Isaiah 59:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Human law frequently regards the wrongdoing of one as a public matter, and it permits no respite for someone who has committed adultery, even if he intends to make amends for his actions; a known judge is not granted leniency in meting out punishment, as the disgrace is viewed as a personal affront, thereby protecting the honor of the wronged.

As the prophet recalls what the Israelites would express during their calling, yearning for salvation from God and the Father through Christ, he shifts to speak for himself, denouncing the Israelites for having grown wicked, disloyal to God, and adversaries of the truth. He asserts this truth by stating that 'the truth is weary in their ways,' implying that it appears entirely lost and decayed as they act devoid of truth, representing the divine law. Thus, they cannot traverse the righteous path; having abandoned the knowledge to live by the divine law and to think in accordance with the truth—which is consistently equated with God’s law—how can they find a way that is direct and unblemished? By declaring, 'The truth was taken up, and they put away their minds to understand,' he illustrates the complete departure of truth from them, resulting in their inability to grasp the path to salvation.

The Lord saw these circumstances and was displeased, acknowledging the absence of justice and law. It is noted that He observed but did not strike the man or the deliverer, for as God, He is merciful, willing to forgive an entire city for the sake of a single righteous individual found there. Therefore, through Jeremiah, He proclaimed, ‘Search the paths of Jerusalem, and see, and know, and seek in its hills; if ye find a man that worketh faith, and loveth mercy, I will be merciful unto him, saith the Lord.’ He was also prepared to spare the inhabitants of Sodom from their fiery fate, had there been five righteous men among them, one in each city. Therefore, He states, consider this: there is no man, no deliverer; for a righteous individual who has appeased divine wrath can indeed intercede for those he represents. Since no such person existed among them, He will avenge them with His strength, establishing them with grace, not entirely destroying Israel, but out of mercy preserving a remnant and keeping His promise to their patriarchs unbroken.

Then, the prophet depicts, ‘He clothed himself with a shield, and put on a helmet and a vengeful garment, as one who gives recompense to the adversary,’ indicating that the Lord assumed the role of a commander against them, fully armed and adept in battle. These phrases reveal the purpose of His wrath directed towards them; the Almighty rose up against them, rightly described as fearful, and who can stand against Him? Thus, comes His wrath. Observing the punishments inflicted upon the Jews, they will tremble, both from the west and east of the sun, at His glorious name; for His wrath will descend upon the disobedient like an overwhelming torrent, devastating everything in its path, with waves of irresistible force.

He clothed Himself in truth as armor and set the helmet of salvation upon His brow. Adorning Himself in the garments of vengeance, He approached as one prepared to settle accounts against His opponents. Until now, prophetic voices had consistently spoken for the people; however, the prophet now speaks for himself. In their declarations, the Lord recognized that they professed repentance verbally but failed to embody it sincerely, which did not bring Him delight. He sought from them the authentic truth of judgment that had been extended to the nations and found none. His search for a righteous individual to stand in the gap during His time of indignation yielded no results, echoing His earlier lament that when He came to them there was no response (Isaiah 50:2). Those in transgression did not produce a single righteous soul; all had turned aside, with none performing good, not even one (Psalm 13:3). Thus, He fortified them with His strength and mercy so that those who would turn could attain salvation, not by their own worthiness but by the benevolence of God. Ultimately, He adorned Himself with the armor of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, and the garments of vengeance, enveloping Himself in zeal as He prepared for battle against His foes—likely referring to the Jews who remained steadfast in their blasphemies and His opposers during the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans. Their triumph was evidence that the Lord waged this battle. Paul also corroborated this testimony when he instructed the Ephesians to don the armor of God so that they might withstand the fiery darts of the adversary (Ephesians 6). Terms not present in the Seventy interpreters that reference the islands likely indicate the Jewish cities ravaged by the Roman army. The Lord, through the prophet, had previously addressed the residents of the island, which signifies Jerusalem.