Meghan Henning: “That They May Not Look with Their Eyes or Listen with Their Ears”: The Reception History of Isaiah 6:9

This paper will examine the way in which the prophetic text of Isaiah 6:9 is read in early Christian contexts, beginning with Mark and John, and then moving to late antique readers (Tertullian, Origen, Augustine to name a few possibilities). The late antique reception of this text will demonstrate the way in which metaphorical Deafness is configured in multiform ways by early Christian authors, as ignorance, as loss, and even as an asset which enables one to perceive the prophets and parables better than those who are able to “look with their eyes and hear with their ears.” The conclusions of this paper will consider whether some late antique readings of this passage may contribute to contemporary discussions around DeafGain.