Isaiah 57:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He proclaimed, "When your hands are stretched out to me, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear; for your hands are full of blood" (Isaiah 1:15). Yet, in the latter days, when Israel repents, they will cease their abominable ways and find acceptance through faith, receiving mercy that grants freedom from their past sins and bestows genuine comfort.

What kind of comfort is intended here? It is undoubtedly the grace of Christ, which justifies through faith, liberates from sin, sanctifies by the Spirit, grants adoption into glory, and instills hope for the rewards awaiting the saints. Genuine consolation is that which offers believers, above all earthly gifts, peace in a chaotic world—enduring prosperity, given by the Savior to both those who are far off and those who are near, encompassing believers from both the Gentiles and Israel. As Paul declared to the Gentiles, "But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Eph. 2:13).

For the Israelites, their obedience to the law and their service to the living and true God according to divine teachings made them appear near to God, while Gentiles seemed distant, as they were estranged from holy truths and lacked knowledge of the Creator. However, peace was extended to both groups from God the Father, through Christ, who united them into one new humanity, removing barriers and nullifying the law of commandments expressed by scribes (Eph. 2:14, 15). Hence, through Him, we have received reconciliation and an unbreakable peace with God and each other.

Nowhere did Christ, in His communication with the heavenly Father, express a desire more profound than that His followers be one with Him, just as He and the Father are one (John 17:21, cf. John 17:11). The prophet affirms this, stating, "And the Lord said, I will heal," thus summarizing the entirety of the divine promise, underscoring God's absolute sovereignty. He assured healing but warned that the unrighteous would be distressed and unable to find rest.

After revealing the blessings bestowed upon the called, God also justly foretold the consequences awaiting the disobedient, including their unrest and constant turmoil, declaring, "It is impossible that they should rejoice, saith the Lord God." When the Lord, the sovereign over all, withdraws joy from them, how can they possess any joy? At the calling of Israel, some would refuse to yield to the son of iniquity, remaining disobedient. The wise Paul explained this, pointing out that "Because they received not the love of the truth, God shall send them strong delusion" (2 Thess. 2:10, 11). The Savior Himself stated, "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive" (John 5:43). Thus, Israel will eventually be drawn to the knowledge of Christ, and through faith in Him, they will obtain a bounty of grace, while some will persist in ungodliness and unrighteousness, remaining in a state of perpetual agitation, deprived of joy, leading to their breaking and enduring punishment.

In the face of the rejection by the Jewish people and those who would not accept the Savior, He assured those who trust in Him of the land of the humble and the mountain of the faithful. He instructed the apostles, "Prepare for the returning people and eliminate all temptations." To illustrate His power, He emphasizes how the Almighty can effortlessly grant forgiveness to the repentant and how just it is for the Creator to show mercy to His creations. He expressed His anger and sorrow towards His people because of their sins and their insatiable longing for iniquity, as they persistently added sin upon sin.

He struck him for a moment to bring healing; His face hidden from view was intended to inspire a deeper desire for Him, prompting the plea, "Show Your face, and we shall be saved" (Psalms 79). It was in indignation that he walked sorrowfully, declaring, "All day long I walked in grief" (Psalms 87:7). He turned in sorrowful reflection, not seeking the approval of men but seeking heartfelt repentance. Witnessing the paths of his transformation, I healed the wounds inflicted upon him and drew him back to me, offering true solace, for false comforts abound in the world to deceive humanity. He also comforted those who mourned for him, echoing the Gospel's promise, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4).

Thus, I have fulfilled the promise of peace, embodying the saying, "I live, says the Lord, I do not desire the death of the sinner, but rather their conversion" (Ezekiel 18:11). The Lord's promise is this: "My peace I give unto you, my peace I leave with you" (John 14:27). He speaks of peace for all, both those at a distance and those nearby—not just for one nation but for the entire world, first extending to the Gentiles and subsequently to those in Israel willing to believe. The apostle stated, "It was at first easy for you to hear the word of God, but since you deemed yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 18:46).

In his letters to the Ephesians, addressing both the circumcised and the Gentiles, he remarked, "But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. He is our peace, uniting both and breaking down the barrier that divided us" (Ephesians 2:13-14). Additionally, he preached peace to both those far away and those near (Ephesians 2:17). Through Christ, we all, irrespective of our backgrounds, gain access to the Father in one Spirit. He extends peace to those distant and those close, including those without the Law and the Prophets. Those who had received him were also healed. Conversely, the wicked remain in turmoil, likened to a restless sea that finds no peace. This characterization applies especially to the Jewish people, who unitedly called for His crucifixion, asserting, "We have no king but Caesar" (John 19:15).

Thus, like the restless sea, which cannot find calm, its waves crash upon the shore and recede, only to return, creating muddy grounds, so will the wicked face eternal torment without joy or the comfort of peace in their sinful persistence. Some interpret this specifically concerning the Savior, who experienced grief briefly for the world’s sins, as expressed when He said, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death" (Matthew 26:38). His Father struck Him, as foretold by Zechariah: "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered" (Zechariah 13:7; Matthew 26:31). He also referred to Himself in the sixty-eighth Psalm, indicating, "Because You have struck Him, they will be driven away" (Psalm 68:27).

God withdrew His face from Him, allowing Him to take the form of a servant, walking in sorrow and mourning for the sins of the people, weeping for Jerusalem. Observing His pathways, the Father healed Him, allowing His flesh to avoid decay, so that despite being stricken on the cross, He was restored in the resurrection. "I comforted Him," He declared, by exchanging one nation of Jews for the whole world. Those who grieved for Him also received consolation, pointing specifically toward the apostles. He who proclaimed, "Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations" (Psalm 2:8) offers peace for peace, reconciling the world to God and inviting all nations to Himself for healing from the Father. Yet, the wicked remain unsettling, depicted as a sea that can never calm, always reaching the shores with crashing waves, destined for muddy ends and continual trampling.