The sequence is often mistaken; it is not our sins that have caused Your anger, but rather Your righteous displeasure that has led us astray. Due to our sins and Your just wrath, we have strayed from the righteous path. As indicated in the Hebrew text, it is only through Your boundless mercy that those entrenched in sin can be saved, for in our own merit, we are impure. Any semblance of righteousness we may possess is likened to the garment of a woman undergoing a purification process.
Theodotion translates the term ‘eddim’—which means 'those who give birth'—while Simmachus rendered it as “those who bring forth,” and Aquila as “testimonies,” akin to how the blood from a bride signifies her virginity. We are likened to leaves plucked from trees, scattered by the wind's force due to our iniquities.
It is crucial to note that the truth present in the Law is referred to as uncleanness when juxtaposed with the purity found in the Gospel. What was once radiant now pales in comparison to the surpassing brilliance of the new covenant. Paul the Apostle, who adhered to the righteousness of the Law, asserted that he regarded all things as loss for the sake of gaining Christ. He deemed all else as refuse, aspiring to be found in Him, not clothed in his own righteousness from the Law but in the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ—a righteousness that is from God (Philippians 3).
A righteous individual may perish despite their righteousness (Ecclesiastes 7) if, after the revelation of the Gospel, they choose to cling to the mere shadows of the Law and pursue that which they believe to be righteous in a way that is unjust. Solomon wisely notes that everyone may appear righteous when they act according to the Law; yet, the Lord, in the Gospel, declares, “You are justified before men” (Luke 16:13).
Paul cautions against this, asserting that his justification lies not in himself but in the proclamation of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:4). From sin arises the righteousness of God, as Solomon wisely states, “Understand the truth of the truth” (Proverbs 1). Thus, another form of truth exists that lacks true substance, while the genuine truth of the Gospel declares: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6). Many prophets and righteous individuals have longed to witness this truth yet have not done so. Abraham perceived this truth and rejoiced (John 8:56), following not the letter that kills, but the spirit that gives life.
It is not surprising that this principle applies to humanity, as even the stars appear impure in the light of God’s righteousness, revealing faults in angels (Job 4). Therefore, if anyone, after receiving the Gospel of Christ and the advent of the Son of God, persists in the rites of the outdated Law, let them acknowledge the people’s confession: that all such righteousness is like a garment stained beyond measure. Esther drew a parallel with her royal crown, which was not her choice but a necessity: “You weigh my needs; I am repulsed by the mark of pride upon my head during my vision. That mark is as a defiled garment, and I shall not wear it as I remain silent” (Esther 4).
THEOSIS