The Society of Old Testament Studies (SOTS) met in Collingwood College, Durham University from Jan 4th to Jan 6th; about a hundred and fifty persons listened to lectures and presentations on various topics. SOTS is the premier Old Testament society in the UK, and it is comprised of the UK academic community, their current doctoral students, past students who have migrated abroad and others who have pursued work in the churches. It is a very collegiate group of friends who have been meeting twice a year for many years; it is mainly comprised of men, older men, but there is probably a roughly 70/30 split in the sexes.
The talks this time were of little value to the Bible student, and on my sampling of the twice-yearly conference, I would say that a Bible student of the Abrahamic monotheistic Christian faith should look for a relatively low return in insights into the Biblical text from attendance – perhaps a 10-20% return. The reasons for this are: some talks (like this time) will be on non-Biblical books or tangential historical topics, for example this year, the Wisdom of Ben Sira and the names of pottery inscribed on pots; some talks will be focussed on peripheral areas in Biblical Studies, for example, this time we had talks on the interpretation of the Bible in the eighteenth century and the cultural penetration of the Bible in the modern age. Another reason for the low return for understanding the Bible text is the predominance of the historico-critical approach with its materialist presumptions and rejection of the Bible as inspired. This milieu acts as deadweight dragging an individual back from advancing his or her understanding of the text. A relative outsider can see this malaise but insiders are unaware of the situation.
Nevertheless, in the talks that are centred on the Biblical text, there are usually some things of value, and some can be outstanding. This time the only talk of value was by J. W. A Sawyer on the “Here am I” (ynnh) of Isa 6:8; the expression could be rendered, “Behold, me”—it is the ordinary Hebrew for “Behold/Look” with a first person suffix. Sawyer’s observations were two: first, the expression is used in a service and subordinate context; and secondly, Isaiah is the only book to have the expression used by Yahweh—Isa 52:6, 58:9 and 65:1.
What does it mean for God to say, “Behold, it is I” (Isa 52:6); “Here I am” (Isa 58:9) and “Behold me, behold me” (Isa 65:1)? This use of ynnh is not unusual but it is not the most common. Samuel is the classic example when he replies to Yahweh, “Here am I” (1 Sam 3:4f). However, the Hebrew is mostly used for stress with a verb “Behold I/me…[verb]”. The uses in Isaiah in which we are interested are concerned with the presentation of self.
Although Sawyer is a conventional critical scholar and wouldn’t say this, this unique aspect of Isaiah—the use of ynnh in the presentation of Yahweh himself as well as Isaiah—binds the book as the work of a single author rather than multiple authors (the critical view). There are many such common aspects of style across the book. The use of ynnh[hb] by Yahweh echoes Isaiah’s use and puts Yahweh in a complementary position of service—it illustrates the condescending grace of Yahweh and makes him like Isaiah or Samuel or any servant who presents himself for work: God will do for those of faith who call and ask (Isa 58:9), in particular what he will do is to speak (Isa 52:6).
Yahweh’s presentation of himself uses hinneh ([hb]hnh) with the first person; a related use is hen (!h) with the third person, “Behold, my servant” (Isa 42:1)—the servant is presented to the people upon his victorious return from the east (the other side of Jordan). This presentation will be used ironically by Pilate when he says “Behold, the man” (John 19:5) but also as an unintentional allusion to Isaiah.
One good talk is not a good return on a £22 attendance fee and SOTS is usually better; but there was the consolation of the 50% discount on books on the bookstalls.
Analysis of the eschatology in 1 Thess 4:13-5:11 and 2 Thess 1:5-2:12