Isaiah 61:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Those who don this garment, aside from obtaining salvation, also receive happiness and dwell in perpetual joy. Therefore, the Savior Himself proclaimed, “The thief cometh not, save that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: but I am come, that they may have life, and have more than that” (John 10:10); indeed, He not only offers salvation but also imparts immeasurable joy—this being the additional blessing that defines the life of the saints. Christ, then, serves as the celestial and surpassing adornment and garment of incorruption; whoever embraces it will be crowned with all spiritual beauty and the honors of virtue. Such a person will be as a bridegroom crowned with glory, and as a bride adorned with every precious decoration; for those united with Christ exhibit strength and great courage in spiritual endeavors, possessing an abundance of virtuous ornaments in various forms. They resemble brides in their flourishing and diverse beauty of remarkable virtues. Accordingly, one of the holy prophets, addressing those who lead a righteous life, proclaimed, “For thy fear's sake, O Lord, in the womb we shall conceive, and be sick, and give birth to the spirit of salvation, and it shall be created on the earth” (Isaiah 26:18). Thus, the saints are portrayed as the bridegroom and the bride due to their courage and also their fertility. It is important to recognize that they inherently radiate a beauty that is maintained in both remarkable acts of goodness and their valiant battles against passions. This joy, akin to a blossoming plant, adorns the universe, following the illumination of truth by Christ upon the nations, as expressed in the words, “As the earth groweth her blossom, and as the helicopter her seed: so shall the Lord grow truth and gladness before all tongues.” It appears that the seed and flower rising before the nations signify our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, as He states in the Song of Songs, “I am a flower of pollen, and a hoary crone” (Song of Songs 2:1); or it may refer to the evangelical and redemptive proclamation, which surpasses the truth of the law and is consistently accompanied by joy, or gladness. Those who fully attain this justification will be blessed by God to dwell in everlasting joy; for they will hear from Christ, our collective Savior, the words, “O good and faithful servant, of little thou hast been faithful, over many I will set thee: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Matthew 25:21). Joy can also be understood in another way concerning the salvation message: whereas the law served as a punisher and instilled great fear in souls—for whoever rejects the law of Moses, without mercy in the presence of two or three witnesses, dies (Hebrews 10:28)—the revelation of the Gospel, in contrast, grants us life along with the promise of rewards and true hope for incomprehensible blessings.

The initial opening associated with the Seventy, who state, they shall find joy in the Lord, ties back to the conclusion of the previous segment. In the Hebrew text, it introduces a new section in which the Church is portrayed, resonating with the words of Christ: I will exult in the Lord and my spirit shall rejoice in my God—not in the patriarchs, as the Jews took pride in claiming, saying, we are the offspring of Abraham and serve no one (John 8:33), but in God, in line with the Scripture: But the multitude of believers were of one heart and one soul (Acts 4:32). The reasons for joy are then presented: For He has clothed me with the robe of salvation and with a garment of righteousness and gladness, which in Hebrew is known as tait, He has decorated and wrapped me. We who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3), and we receive from Him a robe of righteousness, as He has become for us holiness, righteousness, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1). He also draws a comparison between the two groups within the Church: the mature and the novice. The mature are likened to the beauty of a bridegroom, while the novices are akin to the embellishments of a bride. The perfect example was Paul, who, like a bridegroom crowned, deserved to be honored; or as Aquila translates it, one who wears the priestly crown, spoke on the authority of Christ, who was manifest within him, through good deeds, persevering in his journey and maintaining the faith. Besides this, the crown of righteousness is observed (2 Timothy 4:7), and it is noted elsewhere that if we are mature, let us keep these things in mind (Philippians 3:15). He was a novice in comparison to the fulfillment when, for the sake of beginners, he noted: when I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I understood as a child (1 Corinthians 13:11), and also: we see in part and understand in part, until the perfect comes (1 Corinthians 13:8-10). Therefore, the portrayal likens this to a bride adorned in her elegant attire, or as some have translated, with her ornaments or necklaces. He provides examples corresponding to the bridegroom and the bride, illustrating that just as the earth flourishes under the nourishing rains, and just as a garden, requiring springs and rivers, yields its seed; so, he asserts, the Lord will manifest truth and joy among all nations—not merely before Israel, to confront the pride of the Jews, but before all the nations united in the Church.

Ultimately, it is recorded that these same individuals, or more accurately, the scattered ones in later generations, shared the message not only with the Jews but also with the Greeks, resulting in the establishment of the glorious Church of Antioch.

As articulated by the Apostle, it embodies truth, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). The Lord will manifest truth and joy before all nations, for Jesus instructed His Apostles to share the good news of the kingdom with every people.