Sammendrag
The departures of the Targumic Aramaic translation of Isaiah 52:13?53:12 from the wording of the Hebrew text ? beginning with "Behold, my servant, the Messiah, shall prosper" in 52:13 ? are well known. What they reveal of the translator?s procedure and theology is, however, a debated matter. This study claims that the translator?s changes in favor of a triumphant rather than a suffering Messiah cannot be traced to any conscious anti-Christian motive. Neither can the translator?s procedure fairly be labeled as arbitrary reinterpretation or atomistic exegesis. Rather, the Targumist provides a unified and consistent interpretation of Isaiah 53 that does not differ substantially from his treatment of other parts of the book. Working between 70 and 135 C.E. and starting from the possible identification of the Lord?s Servant with the Messiah (cf., e.g., Zech 3:8 and Tg. Zech. 3:8), the Targumist becomes convinced that the prosperous and exalted figure in Isa 52:13can be none other than the Messiah. The change in the Hebrewtext from the third person singular in 52:13 to the second person singular in v. 14 ("many were astonished at you") further persuades him that all statements of suffering and death in 52:14 and 53:3?9 must apply to others than the Servant-Messiah (the Gentiles, the wicked in Israel, etc.). Hence, he is able to render Isa 52:13?53:12 in keeping with the typical Jewish view of a triumphant Messiah, who judges the peoples andthe wicked and rules over God-fearing and law-keeping Israel. The Targumist emphasizes the Messiah?s roles as temple builder (cf. v. 5: "he will build the sanctuary"), teacher of thelaw (cf. v. 5: "by his teaching the peace will increase uponus"), and as intercessor for Israel (cf. vv. 4, 11, 12). As an intercessor the Messiah follows the example of Moses to the point of being willing to surrender his life vicariously (cf. v. 12: "he handed over his soul to the death ?, yet he will beseech concerning the sins of many," with Exod 32:30?34). In thus uniting a multiplicity of eschatological roles in a single mediator figure, the Targumist proceeds by a way that has analogies in the New Testament, even though there the authors conceive the messianic office very differently.
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