Grigor Narekatsi
Ms. 1568 (1173), Matenadaran, Yerevan, Armenia.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)
First Reading:
From: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20
Religion Without Soul
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[10] Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
Call to Conversion
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[16] Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, [17] learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.
The People Must Decide--Obedience or Rebellion
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[18] “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. [19] If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; [20] But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken?"
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Commentary:
1:2-31. The first oracles are couched in the language of a lawsuit (rib). This is a style of writing often found in the prophetical literature of Israel. which shares similar modes of expression with other writings of the ancient Middle East (see the note on Is 1:10-20). However, other people resort to that legal style when they seek to justify the punishment inflicted on a vassal by an aggrieved overlord, whereas when prophetical texts denounce a fault, it is in order to evince an immediate change of heart. The Lord takes no pleasure in punishing people; he very much wants to forgive transgressors and reestablish friendship with them.
The passage begins by calling on heaven and earth to see how wickedly the people have acted, and by accusing them of forsaking the Lord (vv. 2-3). It then inveighs against those who have turned away from the Lord and show no inclination to react, even though misfortune has overtaken them (vv. 4-9), and it denounces the hypocrisy of a people that goes through the motions of religious worship without having the right dispositions (vv. 10-15). A call to conversion follows (vv. 16-17). The Lord is ready to argue his point against his people, to reward them if they mend their ways or punish them if they persist in their sins (vv. 18-20). They are in a bad way, such is their sinfulness (vv. 21-23). Their punishment will be very harsh; so they should respond now and be faithful, as they were in earlier times (vv. 24-31).
This oracle brings in all the main theological themes found in the history of the chosen people of the Old Testament -- their divine election; God’s offer of a Covenant; the people’s transgression of the Covenant; God’s punishment for their infidelity. Even so, it shows that theirs is a merciful God, ever ready to forgive offences; he never turns his back on those whom he has loved.
1:10-20. These verses, too, in some ways form a literary unit in line with the “lawsuit” ("rib") style often found in prophetical literature: the charge sheet (vv. 10-15) is set against a list of good works, given here in the form of an exhortation (vv. 16-17), and then comes to the sentence at the end, seen here in the attitude of the judge, who is God (vv. 18-20).
Harsh words (v. 10) are used: the people of Judah are identified with those of Sodom and Gomorrah, the epitome of sin and rejection of God. The transgressions of which they are accused are against acts of worship (vv. 11-15), listed one after the other--sacrifices, incense offerings, festivals, entreaties. The accusation is not against acts of worship in themselves, for these are laid down in the book of Leviticus and therefore are right and proper. What the prophet is inveighing against is religious formalism and the dichotomy between performance and intention, as can be seen from the verses that follow. What God desires is sincerity of heart, virtue, protection for the weak--in other words, proper treatment of others. In laying down the law here, the Lord shows his readiness to forgive, while still holding out the threat of punishment (vv. 18-20).
Some passages of the section are read in the Liturgy during Lent (Tuesday of the Second Week) to help people check whether they have given God the worship due to him, and as a call to a sincere change of heart. Christian writers have used this passage from Isaiah (and other texts from the Scriptures) to explain that true religion and compassion begin in a person’s heart and then express themselves in actions. For example, one of the apostolic Fathers writes: “Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the ministers of God’s grace will speak of penance. And the Lord of all things himself spoke of penance, and swore an oath: I do not desire the death of the wicked man, but that he should change his ways; and he adds: "Cease to do evil, learn to do good; [...] though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." The Lord desires that all whom he loves would repent, and he affirms it by his all-powerful will. Let us be obedient, then, to his glorious plan, and, by imploring his mercy and kindness, let us return to his goodness and be converted, leaving aside all our vain works, the disputes and jealousies that lead to death” (St Clement of Rome, "Ad Corinthios", 8, 1-9, 1).
1:17. “Learn to do good”: in order to lead the sort of lives that God wants, we need to be properly schooled. St Basil comments: “Since moral understanding is neither self-evident nor clear to all, we must learn to do good deeds through our study of sound doctrine” ("Enarratio in Isaiam", 1, 40). As well as calling for sound doctrine, holiness of life requires the practice of virtue, day after day, consistently, in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. The “human virtues are [...] the foundation for the supernatural ones. These in turn provide us with constant encouragement to behave in a noble way. But it is not sufficient merely to want to have these virtues: we must learn bow to practise them. "Discite benefacere" (Is 1:17), learn to do good. We need to make a habit of exercising each virtue, by actually being sincere, truthful, balanced, calm, and patient--for love is proved by deeds and we cannot love God only by word, but ‘with deeds and in truth’ (1 Jn 3:18)” (St Josemaria Escriva, "Friends of God", 91).