Parable of the vineyard by Gerhard Hasel: Pre-intermediate Level


by koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Kyungbook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

2 January 2010



One of the best poems of the Old Testament is the parable of the vineyard in Isaiah 5:1-7. The beauty of the poem caught the attention of Gerhard Hasel of Andrews University and he discussed it in his book, Understanding the Living Word of God Adventist Library of Christian Thought Vol. 1 (Mountain View, California: Pacific Press Association, 1980), pp. 160-178. The topic was also presented at Stellenbosch University Seminary in the class of prof. dr. Hannes Olivier. I took prof. Hasel to his lecture that day and he stood up and presented a lecture that was applauded at the end of the lecture with words of appreciation from prof. dr. Hannes Olivier. I enjoyed the lecture very much that day in 1984.

For the Old Testament reader with a second or third year experience, this poem by Gerhard Hasel is ideal. He discussed the historical, cultural and religious background of the poem. He considered setting the date of the poem. He looked at the form and content of the poem. Word and sentences are looked at. Lastly, he focussed on the theological motifs in the poem: the nature of God, human response, man's irresponsibility, judgement, Divine love and pain, Divine wooing and human response.

It is 30 years since prof. Hasel considered this poem and his description of it reads very easy and comfortable for the English reader.

In fact, Hasel did more in this exercise of hermeneutics, he demonstrated how one should do exegesis in the Old Testament, using the principles of hermeneutics as he is spelling them out in this book.

What we intend to do, is to move into higher levels of discussion of the parable or poem. This we will call the intermediate and post-intermediate and advanced levels of discussion.

Gerhard Hasel mentioned that Ellen White made a statement in Prophets and Kings page 18 that the tower in the garden of Isaiah 5:1-7 is similar to God placing His temple in the Land of Israel.

What will be seen, is that Ellen White is not alone in seeing the tower as the temple, the Targum Jonathan to the Prophets hints also in the direction that the tower is the Shekinah or glory of God in the temple.

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