Isaiah 51:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

God crafted man in His own likeness, as it is written, 'in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them' (Gen. 1:27). Thus, man comprises male and female, with one being the head and the other the body. My purpose is not fulfilled by sheer numbers of workers, for I do not lose clarity or resolve with a few; rather, I pursue virtue at all times and in every circumstance. I called him alone, bestowed blessings upon him, and made him numerous. I did not multiply him in my own land but rather in a foreign territory, demonstrating that all things are quite easy for Me. Why is Adam not invoked, whose situation might have been more convincingly persuasive? It is because Abraham was always foremost in their minds. Additionally, he was known to them as virtuous and abundantly promised. He blessed him and made him fruitful, yet he refrains from detailing the rationale, lest they fall into despair, believing Abraham was chosen and multiplied solely due to his merits. They might reply, But we who lack all virtues, how can we anticipate salvation?

They became the foundation of a multitude rivaling the stars in the sky, as was promised to Abraham, who was instructed to look heavenward and believe that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 22:17; Genesis 26:4).

Moreover, Sarah did not conceive according to human limitations, and Abraham, though advanced in years, became a father. To emphasize this miracle, the passage references two images: chiseling from a solid rock and excavating a profound pit. Just as it is among the most challenging tasks to carve from a hard stone or to create a deep well, so it may seem improbable to expect a child from an elderly man and a sterile woman. Yet, this remarkable feat was achieved by God’s will.

Thus, when you who have believed acknowledge that your numbers seem scant at the inception of this sacred proclamation, rest assured that similar individuals will eventually grow into an overwhelming multitude. Though Abraham started as one, I called him, favored him, and multiplied him to become the father of the entire Jewish nation, and even more importantly, the father of those who are part of the promise, including the Gentiles. For God declared to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:5). Therefore, he who is summoned is indeed blessed; and he who is blessed is fully cherished; and those who attain such a state will surely be many—notably in a spiritual sense—producing various fruits of virtues and evangelical adornments. Historically, we witness the fulfillment of this promise, as the entirety of heaven venerates Christ, the Savior of all, whose presence fills creation, and whose glory fills the earth.

Therefore, through divine instruction, a corresponding pathway of righteousness has been laid out for each gender, allowing both men and women to look to their forebears—men to Abraham and women to Sarah—in their pursuit of a virtuous life.

It suffices for us to recognize one exemplary husband, who, endowed with wisdom, serves as a guiding light to illustrate how one can bring the soul into the safe haven of virtue, all while navigating the struggles and distractions of earthly life without succumbing to the depths of sinful desires. This is likely why history meticulously records the pursuits of distinguished individuals; by emulating their virtues, we can steer our own lives towards goodness.

Some might question, "If I am not a Chaldean like Abraham, nor a pupil of the Egyptian royal daughter as Moses was, and if my life bears no resemblance to those of the ancients, how can I align myself with them, given the absence of opportunities to imitate such distant figures?" In response, we must clarify that being a Chaldean does not define virtue or vice. One is not distanced from a life of righteousness simply by residing in Egypt or Babylon. Furthermore, it is not merely in Judah that God leads the virtuous, nor is Zion the exclusive dwelling place of the Almighty (Psalm 75:1-3). We require a deeper insight and keen perception to discern which Chaldeans or Egyptians we should avoid, from which Babylonian captivity we have liberated ourselves, and how we have ascended to the pinnacle of a blessed existence.

Thus, let us consider Moses as an example of a righteous life. After briefly summarizing his life as revealed in Sacred Scripture, we should then delve into the lessons history offers us, extracting the principles of virtue to learn about the ideal life available to humanity.

Remember that although he was one hundred years old and had a wife unable to conceive, I multiplied his descendants like the stars of heaven, their number far surpassing imagination. Therefore, if so many arose from one man, why would it be difficult for Me to restore the ruins of Zion and turn her wasteland into a delightful Eden, filled not with mere trees but with joy, gladness, worship, and the sound of exultation? This speaks of the time of Zerubbabel, when Zion was rebuilt after Babylon's destruction, and the temple was restored, renewing the former worship. Yet it is proclaimed to Zion that her sons shall be brought in their arms and her daughters on their shoulders, with kings serving her and queens yielding nourishment. When Zion cries out for space, recognizing her limitations, the promise extends beyond her earthly confines. Thus the Lord encourages those pursuing righteousness, as it is written, Seek peace and pursue it, and to share in the love of strangers. They who seek the Lord draw conclusions from past miracles that the present promises will certainly be fulfilled. In another translation, it encourages those who seek truth to look upon the solid foundation they have hewn, which points to the Lord, our Savior, of whom the apostle states, The rock is Christ. It is also written, He set my feet upon a firm rock, and, He lifted me out of the mire onto a solid foundation. For with a spear His side was pierced, from which flowed blood and water, and His hands and feet were pierced, confirming the words of the Savior: My hands and feet were pierced; all My bones are counted. The Savior's tomb, a hewn stone, is where He was laid, and rising from the dead, He brought forth innumerable sons. He was named Abraham, the father of many nations, just as Sarah, once barren, symbolizes the Church, referred to as Zion, which the Lord comforted and transformed into a paradise. Many children are more desolate than those blessed with a husband. The proclamation of creating a garden of God signifies that a radiant light shone upon those dwelling in darkness and the shadow of death. The term garden, translated here, corresponds to the Hebrew eden, as noted at the beginning of Genesis. It is essential to recognize that in Zion, akin to God’s paradise, there should be only joy, gladness, worship, and an everlasting symphony of praise, mirroring the praises of the saints with the angels in heaven, achievable here on earth through continuous glorification of the Lord.