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The speech of the holy prophets is always not clear, but is filled with hidden thoughts and contains predictions about divine secrets. The end of the law and the prophets is Christ, as it is written (Rom. 10:4). But for those who intend to explain such a subtle and hidden meaning of (prophetic) contemplations in their entirety, I believe it is necessary to have a very clear idea, on the one hand, of the exact meaning of the historical narrative, and on the other, of the corresponding spiritual meaning, so that those who read such an explanation will benefit from everything. and the explanation of the subject in question was complete, not lacking in any respect. However, I know that before us, some wrote about this and compiled extensive explanations of these subjects. I think that this circumstance may serve as a plausible excuse for others to be idle and may rather incline them to remain silent and not add anything new to what others have already spoken about; but it’s better to say at least the same thing and express at least the same thoughts. If we had to say the same thing, then there would not be the slightest harm; on the contrary, due to the agreement of many, the listeners would be confirmed in the truth. I think that I should not now succumb to idleness, in the conviction that effort and labor in good pursuits are much better than careless laziness; and I have not completely given up the hope that I can discover something new and different (from what others have said), with the assistance of God, who facilitates the work of interpretation. For it is written: Your commandment is broad and great (Ps. 119:96). And so blessed Isaiah prophesied during the reign of Ahaziah and Jotham and Ahaz and Hezekiah. We will try to recall the circumstances of the reign of each of them and briefly talk about how each of them lived. For from here we will see that the prophetic word was befitting and fully consistent with the events and circumstances of the known time. So, Uzziah, who was also called Ahaziah, was a pious man, achieved fame and power, so that he conquered the nations neighboring Judea, imposed tribute on many of them, subjugated them to his power, built cities, took others and annexed them to the borders of the land of Judah. But then he was exposed to one of human weaknesses. For, as a result of excessive luxury and excess of glory, he thought too highly of himself, and, infected with the disease of pride, rebelled against the divine law itself: he considered himself worthy to bestow upon himself the ornaments of the divine priesthood; he dared to enter the church of God and wanted to burn incense to God himself and illegally do what was established by law. For this crime, he was immediately stricken with leprosy and became the most despicable; for anyone suffering from the disease of leprosy was declared unclean by the law. “Then his son Jotham received the kingdom of Uzziah; although he was a God-fearing man, it is said that he did not destroy the high places, and the Israelites, having occupied the mountains and hills, sacrificed the works of their hands under the oak, the poplar and the shady tree, because the shade is good, as Hosea says (Hosea 4:13). When Jotham died, Ahaz, a most shameless man and a hater of God, filled with extreme wickedness, received the royal scepter. He closed the very church of God and did not allow anyone to pay homage to God with all kinds of sacrifices established by the law and forbade the usual holidays of the Jews, and, having built altars in every place in Jerusalem, he ordered to worship those made by hands and serve the heavenly army; He even put his own children through fire, that is, he burned them as sacrifices to unclean demons, and, generally speaking, there was not a single type of wickedness that he did not commit. After him, Hezekiah reigned, a pious and God-fearing man, a servant of righteousness, a zealot for all that is good, an executor of the divine will. He ordered that everything prescribed should be carried out and be valid in spite of the lawless orders of Ahaz; for he opened the doors of the church, restored the offering of sacrifices and drink offerings to God, and commanded that they honor Him with the sacred rites established by law: he restored the law on the celebration of Easter, which had remained unfulfilled for many years; destroyed groves, altars and man-made ones, destroyed wizards and false prophets, dispersed crowds of spellcasters. And he was a good man in the sight of God. So if, during the reign of those about whom we have just spoken, the God of all was burning with wrath against Israel, given over to idolatry; then now He bowed to mercy when Israel turned to worship due to the piety of their king. As a result, the prophetic word has a mixed character; sometimes the prophet utters a terrible threat when Israel indulges in wickedness, and sometimes he adds a word of promise for good deeds. He constantly refers to the redemption of people through Christ and says that one day Israel will be excommunicated from communion with God, and many nations, justified by faith in Christ, will be accepted (into communion with God). Therefore, it seems to me that the blessed prophet Isaiah not only possessed in the highest degree the grace of prophecy, but also apostolic advantages. For he is a prophet and at the same time an apostle; and the utterances of his prophetic writings cannot be denied the clarity of gospel preaching. Isa.1:1. The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, the vision of Judah, and of Jerusalem, the kingdom of Uzziah and Jotham, and Ahaz, and Hezekiah, who reigned in Judah. If someone had said that the holy prophets, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit who revealed to them and enlightened their minds, received not just knowledge of the future, but sometimes became, as it were, spectators of the events themselves, then I think that in saying this, he would not be mistaken. So, the blessed prophet Isaiah seemed to be contemplating with his mind’s eye the disasters that were about to befall Judea: now the regiments of enemies devastating the country, now devastated cities and burned houses, and everything that is usually done by enemies by the law of war. That is why the prophecy itself is prefaced by the following words: The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, the vision of Judea and Jerusalem. It is not without purpose that he points to the very times of the kings, so that it is clear that God speaks this or that through the prophet in accordance with the moral state of each of them. Isaiah 1:2, 3 Hear the heavens, and tell the earth, that the Lord has said: Sons have begotten and exalted, but they have rejected Me. The ox and the ass knew his master's crib; but Israel knew me not, neither did my people understand. It is necessary to pay careful attention to what kind of speech it is and what the prophet wants to say by it. For the blessed prophet, as it were, calls heaven and earth as witnesses, and in doing this, he does not act without divine inspiration and says that these are not his words, but the words of God. The prophet thereby indicates that his predictions will one day be fulfilled completely and in all respects, and his listeners are struck with fear of the disasters coming upon them. For it is impossible for God to speak a lie. At the same time, the prophet, I think, arouses attention to this in his listeners. Since he intended to pronounce a prophecy against Judea and Jerusalem and announce sufferings that exceed all words and terrible disasters; then he was not unaware that those to whom his word was addressed would flare up in anger against him. Therefore, he says that the Lord Himself speaks against them, thereby very skillfully deflecting the wrath of the wicked and, as it were, taming unrighteous anger. For if a mediator and a servant are used, and conveys words from above and from God, then who can justly be angry with him? Moreover, would it not be impious insolence to be angry with God when He spoke? Therefore, the prophet very appropriately calls heaven and earth as witnesses, since he had to utter complaints against Israel and wants because both the angels of heaven and the whole earth knew the wicked morals of this people, so that no one would think that God was angry in vain, or that the beloved people, chosen by Him as an inheritance and once freed by a high arm from the cruel slavery of Egypt, is now rejected for small, insignificant offenses. For He had mercy on him when he was tortured contrary to justice and contrary to the nobility characteristic of both his ancestors and himself, he had mercy on them when they were oppressed by hard work. But since those who enslaved them resisted, they were severely punished, because God sent down all kinds of punishments on them. And just as the election of the Israelites was extremely glorious, so he wishes that the method of his rejection should not be unknown. And if anyone wanted to think that the very elements are called (as witnesses) by the voice of the prophet, he would not sin against the meaning of the word related to this, understanding it in this way. For, as I said, Israel was delivered from the wickedness of the Egyptians by Moses. And when Pharaoh, resisting the commands of God, said: “We do not know the Lord, neither will I let Israel go” (Ex. 5:2): then the creation, together with its Lord, took up arms against the disobedient. For many and glorious signs took place both from above and from heaven, and on the earth itself, no less (in number) and no less amazing signs took place: the sky sent down hail, and the earth produced frogs, as it is written; the water turned into blood, and while the ash of the stove spread into the air and darkened it, wounds and inflammatory boils appeared on everyone’s bodies. So, lest even the very elements labor in vain for the benefit of those who were liberated. Hear the sky and tell the earth what the Lord has commanded. But we can understand the meaning of the passage being explained in another way. For, neglecting the guidance of the law and despising the saving instructions and abandoning the one true God, the Israelites paid homage to unclean demons on the mountains and hills, and in the tree-rich valleys they burned incense and worshiped the works of their hands. And the God of all was indignant at them, and quite rightly, and said to one of the holy prophets: Arise, judge the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. Hear the mountains, the judgment of the Lord, and the wilds of the foundations of the earth: for the judgment of the Lord is upon his people, and he will have it with Israel (Micah 6:1,2) However, we do not say that the judgment of the Lord, according to the voice of the prophet, was against the mountains and hills; on the contrary, he called for judgment the wickedness of Israel, which he did on the mountains and hills and valleys. For the one who was immeasurably wicked and built high places and altars for unclean demons was exposed. So, since the Israelites, having rejected reverence for God, worshiped the heavenly host, the sun, I say, and the moon, and taking material from the earth, i.e. trees and stones, each made idols for himself at his own discretion; then He very wisely points out their wickedness in all this and, as a denunciation and proof of this, he calls heaven and earth to judgment, saying: Hear, O heaven, and teach, O earth, what the Lord has spoken. This can be explained in another way; we say that there are many fathers in heaven, that is, spiritual, and also many fathers on earth, both physical and spiritual. But all these fathers, both above and below, are given honor by the children who are under their authority. And the revered ones rejoice greatly at this, and there is not a single one of them who would not consider it too hard to endure ingratitude on the part of children. And the God of all, having experienced (such ingratitude), calls the fathers who are both in heaven and on earth as witnesses, saying: Hear the heavens, and teach to the earth what the Lord has said. They gave birth to sons and raised them up, but they rejected Me. For Israel, received through grace and awarded compassion for children, is called born of God, until true and spiritual regeneration has yet taken place in us, namely through faith in Christ. For we are born again of water and the Spirit, but to the ancients was given the spirit of slavery, although (Israel) was the firstborn and was called a people; and God has given us the name and the Spirit of adoption. Because of your nature, he says, sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying: Abba, Father (Gal. 4:6). Therefore he says: I gave birth to sons, and not only gave birth to them, but also raised them up, that is, raised them. This is how other interpreters explain it: for after this liberated Israel was not left without help and was not deprived of the love of God, but like a son he was raised by a truly child-loving and most tender father: the bread of heaven, says the Scripture, was given to them: the bread of angels is given to man (Ps. 77:24,25). He was educated in another way - for spiritual strengthening - through the wisdom of the law and prophetic instructions, skillfully leading to the knowledge of the truth, that is, Christ. Therefore Paul writes that the law became ours in Christ (Gal.3:24). But Israel rejected Him who gave birth to them. And what was the method of rejection? He began to give divine honors to those who were not gods by nature; he also suffered from other illnesses - great intemperance and something that was more shameful than this - he did not imitate the affection of dumb animals that these have for their masters. That is why he says: The ox and the donkey knew his master's manger, but Israel did not know me, and my people did not understand. For if a person bought an ox, then he will use this animal, which is very useful for agriculture, for all kinds of work: or, if he wants, he will plow the land on it, or thresh it on the threshing floor, and separate the chaff from the grain. If someone buys a donkey, then he, by natural impulse, is called to obedience and, as if in retribution for what is placed in the manger, he shows obedience (to the owner). For he willingly carries burdens, shares the labor of (his) master. This is how it happens in animals. But wise Israel, guided by the law to the knowledge of what is useful, and through many and amazing signs, having come to know the glory of God, walks behind the ox and the donkey, and, yielding to the dumb in good character, did not know the Lord. He said it very well: I did not know, I did not understand. For although he, as I said, knew the glory of God; but due to a strong inclination towards unbridled corruption, he became like one who did not know God. For if it were not just; then he would not have said to the tree: “You are my God” and to the stone: “You gave birth to me.” Therefore he says: The heavens were horrified at this and were greatly alarmed, says the Lord. My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken the fountains of living waters for Me, and dug up for themselves treasures of brokenness that cannot contain water (Jer. 2:12,13). And Christ himself could say about them that Israel did not know me, the people did not understand me; because in ancient times the liberation (of Israel) was accomplished through Him. And the law was given only until the time of correction, as it is written. But since the shadow could not justify us in any way, the Only Begotten Word of God appeared to us in the flesh, in order to justify those who come to Him by faith and free them from death and sin. But Israel did not know Him, although He clearly said: Amen, Amen, I say unto you, that thou shalt hear my word, and believe him that sent me, to have everlasting life: neither shall he come into judgment, but shall pass from death unto life (John 5:24). Isa.1:4. Alas, a sinful tongue, a people filled with sins, an evil seed, sons of iniquity, who have abandoned the Lord and angered the Holy One of Israel. Having perfectly explained the method of betrayal (of the Israelites to God) and having shown the greatness of their inherent foolishness, the prophet immediately turns his speech, on the one hand, to a depiction of the disasters that threaten them, and on the other, again to denouncing them. I think that it is very fitting for the face of a prophet not only to mourn them, but also, out of the greatest love for God, to be indignant at them and say: alas, a sinful tongue, a people full of sins, an evil seed, a people of iniquity. So, those who decide to completely renounce God, the giver of all good things to us, inevitably fall into indelible sin and burden themselves with terrible unforgivable crimes. For treason always entails apostasy and moving from a certain place to any other. Therefore, he immediately added: leave the Lord. He calls them the evil seed, not because they were or became such by nature, but because wicked children were born from wicked fathers, according to the word of John; for he said to the scribes and Pharisees themselves, who came to the baptism of repentance: you are a generation of vipers. For the first ancestors were undoubtedly holy, but their descendants became very lawless. Therefore, he rightly called those raised in the morals of their fathers and diligently imitating the wickedness of their ancestors the seed of the evil one. For they abandoned the Lord and constantly rebelled against the Holy One of Israel, that is, Christ, they did not understand the sacrament relating to Him, therefore they remained in the fullness of their own sins. Christ also spoke to them about this: Amen, Amen, I say to you, if you do not have faith as I am, you will die in your sins (John 8:24). So Israel was filled with sins and finally reached such a degree of corruption that justice demanded that they be punished. For they themselves fulfilled the measure of their fathers, according to the saying of the Savior (Matthew 23:32). Until a certain time and measure, God endures the contempt of those who sin; when it comes to the fullness known to Him, He carries out judgment and, according to the crimes, imposes punishment on the disobedient. Therefore, the prophet Zechariah, contemplating the measure, asked the blessed angel what the outgoing measure was. He (answered) him; this is their wickedness throughout the whole earth. So, Israel remained in unwashed sin and did not want to accept cleansing through Christ, but even left it, not accepting faith in Him and even saying: take, take, crucify Him and: not the imams of the king except Caesar. Isa.1:5–6. Why are you still wounded by committing iniquity? every head is in illness, and every heart is in sorrow: from the feet even to the head there is no integrity in it: neither a scab, nor an ulcer, nor a scorching wound: there is no plaster to apply, lower than oil, lower than duty. He speaks as if of one body of Jewish members, small, I say, and great, and occupying a middle position. Usually he calls the one who is decorated with the signs of royal power a head. The heart (calls) the sacred and chosen tribe, i.e. Levi, as instructed in the law and having care for the whole body. Until then, he says, the lips of the priest will preserve understanding, and they will require the law from his mouth (Mal. 2:7). Finally, he calls those who are among the last and occupy the lowest place among the people with legs. Thus, the land of Judea, as before, was subjected to an unbearable disaster, devastated either by the Babylonians or by neighboring peoples, and subsequently was subjected to devastation by fire from the Romans for the crime against Christ, the kingdom (of the Jews) was to be overthrown, after their conquest by foreigners, their public life had to cease with the cessation of worship and sacrifices, after the destruction of the church, altars, after the destruction priesthood, and upon the termination of the interpretation of the law, according to the prophet's prediction; That’s why he says: Why are you still wounded by applying lawlessness? you were subjected, he says, to every kind of wrath and punishment from God, you brought upon yourself cruel disasters, one after another, and yet you remained despisers (of the law) and adherents of lawlessness. So why are you still hurt? and what punishment will be sufficient for (your) correction? and in general, what other disaster can expose you to that has not yet happened to you? Every head is in sickness and every heart is in sorrow, from the feet even to the head. For those with royal dignity endured considerable suffering, not having sufficient strength to resist the invasions of enemies. The priests were also upset when, as I said, the sacrifices stopped. The legs, that is, the last and lowest members of the state, also endured suffering: they were either exterminated by the sword of enemies, or were exhausted by hunger and crop failures and experienced unbearable suffering. That’s why he says: there is no plaster to apply, below the oil, below the obligation. For when there are several minor wounds on the human body and the damage is on one member; then the inventions of those who have the art of healing are useful, such as: plaster, bandages, rubbing with oil, softening the affected parts of the body. When the whole body is affected by disease and has undergone decay, then what method of healing will benefit it? For the power of the disease completely overcomes the power of medical remedies. So the Jewish people, covered with wounds, unbearably suffering from the wrath of God, turn out to be terminally ill, completely lost and there is no way to help them. Therefore, the divine prophets said: the physician of Babylon and did not heal: let us leave her (Jer. 51:9). For although it is called a holy city, it is compared with pagan Babylon because of the greatest crime against Christ, or because it was filled with things made by hand, so that it is in no way inferior to Babylon, which is called the land of carved products. Isa.1:7. Your land is empty, your city has been burned with fire, your country has been devoured by strangers before you, and has been deserted by strangers. The prophet explains what was said, apparently, with less clarity than it should have. For what does the saying mean: to apply no plaster, below the oil, below the obligation - he explains this, saying that their land is devastated; cities were burned, conquered by enemies, and foreign ones at that, and the whole country seemed to be shaken to its very foundations. It happened more than once that Judea was devastated by the Assyrians and Egyptians, Syrians and Moabites, Edomites and the so-called Philistines or Palestinians. But having suffered lightly and having once been subjected to moderate calamities, she recovered again with the help of God, who, subjecting her to blows, Himself healed her. But after the crucifixion of Christ it completely perished when Vespasian and Titus devastated it. For then it happened that the cities were set on fire, the whole country was deprived of its inhabitants and fell under the power of the conquerors; The saddest thing is that the earth was, so to speak, consumed and exhausted by others in the face of themselves (the Jews), who looked at it and grieved. For if they were absent and only heard (about disasters); then this would ease their grief. But to be an eyewitness to disasters and not be able to help in any way, to be, as it were, suppressed by inevitable misfortunes - this is unbearable and extremely regrettable. So, we must not anger the Holy One of Israel, lest we fall under the power of visible and invisible enemies, who incline us to dishonorable passions and overthrow all the strength of our mind, in order to somehow devastate the unfortunate soul and deprive it of all its fruits, so that it is barren and devoid of honor and turns out to be a thorn-bearing ground, its end being burning, according to the saying blessed Paul (Heb.6:8). Isa.1:8. The daughter of Zion will remain like a tabernacle among vineyards, and like a vegetable storehouse in a hillside city, like a city at war. A pitiable phenomenon. For is it not worthy of weeping and tears that once a daughter, honored by such a title and living under the protection of the most loving father God, reveling in His tenderness and love, crowned by Him with a glorious lot, and subduing her enemies, protected by the countless number of those who inhabit it, the all-blessed and glorified Mount Zion, that is, Jerusalem, will, he says, be abandoned, that is, become a desert. For it remains deprived of both the strength of the One who saves and its inhabitants. She will be abandoned like a tent in a vineyard, like a hut in a vegetable garden, and like a besieged city. They are appointed to be guardians of the vineyards, when the grape berries have not yet been squeezed out, they keep them as safe as possible and frighten predators who want to pick them, and drive away various animals. The guards of vegetable beds or their owners usually do the same thing. When the grapes are gathered and trampled, and when the vegetables are taken from the ridges, then the guards' dwelling is finally abandoned. And those who leave their own huts give free access to those who wish to use the remains. The prophetic word teaches us that the same thing happened in unfortunate Zion. For while he had the fruits of righteousness, God honored him with security, protection and all mercy. That's why he said: I will be for him, says the Lord, a wall of fire all around, and I will be in the midst of him for glory (Zechariah 2:5) And blessed David sings: Behold, the guardian of Israel will not sleep; he who guards Israel will sleep (Ps.120:4). While Israel was the vineyard of the Lord of hosts, it was guarded and honored with protection. But he gave birth to thorns and was betrayed by God to those who were accustomed to do unrighteousness. For the Lord says: I will take away its fence, and it will be spoiled: and I will destroy its wall, and it will be trampled under foot. And I will leave my grapes, and whoever is not pruned will dig deeper (Is. 5:5,6). Therefore, the forest boar devastated it and the wild ass devoured it, because God forgot about the vineyard and abandoned it, as the Savior teaches, saying: Jerusalem, Jerusalem, beating the prophets and stoning those who were sent to you, since your fellow children have desired as much as they gather kokosh for their chicks under their wings, and did you not desire? Behold, your house is left to you desolate (Matthew 23:37,38). He also foretold this through the prophet, saying: I have left my house, I have left my property, I have given my beloved soul into the hands of her enemies. My wealth became like a lion in an oak grove, and it gave out its voice against me: for this reason I hated it (Jer. 12:7,8). Josephus (Flavius), who painted a sad picture of the suffering of the land of Judea, mentions that shortly before the capture of Jerusalem, the priests heard in the church the voice of angels, exclaiming in it “let us leave from here.” Who can doubt that when the city was besieged, all those living in it sought means to escape from it; From this we can already conclude about the suffering of the Jewish country. For the besieged wanted only one thing: to save only their lives; they no longer had any talk at all about the house, property, or the city itself. You need to know that it often happens that a person’s soul is abandoned by God if it does not want to fulfill the commandments of the law, does not obey the words of the Lord and does not bear the fruits of piety. If someone was called a son or daughter of God, if someone became Zion, what does contemplation mean? then this was possible only for someone who knew how to contemplate mysteries with sublime thought and the purest mind. If he then does the opposite of the truth and grieves the Holy One of Israel, he will be abandoned by Him and, like an unguarded vineyard, will be given over to Satan and the passions of the flesh, will be deprived of all virtue, stripped of the ornaments of a good life and filled with all evil. Isa.1:9. And if the Lord of hosts had not left us seeds, as Sodom would have been, and as Gomorrah would have been likened. When the country was devastated for the crime against Christ, the remnant of Israel was nevertheless saved, because God had mercy and, as it were, separated this best gift in memory of the fathers. For (the people) did not perish completely and were not destroyed to the ground, but were preserved in remnants. For he had both divine disciples and those who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ; and in the last times those who have not yet believed will also be called. The prophetic word will assure us of this. It says this: For many days the children of Israel will sit, not having existed for the king, nor for the prince, nor for the sacrifice, nor for the altar, nor for the priesthood, nor for the manifestations: and therefore the children of Israel will return, and will seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and will wonder about the Lord and his goodness in the last days ( Hos.3:4,5). And in another place the God of all says: What will I do to Ephraim? Will I protect Israel? what shall I put you? As for Adam I will make you, and as for my own, having transformed my heart into him, my repentance will be troubled. I will not create in my wrath; I will not leave Ephraim to be consumed: I am already God, and not man: I am holy in you (Hos. 11:8,9). You hear how God promised not to act against them according to the greatness of His wrath, but promised on the contrary... For the Israelites were disobedient even in the wilderness, when they were already at the streams of the Jordan and were ready to occupy the land of promise. Therefore, God says: for I swore in anger, if they came into my chambers (Ps. 95:11). For their members fell in the wilderness and were all destroyed except Caleb the son of Jephoniah and Joshua. They entered with a new people, crossed the Jordan and received an inheritance from God. They were a type of the remnant of Israel, saved through the obedience of faith in Christ, who crossed the Holy Jordan with them and had to inherit the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, the prophet gives thanks, saying: If the Lord of hosts had not left us seeds as Sodom would have been, and as Gomorrah they would have been like (Is. 1:9). Since Israel served idols, killed the prophets, rejected Christ and even took the life of the ruler; then the God of all necessarily had to condemn the entire race to complete destruction. But since He is indescribably good, He preserved the remnant and those who were not like the Sodomites, who, with their whole family and their whole house and their very cities, were burned with fire. If anyone (including one of us) is attached to the impurity of vices and wants to become defiled by unpurified sin; then the same thing will happen to him. We will be quite rightly told: Or are you careless about the riches of His goodness, and meekness and long-suffering, not knowing how the goodness of God leads you to repentance? Because of your cruelty and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of God’s righteous judgment (Rom. 2:4,5). For it is fitting for us all to appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that everyone may receive either good or evil for what they have done with the body (2 Cor. 5:10). Isa.1:10–14. Hear the word of the Lord, O princes of Sodomstia: Hear the law of God, O people of Gomorstia. What is the multitude of your sacrifices, says the Lord? I am filled with burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of lambs, and the blood of young men and goats. Come and appear below: who took this delight from your hands? You shall not go about my yard: and if you bring me sevendals, it will be in vain: censer is an abomination to me. I will not tolerate your new moon, and your Saturdays, and your high day: fasting and idleness, and my soul hates your new moon and your holidays. Having sufficiently frightened (the Israelites) with threats of disasters coming upon them and having announced to them that in due time the predicted disasters would befall them if they did not decide to change their dispositions for the better and act in accordance with divine laws, (the prophet) changed the subject of speech and taught useful instructions so that they, having decided to strive for the best, would get rid of the righteous punishment that threatened them. For the Israelites, having committed a terrible crime against Christ, perished, and moreover, we say that they perished due to the wickedness of those who received the right to lead them. For although they knew that He was the heir, they killed Him: they wanted to turn His vineyard into their own property. And that the foolish Israel, following their depraved leaders, turned away from trusting in Christ, the God of all can assure (us) of this, speaking through the mouth of the prophets: the shepherd of the multitude corrupted my grapes, desecrated my part, and gave the part of mine I desired into the impassable wilderness, causing destruction to be consumed (Jer. 12:10,11). And again: the shepherds were overwhelmed and did not seek the Lord: for this reason the whole flock did not understand, and was quickly scattered (Jer. 10:21). For truly the shepherds were overwhelmed and became the cause of the death of the people entrusted to them. On the contrary, should they not, as those who were well taught the mystery of Christ through the law and the prophets, become guides for others on the path to faith in Him? But the Savior says that they received glory from man, but did not seek the glory that comes from God alone (John 5:44). For if they had believed Moses, they would have believed Him; because he wrote about Him. Therefore they became blind and leaders of the blind. Thus they slipped and fell into the pit of destruction. Why does the prophet try to correct them with good admonitions? In order for them to decide to have the best dispositions and be obedient to the words of the Savior. He usefully adds reproaches to admonitions, healing the wounds of their evil will with a medicine composed of various substances. Therefore he says: Hear the word of the Lord, O princes of Sodomstia: Heed the law of God, O people of Gomorstia. You hear how, out of love and pious feeling, he raises a rod over the people and leaders and beats with it those who are sick with great disobedience. He compares Jerusalem to the most wicked cities, as full of the greatest sins and as having no one in itself (for whose sake he could escape divine wrath). The God of all things wanted to destroy the cities of Sodom with fire and informed Abraham about this. He (says to God): do not kill the righteous with the wicked, and the righteous will be like the wicked (Gen. 18:23). God declared that if ten righteous people were found in Sodom, He would withhold His wrath against them. But not even ten righteous people were found in it. Therefore (the Sodomites) were subjected to punishment corresponding to their wicked deeds. The same was the case with deicide Jerusalem, which had an extreme shortage of righteous people. For when the prophet Jeremiah earnestly interceded for him (before God); then God said: Walk the ways of Jerusalem and see, and know, and seek in its hills: if you find a man who practices judgment and seeks faith, I will be merciful to him, says the Lord (Jer. 5:1). Therefore, since he was unclean and defiled with manifold impurities and was found to have extreme poverty in the saints; then the prophet calls it Sodom and Gomorrah, and the people and its leaders reproach it for the uncleanness of the Sodomites. What is he saying? Hear the word of the Lord, O princes of Sodomstia; Hear the law of the Lord, O people of Gomorstia. Sober up, he says, a little. And turning your mind's gaze to the sayings of the wise Moses, understand the mystery of Christ. For Moses said that the Lord your God will raise up a prophet for you from your brethren, just like me; listen to him in everything that he says to you (Deut. 18:15). So, hear the word of the Lord, listen to the law of God, that is, understand the power of the gospel words. Moses commanded this; for he leads to Christ, and the purpose of the regulations of the law is the mystery of Christ. But you think, he says, to please God by the desire to fulfill what is in the types and shadows. Listen to him who speaks and who spoke to you of old the very law. What are the multitude of your sacrifices, says the Lord. I am fulfilled. For if you bring them (to Me) as to one who needs them; then you have gone astray and deviated from the wise and true meaning (of sacrifices). For the Being, who has filled everything with Himself, needs absolutely nothing; because everything belongs to Him and is given to everyone from Him. For why did you even accept it? (1 Cor. 4:7). This is justly what He can say to a created being. Therefore, he says, I have an aversion to them and am fed up with them and would not want any more victims from them. For, tell me, what benefit will a ram offered as a burnt offering bring to the God of all? What pleasure is there in the fat of the lambs for Him? And if the blood of goats and oxen is offered to Him; then what pleasure can God get from this? For who would receive this from your hands? And although Moses spoke of burnt offerings and sacrifices; but even in ancient times this method of sacrifice was undesirable to God. since it was necessary to lead to the truth through prototype and shadow, then what was prescribed in the law was fulfilled, but it was not fulfilled because it seemed to actually be pleasing to God; He would not speak at all about the sacrifices required by law; but since at that time the minds of those being educated were still weak, they were guided to the truth through the prototype and the shadow of writing. But when the time came when at last the beauty of truth was to be revealed; then the image became superfluous, the canopy turned out to be useless. That’s why he says, “You shall not go into My courtyard; censer, Mi abomination is. We, enlightened by faith in Christ, offering spiritual sacrifices to God, fill His holy courts, that is, churches. Christ did not at all allow the Jewish method of service in the churches; for those who would like to bring wheat flour soaked in oil and sensual incense would not be accepted. For let us remember what God says about him: Mi is an abomination. And we celebrate holy feasts in Christ. The Jews, who have not abandoned what is in the images, sound the trumpet on the day of the new moon, consider the Sabbath to be free from work and honor the day called great. This is the last day of the festival called the Feast of Tabernacles. And although they fast for God, they humiliatingly beat themselves with their fists. Therefore let them listen to him who says: My soul hates your feasts. He says this in order to translate them from types to truth and with the words of Christ to convince them to humble their minds and live with us in the Gospel, pleasing God with spiritual fragrance, and, as if some spiritual incense, sacrificing to Him decency in morals, love, goodwill, patience, abstinence and, above all, faith. With such sacrifices God is pleased and the power of the gospel words crowns believers with such decorations. Isa.1:14–15. Make me satiated, who cannot bear your sins. Whenever you stretch out your hands to Me, I will turn My eyes away from you: and even if you multiply your prayer, I will not hear you: for your hands are full of blood. What there is an excess of or what we are satiated with, we usually feel disgust for and do not attach any importance to it, and even feel hatred towards it. Therefore, the wise Solomon says: do not often bring your foot to your friend, lest when he has had enough of you, he will hate you (Proverbs 25:17). And so the God of all said to the Jews: I am full of the decaying shadow; you are displeasing to Me when you come in to appear before Me. I despise your very appearance: I will not forgive you your sin. For once the Israelites, who decided to irritate all God against themselves through the service of creation, through worship even of the works of their own hands, were betrayed to the Babylonians, were taken captives from Judea, were settled within the borders of the Persians and Medes, enduring bitter and unbearable slavery. When seventy years had passed, the loving God again had mercy on them. And, as it is written in Zechariah, the blessed Angel prayed for them, saying: Lord Almighty, until you have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, which you have despised during this seventieth year? And to these words God answers: I am zealous for Jerusalem and Zion with great zeal, and I am angry with the attacking tongues: I was angry a little, but they are angry (Zech. 1:12-15). Therefore, then He forgave them their sins, for they were delivered from slavery and were again brought into their own land. After the crucifixion of the Savior, it was announced that their sins would no longer be forgiven because they remained in them for a long time while they remained free from manifestations of wrath (of God). And that in the last times they will be pardoned and, together with us, justified by the grace of Christ - this was announced by Holy Scripture; but, as I said, the times of God's wrath against them were much longer than before. Therefore he says: I will not forgive your sins; but if you want, you can explain the idea of ​​​​the passage being interpreted in another way. The Israelites made sacrifices according to the ancient law, sacrifices for their own sins. A goat and a lamb were slaughtered, and God condescendingly accepted their sacrifice; because even the old law could help the ancients; for in it the mystery of Christ was depicted. When Christ appeared, the purification in the type had to lose its power, because the truth had already been revealed. And that the shadow of the law will not be able to provide remission of sins to them who have not accepted redemption through Christ, He taught about this, saying: I will no longer forgive your sins. For until the truth appeared, I, he says, allowed that images could benefit those guilty of sins, doing this out of respect for the truth; when the truth appeared and was clarified, the image became powerless, the shadow useless. And I will no longer forgive your sins, and when you stretch out your hands, I will turn away My eyes (from you), and when you make the most intense prayers, I will not accept them. Has the Creator of the universe ceased to be a benefactor? Has God really forgotten to be merciful? Never; I, he says, am philanthropic, good and merciful; and only when necessary do I turn my gaze away. Your hands are filled with blood. Do you hear how He reproached them for murder, keeping silent about other iniquities, although we will see that they were guilty of many crimes? For they heard: Alas, the sinful tongue, the people are full of sins, the wicked seed, the sons of iniquity (Isa. 1:4). for they have killed the prophets, and lifted up their wicked hands against Christ himself, the Savior of us all; then He, in all justice, gives them the most severe reproach and shows them sufficient grounds for their complete condemnation, saying: your hands are full of blood. God and the Father turns away his face, not being able to see the hands of the murderers, as if still stained with the blood of the Son. Isa.1:16. Wash yourself and you will be clean. Bringing to mind their wicked deeds, He does not lose hope regarding them, but usually shows mercy to them in His goodness, and does not deprive them of the gift offered by Christ to all who live in the heavenly places. For all things went astray, but they were without keys (Ps. 13:3). And the whole world became guilty before God; because the nations served the creation, the Israelites broke the law given to them through Moses. But Christ shone forth to the nations and they were called to His wonderful light, and those who were not a people became His people. The unfortunate Jews furiously rebelled against Christ and wickedly killed the Author of life, although He revived again as God. But since He is good, and He wants all mankind to be saved and to come into the mind of truth, He Himself opens the way to salvation and commands us to reject sins, because He justifies freely, and not for the works of the law, especially through faith and holy baptism; That’s why he says: Wash yourself, and you will be clean. The ancient law foreshadowed this very thing to them, as if in the shadows, and foreshadowed the grace received through holy baptism. For nowhere did God say to the priest Moses: Send the Levites from among the children of Israel, and let me cleanse. And let the sieve do their cleansing: sprinkle the water of cleansing on them, and let the razor come over their whole body, and let them trample their garments, and they will be clean (Lev. 8:6,7). And what kind of water of cleansing this is, the wise Paul can teach this, saying: For if the blood of goats and heifers, and the ashes of a young man sprinkling the defiled, sanctifies the flesh to purity: how much more is the blood of Christ (Heb. 9:13,14). So, the law brought about bodily purity through the water of purification; Christ, through holy baptism, destroys all spiritual impurity in us. For we are baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire, which burns up every form of vice in us and destroys matter, like some useless tares; because this is the property of fire. This is what Blessed Paul explains, saying: We have received the answer by faith Noah, create an ark for the salvation of your house (Heb. 11:7); In this ark, few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. His imagination now also saves us through baptism, not the deposition of filth from the flesh, but the questioning of good things to the conscience (1 Pet. 3:21). He advises the Jewish people themselves to do the same thing, saying: wash yourself and you will be clean, that is, wash away the uncleanness with the assistance of the One who is offended by you and justifies us through mercy and love for mankind. And we know that the divine Peter reproaches them for killing the leader of life and asking to give them a man, a murderer, that is, Barabbas. However, they are called to repentance. For he says: And now, brethren, we know that out of ignorance you have done this, even as your princes did. Repent therefore, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. There is a promise to you and to your children (Acts 3:17; 2:38,39). Isa.1:16. Take away the wickedness from your souls before my eyes, cease from your wickedness. For the washing away of sins, saving and holy baptism is sufficient; it blots out the impurity of previously committed sins. Those who, I say, have once been sanctified, must, as much as possible, keep their souls pure and undefiled and remember Him who says: guard your heart with all care (Proverbs 4:23). And again: if the possessing spirit comes upon you, do not leave your place 1: for healing will satisfy great sins (Eccl. 10:4). For the soul of a person is destroyed by many desires directed towards the shameful, and above all by the law that exists and rages in the members of the body; then evil thoughts are added to them, completely captivating our inherent mind to every kind of vice. Therefore, those who are baptized must abstain from all such evils and destroy wickedness in their souls, not only in the eyes of people, but in the eyes especially of God, who sees everything and oversees everything. For sometimes they pretend to be good and steal the glory of a good lifestyle, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (Matthew 7:15), according to what is written. And about all this, I think, the God of all speaks through the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah: with his lips he speaks peace, but within himself he has enmity (Jer. 9:8). And also through the mouth of David: their words become softer than oil, and they are arrows (Ps. 54:22). And even if (such people) used all their efforts to hide it, the living one in heaven will laugh at them and the Lord will mock them (Ps. 2:4). For He knows, He knows the heart and the inward parts. A truly good person will be so both before God and before people, as Paul says: providentially good before God, but also before men (Rom. 12:17). So, it is a great thing to remove wickedness from the eyes of God. And this is exactly what Nathanael was, about whom Christ speaks: behold, he is truly an Israelite, and there is no flattery in him (John 1:47). Stop, he says, from your wickedness, that is, leave your habitual and characteristic evil behavior; change your evil ways and turn to the better. If Christ said this and reproached the Jews for this, then think what those who raged against Him did, set nets and dug a hole. They agreed among themselves and invented all possible intrigues against Him. For at one time they sent some of their disciples along with the so-called Herodians, who asked Him, saying: Is the kinson worthy to be given to Caesar, or not? (Mark 12:14); another time they come to him and say: is it worthy to heal on the Sabbath? let them speak against Him (Matthew 12:10). Let them listen to the one who says: take away the wickedness from your souls before My eyes, cease from your wickedness. Isa.1:17–18. Learn to do good, seek justice, deliver the wronged, judge the orphan and justify the widow, and come, let us be redeemed, says the Lord; and though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them as white as snow; and if they be as scarlet, I will make them as white as wool. Having shown the powerlessness of legal service with the words: “What are the multitude of your sacrifices,” says the Lord? I am fulfilled and adding to this: who is this delicacy of your hands? again, in good time, he points out the dignity of a life consistent with the Gospel and shows the path of a truly holy life, not in images and shadows, but in the deeds themselves and in the beauties contemplated in virtue, which contain what is worthy of glory. For what does he say: learn to do good? But tell me, has anyone ever said that he completely forgets the commandment of the law? and does he not allow the things established by God through Moses to be completely ignored? But as Christ could later say: do not remember that he came to destroy the law and the prophets; I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17)? And how could Paul say the same thing, for the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good (Rom. 7:12). At the same time, we ask again: since the law is good if understood spiritually; then does not Christ free us completely from the law? on the contrary, it leads us to the excellent and the best, having provided education through the law as a kind of foundation in us, and what is in the shadows and images, destined for the ancients as a preparation for true service. To this it is necessary to add the following: the law of Moses teaches to abstain from vice and sin and prescribes punishment for shameful deeds. Therefore Paul says: I knew no sin, but the law (Rom. 7:7). And the teaching of the Gospel encourages us to care about every virtue, therefore, in fact, in its own sense and truly can be called good. For the commandments: do not kill, do not commit adultery, kept those raised from sin from sin, but they did not yet fully indicate what goodness consists of - they did not indicate that one should not be angry with a brother, not have lust, and did not lead to the perfection of virtue. For it is excellent to overcome anger, to have the power to suppress evil desires, and not to allow the mind to even think about what serves as a reason for placeless and shameful lust. So, truly wonderful are the teachings of the Gospel and the power of life in Christ. Therefore, it is necessary to say to the adherents of the letters: learn to do good, seek justice, that is, learn to judge correctly. In addition to all the other bad deeds, those called to govern the Jewish synagogue were also sick because they did not, I say, do righteous judgment in every matter; on the contrary, they cast their votes unrighteously and were enticed by gifts and were carried away by greed and sold the consent of their wicked will to those who wanted to act unrighteously. For the prophet says: the rulers of her court created gifts for the sake of gifts (Is. 5:23). Therefore, for those who want to live in accordance with the Gospel, the commandment is necessary and useful for maintaining justice - to judge righteously, not only in external matters, but also in matters concerning the mind and heart. Therefore I say: when God condemns vice, Satan praises it; and when the Savior's law persuades us to do good that is worthy of love, Satan draws us in the opposite direction. Then our mind becomes like a judge and decider; and whoever praises the good and gives it advantage, he exacted judgment; and whoever allowed vice to gain victory has already become incapable of righteous judgment and will rightly hear: woe to those who say good to the evil one, and to those who say evil good, to those who put light in darkness, and light to darkness, who put bitter sweet, and sweet bitter (Is. 5:20). Therefore the glory of the gospel consists in righteous judgment and the defense of the wronged. For this, I think, is what the words indicate: deliver the offended. At the same time, it is necessary to show compassion and observe impartiality: judge the orphan, says the Lord, and justify the widow, and come and let us be rich, says the Lord. Aren't they, as it were, litigating with the Lord? For, he says, he will be justified in all his words and will overcome, and He will never judge (Ps. 50:6). For no one will be clean from filth, but no one will boast of having a pure heart, but they will expose themselves and pronounce condemnation on themselves; if the divine glory were not great and worthy of awe, as the wise Paul writes to us: the passions of this present time are not worthy of the glory that desires to appear in us (Rom. 8:18). And so to those who, as it were, move from life under the law through faith to an excellent Christian life, is promised remission of previous falls. For it (faith) is the beginning of our hope and the beginning of divine mercy towards us, like a door and a way. And that for the cleansing of both those who are greatly defiled, and those who have suffered a little from this illness, grace through faith will be sufficient, he assures of this, saying: And though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them as white as snow; and if they are as scarlet, I will make them as white as wool. For if God cleanses, then nothing can remain uncleaned, as Paul says: Where sin is multiplied, grace abounds (Rom. 5:20). And again: Who will take advantage of God’s chosen ones? God justifies, who condemns? (Rom.8:33,34). Isa.1:19–20. And if you want, you will listen to me; you will destroy the good land; if you do not want it, you will listen to Me; you will girdle your sword: for the mouth of the Lord speaks this. The God of all once said to the Israelites through the wise Moses: Behold, I have given before you the way of life and the way of death (Deut. 30:15). For we have a desire for both, and the fruit of the inclinations or desires of each is a life that is bright and in accordance with the law, or a life of a different nature, worthy of reproach. But no one can doubt that those who lead a good, excellent lifestyle, completely pleasing to God, always achieve life, while those who indulge in unclean pleasures end in death and destruction. So, the fruit of obedience is that they consume the good things of the land prepared for the saints, about which our Lord Jesus Christ Himself reminded, saying: blessed are the meek, for these will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). The fruit of malice and a sin-loving life is useless repentance, a sword and death due to the wrath of the divine, as I said. And what other such calamities cannot befall them? To make his word worthy of belief, the prophet immediately added: the mouth of the Lord spoke this. And since it is impossible to allow God to lie (because He always remains what He is, that is, the truth); then is it not necessary to assume that what was predicted will finally be fully fulfilled? At the same time, it is necessary to pay attention to the great benefit that the prophetic word brings to the souls of both those who have not yet been established and those who are perfect and mature in the faith. Since God ordained that those brought up should love goodness with their souls and avoid evil, He accomplished this by granting each of those living on earth freedom of activity and the opportunity to strive for what someone decided to do. Since this is true, it would be an empty and useless waste of words to strenuously prove and say that evil in man exists by nature, or that chance, fate and conditions of birth govern human affairs and that they arbitrarily force every actor to commit vice or virtue, and those who act are not guided by voluntary inclinations, but obey a seemingly irresistible command and are subject to a heavy and inevitable suggestion commanding. If evil is inherent in nature, as these idle talkers say; then how does it wax and wane according to the desires of each? For if I decided to be kind; it turns out that there is no obstacle to this. If I decided to be evil; then nothing would stop me from agreeing to it. Where is the power of chance and fate? Or what innate properties impose on someone the yoke of necessity, if they are dependent on the desires of each, and give those who obey the opportunity to eat the good things of the earth, and do not prevent those who show disobedience and disobedience to the divine laws from perishing by the sword? Isa.1:21. How was the harlot, the faithful city, Zion full of judgment, in which righteousness rested, now in it are murderers? One is surprised how such a rapid and indecent change took place in the Jewish synagogue, a change, I say, for the worse, a transition from the best to the most shameful. For by the Law of Moses she was taught to know what is profitable; and while she was guided by the word of God regarding what needed to be done, she was pure, very glorious and worthy of admiration, distinguished by very many men in whom the fruit of righteousness blossomed to the highest degree, and was pleasing to God. For there were in it prophets and priests, guardians of righteousness, and leaders of the people, who kept judgment and had the law on their tongues, and were famous for all kinds of good and useful moral qualities. Finally, she lost all of this, especially that ancient pious life, she decided to act foolishly, and counted reverence and love for God for nothing; and before the coming of the Savior, she worshiped gods who are not gods by nature, but she immeasurably offended the one true God with fornications of this kind and, like a depraved and disgraced wife, committed many immoral acts. Sometimes she gave herself over to alien leaders who knew how to lead her to everything that moved away from God. Therefore, the God of all accuses her through the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah, saying: Have you seen what you have done to the house of Israel? going to every high mountain and under every leafy tree, and committing the harlot there (Jer. 3:6). And again, as if to her, he says: If a husband lets his wife go and leaves him, and it goes to another husband, the food that returns will return to him again, will the food be blameless and that wife undefiled? But you committed adultery with many shepherds, and you returned to Me, says the Lord. Raise your eyes to righteousness, and see where you were not confused: you sat on the paths like a special vernacular, and you desecrated the earth in fornication and in your wickedness. And you had many shepherds to cause you to be offended; you did not want to be ashamed of a harlot’s wife (Jer. 3:1-3). For, as I said, having neglected the service of God, she committed treason and gave herself up to unclean spirits, servants of idols, shepherds and teachers. These, as I said, were the crimes of the synagogue of Judea before the coming of our Savior. When Christ shone on earth (for according to what is written, God the Lord appeared to us), she did not submit to the Educator Himself, but had great respect for the instructions and commandments of people: and she rejected the good Shepherd, who could lead to everything beautiful, and gave herself up to the bishops and scribes and Pharisees. And thus she committed fornication, although the law and the prophets foretold the mystery of Christ to her and foretold that He would one day appear. What, he says, was the harlot, the faithful city, Zion full of judgment? He seems to be saying this: how many reasons she had for illness, but also what an abundance of spiritual medicines she had! And how could it happen that she who was once faithful and a doer of truth, the one in whom truth dwelt, i.e. had the force of the law, fell into treason? For the host of those brought up by the law was like a dwelling for him; and now murderers have settled there. You hear that, among other things, he accuses them of murder. For they shed the precious blood of Christ on their heads, saying to Pilate: His blood be on us and on our children (Matthew 27:25). They also killed the holy prophets, which Blessed Stephen denounces them for, saying: With stiff necks and uncircumcised hearts, you always resist the Holy Spirit. Whose prophet did your fathers not kill? As your fathers, so are you (Acts 7:51,52). Isa.1:22–23. Your silver is not tested, your innkeepers mix wine with water. Your princes do not submit, your companions are tatem, loving gifts, pursuing rewards, not judging the orphans, and not heeding the judgment of widows. Here he clearly lists the reasons for the change for the worse. And just as the most skillful doctor points out to those who are sick the causes of the disease: so He, who wants to save all people and come into the understanding of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4), to those who are sick due to ignorance of what is proper, explains the reasons for their passions and vices. For, he says, your money has not been tested. And He calls the teaching of their mentors worthless silver, which not only does not have good qualities in itself, but is also filled with all kinds of abomination; it not only cannot bring benefit to the listeners, on the contrary, it brings harm to them. The words of instruction taught to certain people under authority are usually called silver by the inspired Scripture. And our Lord Jesus Christ says that the kingdom of heaven is like a homely man, who, intending to go on a journey, called his servants and gave one five talents, and one to another, and set off on a journey. After they have worked, giving each due praise, he says: good, good and faithful servant. To the one who hid his talent and acquired absolutely nothing through labor, he says: “You are a wicked and slothful servant, it is fitting for you to give your money as a tradesman: and when I came, I took what was mine with interest” (Matthew 25:14-29). And the divine David sings: the words of the Lord, the words are pure, the silver is kindled, the earth is tempted (Ps. 11:7). So, the unrefined and valueless silver that the Jews had, this is the doctrine taught by the scribes and Pharisees; they, like merchants, wanted to mix wine with water, that is, they offered an incorrect and improper interpretation of the law; weaving into it some desires peculiar to them and introducing into it empty and vain fabrications, they made an interpretation of the will of the legislator, not free from evil and, as someone would say, not unalloyed. And the scribes and Pharisees once approached the Savior, saying: Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elder? They never wash their hands when they eat bread. Having answered, he said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for your tradition? God commanded the verb: honor your father and mother, and whoever curses his father or mother, let him die. But you say: if anyone says to his father or mother, “It is a gift,” you would have enjoyed it from Me: and let him not honor his father or mother, and destroy the commandment of God for your tradition (Matthew 15:2–6). Don't you see in these words a clear denunciation of Jewish deceit? For, wishing to follow their own traditions, they deprived the divine laws of meaning: imagining that they explained them, they mixed into them dilapidated and empty traditions. And he blames the bosses for the fact that they suffer greatly from disobedience and seem to proudly raise their necks and do not want to obey. For they did not want to accept faith in Christ, although the law constantly announced to them the sacrament relating to Him and showed it in countless ways. Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ said to them: do not remember that I am a river to the Father in you: it is the one who says in you, Moses, but it is in you that you trust. If they believed quickly in Moses, they also believed in Me: for that is written about Me (John 5:45,46). So, they were disobedient and did not want to interpret the will of the law to others in a whole and intact form and did not honor the faith foretold by Moses and the prophets and saints. For they did not want to heed the words of Christ: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you (Matthew 11:28,29). And due to the fact that they were stiff-necked and rebellious, they became accomplices of thieves, on the one hand sympathizing with those who accept gifts, on the other hand, participating in the wicked desires of the one who sold them our Lord Jesus Christ - who was an evil and at the same time a very greedy disciple. The leaders of the Jews were covetous in another way, giving tithes on millet and anise and all kinds of vegetables and leaving out the most important things in the law - judgment, mercy and faith. For they did not provide justice to orphans and widows; on the contrary, accepting bribes from those who came to them, they condemned those unjustly offended, casting the most unlawful vote against them. Due to the fact that they judged unrighteously and were shamefully carried away by self-interest, they furiously rebelled against Christ himself. Since they accepted gifts from the people, they did not accept the lord of the vineyard, appropriating for themselves an inheritance that was only decent and fitting for him. That’s why it was they who killed the innocent and righteous, although the law says: let her not kill the innocent and righteous (Ex. 23:7). Isa.1:24. For this reason, the Sovereign Lord of hosts says: Woe to the mighty in Israel will not cease, for my wrath against the enemy will not cease, and I will execute judgment on my enemies. Those in power indicate the reason for the destruction of Jerusalem, and quite rightly; for all the people under them follow them, just as the shepherds of the flock entrusted to them follow. And if they lead them to rich and abundant pasture, then they become strong and very fat; if they are grazed in salty land rich in thorns, then they completely perish from lack of food. The same thing can truly happen to ourselves. For from the interpretations of Scripture leading to justice, virtue and infallible knowledge of God, the minds of those being instructed seem to become fattened. As a result of advice that predisposes him to impiety, he very soon acquires an inclination and readiness for shameful things. The Israelites experienced something similar from the traditions and instructions of the scribes and Pharisees, and the unfortunate ones perished. For they did not allow them to follow the true and saving path - the path, I say, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. When he healed a man blind from birth and all over Jerusalem were amazed at the greatness of the sign - he was healed of illness and preaching about the Doctor, they, obligated to teach the truth, directly said: give glory to God: we know that this man is a sinner (John 9:24). One of the holy evangelists testifies that the scribes and Pharisees agreed to excommunicate from the synagogue anyone who would confess Him as Christ. So, very recklessly preferring the importance they ascribe to themselves to their own salvation, they completely lost their participation in the glory of God. The Savior speaks to them about this: how can you believe, if you accept glory from one another, and do not seek glory other than the one God? (John 5:44). And in another place: woe to you, hypocrites of the Pharisee scribes, for you are shutting up the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 23:13). They served as a temptation to the people, constantly warring against the glory of Christ. Therefore He says of them: Woe to the mighty: for My wrath will not cease against the adversaries, and I will execute judgment on My enemies. You see how He calls them adversaries and His enemies and says that great divine wrath will befall them. For it is absolutely necessary that they be punished more severely and give an answer to the Judge for the death of others. If they had reasoned correctly, they could have saved themselves and shown others the path leading to salvation. Therefore, when they came to the baptism of repentance, the divine John proclaimed to them: the birth of vipers, who told you to flee from the wrath to come (Matthew 3:7)? So, the judgment of God was carried out on the strong, that is, especially on the strong among them, or the leaders, when their country was devastated and betrayed to the very brave troops of the Romans. The Savior also predicted this to them: when you see Jerusalem at war, then say to the mountains: cover us with a hill: fall on us (Luke 21:20; 23:30). It is terrible to fall into the hand of the living God (Heb. 10:31) not because He is cruel and unforgiving, on the contrary, He is merciful and good; but because He is despised by us, He is upset, especially when we deprive ourselves of His gifts; but we can sufficiently use and enjoy them when we decide to follow His laws and move away in life from evil and wicked teachers, who with their words strive to destroy the purity of faith and, pouring into the souls of innocent people the poison of their stubbornness, dispose them to resolve to evil. Isaiah 1:25–28. And I will bring My hand against you and kindle you into purity, but I will destroy those who do not repent, and I will take away all the lawless from You, and I will humble all the proud. And I will appoint your judges as before, and your counselors as from the beginning; and to this day you will be called the city of righteousness, mother of the city, faithful Zion. His captivity will be saved with justice and with alms. And iniquity and sinners will be crushed together, and those who are left behind by the Lord will die. God moves His hand as if it were striking; for this is what those who punish always do. And that this guidance of the hand, that is, the swiftness of disasters and its testing will be completely useless for them and the punishments will not remain indifferent to them, but will make those who believe worthy of care and care, and the grace of salvation will be given to the good - He clearly teaches about this. Since Jerusalem, which once resisted God, committed adultery in various ways, serving other gods, God brought His hand on it and gave it up, as it were, to some kind of fire, the disasters of war. But when the Father sent from heaven the Son, the Savior and Redeemer, Jerusalem stubbornly rebelled against Him, and committed acts characteristic of complete madness, and did not cease to cruelly insult with its disobedience the One who justifies the wicked and frees through faith from ancient sins. And again He brought His hand to Him and, like an artist, melted Him into its component parts through fire: He preserved the glorious and chosen race of those who believed for Himself, and gave over to destruction and destruction the unclean and unworthy ones. So, just as those who melt copper or silver in fire purify substances; So I, he says, will burn it for purity. It is written that the Lord will wash away the filthiness of the sons of the daughters of Zion, and the blood of Jerusalem will cleanse them from among them with the spirit of judgment and the spirit of heat (Is. 4:4). It is also said through the mouth of one of the holy prophets: the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his church, the Angel of the covenant, whom you desire: behold, he comes, says the Lord Almighty. And who will endure the day of His coming, and who will stand in the vision of Him? Before that it enters like the fire of a furnace, and like the soap of those who perish. And he sits boiling and purifying like silver and like gold (Mal.3:1-3). And the wise Matthew explains this to us in another way, speaking about Christ: For I baptize you with water for repentance: but he who comes after me, who is mighty for me, is not worthy to bear the boots: he who baptizes you with the Holy Spirit and fire. The spade is in His hand, and He will clear away His threshing floor, and He will gather His wheat into the barn, and He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:11,12). So, the wheat is collected into the granary, and everything that is useless, that is, the husk, will be food for the fire. If anyone wants to know how this will happen, the words given will make it clear to him. For He immediately said: I will destroy those who do not repent, and I will take away all the wicked from You, and I will humble all the proud. For of old the host of Israel, having acted wickedly against Christ and rejecting the Redeemer, perished; All the proud and those living lawlessly were destroyed, that is, the rulers of the Jewish synagogue, the bishops and the Pharisees. Are they not lawless and arrogant, and do they think at all about respect for the law and do they not raise their horns on high and do they not speak lies against God? For they cried out, take Him, crucify Him. The leaders of the nations were destroyed, because the holy apostles were appointed in their places, about whom he says: And I will appoint your judges as before, and your counselors as from the beginning. For the divine disciples became no less than the most ancient saints, whom he calls both judges and advisers; because they have done both: they denounce sinners as judges, and give advice to the weak that is useful for their spiritual strengthening. So the wise Paul delivered the Corinthian to the fornicator to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit could be saved: he gives good advice and says: if a certain brother is called a fornicator, or a covetous, or an idolater, or a troublemaker, or a drunkard, or a predator, with such is lower than eating (1 Cor. 5:5,11). About the judges and advisers mentioned here, blessed David in the Holy Spirit spoke to Jerusalem itself: instead of your fathers there were your sons (Ps. 44:17), that is, your children took the place of their fathers; for the divine disciples were Jews and sons of the synagogue of that time, and that they became the fathers of those who believed, about this listen to the words of Paul: For in Christ Jesus I brought forth the gospel to you (1 Cor. 4:15). And again: my children, I am still sick with them, until Christ is imagined in you (Gal. 4:19). And another of His holy prophets reminds you of Christ, the Savior of us all and of the preaching of His holy disciples and says: Behold, a righteous king will reign, and princes will rule with judgment (Is. 32:1). For the leaders of the Jewish synagogue led the most lawless lives and did not know how to govern with justice, that is, with righteousness. When Christ reigned on earth, His divine disciples became righteous and good and acting rulers with judgment. When they were established, Zion, that is, the church, was again called the city of righteousness and the faithful capital. And that not indiscriminately, as I said, but with care and thought combined with justice, God carried out the burning or testing - this is made clear by the race glorified by faith. He adds by saying: He will be saved through judgment. his captivity and with alms. And iniquities and sinners will be crushed together, and those who have forsaken the Lord will die. For after the generations were divided, as I said, one glorious, who believed, the other, who suffered grievously, the chosen one was saved, but everything that was shameful and disgusting in them perished, participating in madness, living wickedly, despising Christ, who gives salvation, forgives sins and justifies by grace. Isaiah 1:29–30. They will be ashamed over their idols, which they themselves desired, and they will be ashamed over their gardens, which they themselves desired. They will be like terebinth, which has swept away its leaves, and like a helipad without water. I said that these words of the prophet contain a twofold prediction about the rejection of the Jews. For their crimes are of two kinds. The ancients, having abandoned the one and by nature God and Redeemer, served idols and made sacrifices to the heavenly army, and, paying veneration to the works of their own hands, they immeasurably dishonored. When God the Lord appeared to us according to the Scriptures, then they rejected Him and were immeasurably hostile to the Author of life. Thus, their crimes were related and the appearance of this madness was not far from the first crime; rather, it was even the most grievous madness. And in the times preceding the coming of the Lord, they were punished by the invasion of enemies, the burning of cities, the destruction of houses... For, by God’s permission, the Persians and Medes, the Moabites and Edomites and neighboring nations did this to them. But when, as I said, they treated Christ himself wickedly, they were subjected to disasters no less than in ancient times. For they were attacked by Roman troops, who completely destroyed all of Judea, because no one was found who could deliver them from such a bitter disaster. Therefore, he says that they will be ashamed over their idols, which they themselves desired, and they will be ashamed over their gardens, which they themselves desired. For, owning groves and oak forests and placing idols near the largest trees and building altars, they called false gods saviors and placed all their hope in the works of their own hands, and thought that they could overcome their enemies and easily defeat their opponents. When the enemies appeared and did what is characteristic of enemies, Israel was left without the help of their gods, and the Israelites were ashamed of their idols. For they saw that, first of all, they were burned, along with the gardens and groves and the very churches and altars. Thus, they were deceived in their hope when they saw that their gods had suffered and then, finally, they barely understood what was said by God through the mouth of the prophet: and where are your gods that you have created for you? may they arise and deliver you in the time of your bitterness (Jer. 2:28). So, having suffered shame for their gods, whom they coveted, and, no doubt, for their gardens, they will be like Terebanth, who swept away her leaves, and like a helix without water, that is, they will be naked and very dishonored and will suffer a lot from sterility, that is, spiritual sterility in good deeds. For oak and every other plant, as long as it is covered with its leaves, retains its characteristic beauty; having lost its leaves, it becomes dry and ugly and, as it were, dishonored. Also, the garden, if it has sources of water, will be very rich in trees and will boast an abundance of various fruits. Being dry and waterless, it will become completely barren and will even suffer from the absence of trees. So Israel found itself dishonored and barren. For what fruit of virtue can one expect from servants of idols? And will not he be filled with all dishonor who has forsaken the one and by nature God and who says to the tree: You are my father and the stones: You begat me (Jer. 2:27)? And in another respect, Israel will be like an oak tree that has lost its leaves. For before the coming of our Savior, those who kept the shadow of the law were like trees that had no fruit, but were very well adorned with blossoming leaves. When they rejected Christ, they lost the very preservation of the shadow. For even if they perform the sacrifices established by the law; they still cannot boast of legal decorations: but while maintaining little of the institutions of the ancient people throughout the cities, they turn out to be sterile and dishonored. And quite rightly so. For they killed the ruler of life, but God raised Him from the dead (Acts 3:15), destroying the pangs of death, because it was impossible for it to take possession of Him. Isa.1:31. And their strength will be like a pruning plant, and their work will be like sparks of fire, and the wicked and sinners will be burned together, and there will be no quenching. The wise Solomon said that everyone is bound by the bonds of his own sins. This saying is true. For each of us, our own sins cause destruction and bring upon us the punishments of righteous wrath. This is what the Israelis experienced. For they invented false gods for themselves and placed hope in them that with their help they could defeat their enemies. But this very thing served for them only as fire and wood. For for this sin they were consigned to fire, and, moreover, unquenchable fire, that is, terrible and incessant disasters, because no one helps them. And He explains this to us, saying: And their strength will be like a pruning plant, and their work will be like sparks of fire. And, he says, their courage will be like trash, that is, food for fire and tinder, and the work of their hands like sparks of fire thrown at them. So, the wicked and sinners will be burned together. Therefore, there is no need to offend God and do this.... For our very deeds will be fire to us and the food of fire, while the good deeds of those who act righteously undoubtedly gain praise, glory and life. Isa.2:1. The word that came from the Lord to Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem. What is proposed is similar to the previous one, and whoever pays due attention to the contemplation of the mind will see here the same flow of thoughts. For previously there were words from God to the divine prophet about Judea and Jerusalem. But it seems that the vision contains some incomplete and not very clear explanation of what is said about Judea and Jerusalem; We, concentrating our attention as much as possible, will briefly understand the content of the vision. Since he intends to speak on the one hand about the devastation of the sensual Judea and Jerusalem, and on the other - about the exaltation of the spiritual in Christ and its manifestation in this world; then for this reason he says that he saw a vision not of Judea and Jerusalem, but of Judea and Jerusalem. By sensual Judea and together by Jerusalem we call the very country in which Israel lived, and the very establishment of the synagogue of Judea. There is a trace under the spiritual Jerusalem. By Jews we will mean the church, or those who have spiritual education, that is, circumcision of the mind and heart not made with hands in Christ. That is why one of the holy prophets proclaimed to the Jews: You are circumcised to God, and circumcise your hardness of heart, you men of Judah and those who dwell in Jerusalem. And the divine Paul recognized another as a Jew, not a Jew according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. For he writes thus: neither is he openly a Jew, nor is he openly in the flesh, circumcision: but he who is in secret is a Jew, and the circumcision of the heart is in the Spirit, and not in the Scripture: and his praise is not from man, but from God (Rom. 2:28,29). Therefore, one must carefully pay attention to when the prophet makes speeches about sensual Jerusalem and so on. Judea, and when about spiritual things in Christ (Jerusalem), who is truly perfect and blameless. What does he say? Isa.2:2–3. For in the last days the mountain of the Lord will be revealed, and the house of God on the verge of the mountains, and will be exalted above the hills: and all the nations will come to it, and many nations will go and say: Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will tell us his way, and we will walk in it: for out of Zion will go out the law and the word of the Lord. from Jerusalem. The prophet’s vision ceased and the previous prediction was fulfilled, that they would be ashamed over their idols, which they themselves desired, and would be ashamed over their gardens, which they themselves desired. And in what way the Israelites were put to shame for their idols, we have said enough about this. But after the reminder of the prophecy about them was made, the prophet, starting in order with a related and second vision, denotes the time when the power of the devil will fall, not in any one part of the earth, not in one country, because the veneration of idols and unclean paraphernalia (of this ministry) will be completely destroyed; and this disease and the dominion of unclean demons will be eliminated from all under heaven. And this was fulfilled for those living on earth in the last days, that is, in the last times of this age, when the Only Begotten Word of God, born of a woman, shone forth: when He built for Himself spiritual Judea or Jerusalem, that is, a church, a pure virgin, without filth or blemish or anything from such, according to what is written, on the contrary, holy and blameless. This is what he speaks about, that in the last days the mountain of the Lord will be revealed, and the house of God on the top of the mountains. It is said that this Zion is in Judea, and is located and built on a mountain; but in these words one can understand not a sensual, but a spiritual mountain - the church, which is also compared to a mountain: for it is truly high and wondrous and is known everywhere and to everyone. She is also high in another respect; for she does not philosophize about anything earthly, but is above all earthly things, and with spiritual eyes, as much as possible, contemplates the glory of God and is famous for her very lofty dogmas about Him. For even the best of the Greeks, although they have reached great heights in wisdom, but idolize creation and give honor to the elements of the world, because they have a low mind and earthly thoughts and a darkened heart, saying to be wise fools (Rom. 1:22), as it is written: the spiritual Zion, that is, the church, rises above all visible and invisible creation, and therefore reaches the very Nature of all, for filled with the Light of God and having recognized in Her the Creator and Founder of the universe. She alone is credited with power over everything. And with such glory he crowns the King of all, God and Lord. Therefore, a mountain can rightly be understood as the house of God. He is glorious and, as it were, elevated above the hills. In all fairness, anyone can say about him what was said through the mouth of the Savior in the form of a visual comparison: hail cannot hide on top of a standing mountain (Matthew 5:14). It would be very easy to collect a lot of things from which one can see that the height of spiritual Jerusalem, that is, the height of the church in the inspired Scripture is compared to mountains and hills. But we, leaving the collection of such passages of Scripture to the inquisitive, if it pleases them, will move on to what follows in order, and will try to find out what benefit people have from the fact that the house of God has become visible to everyone and is exalted above the hills and is located on the top of the mountains. So the prophet immediately intends to remind this, saying: and all the nations will come to her, and many nations will go, and say: Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will tell us his way, and we will walk in it. And that all the nations were gathered and flowed into the church through faith, we do not need to talk much about this; the very course of events can truly testify to itself. And this is worthy of surprise. For many peoples were called not through the guidance of the law, not through the holy prophets, but on the contrary, they were gathered together by divine grace, which enlightened their minds and aroused in them the desire for salvation through Christ. See how, despite the fact that no one preaches to them, they proclaim to each other, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will tell us his way, and we will walk in it.” First they ascend, then they seek to have the word of the Lord proclaimed to them, and they make a promise to walk in the path of the Lord, namely, the path of the Gospel, leading to purification through faith. Those who were striving to learn the way of the Lord, it seems, pronounced condemnation of this ancient and unclean error. And otherwise it will be impossible to strive for the best if the ancient is not condemned first. But who was their secret guide? Who led them to the knowledge of the truth and convinced them to recognize the first as very ridiculous and strive for the second? Isn’t it obvious that this is God, who enlightened, as I said, their mind and heart and inclined them to speak and feel: for from Zion will come the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. This has a double meaning. Either by this they express the idea that we will receive the word from the house of God and, having stayed there, we will know the word of God, or - that the law left Zion and, as it were, came out of it and the word of God moved from Jerusalem. since they stubbornly rebelled against Christ and rejected His kingdom, He abandoned them and left them orphans. This was said through the prophet: and he said: “Imam is not to shepherd you; let that which dies, let it die, and that which disappears, let it perish, and let every one girdle the flesh of his neighbor” (Zechariah 11:9). So the law went out from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. For the vision and prophecy were sealed along with the cross of Christ, and they did not have the law or the word of God. And the divine Paul, as if he had lost hope and seeing the incorrigible crowd of Jews, says: it is foolish for you to speak the word of God first: but since it was opened, and you have created for yourself unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turned into tongues. This is what the Lord commanded us (Acts 13:46). Know therefore that tongues boast in the grace of Christ; since, they say, the law and the word of the Lord came out of Zion and Jerusalem and completely moved to them. Yes, grace passed from those. who proved disobedient to those called through faith. Isa.2:4. And the tongue will judge in the midst, and will expose many people: and they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, and the tongue will not take up the tongue of the sword, and no one will learn how to fight. Having predicted that the power of the devil would fall and turn into nothingness and the intensified production of idols would cease, when the nations would shout to each other: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will tell us his way, and let us walk in it, clearly defines to the listeners the time when what was predicted will come to fruition, and makes this very clear from the very state of things. For in ancient times, when the earth was not yet under one yoke, when peoples differed among themselves according to countries and cities, and each country separately had its own leader, there were disagreements, battles and wars, because those living on the earth everywhere destroyed each other and always stole what belonged to others, and everyone considered the greatest glory to be deceit and cruelty towards those with whom they could do this. Therefore, they did not have a safe home, they constantly moved from one place to another and were driven away from the occupied places by the strongest. When God subjected the entire universe to the rule of the Romans, and, finally, one kingdom was founded over all, wars ceased, civil strife and discord ceased, justice and the strength of the legal order were established, because no one indulged in predation and robbery, and no one invaded cities or countries, and no covetousness remained unpunished. And not only this, but the use of weapons is limited to only the most warlike people who have received a military system and are subordinate to the king. And many peoples turned out to be weak, who, having thrown off the yoke of Roman rule, attacked cities and countries. For they are no longer free to raid at will; they are counteracted by Roman weapons and force them to calm and make them tremble like animals, and show that they are weak in their own strength. So, as I said, the blessed prophet determines the time of the calling and conversion of the nations. What time is it? When the God of all and the King and Lord will judge among the nations, that is, when he will bring righteousness and judgment to all nations. For, as I said recently, untruth reigned, when peoples robbed each other and committed all kinds of cruelty and violence. When all this was removed, truth and judgment were given by God and, as I said, many peoples were defeated by Roman weapons, so that, being under the rule of the king, they were no longer afraid of attacks from others, and thus peace and prosperity became possible for them, there was no longer any need for military preparations, on the contrary, they strove with great pleasure to engage in the affairs of the world, indulged in agricultural labors and took care of the cultivation of the fields. Thus, the weapons of war receive a different use, so that the sword is used for the needs of agriculture and the spear turns into a sickle, and they do not learn the art of war at all and stop fighting among themselves. For when Christ, who is peace, reigned over the nations, all dissent and strife, wars and every kind of cruelty disappeared; the harmful consequences and horrors inseparable from war have also been destroyed; on the contrary, the will of Him began to dominate, Who says to them: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you (John 14:27). Isaiah 2:5–6. And now, O house of Jacob, come, let us go by the light of the Lord: for let the people leave their house, Jacob. Having frightened enough by foretelling terrible disasters, the prophet does not allow those who offended God to perish from despair. He inspires that God will be merciful to those who repent, and to those who want to abandon shameful deeds and turn to better things, He will again open the path to salvation and, without remembering evil, will accept them, no matter how much and seriously they have sinned. Therefore, very skillfully weaving a word of consolation into reproof, he says: and now, house of Jacob, come, let us walk by the light of the Lord. I think that it is very appropriate for the prophet to address a word to the Israelites here, so that they would heed the words of Christ: until you have light, walk in the light, so that darkness does not have you (John 12:35). And the light is He Himself; He clearly said about this: I am the light of the world: whoever walks in Me does not have to walk in darkness, but has living light (John 8:12); and His preaching, that is, the Gospel, in all fairness can be called the light of the Lord. He seems to be saying this: let us live piously, let us prefer glory to life in accordance with the Gospel, we will reject what is in the images and leave the canopy, we will apply the writings of Moses to the truth and accept the saving light. since boasting of his ancestors according to the flesh. The Jews raised their heads high as a people beloved for their sake, called the portion and inheritance of God, a holy and chosen people; then they foolishly thought that they served for God as an object of constant care and love, although they did many things that were hateful to Him, although they valued the law at nothing, although they treated it with contempt and did not accept the coming of the Savior, that is, they did not accept the grace of economy in the flesh. Therefore, wanting to show that God does not treat them this way, the prophet says: Forsake your people, the house of Israel. The God of all says the same thing through another prophet, exposing the arrogance of the Jews and showing them their madness; for, he says, they coveted the fields, robbed the orphans and took possession of their houses, and magnified themselves in the Lord, saying: Is not the Lord in us? no evil will come against us. Because of this, for your sake, Zion will be cut down like a field, and Jerusalem will be like a vegetable store, and the mountain of a house will be like an oak meadow (Mic. 3:11,12). If, he says, you do not want to walk with us in the light of the Lord, that is, if you do not want to accept preaching about Christ and turn away from His enlightenment; then He will completely abandon His people. And our Lord Jesus Christ clearly spoke to them about this: Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you have beaten the prophets and stoned those sent to you, since your fellow children have desired so much, just as a kokosh gathers its chicks under the wing, and you are not willing? Behold, your house is left to you desolate (Matthew 23:37,38) and through the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah: I will leave my house, I will leave my inheritance (Jeremiah 12:7). Isa.2:6. Soon, as if from the beginning, the country was filled with their sorcerers, like foreigners, and the children of many foreigners were born to them. And now the prophet seems to defend the judgments of God and shows the reasons for God’s completely just rejection of the house of Israel or his people. Remembering, as I have said, the ancient and modern crimes of Israel, he calls them not God-fearing, very prone to cruelty, unbridled in the pursuit of everything worthy of blame, and subject to condemnation according to the law for many things. For even before the coming of our Savior, they neglected reverence for God and, acting foolishly and after the commandment was given to them through Moses, they committed various crimes, and the worst of all they committed against the Savior of all Christ himself. Therefore, he points out to them their long-standing crimes against the law and the punishments for this, which they justly brought upon themselves when the Persians and Babylonians, Edomites, Elamites and other peoples waged war against them. And, finally, he accuses them of enmity against Christ, points out what they had to endure for this guilt when Vespasian and Titus conquered all of Judea to their power. So, the present speech of the prophet points us to the crimes of the Jewish synagogue before the coming of Christ and says that for this reason God abandoned, that is, handed over his people to the enemies, since they again began to indulge in the former vices and again be carried away by the former wickedness: for in Egypt they served native gods or demons; then, as a result of God’s mercy towards them, they were delivered through Moses and were freed from spiritual and physical slavery. For as soon as they overthrew the yoke of the dominion of the Egyptians, they were freed from the cruelty of demons, because they no longer served false gods, but, guided to the truth by the law given through Moses, they knew the one true God; They listened to the One who gave the law and said to them at Horeb: Do not make for yourself an idol, nor any likeness, such as the tree in heaven, the tree on the earth below, and the tree in the waters under the earth, lest you bow down to them. For I am the Lord your God (Deut. 5:8,9). And in the same Deuteronomy it is written: if you go into the land that the Lord God gives you, lest you practice the abomination of those tongues: let it not be found in you purifying his son and his daughter with fire, a sorcerer with sorcery, and a magician who enchants, and a magician who enchants birds, a sorcerer possessed of charm, a womb-witcher, and guardian of the standard, and inquirer of the dead: for all these things are an abomination to the Lord thy God. May you be perfect before the Lord your God: for these nations, whom you have inherited, will listen to these enchantments and sorceries: but the Lord your God has not given this to you (Deut. 18:9-14). The law says the same. since they were frivolous and very willing to fall away, that is, from God, He further legitimizes, saying: when the Lord your God brings you into the land, you will enter there in a state of inheritance, and he will cut off the great and many tongues from before you (and lists them by name), and the Lord your God will deliver them into your hand, and you will slay them with destruction. I have destroyed you, so that you will not make a covenant with them, but you will have mercy on them: you will not make matchmaking with them: do not give your daughter to his son, and do not give his daughter to your son. For your son will turn away from Me and serve as another god, and the Lord will be angry with you and will quickly consume you (Deut. 7:1-4). For God protects them in every possible way and, as the Holy Scripture says, gave them the law to help them. They, having neglected such honorable commands, recklessly rushed to everything that was contrary to what was commanded, for they were partial to omens and false predictions and from those who were dedicated to serving idols, they tried to gain knowledge of the future, expressed reproaches to the holy prophets and said to them: do not speak to us and tell us other deception (Is. 30:10). They entered into alliances with the daughters of neighboring peoples, although the law prohibited this. Contrary to the law, by bringing into their homes women who were depraved and hated by God, brought up in the morals of idolatry, they became fathers of alien children, who were brought up in the morals of their mothers. showing the view. so to speak, that they do not know the law of Moses. Thus, he says, the country was filled, as in the beginning, with their fortune-telling, like a country of foreigners, and foreign children were born to them. And it was very absurd and truly very shameful that those who inhabited the holy city and the sons born in them from foreign wives led a lifestyle consistent with Hellenic customs and lived outside the law. And while God commanded that every male child be circumcised for eight days and clearly said: Let every male child of yours appear before Me three times in a year (Ex. 23:17; 34:23), they did not do this and offered those born to them to demons and made sacrifices for them on idol altars. You see how they flouted the law in every possible way. Was there, therefore, any reason to call those who finally reached such wickedness as their people that they did not want to recognize the Redeemer? Hence the righteous judgment on them and sufficient grounds for turning away from them. For the judge of all is impartial (Rom. 2:11). Isa.2:7. For their land was filled with silver and gold, and their treasures were not greater than their number, and their land was filled with horses, and their chariots were not exceeding the number. He says that they still have two very shameful vices - love of money and pride. That the love of money is the root of all vices - the wise Paul clearly testified to this. And that arrogance is a vice hated by God is clear to everyone. For it is written that the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Who does not see that among those who strive to get rich, every kind of evil is encountered? For such people accumulate money through growth and profits, through acquisitiveness and injustice, through rapacity and deceit: and with wealth are inseparable arrogance and a great inclination to indulge in obscene and very disgusting pleasures. For where there is luxury, there are always feasts, drunkenness, fornication and lust and every kind of intemperance. Who among the right-minded would not hate the arrogant, who despises the weakest, who lifts his brow high, who looks disdainfully at those who are in poverty, who does not know how to sympathize with those who suffer, who does not deign to pity those who live in need and toil, and, finally, forgets that he himself is dust and ashes? Therefore, our God, who loves virtue, accuses, and very rightly, both those who are devoted to insatiable greed, and those who ride horses, and those who are entangled in the networks of ambition. He says that their country is filled with horses, that it is not one or the other who suffers from pride, but as if the whole country is stricken with a disease, and this evil is widespread in everyone, and for this he denounces the lawbreakers and those who do not want to obey God, who has clearly spoken: If you go into the land that the Lord your God gives you as a lot, you will take it and live in it and say: I will set a prince over yourself, like the other nations around me: you have appointed over you princes, whom the Lord your God will choose. (Deut.17:14,15). Next he speaks about the one who has been appointed (prince): otherwise, let him not multiply horses for himself; below, let him return people to Egypt, lest he multiply horses for himself (Deut. 17:16). And to this he adds: let him not multiply for himself too much both silver and gold (Deut. 17:17). Therefore, he denounces both those who are devoted to an insatiable passion for the accumulation of wealth, and those who increase the number of horses. In all likelihood, reproof concerns mainly those who have power in their hands, as people from whom, above others, one should expect respect for the divine laws and who should reprove those who break the law. Isaiah 2:8–9. And the earth was filled with the abominations of the works of their hands, and bowed down to those who had made their fingers: and bow down man, and humble yourself, and I will not tolerate them. Again he accuses them of spiritual fornication and the fact that they worshiped many false gods, and shows that they reached the highest degree of wickedness, reached the limit of all evil and revealed extreme unfaithfulness to God, who knows everything, preserves everything and gives life to everything. It should be said that they in some way insulted human nature, humiliating it to the extreme. For the God of all things honored man by creating him with his own hands; he was not created together with other creatures, in a word similar to: let the firmament be, and so be it, but the Lord took the dust from the earth and created man, according to the words of the wise Moses, and he was created in the image and likeness of God and was placed, as it were, in charge of everything that is on earth, and beyond this he was honored by the spirit of life; for I will blow into his nostrils the breath of life (Gen. 2:7). Thus, a person is in honor without understanding (Ps. 49:13), according to what is written; for he served the graven images and, as the prophetic word says: he bowed down to those who had made their fingers: and the man bowed down and the man humbled himself. This was an insult both to God himself and to human nature. For although they could, to a certain extent, know their Creator by the beauty of creatures: the invisible beings of Him, from the creation of the world, were thought by the creatures, the essence is visible, that is, His eternal power and Divinity (Rom. 1:20), but they did not do this; and by showing respect to stones and worshiping a stone, they, unfortunate ones, insulted the nature of the Lord and God and the Creator of all things, and did not understand that by doing this, of course, they insulted their own nature, because man is superior to trees and stones. Therefore, rightly indignant, the Creator of the universe says: bow down man and humble yourself man, and I will not tolerate them. By this He expresses his unyielding anger, as if by these two actions he was rightly moved to anger against them, that is, that they had insulted the divine majesty and greatly dishonored their own nature. He says that the earth is filled with their abominations and thereby hints that the number of those who are guilty of apostasy is not small, but very large, and that they have not just one type of idolatry, but that each of them worshiped what seems to him to be god, and many idols of different types filled their entire land. Therefore, through the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah it was said: according to the number of your cities, your gods, O Judah, were your gods, and according to the number of the paths of Jerusalem, you set up altars of cold, altars for incense to Baal. So, this creation of idols, both sensual and spiritual, is difficult and unbearable for God. For Satan terribly and in many different ways devastates the souls of people, by ghosts aroused in their minds and hearts, and sometimes by images of idols, leading them into sin and disposing them to shameful and indecent pleasures. Isaiah 2:10–11. And now enter into the stone, and hide yourself in the earth from the presence of the fear of the Lord, and from the glory of His strength, when He arises to destroy the earth. For the eyes of the Lord are lofty, but man is humble: and the height of man will be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted on that day. When Jerusalem indulged in idolatry, or better yet, all of Judea deviated from the truth, and unbridledly indulged in everything that was contrary to God, who loves virtue; then, so to speak, the whole of Judea was engulfed in war with the Babylonians, who, having devastated it all, beat up the captives, and took the women and children to their own land; the latter remained prisoners of war for a long time (in a foreign land). And when the attack of the enemy was foreshadowed and when it threatened, such fear fell on the Jews and they fell into such anxiety that they hid in caves and crevices, occupying impassable places, because their arms weakened and became incapable of resisting the attackers. So, he commands to hide from disasters, not those that have not yet arrived, but on the contrary, those that are already at the door and have befallen the whole country, and those who are still living are commanded to almost bury themselves in the earth from the fear of the Lord and from the glory of His strength when He rises to crush the earth, that is, to destroy the earth. And that the divine intentions and thoughts are great and lofty above all people, and no one living on earth can resist them, He makes this clear by saying: for the eyes of the Lord are high. For by the eyes of the Lord he here calls His foreknowledge and counsels, and His judgment over every matter. People, being small by nature and in mind, have insignificant intentions and low plans. But God, who is above all that exists, and possesses ineffable advantages in everything, has an irresistible thought. For no one can oppose either intention or force that can prevent the fulfillment of his divine thoughts. He says that the Jews will understand this, if they did not know it before, when a terrible war breaks out over them, when every helping hand turns out to be powerless, when the ingenuity and resourcefulness of human thought, through which they thought to quickly eliminate the disasters of war, turn out to be unsuccessful. So, he says that experience will show that man is insignificant and the height of man will be humbled and the Lord alone will ascend on that day. When, as I have lately said, all their strength is found wanting, then the superiority of the divine power will be very clear to those who have suffered. For it is very terrible to offend God, and this is the reason for every disaster that befalls us. And we should not rely on our own strength, but, on the contrary, leave everything to Almighty God, and seek His help when some disaster befalls us, having offended Him with our sins. Isaiah 2:12–17. For the Day of the Lord of Hosts is upon every one who is angry, and upon every proud one, and upon every high and majestic, and shall humble himself, and upon every cedar of Lebanon that is high and exalted, and upon every acorn tree of Bashan, and upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, and upon every high pillar, and upon every high wall, and upon every ship of the sea, and upon every vision of kindness. ships: and every man shall humble himself, and the height of man shall fall, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. He calls the time of war and the execution of (divine) wrath upon them the Day of the Lord. For this is the mode of expression characteristic of inspired Scripture; so that David designates the very time of the coming of our Savior by the name of the day, saying this: This is the day that the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad (Ps. 117:24). Therefore, he says, there will be a time of wrath against everyone who is self-willed and arrogant: and it seems that he calls those self-willed who humiliate the divine glory by not wanting to worship it; on the contrary, they are devoted to those gods that they themselves have invented; He calls those proud who neglected the divine laws and regarded the divine decrees as nothing. And blessed David says: the pride of the lawbreaker is to the point (Ps. 119:51). since in Judea and Jerusalem there were a lot of those who were very proud of their wealth, and were immensely partial to a lot of money, many stood out from others and were strong in their power, immoderately proud of their noble origin, rising high and, as it were, inflated; then he says that they, in particular, will suffer divine wrath, covertly pointing out the position or degree of each; for he likens them to the cedars of Lebanon: he saw, he says, the wicked exalting themselves, and standing tall, like the cedars of Lebanon (Ps. 37:35), and to the trees growing from the acorn of Bashan, that is, the oaks growing in the country of Bashan; this country is located in Judea and is now called Basan, which is very rich in vegetation and has thick and very tall cedars. In the same way he compares them with hills and mountains and, moreover, with towers and high walls. And that there were means in the country to increase wealth, he adds, speaking to every ship of the sea and to every vision of the kindness of ships. This can be understood in two ways. For, when war had already been declared and when the Babylonians were expected to appear, the Israelites, abandoning the thought of hope in God, called on the Egyptians for help, hired Tire and other neighboring nations. And the Tyrians were all sailors, experienced in trade matters and superbly constructed ships. When the Babylonian came, he devastated the land of the Tyrians before he devastated the land of Judah. This is what the prophetic word tells us about in these words: or perhaps it also means the following: many of the kings of Israel had trading ships that brought them (goods) from the country and land of India and other countries and cities. Therefore, they accumulated great wealth, from which they became tall, like cedars and oaks, mountains and towers. And that wealth, that is, profits received from trade and barter, will perish along with the proud, clearly indicates this. It is also well known that the Israelites attracted many people with money to help them, because God, through another prophet, says: And Ephraim was like a crazy dove, without a heart: he prayed for Egypt, and went away to Assyrians. As they come, I will lay my slaughter on her, just as I will overthrow the birds of the air; I will punish their sorrows in hearing (Hos. 7:11,12). So, God's judgment against them was inevitable. Is it not madness, or rather, is it not wicked, having abandoned hope in Him, to be carried away by empty and unreasonable thoughts, imagining that if He does not want to save them, then someone else will deliver them, and that the increase of human auxiliary means will change His determination? For if he speaks and closes it from a person, who will open it? So, it is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man, according to the word of the Psalmist. Isaiah 2:18–19. And they will hide everything made with hands, bringing it into caves and clefts of stones, and into dens of the earth, from the presence of the fear of the Lord, and from the glory of His strength, when He rises to destroy the earth. The confusion of the Jews when they hide the gods and rush to save those to whom they bow is depicted as worthy of laughter. Should we not have expected, on the contrary, that the gods would be their saviors if they really recognized them as gods? And they, themselves condemning their own intentions and themselves testifying to their complete powerlessness, help the gods. For they hide them in caves and clefts of stones and dungeons, so that the enemies do not find them and take the gods captive along with the vanquished. What kind of gods are these who need the help of those who bow to them? - This is soulless matter, as blessed David says: idolize the tongue with silver and gold, the works of human hands. And those who revere them will suffer the same insensibility as them, for being themselves artists and creators of them, they take them on their shoulders, go, bow to them and pray saying: take me away, for you are my God (Ps. 58:2). So their heart is ashes, and they are mistaken. And for those who are accustomed to act piously, it is fitting to reject the madness of those who are mistaken and says loudly: Gods who did not create heaven and earth, let them perish from the earth (Jer. 10:11), and to those living under this heaven should say: we have one God the Father, of whom are all things; and we are with Him: and there is one Lord Jesus Christ, who is all things, and we are (1 Cor. 8:6). Isa.2:20–21. On that day man will cast away his gold and silver abominations that he has created, and they will worship the vain and the bat. Enter into the dens of solid stone, and into the clefts of stones, from the face of the fear of the Lord; and from the glory of His strength, when He arises to destroy the earth. And that they decided to hide the false gods they had made, not because they were ashamed of them, but rather because they completely recognized them as useless and powerless matter, he makes this clear, adding to what he said: on that day man will cast out his abomination, even he has created, and he will worship them with a bat. For, having placed churches of man-made gods in the inner place, they wickedly worshiped them, because they considered them gods. When they saw that the time of war was coming and that there was no help from them, but it turned out that those whom they considered saviors and deliverers were stones and wood and gold and silver-plated substances; then they cast them out of the churches and hid them in caves more because they saved the material (from which they were made) than because they still revered them as gods. And that the work of producing idols is labor in vain and useless for them, he showed this, saying: man will cast out the abominations he has created, and let him worship them and the bat. For they themselves were the creators of their own gods and the artists of those whom they worship, and received no benefit from them. And in other places, perhaps, they built churches just for bats. For these winged or webbed animals always love to live in dark places and, due to their presence, fill everything here with filth and stench. And so a man will throw away the abominations that he himself has made, he will throw it away in order, he says, to enter into the caves of the solid stone, and into the clefts of the stones from the presence of the fear of the Lord. Look how they, unfortunate ones, hastened to take refuge with their own gods. But they did not see the God of all in such a position, for He did not hide when they fled from the land of Egypt, and the pursuing Pharaoh was chasing them; but with unspeakable power and incomprehensible power he divided the sea, and brought them across it, and they were saved, walking on it as if on dry land, and the mad Pharaoh drowned with all his army. And when Rabshakeh, the commander of Babylon, having surrounded Jerusalem on all sides, reviled God and said that he would easily conquer all of Judea; - God did not hide then and did not look for stone clefts and gorges in the mountains; but Hezekiah prayed to him saying: Hear the Lord, look upon the Lord, and see and hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria sent to reproach the living God (Is. 37:17). And immediately he heard God, who said to him: I will defend this city for My sake and for the sake of David My servant (Is. 37:35). And what help did He give to those who were then in danger? Extraordinary and worthy of God: the Angel of the Lord went out and killed one hundred and eighty-five thousand from the Assyrian army (Isa. 37:36). And so those who bow to the statues were put to shame, leaving Almighty God and serving the gods, whom they hide before themselves, so that they would not perish before them, becoming the prey of selfish enemies. So, let us say in the words of the prophet Jeremiah: the throne of glory is exalted from the beginning, the place of our holiness, the hope of Israel, O Lord: let all who forsake you be ashamed; let those who depart from you upon the earth be written, for having forsaken the fountain of living waters of the Lord (Jer. 17:12,13). If it is necessary to say something spiritual to the spiritual, then those who tolerate idols in their souls and allow the presence of obscene images and thoughts in it, let them know that they will be the dwelling of bats, that is, unclean spirits. Every one, he says, is tempted, because of his own lust he is attracted and deceived. The same lust, when conceived, gives birth to sin: and sin committed gives birth to death (James 1:14,15). So, let us suppress the germs of passions and reject new idols, invading sensual lusts through thoughts, remembering what is written: if the possessing spirit comes upon you, do not leave your place: for healing will satisfy great sins (Eccl. 10:4). Isa.3:1–2. Behold, the Lord Lord of hosts will take away from Jerusalem and from Judea the mighty and strong, the strength of bread, and the strength of water, the giant and the mighty, and the man of war, and the judge. Having made a fairly detailed enumeration of their previous vices, he again opportunely begins to talk about their latest disasters, which were suffered by those who wickedly rebelled against our Lord Jesus Christ. For the wrath of the Lord was poured out on them, and very justly; because having killed the prophets and stoned the messengers, they were not ashamed of the Son Himself, but rushed at Him like wild beasts and, as far as it depended on them, put to death the chief of life, saying: We will bind the righteous, for it is indecent for us to eat (Isa. 3:10; Pres. 2:12). Therefore, all the disasters of war befell them and they were exterminated in various ways: either by hunger and siege, by fire and sword, or by the sale of their wives and children. And that they suffered as a result of the rejection of higher and divine gifts and were deprived of the benefits necessary for the mind and soul, he teaches about this, saying: behold, the Lord Lord of hosts will take away the mighty and mighty one from Jerusalem. Here the prophet is not talking about bodily strength; (for it is inconvenient to understand his words this way), but about the spiritual, about the strength of mind and heart, through which we usually perform virtue. For the flesh wars against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, because they oppose each other; very many worldly and unclean pleasures that lead to sin upset the human mind. Therefore, power is needed that comes from above and from God. For only under this condition does man gain victory and the conqueror is crowned. He says about this power that it will be taken away from the Jews, and the deeds themselves will testify to this. For do they have any reason for performing virtue? or who is glorified among them for virtue and diligently resists the passions of the flesh, or the attraction to indecent pleasures? For the mind of all people is weak, like half-cooked beets, according to the word of the prophet; he cannot say: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13). The strength of bread and the strength of water will also be taken away from them - again, bread that is not sensual and water that is not understood in the ordinary sense, on the contrary, that bread about which David says: “I gave you the bread of heaven; the bread of angels is given to man” (Ps. 77:24,25). He also says that he also mentions spiritual waters, about which the prophet Isaiah himself speaks somewhere: and draw water with joy from the fountain of salvation (Is. 12:3). And the Savior himself: everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again: but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst; but the water that I will give him will be in him a fountain of water flowing into an eternal belly (John 4:13,14). Listen carefully to the words of the prophet. For he did not simply say: bread and water will be taken away, but the strength of the bread and the strength of the water. And we need to know what he wants to teach us with this. By encountering sacred sayings and reading the divine scriptures, understanding them, we receive the strength of spiritual bread, for man will not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). In the same way, by waters you mean spiritual waters. The Jews still have bread and water. For they study the writings of Moses in detail and read the law; but since they do not understand anything, they have neither the power of bread nor the power of water. They were given only an empty letter, which has the appearance of bread and water, but does not impart spiritual power to them at all. And Paul will testify to this, saying: even to this day the veil does not remain openly in the reading of the Old Testament, but ceases because of Christ (2 Cor. 3:14). We say that in another way the strength of bread and the strength of water are taken away from the Jewish synagogue. This saying has a mysterious meaning. For we, who have been called through faith to sanctification, have the bread that comes down from heaven, that is, Christ, or His body. And if anyone asks what its power is, then we will answer that it is life-giving: for it gives life to the world. In the same way we receive through water the grace of holy baptism, which sanctifies us; We say that the power of water is the deposition of sins, spiritual rebirth, so that we may be conformed to Christ himself, and, moreover, free entry into the kingdom of heaven: unless someone, he says, is born of water and the Spirit, cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5). So, the Jews were deprived of these benefits. For they do not have the strength of bread, that is, rebirth in Christ. They do not have the strength of water; for sin remained in them unresolved. They will not enter the kingdom of heaven by dishonoring Christ, who enters it; for they did not believe the One who says: I am the way and I am the door (John 10:9; 14:6). In the same way he will take away the giant and the strong. Who is this giant? and who is strong? I think that a giant is someone who has reached the limit of spiritual strength, while a strong person is someone who is a little inferior and stands lower in the degree of spiritual strength. Each of them is given a measure of grace from God. The wise Paul makes this clear to us, saying: I desire that all men should be as I am: but each one should have his own gift from God, both in this and in this (1 Cor. 7:7). And in other places the inspired Scripture usually calls the strongest people giants. This is what God called those Babylonians who conquered the country of Judah. The giants come to fulfill My wrath, rejoicing, together and reproaching (Is. 13:3). And the Psalmist says: the way of the mother-in-law will rejoice like a giant (Ps. 18:6). The Jews will not have a man of war and judge. But we, who have honored the Lord of hosts by faith, receive strength from Him and become capable of resisting evil and unclean forces. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, and against the powers, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12). We fight them spiritually, stocking up on weapons and having a spiritual shield. The divine Paul also reminds us of this, saying: therefore gird your loins with truth (Eph. 6:14). And one more thing: for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God and walking in the flesh, we do not fight according to the flesh (2 Cor. 10:3,4). The Jews never had this; but they always yield victory without a fight to any attacker and to their own unbridled desires. And no one will find among them anyone who knows how to judge correctly, either regarding spiritual matters, or regarding external and worldly matters. For obscene and evil thoughts invade the human mind and a terrible multitude of unclean passions confuses it; and the mind of the wise and good ceased to act like some kind of judge, examining everything, condemning the bad and secretly approving the good. This was completely neglected by the Jewish people. For there is no God with them to guide us to this; but even if they did something external, how could they not be able to discuss what is impeccable and what is pleasing to God? How did those who reviled the Lawgiver not know the true purpose of the law? Is it not for this reason that they are justly deprived of all understanding of the Holy Scriptures? Isaiah 3:2–4. He will also take away the prophet, and the watchful one, and the elder, and the ruler of fifty, and the wondrous counselor, and the wise architect, and the wise listener: and I will make young men their rulers, and scoffers will rule over them. That the prophecy was taken away from the Jewish synagogue, no one will doubt this, because this is clearly confirmed by the deed itself. For the blessed prophets who lived in ancient times foretold about Christ Jesus. But when what was predicted was fulfilled; then came the end of the law and the prophets (for God the Lord appeared to us, according to the word of the Scripture); when they brazenly rebelled against Him; then the grace of prophecy ceased for them. For it was incongruous with anything to honor the spirit of prophecy of the opponents and insulters of God, who became God-killers, and those whose hands were full of blood. Blessed Daniel can testify to this, saying that the vision and the prophet will be sealed. So Israel did not partake of such a majestic, supremely glorious grace, and was so stubborn and foolish that they did not have a single clairvoyant. We call someone perspicacious who correctly identifies everything that happens and recognizes very well where things are going and to what goal they are heading; and those who imprudently and frivolously begin activities and walk as if in darkness, come across stones: those who are prudent look with a keen eye at the consequences of actions; and therefore it is not surprising that as a result of this they do everything prudently. Such is the fruit of a good mind and a truly wonderful aspiration. We call a man an old man not according to his years (for even now among the Jews there are many who reach a deep old age), but according to his intelligence and, as it were, the perfection of wisdom. Blessed John writes to such people, saying: I am writing to you, fathers, because I have known one without beginning (1 John 2:13). Therefore, by elders we will mean those who already have a calm mind, constant and gray-haired in wisdom and who have learned to use what happens. The fiftieth commander does not mean the one who is placed in charge of fifty men, but the one who generally, as it were, in accordance with this activity, leads and disposes his subordinates to act and live decently and respectably. Along with other things, the Jewish synagogue suffered in this regard. For when the Savior of us all, Christ, still lived with them and through faith called us into eternal life, into the kingdom of heaven, into close communion with God, they still had bishops and rulers, scribes and Pharisees. But when they, miserable ones, killed Him, they were scattered to all the winds, became migrants and wanderers, strangers everywhere, without leaders and superiors, as in the old days; but they were like a flock, deprived of shepherds and having no overseers, and what is even sadder, not having wondrous advisers, as some prophets were in ancient times, instructing them in what is necessary for salvation, admonishing the unbridled and very skillfully guiding them in everything useful. He threatens to take away from them both the wise architect and the intelligent listener. These are spiritual and God-given gifts and worthy of all praise. For we call the wise architect the one who knows how to spiritually build the church with correct and impeccable instructions, who destroys the deceptions of false knowledge and protects the mind of believers with the dogmas of truth. Such was the divine Paul, who commands, saying: according to the grace of God given to me, for he is a wise architect who laid the foundation, and also edifies: let each one take heed to how he edifies. For no one can lay any other foundation than the one who lies down, even Christ (1 Cor. 3:10,11). So, the Jews not only lack a wise builder, but also an intelligent listener. We think that this is one who has the gift of discerning of spirits and can understand who speaks in the Spirit of God and who speaks in the spirit of Beelzebub. For many and many pronounce speeches aimed at interpreting dogmas and instilling good morality, but, being unskilled and unenlightened, they destroy the distinction and admit imprecise words that not only do not bring any benefit, on the contrary, they usually cause harm. An intelligent listener, like an experienced moneylender, accepts only what is usually beneficial, and rejects what is not, like a counterfeit coin. Blessed Paul says something similar: be experienced moneychangers; all good things are tempting. Stay away from all evil things. (1 Thess. 5:21,22). And another of the holy disciples, in accordance with this, commands, saying: brethren, tempt the spirits that are of God (1 John 4:1). So, having been deprived of all this, I will make, he says, the young men their princes and scoffers will rule over them. And again he calls youths not according to age, but those who have not yet reached perfection in reason. Youth always acts unreasonably, is carried away by self-will and lacks higher aspirations. And the Jews still truly have such leaders, young men due to lack of intelligence. They are deceivers in another respect, for they buy the title of Rabbi with money and, for the sake of greed and collecting gifts, accept the position of teachers. But those who are healed from the disease of hypocrisy become true worshipers of our Savior Christ and do not have the appearance of virtue, which has only external decorations, but carry the fear of God within their minds and hearts, although they live on earth, but have their thoughts in heaven, having our Lord Jesus Christ himself as their mentor. Isa.3:5. And people will attack, man against man, and man against his neighbor: the youth will attack the elder, and the dishonest will attack the honest. The previous word showed us how the strength of bread and the strength of water, the giant and the strong, the warrior and the judge, and the prophet, and the seer, and the elder, and the ruler of fifty, and the wonderful adviser, and the wise architect, and the intelligent listener, will be taken away from Judea. Then, when this finally comes true to them and what harm they will suffer from this, he understands, immediately adding that people will attack, man against man, that is, they will have civil strife and they will lead a life full of rebellion, when young men will despise the venerable gray hair of the elder, and the lower will not show honor to the higher; but when no one reproaches, and, therefore, directs them to what is appropriate for everyone, everything will be in disorder, in the absence of any order and knowledge. For where the divine law, the judge of all actions, does not govern, how would it be possible for anyone to lead a right life, just as if someone wanted a ship that does not have a helm and a helmsman to go straight and not tortuous? Isaiah 3:6–7. As if a man had his brother or his father at home, saying: Imashi’s robe, be the beginning of our leader, and let my goodness be under you. And having answered on that day, he said: I will not be your leader, for there is neither bread nor robe in my house; I will not be the leader of this people. The prophetic word shows us the greatness of the suffering and utter misery of Judah. For those who came from the tribe of Judah reigned in Jerusalem and were famous and glorious, endowed with wealth and luxury, crowned with hereditary nobility. They also ruled in a different way, those who came from the tribe of Levi according to the order of Aaron. When in this way the high priest ruled profitably, and the priests and Levites performed the ministry, they were revered throughout the whole country of Judah. But when they began to do what was prohibited by law and there was not a single type of wickedness against Christ that they did not commit; Then they lost that ancient nobility and celebrity, both in wealth and glory, and their affairs came to such a bad and disordered state that they absolutely could not have a single boss who would be equal in fame to the ancients, who would have the same wealth and power or knowledge of the law. This is what he predicts when he says: as a man has his brother, or his father at home, saying: Imashi’s robe, be the beginning of our leader, and my goods are under you. When things come into confusion and are brought into a sick disorder, so that they begin to attack each other and the young men will not show any honor and respect to the elders, and the inglorious to the glorious: then everyone, he says, will look for a leader and will choose him, barely begging him by the closeness of his relationship and inclining him to mercy: he will choose not as one who has wealth, but as not naked, and will readily eat from him and serve to the poor; but even such a person will not strive for leadership, even if those who would want to obey him do not ask anything from him. For they are looking for bread, and, submitting to it, and for the sake of the simplest food, they would be ready to give themselves into slavery to it. What a humiliation! This is complete poverty. And he says, “There is neither bread nor robe in my house: I will not be the leader of this people.” You see how what in ancient times was of high importance to many of them, I mean the authorities, what they once sought by all means and what few people got, will be offered to those who want it. But since everyone’s affairs will be in terrible and helpless disorder; then they will evade authority. Thus, from the events themselves we can see from what situation everything came to what among the Jews. And this is because they, pathetic ones, insulted Christ, who richly distributes blessings to us, crowns those who love Him with glory and enriches the souls of those close to Him with spiritual gifts. Isa.3:8. For Jerusalem was forsaken, and Judea fell, and their tongue with iniquity did not submit to the Lord. He says that Judah fell like a house and explains why she tolerates this. What does it mean to be abandoned? That is, it is desolate and abandoned, and does not enjoy the former care of Christ. For they heard the One who directly said: behold, your house is left to you empty (Matthew 23:38). So, Judea fell, not having someone who would raise it and who knew how and could save it. For Christ is the foundation, and on Him we are all built, living and spiritual stones, joined and knit together spiritually into a holy church, the habitation of God in the Spirit, and in it we dwell. And having Him as their foundation, they have unshakable support and stability in all good things; those who do not have a foundation in Him are very unsteady and prone to everything obscene. Thus Judea fell and Jerusalem was abandoned. Another of the holy prophets also foretold this, saying: The house of Israel has fallen and will not rise again. They had to endure this because, in addition to disobedience, they had a frantic and most lawless tongue. For is there anything shameful that they would not say about the Savior of us all, Christ? They called Him a Samaritan and a demoniac, a poisoner and a wine drinker, born of fornication. So, along with disobedience, their tongue constantly uttered ungodly words against Christ. Let it be said about them too: it is not without reason that nets are laid for birds. For those who participate in murder store up disasters for themselves; and the end of people who break the law is unhappy. Isa.3:9. For this reason, now their glory has been humbled, and the coldness of their faces is against them: but their sin, like Sodom, has been proclaimed and revealed. He points to the time of humiliation of the Jews and says now humble their glory, adding that (this happened) especially during the time in which their tongue lawlessly dishonored against Christ; then all kinds of humiliation befell them and they fell into disgrace. And how their tongue, together with disobedience, uttered wicked words, the prophet himself explains to us, leaving aside everything else and remembering only their last wickedness. For they have always been at enmity against Christ and, wounded by the arrows of envy, plotted against Him in every possible way. And when they brought Him to Pilate, then they especially discovered and showed their sin, like the sin of Sodom. For just as the inhabitants of Sodom, suffering from wild unbridled desires and overcome by unnatural pleasures, attacked blessed Lot, demanding the men who came to him to perform a shameful deed on them, since all modesty was trampled upon in them and an invincible shamelessness took possession of them; in the same way, I think, the Jews revealed their iniquity, crying out and saying to Pilate about Christ: take him, take him, crucify him (John 19:15). For such words of theirs (God) accused them through one of the prophets, saying: I left my house, threw away my inheritance and gave my beloved soul into the hands of her enemies. And My inheritance became to Me like a lion in the forest; he has made his voice against Me; therefore I hated him. Isaiah 3:9–11. Woe to their souls, having already conceived evil advice on themselves, they said: Let us bind the righteous, for it is indecent for us to eat: for they will eat the fruits of their deeds. Woe to the wicked: the evil one will befall him according to the work of his hands. Now the prophet mourns the Jewish people and indicates the reasons for their lamentations. For, he says, they said within themselves: we will bind the righteous, for it is indecent for us to eat. For they did not accept Christ, the Savior of all, through faith, but constantly dishonored Him and thought that there would be no benefit from the life of the One who came, so that through Him everything that is in us would become new, and to bring the descendants of Israel from the legal life to the spiritual. Therefore, supposing that there would be no benefit from Him, they put Him to death, although He came to life again as God, having devastated hell and destroyed the power of death. For He is life and the source of life. But they plotted against themselves, desiring to bind the righteous. And they eat the fruits of their deeds. For whatever a man sows, that will he also reap. And those who lead a good life and have a soul filled with love for God will receive good fruits from this: opponents and rebellious and rebelling against the glory of the divine will eat the fruits of their deeds, that is, fire, judgment and punishment and everything that is the result of the wrath of the divine. Such disasters will certainly befall those who decide to resist God. Truly woe to the wicked: the evil one will befall him according to the work of his hands. And just as they brought Jesus to Pilate and handed Him over to the unbridled wrath of the soldiers, so they themselves, he says, will be handed over to the Roman troops. And we will see that he obviously speaks about this through the mouth of Ezekiel; as it was said to the wicked and God-killing Jerusalem: as you have done, so it will be for you. Your reward will return on your head. Isa.3:12. My people, your servants reap you, and the tormentors possess you. Having depicted with full clarity and very convincingly that the Jewish country will suffer deprivation of all good, and having announced what will happen to those who raged against Christ, he again convinces them to refrain from sins and with words of meekness, as it were, charms them for their benefit, turning them to the better and teaching them to move away from those who became the culprits of all the misfortunes that befell them. For I do not think that it is necessary to lovingly obey people who have received the right to command, if they do not strive to teach what is for the benefit of their subordinates and if they do not consider worthy of condemnation what is considered by all justice to be bad. The virtue of a teacher is that he should be able to lead his students to an accurate knowledge of what is useful - that he should be able to show what usually causes harm and to keep them from what is unjust. And those belonging to the category of students would be worthy of all praise if they became acquainted not simply with the opinions of the teachers, but (together with) the properties of the objects, and gave honor to the teachers in the case when they are right-thinking and have knowledge and are able to instruct in the best, but on the contrary, they would blame those of them who do not strive for such a goal. Some herd herds of sheep in the mountains and forests: but if the animals encounter a ditch or a mountain cliff on their way, the sheep bypass it and do not go to the death that threatens them; for it is as if the law innate to them teaches them to take care of their own lives. If such a law apparently governs dumb animals, is it not unreasonable to think that we ourselves, gifted with reason, have no knowledge of what is useful and necessary for life? Therefore, if some of those appointed as mentors and leaders decided to lead us to what is not appropriate; then we should not simply cling to them and do without any caution what seems good to them, but subject to discussion everything that needs to be done, and thus achieve what usually brings the greatest benefit. So, the teachers of the Jews, that is, the scribes and Pharisees, were very inventive in their means of collecting wealth and receiving from the people gifts, firstfruits and tithes and everything that the law assigned as the inheritance of those who received the power to officiate. Their goal, to achieve which all their efforts were used, was to convince the people that the law should be preserved primarily in this regard. As for the other commandments, they did not attach much importance to them. Therefore, the Savior Himself said to them: Woe to you scribes and hypocrisy Pharisees, for you practice riot, and copra, and kimin, and forsake the law, judgment, and mercy and faith (Matthew 23:23). They were selfish and money-loving, and on those who sometimes fell into misdeeds, they imposed heavy punishments in order to frighten those accused of something, to encourage them to bring them gifts even beyond their strength. Therefore, He speaks to those who suffered insults from them: My people, your servants reap you, and the tormentors possess you. Saying: my people, He makes it clear that if Israel decides to do what is pleasing to Him, then it will become worthy of meekness and love for mankind and will not be completely deprived of appropriate closeness to Him: and saying; the attendants are reaping you. He shows the great gluttony and greed characteristic of them, for some of them reap ears of corn in the fields with a sickle, while others, collecting those ears of corn that fall out of the reaper’s hand, leave nothing in the fields. This is what those who rob vineyards that are left without guards usually do. So, he says, your servants are reaping you. This is the same as if He said: they robbed you of your property; and their gluttony was not satisfied with this; but they are already reaping, that is, they are laying hands on what is still left. It is very good and fitting for them that He does not call them leaders and mentors and does not give them any other similar name, but calls them enforcers and extortionists. He teaches that they rule over them not as mentors who meekly treat their students, but as cruel and rude masters, forcing them to think as they please and inclining them to do anything, even against their convictions. But this is not the goal of those who are in Christ. Therefore, to those who were called to the episcopate and received the power to rule the verbal flocks, the Divine Peter writes: not as having a priesthood, but be an example of the flock (1 Pet. 5:3). But the mysterious word also knows other overseers, whom those who want to live righteously must avoid. For evil and nasty forces arouse in almost everyone living on earth the desire for evil. and they collect from us, as it were, some tribute - an inclination towards the passions of the spirit. Therefore, the Holy Scripture pleases those who did not listen to the voice of the tax collector. For, by opposing the lusts of the flesh and with a courageous soul, protecting themselves from the harm that comes from sin, trampling on the principles and defeating the spirits of evil, they became more powerful (so powerful that they were not afraid) of the voice of the tax collector. Therefore, it is necessary to move away from such overseers and not allow them to reap the fruits of sin in us, or even to gather ears of corn. And we will do this, strengthened by Christ, driving out from our minds evil thoughts, shameful lusts and every form of uncleanness. Isa.3:12. My people, your blessings flatter you, and the paths of your feet disturb you. Again he awakens them to sobriety of mind and wants them to test their deeds, and not fall into carelessness as a result of only pleasant speeches. For the Pharisees, going around the houses of the Jews, tried to speak flattering speeches, calling the people blessed, the lot of God, and, perhaps, in the words of Baruch they said to them: blessed are we to Israel, for what is pleasing to God is reasonable (Bar.4:4). Thus, in order to bring them the gifts and tithes and firstfruits established by the law, the Pharisees intensified their flattering speeches, wanted to be often accessible (to the people) and tried to do everything for show; and for profit and self-interest they taught the people subordinate to them to violate the law itself. And our Lord Jesus Christ blamed them for abolishing the commandment of God for the sake of their own tradition. Therefore he says: you are flattered by your blessings, and the paths of your feet are disturbed; for they do not allow you to do what is right, but, as if diverting you from the straight path, they lead you to rapids and ditches. The straight and even path is union with Christ through faith. since the leaders of the Jews knew that after the abolition of the commandment given through Moses they would be left without income and fees; then they seemed to disturb the path of the people’s feet, misinterpreting the teachings of Christ and ordering them to recline under the canopy of the law. For they, pitiful ones, dared to say: we are weighty, as God said to Moses: but we do not know where we are from (John 9:29) and again: if this man were from God, he would not have broken the Sabbath (John 9:16). And what is more wicked than this is that those who wanted to listen to Christ and heed His words were blasphemously told: he has a demon and is crazy; Why are you listening to Him? I think that for another reason it is necessary for a spiritual person and an ascetic of virtue to avoid in every possible way the thoughts that enter the mind and heart and please him. Satan is very inventive in his atrocities; when he cannot distract people known for piety from their precious life and behavior and persuade them to do what he pleases; then he tries to hit them in another way. He praises them as people who have achieved perfection, then glorifies them as saints, pleases them as having already become friends of God and having reached the extreme of all virtue. And thus, having generated in them the passion of pride, it incites them to enmity against God and, finally, uproots them, like some plant. For he does not know that God gives grace to the humble, but opposes the proud. Therefore, as I said, we must remove ourselves from thoughts that please us in our mind and heart; since they do not allow us to follow the straight path, by which everyone would very conveniently come to what is pleasing to God. Isaiah 3:13–15. But now the Lord will arrange for judgment, and will bring his people to judgment: the Lord himself will come to judgment with the elders of the people, and with their princes; Why are you setting fire to my grapes and plundering the poor in your houses? Why do you offend my people and bring shame to the face of the poor? The Prophet says that the multitude of those who suffer untruth will not be left without protection and without any care; on the contrary, he undoubtedly confirms that God will deal with them all. For He says that He will judge those who reap and those who please them, and that He will cause confusion in the path of their feet. He will hold judgment against the elders of the people, in addition to the rulers or leaders. He redeemed his people from the house of slavery and delivered them from the cruelty of those who ruled, turning all creation against them: He transformed water into blood, struck with hail, deep and three-day darkness, and many other things, which would take a long time to talk about in detail. Then, having led them through the middle of the sea, he fed them in the wilderness, brought them into the land of promise, and destroyed strong and very warlike nations like thorns. And the divinely inspired David explained this to us, speaking to the Savior and Redeemer of all: you brought grapes out of Egypt, you drove out tongues and planted them, and you made a way before them... You spread out its rods to the sea and even to its rivers (Ps. 79:9,10,12). For, as the prophet Jeremiah says, Israel has become a luxuriantly grown vine and its fruit is luxurious. Leaders of the people were appointed to look after him; but they treated the master’s vineyard so carelessly that it seemed as if it had been completely burned. It is precisely this crime that he will accuse them of, saying: you almost set my grapes on fire: for from whom it should have been expected that this spiritual grape, that is, Israel, would be in the best condition and grow magnificently, they themselves brought it to complete desolation, allowed it to dry up and made it unfit for the master. So, the vineyard was burned by those under whose care it should have been very rich in grapes and abundant in fruits and protected from all harm. Now is it not worthy to pay attention to how they, as it is said about them, burned the spiritual vineyard? Those who had a calling to teach and knew the law that leads to everything pleasing to God, should themselves, above others, live as much as possible in accordance with the law and be as much as possible adorned with the glory of justice, so that their life would be a model and, as it were, a visual image of a perfect life for each of those subordinate to them. Beyond that. They were obliged, through instructions from the law, to lead those subordinate to them to all that is good, to reprove those who sin, to restore those who have fallen, to show them the path of piety, to instill in them all the best and to convince them to look at the end of the law, I say, Christ: the end of the law and the prophets is Christ. And Moses spoke of Him in shadows and images, foretelling to the ancients a sacred and great mystery. But they, having despised all this, were themselves evil in their morals, unbridled in their greed, uncontrollable in covetousness and completely neglected the just court. And instead of blushing, they were usually proud of it all. So, the vineyard was burned, not receiving benefit from the life of its leaders and not receiving guidance, with the help of instruction in the law, to a correct and blameless life, or to the knowledge of Christ, and this already shone to those living on the earth and clearly saying: I am the light of the world, I am the way and I am the truth (John 8:12; 14:6). Therefore, they had to listen: why are you burning my grapes, and plundering the poor in your houses? Why do you offend my people and bring shame to the face of the poor? For they attracted the poor to the knowledge of what they themselves liked, and were the reason that their faces were covered with shame. As zealots of righteousness, they appear before the eyes of God with a bright face and filled with great boldness; So, we say, those given over to vices have an unattractive, gloomy face and full of shame and disgrace. But as one who instructs in wisdom and guides to the best brings benefit; So, I think, anyone called to be a teacher does harm if he does not make his pupil a lover of goodness; for he, as it were, covers his face with shame and his poor wisdom, no matter how they force and entice him to the shameful. But the leaders of the Jews were unjust and predatory in other respects, and covered the faces of the poor with shame, being partial to the rich, although the law says: judge righteous judgment, and constantly commands not to be partial in court. Isa.3:16–17. This is what the Lord says: the daughter of Zion was lifted up and walked with her neck high, and with her toes and the soles of her feet, dragging her garments (down the length) and playing with her feet. And the Lord will humble the chief daughters of Zion, and the Lord will reveal their shame on that day. The prophetic word first showed us that for the leaders of the Jews the main concern was the acquisition of wealth and that they put great glory in this, while they were filled with untruths and covetousness. They tried to appear both in the city and in the villages with great pomp, riding around on horses and being immensely vain about the external splendor of those who accompanied them. Therefore, in the previous words he accused them, saying: and the land was filled with horses, and not more than the number of their chariots, and the land was filled with silver and gold, and not more than the number of their treasures (Is. 2:7). Then the wives of rich people, prompted by vanity, rushed to luxury, to jewelry made of gold and precious stones and began to greatly exalt themselves with the pomp and preciousness of their clothes. For the female sex, being in happy conditions of life, always loves to show off and show itself off; in particular, he loves to dress brilliantly and adorn himself with gold and, raising his eyebrows high, boasts of his bodily beauty. And often as a result of this very thing, those who live with such women become arrogant, since some put their glory on the effeminacy of their wives. Perhaps the noble people of the Jews suffered from this illness, forgetting about reverence for God. For, in order to have constant means for enrichment in the offerings of the people prescribed by law, they did not accept faith in Christ and did not want others to believe, closing the kingdom of God before them, according to what is written (Matthew 23:13), and neither entering themselves nor allowing those who wished to enter. Therefore, they were handed over to the Roman troops for devastation and plunder and died along with their wives and those dearest to their hearts, along with their houses and wealth. There were many other things, which were collected with very great care, but they turned out to be miserable and wanderers and reached extreme disaster. Therefore, the (prophetic) word condemns their women or daughters, especially the daughters of rulers and nobles, who were the daughters of strong men, and says: the daughter of Zion was exalted from time to time, and walked with her neck high and with her hair brushed, and the following. They ascended not by virtue, but by carnal and extremely earthly aspirations. For, as I said, they took pleasure in boasting about wealth, glory and external adornments, which consisted of precious stones, gold and various clothes. In this, the prophetic word depicts to us the inner mood and behavior of a woman devoted to pleasure, frivolous and adorned with a brilliant outfit, from the example of one showing the pride of all their women; for she walks, he says, with her neck high and her hair brushed. A very modest woman, who respects a worthy and honest life, is most characterized by modesty, and it is least decent for her to appear before the eyes of men; but these have reached such a degree of depravity and at the same time shamelessness that they expose themselves during processions and hold their necks high; to those who look at them, they make signs with their eyes, sometimes they smile, and with their smile they seem to promise a date to those who look at them. For the fornicating mood of the soul predisposes to inconstancy and strongly arouses the inclination to sensual pleasures. But the prophetic word strengthens the accusations against them and says that they committed adultery, dragging their clothes and playing with their feet. It is likely to think that they did this too to increase their beauty, and this is an adulterous activity and evidence of extreme shamelessness. For where harmonious verses are accompanied by the trampling of feet, there is always noise made by hands, and every kind of shameful fabrication, and those who look at this are excited to shamelessness. Therefore, one day, he says, the Lord will humble the chief daughters of Zion and reveal their shame, or take away their adornment and make their shame obvious. And this will happen when they, finding themselves naked and stripped of all adornment and clothing, will be delivered into the hands of enemies, will be slaves and captives, and will experience every kind of misfortune. Isaiah 3:18–22. And the Lord will take away the glory of their garments and their beauty, and the woven gold (on the head), and the cracks of the vestment, and the moons of the hryvnia, and the thin wedges, and the beauty of their faces, and the glorious structure of their beauty, and the hoops, and the rings, and the monista, and the wrists, and the artistic wear, and the scarlet, and the scarlet and utensils church, and bright Laconian, and fine linen, and blue and scarlet. and the fine linen with gold and blue was stumbled, and the fine linen was pierced with gold. Having said that on that day their shame will be revealed, he also tells in detail how the shame will happen to them. And that they will be in poverty and will be deprived of everything that they have exquisitely invented, and of their former prosperity and luxury, he confirms this by adding that they will be stripped of all decoration, having lost their weaving, necklaces and chains and other inseparable things with this. From this it can be seen that they had the greatest passion for clothes, they were devoted to thoughts about decorations, and especially about debauchery. For women with a good disposition of heart and distinguished by modesty are completely disgusted with the pursuit of such subjects, and they are disgusted and hateful that would give them an immodest appearance; on the contrary, they firmly hold the opinion that good deeds should gain praise; and in dissolute women, who have a noticeable tendency towards fornication and debauchery, their minds are turned to everything opposite and their thoughts strive to decorate themselves with all possible care and collect from everywhere what is needed for this. Each of these women should be told that she is pompous and dissolute. Solomon also remembers such an obscene and arrogant woman, saying: I have found... a woman who is a trap, and a snare in her heart, a bond in her hand: the good before the face of God will be taken away from her, but the sinner will be from her (Eccl. 7:26). So far we have been told here about lewd and deceitful women. But you need to know that God, through the mouth of the prophet Ezekiel, speaks to the synagogue of Judea, as if to one woman, whom, he says, he adorned with various ornaments: and what is written about her reads as follows: and he brushed my wings on you, and covered your cold, and swore to you: and he entered into a covenant with you, says Adonai the Lord: and you were unto me, and washed you with water, and rinsed your blood from you, and anointed you with oil. And I clothed you in variegated clothes, and shrouded you in scarlet: and I girded you with fine linen, and put trichapton on you, and adorned you with utensils, and put a wrist on your hand, and a coin on your neck, and put beads on your nostrils, and rings on your ears, and a crown of praise on your head, and thou wast adorned with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen, and trihapt, and spotted (Ezek. 16:8-13). So, God delights the soul that has entered into close unity with Him with various decorations and crowns it with the glory of virtues in a variety of ways: but for those who keep their life impeccable and spend it in holiness, spiritual beauty will be even greater and will remain unfading; and with those who willingly incline to what they should not, and are easily carried away by bad deeds, it will certainly happen that they will lose everything good and will suffer deprivation of what was once given to them. For they will fall into the hands of wicked and unclean friends, the princes of this age, the rulers of this darkness, the spirits of malice, who especially plot against virtuous souls: for to seduce them is a pleasure for them, just as, no doubt, it seems great pleasure to bird catchers to catch the most beautiful birds. Therefore, somewhere it is written about Satan that his food is chosen. And so, we must be vigilant and courageous with God and understand the words of blessed Paul: therefore, be careful to stand, lest you fall (1 Cor. 10:12). At the same time, those who come to God, who is able to do everything, must say in prayer: Lord, by your will, grant strength to my kindness (Ps. 29:8). Isaiah 3:23–25. And instead of a good stench there will be a stench, and instead of a belt you will be girded, and instead of a golden adornment on your head, you will have a bald spot for the sake of your works, and instead of a scarlet robe you will be girded with sackcloth: and your good son, whom you love, will fall with the sword, and your strongmen and your strongmen will fall with the sword and humble themselves: and the storehouses of your utensils will mourn, and If you remain united, you will be hit on the ground. One might think that it is not in vain that the prophetic word goes into very great detail for us here and carefully lists the types of jewelry that were in the custom of women devoted to luxury, as well as the types of the most ancient luxury, namely that when it later announces the complete and complete loss of so much that is most pleasant (for them), it wants to move them as much as possible and plunge them into sorrow; when, through a skillful image, he presents to them well-being as if they had already lost it, then this is in order to arouse trepidation in them by the expectation of the future and the horrors that will follow, and most of all unbearable disasters, and thus turn them to a good life and convince them to return to what is pleasing to God. So, he says, those devoted to such luxury will not only be deprived of decorations, but instead of incense there will be a stench (dust), that is, instead of living in houses filled with fragrances, they will have long and difficult journeys (along dusty roads), when they will be taken into captivity, still having pampered feet. But not only this, but they themselves will be ashamed and in an extremely dishonorable state, so that instead of a gold belt they will be tied with a simple rope, they will have a bare, that is, bald head, although previously it was covered with golden braiding; And he will give them the clothing that is common to captives, thick and thin, which he calls sackcloth, and it will be for them instead of a half-purple tunic and fine clothes. Adds to this that your kindest son, whom you love, will fall by the sword. For those who took a city or country usually tore small children from the breast and from the arms of their mother and cruelly killed infants, so that their mothers could walk without burden and not burdened with caring for their children. Thus, he says that their beloved son will fall by the sword either in this very way, or will be killed during the battle, and will die at the hands of the enemies. And when he says that the storerooms will cry for their decorations, it is not in the sense that the storerooms have a feeling and can cry, but in the sense that if someone says that the house is crying (orphan) when no one lives in it, he adds to this: and if you remain alone, you will be struck on the ground, that is, you will be pitiful and cast down and as if lying on the ground. For such is the life of those who are in captivity, in misfortune, in harsh and unbearable slavery. So, it is very terrible to offend God and neglect spiritual beauty; because God deprives those who are very prone to negligence of all beauty, obviously spiritual, and, showing them to have no virtue, will hand them over to their enemies. So we say that some are given over to an unskillful mind and the passions of dishonor (Rom. 1:26,28). And when the God of all strengthens us with spiritual strength, we retain the beauty of our nature in full splendor. When He leaves His care for us, then we are completely naked from all goodness and, having lost the beauty of virtue, we submit to shameful passions and serve our enemies. Isa.4:1. And they have seven wives for one man, saying: Let us eat our bread, and put on our garments, so let your name be called upon us, take away our reproach. Having beautifully finished his speech about the women of Judah, who are about to go into captivity for luxury and addiction to wealth, he tries to show that in the cities of Judah there will be a small male population, and that they will have a great shortage of people who were once the bravest, for he says that your strongmen will fall with the sword. What is the sign of what I spoke about? Very well and skillfully prepared. since God, through Moses, spoke to the children of Israel the law: let no one be barren or childless in you: then among the Jews it was considered the greatest disgrace if a woman did not give birth, or anyone among men did not have children: for the shame of a barren and childless wife was immediately transferred to them. But this law had a spiritual meaning; for the God of all has declared that spiritual Israel, that is, the mind contemplating God, will not be barren and childless, on the contrary, it will be fertile, like the beautiful and fertilized earth. But the Jews understood this sensually, for they were spiritual and had no spirit. So, he says, there will be such a shortage of men in the country as a result of their extermination during the war, that seven, that is, many, wives will be married to one husband, saying: Let us eat our bread and put on our garments, so let your name be called upon us, take away our reproach. Don't you see how they were afraid of the shame of childlessness and how much they abhor the name of the barren and childless? They come and ask not the usual and not what women usually receive from their husbands; because, they say, they will have enough of this themselves, but they ask, as I said, for only one thing - to remove the shame from them. Pay attention to the depth of thought. For if the person invited were rich, the women would not say: We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes. since they know that those who escaped the war and barely escaped (death) fell into extreme poverty and suffered great disaster; then they don’t ask them anything at all, but ask only for one thing - to become mothers of children. The historical idea is this. But some give spiritual meaning to the words they explain; I just don’t know why they don’t do it quite right; otherwise they would be worthy of all praise. They say that seven wives mean seven spirits, and one husband is Christ. Then, having thought little about decency, they say that these seven spirits say this: take away our shame: and we will eat our own bread and put on our own clothes. But it would be better to say that the seven wives are many souls who, through faith in Christ, received Him as bread and seek Him, as garments of salvation and seek fruit from Him. For blessed David also said something similar about Christ, the Savior of all: bringing barrens into the house, a mother rejoicing over her children (Ps. 112:9). It is said that even a barren woman will give birth to seven, that is, many, since the virtues are different, and not just one, but many, having God-loving souls as mothers. Isa.4:2–3. On that day God will rise in council with glory on earth to exalt and glorify the remnant of Israel. And there will be a remnant in Zion and a remnant in Jerusalem: all that is written will be called holy to life in Jerusalem. Since some are hesitant to indicate at what time what was foreshadowed by the mouth of the prophet about the women of Judah or about their entire country will be fulfilled - whether before the coming of the Savior or after it: the meaning of the words in question undoubtedly confirms that the prophet is not pointing us to any other time, but precisely to that time when they, for their wickedness against Christ (for they, pathetic, impudently treated Him) suffered a well-deserved punishment, when Jerusalem was surrounded troops, when the Jews, he says, were so horrified that they said to the mountains: cover us, and to the hills: fall on us. Therefore he says: on that day, i.e. at the time when what was predicted is completely fulfilled, God will rise in council with glory on earth to lift up and glorify the remnant of Israel. For the Word from God the Father, not by admiration, was not equal to God, but intended something deep and unspeakable about us. Being in the form of God the Father and in equality with Him, It became like us and appeared among those living on earth not without glory, although it became flesh, since it did what was fitting for God and performed such signs that are worthy of all glorification and wonder. Having shone forth, she had mercy on Israel; since he did not die at all; but a remnant remained, was exalted and glorified, and, marked by sanctification, was written in the book of life. But the true fulfillment of the prophecy should be seen, as it were, in the firstfruits of the saved, in the holy apostles, who were truly exalted and glorified by the gifts of divine grace, enriched with great glory. For they received power over unclean spirits in order to cast them out, they healed many who suffered from illnesses, but they were also written in the book of life. And when they rejoiced that the demons obeyed them, and when they spoke about this, Christ answered them, teaching them to rejoice in much more important things. Do not rejoice, he says, for the demons obey you: rejoice, for your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). So the Israelites were exalted, who remained as if in the number of a remnant; for they were worthy of glory and grace from Christ, they were called sons of God, His brothers and friends, they became participants in His glory, they were worthy to be written there in heaven and were called citizens of spiritual Jerusalem, the mother of saints, about whom the prophet Isaiah himself recalls, saying: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem, a rich city, the tabernacles shall not be shaken (Is. 33:20). Isa.4:4. For the Lord will wash away the filth of the sons and daughters of Zion, and the blood of Jerusalem will cleanse them from among them with the spirit of judgment and the spirit of heat. The word of the prophet again becomes calm and shows that someday others will make incorrect interpretations and, not allowing anyone to rebel in any way against the judgments of God, duly justifies them in advance, for if anyone began to cry out against the fact that the children of Israel would rise again and be glorified and be recorded in heaven, since they dishonored themselves beyond measure, killed the prophets, stoned those sent to them and, finally, said death sentence on Christ himself, and their hands became full of blood: then the prophet gives an answer to this: the Lord will wash away the filth of the sons and daughters of Zion and the blood will cleanse them from among them with the spirit of judgment and the spirit of heat. It is certain that they sinned; but the grace of Christ justified everyone and even granted forgiveness of sins to even the murderers. Therefore, the divine Peter cried out to the people of Judea, saying: But you have rejected the holy and righteous one, and have asked a man to give you a murderer (Acts 3:14). And then: and now, brethren, we know that through ignorance we have done these things, even as your princes did ((Acts 3:17). Repent and be baptized each of you in the name of the Lord Jesus and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. There is a promise for you and for your children. (Acts 2:38). Therefore, he says, the Creator of all things and the Lord is abundantly merciful, overcomes human cowardice with meekness, does not want the death of the dying, but so that he turns from his evil path and lives. He will wash away the filth of those who have sinned and cleanse the blood from their midst with the spirit of judgment and the spirit of heat. And we are talking about the spirit of judgment, about the sentence of God pronounced over us in accordance with righteous judgment or justice. For nowhere does the Savior say this: now is judgment for this age. (John 12:31); for He pronounced judgment on this age and on Satan, and cast out one as an oppressor, but He justified those living in the world through faith as oppressed. By the spirit of heat we mean the grace given in holy baptism, which is not without the Spirit in us. For we were not baptized in simple water, and we were not sprinkled with the ashes of a heifer for bodily purity alone, as Blessed Paul says, but with the Holy Spirit and divine and spiritual fire, destroying in us the impurity of vice and destroying the filth of sin. Another of the holy prophets also foretold this coming of the Savior to us, saying: “Behold, he comes like the fire of a furnace, and like the soap of those who feather.” And he sits boiling and purifying like silver and like gold (Mal.3:2,3; 4:1). And about the Jews, who remained guilty of disobedience, he says: the fur is thin from the fire, the tin is rotten: the forge forges silver in vain, for their wickedness is not worn away. The silver was rejected from them, for the Lord rejected them (Jer. 6:29,30). But it was not in vain that the silversmith worked on us who believed, and there was no shortage of bellows or lead; for we have been purified in the spirit of judgment and in the spirit of burning. And if anyone wanted to say that among the Jewish people, cleansing was accomplished in the spirit of heat, through the disasters of war and through what they endured (for punishments cleanse and bringing repentance to the Judge of all sometimes frees them from many sins); then even in this case the speech would contain the truth. Isa.4:5–6. And the whole place of Mount Zion will come and be, and everything around it will be overshadowed by a cloud in the days, and like smoke and light of fire burning in the night, it will be covered with all glory. And it will be a shade from the heat, and a cover, and a hidden place from cruelty and rain. Who or what is he talking about in the word will come? Is it about the time in which this will happen, or about the one who humbled himself to the point of exhaustion and came down from heaven to save the human race? The question is the same whether someone says that this is talking about the time of the coming (of the Lord), or whether someone wants to attribute this to Christ Himself. For when He came, He crowned with His grace the sons of spiritual Zion and free Jerusalem and made them blessed. And he became a patron for them, as if spreading over them that ancient cloud that once overshadowed Israel in the desert. Therefore he says: He will come, and the whole place of Mount Zion will be, and everything around it will be overshadowed by clouds in the days. In order for those who live in the spiritual Zion, that is, the church, to escape the heat of real life and trials, inseparable from temptations, or burning, Christ, overshadowing them like a cloud, will be their patron, and will Himself disperse the darkness of ignorance and devilish malice, shining to the mind like a light in the darkness or the brilliance of fire. It is written about the children of Israel that He led them during the day in a cloud, and throughout the night in the brilliance of fire. But all these were types and likenesses of the spiritual, but the truth is what was accomplished through Christ. For He Himself is the truth. Those worthy of His protection, he says, will be from everywhere and completely, as if in the shadow from the heat, they will be protected and covered from the severity of bad weather and rain. Again he likens the strength and most cruel attack of temptations to severe bad weather and rains. For Christ nowhere says: everyone who hears these words of mine and does these things will be like a wise man, building his church on the stone. And the rain came down, and the rivers came, and the winds blew, and attacked that church, and did not fall: it was founded on stone (Matthew 7:24,25). And when he adds that he will be covered with all glory, he makes it clear to those who believe in Christ that mercy from Him will not be some kind of partial, but will consist of complete readiness to protect them: they will be in the fence and under the shadow of Him who is able to save and deliver from all evil. Isa.5:1. Now I will sing a song to my beloved, to my beloved to my grapes. The first verse of this chapter is, as it were, a definition and plan for what will be discussed further. For the Prophet hints at what he wants to do, saying: I will sing to the beloved, that is, to Christ, whom God the Father so called Him, saying: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17). So, let us listen to your voice, O prophet! But from your thoughts alone, won’t words flow? But look at what the purpose of the song indicates. Although, he says, this speech is pronounced through me, it is not my speech, but that of the beloved; composed about my beloved vineyard, or as other interpreters say: about his vineyard. If he speaks about my vineyard, then he does not say this as the owner of the vineyard, but as one of those who belong to the vineyard. For we will find that the prophets sometimes used the same expressions about the people of God. So the prophet Jeremiah says: who will give me the last habitat in the desert, and I will leave my people and go away from them? (Jer.9:2). For as one who belongs to the people, he says that his people are close to him by blood and family. So the prophet sings a song to his beloved; and his song is composed of the beloved vineyard, that is, of Israel. For it is written that the grapes of the Lord of hosts are the people of Judah, a new beloved garden (Isa. 5:7). Isa.5:2. The beloved received grapes in a rose, in a rich place: and he made fences and trenches and planted the Sorek (chosen) vine, and created a pillar in the middle of it, and a gravestone in it, and waited for it to create a bunch. And create thorns. Having compared Israel to a vineyard, the prophet adheres to this figurative expression throughout his entire speech. The grapes came quickly, he says, to the beloved in the rose, in the place of fatness. They say that some interpreters were content with the expression: fat in place, because the horn does not point to anything else but to this very thing. Some people think that the expression: in a rose should be understood: in the power of God. For Israel inherited the promised land, having conquered, with the help of God, the nations that had lived in it from ancient times. Therefore, he says to Him in the forty-third psalm: because of you our enemies will tear down the horns, and because of your name we will be despised by those who rise up against us (Ps. 43:6), since in the Divine Scripture the horn is understood in the sense of strength and power and royal glory. So, we must listen to blessed David, sometimes speaking as if on behalf of every righteous person: my horn will be exalted like a unicorn (Ps. 91:11), and sometimes again about Christ: his horn will be exalted in glory, for the kingdom of Christ is very glorious. And the Holy Scripture testifies that the promised land is fruitful; everywhere it calls it earth flowing with honey and milk. This idea is confirmed by the blessed Psalmist, who sings and speaks about Israel: You brought grapes from Egypt: You drove out tongues, and you planted them (Ps. 79:9). Don't you see that the expression: in the rose in these words indicates the power of God, for he was planted after the nations were expelled from there. However, others think that the word: in a rose means: in a high and prominent place. For such is Zion, located on the mountain. So, having planted, he says, a vineyard, and fenced the fences and trenches, and planted the Sorek vine. Israel was surrounded, as it were, by some kind of fence and by angelic forces and heavenly armies, and moreover, it was surrounded by a rampart. What does this mean? Those experienced in cultivating grapes, skillfully attaching supports to each vine, lift them to the top and strengthen them in the ground. For as a result of this, the fruit obtained from them will be whole and unharmed. The God of all things did a similar thing, providing support for the spiritual vineyard in the law given through Moses, so that it, bowing to the earth and thinking only about carnal things, would not be destroyed in many different ways, but would be able to think about things above. For the law of God leads away from earthly things, as if raising up the minds of those led by it. And that the vine is of good quality is indicated by saying that in the fertile land it is planted not just a vine that came to hand, but Sorek, that is, the chosen one. The Jews think that the word Sorek indicates both the type and the name of the beautiful and most fruitful vine. And he created, he says, a pillar in the middle of it, and a gravestone in it; for in Jerusalem this famous church was built, like a tower and the dwelling of God, and a fort was dug out and an altar was erected in it and a corbanna, that is, a treasury in which all kinds of offerings of those who came here were deposited. But since, he says, I brought the vineyard in all respects into a comfortable state, I expected it to bear grapes; I thought undoubtedly that it would bear nothing less than the best fruit of the vine; - he spoiled the thorns. So, hope is deceived: Israel deceived and produced thorns instead of grapes. For he did not become a keeper of the law and did not adorn himself with the fruits of a good life; but he turned aside from the law in many ways and created thorns, that is, works of fire or such that they hurt those who touch and those who approach them. The sin we commit offends God, and what is thorn to us is evil to Him. But as Blessed Paul writes: the earth that drinks the rain that falls upon it in abundance, and gives birth to the former good things in which it is made, receives a blessing from God (Heb. 6:7), but the land that gives birth to thorns and thorns is worthless and is close to a curse, the end of which is burning. Isa.5:3–4. And you that now dwell in Jerusalem, and the man of Judah, judge between Me and My grapes. What else will I do to my grapes that I will not do to them? I waited before him, let him create the grapes, and let him create the thorns. Tries to show the completely unpardonable negligence of the Jews and, moreover, their shamelessness in relation to the law. For it was appropriate and very convenient for them to follow a glorious and praiseworthy path in accordance with the law of life and to follow life in Christ, but they preferred the crooked path and, neglecting the opportunity to bear good fruits, became like dry land, unable to bear good fruits - better than wild land, overgrown with thorns and bushes. So, he says, let the wise come among you and judge between Me, the Lord of the vineyard, and between the vines themselves. Because they lacked what they needed, did they become worthless? If I, who planted them, neglected something necessary for their benefit, then let someone accuse me of this and I will stop my anger, leave my anger and will not demand punishment. For, he says, what will I do that I will not do to him? But, despite the fact that I enriched him with everything useful and did not allow him to need anything, he nevertheless turned out to bear thorns, although I expected him to show off ripe fruits. What sentence will the judge finally pronounce? Will he call the farmer lazy and careless or, on the contrary, will he accuse those who were the subject of my (his) care, but turned out to be so careless regarding their fertility that they gave birth to useless bushes and many thorns instead of grapes. And that we are not talking about sensual thorns and not about grapes and grapes is clear to everyone. If the vineyard is of course spiritual, then of course the fruits are the same. Isa.5:5–6. Now I will tell you what I will do to my grapes: I will take away their fence, and it will be spoiled: and I will destroy its wall, and it will be trampled under foot. And I will leave my grapes, and whoever is not pruned will dig deeper, and thorns will come up on them, like on a floe, and the commandment will be like a cloud, so that no rain can fall on them. This form of speech, it seems to me, cannot but arouse surprise. For when those called to resolve the dispute between Him and the vineyard seemed silent, He finally determines their punishment and clearly foretells what it will be expressed in. After He had nothing left (unused) that could benefit them, He, by His own decision, became cruel (towards them). It was necessary that those who had reached such corruption should finally be left without the guidance, care and help of the Lord. So I will take away, he says, its fence, and it will be plundered: and I will destroy its wall, and it will be trampled under foot. And the vineyard, which does not have a fence or wall, will be completely open to those who want to plunder, it will be, as it were, the most ready treat for everyone and a road for those passing by, because no one interferes with it. For when God protects us and, as it were, protects us with some secret help, we will not be accessible to unclean spirits, we will not be a convenient path for them, we will not be available for plunder by wild beasts and tasty food for foxes. This is also written about in the Song of Songs: give us the little foxes that destroy the grapes (Song.2:15); about some it is said that they will be parts of the fox (Ps. 62:11). And when God allows those who wish to do injustice to you and leaves the care of you from above, we will experience all kinds of evil, and everyone will arbitrarily dispose of what belongs to us, whether it be a spiritual robber, or a law raging in the members of the flesh; and every movement of our soul will bear fruit to Satan. So, a vineyard without a fence and without a wall will be given over to those who wish to plunder it. And whoever is not circumcised will dig deeper, that is, he will be left without any care that can correct him and lead him to the better and protect him from terrible desolation. For we command the spiritual clouds, that is, the holy prophets or angelic powers, not to rain on him rain, that is, obviously spiritual rain, revealed in the excitement of the mind and heart through the divine word. But from here we can already see very clearly that this will happen, as the prophetic word says, to the children of Israel not before the time of the coming of Christ, but after they act wickedly with Christ. For it is absolutely impossible to name or indicate a time when Israel would have been left without holy prophets. Once they were captives and, together with their wives and those dear to their hearts, were taken to the country of the Persians and Medes; but not without holy prophets they went to Egypt, when the Babylonians destroyed the famous Jerusalem, but with them was the prophet Jeremiah, guided by the highest divine verbs. When they raged against Christ, they were left without a fence and all their security disappeared. I think that this is precisely what he indicates when he says that his wall will be destroyed. Then all the words of the holy prophets fell silent, as if the rain ceased. And the voices of the saints fell silent. And I think that this is precisely what God said to them through one of the prophets: these days are coming, says the Lord, and I will send a famine on the earth; not the famine of bread, nor the thirst of water: but the famine of hearing the word of the Lord. From east to west they will flow around seeking the word of the Lord, and will not find (Am.8:11,12). And this is exactly what I said happened to the Israelites, and quite rightly so. For they rejected the Lord of hosts, who spiritually waters souls and hearts and makes fat with spiritual dew, of which blessed David also recalls, saying: “Like the dew of Aermon that descends on the mountains of Zion” (Ps. 132:3). In place of this vineyard, a new vineyard was built, through the faith of those called to sanctification. And about them the heavenly bridegroom, that is, Christ, says: the vines sprout and emit a fragrance. And He Himself is the first, all-holy and true vine, and we hang on it like branches, filled with His life-giving fat. He spoke clearly about this: I am the true vine, and My Father is the worker. I will cut off every rod that does not produce fruit in Me; and I will cut off every rod that produces fruit, so that it may bear abundant fruit (John 15:1,2). since we are united with Him through an obviously spiritual union, we will become fertile. He Himself assures us of this, saying: be in me, and I in you. Just as the rod cannot produce fruit for itself unless it is on the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the birth. And he who is in Me, and I in him, will produce much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing (John 15:4,5). So, I say that through faith, love and obedience in everything one must be grafted into the true vine, that is, Christ. For He will enable us to bear fruit; He will set up a fence around us and build a wall around us, and will put away those who pass by. And nowhere does the Holy Scripture speak to Him: And your everlasting deserts will be built, and your everlasting foundations will be a generation of generations: and you will be called the builder of fences, and your paths will be in the midst of rest (Is. 58:12). Isa.5:7. For the vine of the Lord of hosts, the house of Israel, is, and the man of Judah, the beloved new garden: I wait, that he may bring about judgment, but create iniquity, and not righteousness, but cry. In these words he clearly showed that he was not talking about a sensory vineyard, but about a spiritual one, for inspired Scripture always uses clear examples to clarify dark and spiritual subjects. For, he says, the vines of the Lord of hosts, the new garden of the beloved house of Israel, is also the man of Judah. But although he was rewarded with mercy and love from me and enjoyed all kinds of care, he did not become a fruitful vineyard, did not become a noble vine, did not honor the law and did not live a good and holy life, but rather deceived the hope of the farmer. For I expected judgment, that is, arising from the bright thought of a correct and impeccable choice or decision regarding all actions; but, he says, he committed iniquity. Indeed, grapes give birth to thorns. Therefore, as I just said, he deceived (the hope of the vinedresser). From where it was natural to expect the fruits of truth, from there suddenly arose a life incompatible with the sacred laws and contrary to the divine commandments. Therefore, create iniquity and not righteousness, but outcry. He says: a cry, I think, indicating that their life was agitated by passions and full of confusion. Therefore, the divine Paul commanded the saints, saying: Let all crying, anger, wrath, and blasphemy be taken away from you with all malice (Eph. 4:31). For those who have a strong mind, it is indecent to use obscene cliques; they are more likely to be characteristic of those whose lives are fickle and even prone to all kinds of evil, those who are guided in life more by irritability than by prudence. Apparently, a hint is also made of the cruel cry that they raised against Christ himself. For when Pilate reproached them, do they really want to crucify their king, they, rejecting all modesty and love of God, cried out: take him, take him, crucify him. Not the imams of the king except Caesar. This is an ungodly cry, the origin of the Jewish synagogue, - a cry for which they lost both the fence and the wall and the irrigation from the holy clouds and were left without any care, since it says: I will leave my grapes, and whoever is uncircumcised will dig below. The one who gave birth to the thorns, which serve as food for the fire, was completely devastated. Isa.5:8–9. Woe to those who join house to house, and village to village, who draw near, so that they may take away something from their neighbor. Will food settle alone on the earth? This was heard in the ears of the Lord of Hosts. Lest anyone should think that He wrongfully accused Israel and foolishly slandered the vineyard, that it did not produce grapes at all, but only thorns, that is, instead of judgment or fair sentences - lawlessness, instead of truth - outcry, it is appropriate to enumerate what can be seen from which it was possible to see that not an immeasurably severe sentence was pronounced over him - not for ordinary sins, but for what is very contrary to the law and most disgusting to a good-loving God. Therefore he says: woe to those who join together house to house, and village to village, so that they may take away something from their neighbor. For people who want to get rich and have the opportunity to do so usually have a constant desire to multiply what they have acquired and further, to increase their fortune with endless increments. Therefore, they always oppress their neighbors and neighbors, trying to enlarge their vast houses in cities, forcibly taking away plots of land from the owners of neighboring estates and annexing them to their own. A rich man, if given an opportunity to achieve what he desires, becomes insatiable, because he never ceases to encroach on what belongs to his neighbor, always covets what he does not yet have, and strongly strives for what has not yet been acquired. So, he says, woe to those who want to add the houses of others to their own, to (their) fields, the fields of (others), in order to take something from their neighbor. For they always try to create a pretext for acquiring large property, in such a way that they dispute the right of others to live in their neighborhood; then they oppress the weakest and wickedly rob them, even though they weep and cry out against their cruelty. What does the prophetic word say to them? Will food settle alone on the earth? Do you really think, he says, that you live alone on earth and as if God does not govern it and does not see what is happening on it? Truly the Lord of all is very close and He can hear the deeds you perform. How (heard)? maybe you ask. Obviously due to the cries of those who are offended by them. The Savior’s disciple also wrote to us: come now, rich, weep and howl for the fierce sorrows of your coming upon you (James 5:1), and to this he adds: behold, the wages of the laborers who worked your fields, withheld from you, cries out: and the cries of those who reaped in the ears of the Lord of hosts were heard (James 5:4). For His all-holy and evil-hating nature most readily accepts the cries of those who are offended. And what the Lord has not forsaken living on earth, let the Speaker himself assure of this: I am a God who draws near, says the Lord, and not a God from afar (Jer. 23:23). So, listen, those who want to profit, who are ready to oppress their brothers and rob them, will food settle alone on the earth? For the God of all is near. But we need to know that the prophet instills in us very wise things with these words. O rich people, he says, why do you steal your neighbor’s property and hate your neighbor? What will undoubtedly happen is that you alone will live in the country, when all others will be driven out (by you), because you will reach the point that the earth will have no inhabitants. Therefore, it is wonderful and prudent to have only what is necessary for moderate contentment. For better is a little wealth with the fear of God than a great wealth with unrighteousness. If we need to point to an example from Holy Scripture, we remind you that once upon a time in Samaria there reigned over Israel, who built himself the most magnificent house, fell from it and immediately died. God, reproaching him for the fact that he worked in vain, says: You have created for yourself a spacious house, and wide upper rooms with open windows, and cedar vaults, and painted with scarlet. Will you reign as king, because you are encouraged by your father Ahaz? It was better for you to do justice and righteousness for good (Jer. 22:14,15). The treasures of the wicked do not profit, as it is written, but righteousness will deliver from death (Proverbs 10:2). Isa.5:9–10. If there be many houses, the great and the good will be desolate, and those who dwell in them will be no more. Where ten spouses of oxen look, he will create one pot, and he who sows six Artavas will create three measures. Undoubtedly, he says, complaints about the oppression committed by powerful people over others reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. Well, did He keep silent about this? did he allow this to happen calmly? have you curbed your anger? No way, he says. A clear proof of this is that He made in vain the efforts of people who were partial to the things of others. For, he says, what is the use of adding house to house and arranging dwellings with pomp and splendor if no one will live in them, because the war will destroy both small and great? And what profit do they have from the vast fields, when God will not allow them to bear good fruits for the greed of their owners or kidnappers? For there will be such a crop failure in the fields that where twenty oxen, or ten pairs, worked in the vineyards, barely one vessel of wine will be produced, and out of six measures of seed sown, they will receive only half of what is sown. And to cultivate with ten pairs of oxen, I think, you need a lot of vineyards, and likewise a lot of plots of arable land. So, possessions are useless and the desire to acquire much is vain if there is no one to live in the houses located in the cities, and there is no fertility in the fields, since God destroys the harvest and exposes the iniquity of greedy people. Since each of us has spiritual farming in his soul and sows righteousness, let us be careful lest we offend God. For then, like a safe and strong house, we will acquire many kinds and varied virtues, and we will abound in life like the valleys. The Lord of all will bless our sowing and multiply the fruits of our righteousness, as the divine Paul says (2 Cor. 9:10). Isa.5:11–12. Woe to those who rise in the morning, and strong drink to those who persecute, who wait for the evening: for I will burn the wine: for they drink wine with harps and singers, and tambourines, and pipes, but they do not look at the works of the Lord and do not consider the work of his hand. The previous charges are joined by other and very serious charges against the rich. For, in addition to being devoted to covetousness and immoderately oppressing the weak, they loved to attend feasts, indulged in luxury, constant revelry and drunkenness, and were defiled by other vices stemming from carnal knowledge. And they did this constantly, as if as a result of the conviction that they needed to do this at all times, since wealth can dispose to sensual pleasures and arouse insatiability for them. But if you sow to the flesh, as Paul says, from the flesh you will reap corruption (Gal.6:8). The end of fleeting luxury will be long and abundant tears, and the fruit of carnal pleasure will be destruction. So, the prophet depicts to us the splendor of the Jews, their immoderate luxury and devotion to a disorderly life. They, he says, spend all their time in overeating, from dawn they look for strong drink and throughout the day even until the evening they feast: for I will burn the wine. And there is no doubt that wine consumed in excess produces a kind of fire in the insides of a person. But in another way, wine will burn those who are partial to it: for those who punish them there will be an incentive (to put them to death), and they will be completely and completely burned, sent into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Thus, one who is given over to drunkenness along with other unclean people will not have a share with God and will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Look how unbridled the Jews were once in sensual pleasures. For where there is playing on the zither, the sound of tympanums and singing to the sounds of flutes with dancing and applause, there will certainly be every kind of uncleanness and what happens; it is shameful to eat and speak from them (Eph. 5:12). And this harms them in the sense that it prevents them from contemplating the glory of God and being attentive to His works. Just as the bodily eye, when dust gets into it, or is filled with pus, or suffers from a wound, cannot see clearly: so the human mind becomes coarse from carnal pleasures, cannot rush to God and turn a close gaze to His works, and from here it goes without saying that it cannot comprehend who and what the Creator is, since He is known from the beauty of what has been created, and only one who is imbued with wonder at Him can be sufficiently surprised. to the things he created, as Blessed Paul writes: For from the creation of the world, the invisible things of Him were understood, visible, and His ever-present power and divinity (Rom. 1:20). Naturally, the prophet accuses the Jews because they were given over to drunkenness, and very willingly gathering for sensual pleasures, they did not think at all about the future, that is, about what, as a result of divine wrath on them, would happen to them and what he calls the works of God’s hands. For He sends peace to those who love Him, and to those who love Him. which provoke His wrath. causes harm. If they saw the future deeds of the Lord against them, they would not tolerate drunkenness, but they would love tears and crying would be pleasant for them, and deeds and prayers and works of repentance would be more pleasant for them than the disasters resulting from dissipation. Isa.5:13–16. For my people were taken into captivity, because they did not know the Lord, and many were dead because of hunger and thirst of water: and hell widened thy soul, and opened thy mouth, that it would not cease: and the great and the great, and the rich, and their shepherds shall come down: and man shall be humbled, and a man shall be dishonored, and the high-looking eyes shall be humbled. And the Lord of hosts will be exalted in judgment, and the holy God will be glorified in righteousness. That for those who are devoted to luxury, the matter ends in their destruction and will lead them to the most extreme disaster, the Divine Scripture teaches us this in the words just given. Since the noblest inhabitants of the Jewish country neglected the attentive execution of the works of God, as something useless, and did not at all care to pay attention to the works of His hands, but were engaged in continuous feasts and, playing shameless songs on the flutes, indulged in drunkenness and spent whole days in this: then they will go into captivity and will be slaves of the enemies, and throughout the country there will be such a multitude of dead, perished from hunger and thirst, that it would be like hell He devoured them with his wide and insatiable mouth, greedily swallowing those who descended into it and imprisoning them in his prisons. For when you hear that hell has expanded its soul, then you must think that by this the prophet wants to signify nothing other than what I said now, because the inspired Scripture sometimes uses figurative expressions and, as it were, in a figurative sense, even speaking about such objects that do not have a soul and are not classified as animals, although they really exist. What kind of soul does hell have? On the contrary, hell is a place and a terrible prison for unfortunate souls. So, the souls of those who indulged in pleasures in this life will descend to hell and, as it were, fill his soul. The divine Psalmist explains the same thing to us, saying, I think, about every soul given over to pleasures and loving sin: even the father of his own generation will look down; even to an age he will not see the light (Ps. 48:20). Just as about the saints who leave our (here) life, the Holy Scripture says that they were joined to their fathers (as nowhere is it said to blessed Abraham: you have gone back to your fathers, and have been nurtured in good old age (Gen. 15:15); so about those who die in sins, we say that they have passed on to the family of their fathers, calling their fathers those who lived a similar life (previous) and in everything equal to (her) life. If (Scripture) spoke of many dead from hunger and thirst for water, then we attribute this to what Josephus (Flavius) wrote, who painted a sad picture of the great disasters of the Jews. When Jerusalem was under siege, women ate their own children, and from hunger and need they threw themselves on everything that could yield to their teeth. cities of Judea - how or why would anyone doubt this? So, very many were destroyed by war and fell by the sword; when many died in this way, even more died from severe famine. And if someone were to say that the wicked Jews lacked spiritual waters and divine food, and that thus they perished and, as it were, descended into hell due to the fact that they were not quickened by Christ in the likeness of those who believed in Him; then he would not have departed from the truth; because they had a chance to experience this too. But what kind of descendants should be meant by those for whom even hell itself expanded its soul and opened its insatiable mouth, he explains this, saying: the glorious, and the great, and the rich, and their destroyers (οὶ λοςμοὶ). Since they were the leaders of the whole country and the most noble people; then it was to be expected that they would guide those subordinate to them appropriately; but they did not do this, but became for others models and examples of a life worthy of damnation, which is why the Holy Scripture nowhere says to them: as the guard was quickened, and as the forest was spread out on Itaviria, even those who hunted for the trap (Hos. 5:1,2). Do you see why they became snares and snares for others? because subordinates always love to imitate both the good morals and the corruption of their superiors. So, they became the authors of the destruction of both their own and all others, and the first will descend and enter hell, because divine wrath will break out over them before others. They will be punished not because they were rich and famous, but because they were a plague, that is, destroyers and murderers of themselves, as I said, and of the people subordinate to them. Those who think highly of themselves, he says, will be humiliated and dishonored. For who is not humbled by the fear of death? and what raised and high-looking eye will not make a terrible and unbearable disaster droop? And when, he says, all this comes true, then the Lord of hosts will be magnified on that day, that is, at the time when what was prophesied about them will come to fulfillment. The Lord of hosts alone is glorified in judgment and righteousness, as a righteous and holy sentence over a proud, rebellious and devoted people. Therefore, let us turn away from luxury and try to avoid useless or, better yet, the most vile carnality, so that the insatiable hell does not consume us. Let us remember the words of the Savior: woe to you who are rich, for you stand for your consolation (Luke 6:24) and others: blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh (Luke 6:21). For labor will turn into rest and the end of good deeds will be for us the wine of pleasure, which will continue forever, for whoever sows to the flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, as it is written, and whoever sows to the Spirit from the Spirit will reap eternal life (Gal. 6:8). Isa.5:17. And they will be spoiled like young men, and the desert lambs will devour the captives. When the country of Judah still retained its strength and was at the height of its prosperity, neighboring nations fought against the Israelites; but since the God of all was the helper of Israel, he was so powerful over those who rebelled against him that he conquered without a fight, terrified everyone, plundered their countries, devastated cities, led and managed the affairs of others with authority. When they committed a crime against Christ, they were handed over to the Roman troops for extermination and plunder, their cities were burned and all their property was plundered by the victors. Then, soon after the Roman army withdrew, those (peoples) who had once been plundered invaded (the land of Judea), and, having searched the cities and houses, collected the remains and carried them off to their countries. The Lord of all shows this to us, speaking through the mouth of the prophet: rob, rob, like grapes, the remains of Israel; turn like a plunderer to your treasury (Jer. 6:9). And that they will not only have to endure disasters from the Roman army, but will also have more of them from the cruelty of neighboring enemies, he predicts about this, saying: and they will be saved from being plundered like young men. For, he says, those who were once easily plundered by them due to the assistance of God will devastate their country like oxen, that is, as cruel, arrogant, having irresistible strength. And the desert lambs will devour the captives. He calls the besieged captives. So, he says, the devastated cities of the captives will be eaten by lambs, that is, again some of the nations. since above we were told, as it were, about oxen, he continues the figurative speech and adds lambs, so that we understand by oxen to be very strong; and those who are not so and have less power we call lambs. In the same way, the heart of each of the careless will be devoured, like oxen and lambs, by evil and unclean forces. And the food for them is a passion for pleasure and the aspiration of thoughts towards sin. Isa.5:18–19. Woe to those who attract sins, as if they have already been long, and as if the yoke of the youth is bound by the strap of their iniquity, saying: let the same thing come quickly, so that we may see it, and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel come, so that we may understand. The Creator of all and the Lord, overcoming the weakness of human nature with meekness, turned to the ancients through the holy prophets with such admonitions that would encourage (them) to leave the worst, move on to the better and abandon depravity and sin, but, on the contrary, to lead a virtuous life and be inspired by the determination to do good. And for this reason, sometimes He pointed out to them the rewards prepared for the saints, and sometimes He calculated the types of punishment appropriate for lovers of sin, in order to promote benefit in every possible way. But there was no way in which the frivolity of the Jews could be eliminated; for, having turned aside to greed and pleasure and suffering from extreme madness against God, they terribly armed themselves against the holy prophets. And some, completely not believing what the prophets said, turned to them with the following words: but speak to us and proclaim another deception (Is. 30:10); others, as if blaming the innocence of the Divine nature, probably laughing, said among themselves: the days are long, every vision is destroyed (Ezek. 12:22). Therefore, God nowhere said to the blessed Ezekiel: Son of man, behold, the house of Israel in great sorrow says: The vision that this hedgehog sees is for many days, and prophesies for the times of this debt. For this reason, speak to them: This says the Lord God: All my words will not last, even if I say, I will speak a word and do it, says Adonai the Lord (Ezek. 12:27,28). And others, as if already despairing of their salvation and their lives, dared to be angry and said: “Let the time of war come soon; Those who want to devastate our country will not find us unmanly or afraid of any noise. And we are experienced in war and know its art well 2. For those who are thus disposed, he rightly mourns and says; Woe to those who draw back sins as if they were already long, and as if the yoke is a strap of iniquity. In this case, he calls sins and iniquities vengeance or punishment for sins that are still far away and not yet close, for the reason that God still wants to prolong his mercy, attracted in some way by them, since they want to fall under the movements of Divine wrath. And I think that to each of these we can speak in a completely befitting manner and truly: or are we careless about the riches of His goodness and meekness and long-suffering, not knowing how the goodness of God leads you to repentance? Because of your cruelty and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgment of God (Rom. 2:4,5). For they draw (accelerate) the time of punishment, as I said, against themselves, perhaps in their cowardice thinking that He is slow to punish them and will not impose punishment on those who sin uncontrollably. So, they attract sins, as if they were already long, and as if the yoke is a youthful belt of iniquity; because, just as those who lead youths or cows under a yoke (yoke) sometimes drag (them) with great effort and tie them to work, in the same way, I think, they, leading themselves to what was going to happen (to them) as a result of Divine wrath, said: “Let him come soon, let him do it, let us see, and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel come, let us understand.” This is what another of the holy prophets mourns for those who speak and so think, saying: Alas for those who desire the day of the Lord: this (day) is darkness, and not light, and darkness does not have its light (Am. 5:18,20). So, we must, as soon as we recognize that God is offended by us, immediately repent and soften Him with continuous prayers, and not irritate (even more) those already moved to anger and not neglect His threats. For He is long-suffering and abundantly merciful, taking away iniquity and forsaking iniquity (Mic. 7:18), and sometimes through the small tears of those who have sinned, He is brought to the meekness that He loves most. Isa.5:20–21. Woe to those who say evil is good, and evil is good, who put light into darkness, and light into darkness, who put bitter into sweet, and sweet into bitter. Woe to those who are wise within themselves and understanding before themselves. How completely unreasonable and with these words he denounces those who attract sins as if they have already suffered for a long time. For they had to consider necessary repentance worthy of all praise and, by all kinds of righteousness, to deliver themselves from the wrath that threatened them and by fasting to justify themselves before the offended God who rules over all; and they turned out to be dishonest moneychangers, attaching value to the most shameful and, on the contrary, declaring counterfeit the incomparably best and most useful for their salvation. Therefore, grief truly befits those who think so. They turned out to be wicked and unreasonable judges in relation to themselves. Calling evil good, honoring darkness as light and asserting that bitter is sweet, and sweet is bitter, passionately desiring the disasters that come from war, although it would have been easy to get rid of the troubles, finally, rejecting the very enlightenment given through Christ, they remained in darkness. And what does the prophet say? To those who wait for the light, there will be darkness for them; while they wait for the dawn to walk in darkness (Is. 59:9). They fell to such a degree of recklessness and wildness of thoughts that when they were supposed to take advantage of God’s mercy and the sweet hope that flows from here, they themselves, on the contrary, preferred the bitterness of punishment and torment to such strong disasters. They endured this, he says, because they were wise in themselves, and understanding before themselves. It is true that, according to the word of the Companion, wisdom that does not tolerate exposure goes astray (Proverbs 10:17). But relying too much on ourselves and leaving knowledge and judgment about what is useful to one’s own opinion is gross arrogance and harmful for those who are accustomed to doing this. So the Holy Scripture says: a contemptuous and offended man and a great man will die in nothing (Hab. 2:5). Having this weakness in their minds and hearts, the leaders of the Jews did not accept advice (admonitions) from the Savior; for they were, truly, rather not before the Lord, but before themselves, understanding, arrogant and thinking a lot about their knowledge of the Divine laws, but in reality knowing nothing at all. They were the reins of the blind, according to the word of the Savior himself (Matthew 15:14). Isa.5:22–23. Woe to your mighty ones who drink wine, and to your nobles who dissolve strong drink, who justify gifts to the wicked, and who eat the righteous from him. More than others, the most prominent and noble representatives of the Jewish Host, who had an advantage over others in the knowledge of Divine laws and carried out judgment with them, were strongly accused of stretching out their unfulfilled hand to accept gifts and were easily bribed to give decisions in favor of those who wanted to do injustice to their brothers, although the law clearly said: judge righteous judgment (Zech. 7:9). And that what I say is true, the prophet Habakkuk will assure you of this, saying: How long, O Lord, will I call and you will not hear? When we cry to You we will offend, and will You not deliver? What kind of labor and illness did you show me, look at passion and wickedness? There will be a trial against me, and the judge will seize me. For this reason the law is destroyed, and judgment is not carried out: for the wicked will overthrow the righteous, for this reason judgment will come forth corrupt (Hab. 1:2-4). And the God-speaking Isaiah himself speaks in one place, turning his speech to Jerusalem or Zion: your princes do not repent; And they did this, being bowed down by vile bribes and, perhaps, in an impious way collecting what they needed for feasts and pleasures, they also acquired it from unjust courts. For he accuses them through the mouth of the prophet, saying: he binds his garments with snakes, and the curtains of his work are held by the treasury, and the wine of slander is drunk in the house of his God (Am. 2:8). Therefore, woe, it is said, to the noble and powerful, those who exquisitely prepare strong drink, lovers of feasts and drunkenness, and, whoever eats the righteous, who take from him, that is, those who condemn the offended and pronounce an acquittal in favor of those accustomed to greed and violence. And this, I think, means openly calling evil good, and good evil, darkness light and light darkness, bitter sweet, and sweet bitter. But one must know that the strong will be greatly tormented, having betrayed him much more, they will ask him much more, according to the word of the Savior (Luke 12:48). For superiors and subordinates will not be punished in the same way, since the latter sometimes represent the excuse that for some reason they did not know the will of their master, and those, although they knew it very accurately, nevertheless did not fulfill it (cf. Luke 12:47). Therefore, they will rightly be subjected to the more severe wrath of the Punisher. Isa.5:24. For this reason, just as a reed is burned by a fiery coal and burned by a blazing flame, their root will be like dust, and their flower will come up like dust. Because they, as it was said, brought on sins against themselves, as if they were already long, and were unjust judges of deeds, condemning the good and praising the evil, they were wise in themselves and understanding before themselves and turned their gaze to what was even more shameful than this, they justified the wicked with gifts for the sake of , and even the righteous was taken away from him: then, because of all this, like an easily burned substance and like reeds, they will be the food of fire and the flaring up flame will destroy them, so that the fruits produced from them will be consumed along with the roots, that is, those born from them will die along with their parents, and like dust or dust they will be scattered by the blow of a very strong wind. A flame that cannot be extinguished by anyone is called a flame that has flared up. For fire sometimes falls either on sown fields or on vineyards, but does not flare up, since many protect them and do not allow it to either increase or destroy the fields without hindrance. And when no one takes the trouble to stop the further spread of the flame, then it will flare up and spread freely and uncontrollably to everything that is offered to it. So, when the almighty God subjected them to the scourge of war and punished them according to his holy decision, then absolutely no one was their protector. That is why he quite rightly calls anger a kindled flame. For this is what blessed Moses says: Our God consumes fire (Deut. 4:24; cf. Heb. 12:29); and if we shut it from men, whoever opens it (Job 12:14). And knowing this, the Divine David cries out: You are terrible, and who will resist You? From here is your wrath (Ps. 75:8). Thus, we must try with all our might not to attract this anger upon ourselves, as it is terrible and inevitable, which is why in prayers we are taught to say: Lord, do not rebuke me with your wrath, nor punish me with your anger (Ps. 6:2). For it is not hard, not at all hard, to be punished by a father; but it is difficult and unbearable when this is done out of anger and rage against us. So the prophet said: Punish us, Lord, especially in judgment, and not in rage, so that you do not make us humble (Jer. 10:24). Isa.5:24–25. You did not desire the law of the Lord of Hosts, but provoked the Word of the Holy One of Israel. And the Lord of hosts was angry with his people, and laid his hand on them, and smote them: and the mountains were irritated, and they were carcasses like rot in the middle of the way. The wise Jeremiah scourges the ignorance and arrogance of the Jews, saying: Why do you say that we are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Truly the reed was in vain, the deceitful scribe, ashamed of wisdom, intimidating and capturing the former. What wisdom is there in them? She rejected the word of the Lord (Jer.8:8,9). For they did not at all accept the preaching of the Gospel; but they did not respect the very law given through Moses, as Christ himself said: if they believed Moses, they quickly believed Me, for that is written about Me (John 5:46). Thus, they sinned against both and, unfortunate ones, rejected the word of God, not accepting the predictions set forth in the law as true and not giving praise to the saving word of the Gospel. That is why through the mouth of Jeremiah God said about them: To whom will I speak and (to whom) will I testify, and will he hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, and they cannot hear: behold, the word of the Lord comes to them as a reproach, and they do not receive it (Jer. 6:10). For they reviled the word of Christ, saying about Him to those who heard: “You have a demon and are violent; why will you listen to him?” (John 10:20). And so, since they did not desire the law of the Lord of hosts and provoked the word of the Holy One of Israel, that is, Christ, they looked up, it is said, the Lord was angry and smote them: and the mountains were provoked. What mountains is he talking about here? Is it not obvious that the power of the Romans is due to the splendor of its glory and the height of its dignity? And from the irritation of the mountains, their corpses were like pus, that is, those who died as a result of the war, scattered everywhere and, perhaps, lying in heaps and filling their entire country. However, in another sense this can be understood here, namely about those who irritate the Savior of all, God, with their disobedience; because the mental mountains are irritated, that is, the principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness of this world (Eph. 6:12). When this happens, then those subordinate to them quite necessarily suffer spiritual death. For when Almighty God helps us, then even if the mountains become angry against us, we have no concern about it; because it is written: the angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear Him, and will deliver them (Ps. 33:8): but when He withdraws His hand from us and no longer wants to save, then we will lie down and, like pus (dung), we will be under the feet of our enemies. Isa.5:25–30. And in all these His wrath is not turned away, but His hand is still high. He will raise up a sign among the nations of those who are far off and warn them from the ends of the earth, and behold, the lighter ones will quickly come: they will not hunger, nor toil, nor to sleep, nor to sleep, nor to untie their belts from their loins, but the straps of their boots will be torn apart: their arrows are sharp, and their bows are tense: the hooves of their horses are like hard. the stone is imputed, the wheels of their chariots are like a storm, they rage like a lion, and they appear like a lioness; And for their sake in that day he will cry out like the sound of a troubled sea: and they will look upon the earth, and behold, the darkness is cruel in their bewilderment. That the consequences of anger at them on the part of the righteous Judge will not only be limited to this, but will extend further, this will now make clear what has been proposed. For, although they, the unfortunate ones, suffered terrible devastation, experienced the pangs of hunger and thirst, and were subjected to the disasters of war, they remained in aversion from God, and therefore were not beyond wrath. This, I think, is what he means when he says: His hand is still high, like one that strikes those who have sinned; because the hand of the striker always seems to rise high. Then, what and how great the irritation of the mountains will be, who will be the executors of their wrath and with what courage, with what courage and cruelty unusual for people they will come, he makes this clear, saying: He will raise up a sign among the nations of those who are far off. For those who devastated it and burned Jerusalem and all the cities of Judea were not contiguous or neighboring with the land of Judea, but were gathered from distant countries and from all over the earth. In addition, there were very many of them, or, better to say, the number of those who came armed together with Vespasian and Titus 4 was incalculable. A sign will be given, it is said, as if during war and battle; because generals, intending to bring the troops under their command into line, have the custom of giving signs by raising high the so-called banners. The prophet Isaiah also mentions them, saying: he will be captured like a goldfinch on a mountain, and like a banner carried on a hill (Is. 30:17). For those who place banners on high hills either place them straight, or tilt them, or hang something on them, which the fighting army looks at. In this way it knows the will of the commander. He will raise up a sign, it is said, and give them a cry. And this again also comes from the treatment of bees. Beekeepers have a custom of whistling for them and thus leading them out of the hives to flowers and herbs, and again collecting them from the fields and placing them in their homes. So, let’s say hello, it’s said. They will arrive as quickly and easily as birds. Caring little about hunger, not fearing labor, not indulging in sleep, well girded, fully prepared for war, marching on indomitable horses, rushing like a storm and like lions and devouring like beasts, they will be so invincible and terrible that even without a battle they would be able to win, since no one would oppose them or have enough help for themselves. And at that time there will be weeping and mingled crying, so that some will take it for nothing more than the sound of the sea spilling over the land of Judea. There will also be cruel darkness, by which we mean not at all the darkness that comes from fog or that occurs at night, but rather the darkness due to fears and confusion. For too severe disasters darken the mind. So, the God of all benefits us in everything: it is not in vain (for example) that He makes predictions about the future and tells in detail about the greatness of disasters. He does this so that, since we often remain deaf to admonitions and consider the word calling us to repentance into nothing, then, at least being afraid of falling into such terrible punishments, we would take into ourselves the fear of God and, having retreated from evil, finally turn our hearts to good. Isa.6:1–3. And in the summer before King Uzziah died, he saw the Lord sitting on the throne, high and exalted, and the house was filled with His glory. And the Seraphim stood around Him, six kril to one and six kril to another: and two were the veils of their faces, and two were the veils of their feet, and two were the veils of the fly. And I cried out to one another and said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is filled with His glory. Not once forever, and also not continuously, the blessed prophets received revelations of visions from God, but in parts, in accordance with how it pleased the Master, and at those times in which the Revealer of the deep and hidden and the Knower of the hidden wanted to do this. For there is light with Him, as it is written (Dan.2:22). So, when Uzziah, who is also Azariah, was still alive, and occupied the throne of the kingdom of Jerusalem 5, the blessed prophet Isaiah composed (prophetic) speeches regarding what has already been indicated above. Uzziah, who is also Azariah, was one of the most God-loving kings, since it is said about him that he did what was right in the eyes of God (2 Kings 15:3; sn. 2 Chronicles 26:4); However, he did not completely preserve the good and immaculate glory of piety: having overcome, with the help of God, neighboring nations, having accomplished very much and worthy of surprise (in wars) against them, he was intoxicated by such success in business and fell into arrogance, He reached such a degree of conceit that he seized upon himself the power of the priesthood and self-proclaimedly began to make a sacrifice to God. For having entered the Divine Church, he did not want to offer sacrifices to God through the Levites or priests, but approaching the Divine altar itself, he tried to burn incense contrary to custom and law. And although he was rebuked by the priestly tribe as acting wickedly and attempting to break the law, nevertheless, puffed up by the glory of his royal dignity, he appropriated to himself the right to perform sacred functions. But, considering the advice of the priests as nothing, he was immediately convicted by God; because he was stricken with leprosy, which spread to his very forehead. For accurate knowledge of what was said, I think it is necessary to offer here the most Divine words written about it. These are the words: In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah the son of Amessiah 6 king of Judah reigned: the son of sixteen years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem: and the name of his mother was Haliah 7 from Jerusalem. And do that which is pious in the sight of the Lord in all things, as his father Amessiah did. Either way, don’t ruin the tall ones: there are still people who live on the high ones. And the Lord touched the king, and he became a leper until the day of his death. So in the books of Kings (2 Kings 15:1–5). In the books of Chronicles, as I said, it reads: And when he was strengthened, his heart was lifted up to destroy (his own): and offended the Lord his God, and went into the church of the Lord to burn incense over the altar. And Azariah the priest walked along it, and with him the priests of the Lord, eighty strong, sons of strength. And she spoke against Uzziah the king and said to him: It is not yours, Uzziah, to incense the incense of the Lord, but only to incense the holy priest son Aaron: come out of the sanctuary, for you have departed from the Lord: and this will not be imputed to you for the glory of the Lord God. And Uzziah was angry, and the censer was burned in his hand in the church: and at some time he was angry with the priests of the Lord, and leprosy came upon his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, on the altars with incense. And Azariah the bishop and priestess turned to him, and behold, he had leprosy on his forehead, and drove him out from there, for he himself was anxious to get out, as if the Lord had exposed him. ( 2 Chronicles 26:16–20 ). And since the law given through Moses commanded that the leper be completely expelled as unclean from the camp, and since the leper desecrated and revealed that he who lived with him was also involved in uncleanness, then Uzziah, who lived in Jerusalem, seemed to defile all of Jerusalem through this. That is why the Lord was silent, not thereby dishonoring the holy prophets, but rather making the unclean who lived together (with the pure) unworthy of His admonition, contrary to the will of the legislator. For this is what He says in one place to blessed Ezekiel: I will bind your tongue and make you dumb, and you will not be a man to correct them, because the house is angry (Ezek. 3:26). So He remained silent, although showing His indignation; because Jerusalem was shaken and the whole country of Judea was shaken. We also learn this from what the prophet Amos wrote, in which it reads like this: The words of Amos, which were in Ekkariameh 8 from Tekuah, which were seen against Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah the king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash the king of Israel, who was formerly a coward for two years (Amos 1:1). When Uzziah died, then the time of silence ended for Him. And again the God of all began to give visions of God to the holy prophets. That is why the prophet Isaiah says: and it came to pass in the summer, when Uzziah the king died, that he saw the Lord of hosts sitting on the throne, high and exalted. That the prophet beheld the Son in the glory of God the Father, no one can doubt this when John clearly writes about him: this is what Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke about Him (John 12:41). Pay attention to the dignity of divine superiority and power over all creation. He sits on a high and exalted throne, abundantly crowned with the most magnificent glory of royal dignity. And the superior powers, after which, as they say, there is nothing higher than anything created, stand around Him, being in official rank and glorifying Him with praises. Fulfill, it is said, the whole earth with His glory. The Divine throne, I think, should not be considered to be located at a spatial height. This would be completely ridiculous and unreasonable. The Divine throne is placed high, since the glory of the kingdom of God is imagined as higher than any mental nature. Sitting on it means, as it were, firmness, stability in the identity (immutability) of good qualities and abiding in them. For this is how the Divine David sings: God sits on his holy throne (Ps. 46:9). And also the prophet Jeremiah says to Him: for You remain forever, but we are perishing forever (Bar.3:3); because created nature is always and at all times perishable, and this is the measure (limitation) of created beings (from non-existence into being); sits, as I said, the artist of everything and the creator of Wisdom, that is, the motionless has abiding in identity (immutability). And fulfill, it is said, the house of His glory; because while Israel had not yet dishonored against the Lord our Jesus Christ, the glory of God filled the house that was in Jerusalem. When they rejected His kingdom, they fell into wickedness. Therefore, they heard the voice of one saying: Behold, your house is left to you empty (Matthew 23:38). Each of the Seraphim, it is said, had six wings, so that with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their legs, and with the other two they flew. Title: Seraphim is interpreted as: burning or flaming; because there is nothing cold about the higher powers, which are very close to God. Therefore, we ourselves, clinging to Him by faith and living a good life and in agreement with the law, become fervent in spirit (Rom. 12:11) and flaming with love for God. And the fact that the Seraphim then covered their face and legs with wings, and flew with two of them, means that no one can see either the beginning or the end of thoughts or words about God, since the head and face mean the beginning, and the legs mean the end. For the Divinity is without beginning and has no end. We perceive with our minds only that which lies within the limits of time, in which the once and non-existent was brought into being. They fly as if they have nothing thrown down; on the contrary, their mind is always high and turned to God. For the powers above do not think, as we do, about what lies below, but they keep their minds on certain indescribable heights of thoughts. And their mouths are full of praises; because they praise, and, moreover, alternately, not because of fatigue, as I think, but rather, yielding honor to one another and alternately giving praise. For everything above is in order and well-being. They say three times: holy and conclude the doxology with the words: Lord of Hosts, thereby positing the Holy Trinity in the one nature of the Divinity: because we undoubtedly recognize the Father as implied here, and likewise the Son and the Holy Spirit. And no word dissects each of those named into natural otherness, but in three Hypostases there is clearly one Divinity. And this is testified to us by the holy Seraphim themselves, who also say that the whole earth is filled with His glory, foretelling the future and foretelling the mystery of the economy completed by Christ. For before the Word became flesh (John 1:14), that destructive demon, the serpent, the apostate, had power over the heavenly places; worship was also given to the creature above the Creator and Creator (Rom. 1:25). When the Only Begotten Word of God became man, then the whole earth was filled with His glory; because every tribe and every nation will worship Him, and tongues will confess and work for Him, according to what is written (Phil. 2:10,11; Col. 3:24, etc.). Blessed David also announced this in spirit, because he said: all the nations that you have created will come and worship before You, Lord (Ps. 85:9). This happened when many of the pagans were called and when everyone worshiped the One who for our sake became like us, but for His own sake remained above all. Isa.6:4. And he took hold of the door because of the voice that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. The Prophet contemplated the Lord of Hosts, sitting on a high and exalted throne, and the holy Seraphim stood around Him and praised Him with incessant praises. He also affirmed that the house of His glory should be filled. Now he says that the door was removed and the house was filled with smoke, and it was from the voice that the holy Seraphim cried out. So, shall we really say that this voice was the cause of what happened in the house? But isn’t it extremely incongruous to think so? How, however, will we obtain an understanding of the proposed words? Very good and wise. Before the incarnation and coming of our Savior, when Israel was still living unhindered and blamelessly in accordance with the law, that famous temple in Jerusalem, which Solomon built, was full of the glory of God; because in it they made sacrifices according to the law. When the Israelites did not accept the One who came from heaven in human form and was preached in the law and the prophets, on the contrary, they even killed the Author of life (Acts 3:15), then He left his home, left his inheritance. He turned away to the Gentiles, and the whole earth was filled with His glory. The country of Judea was given over to devastation and the church itself was burned. Thus, when, according to prophecy, or prediction, or the voice of the holy Seraphim, the whole earth was filled with His glory, then the door of the church was removed and it was filled with smoke. So, the saying: from the voice that cries out rather indicates the time, and is not at all the work or product (consequence) of doxology. The saying: taking the door, marks, as I think, the destruction of the church. And that he was burned, this is indicated by the words that he was filled with smoke. But if someone wanted to understand this in a different sense and say that mentally this was fulfilled over the entire Jewish people, then he would not have departed from the correct understanding. For when the glory of our Savior filled the whole land of the pagans called through faith, then all the spiritual steadfastness of the mind of the Jews collapsed, and they, unfortunate ones, like smoke, having accepted the darkness of ignorance into their minds, became mentally blind. Therefore, the Savior calls to them, saying: until you have light, walk in the light, so that darkness does not have you (John 12:35). And that the mind of the Jews is easy to shake and is easily captivated by everything related to the passions, being deprived of help from above, how can anyone who is accustomed to think correctly doubt this? Isa.6:5. And he said: Oh, accursed me, for I was touched, as a man of unclean lips, in the midst of men of unclean lips, I live: and I saw the king of the Lord of Hosts before my eyes. The law, given through the wise Moses, commanded that the wicked should not associate with the saints, and this command was very strictly observed by the Jews. And the Lord cried out to the holy apostles who were fishing, saying: cast your fish into the fishery (Luke 5:4). When this was done, a great many fish were caught. Surprised by the power of the word, the Divine Peter fell, it is said, to the tribe of Jesus, saying: Depart from Me, for I am a sinful man, Lord (Luke 5:8). But Peter did not want Christ to leave him, and since he knew the purpose of the law, he confessed that he was a sinner; because he was afraid to be together with the Saint, according to the custom that had always been maintained among the Jews. Likewise, when Christ once arrived in the country of Gergesin, and then healed the wildly possessed people living in tombs here, the inhabitants were surprised at this Divine sign, but the whole city, as Matthew said, went out to meet Jesus: and those who saw Him prayed that he would pass from their borders (Matthew 8:34). Wouldn't it be necessary, on the contrary, to stop the Healer and beg him to stay with them and appear as the creator of many other miracles? However, at that time it was a proof of the reverence and kind of honor that should be shown to the saints that some were afraid to approach them: When Matthew was called and followed Christ, and then called Him to his house, then, as it is said, many sinners and tax collectors came to recline with Jesus, and with His disciples. And when the Pharisee saw it, he said to His disciple: Why does your teacher eat and drink like publicans and sinners? (Matthew 9:10,11). So, you understand how they accused Christ of neglecting the law, due to the fact that He wanted to eat with vicious people. God also blames those Jews who occupied the first places at the table and in the synagogue, saying through the prophet: there will be no separation between the holy and the profane (Ezek. 22:26). Thus, as I said, it was an image of reverence and a tradition of the commandments of the law that those who recognized themselves as vicious and had a conscience not free from sins did not want to be with the saints. The blessed prophet appears in a similar state, and therefore says: O accursed one, I am touched. And it’s not because he’s damned that he’s moved. It would be absurd to think so. But since he was touched, he says, from the consciousness 9, it is clear that that is why he said in this way: O accursed man, as a man of unclean lips, I live among people who have unclean lips: and I have seen the king of the Lord of Hosts before my eyes. For, since the holy Seraphim sent forth praises with pure and pure lips, he was afraid, as he had been taught by God and knowing that praise is not precious in the mouth of a sinner, as it is written (Sir. 15:9). Undoubtedly, the lips of Israel were unclean, since they uttered blasphemy against our Lord Jesus Christ. And if the prophet says that he himself has the same mouth, although he was completely uninvolved in the wickedness of Israel, then we affirm that he, as a saint, humbly says this about himself. It is also likely that he, as descended from the tribe of Israel, does not consider himself free from the guilt of the latter, but brings himself under the common sin of the people, thereby saving those who have sinned. Or, through this, he confesses the illness of human nature, which is what blessed David said about every person: I said in my anger: every man is a lie (Ps. 116:2); because the human mind is sick with lies, although some get rid of this evil, achieving this through abstinence. So, the prophet was afraid that, not being as pure as, without a doubt, the holy Seraphim, he contemplated the Lord of hosts, and he kept silent, because his lips were not so pure, although, on the contrary, he should have glorified. And that one must sing songs with pure lips, this can be clear from what one of the holy disciples says about the tongue: by this we bless God and the Father, and by this we bless men who have become in the likeness of God. Food is appropriate, my brother, this is how it should be. Does food flow from a single mouth, sweet and bitter? Can food, my brother, be created by the olive fig tree or the fig vine? In the same way, one source makes the water sweet and sweet (James 3:9–12). Isa.6:6–7. And he was sent to me by one from the Seraphim, and in his hand he had the name of a burning coal, which was taken from the altar with pincers, and he touched my lips and said: behold, I will touch this to your lips, and he will take away your iniquities and cleanse your sins. The Divine Paul writes about the holy angels that they are all ministering souls, sent into service for those who want to inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14) And this does not seem unclear; for everything in the higher powers is in due order, and measures of honor or service are laid down for them, as well as the limits of the glory of each of them, from God, who distributes everything according to his will. However, for all of them there is one yoke, and they serve the beckons of the Master, not considering themselves unworthy of this service, but considering sincere zeal in this matter as honor and glory. So, before the eyes of the prophet, the sacrament of Christ is depicted, which the higher powers served very well. Namely, one of the Seraphim is sent, having coal, which he took from the altar with tongs. This was a sign of Christ, Who, for our sake and for us, offered Himself to God and the Father as a spiritual sacrifice, pure and undefiled and in the stench of fragrance. Therefore, it is very natural that coal is taken from the altar. It is also necessary to say why He is likened to coal. Inspired Scripture usually compares the Divine nature to fire. Thus God appeared to Israel on Mount Horeb or Sinai on the day of the meeting. So at a certain time He appeared to the blessed Moses himself, who was tending his flocks in the desert, under the guise of fire in a bush and spoke to him. Therefore, just as coal by nature is wood, but only completely and completely filled with fire, and has its power and effect: in the same way, I think, our Lord Jesus Christ himself can be understood in justice. For the Word became flesh and dwelt in us (John 1:14). But although He was visible as a man similar to us, according to the economy, yet in Him lives all the fulfillment of the Divinity (Col. 2:9), according to the image of unity, I say. Therefore, He appears to perform the most divine actions through His very flesh. So He touched the bed and resurrected the widow’s dead son; and by spitting gave sight to the blind, anointing their eyes with clay. So, the coal can very well be likened to Emmanuel, who, if in some way he were in our mouths, would completely and completely take away sins and cleanse iniquities. But how will He be in our mouths? - In the case when we profess faith in Him. So the Divine Paul writes: The word is near, in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith, which we preach: if you have confessed the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart, that God raised him from the dead, you have been saved: for with the heart one believes the truth, but with the mouth one confesses for salvation (Rom. 10:8-10). So, let there be a divine coal in your mouth, burning up sinful feces and destroying the filthiness of iniquity and making us burning in spirit (Rom. 12:11). If it is said that he was taken with tongs, then you will understand this perfectly when you understand that we receive faith in Him, as well as knowledge of Him, as if with the help of some tongs, through instructions or predictions contained in the law and the prophets. By them, the word of the holy apostles is everywhere imprinted in its truth: for, using evidence from the law and the prophets, they convince the listeners, and, as it were, they themselves bring coal to their lips, preparing them for the confession of faith in Christ. Isa.6:8. And I heard the voice of the Lord saying: Whom will I send, and who will go to this people? And he said: Behold, I am, send me. When the coal touched the lips of the prophet and took away his iniquities, then he hears the voice of the Lord, and is no longer afraid and does not say: O wretched one; on the contrary, he offers, and very boldly, himself for the embassy and, as if voluntarily going to this, says: behold, I am, send to me. And if God says: who will I send, and who will go to this people? then this is not the voice, we say, of one who is perplexed or has a shortage of those whom to send, but, on the contrary, a voice accusing the Israelites, as a very disobedient people who did not show obedience to any of those sent before, on the contrary, even killing them. For they annoyed some, stoned others, and killed others, as Christ tells us in the Gospel parable (Matthew 22:6, 21:35; fn. 23:37). So, whom, he says, will I send, and who will go to these people? - to people who had not listened to those sent before, who were cruel and unyielding, and who showed in their very deeds that not everyone could dare to go to them, but only one who would not value his very life. And that Israel was very adamant and deaf to admonitions, anyone can learn about this from what God said to blessed Ezekiel; But what was said is this: son of man, go and enter into the house of Israel, and speak my words to them: for we are not sending you to a people of deep speech and slow-tongued people, but to the house of Israel, but rather to a people of many foreign tongues, tongues, and heavy tongues, whose words you would not understand. be to you: but the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, because they do not want to listen to Me, for the whole house of Israel is disobedient and hard-hearted (Ezek. 3:4-7). So, not as if in bewilderment, but on the contrary, as I said now, accusing the Israelites of extreme cruelty, He says: whom will I send? And the prophet, without hesitation at all, answers: behold: send me. So, when the Divine coal touches us, then we too will be clean from the falls, ready and courageous for the embassy, ​​just as the Divine disciples did. For, although they were from the Jews and before they loved Christ, together with others they also had unclean lips, but after they accepted the faith, they showed a good confession; the coal also touched them, and then they were called to the apostleship (embassy) and immediately followed the calling. Although the wise Moses says: I pray to You, Lord, choose another mighty one, whom you have followed (Ex. 4:13); and again Jeremiah: O Lord Lord, behold, we cannot speak, for I am a child (Jer. 1:6); but those who are in Christ more ancient than the saints have an ardor for the apostleship 10 and (preaching) ministry. And a clear prototype of them could be the blessed prophet Isaiah, who, after touching the coal, exclaimed and said: behold: send me. Isaiah 6:9–10. And he said: Go and speak to this people: with hearing you will hear, and you will not understand: and with seeing, you will see, and you will not see: for the heart of this people is clothed, and their ears are hard to hear, and their eyes are closed, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts and be converted, and I will heal. Blinding came from part of Israel, writes the Divine Paul (Rom. 11:25), as if interpreting how it happened that they fell into blindness. Even to this day, he says, Moses is always revered; a veil lies over their hearts (2 Cor. 3:14,15). For it was natural that those who had finally reached such savagery of morals as to be very sick of unbridledness and not want to show obedience either to the writings of Moses, or to the holy prophets, or even, I would add, to Christ himself, were enveloped in the darkness of mental darkness and differed little from insensitive stones. So, the God of all people makes this foreshadowing and instructs the prophet to warn them: you will hear by hearing, but will not understand: and those who see will see, and will not see. For they were self-hearers of the word of the Savior. Who taught in the synagogues, preached many times in Jerusalem, but they remained the same with those who heard nothing at all. They were spectators of works miraculously accomplished: they saw lepers freed from disease, the lame walking freely, the blind seeing, the dead rising from their graves; but all this did not bring them any benefit, and they, unfortunate ones, remained as if deprived of their very eyes. That is why they are reproached through the mouths of the saints, as they were always stiff-necked, disobedient in heart and killed the saints (cf. Acts 7:31). Blinding has been given to them, says God, so that they will not see with their eyes, and may understand in their hearts, and be converted, and healed. And this was very clear what Christ said to those who did not want to listen to Him: do not murmur among yourselves: no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him (John 6:43,44). And again: everyone who hears from the Father and learns will come to Me (John 6:45). So, they were not called to the knowledge of the Son, through the revelation of God the Father, because they were not worthy of the salvation and life given by Him. And if anyone wanted to give a different meaning to what was said, let him understand it this way: God predicts everyone, as knowing the unseen and the future, and says that they will undoubtedly and certainly see and hear, but they will remain as if they did not hear and did not heed, and this will happen to them from their own evil disposition. And to this he adds that by doing this, they are setting up intrigues on their own heads, since they are sick with disobedience, do not want to hear and cannot see: so that their eyes will not see, and their ears will hear, and they will be converted, and I will heal. Thus, they themselves were the authors of their own destruction, neither offering their ears to hear what Christ spoke loudly, nor opening the eyes of their minds. For if they had done this, they would have been converted and, having received proper healing, would have kept their minds whole and sound. Isa.6:11–12. And he said: How long, Lord? And he said: Down to the Dondezh the cities will be desolate, from being uninhabited, and the houses, from being uninhabited, and the earth will remain empty. And therefore God will continue mankind, and those who remain on earth will multiply. The Prophet was afraid that a constant and everlasting petrification might be brought upon the Israelites. Therefore, he asks to reveal (to him) how long this will happen to them, and how long the illness will last. In response to this, God foretells the devastation of Jerusalem itself and the entire country of Judea, and says: until the city will be desolate from being uninhabited, and houses from not being human, which was fulfilled when Vespasian and Titus devastated Judea after the crucifixion of the Savior and His ascension into heaven. And that the punishment for the disobedient will not be extended until they suffer this, and that Israel will not completely or not completely perish to the root, he indicates this by saying: And therefore God will continue men, and those who are left on the earth will multiply. For they were continued from God, although they killed the saints and added to them the very Chief of life. Those who remained, that is, those who were saved and believed in Christ, who are the remnant of Israel (Rom. 9:27), will, they say, be in great multitude; because a large part of Israel believed. And the blessed prophet Isaiah himself indicated this at the beginning of his book, saying: and if the Lord of hosts had not left us a seed, as Sodom would have been, and as Gomorrah would have been like (Is. 1:9). But it seems to some that the power of the proposed words can be understood differently, precisely in this way: when the prophet asked and wanted to know to what extent and how long the petrification would last, God answered: until the cities will be desolate, from being uninhabited, and the houses, from not being human. And therefore God will continue to men, so that through this we understand the time of the end (of the age). For first we must hear battles and hear battles, we must rise up language against language, and kingdom against kingdom (Matthew 24:6,7), cities and houses must be devastated. And then the end will come, after which people will continue, precisely after the time of resurrection, leading a holy and long-lasting life, since corruption will be completely destroyed, death will be abolished and all sin will be destroyed. And that Israel has petrified, but will be called in the last times of the age, about this, in view of the fact that the inspired Scripture speaks about this clearly and directly, I think it is unnecessary to expand and look for evidence to convince us of this. Isa.6:13. And there is also a tithe on it, and again it will be stolen like a terebinth and like an acorn, when it disappears from its plus. The prophetic word even now resembles a story that, it seems, needs to be told; because what will be stated will be so clear. When Vespasian and Titus conquered the country of Judea, as I said above, the country of Judea was devastated, and cities and very houses were burned in it: the sight was terrible and worthy of every regret for those who saw it. At the same time, the Jewish people finally reached such a small population that they would not have departed from the truth, who would have said that there was barely a tithe (tenth) of the entire people left among them. They then spent some time enjoying the peace, although not without fear of being devastated again, as was the case. Adrian, who in time took the throne of the kingdom of Rome, and Antiochus, nicknamed Epiphanes, attacked the country of Judea, and the disasters from this were no less than before, since the remnants were devastated, and those captured were sent into captivity - then the martyrdom of the Maccabees took place. The God of all things reminds us of such stories, again in prediction, and says: there is still a tithe on it, and again it will be stolen. For, he says, the people of Judah will not be without care, even if they are in remnants, albeit small ones; however, they will again be plundered. And then again their country will be like terebinth, and they themselves will be like an acorn when it falls from its plush. Terebinth is a tree 11 and when it loses its leaves, it presents a very unpleasant sight, having very dry branches. In the same way, I think, a country that has suffered devastation of its inhabitants will be exactly the same as dry trees, not only lacking color, but also deprived of even their leaves. Likewise, the acorn is the fruit of the oak tree; and when it falls out of its plus (cup), then it will become food for those of the animals that usually feed on it 12. So, the country of Judea is likened to Terebinth, which has lost its leaves: those that have fallen from it through being taken into captivity will lie like acorns that have fallen from their plush, which contained them. Solomon also says the same thing: just as a bird always falls from its nest, so a man will always be separated from his places (Proverbs 27:8). For what could be more unfortunate than those who are in captivity? What could be more pitiful and contemptible than for people to fall under the power of the victors? Isa.7:1. And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rahashon 13 king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Romeli, king of Israel, went up against Jerusalem, and fought against it, and were not able to destroy it. Those who reject history in the inspired Scriptures as empty, are naturally deprived of the opportunity to properly understand what is written in them. Spiritual contemplation is beautiful and useful and, very well illuminating the eye of reason, makes us more intelligent; but when in the sacred Scriptures something that has happened historically is presented to us, then it is necessary to extract what is useful from history, so that the inspired Scripture from all sides appears to us as saving and beneficial. So, in this place the prophetic word tells us about what happened during the reign of Uzziah with the descendants of Judah and Benjamin and with the ten tribes who lived in Samaria, which were called both Ephraim and also Israel. since the entire prophecy took place during the times of four kings, the prophet believes and necessarily designates what happened during the times of each of them, offering the most excellent order of visions or his speeches. Thus, after the death of Azariah, who is also Uzziah, Jotham inherited the kingdom, pursuing the goals and undertakings of his father. For it is also said about him that he did what is right before the Lord, like Uzziah (2 Chronicles 27:2; fn. 2 Kings 15:34): neither destroy the high ones: yet the people are kadyahu on the high ones (2 Kings 15:35). And Uzziah tried, contrary to what he should have, to offer sacred services to God and to burn incense, for which reason he was stricken with leprosy. Not so for Jotham. When he too ended his life, Ahaz succeeded him in the kingdom, while Pekah, the son of Romeli, reigned over Israel, that is, over the twelve tribes. This latter raised a war against Ahaz and Judah, and in one day killed one hundred and twenty thousand. For the God of all was angry at the wickedness of Ahaz, about whom it is written in the fourth book of Kings that he walked in the way of the king of Israel (2 Kings 16:3); because he was a wicked man and served idols, and led his children through the fire, incense to unclean demons (2 Kings 16:4). So, during his reign, Phekaeus himself, the son of the Romelians, and Rasson, the king of Aram, that is, Syria, gathered for war against Jerusalem and Judah, and came with the goal of devastation; however, they did not take the cities. Frightened by the unbearable invasion, Ahaz collects a lot of money, sends envoys to the king of Assyria Tiglathellaser and asks him to help him and go to war against Rasson, which was carried out. The king of Assyria came and took Damascus and killed Rahashon (2 Kings 16:5-9). When Pekah, the son of the Romelians, who reigned in Samaria over Israel, also died, after him Hoshea the son of Elah succeeded to the royal scepter, during whose reign Shalmaneser of Assyria came to Samaria and took it all, and took Israel captive and settled it on the mountains of Persia and Media (2 Kings 17:3,5,6). Then he ordered some of his subjects to settle in Samaria, from Khufa and Sepharuim, as it is written in the books of Kings (2 Kings 17:24). There is a lengthy word about each of those mentioned in the inspired Scripture; but I have made this narrative, trying to be as brief as possible. Let’s talk about everything in parts, following the order of thoughts of what has been stated. So, in the days of Ahaz, it is said, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, the king of Judah, agreed to Raashon, king of Araml, that is, Syrian, and Pekah the son of Romeli, king of Israel, to go out against Jerusalem and came with the goal of devastating it; however, they could not take it. This has been said hitherto in the sense of a preface and as if in the form of a brief indication of what happened. For this indicates their intention and their very attempt. But he immediately adds the outcome of the matter: it was not possible, he says, to ruin it. Isa.7:2. And it was announced in the house of David, saying: Aram conferred with Ephraim, and his soul and the soul of his people were terrified, as if a tree in an oak grove had been shaken by the wind. Having indicated, as I said, the reason for the narrative and, as if in a brief table of contents and in general terms, having said about the attempt of the two kings and that their goal was not achieved, he finally begins to examine each circumstance separately in words. For it was announced, he says, in the house of David, that is, in the reigning one, and they announced that Aram was conferring with Ephraim. By Aram he means Syria, and by Ephraim in the same way the ten tribes in Samaria. When it happened in this way, the house of David, that is, Ahaz, knew and believed. His soul was terrified, and the soul of his people, as a tree in an oak grove is shaken by the wind. The word: horrified (ἐξἑστη) he uses in general instead of: she was amazed (κατεπλἁγη) and almost lost her very mind. For strong horror can shake the mind and shake the soul and, as it were, subject it to the same thing that a tree in an oak grove can suffer, bent this way and that by the attack of cruel winds. The reason for such fear or horror for him was mainly what happened; because I have already said that during his reign Phekaeus launched a war against Judea and destroyed one hundred and twenty thousand of the people in one day. When, in this way, Pekah alone was so strong that he could easily take possession of the Jerusalemites, then shouldn’t fear have recently been aroused both in Ahaz himself and in his people, when the Syrian king agreed and armed himself with Ephraim against Jerusalem? Isa.7:3–4. And the Lord spoke to Isaiah: go out to meet Ahaz, you and your remaining son Jasuv, to the font of the high way of the village of whitewash, and say to him: take heed, be silent, and do not be afraid, let your soul faint from the two trees of the heads of these smoking ones: for when the wrath of my wrath comes, I will heal again. The Lord is truly compassionate and merciful and wants all people to be saved and to come into the understanding of truth (1 Tim. 2:4). He wisely builds everything, making the path of salvation easier for everyone. And we can see this from the deeds themselves: for Ahaz was an idolater, vile and nasty. But since he was in inevitable disaster and the Merciful One saw that he seemed to revel in misfortune, he immediately points out the possibility of receiving salvation from Him and promises help, namely, on the condition that he cease from idolatrous madness, decide to abstain from previous falls and accept the light of true knowledge of God. So, the prophet receives a command to meet him together with Jasub, whose name means abandonment or forsaken, and who served as a symbolic image for Ahaz that the remnant of Judah, who remained faithful to God, would be saved. At the same time, the prophet is taken as the image of God, and very confidently gives a promise of help at the font of the mountain path in the village of Belilnichna; because the font is again an image of the saving source of holy baptism, which leads us both to the heavenly path and to the path of the mental whitener, that is, cleansing us from all uncleanness and delivering us from defilements. So, the promise is firm, and, as if under the image of a particular promise, the prophet is given a wise hidden hint of a universal promise given through Christ. But he says: be careful to remain silent, and do not be afraid, let your soul faint from the two heads of these smoking trees. And the command to be at peace and spend time without worries, as well as the command to free oneself from grave horrors, was a matter of calling - and indeed very prudently - to obedience and, as it were, leading to the beginnings of duty - to honor the words of God and readily recognize as true what God speaks. He calls those who plotted against him brands and smoking trees, as those who will soon cease their very existence and reign. For, like a tree or a brand, when taken out of the fire, it smokes, but soon ceases to have fire in itself: in the same way, I think, a person who is about to stop living or doing anything can rightly be called a brand or still smoking wood. since he knew that they were very frightened and in great despondency, since they were defeated in the battle with Pekah, when, as I said, one hundred and twenty thousand of the Jews fell in one day: he delivers them from this fear and says: for when the wrath of my wrath comes, I will heal again, that is, they would not have fallen if my wrath had not delivered them into the hands of their enemies. But even if, he says, my anger were against some, I will again heal the victims; because he who betrays it out of anger will easily take it away due to His characteristic meekness and love for mankind. Isa.7:5–7. The son of Araml and the son of Romeli, as if he were speaking evil counsel against thee, saying: Let us go up to Judea, and having spoken with them, I will turn them back to us and make the son of Tabeel king over them: and this saith the Lord of hosts: This counsel shall not endure, but it shall come to pass. He does not allow Ahaz to disbelieve the news of cunning plans against him, but he also does not allow him to be overwhelmed by fear. Having confirmed, on the contrary, and declared true the conferences or plans against him of the two kings, He promises help, applying it so that it would be more firmly established on Him, and not be attached to the services of idols and to the words of false prophets, who, of their own accord, say countless things to those who question them, but do not say anything true, so that they are in council, He says, to go up to Judea and talk with their subjects yours and persuade them to follow your opinions, this is true and certain; because they want to install the son of Tabeilev as king. But it won’t come true, he says. And who is the one who promises this? - The Lord of Hosts, that is, the Lord of hosts or armies. And if He deigned to give victory to those whom He wanted, then who will change His decision and who can resist His Divine destinies? Thus, He confirms in the faith of those who still did not believe. For they do not require the health of a doctor, but those who are sick, as the Savior himself said (Matthew 9:12). You should also know that He calls the son of Aramlim the king of Syria, that is, Rasson, and Romeliev Pekah, who reigned over Israel, that is, over the ten tribes in Samaria. Isa.7:8–9. But the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Raasson: but for another sixty and five years, the kingdom of Ephraim will become impoverished from people, the head of Ephraim is Somoron, and the head of Somoron is the son of Romeliev: and if you do not believe, you will understand less. Those who wish to explain what is contained in the inspired Scripture also have a necessary need for historical narration, so that the truth will follow the Divine words from everywhere. Therefore, the prophet narrates what is contained in the Holy Scriptures, from which we can best understand the meaning of what is proposed. So, during the reign of Ahaz, Raashon, king of Syria and Damascus, and Pekah, the son of Romeli, who reigned over Israel in Samaria, agreed to go against Judah and Jerusalem. Fearing the invasion, Ahaz, with the help of money, convinces King Tiglathellaser of Assyria to protect him and ward off the invasion of those who agreed. The King of Assyria, having come, destroyed Damascus, which was the capital of Syria, and killed Rasson himself. And when Pekah died in Samaria, who was the son of Romeli, his successor in the kingdom was Hosea, the son of Eli, an evil man and addicted to demonic charms. During his reign, Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, came to all Samaria, immediately took Hosea and made him his slave. Having also devastated the entire country and brought the sons of Israel out of it, he settled in it instead some of his own, that is, subjects from Khufa and Seppharuim. These, I think, were the Persian tribes; because it is written so in the books of Kings (2 Kings 17:24). This is the historical narrative, reminding us, the prophet says: this is what the Lord says: This advice will not endure, but it will come to pass: but the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Raassim: but for another sixty and five years, the kingdom of Ephraim will be impoverished from people. The unclear combination of words should be arranged like this: the head of Aram, he says, that is, Syria, is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Raassim, that is, Raasson: for the head of the country and the city is the one who reigns over them. And the kingdom of Ephraim will become impoverished from the people: for another sixty and five years, the kingdom of Ephraim, that is, Israel, will become impoverished. The head of Aram, that is, Damascus, and the head of Damascus, that is, Rasson, will become poor. For Tiglathellaser, as I said, took Damascus and Rashon, and Shalmaneser took Hoshea, king of Ephraim, that is, Israel, and Somoron, or Samaria, to which the word generally fits everything: it will become impoverished. And the head of Ephraim Somoron will become impoverished again. He calls Somora, that is, Samaria, the head of Ephraim; because the chief city of Samaria was Somora. When he says: Ephraim, this means Israel. And the head of Somoron is the son of Romeliev, that is, Phakey. The word again fits all this: it will become impoverished. And to this he adds: and if you do not believe, you will understand below. And this saying is very true; for those who insult the words of God through unbelief cannot have understanding from Him. Therefore, we must strictly accept what comes from God and readily agree to what He promises and says; because in this way there will be good understanding in us and the light of His wisdom will shine upon our minds. Isa.7:10–12. And the Lord said unto Ahaz, O river: ask thyself a sign from the Lord thy God in the depths, or in the heights. And Ahaz said: Don’t ask the imam, lest I tempt the Lord. Ahaz, who owned the royal throne in Jerusalem, although he was very inclined towards unbridledness and to zealously pursue demonic false service, in every way tries to convert him to the better and to the consciousness of the need to seek true teachings and to assimilate the right wisdom about God. So, since among the servants of idols it was considered great and was the subject of special effort to inquire about the outcome of affairs, to ask for divinations from sacred places and to be deceived by the words of false prophets when they were in danger, then in some way he prevents Ahaz from doing this and orders him to ask for some sign no longer from their usual churches and not from false prophets, but rather from the Lord God. He also made his instructions regarding the method of asking, saying: in depth, or in height, that is, to heaven, or to earth, and even lower than that. And through this he confirmed and makes it clear that being the God of all and the Lord, He does according to His power what is pleasing to Him, whether he (Ahaz) wants to see anything from what is in heaven or anything from what is on earth. But Ahaz refuses, not so much out of respect for God, but out of disdain for Him, although, unfortunate, he is magnified with words of reverence: “It is not the imam who asks,” he says, “I will tempt the Lord.” Since, at the command of God to ask for a sign, not wanting to ask for it is obviously an ungodly act, he pretends that he does not want to tempt Him and, as it were, puts as the basis the word of the law: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God (Deut. 6:16). And truly, how can one not blame Ahaz for this resourcefulness in the most decisive manner? For, when God himself allows you to ask, then how could it not be better to prefer to do what He commanded, rather than resort to cunning inventions and present such an insignificant pretext for disobedience: I will not tempt the Lord? But he had a goal - not to accept words coming from above and from God; but on the contrary, crown with the best lot (prefer) the false words of the oracle, explore the flight of birds and ask for help from demons. Isa.7:13–14. And he said (Isaiah): Do you hear, O house of David: food is not enough for you to give labor to man, and how much labor do you give to the Lord? For this reason, the Lord himself will give you a sign. When Ahaz refused to ask for a sign and did not want to honor or know Him who is by nature and truly God and Lord of all, then God tries to teach him that He will not be completely unknown to Israel and will not lose His heritage, but that they will come to know Him in time. However, he no longer honors Ahaz, the insulter and the God-hating, with a word, but, on the contrary, calls out to the house of David, that is, to those who came from the tribe of Judah, from which Christ himself came in the flesh. And he gives the prediction very kindly, like God. For, accusing them in advance of the fact that they consider for nothing to offend even the omnipotent God himself and attempt to cause Him troubles and labors, as far as it concerns them, by not wanting to walk the straight path, He then, precisely, then makes a foreshadowing of general and comprehensive help. At home, he says, Davidov! even if you cannot insult people with impunity, then why do you give the Lord the work of someone who does not want to punish, but can do it, and very easily? since you refuse to ask for a sign: then I will do it of my own free will, he says. Even if you want to make you ill, I bring healing, because I am merciful and philanthropic. The Lord Himself will give you a sign, confirming that in time lost Israel will be saved and will not be ignorant of their Master, but will be a worshiper of the God who saved them. This was fulfilled through Christ, who called Israel to knowledge and delivered them from all sin and from attachment to the worship of trees and stones. Isaiah 7:14–16. Behold, the virgin will conceive in her womb and give birth to a son, and you will call His name Immanuel: butter and honey, before you know whether to will evil or to choose good: before you know whether to cast away good or evil, he will reject the evil one, even if you choose good, and the land that you feared will be left, from the presence of two kings. Some of those who interpreted the Divine Scriptures conveyed the initial words of this passage as follows: “Behold, a young woman 14 will conceive in her womb.” It is the Jews who think it necessary to designate the Mother of the Lord by the name of a young woman, and not call her a Virgin; since they think that the power of the sacrament may be weakened if it is said: "young woman" and not "Virgin". But anyone can see their ignorance in many ways. For first of all, if the Virgin is also called a young woman, then she will not cease to be a virgin. Then they claim that the prophet says about Ahaz’s wife: “Behold, a young woman will conceive in her womb and give birth to a son,” so that we mean Hezekiah, who was born of him. But without testing the words of the prophecy, they imprudently grasp what they want, and then through this alone they think to confirm their assumption. However, anyone could tell them: good people! Who called Hezekiah Immanuel? Or how could they prove that before he knew good or evil, he did not submit to evil in order to choose good? So, having eliminated their idle talk, we will accept what is right and true, believing that through the prophecy set before us, the Holy Virgin is signified (to us) from God. So there will be a truly amazing and great sign, both in depth and in height according to the Divine promise. For the only begotten Son, who came down from above and from God the Father by nature, exhausted Himself (Phil. 2:7) and came from the bosom of a virgin according to the flesh, and the Virgin did not conceive in the womb by the casting of human seed, but by the power and action of the Holy Spirit; because this is what was said to the Holy Virgin through the mouth of Blessed Gabriel: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you (Luke 1:35). So, she will give birth, it is said, to a son. And you, O house of David, now, it is said, refusing to place your hope in God and ask Him for a sign to confirm what is promised, due to adherence to idols, call His name Immanuel, that is, you recognize God as appearing in human form. For when the only begotten Word of God appeared in our likeness, then He was also with us, 15 since He who is above every creature became like us. Look how, in order to show that He is truly God and at the same time man, the prophet attributes to him Divine and human properties. Precisely, that He truly was in the flesh, he certifies this by saying that He had food suitable for infants - honey and milk. And that although He became flesh, He will nevertheless be above sin, like God, he teaches this, immediately adding that before he can understand whether he will reject good or evil, he will reject the evil one, even if he chooses what is good. For people who have not yet reached maturity and have not reached the level of age, which, as it were, from time itself is respected by prudence, are not entirely capable of distinguishing between what is bad and what is good. And when the time calls for it, then they make a free choice of what they should do. The Divine and highest nature, being not in ours, but in its own and appropriate height, is never accessible to evil and rejects all types of depravity, not being tempted from anywhere and without undergoing confusion, on the contrary, naturally and by its very essence not obeying evil. And this is no different, I think, than if someone said about light that it does not want to be darkness; because he cannot bear not to be the light. So, the prophet signifies the everlasting firmness of the Divine nature in goodness, saying that He will reject evil even if He chooses what is good. This is also true in relation to Christ himself. For although He was born in the flesh through the Holy Virgin, being God by nature and the Word manifested from God, He was from the womb and before it, or better yet, before every age, holy as God, not deprived of His perfections by the adoption of humanity, but not despising humanity, according to the dispensation, so that they would believe in Him as having become truly like us, and so that He would thereby sanctify our very birth. But, he says, the land will remain, about which Ahaz was suspicious and for which he feared, on behalf of the two kings. This is as if someone said clearly: when the Virgin, who has conceived in her womb, gives birth, and you, the house of David, call his name Immanuel, then all who harass the holy land will leave it; because it will no longer be available to those who want to devastate it. And (also) there is a spiritual meaning here. For when Emmanuel was born, a truly holy land and city, that is, the Church began to be in good hope and trampled all the enemies who, seeing her invincible, withdrew, leaving her as saved by God; For I will be around him, says the Lord, a wall of fire, and I will be in the midst of him for glory (Zechariah 2:5). Isa.7:17. But the Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father’s house the days that have not yet come, from the day after Ephraim was taken away from Judah king of Assyria. In the greatest confusion caused by the alliance between the two kings, Raashon and Pekah, the God of all promised help to Ahaz; and since he wanted to confirm him in the faith, he commanded him to ask for a sign “in depth or in height.” When Ahaz refused and very persistently said: I am not the imam to ask, I will tempt the Lord (Is. 7:12, since I sought more deceit from the false prophets): then God Himself moved in some way and gave a sign to the house of David; for he said: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and thou shalt call his name Immanuel (Is. 7:14). When the word about this had a very strong effect, then He again transferred the prediction about the future to the face of Ahaz himself. For it was necessary, truly it was necessary, that the proclamation of salvation through Christ should be given to those who came from the house of David, that is, from the tribe of Judah, from which Christ himself shone in the flesh. He foretells the terrible and unwanted events that will happen in time to the rebellious so that they know that it is truly harmful and unsafe, without honoring the glory of the Divine, to enter into competition with the Lord and prefer to worship other non-existent gods besides Him. So, that in time both Jerusalem itself and the entire country of Judea were to be subjected to extreme disasters and fall to the power of enemies, He clearly foretells this. And since the composition of the speech is very unclear, I will first of all try to clarify it as best I can. It is said that God will bring upon you, and upon your people, and upon your father’s house, days that have not yet come, from the day after Ephraim was taken away from Judah. The meaning of these verses is this: during the reign of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon was taken away, that is, by Ephraim, that is, ten tribes, from the tribe of Judah. For ten tribes separated from the tribe of Judah and settled Samaria: but the tribe of Judah and half the tribe of Manasseh remained in Jerusalem. But over time, much happened that they did not want: Samaria was devastated, and Judea was attacked by neighboring nations: the Edomites, the Moabites and the Philistines. Thus, both of them suffered many disasters and experienced difficult days. Therefore, it is said, God will bring such days, the likes of which have not yet been or have not come upon you since the time when Ephraim took himself away or tore himself away from Judah. What time will it be for us, or what days? - The king, of course. Assyrian, that is, Nebuchadnezzar, who devastated Jerusalem, took all of Judea by force, burned the Divine Church, and generally did not miss any brutal cruelty, which he would not have done in relation to any other people Isa.7:18–19. And it will come to pass on that day that the Lord will call upon the flies that are in part of the river of Egypt, and on the bees that are in the land of the Assyrians: and they will all come and rest in the depths of the country, and in the caves of stone, and in dens, and in every cleft, and in every tree. Expands the narrative and describes in detail the onset of war and the fact that those who will come against them in time will destroy their entire land, villages and cities. At the same time, I think it is necessary to say again what is written in the fourth book of Kings, for an accurate explanation of what was to happen. So the son of Ahaz, to whom this word was addressed, was Hezekiah, and the son of Hezekiah was Manasseh, and the son of Manasseh was Amos 16. This last son, Josiah, was a pious man; however, he ended his life as follows: Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, leaving his land, set out with all his army, heading against the land of Assyria. Josiah, fearing that he would come to Judah and seize his land into his hands and would not begin to rule over it, decided to start a war against him, despite the fact that Pharaoh refused to war with him, rebelling against him, Josiah died in the war and the land of Judah was taken over by the king of Egypt, who achieved such power that he deprived the reigning Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah. He took the kingdom and the bound one to his country, and made Eliakim king, 17 and imposed tribute on the people and demanded a large amount of money. Then, when Eliakim reigned over Judah for eleven whole years, his son Jeconiah took over the reins of government from him; then after him Zedekiah, during whose reign Nebuchadnezzar went to war against Judah, who, having burned it all, annexed Jerusalem itself to other cities, took Israel captive, along with the sacred vessels, and did everything that is narrated in the sacred scriptures (2 Kings 24:10 ff., fn. 2 Chron. 36:5 ff., also 2 Kings 23:29ff, and 2Chronicles 35:20ff). It is these historical events that the meaning of the words being explained indicates to us. So it will be, they say, on that day, that is, at that time, the Lord will call upon the flies that own part of the river of Egypt, and the bees that exist in the land of the Assyrians. Obviously, here we are talking in an allegorical sense: the image is taken from the life of beekeepers, who whistle flies (bees) 18 from the hives to the fields, and then return them again, as if they were chicks, enclosing them in nests. He likens the Egyptians to flies, I think, because of their multitude and the not very significant sonority of their voices; and to the bee - the Assyrian people, because the bee is speckled and decorated and covered with many needles. In some ways, the Assyrians and Persians are the same when it comes to clothing and decoration: they love jewelry, always attach great importance to multi-colored clothing, and are also armed with sharp spears. They, it is said, will all come and rest in the wilds of the country, and in stone caves, and in dens, and in every crevice, and in every tree. For since we are talking about flies, it remains allegorical. This means that they will inspect their entire country, so that none of those who have hidden can hide, whether in the rocks, for example, or in the wilds, or in groves and forest valleys. And in another sense, this can be understood, namely, that in those who grieve God in every way and do not stop at offending Him, evil and hostile forces and unusual passions inherent in us settle and dwell, so that no one can remove or protect and save from them. For if God wants to send evil to us, then who can help us? Isa.7:20. On that day the Lord will shave the land of the river of the king of Assyria with a great razor and water it, the head and hair of his feet, and he will take away the shame. And here we need to first understand the composition of the speech, and then talk about what thoughts are revealed in it. So on that day, it is said, that is, at that time, with a great razor and a strong razor, which is the razor of the king of Assyria, who is in the land of the river, apparently the Euphrates, the Lord will shave the head of the head and the hair of the feet, and take away the hair. He calls his sword a great and watered razor, belonging to the king of Assyria, who is on the other side of the river, as it mercilessly cuts off and delights in the drink, that is, the blood of those who fall. This is the meaning of the sayings. Let us also say that at a certain time it was a sign of extreme dishonor if someone was seen with a shaved head and beard. So the daughters of Zion, who exalted themselves and walked with their necks high, and with their hair cut off, were threatened by the God of all kinds with the taking away of their prosperity; for he said: and instead of a good stench there will be a stench, and instead of a belt you will have already girded yourself, and instead of a golden adornment on your head, you will have baldness for the sake of your works (Is. 3:23; fn. Is. 3:16). Some did this even to the dead, bringing dishonor upon themselves. Hence the law given through Moses to those who accepted the lot of Divine sacred rites is instructing them not to cut their hair after the dead on an equal basis with others and not to spoil the appearance of their hair. For this is how it is written about this (Lev.21:5). When Jerusalem was devastated under Nebuchadnezzar, men came from Shechem, and from Salem, and from Samaria, as Jeremiah says (Jeremiah 41:5), eighty men with their hair shaved, and their garments torn, weeping, and gifts 19 and incense in their hands, to bring into the house of the Lord. So, removing hair from the head and beard with a razor was an image of sadness and at the same time dishonor. This is exactly what the country of Judea will endure over time, says the prophetic word. For she will remain, it is said, after the death of her children, weeping and greatly dishonored. If anyone would like to interpret this in another way, then he can understand it in this way: by hair on the head, perhaps, the prophet means those who are most honorable in wealth and superior to others in advantages, since there is nothing higher than the head. By beard he means those gifted with intelligence and sense; because this is how the beard is always accepted in the inspired Scripture. And when it also refers to the hair of the legs, it probably means those in the lowest and lowest state. In general, the drunken razor did not spare anyone, but along with those on high, it shaved the middle ones, the last ones, and the intelligent ones in the land of Judea, so that it left it naked and deprived of them. For Nebuchadnezzar transferred almost all of Israel to the Persian and Median mountains. Isa.7:21–22. And it shall come to pass in that day that a man shall feed a young ox and two sheep: and from the abundance of the milky creation all the butter and honey shall be carried away, which shall be left on the earth. The purpose of the prophet is to clearly present here the action of a razor, drunk and great, that is, the sword of Babylon. For, he says, the whole country of Judea will be naked and will reach such poverty and at the same time a shortage of people that whoever remains and is saved from the hand of the enemy and remains in that land will be the master of one young woman (heifer) and two sheep, whereas in ancient times those who lived throughout Judea usually owned and grazed very many herds of sheep and oxen. Thus, this is clear evidence of extreme poverty. And that they will truly decrease in number in their places of residence, and he foretells this, saying: and from the abundance of creation milky, oil and honey will be carried away by all that remains on the earth. From two sheep and one heifer, he says, there will be so much milk that all the remaining ones will have enough to satisfy them, if they wanted to eat milk. So, is it not clear that those who escaped the razor and remained in every place of Judea could very easily be listed? For how many people can there be for whose food and saturation milk from two sheep and one heifer is enough? And what can flow from here for our spiritual benefit can be seen from the deeds themselves: those who are distinguished by disobedience and proudly raise their necks against God will be exhausted by the poverty of spiritual goods and will be completely few in number, and will suffer a lack of everything that can nourish spiritual well-being and successfully raise them to a perfect man, according to the age of the fulfillment of Christ (Eph. 4:13). And such will hear God speaking through the mouth of the saint: Behold, those who work for Me will eat, but you will be hungry: Behold, those who work for Me will drink, but you will thirst (Is. 65:13). For the communion of every good from God will be very abundant for those who know how to philosophize the Divine, to whom He himself proclaimed: eat, and drink, and be drunk, my neighbors (Song. 5:1). Isa.7:23–24. And in that day, every place where there are a thousand vines will be a thousand shekels, and they will be like ice and thorns; they will go in there with arrows and bows, for the whole earth will be like ice and thorns. This is the work of that great and drunken razor and a clear proof of the paucity of people. For the war so destroyed the inhabitants of Judea that barely a few remained in it. That is why he says that the most beautiful and most excellent of their possessions will be neglected, the most beautiful and most excellent of their possessions will turn into desert (jadina) and thorns, that is, that there will be no one who knows how to cultivate the land. For if, he says, in one place a thousand vines are worth a thousand shekels, so that each vine is worth one shekel 20: then this measure of valuation will be returned to the wilderness and thorns; therefore, if anyone wanted to attack this country and just enter it, he could not do this without an arrow and a bow. Without any need for bows and arrows, thorns can suddenly wound the feet of those who walk on it. So, the desire to do what is unjust will be the cause of all evil for us. For not refraining from offending God, we are in a sense in the wilderness; by doing and desiring to philosophize what is pleasing and kind to Him, we will bear fruit in virtue, worthy of His care for us. We will hear Christ saying: I am the true vine, and my Father is a worker: every rod that does not produce fruit for me I will cut off; and every rod that produces fruit, I will cut it off, so that it will bear abundant fruit (John 15:1,2). By giving ourselves over to an uncontrollably wicked life, we become filled with spiritual thorns, as all kinds of bad habits take root in us. And the end of the thorn is fire: it is the food of fire or a useless substance. And this is clearly shown to us by Blessed Paul, who says: For the earth, which has drunk the rain that falls upon it in abundance, and has given birth to good things in the same way as it is made, receives a blessing from God: but the earth that bears thorns and thistles is indecent, and oaths are near, and will end in burning (Heb. 6:7,8). Isa.7:25. and every mountain that is slain will be looked up, and fear will not be found there: the frog and the thorns will be the sheep's pasture and the ox's to be trampled under foot. There will be few left in Judea, he says, and they will reach such fear and cowardice that, out of strong and unbearable fear, they will settle in the mountains and, moving away from the cities and dwellings so desired for them before, will hasten to take refuge in forests and animal lairs. For it is the custom of the inhabitants of every country and state to do this if an enemy attack occurs. Fleeing to high and inaccessible mountains, they make this inaccessible place their weapon, and they use staying in the crevices of rocks as a cure for fear. This is what the Savior himself said to the Jewish people. For then, He says, let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains (Matthew 24:16). So, the most beautiful of the regions will turn into a desert, it is said, and into thorns, so that those who remain are afraid to even enter them and do not gather under the thorns; but rather, escaping to the mountains, there they must begin the labors of agriculture with sighs. For every mountain and every hill will rise, since those who have found refuge in them will no longer desire to collect what serves for wealth and pleasure, but what satisfies the necessary needs of the body and what provides meager and hard-earned food. So, what is the reason for living in the mountains and wanting to cultivate them, while excellent areas remain neglected? Fear will not be found there, it is said. So they reasoned to themselves that fear would not come upon those who settled there. Then he shows the greatness of extreme desolation. For, he says, every country will be turned into pasture for sheep and trampled upon by oxen, that is, a rich land bearing grapes and olives, rich in good trees, constantly adorned with fruits, flowing with milk and honey, according to what is written (Exod. 33:3; fn. Exod. 3:8,17, 13:5); Lev.20:24 and many others). So, bringing joy to God by obedience in everything, we will live safely, as if in some estate or fatherland, in virtue, and we will prevail over our enemies. And absolutely nothing will frighten us. On the contrary, we will be zealous for all mercy and good deeds, filled with fruitfulness pleasing to God, free from spiritual thorns and the desired land, according to the word of the prophet (Mal. 3:12), and truly God's desire (1 Cor. 3:9). Isa.8:1–2. And the Lord spoke to me: take for yourself a new great scroll and write in it with human writing, soon to create captivity for selfish gain: and make faithful men as witnesses to Me, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Barachi. Having made a very sufficient prediction about what happened in time to the country of Judea and showing the greatness of the disaster, God usefully adds to this concerning Emmanuel, and figuratively indicating the secret about Him, now reveals it more clearly to the prophet. For He said: Behold, the Virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel (Is. 7:14: cf. Matt. 1:23). That He will be the intercessor of the new covenant, of course, after the abolition of the first, as having great weakness, having become outdated and not making anyone perfect according to conscience (Heb. 9:9; sn. 8:13; 7:18, etc.), God points to this, saying: take yourself a new great scroll. And what can it mean here: to yourself, if not exactly this? for to those who do not decide, he says, to be disobedient, but who are respectful in faith, the word about Him will be given in a new scroll, that is, the sacrament of Christ will be revealed. And so, this scroll is new and great; because this new and unheard-of testament, proclaiming the mystery of Christ, was not composed in the image of the first covenant, and will not have in itself the badness inherent in the narration of the law, but will appear, as it were, in the superiority and height of knowledge and dogmas. Hence the Divine Paul with great joy says that he counted everything contained in the law as the loss of existence for the surpassing understanding of Christ (Phil. 3:8). Thus, it is clear that with the decay of the first, as I said, the new and great scroll of the second covenant is accepted, which is established on better promises, as the most sacred Paul says (Heb. 8:6). This scroll is written in human writing. Why is this? Because when with the eyes of our minds we understand the mystery of the holy and consubstantial Trinity, and then someday we decide to talk to others about the ineffable birth of the only begotten Son of God: then, and only then, will we have a need for writing that is not human and not similar to ours. For what word will be sufficient to make it possible to explain what is above the mind and words? For such lofty and mind-bending narratives, only that one reed is sufficient, about which God and the Father speaks through the mouth of David: My tongue is the reed of a scribe (Ps. 45:2). For no one knows the Son except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, who he is, except the Son, and whoever the Son wills to reveal (Matthew 11:27; cf. Luke 10:22). When we intend to compose writings about His incarnation, then so, then it is necessary to write humanly, which is what the wise John did, saying: The Word became flesh and dwelt in us (John 1:14). It is also not at all difficult to proclaim His death in the flesh and the resurrection from the dead in our own words, as well as the fact that He, as if the first fruit and firstfruits of human nature, renewed into incorruption, ascended to the Father and sat down in heaven, that He will come in due course and sit as a Judge. So, in human writing, the inspired writers describe what relates to the incarnation of the Only Begotten. But God adds a command, saying; Make faithful men as witnesses to Me, Uriah and Zechariah, the son of Barachiah. You should know that at the time in which there was a word about this from God to blessed Isaiah, Uriah was a prophet, and Zechariah was a priest and teacher of the law. Thus, the secret knowledge (given) through the law and the holy prophets, and knowledge or foreshadowing are accepted as a testimony to Christ. The end of the law and the prophets is Christ (Rom. 10:4; cf. Matt. 5:17). We believe something like this was shown to the holy Apostles during the transfiguration of Christ on the mountain. For it is written that after six days Jesus gave water to Peter and James and his brother John, and he brought them up to a high mountain alone, and was transfigured before them: and his face shone like the sun, and his robe was white like light. And behold, Moses appeared to them and Elijah spoke with him (Matthew 17:1–3; cf. Mark 9:2–4). Notice how Moses and Elijah, that is, the priesthood and the law (because Moses represented both of them), as well as Elijah, who represented the face of the holy prophets, talked with each other about the exodus, as it is said, who wanted to die in Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). What is this outcome? Obviously the end of the economy, that is, the cross, death, resurrection from the dead and ascension into heaven. For all this was represented by the law through the canopy; The bright and great face of the holy prophets predicted this. Isa.8:3. And He approached 21 the prophetess, and conceived in her womb, and gave birth to a son. That the birth of Christ according to the flesh did not take place from blood and flesh, nor from the lust of man (John 1:13), but that it was a new and extraordinary thing and exceeded the laws of human nature, this was revealed by God to the prophet. For He himself, it is said, saying: “Take yourself a new great scroll,” approached the prophetess. Look how the sacrament of Christ is described in human writing and in words peculiar to us; because the word: has begun Divine Scripture usually uses instead of the words: came together or had marital communication. So, the prophet also sees an image of intercourse with the Holy Virgin, whom he also calls a prophetess, teaching the true incident. Then he speaks about the completed conception and the birth of a son. A very quick transmission of the vision, presenting everything to the prophet for information. For that this all-holy body, united with the Word 22, was formed from the Holy Spirit, can anyone doubt this? Thus, the action of the Spirit, through which the body was formed in the holy Virgin, was indirectly indicated by the image of intercourse. And through this Christ became the firstfruits of those sanctified in the Spirit, who was not born of blood, nor of carnal lust, nor of manly lust, but was born of God (John 1:13). He Himself was born of the Spirit according to the flesh and before others, so that for His sake we too might be born in the same way. It should also be noted that he ordered Uriah and Zechariah to be witnesses before him, so that the captivity would soon be achieved for his own gain. He also added the words: come, since he testified both the law and the prophecy of the holy prophets that the born Christ will captivate Satan and plunder his vessels, as He himself says (Matthew 12:29), that is, he will make his former worshipers. This was precisely confirmed by Christ himself, speaking as an example: how can someone sneak into the house of a strong man and plunder his vessels, unless he first binds the strong man and then plunders his vessels? (Matthew 12:29). Saying: come, he announces that the appearance of Emmanuel will be in a short time. He says the same thing with blessed Habakkuk. It is not yet a short time; he who goes will come and will not tarry (Hab. 2:3; cf. Heb. 10:37). Isa.8:3–4. And the Lord said to me: his name is Nartsy: quickly capture, brazenly plunder. Before the child knows to call his father or mother, he will receive the power of Damascus, and the covetousness of Samaria before the king of Assyria. Having said above: behold, the Virgin will conceive in her womb and give birth to a son, and they will call His name Immanuel, now he commands that His name be called: soon to be taken into captivity, brazenly plundered. So what? Perhaps it was in vain that His first name was given, that is, Emmanuel? And is the name most fitting: soon captured, brazenly plundered? We don’t say this, but rather let’s say the following: it is customary for inspired Scripture to call the existing Gods by different names and, as it were, to sometimes borrow names for Him from the deeds performed at times. The same is noticed in relations to Christ himself; because He is the true God. And since, being God by nature, He was with us as the Word, when He appeared in our likeness: it is very wise that we may be called Emmanuel. And since, having become a man, He captured Satan and from his cruelty took away those who had been abducted by him of old and enslaved to him through sin: he fulfilled what was predicted: soon to be captured, brazenly plundered. Further, that He, as God, had the said power to accomplish the redemption of those living on earth, this is foreshadowed by saying: before the child knows the name of father or mother, he will receive the power of Damascus, and the covetousness of Samaria before the king of Assyria. The meaning of these words is very deep and requires spiritual interpretation. The divine word always seems to be hidden behind obscurity: for both in the narrative and in sensory events we will not find that the born Christ immediately captured either Damascus or the country of the king of Assyria, freeing those taken from Samaria to his country. If we accept this in a spiritual sense, then we will see what has truly happened. Yes, Damascus, or all of Syria, as well as the country of Assyria, that is, Persia and Media, was full of idols, and therefore was called the land of graven images (Jer. 50:38); for there were altars and sacred places everywhere, as well as those who were in the habit of often visiting these places, I mean the class of false prophets and those whose craft consisted of spells. And all the power of these people consisted in the demons, which each of them revered, and in the leader of these demons, Satan. So, that Christ had, as it were, to plunder the power of Damascus, as well as the power of the king of Assyria, that is, Satan and the crowds of evil and unclean demons, and to deliver from slavery those deceived by him, and had to achieve this before he came to that bodily age, which is characterized by the ability to name father or mother, He explained this, saying: before the youth knows how to call father or mother, He will receive the power Damaskov. The expression: will accept is used instead of the expression: will conquer. He will also accept the selfishness of Samaria, that is, he will free the captives, entering into war for them against the king of Assyria, that is, the spiritual one, I mean Satan, since he was also Damascus and the power of Syria. And that idolaters placed all hope of salvation in idols, and Christ, as soon as he was born, immediately captured Satan, this can be seen without difficulty. For Matthew writes: And when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, a wolf came from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is the king of the Jews born? I saw His star in the east, and when I came to my breath I worshiped Him (Matthew 2:1,2). And they actually worshiped Him, and brought gifts of gold, and frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). Do you see how He captured Satan and quickly plundered him? Finally, that the purpose of His coming is to redeem those who were in spiritual captivity, Christ himself indicates this, through the mouth of Isaiah, saying: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for the sake of My anointing, to preach My ambassador to the poor, to preach release to the captives, and to give sight to the captives (Is. 61:1). Blessed David also sings about Him: having ascended on high, he took captivity captive (Ps. 67:19; sn. Eph. 4:8). He himself taught the same thing, saying: if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself (John 12:32). Isa.8:5–8. And the Lord added to me again, saying: Because the people did not desire these waters of Siloam that flow here, but desired to have Rahashon and the son of Romeli king over you, for this reason the Lord will bring upon you the waters of the river, strong and abundant, the king of Assyria and his glory: and he will go up into all your wilds, and will go through every wall of yours, and He will take away from Judea a man who can raise a head, or who can accomplish something; and his army will be able to fill the width of your country. Having very clearly stated that the birth of Emmanuel from the Holy Virgin will be unusual for people, strange and miraculous, and that very many and truly very glorious Divine signs will take place over time, God finally reveals to the prophet the madness of the Jews against Him that occurred during the incarnation. The only-begotten Word of God came into this world in the likeness of the flesh of sin (Rom. 8:3), not only without the obvious and visible glory of divine superiority and not dwelling unapproachable in the light (1 Tim. 6:16), as is characteristic of Him, and not visibly carried by angelic powers, but not even in the glory of an earthly king, but, on the contrary, very modestly and humiliatedly, and without any noise. And God and the Father also showed this to us, through the mouths of the saints, saying: Behold, my beloved Servant, in whom I am well pleased, will understand, and will proclaim judgment with his tongue: He will not cry, He will not weaken, His voice will be heard at the crossroads. Broken reeds he will not break, and smoking flax he will not quench (Isa.52:13, 42:1-3; Matt.12:18-20). This is the image of the economy of the incarnation of the Only Begotten. The unfortunate Jews, either completely not understanding, or wickedly rejecting the sacrament of Him, strongly rebelled against Him and sought to kill Him, saying: We will not lay stones against you for a good deed, but for blasphemy, because you, this man, have created for yourself God (John 10:33). Those who were completely hardened and frantic finally reached even greater wickedness than this; for they brought Him to Pilate, saying: Take, take, crucify Him. When Pilate, as if mockingly, said to this: Shall I crucify your king? They cried out, saying: “They are not the king’s imams, but Caesar’s” (John 19:15). Look how they refused to let Him reign over them; They made Caesar and men kings over themselves. This is the very allegorical thing that God vividly presents to the prophet. since, as I assume, it was necessary to make the appropriate application of this speech to the circumstances of that time - we mean that he likens the water of Siloam to the reign of God, having despised which the Jews submitted to another (king) and gave themselves up to their enemies - then therefore he says: for the people did not desire these waters of Siloam that flowed to the yew, but they desired to have Raashon and the son of Romeli king over you: for this reason, behold, the Lord brings upon you the waters of the river, mighty and abundant, the king of Assyria. The water of Siloam, they say, flows so quietly that it overflows completely without any noise. Siloam is interpreted as being sent (cf. John 9:7). And therefore it is taken into the likeness and prototype of the coming of our Savior, which was without noise, as I just said. Christ is truly sent. So the wise Paul calls Him the messenger and high priest of our confession (Heb. 3:1). And also Siloam is simply accepted as the image of God’s government. Therefore, since this people, unyielding and unbridled, do not want to have the water of Siloamli flowing this way, because they reject the yoke of God, and on the contrary, they would rather be under human control and rather submit to those who want dominance over them, I mean Raasson and Pekah: then for this reason, he says, I will let the water of the river, that is, the Euphrates, flow on them. since this speech was somewhat unclear, he immediately adds and says: the king of Assyria, and his glory, that is, all his subjects and all the people bowing their necks before him. And crowds are likened to water, and this is usually in inspired Scripture. So he speaks about Nineveh and the countless multitude of people who inhabited it through the mouth of the prophets: And Nineveh is like a pool of water, its waters (Nahum.2:8). And holding on to this figurative expression, he speaks as if about water and a river: and he will go up into all your wilds, and will go around every wall of yours, and will take away from Judea a man who is able to raise a head, or who is able to do anything: and his army will be able to fill the width of your country. All this was fulfilled, according to the prophecy of Jeremiah (Jer. ch. 27, etc.), when Nebuchadnezzar went to war against the country of Judea and destroyed the famous Jerusalem, burning the church and killing the nobles of the Jews, and together with the sacred vessels he took all the multitude of people who had survived the war to his country. So, it is self-evident that those who do not want to have the water of Siloam, flowing quietly, that is, Christ or the kingdom of God, will undoubtedly be attacked by the king of the mental Assyrians, that is, Satan, and having taken them captive, he will subjugate them to his yoke and make them slaves, entangling them in the chains of various sins. Isaiah 8:8–10. God is with us! Understand, Gentiles, and repent, hear even to the last of the earth: you who are mighty, repent: even if you are able, you will be overcome, and even if you take counsel, the Lord will destroy you, and the word that you speak will not abide, for the Lord God is with us. The spirit of the prophet, who clearly knew the mystery of Christ, rose with joy. Therefore, having taken upon himself both the face and the word of the holy Evangelists and Apostles, he seemed to testify to the Greeks and Jews that if they make Him their weapon, then nothing will stand against them. Thus, he commands the pagans to fulfill the following two conditions: to know the sacrament of Christ and to recognize the need to submit to those who teach about this sacrament. For understand, he says, and accept His word, and submit, that is, yield and do not rebel against the holy secret leaders; on the contrary, it is better to listen to them even to the last of the earth, that is, those living in every city and country and even to the very ends of heaven. Those who are defeated and want to yield victory to the teachers of truth will easily accept the word about Him, and having believed in Christ, they will follow the straight path of all good and, practicing the virtue most dear to Him, will inherit a bright and competitive glory. And this the prophet speaks to the multitude of Greeks, as if on behalf of the holy Apostles and Evangelists. And you, O Jews, who are mighty, repent. For, as for the plan drawn up by the Jews, they prevailed over Christ, handing Him over to the cross, the unfortunate ones. But nevertheless, they consulted a council that they could not draw up, according to what was written (Ps. 20:12), for death was not able to restrain the Author of life (Acts 3:15). So, if you thought, he says, that you have overcome by putting the Lord to death, but nevertheless, finally submit and show good obedience by accepting the faith, or know that even if you are still able, not accepting the teaching, but cruelly reviling those who proclaim the Gospel, then again you will finally be victorious, a Judge punishing and demanding condemnation for such a long-lasting madness. And this has already happened. For after Christ had risen and ascended into heaven, the Jews formed a conspiracy against the most holy Apostles and, having brought them into the Sanhedrin, beat them, accusing them and saying: is it not forbidden for you not to tell anyone about this name? And behold, Jerusalem was filled with your teaching (Acts 5:28). Thus they seemed to prevail in this too; however, everything was useless for them: advice, investigation, and prohibition, because the Divine disciples won, saying: For the Lord God is with us; They were subjected to grave disasters, having submitted against their will to the armies of the Romans. Isa.8:11–12. This is what the Lord says: with a strong hand they do not repent of the way these people walk, saying: Let them not say: cruelly; for whatever these people say is cruel. I said that having assumed the face of the holy Apostles and Evangelists, the blessed prophet advised the pagans and Jews that they submit to Christ and that even those living to the ends of the earth obey Him. Then God turns to him only and, surprised at the rudeness and great ignorance of Israel, says that they do not repent with a strong hand. For the omnipotent and indestructible and omnipotent right hand of God and the Father is the Son, through whom are all things and in whom are all things (cf. John 1:3,10; Col. 1:16,17), who abolished death and crushed Satan, captivated hell, granting incorruption to those who are under the power of corruption, and restoring everything to their original existence. So through the mouth of the Psalmist, those saved in Christ say: the right hand of the Lord exalts me, the right hand of the Lord does strength (Ps. 118:16). It is also said in the songs: thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in strength: thy right hand, O Lord, hath crushed the enemies (Ex. 15:6). So they reached such a degree of wickedness and at the same time mental damage that they frivolously decided not to submit to the mighty 23 saving hand and to consider this matter as nothing. He also says that they do not repent of the walk of these people, representing them in his person, he directly said: God is with us. But what kind of walk is this for these people? Those who have Emmanuel have faith in Him and living the Gospel, with contempt for living in the law and, as it were, in the shadows. They do not repent for the walk of these people, saying: Yes, not when you say, it is cruel: everything that these people say is cruel. For the word of the holy Apostles seemed somewhat cruel to the Jews, since while defending the canopy on occasion, where necessary, they did not allow them to live according to the Law of Moses, but, on the contrary, in an evangelical and spiritual way. Isa.8:12–14. Don’t be afraid of their fear; instead, be indignant. The Lord of hosts, sanctify him, and he will be in your fear. And if you trust in Him, it will be for your sanctification, and not as you stumble over a stone of stumbling, nor as you stumble over a stone of falling. Having first accused the Israelites as having decided not to submit to the walk of people, that is, Christians, and the mysteries of the holy Apostles, he now turns to them a word of consolation and instills in them an indestructible spirit, saying that they should not be afraid of those who do not submit to them, and also not at all be dismayed by their insolence, but on the contrary, with trust in God, boldly stand against their enemies, knowing well that weapons will be strength of power and that it will be easy to prevail over the counter-rebels. That’s why he says: don’t be afraid of them, be indignant. If anyone would like to give a deeper meaning to the thoughts contained in these words and understand it in a different way, then the meaning would be this: The Jews were much afraid lest they offend God by rejecting the guidance of the law and accepting the Word of the Savior, who abolishes types and commands that the shadow be imputed to nothing. That is why they said about Him: if this man had been from God, he would not have destroyed the Sabbath (John 9:16; 5:18). Therefore, although the Divine disciples were from the Jews, they still needed to be free from the fear of those who did not submit, who were afraid, as I said, to offend the law by choosing better the life of the Gospel, and therefore he exhorts, saying: do not be afraid of their fear, but be indignant; Let him be better holy, he says, from you the Lord of glory, that is, Christ, may he be honored by faith and may he be fearful to you. For in this way He will be for your sanctification, and not as you will stumble upon Him as at a stone of stumbling, nor as at a stone of falling. He believes two things to be great and chosen: first, that He sanctified, it is said, you who believe and will reveal you as partakers of His Divine nature through the Holy Spirit; and to this will be added the fact that you will not fall on it as on a stone (of stumbling) or a stone of temptation. This last thing was suffered by the unfortunate Jews, who, due to their very great ignorance, said: we know as Moses said God: but this we do not know, whence it is (John 9:29). So, since they did not sanctify Him, and did not want to believe him, they remained completely uninvolved in sanctification, and, stumbling, as it were, against a stone, they fell and were subjected to all sorts of disasters. Isa.8:14–16. And the house of Jacob 24 is in the wilderness, and they that sit in Jerusalem are in abundance: for this cause shall many in them faint, and fall, and be crushed, and draw near, and men shall be found in the stronghold that is. Then the manifestations will imprint the law without learning. The Wise Streamer said: son, do not let your heart be jealous of the sinner, but be in the fear of the Lord all day long (Proverbs 23:15,17). For truly it behooves the sensible to imitate not the insolence of the vicious, but the honesty of good people. Therefore, after advising the holy disciples to make Christ their sanctification, and even more to believe in Him and not to impute the madness of those who persecute them, he also brought up how great and what kind of evil would happen to those who decided not to submit. It is the house of Jacob, he says, that is, the Jews, afflicted with the greatest and unceasing madness against Christ, who will be like those caught in a net and caught for destruction, or those who are in disarray, that is, fallen into a ditch. For this reason, many in them will faint, and will fall, and will be crushed, and will draw closer, that is, they will be close, and not far from what brings harm, since they will be powerless and crushed and captured by the warring. And this was truly what was said about them from God through the mouth of (another) prophet: Behold, I will give this disease to people, and the fathers and the sons together, the neighbor and his sincere ones will perish (Jer. 6:21), while those called in Christ to sanctification are not in such a situation; for their strength and song is the Lord, as it is written (Ps. 118:14). And the Divine Paul can attest to this, saying: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13). So the unbelievers will be, he says, men in the stronghold of existence. For, as for the help from above, which was always inherent in the Israelites, they were in some way elusive and irresistible to enemies, visible and invisible; because God in one place said about Jerusalem: And I will be unto it, says the Lord, a wall of fire all around, and I will be in the midst of it unto glory (Zechariah 2:5). And when they offended God by rebelling against Christ, they continue to live in the world deprived of security, both spiritual and sensory; for the grace of the One who saves has passed on to others, that is, to those converted from the Gentiles. Then, he says, there will be manifestations that seal the law without even learning. Who else are these? Obviously, justified in Christ and sanctified through the Spirit, to whom it would be very fitting to say: the light of your countenance, Lord, is upon us (Ps. 4:7); because the image and likeness and, as it were, the face of God and the Father is the Son, and the light poured out on us from Him is the Holy Spirit, through whom we are sealed, transformed into the first image through sanctification. For we are created in the image and likeness of God who created. So the manifestations will be, it is said, that is, marked and very glorious before God and distinguished in the world, sealed by the Holy Spirit not to learn the law. So shall we really refrain from reading the law? But it would be unreasonable to think so when Christ clearly says: For this reason I say to you, that every scribe, having learned the kingdom of heaven, is like a rich man, who brings out of his treasure new and old (Matthew 13:52). So, we do not refuse to know the law, but avoid such knowledge of it in order to desire and live according to the law or in the Jewish way. For we will not sacrifice oxen and we will not honor the God of all kinds with bloody sacrifices, but rather we will offer Him spiritual service in the stench of fragrance, just as the Savior says: The Spirit is God: and whoever worships Him is worthy to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). And that for those sealed by the Holy Spirit for the renewal of life, it is a great harm to desire to act and live in a Jewish way, or in the shadow of the law, Blessed Paul can assure of this, saying to those who, after accepting the faith, seem to go back to serving in the shadows: having begun in the spirit, now you are finished with wickedness (Gal. 3:3); and again: I say to you, that if you are circumcised, Christ will profit you for nothing (Gal. 5:2). You are alienated from Christ, even though you are justified by the law: you have fallen away from grace. For from faith we expect the hope of righteousness (Gal.5:4,5). Isa.8:17. And he says: I will wait for God, who turns his face away from the house of Jacob, and I will give you hope. That those who abid in Christ are highly characterized by obedience, this is what the prophet tries to convince us through these words. For God cried out to them all about Emmanuel: Sanctify the Lord, and he will be your fear: and if you trust in Him, it will be your sanctification. And they, very willingly accepting the secret word related to this, without any delay promise obedience and, placing all their hope in Him, they say: I will wait for God, who has turned his face from the house of Jacob, and I will trust. And what can the word mean: I will wait, if not, of course, what the Divine David said: having endured the Lord, he listened to me (Ps. 39:2)? The Lord endures the one who decides to philosophize what is pleasing to Him and follows His commands and with the greatest joy endures dangers for the sake of piety in relation to Him. For to this, through the mouth of the Psalmist, the Spirit also prompts them, saying: Be of good courage, and let your heart be strong, and be patient with the Lord (Ps. 26:14)? So, I will endure, he says, God turning his face away from the house of Jacob. Look, look how much prudence they have, along with good obedience. By what others have offended (God) and earned the disgust of the face of the Divine, through this they make their hearts firmer in the pursuit of the best; because they are afraid of the disgust of the eyes of the Divine. For the Judge is impartial, and no one will doubt that He will reward everyone’s merits everywhere and in a certain way and with justice or determine punishment. And those who offend Him by disobedience He will remove from His presence and will consider them hated; and those who honor Him with faith will be considered beloved, as those who keep the faith; He will also turn away from those who have left this true state and will consider them equal to those who did not believe at all or even worse than these latter. For about some it is written: It is better for them not to know the way of truth, than for those who have known it back to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them (2 Pet. 2:21). Isa.8:18. Behold, and the children whom God hath given unto me: and there shall be signs and wonders in Israel 25 from the Lord of hosts, who dwelleth in Mount Zion. After they (the believers) very well expressed the excellent confession (for they said: I will wait for God to hide his face from the house of Jacob, and I will trust), immediately (the prophet) introduces the person of Emmanuel himself, who grants to those who put their trust in Him communication with Himself, that is, communication through the Spirit; for the Son sent down His Spirit into us, and we became close to Him and cried in Him, Abba Father (Rom. 8:15). That is why he calls us children of God and the Father, as having rebirth through the Spirit, so that we can also be called brothers of Him who is by nature and truly the Son. For He said through the mouth of the Psalmist: I will tell Your name to my brethren (Ps. 21:23). But, despite the fact that He became a brother, and was called the firstborn of us (Rom. 8:29; fn. Col. 1:15) according to humanity, being God and the only begotten Son: we are not ignorant, however, of His glory and superiority over all creation. We also know that we are devoted to Him from God and the Father. And He Himself appears to be saying this to the heavenly Father and God: You have given them to Me out of the world, yours, and You have given them to Me (John 17:6). For the Son by nature is Lord of all, and co-reigns with God and the Father over all created things. since He became man, to whom everything was given and awarded by God, it is said that He received what He was master over as God. For ask, it is said, of Me, and I will give You the tongues of your inheritance, and your possession the ends of the earth (Ps. 2:8). So, He rejoices over those who believe in Him, that is, over those called to the knowledge of the truth through faith, and, as if stretching out His hand, He points out, saying: Behold I, and the children whom God has given Me. Who is it that says this? - Obviously, Immanuel, who, it is said, will be signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. For in order that those living throughout the whole earth might believe that, being God by nature, He became man, and being Lord of all, according to His dispensation, for our sakes, He took the form of a servant. He performed many signs throughout Judea and presented the clearest proof of the Divine dignity, miraculously and beyond words, accomplished deeds, raising the dead, rebuking unclean spirits, and by His power giving sight to the blind. And the prophetic word will serve to accuse the wrongdoing and wickedness of the Jews; for there will be signs and wonders from the Lord of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion, it says. They, without thoroughly examining any of the supernatural deeds or words, dared to blaspheme Him, saying: This one will not cast out demons except for Beelzebub, the prince of demons (Matthew 12:24). Isa.8:19–20. And if they say to you, Seek out from the earth those who speak loudly and are magicians of the stomach, those who talk vaingloriously, who from the belly say: Is this not a tongue unto their God? What do the dead feel about the living? The law is to help dad, let them not say like this word, don’t give gifts years in advance. Immanuel himself ends the word of instruction to those who have placed their hope in Him, who are numbered among the children, given to Him from God the Father, as the Savior and Redeemer and the Life-Giving One, and having the power to enlighten and deliver from all evil. He in every possible way distances them from ancient morals and original mental damage. For idolaters usually loved demonic prophecies and listened with reverence to any vain fortune-tellers from the corpses of the dead, who did not say anything true, and regurgitated what simply came to mind. But you, he says, if anyone were to come saying: Seek out from the earth those who proclaim, that is, those who pretend to call the dead and, as if from hell, give prophecies, or gastromagicians who pretend to have some gods in their womb and thus say to those who come to them, as if on their behalf: do not accept their advice. For they speak from their belly alone, and are not an intelligent people, so as to seek God and learn anything from Him. But tell those who advise it: what do the dead feel about the living? Do you see how he makes them wiser? For he not only commands us to move away from ignorance and mental corruption, but also commands us to be good advisors to those who are lost, as it is said: say: what do the dead feel about the living? The most ordinary and human judgment. In fact, what reason could there be for the habit of asking about those still living from those lying in the earth or from souls perhaps in hell? And on the other hand, it is completely absurd to listen to fortune telling from the corpses of the dead and the false words of sorcerers who have a dead mind and a seemingly withered heart. For they do not know the Creator of all things and do not have in themselves the life-giving word of God; and besides, they are zealots of dead works. So, how would those who are living, that is, having quickening in themselves from above and enriched by the living word of God, ask the dead about themselves? Therefore, say this, it is said, adding that the law is to help the father, that is, the Gospel, so that those who listen to it will say: do not give gifts like this word in advance, for those who speak lies sell from their heart alone; The saving and true law of God, that is, the revelation of the Gospel, which is given to help those living on earth, is not like this word, that is, the word of false prophets. And besides, there is no need to give gifts for it, whereas, as I said recently, some buy the false words of sorcerers with money, while those who wish (tuna) are offered heavenly revelation, through which we are guided to all good things, and can also find out what is going to happen in the future. For who is not clear that to us who do good and have true love for Christ, everything will be done for this through prayer? For He will show us blessed both in this world and in the age to come. So, for those who want to know the law given by Christ for help, this knowledge is offered without money and without any gift. And this is truly what was wisely said through the mouth of Isaiah: you who are thirsty, go to the water, and have no silver, but go and buy without money or price (Is. 55:1). Isa.8:21–22. And a severe famine will come upon you, and when you are hungry, you will be sorrowful, and you will speak evil to the prince and to the fatherland: and they will look up to the mountain of heaven, and look at the earth below, and behold, sorrow, and distress, and darkness, poverty is crowded, and darkness, as if one cannot see it: and this distress will not become scarce even for a time. He transfers the word to a disobedient people, that is, to Israel, who, having great and abundant consolation from God, and abundantly supplied with the instructions of the law, to know what would benefit them, yet did not accept Christ. That’s why he fell away from communication with Him, mentally, that is, spiritually, and died, as it were, by hunger. For God, through the mouth of all the prophets, said: Behold, I am bringing a famine on the earth, says the Lord: not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water: but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord. And from east to west they will flow around, seeking the word of the Lord, and will not find it ( Am. 8:11,12 ). So, when, he says, having killed the Author of life, you endure cruel and unbearable hunger, not having the word of God, the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world (John 6:33), then you become hungry and, brought to the knowledge of what has happened, speak evil to the prince and the fatherland. What is this? – The leaders of the Jews, that is, the scribes and Pharisees, did not cease to incite the crowd subordinate to them against the Savior of us all, Christ. And they took respect for Moses and the law as the basis of their enmity against Him, since they persecuted Him, saying: If this man had been from God, he would not have broken the Sabbath (John 9:33; 5:18). Thus, they urged to persecute Him as a transgressor of the law. So, when, it is said, you, deceived by them, become hungry, then you speak evil to the prince of you all, and to the fatherland, that is, to legal customs. For you will remember that your leaders stirred you up to this; and for the princes, the pretext for rebellion against Christ was the fatherland, that is, customs and traditions, moreover, not only arising from the law, but also acquired through unfounded observance of human decrees. So a severe famine will come upon you, and looking up and down, and turning your gaze everywhere, or directing the eye of your mind, you will see nothing else but cramped poverty and darkness, therefore you will not be able to see anything useful, and this cramped state will not become scarce even for a time. Again he predicts the calling of the pagans. For those who are now, he says, in cramped conditions and tormented by the hunger of Divine teachings will not become scarce, since Emmanuel will grant them a blessing and offer spiritual food and arrange for them a Divine meal, saying: eat and drink, and be drunk, your neighbors (Song. 5:1). And this, he says, will happen even before the time, that is, not now it will come to an end (as stated above), when the word of prophecy was about them, but at the time of need, in which Emmanuel will shine on earth; for then the Gentile people are called. Isa.9:1–3. Drink this first, do it quickly, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and others who live by the sea, and about the land of the Jordan, Galilee of tongues. People who walk in darkness, you have seen 26 a great light: you who live in the land and shadow of death, the light will shine on you. The multitude of people whom you have brought forth in your joy: and they will rejoice before you, as those who rejoice in the harvest, and as those who share gain rejoice. Having said that those who dare not submit to Emmanuel will be exhausted by severe hunger and poverty, and that those who are in distress will not become poor even for a time, according to the above consideration, now he intends to show who are the first to believe and become the firstfruits of those called to the knowledge of Emmanuel, saying: Behold I, and the children whom God has given Me (Is. 8:18; sn. Heb. 2:13), and who performed signs and wonders in the house of Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion (Is. 8:18). For they say that the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali lie by Lake Tiberias and on the extreme borders of the country of Judea, so that they are adjacent to the Galilee of languages, while the other lay to the country of the Phoenicians. From these tribes, they say, most of the holy Apostles came. And telling us about their calling, the blessed Evangelist Matthew first of all introduces Jesus into the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali; and then wisely adds how He chose the holy Apostles. He writes about Christ like this: and he left Nazareth, and came to live in Capernaum in the seaside region, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali: that what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying: The land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, the path of the sea is on the floor of the Jordan. Galilean tongue, the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and to those who sat in the land and shadow of death, light shone upon them (Matthew 4:13-16). And he adds to this: as they walked by the sea of ​​Galilee, they saw two brothers, Simon the spoken Peter, and Andrea his brother, throwing sand into the sea, becoming a fisherman: and Jesus said to them: He is coming after Me, and I will make you a fisher of man. They abandoned the wilderness and idolized Him. And I went from there, and saw two brothers, James Zebedee, and John his brother, into the ships with Zebedee her father, tying up their ropes, and I called. They abandoned the ship and their father, and idolized Him (Matthew 4:18–22). At the same time, you need to know that the Holy Scripture calls Lake Tiberias the Sea of ​​Galilee, where the Divine disciples were fishing. So, at the present time, God, through the mouth of the prophet, addresses the word as if to the countries or cities of the tribe of Zebulun and Naphtali, which lay near Lake Tiberias. And as if giving them a cup of saving drink and offering wine that gladdens the human heart, that is, the preaching of Christ, he says: drink this first, do it quickly, that is, the country of Zebulun and Naphtali, accept the preaching of salvation. But create quickly, that is, without any delay. And quickly, as I said, the disciples appeared and with great readiness hastened to believe in Christ. For they idolized Him, immediately leaving the world and their father; and they did not need lengthy instruction; for having heard, “He is coming after Me, and I will make you a fisher of man,” I walked after Him. In the same way, as we will see, other of the holy Apostles were called and received the secret word about Christ. John writes this about the Savior of us all. Christ: when you desired to go out into Galilee, you found Philip, and Jesus said to him 27: Come after me. Be Philip from Bethsaida, from the city of Andreov and Petrov. Philip will find Nathanael and say to him: Who wrote Moses in the law, and the prophets, who found Jesus the son of Joseph, who was of Nazareth (John 1:43–45). When he came to Jesus and heard the words spoken from Him: “Philip, who was under the fig tree, had seen you before,” he immediately believed and exclaimed, saying: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the king of Israel” (John 1:49). Bethsaida, from which Philip and Nathanael were, also lay by the Sea of ​​Tiberias. Blessed David also hints at the election of disciples, and says: There the youngest Benjamin is in horror, the princes of Judah are their rulers, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali (Ps. 67:28). And that in time not only the Divine disciples, but also the pagan peoples, were called to be called, he indicates this, saying: and others who live by the sea, and to the land of the Jordan, Galilee of tongues. People who walk in darkness have seen a great light: you who live in the land and shadow of death, the light will shine on you. For those who were converted from the pagans walked and lived in this world as if at night and in darkness, because they did not have the light of true knowledge of God in their minds, and as if they fell into every ditch and stumbled over evil, as if over some stone. And they live, he says, in a country and the shadow of death, because with them, or in their countries, there is nothing else but darkness and darkness, of course spiritual, and they are like the dead, although they still live. For the shadow of the bodies fully reflects their outlines and, on the whole, does not deviate from them at all, regarding the similarity in appearance I mean. Not to know the One who is by nature and truly God is in some way the likeness and shadow of death (the shadow of death). But for those suffering from this, the light shone, after, of course, the Gospel revelation brought by Christ. From here came the greatest number of people, even as you brought forth in your joy: for there were many more of those who were truly called from the Gentiles than from the Israelites who believed. Therefore, you saw, it is said, the great light of the multitude of people whom you brought forth in your joy. The expression: you have delivered is used instead of: you called and redeemed, as if they were captives, from under the power of the devil. And they will rejoice before you, as those who rejoice in the harvest, and as those who share gain. We can understand these words in a double sense. For either those who rejoice in the harvest and share self-interest are the Divine disciples, and then we can understand that they, gathering those who convert from the pagans as if some kind of bread into the master's granary and cleansing it from the old error, rejoice like those reaping in the fields; and on the other hand, as if snatching those deceived by Satan from the tormenting power, and leading them through faith to piety, they rejoice as if they share self-interest; for just as some carried away others, others carried away others, and each of them had the spoils of those saved, just as those who had won the gain from war. Or this can be applied to those who believed, and then it can be understood that they, not having any fruit of righteousness during the time of error, were enriched by this by believing in Christ; and also that those who had previously been besieged and plundered by demons and Satan, through Christ, defeated those who had long been collecting self-interest and turned out to be more skilled in their rudeness. That is why they rejoice, as the prophet says, as those who rejoice at the harvest, and as those who share gain. Isa.9:4. 28 The yoke that lay upon them shall be taken away, and the rod that is upon their neck: for the rod of them that torment the scattering of the Lord, as in the day that was upon Midian. While those living on earth were free, having been very wisely created in the image of the Divine and created, as Blessed Paul says, to do good works, which God had first prepared, that we might walk in them (Eph. 2:10), the inventor of lawlessness forcibly seized them into his power and, having led them away from the love of God, made them his worshipers, placing on them the irresistible yoke of sin. Those who acted pitifully and were in these calamities, especially among the pagans, Christ delivered and made free again. That is why he says: the yoke that lies on them will be taken away, and the rod that is on their neck. The rod, I think, means either the scepter, that is, the kingdom, of course the kingdom of Satan, or necessity and, as it were, blows and a scourge. For we are held in our will by a vile and unclean crowd of demons and their leader - Satan, striking us as if with a rod - with the dominion of passions, which he brings to the mind and forces the heart to want to do what should not be done. So, he says, they will throw off the yoke of his dominion, and the rod that they constantly had on their necks, like servants who were subjected to the blows of their master. He also remembers the story contained in the book of Judges. This story is as follows: having abandoned the God of all in the days of the judges, the Israelites turned to the wickedness of morals and greatly offended the God who protected them, bowing before idols and serving the works of their own hands. And for this they were betrayed to the Midianites, who devastated their entire land, plundering cities and villages, as well as what was in the fields, and brought such fear to the unfortunate that they even chose rocks as shelters and inaccessible mountains, built their homes in caves and were exhausted by cruel and prolonged hunger. Then God had mercy on the many who suffered and saved them by the hand of Gideon, who defeated the Midianites and freed Israel from the need and rod that weighed on them (Judges 6). Just so the Lord scattered the rod of the tormentors (and after), as on that day of Midian; because, just as He then delivered those who were kept under intolerable dominion, driving out the dominant tribe, so He later saved those who came from the pagans, turning away the rod of the tormentors. He calls Satan himself and the demons torturers, whose goal and all their efforts are aimed at demanding from people, as it were, some tax or income inherent in sins; for they always demand, for example, fornication from someone who is accustomed to fornication, theft from someone who is accustomed to steal, or even rob, and from each of those possessed by one or another passion - that which is familiar and pleasant to him. That is why, I think, the Holy Scripture pleases some, as those who do not listen to the voice of those collecting tribute (Job.3:18). Isa.9:5–7. For they will give up every garment to flattery and the robe of reconciliation, 29 and they will be burned with fire. For from a Child was born unto us a Son, and was given unto us, whose principality was upon His frame: and His name is called Great of counsel Angel 30 . I will bring peace to the princes, peace and health to him. Great is his rule, and his peace knows no bounds on the throne of David and on his kingdom; correct it and intercede in justice and righteousness, from now on and forever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. The remnant of Israel was called to the knowledge of Immanuel through the holy Apostles; The Gentiles are also called. That is why (the prophet) said: the country of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and then added to this: Galilee of tongues, the people sitting in darkness saw the great light, of course the light sent down through Christ, who enlightens spiritually, moreover, not just the people of Israel, but rather, the whole under heaven. That those enlightened (by this light) were able to throw off the yoke of the devil’s malice and get rid of the rod, he convinced of this by adding the words: the yoke that lies on them will be taken away, and the rod that is on their necks. But we see that the yoke of the devil’s malice is placed on those who serve the creation and worship the works of their own hands, and on the Israelites a heavy burden of the law and a truly unbearable burden. Therefore, the blessed disciples, those who, after accepting the faith, convinced some to observe what was written in the law, reproached them, saying: and now, why do you tempt God, wanting to lay a yoke on your neck as a disciple, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? (Acts 15:10). So, the yoke of the law was too unbearable for the Israelites, and besides, what was even more unbearable was that the wickedness of the Pharisees crushed them a lot with its gluttony. For the leaders of the synagogue of Judea were greedy for money and had one goal, to collect from everywhere and do all sorts of extortion to the people under their control. Therefore, it could very rightly be said about the Israelites that the yoke that lay on them will be taken away, and the rod that is on their neck. The rod plausibly refers to the greed of leaders for dominance, due to their strong inclination to self-interest. For this very reason, they, the unfortunate ones, killed the Son himself. For, although they saw that He was the heir, they decided within themselves and said: Come, for His sake, and let us take possession of His inheritance (Matthew 21:38). So, that having this wicked and sinful goal, they would rather suffer the loss of all their property than to see Emmanuel shining to the world, he points to this, saying: as if they had collected all the clothes with flattery, and the robe with reconciliation, they would give it away, and they would be burned with fire. For a Child was born to us, and a Son was given to us. For by deceit and flattery and unjust judgment they collected money for themselves, as it is said (Matthew 23:14,23, etc.): but it was pleasant and gracious for them to take off and give everything up to the lower garment and himation with reconciliation, that is, with a gain, even more, as it is said, they would agree to be burned with fire, being unable to endure the fact that a Child was born to us, a Son was given to us. Endowed with trust in the management of the master's vineyard, they wanted to have the fruits themselves alone, bringing nothing to the Master at all. And when (the prophet) says that a Child was born, he clearly exposes the weakness of the opinion of the Manichaeans, who do not want to admit that the Word became flesh (John 1:14), that is, that for our sake, according to the economy, It took on our flesh 31. But if they want the right to philosophize and pronounce judgment on their unreasonable advice, then let them not dishonor the words of the prophet, who says that a Child was born to us; for where actual childbirth from a wife occurs, what place can there be for the apparent and illusory, and how could a birth with pain take place, so to speak, in the imagination alone? Moreover, the Son, it is said, was given to us; for the Only Begotten Word of God became man not for His own sake, but rather in order to renew our nature and elevate it to its original state and in order to offer his own body as a ransom for the lives of all to the stench of fragrance to God and the Father. And what is said: His rulership was on His frame, then this, as some think, can be understood as follows: since, it is narrated, our Lord Jesus Christ, having a cross on His shoulder, went on a saving passion, and also ascended and took power in heaven by Himself, then therefore it is said that His rulership was on His frame. And the interpretation is worthy of credibility, and one should not humiliate the thought, correctly expressed, if someone wanted to praise it with the Word: the prophetic word in this case, as it seems, wanted to point out to us the power; because all our strength lies in our muscles and shoulders (shoulders). That is why the Son is called the right hand and arm of God and the Father: Lord, it is said, who believes our hearing? and to whom has the arm of the Lord revealed itself? (Isa.53:1). So, Christ took over the rulership in heaven by his own power; because He is the strength of God and the Father. He is also called the Great Council Angel, that is, God and the Father. And the wise John can testify about Him, saying: He who receives His testimony has faith, 32 for he is true God, for God has sent him, and speaks the words of God (John 3:33,34). And He himself says in one place to the holy Apostles: you are my friends by nature, and if you do, I command you. I say that you are not servants, for a servant does not know what his Lord is doing; but you have been told by others, for all the things that I have heard from My Father have told you (John 15:14,15). So, this is the reason why Emmanuel of the great council is called an Angel. When He became a man, He himself attributed to God and the Father the action and power of everything He did. And through this, God and the Father himself (who appeared) to us indicates the same thing, saying: bring peace to the princes, peace and health to them. The peace inherent in the holy Apostles was given by Christ as his own; because everything that belongs to the Father is His. He also said: My peace I give to you, My peace I leave with you (John 14:27). If it can be said about Emmanuel himself that He received peace and health, then again understand here the wisdom of dispensation according to the flesh. For He received peace, of course from the world, since the Father brought everything to Him and convinces us to have peace with Him through worshiping Him and accepting the yoke of His kingdom; because no one can, He says, come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him (John 6:44). The wise Isaiah also cries out in another place: Let us make peace for Him, let us make peace for those who come to Him (Is. 27:5,6). So, He receives peace from the Father in the sense that I said; because we heard Him saying to the heavenly Father and God: whom you have given Me out of the world: Your besha, you have given them to Me (John 17:6). He also receives health, that is, the resurrection from the dead; because after exhausting himself for a while, as they say, having deigned with his flesh, by the grace of God, to taste death for everyone, he receives health, that is, revival, and having also done this himself (cf. 2 Cor. 13: 3, 4 and John 10: 17, 18). For He built His church, Himself being the power of the Father, because if He Himself is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25), then what could life need for quickening? and if He appeared to raise (from death to life) the bodies of other people again by His own power, then how could He not resurrect, and moreover, before all others, His own (body)? However, He himself says to the Jews: Destroy this church, and in three days I will raise it up (John 2:19). And that the kingdom of Christ is unshakable and has firmness in everything, the prophet teaches this, saying: His rulership is great, and His peace has no end. For He assumed authority not over Judea alone, but rather over all the heavenly places. And there will be no end to the peace brought to Him from us: because we are imams of peace to Him (Rom. 5:1), we worship Him, as I said, and through Him and in Him, God and the Father. And we try to drive out the sin that serves as the cause of our enmity (with God). And that He came with the intention of liberating the people of Judah, the prophet teaches, adding: on the throne of David, and on his kingdom, to correct it, and to intercede for it in righteousness and justice, from now on and forever. After the blessed prophet has already offered us a fairly complete word about Emmanuel, he now returns in good time to the incarnation, saying: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. It is necessary to say what kind of jealousy this is and for whom it is. The apostate serpent plundered the heavenly world and subjugated man created in the image of God to his scepter (that is, his power). Therefore, truly worthy of all zeal and all excellence was what happened to us: it was the zeal of the Lord of hosts that freed those living throughout the whole earth. And in another sense this can be understood: the Israelites provoked Him to anger not about gods 33, as it is written (Deut. 32:21), and their vain ones (1 Kings 16:2,13), and finally crucified Immanuel. They themselves were irritated by the pagans, as He himself says: they have irritated Me not about the gods, they have angered Me against their idols: and I have irritated them not about the pagan, but about the foolish pagan I have angered them (Deut. 32:21; fn. Rom. 10:19). Isa.9:8–10. The Lord sent death to Jacob, and came to Israel: and all the people of Ephraim and those who dwell in Samaria will understand, with vexation and highness of heart, saying: The plinths have fallen, but come, let us cut down the stone, and cut down the blueberries and cedars, and let us build ourselves a pillar. The prophet’s speech about Emmanuel was lengthy; Having skillfully completed it, he again returns to what was said at the beginning. And before that we were talking about this. He strongly denounced Israel as being disobedient to God and insulting Him who had always preserved them, and for this reason bringing upon themselves extreme disasters. For he said that they did not delight in the law of the Lord of hosts, but despised the teaching of the holy Israel. And the Lord became angry with his people, and laid his hand on them and smote them. And the mountains were angry, and their corpses became like dung in the middle of the road. By irritated mountains he means the Assyrian kings: for they became proud and ambitious and arrogant in their souls; They destroyed all of Samaria to the ground, took Israel captive and took him to the mountains of the Persians and Medes. So, having finished, as I said, the speech about Immanuel, he again returns to the goal assumed at the beginning, and tells about the devastation of Samaria, saying: the death of the ambassador against Jacob, and the coming against Israel. You need to know that the Jews and some other interpreters instead of: death read: the word of the Lord sent against Jacob, and he came against Israel. What word? Obviously, a word condemning those who dishonored and punishing those who forsook Him and worshiped the works of their own hands. But whether God said: the death of the ambassador, or the word, the meaning will not be dissimilar; on the contrary, it will be directed towards the same goal. However, here the events of history should be recalled, which I will tell briefly. For only after this will the things explained become clear. So, once upon a time there reigned in Jerusalem, over Judah or Jacob, both good and evil men, in the same way over Israel in Samaria, who came from the tribe of Ephraim. For from the tribe of Ephraim was their first king, Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who persuaded them to worship his golden calves. So, of those who once reigned in Jerusalem and Samaria, very many were, as I said, shameless offenders of God, unclean and idolaters, worshiped the heavenly army, wickedly served trees and stones. Such was Ahaz, who even led his children through the fire and did a lot of evil to Jerusalem, even invading the most divine church. When he was caught up by death from among the living, Hezekiah received the royal scepter, while Hoshea the son of Elah reigned over Israel, or the ten tribes, in Samaria. During his reign, the Assyrian king went to war against Samaria and along with it took many other cities of Judea. After this, when Sennacherib invaded Judea, during the reign of the pious Hezekiah, God miraculously saved Jerusalem. In the fourth book of Kings it is written about this: And in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, and in the seventh year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel, Salamanasser, king of Assyria, went up to Samaria, and discussed with her. And at the end of three years, in the sixth year of Hezekiah, I took the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Israel, and Samaria was taken captive. And the king of Assyria brought the Samaritans into Assyria and planted them on the Alai, and on the Avora, the rivers of Gozan, and in the borders of the Midlands: for they did not listen to the voice of the Lord their God, and transgressed His Covenant, all the commandments of Moses the servant of the Lord, and did not listen, and did not do. And in the fourth tenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, went up to the strong cities of Judah, and I was taken (2 Kings 18:9-13). And this is also from the holy books. And that Sennacherib devastated Samaria, going against Jerusalem, we can easily see from what the blessed prophet Isaiah himself wrote. For Rabshakeh addressed those who were sitting within the walls with these words: Let not Hezekiah deceive you, saying: Your God will deliver you: have you delivered food from the gods of paganism, each of your country from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where is the God of Hamath and Arphath? and where is the God of the city of Sepfarim? Can food deliver Samaria from my hand? (Isa.36:18,19). So, Sennacherib first destroyed Samaria along with other cities and countries; then he besieged Jerusalem. When he blasphemed the divine glory, an angel came out from the Lord and in one night killed one hundred and eighty-five thousand from the Assyrian camp. So, when Sennacherib went against Jerusalem, he first devastated Samaria, because God had betrayed her because she had done worse than what was done in Jerusalem. Therefore, of necessity, it is said: the Lord sent death against Jacob, and came against Israel. But Samaria, in which Israel lived, that is, the ten tribes, was burned and completely destroyed. For, I think, those who were surrounded in it had enough prudence to finally understand that it is truly terrible to offend God. Then, when they realized this, they should, without a doubt, appease the Insulted One and, by changing their lives for the better, soften the Angry One. But they did not do this and did not take it to heart, and even more distraught, they said: Plinths have fallen, but we will cut off the stone, and we will cut down the blueberries and cedars; and let us build ourselves a pillar. O great folly! Shouldn't they have said better: we have offended Almighty God with our recklessness and for this our cities and villages have been devastated; Come, let us lift off the burden of His wrath through repentance. They did not say this, but neglecting the reliability of divine help, they said that the walls of the cities located near Samaria were made of fragile brick, and if we plank the stones and attach non-rotting trees to them, i.e., mulberry trees and cedars, and build a fortification; then we will be inaccessible to enemies and indestructible. So, he says, in annoyance and a high heart, let those who say this find out, that is, learn again where this decision will lead them and that this plan of theirs will again end in destruction for them. You need to know that after the devastation caused by Sennacherib, during the time of Jeremiah, Nebuchadnezzar fought against Judea, took it all, and destroyed Samaria and Jerusalem itself. That is why the prophet Jeremiah says: Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and will strengthen the flesh of his arm on him, and his heart will depart from the Lord. (Jer.17:5). For no one will save the one who has been subjected to divine wrath: who can turn away the high hand? as written. Isa.9:11–12. And God will destroy those who rise on Mount Zion, and scatter his enemies: Syria from the east of the sun, and Greece from the west of the sun, devouring Israel with all their mouths. When God strikes for many sins, He brings bitterness (numbness) to the victims, so that it is revealed that He calls to repentance in all ways, that is, both through suffering and through consolation. In the same way, plunder is now announced to the suffering. And history provides confirmation of what has been said, which must, as I said, be given briefly. For the last war against all Judea and Samaria was waged by Nebuchadnezzar, and they were taken away captives and were enslaved by their enemies for seventy years. When the time of wrath ended, the God of all had mercy on them again and arranged their return after Cyrus, the son of Cambyses, defeated the Babylonians. And when the victims returned to the holy city, they decided to build its walls and did so and erected their divine church. But, despite the fact that they suffered so much and suffered punishment for their previous sins, the neighboring nations, out of envy, again attacked them: for they did not want Jerusalem to gain importance; in particular, they were oppressed by the evil Syrians and the inhabitants of Damascus: but with the help of God, who saves and helps those who returned from captivity, they were defeated; (The Jews) prevailed over (their) enemies. Then, after some time, Antiochus, nicknamed Epiphanes, who reigned in Asia, became angry with Ptolemy, who reigned at that time in the land of Egypt; Having started the war, he was defeated and barely escaped. But in order not to return home completely without any booty, without bringing back memories of victory, he went to war against Judea, took Jerusalem and, having subjugated it and plundered all the sacred vessels, left a certain military leader Lysias in Judea, ordering him to rule the country. When the said Antiochus returned to his kingdom, the Jews rebelled against the military leader Lysias and defeated him. Upon learning of this, Antiochus died of sadness. So, the God of all promises his help to those besieged by Nebuchadnezzar and to those who barely escaped captivity, saying: and God will destroy those who rise up against Mount Zion. You hear how he strikes and heals. Who are these rebels? Syria from the east of the sun and Greece from the west of the sun. For Antiochus was a Greek by birth and invaded from Macedonia, which is in the west, because the country of the Macedonians is part of the west, especially when it appears as if in comparison with the countries located to the east of the sun. And such are the Syrians and the inhabitants of Damascus. When he talks about the Greeks devouring Israel with all their lips, then you need to know that Antiochus attacked the Jews cruelly and inhumanly and beat up countless numbers of their pity in a worthy manner, when the Maccabees fought and the glorious victories of these men were celebrated. Josephus (Flavius) talks about this in his book about them. The sons of the Greeks of Israel also eat in another way, and it is necessary to say exactly how. Their poets and orators, having achieved the highest art in eloquence and perfection in speech, and having become fascinating and wise, seem to kidnap spiritual Israel, that is, the mind contemplating God, and deceive those who have already believed in Christ, enticing them along with them to worship the creature instead of the Creator. They are the ones who eat Israel's lips and it is impossible to protect yourself against them. If the brilliance of eloquence were in harmony with good deeds, then it would be pleasing and pleasing to God; but could one empty glitter of a word be anything other than ringing brass and a clanging cymbal, according to the word of the wise Paul (1 Cor. 13:1)? Isa.9:12–13. In all these his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is still high. And the people did not turn until the ulcer came, and they did not seek the Lord. The God of all saved Israel, who was still sinning, and gave him help, so that he turned out to be stronger than the neighboring Syrians and those who came from the west of the sun, who ate his lips with all of them: however, he says, the wrath of the Lord did not turn away from them, that is, it did not subside; on the contrary, the hand of the striker was still raised above them, that is, it was ready to inflict other blows on them. For what reason? For, he says, people did not turn back and did not move away from their sins, and did not seek the Lord to want what was pleasing to Him and to philosophize and do what was pleasing to Him; but they remained with the same dispositions and thoughts until a high and almighty hand weighed them down. What was this final blow? Shouldn't you know about this? The latter, as I said, Nebuchadnezzar took all of Judea and resettled Israel to the mountains of the Persians and Medes. When, as I said, the times of captivity ended, they returned to Judea and settled in Jerusalem, and were no longer divided into two tribes, but all together formed one, and were subject to one king. One of the holy prophets spoke about this: they will rise up from the earth and set themselves one ruler. After they all returned to Judea from captivity, the Syrians and those who came from the eastern side waged war against them, but were defeated with the assistance of God, who protected those freed (from captivity). Then, all the time until the coming of the Savior, they continued to live not as they should, did not completely abandon their former vices, but lived disorderly and inconsistent with the law and very carelessly. When Christ shone in all the sunflowers (for God appeared to us, according to the word of the Psalmist), they did not abandon their stubbornness, acted illegally, did not accept His teachings and did not honor Him with faith. So what am I saying? They, having wickedly insulted Him in every possible way, extended their atheism to the point that they handed Him over to be crucified, rejected the Holy and Righteous One and decided to put to death the Author of life, the One who justifies the wicked and who, precisely for this reason, shone forth among those living throughout the whole earth, in order to destroy death and make the sting of sin powerless. As a result of all this, the high hand of the One who struck remained stretched out over them and His wrath was not turned away. For they were given over to devastation when Vespasian and Titus and the entire Roman army attacked them, when they, the unfortunate ones, were completely destroyed, their whole country was scorched, the church itself was destroyed and completely destroyed, so that not one stone was left on another, according to the word of the Savior (Matthew 24:2; Mark 13:2; Luke 21:6). So, when a merciful God sends disasters for our sins, it is dangerous to fall into despair; but, I say, we must try in every possible way to soften the Distressed One. He benefits those who do not sin, but He also saves those who are disobedient according to His characteristic mercy. Therefore, let none of us be hard-hearted or slow in the knowledge of His gifts; but, prompted by the fact that He knows how to show benefit to unkind people, coming to the knowledge of His inherent love for mankind, let us bring repentance for our previous sins and change our own will and make it capable of serving Him and loving a good life. Isaiah 9:14–16. And the Lord took away from Israel the head and the mistakes, great and small, in one day: the elder and those who marveled at the faces, this is the beginning: and the prophet who taught the wicked, this mistake: and the blessed people of these people will flatter, and flatter, as if they would swallow me up. By saying that the high hand of the Striker is still raised, he clearly indicates that the divine wrath against them has not yet subsided, and what will one day be the manner of punishment that is about to befall them. For, he says, he will be taken away from Israel in one day, that is, at one time, it is quite clear that during the war with the Romans, the head and the tail. And he explains what this allegory means, saying: great and small, that is, noble and ignorant; and who these noble and ignorant were, he again showed by adding: the old man and those who marveled at the faces. With these words, as I think, he points to the tribe that received the lot of priesthood, that is, to those who came from Levi and whom the people subordinate to them called elders. And indeed, the divine disciples turned to them, saying: Princes of mankind and elders, since we are being tortured today because of the good deeds of man, we are weak, for which we have been saved: be wise to all of you and to all people, as in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (Acts 4:8-10). These elders, who had the power to judge, pronounced incorrect sentences on every case they tried, because they were partial to bribery and treated the rich with partiality, although the law given through Moses commanded them: judge righteous judgment and always demands: do not be partial in court. This, he says, is the beginning. You also need to think about the word: chapter. For the head of the people is a priest, when the people are understood as one body. And the prophet who teaches the lawless will be taken away, he says, along with the elder; and this, he says, is a mistake, that is, what is behind. For there were some among the Jews who were engaged in interpreting the law of the wise Moses, and they did it perversely, incorrectly adding to the words of Moses unwritten traditions, commandments and instructions of men. Such people misled the Jewish people and aroused in them daring opposition to Christ. And since the common people followed the teachings of the priests who stood at the head of the people, they called him a tail. For when, as I said, we represent a people as one body, then the head can correspond to the tail. And when he mentions the prophets, we should not mean holy and true prophets, since he added that they teach lawless things. But besides this, we will say the following: At times Israel had false prophets, although they also had true prophets. But after the times of captivity, no one could say with certainty whether they had any others, except those mentioned by Gamaliel, a teacher of the law and a man respected by all the people, as written in the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles. For he addressed the holy apostles to those in the Sanhedrin with the following words: Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves concerning these men, what you wish to do: before these days Theudas arose, saying that there was a great one unto himself, to whom he clung to the number of men, like four hundred: who was slain, and all the little ones obeyed him, he became weary and came to nothing: for this reason Judas the Galilean arose in the days of writing, and the people were distracted and were content with themselves: both that one perished, and all those who listened to him, were scattered (Acts 5:35-37). So, he says, he will take away the chapter and the mistake, in accordance with the thought we previously expressed. But, he says, the blessed ones will flatter these people, and they flatter, as if they would swallow me up. For the leaders of the Jews, who were entrusted with the sacred and divine tabernacle and who were appointed to perform sacrifices according to the law, persuaded the people under their control to bring gifts, calling those blessed who brought them in abundance; but they did this for bad reasons, not out of reverence and zeal for God, but with their own profits in mind. That is why, he says: they flatter, as if they would swallow me up. For being insatiable, as I said, in the desire to acquire wealth, they did not teach the people that they should please the God of all by fulfilling the law; on the contrary, they persuaded him to show respect with offerings that were not according to his condition. For this reason, they themselves did not accept faith in Christ, and, as if closing the entrance to the kingdom of heaven, they did not allow others to enter it. For they knew that after the shadow of the law lost its meaning and the preaching of the Gospel was accepted, the service in images and through the offering of bloody sacrifices would completely cease and the sacrifices would lose their meaning after the service in the spirit was introduced. And this meant the complete destruction of their insatiable covetousness. Isa.9:17. For this reason the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, and will not have mercy on their orphans and widows: for all are iniquities and wickedness, and every mouth speaks lies. Now the word, with the help of visual examples, transfers our thought to the higher-sensory and spiritual. For here he calls youths, without a doubt, not at all those who are distinguished by bodily strength, and not those who have reached a flourishing age and bodily maturity, but rather points to those who have spiritual strength in their minds and hearts, so that with youthful vivacity they can do that through which they can become known and very glorious with God and filled with all virtue. Blessed John also addressed people with such an inner mood, saying: I am writing to you, young men, because you are strong by nature, and have overcome the evil one (1 John 2:14). However, even before the coming of the Savior, there were people among the Jews who tried to act as I just said, flawlessly fulfilling the faithful commandment and trying to very abundantly adorn themselves with the virtues of a life in accordance with the law. And they were not rejected by God; since it was still the time of the canopy of the law and the life of the gospel had not yet been revealed in Christ, this too received many praises. Thus it is written about Zechariah and Elizabeth: There came to pass in the days of Herod king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, from the days of Abiani: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Besta is both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord blameless (Luke 1:5,6). I think the holy prophets themselves lived their lives in exactly the same way. And the divine Paul, although he clearly says that he was truly blameless in truth, but (asks) what kind of acquisitions did I have? This, he says, counted Christ as vanity (Phil. 3:6,7). So, before the coming of our Savior Christ, some acquired the glory of fulfilling the law, were courageous and strong; after His appearance and after the preaching of the Gospel, that which was according to the law was abolished, and the shadow turned into truth, and spiritual and true service was introduced. So, the Lord does not rejoice over the young men of Judah, that is, over those who courageously strive to live in accordance with the law; their bloody sacrifices and circumcision of the flesh, the teachings of ablutions and the celebration of the Sabbath are not accepted (by God). But we, as I said, are taught to live a life pleasing to God. So, after the shadow passed, those who turned out to be young men after it were not rejected by God and quite rightly; over time, both orphans and widows were pitied; He calls orphans those who need spiritual food and education through mentors. In the same way, we call widows those souls who, due to need, due to the fact that they did not have the Sower and Giver of all the good teachings necessary for them, became unable to bear fruit. But we will see that the Israelites were deprived of participation in true education because of their enmity against Christ: for this no one would praise them. For their eyes were darkened, so as not to see, according to the word of the Psalmist, and their spines were not submissive, so that they were not able to look at the highest, but were, as it were, bent in order to constantly be occupied with earthly affairs. And this will happen to them, he says, not in vain, but because they have all become lawless and wicked, and every mouth speaks lies. For aren’t they lawless and full of all wickedness who tried to put to death the One who called to life and knew no sin, although the law clearly says: she is innocent and righteous, and thou shalt not kill? Did not every tongue of the Jews speak lies? For they cried out against Christ to Pilate, saying: take him, take him, crucify him; and if you do not kill this one, bear it friend Caesar. Isa.9:17–20. In all these his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is still high. And iniquity will flare up like fire, and like dry grass it will be consumed by fire, and it will flare up in the thickets of oak forests and belts, even all around the hills. Because of the fury of the wrath of the Lord, the whole earth will burn, and the people will be as if they were burned with fire: a man will not have mercy on his brother, but will turn away on his right hand, as if he were hungry, and eat of the evil, and the poisonous man will not be satisfied with the flesh of his arm: for Manasseh of Ephraim, and Ephraim of Manasseh, for together they will fight Judah. When the divine anger flares up even more and the hand threatens, raising the whip and striking, he tries to clearly foretell everything that is going to happen to them, and with the fear (of coming disasters) to make those listening more prudent. For God predicts grave disasters for them, so that they, fearing to offend Him, avoid the misfortunes that come from His anger and get rid of external disasters. And lawlessness will burn like fire. He does not call the matter itself lawless (for it is inconvenient to think or express it this way), but those who are burdened with lawlessness and have reached such a corruption of morals that they should not be called lawless, but rather lawlessness. So, such people, he says, will burn like fire, that is, they themselves will be fire; for no one else will kindle a flame in them, but they themselves will be capable of this, and they will burn like dry grass and like forest bushes. For they rage like a flame that falls on a flammable substance, that is, on dry grass and trees in the forest. I think that this is precisely what the prophetic word wants to point out to us with this expression. For when Vespasian and Titus, as I said before, devastated Judea and besieged the cities in it; then in each of them there was very great confusion, partly because hunger was exhausting them, partly because the rebels in each of them plundered houses, attacked those who seemed to be the most noble, so that the civil strife caused by the inhabitants was worse than an external war. Josephus (Flavius) talks about this in detail. So, he says, it will flare up in the thickets of oak groves, calling, I think, dry grass and thickets of oak groves to the rebellious crowd. For the mob was divided among themselves into factions and parties. And that disaster will befall those who seem to have any significance, he explains this, saying: and everything around the hills will be destroyed. Hills, I think, calls those that stand above others and are distinguished by either fame, or wealth, or something else. I have already said that those who seemed famous were terribly attacked, usually carrying out a rebellion in every city, so that in desperation they did what the hand of the enemies themselves had not once done. And this, he says, is for the fury of the wrath of the Lord. For in this way the whole land of Judea burned. And explaining to the listeners what he said mysteriously, he immediately adds, saying: and people will be like fire, a man will not have mercy on his brother. Like those who apply fire to the skin of bulls, they arouse anger in them and force them to make violent attacks on those against whom they rush; Thus, he says, every one of the people will be as if on fire. For everyone will be enemies to each other, they will be merciless, they will not know kinship, they will be fierce and wild, like beasts that fiercely attack someone out of hunger, they will turn away on the right hand and eat them up, that is, they will rush back and forth, tormenting some on the right, others on the left, giving no mercy to anyone and having an insatiable thirst for attacking each other: and will not be satisfied , he says, a man is poisonous to the flesh of his muscles. Incredible thing! They will not spare themselves, as if under the influence of unbridled rage. For once, having lost hope, they, like young men, decide to do everything terrible. He further says that Manasseh will demolish Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh. Ephraim and Manasseh were two brothers and sons of Joseph: but even if they were related by blood, nature would not give peace; the laws of kinship will have no force: for brothers and closest relatives will rise up against each other, one against one, and two against another; for Manasseh, he says, will demolish Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh, as if together they will fight Judah. So, everything will be filled with civil strife and, due to anger, no one will reflect on why and why this or that is illegal. And this is exactly, as I said, what the people of Judah actually had to experience. And we ourselves need to be careful; for disobedience is punished, and if anyone falls into it, he will be burned as if by fire, because he will be burned by carnal lust and the fire of lust, and will produce an unbearable struggle in the mind and in the heart; The flesh will rebel against the spirit and there will be great confusion in the soul. Therefore, as the divine Paul says, walk in the Spirit and do not do carnal lust. By obeying God, we will walk in the spirit, we will overcome carnal lusts, and we will quench the inner flame in our souls and keep our hearts serene. And the peace of God, as it is written, which surpasses all understanding, may guard our hearts and our minds (Phil. 4:7). Isa.9:21. In all these His wrath is not turned away, but His hand is still high. Isaiah 10:1–4. Woe to those who write wickedness: those who write wickedness write, evading the judgment of the wretched, delighting in the judgment of my poor people, as if they were a widow for robbery and an orphan for plunder. And what will they do on the day of visitation? sorrow will come to you further away. And who will you turn to to help you? And where will you leave your glory so as not to fall into captivity? After the prophetic word has told us in detail about the misfortunes of the Jews and their future disasters at the hands of their enemies, it, with great wisdom and foresight, points out those crimes with which the God of all was offended, and tries to show why the holy sentence spoken over them condemned them to execution. For it is not unjustly that the nets are laid for the birds, according to what is written. Woe, he says, to those who write wickedness: those who write wickedness write, avoiding the judgment of the poor, delighting in the judgment of my poor people. For the Jews had so-called scribes, their duty was to explain in every case the purpose of the law to those who wanted to know it, and to deliver the same information to the people called to judge the people. It is written: Until the lips of the priest keep understanding and require the law at his mouth (Mal.2:7). But they, carried away by bad profits, passed incorrect sentences and wickedly distorted the meaning of the divine law, as if they mixed wine with water, and made pure silver worthless, in order to offend the widow and deprive the poor of the just judgment and, out of greed, plunge the orphan into misfortune and (deliver) him into the hands of those eager to get rich as a booty worth nothing. But these things, he says, what will they do on the day of visitation? The day of visitation refers to the time of war, when God turned his gaze to those who seek wickedness and pervert the correct decrees of the law. For what wealth will help you, he says? And what benefit will the multitude of things you have collected out of greed bring you? You acted unjustly, perverted the law, violated the intention of the legislator: where will you go? What will you do or say? and where will you run away from the day of the visit? Sorrow will come to you further away. For the Jews very often fought against neighboring nations, the Edomites, I mean, the Elamites, the Moabites and the Syrians, and the so-called Philistines; it happened that they turned out to be stronger than many and defeated them during battles; but now, he says, tribulation will come to you further away, that is, you will not have a fight with the Edomites, not with the Moabites - a war, not even with any neighboring nations whom you once defeated and, having gained the upper hand in the war, were crowned with a crown of glory. Now sorrow will come to you from afar. This saying seems to hint at an attack by the Assyrians or Romans; for both of them came from afar. When the tribulation comes, where will you leave your glory so as not to fall into captivity? For often, he says, you defeated enemies and, resisting the attackers, saved your cities and countries; Now where will you leave such glory? For you will all fall, and the courage of others will not bring you any benefit. And what will you do to avoid being captured? Captivity refers to the calamity that befell them as a result of divine wrath against them and as a result of war. For if God sends punishment on sinners, who can turn it away? Or who will help those who must suffer retribution and punishment? Nobody. Therefore, the divine David sings and says: Lord, do not rebuke me with your wrath, nor punish me with your anger (Ps. 6:2); and again: You are terrible, and who will resist you? hence is your wrath (Ps. 75:8). So, no one can turn away divine wrath; only repentance softens it in some way; on the contrary, he who has decided to live righteously and legally and in accordance with his commands will never be shaken. Isaiah 10:4–10. And in all these his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is still high. Woe to the Assyrians, the rod of my wrath and wrath is in their hand. I will send my wrath upon the lawless tongue, and I will command my people to commit self-interest and captivity, and trample down the cities and lay them in the dust. But this is not the way he thinks and the soul is not like this: but his mind will recede, and he will use tongues. And if they say to him: Are you the only prince? And he says: Did you not take the countries higher than Babylon and Chalani, where the pillar was built, and take Arabia and Damascus and Samaria? As I have taken this, I will also take away all the dominion. We will see that God, who is always concerned about His glory, becomes very angry if he sees that someone neglects and tries to put into nothing what is pleasing to Him and uses all his efforts to commit the most shameful things. He converts such people, as if forcibly dragging them towards doing something that serves their great benefit. For nowhere does blessed David say this: with reins and bridles, bind their jaws as they approach you. Many are the wounds of the sinner (Ps. 31:9,10); He imposes punishment on those who sin, transferring his anger, as if placing a certain rod in the hands of unkind men, so that they become the perpetrators of the punishment sent to the wicked. But it happens that those who are chosen for this think too much of themselves in relation to those being punished and even in relation to the One who entrusted them with this. For they do not think that they prevailed over those, as a result of God’s permission and His determination, so that they would suffer such a misfortune; but they imagine that they have surpassed the One who wants to save them. Therefore He turns His anger against them, and quite rightly so. Since He opposes the proud, He humiliates their pride, and by subjecting them to the punishments they deserve, He tries to instill in them a different conviction that victory over those punished is not a consequence of their strength, but a consequence of His command. This same thing happened to the Assyrian king. For after he took Judea and devastated its cities, he thought highly of himself and imagined that he had taken possession of the holy land contrary to the will of God, who governs it and promised to save it. For this reason, he says that the wrath has not yet turned away, but will bring grief upon the Assyrians. What is the basis for this? For, he says, the rod of my wrath was given into their hands, of course, by Me, so that they could strike those who dishonored Me; since I commanded my people to create self-interest and captivity and trample the cities and lay them in dust. For if I had not removed My saving hand from them and deprived them of My help, always usually given to them; then they would never be captives, but always, with My assistance, would be victorious over their enemies. But this Assyrian did not think like that and did not think like that in his soul, but thought in his mind: he will crush, that is, destroy many nations. For he thought that no one could resist his forces, that he would easily defeat everyone and would be ruler over all nations, because no one would resist him. But if someone came to someone who had such an insatiable soul and a constant desire for dominion over everyone and said: are you the only prince, that is, can you alone rule over the universe? then he, raising his arrogant voice, would say to this: did you not take the countries higher than Babylon and Chalani, where the pillar was created? and took Arabia and Damascus and Samaria. As if I took strength, I will take all the reign. Halan, where the tower was built by the ancients, is located in the last, as it were, limits of the east, on the other side of the country and the land of Babylon. So, he says, just as I made the borders of my kingdom from the very borders of the eastern land, took Damascus and Samaria, to which their gods did not provide any help, so I will take other countries outside. It is necessary to remember that Rabshakeh, conveying the words of the king of Assyria, said to those on the wall: this says the king of Assyria: let not Hezekiah deceive you with words that cannot deliver you: and let not Hezekiah say to you that God will deliver us, and after other words again: food has delivered the gods of paganism, each one his country from the hand of the king of Assyria? where is the god of Hamath and Arphath? and where is the god of the city of Sepfarim? Can food deliver Samaria from my hand? Who of the gods of all these languages, who delivered their land out of my hand, as he will deliver Israel out of my hand (Isa. 36:14,18-20)? Therefore, (God) announces that he will punish the Assyrian, who thought highly of himself and decided to laugh at divine wrath. But we ourselves should hate the passion of pride; if she boldly rebels against the divine glory itself, then truly and justly woe to those who would want to do so. Isaiah 10:10–11. Weep, sculptured in Jerusalem and Samaria. Just as I created Samaria and the things made with her hands, so will I create Jerusalem and its idol. Recently he spoke about the king of Assyria, who thought highly and arrogantly of himself; because he laid waste the cities of Samaria when the false gods did not help them, and even the groves and altars (dedicated to them) were burned. And when he imagined that he had already subjugated Jerusalem itself or Judea to his power, even if Christ, who always protects and saves it, did not want this; the prophetic word immediately shows us the reasons why he took Samaria and so many cities of Judea. Therefore (the prophet) very appropriately brings to mind the types of wickedness and commands us to weep and weep over them, and as if struck by betrayal of God, he strongly exclaims: weep for the statues in Jerusalem and Samaria. For where God should have expected the honor due to Him, there He meets with disdain and is deprived of the honor that is due and due to Him. For, paying respect to the statues, they, unfortunate ones, dared to say to the tree: you are my God, and to the stone: you gave birth to me (Jer. 2:27). That is why the prophet, as if as a result of horror, escaped the mentioned exclamation, that is: sculptured in Jerusalem and Samaria. (God) says something similar about Jerusalem through the mouth of Jeremiah: Why did my beloved create abominations in my house (Jer. 11:15)? And through another prophet he said: Ephraim the guard is with God, the prophet is obstinate in all his ways, establishing amazement in the house of God (Hosea 9:8). For those who built altars in Jerusalem and those made with hands offered sacrifices to Baal and to the host of heaven. The inhabitants of Samaria did the same, therefore, as he says, I made Samaria and those made with hands, so I will make Jerusalem and its idol. since their crimes are the same, then in fairness they will receive the same punishment. So the Assyrian took Damascus and Samaria; the reason for this and the reason for his victory was the statue of idols, both in Samaria and in Jerusalem; Therefore, those who wanted to act in this way were given the most appropriate punishment. So the creation of idols is a terrible crime and serves as the cause of divine wrath against us, even if someone did it only in the mind and heart; because it takes us away from the love of God, deceives the heart and carries it away to what is indecent to us. Isaiah 10:12–14. And it will happen, when the Lord finishes everything he has done in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, he will bring to a great mind, to the prince of Assyria, and to the height of glory in his eyes. I say: with the strength of my hand I will create, and with the wisdom of my understanding I will take away the boundaries of tongues, and the power of their captivity: and I will shake the inhabited cities, and the whole world with my hand, like a nest, and I will take it like an abandoned egg: and there is no one who will run away from me, or speak against me. He says that the Assyrian, who dreamed so highly of himself, will not go unpunished. For God opposes the proud, according to what is written, and always holds accountable those who suffer from the vice of vanity, makes them pitiful and humiliated, so that they know that they should not raise their horns high, according to what is written, and rather come to the consciousness of their nature and weakness. For when, he says, the Lord will end all his creation in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, that is, when he reaches the goal of what he has done as a result of his (divine) wrath against them; - then the hand and the striking rod will point at the great mind, not the prince of Assyria. He called him a great mind, without putting this quality in praise of him, on the contrary, making it known that this is nothing more than pride, hateful to God; because he conceived something that is not at all human, but something that exceeds every born nature. Therefore he will bring him to the height of glory before his eyes. Here he speaks of the height of the eyes instead of thoughts or plans. For, as I said, they are high and arrogant. But the true God, who searches hearts and bellies, who knows the hidden, clearly reveals them to us and says: For with the strength of my hand I will speak, and with the wisdom of my understanding I will take away the boundaries of tongues, and the power of their captivity: and I will shake the inhabited cities. Look how he, as if he has no need for higher help, imagines that only with his own strength can he accomplish whatever he wants; he thinks that he is so wise and skilled in military affairs that he can very easily change the borders of nations, crush their power, betray them to plunder, destroy cities that are not weak and devastated, but even if they had very many and countless inhabitants. But his pride does not stop there either. For he is carried away by the thought that he will master the entire universe and is ready to think that he will achieve this very easily, conveniently and without effort, and dreams of what comes to his mind. “I will embrace the entire universe,” he says, “like a nest, and like abandoned eggs; O terrible pride! O senseless thoughts! He looks at the inhabitants of the whole earth as the nest of one bird and compares them with the eggs left by the bird that warmed them, so that like a dragon he could come and devour them; he despises those who contradict him, and, apparently, does not expect those besieged by him to enter into arguments with him. These words can be attributed to the face of Satan himself. For he is the father of pride and thought that he would conquer the universe and no one would resist him. But in fact, it didn’t turn out that way; on the contrary, the end of his power came and his affairs were completely destroyed. For Christ spoke against us for us, and not only spoke against them, but also fought for the lives of all, defeated the destroyer and cast him at the feet of the saints. For he said to them: Behold, I give you power to tread on the serpent, and on the scorpion, and on all the power of the enemy. (Luke 10:19). Isaiah 10:15–16. Is food glorified by the ax without cutting it? or will the saw ascend without attracting? Likewise, if someone takes up a rod or a tree, it is not so. But the Lord of hosts will bring dishonor on your honor, and the fire of grief will kindle on your glory. Clearly exposes the Assyrian, who was recklessly proud and did not understand at all that the destruction of Samaria and the conquest of other cities along with it was not at all the work of his hand; on the contrary, this is the consequence of a higher sentence over those who were unbearably dishonest, a sentence that strikes them like an ax, a rod or a stick. Tell me, he says, the most reckless of all! food will be glorified by the ax without the one cutting it? For, even if the ax was very sharp and convenient for cutting field trees; but who will praise the ax for this, as if it could do this without anyone cutting with it? and whether the saw can do anything by itself without anyone pulling or pushing it back. And if no one raises a rod or a stick against anything, will they not be in the same position as they were? For the rod will lie on the ground and the stick will fall. But if someone takes them and uses them against someone, then what is accomplished through them will be accomplished. So, why, he says, did you dream highly of yourself? why are you raising your eyebrow? Don’t you think that you yourself, by your own strength, accomplished what you took the cities, while you, by heavenly definition, were only an instrument of the right hand that did this, namely the divine one? So, the glory belongs not to you, but to God, who used your cruelty, like a certain ax, rod and stick, against those who insulted Him. But, he says, it won’t be as you thought; you will not retain your former glory and will not enjoy magnificent honors; You will not create anything with your strength and the wisdom of your mind, you will not change the boundaries of nations, you will not take the universe as abandoned eggs, the Lord of hosts will send dishonor on your honor, and the fire of grief will kindle on your glory. The army led by him and subordinate to him calls him honor. For through him he became famous. Therefore, he says, fire will kindle against him and burn your honor. And how this happened will also be explained in a short time. Isaiah 10:17–18. And the light of Israel will become a fire, and will sanctify it with burning fire, and will shed the substance like hay. On that day the mountains and hills and oak groves will burn out, and they will burn from the soul even to the flesh: and you will flee as you flee from a burning flame: and those who remain from them will be numbered, and as a child I will write a little. What is said here is very difficult to understand, and the very structure of the speech makes it very difficult to understand. Let us try to understand the meaning hidden in the above words, having first said the following: when Sennacherib, king of Assyria, took Samaria, he sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem; Having come here and besieged it, he conveyed to those on the wall what the one who sent him had commanded him to say, and to this he added blasphemies against God, saying: God will not deliver Jerusalem from the hand of the king of Assyria. Outraged by these words, King Hezekiah turned to God with prayers, saying: Hear, O Lord, look upon the Lord, and see the words of Rabshakeh, which the king of Assyria sent to reproach the living God (Is. 36:17). But God announced salvation to them. And the angel of the Lord went out and in one night killed one hundred and eighty-five thousand from the Assyrian army (Isa. 37:36). When this happened, the Assyrian was seized with unbearable fear. Having received the news that Sarsapha, king of Ethiopia, had set out on a campaign against his country, with the very few troops remaining with him, he left Judea in a hasty flight. The prophetic word is hidden and explains this to us. For the light of Israel was the God of all, who gave the law that could give light; but this, he says, is light for Israel, but for the Assyrian troops it will not be light, but a destroying fire. And that God considers all the inhabitants of Jerusalem to be His own and holy people, He shows this to everyone through the fire that flared up among the Assyrians. This is precisely what the words indicate: and he will sanctify it with burning fire. If he is called sanctified; this does not mean that he will receive perfect holiness, but only means that he will be chosen for the glory of God. This is the same as what was said to Moses: Sanctify to Me every firstborn who opens the womb, the male sex to the Lord. And the expression: sanctify is used here instead of: separate. So, he says, God will sanctify Israel of all kinds, that is, he will show that they are dedicated and chosen to Him (the people), with burning fire - through the fire that flared up against the Assyrians. Here he calls their unexpected death fire. For if He had not considered the people his own, He would not have kindled the fire against (his) enemies, which destroyed many Assyrians like hay or firewood. In that day, he says, that is, around that time, the mountains and hills and oak groves will fade away, and will be girded from the soul even to the flesh. The Assyrian army itself and its commanders, who towered above others like mountains and hills, are well likened to hills, forests and mountains. But they will fade away, that is, once full of life and terrifying, they will be deprived of life against their will. This is indicated by the word: they will fade away; because they will explain their death, as if destroying both souls and bodies. And that souls will perish along with bodies is clear to everyone. These words hint at the power of (divine) anger. But it will be, he says, run like you run from a burning flame, and those who remain from them will be numbered, and as a child I will write a little. For, as I said, very few of them, as if barely escaping from the burning flames, fled with the king. And their number, he says, was so small that it does not exceed the mind of a foolish child, so that he too can write or count it. The tradition of the Jews says that (from the Assyrian army) only ten remained, who brought news to the king of Assyria about what had happened to Rabshakeh. These are the fruits of his pride. But he also serves as a useful example for us. And whoever wishes to avoid the wrath of the divine and not be subject to disasters sent from God must carefully guard against contracting diseases similar or identical to their stubbornness. Isaiah 10:20–21. And it will come to pass in that day that the remains of Israel will not be added to anyone, and the salvation of Jacob will not be anyone who trusts in those who have offended them, but who trusts in the Holy God of Israel through the truth. And there will be 34 the remains of Jacob to the mighty God. After the fire was kindled against the army of the Assyrians, the following two events will take place and come to fruition: the proud and destroyer will involuntarily put aside terrible and hateful pride; and then he will run away in fear and unexpected shame. From this very event he will understand, even though he may not have wanted to, that he was an instrument of divine wrath against those who sinned, and that he did not himself, as if with his own strength, conquered them. This is exactly what will happen to the foreigner, and this miracle will serve the Israelites for the benefit of those who remained in Samaria, who are in Israel, and the descendants of Jacob, that is, again of the two tribes who lived in Jerusalem, will abandon their former delusion and empty and harmful thoughts: for they will not put their trust in those who offended them. After the enemy has fallen, struck by the hand of an angel, they, having fully clearly recognized the all-powerful right hand of the Savior, recognize Him as Savior and Deliverer and will place all their trust in Him, turning away from those who have offended them. But it is necessary to say who and how offended them. The God of all saved the Israelites by ruling over them and protecting them and making them victorious over those who rebelled against them. When they began to resist (God) and some made golden calves for themselves, and others made Chemosh and Beelphegor and began to serve them and worship the heavenly army; then the God of all, for their resistance, betrayed them at times to the peoples surrounding Judea, that is, the Edomites, and Moabites, and Elamites, and then to those who came from afar, that is, to the Assyrians and Egyptians. Therefore, while the war flared up throughout the country and exhausted its inhabitants, would it not have been better for the Israelites to make peace with the almighty God who had been offended by them and to avert His wrath by returning to a better life? For they had to remove the unclean horde of idols from their midst and choose Him as their savior and deliverer. But they had too little intelligence for this. They sent ambassadors first to the Egyptians, then to the Assyrians and called them for help. That is why, I think, God was even more angry with them. So, Israel and Jacob were offended both by false gods, bringing divine wrath upon them and inducing them to place their trust in them, and by acquiring useless help for them with money and gifts. But when many enemies are destroyed in one night, they will finally begin to trust in God, and having recognized by experience the almighty right hand of the Savior, they will begin to place their trust not in those who have offended them, but in the Holy One of Israel himself in truth. And the remnant of Israel shall be unto the mighty God; for they will no longer rely on trees and stones, but will place their strength in Him who has always been their helper and protector, a weapon and an indestructible wall. Isaiah 10:22–23. And though the people of Israel are like the sand of the sea, their remains will be saved: for the Lord perfects the word and abridges it with righteousness, even as the word is abridged throughout the whole world. With these words he shows us very well that those who are disobedient and suffer from stubbornness and disobedience mean nothing before God, but He saves and honors all the care of the submissive and obedient. For the Assyrian attacked the entire people of Judah and his intention was not to spare anyone, but to completely devastate the entire country, to make it deserted and without inhabitants. He destroyed Samaria and with it took a considerable number of Jewish cities; but God miraculously saved the inhabitants of Jerusalem. What's the point of this? Indeed, he says, since not all Israel acted wickedly, but there were some among them who were greatly indignant at those who offended God with their wickedness; then the holy and most just sentence was pronounced only against those who had sinned. That this word is true, we can easily see this from what is written by the prophet Ezekiel. For he says that he saw some of the Israelites worshiping the sun and heard God speaking about them: Thou sawest the son of man, food was not enough for the house of Judah, and he did the same iniquities that he did here? Thou hast filled the land with iniquity and turned to anger Me (Ezek.8:17). Then he says that he saw a man dressed in a garment and having a belt, and that the God of all things said to him: go through the midst of the city of Jerusalem, and show signs on the faces of the men who are groaning and suffering because of all the iniquities that happen among them. And this speech, I hear, go into the city after him, cut him off, and have no mercy on your eyes, and have no mercy. Beat the old, and the young, and the virgin, and the little children, and the wives for consumption: but do not touch anyone who has a sign on them (Ezek. 9:3-6). Hear how God seals the pious and holy with His grace, and how He is angry and grieves that others dare to insult Him. So, he says, even if the Israelites were countless in number and even if they were like grains of sand lying on the sea shores, the remnant will be saved. And this happened in the time of Hezekiah. For, as I said, Samaria was destroyed and with it many cities of Judea were taken, the same thing happened in the last times of the age, when the Only Begotten appeared to us in the flesh. For then God, shortening the words with righteousness, made his shortening throughout the entire universe. For the law given through Moses goes to the goal in long, roundabout ways and gives an insufficient explanation of what is useful, mysteriously and covertly pointing out what is beneficial: but the word of the Gospel that saves us is brief, as if abbreviated or truncated, contains the revealed truth, indicates a clear path of life, does not present difficulties for fulfillment and there is no darkness in its commandments. For, as I said, the matter of truth is simple. Then the remnant of Israel will be saved, that is, those who honored His appearance with faith, while another significant number of them will turn away from Him. For those who had previously killed the prophets and stoned those sent to them rebelled against the Savior of all and the Lord, and finally, what atrocity did they not commit? Isaiah 10:24–25. For this reason the Lord of hosts says: Do not be afraid, my people, from the Assyrians who live in Zion, for he will strike you with a rod: for he will bring a plague on you, even if you see the way of Egypt. A little more, and the wrath will cease, and My wrath is against their counsel. Because the God of all, in accordance with His righteous judgment and His characteristic meekness, saves the good, and delivers those who offend Him (into the hands of enemies); then He says: Do not be afraid, My people, from the Assyrians who live in Zion. For Rabshakeh came to Jerusalem and besieged it and threatened to burn and destroy everyone. But it did no harm; because he fled as a fugitive when, beyond his expectations, his army fell and was destroyed in one night. So he did not destroy the inhabitants of Zion with the sword. But since he once terrified them by his invasion and made them suffer with fear; then he appears as if he is raising a rod over them. Therefore, he says, do not be afraid from the Assyrians, because they will strike you with a rod and, as it were, inflict a short blow, only to intimidate you, because I allowed it against you. Hedgehog to see the way of Egypt, that is, so that you would know how unfairly you acted when you turned to Egypt and sought help there, despising God who saves (you). So, Hezekiah, when during his reign the Assyrian besieged Jerusalem, did not seek the help of the Egyptians. On the contrary, Hoshea the son of Elah, who reigned over Israel, did so. In the fourth book of Kings it is written: And Ahaz prospered with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead. In the second tenth year of Ahaz king of Judah, the son of Hosea the king lived in Samaria over Israel for nine years. And you will do evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like the kings of Israel who went before him. And out came Salamanassar, king of Assyria. And Hosea became his servant and gave him tribute. And the king of Assyria found iniquity in Hoshea, without sending ambassadors to Zoar the king of Egypt, and did not bring tribute to Manai the king of Assyria that year. And the king of Assyria besieged him, and bound him in a prison church, and went up to Samaria, and fought for three years. (2 Kings 16:20, 17:1-5). You need to know that Ahaz, the father of Hezekiah, when the king of Damascus fought against him, bought the help of the Egyptians with money, which greatly offended God. Therefore he says: I will bring plague upon you, even if you see the way of Egypt; but it is still a little while, and my wrath will cease, and my wrath is against their counsel. For, as I said, they perished from divine wrath. Those who planned to take possession of Jerusalem itself did not achieve their goal and the plan turned out to be impossible for them, because God turned their assumptions into the completely opposite. Isa.10:26. And God will raise up a plague against her, like the plague of Midian in the place of trouble, and his wrath on the way to the sea, on the way to Egypt. They will fall, he says, from the divine wrath that has befallen them. And the Israelites will not need any effort for this. They will not defend themselves with the arrows of bows, not with the strength of their hands, not with the art of war; on the contrary, they will win with the hand of God, striking and destroying a proud people, just as the Midianites happened to suffer. For with the combined forces of an army and an entire people, they devastated almost the entire country of Judea and, bringing unbearable horror upon them, forced them to withdraw from cities and villages and spend their nights in excessive fear on the tops of the mountains. But then God helped them and saved those in danger by the hand of Gideon, with a completely insignificant number of warriors, who, at night and in the darkness, breaking buckets and opening torches and blowing horns, caused confusion in the enemy troops, so that confusion occurred in the ranks of the Midianites. God brought terror upon them, their regiments were mixed up, and at night, in the darkness, unable to distinguish who was a friend or neighbor, and who was an enemy, they entered into hand-to-hand combat with each other and treated their own as if they were enemies and inflicted a terrible defeat on themselves with their own hands. Therefore, he says, he will bring a plague on them, like the plague of Midian in the place of sorrow. He calls the place or time of grief when this happened. And that God will, as it were, direct the wrath of the foreigner in the other direction and turn it on others, he hints at this, saying: and his wrath is on the way to the sea, on the way to Egypt. For the Assyrian king Tiglathalassar, who took possession of Samaria, imposed tribute on its inhabitants and demanded duties and taxes from those then reigning in Israel. When circumstances changed and Hoshea the son of Elah began to rule Samaria, he did not send tribute to Manai, king of Assyria, as it is written. And having learned that this one was indignant at him for this, he hired the Egyptian army to help him in case the one who imposed taxes and taxes on them wanted, according to the law of war, to arm themselves against them. The then kings of Egypt promised this help with great readiness. Offended by this, the Assyrian with his entire army rushed against the Egyptians, blaming their rulers for the fact that Hosea had abandoned him and thrown off his yoke, finding a reason for such a daring act in their promise to help him. And that God will direct the wrath of the foreigner, as I just said, to others, he showed by saying: his wrath is on the way to the sea, on the way to Egypt. For Jerusalem is located near the sea, on the road leading to the land of the Egyptians, and is still, they say, adjacent to the sea. Isaiah 10:27. And it will come to pass on that day that his fear will be taken away from you and his yoke from your shoulder, and the yoke will bend from your shoulder. I said that the Assyrian, having defeated the Israelites, imposed tribute on them, and the people, destined to be the inheritance of the most holy God, wanted to subjugate them to his power and for this reason armed themselves against the Egyptians. What does he say? Having defeated the Egyptians, again, will he not impose his yoke on those who until now had not bowed their necks to anyone and knew only the kingdom of God? Never, he says. For at that time your fear will be taken away from you, and the yoke from your shoulder. After this countless people fell and were destroyed in one night by the destroying angel; didn't all fear disappear then? Hasn’t the yoke been thrown off everyone’s shoulders and, moreover, hasn’t it rotted, that is, hasn’t it been completely destroyed? For they only care about saving themselves and running home and do not raise their eyebrows against Judea as before, for he, as I said, was planning to impose a yoke on the Jews. But his hope was not justified, and the exact opposite of his expectations happened. For he barely escaped, defeated not by weapons, but by divine power and the hand of an angel, and this happened miraculously. And in order to reveal that God knows everything and clearly sees the consequences of events, even if they have not yet been revealed, He most clearly proclaims the method of flight itself, and the area, and the refuge, and that he will tremble very many Jewish cities, although he is nothing more than a pathetic fugitive: he will come, he says, to the city of Haggai and will go to Mageddo. And these are the very names of cities and villages and localities: and in Mahmas he will lay his vessels. For the Jews say that the Assyrian left his entire baggage train in Mahmas, fearing an attack by the Israelites, for he thought that they would rush in pursuit of him. Then he says: Isaiah 10:29–30. And the wilds will pass and come to Haggai: fear will take hold of Rama, the city of Saul, the daughter of Galim will flee, he will be heard in Lais, he will be heard in Anathoth. And Mademina and those who dwelt in Gibim were terrified. The Jews have the following tradition. They say that only (ten) survivors returned to him from Jerusalem and told him what had happened. Then, with very few, he returned to his fatherland and threw all the villages and cities into confusion, and they made his return unbearably difficult, as if done in flight and fear. If God helps the peoples and wants to save them, then nothing will harm them, but every hand of the combatants will be powerless, the strength and experience and military art of the enemies will be useless. Isa.10:32. Comfort today those who are on the way: with your hand comfort the mountain, daughter of Zion, and the hills that are in Jerusalem. Through the connection of speech it is necessary to make an explanation of the thought expressed here. O hills, he says, that is, having advantage, strength and authority over others in Jerusalem! These words indicate either the holy prophets or the very face of the priests. Comfort the mountain, that is, my daughter Zion. Comfort, as if caressing with your hand and touching the head, so that it stays on this path. What is this path? Obviously, the path of trusting in God. For it is foretold that He will deliver and save and overthrow the Assyrian and destroy the fear of him, break the yoke and free them from all oppression. But, he says, this will happen when they remain on this path, that is, they are firm in their trust in God. Therefore, console today, that is, at a time favorable for doing, and try to make the thought firm in it; since truth cannot lie, God cannot speak untruth. For if He promised something, then He will fulfill it completely, if we show Him respect with our faith and with a pure thought we please the One who promised salvation. In the same way, the saints themselves console us, saying: resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7); and the angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear him, and will deliver them ( Ps. 33:8 ) And He Himself, through the mouth of David, says of every person who trusts in Him and places hope in Him: Because he trusts in me, I will deliver him, and he will call to Me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will rid him of him, and I will glorify him ( Ps. 90:14,15 ); For those who glorify Him will be glorified by the Savior and Lord of all, Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to the Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Humphred reads: καρὀ ί αν σου. There is literally no such place anywhere in Holy Scripture, but its meaning can be seen in Jer. 42:14; Ezek.13:5 and gave. etc. In the present case, as in the cited verse of Psalm 6, the word to punish in Greek is denoted by the word: παιδευειν, which actually means (from παῖς - child): to instruct, educate, guide (children). Therefore, in the latter case it is translated: “to be punished by the fathers” (Greek παιδευεσθαι ). Of course, the destruction of Jerusalem and the devastation of the land of Judea, which happened in the year 70 after the Nativity of Christ. That is, the Jewish one, which consisted, in relation to the population, of two tribes: Judah and Benjamin. In the Slavic Bible, according to some codices of the Greek Bible, Amessiah. But most of the latter have the reading of the name: Ἀμασιου, like St. Cyril, in accordance with the Hebrew original. In Greek, as well as in Slavic translations, this name is read as Yehelia, according to the Hebrew, where, however, there is also the sound a, like St. Cyril. According to some readings in Kariafiarim. Greek: κατανενυγμαι most closely means: I am pierced (for example, by an arrow), struck to the very heart, and from here I am moved. With the closest meaning of the word, the combination of expressions will be clearer: moved... from consciousness or conscience. Embassy in Greek is ἀποστολη (apostolate). The so-called turpentine. Pigs especially love to eat acorns. According to some Greek copies of the Bible, which are followed by the Slavic translation, Racine. Νεανις. So this is precisely the case with Aquila and Symmachus, as can be seen from Origen's Exaplos. Emmanuel means God is with us. See Matthew 1:23. In the books of Kings (2 Kings 21:18ff), and Chronicles (2Chronicles 33:20ff) - Ammon. Renamed by Pharaoh Jehoiakim (2 Kings 23:34). μυῖα is put instead of μελισσα. Μαναα Hebrew מ ׅ נְת ׇ ת therefore the reading of some editions must be considered erroneous: Μαννα, which was also included in the editions of the translated work of St. Cyril. The shekel was equivalent to the Greek didrachm, and this last one cost about 50 kopecks in our money. Προσῆλθε. This is how it is read in some Greek copies of the Bible (A 1 X) in relation to this verse of the book. Ave. Isaiah, but the reading of other Greek lists is more consistent with the Hebrew original: προσῆκθον, with which the reading of the Slavic translation is also consistent: attacks. Τὸ ἑνωθεν; according to other lists; ἀνωθεν from above, that is, “for the Word that came down from above.” Τ ῂ ἰσχυρ ᾷ χεπρι: the same expression that is used in the interpreted text of Holy Scripture and which in the Slavic text of the Bible is less clearly translated in words with a strong hand. Ὁ δὲ ο ἶ κος Ἰ ακωβ . Some Greek codices of the Old Testament Bible also have it, while others read: οἱ δὲ ο ἶ κοι Ἰ ακωβ, from where the Slavic translation is: the house of Jacob. Ἐν τῷ Ἱ σραηλ. So in many Greek copies of the Bible and only a few of these have: ἐν τῷ οἰκ ῳ Ἵ σραηλ, whence the Slavic: in the house of Israel. Ἴδετε. This is how it reads in many Greek codexes of the Bible. But in some it reads: εἰδε, from where the Slavic: videsha. The name: Jesus here is not only explanatory, but is also directly read in some Greek codices of the New Testament. Ἀφαιρεθησεται. So it is in many Greek codes of the Old Testament, while in some of them instead of this it stands: ἀφηρηται, from where the Slavic translation: they will be weaned. Μετ ἀλλαγῆς. Maybe there is an underwriting here instead of καταλλαγῆς, as it stands in the Greek codes of the Bible, and as further read from St. Cyril himself in this conversation. However, ἀλλαγη also means “reconciliation.” To this, in most of the codes of the Greek Bible, there are also added sayings, which, according to their Slavic translation, read like this: Wonderful Counselor. God the Mighty, Sovereign, Prince of Peace, Father of the Age to Come. But there are some codes that, like the one in the hands of St. Kirill, and do not have these sayings. For more information about the Manichaean heresy, see Ev. Epiphany of Cyprus in the III-IV parts of his works, translated at the Moscow Theological Academy. That is, about those who are not gods. The Slavic Bible reads: will be converted. You might be interested in: