He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
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Basil the Great
AD 379
For by Israel she means not Israel after the flesh, whom their own title made noble, but the spiritual Israel, which retained the name of faith, straining their eyes to see God by faith.
That is, obedient and humble; for he who disdains to be made humble, cannot be saved.
But by seed he means not so much those who are begotten in the flesh, as those who have followed the steps of Abraham's faith, to whom the Savior's coming was promised for evermore.
Through all the time of this transitory age, the just and merciful Creator is willing to oppose the proud and give grace to the humble. After her general commemoration of the divine benevolence and justice, she did well to turn the words of her confession to the special divinely arranged plan of the unheardof incarnation, by which God deigned to redeem the world, as she said, “He has taken his child Israel under his protection, being mindful of his mercy.” Indeed, Israel means “a man seeing God,” by which name is designated every society of redeemed human beings. On their account, God himself appeared in visible form among human beings, so that they might be capable of seeing God. He took Israel under his protection as a physician takes a sick person for whom he is caring. Or as a king, he defends the people from the invasion of enemies. Moreover, he returns them to liberty when the enemy has been overthrown and allows them to reign with him perpetually.
He hath holpen His servant Israel. God hath taken by the hand, raised up, helped and restored His people Israel, whom He loved and kept as a son or servant. He did this formerly by Moses, Joshua , David, &c.; and now much more has He done it, by sending to Israel the Messiah that had been promised. For at that time, the commonwealth and Church of Israel had fallen into ruins, since the sceptre had been taken away from them, and transferred to Herod and the Romans; and the priests, intent on their own gain, were negligent of the welfare of the people; wherefore the people were grievously afflicted with various miseries of mind and body. God therefore at a seasonable time sent Christ that He might deliver out of them all His own Israel, that Isaiah , all the faithful who were converted to Him, both from among the Jews and Gentiles; whence S. Augustine says, "He helped Israel; not the Israel which He found; but He helped Israel that He might make him; as a physician helps a sick Prayer of...
He hath taken hold of Israel,----not of the Israel according to the flesh, and who prides himself on the bare name, but of him who is so after the Spirit, and according to the true meaning of the appellation;----even such as look unto God, and believe in Him, and obtain through the Son the adoption of sons, according to the Word that was spoken, and the promise made to the prophets and patriarchs of old. It has, however, a true application also to the carnal Israel; for many thousands and ten thousands of them believed. "But He has remembered His mercy as He promised to Abraham:" and has accomplished what He spake unto him, that "in thy seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed." For this promise was now in the act of fulfilment by the impending birth of our common Saviour Christ, Who is that seed of Abraham, in Whom the Gentiles are
For this promise of heritage shall notbe narrowed by any limits, but to the very end of time there shall never lack believers, the glory of whose happiness shall be everlasting.
For this promise of heritage shall notbe narrowed by any limits, but to the very end of time there shall never lack believers, the glory of whose happiness shall be everlasting.
For the Christ who was born of the Virgin, and who is our God, has given over the whole inheritance of divine blessings to the Gentiles. "He hath holpen His servant Israel."
It might also be applied to Israel after the flesh, seeing that out of that body multitudes believed. But this he did remembering His mercy, for He has fulfilled what he promised to Abraham, saying, For in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. This promise then the mother of God called to mind, saying, As he spoke to out father Abraham; for it was said to Abraham, I will place my covenant, that I shall be your God, and the God of your seed after you.
