Isaiah between Judaism and Christianity

doi:10.1628/978-3-16-163287-7

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Isaiah between Judaism and Christianity

Early Christian Reception and Interpretation

Edited by Tobias Nicklas, Judith König, Stefan Green and Antti Laato

2026. 360 pages.

forthcoming in February 2026

Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 2. Reihe (WUNT II) 647

DOI 10.1628/978-3-16-163287-7

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Summary

Authors/Editors

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Summary

The studies collected in this volume examine the reception history of the Book of Isaiah within early Christianity, the important role the book played in emerging Christianity, and the strategies and intentions that shaped its reception in early Christian literature.

The contributors to this volume illustrate the way in which exegesis of the book of Isaiah was developed in early Christianity. Reception unfolded within spaces opened, shaped, and defined along Judaeo-Christian borderlines. The book of Isaiah was of utmost importance to the first Jesus followers and their literary production, particularly in the way they articulated their beliefs. Consequently, scholars have often referred to Isaiah as »the fifth Gospel.«
The present volume collects investigations into the specific ways the book of Isaiah was received in various early Christian contexts - from the canonical gospels to early Syriac Christian literature. The contributors explore the different modes and purposes of reading Isaiah and integrating its ideas, style, and concepts into new writings.

Table of contents:

Using Isaiah in the New Testament
Judith König/Tobias Nicklas: The Reception History of Isa 40:3 in the First to Third Century CE: Puzzle Pieces and Emerging Patterns - Lukas Bormann: The Influence of the Book of Isaiah on Luke-Acts - Lotta Valve: Isaiah and the Baptist in John 1 - Jan Dochhorn: Virginal Birth and Isa 7:14: The Background of a Myth

Using Isaiah in Early Christian Writings
Stefan Green: The Question of Identification in Justin Martyr's The Dialogue with Trypho and His Use of Isa 65:1-3 - Sven-Olav Back: 'A Seed for Salvation' (Isa 1:9/Dial. 55.3): Justin Martyr on the Ability to Understand the Scriptures - Antti Laato: Jacob Is Christ: Justin Martyr between Jewish Isaiah-Exegesis and Christological Explanations - Simon Johansson: Angelomorphic Features, Charismatic Manifestations, and Triadic Formulas: Isa 11:2-3a and Pneumatology in Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Lyon, and Tertullian - Michael Sommer: Isa 58 and the Making of Early Christian Ethics: A Short Glimpse on the Reception of a Prophet in the Second Century

Using Isaiah in Anti-Jewish Polemical Contexts
Martin Meiser: Describing Misbehavior and Misusing Scripture: Jewish Self-Criticism and Christian Anti-Jewish Criticism - Carl Johan Berglund: Isaiah's Act of Accusation (Isa 1:2-20) in Early Christian Anti-Jewish Polemics - AnneMarie Pilarski: Jews in the Margin(alia): Exegetical Patterns in the Interpretatio Isaiae (CPG 6559) Attributed to Hesychius of Jerusalem

Isaiah in Early Syriac Christian Literature
Serafim Seppälä: The Fifth Gospel? The Christological Use of Isaiah in Ephrem the Syrian - Topias Tanskanen: Aphrahat's Use of Isaiah in Demonstrations: Two Case Studies

Isaiah in Hymnological Context
Anni Maria Laato: Isaiah and the Christological Titles in the O-Antiphon Clavis David

Authors/Editors

Tobias Nicklas Geboren 1967; Professor für Neues Testament und Direktor des Centre for Advanced Studies "Beyond Canon_" (Universität Regensburg); Research Associate an der University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, Südafrika; Distinguished Fellow am Department of Humanities der Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

https://orcid.org/0000000210216994

Judith König Geboren 1992; 2012-17 Studium der Kath. Theologie in Regensburg; Akad. Rätin a.Z. am Lehrstuhl für Exegese und Hermeneutik des Neuen Testaments an der Fakultät für Katholische Theologie in Regensburg und Mitglied im internationalen Vorstand der European Society of Women in Theological Research.

https://orcid.org/0000000328204294

Stefan Green Geboren 1961; 2020 Dr. Theol (Åbo Akademi University); forscht zur Exegese des Alten Testaments an der Åbo Akademi University (Finnland); Dozent an der ALT School of Theology (Schweden).

https://orcid.org/0000000197569495

Antti Laato Geboren 1961; 1988 Dr. Theol Åbo Akademi University; Professor für alttestamentliche Exegese und jüdische Studien an der Åbo Akademi University, Turku Finnland.

https://orcid.org/000000030823009X