Sárospataki Füzetek 16. (2012)
2012 / 3-4. szám - TANULMÁNYOK - P. H. R. van Houwelingen: Jeruzsálem, az anyagyülekezet. Az apostoli egyház fejlődése Jeruzsálem szemszögéből
They take advantage of the reconciliation with God for which the Servant of the Lord has given his life as an offering.20 7. Identity of the Servants When the Servants of the Lord participate in such an important heritage, the question arises as to which people may be regarded as these Servants. In Isaiah 54 this offspring of the Servant is identified with the children of Zion. But Zion is promised an abundance of children, for which it would be necessary to enlarge the place of her tent. In the book of Isaiah a chapter follows in which an invitation is expressed that is not restricted to a small group: ‘Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters... ’ (Isa 55:1) With this summarizing invitation the exilic part of the book of Isaiah (Isa 40-55) ends. The remaining chapters are commonly dated to the postexilic period. These chapters focus in fact on the question as to who may be considered Servants of the Lord. The tone is set immediately in Isaiah 56. There a eunuch and a foreigner are mentioned who are both in doubt about their own future. Isa 56:6 states explicitly that foreigners (plural) join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his Servants. Note the conscious use of the plural Servants here and the fear of the foreigner being separated from the people of the Lord (Isa 56:3). In this way the remaining chapters of the book of Isaiah introduce the question as to which people may be designated as Servants of the Lord and take advantage of the reconciliation the Servant has given his life for. The answer is given in Isaiah 56 already in principal. The Lord does not exclude anyone who holds fast to his covenant. Nor any social group of which the eunuch is an example, nor any ethnic group of which the foreigner is an example, is excluded. In Isa 56:8 the Lord even promises in a very general sense that He will gather others besides those already gathered. The only parameters that are set immediately in the first few of Isaiah 56 concern the maintaining of justice and the doing of right. This means holding fast to his covenant, keeping the Sabbath and not profaning him, and refraining from doing any evil (Isa 56:1-2). This is in accordance with what is said earlier in the book, namely that there is no peace for the wicked (Isa 48:20). This theme is elaborated upon in the following chapters. Those who are contrite and humble in spirit will share in God’s presence and the mourners will be repaid with comfort (Isa 57:14- 21). For them, those far and those near, there will be peace. But it is stated again that there will be no peace for the wicked (Isa 57:21). These wicked are like the tossing sea that cannot keep still; its waters toss up mire and mud. (Note the contrast with the metaphor in Isa 48:8) It becomes especially clear in Isaiah 65 and 66, the concluding chapters of the book, that the Servants of the Lord are distinguished from people that have chosen for wickedness. Only the Servants will be spared like wine in a cluster (Isa 65:8) and are promised a life in the blessing of the Lord (Isa 65:13-16). It is only for his Servants that the Lord will create even new heavens and a new earth (Isa 65:17-25), while the wicked shall face his judgment. For by even persecuting the Cf. Cf. WA.M. Beuken, ‘The Main Theme ofTrito-Isaiah “The Servants of YHWH”’, Journalfor the Study of the Old Testamentes] (1990), pp. 67-87: ‘...if these may enter into the peace (57.2), it is thanks to him who bore the chastisement for their peace (53.5).’ (70) 2012/3-4 SÁROSPATAKI FÜZE i :
