Double standards in the Book of Isaiah : re-evaluating prophetic ethics and divine justice
This thesis investigates the ethical system of the book of Isaiah, treating the book as a single literary work from a broadly reader-oriented critical perspective. It begins with a study of ethics and literature which examines how the Old Testament prophetic books communicate their moral teaching, with particular reference to the performative force of their rhetoric. The second section of the thesis presents a descriptive analysis of the ethical ideologies in the book of Isaiah. It is concluded that the root of sin for Isaiah is the failure to acknowledge God. The thesis then proceeds to consider the conduct of the deity with regard to the ethical demands he makes of Israel, and finds that, while he is not evil or immoral, he fails to attain the standard he establishes for his people. There is a distinct double standard in operation. The inevitable result of such failure is the undermining of either the ethical system, the status of Yahweh, or both. The final chapters seeksome explanation for Yahweh's conduct. Evidence to suggest the book is conscious of the difficult moral position of the deity is presented and analysed, and it is concluded that the double standard demonstrably in operation is a deliberate
Davies, Andrew
Biblical studies; Old Testament
Double standards in the Book of Isaiah : re-evaluating prophetic ethics and divine justice. This thesis investigates the ethical system of the book of Isaiah, treating the book as a single literary work from a broadly reader-oriented critical perspective. It begins with a study of ethics and literature which examines how the Old Testament prophetic books communicate their moral teaching, with particular reference to the performative force of their rhetoric. The second section of the thesis presents a descriptive analysis of the ethical ideologies in the book of Isaiah. It is concluded that the root of sin for Isaiah is the failure to acknowledge God. The thesis then proceeds to consider the conduct of the deity with regard to the ethical demands he makes of Israel, and finds that, while he is not evil or immoral, he fails to attain the standard he establishes for his people. There is a distinct double standard in operation. The inevitable result of such failure is the undermining of either the ethical system, the status of Yahweh, or both. The final chapters seeksome explanation for Yahweh's conduct. Evidence to suggest the book is conscious of the difficult moral position of the deity is presented and analysed, and it is concluded that the double standard demonstrably in operation is a deliberate
double standard book isaiah evaluating prophetic ethic divine justice investigates ethical system book isaiah treat book single literary_work broadly reader oriented critical_perspective begin study ethic literature examines old_testament prophetic book communicate moral teaching particular_reference performative force rhetoric second_section present descriptive_analysis ethical ideology book isaiah conclude root sin isaiah failure acknowledge god proceeds consider conduct deity regard ethical demand_make israel find evil immoral fail attain standard establishes people distinct double standard operation inevitable failure undermine either ethical system status yahweh both final explanation yahweh conduct evidence_suggest book conscious difficult moral position deity present analysed conclude double standard demonstrably operation deliberate