Today's reading brings us back to one of the central themes of both the Old and New Testaments: the theme of righteousness. To...
Today's reading brings us back to one of the central themes of both the Old and New Testaments: the theme of righteousness. To understand the meaning of the chapter offered to us today, it is important to remember that the traditional idea of righteousness in the Jewish community, both before the exile and partly after the exile, was formed in the context of traditional religious ideas.
Every religion presupposes that righteousness is in principle attainable, provided certain religious norms are observed. In other words, righteousness is attained by a person with God's help, but through the person's own human efforts. And God rewards the righteous person for his efforts by easing and simplifying the external circumstances of his life so that the righteous person can devote more time and attention to his religious life. After all, the more time he has left for fulfilling his religious duties, the more good deeds he will manage to do for God, reaching an even greater degree of righteousness.
The prophet, however, speaks about something else. He understands perfectly well that a person's righteousness is worth nothing without God's support: it is enough for God to turn away, to "hide His face," and all human righteousness scatters like smoke (vv. 6-7). The Hebrew text of v. 7 implies just this meaning: where the Russian text has "therefore," the Hebrew text has "because."
Such an understanding of righteousness ran counter to established views. It made human righteousness only a shadow of God's righteousness. But, on the other hand, only with this understanding of righteousness did the fate of the people of God become intelligible. God wanted His people in His hands to be like clay in the hands of a potter (v. 8). Yet achieving such complete obedience from the people was far from simple. They had to pass through a historical catastrophe in order not only to understand in words, but also to feel in reality their absolute dependence on God. And only now, when the lesson had been given and learned, could they ask God to intervene (vv. 9-12). For the people had truly become different, and the plea for help meant help for this different, new people, a people ready to take the next step on the path to the Kingdom.
64 The church's prayer continued, for the illustration of God's glory, Isa 64:1-5.
With a confession of their sins, and complaint of their afflictions, Isa 64:6-12.
64:1 Rent - A metaphor taken from men, that when they would resolutely help one in distress, break and fling open doors and whatever may hinder.Flow down - That all impediments might be removed out of the way: possibly an allusion to God's coming down upon mount Sinai, in those terrible flames of fire.
64:2 Fire - Come with such zeal for thy people, that the solid mountains may be no more before thy breath, than metal that runs, or water that boils by the force of a vehement fire. Known - That thine enemies may know thy power, and that thy name may be dreaded among them.
64:3 Terrible things - This may relate to what he did among the Egyptians, tho' it be not recorded, and afterward in the wilderness.Looked not for - Such things as we could never expect.Mountains - Kings, princes, and potentates, may metaphorically be understood by these mountains.
64:4 Besides thee - This is to be applied to all the wonderful works, that God at all times wrought for his people: and thus they are a plea with God, that they might well expect such things from him now, that had done such wonderful things for their fathers. Waiteth - This may be taken with reference both to the state of grace and glory, those incomprehensible things that are exhibited through Christ in the mysteries of the gospel.
64:5 Meetest - As the father the prodigal. Worketh - That rejoices to work righteousness. Continuance - To those that work righteousness.Be saved - In so doing, in working righteousness.
64:6 Unclean - Formerly there were some that feared thee; but now we are all as one polluted mass, nothing of good left in us by reason of an universal degeneracy. And all - The very best of us all are no better than the uncleanest things. Taken - Carried away to Babylon, as leaves hurried away by a boisterous wind.
64:7 That calleth - That call upon thee as they ought.Take hold - Either to stay thee from departing from us, or to fetch thee back when departed.
64:8 Our father - Notwithstanding all this thou art our father both by creation, and by adoption, therefore pity us thy children.
64:9 Thy people - Thou hast no people in covenant but us, and wilt thou not leave thyself a people in the world?
64:11 Pleasant things - The king's palace, and the houses of the nobles, and other pieces of state and magnificence.
64:12 Wilt thou - Do none of these things move thee to take vengeance?Thy peace - Wilt thou be as one that regards not?