Fathers

Isaiah 56

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Yahweh says, “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is near and my righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast; who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” Let no foreigner who has joined himself to Yahweh speak, saying, “Yahweh will surely separate me from his people.” Do not let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” For Yahweh says, “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, choose the things that please me, and hold fast to my covenant, I will give them in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. Also the foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh to serve him, and to love Yahweh’s name, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant, I will bring these to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” The Lord Yahweh, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “I will yet gather others to him, in addition to his own who are gathered.” All you animals of the field, come to devour, all you animals in the forest. His watchmen are blind. They are all without knowledge. They are all mute dogs. They can’t bark— dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. Yes, the dogs are greedy. They can never have enough. They are shepherds who can’t understand. They have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter. “Come,” say they, “I will get wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be as today, great beyond measure.”

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What the Fathers say

Isaiah 56:2

Eastern Fathers

Cyril of Alexandria

No one should be exercised by the words said to the Israelites about keeping the law, which doubtless belongs to the shadows of the world of types; for no one is justified by the law with God.… We should understand this spiritually; and abstaining from the care of the flesh we should offer spiritual sacrifices with the odor of a good spiritual fragrance and minister to God … to keep the sabbath spiritually now means for us keeping away from worldly cares … and with holy vigor making him glad, and offering ourselves in holy sweetness.

Commentary On Isaiah 5:3.56:1-2 ↗

Western Saints

Jerome

Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who understands it: who keeps the Sabbath, so as not to pollute it: who keeps his hands from doing evil. LXX: Blessed is the man who does these things, and the person who retains them, and keeps the Sabbaths, so as not to profane them, and keeps his hands from doing iniquity. …

Commentary on Isaiah ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Blessed is the man. Here he sets out the fruit of this counsel in those who receive it. And first, he sets out its utility, setting out the fruit of fulfilling it: blessed is the man that doth this, fulfilling it by his works, and the son of man that shall lay hold on this, undertaking it strenuously: blessed is the man that fears the Lord (Ps 111:1); and the manner of fulfilling it, as to ceremonial precepts: that keeps the sabbath. …

Commentary on Isaiah ↗