Isaiah 58:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Why do you approach Me, knowing that I will not respond? You, O Israelite, should have fasted at a time when your overindulgence brought you great sorrow and led to unrighteousness—not now, as your current fasting is both inappropriate and repulsive. Who asserts this? Isaiah himself, who proclaims loudly: “I have chosen not this fast.” Why? Because, “in judgments and quarrels you shall fast, and you shall beat with the heels of the humble.” If your fasting was detestable when you oppressed your fellow servants, how could it be pleasing to Me now when you have crucified the Lord? How can that be? One who truly fasts ought to be gentle, repentant, humble, and untainted by rage; yet you mistreat those beneath you, just like yourself.

We deem as sacred the fast that aligns with a pure conscience. Anyone desiring to undertake such a fast must first resolutely turn from moral wrong, cleanse themselves of all impurity, eradicate the stains of fleshly desires, and purify their hands in innocence (Psalm 25:6). In short, they must demonstrate a fervent commitment to every virtuous act. Yet fasting that does not conform to this standard is a mere pretense; it lacks the traits of authentic fasting, rendering it absurd and inappropriate. For those who possess absolute faith in their purity and goodness may fail to engage in any righteous acts, instead indulging in fruitless and ineffective abstinence from food, mistaking it for genuine devotion in the eyes of God. Such actions lead only to emptiness and are unworthy. Therefore, why should I fast in the manner you do today, hoping to hear your voice raised in lament? But he refers to this lamentation as either prayer associated with empty, as I would say, fasting, or a cry born from the act itself. As it has been stated, our actions resonate with God, akin to the words spoken to Cain: the voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground (Gen. 4:10). Yet, I assert, I did not choose a fast of this nature. What I have previously explained is this: during your days of fasting, you shall discover your own desires, and in your labor, you shall find your work stifled; in disputes and conflicts, you shall fast while trampling the humble. Thus, if you should tarnish your garments like a sickle and cover yourself in ashes, even if you attain the highest degree of humility and engage in acts of piety, it becomes intolerable in light of such disgraceful vices. Yet you would label such a fast as pleasing; for if you seek the truth, you yourselves would not regard such a fast as delightful.

What value has a well-maintained vessel if the captain is inebriated? Fasting serves as the bedrock of virtue. Yet just as the foundation of a building and the bottom of a ship, even when laid firmly, have no utility and significance without the proper construction above, so too is this abstention fruitless without accompanying righteous actions. Let the reverence of God instruct us to speak appropriately, avoiding empty words, being mindful of timing and measure, and offering necessary and fitting responses: to refrain from excessive speech and overwhelming our listeners with a barrage of words. This is why the delicate membrane, connecting the tongue to the lower part of the mouth—a bridle—exists, to keep our speech orderly and fitting: may our words be of blessing rather than malediction, of song rather than condemnation, of praise rather than censure. Let the impulsive hand be restrained by the remembrance of God, as if it were bound by chains. Thus, we fast because we have disrespected our Lamb before He faced mockery and scorn: therefore, we, as disciples of Christ, shall adhere to this Jewish tradition. If we are so inclined, Isaiah will proclaim to us, “Behold, ye fast for quarrels and strife, and to scourge others with a bold hand.”

7:8), and those who do not find show themselves guilty of seeking ineffectively; for the Lord is present to those who seek Him with a pure heart and to those who have faith in Him. Therefore, having abandoned the righteousness and judgment of God—which points to Christ, as the Psalmist states, "O God, give Thy judgment to the King, and Thy righteousness to the Son of the King" (Psalm 71:1)—they vainly take pride in their adherence to the law. The saintly do not boast of their knowledge of the Scriptures, but rather of their deeds, declaring, "The way of Thy commandments flowed when Thou enlargedst my heart" (Ps. 118:32).

They inquire about My judgments of righteousness and strive to draw near to Me. Why have we fasted, and You have not noticed? Why have we humbled our souls, and You have not recognized us? Behold, on the day of your fasting, your desires will be met, and you are exacting from all your debtors. You fast for disputes and conflicts, and strike with your fist in a fit of rage. The LXX expresses it thus: They now ask Me for judgment and righteousness, desiring to approach God, saying, Why have we fasted, and You have not perceived it? We have humbled our souls, and You have not acknowledged it? For on the days of your fasts, your desires are fulfilled, and you oppress all under your authority, fasting for disputes and striking the humble with your fists. This folly persists among the Jews, as if they possess confidence in a clear conscience; they seek righteous judgment and echo the words of the saints, declaring: "Judge me, O Lord, for I am not evil in my walk" (Psalm 23:1), and again, "Try me, O Lord, and test me; kindle my womb and my heart" (Psalm 23:2). In another psalm, they proclaim, "Judge my trial, and deliver me" (Psalms 118:154). They desire to approach God, not recognizing that this pertains not to a place but to a state of being; it requires earnestness rather than mere thoughts. Consequently, Scripture teaches that drawing near to God consists in seeking Him. When He draws near to you, let the wicked forsake their ways and the lawless their thoughts. For the Lord draws near to those who draw near to Him, and He is with those who act righteously in truth, able to affirm, "It is good for me to cleave unto God" (Psalm 72:28). If God Almighty is the Father of truth and righteousness, then those who are deceitful and unrighteous cannot approach Him, as it is stated, "Neither shall the wicked sit down to Thee, nor shall the unrighteous abide before Thy eyes" (Psalm 5:6). They lament, "Why have we fasted, and Thou hast not noticed? We have humbled our souls, and Thou hast not acknowledged?" They accuse the Lord of injustice, suggesting that He overlooks their good actions, presenting to God merely physical hunger without engaging in virtuous deeds. They fail to recognize the true meaning of the food God intended for the faithful, who should partake of it gratefully, in contrast to the words from Proverbs: "These feed on the food of wickedness, but they are drunk with the wine of transgression" (Proverbs 4:17).

The Pharisee who consumed this kind of food boasted of fasting twice on the Sabbath (Luke 18) but did not partake of the good wine from the vineyard of Sorek, choosing instead the bitter wine of Sodom, which produces rage and the poisonous fruit of vipers (Deuteronomy 32). God admonishes through the prophet, "The sins of My people are consuming them" (Hosea 4:8), and again, "Wherefore wickedness hath prevailed, and unrighteousness thereof hath enlarged, and the fruit of falsehood hath been taken away" (Hosea 10:13). Thus, when they appeal to God seeking to understand why their fasting and humbling of souls went unnoticed, they overlook the ancient account of Cain and his gifts, which, though appropriately presented, were not shared rightly with his brother (Genesis 4). They fail to grasp the essence of God's command: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy sincerity as thyself" (Matthew 22:37, 39). God responds that He does not reject fasting itself, but rather the actions undertaken during the fast, saying, "In the days of your fasts, your desires are fulfilled." They do not fulfill God's wishes but indulge their own selfish desires, which the Apostle Paul denounces when addressing the Ephesians: "According to the prince of the power of the air, the Spirit, who now works in the sons of disobedience; in them also we all lived at one time in the pleasures of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath, even as others" (Eph. 2:2-3).

The subsequent line in the Seventy conveys that they wear out all those under their authority, but a better translation from Theodotion and Symmachus is that they extort from all their debtors. This highlights the danger of oppressing the poor who cannot repay, as well as the risk of withholding a garment pledged as collateral from a distressed debtor—lest their cries reach God. For he who shows mercy to the needy lends to God (Proverbs 19:17), while the one who extorts from the poor inflicts violence upon God. To underscore this message, the text later advises: "Loose the bonds of wickedness, untie the bonds of the oppressors." What value is there in hollow fasting and quarrels, in light of the Scriptures, which say, "He who loves sin rejoices in strife" (Proverbs 17)? The Lord's servant must not engage in arguments but rather be kind (2 Tim. 2), following Him who said, "Learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart" (Matt. 11:29). Therefore, humility should be genuine and seek not the glorification of men but instead the awareness of one's own soul. You fast, strike the humble with your fists, and subject them to insult. Thus, a bishop must not be quarrelsome (1 Tim. 2:3). For how can someone who cannot control their hands or words restrain their passionate desires? The Lord also condemns such fasting at the outset of this prophet, stating: "My soul hates fasting and idleness, new months and Sabbaths and your other feasts" (Isaiah 1:13-14). Such is why Joel proclaims, "Sanctify the fast, preach the goal" (Joel 2:15), that we may fast from sin and sanctify our fasts through good works and healing from sin. Therefore, it continues, "Let the bridegroom depart from his bed, and the bride from her parlour" (Joel 2:16), so that during the fast we focus on prayer, ensuring that our inner selves do not partake of unholy sustenance. However, we do not dismiss fasting, for Daniel, the man of desires, uncovered the future through it (Dan. 9), and the people of Nineveh turned from their wickedness through fasting (John 3). Furthermore, Elijah (1 Kings 19) and Moses (Ex. 34) fasted for forty days, spiritually nourished by God's love, and the Lord Himself (Mt. 4) similarly fasted in the wilderness for forty days to establish the annual fasts for us. The futility of having an empty stomach while engaging in actions that displease God, and to wear down their faces to appear fasting before others, will lead to exclusion from God's kingdom—those bestowing acclaim upon themselves have already received their reward (Matt. 6). The Apostle notes that even if he were to surrender his body to be burned or glorified (as both acts are mentioned), without the love of God—a love that resides in the heart—he would have shed blood in vain.

Do not fast in such a way that your cries may be heard on high. Is this the kind of fasting I have chosen, for a man to wear out his soul all day, to bow his head like a bulrush, and to cover himself in sackcloth and ashes? Is this what we consider fasting and a day pleasing to the Lord? The LXX states: "Why do you fast for Me, as you do now, that your voice may be heard in crying? Not such a fast I have chosen, nor such a day, to humble your soul." And, even if you bend your neck like a circle, and clothed in rags and ashes, it will not be deemed an acceptable fast. To prevent any misinterpretation of the intended fast He commanded, the Lord instructs how genuine fasting should be approached, identifying what must be avoided. "Your voice may be heard on high," He asserts. Do not make a spectacle with loud prayers in synagogues or at street corners to be seen by others (Matt. 6). Do not raise your voice excessively or, like the condemned Pharisee, boast of your appearance and deeds (Luke 18). Thus, the Lord, rejecting the prayers of those Pharisees, teaches His disciples how to pray (Matt. 6): close the door of your heart and speak privately to God, who listens to the silence of your soul; cry out within, "Abba Father" (Rom. 8:15), and do not show a worn face—rather wash yourself and anoint your head with oil. John the Evangelist writes, "And you also have an anointing from the Holy One" (1 John 2:20), acknowledging that when they are anointed, they become holy. For God does not seek solely the anguish of the soul through harm to the body, bending it like a circle, lowering the neck, or walking about despondently, as expressed in the Psalms: "I have suffered and slumbered to the end, I have walked all day long in sorrow" (Psalm 37:7). Let no one wear rags or lie on ashes, as evidenced by David and Ahab (2 Sam. 3; 3 Sam. 21), yet at the same time, let him carry out the necessary actions. The Apostle also mentions that he fasted frequently (2 Cor. 6, 2 Cor. 11), and the Lord teaches that when the Bridegroom is taken from the disciples, they shall indeed fast (Mk. 2). The penitent expresses in the Psalms, "I will eat ashes like bread, and I will dissolve my drink with lamentation" (Ps. 101:10). When they turned cold towards me, I was veiled (Psalm 34:13). From this, we gather that we must first fulfill what pleases the Lord, and then not ignore the other aspects of our devotion.

A true faster is someone who keeps their hands from theft and greed, guarding their heart against envy of others' possessions. In essence, a true faster is one who distances themselves from all wrongdoing. It’s essential to understand that spiritual fasting is just as important as physical fasting; the latter can help subdue our passions, but it is the former that provides true value. Numerous individuals engage in physical fasting while neglecting the spiritual aspect. Many may refrain from food and drink, yet fail to eliminate wicked thoughts, misdeeds, and harmful speech—how beneficial is that? Some may go without eating for days but remain filled with anger and revenge. Others might avoid wine, meat, and fish, yet use their words to hurt those around them, which is of no merit. There are those who might not touch food with their hands yet are quick to take what isn’t theirs through fraud or theft—what benefit does that provide?

Authentic fasting is characterized by a complete rejection of evil. If you wish for your fasting to be fruitful, combine both physical and spiritual fasting, and strive for continual abstinence. Just as you refrain from food, also turn away from sinful thoughts. Let your mind reject vain concepts, your memory avoid vindictive thoughts, and your will refrain from wrongful desires. Allow your eyes to turn away from wicked sights, as it is written: ‘Turn away your eyes, that you may not see vanity’ (Psalm 118:37). Keep your ears from listening to harmful songs and gossip. Guard your tongue against slander, judgment, blasphemy, deceit, flattery, profanity, and all empty, corrupt speech. Prevent your hands from committing harm or stealing. Ensure your feet do not pursue wicked actions. ‘Turn away from evil and do good’ (Psalm 33:15; 1 Peter 3:11).

This is the type of fasting that God desires from us. Sincerely repent, shunning every evil word, deed, and thought, and cultivate all virtues. This way, you will consistently be fasting before God. The Scriptures remind us, ‘If you fast in quarrels and strife, and strike with the fist of wickedness, why do you fast before Me as you do now?’ This is not the fast I have chosen, nor is it a day for one to humble his spirit by appearing to bow like a reed or spreading ashes and rags beneath him. Do not think of such a fast as pleasing to Me,’ declares the Lord. Instead, free those unjustly bound, release debt slaves, aid the impoverished, shelter the homeless; when you see someone naked, clothe them, and do not hide from your own flesh and blood. Then your light will shine forth like the dawn, your healing will come quickly, your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. You will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry, and He will respond, ‘Here am I!’ When you remove the burdens of oppression, stop pointing fingers and speaking malicious words, give your strength to the hungry, and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness, and your night become like noon (Isaiah 58:4–10).