Conditional and Hyperbolic Language in the OT Prophets: Where are we now?

This was a somewhat pleasantly feisty session by Michael Grisanti. He spoke on a paper by Robert Chisholm about conditional prophecies (this paper was also given at the NW ETS Regional meeting last year as the plenary session) and a book by Brett Sandy about hyperbolic language in the prophets. Chisholm views the majority of prophecies in the OT as conditional, with Jonah as a classic example. He thinks that there almost always is an implied “if” in the prophecies. Grisanti took issue with this and said that while there are some conditional prophecies, the majority of them are not. Sandy claims that the OT prophecies contain more hyperboles than usually acknowledged, and Grisanti had essentially the same reason: much of what Sandy noted is good, but he takes it too far.

The feisty part was during the question and answer time, as Chisholm was in the audience. Eugene Merrill had some negative words about Chisholm’s proposal, to which he responded, after making a comment that they could continue to disagree with each other at home since their offices are right next to each other at Dallas. He said that Deuteronomy 18 refers only to short-term unconditional prophecies, but not long term prophecies or conditional prophecies. He also noted Daniel’s prayer implies conditionality, since if it was unconditional then he would just have assumed it would have happened. Conditions are bound up in the Mosaic covenant: If you repent, God will bless you.

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