Isaiah: The Evidences For One
Authorship. This Is Appendix 79
From The Companion Bible.
The hypothesis of modern critics is that Isaiah
is not the sole author of the prophecy bearing his name, but that he only
wrote chapters 1-39 (called by them "the former portion"),
and that an unknown author or authors (for there are now alleged to have
been three, or more, Isaiahs) are responsible for chapters 40 to the end
(called by them "the latter portion").
Thus, they would treat this prophecy mush as Isaiah
himself is said to have been treated, who, as tradition tells us, was
"sawn asunder".
This "latter portion" also modern
critics would relegate to a later date : videlicet, toward the close of
the seventy years' exile.
This is a very modern theory; for, the one authorship
of this prophecy has been held without question by both Jews and
Christians for over 2,000 years.
- THE USE
OF HIS NAME IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
A sufficient and conclusive answer to this
matter is afforded by Holy Scripture itself, in the fact that Isaiah is
twenty-one times mentioned by name in the New Testament as the author of
this prophecy.
Eleven of these passages attribute to him words
occurring in the latter portion of the book, and ten of
them words occurring in the former portion.
A complete list is appended, divided as follows :-
- THE TEN PASSAGES NAMING ISAIAH AS
THE AUTHOR OF THE
"FORMER"
PORTION.
1. Matthew 4:14.
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Isaiah 9:1, 2.
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2. Matthew 13:14.
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Isaiah 6:9.
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3. Matthew 15:7.
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Isaiah 29:13.
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4. Mark 7:6.
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Isaiah 29:13.
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5. John 12:39.
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Isaiah 6:9.
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6. John 12:41.
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Isaiah 6:9.
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7. Acts 28:25.
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Isaiah 6:9.
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8. Romans 9:27.
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Isaiah 10:22,
23. |
9. Romans 9:29.
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Isaiah 1:9.
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10. Romans 15:12.
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Isaiah 11:10.
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- THE ELEVEN PASSAGES NAMING ISAIAH AS
THE AUTHOR OF THE
"LATTER"
PORTION.
1. Matthew 3:3.
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Isaiah 40:3.
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2. Matthew 8:17.
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Isaiah 53:4.
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3. Matthew 12:17.
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Isaiah 42:1-3.
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4. Luke 3:4.
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Isaiah 40:3-5.
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5. Luke 4:17.
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Isaiah 61:1, 2.
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6. John 1:23.
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Isaiah 40:3.
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7. John 12:38.
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Isaiah 53:1.
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8. Acts 8:28.
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Isaiah 53:7, 8.
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9. Acts 8:30.
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Isaiah 53:7, 8.
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10. Romans 10:16.
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Isaiah 53:1.
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11. Romans 10:20.
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Isaiah 65:1, 2.
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- The
above twenty-one passages are distributed over six books
of the New Testament: videlicet, Matthew (six times); Mark (once);
Luke (twice); John (four times); Acts (three times); Romans (five
times).
- And
the prophet is named by seven different speakers or
writers in the New Testament:
Four times by Christ Himself;
three being from the former portion of
Isaiah (Matthew 13:14;
15:7. Mark
7:6), and
one from the latter (Matthew
12:17).
Twice by Matthew:
once from the former portion (Matthew 4: 14), and
once from the latter portion (Matthew 8:17).
Four times by Luke: all from the
latter portion of Isaiah (Luke 3: 4;
4:17. Acts
8:28;
8:30).
Three times by John the Evangelist:
twice from the former portion (John
12: 39,
41), and once from the latter portion (John
12:38).
Twice by John the Baptist: both
from the latter portion (Matthew 3: 3. John
1:23).
Six times by Paul the Apostle:
four from the former portion (Acts
28: 25. Romans
9:27,
29; 15:12), and
twice from the latter portion (Romans
10:16,
20).
- THE
EMPLOYMENT OF CERTAIN WORDS.
A further evidence of the unity of Isaiah is
furnished by the Structure of the book: which, as the student of
The Companion Bible will readily perceive, does not lend
itself in any degree to the arbitrary ending suggested, at chapter 39.
A "pillar" of this
"theory" is found in the supposed occurrence of certain
words in the "former" portion of the prophecy which are
not found in the "latter" portion, and vice versa. An
examination of a few such words which are cited by modern critics will
show the palpable inaccuracy characterizing their assertions.
It is asserted that the following are found only in
the "latter" portion of Isaiah (chapters 40 to the end) :-
- The
titles Creator, Redeemer, Savior. But the facts of creating,
redeeming, and saving are referred to in 1:27;
12:1,
2;
14:1;
17:10;
25:9;
27:11;
29:22;
30:18;
33:22;
35:10.
- The
thought of Jehovah as "Father". But the relation is
stated in 1:2.
- The
word bachar (to choose). But see 1:29;
7:15,
16; 14:1.
- The
word halal (to praise). But see 13:10;
38:18.
- The
word paer (to glorify). But see 10:15.
- The
word patsach (to break forth into joy). But see
14:7.
- The
word tsemach (to spring forth). But see 4:2.
- The
word zero' (the arm [of Jehovah]). But see
9:20;
17:5;
30:30;
33:2.
There are more than 300 words and expressions
which are common to both the alleged "former" and
"latter" portions of Isaiah's prophecy; and which do not
occur at all in the later prophecies of Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, and
Malachi.
A sufficient number of these, to illustrate this
fact amply, will be found given in the notes under their occurrences.
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