The reception of Isaiah 6:9-10 in the New Testament and contemporary Bible interpretation

Abstract

This study investigates the reception of Isaiah 6:9-10 in the New Testament, in order to establish whether the interpretation of this authoritative text has remained stable, or has been altered through many hands and years. Furthermore, the question is posed, ‘what does this mean (if anything) for contemporary Biblical interpretation?’ It is clear that the New Testament authors (i.e. Mark, Matthew, Luke and John) employed Isaiah 6:9-10 in different contexts and for different purposes. However, it is argued that these various interpretations do not violate the original sense of the verses as they appeared in the context of the book of Isaiah. Instead, it appears that the New Testament authors have recognized in these verses a resemblance to their own respective circumstances and have subsequently adapted Isaiah 6:9-10 in appropriate and relevant ways to their own respective circumstances. This is similar to what contemporary Bible interpreters do. In the end, it is acknowledged that a Biblical text needs to be interpreted in light of its original setting, but also in light of new contexts, if we take seriously the fact that the Bible is the living word of God. Thus, it is recognized that the Biblical text is the product of both human and divine authorship. As such, the Biblical text has a particular interpretation related to the specific historical context in which it originated, but the Biblical text also transcends this context and offers truth that remains relevant for generations to come.