Isaiah 40:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Speak without fear, even if you struggle with the words you hear. Do not abandon your steadfastness; proclaim loudly, for in the messages you convey resides great power. Even if none accept them, trust in the authority of the command: this declaration cannot be undone, for it comes from God. Do not declare that all are opposed; your words are grounded in truth, so call out freely, “All flesh is grass.” In what sense is this? Is this the fault of the Creator? Certainly not. Man was not created this way; immortality was bestowed upon him from the start. But you, who brought sin into the world, you have brought disgrace upon humanity. Do not presume that the work of God resembles mere straw; He first declared, “You shall not eat of it, for in the day you eat from it, you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:17). Then why speak of hay? Are not the bodies of kings, beautiful maidens, and noble warriors also composed of hay? Indeed, if you doubt this, consider the common end. Have you looked with care upon the graves? Is there any distinction between the lowly and the wealthy? None; ultimately, all are ashes, all are dust, for all will return to dust and ashes. Here, the prophet proclaims not just flesh, but all flesh. Similarly, another prophet states: “Every man is vanity” (Psalms 38:12). Reflect on why he says not every man, but all flesh, meaning those who walk according to the flesh. The prophet uses a harsher term because the people have faltered, as God remarks, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is flesh” (Gen. 6:3). Yet, we too are hay; God says, “You do not live according to the flesh” (Rom. 8:9). Consider now the mercy of God: to you, who were condemned and brought to a wretched state, He offers the power to redeem you from that condemnation; you were once hay, but if you choose, you need not remain so. As it is stated, “If any man builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw” (1 Cor. 3:12). Do you see it all hinges on how one builds? An examination of the nature of bodies reveals no superiority over herbs; they wither and fade, and in old age, youth is but a memory. But if you focus on the nobility of the soul, you’ll discover that humanity is no less than the angels: “You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor” (Psalms 8:6). All human glory is but like the flower of the grass (Russian translation: and all her beauty is like the flower of the field). The human body may not hold any advantages over others, yet when it is adorned with glory, it can appear far greater: he clothed in splendor displays brightness, while others remain in insignificance. By asserting that not only will the hay wither, but its color will fade as well, the prophet expresses disdain for the might of rulers. Do you not observe sovereigns without their pomp? Can you oppose them? They are surrounded by jewels and wealth, riding majestic steeds, drawn in royal chariots, flanked by attendants and guards. Yet, when faced with something unsettling, many are gripped by fear, and often by nightfall, all their glory disintegrates. There is nothing more precious than the humble man, even if stripped bare. Hence it is said, “Every glory of man is like a flower of grass: whether it pertains to possessions, honors, or beauty, all must face the same dire fate.” If this applies to the body now, it will certainly be even more true for it in the future. What do you assert? Now the hay has withered, and its color has faded. David himself advises, “Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases; for when he dies, he shall take nothing with him, nor shall his glory descend after him” (Psalms 48:17-18). But why do you not acknowledge that the living also forsake their glory? It seems this warning is directed at the unbelieving and worldly-minded. Since it appears implausible to them that in the next life they will receive a hundredfold more for what they have relinquished here, David clarifies the certain truth: when they die, their greatness does not accompany them. Why, then, have you so often sought to silence those focused solely on worldly matters? To prevent anyone from claiming that the majority retained glory until their death, and thus challenge the prophet’s words, he asserts that all glory will vanish at life’s end.

Moreover, if anyone seeks to comprehend God's commandments through His Word, they will find it immensely beneficial; it safeguards those who adhere to it for eternal life, as affirmed by the Saviour's words: "Amen, amen I say unto you, If any man keep My word, he shall not see death for ever" (John 8:51).

In our experience, a voice typically manifests as a disturbance in the air, reflecting the intention of the speaker. But what constitutes the voice of the Lord? Is it merely a disturbance in the air, or does it involve the sound reaching the ears of its intended recipient? Alternatively, might it be something entirely different, a divine communication to the soul of the individual whom God wishes to address? This can be likened to the phenomenon often encountered in dreams. Just as we may remember certain words and sounds from dreams without hearing them audibly, because they are imprinted in our hearts, so too may the voice from God resonate with the prophets.

We have previously noted how the prophet relayed: he heard the Lord's voice asking, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ He replied, ‘Here I am, send me.’ The Lord instructed him to go and speak to these people: ‘You will hear indeed but never understand; and you will see indeed but never perceive’ (Isaiah 6:8-9). After enduring hardships in his mission, when the voice of the Lord commands him to ‘Proclaim,’ he, apprehensive of the same fate, inquires what he should voice. He begins with the general truth, ‘All humanity is like grass, and its splendor resembles the grass of the field,’ before narrowing down to the specific, affirming that ‘Indeed, the people are grass.’ If one reflects on the transient nature of the flesh, recognizing how we continuously grow and age, never remaining in the same condition, and observing how our spoken words and writings fade away with the passage of time, they would readily agree that flesh is indeed like grass, and its glory resembles the beauty of the field. A child grows into a boy; the boy matures into a youth, and in a brief span, transitions into old age. One may find themselves surprised to realize they are no longer youths, but feel the weight of their years. A once beautiful woman who captivated many in her youth may now bear the marks of age, and what once inspired love might provoke indifference. A renowned Greek orator notes that ‘the beauty of the body either diminishes with time or is lost to illness.’ Thus, the flesh has withered, and the beauty of those who conform to earthly desires and indulge in fleeting pleasures has faded; this is due to the judgement and wrath of the Spirit of God. Returning from this general discussion to the canonical text, we must recognize that the individual who possesses and nurtures the image of the heavenly is that flesh which witnesses God’s salvation, continually renewed in understanding in the image of the Creator (Colossians 3:10), and, upon receiving an incorruptible and imperishable body, undergoes a transformation in glory rather than in essence. However, the Word of our Lord and those united with the Word persist eternally.

Instead, strive to mirror the teachings of the apostles, the grace of the prophets, and the virtues of the saints, so you may bear fruit and gather a bountiful harvest, just as Joseph prevented famine by stockpiling grain during a time of shortage, or as Habakkuk, who, while delivering provisions to the harvesters, was carried by an angel; he soared through the air and upon his return to earth, provided a splendid feast for the devoted prophet, all while surrounded by roaring lions.