Isaiah 9:1-4
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St. Christopher's Episcopal Church,
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- Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
- Hebrew Interlinear Bible, WLCv, WLC5, CHES, AV.
- The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
- The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Hebrew text with concordance, commentaries.
- The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.
- Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
- Chapter VI, Adversus Judaeos, Tertullian (c. 198)
- IV.7, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 210)
- V.11, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 212)
- VI.V, VI.LXVI, VIII.LIV, Against Celsus, Origen (c. 246)
- Rashi's Commentary, c. 1075. chabad.org.
- From the Geneva Notes.
- "He comforts the Church again after these great threatenings promising to restore them to great glory in Messiah."
- From
Matthew Henry's
Commentary.
- "Those that want the gospel, walk in darkness, and in the utmost danger. But when the gospel comes to any place, to any soul, light comes."
- From Wesley's Notes.
- "Of all his oppressors, but especially of sin and the devil."
- From the
Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
- "By a slight change in the Hebrew, its (joy) is substituted by some for not, because "not increased the joy" seems opposite to what immediately follows, "the joy," &c. HENGSTENBERG, retains not thus: "Whose joy thou hadst not increased," (that is, hadst diminished). Others, "Hast thou not increased the joy?" The very difficulty of the reading, not, makes it less likely to be an interpolation."
- "The
Joy of Harvest: Isaiah 9:3," Charles H. Spurgeon. From Farm Sermons
(c 1875).
- "Who will have the most joy? Those who have been the most concerned about it. You who do not pray in private, nor come out to prayer-meetings, will not have the joy when the blessing comes, and the church is increased. You had no share in the sowing, therefore you will have little share in the reaping."
- "Harvest Joy; Isaiah 9:3," Charles H. Spurgeon, 1893.
- Contemporary Commentary, Studies and Exegesis:
- Commentary,
Isaiah 9:1-4, Juliana Claassens, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2017.
- "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light."
- "A Shattered Yoke," Bob Cornwall, Ponderings on a Faith Journey, 2017.
- The Center for Excellence in Preaching, resources from Calvin Theological Seminary: Comments & Observations, Textual Points, Illustration Ideas, 2017.
- Pulpit Fiction, plus podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2017.
- "Trump's Inauguration and Conflicted Hope in a Divided Christianity," Billy Honor, ON Scripture, 2017.
- Commentary, Isaiah 9:1-4 | Melissa Wass | A Plain Account, 2017
- "Isaiah is painting a picture of a new era and using the child as the harbinger of that era. King Ahaz, though, did not listen to Isaiah narrative of peace and prosperity that came by trusting in God."
- Commentary,
Isaiah 9:1-4, Bo Lim, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2014.
- "Live according to the timetable of God. Live in the light."
- "Searching for God in All the Wrong Places," John C. Holbert, Opening the Old Testament, 2014.
- "If we so-called chosen ones, we 21st-century Christians, await the victory of God over our enemies, there is peril aplenty in entertaining such a hope."
- The African captives in Amistad sit in darkness but see "a great light." Visual Parables, Ed McNulty.
- Commentary,
Isaiah 9:1-4, Amy Oden, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2011.
- "Recognition is more than seeing. The people don't just see a light. They recognize who is acting on their behalf."
- The Prince of Peace, Reflections on Isaiah 9:1-4, John C. Holbert, Patheos, 2011.
- "Everything is arranged for an ignominious defeat, but the wonder of the story is, of course, that it is Midian who is defeated with the ridiculous household implements, wielded by the 300-person rag-tag army of Gideon."
- Commentary,
Isaiah 9:1-4, Frank M. Yamada, Preaching This Week,
WorkingPreacher.org, 2008.
- "The images of holy war are thick in this passage and may cause some to shy away from preaching on this text. However, one must remember the context of Israel's political life."
- Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Epiphany 3, Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
- Isaiah 9:1-4, Studies on Old Testament texts from Series A, Ralph W. Klein, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
-
The Old Testament Readings:
Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church,
Melbourne, Australia.
- "We celebrate joyfully 'a son given to us' not in spite of all that is horrible, dangerous, or distressing about the world around us, but precisely because of it."
- "Commentary
on Isaiah 9:1-4: 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany (Year A),"
Dennis Bratcher, Christian Resource Institute.
- "The passage is about more than longing and dreaming for better days ahead, although that is certainly a part of the passage. It is really about living under threat in a world that is beyond our control, a world that lies in the hands of leaders who make stupid and selfish and even cowardly decisions, who refuse to trust God."
- "Bring on the Light!" Expository Essay, Bill Long. Part 2.
- Commentary,
Isaiah 9:1-4, Juliana Claassens, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2017.
- 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).
- Carlson, R.A.,
"The Anti-Assyrian Character of the Oracle in Is. IX 1-6," Vetus
Testamentum, 1974.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Carter, Warren,
"Evoking Isaiah: Matthean Soteriology and an Intertextual Reading of Isaiah
7-9 and Matthew 1:23 and 4:15-16," Journal of Biblical Literature,
2000.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Davies, Andrew, "Oratorio as
Exegesis: The Use of the Book of Isaiah in Handel's Messiah,"
Biblical Interpretation, 2007.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Oswalt, John N.
"God's Determination to Redeem His People," Review and Expositor,
1991.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Oswalt, John N., "The Significance of
the 'ALMAH Prophecy in the Context of Isaiah 7-12," Criswell
Theological Review, 1993.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wegner, Paul D.,
"A Re-Examination of Isaiah IX 1-6," Vetus Testamentum, 1992.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Carlson, R.A.,
"The Anti-Assyrian Character of the Oracle in Is. IX 1-6," Vetus
Testamentum, 1974.
- Sermons:
- "Exploding Light," Epiphany 3, Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington - Sermons from Seattle.
- First Light, Linda R. Forsberg, SermonStudio
- Reviews:
- With Children:
- Worshiping with Children, Epiphany 3, Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2014. 2011.
- "Storypath Lectionary Links: Connecting Children's Literature with our Faith Story," January 26, 2014, Union Presbyterian Seminary. Connections: Isaiah 9:1-4 and Sun Bread by Elisa Keven. 2011.
- "The People Who Walked in Darkness Have Seen a Great Light," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
- "Unto Us A Child Is Born," children's study, puzzles, coloring sheet, etc. Higher Praise Christian Center.
- Drama:
- Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
- Hymns and Music:
- “All of You Who Walked in Darkness,� an original hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette based on the traditional Christmas Eve reading from Isaiah, celebrating that “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.� This hymn was commissioned by The Presbyterian Outlook magazine for new Advent hymns to Christmas carol tunes. Tune: MENDELSSOHN (“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing�)
- Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
- Contemporary/Praise Song suggestions, Together to Celebrate, David MacGregor.
- Hymns with Scripture Allusions: Isaiah 9:1, 2. The Cyber Hymnal.
- Hymn Selections, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship.
- At Oremus
Hymnal:
- Brightest and best of the sons of morning
- Christ is the world's true Light
- Christ, whose glory fills the skies
- Crown him with many crowns
- How beauteous are their feet
- Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendor
- O day of God, draw nigh
- O day of peace that dimly shines
- O God, beyond all praising
- O Spirit of the living God
- Rise up and shine! Your light has come
- Rock of ages, cleft for me
- The King of Love my Shepherd is
- The race that long in darkness pined
- Thou, whose almighty Word
- Thy Kingdom come! on bended knee
- Thy strong word did cleave the darkness
- Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
- Study Links and Resources for the Book of Isaiah
