Description

The Book of Isaiah harbors more verses which are referenced by the New Testament writers than every other prophetic book of the Old Testament combined (Bromiley 893). This is a prominent fact in Christendom because of the messianic nature of Isaiah's prophecies. The resulting significance of the Book of Isaiah in Christendom has been it's role in the formation of the doctrines about the life, nature, ministry, and lordship of Jesus. Perhaps Isaiah's messianic emphasis has been the catalyst for the scrutiny and criticism the book has received in terms of its dating and authorship. Most liberal scholars claim the book has multiple authors and have taken an offensive stance against the orthodox view that the man Isaiah ben Amoz wrote each of the 66 chapters in the book that bears his name.

The critical view of Isaianic-authorship is not a matter of whether or not Isaiah wrote the words down, but whether or not the subject-matter came from him in the first place (Douglas 523). Just as Ibn Ezra denied Isaiah's hands and mouth in the last 27 chapters, so do modern critics deny his authorship. Some critical scholars even believe that chapters 1-35 “contain much non-Isaianic material” (523). Not all liberal scholars hold this view, but all “are practically unanimous in the view that chs. 40-66 do not come from Isaiah” (523). It is not the man Isaiah or the historical events surrounding him that are being evaluated and attacked, but the unity of the book that bears his name.