Isaiah 56:7 in the Patristic Interpretation

Abstract

The article presents a reflection of the ancient Church based on Isa 56:7 . In itself, the theological and spiritual significance of this Isaianic verse can be developed in various ways. In early Christian interpretation, the material of Isaiah served several different ends. Isaiah’s concepts and terms become integral to Christian reflection, worship, literature and iconography. The early Church’s doctrine of the „house of prayer” included the elements of rejection and hope towards the Jewish people. It is, therefore, rather surprising that it did not exercise any strong impact on the Fathers of the Church. Indeed, the passage of Isaiah is almost neglected as are the NT passages in which it is quoted (Matt 21:13; Mark 11:17). Thus, it was necessary to supplement the reflections on Isa 56:7 with a broader treatment of the ecclesiological strands in the reflection of the Fathers of the Church. This field of research, expanded in this way, suggests a variety of exegetical ideas and relationship in the considerations of the analyzed authors.