Title
After the Babylonian Exile
Department/School
Theology
Date
2020
Document Type
Book Chapter
DOI
DOI: 10.4324/9781315537627-6
Abstract
Toward the end of the Babylonian Exile, a new prophetic voice arose among the exiles of Judah. What Isaiah of Jerusalem had prophesied about God’s salvation for a remnant of Judah and the future restoration and glorification of the holy city Jerusalem was taking shape in a new way. Among the new developments one finds in Second Isaiah is a message of unmitigated mercy and consolation. The redemptive suffering that the Servant endures is especially highlighted in Isaiah 52:13–53:12, which explains why this text is read in the church’s liturgy on Good Friday and why this figure is often called “the Suffering Servant.” The book of Daniel is our main Old Testament exemplar of apocalyptic literature. As a collection of diverse material, Daniel is a difficult book to classify. Post-exilic prophecy continues the earlier prophetic calls to worship YHWH not by mere ritual but through practicing justice and mercy.
Published in
The Christian Theological Tradition, 4th ed.
Citation/Other Information
Niskanen, Paul. “After the Babylonian Exile.” In The Christian Theological Tradition, 75–78. 4th ed. Routledge, 2020.