Unto Us a Child Is Born

About this book

Integrating biblical scholarship with pastoral concern, Mayfield provides useful tools for pastors and laypeople alike as they seek to better understand familiar passages in Isaiah--while also attending to concerns that Christians have hijacked Jewish Scripture. Whether through a hymn, Handel's Messiah, or the lectionary reading, the book of Isaiah provides a familiar voice for congregations during the season of Advent. So how do we create faithful, Christian interpretations of Isaiah for today while sharing this book with our Jewish neighbors? Tyler Mayfield invites readers to view Isaiah through two lenses. He demonstrates using near vision to see how the Christian liturgical season of Advent shapes readings of Isaiah, and how far vision clarifies our relationship to Jews and Judaism. Both near vision and far vision are required to read Isaiah clearly and responsibly. Unto Us a Child Is Born provides a series of lessons on the passages of Isaiah that appear during Advent. Mayfield provides beautiful theological readings of these texts as bearers of good news alongside contextual readings that locate the prophetic passages in their historical setting. Included is a discussion of how to use Isaiah as a theological resource during the season of Advent as well as how one can responsibly share Isaiah among friends and neighbors of Jewish faith.