John Oswalt

"Premillennial commentary on Isaiah by a man well-versed in eschatology." - David Allen
"This single-volume exposition, of course, builds upon his twenty-something years of research for the NICOT set. Pastors will take an interest in this, perhaps buying this NIVAC or Orthunds PTW volume, but students will make use of Oswalt's older two volumes." - John F. Evans
"Oswalt provides a commendable scholarly study of Isaiah in the NIVAC series. This volume presents the original meaning of Isaiah in a more accessible manner and also provides a powerful accounting of the continuing relevance of this prince of the prophets. Oswalt shows himself to be not only a sensitive exegate but a sensitive pastor in one volume." - Tremper Longman III… (more)

John Oswalt's 2009 The Bible Among the Myths was a fascinating book to read on its own merits. And I highly recommend it.

But finishing it and reading it's final conclusion on this anniversary of the Capital Insurrection was striking.

Oswalt bases his discussion on a distinction between those systems of thought based around continuity and those around transcendence. That is, systems where the spiritual/divine exists as part of, or continuous with, the rest of the cosmos, and systems where it exists outside of, or transcends, the rest of the cosmos.

It is this distinction in Oswalt's view that is the basis for the infamous linear historicity of the biblical religions (versus the generally acknowledged circularity common to others), which in turn leads to the various generally acknowledge differences between the biblical and nonbiblical systems (in terms of practice, ethics, etc.).

What I found particularly poignant tonight was Oswalt's intimation that one can do as Joseph Campbell suggested -- and use the language and outer-rhetorical garb of the Bible, to think and approach the world in a manner fundamentally similar to the rest of the world (ie, as the particular set of symbols in a fundamentally continuous mindset). And that as our society shifted to do just this, and to in many respects keep the rhetorical garb of "western christendom," while abandoning the fundamental structure behind it, we should expect to see certain, fairly specific shifts in behavior and societal norms.

Shifts, that yes, we've seen on the far end of the spectrum which makes no bones about abandoning the biblical system -- but shifts that we've also clearly seen among those who are happily cladding a biblical veneer to a nonbiblical structure.

(2022 Book 1)… (more)

Oswalt's study on the first 39 chapters of the Book of Isaiah is part of The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Like its companion series on the New Testament, this commentary devotes considerable care to achieving a balance between technical information and homiletic-devotional interpretation.,Oswalt's study on the first 39 chapters of the Book of Isaiah is part of The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Like its companion series on the New Testament, this commentary devotes considerable care to achieving a balance between technical information and homiletic-devotional interpretation.… (more)