The Ascension of Isaiah

Home

The Ascension of Isaiah is a Judeo-Christian text. Scholarly estimates regarding the date of the Ascension of Isaiah range from 70 AD to 175 AD. Many scholars believe it to be a compilation of several texts compiled by an unknown Christian scribe who wrote under the inspiration of the Prophet Isaiah. We know that Isaiah was also one of Jesus’s own favourite prophets. An increasing number of scholars in recent years have argued that the work is a unity by a single author that may have utilized multiple sources. Many scholars have seen some similarities with Gnosticism and the Ascension of Isaiah which makes it an important text to consider against the Gnostic Gospels also the 3 Books of Enoch. The first part of the book (chapters 1–5), generally referred to as the Martyrdom of Isaiah, recounts and expands on the events of 2 Kings chapter 21. Isaiah warns the dying Hezekiah that his heir, Manasseh, will not follow the same path. When Manasseh takes over, and Isaiah's warning proves true, Isaiah and a group of fellow prophets head into the desert, and a demon named Beliar inspires a false prophet named Belkira to accuse Isaiah of treason. The king consequently condemns Isaiah to death, and although Isaiah hides in a tree, he is found, and Belkira leads the execution. Into the middle of this (3:13–4:22) is a Christian apocalypse called the Testament of Hezekiah, describing a vision of the coming of Jesus, the subsequent corruption of the Christian church, the rule of Beliar, and the second coming. All of this is phrased in such a way that it is clearly a code for the persecution of the Church by Nero and the belief that Nero was an Antichrist. The second part of the book (chapters 6–11) is referred to as the Vision of Isaiah and describes an angel-assisted journey, prior to the events of the first part of the book, by Isaiah through the Seven Heavens. It is written from a Christian perspective, concentrating on Jesus (named as the "Beloved" in the text) descending through each of the heavens disguising himself as an angel toward earth, his earthly birth, death, his resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus. This text and Commentary are read by Thomas Daffern based on the latest scholarship available.