Commentary on Isaiah 1 part 23/23

He, then, in whom all that is within has been set right, ready to bless the holy name of God — this man rightly enlists his inward disposition for the thanksgiving of God.

Isaiah, then, likewise had that which was within him like a wall which God had renewed.

For thus had he been fashioned, by the grace of the Word coming to him and renewing the inner man;

and his reasonings were, as it were, an indestructible wall, so as to give no entrance to worse thoughts, nor to the enemies encamped round about, for their malicious attack.

It is good, then, having reflected on these things, to be zealous and to say, like the Prophet, "My belly shall sound like a harp, and that which is within me is like a wall which you have renewed."

"And it shall come to pass" (he says) "to your shame, that Moab has grown weary at the altars."

The word "them" is therefore lacking, so that the sense of the words may be rendered soundly:

"And it shall come to pass, for them to be put to shame before you."

For just as those who stand facing one another in war do not turn or give way as long as they seem evenly matched, but when one side prevails over the other, the losers turn and flee, so also a soul, drawn up in battle order by shamelessness, stands unashamed; but when it is convicted by a word that lays hold of it, it turns to shame.

And since this turning takes place in the hidden part of man, it is called "entropē" (a turning-within, i.e. shame).

"Because Moab has grown weary at the altars, and he shall go in to the things made with hands, to pray, and they shall not be able to deliver him."

Isaiah now prophesies the final abolition of all idolatry through the appearing of the Word, showing that all the labors spent on the construction of temples are vain, and the hopes placed in things made with hands are unprofitable.

"For they shall pray" (he says), "and they shall not be able to deliver him."

This has now been fulfilled at the coming of Christ among us.

For the once-renowned temples now stand as nothing more than bare crags;

and the deceptions from demons exist no longer, since the opposing power has been put to flight by the mystery of the cross, which has been proclaimed throughout the whole inhabited world.

"For this is the word which the Lord spoke concerning Moab, when he spoke it."

This is, as it were, an epilogue to the entire word proclaimed against Moab:

"This is the word which the Lord spoke."

For the text had been set at the beginning, reading thus:

"The word against the land of Moab;"

and this is appended to the entire section of the passage:

"This is the word which the Lord spoke concerning Moab, when he spoke it."

he keeps silent about many things, as being alien to his own portion.

Yet he does not hide the word entirely, but lets even these taste of his own loving-kindness, so that, through the experience of a few things, they may be roused to a desire for what is perfect.

Since, then, he speaks to the Moabites only rarely, for this reason it is said, "This is the word which the Lord spoke, when he spoke it."

"In three years (of a hired servant's years) the glory of Moab shall be dishonored, with all its great wealth, and it shall be left few in number and without honor."

Since, then, the whole nature of time is divided into three parts, wishing to signify the completeness of time, he spoke of three years.

"In three years, then, of a hired servant's years, the glory of Moab shall be dishonored."

The hired servant is also disparaged in the Gospel by the Savior, who says:

"But the hired hand, who is not the shepherd and whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and flees, because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep."

"And a sojourner and a hired servant of the priest shall not eat of the holy things" — according to: a sojourner and a hired servant of the priest shall not eat of the holy things, according to the Law.

Moab, then, hired himself out, and became a hired servant.

For he did not love God, but did what he did out of the imagination of rewards and the hope of his own advantage, and not out of a disposition toward the deed itself.

"In three years, then, of a hired servant's years, he shall be dishonored."

As, then, the hired shepherd is not a shepherd, so also he who gives alms in order to be glorified by men has received his reward in full, and is neither merciful nor generous.

And the one who is temperate for the sake of pleasing men is not truly temperate, since he does not pursue virtue itself, but hunts after the glory that comes from it.

Dishonored before God, then, are those who do anything for the sake of display.

So Moab too shall be "honored" within three years, that is, within the full measure of time;

but it is the dishonor of a hired servant, because for him the work of virtue does not proceed from disposition, but is feigned.

"And he is dishonored in all his great wealth."

For as much reputation as he possessed here, so much, after our hidden things have been revealed, shall the wage of shame be rendered to him in return.

And he who gathers with his hands much unfruitfulness has all the more material for the dishonor that shall be brought upon him;

And he who amasses treasures with a lying tongue pursues vain things, and he will fall into the snares of death.

And he shall be left few in number and without honor.

The benefit for those banded together in wickedness is the discipline that results from it.