How did Paul use the Book of Isaiah?

Answer 1

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The Book of Isaiah is the Old Testament book most referenced by the New Testament authors as a whole. Paul makes 16 references to it in Romans alone, as well as in Galatians, 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. Paul apparently found a larger quantity of useful material in Isaiah chapters 20-29 (First Isaiah) and 50-59 (from Second Isaiah and Third Isaiah), than in the other parts of Isaiah. The following are verses from the Book of Isaiah used by Paul and his references to them:

1:9 Rom 9:29

8:14 Rom 9:33

10:22-23 Rom 9:27-28

11:10 Rom 15:12

22:13 1 Cor 15:32

15:8 1 Cor 15:54

27:9 Rom 11:27

28:11-12 1 Cor 14:21

28:16 Rom 9:33 and Rom 10:11

29:10 Rom 11:8

29:14 1 Cor 1:19

29:16 Rom 9:20

40:13 Rom 11:34 and 1 Cor 2:16

45:23 Rom 14:11

49:8 2 Cor 6:2

52:5 Rom 2:24

52:7 Rom 10:15

52:11 2 Cor 6:17

52:15 Rom 15:21

53:1 Rom 10:16

54:1 Gal 4:27

55:10 2 Cor 9:10

59:7-8 Rom 3:15-17

59:20-21 Rom 11:26-27

64:4 1 Cor 2:9

65:1-2 Rom 10:20-21

An example of how Paul used Isaiah is from Isaiah 53:1, which follows a Servant Song, a poetic oracle about the anticipated return from Exile, but which Second Isaiah says the people do not believe:

Isaiah 53:1 "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed."

Paul uses this to say that the Jews do not believe the gospel:

Romans 10:16: "But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?"

This was followed by the author of John's Gospel, either independently, or from knowledge of the epistle:

John 12:38: "That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?"