Isaiah 62:6-12 Christmas


Isaiah 62:6-12
The Rev. Robert O. Wyatt, Rector,
St. Helena's Episcopal Church
Burr Ridge, IL

  • Reading the Text:
  • Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
    • Chapter X, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians, Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110). (Longer version only - 4th cent interpolation.)
    • Chapter IX, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans, Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110). (Longer Version only - 4th cent interpolation)
    • Chapter XXVI, Chapter CXIX, Dialogue With Trypho, Justin Martyr. (c 160)
    • Rashi's Commentary, c. 1075. chabad.org.
    • From the Geneva Notes.
      • "He exhorts the ministers never to cease to call on God by prayer for the deliverance of his Church and to teach others to do the same."
    • From Matthew Henry's Commentary.
      • "God's professing people must be a praying people. He is not displeased with us for being earnest, as men commonly are; he bids us to cry after him, and give him no rest, luke 11:5,6."
    • From Wesley's Notes.
      • "Prepare - Let them not have any obstructions in their way. Stones - That there be no stumbling - stone, or offence in their way. Standard - An allusion to soldiers, that set up their standard that the army may know where to repair from all quarters."
    • From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
      • "watchmen upon . . . walls--image from the watches set upon a city's wall to look out for the approach of a messenger with good tidings (Isa 52:7, 8); the good tidings of the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon, prefiguring the return from the present dispersion (compare Isa 21:6-11; 56:10; Eze 3:17; 33:7). The watches in the East are announced by a loud cry to mark the vigilance of the watchmen."     
  • Contemporary Commentary, Studies and Exegesis:
    • Commentary, Isaiah 62:6-12, Ingrid Lilly, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2013.
      • "The wedding metaphor that sets up our passage in Isaiah 62 is probably the reason it was chosen to serve as a Christmas text."
    • Commentary, Isaiah 62:6-12, Patricia Tull, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2011.
      • "If it weren't so familiar, this thrice-told manger would be startling..."
    • Commentary, Isaiah 62:6-12, Mark Throntveit, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2008.
      • "Third Isaiah has transformed Second Isaiah's message of the impending return of the exiles from Babylon into a message of the utter restoration of Jerusalem at the end of time by applying it to a new situation."
    • Isaiah 62:6-12 (Christmas Day), Commentary, Background, Insights from Literary Structure, Theological Message, Ways to Present the Text. Anna Grant-Henderson, Uniting Church in Australia.
    • The Old Testament Readings: Isaiah 62:6-12. Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church, Melbourne, Australia.
      • "This passage still has a theme of waiting about it, but the expected event is now imminent, indeed it is in the process of happening, so the passage is an appropriate opening for the joyous celebration of Christmas."
    • Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
    • "Your Saviour Comes," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed textual notes.
    • Environmental & earth-centered reflections, Rev John Gibbs, from the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota Environmental Stewardship Commission.
      • "When our salvation comes, it is not a private matter but a public one."
  • Articles & Background:
  • Recommended articles from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are linked below. ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices. Annotated list of "starting place" articles at ATLAS for this week's texts (includes direct links).
  • Sermons:
  • Reviews:
    • Review: Leszek Ruszkowski, Volk und Gemeinde im Wandel: Eine Untersuchung zu Jesaja 56-66. (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2000) Review by Roy D. Wells in SBL's Review of Biblical Literature. (Review is in English.)
  • With Children:
  • Drama:
  • Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
  • Hymns and Music:
  • Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
  • Study Links and Resources for the Book of Isaiah