General introduction ; A guide to using this commentary ; Abbreviations ; Introduction to Isaiah 1-39 ; Commentary on Isaiah 1-39 ; Appendix : early Christian writers and the documents cited ; Timeline of writers of the patristic period ; Biographical sketches ; Bibliography of works in original languages ; Bibliography of works in English translation.
The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture series is an ecumenical project, promoting a vital link of communication between the varied Christian traditions of today and their common ancient ancestors in the faith. On this shared ground we listen as leading pastoral theologians of six centuries gather around the text of Scripture and offer their best theological, spiritual and pastoral insights. With the aid of computer technology, the vast array of writings from the church fathers-- including much that is available only in the ancient languages-- have been searched for their comment on Scripture, then hand-selected by scholars who then shaped and annotated the materials to introduce it to today's readers. Each portion of commentary has been chosen for its salient insight, its rhetorical power and its faithful representation of the consensual exegesis of the early church.--Book jacket and publisher's website. "For the early church fathers the prophecy of Isaiah was not a compendium of Jewish history or theology but an announcement of the coming Messiah fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. As such, the prophet's words were a rich source of theological reflection concerning their Lord and a vital aid in their defense against the objections of the Jews that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The interpretation of Jesus' ministry in light of Isaiah's prophecy was not a theological innovation on their part but rather a following of the path blazed by the New Testament writers and Jesus himself." "Among passage-by-passage commentaries cited here are those by Eusebius of Caesarea, Jerome, Cyril of Alexandria and Theodoret of Cyr, as well as one attributed to Basil of Caesarea. John Chrysostom preached a series of homilies on Isaiah of which most of those extant concern the first eight chapters, though Chrysostom frequently cites Isaiah in numerous homilies on other books. Augustine of Hippo, Gregory the Great and Bede the Venerable frequently cite passages from Isaiah 1-39, as did many other fathers in defending the Christian faith from Jewish critics."--Jacket.