Behold, an inhabitant shall come, who was not with me, he that was a stranger to thee before, shall be joined to thee.
הֵ֣ן גּ֥וֹר יָג֛וּר אֶ֖פֶס מֵֽאוֹתִ֑י מִי־גָ֥ר אִתָּ֖ךְ עָלַ֥יִךְ יִפּֽוֹל׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Look, they will prepare to confront you, but their actions do not originate from Me; anyone who rises up against you will be defeated. They will challenge your holiness, and many will desire your righteousness. It was indeed a considerable blessing for the Jews, post-captivity, to become envious of the Gentiles. And they will come to you through Me, not because of your own righteousness, but due to the mercy of God.
Remove yourself from all unrighteousness, and you will have no fear, nor will terror draw near to you. See, those who come shall approach you through Me, and they shall find refuge in you. He previously highlighted that the chosen stone would serve as a safeguard for her, and all her offspring would receive instruction from God. He promptly clarifies that the promise has been completely fulfilled; He imparts wisdom not through Moses or other holy prophets as in the past, but rather through Himself, speaking directly. This confirms the prophecy that all shall be taught by God.
The Apostle Paul also emphasized that God, who communicated various truths to the ancestors through the prophets, has now spoken to us through His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things and through whom He created the universe. Thus, the Creator of all ages fulfills the hidden guidance of those called by Him to grace through faith. Consequently, in the Song of Songs, the Bride expresses, "Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth": previously, He drew close to the holy prophets, inviting them to fellowship with Him through sanctification and justification. When He manifested in the flesh, we received the profound truths from Him, as He communicated with us intimately. He assures us that when you turn away from every unrighteous and wicked act, you will have no fear, nor will anxiety approach you. You will be shielded from adversaries, immune to fear, even if worldly individuals equip themselves with intentions to harm you, empowered by the mightiest forces or by the tempest of sinful pleasures that lead transgressors to the depths of destruction. The rewards that are cherished, the brilliant crowns of righteousness, are astonishing gifts for those strong in spirit who pursue spiritual blessings. Additionally, He proclaims that strangers shall come to you through Me, and they will seek you out. The term strangers may refer to those who embrace faith and are called from the Gentiles, or possibly even the descendants of Israel, who, although they were original recipients, found themselves estranged from God while welcoming those who turned away from Hellenistic error. All of this occurs through Christ, as signified by the phrase "by Me," for through Him comes the transformation, the calling, and the path to God the Father. He stated, "No one comes to the Father except through Me," and in another instance, He affirmed, "I am the way and the door."
Consider a neighbor approaching who was not previously with me; he who was once a stranger will now be united with you. LXX: Observe that the outsiders (proselytes) will come to you through my agency, and they shall dwell among you. The Jewish interpretation suggests this refers to Jerusalem, implying that many Gentiles will convert and adopt the laws and rituals of Moses. However, continuing with our earlier interpretation, we relate this to the Church, which was established through the apostles, comprising individuals from all nations, free of any blemish, and serving as the mother of all believers (Eph. 5; Gal. 4). To bring in these proselytes and outsiders, the Lord dispatched His disciples with the command to 'make disciples of all nations' (Matt.
28:19), so that those previously immersed in idolatry might find their home in the Church. The Psalms affirm this: The Lord desires to heal the blind, or as the Latin texts indicate, 'The Lord gives sight to the blind.' The Lord embraces the outsider (Ps. 145:8-9), so that the blind, enlightened by truth, and the foolish, enlightened with wisdom, may join the Church, while being cherished by the Lord. They will heed the prophet’s words: I will no longer affirm: You are My people (Hos. 2:23), yet the jealousy that surrounded the unlearned people led them into God’s temple.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS