Isaiah 59:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The prophet specifically identifies their wrongdoings: 'your hands are defiled with blood.' The prophets have consistently condemned them for the bloodshed they commit. It seems he implores them to repent of their earlier wrongs and aims to avert future sins, particularly as they were on the brink of committing a murder that would be more grievous and unlawful than all others. The intention of the prophets was always to instill humility in them. Thus, the prophet previously stated, 'Your hands are defiled with blood.' God had previously given such a command, recognizing their inclination towards murder, which led to their greater ruin compared to other transgressions: “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13). To ensure they do not mistakenly believe that any act of murder is entirely involuntary, God emphasized, ‘Thou shalt not slay the innocent and upright’ (Ex. 23:7). Therefore, He prohibits the use of iron, instructing, ‘Let iron never touch the building of the temple’ (cf. Deuteronomy 27:5; 1 Kings 6:7). Although later the priests would sacrifice sheep and oxen, they still presented blood offerings to God. If it was deemed necessary to refrain from the blood of animals dedicated to God, it is even more crucial to abstain from human blood, especially considering the greater value and connection one has with a person compared to lifeless creatures.

As we seek to clarify the significance of this prophecy, we illustrate that they opposed the teachings of the wise Moses and disregarded a righteous life, adhering instead to their sinful practices without change. Thus, when calamity arose, they resorted to fasting, mistakenly believing that the act alone could appease the Divine Judge. But when their expectations were dashed, they complained, 'Why do we fast and are not seen? We have humbled ourselves and have You not perceived?' Observe how the prophet, filled with zeal for God, confronts them, stating, 'Is the hand of the Lord too short to save? Or is His ear dull, that it cannot hear? No, the might of the Lord is not diminished, nor is His hearing impaired; rather, it is your iniquities that separate you from Him. Whoever removes this barrier of sin, which stands between himself and the knowledge of God, will find the Savior near and will be heard in their pleas, for it is His nature to be both powerful and to respond to the cries of the oppressed because of His goodness. The prophet further elucidates the sins that create this divide between God and Israel's descendants, saying, 'Your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with iniquity; your lips speak deceit, and your tongue utters falsehoods; for they have slain the holy prophets sent by God and have also accused Him as well.' As Jeremiah lamented, 'My strength is weakened by those who slay me' (Jeremiah 15:10). Furthermore, he now appears to accuse them of their offenses against Christ, declaring, 'Their hands are stained with blood,' for they became murderers of the Lord, speaking injustice and teaching wrongdoing. They were consistently hostile toward Christ, reviling and belittling Him, deriding the divine signs, fabricating falsehoods against His majesty, and proclaiming, 'Seize Him, seize Him, crucify Him!' Thus, when Christ had been wrongfully judged and condemned, the prophet boldly exclaims, 'No one speaks justly, nor is the judgment genuine; they rely on vanity and speak falsehoods.' What is the essence of this empty hope? They believed that by eliminating the Heir from their midst, they could claim His inheritance. As they exchanged these worthless words amongst themselves, they, poor souls, acted wickedly against Him. Therefore, this prophetic declaration either convicts the descendants of Israel of their treachery against Christ or condemns them for their overall lack of goodness; their hands are sullied with blood, their words are consumed with wrongdoing, and their judges are corrupt, devoted to shameful gain. As noted elsewhere: 'How has the faithful city of Zion become filled with injustice? Righteousness once dwelt in it, but now there are murderers. Your silver has become dross; your wine is mixed with water. Your leaders are unrepentant; your companions are thieves, loving bribes, seeking rewards, failing to judge the orphan, and ignoring the pleas of the widow' (Isaiah 1:21-23).

The apostle states, "In the name of Christ, we beseech you to be reconciled to God." How can we reconcile, if we do not eliminate that which separates us from Him? For as the prophet proclaimed, His ears are not too dulled to hear; rather, it is your sins that have created a chasm between you and your God (Isaiah 59:1-2). Therefore, we cannot be reconciled unless the barrier between us is taken away and the connection that should exist is restored. Sin acts as this barrier, yet there is a Mediator who bridges the gap. The sin that divides us is countered by the Mediator who reconciles us, Jesus Christ our Lord. There is one God and one Mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5). Thus, to remove the wall of sin that separates us, this Mediator came forth, and the sacrifice was made by the High Priest Himself.

Thus, it is clear that the ears of the Lord, which attend to the cries of the righteous yet remain closed to the wicked, are not like our ears that perceive both uprightness and unrighteousness alike. Your sins, as it were, act as a barrier that separates you from God. The Savior, through His suffering, united both sides, dismantling the middle wall of hostility in His flesh, so that through Christ’s blood, those estranged by their sins might be reconciling. He swung open the gates of paradise, which had remained shut for ages, and extinguished the fiery sword with His blood, allowing the thief to hear the promise, ‘Today you will be with Me in paradise.’ The statement that He turned His face away, so as not to hear or to be merciful, signifies that He could not endure the foulness of sin, thus He averted His gaze to protect His holiness and avoid immediate punishment. Therefore, the sinner, yearning for the Lord’s gaze, cries out in the Psalm, ‘How long, O Lord, will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?’ And in another passage, ‘Restore us, O God; make Your face shine, that we may be saved.’