Isaiah 6:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

'Oh, woe is me, for I am undone,' and then addressing his mental state with 'for I am a man of unclean lips.' He describes his mouth as unclean, likely to contrast it with the fiery tongues of the heavenly beings, who offer the most perfect praise. Furthermore, he acknowledges the sinfulness not just of himself but also of his people, adding, 'for I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.' Why does he lament his own mouth? He conveys his inner turmoil. Similarly, the three young men in the furnace expressed something akin to this when they said, 'we don't need to defend ourselves before you' (Daniel 3:16) (and in St. John's, there is no need for us to speak at all (Daniel 3:33). At that moment of singing and adoration, as the prophet beheld the celestial beings engaged in worship, it was fitting for him to focus on the mouth, which is particularly designated for such holy service. Hence, he referred to his own mouth as unclean, while distinguishing it from the people's mouths, which were unclean due to their iniquity. 'For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.' Therefore, he laments and grieves, recognizing that he is unworthy of such an honor that exceeds his dignity and nature. Yet when he speaks of having 'seen,' it should be understood not as complete understanding, but rather as a knowledge that is accessible to him.

Abraham also exemplified this humility; upon encountering God, he remarked, “I am but dust and ashes” (Genesis 18:27). Likewise, Moses, who had been endowed with the wisdom of Egypt (cf. Acts 7:22) and seemingly surpassed all Egyptians in talent and understanding, did not perceive his own lack of eloquence (see Exodus 4:10). When God spoke to him, Moses became acutely aware of his speechlessness and shortcomings. Despite his extensive knowledge, it was only upon hearing God's voice that he recognized his frailty. When God presented Himself to Abraham, he humbly identified himself as dust and ashes.

In a similar way, Isaiah, upon witnessing the One who occupied the high and exalted throne, surrounded by the Seraphim proclaiming God's glory, expressed his contrition. He suddenly realized the impurity of his lips, prompting the Seraphim to cleanse him. It is important to note that his imperfections were not evident in all aspects of his life but were specifically revealed in his speech and words alone.

In the Hebrew text, the lament "Woe is me that I was silent" reflects the prophet’s deep sorrow for feeling unworthy to glorify the Lord of Hosts alongside the seraphim, who represent the heavenly beings. He refrained from voicing praise because of his impure lips, which stemmed from his companionship with a sinful community. In another interpretation, he realized that his silence and failure to rebuke the sinful King Hosea rendered him unworthy to offer praises to the Lord with the angels, out of fear that he would be questioned about his capacity to speak of divine justice. For the proclamation of praise is not fitting for the mouth of a transgressor. We mention this not to assert that Isaiah was inherently wicked, but rather to highlight that in humility, he recognized his unclean lips and deemed himself inadequate to extol the Lord.

Isaiah, in the Hebrew text, mournfully exclaims, "Woe is me! Woe is me for my silence! For I am a man of impure lips, and I dwell among a people of impure lips—my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts." Despite being honored with divinely revealed virtues, he confessed the uncleanness of his lips—not because he spoke against God's will, but due to his silence, drawn out by fear or shame, as he failed to rebuke the sinful people with prophetic courage. When we confront those who sin, do we not flatter the affluent and turn a blind eye to the iniquity of others for personal gain? Do we only speak boldly to those whose wealth does not concern us? Remaining silent about our refusal to engage in such sins is indeed a significant transgression.

Contrary to the belief that Scripture contains only straightforward words with merely literal meanings, there exists a wealth of hidden insights within its verses. Each word carries a letter’s meaning and a deeper, mysterious significance. For instance, in the Gospel, when the Lord girds Himself with a towel, prepares a basin for washing His disciples' feet, and performs the role of a servant, it serves as a lesson in humility, urging us to serve one another. Yet, when Peter objects, and the Lord replies, "If I do not wash your feet, you have no part with me," this signifies that, as He prepares to ascend to heaven, He desires to cleanse the Apostles thoroughly from their sins. He acknowledges that their feet are still soiled by the dust of sin, fulfilling the prophetic declaration that “the feet of them that preach peace are beautiful.” This cleansing empowers them to proclaim, “My feet are clean; how can I defile them?” Moreover, even if they should later encounter dust again, they would cast it off upon the wicked city, a testament to their fervent efforts in extending salvation to all, aligning with both Jews and Gentiles.

Returning to our discourse, just as the apostles needed their feet washed, Isaiah, who only erred in speech, recognized his impure mouth. He likely identified it as unclean due to his failure to admonish King Uzziah, who arrogantly entered the temple. Isaiah dwelled amidst people with impure lips, declaring, "I dwell among a people of unclean lips." Isaiah, aware of his unworthiness, becomes cleansed, whereas the people around him, who do not repent and remain oblivious to their own impurity, do not merit the cleansing. This illustrates that we must strive not only to be righteous ourselves but also to avoid living among those who sin, as the prophet identifies such associations as sinful and repentant.

Moreover, Isaiah's declaration of having seen the Lord of Hosts has led to his martyrdom at the hands of the elders, who argue that while Moses witnessed the back of God, no mortal can see His face and live. When we consider that the Law points out God’s appearances to the prophets in dreams and visions while asserting that He spoke face to face with Moses, a contradiction arises when we ponder that God claims, "No man shall see my face, and live." If Moses conversed with God as such, then Isaiah’s assertion of having also seen God carries equal weight. If Moses did not truly see Him, then he too shares in Isaiah's alleged deceit for claiming to see what cannot be seen. Therefore, any rationale they offered regarding Moses should likewise apply to Isaiah’s vision.

In comparison to the unmatched holiness of God and His unblemished essence, the purity of a human heart and simplicity hold significant strength. Even those who serve Him, though engaged in worldly matters, strive to avoid speaking base things and keep their thoughts from becoming sullied. Indeed, we are quickly drawn downwards when among secular individuals, becoming ensnared in their conversations. Isaiah’s exclamation reflects this truth as he saw the Lord, lamenting his own silence and recognizing his unclean speech, attributing it to the company he kept, stating, “I dwell among a people with unclean lips.” His grief pointed to this unfortunate truth, revealing that he had absorbed the impurity from those around him.

It is a considerable challenge to remain untainted when exposed to the language of the world, for brief interactions may lead us to adopt speech unbecoming of us, often to our delight. Before we realize it, we can slide from trivial chatter to harmful discourse, diminishing the sincerity of our prayers to God, who becomes increasingly distant as our words become tainted by folly. Thus, it is not surprising that when we call upon the Lord, He may seem reluctant to hear us, especially when we fail to listen when He guides us.

How would you perceive yourself in that place?" He responded, "There, I would regard myself as one of the commoners." I went on, "If you were to proceed to Constantinople and come before the king, how would you view yourself then?" He answered, "Almost like a beggar."

I then explained, "Such is the experience of the saints; the closer they approach God, the more they recognize their own sinfulness. For instance, when Abraham encountered the Lord, he declared himself as mere dust and ashes (Gen. 18:27). Isaiah proclaimed, ‘I am a man of unclean lips’ (Isa. 6:5). Likewise, when Daniel found himself in the den of lions, he responded to Habakkuk, who brought him sustenance, by saying, ‘Take the meal that God has sent you,’ and thus God remembered me (Dan. 14:36, 38). What profound humility he exhibited! Enclosed within a den with lions, untouched by them no less than twice, and yet even after such deliverance, he marveled, saying, ‘And so God remembered me!’

He encompasses all things by the might of His word, sustaining the sphere of the earth and its inhabitants like grasshoppers, while simultaneously transcending the limitations of His essence to be present in all things. The brilliance of His majesty pervades His creation, where fiery seraphim honor Him; countless seraphim with many wings extol His grandeur; lines of spiritual hosts are in motion, attending to His divine commands; angelic legions soar in all directions, and various spiritual beings serve His essence with reverence, trembling, and fervor, glorifying His awesome and glorious sovereignty, covering their faces with their wings from the splendor of His overwhelming glory. They all proclaim the thrice-holy hymn to His supreme glory, saying: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory!

Let us tremble before this profound and ineffable vision and the voice that continually exalts the hidden divine reality. May we be filled with awe and humility as we bow down before His presence. Let us recognize our fragile humanity and acknowledge our lowly state. With contrite hearts, let us voice our lament: 'Woe to our shame!' Let us reveal the corruption of our sins by passing harsh judgment on ourselves. As it is written, 'A righteous man condemns himself at the beginning of his words.' So should we do at the outset of our prayers. We must confess before God our unworthiness to stand before Him, recognizing our insignificance, and admit that, with hearts blinded by the allure of the earthly realm and shrouded in darkness, we find it impossible to contemplate His magnificent Image, which surpasses the appearance of the fiery angels. How can we utter words of holiness with impure lips?