Isaías 58:3

3 “¡Hemos ayunado delante de ti! —dicen ellos—.
¿Por qué no te impresionamos?
Hemos sido muy severos con nosotros mismos,
y ni siquiera te das cuenta”.
»¡Les diré por qué! —les contesto—.
Es porque ayunan para complacerse a sí mismos.
Aun mientras ayunan,
oprimen a sus trabajadores.

Isaías 58:3 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 58:3

Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not?
&c.] Our fasting; takest no notice of it; expresses no approbation of it, and pleasure in it: this is put for all religious services, being what was frequently performed under the Old Testament, not only at certain times appointed by the Lord, but on other occasions, and of their own fixing; in which they put their confidence, and often boasted of, ( Luke 18:12 ) : "wherefore have we afflicted our soul", by fasting, "and thou takest no knowledge?" of that, nor of us, and dost not save us from our enemies, and deliver us from our troubles, and bestow favours on us: they had a high opinion of their own performances, and thought that God must have likewise; and were displeased that he showed no more regard unto them: behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure;
this, and what follows in the two next verses, are an answer to their questions, and give reasons why the Lord took no more notice of their fasting, or of their services; because they were not done aright, they found their own pleasure in them; not that they indulged to bodily recreations and carnal delights, but they gratified the inward desires of the flesh, malice, envy, and the like; and they pleased themselves with their own duties, and fancied they procured the favour of God by them: and exact all your labours;
of their servants, or their money of their debtors; they grieved and afflicted their debtors, by demanding their debts of them, as Jarchi interprets it; and that in a very rigorous manner, requiring whole and immediate payment; or, as it is usual with establishments, they require an exact conformity to their manner of service, worship, and discipline.

Isaías 58:3 In-Context

1 Verdadera y falsa adoración
»Grita con la voz de un toque de trompeta.
¡Grita fuerte! No seas tímido.
¡Háblale a mi pueblo Israel
de sus pecados!

2 Sin embargo, ¡se hacen los piadosos!
Vienen al templo todos los días
y parecen estar encantados de aprender todo sobre mí.
Actúan como una nación justa
que nunca abandonaría las leyes de su Dios.
Me piden que actúe a su favor,
fingiendo que quieren estar cerca de mí.

3 “¡Hemos ayunado delante de ti! —dicen ellos—.
¿Por qué no te impresionamos?
Hemos sido muy severos con nosotros mismos,
y ni siquiera te das cuenta”.
»¡Les diré por qué! —les contesto—.
Es porque ayunan para complacerse a sí mismos.
Aun mientras ayunan,
oprimen a sus trabajadores.

4 ¿De qué les sirve ayunar,
si siguen con sus peleas y riñas?
Con esta clase de ayuno,
nunca lograrán nada conmigo.

5 Ustedes se humillan
al hacer penitencia por pura fórmula:
inclinan la cabeza
como cañas en el viento,
se visten de tela áspera
y se cubren de cenizas.
¿A eso le llaman ayunar?
¿Realmente creen que eso agrada al Señor
?