Isaiah 64:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For centuries, we have neither listened nor observed any deity like You. Have we truly witnessed? No, He asserts; although we have strayed and worshipped other gods, we have never encountered a God who compares to You. Your deeds, O Lord, are remarkable for those who patiently await Your compassion. Grace serves as a genuine support, particularly for those who endure; while it may not happen right away, it will certainly come to pass in due time.

We have not heard from eternity, nor have our eyes beheld God, but only You and the work that You will accomplish for those who eagerly seek Your mercy. For mercy will shine on those who practice righteousness, and Your paths shall be remembered. The divine nature is inherently unseen, as it is written, "No one has ever seen God" (John 1:18). Yet, He can be perceived through the mind's eye in His wondrous and indescribable creations. His invisible characteristics, which have been contemplated by creatures since the dawn of time, become manifest, along with His everlasting power and divinity (Rom. 1:20).

From ancient times, they have not listened, nor have their ears been attentive, nor have they seen, O God, aside from You, what You have prepared for those who trust in You. You have encountered those who find joy and practice righteousness in Your ways, and they will keep You in their remembrance. LXX: From eternal ages we have not heard, nor have our eyes seen any God but You, and Your deeds that You perform for those who await Your mercy: for He meets those who do what is right, and they shall remember Your paths. The Apostle Paul, a Jew among Jews, paraphrases this testimony from the sacred texts in his letter to the Corinthians, not translating verbatim as is his usual method, but conveying the genuine meaning (1 Cor. 15) to emphasize the point he wishes to make.

The repulsiveness of sin reveals the fairness of grace: God's grace exists alongside judgment, just as judgment is intertwined with grace. Consequently, to those who endure trials and “practice righteousness,” He extends assistance through His grace. For it is not their wrongdoing that He equates with filthy garments, but their righteousness. If righteousness can be likened to such things, then sin lacks any fitting analogy.

The radiance of the Son Perhaps the apostle, when he uttered those prophetic words, was not truly inspired by the Spirit of revelation but was simply interpreting the thoughts of others randomly. This is far from the truth: everything the apostle proclaims is conveyed to him through the revelation of Christ. His understanding of Isaiah's words comes exclusively from the 'prophecies of Isaiah.' Isaiah himself claims he had never beheld God. However, he did witness the splendor of God when he predicted the mystery of receiving the body from the Virgin. And if you, O heretic, fail to recognize that it was the only begotten God he beheld in His glory, heed the words of John the evangelist: This is what Isaiah spoke when he saw His glory and declared Him (Jn 12:41).

The splendor of the light of truth cannot be perceived by one with an impure heart, and that which brings joy to those with a clean conscience will serve as a torment to those burdened by guilt. Let us turn away from the darkness of worldly pursuits and purify our vision from all the defilements of sin, so we may behold the glory of God with unclouded sight. To attain this, we must recognize our true aim: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9).

Understanding God through Christ encompasses the immense power that You possess. Throughout the ages, we have not come across any other deity, as noted in Isaiah 64:4, nor can we falsely declare that we have witnessed another who has created such magnificent works. You alone are the true God. Regarding the gifts bestowed upon those who aspire to behold You, we have concluded that these are the works of another. You have thus made Yourself knowable, enabling the prophet to guide them toward understanding God. He speaks for the people, affirming that no one has ever seen God (John 1:18) and that no one can gaze upon My face and survive (Exodus 33:20).

The Jews in captivity, anticipating the display of the Lord's grace, acknowledge that He alone has the ability to perform the mighty acts of power and justice that have been previously proclaimed. There has never been a moment when anything similar has been witnessed or heard from the idols of the nations, apart from the one true God.