Isaiah 12:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He has saved the unremembered, vanquished the seemingly insurmountable forces of the devil and demons, redeemed the misled, liberated those in bondage, brought sight to the blind, justified them through faith, sanctified them by the Spirit, and revealed as children of God those who were once fugitives and lived in disgrace and condemnation. Through His very actions, He demonstrated that He is indeed true and natural God: He raised the dead; cleansed lepers; restored the weak with His touch; calmed the storms; brought peace to the tumultuous sea. Thus proclaim His glorious deeds among the nations and frequently remind them of His exalted name; great is He who has accomplished these wonders. For truly beyond what humanity can achieve, and surpassing every miracle, is what He has accomplished. Therefore, rejoice and be glad, O inhabitants of Zion—those steadfast in faith within the churches; for the Holy One of Israel is elevated in your midst. Though the Holy One of Israel took on human form and humbled Himself before a servant's eyes for our sake, by the radiance of His perfect works, He ascended in glory. And we have come to know His true nature.

Christ, who was laid to rest among the stones, permitted His lifeless body to endure wounds. Yet, those injuries were not the foul odor of guilt but rather the sweet aroma of grace. From His wounds flowed not the decay of death like that of mere mortals, but the source of everlasting life. As the Scriptures declare, "And water shall flow with joy out of the springs of salvation." Thus, from His wound flows the water we drink for salvation. All sinners upon the earth can partake in this to liberate them from their transgressions. However, each individual's situation must be examined on its own merits. Christ endured suffering to bring joy to those who were lost in sorrow. Let no one deem the righteous to be unfortunate, for He said, "Let no one make you miserable." He was bowed down so that we could be uplifted; He was sorrowful so that we may find joy, as indicated in Scripture: "For if I grieve you, who shall make me glad but he that grieves me?" Hence, he who mourns because of the Lord Jesus Christ is in turn filled with joy through Christ, and Christ also finds joy in him. Therefore, we recognize that no formal justifications are needed from us. Let us humble ourselves completely, grounded not only in faith in Christ but also in steadfastness amid our trials, so that we may rejoice in them just as Christ rejoiced in His Passion. The sufferings He endured for His servants we shall bear for our Lord.

Even if I lack the ability, I find no end to the help that comes from immersing myself in the divine Scriptures, as the apostle stated: "The Lord Jesus, being rich, became poor for your sakes, that ye might be enriched by His poverty." Now, what sort of poverty brings riches? Let us reflect on this and turn our gaze toward the sacred ordinance itself. What can be purer than this? What could be simpler? No one is sprinkled with the blood of oxen as is done in the sacrifices of the Gentiles. It is neither the blood of goats nor rams that cleanses the sinner, for such acts may cleanse the flesh but do not eradicate guilt. But water shall flow forth, He assures us, with joy from the springs of salvation; the heavenly feast shall be laid before us—how delightful is the overflowing cup! This embodies the richness of hospitality in which the noble poverty of Christ resides. Moreover, poverty also brings forth moral virtue; thus, the Lord proclaimed, "Blessed are the poor in spirit," and the Psalms affirm that "the Lord will save the humble in spirit." True poverty flourishes with a humble spirit, particularly when faith overflows. Hence, the apostle expresses, "And their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their joy."

A great chasm exists between the rich and the poor; after death, the recompense is unchangeable, and thus the rich man is depicted in the underworld as longing for relief from the poor man. For the water in question sustains the soul in distress. Isaiah tells us, "And in joy you shall draw water from the springs of salvation." Why, then, does the rich man experience suffering before the final judgment? For those accustomed to luxury, deprivation of pleasures serves as punishment. The Lord also states: "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God." The rich man became a teacher too late, realizing that the moment to learn had passed, and he was no longer in a position to instruct.

At that moment, all will proclaim: Praise the Lord, sing to His name; let us exalt the Lord through hymns; declare His magnificent deeds to the nations; let us boldly proclaim to all peoples His glory made known through His merciful acts toward us; remember that His name is lifted high; let us encourage one another to reflect on how the Lord has glorified His name, the name of the one true God, as He guided us to Christ amid trials during our dispersion among the nations; let us glorify the name of the Lord, for He has elevated it; let us honor Him because He has lifted us from the depths of our humble state to the heights of His glory, for what could be more splendid than to be recognized as sons of God through grace; let these truths be proclaimed across the entire earth; may all people, all who reside in this universe, come to know how bountiful our Lord is toward us.