Isaiah 63:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“I will remember the mercies of the Lord, and the glory of the Lord for all that the Lord has given us, and His great goodness to the house of Israel.” Is the judge solely benevolent? He embodies not only goodness but also a multitude of other gifts. The prophet highlights God’s mercy above all else, noting that He often delivers judgments rooted in this same mercy; we are rewarded according to His grace, and both good and evil stem from His love, not malice.

Just as mercy exists in the heavens, it is also present in the abyss: wherever one seeks understanding, the mercy of the Lord can be found. Consider, is it not a manifestation of His mercy that He created Adam, granted him paradise, and bestowed dignity upon him through His words? Yet, even in the act of casting him out of paradise, God's mercy was revealed. Though these aspects may seem contradictory, they stand independent in their outcomes. The deliverance of the Jews from their captivity, as well as their initial deportation, were both acts of His mercy. We embody both good and evil, and because we are subject to change, we often fail to act rightly. However, God remains perpetually benevolent, for mercy is intrinsic to His essence; in both punishment and reward, His good will is ever evident. If opposing actions occur, they arise not from His favor but from the unworthiness of those who oppose it.

Just as the sun brings joy with its light and simultaneously affects the ailing, and as fire can harden some materials while softening others—gold melts and clay strengthens—all are influenced by its warmth. In a similar way, the Lord, through His singular mercy, has created both heaven and hell. What am I suggesting? It is far simpler for fire to lose its warmth than for God to relinquish His goodness. We can ponder God’s care over creation, yet we cannot fathom His divine nature—this cannot be captured in words or even in thought. Thus, it is rightly proclaimed, “I am the same” (Isaiah 41:4; Isaiah 43:10), where He speaks not of His essence but of His mercy and provision. To what can we equate this love? Just as the bridegroom finds joy in the bride, so shall your God find joy in you (Isaiah 62:5). Can we liken it to the love between a parent and child? Such a comparison is inadequate: “You are flesh of My flesh and bone of My bones.”

Thus, the Lord will act as a benevolent judge for the house of Israel, embodying kindness rather than severity. A harsh judge inflicts punishments that are strictly in line with the offenses committed, while a good judge extends compassion to the frail. Therefore, as the righteous Judge, He approaches us with mercy, tempering His wrath and transforming indignation into compassion; for His abundance of righteousness signifies His utmost fairness. While, in His justice, He cannot permit Israel to remain unpunished entirely, He will temper His anger with mercy, as the remnant is preserved.

Following the depiction of either the first or, as many believe, the second coming of the Savior—during which His blood-demanding and victorious proclamation is portrayed, indicating His judgment or battle against His foes and His people—a new section begins. In this part, the prophet speaks on behalf of the people, recounting God's blessings to them and their persistent hardness of heart. As a result, Jerusalem faces destruction by fire, and Israel is led into captivity. The Jewish people associate this with the Babylonian era. However, we have demonstrated, through the flow and connection of thought, that it pertains to the present situation, where they are subjugated to the Romans, during which a multitude of Gentiles has taken the place of Israel. Therefore, we must traverse each segment of this discourse and elucidate it concisely to avoid a fragmented narrative. Burdened by numerous afflictions, I hold onto no hope except the mercy of God, who shows compassion to thousands who love Him and extends His grace to those who sincerely follow Him. This illustrates that the Lord's mercy aids those who love and serve Him. It does not rely on the will or toil of human beings, but rather on God, who is merciful (Rom. 9). If the Lord does not build the house and protect the city, then the efforts of those who build and guard it are in vain (Ps. 126). He will grant us strength so that we can proclaim, ‘You are my strength, my help, and my refuge in times of trouble’ (Jer. 16:19). In this context, we interpret ‘evils’ as calamities rather than moral failings. Moreover, in the subsequent passage in the Septuagint, ‘The virtues of the Lord I will remember in all that He has rewarded me,’ the Hebrew expresses this as ‘the glory of the Lord.’ We must understand this as referring to signs and wonders, which are frequently equated with virtues, as stated: I will not give my glory to another, nor my virtues to graven images (Isaiah 42:8). In another context, His virtues will be proclaimed among the isles (Isaiah 42:11)—whether addressing the nations or the Churches that are firmly founded and more likely to encounter assaults than to be destroyed. Sometimes, ‘virtue’ is understood not in relation to power and miracles, but rather to good conduct, as seen in the apostle Peter’s words, ‘Show virtue in your knowledge’ (2 Pet. 1:5), and Paul’s, ‘If there is any virtue or praise’ (Phil. 4:8). It is also said elsewhere that ‘better is barrenness with virtue.’ The first interpretation pertains to God, while the second relates to humanity. However, our translation of the phrase regarding what the Lord has recompensed us with can apply to both good and ill. Simmachus clarifies this as referring to the recompensing of good, stating: for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us and the multitude of goodness He has shown to the house of Israel. The Septuagint, on the other hand, interprets it as: The Lord, the judge of goodness to the house of Israel, has recompensed us according to His mercy and the multitude of His righteousness. Yet, only one who can endure rightly can assert this. Therefore, in Psalm 72, which begins with: The God of Israel is good to the upright in heart, the prophet expresses in the voice of those troubled by divine judgment: My feet have almost slipped, the wicked observe (Ps. 72:1-3), and the psalm continues. Accordingly, the apostle Paul, who recognized the Lord as a righteous and good judge, confidently states, ‘The crown of righteousness is laid up for me, which the righteous Judge will give me. Not only to me, but to all who long for His appearing’ (2 Tim. 4:8). There is no distinction between the good and the righteous recognized by the heretics, as he also writes: For scarcely for a righteous man will anyone die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die (Rom. 5:7).

This aligns with the sentiments expressed by the Psalmist: ‘He has not according to our iniquities done unto us, but according to our sins He repays us’ (Psalm 102:10), meaning that based on the standard of pure justice, we deserve stringent punishment; however, the Lord does not give us what we rightfully deserve. He embodies not only justice but also mercy. Exalting this mercy alongside God's righteousness, the prophet states, ‘The Lord of judgment is good to the house of Israel; He judges the people of Israel justly, but He dissolves justice with goodness. All that He does to us, whatever He allows or sends our way, is in accordance with His mercy and the abundance of His righteousness. His strict dealings with us serve a righteous intention, to instruct and to correct us.