The angels, too, were in doubt when Christ arose; the powers of heaven were in doubt when they saw that flesh was ascending into heaven. Then they said, Who is this King of glory? And yet some said, Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of glory may come in.^[1] In Isaiah, too, we find that the powers of heaven doubted.

Similarly, in Isaiah, who is this that comes from Edom, in radiant garments? Notice what the angels do; they proclaim his beauty but are silent about his essence.^[1]

The only-begotten Word of God ascended in the heavens with his flesh united to him, and this was a new sight in the heavens. The multitude of holy angels was astounded seeing the king of glory and the Lord of hosts in a form similar to ours. And they said, Who is this that comes from Edom [that is, from earth], in crimsoned garments, from Bosor. But Bosor is to be interpreted as flesh or anguish and affliction.

For he appeared to the powers above not only in the form in which he came for us, that is, as a human, but also showing the signs of his passion. Thus, we say that after his resurrection from the dead the marks of the nails and the other things of his wounds were marked on the holy flesh. . . . So that the angels asking each other might say, Who is this? He considers and replies to them, I speak justice and the judgment of salvation.^[1] He calls justice the divine and good news-bearing message or every just word that the Lord speaks. And the judgment of salvation refers to the judgment we receive. He indicated the world also to Satan, who was accusing it, and he saved those burdened by terrible greed. And he expelled the rebel and foreign usurper from among them, saying, Now is the judgment of this world.^{[2] [3]} THE ASPECT OF A WARRIOR. ISHO‘DAD OF MERV: Who is this that comes from Edom? It seems that the prophet sees God under the aspect of a warrior who marches at the head of his people, and, after destroying the Edomites, has come back and arrives; and the prophet asks who is this that comes from Edom and Bozrah, their royal cities. ^[1]

He likewise, when mentioning the cup and making the New Testament to be sealed in his blood,^[1] affirms the reality of Christ’s body. For no blood can belong to a body that is not a body of flesh. If any sort of body were presented to our view, which is not one of flesh, not being fleshly, it would not possess blood. In order, however, that you might discover how anciently wine is used as a figure for blood, turn to Isaiah, who asks, Who is this that comes from Edom, from Bosor with garments dyed in red, so glorious in his apparel, in the greatness of his might? Why are your garments red, and your clothing as his who comes from the treading of the full winepress? The prophetic Spirit contemplates the Lord as if he were already on his way to his passion, clad in his fleshly nature; and as he was to suffer therein, he represents the bleeding condition of his flesh under the metaphor of garments dyed in red, as if reddened in the treading and crushing process of the winepress, from which the laborers descend reddened with the wine juice, like men stained in blood.

And does not also the Holy Spirit, speaking in Isaiah, testify the same thing concerning the passion of the Lord, saying, Why are your vestments red and your garments as from treading the wine press full and well-trodden? For can water make vestments red, or is it water that is trodden by the feet in the winepress or forced out by the press? The mention of wine is placed there, indeed, that in the wine the blood of the Lord may be known and that which was afterward manifested in the chalice of the Lord might be foretold by the prophets who announced it. The treading and pressing of the winepress are also spoken of, since wine cannot be prepared for drinking in any other way unless the cluster of grapes is first trodden and pressed. Thus, we could not drink the blood of Christ unless Christ had first been trodden on and pressed, and unless he had first drunk the chalice of which he should also give believers to drink.

Who is that who for shame is clothed in scarlet? For Bosra among the Hebrews has such a meaning.

Edom is by interpretation either earthy or bloody; Bosor either flesh or in tribulation. In a few words, [Isaiah] shows the whole mystery of the resurrection, that is, the reality of the flesh and the growth in glory. And the meaning is, Who is he that comes up from the earth, comes up from blood? According to the prophecy of Jacob, he has bound his foal to the vine and has trodden the winepress alone, and his garments are red with new wine from Bosor, that is, from flesh or from the tribulation of the world, for he himself has conquered the world.^[1] And, therefore, his garments are red and shining, because he is beautiful in form, more than the sons of humankind,^[2] and on account of the glory of his triumph they have been changed into a white robe; and then, in truth, as concerns Christ’s flesh, were fulfilled the words, Who is this who is coming up all in white, leaning upon her beloved?^[3] And there is also that which is written in the same book, My beloved is white and ruddy.^[4]

Each quality, though, that is both beauty and strength, had been seen and understood by Isaiah, when he said, Who is this who is arriving from Edom, the crimson of his garments from Bozrah, so handsome in the robe of his garment with strength? So this prophet, who called him both handsome and strong, knew him as bridegroom and giant.

And, if they marvel and say, as in Isaiah’s drama, Who is this that comes from Edom and from the things of the earth? or How are the garments red when he is without blood or body, as of one that treads in the full winepress?—if they say this, then set forth the beauty of the array of the body that suffered, adorned by the passion and made splendid by the Godhead. Nothing can be lovelier or more beautiful than that. . . . Will you think little of him because he humbled himself for your sake? . . . Do you conceive of him as less because he girds himself with a towel and washes his disciples and shows that humiliation is the best road to exaltation?^[1]

They call the red land Edom, and Bosor to the flesh; they were amazed at the ineffable beauty of the one wrapped in earthly and fleshly apparel, such as to drive those who looked to love. The blessed David is mindful of this beauty: Fair and beautiful among the sons of humankind.^[1] That Edom means flame-colored is affirmed in the Song of Songs by the bride, who cries, My beloved is red and white.^[2] Christ’s nature is twofold. Therefore, white means the inaccessible light of divinity, red the human appearance. . . .

For this is the time for these who were brazen to receive retribution and for those unjustly enslaved by them to get their freedom. . . .

He calls arm the power of righteousness, for he guarded spotless and free from sin the nature that he assumed. . . . We who have benefited from this good work and have been delivered from that bitter slavery, let us sing praises to the author of these things. He was the one who underwent the battle and provided us with the gift of victory and peace. Let us hope that we can enjoy this victory until the end, by the grace of the one who has conquered.

I, wretched one, cast myself into the pit and the mud of the abyss^[1] of shameful thoughts and deeds, and once I had come there, I fell into the hands of those who were concealed by the darkness. From these neither I alone, nor the whole world gathered into one, could have availed to bring me up from there and deliver me from out of their hands. . . .

Even when I in my senselessness rejoiced in being led astray by them, you could not bear to see me led about and dragged in dishonor, but you did have compassion, O Master, and showed pity on me. It was not an angel or a man whom you sent to me, miserable sinner, but you yourself were moved by your tender goodness.

For the Lord is a good judge to the house of Israel. For he is not harsh but benevolent or good. For the task of a harsh judge takes the way of interrogating those sinners like ones standing accused. The good judge has mercy on them as weak ones. Since the judge is good, he will act according to his mercy, that is, he will temper his anger and will work in mercy in making the complaint. For there is so much justice in him that he will prosecute justice to the letter. Therefore, it is fitting that he will not let Israel go unpunished, but rather he will mingle his wrath with kindness, as I said. For a remnant will be saved. . . .

Now he will save them himself, finding nothing worthwhile in them, but only because he loved them and cared for them. This is a strong visible sign of his unequaled philanthropy and the calmness of divinity. For he saved them from the house of slavery, carried them and raised them up. This is what he was talking about at the beginning of Isaiah, I have borne and raised sons.^[1]

For the grace of the incarnation is of mercy and good will. Aquila translates, instead of virtues, hymns; Theodotion and Symmachus render it songs of praise. For make retribution, Symmachus has work benefits. But the Septuagint is more accurate in putting make retribution, since we deserved punishment but received salvation instead of punishment. . . . He switches us to the opposite, giving us good things in place of bad. . . . He does not use justice only in judging, but he moderates justice with mercy, or rather good will wins over justice.

We say that these human things are his by an economic appropriation, along with the flesh all the things belonging to it. We recognize no other Son apart from him, for the Lord has saved us, giving his own blood as a ransom for the life of all.

Where is he who put in them the Holy Spirit, that is, he who established the divine and saving Spirit in them? For the Spirit descended from the Lord and guided them, saying, David divinely uttered, ‘Send forth your word and heal us.’ For the Lord is the Spirit; he works through the Spirit that is of the same nature. Where then is he? For they forgot him and did not seek him, when they clearly should have remembered him and loved him. Where is he who led Moses by the right hand? Moses was great, famous and lofty in dignity. And this is shown in that it says [Moses] led them, working through [the Spirit] who is the right hand of God.

There can be no doubt that in refusing the accompaniment of an angel Moses was inviting God to lead them himself. God was making this promise, This word that you have just spoken I shall accomplish, since you have found favor with me and I know you in preference to all the others.^[1] It is also said in Isaiah, the one who made the shepherd of the sheep to ascend the earth? Where is he who put the Holy Spirit in their midst, who led Moses by his right hand? . . . At that time God promised to lead the people himself, and now he promises to send, no longer an angel but the Spirit who is above the angels. It is he who becomes the guide of the people. He thereby shows that the Spirit is neither from among the creatures nor even an angel, but he is superior to creation, united to the divinity of the Father.

Indeed just as the Lord and the Son are one, the Lord is the Father. For they come together, and the Holy Spirit both is and can be understood to be in both, and he makes sharp the straight way of truth whenever the mind of believers lacks correct thinking. On account of this being the case, the Spirit is Lord and God, as the Scriptures declare, with the great Isaiah speaking concerning the race of Israel, The Spirit came down from the Lord and led them.

It seems that Isaiah is making mention here of the resurrection of Christ, the Savior of us all. He who has gone up is said in place of he who has risen—from the earth—the chief shepherd of all, not just that he was rising up from the dead, but in the sense that he was clearly distinct among human beings. For he became like one of us, undergoing birth from a woman according to the flesh—he who was the only-begotten Word of the Father.

Just as with Pharaoh and the Egyptians chasing them, the people led by Moses crossed the sea, so, too, as the devil and the demons were waging war, Christ the master shattered the gates of death, was first to go through them and took with him human nature in its entirety!

Like cattle that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest. So you did lead your people. Through all these words that the prophet speaks about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, he leads the mind back to the wonders that God performed by means of his servant Moses, whom he called the shepherd of his flock, and through whose right hand, which moved the staff, he divided the sea.^[1] The staff, therefore, prefigured the cross of Christ, who is the hidden arm of the glory of the Father.

Here onwards the prophet prays for every nation, and in the person of the Israelites he presents his supplication. He prays that God will withhold his wrath from them and cease rebuking them and in a forgiving manner subdue Israel’s desertion; for there was no one on earth for them other than the true God, one having a glorious home in heaven, their father. Although God is said to dwell in heaven, this should not be thought of him in physical terms. For we say that God is not in a place or to be circumscribed; he is simple, and without a body he fills all things.

Your great tolerance encouraged our shamelessness. When you did not punish our sins, we remained transgressors, disregarding your laws. In the same sense, God said to the blessed Moses, I will harden Pharaoh’s heart.^[1] He used his great forbearance and tolerance and punishes Pharaoh only with frogs and locusts and flies to begin with, and Pharaoh thought that God could not increase the level of punishment. . . . You have been patient for a long time; you have not disciplined us, seeing us transgressing without a care; we have accordingly hardened our hearts and as a consequence left the straight path.

Is not sin also punishment for sin? . . . We can recount many other events clearly showing that perversity of heart comes from a hidden judgment of God, with the result that a refusal to hear the truth leads to commission of sin, and this sin is also punishment for preceding sin.

Behold how a person is hardened if he does not merit to be chastised by the Lord for his correction? Moreover, what is written concerning those whom God’s mercy does not even allow to become hardened? God scourges every child whom he receives;^[1] . . . and again, For whom God loves he reproves.^[2] Concerning this hardening the prophet also exclaims to the Lord in the person of the people, Why do you harden our hearts that we fear you not? Surely this is nothing else than, You have abandoned our heart, that we should be converted to you.

The punishment for previous sins is called hardening that comes from the divine righteousness. . . . While those who are righteous are in no way driven by God to become evil, nevertheless, when they are evil they are hardened so that they become worse, as the apostle says, Since they did not receive the love of God’s truth that they might be saved, God sent them a spirit of error.^[1] So God made them sin. But in these cases there was so much sin that came before that they deserved to become worse. . . . Some sins come from God’s anger which are balanced against the merit of other sins.

And you did this on account of our turning away from you. For we are now a desert untended by your careful attention. We are now like we were in the beginning. For there was a time when we had neither prophet nor priest not king nor any of your gifts of grace—in like manner we have now come back to the desert. Such were we in Egypt frittering away time before Moses took us out of there. Neither did we have your name to adorn us when we were not called your people, and we did not have a share in your inheritance. And now we have arrived at a similar point. It is right to refer these words to the season after the arrival of our Savior, by whom all those things will in the end be put behind them, through what was dared by our Savior for them.

The holy of holies of the sanctuary, which it was forbidden to touch and to which access was reserved for priests alone, has been despoiled and trampled by impious enemies. For the Babylonians were not the only impious ones; the Macedonians and the Romans were also, when they devastated Jerusalem. . . . We have resembled our ancestors who, in the time of slavery in Egypt, had not yet received the title of your people.

The church is often called the holy mountain in the sacred Scriptures, and those from Israel are only a small part of it. For if they had demonstrated faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the company of the faith would have sprung from them for the most part and the Gentiles would have been added in to complete the number. But because of the serious disobedience of the Jews, the people of the church were consequently largely drawn from the nations, and these provided the majority; the former people were few in number (for a remnant shall be saved), so only in small measure will they be called on to the holy mountain, that is, into the church.