And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
All Commentaries on Isaiah 11:3 Go To Isaiah 11
Ambrose of Milan
AD 397
The fear of the righteous, therefore, is the complete, golden foundation of prudence. It is also a tribunal for the teaching of Christ and for the apostolic word. The word of the saints is a good likeness of the same: an image of truth, as it were. See how the fear of the saints is made to be their golden foundation. Read Isaiah and see how he elevates fear to make it blameless and good: “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and piety, the Spirit of holy fear.” He elevates fear that he might possess what can follow from it, for holy fear is shaped by wisdom, instructed by understanding, directed by counsel, empowered by strength, ruled by knowledge and adorned with piety. Take up the fear of the Lord. Irrational and foolish fear belongs to the “fighting without and fear within” which would have afflicted Paul, had he not taken the Lord for his consolation.
