survived the exile to Babylon and endured many other historical catastrophes in the generations to come. Christians discovered in Trito-Isaiah the essential promises fulfilled in the Gospels and have often called him the “Evangelist of the Old Testament’’(Who’s who in the Bible 169)
Works Cited
Who’s who in the Bible, Reader’s Digest Association, Inc: New York 1994
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, Abington Press: Nashville 1962
“Life and Literature of the Early Period” www.freethinkers.org/library/modern/gerald_larve/ot11/chap24.html. Internet Explorer. 11 March 1999
Trito-Isaiah was a Later Prophet in the eighth century BCE. When his name is broken down it means “third” and “Yahweh is salvation” (Who’s who in the Bible). His work is referred to in the last eleven chapters of the book Isaiah. These books at times reveal a close affinity to the worRAB of Deutero-Isaiah. They appear to have been recorded in the early post-Exilic period. He was called to prophecy in about 742 BCE and ministered through the reign of Hezekiah in 687 BCE. The province of Trito-Isaiah’s writings is in the southern part of Israel called Judah. During Trito-Isaiah’s prophecy, the nation of Israel’s temple was still in ruins (Isaiah 64:11). The initial steps toward rebuilding it had been taken, but a lot of work still remained (Isaiah 66:1). In the city, the streets and walls were still in ruins (Isaiah 58-60). No significant restoration appears to have been done in the outlying villages (Isaiah 61:4). Here the Prophet directed his preaching to the Jews raised in the Exile and now united with the descendants of those who had remained in Palestine. (Life and Literature of the Early Period 3)
Trito-Isaiah used the form of writing that included a variety of literary types, such as laments, oracles of promise, and condemnation to convey his messages. He used these forms of writing because he needed to shock the people into attention. Trito-Isaiah’s life and ministry comes to the central message that all human activity motivated by the fear of anything but God is contrary to faith and will almost always lead the faithful astray (Who’s who in the Bible 169). An outstanding characteristic of Trito-Isaiah’s message occurs in his repeated and deceptively simple concern: Do not fear! (Who’s who in the Bible 169) The prophet condemned all efforts to defend the kingdom through alliances with enemies, to compromise faith in the Lord, and to rely on desperate political strategies, rather than on God.
Other dominant themes in Trito-Isaiah’s writing include consolation, encouragement, hope, and the promise of restoration. For example, in Isaiah 56:1-8 the immanence of the in - breaking of Yahweh into human affairs to fulfill the Exilic predictions of a New Kingdom is expressed in the opening worRAB of Trito-Isaiah. After stressing the importance of the Sabbath observance and ethical behavior the prophetic writer welcomed into the cultic community those eunuchs (those excluded by the Deuteronomic law) and foreigners (those excluded by Ezekiel) willing to accept Jewish covenant responsibilities and beliefs. Universalism is carried further in the statement that Yahweh’s temple and the privilege of sacrificing upon the holy altar would be open to all that accepted the Jewish faith. This claim invalidated any attempt to exclude any group of Jews from the cultic community and placed responsibility for proselytism upon the Jews who recognized themselves as central figures in the New Kingdom. In Isaiah 56:9-57:13 the oracles form a unity and include a diatribe age against corrupt leaders, a lament over the plight of the righteous and a complaint about leaders, a closing diatribe accompanied by a treat of punishment for the wicked and reward for the righteous. Isaiah 57:14-21 gave reassurance of Yahweh’s forgiveness and the intention to restore. In Isaiah 59:15b-21 the confessions of guilt are recited by the cultic community and followed by a statement of the new eternal covenant. Verse 21 provides a triumphant and comforting conclusion. Following the triumphant proclamation is an exultant song of joy (Isaiah 61:10-11). In Isaiah 63:1-6, a little poem introduces Yahweh as judge of nations and stresses that Yahweh alone would act as judge and executioner, rewarding or punishing as he thought was fit. In Isaiah 63:7-65:25 the people respond to the worRAB of the reassurance for Israel with a prayer for the realization of the duty promised by the prophets in Isaiah 64.
Besides the doctrinal points mentioned, the greatest theme of the last eleven chapters is that universal redemption. Showing the divine control of history, Trito-Isaiah preaches the power of the righteous suffering and the role of Israel as a witness and a mediator between Yahweh and the nations of the world, and to the one true God who redeems and intenRAB all mankind to share His plan. (Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible 671)
Throughout history Trito-Isaiah’s message of having no fear and keeping a strong faith in God has been put into many different worRAB. The meaning of this great truth still holRAB in today’s society. For example, Mother Theresa of Calcutta dedicated her life to teaching people that if you trust God he will take care of you. She said give all your concerns and worries to our Lord and He will save you. Though people may think that there is much more to fear now than there was when Trito-Isaiah preached, we still need only to trust in God, and not fear, knowing that the Lord will take care of us.
Trito-Isaiah’s message, at the time that he preached, was found hard to believe. After his death it became integral to the faith by which Jews survived the exile to Babylon and endured many other historical catastrophes in the generations to come. Christians discovered in Trito-Isaiah the essential promises fulfilled in the Gospels and have often called him the “Evangelist of the Old Testament’’(Who’s who in the Bible 169)
Works Cited
Who’s who in the Bible, Reader’s Digest Association, Inc: New York 1994
The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, Abington Press: Nashville 1962
“Life and Literature of the Early Period” www.freethinkers.org/library/modern/gerald_larve/ot11/chap24.html. Internet Explorer. 11 March 1999