Isaiah 58:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Beyond this, you will be recognized as the architect of barriers, establishing secure paths within. Many traverse the barren gardens, unguarded and unfenced, allowing anyone to cross through unimpeded. However, if these gardens have a diligent caretaker, it becomes nearly impossible for passers-by to trample upon them, as a protective barrier is built around. Thus, the pathways through them will vanish. Therefore, He instructs you, as a vigilant steward, to construct hedges and eliminate the thoroughfares that cut through them. While the soul remains unfenced, it is vulnerable to neglect, leading it to be drawn toward disgraceful desires, resembling a garden open to all. Yet when the soul awakens, escaping the snares of vice, and aspires to goodness, it will surround itself with a protective barrier made of the fear of God, casting away the thoughts that once dominated it, which passed through its core, reducing it to defeat under their sway; then, it will earn the title of fence-builder. It is important to recognize that malevolent forces frequently launch attacks on the troubled soul, generating impure desires and ruthlessly leading it wherever they wish, much like a neglected garden. However, their trampling halts as soon as a barrier is constructed, which the fear of God establishes within us. This same principle applies to each of the guides of the holy mysteries; they act as builders of barriers, leading the souls entrusted to them towards virtue and securing them in such a way that they become less accessible to the temptations and allurements of those given to frivolous speech, who distort the true doctrine of faith, unaware of the implications of what they say or affirm.

Some, particularly those attached to the literal interpretation of Scripture, interpret this as a reference to reconstructing cities in Palestine, claiming it either took place during the era of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah or will occur in the end times, wherein formidable foundations will be established in Jerusalem and its surrounding cities, rendering them invulnerable to invaders. However, we contend that the former desolation of the Jews is transformed into a spiritual assembly, not briefly but for eternity, necessitating the rebuilding of its foundations from both peoples, symbolizing two generations. This is reflected in the apostle's words, "As a wise architect lays the foundation and builds upon it; but let each one see to it that he builds with care" (1 Cor. 3:10), and elsewhere, "For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God’s building" (1 Cor. 3:9). The apostle and prophet are referred to as the foundation (Eph. 2:20), and those born from it are termed builders of barriers.

Regarding Him, the Psalm states, "A man is born in her," and He is the foundation and the Most High (Ps. 86:5). These barriers and fortifications, denoted by the Greek term φραγμοί, are encircled by fields and vineyards: "You brought forth grapes from Egypt; you cast out nations and planted them..." (Psalms 70:9, Psalms 70:13). The prophet further elaborates, “The vineyard belongs to the beloved" (Isaiah 5:1), and in a remarkably beautiful expression, he states, "I built a tower and surrounded it with a hedge" (Ecclesiastes 2). Yet the builder, as pointed out in Ecclesiastes, is warned of the serpent's bite (Ecclesiastes 2:2). This vineyard is enclosed to safeguard it from intruding beasts.

The scheming serpent represents the one that deceived Eve in paradise, who fell victim to disobeying God's commands, subsequently facing the serpent’s bite and hearing from the Lord, "He shall watch over your head, and you shall watch over his heel" (Gen. 3:15). In our translation, which aligns with the Seventy so as not to misrepresent the meaning, the Hebrew passage reveals that you shall be called goder pheres, translated by Aquila as περιϐράχτηϛ διαχοπης, meaning one who stands against God's mighty wrath. Symmachus conveys this as "opposing the wall to him who strikes," reminiscent of Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, who countered the Lord's wrath, as though by raising a wall they established a boundary against it.

Likewise, God instructs Jeremiah not to resist Him nor attempt to shield against His wrath through prayer, as if forming a wall (Jer. 7), and He admonished Moses, implying that Moses could have restrained Him by stating, "Leave Me, and I will consume this people" (Exod. 32:10). Thus, the builder of such stronghold walls and barriers will redirect the paths to peace, so that divine anger may not ignite, allowing the Lord to extend His grace and ensuring tranquility on all tumultuous paths.

Nourished by streams of grace, you were 'like a well-watered garden and like a spring that never runs dry,' refreshing others with the dewdrops of the Spirit. Ultimately, so that the passage of time does not diminish your example among us, you ascended the mountain, leaving a vestige of immortality behind you. 'Your bones have withered,' and the remnants of your flesh, still marked by mortification, appear alive even at your death; the barren dwellings you established have transformed into edifices that outshine the hailstones with their magnificence. Ages have passed these monuments by, with none daring to tarnish them but only to enhance their brilliance. How renowned, abundant, unchanging, and everlasting are the promises rendered by faith! It alone guarantees its pledges without alteration, divinizing the truth while many false voices clamor at our hearts, luring us with deceptive hopes to find contentment and happiness. 'Be satisfied as your soul desires,' allow us to elaborate. "Be satisfied," suggests carnal desires, but do not look beyond mere appearances; mental satisfaction is an illusion, and true fulfillment resides within the senses. If we are created for joy, we ought to seek it within our reach. 'Rest, eat, drink, and be merry' (Luke 12:19): this is the essence of contentment. How perilous is it to heed such counsel! When the crafty serpent offers us the forbidden fruit of pleasures, claiming it will elevate us to divinity, the grim truth becomes clear: suffering, toil, sickness, and death accompany such choices. In the realm of indulgence and luxury sprout only those roses that, after sensory delights, leave the sharp thorns of despair in the soul, wounding it sooner or later; labor must be shouldered for a fleeting yield. Amid tears more exhausting than rewarding cares, we either succumb to old age or are pursued by poverty and sickness, which are often direct results of indulgence. The earth demands its due fast as we attempt to extract its gifts. Ah! Is this not what our easy minds label a carefree life? My God! These illusory comforts are merely the seeds of sorrow; they are not nourishment, but poison to the feeble heart. Were there no alternative means to satisfy ravenous desires, it would still be folly to pursue such paths; it would be better to languish in enduring joy. 'Be satisfied' promises greed. You know only how to harvest where you have not sown and to gather what you have not cultivated; and when you can count thousands in your possession, call forth abundance, display your wealth, and please a fortune that favors you. Woe to those who believe these alluring promises of the golden idol! What joy does an individual engrossed in wealth truly possess? What does his existence amount to? - A relentless accumulation of cold metal, a heart as lifeless as the coins he hoards; gathering precious items alongside the lamentations of widows and the sighs of orphans; living in fear of the inevitable moment when either a thief will rob him of his treasures or death will claim his soul; to be a reluctant sufferer amid a sea of abundance, endlessly tormented by desires, gasping: thirst! 'You will be satisfied,' declares ambition. When you rise above the masses, when all things bow to your will, when honor surrounds you—can you truly want for anything? Can one be unhappy, from whom many expect joy? The very envy sparked by the noble among the humble attests to the superiority of their state. Oh, if only these thoughts were as true as they are tempting! Sadly, they merely flatter a hope as dangerous as false promise. The enviable happiness derived from the fortune of others weighs heavily, and the desire for elevation is an insatiable force, one that, when surrendered to its pull, disregards limits and seeks dominion over a world that feels like a meager inheritance. Should we be astonished? If this infernal thirst for glory could not be quenched in heaven, will there ever be enough fulfillment in this wretched realm? 'You shall be fed,' exclaims the desire for glory. There is no greater bliss than to always reach for lofty aspirations, to capture the attention of the present, and to be immortalized in future memory. The hunger for admiration is a divine impulse, its pleasure akin to that of angels. These are the sentiments typically ascribed to noble feelings! Regardless, no matter how one might advocate for this esteemed passion, though it may not foster enmity or rivalry, although it may not plunge one into danger or disrupt tranquility, its fruits remain uncertain, and the pleasures it brings are ephemeral. Is it not folly to anchor our well-being in the judgment of others who, out of ignorance or peculiar perspective, may not justly appraise us? Is it not madness to exert oneself in life merely to provide topic for idle chatter among a few? To placate a mortal soul with the immortality of a name—is it not to forsake true sustenance while yearning for tomorrow? 'Be satisfied,' lectures the worldly wisdom. Dare to lift the veil that conceals truth from the unseeing, and cherish its beauty; then you shall know the joy of a rational being, perceive the harmony of creation, establish laws for the stars, bask in the goodness of the Creator, comprehend your worth, and become a citizen of the universe. What a glorious purpose! What a vast journey towards salvation! Thus, wise mortals of the world! Your endeavours would be most fulfilling and your condition most joyful, if passions had never overshadowed the clear light of truth, if vanity, rivalry, and hatred had never usurped the love for it; if the pen had proved as effective as the sword. However, when a majority of your knowledge is steeped in trivial queries and unsatisfactory answers, riddled with doubt, and the detrimental art of distorting sacred truths into mere rhetoric: can such assumed enlightenment bring tranquility to your heart? How long, children of humanity, how long will you cling to vanity? How long will you heed these misleading heralds of happiness, which the wicked world sends you? Until you listen to the ancient prophets. 'The spirit is deceitful in their mouths’ (2 Samuel 22:22), until your unquenchable desires roam aimlessly, asking: 'who will show us good things?' (Psalm 4:7). Faith, divine faith, it grants you the power to end human wretchedness; it alone reveals the 'good things' to behold; it alone draws down blessings from on high, and they descend upon us. 'God will be... with thee at all times, and thou shalt be filled as thy soul desires.' Behold the sweetest promise, the essence of all longings, the pinnacle of joy, the only nourishment for the spirit! 'I will be filled,' O Lord. 'when Thy glory shall appear' (Psalm 16:15)! I will be fulfilled when You enter this troubled heart, dwelling within it, revealing Yourself through reflection and understanding. After this bliss, what happiness shall I seek? What favor follows this invaluable gift? Enlightenment? - 'Thou art the light that enlightens every man' (John 1:9). Immortality? 'Thou hast the fountain of life' (Psalm 36:9). Riches? For He who has given the faithful soul 'the beloved Son' (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22) as a testament of His generosity: 'how shall He not also with him grant all things?' (Romans 8:32). Honor? Greatness? Yet what honors, what glittering titles can rival these exalted names: 'a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of His possession' (1 Peter 2:9), 'joint heirs with God, joint heirs with Christ' (Romans 8:17)? Let us praise, beloved hearers, the merciful King of kings, who finds joy in honoring His pure servants; let us glorify God, who has bestowed upon us faith to lift the fallen, to heal the afflicted, to nourish the hungry, to grant happiness to the sorrowful, to revive the dead, to glorify not merely through hymns and praise, not solely through instruments and songs, but in spirit and truth, with fervor for faith and virtue, that we may receive this grace not in vain. Amen.