Isaiah 8:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"Call his name: Mager-shelal-hash-baz." This name serves as a warning; if they fail to heed the scroll's writings, the significance of the child's name—which foretold future occurrences long before they took place—should silence even the boldest critics. The prophet did not devise this name after the events transpired; rather, he foresaw them divinely, providing tangible evidence to even the most skeptical of adversaries through the child, who bore a name that predicted impending disasters before those events unfolded.

He refers to the accomplished conception and the birth of a son, swiftly relaying the vision for the prophet’s understanding. It is clear that through the Holy Spirit, this pure body was fashioned and united with the Word. Can anyone question this? Thus, the work of the Spirit, which facilitated the formation of the body in the Holy Virgin, is symbolically represented through the imagery of union. Through this, Christ became the origin of those sanctified in the Spirit, born not of human lineage, nor of carnal desires, but born of God (John 1:13). He Himself was conceived by the Spirit in the flesh before others, enabling us to be born in this manner as well. It is also important to acknowledge that Uriah and Zacharias were designated as witnesses alongside him, ensuring the rapid fulfillment of the prophesy. He further emphasized: “it will come,” as the law and the prophecies affirmed that the Christ would subdue Satan and seize his belongings, as He stated (Matthew 12:29), that is, He would make His former followers His own. This was validated by Christ's own declaration, asking how anyone could enter a strong man’s house and take his goods unless they first bind the strong man, then they can plunder his belongings (Matthew 12:29). By declaring, “It will come,” He proclaims that the arrival of Immanuel is imminent. The blessed Habakkuk echoes this, stating, “In a little while, he who comes will not delay” (Hab. 2:8; cf. Heb. 10:37). And the Lord said to me, “His name is Nartsi; he will quickly capture and plunder, for before he knows how to call father or mother, he will gain the strength of Damascus and the treasure of Samaria before the king of Assyria.” After proclaiming that “the virgin shall conceive in the womb and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” He instructs to name Him: soon to capture and plunder. How can the original name, Immanuel, have been chosen in vain? Is it not suitable to say: soon to captivate and plunder boldly? This is not our assertion but rather a reflection that the inspired Scripture often describes the Creator with various names and sometimes draws from His works at different times for His designations. The same applies to Christ Himself, for He is the true God. Being God by nature, He was present with us as the Word when He manifest in our likeness: it is fitting and deserving to be called Immanuel.

Had the Prophet contradicted this directive, such a denial would likely have been documented, similar to Ezekiel's situation when he rejected the command to eat bread baked on human linen. There, he states, "No, O Lord God of heaven, behold, my soul is not defiled in uncleanness; for no vile meat has entered into my mouth" (Ezek. 4:12, 14). Thus, he was permitted to prepare bread from beef (Ezek. 4:15). In this case, the absence of any denial indicates acquiescence, even though there is no record of the command being fulfilled in the manner similar to Hosea’s experience. To Hosea, it was commanded, "Go, take unto yourself a wife of whoredom, and bring forth children of whoredom." Subsequently, the passage affirms that he fulfilled this order: "And Gomer the daughter of Diblaim went and conceived" (Hos. 1:2, 3). In other instances, we find that while a directive is given, its execution is not recorded; we deduce fulfillment from the obedience shown by the prophets. For example, regarding Ezekiel, it was commanded, "But thou shalt sleep on thy left side, and on thy right side" (Ezek. 4:4, 6); his specific actions are not detailed, yet we can infer compliance based on his obedience.

Thus, addressing our confusion, it seems the Prophet, upon receiving the initial command, did not embark on a different course but rather completed the instruction before recounting his experience with the prophetess. The "new and great scroll" may symbolize the New Testament, transcribed by human hands, as the Gospels are composed in accessible language for many. The Gospel also conveys that captivity would soon become captives of wealth. The message of the Gospel has swiftly spread throughout the world, liberating those ensnared by the prince of this age and guiding them into the obedience of Christ. This captivity pertains to material wealth, entrusted by God to the guardians of humanity, the angels, for their watchfulness. Therefore, it is written, "The captivity of the wealth shall soon be accomplished: for the gospel is near, proclaiming from heaven the good news of what is expected from the beginning, as that which has already been granted to us." Let Uriah and Zechariah stand as witnesses to the truths recorded in the Gospel. Uriah, a priest, symbolizes the law given by Moses, while Zechariah, a prophet, affirms the Gospel which is supported by both the law and the prophets. Uriah represents God's enlightenment, Zechariah the remembrance of God, and the son of Barach signifies the blessing of God. Consequently, who among men is rightly fit to bear witness? One who has received illumination from God and maintains a steadfast remembrance of Him.

So, what do the words "and came to the prophetess" signify? Through the spirit and prophetic foresight, I approached the prophetess, perceiving with prophetic insight her conception from afar, foreseeing through the prophetic gift her giving birth to the Son, of whom the Lord declared, "You shall call His name: Soon to take captive, to plunder brazenly." He indeed seized the powerful and stripped him of his possessions, liberating those bound by sin and death. He overcame and distributed the spoils to His own followers, entrusting the faithful to the care of the holy angels, of whom He said, "Your angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 18:10). This one is the brazen plunderer; as it is written, "He ascended on high, he led captivity captive, he received gifts for men" (Psalm 68:19). It is widely acknowledged that Mary is the prophetess to whom Isaiah referred in terms of divine knowledge; her prophetic words attest to this. For what does she proclaim? "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed" (Luke 1:46-48). Understanding the depths of her words, one cannot help but recognize her as a prophetess, as the Spirit of the Lord came upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her.

Thus, what was directed to be inscribed in that scroll was realized as I approached the prophetess. The scroll declared, "Write by the scribe of men, that the captivity shall soon be realized," followed by, "In the womb, I conceive and bear a son." It was later said: "The name of the Nartians is His: Soon to take captive, to plunder." Therefore, in varied expressions and representations, "Take unto you the scroll, and come unto the prophetess," communicates the same message, with nothing therein contradicting the previous words. The one born of the prophetess gained the might of Damascus and the wealth of Samaria. The might of Damascus represents the Gentile believers, while the wealth of Samaria pertains to the believers of the circumcision, given that Damascus is the principal city of Syria and Samaria the capital of Israel. Meanwhile, the laws and mighty deeds of Him born of the prophetess are attributed to Him by divine standard, as His name, Jesus, signifies salvation provided to humanity. For it is declared, "You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21).

Regarding the signs, before the child is capable of acknowledging his parents, before the son of Isaiah can name father or mother, Theglaffellasar will arrive, vanquishing Racine, the king of Damascus, and will lay siege to Samaria, an event that transpired shortly thereafter during the reign of Phakeus.

When Ahaz retorted, "I will not ask, nor will I tempt the Lord," the words of the Lord then pivoted away from the unfaithful king to the house of David, wherein the prophecy declared that a virgin would conceive and bear a Son, who would be named Immanuel, meaning "God with us." Should they call upon Him frequently, both Samaria and Syria would fall, with the king of Assyria ultimately conquering Judah, transforming the entire land into desolation. Again, the miracle of virgin birth is illustrated through a different lens. The Lord instructed the prophet not to announce the mystery of this new birth to the people but rather to inscribe it in this notable scroll that we now examine. More remarkably, He commanded that divine mysteries be articulated in human language and expression, adhering to the conventional style of mankind. What does it convey in human terms? It indicates that the begetting Son will soon seize the plunder, and that He Himself, rather than sending angels or prophets, will descend to redeem His creations. Thus, the prophet obeyed the command and summoned two faithful witnesses: Uriah the priest, who serves as the law's instructor, as indicated by Malachi: "For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty" (Malachi 2:7), and Zechariah, son of Barachiah, who was undeniably a prophet. We observe that during Ahaz's reign, a priest named Uriah occupied the temple of the Lord (2 Kings 10), whom Ahaz directed to construct an altar like that of Damascus, and the Book of Days recounts (2 Chronicles 29) that Hezekiah, Ahaz's son, sought the Lord during the days of Zechariah, who had been instructed in the fear of God. Meanwhile, Isaiah exemplified the prophetic spirit by being receptive to the prophetess—the Holy Spirit, referred to in the Hebrew language in the feminine form as recorded: "Come to the Lord and be enlightened" (Psalm 32:6). Thus, through the Holy Ghost, the Lord was conceived. Although human words cannot fully elucidate the mysteries of His incarnation, Gabriel conveyed to the Virgin who conceived Him, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; thus, that which is birthed will be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). Some interpret the term "prophetess" to refer to Saint Mary, who clearly qualifies as such, as she proclaims in the Gospel: "From now on, all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me" (Luke 1:48-49). Isaiah is directed to refer to this child—previously known as Immanuel—in terms of haste, to swiftly gather the spoil, for when He ascended on high, He led captivity captive and distributed gifts among men (Psalm 67; Ephesians 4:8). Before He assumes a human form and acknowledges God as Father and Mary as mother, Damascus will be vanquished, and Samaria's spoils will fall under the king of Assyria, ensuring that even before His birth, He will deliver His people, the house of David, by a singular appeal to Him. Uriah signifies the light of the Lord, Zechariah signifies the remembrance of the Lord, and Barachiah connotes the blessing of the Lord. These witnesses attest to the nativity of Christ, for He Himself, as recounted in the Gospel, explained to the two disciples traveling to Emmaus that all the Scriptures from Moses and the prophets point to Him. In a symbolic interpretation, within a soul that is pure and free from the stain of sin, the Word of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, quickly overcomes the forces of darkness, rendering all things submissive to Himself. And as a man, now partially enlightened and partially prophetic, before achieving fullness and rightfully addressing God as Father and the heavenly Jerusalem as Mother, while still in a state of childhood and perfection, He will conquer the power of Damascus, meaning the wisdom of secular teachings, and will reclaim the spoils of Samaria that the heretics appropriated from the Church by claiming, "We have no share in David, nor inheritance in the son of Jesse" (2 Samuel 12:16). He will recover these in the presence of the king of Assyria, who symbolizes the devil and will be unable to aid them. Such sons are begotten not only by Mary, the prophetess of the Most Holy Virgin, but holy women also bear patriarchs, as seen in Sarah, meaning "ruler," and Rebekah, whose name in our language translates to "patience."