Isaiah 50:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Let God be glorified in us (Phil. 1:20); in his second letter to the Corinthians, he states, Death worketh in us, but life in you (2 Cor. 4:12): though we are troubled, you are called to assist us. I am not ashamed, he asserts, the Lord God helpeth me. These words resonate with the apostle's message: we are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we experience perplexity, yet do not despair; we face persecution, but are not abandoned; we are struck down, but not destroyed (2 Cor. 4:8-9). I set My face like flint. This was undoubtedly a voluntary act, not one of compulsion. Observe how the Word of God enriches us with His assistance and favor... I shall not be humiliated: He holds certainty regarding what is to come.

He implies that after enduring the wounds of my suffering and the torments of my trials, even on the cross, the Father came to my aid; for He assisted and safeguarded His beloved Son from total degradation and shame, while those who chose to rebel against God faced the repercussions of their transgressions against me, facing just retribution for their sin.

Like a student receiving instruction at dawn, he listened to the Holy Spirit's guidance and did not oppose His command; when the Lord inquired, Whom shall I send, and who will go to these people? he replied, 'Here am I, send me' (Isaiah 6:8). Consequently, as he proclaimed, 'Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah' (Isaiah 1:10), he endured numerous hardships and faced not only verbal insults but also physical beatings. Yet, understanding that it was God’s command, he faced his trials without fear, recalling Ezekiel’s message: 'Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead harder than their foreheads; like adamant harder than flint have I made your forehead' (Ezekiel 3:8-9), and he withstood all their assaults. Those who seek to undermine the prophecies concerning Christ and pervert their meaning through skewed interpretations propose that such texts refer to Isaiah, mistakenly thinking they can invalidate the clear testimonies regarding Christ that illuminate all. Thus, this must also be attributed to the Lord, through whom the preceding scripture was completed, as He was endowed with wisdom during His incarnation, receiving a tongue of understanding to know when to speak and when to remain silent. Moreover, the One who remained silent during His suffering now proclaims His message throughout the world through His apostles and the leaders of the faith. Great discernment is needed to provide nourishment to the servants at the right moments and to address the faces of the listeners appropriately. For this reason, the Apostle Paul, addressing those who lacked faith in the prophets, referenced their writings: 'For we are indeed His offspring' (Acts 17:28), echoing Aratus, as well as warning from the comic tradition that 'bad company corrupts good character' (1 Corinthians 15:33) and quoting Epimenides with the claim that 'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons' (Titus 1:12). Although these statements may not maintain their poetic structure in translation, it is essential to recognize their verse form in Greek. He spoke these truths because he had been granted the gift of insight, knowing precisely when to articulate His message. He received an ear through grace that was absent by nature, teaching us that we should cultivate not merely physical hearing but spiritual discernment, as the Lord stated in the Gospel, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear' (Luke 8:8). This understanding opened His ears, ensuring that He who did not resist but remained obedient even unto death, the death of the cross (Philippians 2), willingly offered His body to wounds, His side to strikes, yet did not retract His words. He suffered unjustly at the hands of the high priest's servant, enduring scorn from the people of Israel. He was struck and spat upon, yet He showed no shame, being led like a lamb to slaughter, and like a sheep before its shearers, He remained silent. The Son, through the mystery of the Incarnation, received directives from the Father regarding His speech, as conveyed in the Gospel, where He states, 'The Father who sent Me has given Me a commandment—what to say and what to speak' (John 12:49). Additionally, He affirmed, 'I can do nothing on My own. I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is just' (John 5:30).

I recognize that these will not obstruct the success of the mission to illuminate humanity with truth: this divine endeavor, with heavenly support, will undoubtedly prevail over the schemes and malice of My adversaries; I will not be brought to shame.