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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 29:9–16. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here, I. The prophet stands amazed at the stupidity of the greatest part of the Jewish nation. They had Levites, who taught the good knowledge of the Lord and had encouragement from Hezekiah in doing so, Ch2 30:22. They had prophets, who brought them messages immediately from God, and signified to them what were the causes and what would be the effects of God's displeasure against them. Now, one would think, surely this great nation, that has all the advantages of divine revelation, is a wise and understanding people, Deu 4:6. But, alas! it was quite otherwise, Isa 29:9. The prophet addresses himself to the sober thinking part of them, calling upon them to be affected with the general carelessness of their neighbours. It may be read, "They delay, they put off, their repentance, but wonder you that they should be so sottish. They sport themselves with their own deceivings; they riot and revel; but do you cry out, lament their folly, cry to God by prayer for them. The more insensible they are of the hand of God gone out against them the more do you lay to heart these things." Note, The security of sinners in their sinful way is just matter of lamentation and wonder to all serious people, who should think themselves concerned to pray for those that do not pray for themselves. But what is the matter? What are we thus to wonder at? 1. We may well wonder that the generality of the people should be so sottish and brutish, and so infatuated, as if they were intoxicated: They are drunken, but not with wine (not with wine only, though with that they were often drunk), and they erred through wine, Isa 28:7. They were drunk with the love of pleasures, with prejudices against religion, and with the corrupt principles they had imbibed. Like drunken men, they know not what they do or say, nor whither they go. They are not sensible of the divine rebukes they are under. They have beaten me, and I felt it not, says the drunkard, Pro 23:35. God speaks to them once, yea, twice; but, like men drunk, they perceive it not, they understand it not, but forget the law. They stagger in their counsels, are unstable and unsteady, and stumble at every thing that lies in their way. There is such a thing as spiritual drunkenness. 2. It is yet more strange that God himself should have poured out upon them a spirit of deep sleep, and closed their eyes (Isa 29:10), that he who bids them awake and open their eyes should yet lay them to sleep and shut their eyes; but it is in a way of righteous judgment, to punish them for their loving darkness rather than light, their loving sleep. When God by his prophets called them they said, Yet a little sleep, a little slumber; and therefore he gave them up to strong delusions, and said, Sleep on now. This is applied to the unbelieving Jews, who rejected the gospel of Christ, and were justly hardened in their infidelity, till wrath came upon them to the uttermost. Rom 11:8, God has given them the spirit of slumber. And we have reason to fear it is the woeful case of many who live in the midst of gospel light. 3. It is very sad that this should be the case with those who were their prophets, and rulers, and seers, that those who should have been their guides were themselves blindfolded; and it is easy to tell what the fatal consequences will be when the blind lead the blind. This was fulfilled when, in the latter days of the Jewish church, the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, were the great opposers of Christ and his gospel, and brought themselves under a judicial infatuation. 4. The sad effect of this was that all the means of conviction, knowledge, and grace, which they enjoyed, were ineffectual, and did not answer the end (Isa 29:11, Isa 29:12): "The vision of all the prophets, true and false, has become to you as the words of a book, or letter, that is sealed up; you cannot discern the truth of the real visions and the falsehood of the pretended ones." Or, every vision particularly that this prophet had seen for them, and published to them, had become unintelligible; they had it among them, but were never the wiser for it, any more than a man (though a good scholar) is for a book delivered to him sealed up, and which he must not open the seals of. He sees it is a book, and that is all; he knows nothing of what is in it. So they knew that what Isaiah said was a vision and prophecy, but the meaning of it was hidden from them; it was only a sound of words to them, which they were not at all alarmed by, nor affected with; it answered not the intention, for it made no impression at all upon them. Neither the learned nor the unlearned were the better for all the messages God sent them by his servants the prophets, nor desired to be so. The ordinary sort of people excused themselves from regarding what the prophets said with their want of learning and a liberal education, as if they were not concerned to know and do the will of God because they were not bred scholars: It is nothing to me, I am not learned. Those of better rank pretended that the prophet had a peculiar way of speaking, which was obscure to them, and which, though they were men of letters, they had not been used to; and, Si non vis intelligi, debes negligi - If you wish not to be understood, you deserve to be neglected. Both these are groundless pretences; for God's prophets have been no unfaithful debtors either to the wise or to the unwise, Rom 1:14. Or we may take it thus: - The book of prophecy was given to them sealed, so that they could not read it, as a just judgment upon them; because it had often been delivered to them unsealed, and they would not take pains to learn the language of it, and then made excuse for their not reading it because they were not learned. But observe, "The vision has become thus to you whose minds the god of this world has blinded; but it is not so in itself, it is not so to all; the same vision which to you is a savour of death unto death to others is and shall be a savour of life unto life." Knowledge is easy to him that understands.
II.The prophet, in God's name, threatens those that were formal and hypocritical in their exercises of devotion, Isa 29:13, Isa 29:14. Observe here,
1.The sin that is here charged upon them - dissembling with God in their religious performances, Isa 29:13. He that knows the heart, and cannot be imposed upon with shows and pretences, charges it upon them, whether their hearts condemn them for it or no. He that is greater than the heart, and knows all things, knows that though they draw nigh to him with their mouth, and honour him with their lips, yet they are not sincere worshippers. To worship God is to make our approaches to him, and to present our adorations of him; it is to draw nigh to him as those that have business with him, with an intention therein to honour him. This we are to do with our mouth and our lips, in speaking of him and in speaking to him; we must render to him the calves of our lips, Hos 14:2. And, if the heart be full of his love and fear, out of the abundance of that the mouth will speak. But there are many whose religion is lip-labour only. They say that which expresses an approach to God and an adoration of him, but it is only from the teeth outward. For,
(1.)They do not apply their minds to the service. When they pretend to be speaking to God they are thinking of a thousand impertinences: The have removed their hearts far from me, that they might not be employed in prayer, nor come within reach of the word. When work was to be done for God, which required the heart, that was sent out of the way on purpose, with the fool's eyes, into the ends of the earth.
(2.)They do not make the word of God the rule of their worship, nor his will their reason: Their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men. They worshipped the God of Israel, not according to his appointment, but their own inventions, the directions of their false prophets or their idolatrous kings, or the usages of the nations that were round about them. The tradition of the elders was of more value and validity with them than the laws which God commanded Moses. Or, if they did worship God in a way conformable to his institution in the days of Hezekiah, a great reformer, they had more an eye to the precept of the king than to God's command. This our Saviour applies to the Jews in his time, who were formal in their devotions and wedded to their own inventions, and pronounces concerning them that in vain they did worship God, Mat 15:8, Mat 15:9.
2.It is a spiritual judgment with which God threatens to punish them for their spiritual wickedness (Isa 29:14): I will proceed to do a marvellous work. They did one strange thing; they removed all sincerity from their hearts. Now God will go on and do another; he will remove all sagacity from their heads. The wisdom of their wise men shall perish. They played the hypocrite, and thought to put a cheat upon God, and now they are left to themselves to play the fool, and not only to put a cheat upon themselves, but to be easily cheated by all about them. Those that make religion no more than a pretence, to serve a turn, are out in their politics; and it is just with God to deprive those of their understanding who part with their uprightness. This was fulfilled in the wretched infatuation which the Jewish nation were manifestly under, after they had rejected the gospel of Christ; they removed their hearts far from God, and therefore God justly removed wisdom far from them, and hid from their eyes the things that belonged even to their temporal peace. This is a marvelous work; it is surprising, it is astonishing, that wise men should of a sudden lose their wisdom and be given up to strong delusions. Judgments on the mind, though least taken notice of, are to be most wondered at.
III.He shows the folly of those that though to act separately and secretly from God, and were carrying on designs independent upon God and which they projected to conceal from his all-seeing eye. Here we have,
1.Their politics described (Isa 29:15): They seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, that he may not know either what they do or what they design; they say, "Who sees us? No man, and therefore not God himself." The consultations they had about their own safety they kept to themselves, and never asked God's advice concerning them; nay, they knew they were displeasing to him, but thought they could conceal them from him; and, if he did not know them, he could not baffle and defeat them. See what foolish fruitless pains sinners take in their sinful ways; they seek deep, they sink deep, to hide their counsel from the Lord, who sits in heaven and laughs at them. Note, A practical disbelief of God's omniscience is at the bottom both of the carnal worships and of the carnal confidences of hypocrites; Psa 94:7; Eze 8:12; Eze 9:9.
2.The absurdity of their politics demonstrated (Isa 29:16): "Surely your turning of things upside down thus, your various projects, turning your affairs this and that way to make them shape as you would have them - or rather your inverting the order of things, and thinking to make God's providence give attendance to your projects, and that God must know no more than you think fit, which is perfectly turning things upside down and beginning at the wrong end - shall be esteemed as the potter's clay. God will turn and manage you, and all your counsels, with as much ease and as absolute a power as the potter forms and fashions his clay." See how God despises, and therefore what little reason we have to dread, those contrivances of men that are carried on without God, particularly those against him.
(1.)Those that think to hide their counsels from God do in effect deny him to be their Creator. It is as if the work should say of him that made it, "He made me not; I made myself." If God made us, he certainly knows us as the Psalmist shows, (Psa 139:1, Psa 139:13-16); so that those who say that he does not see them might as well say that he did not make them. Much of the wickedness of the wicked arises from this, they forget that God formed them, Deu 32:18. Or,
(2.)Which comes to the same thing, they deny him to be a wise Creator: The thing framed saith of him that framed it, He had no understanding; for if he had understanding to make us so curiously, especially to make us intelligent beings and to put understanding into the inward part (Job 38:36), no doubt he has understanding to know us and all we say and do. As those that quarrel with God, so those that think to conceal themselves from him, do in effect charge him with folly; but he that formed the eye, shall he not see? Psa 94:9.
Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
21 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctines the commandments of men. [Isaiah 29:13] For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. [Isaiah 29:13]
Let us cleave, therefore, to those who cultivate peace with godliness, and not to those who hypocritically profess to desire it. For [the Scripture] says in a certain place, "This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." [Isaiah 29:13] And again: "They bless with their mouth, but curse with their heart." [Psalm 62:4] And again it says, "They loved Him with their mouth, and lied to Him with their tongue; but their heart was not right with Him, neither were they faithful in His covenant." [Psalm 78:36-37] Let the deceitful lips become silent, [and "let the Lord destroy all the lying lips, ] and the boastful tongue of those who have said, Let us magnify our tongue: our lips are our own; who is lord over us? For the oppression of the poor, and for the sighing of the needy, will I now arise, says the Lord: I will place him in safety; I will deal confidently with him." [Psalm 12:3-5]
What is this obstinacy or what is this presumption to place human tradition before the divine plan and not to notice that God is offended and angered as often as human tradition subverts and disregards the divine precepts? He cries and says through Isaiah, the prophet, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far separated from me. In vain, moreover, they honor me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.”
For speaking in this way or in that is not the cause of the thought within us, but the hidden conception of the heart supplies the motive for such and such words, “for from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” We make the words interpret the thought; we do not by a reverse process gather the thought from the words. Should both be at hand, a person may certainly be ready in both, in clever thinking and clever expression; but if the one should be wanting, the loss to the illiterate is slight, if the knowledge in his soul is perfect in the direction of moral goodness. “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” What is the meaning of that? That the right attitude of the soul toward the truth is more precious than the propriety of phrases in the sight of God, who hears the “groanings that cannot be uttered.” Phrases can be used in opposite senses; the tongue readily serving, at his will, the intention of the speaker; but the disposition of the soul, as it is, so is it seen by him who sees all secrets.
Again the form of righteousness is described and magnified when Scripture says, “The law of his God is in his heart, and his stride will not be broken.” The law of God is in the heart of the righteous. Which law? It is not the written law but the natural law, because “the law was not laid down for the righteous but for the unrighteous.” The law is in his heart, not superficially, as it is on the lips of the Jews, for “he who believes with his heart is justified.” The one who believes also speaks, but the one who speaks does not necessarily believe. For instance, the people did not believe about whom it is written: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
If we do not see our children deriving any benefit from the teachers we send them to, then we blame the teachers and take our children to other teachers. What excuse will we have for putting so much emphasis on earthly things but not putting emphasis on virtue? Our teachers here [at church] are far more numerous. No less than the prophets and apostles and patriarchs and all righteous people are set over you as teachers in every church. And there is no profit in merely chanting out two or three psalms, making the accustomed prayers at random and then being dismissed. Do you think this is enough for your salvation? Have you not heard the prophet (or rather God through the prophet) say, “These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me”?To keep this from being the case with us as well, then wipe out the letters and impressions the devil has engraved on your souls, and bring me a heart that has been set free from worldly tumults so I can write on it what I want to.
But if we are impure and unfaithful, all things are profane to us, either due to heresy inhabiting our hearts or to a sinful conscience. Moreover, if our conscience does not accuse us and if we have pious trust in the Lord, “we will pray with the spirit and we will pray with the mind; we will sing with the spirit and sing with the mind,” and we will be far removed from those about whom it is here written: “their minds and consciences are polluted.”“They claim to know God, but they deny him with their deeds. They are accursed, disobedient and repelled by every good deed.” It is about these persons whose minds and consciences are polluted, who claim to know God but deny him with their deeds, that it is said in Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” See how they honor God with their lips while fleeing from him in their heart; professing belief in God with words, their works deny him.
(Verse 13, 14) And the Lord said: Because this people draw near with their mouth, and with their lips glorify me, but their heart is far from me, and they fear me by the commandment of men, and teach me the precepts and doctrines of men. Therefore, behold, I will add to do wonders and great marvels among this people: for wisdom shall perish from their wise men, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden. LXX: And the Lord said: This people draw near to me with their mouth, and with their lips honor me; but their heart is far from me: in vain do they worship me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men. Therefore, behold, I will add to transfer this people: for I will transfer them and destroy the wisdom of the wise, and hide the understanding of the prudent. This testimony was used by the Lord against the Pharisees in the Gospel of Matthew, saying: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition (Matt. 15:3)? And again: Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men (Matthew, 15:9). In this we must note what we have often mentioned before, that the Evangelists and Apostles did not translate word for word; nor did they follow the authority of the Seventy Interpreters, whose edition was read at that time; but they used their own words, as if they were Hebrew and instructed in the Law, without compromising the meaning. However, the people of the Jews draw near to God with their mouth and with their lips, because they boast of having the worship of one God and rejecting idols; but their heart is far from Him, because they do not receive the Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever does not receive the Son, does not receive the Father. And let us learn together how someone approaches God, or how they become distant from Him. For it is written through Jeremiah: 'I am a close God, and not far away,' says the Lord (Jer. XXIII, 23, according to the Septuagint). But we approach God in mind, not in body; just as we read about Moses: 'Moses alone approached God, but the others did not approach' (Exod. XXIV, 2). For he was praying to God in spirit and truth, and he approached him with his mind and spirit. But those about whom it is written that they are taken from the womb and educated from infancy to old age; and in the Law of God they meditate day and night, they do not come near to God, because they accept the traditions of the Pharisees and Scribes, which keep them far from God, and they are whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead bones: those who chose Barabbas and rejected the Lord (Matthew 23:27): Therefore, he threatens to add to it, according to the Septuagint, that he will not transfer them to the Assyrians and Babylonians, but disperse them throughout the whole world. According to the Hebrew, he says that he will perform a great astonishment and a marvelous miracle to the Jewish people; so that he may destroy the wisdom of those who do not receive the power of God and the wisdom of God, and may hide and conceal the understanding of the wise, so that they may not find him who is contained in the scripture. The Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, gave testimony of this: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the prudent I will reject' (1 Cor. 1:19); in other words, he explained the same meaning: not that God, whose father is he, the enemy of wisdom, and through whom all wisdom is in mankind; but with an addition, as it is in Hebrew, he mentioned the wisdom of the people and the wise of that people, that is, the Jewish people. And truly God performed a great miracle in the people after the coming of the Lord Savior, so that at the same time Jerusalem burned, the temple collapsed, and all the knowledge of the teachers was taken away; this being fulfilled what was said above: (Chapter 3, 1 seqq.): Behold, the Lord God of hosts will take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the strong and the strong: all the strength of bread, and all the power of water; the giant and the warrior, and the judge, and the prophet, and the diviner, and the elder, and the fifty-year-old, and the admirable counselor, and the wise architect, and the prudent hearer, and the rest, which the prophetic speech has woven.
This oration is directed against all who act with iniquity. It is summarized neatly in one sentence by the seventy-second Psalm, wherein the prophet says, “How good is the God of Israel to those who are upright in heart! But my feet had almost been moved and my step had nearly slipped, for I was jealous of sinners when I saw the ease of their lives.” This is said particularly against heretics, who, because they are impious, prosper in their ways and generate children of their own, whom they deceive with heresy. They conspire and act with iniquity, all of this for the purpose of plundering the church and of portraying themselves as having been planted by God and having sunk roots and produced children and bore fruit, even while continuing in the wickedness of their intentions. Although they frequently repeat the name of Christ, God does not inhabit them, as Isaiah said: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”“And you know me, Lord, you see me and you prove my heart to be with you. Gather them as sheep for the slaughter and sanctify them on the killing day.” There is no scandal, he says, because all the impious or heretics flourish only for a while, but “you know me, Lord, and you prove my heart to be with you.”
This is why he can say, “My friends and neighbors drew near and stood against me; and my neighbors stood far off.” Do you understand what I mean? I have called those who approached him “neighbors,” yet they stood far off; for though they drew near in body, they stood far away in their hearts. Who was so near physically as those who hoisted him onto the cross? Yet who so far away in heart as those who uttered blasphemies? Far distance of this latter kind was mentioned by Isaiah; listen to what he said about being near while really being far away: “This people honors me with its lips (that means, they are physically near), but its heart is far from me.” The same people are said to be near and yet far: near with their lips, far away in their hearts.However, the fearful apostles certainly ran far away, so we can more simply and obviously refer the saying to them, understanding it to mean that some of them drew near and others stood far off. Even Peter, who had been bold enough to follow our Lord, was so far off that when questioned and frightened, he three times denied the Lord with whom he had earlier promised to die.
Leah, too, received children by her handmaid, from the desire of having a numerous family. Zilpah, her handmaid, is, interpreted, an open mouth. So Leah’s handmaid represents those who are spoken of in Scripture as engaging in the preaching of the gospel with open mouth but not with open heart. Thus it is written of some, “This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” To such the apostle says, “You that preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You that say a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?”
“See, Lord, I will not keep my lips sealed, you know it.” My lips speak, and I will not restrain them. My lips speak to the ears of men and women, but you know my heart. “Lord, I will not keep my lips sealed, you know it.” A human being hears one thing, but God perceives something else. This is emphasized because our proclamation must not be with our lips only, so that it could be said of us, “Do what they tell you, but do not imitate what they do.” Nor must it be said of us, as it was said of that people who praised God with their mouths but not their hearts, “This people honors me with its lips, but its heart is far from me.” Sing with your lips, but draw near to him with your heart, for “the faith that issues in righteousness is in the heart, and the confession that leads to salvation is made with the lips.” This was true of the thief who hung on the cross with the Lord and from the cross acknowledged the Lord. Others failed to recognize the Lord even as he performed miracles, but this man recognized him as he hung upon the cross. The thief was nailed securely in all his limbs: his hands were immobilized by nails, his feet were transfixed, and his whole body fastened to the wood. That body had no use of its other members, but his heart had the use of his tongue. With his heart he believed, and with his lips he made confession. “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom,” he said. He hoped for salvation as a distant prospect and would have been content to receive it after a long delay; his hope stretched toward a far-off future, but the day was not delayed. He prayed, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom,” but Christ replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
For God is necessary to all things, but nothing is necessary to him. Because, however, he loved everything he created, by the great grace of his kindness he deemed it worthy to invite the soul to come to him through the law, through trials of virtue, through sorrows of the heart, and through the greatness of human works. He gave not only the bread of angels, therefore, but also the flesh of innumerable birds to the concupiscent, even to the ungrateful. And lest their descendants fail to fear the unpunished crime of the ungrateful, “the wrath of God came upon them when their food was still in their mouths” because they did not believe in his wonders.“Their days vanished in emptiness and their years in partying.” Truly, as I have said, you will not desire to do good unless you are compelled by the fear of suffering evil: “When he killed them,” it says, “they sought him, repented, and came to him immediately.” It was then that “they remembered that God is their helper and their defense.” But only those who said, “You are our God” are the ones who “lied to him with their tongues, for their hearts were not right within them.” Consequently the Lord said, “This people loves me with its lips, but its heart is far from me.” Why these people in particular? Because “they did not have faith in his covenant.” For “without faith,” said the apostle, “it is impossible to please God.”
Suppose someone says, “We are Christians too; we believe in the Lord, the Savior.” But it is necessary to believe in deed and not in word, not with the tongue but with the heart, lest it also be said to us, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”
We heard in the Gospel the voice of the Lord saying, “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” To whom does this word pertain? It is doubtlessly to those to whom he had said in another place: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” We should be vigilant, therefore, that our lives remain consonant and harmonious with the profession of our lips, for if our works cry out to God with sincerity of conscience and probity of life, the mercy of the Lord will turn toward us whom he has heard.
God cannot be separated from his creatures by time or space but only by their iniquities. Of the iniquitous, therefore, he said, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” He also said, “I am a God who draws near, not a God who remains far away. If a man tries to hide, will I not see him? Do I not fill heaven and earth?” Nevertheless, blessed David himself said, “Those who distance themselves from you will perish.”
According to what the prophet says, “This people honors me with their lips, though their hearts are far from me.” To them the Holy Spirit exclaims, “But to the wicked person God says, ‘Why do you recite my statutes and profess my covenant with your mouth?’ ” It is as if he were saying it does you no good to praise God. It is profitable for those who live well to praise him, but if you praise him and do not abandon your sins, it avails nothing. Why do you praise me? Listen to the Scriptures say, “Unseemly is praise on a sinner’s lips.” If you live a wicked life and say good things, you do not yet praise God. Again, if when you have begun to live well you attribute it to your own merits, you do not yet praise God. I do not want you to be a robber deriding the cross of our Lord, but neither do I want you as his temple to throw away his merits in you and conceal his wounds.
Though we never withdraw ourselves from the Lord since he is wholly everywhere, we nonetheless become distant when we are displaced through the nature of our deeds.
If the fear of God is not mingled with love, he is not sought in the heart’s entirety. It is certain that it is the keenest of sins for a person to say that he confesses to him with his tongue, while his heart deep down is at odds with him; does God not know all that goes on within us?… He does not hear merely what the tongue proclaims, as a human person does. It is the person who faithfully believes his testimonies who truly loves him. Fides (faith) gets its name from words uttered (quod fiant dicta). The Lord himself offers a testimony like this verse when he says, “This people glorifies me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”
The habit of sinners is … after they have achieved the aspiration of their most wicked plans, they then give thanks to the Godhead since they have attained their wish. But they in their utter wretchedness do not realize that he originates only successful aspirations that are holy. “They shall bless” not with their hearts but their mouths, the source of hypocritical utterances for the most part. As Isaiah says, “This people glorify me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”
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Summary
Isaiah 29:13 delivers a profound divine indictment against religious hypocrisy, exposing the chasm between outward expressions of piety and genuine inward devotion. The Lord condemns those who offer Him mere lip service and ritualistic honor while their hearts remain distant, and whose reverence is shaped more by human traditions and learned precepts than by authentic, Spirit-wrought truth. This verse serves as a timeless warning against the dangers of formalism, emphasizing that God seeks authentic relationship and heartfelt worship over superficial adherence to religious practices, highlighting the critical importance of a sincere, internal disposition in all matters of faith.
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah 29 is a complex prophetic oracle primarily addressed to Jerusalem, referred to as "Ariel," a name that simultaneously evokes "lion of God" (symbolizing strength and judgment) and "altar hearth" (signifying sacrifice and divine presence). The verses immediately preceding Isaiah 29:9-12 describe a state of profound spiritual stupor, blindness, and deafness that has afflicted the people, preventing them from understanding God's word and prophetic vision. They are depicted as spiritually intoxicated, unable to discern divine truth, leading to a condition where God's revelation is like a sealed book. Isaiah 29:13 then serves as a pivotal explanation for this spiritual insensitivity, revealing that their flawed worship and distant hearts are the root cause of their inability to perceive God's ways. Following this verse, the prophecy continues to elaborate on the consequences of this spiritual dullness, promising judgment upon those who "seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD" (Isaiah 29:15) and contrasting their perverted human wisdom with God's ultimate plan for restoration and understanding for the humble and afflicted (Isaiah 29:18-24). The verse thus acts as a diagnostic statement, identifying the deep-seated spiritual ailment of Judah.
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah prophesied during a tumultuous period in Judah's history (8th century BCE), spanning the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. This era was marked by significant political instability, the menacing rise of the Assyrian Empire, and widespread social and religious decline within Judah. Despite the presence of the Temple in Jerusalem and the continuation of elaborate religious rituals, the nation had largely turned away from true covenant faithfulness. Syncretism (mixing worship of Yahweh with pagan deities), rampant social injustice, oppression of the poor, and a reliance on precarious political alliances rather than God's protection were pervasive. The people maintained the outward forms of their religion—offering sacrifices, observing feasts, and reciting prayers—but their daily lives and inner attitudes demonstrated a profound disconnect from the God they claimed to serve. The "precept of men" likely refers to the human traditions, interpretations, and legalistic additions that had accumulated over time, overshadowing the true spirit and intent of God's Law. This led to a religion of external conformity rather than internal transformation, a problem consistently addressed by other prophets of the period, such as Amos who condemned their empty festivals (Amos 5:21-24) and Hosea who declared that God desired steadfast love more than sacrifice (Hosea 6:6).
Key Themes
Isaiah 29:13 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prominent in the book of Isaiah and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Divine Judgment and Justice, as God exposes and condemns the spiritual hypocrisy of His people. Their superficial worship is not merely tolerated but is a grave offense that warrants divine intervention and a pronouncement of judgment. Secondly, it highlights the critical distinction between Outward Ritual and Inward Reality, emphasizing that God values the heart's condition and genuine devotion above mere external performance or ceremonial observance. This theme is foundational to understanding true worship throughout Scripture, consistently reiterated from the early days of the monarchy, as seen in 1 Samuel 16:7, where God declares He looks at the heart, not outward appearance. Thirdly, the verse addresses the danger of Human Tradition vs. Divine Revelation. The "precept of men" stands in stark contrast to God's pure, revealed word, serving as a solemn warning against the corruption of authentic faith by human-made rules, philosophies, and interpretations that supplant divine truth. This sets the stage for Isaiah's later emphasis on God's true wisdom and the folly of human schemes, echoing wisdom literature's call to trust in the Lord with all one's heart (Proverbs 3:5-6). Finally, it speaks directly to the theme of Spiritual Blindness and Deafness, explaining that a heart far from God inevitably leads to an inability to perceive, understand, or respond appropriately to divine truth and prophetic revelation.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root means "to be heavy," and by extension, "to be weighty," "significant," "glorious," or "honorable." When applied to God, it signifies giving Him the weight, glory, and reverence He is due, acknowledging His supreme worth and authority. In Isaiah 29:13, the verb is used in the sense of bestowing honor or glory. The indictment is that while the people appear to give God weight and glory with their lips, their hearts contradict this outward show, rendering their "honor" hollow, insincere, and ultimately meaningless in God's sight.
This term refers to the innermost part of a person, encompassing not just emotions but also the will, intellect, moral core, and deepest affections. It is considered the seat of one's true character, intentions, and allegiances. The phrase "removed their heart far from me" indicates a deliberate and active distancing of their deepest being from God. This highlights that the problem is not merely a passive lack of understanding or ignorance, but a fundamental, willful misalignment of their affections, desires, and moral will, demonstrating a profound lack of genuine love and commitment.
This feminine noun derives from a root meaning "to fear," but in a moral and religious context, it signifies reverence, awe, and worshipful respect for God. It implies a recognition of His holiness, power, and authority, leading to obedience, devotion, and a humble submission to His will. The problem identified here is that this profound reverence, which should stem from a genuine, Spirit-wrought relationship with God and a deep understanding of His revealed character, has instead been reduced to a learned behavior derived from human teachings, devoid of true spiritual depth, awe, or internal conviction.
Verse Breakdown
"Wherefore the Lord said"
This opening phrase establishes the divine authority and gravity of the pronouncement. It is not merely Isaiah's personal observation or lament but a direct, authoritative declaration from Yahweh (represented by "the Lord," H136, ʼĂdônây), underscoring the absolute seriousness of the charge and the divine origin of the indictment.
"Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth"
This clause describes the outward appearance of devotion and religious activity. The people physically approach God in worship settings (e.g., at the Temple), and their mouths are engaged in religious speech—prayers, praises, vows, or liturgical recitations. The term "draw near" (H5066, nâgash') can imply approaching for worship or presenting an argument, suggesting a formal, perhaps even legalistic, interaction with God, focusing on external proximity rather than internal intimacy.
"and with their lips do honour me"
This further specifies the nature of their outward piety. Their lips (H8193, sâphâh'), the instruments of speech, are used to "honor" (H3513, kâbad') God. This implies a verbal acknowledgment of His greatness, perhaps through formal liturgical pronouncements, hymns, or expressions of reverence. The problem is not the act of honoring itself, but the profound disconnect between this external act and the internal spiritual reality.
"but have removed their heart far from me"
This is the stark contrast and the core indictment. Despite the outward show of proximity and verbal honor, their "heart" (H3820, lêb'), the very center of their being, affections, and will, has been "removed far" (H7368, râchaq') from God. This is presented as an active, deliberate act of distancing, indicating a lack of genuine love, trust, and committed obedience. Their inner spiritual state is diametrically opposed to their external performance, revealing a profound spiritual hypocrisy.
"and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men"
This clause explains the corrupted source of their reverence. Their "fear" (H3374, yirʼâh'), or awe and worshipful respect for God, is not born of a personal encounter with God, a deep understanding of His revealed character, or a Spirit-wrought conviction. Instead, it is "taught" (H3925, lâmad'), meaning it is learned, instructed, or perhaps even drilled into them, by the "precept" (H4687, mitsvâh', here meaning a command or ordinance) of "men" (H582, ʼĕnôwsh'). This highlights a religion based on human rules, traditions, and interpretations, rather than on a direct, authentic, and Spirit-empowered response to God's pure truth and divine commands.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 29:13 is rich in literary devices that powerfully amplify its message and underscore the severity of the divine indictment. The most prominent device is Antithesis or Contrast, which is central to the verse's meaning. A stark opposition is drawn between the outward actions ("draw near with their mouth," "with their lips do honour me") and the inward reality ("have removed their heart far from me"). This creates a powerful tension, highlighting the profound hypocrisy and spiritual disconnect. Metonymy is also skillfully employed, where "mouth" and "lips" stand for outward speech, verbal expressions, and ritualistic performance, while "heart" represents the inner spiritual condition, the seat of will, affections, and true devotion. This allows for a concise yet profoundly insightful expression of the chasm between appearance and reality. Furthermore, there is a strong element of Irony: the very acts intended to honor God (drawing near, verbal praise) become a source of His condemnation precisely because they lack sincerity and genuine internal commitment. The "fear" that should be a profound, Spirit-led reverence is ironically reduced to a mere humanly "taught" regulation, devoid of true awe and spiritual vitality. The verse's structure, moving from outward appearance to inner truth and then to the corrupted source of their "fear," builds a compelling and devastating argument against superficial religiosity.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 29:13 stands as a foundational text for understanding the nature of true worship and the pervasive dangers of religious formalism throughout biblical history. It profoundly emphasizes that God desires genuine heart-devotion, an internal disposition of love and commitment, over mere outward conformity or ritualistic performance. This divine preference for the internal over the external is a consistent theological theme, evident from the requirements for Old Testament sacrificial worship, which always implicitly required a contrite and obedient heart, to the New Covenant's emphasis on spiritual transformation and inner renewal. The prophet reveals that a religion based on human precepts and traditions inevitably leads to a superficial relationship with God, where actions are divorced from affection, and reverence becomes a learned behavior rather than an overflow of love and awe. This spiritual condition is not merely passive neglect but an active, willful removal of the heart, indicating a deliberate choice to prioritize human systems, self-interest, or cultural conformity over authentic divine intimacy.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 29:13 serves as a timeless mirror, inviting believers across generations to a profound and honest self-examination of their spiritual lives. It challenges us to move beyond the comfortable routines of religious practice and to deeply inquire whether our worship, prayers, acts of service, and expressions of faith are truly flowing from a heart passionately devoted to God, or if they have become mere external rituals, devoid of genuine spiritual vitality. This verse compels us to consider if our "fear" of the Lord is a vibrant, Spirit-infused awe born of personal encounter and biblical truth, or if it has been subtly shaped by cultural norms, human expectations, denominational traditions, or even our own preferences that may dilute or distort genuine piety. True spiritual vitality is not measured by outward performance or the approval of others, but by the sincerity and depth of our internal relationship with God. It calls us to prioritize cultivating a heart that genuinely seeks, loves, and honors Him above all else, ensuring that our actions are a true reflection of our inner devotion, and not just a hollow performance designed for show or habit. This requires constant vigilance and a willingness to allow God's Word and Spirit to expose and transform our deepest motivations.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean for "their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men"?
This phrase highlights a critical problem: the people's reverence or awe for God (their "fear," H3374, yirʼâh') was not stemming from a genuine, personal relationship with Him or from a deep understanding of His divine revelation. Instead, their "fear" was "taught" (H3925, lâmad', meaning learned or instructed) by the "precept of men" (H4687, mitsvâh', here meaning human commands, rules, or traditions, H582, ʼĕnôwsh'). This means their religious practice was based on external, man-made regulations and interpretations rather than on an authentic, internal conviction or a direct, Spirit-empowered response to God's character and commands. It implies a legalistic, formalistic religion where adherence to humanly devised rules took precedence over the spirit of God's law and a true heart for Him. Jesus later echoes this critique when confronting the Pharisees, who prioritized their traditions over God's commands, as seen in Matthew 15:3-9.
Why is outward worship not enough for God?
Isaiah 29:13 makes it unequivocally clear that outward worship, even if it appears devout and conforms to religious norms, is utterly insufficient if the heart is not genuinely engaged. God is not merely interested in external rituals, verbal affirmations, or ceremonial performances; He desires a true, intimate, and authentic relationship with His people. The problem with "lip service" is that it creates a profound disconnect between what is professed and what is truly felt, believed, or desired in one's innermost being. God looks at the heart (as famously stated in 1 Samuel 16:7), which is the seat of true love, loyalty, devotion, and moral will. When the heart is "far from" Him, the outward acts become empty, hypocritical, and ultimately meaningless in His sight, even offensive. True worship must be "in spirit and truth," as Jesus teaches the Samaritan woman in John 4:24, signifying that it must flow from an authentic inner disposition, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and aligned with God's revealed truth, not just external performance.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 29:13 finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and ministry of Jesus, who consistently challenged the superficial religiosity and legalistic formalism of His day and inaugurated a new covenant defined by inward transformation. Jesus Himself directly quotes this very verse in Matthew 15:8-9 and Mark 7:6-7 when confronting the Pharisees and scribes, exposing their hypocrisy in prioritizing human traditions and external washings over God's commands and the purity of the heart. He condemned their "lip service" and emphasized that true defilement comes not from what goes into the mouth, but from what comes out of the heart, for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murder, adultery, and all that truly defiles a person (Matthew 15:18-19). Christ's entire ministry was a radical call to genuine repentance and a fundamental reorientation of the heart towards God, moving beyond the external demands of the Law to its spiritual intent and the righteousness it truly requires (e.g., the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5). He taught that true worship is "in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24), a worship made possible not by human effort or tradition, but by the indwelling Holy Spirit who empowers believers to truly love God and obey Him from the heart. This new covenant, prophesied in Jeremiah 31:33, where God's law is written on our hearts, is fully realized in Christ. Thus, Jesus fulfills Isaiah's prophecy by revealing the true nature of God's desire for a heart fully devoted to Him, and by providing the means, through His atoning sacrifice and the gift of the Spirit, for humanity to overcome the spiritual distance and offer genuine, Spirit-empowered worship that truly honors God.