Isaiah 59:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

However, what He emphasizes first is their eager inclination towards murder; they retreat swiftly into plans for bloodshed. He continues by stating that brokenness and affliction mark their paths, and they have no knowledge of peace; their wicked actions, conducted with brazen shamelessness, resulted in both their own suffering and that of others. They frequently intruded upon others' matters, steeped in disputes and quarrels, motivated by a love for bribery and gifts. Thus, he rightly asserts that there is no justice in their ways. Here, justice is identified as a life aligned with the law and free from blame. Reflecting this, Divine David remarked about the commandment delivered through Moses, ‘Thou hast done judgment and righteousness in Jacob’ (Psalm 98:4). Therefore, integrity and justice are absent from their conduct; they have become corrupt, turning away from the world or inciting disdain towards it. In this context, the world signifies our Lord Jesus Christ, whom they refused to acknowledge, digging themselves a pit of destruction. For this reason, it is stated that judgment has departed from them, meaning that the capacity to perform actions that earn the crown of righteousness has entirely left them. The Jews are completely bereft of this spiritual wisdom, and the ability to do what is pleasing to God has, in effect, vanished from their consciousness.

Those anticipating the arrival of the Antichrist, unable to proclaim, ‘Fear for Your sake, O Lord, who in the womb, through affliction and birth, created the spirit of Your salvation upon earth (Is. 26:18), rightly come to bear tribulation and give birth to unrighteousness, so that in iniquity they may welcome the one they seek with such strain, of whom it is stated: bear sickness and produce iniquity (Ps. 7:15). They crush the eggs of aspids, allowing their poison to seep into their minds, as it is affirmed in the Gospel, “the serpent, offspring of the echidna” (Matt. 23:33). They diligently set the eggs of aspids and serpents, of which it is said they are the first to produce eggs. Since they harbor not only malice within their hearts but also are educated in the law of the Lord day and night, uttering tales akin to those of old women, it is told that they weave cloths from spiders, meant to ensnare flies, mosquitoes, and other small creatures; yet when something substantial approaches their fabric, it flies away as though through emptiness. He states that any who consumes their eggs shall face death, implying that relying on their counsel, much like Abel did with Cain, who urged, ‘Let us go to the field’ (Gen. 4:8), leads to immediate demise, or as the Seventy render it, anyone desiring to consume their eggs, upon breaking them, will find decay and within it a serpent. For anyone who, misled by appearances, believes these to be innocent chicken eggs and other fowl, unsuspecting, will soon discover a foul odor upon breaking them, and upon hatching, will find a small snake (regulum), or according to Symmachus and Theodotion, an aspid (aspidem). However, Aquila rendered it as echidna, whereas the Hebrew text states ephee. Therefore, whoever, captivated by Jewish fables, seeks to prepare for sustenance in the thousand-year reign, will find themselves ensnared by enticing promises; but if, before partaking—relying on deadly words—they scrutinize what is being said and examine every word, they will realize that these inspires prepare the way for the Antichrist. Thus, aligning with the Hebrew text, whoever consumes their eggs shall die. In the interpretation of the Seventy, whoever desires to break them first and observe carefully will uncover a foul stench hidden within, along with the ruler of all serpents, the devil. And as mentioned previously, they weave webs of spiders, implying that these fabrications are ultimately futile. Their toil, he declares, and all their teachings fail to provide the garment of Christ and the covering for the soul’s nakedness but are in vain, as the same prophet proclaims: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, yet their hearts are distant from Me. Their reverence is futile, teaching human commandments and doctrines (Is. 29:13): those who pursue such things forsake the law of God. To illustrate that the cloth signifies actions, he adds, and they shall not find refuge in their deeds. Some interpret this verse as indicating they abandoned the prophetic words that troubled them and instead crafted the flattering words of false prophets, from which whoever partakes will be struck by the serpent, realizing that the lies they consumed brought them no benefits.