Isaiah 12:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He remarks that during a time when one might flee to Egypt, referring to those who spread the message of the Gospel and salvation, you who were once engulfed in darkness and overwhelmed by idolatry, will open your eyes to the light and behold the glory of Him who has called you out of that darkness. You will recognize your previous state, once under a tyrannical master, and now freed from his grasp, having come under the protection and aid of Almighty God, the one who saves the lost. In that joy, you will declare, I will give thanks to You, O Lord, for You have turned away Your anger from me and have shown me mercy. The sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise arise not because they were under divine anger but because they have been pardoned. The Creator was indeed angry with those who clung to idolatry. Why? As the Apostle Paul explains, those who profess to be wise have distorted the glory of the immortal God, exchanging it for images resembling corruptible man and other creatures. Thus, God allowed them to follow their foolish minds and shameful desires, engaging in actions that were unworthy. Those who have falsely attributed the glory of the Divine to created beings justly invoke God's anger. Therefore, it is proclaimed, You have turned away Your wrath and shown me mercy, for we are called to understanding through faith, not by our works but according to His abundant mercy. Hence, recognizing Your greatness, I will continually offer praise, declaring, Behold my God, my Saviour, the Lord, in whom I trust and find salvation. In former times, they worshipped trees and stones, seeking salvation from lifeless images, but upon discovering the true God, they renounced these false idols, pointing solely to Him and proclaiming, Behold my God, my Saviour, the Lord. I shall no longer rely on trees or stones, as it is written, but I will trust in Him alone, through whom I shall receive salvation. And should he who once led me astray return to tempt and oppose me, I will overcome him, for my glory and my praise belong to the Lord. Do you see how they learned that praise is a work of salvation? As it is said, offer to God a sacrifice of praise and present your prayers to the Most High; call upon Me in your time of trouble, and I will answer you, and you will glorify Me.

It is entirely possible for a single heart to offer praise that is both perfect and sound. When the people in Egypt declared: I will bless Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast been angry with me, and hast turned away Thy wrath from me, and hast had mercy on me, they later proclaimed upon their departure from Egypt: I will not fear; for the Lord is my glory and my praise, and He has become my salvation. Recall also the song sung by the children of Israel during the Exodus, inspired by Miriam, who encouraged the people, ‘Sing unto the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously’ (Exodus 15:21). Therefore, those who now proclaim, ‘The Lord is my glory and my praise, and He is my salvation,’ partake in this same legacy.

Yet, these wounds did not emit the foulness of guilt, but rather the fragrance of divine compassion. Unlike the wounds of other men, which yield only the decay of death, His wounds brought forth the fountain of everlasting life, as Scripture teaches, "And water shall flow with joy from the springs of salvation." Thus, from His wound flows the water of salvation for all to partake and be released from their sins. Nonetheless, each individual's situation must be thoughtfully considered. Christ accepted affliction to bring joy to those who are mired in despair. No one should deem the righteous to be unfortunate, for He assured us, "Let no one make you miserable." He endured suffering so that we could find hope; He bore sorrow to bestow upon us joy, as the Scripture states, "For if I grieve you, who shall make me glad but the one who grieves me?" Therefore, the individual who suffers for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ finds joy in Christ, and Christ too finds joy in him. This indicates that no formal justifications are needed from us. Let us yield to the depth of our trials, holding steadfast not only in our belief in Christ but also in our perseverance through suffering, so we may rejoice as Christ did during His Passion. The tribulations He accepted for His servants, we shall also bear for our Lord.

Even if I may lack ability, I find continual support in the reading of sacred Scriptures, as the apostle proclaimed, "The Lord Jesus, though rich, became poor for your sakes, that you might be enriched through His poverty." What then is this poverty that enriches? Let us reflect upon it; let us behold its holy essence. What could be more pure or simpler? No one is sprinkled with the blood of oxen, as is common in the sacrifices offered by the Gentiles. The sinner is not cleansed by the blood of goats and rams, for they merely cleanse the flesh but do not erase guilt. Instead, it is said, "Water shall flow with joy from the springs of salvation," and the heavenly feast shall be prepared right before us; how splendid is the overflowing cup! This signifies the wealth of welcome, which embodies Christ’s precious poverty. Poverty also serves the purpose of enhancing moral character; therefore, the Lord proclaimed, "Blessed are the poor in spirit," and in the Psalms, we learn that "The Lord will save the humble in spirit." True richness may arise from apparent lack when faith is abundant. This is echoed by the apostle who remarked, "And their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their joy."

A significant chasm exists between the affluent man and the impoverished man, for beyond death, recompense cannot be altered. Thus, in the realm of the dead, the rich man is depicted as seeking solace from the poor man. For water is the sustenance for the soul in tribulation. Of such water, Isaiah proclaims, "And in joy you shall draw water from the springs of salvation." Yet, why does the wealthy man suffer before judgment? For those accustomed to indulgence, deprivation of pleasures serves as punishment. As the Lord says, "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God." The rich man learned too late; his time was better spent learning rather than teaching.