Isaiah 60:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When all these events come to pass, He states, I am the Lord who redeems you, for as the prophet Isaiah conveys, If the Lord of hosts had not left us a remnant, we would have been as Sodom, and like Gomorrah we would have become (Isaiah 1:9). Thus, through grace and compassion, a remnant of Israel was preserved, ensuring that the lineage from their holy ancestors did not face total destruction.

Previously forsaken and reviled, with branches broken upon you, your state was one of utter helplessness, as reflected in the Psalms, "And ye shall not resolve to pass by; the blessing of the Lord is upon you" (Ps. 128:8). Therefore, I will elevate you to be the glory of the nations and the delight of two generations, for in place of the original branches, new ones have been grafted from the wild olive of the Gentiles, which, against the nature of such grafts, bear fruit that possesses sweetness rather than bitterness from the root. You shall also draw milk from the nations and receive abundance from kings.

The implication of this passage has been thoroughly explained earlier: your sons will come from distant lands, and your daughters will receive nourishment. Or, as noted by the Seventy, you will partake in the riches of kings. According to the original Hebrew, these riches refer to the offspring of kings and teachers, by whom those newly born in Christ are educated and nurtured. When you provide for them and progress to solid food, thereby partaking in the treasures akin to those of kings, you will recognize that I am your Savior, who has redeemed you with my blood, the mighty God of Jacob.

This signifies the everlasting hope within the church of God: eternal life, splendor, and the kingdom of heaven, where there is no place for disgrace. Thou shalt be fed with the milk of the nations (Is 60:16). This alludes to the continual revelation and the profound teachings offered to those who are reborn through faith in Christ.

This reading regarding the glory of Jerusalem is proclaimed on Great Saturday, the day before Easter, because significant events took place in Jerusalem on that day and Easter Sunday, which served to honor the Church of Christ overall and Jerusalem in particular, rendering it sacred to all Christians who continue to gather in large numbers at the tomb venerated through the burial and resurrection of Christ. The same reading is also recited on the feast day commemorating the Equal Apostles Constantine and Helen (21 May), who enhanced the glory of Jerusalem and Christ's Church through the establishment of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and their numerous contributions to spreading and affirming Christ's faith. On the day commemorating St. Prince Alexander Nevsky (30 August), this reading is applied to him concerning the verses of the reading that highlight the contributions of kings to the Church. Verses 11-16 of this reading comprise a special section to be recited on the feasts of the Cross of Christ: the Placement of the Lord's Robe (11 July), the Origin of the Wood of the Honorable Cross (1 August), and the Exaltation of the Cross (14 September). The connection of this reading to the feasts of the Cross lies in how the Church extols the Cross of Christ within the words of these verses. The Cross, according to the Church's hymns, is formed from precious trees—cypress, purg, and cedar—and serves as the footstool beneath Christ's feet. While the prophet's references to the cypress, purg, and cedar (Isaiah 60:13) refer to the temple, Church teachings interpret them in a spiritual and moral sense concerning the Cross. The cypress, purg, and cedar symbolize the power of Christ's Cross: it embodies the capacity of the Crucified to dispel demons and wicked thoughts, akin to how cedar incense drives away serpents. Through the Cross of Christ, we find strength to endure tribulations, just as a cypress tree maintains its beauty and resilience against fierce winds. The Cross also brings healing from spiritual afflictions caused by a troubled conscience, much like singing alleviates physical ailments and discomfort.