St. Cyril of Alexandria's Commentary on Isaiah 63:1-7
Brief Biography of St. Cyril of Alexandria
St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376 – 444 AD) was Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 until his death and one of the most influential theologians of the early Church . Born in Theodosios, Egypt, he was educated in Alexandria and became a monk before being elevated to the patriarchate .
Cyril is best known for his defense of the title Theotokos ("God-bearer") for the Virgin Mary against Nestorius, which led to his central role at the Council of Ephesus (431 AD) . His Christological writings emphasized the unity of Christ's person—the divine and human natures united in one hypostasis—which profoundly shaped orthodox doctrine .
As a biblical commentator, Cyril produced extensive works on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Isaiah, the Minor Prophets, and the Gospels (especially Luke and John) . His exegetical method combined literal-historical analysis with robust Christological and typological interpretation, always aimed at defending orthodox doctrine and nurturing spiritual understanding . He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1882.
Translation of the Commentary on Isaiah 63:1-7
Is 63:1: "Who is this who comes from Edom, with redness of garments from Bosra? This one, beautiful in his robe, cries out loudly with strength: 'I speak justice, and the judgment of salvation.'"
With wisdom and artistry, the prophetic discourse depicts, as it were, the return to heaven of our Savior Christ, the Savior of us all. For when the power of the dispensation in the flesh had been brought to its end, He ascended to the heavenly Father and God, and appeared to the supreme powers not only in our likeness—that is, as a man—but also showing the signs of His passion.
On the Wounds of the Risen Christ: We do not say that after the resurrection from the dead the piercings of the nails and the other stigmata still remained in His holy flesh in a literal sense; but rather, we understand it thus: just as to Thomas, who was slow to believe, when the holy apostles were saying they had seen the Lord risen from the dead, He showed the impressions of the nails and His side—so we understand that now, when He wished the principalities and powers in the heavens to know the varied and manifold wisdom of God which He declared in Christ for the sake of the Church, He returned with the signs of passion, exhibiting to the supreme powers a spectacle altogether unusual and extraordinary.
The Angels' Question: For they were amazed when they saw Him approaching, and said: "Who is this who comes from Edom?"
Symbolic Interpretation of "Edom" and "Bosra": If one interprets "Edom" in the Greek language, it signifies "fire" or "earthly"; "Bosra" signifies "flesh" or "carnal."
"Who is this," therefore, they say, "from the earth or earthly one?"
"The redness of garments from Bosra": that is, dyed in a garment as if from flesh or blood.
"This one beautiful in his robe": For the powers, being subtle and wise and full of divine glory, saw Christ—however much He was in the flesh—as certainly endowed with invincible strength. For I believe this was the spectacle.
Christ's Response: Therefore, when the angels were asking among themselves and saying, "Who is this?", He responds and says: "I speak justice and salvation."
Meaning of "Justice" and "Judgment of Salvation":
He calls "justice" either the evangelical and divine preaching, or the fact that all of God's ways are just.
He calls "judgment of salvation" that which is concerning judgment. For He indicated the world and saved those who were oppressed by injustice, and cast down under His dominion the apostate and alien one who ruled over them with intolerable tyranny.
Christ's Own Words (John 12:31-32): Thus He said: "Now is the judgment of this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to Myself."
Is 63:2: "Why are your garments red, and your clothing like one who has trodden a full winepress?"
When Christ said these things, they ask again and say: "Why are your garments red, and your clothing like one from a full winepress that has been trodden?"
Connection to Genesis 49:11: Here, recall to memory what the patriarch Jacob said: "He shall wash His robe in wine, and His garment in the blood of the grape" (Genesis 49:11). For His garments appeared dyed with blood and colored with a redness as if with new wine.
Is 63:3: I have trodden the winepress alone. And from the peoples, no man was with Me. And I trod them down in My fury, and I broke them like the earth. And I brought down their blood upon the earth, and I stained all My garments."
These words cohere with the discourse and are connected with what precedes. For He says: "I speak justice and the judgment of salvation, and from the peoples no man was with Me."
That is: "No one was present when I suffered; no one from any nation sympathized with Me."
Christ's Abandonment in the Passion: And as far as human help was concerned, He was utterly destitute of all assistance, while the cohort of soldiers and the cruelty of the ministers insulted Him—who, as the evangelist narrates, even led Him to Caiaphas. Then, as He said, "all the disciples forsook Him and fled" (Matthew 26:56).
Christ's Foreknowledge (John 16:32): Moreover, Christ also predicted this: "Behold, the hour comes, and has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me."
Psalm 69:20-21: He also spoke through the voice of the Psalmist: "Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to pity me, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me also gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink."
Victory Despite Abandonment: Therefore, "No one," He says, "was with Me from all the nations."
"Were you then, being alone and destitute of helpers, conquered by hostile hand? Did they overcome you, and having vanquished your virtues, do they rejoice as though having obtained victory?" By no means, He says. "For even if I had no one standing by Me or helping Me, nevertheless I trod them down and broke them like the earth, and I brought down their blood upon the earth."
Is 63:4: "For the day of retribution has come upon them, and the year of redemption is at hand. And I looked, and there was no helper; I considered, and there was no one to offer assistance. And My arm saved them, and My fury came upon them, and I trod them down in My wrath, and I made them drunk with My fury, and I brought down their blood upon the earth."
After Christ's return to heaven, every kind of intolerable calamity from divine wrath was inflicted upon the Jewish people. For He says: "The day of retribution has come upon them."
Two Outcomes: Judgment and Redemption: For those to whom it was permitted to seize faith and through it to be enriched with grace—yet who became slothful, indeed arrogant and insolent, and almost waged war against God—why would they not fall into every kind of evil? But the time of retribution was for them; the day of redemption was for those who acknowledged His appearing. For at the same time, the unrestrained one was punished, and the obedient and submissive one was redeemed by Christ.
On Divine Assistance: "For I looked," He says, "and there was no helper; I considered, and no one was there to offer assistance. And My arm saved them, and My fury came upon them."
Against the Scribes and Pharisees: With these words, He seems to cry out against the sloth of the scribes and Pharisees, who were appointed to lead the people and direct them to justice and to instruct them properly according to God's good pleasure. But they were so slothful and idle that they offered no help to those subject to their yoke, corrected them with no admonitions, but on the contrary even led them into unbelief.
The peoples' Rejection of Christ (John 9:29; 7:20; 8:48): For they dared to say concerning our Savior Christ: "We know that God spoke to Moses; but as for this man, we do not know where He is from." And again: "He has a demon and is mad; why do you listen to Him?"
Divine Power and Mercy: Therefore, because "no one," He says, "was there to help or to offer assistance, My arm saved them"—that is, My power. For many, as I said, from among the Jews believed.
But those who were unwilling to help—My fury came upon them, and they became a trampling of wrath. For the wicked perished wickedly, and they paid penalties worthy of their crimes.
Is 63:7: "I will remember the mercies of the Lord, the praises of the Lord for all that the Lord has bestowed upon us. The good Judge for the house of Israel brings to us according to His mercy, and according to the multitude of His righteousness."
When God said that fury had come upon the unbelievers and that they had been trodden down by wrath and their blood brought down upon the earth, the prophet intervenes and does not allow those against whom these words were spoken to lose heart. And this matter is inserted with great artistry.
God's Mercy Tempering Judgment: For he says: "I have remembered within myself that the Judge of all is not unmerciful." For I know His mercy and His virtues—that is, His power—in all that He has bestowed upon us. For even if, He says, He turned away from Israel raging and disobedient, and—as it were—"repaid us" with wrath, it was not impotent or immoderate wrath, but tempered with clemency. Yet I know His virtues—that is, His power—exhibited at various times in the deliverance of Israel.
The Good Judge: Therefore, He says, "The Lord will be a good Judge for the house of Israel"—not severe, but kind and good.
For it is the office of a severe judge to afflict sinners with punishment worthy of their crimes.
But it is the office of a good judge to show mercy, as to the infirm.
Therefore, since He is a good Judge, "He brings to us according to His mercy"—that is, He will moderate wrath and temper indignation with mercy. For there is in Him "a multitude of righteousness"—that is, He has attained to the highest lot of all justice.
The Remnant Preserved: Hence, indeed and not without reason, He will not let Israel go entirely unpunished, but rather—as I said—He will temper wrath with clemency. For a remnant has been saved (cf. Romans 11:5).
Key Theological Themes in Cyril's Commentary
Christological Ascension Narrative: Cyril reads Isaiah 63:1-6 as a dramatic depiction of Christ's ascension, where the heavenly powers behold the victorious Savior bearing the marks of His passion—a spectacle both glorious and paradoxical.
Typological Symbolism: "Edom" (= earthly/fire) and "Bosra" (= flesh/carnal) symbolize the human, earthly realm from which Christ ascends, His garments stained not with defeat but with victorious sacrifice.
The Passion as Victory: The winepress imagery is interpreted as Christ's passion, through which He conquered sin, death, and the devil—not by shedding His enemies' blood literally, but by offering His own blood as the price of victory.
Divine Justice and Mercy: Cyril balances God's wrath against unbelief with His mercy toward the repentant, emphasizing that even judgment is tempered by clemency, and that a remnant of Israel is preserved.
Pastoral Purpose: The prophet's intervention in verse 7 is seen as a pastoral move to prevent despair, reminding readers that God's judgments are always administered by a "good Judge" whose righteousness is inseparable from mercy.
This passage exemplifies Cyril's exegetical hallmark: rigorous theological interpretation aimed at affirming Christ's divinity, the unity of His person, and the salvific meaning of Scripture for the life of the Church.
Comments
Post a Comment