Isaiah 66:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

To them, He instructs, saying, "Reject those who hate and disdain you, our brethren;" or in other terms, He desires for them, in keeping with the Gospel traditions, to embody gentleness and kindness, and with total patience, nurture those who avoid and hold them in contempt through spiritual fellowship. Perhaps He is also instructing them to evangelize the Gentiles and to guide back to the true God those Jews who have wandered astray and worship false idols, except for those who have not embraced idolatry like the Gentiles do, but who acknowledge the one true God. If, he asserts, they have hated you and considered you worthless, let your conversation be directed toward them, treating them with honor as brethren, so that the name of the Lord may be glorified. Truly, many from among the Gentiles experienced the glory of Christ and shared in their joy; for while the Gentiles delighted in His grace and salvation, the descendants of Israel found themselves shamed, rejected, and detached from the hope of the saints and the blessings He grants to those who have faith in Him. It is important to recognize that by commanding the calling of Gentiles "brothers," He nullifies the law's command, since the Israelites were instructed not to form bonds with those who had strayed. The law of Moses states, "You shall not seek their peace or prosperity" (Deuteronomy 23:6); you must not intermarry with them: do not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son, lest they lead your offspring away from Me, for they will cause him to worship other gods (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). In Christ, both groups have been unified, the dividing wall has been torn down, for the law of commandments has been set aside through the teaching, which is our peace (Eph. 2:14-15).

He does not limit His instructions to these matters but also imparts the Gospel command to love one's enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for your persecutors, reflecting the kindness of the Father who causes His sun to rise on both the righteous and the unrighteous. Indeed, He proclaims that by observing your actions, your Father in heaven will be glorified (Luke 5:16). Specifically, it is commanded to the apostles and apostolic men to love the Jews, their adversaries, and those who persecute them, regarding them as brothers, as Peter said: “Listen, brothers and fathers” (Acts 2), and as Paul expressed: “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart for my kinsmen, the Israelites” (Rom. 9:2-4). The name of the Lord is exalted when others witness how our perseverance breaks the cruelty of those who persecute us, and how the striking hand is humiliated by our willingness to turn the other cheek. The Gospel instructs: Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good deeds and give glory to your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16), and in the Revelation, we read: Fear God and give Him glory (Revelation 14:7). Paul also encourages the Corinthians to honor God with their bodies (1 Corinthians 6:20) and to do all things for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Therefore, the Lord Himself refrained from speaking ill of those who spoke against Him (1 Peter 2), praying for those who persecuted Him. The exhortation to “tell your brothers” should not be taken lightly, for many call themselves brethren but do not nurture love in their hearts, as the Apostle notes: they profess to know God, but by their actions, they deny Him (Titus 1:16). The Lord stated: Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven (Mt. 7:21). In this context, we can also understand it as follows: no one can truly acknowledge the Lord Jesus except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). While heretics may proclaim Jesus as Lord, many will assert at the Resurrection, “Did we not prophesy in Your name and perform many miracles?” (Matt. 7:22), but the Lord will respond, “Depart from Me, I never knew you, you workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:27). Thus, it is commendable to demonstrate our faith not merely through words that are easy to speak, but through our attitudes and actions. We learn that the same Lord of both covenants commands us to care for the welfare of our enemies; when we see their livestock fallen under a burden, we are to assist them, and if we come across a stray animal, we are to return it to its owner. This understanding aligns with the teachings of the Seventy. According to the Hebrew text, it should be interpreted as follows: Hear, O apostles; hear, my disciples, who stand in reverence of the Lord’s word: I will convey the words of your brothers who hate you, separate you, and treat you as outcasts, not due to your wrongdoings, but because of My name; who consider all who believe in Me as unclean and say, “Depart from me, for you are unclean.” What then is the significance of their statement, “Let the Lord glorify Himself, and we will see your joy”? Their meaning is essentially: Why do you present God to us in humility, crucified, a man of suffering and familiar with pain? We desire to witness Him reigning in majesty; we want to observe Him in His glory, yet we cannot bear to see Him humiliated and rejected. Immediately, it is emphasized: they will be put to shame, referring to those who speak thus, who fail to grasp the mysteries of the Scriptures and who shall, in their misfortunes, encounter the power of Him whom they scorned due to His humiliation.