Isaías 58
Cyril of Alexandria · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Isaías 58:2
These words about the calling of those from Israel can be transferred and come to be understood in another good and highly useful way.… For I think the scope of the prophecy is to be unveiled to those who are prayerful, as will become clear from what follows. … There were those among them who received a reputation for piety and behaved shamefully without being noticed, decorating themselves on the outside and gaining a reputation of gentleness. They undertook fasts and made prayers, thinking that through this they could turn aside God's anger.… Here they learn what their sins are and that they must turn from these if they want to be rewarded by God and become worthy of his sparing them. — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 5:3.58:1
Isaías 58:3
Now fasting is a very worthwhile and excellent thing, and prayer is most useful. And humbling oneself in God's eyes has much to commend it. … The God of the universe says, return to me with fasting, wailing, mourning. For he readily has mercy on those doing penance through travail. But it is unusual that those wishing to receive mercy in another way should annoy the legislator and provoke him to wrath by not liking to do the things commanded. For it is necessary that all saints who wish to draw near to God not only do the good works to be done but also that they be free from all reproach. — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 5:3.58:3-4
Isaías 58:7
When you refrain from doing these things, then the things you lack will be yours. For the bearing of fruit toward the neighbor refers to the noble things of love. Love is the fulfillment of the law, as it stands written. For the fulfilling of love toward brothers and compassion are the marks of a reward with God. Seeing how to abstain from evil and doing good are not the same thing. For it does not suffice for glory with God to flee evil but to try in all ways to meet needs and do good works and hold fast to diligence in godliness … thus the old law being a schoolmaster to Christ did not introduce the fulfillment of the good for those at that time but rather taught them to restrain from evil. Thus, "do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not swear" have this force. But the perfect fulfillment of all goodness in the oracles is kept through Christ, through which we learn to fulfill those works of love toward God and our fellows. — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 5:3.58:6-7
Isaías 58:8
This oracle has great force. For it does not simply say, "Light will be given to you by God," but it will be like lightning whose course and progress is sent by God, through which is clearly shown the desire of those who pray. By saying "first light," it instructs us that it will appear before time. For God, the guardian of all things, knew, as the giver of spiritual gifts, the time suited to each person for his blessings. But if anyone is fair and good and also caring and benevolent—to that person a reward will be given as a "first thing," so that in him there will arise just like an ear of corn his health (that is, the departing of all infirmities and the returning of good health). For the one who is free of diseases is fruitful in all ways, with an easy and cheerful production of good things. So the light of the divine understanding and our healthiness both arise within us, as God removes the burden of all sickness and also sets in us in its place the will to do good works and to abound in righteousness. — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 5:4.58:8
Isaías 58:11
Those who were of Israel by blood are written as a type when God sent down manna from heaven. For this figure can be thought of as the bread of angels and as heavenly bread. For there are those in whose minds the divine light shines brightly and who work hard and irreproachably to know the holy Scriptures—we say that these people are filled and brimming with the heavenly nourishment of God.… Now whoever receives knowledge and is filled by his divine mysteries, that person's bones have flesh put on them. For the oracle here is constructed in fleshly terms. Their soul became like a lush garden, that is, luxuriant and tree-filled and with many types of flowers abounding and providing all sorts of fruit. For gardens that lack water are exceedingly ugly, being dry and barren of all fruit.… For just the hardiest among trees has the most beautiful fruit, so also fairest and finest virtues exist in God's sight among the souls of the saints. — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 5:4.58:11
Isaías 58:12
The prophetic word comes to us through two further metaphors, and the beautiful form of hidden ideas is displayed. For it is about a deserted town and its defenseless state that a form of words is molded. It declares, your deserts will be lived in perpetually, that is, you will not be naked of good thoughts indwelling your heart, nor will you be defenseless or unguarded and insecure. For Christ will be your enduring foundation and support, and like a city you will have countless people dwelling there. For the souls of the saints are full of holy words and thoughts. And many will come to it as the level of perfection, running up and down, declaring it to be full of good things. And you will be called a builder of walls.… You must know that there are evil and contrary powers invading the vulnerable soul, giving rise to awful desires and in a despotic way carrying off whatever they want and strolling round the barren garden. But they will stop this interference when a wall is erected, that is, the divine fear set up within [the soul]. — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 5:4.58:12