Metaphor and the Incomparable God in Isaiah 40-55: A Thesis (Bibal Dissertation Series)

Dr. Brassey's monumental study brings the tools of metaphorical analysis to bear on the theology of the exilic prophecies of Isaiah 40-55. Brassey shows how through the use of metaphor for deity, the exilic prophet constructs a theology that accommodates Israel's religious traditions to the defeat of its political state by the Babylonians, to the destruction of the beloved city Jerusalem and its temple, to the Babylonian exile, and to the establishment of hegemony by Cyrus. The exilic prophet uses every linguistic device and religious tradition at his disposal to rescue the God of Israel from the catastrophe of history, moving deeply in the direction of paradox and theodicy. A 1997 Harvard Divinity School dissertation.