Fasting, as a religious practice, was known both to Yahwism and to Judaism. Still, neither Yahwism nor Judaism knew multi-day fasts like those that...
Fasting, as a religious practice, was known both to Yahwism and to Judaism. Still, neither Yahwism nor Judaism knew multi-day fasts like those Christians of the Middle Ages came to practice. The original meaning of a fast was mourning, usually for a deceased relative, and such a mourning fast could usually last from one to three days. The fast was ordinarily complete: those fasting ate and drank nothing from the evening of the day before the fast until the evening of the fast day itself. In addition, whole cities or villages could take on fasts in the event of some disaster, especially one that was known (often from a prophet's words) to have been allowed by God because of the inhabitants' sins. But such fasts were one-time fasts, and those who fasted took them on for a specific occasion each time.
In the post-exilic period, when the religious life of the Jewish people was already unthinkable outside the synagogue, the practice arose of regular one-day fasts, usually twice a week. These were no longer connected with specific events (in such cases people fasted additionally), but were regarded as a kind of spiritual exercise, and performing it was a religious obligation for every believing Jew. These fasts were understood to be connected with the sins a person fasting might have committed (perhaps without even knowing it), but, as usually happens in such cases, they became a simple formality, a kind of "sacrifice" to God that the fasting person offered Him by refusing water and food for a whole day. Few thought to ask whether God needed such a fast at all. Abstaining from food and drink, it was thought, was supposed to make the fasting person leave the ordinary rut of everyday life, remember God and his neighbor, and experience anew and vividly what a person tends to forget in the bustle of daily routine. In practice, however, abstinence itself became part of the everyday religious routine, as familiar as the routine itself.
In such a situation the prophet had to remind those who fasted that fasting is not simply a religious obligation and not a sacrifice to God, who does not need exercises in abstinence in themselves, but a way to shift a person's attention from himself to God and to his neighbors. If a fast does not fulfill this function, God does not need it and it does the person no good.
58 The hypocrisy of the Jews, in their fasts, Isa 58:1-5.
A true fast described, Isa 58:6-7.
Promises to Godliness, Isa 58:8-12.
To the keeping of the sabbath, Isa 58:13-14.
58:2 Yet - They cover all their wickedness with a profession of religion. Delight - There are many men who take some pleasure in knowing God's will and word, and yet do not conform their lives to it.As - As if they were a righteous people. Forsook - As if they were not guilty of any apostacy from God, or disobedience to God's precepts.Ask - As if they resolved to observe them. In approaching - In coming to my temple to hear my word, and to offer sacrifices.
58:3 Afflicted - Defrauded our appetites with fasting, of which this phrase is used, Lev 16:29.Ye find - Either you indulge yourselves in sensuality, as they did, Isa 22:13.But this does not agree with that afflicting of their souls which they now professed, and which God acknowledges; or you pursue and satisfy your own desires: though you abstain from bodily food, you do not mortify your sinful inclinations. Exact - Your money, got by your labour, and lent to others, either for their need or your own advantage, which you require either with usury, or at least with rigour, when either the general law of charity, or God's particular law, commanded the release, or at least the forbearance of them.
58:4 Behold - Your fasting days, wherein you ought in a special manner to implore the mercy of God, and to shew compassion to men, you employ in injuring or quarrelling with your brethren, your servants or debtors, or in contriving mischief against them. Heard - In strife and debate.By way of ostentation.
58:5 Chosen - Approve of, accept, or delight in, by a metonymy, because we delight in what we freely chuse. For a day - This may be understood, either for a man to take a certain time to afflict his soul in, and that either from even to even, Lev 23:32, or from morning to evening, or for a little time. Wilt thou call - Canst thou suppose it to be so? A fast - It being such an one as has nothing in it, but the dumb signs of a fast, nothing of deep humiliation appearing in it, or, real reformation proceeding from it. Acceptable day - A day that God will approve of.
58:6 The bands - The cruel obligations of usury and oppression.
58:7 Cast out - And thereby become wanderers, having no abiding place.To thy house - That thou be hospitable, and make thy house a shelter to them that have none of their own left. Hide not - That seek no occasion to excuse thyself. Thy own flesh - Some confine this to our own kindred; but we can look on no man, but there we contemplate our own flesh, and therefore it is barbarous, not only to tear, but not to love and succour him. Therefore feed him as thou wouldest feed thyself, or be fed; shelter him as thou wouldest shelter thyself, or be sheltered; clothe him as thou wouldest clothe thyself, or be clothed; if in any of these respects thou wert in his circumstances.
58:8 Thy light - Happiness and prosperity. Break forth - It shall not only appear, but break forth, dart itself forth, notwithstanding all difficulties, as the sun breaks, and pierces through a cloud.Thy health - Another metaphor to express the same thing.Righteousness - The reward of thy righteousness. Before thee - As the morning - star goes before the sun. The glory - His glorious power and providence. Thy rereward - Thus the angel of his presence secured the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.
58:9 Answer - He will give an effectual demonstration, that he hears thee. Here l am - A phrase that notes a person to be ready at hand to help. Take away - From among you. The yoke - All those pressures and grievances before mentioned. Putting forth - Done by way of scoff, or disdainful insulting. Vanity - Any kind of evil words.