Isaiah 52:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Thus, we must interpret Zion as the Church, which Christ presents to Himself, pure and unblemished (Eph. 5:27).

Her salvation is a sound that can be heard, and the power of the Gospel message is not hidden from anyone on earth. There is no one who has not heard of salvation through Christ, as the Psalmist declares, "Hear this, all you nations; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world" (Ps. 48:2). Just as the remembrance of evil spirits faded away with a clamor (Ps. 9:7), the defeat of their tyranny became widely known. The divine message of salvation through Christ reached everyone, proclaiming hope to those who acknowledge His arrival. What is the essence of this proclamation? O Zion, your God reigns. Before the arrival of our Savior, sin ruled over us, and Satan inflicted his cruel reign upon all the earth. However, when the King of all appeared, He broke the chains of oppression and lifted the yoke of our former master, causing us to submit to God's authority. Our Holy Creator reigns through the Son, prompting our joyful celebration. Thus, David exclaims, "The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice" (Ps. 96:1), and again sings, "Sing skillfully, God reigns" (Ps. 47:8, 9).

The Savior has beckoned us to this reality, saying: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you" (Matthew 11:28, 29). Prior to encountering His grace, we were enslaved under the harsh dominion of sin and faced immense suffering. Nonetheless, the power of holy proclamation has ushered in Christ's kingdom, placing us all under His rule, as promised: "Your God reigns, O Zion." The manner of His reign was further explained, as He noted, "The voices of those who guard you will be raised." These guardians are the divine disciples, as well as all who lead and inspire others to follow the righteous path, fulfilling beautiful deeds, fostering love for Christ, and making a sincere declaration of faith in Him. These spiritual leaders act as good shepherds, protecting the flock entrusted to the Chief Shepherd from attacks by the wild.

It is said that their voices are elevated, signifying their message will reach all ears. Isaiah proclaimed, "Go up to the high mountain, herald good news to Zion; lift your voice with strength, herald good news to Jerusalem; lift it up, do not fear" (Isaiah 40:9). The apostolic message will be widely disseminated and acknowledged by all. The community will thrive, willingly responding to their call, rejoicing to witness the fruit of their labor. This collective joy is evident when they rejoice together, for they will all proclaim and welcome many into the mysteries of faith, rapidly embracing belief. This brings great joy to those called to instruct others. As Paul wrote to those who believed through him: "Rejoice and be my crown" (Phil. 4:1). The obedience of those who uphold the sacred truths can be observed by anyone familiar with the sacred and divinely inspired Scriptures.

For instance, when the divine disciples preached in Jerusalem, three thousand people were added to their number in a single day (Acts 2:41). Similarly, the apostle Paul and the blessed Silas, while imprisoned, sang praises to God at midnight. When an angel appeared to them and set them free, the jailer, fearing for his life, was about to take his own but was stopped by Paul’s voice, who assured him they were all present (Acts 16:24-33). This act of salvation surely brought him joy. Thus, following the call of the faithful, obedience will naturally follow, and their eyes will look upon them when the Lord has mercy on Zion. Who will they look to? Either to Christ, the Prince of Salvation, for the Word made flesh, as the Psalmist affirms, "God will come, and will not keep silent" (Psalm 49:3), or to the sight of their collective joy when they see the Lord showing mercy to Zion, granting grace through faith, along with an abundant share of heavenly blessings.

He announced and preached peace to those who are far off, meaning the Gentiles, and to those who are near, signifying the Jews, reconciling the world to God. Concerning Him, referred to as Solomon, the Psalm declares, ‘In His days, righteousness will flourish, and peace will abound, until the moon fades away.’ This same Prophet, concerning the Child born to us, the Son given to us, whose authority rests upon His shoulders, and who shall be called the angel of great counsel, it is said, among other things, that of His peace there will be no end. For He, who made peace through the blood of His cross for all things in heaven and on earth, is our peace. He instructed the apostles, ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.’ He revealed to us the true benefits, not those that philosophers label as indifferent, but genuine blessings given by the Father to those who ask Him, which includes all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, another Evangelist writes in the same vein: ‘How much more will the Father from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?’ He proclaimed all the good things the Lord promises to those who believe: Listen to me, and you will enjoy good things; your soul will delight in abundance; and not only good things, but salvation, which He granted, declaring to Zion, that is, to the Church, Your God reigns. Consequently, the Apostle exhorts the saints: let not sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey its desires, and regarding sinners, he comments that death reigned from Adam until Moses. The voice of your guardians, or watchmen, signifies the apostles, of whom the Lord speaks elsewhere to the Church: ‘On your walls I have appointed watchmen, who will not be silent day or night, remembering the Lord’—watchmen who will raise their voices, proclaiming lofty truths. Thus, it is commanded to them, ‘Go up to the high mountain; proclaim good news to Zion; lift up your voice with strength; proclaim good news to Jerusalem.’ They will praise with the same voice, and seeing God face to face, as the Apostle phrases it, face to face; as also the Holy One sings: my eyes are set upon the Lord, and I have lifted my eyes to You who dwell in heaven; and the Lord will respond accordingly, for the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. What the Seventy translated: as how lovely are the feet of him who brings the gospel of peace, Paul, aligning with the Hebrew text, cites in the Epistle to the Romans: how beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim the gospel of peace and bring good tidings, signifying the Apostles, whose feet the Lord washed so they might be clean and beautiful for the proclamation, spreading throughout the world with the brief teaching of Christ. The term, according to the Seventy and the nuance of Greek language, may refer to time or beauty. If it denotes time, it would align with: In a favorable time, I will hear you; in the day of salvation, I will help you. Hence, the Apostle states, Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. For in this favorable moment, when all had gone astray, when everyone was equally unprofitable, when there was none who did good, not even one, He shed His blood for all, tasting death for everyone, since all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Yet, if this signifies beauty, it aligns with what the psalm states: He is more beautiful than the sons of men in His goodness. There is nothing more beautiful than for the goodness of the servant to reflect the goodness of God, reigning together with Christ in heaven. The term may also imply care and concern, as the Holy One says, Increase me in my soul by Your strength. Instead of multiply me, the Greek text expresses: make me worthy of much care. In another instance, it reads, According to Your greatness, You have granted honor to the sons of men, signifying that You have honored them with much care and concern. Better yet, it is appropriate to comprehend the beautiful feet of Christ and the apostles, which, aside from the Seventy, has been uniformly translated, as Paul affirms in their translation.