INCLUDING THE EXCLUDED: Probing the Salvation of the Foreign Eunuch in the books of Isaiah and the Acts of the Apostles
Prophet Isaiah’s vision of including and honouring foreigners and eunuchs (Isa 56,1-8) appears revolutionary and radical. Although the fulfilment or reception of this prophetic vision is not recorded in the Old Testament, the Acts of the Apostles recounts the baptism and unconditional acceptance of an Ethiopian eunuch into the community of believers (Acts 8,26-40). This research aims to undertake a detailed exegetical study of these two texts and find relevant hermeneutical connections between them. Using Social Identity Theory, the study will explore how the prophetic vision of Isaiah and the prophetic action in Acts occurred at crucial, identity-defining moments in the history of Israel and Christianity.
The research will address what made Third Isaiah and the early Christians become inclusive and why Isaiah's oracle remained only a vision while the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch marked the beginning of a universal religion.
Research Concerns
Exploring the linguistic and metaphorical nuances of Third Isaiah’s text within its historical and religious context to decipher their meaning.
Examining the significance of ethnic and gender inclusion in the chosen passage from Luke-Acts and its broader implications.
Establishing a hermeneutical connection between the two texts and explain the same through the lens of Social Identity Theory.
Research Method
Employing inter- and intra-textual approaches to analyze the Old Testament text with historical-critical questions in mind and utilizing narrative critical approaches to examine the New Testament text. The socio-psychological theory of Social Identity Theory will be utilized to build a bridge between the two texts.
Research Questions
How does Third Isaiah’s inclusive vision for foreigners and eunuchs challenge religious and societal norms of exclusion in ancient Judean society, as depicted in Deuteronomy and Ezra-Nehemiah?
How does the narrative function of Acts 8,26-40 within the broader Luke-Acts corpus contribute to its interpretation regarding the inclusive nature of the early church?
How can Social Identity Theory help explain the possible reason that made Prophet Isaiah and the early Christians to become inclusive while their contemporaries chose to remain ethnically exclusive?
Literature
Berges, Ulrich. Jesaja: Der Prophet und das Buch. BG 22. Berlin: Evangelische Verlagsansta, 2018.
Blenkinsopp, Joseph. Isaiah 56–66: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. AB 19B. New York: Doubleday, 2003.
Byrskog, Samuel, Hakola, Raimo & Jokiranta, Jutta (eds.). Social Memory and Social Identity in the Study of Early Judaism and Early Christianity. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2016.
Hulster, Izaak J. de. Iconographic Exegesis and Third Isaiah. FAT 2/36. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2009.
Keener, Craig S. Acts: An Exegetical Commentary. Vol.1. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012.
Kuecker, Aaron. The Spirit and the ‘Other’: Social Identity, Ethnicity, and Intergroup Reconciliation in Luke-Acts. London, UK: T&T Clark International, 2011.
