The Servant King
What you'll learn
- Students will gain a rich perspective on the beautiful poem that is Isaiah 40-55.
- Students will gain an understanding the context of this extremely important biblical text.
- Students will understand how the New Testament writers picked up on the important themes of this section of the Bible.
- Students will be encouraged by the in-depth explanation of Isaiah 52-53 which is, perhaps, the most memorable portion of the larger poem.
- Students will gain a glimpse of how important it is to see the whole Bible as telling one large, redemptive story.
Requirements
- Students should have a hunger to learn more about the Old Testament.
- Students should be ready to engage in theological thinking with other students and through interaction with the instructors.
- Students should acquire a recent translation of the Bible.
- Students should be eager to learn about the history and background of the this amazing poem of Isaiah 40-55.
Description
Though Isaiah 52-53 typically get the most attention, the entirety of Isaiah 40-55 should be revered as one of the greatest poems contained within the Bible. At the time it was written, Israel was in exile, living in ruins due to its own disobedience. Isaiah 40-55 tells its story, and how God chose to save Israel from its tragic state.
In a mere 15 verses, we’re introduced to:
A remarkable picture of God as both the Creator of Heaven and Earth, as well as the covenant God of Israel
The context for the so-called “Suffering Servant” section, which explains that God intends, through the servant, to make all things new
His way of turning tragedy into victory—a critical recurring focus of the overall Biblical narrative, and a major eventual influence on the New Testament writers
Who this course is for:
- Anyone interested in learning how to apply the context of a key prophetic Biblical text to their everyday life
- Clergy looking for resources or inspiration to enhance their sermons and other work in the church, as well as their personal ongoing spiritual journey
- Fans of N.T. Wright interested in Professor Wright’s perspective on the importance of seeing the whole Bible as telling one large, redemptive story
Featured review
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Instructors
- 4.8 Instructor Rating
- 27,019 Reviews
- 120,979 Students
- 41 Courses
N.T Wright received his BA, MA and D.Phil. from Oxford University. He taught New Testament at Cambridge, McGill and Oxford Universities 1978-1993. He was Dean of Lichfield, then Canon of Westminster, then Bishop of Durham (Church of England), 1994-2010. Prof. Wright is Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, and is currently Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University. He has published over 85 books and hundreds of articles. In 2014 Prof. Wright received the Burkitt Medal from the British Academy for services to New Testament scholarship. He enjoys music, golf the Isle of Harris, and spending time with his family in the midst of a busy schedule of writing and travelling.
- 4.8 Instructor Rating
- 27,019 Reviews
- 120,979 Students
- 41 Courses
David Seemuth has a Ph.D. from Marquette University in the field of Religious Studies with an emphasis on New Testament Theology. He has taught at the graduate level for over 30 years at numerous universities and seminaries. He also has 21 years of on-line teaching experience. His passion is to see that people not only understand the Scripture, but also apply them to daily life.
- 4.8 Instructor Rating
- 26,780 Reviews
- 119,747 Students
- 39 Courses
Jennifer Loop is currently a doctoral candidate at Durham University. She is the Director of Ministry Engagement for the Wisconsin Center for Christian Studies, and plays a critical role in the online education, both organizational and theological, by guiding the online student experience. Jennifer enjoys engaging with a ‘virtual community’ of diverse students and learners to explore how theology, faith and practice intersect.