Prophecy And Hermeneutics

This volume by Christopher Seitz offers a contemporary look at the study of Isaiah and the twelve Minor Prophets. Seitz explores fundamental questions of hermeneutics, the canon, and the Prophets as a bridge between the Testaments.

In the first section, “The Overreach of History–Figuring the Prophets Out,” Seitz delivers an insightful account of the history of the genre, looking at the impact of modern critical methods and the influence of Gerhard von Rad. In particular, Seitz is concerned about unintended consequences of the tradition-historical approach, especially the separation of the Prophets from their canonical context. As an alternative, he makes the case for a “figural” reading that takes seriously the Prophets’ association with other portions of the canon while maintaining their individual integrity.

The second section, “Time in Association–Reading the Twelve,” offers three exegetical essays in which Seitz explores the themes and hermeneutical approach developed in the first half of the volume.

This work, the second in the Studies in Theological Interpretation series, introduces an original and fruitful approach to the study of the Prophets, one that takes seriously the questions of both exegesis and hermeneutics.