Professor John J. Collins discusses the role of the Old Testament, particularly Isaiah 53, in the context of messianic expectations and early Christianity.

“The New Testament frequently cites Jewish scripture to support the claim of the Early Christians that Jesus was the promised Jewish Messiah, but few of these citations are actual messianic predictions in their original context.”

Key Insights

🌍 Jesus’ followers likely expected a transformative kingdom rather than a suffering messiah. Early Christians identified Isaiah 53 as a prophetic text after Jesus’ crucifixion.

🧠 Collins argues that Isaiah 53 was not seen as Messianic in pre-Christian Judaism, suggesting that early Christians uniquely interpreted it in light of Jesus’ suffering. This highlights how scriptural texts can gain new meanings over time.

✨ Diversity of Messianic Expectations: The conversation reveals that Jewish expectations of a messiah varied widely, including figures like priests and prophets, illustrating the complexity of ancient beliefs about salvation and redemption.

📅 Transformation vs. Suffering: The expectation of Jesus as a transformative figure contrasts sharply with the violent messianic expectations of the time, showcasing a significant shift in understanding what messiahship entailed.

📚 Impact of Historical Context: Collins’ insights into the historical context of messianic expectations illustrate how socio-political circumstances shaped religious beliefs, informing our understanding of early Christianity’s development.

Dr John J. Collins is Professor of Old Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale Divinity School. Dr Collins has served as editor of the Journal of Biblical Literature, and as president of both the Catholic Biblical Association and the Society of Biblical Literature. Dr Collins is a native of Ireland, and a practicing Christian.