July 2nd, 2022

This Sunday continues our ‘walk’ through a significant portion of the Gospel according to Luke [10:1-20], and this Sunday, once again, has an important Old Testament text that relates to a very important account, detailing the actions of the world’s Savior. And this Sunday is ‘Proper 9’ of the ‘C Series’.

This Sunday’s Old Testament text is from Isaiah 66:10-14, and although this is a significantly different book from last week’s text of 1 Kings 19, it continues with much the same theme. There is a place where one can meet with the LORD and receive the gifts he has to give. Elijah reached that place when he came to Horeb, the ‘mountain of God [1 Kings 19:8]’. This week in Isaiah, it happens in the special city of Jerusalem.

Ancient Jerusalem was not special because it was ancient or even because it was the place of kings. It was truly the place of the KING OF KINGS. When the temple was in Jerusalem, that made it a hugely significant place. That was the place where the God of the universe met with mankind.

Last week the point was brought up that within the Greek translation of the books of 1 Samuel through 2 Kings, there are two styles of translation, and a layout of the tabernacle or temple may be seen in the alternation between those two styles. The more Hebrew style of translation imitates the significant parts of the tabernacle and the other style contains the ramifications of that important object (and it also contains the historical presents of many verbs, and these special verbs point to the glory of the One behind it all). With the more Hebrew style, there were two places, a place of sacrifice and a place where one entered to be with the LORD, where the LORD was. That tabernacle or temple was an incredibly important thing, important enough to have it echo in various translation styles.

The Greek translation of Isaiah is important as well because of how incredibly close it is to the New Testament. It is almost as if Isaiah could see quite clearly the person of Jesus. An interesting facet of the New Testament connection that is found in Isaiah is its connection to the four gospel accounts. It is certainly a sign of notoriety that the name of this Old Testament prophet appears in ALL FOUR gospel accounts. (Matthew 3:3, 4:14, 8:17, 12:17, 13:14, 15:7; Mark 7:6; Luke 3:4, 4:17; John 1:23, 12:38, 12:39, 12:41). Very few Old Testament people are mentioned this often.

Although it would be helpful to look at all these connections to the four gospel accounts, I thought that the connection to the Gospel according to John was particularly interesting. Nowhere else are there three mentions of the name of Isaiah so close to one another.

Whatever literary structure is suggested for the Gospel according to John, a significant change happens in John 12. It would take too long to go over those significant changes. But significant differences are also present in the other gospel accounts as Jesus gets closer to Jerusalem.

Below is a somewhat-literal translation of the verses and the surrounding context of the three Isaiah mentions. The context is noteworthy. Usually, in the other gospel accounts, a voice is heard from heaven at Jesus’ baptism. Mention is not made of that in the Gospel according to John, but there is a voice from heaven near the middle of the account.

Now obviously this is a long text, and there are many important things happening in this chapter—Jesus’ famous entrance into Jerusalem, his declaration that ‘his hour has come’ (verse 23), and the fact of his being ‘lifted up’ (verses 32-33). But hopefully what follows are helpful words.

This is what is said after there is a voice from heaven, and people said that an angel had spoken to Jesus [12:30-43]:

Jesus answered and said, “Not because of me this voice has happened, but on the contrary, because of you. Now Judgment is of this world, now the ruler of this world shall be cast out, outside. And I, if I am lifted out of the earth, all I will draw to myself.” And this he said, signifying by what kind of death he was about to die.

Therefore the crowd answered him, “We ourselves heard out of the law that the Christ remains into the age, and how do you yourself say that it is necessary to be lifted up, the Son of Man? Who is this Son of Man?”

Therefore Jesus said to them, “Still a little time the light is in you. Walk as you have the light, in order that darkness not overtakes you, and the one walking in the darkness knows not where he is going. As you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

These things Jesus spoke, and, going away, he was hidden from them. But while having done many signs before them, they did not believe in him, that the word of Isaiah, the prophet, might be fulfilled, which he said, “Lord, who believed the report of us? And the arm of the Lord to whom was it revealed?” Therefore, they were not able to believe, because again Isaiah said, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, that they might not see with the eyes and understand with the heart, and might turn, and I will cure them.” These things Isaiah said because he saw his glory, and he spoke about him. Nevertheless, however, even of the rulers, many believed in him, but on the contrary, because of the Pharisees, they did not confess, in order that not put out of the synagogue they should become; for they loved the glory of men rather than the glory of God.

The last paragraph is a long one, and it was brought together to help see the connection between the points made by Isaiah. And his name is in bold as well. What is also interesting about these occurrences is that, in the Greek text, they are each twenty-five words apart. Isaiah first appears, and then there are twenty-five words, then the next use of the word Isaiah, and then, after another twenty-five words, the last Isaiah. And the last occurrence of the name gives you an idea of how significant this prophet really is.

Like the structure of the Old Testament tabernacle or temple, the counting of words is a very Jewish thing. They had no extra set of numbers in contrast to letters. The writer gives the reader an extra bonus, something to consider, since this is such a significant event.
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But sometimes things change very little. As the text ends, some did not believe. And that action certainly continues today. But people can change. One might consider that God changed when he became man and dwelt among us (John 1:14).