The Motif of Renewal in the Book of Prophet Isaiah: Interpretation by some Ancient Church (The 4th — Early 5th Centuries) Exegetes and Interpretation by Brevard Childs (Part 2)

Abstract

The article presents an exegetical analysis of prophecies of Isaiah that articulate the theme of renewal, as interpreted by Brevard Childs - one of the leading figures in contemporary biblical studies and the originator of the canonical approach to the Old Testament text. Drawing on key passages (Isa. 42, 9-10; 43, 19; 48, 6; 62, 2; 65, 17; 66, 22), the study distinguishes two modes of expressing renewal: unique formulations - such as the «new name» and the «new heavens and new earth» - which lack direct parallels in the Old Testament tradition, and traditional motifs - like the «new song» and the «new Exodus» - rooted in established biblical imagery. Within his canonical methodology, Childs interprets these prophecies within the historical-theological context of the Babylonian exile and the subsequent restoration of Jerusalem, linking them to the policies of the Persian king Cyrus II and the theological concept of «new creation». Particular attention is paid to the symbolism of the Exodus, nuptial metaphors, eschatological rhetoric, and the functional role of prophetic formulas and divine self-identification. The analysis demonstrates that, for Childs, renewal does not entail an apocalyptic rupture with history but rather represents its theological continuation - grounded in the covenantal paradigm and oriented toward the restoration of Zion. The article concludes by comparing Childs’s canonical approach with the exegesis of the Church Fathers: whereas modern biblical scholarship situates the fulfillment of these prophecies within the historical experience of ancient Israel, the Christian tradition perceives them as typological prefigurations of eschatological renewal accomplished and realized in Christ and revealed in the New Testament.