I passed up the readings for Tuesday and Wednesday of the Second Week of the Great Fast, but will address both in this thread. The combined readings cover Isaiah 5:7-26.

These verses include the Woes against the irresponsible, those who failed to “know” the Holy One of Israel. The irresponsible were not just the leaders but also the people. Their sins are itemized in each Woe oracle.

The economy was pitiful and the lowest members of the society were being trampled on. Those in charge of carrying out justice were not doing their job. These leaders even changed laws to suit themselves at the expense of the people they were supposed to protect. Sound familiar?

Our readings for this past Tuesday and Wednesday consist of at least six Woes. Many have noticed a Seventh Woe against Israel in Isaiah 10:1-3(4).

A “woe” is not a curse. Neither God nor Isaiah needs to curse anyone who is already doing a fine job of cursing themselves. They are only deserving or earning what they are making for themselves.

I would like to point out the verses of each woe. Like when John sent a letter to each of the Seven Churches in the Apocalypse, Isaiah is sending a unique woe to particular audiences. It would be nice if someone could attempt to classify the groups Isaiah is sending a woe to. Do we see the same kind of irresponsibility in our own societies?

1st Woe oracle – Isaiah 5:8-10
2nd Woe oracle – Isaiah 5:11-13
3rd Woe oracle – Isaiah 5:18,19
4th Woe oracle – Isaiah 5:21
5th Woe oracle – Isaiah 5:22
6th Woe oracle – Isaiah 5:20, 23, 24a
7th Woe oracle – Isaiah 10:1-3(4)

Some even say that Isaiah 1:29-31 is a Woe oracle, but the “woe” was taken out. Woe is me!

These Woes come after the Song of the Vineyard, yet have nothing directly to do with it. The woe passages make up a single pericope even though we split the readings haphazardly between two days.

There are several interesting verses that seem to stand out from the woe passages, namely 5:14-17. I would first like to thank one of our astute students who pointed this out to me. Let me quote them as written in the Septuagint (LXX):

14 Therefore, hell (Greek: "hades&#8217) has enlarged its desire and opened its mouth without ceasing: and her glorious and great, and her rich and her pestilent men shall go down "into' it. 15 And the mean man shall be brought low, and the great man shall be disgraced, and the lofty eyes shall be brought low. 16 But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and the holy God shall be glorified in righteousness. 17 And they that were spoiled shall be fed as bulls, and lambs shall feed on the waste places of them that are taken away.

These four verses are actually a threat (5:14, 17) with an insertion about God's greatness (5:15, 16). They seem not to belong to the Woe section in Isaiah 5. Those mentioned in v.14 are full of pride, arrogance and the high; and remind us of what Isaiah really thinks of these show-offs as found in our earlier reading Isa 2:12-17. Men being brought low and God being exalted are in both sets of verses.

Does our culture try to keep imagery of Hell from our consciousness? What are your thoughts on this subject? How can parents and catechists get the truth about Hell across to our children without (1) scaring them or (2) making them ignore it?

Open wide!
http://www.medialab.ntua.gr/athos/uk/mones/ref0058.htm

Cantor Joe Thur
Deacon-student

[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

Joe
I had been puzzled with the reference in Isaiah 5:14-16 - "Sheol opens wide his throat' as this brought to mind Isaiah 38:10[ The Canticle of Hezekiah] which we say every Tuesday Wk 2 in Lauds "In the noontide of my days I must depart; I am consigned to the gates of Sheol for the rest of my years". I had wondered about this as I understood from the Canticle, that the gates of Sheol were the entrance to Hell , but with the reference in 5:14 I was left wondering.

All became clear with that URL you posted - very graphic ! Thank you for that sorting of a problem


May I return to the Vineyard here ?

I seem to have totally different thoughts here -in a way I linked it to the labourers who were worthy of their hire because they worked, even though it was not all of them worked for the same length of time, and I wondered here whether this was a reference to the fact that only things which were properly tended would flourish and bring forth good fruit - neglect would mean that what fruit did form would be poor and bitter and this also led me to consider Paul's comments in 2 Thess 3:10-13 where Paul commented about those who did not work but expected to be given food.

This also lead me to think again about the reference to Sheol [ and having seen that very graphic image] to realise that the throat of Sheol having been opened wide, was indeed waiting to consume those who did not tend the vineyard , who were arrogant enough to think that what was planted would flourish without care.

[ 02-22-2002: Message edited by: Our Lady's slave of love ]

Angela,

The Vineyard in Isaiah 5 doesn't give specific reasons for why the grapes grew wild. The setting starts in the third person singular ("My friend" or "My beloved") in Isa 5:1b and then continues on in the first person singular ("I ask you to judge").

Reasons can amount to anything. Even if well-tended with a watchtower to help didn't prevent the grapes from going inedible. Your suggestion about the gardeners being neglectful ties in good with the reason behind Isaiah writing this to begin with: they neglected to fulfill their part of the covenant with a jealous God. They were the elders and the princes of the people (Isa 3:14) who he judged and they were the ones who destroyed the vineyard (Isa 3:15). There was a lot of social injustice going on. Those of responsibility were not executing their fiduciary duties.

We all know from reading and reflecting on the Scriptures that our LORD is a jeaolous God. Just look at how he handles the fact that wild grapes grew instead of edible ones. He trashes the vineyard (Isa 5:5-6). The book of Judges shows us a cycle of convenant-breaking, judgment, bad times, and recovery via a judge being sent to bring the folks back to keeping the covenant relationship with their LORD. Judges is a complimentary text to the more positive Joshuah book, which tells us the story of how things go right when we are with God. Both books should be read together in that light.

Joe

Joe