"And the Lord said: Because this people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips, while their heart is far from Me, and their reverence before Me is the study of human commandments..." In these words, which the Lord addresses to us today, there is much...
"And the Lord said: Because this people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips, while their heart is far from Me, and their reverence before Me is the study of human commandments..." In these words, which the Lord addresses to us today, there is much bitterness, much bitter truth. It is not for nothing that we know them so well from the lips of Jesus. Yet the wording of the Synodal Translation states part of this truth less distinctly and threateningly than some modern translations, say, into English. What, it would seem, is bad about "the study of human commandments," as the Synodal Translation writes, since that is the direct subject of all secular humanities?
But, of course, the point is something else. And to understand this, let us turn to two other translations: the New American Standard Bible and the New Jerusalem Bible. These two translations read as follows. The first: And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote ("and their worship of Me is only a memorized tradition"). The second: and reverence for Me, as far as they are concerned, is nothing but human commandment, a lesson memorized ("and their worship of Me, as far as they understand it, is nothing more than the carrying out of human regulations, a memorized lesson").
That is what is really at issue. And it is infinitely important to feel this with all our faith. For precisely this rote memorizing, this reading off, this figuring out the finer points of what is "proper," what is "required," when it is "required," all these endless "may I or may I not" questions that we hear continually in the Church, make our heart "far from God." Our discipleship must not be the discipleship of a straight-A crammer, or a "botanist," as Russian schoolchildren and students call such people among themselves. And why did the word "botanist" take root so firmly? Apparently because, from the point of view of people not yet quite grown up, children or half-children, botany is the least creative science, where one has to know an endless number of names of various plants.
In reality, of course, this is not so; ask the monk Mendel. Still, we must not have this kind of relationship with God and the Church. Let us have learned the lesson a little imperfectly; when we are called to the board, we will add creativity and love to our imperfect, underlearned knowledge, and everything will be wonderful. And the Teacher will be glad.
29 The temple and city of Jerusalem destroyed, Isa 29:1-6.
Her enemies insatiable, Isa 29:7-8.
Their senselessness, Isa 29:9-12.
And deep hypocrisy, Isa 29:13-17.
These scorner and oppressor being cut off, the rest shall be converted, Isa 29:18-24.
29:17 As a forest - The forest of Lebanon, which was a barren mountain, shall by God's providence, become a fruitful and populous place; and these places which are now fruitful and populous, shall then become as barren and desolate, as that forest. This is a prophecy of the rejection of the Jews, and of the calling of the Gentiles.
29:18 Shall see - Being, by God's grace, brought out of gross, ignorance and wickedness, unto a clear and saving knowledge of the truth.
29:19 Meek - The humble and meek believers. Poor - Mean and despicable people, such as the Gentiles were in the opinion of the Jews, and such as the greatest part of the first Christians were.
29:20 That watch - That early and diligently apply themselves to the practice of wickedness.
29:21 That make a man - That condemn a man, as if he was a great criminal. For him - For God's faithful prophets and ministers.The gate - There the people used to assemble, both upon civil and sacred accounts, and there prophets used to deliver their prophecies.Turn - From his right. The just - The faithful ministers of God.Nought - Not for any great advantage, but for a trifle.
29:22 Redeemed - From manifold dangers, and especially from idolatry.Jacob - The Israelites or posterity of Jacob, who had great cause to be ashamed, for their continued infidelity, shall at last be brought back to the God of their fathers, and to their Messiah.Pale - Through fear of their enemies.
29:23 He seeth - When the believing seed of Jacob shall see those children, whom they have begotten to God, by the gospel, even the Gentiles. The work - The children, not of the flesh, but of the promise, whom I, by my almighty grace, have regenerated. In the midst - Incorporated with the Jews, into one and the same body.Shall sanctify - They shall glorify God, with them and for them.
29:24 That erred - Those Gentiles who erred from God's truth.Murmured - They that murmured at God's faithful teachers, shall now receive God's truth in the love of it.