SONG OF THE VINEYARD In the previous chapter, Isaiah got in touch with the exalted love of God towards His people, proclaimed through the divine incarnation, for the sake of sanctifying humanity, “by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.” By that, the insight of the prophet became open to the love of God for His bride, or His vineyard; to start singing the song of the vineyard, or the song of the lover for the desired vineyard. 1. God’s care for His vineyard 1-2. 2. A tribunal between God and His vineyard 3-7. 3. A detailed parade of Israel’s transgressions 8-23. 4. A divine chastity 24-25. 5. The Assyrian invasion 26-30. 1. GOD’S CARE FOR HIS VINEYARD “Now let me sing to my well-beloved. A song of my beloved regarding His vineyard: My well beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. He dug it up and cleared out its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, and also made a winepress in it. So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes” (Is. 5: 1, 2) This song proclaims the story of divine love; as God loved man, and still loves and protects him; and shall keep loving him; while man met love with dryness. That story has been realized with our first parents, Adam and Eve; and also with the people of God, in their early days. Thus it is said by the prophet Moses “For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance; He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness. He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.” (Deuteronomy 32: 9, 10) God got His people out of servitude, not only to get them to a land of milk and honey, but to establish the Church of the New Testament, that fills the whole world, to enjoy the inner kingdom of God, as said by the Psalmist: “You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, planted it. You prepared room for it, and caused it to take deep root, and it filled the land” (Psalm 80: 8, 9) It is obvious, that the vine here refers to all the people: the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Now, what did God present to His beloved people? a. He set them “on a very fruitful hill” (Is. 5: 1); having taken them into Canaan, the land of milk and honey. What has befallen them of draught and famine is not due to the nature of the land, nor the surrounding circumstances, but as a fruit of the people’s sins. God set the Church of the New Testament on a very fruitful hill; He lifted her heart up as though to heaven, to let her children enjoy the fat of heavenly life, to get fulfilled and in need for nothing. b. “He dug it up” (set a wall around it) (Is. 5: 2). That wall is the Law, by which God surrounded His people in the past, to spare them mixing with the pagan nations around them, thus copying defilements. And as St. John Chrysostom says, [The Law is a wall destined for security (Is. 8: 20)1.] St. Ambrose believes that the wall is [the divine care to protect the vine against the attacks of the spiritual beast2.] And, according to St. Jerome, it is [the guard by the angels3.] c. “And cleared out its stones.” (5: 2) The stones here refer to pagan worships with its stone idols; which were uprooted by God from among His people; or uprooted His people from it, that all may practice a sanctified proper life. Stones may also refer to the nature of violence and hardness that the Lord Christ wishes to uproot from every heart, through the work of His Holy Spirit. The prophet Ezekiel says, “I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 11: 19) This new heart and new spirit (Ezekiel 36: 26) would be realized through our getting the new spiritual birth in the holy water of Baptism. St. Cyprian says, [It is the Baptism, where the old man would die, and the new one would be born. And the apostle proclaims and confirms that we are being saved through “the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” (Philemon 3: 5)4] d. “Planted it with the choicest vine,” (Is. 5: 2) that is, He planted it as one of the best kinds of vine. As a chosen people, they were granted a covenant with God, to bear the “truth” in him; according to the words of the Lord: “I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality; How then have you turned before Me, into the degenerate plant of an alien vine? “ (Jeremiah 2: 21) As to the Church of the New Testament, the “Truth” Himself, the incarnated Word of God, came to present Himself as a vine, carrying us in Him living branches that bear much fruit (John 15: 5). e. “He built a tower in its midst,” (Is. 5: 3) where the owner of the vine or its guardian is stationed, to guard it against the attacks of thieves and wild beasts. Some scholars believe that the tower is the prophets, priests and all the spiritual and civil leaderships, who were supposed to take care of the flock, and to keep it against the little foxes that disrupt the vines. In the New Testament, the tower is the altar of God set within the soul, on which a believer offers his prayers, fasts, gifts, and all his life, as a burnt offering to the Lord, through his union with the slain Christ. Through that spiritual tower, the Church of Christ, in every heart, is kept strong and active; where believers enjoy the fellowship and union with the Lord himself. f. “And also made a winepress in it,” (Is. 5: 2) to press the grapes and to make the wine of love, that is offered for spiritual joy. What is that winepress, but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, who “has trodden the winepress alone; and from the people no one was with (Him)” (Is. 63: 3). He offered His shed blood, as a wine of love, to bring joy to every believer’s heart. St. Ambrose says, [He made a winepress, because the mysteries of Christ’s Passions are like new wine... The congregation thought that the disciples were drunk, as they received the Holy Spirit (Acts2: 13). He dug a basin for a wine press to pour in it the inner fruit5.] St. Irenaeus says, [God planted the vine of mankind, when He first created Adam, and elected the fathers. Then He presented it to the hands of vinedressers, when He set the Mosaic ordinance; and fenced around it by presenting special 1 In Eph. Hom., 5. 2 In Luke, 20:9-19. 3 Catena Aurea. St. Mark Ch. 12. 4 Ep. 74:5. 5 In Luc. 20:9-19. instructions to worship Him; built a tower through selecting Jerusalem; and dug a vine press, as He set a container for the prophetical spirit. He sent prophets prior to the Babylonian captivity, then more prophets during and after it, seeking fruits6.] Now, what did the vine present to its owner? “He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes.” (Is. 5: 2) The Lord expected to reap love for His love; repentance and atonement in response to His forgiveness of sins. But He got instead stony hearts that does not make fruits worthy of repentance. “There is none who does well, no not one.” (Psalm 53: 3) Thus it was fitting for the Word of God to descend to us, as a new vine. He alone can plant us in Him to bear much fruit (John 15: 5). When He says, “I am the true vine,” (John 15: 1) He undoubtedly designates Himself from that, to whom He addressed the words: “How then have you turned before Me into the degenerate plant of an alien vine? “As how could a true vine, expected to produce good grapes, produce thorns instead?7 In place of fruits, it produced sin8. St. Augustine I yearned, for the vine to produce wine, but it gave thorns. You can see the crown that adorns my head!9 St. Cyril of Jerusalem 2. A TRIBUNAL OF GOD FOR HIS VINE There is nothing more difficult for a father than to enter into a tribunal with a beloved son. Yet, because of the hardness of man’s heart, God sought to debate His people, asking: “What more could have been done to my vineyard?” (Is. 5: 4) The strange thing is that He left the verdict to the other party, to His oppressors, to condemn themselves by themselves. That is the way of God in dealing with us; He exposes us before ourselves, and reveals our weaknesses before our eyes; letting us condemn ourselves by ourselves; not out of desire to punish or conquer us, but to seek our return to Him, and to enter into a relationship of love with Him. What more could God have done for us?! He created us from nothing; brought us forth according to His likeness; delivered to us the earth with all that are on and beneath it; set the stars for our sake; and when our nature got corrupted, He sent us His Law and prophets; and finally He came by Himself, to write the song of His love by the blood of His body on the cross! As the vine did not find what to answer the owner of such amazing love, He began to proclaim His chastisements, in the hope that the vine would respond; which are: a. To “take away its hedge... and break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.” (Is. 5: 5) If “the angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,” (Psalm 34: 7) and the Lord Himself “will be a wall of fire around (His people),” (Zechariah 2: 5) yet, He with His love would forsake the oppressors, and deny them the heavenly guard, to let them feel their weakness, with no hedge or wall, prone to the wild beasts to trample as though in a wilderness, hoping for their return to God to ask for His refuge. If man denies the grace of God, his soul which is opened to 6 Adv. Haer., 4:36:2. 7 On John tr., 80:1. 8 In Ps. 80. 9 Cat. Lect., 13:29. the love of the world becomes without a wall, for the herds of dirty pigs to freely enter and exit; his heart to get trampled by desires; his thoughts to be swayed by defilements; and his senses to descend to uncleanness. As St. Clement of Alexandria says, [These things, namely, breaking down the wall, and allowing enemies to enter, are realized through divine consent, in order to turn everything to the good; [divine care is a punitive art10.] b. “I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor dug.” (Is. 5: 6) As the Lord forsakes His vineyard, that is the human soul, it turns into a void and counted as desolate; to be lamented by the Lord, as He did with Jerusalem, saying, “Your house is left to you desolate.” (Matthew 23: 38) When the vineyard produces fruits, the Vinedresser carries out a process of pruning and digging, so as to make it more productive. But if it gives wild grapes, he would not bother with it. Pruning and digging refer to the compassionate chastisement of the Lord toward His children. When we walk along with Him, He stretches His hand to take care of us, and also to chastise us, in order to be more productive of the fruits of the spirit. Refraining from pruning and digging refers to a refrain from chastisement, which is the severest of punishment: completely ignored, and counted unworthy even of being chastised. And as St. John Chrysostom says, that when a physician stops administering the bitter medication, or using the scalpel, that would mean that the condition of the patient turned utterly hopeless. c. “There shall come up briers and thorns.” (Is. 5: 6) This is the fruit of man’s desertion and separation from God; he starts to produce briers and thorns. As the apostle says, “As they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.” (Romans 1: 28) What are those thorns but a loss of peace of mind, to carry inside troubles and worries, with which man cannot cope on his own? d. “I will also command the clouds, that they rain no rain on it.” (Is. 5: 6) In the Old Testament, rain refers to the gift of the Holy Spirit11. A man who denies the Lord, who seeks to be separated from Him, would lose the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in him; to have his heart turn desolate, not bearing the fruits of the Spirit. So in place of “truth” he would produce “blood shed;” and in place of “justice” he would produce “oppression” and “weeping” (Is. 5: 6). The Lord seeks to find in us His fruitful paradise in Spirit, where the soul addresses Him, saying, “Let my beloved come to His garden; and eats its pleasant fruits.” (Song 4: 16) But, the soul denies the spiritual rain, would turn the cheerful paradise into a horrible place, where there would be nothing but bloodshed and continuous weeping. St. John Chrysostom believes that rain in the Holy Scripture refers to preaching12. Thus when man denies God, he would deny himself enjoyment of His preaching within his depths. He reads the word of God, and may study it, yet he would not enjoy its activity and sweetness in his depths. That is what St. Augustine proclaimed13 in his first homily on the gospel according to St. Matthew, saying that he has been like a small bird in its nest. In the pride of his heart, he sought to fly on his 10 Stromata, 4:12. 11 See St. Iren. Adv Haer. 3:17:3. 12 In Heb. Hom. 10:2. 13 Serm. On N.T. Lessons, 1. own, studying the Holy Bible with the spirit of criticism; to end up falling down on the ground; and would have been trampled over by pedestrians, if not for God’s care, that rescued him and took him back to the nest of faith, until he eventually develops wings, by which he can fly. St. Augustine sees that rain here refers to preaching, that transferred from the vineyard (the Jewish nation), to the Gentiles14. The prophet says, “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts, is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but beholds oppression; for righteousness, but behold, weeping.” (Is. 5: 7) God presented all possibilities to the congregation as a whole: to the Priests and the Levites, as well as to the common people; the rich, the poor; the learned, and the illiterate, for that vineyard to produce truth and justice. The “Truth” did come incarnated from the tribe of Judah, but they shed His blood; and in place of “justice,” there were their cries “crucify Him! Crucify Him.” 3. A DETAILED PARADE OF THE TRANSGRESSIONS OF ISRAEL Having revealed His love for His vineyard and His great care for it, and how the vineyard denied itself the sweet spiritual fruit, and the joyful wine, to produce instead thorns, that were made into a crown for the head of the Lord Jesus Christ. God began to parade the most serious of transgressions by the people, and their wild fruits, that brought about bitter results, in place of enjoyment of God’s blessings and fellowship of His glories: a. “Woe to those who join house to house, who add field to field, till there is no place where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land.” (Is. 5: 8) By that He means, that they preoccupied themselves with purchasing houses and lands, by all means, everyone selfishly not leaving anything for his brother, especially the poor and the needy. Only few people got to own houses and land to use the public, not according to the law, that ordered equal distribution of land (Numbers 33: 54); and, in the year of the Jubilee, “everyone shall regain his possession” (Leviticus 25). The land of Canaan is a free gift granted to the whole people, in order that all would live in prosperity, enjoy the milk and honey that the land produces; as if it is God’s possession that He presents to them. But, with this sort of behavior they committed the sins of greed, pride, mutiny, and breaking of the Law. That is why blessings was taken away, and left its place to curse; houses turned desolate, because of death and captivity; in one second 185,000 were killed in war. Land stopped giving its normal crop: ten acres of vineyards produced only 27.5 kilograms of grapes, instead of 283. 5 kilograms; seeds produces an ephah (a tenth part of a homer Ezekiel 45: 11) which means that crop does not exceed one tenth of the seeds put in the land. b. “Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink; who continue until night, till wine inflames them” (Is. 5: 11). If the first woe came upon them because of their greed and oppression, the second was because of excess looseness. They used to get drunk in the early morning, instead of going to work, and stay as such till late at night; that is to say, they got drunk day and night, thus break the divine commandment: “Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening” (Psalm 104: 23). Their life deviated from spiritual joy, mixed with serious life and worship, to looseness and softness, using all instruments of music (Is. 5: 12); and preoccupying themselves with holding banquets to get excited 14 In Ps. 77. and induced to commit evil, disregarding life of piety in the Lord. And as said by the prophet Amos: “Who chant to the sound of stringed instruments, and invent for yourselves musical instruments like David; Who drink wine from bowls, and anoint yourselves with the best anointments, but are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. Therefore they shall now go captive as the first of the captives; and those who recline at banquets shall be removed.” (Amos 6: 5 -7) Behold how God also condemns luxury; He does not rebuke them for their greed, but for mere extravagance. You eat in excess, while Christ has only what is necessary. You eat an assortment of cakes, while Christ has nothing more than dry bread. You drink the wine of Thasian, and do not offer Christ a cold glass of water, through those who are thirsty. You sleep on an expensive bed, while He is trembling with cold. St. John Chrysostom15 Through acts of looseness, man loose his inner consciousness, shifting from the knowledge of truth, to live as a slave of ignorance, to feel inner hunger and thirst, and find nothing to fulfill him. The prophet says, “Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge. Their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst” (Is. 5: 13) through looseness, man looses his inner conscience to descend into an abyss, that widely opens its gates to swallow with no limits. Thus man loses his glory and pomp (Is. 5: 14), and to get humbled (Is. 5: 15). This is the bitter fruit got by those who walk through the wide gate that of continuous looseness to fulfill their worldly desires. Yet, what is far more serious would be their eternal punishment, as expressed by the prophet: “Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself, and opened its mouth beyond measure. Their glory and their multitude and their pomp, and he who is jubilant, shall descend into it.” (Is, 5: 14) He portraits Sheol, namely the abyss, as the earth opening itself up to swallow the wicked, as what happened with Korah and his group; opening up, to ask for more, swallowing them, that they may remain in the deep darkness forever. This is what would happen to those preoccupied with life of luxury and fun. But as to God, “The Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God who is Holy shall be hallowed in righteousness.” (Is. 5: 16) Some will probably wonder, what would be the situation of the small remnant that is honest to God? To that the prophet answers: “Then the lambs shall feed in their pasture; and in the waste places of the fat ones, strangers shall eat.” (Is. 5: 17) The little flock of lambs shall feed, wherever the good shepherd, the Lord Christ, leads it. He, who will snatch it away from oppression and persecution. These will feed in peace and safety, not to be disturbed by anyone. When the Church of the Old Testament was destructed an end through the Jews’ rejection of faith in the Lord Christ, the Gentiles (the foreigners) inherited the promises, the covenants, the law, and the prophecies etc. c. “Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity; and sin as if with a cart rope.” (Is. 5: 18) This third woe would occur to the seekers of iniquity, with a great desire and zeal; who go to it with their own choice, push themselves toward it forcibly, or strongly pull it to themselves. Those would face danger, as they fall in the snare of vanity, and get themselves attached to the wheel of sin to be attached to it. They draw sin as if by a rope, to find it so heavy, that it would fall over their 15 In Matt. Hom. 48:8. heads crushing them. Some Fathers of the Church believe that the wicked fall down from one sin to another, as though they make for themselves a long rope that would draw them to evil in servitude. Every fall would lead to another one and each declination causes a more dropping one. And instead of thinking of ascension, the wicked fall more and more. Truly, every man makes for himself a rope by his sins: “Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity.” (Is. 5: 18 LXX) Who makes for himself a long rope? It is he, who adds a sin to another. How? When he tries to cover a sin he committed by another sin16. As the wicked threaten to kill the righteous, they bind themselves with shackles, with a strong coarse rope of their own doing17. Blessed are those who, through work and character sing the praises of ascensions (grades), and woe to those who draw sin as a long rope (thus fall down with it)18. St. Augustine Beside the dangers attached to sin, it draws man to a chain of other sins, to turn him into something like a ball, played with by sins. The second danger is that it creates a spirit of ridicule and mock, in place of a desire to rid oneself of it. Thus the wicked say, “Let Him make speed and hasten His work, that we may see it. And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it.” (Is. 5: 19) They doubt the possibility of God’s judgment, assuming that they are capable of confronting it with proofs and excuses. Mockingly, they say, “the Holy One of Israel,” the title used by the prophets, on account of their hope in the coming of the Messiah, the Savior. It is as though they are completely rejecting that hope. In every age, there are wicked people, who take God’s long, suffering lightly, and make fun of His promises and love, as well as of His chastisements; assuming that they are all, just words or fantasies, that would never be realized: “Indeed they say to me: ‘where is the word of the Lord? Let it come now.’” (Jeremiah 17: 15) “The days are prolonged, and every vision fails.” (Ezekiel 12: 22) “Scoffers will come in the last days... saying, ‘where is the promise of His coming? For since the Fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were, from the beginning of creation’” (2 Peter 3: 3, 4) d. “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.” (Is. 5: 20) The fourth woe falls upon those who mix between truth and false, good and evil, light and darkness, sweetness and bitterness, knowledge and ignorance. They give sin a touch of virtue; justifying, for example, anger, as a defense of truth; or judging others under pretense of a desire for reform etc. St. Clement of Alexandria believes that, that woe is a threat to the liars and the proud19. God is the Truth, and the devil is the liar and father of liars. Whoever knows the will of God knows the truth and walks in goodness; but whoever disregards the divine will, would exit the circle of truth, to live in lying; losing through this his ability to recognize the good and the light, and to comprehend the real knowledge of heaven and divinity. 16 In John tr. 80:1. 17 On Ps. 119. 18 On the Trinity, 11:6. 19 Paed. 3:12. e. Pretense of wisdom and prudence, disregarding views and counsel of others: “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight.” (Is. 5: 21) Whoever is preoccupied with his own self, and refrain from seeking the counsel of others, carries the mark of idiocy. It was said: “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverb 26: 12)20. St. John Chrysostom f. The mighty that are corrupting their energies: “Woe to men, mighty at drinking wine; woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink.” (Is. 5: 22) When the leaderships get preoccupied with banquets, luxuries and drinking, they lose their real role. We often corrupt our energies by ourselves, through deviating from our serious goals, and plunging in the desires of this world. g. Receiving bribes: “Who justify the wicked for a bribe; and take away justice from the righteous man” (Is. 5: 23) 4. A DIVINE CHASTISEMENT Because of the transgressions of the people, the wrath of God flared, “as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff.” (Is. 5: 24) He allowed their chastisement so severely until the hills trembled, and their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the street. Here he is referring to what was going to happen to God’s people during the cruel Assyrian invasion. However, in the midst of that fire, he says, “His hand is stretched out still.” (Is. 5: 25) He is still filled with love, waiting for man to come back to Him! 5. THE ASSYRIAN INVASION The prophet is giving us a horrible description of the Assyrian army, in its invasion of God’s people, a description that reveals the severity, aggression and persistence of the invasion of the human soul by the devil. At the same time, he rebukes the loose believers. The wicked, for the sake of worldly benefit, would not linger, until they realize their goal; while the children of God, on the other hand, are not zealous enough to gain the fellowship of eternal glory. a. “No one will be weary...” (Is. 5: 27) Despite the long distance they walk, and the difficulties they encounter, they do not get weary, because of their strong desire to enjoy the loot... while we, the believers, get careless in our spiritual strife, under the pretence that they are exhausted and feel weary. b. “…or stumble among them,” (Is. 5: 27) despite the coarseness of the way; and probably because God has invited them to chastise His people, He made it easier for them. It was more fitting for us, not to fear the coarseness of the way; being in the hand of our Christ “the Way;” there is no chance for us to stumble. c. “No one will slumber or sleep,” (Is. 5: 27) for the sake of that worldly and evil goal set before their eyes. Is it not more fitting for us to refrain from slumbering or sleeping, to stay in the alertness of the Spirit, until we realize our mission? d. “…nor will the belt on their loin be loosed; nor the straps of their sandals be broken.” (Is. 5: 27) That is to say, serious and zealous. The Lord instructed us, “Let your waists be girded” (Luke 12: 35), until we consummate God’s ministry with strength. 20 In Gal. Hom. 1. e. “…whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent. Their horses’ hooves will seem like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind.” (Is. 5: 28) Ready with their weapons and equipment, to fight mightily, swiftly, and for an extended time, until they realize their goal. We should, as believers are as ready for our battle against the devil, with the spiritual weapons of faith, spoken of, more profusely by the apostle Paul (Ephesians 6). f. “Their roaring will be like a lion, they will roar like young lions. Yes they will roar, and lay hold of the prey. They will carry it away safely, and no one will deliver.” (Is. 5: 29) They carry the image of their master, the devil, “who walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5: 8). It was fitting for believers to stay “sober, vigilant, and steadfast in faith” (1 Peter 5: 8, 9) that is capable of destroying our adversary. The Lamb, Lord Jesus Christ, of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5: 5), has advanced, to spare us getting defeated by the devil, and to help us resisting him and destroying his capabilities. g. “In that day they will roar against them, like the roaring of the sea.” (Is. 5: 30) The army will fall on them, the roaring of its soldiers like that of the sea, that cannot be resisted, it sweeps and swallows every thing before it. As if there would be no escape from Assyria. h. Finally, the people will lose all hope, as, “If one looks to the land, behold, darkness and sorrow; and the light is darkened by the clouds.” (Is. 5: 30) In the times of affliction, they would raise their eyes to seek a way to salvation; but darkness would prevail over their thoughts, and clouds of fire smoke would devastate every hope they may still have. They rejected God, “the true Light,” to have darkness prevail over their depths. That is why the Psalmist cries out: “In your light, O Lord, we see light.” (Psalm 36: 9).
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