Chapter 4
Literary analisys
This chapter will examine the depiction of God’s
Transcendence and Immanence in the book of Isaiah 40:12-31. The overall
objective of this chapter is to research the teaching of Scripture, through exegesis, in
the texts which
the writer of
this research has
found critical. These texts, specified below, are all
located in the books of Isaiah. This research will
also specify the
theological implications of exegesis for
the transcendence and immanence of God. [1]
Exegesis of the passage
The Hebrew text used for paper Leningrad Hebrew Old Testament (WTT) and
the translation used New American Standard Bible. The passages of Scripture
that the writer has found critical in the book of Isaiah 40. More specifically Isaiah
40:12, 13, 18, 22, 25,
Structure of the Passages
Isaiah 40:12-31 have strong literary structures, uses various literal
devices such as repetition of key phrases, verbal patterns, and rhetorical
questions to emphasize its main topic. Many scholars find the four sections of
Isaiah 40:12-31 in the following: 1) vv. 12-17, 2) vv. 18, 21-24, 3) vv. 25-26,
and 4) vv. 27-31.
The structure of the Isaiah 40:12-31 as follows:
A(40:12-17) Who has directed the spirit
of the LORD, or has instructed him as his counselor? (40:13)
B(40:18-20) To whom can you
liken God? With what equal can you confront him? (40:18)
C(40:21-24) Do you not know? Have you not
heard? (40:21)
B'(40:25-26) to whom can you liken me as an
equal? (40:25)
A'(40:27-31)
Why, O Jacob, do you say, and declare, O Israel, (40:27).
Verbal Pattern of the passage.
Verbal patterns of each
part illustrate the prophet's intention to connect past, present and future. In
vv. 12-14 the prophet almost exclusively uses the perfect and waw-consecutive
verbs: דדמ, ןכת, לקש, עדי, ץעי, ןיב, דמל, and perfect verbs in verse 26: ארב, אצי,
ארק. Isaiah also uses participles to express Yahweh's action in verse 22: בשי, הטנ.
These verbs signify the presence of Yahweh to whom the others are incomparable.
The prophet also uses participles and imperfects in the final passage, vv.
28-29: ארב, הבר, ןתנ.
Literary Analysis
The phrase of mi madad.
In Isa 40:12, the
word מיָ (mi) is an interrogative pronoun
of persons, as who?, occasionally, by a peculiar idiom of things; This question
implies to who, any, whose, what, if any, whom; who?, whose?, whom?, would
that, whoever, whosoever. Meanwhile מָדַ֙ד , is 1) to measure,
stretch, to measure, to extend, continue measure. In this verse
the prophet's first
question is related to creative works of Yahweh. The question word mi in
v. 12 begins the first section, and this mi formula is brought forth in
the beginning of the second part in v.18. The third section, v. 25 also starts
with other questions mi. Moreover, v. 21, v. 26a, and v. 28a have a
similar calls and questions.
When these
questions are asked, the prophet gives detailed correspondences to vv. 15-17,
vv. 22-24, v. 26b, and v. 28b. Here are the correspondents: “Even the nations
are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as dust on the scales, he
takes up the isles like fine dust.” (v.15) “All the nations are as nothing
before him.”(v.17) “Its (earth) inhabitants are like grasshoppers.” (v.22)
In
this verse the phrase question, who
hath measured is to show the greatness, power, and majesty of God, by strong contrast
with his creatures. The first concentration is on the vastness of God as
Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. He is the One Who takes the oceans in
the palm of His hand to examine their size, He measures the heavens with the
span of His fingers. He takes the dust of the whole earth into His measuring
jug, picks up the mountains and puts them in His scales, and weighs the hills
in His balances. The object in this and the following verses to Isaiah
40:12, is to show the greatness, power, and majesty of God, by strong contrast
with his creatures.
God alone has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,
but He Himself unmeasurable.[2]
Norman Snaith contended that this is a depiction of God’s
Transcendence. And Barnes in his commentary wrote:
“Who hath measured - The object in this and the following
verses to Isaiah 40:26, is to show the greatness, power, and majesty of God, by
strong contrast with his creatures, and more especially with idols. Perhaps the
prophet designed to meet and answer an implied objection: that the work of
deliverance was so great that it could not be accomplished. The answer was,
that God had made all things; that he was infinitely great; that he had entire
control over all the nations; and that he could, therefore, remove all
obstacles out of the way, and accomplish his great and gracious purposes. By
man it could not be done; nor had idol-gods any power to do it; but the Creator
and upholder of all could effect this purpose with infinite case. At the same
time that the argument here is one that is entirely conclusive, the passage,
regarded as a description of the power and majesty of God, is one of vast
sublimity and grandeur; nor is there any portion of the Sacred Volume that is
more suited to impress the mind with a sense of the majesty and glory of
Yahweh. The question, ‹who hath measured,‘ is designed to imply that the thing
referred to here was that which had never been done, and could never be done by
man; and the argument is, that although that which the prophet predicted was a
work which surpassed human power, yet it could be done by that God who had
measured the waters in the hollow of his hand.”[3]
The SDA bible commentary
describes this phrase as follows, “The exalted picture Isaiah here gives of the wisdom, power,
and eternal majesty of God is unsurpassed in Scripture. The prophet refers to
the power of God as manifested in the works of creation. God is the great
Master Worker of the universe, the One who fashioned the heavens and the earth.
For Him no task is too great and no responsibility too small. Things infinitely
large and incomprehensible to man are as nothing to Him. It is our privilege to
trust in a God that is great and wise and good. All His wisdom and power are at
the command of those who believe and trust in Him.” [4]
Additionally Edward Young noted: “Isaiah uses the term
water to designate the water of the seas generally. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,
Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure?
The two words taken, taken together form a striking contrast: the hand of
man–the water of the sea. Obviously, for no man to measure the water in his
hand would be impossibility. [5]
Moreover In his commentary to
this verse, J. Ridderbos, this phrase question is used in order to impress of
God upon his audience, Isaiah refers to the grandeur of creation. He depicts by asking, among other things, who
has measured the water in the hollow of hand. The sea and the sky, the earth
with its mountain and hills in their enormous dimension, far surpass man and
the standards of measurement at this disposal. [6]
The Transcendence of God
In Isaiah 40:12-28, one can see how the
prophet depicts God’s transcendence in a specific and clear way.
God is Exalted Above All Creature.
In this passage of Isa
40:12-31, one can see that God is exalted above all the creature. God is the
creator of the heavens and earth, and all that is in them both. God the creator
is vastly more wonderful and magnificent than they.[7] In his
commentary, Ronald Youngblood in commentary wrote, “the Lord’s
sovereignty and power dominate the rest of Isaiah 40. [8]
God Is Omniscience.
In verses 13-14, the prophet
saying, Who has directed the Spirit of
the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? It
is imperative to see here that God show His infiniteness and far from man not
only in respect of greatness and power but also in wisdom. The expression
question, Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD and Who taught Him knowledge, confronted with a difficult
task, a man usually looks to those of experience for wisdom and direction. God
neither asks nor needs help from anyone. There is none wiser or more able than
He. Barnes notes added:
“The word rendered
‘directed’ here is the same which is used in the previous verse, ‘and meted out
heaven.’ The idea here is, ‘Who has fitted, or disposed the mind or spirit of
Yahweh? What superior being has ordered, instructed, or disposed his
understanding? Who has qualified him for the exercise of his wisdom, or for the
formation and execution of his plans?’ The sense is, God is supreme. No one has
instructed or guided him, but his plans are his own, and have all been formed
by himself alone. And as those plans are infinitely wise, and as he is not
dependent on anyone for their formation or execution, his people may have confidence
in him, and believe that he will be able to execute his purposes.” [9]
The omniscience of God is
one of His transcendence. One can see from the passage that no one can teach
Him anything. He is all wise, all knowing, all comprehending. No one has given
directions to His Spirit, or has been appointed as His adviser and guided Him.
He has never sought counsel from anyone, or needed to be taught how to make
right judgments, or been given knowledge, or needed to be shown what is
sensible and right. One can perceive that this statement is a contrast with the
myths of the nations where the gods regularly make mistakes, consult and seek
counsel, and have to learn and grow in knowledge and understanding.
[1]Gavin
McGrath, New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2006),
160.
[2]Young Edward J., The Book
of Isaiah: the English Text, with Introduction, Exposition, and Notes (Grand
Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdsman Publishing Company, 1972), 44.
[3]
Alber Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament: Isaiah, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book
House, 1979), 3:69
[4]Nichol, Francis D., The
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary vol. 4, (Washington, D.C.: Review
and Herald Publishing Association, 1978), 83.
[5]Young Edward J., The Book
of Isaiah: the English Text, with Introduction, Exposition, and Notes (Grand
Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdsman Publishing Company, 1972), 44.
[6]Ridderbos J., Bible
Student’s Commentary, (Grand Rapids,MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1985), 344.
[7]Ibid, 81.
[8]Youngblood Ronald, The
book of Isaiah; An Introductory Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
1984), 115.
[9]Alber Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament: Isaiah, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book
House, 1979), 3:83
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