Commentary on Isaiah 4.1.9–4.1.15

“I rescued them,” he says, “from the greed of the Egyptians; I set them free when, against all right, they were serving foreigners; I trained them through the law for the knowledge of God; I gave them Moses as overseer of good order. For my aim, the aim of the Lord of all, was to show Israel to be a worker of righteousness and diligent in the best works, so that, brought to a sense of what I had given him, he might magnify praise,” that is, praise of the one who had become the author of their prosperity and the provider of all their riches. But brought to a sense of none of these things, they have paid back evil for good to the Master, and, [shaking off] his yoke from their neck, they have served Satan and … they became …, and hateful to the God who loves virtue. This is plainly what he said about them somewhere else, as about a vine: “I waited for it to produce grapes, but it produced thorns.”

“And I saw, and the people became plundered and despoiled; for the snare is in the chambers everywhere, and in houses together, where they hid them; they became a prey, and there was no one to rescue the spoil, and no one to say, ‘Give it back.’”

He brings them to remember what happened to their fathers because they were caught in the snares of accursed polytheism. He did this not in vain, but to make them more prudent, fearing to suffer as those of old did. “Since,” he says, “they became blind and deaf, rejecting the service of God and offering their reverence to wood and stones, I saw this, and the people was plundered and despoiled.” For when God visits the charges of those who are unbearably impious, he then also brings punishments proportioned to the offences. The people, then, was despoiled and became a prey to its enemies. And for what cause? “For the snare is in the chambers everywhere, and in houses together they hid them.” Hid whom? The molten gods, clearly. For the leaders of the Jews, pretending to be godly, and bowing their neck to the legal ordinances as far as appearances went, hid the disease of apostasy in mind and heart, worshipping those who are not gods; and shutting them up in the chambers of their own houses they offered sacrifices to them secretly. It is written, at any rate, in Ezekiel: “Son of man, dig. And I dug in the wall. And I looked,” he says, “and behold, every likeness of creeping thing and beast, and all the idols of the house of Israel portrayed upon it round about. And he said to me: Have you seen, son of man? Are the things that the house of Israel do, each in his secret chamber, small?” See, then, how each of them, keeping in his secret chamber the snare that befell him, that is, idolatry, made a pretence of reverence for the laws. Therefore he says: “They became a prey, and there was no one to rescue the spoil, and no one to say, ‘Give it back.’” For when God did not come to their aid, who rescued them from so heavy and incurable a calamity? And when he did not rebuke the plunderers, who would have said to them, “Give it back”? For God no longer sought them as his own portion, but rather let them go as having become foreign to him through playing the harlot with those who are not gods. He seems by these words to point to the time of the captivity, which those of Israel spent, fallen into the hands of enemies. For up to the seventieth year there was no one to rescue them, nor anyone to say to the plunderers, “Give it back.” And very fittingly, after speaking of the calling of the nations, the reasons why those of Israel were cast out of their kinship with God are stated plainly, so that God may be seen to have used a just verdict everywhere. For it was necessary, necessary indeed, that those who had honoured impiety toward God should be outside his forbearance and love, while those who from ignorance had fallen into the pits of sin and under the devil's hand should be called by the Creator of all to the knowledge of him and to the light of the truth. This, somewhere, he is found saying through the all-wise Moses too: “They provoked me to jealousy with what is no god, they angered me with their carved images; and I will provoke them to jealousy with what is no nation, with a senseless nation I will anger them.” And somewhere the divine Melodist too said: “They embittered him with their carved images, and with their practices they provoked him to jealousy

… and he utterly despised Israel.” If we ought also to bring some spiritual interpretation to what has been said: let us guard against having the devil's snare in our mind and heart, and the wicked idols that arise in the imaginations of our thoughts and call us to licentiousness and to monstrous pleasures, so that we may not become Satan's [prey] and the spoil of demons. For it is written: “If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, do not leave your place, for healing will put an end to great sins.”

“Who among you will give ear to these things? Listen to what is coming.”

It is the custom of the inspired Scripture to speak of “giving ear” where the word about necessary matters is received not carelessly or negligently but so as to keep what is announced soberly in mind. Such is what was said by the voice of the Psalmist: “In my heart I have hidden your sayings, that I might not sin against you.” For it is written also in the forty-eighth psalm: “Hear this, all you nations; give ear, all who inhabit the world.” For to hear is common to all who have once received a voice, or some other sound, into their ear; but to give ear is, as I said, to lodge in the mind something of what has been decreed. The prophetic word here, then, seems to seek those who listen more fairly, that is, more wisely, so that what was spoken to those of old may serve also for the safety of those to come. For as Paul says: “These things happened to them as types, and were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.” For we ought not to read the narratives about them in vain, but to receive them for the benefit of the soul, earnestly refusing to be caught in the same faults, so that we may not fall into their calamities.

“Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to those who despoiled him? Was it not God, against whom they sinned, and they would not walk in his ways, nor listen to his law? And he brought upon them the anger of his wrath, and war prevailed against them, and those who burn them up round about; and none of them knew, nor did they take it to heart.”

He seems to name Jacob and Israel here with very great emphasis. And what the force of that emphasis might be we will say briefly. Those of Israel served the Egyptians at one time, but they were redeemed by God, with Moses as mediator, and that “with a strong hand and a high arm,” as it is written. For he tormented their oppressors with countless unbearable plagues. When they ran out of the land of the Egyptians, they crossed the sea on foot, ate the bread of angels, drank water from a rock, were brought into the land of promise, overthrew kingdoms, prevailed over enemies, had a hand that was terrible and hard to face, and on this account a glory that was spoken of everywhere. Their weapon was the God of all, who stopped the course of the sun and moon against Gibeon, who sent down hail from heaven on the foreigners, and who raised his own people to the summit of all renown. “Who, then,” he says, “gave for plunder and to those who despoil him one who could not be captured by enemies, who was strong and most warlike and always used to conquer? How did he who did not know defeat grow weak? How was he brought down and laid under the feet of his opponents, he who raised his horn on high, unbroken, over all?” But since it was necessary that we who come after them should not be ignorant of the causes for which so glorious and chosen a people was handed over, he added of necessity: “Was it not God, against whom they sinned, and they would not walk in his ways, nor listen to his law?” A question about doubtful matters carries a plain acknowledgment of the fact. For it was surely God who gave him up, and … war then prevailed against them. This was unusual for those of Israel, for they had always prevailed … while God … But since against his divine … of old. They fell into weakness; they were brought down into powerlessness; those who burn them up came to be round about them, consuming them as with fire … their cities, as is plainly said somewhere else

…: “Your cities are burnt with fire.” “But none of them knew,” he says, “nor did they take it to heart”: here they incur the charge of insensibility. For those would be sound of understanding who refuse to offend God and keep their foot away from suffering anything that comes from his wrath, by bending their neck gently to him. But those who, even when they have come to suffer for human slips, do not perceive what has been brought upon them, such people would be far from all good hope. That those of Israel became liable to such charges too, one may see from Jeremiah saying to the God of all: “Lord, your eyes are upon faithfulness; you scourged them, and they would not receive instruction.” We remember that after Jerusalem was taken and Israel carried off captive, [the prophet], speaking the things of God, told them not to go down into Egypt. Then their women shamelessly said, or rather, not even brought to a sense of the wrath: “The Lord did not send you.” And to this they added words of unmixed derangement: “Since we left off sacrificing to the queen of heaven, all these evils have come upon us.” True, then, is the saying: “None of them knew, nor did they take it to heart,” when war prevailed against them and those round about were burning them up …

“And now thus says the Lord God, who made you, Jacob, who formed you, Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. And if you pass through water, I am with you, and rivers shall not overwhelm you; and if you go through fire, you shall not be burned, flame shall not burn you; for I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, who saves you.”

Here too one must admire God, who loves compassion. For being good by nature and the Creator of all, even if some necessity arises for some to fall under the motions of just wrath in requital for their offences, he passes over to mercy, and that soon; he who struck binds up the wound, takes away the scourge, wins back those who repent, and … holds out a saving hand to those who are caught, drawing them out of every calamity and transferring them to prosperity. See how he comes, as it were, to forgetfulness of their failings, and promises to blot out their offences with an amnesty worthy of God, setting before them, as it were, another beginning of a time that brings them back to good cheer. We say that what is said in the book of Psalms is of this kind: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the provocation.” For as there “today” marks the beginning of other times, so here too “now” contains the ground of an amnesty for what was said before.

He leads them up to the beginning of a road, and of other things that are to come from God. He does not, then, let them wither away, deprived of all good cheer, nor does he make his turning away endless; rather he frees them from all fear and gives them confidence that [Israel] will obtain every good, since God changes the nature of their affairs to what is incomparably better. “For I have redeemed you,” he says; and in what way, the all-wise Paul will make clear, saying of Christ, the Saviour of us all, that the God and Father was pleased to sum up all things in him, things in the heavens and things on earth. For in him is the redemption of all, the forgiveness and amnesty of former sins, and the way of spiritual kinship, kinship with him, I mean, accomplished through sanctification, which brings us up into fellowship with God the Father. Therefore he says, “I have called you by your name.” And what name? That is: “You are mine.” For we are said to be Christ's, and this is the good name that has been called upon us. It should be known that in another text of the Scripture it reads: “I have called you by my name.” But by putting and saying “You are mine,” he dissolved the estrangement that those held fast in sins are accustomed to undergo. For they are not God's, even though he holds authority over all; the disposition toward base things removes them from kinship with him. That is why we say that those who are in defilements are not God's. “You are mine,” then, would express spiritual kinship. He also promises him invincible help, so that he becomes impregnable to every temptation. For rivers and water and flames signify the manifold assaults of temptations. It is written: “All who wish to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” And Christ himself said somewhere to those who believed in him: “You have tribulation in the world.” “But if you pass through water,” he says, “I am with you.” For when Christ is present, nothing could harm those who are his. Rather they will advance to such spiritual strength as to take no account of the storm. Even if persecution comes like the stream of a river, even if it has the heat of fire and flame, so too they will conquer, knowing that God is the one who saves. For it is the custom of the divine Scripture to liken the assaults of temptations to rivers and waters. The Saviour himself will show it, speaking in the form of a parable, or example: “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and does them will be likened to a wise man who [built] his house on the rock; and the rain came down, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and fell upon that house, and it did not fall. For it had been founded on the rock”; and the rock is Christ.

“I have made Egypt and Ethiopia your exchange, and Syene in your place. Since you became precious before me, you were glorified, and I loved you; and I will give many men for you, and rulers for your head. Do not fear,

for I am with you.”

The meaning of what lies before us is very hard to reach, but I will make the exposition as far as possible, with God directing it; for he gives wisdom and knowledge. Before Christ, who is the true light, shone on the world, the whole earth had gone astray, and deep … and there were very many forms of worship everywhere, by countries and nations. More superstitious than the rest were the Chaldeans, the Phoenicians, and all who hold the land of the Egyptians as far as Syene and Ethiopia; for these inhabit the land bordering on that of the Egyptians. Israel alone was God's chosen portion and the Lord's share, as it is written. But since they acted impiously against our Lord Jesus Christ and became Lord-slayers, they no longer remained God's portion in any way; they slipped out of kinship with him, and the nations were taken in and became an exchange for Israel; and those who of old … in this the filth. I said that the Egyptians were terrible and bitter, especially in inventing idols, deep in false worship, and proud of their excessive cleverness in the services and invocations of idols. “For you, then, the beloved,” he says, “who were allotted to me as a portion, I made Egypt and Ethiopia an exchange”: that is, Egypt again; the Ethiopians … He said, at any rate, through one of the holy prophets: “You too, Ethiopians, are slain by my sword.” “In your place, then,” he says, “I received those who are in terrible defilements and whose uncleanness is all but indelible. Yet since you became precious before me, you were glorified.” For Israel did not remain in rejection and dishonour forever. For he too will be called through faith in Christ, and will be a sharer and partaker in the glory of the saints. “For you were glorified,” he says, “and I loved you.” The words “I will give many men for you, and rulers for your head” seem to show that, when those of Israel are called in due time to the knowledge of Christ, there will be very many men, wise and most eloquent, who know how to initiate them into the mysteries. “Acting on your behalf,” he says, “I will give many men; and I will also give rulers for your head.” The head of believers is Christ, to whom all the teaching of the mysteries looks that is given by those who are brought in due time to lead the peoples, by his decision, clearly. “For you,” then, would signify: for what is useful and serves the benefit of you who learn the venerable and great mystery of your head, that is, of Christ. Or you will understand “I will give many men for you, and rulers for your head” in another way: “You became rejected,” he says, “and banished, and wholly alien to friendship and kinship with me. Therefore I received in exchange for you those of the nations who had come to the extremes of slander against me. But since you became precious before me, having believed, clearly, and found the glory that comes from this, I loved you. And I loved you so much that, if there were ever a time or need for many men and rulers to be given for your head, I would give them.” For the statement is hypothetical, and carries a very great emphasis on Israel's having been honoured by God; and it gives firm confidence that God is present in every good thing, in every way and wholly: “For I am with you.”

This suffices them for all prosperity; for when God is present, evils will be out of the way, and every kind of good cheer and delight will be ours …

“From the east I will bring your seed, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, ‘Bring,’ and to the south-west, ‘Do not hinder’; bring my sons from a land far off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth, all who have been called by my name.”

The only-begotten Word of God appeared to those on earth in our form, that is, by becoming man, so that Greeks and Jews, who had been carried down through many and various slips into apostasy, apostasy from the Creator of all, I mean, he might drive together to the true and blameless knowledge of God, and gather into spiritual unity through faith and sanctification, kinship with himself also being very well accomplished, and might show them worthy …, and so join them through himself to God the Father. That Christ became man for this cause too, it is not hard to see from the holy writings of the Gospels. Lazarus came back to life from the dead beyond all expectation; but the multitude of the unholy Jews, that is, the God-hated workshop of the Pharisees, sat in council and said: “What are we doing? For this man does many signs. If we let him go on thus, the Romans will come and take away our nation and our country. But one of them, Caiaphas, said to them: You know nothing at all, that it is expedient for us that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” Then the divine evangelist at once added: “He did not say this of himself, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather into one the children of God who were scattered.” For when it came to the making of man in the beginning, and the aim of the one who led him astray into …, Satan, as I said, [drew] all into manifold sin and stole them away from kinship with him; … Christ [gathered] all. For he came to seek what was lost. This too is signified by the words before us. For he promises to the gathering from nations and Jews … all those from east to west, and from north and south-west, that is, the south, so that you may understand from this: from every region of the earth under heaven. For east and west, north and south would surely indicate this to us. By saying “Bring” to the north, and “Do not hinder” to the south-west, he gives us in some way to understand that he does not allow the resistance of the savage and wicked spirits to oppose, spiritually, those who come to him. For of old, like some cruel and boastful tyrant, Satan the vagabond, together with his own shield-bearers, lorded it over those on earth, not allowing them to look up to the truth, or to go to God by conversion. This too has been stopped through Christ, who smooths the way to salvation for those who have been called, and every [obstacle] at their feet … By naming sons and daughters running from the four regions, he makes plain the time of Christ's coming, in which the grace of adoption was given to those on earth through sanctification in the Spirit.

That the calling did not come from one nation, but became common and one for all, he indicated by saying: “all who have been called by my name.” For we have been named Christians, that is, the people of God. So Peter too writes to those called through faith, and says: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of him who calls you out of darkness into his marvellous light; you who once were not a people, but now are a people in the Lord.”

“For in my glory I prepared him, and formed and made him. And I brought out a people … and deaf, having ears. All the nations were gathered together, and rulers will be gathered from among them.”

All things have become new in Christ, and the most holy Paul will confirm it, writing: “So if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away.” And he writes to those called into newness, spiritual newness, clearly: “And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may test what is the will of God, good and perfect and pleasing.” For in Christ … through sanctification, … the ancient … from sin and all wickedness; [we have put off] the old man that is being corrupted according to the desires of deceit, and have put on the new man that is being renewed according to the image of the one who created him. But in Christ came the re-forming and what is called the new creation, which we have obtained not from perishable seed but through the word of God, living and abiding. “The people, then, gathered from the four regions under heaven and called by my name, no other but I myself prepared in my glory, and formed and made.” One might say that the Son is the glory of the God and Father, for through him and in him the Father is glorified, as in the words “I glorified you on earth,” said plainly by him. For we firmly hold, as I said, that those who believe in him have been formed through him, having the beauty of the divine nature shining in their souls through conformity to him. The divine Psalmist said something of the kind: “The generation to come shall be told of the Lord, and a people that is being created shall praise the Lord.” By adding, “And I brought out a blind people,” he makes evident the truly admirable supremacy of his own power, beyond all speech. Those who had … and deceit in mind and heart he showed to be bright and illumined, rising on them like a morning star and a sun of righteousness, and showing them to be sons … beauty, the [likeness] according to the image …