Isaiah 65:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Before we embraced faith in Him, we were foolish, singing songs to false deities. However, upon recognizing the true God, we now sing to Him and offer the fruit of our lips (Hebrews 13:15) in remembrance of our praises for His greatness. Should there ever arise a need for an oath to confirm anything, we shall do so only by invoking the one true God. Idol worshippers would swear by heaven or other created things, but those who have come to faith and quickly turn from their wrongdoings will swear only by the Ruler of all, affirming that He is indeed Sovereign and utterly unique. This aligns with the command of the Mosaic law, which states, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve, and by his name shalt thou swear" (Deuteronomy 6:13).

Then it is said that they shall forget their former trials, which refers to the misery they suffered when they were ignorant of the true God—engaging instead in dreadful practices that included sacrificing not only livestock but even their own children, as recorded (e.g., Isaiah 48:19). They faced calamity not only in worshipping these false gods but also in serving many, driven to honor entities they did not know. It is natural that some fell victim to deceptions, as it is expected that harmful and malevolent spirits could corrupt those who lacked divine protection. He states, "Forget this sorrow," for behold, the heavens and the earth are made new. How is this transformation realized? Formerly, it was believed that the gods resided in the earth and sky, but having received the divine enlightenment from our Savior Christ, new understandings will emerge: they will recognize that these entities are not gods but creations of the true Creator. Consequently, they will discard the old beliefs, renouncing paganism and the misleading views they harbored about elements and demons from ancient times. In place of past sorrow, they shall discover joy and gladness.

In whom will they find joy? Certainly in the Church of Christ; some interpreters assert that this joy pertains to the age that comes after this present one. The righteous, they declare, will dwell in joy and unending spiritual delight when all creation itself is fundamentally transformed. Indeed, one of the holy apostles has written, "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and in it the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up; nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth" (2 Pet. 3:10, 13). Let those with understanding choose whichever perspective they prefer, but the rejection of what is sacred and beneficial should not occur.

Instead of the word that denotes saturation, referred to in Hebrew as sabaa, some have interpreted it as an oath. This term has numerous meanings, differing based on accents, signifying both oath and abundance, along with the number seven. This concept is evident in Genesis and within this text, particularly in the passage where seven women engage with a single man. Furthermore, where the Septuagint uses "true" in reference to what the Hebrew calls "amen," Aquila translated this as πεπιοτωμενώς, meaning faithfully.

The meaning behind this is clear: as others take your place, your name becomes an oath for my chosen ones, marking you as an example of evil that they will reject. They will utter, "Let me not endure what the Jewish people have encountered," or otherwise your name will be seen as abominable, typically ascribed to those whose memories we loathe, reflecting their degradation.

Alternatively, this might imply that they bequeath their name to the chosen of the Lord, allowing countless Gentiles to inherit their space and be known as the children of Abraham and Israel. Of these, Paul declares, "Peace be upon them, and upon the Israel of God" (Galatians 6:16). Not everyone who descends from Israel or who is of Abraham’s lineage is truly of him (Romans 9), as it is stated, "If you were indeed Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham" (John 8:39).

Although they are Abraham's descendants, they are not his children—this distinction was previously addressed. John the Baptist rebukes them, saying, "Do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham" (Matthew 3:9). It would be contradictory for those who claim lineage from a tree and stones (Jeremiah 2:27) to be his true offspring, while in fact, those of faith are recognized as the children of Abraham.

The Lord proclaims that He will bring destruction upon you so that you shall not be termed "circumcision" but rather "slaughter"—depriving you of eternal life and of Him who declares, "I am the life" (John 11:25). Conversely, His servants shall be designated by a new name, acclaimed throughout all creation, and they shall be blessed—whoever bears this name will be blessed in the Lord, receiving the authentic sign of circumcision or blessing, amen, a term the Lord frequently uses in the Gospel to affirm His statements: "Amen, amen, I say to you" (John 5:19).

This new name stems solely from Christ, so that the people of God are no longer labeled as Jacob's, Judah's, Israel's, Ephraim's, or Joseph’s but rather as Christians. For those who swear on earth shall not invoke idols or false gods but shall swear by the one true God, a notion further affirmed by the word "amen."

Additionally, what was expressed to the Seventy, who instead of "amen" interpreted it as referring to the true God, emphasizes that the true God will receive blessings and that those who take oaths on earth will affirm by the true God. We do not interpret this, following Arian error, as solely attributing it to God the Father, for it is stated: "that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3). However, it is also aimed at Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As John the Evangelist notes, "The Son of God has come and given us understanding, so we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 5:20). He is the true God and eternal life. If the Savior claims, "I am the truth" (John 1:6), it follows that the true God derives His identity from the truth, distinguishing Him from false gods and confirming that He, being true, is indeed the true God.

If He were not true, He would be akin to an idol, which falls upon the heads of those who consider Christ to be the true God. The new name is inscribed for Him in Revelation (Revelation 2:17) on the rock that is acclaimed throughout the world.

Their fervor for true worship won them the favor of Persian rulers, which was reflected in the various titles ascribed to the Jewish people; among these could have been the designation ‘blessed of the Lord.’ However, this merely foreshadowed a more profound name bestowed upon believers of the New Testament—the name Christian. There is no greater honor than embracing this title. As Blessed Theodoret remarks, ‘Instead of all praise to anyone, people pronounce this name; for when they wish to commend someone, they often conclude with: truly a Christian. Conversely, when they seek to exhort another, they commonly say, ‘Act as a Christian.’ In this way, a single title is imbued with both commendation and blessing. It may be suggested that the prophecy regarding the new name, originally relevant to the Jews, holds particular significance for Christians.