Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Third Sunday after Epiphany

Drink this first; act swiftly, region of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, and the rest who are on the coast and across the Jordan, Galilee of the nations! People going in darkness, see a great light! Those inhabiting a region, a shadow of death, light will shine on you! The greatest part of the people that you led down in your gladness will also make merry before you, like those gladdened during the harvest and just like those who divide up the spoils, because the yoke laid on them and the rod on their neck has been taken away. For he shattered the rod of those demanding payment as in the day in the time of Midian. (Isaiah 9:1–4 LXX)

Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:
The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. (Matthew 4:12–25)

Of those who do not see, some are blind and on account of blindness do not see; some are in darkness and for that reason do not see; yet others are neither in darkness nor are they blind, but because they close [their] eyes, they do not see. And the Divine Scripture knows these differences which concern the chief part of our heart; for the Savior says “to those who are in bonds, ‘Go forth!’ and to those who are in darkness, ‘Let it be revealed to them,’” and “to those sitting in the region and shadow of death, ‘Light has risen over them.’” Those ones did not see for the reason that they were in darkness, until the light rose over them. “O deaf ones, hear, and, O blind ones, see!” For this reason, those ones did not see before, because they were naturally blind. But all those who are outside these categories are much worse when compared to those who are blind and those who are in darkness, for they are those who do not see because they have willingly closed their eyes. Now, this is so, as we have declared, for the Savior will be a witness for me, saying, “If you were blind, you would not have sin, yet now you say, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.” And he says rightly, “You say, ‘We see’”; for truly they say that they see and have the ability to see, but, by closing their eyes, they do not see. And if at any time you were to see a soul naturally gifted at understanding, and swift and eager, not meditating on the eloquent words of God, know that that soul does not see these things that are contained in the Scriptures not because of blindness and not because he is in darkness but because he closes his eyes.

Origen, Homilies on Isaiah 6.7

And therefore the holy Gospel records where the first apostles landed, and the prophecy foretells all that was about to happen. And therefore he preached the gospel first to those in Galilee. For when Emmanuel was revealed and about to spend his time among humanity, it was necessary that the country not keep silent. And the country was Galilee, in which the Word preached the saving drink, saying: Drink this first, do it quickly, O country of Zebulun and land of Naphtali. And the tribe of Zebulun and the tribe of Naphtali were the two tribes which were allotted Galilee in the distribution of the land administered by Joshua son of Nun. But it happened that Greeks lived in this land in the midst of the two tribes (for not only Jews but also other races were inhabiting the land at this time). The word must have remembered this when it said: And the rest by the sea beyond the Jordan. And being exceedingly accurate, it brings forward even another Galilee when it says: Those by the sea and beyond the Jordan. It says by the sea concerning every harbor around the lake of Gennesaret, which has been remembered in the Gospel as the “sea.” Therefore it says: “As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers.” And from there the disciples of our Savior started out.

Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on Isaiah9.1

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Second Sunday after Epiphany

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone). (John 1:29–42)

Andrew, after having tarried with Jesus and learned what He did, did not keep the treasure to himself, but hastens and runs quickly to his brother, to impart to him of the good things which he had received. “But why hasn't John mentioned what matters Christ conversed with them? Is it not clear that it was for this that they stayed with Him? It was proved by us the other day; but we may learn it from what has been read today as well. Observe what Andrew says to his brother; We have found the Messiah, (which is, being interpreted, the Christ). You see how, as far as he had learned in a short time, he showed the wisdom of the teacher who persuaded them, and their own zeal, who cared for these things long ago, and from the beginning. For this word, we have found, is the expression of a soul which longs for His presence, and looks for His coming from above, and is made overjoyed when the looked for thing has happened, and hastens to impart to others the good tidings. This is the part of brotherly affection, of natural friendship, of a sincere disposition, to be eager to stretch out the hand to each other in spiritual things. Hear him also speak with the addition of the article; for he does not say “Messiah,” but the Messiah; thus they were expecting some one Christ, having nothing in common with the others.

John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of John 19.1

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to Jesus' Baptism

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13–17)

Many raise the question, What in fact was the nature of this baptism with which the Lord was baptized? What did it amount to, the baptism of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who, for the sake of the salvation of all, became human? As such He was to show Himself to be the beginning of a certain paradoxical life on account of which He is called Adam, since for Adam's sake and for the rest of those who have arisen from Adam He becomes the beginning of everlasting life, in the same way that Adam was the original of this temporary and mortal life. This Jesus, I say, recapitulated in Himself everything that pertains to our salvation. For just as He both died and rose again, we also shall do so, in the same way. Since necessarily we were to be symbolically transferred from this present life by baptism and settled in that life which is to come, he saw to it that this baptism should be fulfilled first of all in Himself. In His providential dispensation of things, He had received, before all others, this baptism of adoption which is by water and the Spirit. He thereby showed this baptism to be great and honorable, in that He Himself, first of all, truly accepted it. Moreover, He Himself identified Himself with that part of society outside the law of grace, in which we also take part. For it was fitting that the Lord, in humility of spirit, should become subject both to the prophet and Baptist, like a common person from among the people. He was baptized that He might hallow the waters and bestow upon us, through the basin, regeneration and adoption and remission of sins and all the other blessings that came to us through baptism, prefiguring them in Himself. As God, however, He is the One “who takes away the sin of the world,” and as such He has no need of baptism.

Theodore of Mopsuestia, Fragment 14

Patristic Wisdom for Epiphany

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.”

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. (Matthew 2:1–12)

What means this, that it was in the time of a very wicked king that God descended to earth, divinity entered into flesh, a heavenly union occurred with an earthly body? What does this mean? When does one not truly a king come to drive out a tyrant, avenge his country, renew the face of the earth, and restore freedom? Herod, an apostate, invaded the kingdom of the Jewish race, took away the Jews’ liberty, profaned their holy places, disrupted the established order, abolished whatever there was of discipline and religious worship. Rightly, therefore, did divine aid succor that holy race which had no human help. Rightly did God support the race which had no man to be its helper. In just this way will Christ come again, to undo the Antichrist, free the world, restore the fatherland of Paradise, perpetuate the liberty of the world, take away all the slavery of this world.

Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 156.5

But now, after the service of the star, after the course of the Magi, let us see how glorious was the dignity that attended the king who had been born. For immediately the Magi fall down and worship the one born as Lord, and there in his very cradle they venerate the infancy of the crying child by offering him gifts. They perceive one thing with the eyes of the body, something else with the vision of their mind. The humbleness of the body he assumed is seen, but the glory of his divinity is not concealed. It is a child who is seen, but it is God who is adored. How inexpressible is this mystery of the divine condescension! For our sake that incomprehensible and eternal nature does not disdain taking on the infirmities of our flesh. The Son of God, who is God of the universe, is born as a human being in a body. He permits himself to be placed in a manger, within which are the heavens. He is confined to a cradle, one whom the world does not have room for. He is heard in the voice of a crying infant, at whose voice the whole world trembled in the time of his passion. And so, the Magi recognize this God of glory and Lord of majesty when they see him as a child. Isaiah likewise shows that this child was both God and the eternal king, when he said, “For a child has been born to you; a son has been given to you, whose empire has been made on his shoulders.”

Chromatius of Aquileia, Tractate on Matthew 5.1

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Second Sunday after Christmas

How I loved your law, O Lord.
        The whole day it is my meditation.
Beyond my enemies you instructed me in your commands,
        for it is for me forever.
Beyond all those who teach me I understood,
        because your testimonies are my meditation.
Beyond elders I understood,
        because I sought out your commandments.
From every evil way I withheld my feet,
        so that I keep your words.
From your region I did not turn away,
        because you gave laws to me.
How sweet to my throat are your words,
        more than honey and honeycomb for my mouth.
From your commandments I understood;
        on account of this I hated every way of injustice,
        because you gave laws to me. (Psalm 119:97–104 LXX)

Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:46–52)

These enemies are to be understood as the obdurate Jews, the heretics or the pagans, who have either failed totally to understand the Lord’s commands, or are known to refuse to carry them out through misguided zeal. The people say that they have been made wiser than these enemies because they both devotedly accepted the Lord’s command and abided by it with genuine integrity.…

They appear to part company with that most holy humility of the blessed if we seek to interpret this as a claim to be superior to Moses, the prophets and the apostles who have instructed the Church with the purest faith. But let us advert to the previous verse, and here this entire false objection vanishes. There they said not “more than our fathers,” but Wiser than my enemies, who are precisely those who taught the Lord’s law with debased purpose. Here they refute rather than rebuke the teachers, denoting the Pharisees who restricted themselves to the letter, and disregarded spiritual understanding. The Lord often refutes them in the gospel, but their stony hearts did not deserve to experience the way of truth. So the evangelical band rightly claims that their understanding is better than that of all such teachers, because they rejected their teachers’ base errors, and received the true teaching of the Lord Savior.…

In this passage the people term as elders those hoary in body rather than in mind. They rightly say that they have understood more than these, for they venerated as their Creator one whom those others despised with sacrilegious minds. Often younger persons understand the divine Scriptures better than their elders; for example, Jacob, who submitted himself to the blessing and received the reward of the first benediction promised to his brother; or Samuel, who understood better than the priest; or Daniel, who knew better than the false elders whom he condemned to death when filled with the spirit of God. Certainly the new people had better understanding than the older Jewish people, for they happily accepted the Lord Christ who the Jews with mortal damage to themselves believed was to be despised. To enable the people to prove this with the testimony of truth, there follows the reason why they had understanding above the elders; it was because I have sought thy commandments.

Cassiodorus, Explanation of the Psalms 118.98–100

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the First Sunday after Christmas

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:4–7)

Just as Christ was put under the Law to redeem those under the Law, so also did He want to be born of a woman for the sake of those who had also been born of a woman. For although He was free from sin, He received the baptism of repentance in the Jordan River ostensibly to inculcate in others, who are worldly, the need to be cleansed through baptism and be born as sons by a new spiritual adoption. John the Baptist did not by any means comprehend this and he accordingly prohibited Jesus from approaching the baptismal bath, saying, “I should be baptized by You.” Immediately thereafter the sacrament is revealed. “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us to fulfill all righteousness,” lest He who had come to save mankind should neglect human customs.

Jerome, Commentary on Galatians 2.4

Paul starts off writing to the Gentiles as “you” and then adds the Jews when he says “our.” If Paul said that the Gentiles were children of God because they believed in Christ, although they had previously been enemies, there was no doubt that Jewish believers were also children of God, since it is clear they had already been called for a long time. In ancient times they had taken this designation as a metaphor, but afterwards it was confirmed by Christ, since it could not really be true without the Spirit. This is what Paul said to the Romans: The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. In order to prove that we have been adopted by God as His children, God has given His Spirit to us, who reveals the sign of the Father in the children, so that we dare to say what we never would have said in our own weakness and inadequacy, which is Abba, meaning “Father.”

Ambrosiaster, Commentary on Galatians 4

Patristic Wisdom for Christmas Day

Walk through my gates and prepare a way for my people and cast the stones out of the way; raise a signal for the nations! For look, the Lord has made it heard to the end of the earth. Say to the daughter of Zion: “Look! The Savior has come near to you; He has His reward, and His work is before His face.” And he will call it “Holy People, Ransomed by the Lord,” and you will be called “Sought-After City” and “Not Forsaken.” (Isaiah 62:10–12 LXX)

For, he says, let not anyone suppose that these things have been said concerning the Jewish people, for he commands a signal to be raised for all the nations, and he proclaims his message for all until the ends of the earth. Then he clearly teaches that the daughter of Zion—the church—is to expect her Savior when he says: Say to the daughter of Zion. And he called the new church of God, who received a new name, daughter of Zion, because she is the daughter of the godly commonwealth that was formerly among the Jews. It is she whom he addresses when he says: See, your Savior has come to you, having his own reward. And one should note that this verse repeats an earlier verse: “See, the Lord comes with strength; see, his reward is with him and his work is before him”; and now: Say to the daughter of Zion, “See, your Savior has come to you, having with him his own reward and his work before him.” Therefore, this verse refers to the Savior during his first coming long ago, when he worked and suffered on behalf of the race of humankind and secured salvation from God for those who believe in him—in him who “was called Jesus,” according to the testimony of the angel. But the verse also refers to his second advent, for the Word introduces him as the judge and giver of rewards.

And he shall call it a holy people, redeemed by the Lord. But instead of And he shall call it, the text in the other Greek translations reads: and they shall call them, clearly speaking about those who will be saved. They, therefore, shall be called a holy people, redeemed by the Lord, and you the city of God, and it is to them that it has been said: You shall be called “A City Sought After” and “Not Forsaken.”

Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on Isaiah 62:10–12

Patristic Wisdom for Christmas Eve

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18–25)

The angel then comes, when Joseph is troubled. For in addition to the causes mentioned, with a view also to the manifestation of his self-command, he defers his coming. But when the thing was on the point of taking place, then at last he presents himself. “While he thought on these things, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream.”

Do you see the mildness of the husband? So far from punishing, he did not even declare it to any one, no not even to her whom he suspected, but was thinking it over with himself, as aiming to conceal the cause even from the Virgin herself. For neither is it said that he was minded to “cast her out,” but to “put her away,” so very mild and gentle was the man. “But while he is thinking on these things, the angel appears in a dream.”…

Mark only, what a number of results are here. The man’s self-command is thoroughly shown; the word spoken in season contributes to his faith, and the history is freed from suspicion, in that it shows him to have felt what it was likely a husband would feel.

How then does the angel assure him? Hear and marvel at the wisdom of his words. For being come he saith, “Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto you Mary your wife.” He straightway puts him in mind of David, of whom the Christ was to spring, and he doth not suffer him to be greatly perturbed, by the title of his forefathers, reminding him of the promise made to the whole race. Else wherefore doth he call him “Son of David”?

“Fear not:” and yet in another case God does not so, but when one was devising about a certain woman what he ought not, He spake the word more in a way of rebuke, and with a threat. And yet there too, the act was of ignorance, for not with knowledge did that person take Sarah; yet nevertheless He rebuked him: but here mildly. For exceeding great were the mysteries He was dispensing, and wide the interval between the two men; wherefore neither was there need of rebuke. But by saying, “fear not,” he signifies him to have been afraid, lest he should give offense to God, as retaining an adulteress; since, if it had not been for this, he would not have even thought of casting her out. In all ways then he points out that the angel came from God, bringing forward and setting before him all, both what he thought to do, and what he felt in his mind.

Now having mentioned her name, he stayed not at this, but added also, “your wife;” whereas he would not have called her so, if she had been corrupted. And here he calls her that is espoused “a wife;” as indeed the Scripture is wont to call betrothed husbands sons-in-law even before marriage. But what means, “to take unto you?” To retain her in his house, for in intention she had been now put away by him. “Her, being put away, do retain,” he says, “as committed unto you by God, not by her parents. And He commits her not for marriage; but to dwell with you; and by my voice He does commit her.” Much as Christ Himself afterwards committed her to His disciple, so even now unto Joseph.

John Chrysostom, Homily on Matthew, 4.10–11

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Fourth Sunday in Advent

And the Lord continued to speak Ahaz, saying, “Ask for yourself a sign from the Lord your God, up to a depth or up to a height.” And Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not test the Lord.” And he said, “Hear now, house of David! Is it not a small thing for you to put up a fight with people? And how do you put up a fight with the Lord? Because of this, the Lord himself will give you a sign: Look, the maiden will become pregnant and will bear a son, and you will call his name Immanuel. He will eat butter and honey before he knows either to prefer evil or choose the good.” Because before the child knows good or bad, he refuses wickedness to choose good; and the land that you fear because of the presence of the two kings will be forsaken. But God will bring upon you and upon your people and upon the house of your father days that have not yet come since the day when Ephraim took away the king of the Assyrians from Judah. (Isaiah 7:10–17 LXX)

And again hear what was prophesied through Isaiah the prophet, that He would be born of a virgin. He said, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they will call his name, God with us.” Through the prophetic spirit God announced beforehand that things which are unimaginable and believed to be impossible for human beings would take place, in order that when it occurred it would be believed and received by faith because it had been promised. In order to ensure that someone does not accuse us of saying the same things as the poets, who say that Zeus came to women for sexual pleasure, we will explain the words of this prophecy clearly. The phrase “behold, the virgin shall conceive” means that the virgin would conceive without intercourse. If she had in fact had intercourse with someone, she would not have been a virgin. God's power came on the virgin, overshadowed her and caused her to conceive while she remained a virgin.

Justin Martyr, First Apology 33

The Savior's name, because of which He is called “God with us” by the prophet, signifies both natures of his one person. For He who, born before time from the Father, is God Himself in the fullness of time, became Emmanuel (that is, “God with us”) in His mother's womb, because He deigned to take the weakness of our nature into the unity of His person when “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” In a wonderful manner He began to be what we are, while not ceasing to be what He had been, assuming our nature in such a way that He Himself would not lose what He had been.

Bede, Homilies on the Gospels 1.5

Now, since the Lord was not a mere man but was also God and knew all things, He stood in no need of reflection, inquiry, counsel or judgment. He also had a natural affinity for good and antipathy for evil. Thus it is in this sense that the prophet Isaiah, too, says, “Before the child shall know to refuse the evil, He will choose the good. For before the child knows to refuse the evil and to choose the good, He will reject the evil by choosing the good.” The “before” shows that He made no inquiry or investigation in a human manner but that since He was God and divinely subsisted in the flesh—that is to say, was personally united to the flesh—by the fact of His very being and His knowing all things He naturally possessed the good.

John of Damascus, Orthodox Faith 3.14

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Third Sunday in Advent

Rejoice, thirsty deserted land! Let a deserted land rejoice, and let it blossom like a lily. And the desolate places of the Jordan will blossom and rejoice. The glory of Lebanon was given to it, and the honor of Carmel. And my people will see the glory of the Lord and the exaltation of God. Be strong, hands at ease and feeble knees! Give comfort, fainthearted in mind! Be strong; do not be frightened! Look, our God is repaying judgment, and he will repay! He himself will come and save us! Then blind people’s eyes will be opened, and dumb people’s ears will hear. Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the stammerer’s tongue will be clear, because water has broken forth in the desert, and a ravine in a thirsting land. And the waterless place will turn into marshes, and there will be a spring of water in the thirsty land; there birds’ happiness will be a dwelling of reed and marshes. A pure path will be there, and it will be called a holy path, and certainly no impure person will pass by there, nor will there be an impure path there, but those who are scattered abroad will walk on it; they will certainly not be misguided. And there will be no lion there, and certainly none of the evil beasts will come up to it or be found there, but rather a redeemed people will walk in it, those gathered because of the Lord; and they will return and come into Zion with happiness, and eternal happiness will be over their head. There will be praise and rejoicing, and happiness will overtake them; pangs and sorrow and groaning have fled away! (Isaiah 35:1–10 LXX)

After prophesying about this and clearly announcing the coming of God, the Word introduces signs and tokens of his virtuous actions when he says next: Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of stammerers shall be clear. And these things were distinctly fulfilled during the advent of our Savior, Jesus Christ, when each of these statements found fulfillment, for in his divine and rejuvenating power he healed every sickness and infirmity. He healed not only the sufferings of their bodies with the word of his teaching but also of their souls. Still, even now throughout the whole world, among all the nations, there are those who, in their crippledness and blindness of soul, were once astounded at the lifeless and motionless statues. Illuminated by his light, the eyes of their souls are enabled to see what kind of gods these statues are, and so they eschew the superstition handed down to them from their ancestors and instead make known the one and only true God. And the dumb and those who were at first deaf to the divine words, through his grace they have now become versed in listening to the inspired words, and those who passed by the steps of the soul leaped up like “deer” and became like their teachers, whom the prophecy called “deer” a little earlier. And the tongue of stammerers, which “Satan bound” so that it would not acknowledge the true God, this tongue has learned to utter clear and articulate sounds. And one would not be incorrect to say that the stammerers are none other than “the wise men of this age,” who scarcely ever dare to think or say anything correct about God.

Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on Isaiah 35

It follows, No lion shall be there, namely our adversary the devil, who prowls about roaring [cf. 1 Pet 5:8], seeking how he might be able to enter the sheepfold of the Lord [cf. John 10:1, 10], and no evil beasts, his accomplices, shall go up by it. For the traces of the serpent cannot be found on the rock [cf. Prov 30:19]. But those shall walk by it who have been delivered from the chains of sins, and have been redeemed by the blood of the Savior, and have done penance, and have “come into Zion.” Of “Zion” we have quite often spoken: “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” [Heb 12:22]. May we not seek in a Jewish manner a golden Zion and bejeweled Jerusalem [cf. Rev 21:10–11, 19–21], which, according to the prophecy of Daniel was reduced to everlasting ashes [cf. Dan 9:26–27]?

And there shall be everlasting joy upon the heads of those who praise the Lord, that after they have overcome the world, they will be able to say with the Apostle and the prophet, “I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of justice” [2 Tim 4:7–8]; and “O Lord, You have crowned us as with a shield of your good will” [Ps 5:12]. Then, while joy and gladness increase, sorrow and groaning shall flee away, when He who rescues will come out of Zion [cf. Isa 59:20]. In accordance with the Apostle Paul, we interpret all these things in respect to the first coming of Savior; the Jews, however, and our Judaizers, relate them to the second coming, on the pretext of the one little line, They shall return and shall come into Zion with praise, longing for the blood of sacrifices and the servitude of all the nations and the beauty of women.

St. Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah 10.35