Christ by his coming shall make the latter temple more glorious than the former. The blessing of God shall reward their labour in building. God’s promise to Zorobabel.
They are encoreged to procede in building the temple: 6. with promise that Christ by his personal presence wil bring more glorie to this, then was in the former temple. 11. Their former slacknes in this worke was the cause of their wantes: 19. and now they shal haue abundance.
1In the four and twentieth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king, they began.Ai ventiquattro del mese sesto, l'anno secondo del re Dario,IN the foure and twenteth day of the moneth, in the sixth moneth, in the second yeare of Darius the king.In die vigesima et quarta mensis, in sexto mense, in anno secundo Darii regis. 2And in the seventh month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Aggeus the prophet, saying:Il settimo mese, ai ventuno del mese, il Signore parlò ad Aggeo profeta, e disse:In the seuenth moneth, the one and twentith of the moneth, the word of our Lord was made in the hand of Aggeus the prophet, saying:In septimo mense, vigesima et prima mensis, factum est verbum Domini in manu Aggæi prophetæ, dicens: 3Speak to Zorobabel the son of Salathiel the governor of Juda, and to Jesus the son of Josedec the high priest, and to the rest of the people, saying:Parla a Zorobabel figliuolo di Salathiel principe di Giuda, e a Gesù figliuolo di Josedec sommo sacerdote, è al resto del popolo, e dì loro:Speake to Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel the duke of Iuda, & to Iesus the sonne of Iosedec the grand priest, and to the rest of the people, saying:Loquere ad Zorobabel, filium Salathiel, ducem Juda, et ad Jesum, filium Josedec, sacerdotem magnum, et ad reliquos populi, dicens: 4Who is left among you, that saw this house in its first glory? and how do you see it now? is it not in comparison to that as nothing in your eyes?Chi è rimaso di voi, che abbia veduta questa casa nella prima sua gloria? e quale vi sembra ella adesso? Non è ella agli occhi vostri come se non fosse?Who among you is left, that saw this house in the first glorie therof? & what do you see this same now? Why, is it not so, as if it were not in your eyes?Quis in vobis est derelictus, / qui vidit domum istam in gloria sua prima ? / et quid vos videtis hanc nunc ? / numquid non ita est, quasi non sit in oculis vestris ? 5Yet now take courage, O Zorobabel, saith the Lord, and take courage, Jesus the son of Josedec the high priest, and take courage, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord of hosts: and perform (for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts)Ora però fatti cuore, o Zorobabel, dice il Signore, e fatti animo, o Gesù figliuolo di Josedec sommo sacerdote, e tu fatti animo, o popolo quanto sei, dice il Signore degli eserciti, e adempite (perocché io sono con voi, dice il Signore degli eserciti)And now take courege Zorobabel, saith our Lord, and take courege Iesus the sonne of Iosedec grand priest, and take courege al ye people of the land, saith the Lord of hostes: and doe (because I am with you, sayth the Lord of hosts)Et nunc confortare, Zorobabel, dicit Dominus; / et confortare, Jesu, fili Josedec, sacerdos magne; / et confortare, omnis populus terræ, dicit Dominus exercituum: / et facite (quoniam ego vobiscum sum, dicit Dominus exercituum) 6The word that I covenanted with you when you came out of the land of Egypt: and my spirit shall be in the midst of you: fear not.La parola fermata con voi quando uscivate dalla terra di Egitto, e il mio spirito sarà in mezzo a voi: non temete;the word that I did couenant with you when you came out of the Land of Aegypt: and my spirit shal be in the middes of you: feare not.verbum quod pepigi vobiscum cum egrederemini de terra Ægypti: / et spiritus meus erit in medio vestrum: nolite timere.
7For thus saith the Lord of hosts: Yet one little while, and I will move the heaven and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land.Perocché così dice il Signore degli eserciti: Ancora un pochetto, e io metterò in movimento il cielo, la terra, il mare, e il mondo.Because thus sayth the Lord of hosts: As yet there is one litle while, and I wil moue the heauen, & the earth, and the sea, and the drie land.Quia hæc dicit Dominus exercituum: / Adhuc unum modicum est, / et ego commovebo cælum, et terram, et mare, et aridam. 8And I will move all nations: AND THE DESIRED OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME: and I will fill this house with glory: saith the Lord of hosts.E metterò in movimento tutte le genti, perchè verrà il desiderato da tutte le genti, ed empierò di gloria questa casa dice il Signore degli eserciti.And I wil moue al nations: AND THE DESIRED OF AL NATIONS SHAL COME: and I wil fil this house with glorie, sayth the Lord of hosts.Et movebo omnes gentes, / et veniet desideratus cunctis gentibus: / et implebo domum istam gloria, / dicit Dominus exercituum. 9The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.Mio è l'argento, e mio è l'oro, dice il Signore degli eserciti.Mine is the siluer, and mine is the gold, sayth the Lord of hostes.Meum est argentum, et meum est aurum, / dicit Dominus exercituum. 10Great shall be the glory of this last house more than of the first, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place I will give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.Maggiore sarà la gloria di quest'ultima casa, che della prima, dice il Signore degli eserciti, e in questo luogo darò la pace, dice il Signore degli eserciti.Great shal be the glorie of this last house more then of the first, sayth the Lord of hosts: and in this place wil I geue peace, sayth the Lord of hosts.Magna erit gloria domus istius novissimæ plus quam primæ, / dicit Dominus exercituum: / et in loco isto dabo pacem, / dicit Dominus exercituum. 11In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius the king, the word of the Lord came to Aggeus the prophet, saying:Ai ventiquattro del nono mese, l'anno secondo del re Dario, il Signore parlò ad Aggeo profeta, e disse:In the foure and twentith of the ninth moneth, in the second yeare of Darius the king, the word of our Lord was made to Aggeus the prophet, saying:In vigesima et quarta noni mensis, in anno secundo Darii regis, factum est verbum Domini ad Aggæum prophetam, dicens: 12Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests the law, saying:Queste cose dice il Signor degli eserciti: Proponi ai sacerdoti questa questione legale:Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Aske the priests the law, saying:Hæc dicit Dominus exercituum: Interroga sacerdotes legem, dicens:
13If a man carry sanctified flesh in the skirt of his garment, and touch with his skirt, bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat: shall it be sanctified? And the priests answered, and said: No.Se un uomo porta della carne santificata nel lembo della sua veste, e con esso lembo tocca o pane, o pietanza, o vino, od olio, o altra cosa da mangiare, sarà ella santificata? E i sacerdoti risposero, e disser di no.If a man take sanctified flesh in the skirt of his garment, and touch with the skirt therof bread, or broth, or wine, or oile, or any meate: shal it be sanctified? And the priests answering, said: No.Si tulerit homo carnem sanctificatam in ora vestimenti sui, et tetigerit de summitate ejus panem, aut pulmentum, aut vinum, aut oleum, aut omnem cibum, numquid sanctificabitur ? Respondentes autem sacerdotes, dixerunt: Non. 14And Aggeus said: If one that is unclean by occasion of a soul touch any of all these things, shall it be defiled? And the priests answered, and said: It shall be defiled.E Aggeo disse: Se uno contaminato per ragione di un morto toccherà alcuna di queste cose, sarà ella forse contaminata? E i sacerdoti risposero, e dissero: sarà contaminata.And Aggeus sayd: If one polluted on a soule touch any of al these, shal he be contaminated? And the priests answered, and sayd, he shal be contaminated.Et dixit Aggæus: Si tetigerit pollutus in anima ex omnibus his, numquid contaminabitur ? Et responderunt sacerdotes, et dixerunt: Contaminabitur. 15And Aggeus answered, and said: So is this people, and so is this nation before my face, saith the Lord, and so is all the work of their hands: and all that they have offered there, shall be defiled.E Aggeo rispose, e disse: Così è questo popolo, e questa nazione dinanzi a me, dice il Signore, e così va di tutte le opere delle loro mani: e quanto hanno offerto in questo luogo, tutto è immondo.And Aggeus answered, and sayd: So this people, and so this nation before my face, sayth our Lord, and so al the worke of their handes: & al that they haue offered there, shal be contaminated.Et respondit Aggæus, et dixit: Sic populus iste, / et sic gens ista ante faciem meam, dicit Dominus, / et sic omne opus manuum eorum: / et omnia quæ obtulerunt ibi, contaminata erunt. 16And now consider in your hearts, from this day and upward, before there was a stone laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord.Ora voi riflettete a quel, che fu da questo giorno in addietro, prima che voi poneste pietra sopra pietra nel tempio del Signore,And now set your hartes, from this day and vpward, before there was stone layd vpon stone in the temple of our Lord.Et nunc ponite corda vestra a die hac et supra, / antequam poneretur lapis super lapidem in templo Domini.
17When you went to a heap of twenty bushels, and they became ten: and you went into the press, to press out fifty vessels, and they became twenty.Quando appressandovi a una massa di venti moggia, diventava di dieci, e andando allo strettoio per ispremere cinquanta barili, diventavano venti.When you went to an heape of twentie bushels, & they became ten: and entered into the presse, to presse out fiftie flagons, & they became twentie.Cum accederetis ad acervum viginti modiorum, / et fierent decem; / et intraretis ad torcular, ut exprimeretis quinquaginta lagenas, / et fiebant viginti. 18I struck you with a blasting wind, and all the works of your hand with the mildew and with hail, yet there was none among you that returned to me, saith the Lord.Io percossi voi col vento ardente, e con la ruggine, e colla grandine tutte le vostre fatiche, e non v'ebbe tra voi chi ritornasse a me, dice il Signore.I stroke you with the burning winde, and with the blast, and with haile, al the workes of your handes: and there was none among you, that returned to me, saith our Lord.Percussi vos vento urente, et aurugine, / et grandine omnia opera manuum vestrarum: / et non fuit in vobis qui reverteretur ad me, dicit Dominus. 19Set your hearts from this day, and henceforward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month: from the day that the foundations of the temple of the Lord were laid, and lay it up in your hearts.Ma fate attenzione in cuor vostro da questo giorno in avvenire, dai venti quattro del nono mese, dal dì, in cui furon gettate le fondamenta del tempio del Signore, fateci attenzione.Set your hartes from this day, and hence forward, from the foure and twenteth day of the ninth moneth: from the day that the fundations of the temple of our Lord were layd, lay it vpon your hartes.Ponite corda vestra ex die ista, et in futurum, / a die vigesima et quarta noni mensis: / a die qua fundamenta jacta sunt templi Domini, / ponite super cor vestrum. 20Is the seed as yet sprung up? or hath the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree as yet flourished? from this day I will bless you.Forse germina già il seme? forse già la vigna, e il fico, e il melogranato, e la pianta dell'ulivo han gettati i fiori? ma io da questo dì li benedirò.Is there the seede now abreward? and as yet the wine, and the figtree, and the pomegranate, and the oliue tree hath not florished? from this day I wil blesse.Numquid jam semen in germine est, / et adhuc vinea, et ficus, / et malogranatum, et lignum olivæ non floruit ? ex die ista benedicam.
21And the word of the Lord came a second time to Aggeus in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying:E il Signore parlò la seconda volta ad Aggeo, ai ventiquattro del mese, e disse:And the word of our Lord was made the second time to Aggeus in the foure and twentith of the moneth, saying:Et factum est verbum Domini secundo ad Aggæum in vigesima et quarta mensis, dicens: 22Speak to Zorobabel the governor of Juda, saying: I will move both heaven and earth.Parla a Zorobabel principe di Giuda, e dì a lui: Io metterò in movimento il cielo insieme, e la terra.Speake to Zorobabel the duke of Iuda, saying: I wil moue the heauen and also the earth.Loquere ad Zorobabel ducem Juda, dicens: Ego movebo cælum pariter et terram, 23And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and will destroy the strength of the kingdom of the Gentiles: and I will overthrow the chariot, and him that rideth therein: and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.E abbatterò il trono dei regni, e distruggerò la potenza del regno delle genti, e rovescerò i cocchi, e i cocchieri, e caderanno i cavalli, e i cavalieri, e il fratello per le mani del fratello.And I wil ouerthrow the throne of kingdoms, & wil destroy the strength of the kingdom of the Gentils: and I wil ouerthrow the chariote, and the rider therof: and the horses shal come downe, and the riders of them, euerie one by the sword of his brother.et subvertam solium regnorum, / et conteram fortitudinem regni gentium: / et subvertam quadrigam et ascensorem ejus, / et descendent equi, et ascensores eorum, / vir in gladio fratris sui. 24In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, I will take thee, O Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, my servant, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet, for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.In quel tempo, dice il Signore degli eserciti, io innalzerò te, o Zorobabel, figliuolo di Salathiel, mio servo, dice il Signore, ed io ti terrò come un anello da sigillare, perchè io ti ho eletto, dice il Signore degli eserciti.In that day, sayth the Lord of hosts, I wil take thee ô Zorobabel sonne of Salathiel my seruant, saith our Lord, and wil put thee as a signet, because thee haue I chosen, sayth the Lord of hosts.In die illa, dicit Dominus exercituum, assumam te, / Zorobabel, fili Salathiel, serve meus, dicit Dominus: / et ponam te quasi signaculum, / quia te elegi, dicit Dominus exercituum.
2:1
Year of the World 3845, Year before Christ 519.
Calmet
In, etc. This should be joined with the preceding chapter. (Calmet)
Worthington
They began the new work at this time, and on the 21st of the seventh month the prophet had a fresh revelation. (Worthington)
2:4
Glory. The temple had been destroyed sixty-nine years before, so that many might have seen it. When the second temple was dedicated, (Calmet) or founded, (Haydock) two years after the captivity, cries of grief and of joy were heard, 1 Esdras 3:12.
2:7
Calmet
Little. Christ was born 515 years afterwards. The world had been disturbed by Alexander and by the Romans, yet peace then prevailed. All nature acknowledged the power of Jesus Christ, and the world was reformed. Another commotion will take place at his second coming. (Calmet)
2:8
Worthington
Desired. Jacob styles him the expectation of nations, (Genesis xlix.) because He was wanting, and always necessary for all. (Worthington)
Calmet
Thus the sick desire a remedy, though they know not what it is. The Gentiles were ignorant of the Messias; yet he was still desirable and most lovely, Canticle of Canticles 5:16. (Calmet)
Haydock
Many also, like Job, had a lively expectation of their Redeemer's coming from the tradition of the patriarchs. (Haydock)
Haydock
Hebrew, "the desires of all nations shall come:" (Haydock) venient. Septuagint, "the chosen things," etc. Christ shall come for all, (Calmet) and the elect shall meet him with eagerness. (Haydock)
In vain do the Jews attempt to contest this prediction. Was not the Messias to be desired? and has not Jesus Christ procured the greatest advantages for mankind?
2:10
Haydock
Peace: another title of the Messias. His presence ennobles this temple (Calmet) more than precious ornaments of gold and silver (ver. 9.) did that of Solomon. (Haydock)
Salien
Some have pretended that the second temple, repaired by Herod, was more spacious and magnificent than the former. It also subsisted a longer time. But this circumstance adds no superior value, unless the structure was better finished. What Josephus relates of Herod's repairs, is denied by several respectable modern authors. (Salien, year of the world 4035, etc.)
Calmet
Yet as the fact was so recent, it seems it had some foundation, though the account may be greatly exaggerated. Josephus was not always exact. (Calmet)
Lempereur
The Jews all agree that the temple of Zorobabel and of Herod was the same. (Lempereur.)
Haydock
It is almost certain that this edifice was never honoured with the ark, etc., like that of Solomon; so that if it be not on account of the Messias, no good reason appears for giving it the preference. (Haydock)
Worthington
The ancients who had seen the former, wept (Worthington) when that of Zorobabel was founded, confessing its inferiority (Haydock) both in size and elegance. It was only 60 cubits high and broad, while the former was 120, built of polished stone and covered with cedar. Zorobabel had rough stones, 1 Esdras 5:8., and 6:3., and 2 Paralipomenon 3:4., and 3 Kings 6:7. As for the same temple, enlarged and adorned by Herod, it continued not long in that state; and its chief glory consisted in our Saviour's presence, when he was received in the arms of Simeon, [Luke 2:28.] and often preached there. Hence St. Augustine (City of God 18:45.) shews that the prophet foretells the glory of Christ's mystical temple, the faithful of all nations, in whom he dwells by the grace of the new testament, as in living stones, far more gloriously than in any temple erected by Solomon or after the captivity. (Worthington)
2:12
St. Jerome
The law. "He who knows it not, shews himself to be no priest of the Lord," Deuteronomy xvii. (St. Jerome)
2:13
Menochius
No, conformably to Leviticus 6:27. (Menochius)
Haydock
What the linen covered could not render other things sacred. The victim must come in immediate contact with them, to have this effect. (Haydock)
Calmet
Those who had touched the dead, rendered both holy and common things unclean for others. There were two sorts of sanctified meat: the victims for sin, which the priests on duty alone could eat, (Leviticus 7:1, 6.) and the peace-offerings, of which all who were clean might partake, Leviticus xix. The former alone sanctified what they touched. Both must be burnt if they touched any thing unclean, while ordinary food in the same predicament might be consumed by people in mourning, etc. (Calmet)
Worthington
That which touched a holy things was sanctified, (Leviticus 6:18.) but that thing did not sanctify others; so the people, by touching the sacrifices, were only legally holy, and therefore their victims were not acceptable to the Lord as long as they did not comply with their duty of building his temple. (Worthington)
2:14
Challoner
By occasion of a soul. That is, by having touched the dead: in which case, according to the prescription of the law, (Numbers 19:13, 22.) a person not only became unclean himself, but made everything that he touched unclean. The prophet applies all this to the people, whose souls remained unclean by neglecting the temple of God; and therefore were not sanctified by the flesh they offered in sacrifice, but rather defiled their sacrifices by approaching to them in the state of uncleanness. (Challoner)
2:15
Haydock
So. He makes the application of the second answer given, ver. 14. All your victims have hitherto been contaminated. I redressed not your miseries. But now, as you have begun to work at my temple, I will remove the scourge. It is easy to apply the first answer, ver. 13. Your victims have purified you no more than holy flesh wrapped up in a garment would sanctify it, (Calmet) or other things which it does not immediately touch. (Haydock)
Calmet
Your bad dispositions render them useless, Jeremias 11:15. The victims were also bad, Malachias 1:6. (Calmet)
2:16
Menochius
Day, the 24th of the ninth month, when you began to build, ver. 19. Henceforward your crops shall be abundant. (Menochius)
Calmet
I judge not from natural appearances, as the corn is still in the granary, ver. 20. (Calmet)
Haydock
Upon a stone. The foundations had been laid the year after the Jews returned, and an altar set up, 1 Esdras 3:Nothing more of consequence was done till the second year of Darius. The temple was finished and dedicated in the sixth, 1 Esdras 6:15. Hence Aggeus speaks of the stones to be used hereafter. Those in the foundation were to be laid afresh, (ver. 19) or were not seen or noticed. In the same sense our Saviour predicts, that a stone shall not be left upon a stone in the temple, which the Romans should destroy before that generation had passed away, Matthew 24:2, 34. This was verified within forty years. Yet A. Rutter observes it was more fully accomplished when the Jews dug up the foundations, by order of Julian, who wished to falsify the prediction. (Haydock)
2:17
Bushels. Hebrew specifies nothing. Septuagint, "when you put a basket (or vase) twenty sata of barley." He speaks of such as was not yet winnowed.
2:20
St. Jerome
Sprung up. Hebrew, "in the granary," or cave, magura, whence the African magaria, or huts, are derived. Chaldean and Septuagint, "barn floor," as it was commonly adjoining to these huts. Some have, "in blade." But this seems to be the sense: the corn is not yet sown, nor the trees in blossom, yet I announce great fertility next year. He spoke in November, during which and the following month the seed was committed to the earth, in Palestine, as (Calmet) it was in Egypt, the wheat ripening in seven months, (Pliny, [Natural History?] 18:7.) and being cut towards the end of June. (St. Jerome)
Aggeus probably composed the Psalm lxiv., to thank God for this fertility.
2:22
St. Jerome
Earth. Some great event is denoted. Nothing occurs in history after the second year of Darius, to shew that Zorobabel signalized himself. Theodoret thinks that the irruption of the Scythians, or of Gog, is meant. Others believe (Calmet) that the prophecy relates to Christ, at his first (St. Cyril) or second coming. (St. Jerome)
Calmet
But the Hebrew speaks of something past, and we doubt not but the attempt of Cambyses, three years before, is the subject, Ezechiel xxxviii. "I have overcome the throne of kings," Cambyses, and the magi, and have given the kingdom to another family. The enemy has destroyed himself. Then I kept thee as a seal, with the greatest care, Jeremias 22:24. Thou art no longer oppressed by the Persian king or his governor. Hystaspes has declared in thy favour. Nothing could more enhance the authority of Zorobabel than an action so recent, which God seemed to have permitted on his account, and for his glory. (Calmet)
Worthington
While all other kingdoms perish, the Church of Christ remains. (Worthington)
2:24
Challoner
O Zorobabel. This promise principally relates to Christ, who was of the race of Zorobabel. (Challoner)
2:14
By occasion of a soul.... That is, by having touched the dead; in which case, according to the prescription of the law, Num. 19.13, 22, a person not only became unclean himself, but made every thing that he touched unclean. The prophet applies all this to the people, whose souls remained unclean by neglecting the temple of God; and therefore were not sanctified by the flesh they offered in sacrifice: but rather defiled their sacrifices by approaching to them in the state of uncleanness.
2:24
O Zorobabel.... This promise principally relates to Christ, who was of the race of Zorobabel.
THE PROPHECY OF ZACHARIAS
ZACHARIAS began to prophesy in the same year as Aggeus, and upon the same occasion. His prophecy is full of mysterious figures and promises of blessings, partly relating to the synagogue, and partly to the church of Christ.
2:1
They beganne the new vvorke the 24. day of the sixt moneth:
2:2
and the 21 of the 7. moneth the prophet had an other reuelation
2:7
Concordance Heb. 12.
2:8
Iacob the Patriarch. Gen. 49. prophecied that Christ should be the expectation of the Gentiles. VVho is called the desired of al Nations, because he vvas hertofore vvanting and alvvayes necessarie to al nations.
2:10
10. Great shal be the glorie] VVhen according to the prophets exhortation The temple restored after the captiuitie vvas not so glorious as that which Salomon built. the temple vvas built againe, Esdras ch. 3. v 12 vvriteth, that such ancient men as had sene the former, lamented, because this nevv one vvas not so excellent as the former had bene, vvhich is also clere by other places of holie scripture. For amongst other differences, Salomons temple had in height, and in breadth, an hundred and twentie cubites 2 Paral. 3. v. 4. this nevv temple had but sixtie cubites. 1 Esd. 6. v. 3. Likevvise balomons temple vvas built of stones hevved and perfectly polished, 3. Reg 6. v. 7. vvhich vvere also couered on the innerside vvith seeling vvorke of ceder vvood. v. 18. This nevv temple vvas built of rugh But Christs Church of the nevv Testament in which he dvvelleth spiritually farre excelleth the material temple. and vnpolished stones. 1. Esd. 5. v. 8 As for the same temple long after enlarged and adorned by Herod, it continued not long in that state, & the chiefest glorie therof vvas by our Sauiours presence therin, vvhen he vvas presented by his mother, and ioyfully receiued into the armes of Simeon, and often preached there. And therfore S. Augustin proueth li. 18. c. 45. ciuit. that the prophet here foreshevveth the glorie of Christs mystical temple, faithful Christian soules of al nations, in whom God dwelleth by grace of the nevv Testament, farre more glorious in liuing stones, then that temple vvhich king Salomon built, or that vvhich vvas restored after the captiuitie.
2:13
That vvhich touched a holie thing vvas sanctified. Leui. 6. v 18 but the thing so touched did not sanctifie other thinges: so the people by touching the sacrifices vvere legally sanctified but not really: and therfore their sacrifices were not gratful to God, so long as they did not endeuour to build the temple, as they ought to haue done.
2:18
Concordance Amos. 4.
2:20
spring vp.
2:23
Al other kingdomes perishing the kingdom of Christ, which is his Church, is neuer destroyed.
2:24
Eccli. ••.
2:4
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 23
… For the Spirit of the Lord filleth the world, and “whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?” And, in the words of the Prophet, “For I am with you, saith the Lord…and my spirit remaineth among you.”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 16.29
… the Holy Ghost; as when Micah says in the person of God, surely I will perfect power by the Spirit the Lord ; and Joel cries, And it shall come to pass afterwards , saith God, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh , and the rest; and Haggai, Because I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts
2:5
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 16.29
… the Holy Ghost; as when Micah says in the person of God, surely I will perfect power by the Spirit the Lord ; and Joel cries, And it shall come to pass afterwards , saith God, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh , and the rest; and Haggai, Because I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts ; and My Spirit remaineth in the midst of you
2:6
Tertullian † AD 220 On Monogamy 16
… A third saying let them add, “Let us eat, and drink, and marry , for to-morrow we shall die;” not reflecting that the “woe” (denounced) “on such as are with child, and are giving suck,” will fall far more heavily and bitterly in the “universal shaking”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 7.30
… Haggai expressly makes a distinction between the earth and the dry land, meaning by the latter the land in which we live. He says: “Yet once, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the dry land, and the sea.”
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 32
… the one from idols to the Law, the other from the Law to the Gospel. And we are taught in the Gospel of a third earthquake, namely, from this Earth to that which cannot be shaken or moved.
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 53.8
… He represents the Lord (the Father, that is) as saying “Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations and he who is desired of all nations shall come.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.35
… Of these Haggai more openly prophesies of Christ and the Church thus briefly: “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Yet one little while, and I will shake the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will move all nations, and the desired of all nations shall come.”
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Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 2.30
… How, then, was it possible for the Gospel doctrine of peace, which does not permit men to take vengeance even upon enemies, to prevail throughout the world, unless at the advent of Jesus
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 21.25
… such is the heat of their zeal, that they would sooner proceed to excess in disturbance, than fail to notice anything that is amiss. And no small portion of the people is breaking away with them, flying away, as a flock of birds does, with those who lead the flight, and even now does not cease to fly with them.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.45
… indeed, did that car nal people understand what was foretold by Haggai the prophet, saying, “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former.” Now, that this is said of the new testament, he showed a little above, where he says, evidently promising Christ, “And I will move all nations, and the desired One shall come to all nations.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.48
… For all typical things seem in some way to personate those whom they typify, as it is said by the apostle, “That Rock was Christ.” Therefore the glory of this new testament house is greater than the glory of the old testament house; and it will show itself as greater when it shall be dedicated. For then “shall come the desired of all nations,”
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St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 8.6
6. Riches, and gold, and silver are not, as some think, the devil’s : for the whole world of riches is for the faithful man, but for the faithless not even a penny . Now nothing is more faithless than the devil; and God says plainly by the Prophet, The gold is Mine, and the silver is Mine, and to whomsoever I will I give it
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 33
… Nor have we yet rounded off the sea for ourselves, or mingled the seasons, as of course you, the new Creators, have done, that we may live in what is at once the pleasantest and the safest way. Add if you like other charges, you who say, The silver is mine and the gold is mine,
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 45
… But why wilt thou leave to the Egyptians and to the powers of thine adversaries that which they have gained by wickedness, and will spend with yet greater wickedness? It does not belong to them: they have ravished it, and have sacrilegiously taken it as plunder from Him who saith, The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 34
[9.] “But unless wealth be useful,” saith one, “wherefore hath it been given by God?” And whence is it evident, that being rich is from God? “The Scripture saith, ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ and to whomsoever I will, I will give it.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 22.87
… The names occurring in the narrative show what it typifies. David means, strong of hand, or desirable; and what can be stronger than the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who has conquered the world, or more desirable than He of whom the prophet says, "The desire of all nations shall come?"
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Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 10.4.3
3. one might call thee a new Beseleel, the architect of a divine tabernacle, or Solomon, king of a new and much better Jerusalem, or also a new Zerubabel, who added a much greater glory than the former to the temple of God;
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 10.4.36
… And he clothed her not with the ancient garment, but with such an one as he had again learned from the sacred oracles, which say clearly, ‘And the latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former.’
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 10.4.45
… These were erected by our most peaceful Solomon, the maker of the temple of God, for those who still needed purification and sprinkling by water and the Holy Spirit, so that the prophecy quoted above is no longer a word merely, but a fact; for now it has also come to pass that in truth ‘the latter glory of this house is greater than the former.’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.45
… For so, indeed, did that car nal people understand what was foretold by Haggai the prophet, saying, “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.48
… But it was typified by the rebuilding of that temple for this reason, because the very renovation of that edifice typifies in the prophetic oracle another testament which is called the new. When, therefore, God said by the prophet just named, “And I will give peace in this place,”
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St Barnabas † AD 61 The Epistle of Barnabas 16
… Let us inquire, then, if there still is a temple of God. There is—where He himself declared He would make and finish it. For it is written, “And it shall come to pass, when the week is completed, the temple of God shall be built in glory in the name of the Lord.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 An Exhortation to Theodore After His Fall 1
… He would not have established their city and their temple in greater splendour than before: “For the final glory of this house” He said “shall exceed the former.”
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St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 53.3
… The prophet Haggai says—or rather the Lord says it by the mouth of Haggai—“Ask now the priests concerning the law.”
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.11
… while the attainment of virtue is rare and difficult, even where there is much to attract and encourage us. And it is this, I think, which the most blessed Haggai had before his eyes, in his wonderful and most true figure:
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1. In the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius. — These words pertain to the end of the preceding chapter, and depend from it. For they signify that the work was begun by the Jews, and the building of the temple on the 24th day of the sixth month; namely, then they began to prepare material, to cut and fit wood. For the building itself was begun on the 24th day of the ninth month, as will be said in verse 11. Therefore the second chapter properly begins from verse 2; otherwise indeed the second verse would conflict with the first, as is evident to one who looks at it. Thus St. Jerome, Theodoret, Rupert, Remigius, Haymo, Lyra, Vatablus and others everywhere. St. Jerome and others think a similar division has crept in at Jeremiah chapter 28, verse 1. See Canon XXXIII in the Proem. Therefore Haggai began in chapter 1, verse 1, to exhort the Jews to the work on the first day of the sixth month, and he continued daily to urge them to it for 23 days, and finally he persuaded them so that on the 24th day they began the work. Let preachers imitate him, so that they may constantly continue in rebuking vices, and not cease until they move the minds of their hearers to root them out. For just as "a drop wears away a stone not by force, but by falling often," so the hard and stony hearts of men are softened and bent not by force, but by frequent admonition and inculcation. I am with you. — "He does not speak," says St. Jerome, "to Zerubbabel and Jesus, when These words pertain to the end of the preceding chapter, and depend from it. For they signify that the work was begun by the Jews, and the building of the temple on the 24th day of the sixth month; namely, then they began to prepare material, to cut and fit wood. For the building itself was begun on the 24th day of the ninth month, as will be said in verse 11. Therefore the second chapter properly begins from verse 2; otherwise indeed the second verse would conflict with the first, as is evident to one who looks at it. Thus St. Jerome, Theodoret, Rupert, Remigius, Haymo, Lyra, Vatablus and others everywhere. St. Jerome and others think a similar division has crept in at Jeremiah chapter 28, verse 1. See Canon XXXIII in the Proem.
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2. In the seventh month, the twenty-first day of the month, THE WORD OF THE LORD WAS MADE. Therefore this prophecy, which in order is the second, was nearly a whole month later than the beginning of the building; for this was begun on the 24th day of the sixth month, as was said in verse 1.
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4. WHO IS THERE AMONG YOU THAT SAW THIS HOUSE IN ITS FORMER GLORY? AND WHAT DO YOU SEE IT NOW? — That is to say, What sort of house, how mean and small do you see this second house of God which you are building to be, if it be compared with the temple of Solomon? For its foundations had long since been laid under Cyrus, from whose smallness and meanness it was possible to gather that the building would be small and mean. Now the temple of Solomon, which was most magnificent, some had seen, others had heard from their fathers that it was such. For the Jews returning from Babylon, being few and poor, built the temple from common and unpolished stone, whereas Solomon had constructed it from most polished stones, and those strong and precious, III Kings 6. Secondly, this temple by the command of Cyrus was to have a height equal to its width of only sixty cubits, I Esdras VI; but Solomon's was twice as high and wide: for it was 120 cubits high and equally wide. Wherefore this second temple was built within the walls of the former, with its ruins left outside in a circle; which having been demolished down to the foundations, Herod built his temple on the same site, if we believe Josephus, book XV of the Antiquities, XIV. Wherefore when this temple was first founded in the first year of Cyrus, "the princes of the fathers and the elders who had seen the former temple, wept with a loud voice," says Esdras, book I, chapter III, 12. Hence it is clear that many saw both temples; for from its destruction, which happened in the eleventh year of Sedecias, until the first year of Cyrus, there elapsed 59 years; from thence until the second year of Darius, there elapsed 11 years, which added to the former make 70. Those therefore who were 80 years old could have seen the former temple and remembered its magnificence very well. Certainly Esdras saw it: for his father Saraias the high priest was slain in the destruction of the city and temple; wherefore it is necessary that Esdras was born before that by him. Now Esdras prolonged his life after Darius until Artaxerxes, whose cupbearer he was, as he himself relates, book I, chapter VII. So also Daniel, 8 years before the destruction of the city and temple, namely in the third year of Joakim, was carried off to Babylon, as he himself says, chapter 1, 1. Now Daniel lived until the end of the reign of Cyrus, as is evident from his chapter X, 1; indeed, if we believe the Hebrews, he lived until Artaxerxes Longimanus. The same is evident concerning Mardocheus the uncle of Esther, Nehemiah chapter VII, 7. As if it were not. — The Septuagint: And how do you see it now, as if it did not exist? The Chaldean: Is it not as a thing of nought, so also is it in your eyes? If namely it be compared with the magnificence of the temple of Solomon, which you either saw, or heard from those who saw it.
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5. Do the work, namely in my house, says St. Jerome and others to be cited presently. But the Hebrew and Roman texts refer facite to the verb which follows shortly after, that is to say, Do the word which I have covenanted, etc. Whence the intervening words, namely "because I am with you, says the Lord of hosts," interrupt and enclose in a parenthesis.
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6. THE WORD WHICH I HAVE COVENANTED. There is here a twofold punctuation, and consequently a twofold sense. The former takes word in the nominative, and refers it to what follows, that is to say, Do the work in the temple which I command, because the word, that is the covenant and pact which I made with you through Moses on Sinai, whereby I promised that I would be your God and protector, will protect you against the Samaritans wishing to hinder the building of the temple, and against any other enemies whatsoever: because namely I will now in deed accomplish and actually execute that which I once promised in this covenant. Thus the Septuagint, the Chaldean, St. Jerome, Theodoret, Haymo, Lyra and Pagninus. Thus mystically the Word is the Son of God, promised to the Jews as the Messiah, so that here the holy Trinity may be signified, namely the Father says: "I am with you." The Son is the Word, the Holy Spirit is the spirit who will be with them, namely through the effect of grace, aid and protection which he will afford them. Thus St. Jerome, Albert, Gregory of Nyssa, Haymo and others to be cited presently. The Chaldean favors this when he translates: My word will be to you for aid. Whence also the Prophet presently proceeds to prophesy concerning Christ, saying: "Yet a little while, etc., and the Desired of all nations shall come." The latter punctuation is clearer, so that word is in the accusative case (which the article את, et, ordinarily denotes, which serves the accusative rarely the nominative) and is referred to do, that is to say, Do the word, that is the law, which in the covenant made with you, as a condition of the covenant to be performed by you, I exacted; I in turn will perform what is mine, namely the aid which I promised you, and I will make my spirit, provident, watchful, keen, powerful and efficacious, to be in the midst of you, and to protect, strengthen, help and defend you. Thus the Hebrews and Arias. This sense is required by the parenthesis inserted in the Roman Bibles, and by the Hebrew article et, as I said a little before. AND MY SPIRIT SHALL BE IN THE MIDST OF YOU. "Spirit," both uncreated, and that twofold. The former, essential in God, which is the very mind and divine power, whose qualities the Wise Man describes in chapter VII, 7, di-
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7. YET A LITTLE WHILE, AND I WILL SHAKE. It is a Hebraism, that is to say, After a little time I will shake heaven, etc. It is certain that the Prophet speaks of Christ and his first coming in the flesh into the world. For the Apostle explains this in Hebrews XII, 26, and the Fathers everywhere, St. Jerome, Remigius, Rupertus, Haymo, Albert, Hugh, Lyran, Arias, Clarius, Vatablus here, and St. Augustine in the eighteenth book of the City of God, chapter XXXV, St. Ambrose in book III, epistle 12, Cyril in book V on Genesis, and even the Hebrews according to Galatinus in book IV, chapters IX and X. For the Prophet consoles the faint-hearted and sorrowful Hebrews, because they saw the structure of the second temple to be so small, vile, and as it were of no account, if compared with the structure of Solomon. He consoles them, I say, by this argument, that God was about to glorify the second temple more than the first, because in the second He was about to give Christ as teacher and saviour, and therefore at His coming He was about to shake heaven and earth and all the elements, in which He was about to perform wondrous, magnificent and glorious deeds for the glory of Christ, and consequently of the temple. Note: From this prophecy, made in the second year of Darius Hystaspes, until the birth of Christ, there elapsed 517 years, as I said in the Preface. Yet these are called here "a little while," both because Prophets, elevated to God and to God's eternity, see all times, equally as earthly and secular things, to be, and truly are, a little thing, indeed a point or moment only. In a similar way, St. John in his first epistle, chapter II, 18, calls the time of the new law "the last hour: Little children, he says, it is the last hour." And because it was a little while in respect to the time elapsed from the creation of the world, and from the fall of Adam, from which God soon promised the Saviour Christ, Genesis III, 15. For when Haggai said this, there had elapsed from the genesis of the world 3434 years. Thus Lyran and Vatablus. Arias adds that it is a little while in respect to the Christian law, which has now lasted 1624 years, and will last longer. For "a little while," the Septuagint, and St. Paul following them in Hebrews XII, 26, translate ἅπαξ, that is, once; because the Hebrew אחת achat, that is, one, is taken for once; for פעם paam, that is, time or turn, is understood, that is to say, One time, that is, once. The word "once" signifies that only one law of Christ and the Gospel will succeed the law of Moses and the Prophets, after which no other is to be expected, so that when it is finished, Christ's judgment, resurrection, life and eternal glory will come for those who have observed it. I WILL SHAKE HEAVEN AND EARTH,—so that all men and angels through many great prodigies I may stir to attention to the great work which I am about to perform, namely the incarnation, legislation and redemption of Christ; just as I once stirred the Jews through similar signs at Sinai, to receive the old law through Moses, so that I might conciliate to both Moses and the law authority and weight. Thus St. Chrysostom, homily 14 on Matthew. Note, although St. Augustine in book XVIII of the City of God, chapter XLVIII, and Rupertus here, understand this shaking of heaven and earth of the signs and portents preceding the day of judgment and of Christ the judge, and of the resurrection and glorification of the blessed, of which Matthew chapter XXIV; yet it is to be understood literally as that which took place at the first coming of Christ in the flesh, namely a little before His incarnation, as Hugh, Lyran and Clarius think; or when He was incarnate, teaching, suffering, rising and sending the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. Thus St. Jerome, Remigius, Haymo, Albert, Arias here, Ambrose in book III, epistle 12, and Augustine in book XVIII of the City of God, chapter XXXV. For this shaking took place so that it might signify that the old law was to be changed into the new, Moses into Christ, the Prophets into the Gospel, Judaism and Gentilism into Christianity, as St. Chrysostom teaches in homily 14 on Matthew. You will ask FIRST: What shaking in heaven took place when Christ came? I answer: The first was that on that very day, indeed the hour and moment in which Christ was born, angels appeared to the shepherds and announced His birth with joyful singing: "Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace to men," Luke II, 14. Second, that a star of unusual splendor appeared to the Magi, and called and led them from the East to Christ, Matthew II, 1. Third, that a little before the birth of Christ, at the beginning of the reign of Augustus, "about the third hour, suddenly in a clear and pure sky, a circle in the appearance of a heavenly arc surrounded the orb of the sun, as if to show that one and most powerful in this world, and alone most brilliant in the sphere (Augustus Caesar), in whose time He would come who alone made the sun itself and the whole world and rules it," says Orosius from Suetonius, lib. VI Hist. cap. XVIII. For what did this circle clothing the sun signify, except the humanity which veiled and clothed the divinity of Christ as it were a parhelion? Fourth, that a globe of golden color appeared to the Romans descending from heaven to earth, and there becoming larger, again ascended into heaven and covered the sun. Thus Orosius in the same place. Fifth, that one year before the reign of Augustus, under whom Christ was born, three suns were seen coming together into one, says Eusebius in the Chronicle. In the following year, says Dio, and from him Baronius, the sun was seen shining within three circles, one of which was surrounded by a crown of fiery ears of grain; which however Dio thought was a prognostication of the triumvirate of Augustus, Antony and Lepidus, when it was more truly signified by the true sun Christ the Lord, in that as God existing in three circles, that is in the divine persons, through περιχώρησιν, that is circumincession; and in that as made man, consisting of three substances, namely divinity, soul and flesh. Sixth, while Christ lived, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him as He was baptized, in the appearance of a dove from heaven. The voice of the Father was heard: "This is my beloved Son," Matt. III, 17. The same was heard in the transfiguration, where Christ shone resplendent with heavenly glory, and Moses and Elias fell from heaven and were present, Matt. XVII, 5. Seventh, angels ministered to Him both in His passion, and in His resurrection, and often at other times, John cap. I, 51. Eighth, in His passion the sun at full moon, when it is most distant from the moon, which usually causes its eclipse, was completely darkened by a universal eclipse, mourning in darkness the death of its Creator, so that Dionysius the Areopagite exclaimed: "Either God of nature suffers, or the machine of the world is dissolved;" as he himself relates writing to Apollophanes. Ninth, that on the fortieth day after the resurrection He ascended visibly into heaven before His disciples in glory, Acts I. Tenth, that on the fiftieth day thereafter He sent the Holy Spirit in the appearance of fiery tongues, with a great sound, upon the Apostles, Acts II. Eleventh, that to Augustus Caesar there appeared from heaven the Virgin Mother of God, bearing the infant in her arms, in the Capitol, when he himself had already been taught by the oracle of Apollo that a Hebrew boy had been born, who would impose silence on the oracles of idols, and had erected an altar to Him in the Capitol with this inscription: Altar of the Firstborn of God. Wherefore Constantine the Great erected a temple there in memory of God's Mother Mary, which still stands, and is commonly called the Ara Coeli, where also the place of Augustus's vision is shown. Thus from Suidas, Nicephorus and others Baronius in the Apparatus of the Annals. Many add that this was shown to Augustus through the Sibyl, but by the Sibyl they understand some prophetess of that age. For among the Sibyls properly so called, the last was the Cumaean, who lived long before Augustus under Tarquin the Proud. You will ask secondly: What commotion was made on earth at the birth of Christ? I answer: The first is that which Orosius describes in these words, lib. VI, cap. XX, and lib. VII, cap. II: "The year of the nativity of Christ, how abundantly, how newly, and how unusually it abounded in good things, I think is sufficiently known even without my relating it. Throughout the whole world one peace of all, not by cessation but by abolition of wars; the twin gates of Janus closed, the roots of wars extirpated, not merely suppressed. That first and greatest census was when the whole creation of great nations swore in the name of one Caesar, and at the same time through the communion of one census was affected by one society;" namely that Augustus by his monarchy might pave the way for the true monarch Christ, and His Gospel throughout the whole world through his head, namely through Rome, propagating it, as St. Leo observes, hom. 1 On St. Peter: "For the work being divinely disposed," he says, "it was most fitting that many kingdoms should be confederated under one empire, and the general preaching should have ready access to peoples whom the rule of one city held." Moreover, what Orosius asserts concerning Janus, closed for the third time in the time of Christ, Baronius somewhat doubts, because the ancients remembered Janus closed only twice. Yet it is probable that Orosius, an ancient and grave historian praised by St. Augustine, received this from the ancients, and did not fabricate it from himself, as our Barradius rightly observes, tome I, lib. VIII, cap. XII. Second, that from the oracles of the Sibyls declaring that at that time a king would come from the East who would rule the world, the Romans and other peoples were moved partly by fear of him, partly by expectation of him. Hear Tacitus, book XXI: "Many were persuaded that it was contained in the ancient writings of the priests that at that very time the East would grow strong, and those who came forth from Judea would gain power over affairs; which obscure sayings had foretold Vespasian and Titus." Thus he himself, being a pagan, twisted the oracle concerning Christ to Vespasian. The same thing is found in Suetonius in Vespasian, chapter IV, who also adds that the Jews for this reason, namely in hope of their king the Messiah soon to come, rebelled against the Romans, and therefore were cut down by Titus. Third, that before Christ the Delphic oracle and others fell silent, as witnessed by Cicero, book II On Divination, Arnobius, book III Against the Gentiles, and others. Whence also from the island of Paxos this voice was heard: "Great Pan is dead," as witnessed by Eusebius, book V On Preparation, chapter IX. Fourth, that in the third year of the triumvirate of Augustus, namely forty years before the nativity of Christ, at Rome beyond the Tiber from a brothel, a most abundant fountain of oil flowed forth throughout the whole day. "By which sign," says Orosius, book VI, chapter XX, "what is more evident than that in the days of Caesar Augustus the nativity of Christ was declared? For Christ is interpreted as anointed. And so when at that time when perpetual tribunician power was decreed to Caesar, a fountain of oil flowed forth at Rome throughout the whole day;" it signified "that throughout all the time of the Roman empire Christ, that is the anointed one, and from him Christians, that is the anointed ones, from the brothel, that is from the hospitable and generous Church, would proceed abundantly and without ceasing." This flowing forth of oil from the earth therefore portended Christ about to be born on earth, and the bowels of mercy to be poured out upon us. Whence also concerning him it is said in the Canticle, chapter I, 2: "Thy name is as oil poured out." That place merited, says Baronius, to be illustrated by the most noble memory, namely by a most ample church, dedicated to the title of the Mother of God, erected by Pope Callistus first of all whose memory exists, where in the very place from which the oil flowed forth, in testimony of the ancient miracle, this inscription is read: "In this first temple of the Mother of God, once a brothel, a fountain of oil bursting forth from the ground portended the birth of Christ." Fifth, that "in the Capitol," says Dio, book XXXVII, "many statues were struck from heaven and melted and flowed away, and both other simulacra were cast down and the column on which Jupiter stood; moreover the image of the she-wolf, consecrated with Remus and Romulus, had fallen: also the letters on the columns, in which laws were written, were obliterated and confused." Whence Suetonius in Augustus, chapter XCIV, says: "A prodigy was made at Rome by which it was announced that nature was bringing forth a king for the Roman people. Whence the Senate, terrified, decreed that no one born in that year should be reared." Sixth, that Augustus was unwilling to be called Lord any longer, says Suetonius in Augustus, chapter LIII, as if by an internal instinct of God foreseeing that Christ was about to come, the true Lord of heaven and earth. Seventh, that when Christ as a child fled the infanticide of Herod, as soon as he entered Egypt, the idols of Egypt fell, as the ancients everywhere relate, whom I cited on Isaiah XIX, 1. Eighth, that when Christ suffered the rocks were split, and the whole earth, as if indignant and preparing to avenge the death of its Creator, was shaken by a great earthquake, and, if we believe Origen, was convulsed from its center. Whence concerning this Pliny, book II, chapter XLVIII: "The greatest," he says, "earthquake in the memory of mortals occurred in the reign of Tiberius Caesar, with twelve cities overthrown in one night." Sea and dry land. — By dry land opposed to the sea, either understand islands with Lyran; or certainly the whole remaining space which the earth occupies; so that the earth, which the Prophet named a little before, that is the globe of the earth, which consists of water and earth, he subdivides into sea and dry land; just as in the genesis of the world God separated them: "And he called the dry land Earth, and the gatherings together of the waters he called Seas," Genesis I, 10. Moreover, various commotions in the sea took place at the time of Christ. First, through naval wars, and especially the Actian war, by which Augustus, having defeated the fleet of Antony, became monarch, as Suetonius testifies. Second, in that a great tempest of the sea was stirred up in Britain, so much so that the islanders said that some one of the demons or heroes had departed. Thus from ancient historians by Castro. Third, in that Christ calmed the storms of the sea, and indeed made St. Peter himself walk upon them. Moreover in his passion, together with an earthquake he shook the earth, and likewise shook the sea as well. Fourth, in that God moved all the islanders, having heard the report of Christ and the Gospel, to embrace his faith; but others obstinate in infidelity he moved, that is, he gave occasion for it to be persecuted and extirpated. Hear St. Augustine, book XVIII of the City of God, chapter XXXV: "He moved," he says, "heaven, by the testimony of angels and stars, when Christ was incarnate. He moved the earth, by a great miracle of the Virgin's childbirth itself. He moved the sea and the dry land, when Christ is announced both in the islands and throughout the whole world. Thus we see all nations moved to faith." Hear also St. Ambrose on these words of Haggai, at the end of volume II: "God had moved these things before (heaven and earth) when he freed his people from Egypt, when in heaven there was a pillar of fire, earth between the waves, a wall in the sea, a way in water, in the desert a daily harvest of heavenly fruits (manna) was multiplied, a rock was dissolved into fountains of waters: but he moved them also afterwards in the passion of the Lord Jesus, when heaven was covered with darkness, the sun fled, rocks were split, tombs were opened, the dead were raised, the dragon conquered in his waves saw fishers of men, not only sailing in the sea, but also walking without danger. The desert also was moved, when the unfruitful people of nations began to turn yellow in the harvest of devotion and faith, etc., so that there were more children of the desolate one than of her who had a husband and the desert flourished like a lily," Isaiah XXXV. The causes why heaven, earth, sea and dry land were shaken in the incarnation of Christ are many. First, because they were, as it were, amazed and astonished at such an emptying of Christ, and equally at his charity. Second, so that they might stir up the torpid hearts of men to so unusual a prodigy, and soften those stony hearts to receive this condescension of Christ with worthy love and gratitude. Third, because all creatures were restored through Christ, indeed almost deified, while through Christ the Word of God they are united; for man is the compendium and microcosm of all creatures. When therefore Christ assumed man, he assumed all creatures; hence in his incarnation they were moved, because they rejoiced, and as it were leaped for joy; especially because through him they hoped, and hope for liberation from corruption and misery, which they incurred with man through the sin of Adam, according to that word of the Apostle, Romans VIII, 19: "The expectation of the creature awaiteth the revelation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him that made it subject, in hope: Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that every creature groaneth and travaileth in pain, even until now." AND I WILL MOVE ALL NATIONS. First, through civil wars, which were waged between Augustus, Antony and Lepidus the triumvirs, by whom being defeated Augustus established himself as monarch. Thus Mariana. Second, in the census, by which all, having set out to their own cities, were compelled to profess themselves subject to Augustus. Third, through the preaching and miracles of Christ and the Apostles, and through portents shown in heaven and on earth, both at the birth and passion of Christ, which I have already recounted, nations were moved to penance and to embrace the faith of Christ. Whence for "I will move" in Hebrew it is הרעשתי hirasti, that is, I will strike down, I will cause to tremble, I will inject fear and trepidation; the Septuagint σεισω, that is, I will shake, I will concuss: thus St. Jerome and his followers; whence our Emmanuel: "I will move," he says, "by the wonder of so great a mystery, and by joy, and by the renewal of life all nations." AND HE SHALL COME, THE DESIRED OF ALL NATIONS. And, that is because, as if to say, I will shake heaven, earth, sea and dry land, because the Messias will come, whom all nations, indeed all creatures desire. For Christ is the principle, exemplar, end, knot, bond, center, life, salvation, happiness of the whole universe. Whence the Apostle in Ephesians I, 10: "God hath proposed in him, in the dispensation of the fullness of times, to restore all things in Christ, both those that are in heaven and those that are on earth." Where for restore, in Greek it is ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι, that is to recapitulate, to bring back to the head; for Christ is the anakephalaiosis, that is the sum, head and recapitulation of all the works of God, visible and invisible. See the things said there. Wherefore all things are borne toward Christ, as toward a center to which they desire to be joined. Again, all desire Christ, as the great high priest, who removes all evils from all, and procures all goods. This is what Christ says: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself," John XII, 32. For Christ is the high priest and pontiff of the great temple, that is of the whole world. For, as Philo says in book I On Monarchy, the world is as it were a sacred temple of God, whose high priest is man, so that he may give thanks to God for all, and obtain from him all goods for individuals and avert evils. Hear Lactantius in the book On the Wrath of God, chapter XIV: "It follows that I show why God made man. Just as he fashioned the world for the sake of man, so he made man for himself, as the high priest of the divine temple, a spectator of the works and of heavenly things: for he alone is one who, feeling and capable of reason, is able to understand God, to admire his works, to perceive his virtue and power, etc. Therefore he alone receives speech, and language as the interpreter of thought, so that he may be able to declare the majesty of his Lord." But since men are not sufficient for this, and most, sunk into the earth, do not look up to heaven, nor acknowledge God as their author; hence Christ was sent, who as the high priest of the world would accomplish this, and would render to God the gratitude and worship owed to him for all, and would impel men to do the same. Whence by his type the Aaronic priest bore in his vestment the whole world, according to that passage in Wisdom XVIII, 24: "In the long robe which he wore, the whole world was." Hence also Christ is said to bear all things by the word of his power, Hebrews I, 2. Hence again he himself Now comes the last age of the Cumæan song, A mighty order of the ages is born anew: Now a new generation descends from high heaven; Now the virgin returns, the reign of Saturn returns. Dear offspring of the gods, great increase of Jupiter, Behold how all things rejoice at the coming age, etc. The Hebrew has word for word: And there shall come the desire (or desires: for חמדת chemdat in the singular, with another pointing can be read חמדות chemdot in the plural) of all nations; the Septuagint: And there shall come the chosen of all nations, or, as the holy Jerome and Augustine in book XVIII of the City of God, chapter XLVIII, read it: There shall come those things which are chosen of the Lord from all nations. Note here that Christ is called the desire, or the desires of all nations, because He is supremely desirable. For although the gentile nations did not desire Him, indeed did not know Him; nevertheless He Himself was, and is, supremely desirable in Himself, so that this is a metalepsis, that is to say, Christ was desired by all nations, that is, all nations supremely needed the advent of Christ, that they might be freed from their miseries, and therefore they desired Him not by rational appetite, but by natural appetite, just as dry earth by gaping desires rain (for to need is tacitly to desire that which relieves want: whence some explain desire here by need. Thus Martin of Roa, book I, Singularities, chapter XIII, at the end). Wherefore the nations, as soon as they heard through St. Paul and the Apostles of His life, doctrine, holiness and miracles, as soon as they were moved and pricked by the preaching of the Apostles, began to desire Him; and the more they knew Him, the more they desired and loved Him, so much so that they willingly poured out not only their wealth, but also their blood and their lives for Him, as is evident from so many hundreds of thousands of martyrs, who existed throughout the whole world in the first three hundred years after Christ. Hence Christ is called by Jacob the patriarch, Genesis XLIX, 10, the "expectation of the nations;" especially when those nations, through the Apostles, learned that they, the unbelieving Jews being excluded, were to be grafted into the family and blessing of Abraham through Christ. This therefore is an express prophecy concerning the calling of the nations. Moreover, the Hebrew חמדת chemdat signifies not just any concupiscence and desire, but a great, burning and ardent one. Whence Daniel, chapter IX, 23, is called איש חמודות is chamudot, that is, a man of desires, because he burned with inflamed desires, praying most ardently to God for the liberation of the people. Thus the nations believing through the Apostles, inflamed with faith, hope, and charity, burned with desire for Christ, and incited others to love Him with the same ardor, saying: "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall come forth from Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem," Isaiah chapter II, 3. Thus Cicero, book XIV, letter to his wife and daughter: "Farewell," says he, "my desires." Secondly, because Christ fully fulfilled and satisfied all the desires of the nations. Thirdly, this desire can be understood not of the nations, but of Christ, that is to say, Christ will come in the flesh, because He wonderfully desires to redeem and save all nations, and especially the elect from among the nations, as the Septuagint translates it; for just as a bridegroom ardently loves his bride, so Christ loves the Church, which is gathered almost entirely from the nations, and in turn by His grace He makes it so that the Church loves Him in return with ardent love, as a bride loves her bridegroom. This love of bridegroom and bride is described throughout the whole book of the Canticles by many parables. The Church pours forth this same love in the Office of the Ascension of the Lord: Jesus, our redemption, Love and desire, God redeemer of all, Man in the end of times. What mercy conquered thee, That thou shouldst bear our crimes, Enduring cruel death, That thou mightest free us from death? And soon after: Be thou our joy, Thou who art to be our reward. Let our glory be in thee, Forever throughout all ages. Amen. Finally, the nations before Christ, believing in God in the law of nature, or proselytes and converts to Judaism, equally with the Jews expected and desired Christ, as the savior of the world, as a heavenly brightness, as the splendor of eternal light, as the sun of justice, who would illuminate the whole world covered in the darkness of infidelity and ignorance, and would snatch from darkness and the shadow of death, heal, justify and make blessed those sitting therein. Such was Job with his friends, such were the Sibyls; such were Adam, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, etc. Anagogically, Christ in heaven is the desire of all the blessed and angels, both because all desire to enjoy Him in His divinity and humanity and Tropologically, Christ is all the desire of holy souls, which desire nothing else but to please Him, to love Him more each day, to honor Him more. Thus St. John, Apocalypse XXII, 20: "Come, Lord Jesus." Thus St. Mary Magdalene desired Him, who could rightly say that word from the Canticles III, 2: "I will rise, and will go about the city: by the streets and the broad ways I will seek Him whom my soul loveth." Thus Isaiah chapter XXVI, 8: "Thy name, and the remembrance of thee is the desire of the soul. My soul hath desired thee in the night: yea, and with my spirit in my heart early will I watch unto thee." Thus St. Ignatius, going forth into the amphitheater to be thrown to the lions, when he had looked around at the crowd of spectators with a cheerful countenance and greeted them: "Come," said he, "that I may be thrown to the beasts, not for any crime, but that I may be united to my Christ, whom I thirst for insatiably." Thus St. Bernard in a hymn: I desire thee a thousand times, my Jesus, when wilt thou come, when wilt thou make me joyful, when wilt thou satisfy me with thee? Jesus, admirable King, and noble Conqueror, ineffable Sweetness, wholly desirable. When thou visitest our heart, then truth shineth in it, the vanity of the world becometh vile, and charity burneth within. Jesus, supreme Kindness, wonderful joy of heart, incomprehensible Goodness, may thy charity bind me. O my most sweet Jesus, Hope of the sighing soul: thee do pious tears seek, thee the cry of the inmost mind. Now what I have sought I see, what I have desired I hold: I languish with love of Jesus, and my whole heart burneth. O blessed fire, and burning desire! O sweet refreshment, to love the Son of God! What then? Art thou hungry and dost crave food? Desire Jesus. He himself is the bread and refreshment of angels; he himself is the manna containing in itself all sweetness of taste. Art thou thirsty? Covet Jesus. He himself is the well of living waters, so satisfying that thou shalt thirst no more; he himself is wine intoxicating the mind, he himself is nectar and ambrosia. Art thou sick? Go to Jesus. He himself is the Saviour, he himself is the physician, nay he himself is health. Art thou dying? Sigh for Jesus. He himself is life and resurrection. Art thou perplexed? Consult Jesus. He himself is the angel of great counsel. Art thou ignorant and erring? Ask Jesus. He himself is the way, the truth, and the life. Art thou a sinner? Beseech Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins: to this he came into the world; this is all his fruit, that sin may be taken away. Art thou tempted by pride, gluttony, lust, sloth? Invoke Jesus. He himself is humility, sobriety, chastity, love and fervour; he himself hath borne our infirmities, and carried our sorrows, and even now beareth and carrieth them. Dost thou desire beauty? He himself is fairer in form than the children of men. Dost thou desire riches? In him are all treasures, nay in him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead. Dost thou seek honours? Glory and riches are in his house; he himself is the King of glory. Dost thou seek a friend? He is most loving of thee, who for love of thee descended from heaven, laboured, sweated, underwent the cross and death; he himself prayed for thee by name in the garden, and shed tears of blood. Dost thou seek wisdom? He himself is the eternal and uncreated Wisdom of the Father. Dost thou desire consolation and joy? He himself is the sweetness of afflicted hearts, the joy and jubilation of angels. Dost thou desire justice and holiness? He himself is the Holy of Holies; he himself is eternal justice, justifying and sanctifying all who believe and hope in him. Dost thou desire a blessed life? He himself is eternal life, he himself is the happiness and beatitude of the saints. Desire him therefore, sigh for him. In him thou shalt find all good, outside him all evil, all misery. Say therefore with St. Francis: "Jesus my love, my all. Jesus the glory of angels; in the ear a sweet song, in the mouth a marvellous honey, in the heart a heavenly nectar." Come then, good Jesus, burst forth the cataracts of thy love, that its rivers, nay seas, may flow and rain down upon us, and intoxicate us, nay submerge and overwhelm us. D. Blosius, abbot of Laetius, a man of great piety and divinely taught, wrote many pious little works, very savory and profitable for those who desire to make progress in the spirit; among which there exist his ardent and frequent aspirations throughout the day to Jesus, to be frequently used by those desiring Jesus. From many I shall here set down a few: "Pierce, lovable Jesus, the marrow of my soul with the sweetest affection— "Separate, O Lord, my mind from all things that are under heaven, that it may intend to live for thee alone; do thou as its proper possessor dwell in it alone. Let thy most sweet odour descend into me, let the ineffable fragrance of thy divine charity come to me, which may stir up in me pure and eternal desires. I will love thee, because thou hast first loved me." "O sea of holy love and sweetness! My God, come and give thyself to my soul. Grant that with whole heart, full of desire, and burning affection I may ever aspire to thee, and most sweetly breathe in thee; may I prefer thee to every creature, for thy sake renounce every transitory pleasure, O my true and supreme exultation!" "O superabundant abyss of divinity! draw and immerse me in thee, so snatch away the whole affection of my heart and apply it to thee, that it may be utterly lifeless to all else. O my beloved, beloved of my vows! grant that I may find thee, and having found thee hold thee, and with spiritual arms embrace thee most tightly. I desire thee, I pant for thee, O eternal beatitude! Would that thou wouldst give thyself to me, and unite me to thee intimately, and inebriate me wholly with pure divine charity!"
2:9
9. MINE IS THE SILVER. First, that is to say: Do not allege your poverty in the building of your temple; I pledge myself to supply you with riches for it in abundance; for all the gold and silver is mine, and therefore I distribute it to whomever I will. Second, and more directly connected to what follows, that is to say: You grieve over the meagerness and baseness of the building, because you cannot equal the magnificence of Solomon, who abounded in gold and silver. But know that I do not seek these things, nor have need of them; for all the gold of the whole world is mine. Therefore do not estimate the magnificence of the building from gold, but from the holiness and magnificence of the priests and people who will frequent this temple. Behold, I will send Christ the great priest, who will adorn this temple of yours by his presence, teaching and miracles more gloriously, and render it more magnificent than all the gold with which Solomon filled his temple. Thus Hugo, Clarius, Vatablus, Burgensis, Emmanuel, Mariana and Galatinus in the place cited above. It is a figure of speech, or rhetorical concession. Similar is Psalm XLIX, 12: "If I should hunger, I will not tell thee: for the earth is mine, and the fulness thereof;" and Isaiah I, 11: "To what purpose do you offer me the multitude of your victims, saith the Lord? I am full." Third, others explain it thus, that is to say: Although you are poor, I nevertheless, who am most rich, will give you so much gold and silver for the building of the temple, that its glory and wealth will be greater than that of Solomon's temple. Thus Theodoret, Remigius, Haymo, Lyran and Ribera. But this does not seem true, because Solomon's building was most splendid; nor is it fitting, because he prefers this building to Solomon's, not on account of gold, but on account of Christ, as will soon be evident. Anasthasius of Nicaea notes in Question IX in the Scriptures that these words of Haggai: "Mine is the silver," have been added by the unwise: "To whom I will, I will give it." "For no one, he says, who has gathered riches from wars, slaughters, thefts, perjuries, robberies, corruption of gifts and injuries, can say that he has been enriched through it, but through the sin of the evil one." Wherefore Lucian in the Timon satirically introduces Plutus, the god of gold and silver, when sent by Jupiter, as if by the best and most just God, to someone, proceeding slowly and with difficulty as if lame; but when sent by Dis, the lord of the underworld, to someone, advancing with straight feet, as if with wings unfolded immediately: "For he himself, he says, is a giver of riches, and giving greatly, which is declared even by his very name." Indeed, those who serve the devil are often enriched more than those who serve God, inasmuch as they heap up gold through usuries, robberies, right and wrong, having no regard for conscience; but yet neither are these enriched without God, at least permitting, who can at his pleasure take away their gains and riches, and assign them to pious men, as he not rarely does. For The third heir does not rejoice in ill-gotten gains. Tropologically, silver is the law and teaching of God, likewise the graces and gifts with which he enriches and adorns the Church. Thus St. Ambrose, book III, epistle 12, Albert, Rupert, and St. Jerome, whom hear: "I, he says, consider the silver by which the house of God is adorned to be the words of Scripture, of which it is said in Psalm XI, Again St. Augustine in homily 30, among 50, hurls from this a mighty weapon against the avaricious for almsgiving. If, he says, the silver and gold is God's, therefore when he commands that you share it with others, he commands concerning his own property; and when you give alms, you give from the property of him who commands you to give, not from your own property. He adds that God gives gold to the liberal for the exercise of humanity, to the avaricious for the punishment of greed. "God, he says, truly and properly calls gold and silver his own, which he has created with most abundant goodness, and administers with most just dominion, so that without his nod and dominion neither the wicked, except for the punishment of greed, nor the good, except for the use of mercy, can have gold and silver." He therefore brings it about that "his abundance does not exalt the good, nor does want harm them: but the wicked, both when it is offered blinds them, and when it is taken away torments them."
2:10
10. Great shall be the glory of this latter house MORE THAN THE FIRST. "Great," that is, greater. For the Hebrews lack the comparative degree, and in its place use the positive with the preposition מן min, that is, before, more than, as if to say: Greater and more glorious shall be this latter temple which you poor people build than the first of Solomon was, although it was glorious and shining with gold; because namely Christ, who is the glory and splendor of the Father, and consequently of the city and the world, shall be offered to the Father in this your temple on the feast of the Purification, shall teach, shall often be present, shall work miracles, shall institute a new law of grace, and shall found a new Church, which leads rightly to heaven. For that Christ is called here the glory of the house, that is, of the second temple, is evident from verse 8, where he says: "I will move all nations; and the Desired of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory," as if to say: The Desired of all nations, that is, the Messiah king, whom you await, who shall move and subject all nations to himself, by his presence and magnificence shall fill this house with glory. There is here a twofold question: the former with the Jews, the latter with Christians. The former is: Can it be solidly demonstrated from this place that the Messiah has already come? Christians assert it, Jews deny it. Christians prove this by this argument: Haggai says that Christ shall be the glory of the second temple, and therefore the glory of the second temple shall be greater than that of the first Solomonic: therefore Christ came, and was born while the second temple stood, and thus was present in it and taught, and thus conferred upon it this so great glory. For as to gold, riches and other things, it is certain that the first temple of Solomon was more glorious than the second of Zerubbabel: and the Jews themselves admit this, indeed they assert that five most noble things were in the first temple, which the second lacked: namely the ark of the covenant, the Urim and Thummim, the heavenly fire, prophecy, and God sitting upon the mercy seat, and thence rendering oracles. The Jews, to escape this weapon, turn themselves in all directions, quibble; but they do not untie the knot. First, some respond that here is treated not of the second temple of Zerubbabel, but of the third which the Messiah, whom they await, shall build: for the glory of that shall be greater than that of Solomon's temple was. But this is contrary to the Prophet, who, demonstrating the second temple, says: "Great shall be the glory of this house," which namely you, O Zerubbabel, and Jesus now with the people are building. For the pronoun "this" cannot demonstrate the temple of the Messiah, which had not yet been begun, indeed was not to be for many centuries. A certain more recent Jew, named Barbanella, in order to avoid this argument, punctuates differently, namely arranges a hypocolon after "this" and gives this sense: Great shall be the glory of this house which you, O Jews, now build with Zerubbabel, and, repeat the great, that is, greater shall be the glory of the latter house, that is, of the third and last temple which the Messiah built, than it was of the first. For the Jews say that three temples were promised to them, the first of Solomon, the second of Zerubbabel, the third of the Messiah most magnificent, which they await. But that this is violent and perverts the text is evident, first, from the fact that here is a single continuous sentence, by which the Prophet compares and prefers the second house, that is, the temple of Zerubbabel, to the first of Solomon: but Barbanella makes two sentences and two comparisons: whence according to him there ought to be inserted a conjunction "and," or "likewise," or the conjunction "but"; and many other things would need to be added, namely these: "but greater, or greatest shall be the glory of the latter house than it was of the first." Second, there ought to be an accent zakeph, that is, a hypocolon, between "this" and "latter"; but this accent is not in the Hebrew: therefore it is one continuous sentence, not two. Third, because the Septuagint, the Chaldean, the Syriac and others everywhere translate as ours does, by a single sentence, not two. Thus also the ancient Rabbis in Galatinus, book IV, chapter IX, indeed even Solomon, R. David and other more recent ones. Fourth, the same thing is clear from the whole context and course of the chapter. For by these words God consoles the Jews who are faint-hearted, from whose opinion he says in verse 4: "Who is left among you that saw this house in its first glory? and what do you see it now? is it not in your eyes as if it were not?" He consoles them and encourages them to proceed in the building of the temple, removing this faint-heartedness, and promising that the glory of this latter house shall be greater than the first was. Whence immediately he adds: "And now con- For here He answers them with the same things by the same means, and opposing and promising the contrary, namely, גדול יהיה כבוד הבית הזה האחרון מן הראשון gadol iie kebod habbait hatze haacharon min hariscon, that is, greater shall be the glory of this house, the latter than the former. Where plainly He sets down only two houses, that is, temples, namely the former of Solomon and the latter of Zerubbabel, and comparing one with the other, indeed preferring one to the other, He says that the latter shall surpass the former in glory. Therefore the mention and discourse of a third house here is impertinent, that is, the temple of the Messiah, which was altogether to be different in the future, and that after many centuries, which neither Zerubbabel nor any of the Jews then present was to see, so that he might rejoice in it, and thus be able to dispel the present sorrow. It is confirmed, because He opposes haacharon to the word hariscon, that is, the latter house to the former house, both here and in verse 4; therefore He acknowledges only two houses here, not three. You will say: Why then does He add the demonstrative article he, saying haacharon? as if to say, That house, namely the third of the Messiah. For if He were speaking of the same house of Zerubbabel, the article placed before the word bait and the pronoun ze would have sufficed; for He says הבית habbait, מן הזה min hatze: behold two articles; why does He add a third, saying האחרון haacharon? I answer: He does this, first, so that He might designate this latter house to be most illustrious through the Messiah, so that all might point to it with their finger and celebrate it with their mouth, saying: This is that, that, I say, which as the second and last, so also the exceptional, magnificent, divine house of our Messiah. Secondly, He does this so that He might oppose to haacharon the word hariscon, that is, the latter to the former. For since the former house has the article he, it is fitting that the latter also, which is to be more illustrious, should have the same. Add that he determines the house, and signifies that this house is not only to be second, but also to be the newest, or the last, as if to say, This house which shall be the newest. Thus the Italians say, Alessandro il Magno, Ptolemeo il Ultimo, so that by the article il they might designate that they are speaking of Alexander, not any one, but the Great; of Ptolemy, not the first, but the last. Thus also the French say: Alexandre-le-Grand, Ptolémée-le-Dernier. Thus also the Greeks: Οὗτός ἐστιν ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ μεγάλη: This is the virtue of God which is called great, Acts VIII, 10. Thus also the Flemish, Germans and many others. Finally, the Hebrews are accustomed to multiply articles by pleonasm, as here to habbait they add hatze, as if to say, This, this. Thirdly, I answer that hariscon does not properly refer to habbait, that is, the house, but to kebod, that is, the glory. Whence the Septuagint expressly translates: Διότι μεγάλη ἔσται ἡ δόξα τοῦ οἴκου τούτου ἡ ἐσχάτη ὑπὲρ τὴν πρώτην, that is, great shall be the glory of this house, the last more than the first. For He speaks of the temple of Solomon and Zerubbabel as if of one and the same house of God: because one succeeded the other, and was built in the same place; and to it He says that the latter glory, namely of the house of Zerubbabel, shall be greater than the former glory, namely of the house of Solomon. And this answers exactly to the complaining words of the Jews in Hebrew in verse 4: "Who is he that saw, etc., this house in its former glory?" as if to say, Who saw the former glory of the former temple of Solomon? Does he not grieve and lament that this latter glory of the latter house is far unequal to it? But let him take courage: for I promise that I will make the latter glory surpass the former. Therefore the article he is here repeated, because it properly does not regard bait, that is, the house, but kebod, that is, the glory, which was to be greater in the latter than in the former, that is, in the latter temple of Zerubbabel than it had been in the former of Solomon, and therefore by the addition of the article he, it designates it as it were illustrious and unheard of. The fiction of the Jews is therefore plainly contrary to the context, that the Prophet here distinguishes three temples and opposes them to one another, when it is clear that the latter is only opposed to and preferred before the former. Whence Our Lord, rendering not so much word for word as sense for sense faithfully, clearly translates: "Great shall be the glory of this house, the last more than the first;" for the Hebrews call the glorious structure of the temple glory, that is, the temple itself glorious. But the latter, or newest, temple of Zerubbabel was more glorious than the first of Solomon. Whence Isidore of Pelusium, book IV, epistle 17, reads: "And the glory of this house, the last, shall be above the first;" and from the word last he refutes the Jews, expecting another and later temple from the Messiah. For if it was the last, therefore after it, now destroyed by Titus, no other is to be expected. Finally, the Prophet explains this greater glory, saying: "Yet one little while, and I will move the heaven and the earth, and the sea and the dry land, and I will move all nations, and the Desired of all nations shall come," that is, the Messias, as not only Catholics explain, but also the ancient rabbis with Galatinus, lib. IV, cap. IX. Among whom R. Akiba thus explains it, as if to say: Yet until the revelation of the Messias a little time remains. Therefore the Messias has already come long ago. For from this prophecy of Aggaeus until now, more than two thousand years have elapsed, which is surely not a little, but an excessively long time. Add that to the Jews in Scripture only two temples are promised, one of Solomon, the other of Zerubbabel: which, when destroyed by Titus and the Romans, "there shall be in the temple the abomination of desolation: and the desolation shall continue even to the consummation and the end," says Daniel cap. IX, 27. Therefore in vain do the Jews expect a third temple under the Messias, especially since they themselves frequently, namely under the Emperor Hadrian, Constantine and Julian the Apostate, with his permission, indeed at his urging, attempted to rebuild it; but in vain and with unhappy outcome. For fire, partly sent down from heaven, partly bursting forth from the foundations, consumed the builders together with the building, as St. Chrysostom relates in oration 3 Against the Jews; Baronius, Eusebius lib. X Hist. cap. XXXVII and following; Socrates lib. III, cap. XVII; Theodoret lib. III Hist. cap. XVII; Sozomen lib. V, cap. XXI, and others. It is necessary therefore that Christ came during the second temple, and was present in it, as the Evangelists teach he was present, and therefore he came not in vain: indeed, the fleets of Solomon sailing to Ophir brought from there Indians to Jerusalem. Secondly, R. Solomon concedes that here the second temple is spoken of, but responds that its greater glory was than the first, not because Christ was present in it, but because it lasted more years than the first. For the first, he says, lasted 410 years, the second indeed 420: "You would scarcely contain your laughter, my friends." Truly an excellent praise and glory of the second temple, worthy of the Prophet's tragic style, that in so many centuries the second temple stood ten years more than the first. Josephus gives him more. For in lib. X Antiq. X, he says the first temple stood 470 years, but to the second he assigns 639 years in lib. VII Belli, cap. X. But there is an error in the numbers, for according to the truer chronology, the first temple lasted 426 years; the second indeed stood from the beginning of the reign of Darius Hystaspes, until Titus and Vespasian, who destroyed it, for 588 years. See the chronological table which I prefixed to Genesis. Therefore the second lasted more than the first by 162 years. But in these years it was frequently polluted and profaned: first, by Antiochus Epiphanes, I Maccab. I; secondly, by Pompey, as Josephus testifies lib. XIV Antiq. VIII; thirdly, by Cassius, as the same Josephus testifies cap. XIII, and finally by Titus and the Romans completely torn down with the city and nation. Wherefore truly of it was said I Maccab. I, 41: "The sanctification of it was made desolate as a wilderness;" and vers. 42: "According to her glory her shame was multiplied." These years therefore were not to the temple for glory, as Aggaeus says, but for shame. Let the Jews glory in this: just as much more truly they glory, and the orthodox Bohemians of Pilsen reproach the heretics, that the gallows of thieves stood longer among them, and is more ancient than the Church and the Hussite and Lutheran faith. Secondly, Aggaeus makes no mention of duration, or of time, nor does he prefer the second temple to the first in that; but in that the Desired of all nations shall come to it, namely the Messias, who shall fill the temple with his majesty and glory. Thirdly, I ask when in the second temple was that commotion made, of which Aggaeus says vers. 7: "Yet one little while, and I will move the heaven and the earth, and the sea and the dry land," unless in Christ? Hence it is clear how frivolous is the commentary of R. Solomon. Third, R. David seeks another refuge. For he says that there was greater glory in the second temple than in the first, because many nations flocked to the second temple, and in it offered their gifts to God: but equally many, indeed more, flocked to the first. For Solomon was its builder, most powerful and most renowned among the nations, and he had all the neighboring peoples either subject to him or in alliance with him. Those therefore coming to Solomon were coming likewise to the temple, so much so that even the Queen of Sheba, stirred by this fame and glory, came there: indeed even the fleets of Solomon sailing to Ophir brought Indians to Jerusalem. Second, the nations profaned and defiled the second temple more than they honored it, as I have already shown concerning Antiochus and his successors, Pompey, Cassius and Titus. Third, what commotion was made in heaven, earth, sea and dry land, except in the time of Christ, and on account of Christ? Moreover it is a Jewish fable, which Theodoret recounts, that neighboring nations destroyed themselves by mutual wars and slaughters, and gave their spoils and riches to God for the Jews building the temple, and that this was the greater glory of the second temple. For neither Josephus nor anyone else makes mention of this history. See more in Galatinus lib. IV, cap. IX and X, Adrian Finus lib. V Flagellum Judæorum, cap. II, and Paul of Burgos here in the third addition, and Lyra. The later question is with certain Christians, who indeed concede that the principal glory of the second temple was Christ: yet they add that the same temple as to its structure, although it was baser than Solomon's, inasmuch as it was restored by Zerubbabel; yet inasmuch as the same was rebuilt by Herod, was more august than Solomon's, and therefore God says here: "Mine is the silver, and mine is the gold," by which namely I will enrich you and the temple more than I enriched Solomon. For which note: Herod the Ascalonite, who was a slayer of infants and persecuted Christ, when from the prophecies of the Jews, especially from that of Jacob in Genesis cap. XLIX, 10: "The scepter shall not be taken away from Juda, and a lawgiver from his loins, till he come that is to be sent, and he shall be the expectation of the nations," understood that the time of the Messiah, king of the Jews, was at hand (for he saw that the scepter had failed from Juda, and had been transferred to himself, an alien, namely an Idumean); began to believe and hope that he himself would be the Messiah, from the flattery of certain Pharisees. Wherefore that he might be so regarded by the people, having demolished the temple of Zerubbabel, he built another most magnificent in the same place and began in the 18th year of his reign, and built it for 8 years, during which whole time, says Josephus lib. XV Antiq. XIV, it never rained by day. Moreover this his temple to have been more magnificent than Solomon's, Ribera strives to prove. First, from the fact that Solomon's temple had in length seventy cubits, but Herod's a hundred. Second, because Herod employed for his structure white stones most firm, twenty-five cubits long and twelve wide, and joined them solidly and skillfully with iron. Third, because he covered the temple with very heavy golden plates, by which it was covered externally all around, and at the first rising of the sun it shone with fiery splendor, so that when the eyes of the beholders looked upon it, they were turned away as if repelled by the rays of the sun. Fourth, because he made level a very deep valley adjacent to the temple mount, and in it made the temple's courtyard: whence he adorned it with enormous columns, one hundred sixty-two in number, as well as with porticoes. Fifth, because to the first courtyard of the priests and the second of the laity who were clean, he added a third, in which the unclean and gentiles might dwell. All these things Josephus has in the place cited, and Josephus son of Gorion in book V, chapter XXVI. Ribera adds that these things ought not to seem wonderful, because although Solomon was most wealthy and most glorious, yet Herod also had become most powerful through the friendship of the Romans and Augustus. Whence he collected the greatest riches for this structure and exhausted them. Moreover, he took stones and other materials suitable for the structure from the demolished temple of Solomon and Zerubbabel: and the golden and silver vessels of Solomon, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken away, Cyrus restored to the temple, I Esdras chapter I and VI; and although Antiochus Epiphanes seized them, I Maccabees I, 23, yet the Maccabees restored them, I Maccabees IV, 49, and that from gold, as Josephus testifies in book XII of the Antiquities, chapter XI. He whose riches and glory Scripture and all antiquity so celebrate, and which was held as a wonder of the world. What was Herod compared to Solomon? asks Rupertus. Indeed the Jews who are so pressed at this place, yet being forced by clear truth confess that the second temple was far unequal to the first in structure, price and glory. Again Josephus in book XV of the Antiquities, chapter XIV, teaches that the royal house, which Herod built for himself, was more magnificent than the temple built by him. But who would dare to say that Herod's royal house was more magnificent than Solomon's temple, when the very temple built by Herod could in no way be compared to it, much less preferred to it? asks Vilalpando in part I of the Apparatus, book II, chapter V. Finally, the text of Scripture is clear, I Paralipomenon XXII, 14, where David recounts the riches which he had collected for the structure of the temple and leaves to Solomon: "I have prepared," he says, "the expenses of the house of the Lord, a hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver," etc. Now a hundred thousand talents of gold make one thousand two hundred millions of French gold coins: a thousand thousand talents of silver make the same. For the Hebrew talent of gold contained three thousand shekels, that is, half-ounces of gold, which amount to twelve thousand French crowns. But the talent of silver contained three The latter error is that they say the temple of Herod as to its structure was narrower than Solomon's, when Ribera seems to be of the opinion of St. Jerome and St. Chrysostom, Demonstration that Christ is God, volume V, deceived by the authority and words of Josephus, whose credibility here, as elsewhere, wavers. But this opinion errs in two respects. First, in that it asserts with certainty that Herod completely demolished the temple of Zerubbabel. For this is very doubtful, and is judged false by many: for thus he would have erected an entirely different temple, a new one, I say, as distinct from the temple of Zerubbabel as this was distinct from the temple of Solomon; even if all three were built on the same site, and thus it would be false what the Prophet says here, namely that the glory of the temple of Zerubbabel would be Christ, when Christ was not present in it, but in the new temple which Herod built. Herod therefore only enlarged the temple of Zerubbabel, and enclosed it with his own, and "having dissolved the ancient foundations, with the rest of the temple of Solomon removed, imposed new ones, upon which he erected the temple with a length of a hundred cubits, a width of a hundred, a height of a hundred twenty," says Josephus in book XV of the Antiquities XIV, when the temple of Zerubbabel had only sixty cubits in width and as many in height. Therefore Josephus only asserts that Herod dissolved the foundations of the temple of Solomon, but does not assert that he demolished the temple of Zerubbabel. For these foundations of Solo- I say therefore that the glory of the second temple, of which Haggai prophesies here, is the Messiah or Christ. For how great was the glory of the temple, in which Christ the Son of God as a child was offered to God, in which He sat in the midst of the doctors, in which He was tempted by the devil on its pinnacle, in which He taught and expounded things hidden from the foundation of the world. For as the glory of Solomon's temple was that in it the majesty of God appeared, veiling itself in a cloud: so the greater glory of the second temple was that in it the same majesty not only veiled, but in fact united to flesh and embodied, exhibited itself visible and conspicuous. This is what Malachi sings rejoicing, cap. III, 1: "And immediately the Lord whom you seek shall come to His temple, and the Angel of the covenant, whom you desire." Moreover, the singular glory of the second temple was that in it through Christ not only were the mysteries of the Word incarnate and our redemption and salvation accomplished, but also the first faithful and Apostles were gathered together, and the foundations of the first Christian Church were laid, according to that of Isaiah, cap. II, 3: "Out of Sion shall go forth the law." Christ therefore began His Church in this temple of Sion, built by Zerubbabel. Thus Rupert, Hugh, Burgensis, Clarius, Vatablus and others. Wherefore allegorically, Cyril of Alexandria, whom our Turrian cites lib. II Pro Epist. Pontif. cap. XX, thinks that Haggai speaks here of the temples of the Christian Church, which surpass the temple of Solomon, both in number, because many throughout the whole world; and in glory, especially because in them we have the same majesty of God veiled in the Eucharist, according to that of Mal. I, 11: "In every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation," in Hebrew מנחה mincha, that is, a meal offering, or bread, which is the matter of the Eucharist. Anagogically, the glory of the new temple is greater than the old, that is, the glory of the Church is greater than the Synagogue, of the Gospel than the Law, of the Apostles than the Prophets, as the Apostle teaches I Corinth. III. And this will be most evident in heaven, where from the living and elect stones of the Church a mystical temple, holy and glorious to God, shall be built. Thus St. Jerome, Albert, Remigius, Hugh here, and St. Augustine lib. XVIII Civitat. XXXV, and St. Ambrose lib. V, epist. 12, who seem to think this sense is literal; but in reality it is mystical. Finally, the glory of the second house is greater than the first, that is, of the Church triumphant than the militant, indeed to that belongs glory and crown, as to this belongs struggle and victory. Symbolically, the first house is the state of man created: the second is the state of the same after the fall repaired and restored: that is of creation, this of redemption: that of Adam, this of Christ: that of innocence, this of patience: that of paradise, this of pilgrimage and exile. For the Apostle teaches Rom. V, 15 and seq., that greater glory, that is grace, was given to fallen man through Christ, than was given to Adam in paradise. Tropologically, the virtue of penance after the fall is greater than innocence before the fall: Paul is greater than Saul: Magdalene fallen and penitent is greater than a virgin and innocent: Peter denying Christ and weeping is greater than confessing Him and presuming of his constancy. "Often," says St. Gregory lib. III Pastor. admon. 29, "a life burning with love after fault is more pleasing to God than innocence torpid in security." I WILL GIVE PEACE. Ribera understands this of peace and abundance of things, which Herod had for restoring the temple of Zerubbabel. But here the temple of Zerubbabel is being treated of, not that of Herod. For Haggai encourages Zerubbabel and the people, lest they fear Darius, the Samaritans and other enemies: for God will effect that they favor the building, or certainly do not hinder it. That God indeed did this is evident I Esdras, VI, 14, where, after recounting the letters of Darius commanding the temple to be restored, Esdras adds: "But the elders of the Jews built, and prospered according to the prophecy of Haggai the prophet," certainly no other than this: "I will give peace," that is prosperity. The sense therefore is, as he says Secondly and rather, "I will give peace," that is blessing and all good, "in this place," through Christ: for Christ teaching in the temple evangelized, and gave peace to those who believed in him. Whence the angels at the birth of Christ sang: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace," Luke II. And this peace, as it were the supreme good, Christ about to bring from the heavens to the earth, Isaiah predicted in chapter II, 4, and chapter XI, 6. For this peace harmonizes the mind with God, and consequently with neighbors, as well as with itself, so that with the movements of concupiscence suppressed, reason and spirit may rule over the flesh, the senses and all the members: by which it comes to pass that the faithful begins here a heavenly, blessed and angelic life. Thus St. Jerome, Hugo, Lyra here, and St. Augustine in book XVIII of the City of God, chapter XLVIII. In this peace, namely in a peaceful mind, as in his temple God dwells, according to that Psalm LXXV, 3: "His place is made in peace: and his abode in Sion." Whence the Septuagint translates in this place: I will give peace, says the Lord almighty, and peace of soul in acquisition to all who build, that he may raise up this temple. For thus the Roman edition has it, although the Royal edition has only: I will give peace, says the Lord of hosts. Wherefore St. Ambrose writing upon this place of Haggai, at the end of volume II, understands the greater glory of the last house than the first to be peace: "For peace, he says, and tranquility of soul is above all the glory of a house, because peace surpasses all understanding, Philip. IV. This is peace upon peace, which will be given after the third shaking of heaven, sea, earth, desert, when he will destroy all powers and principalities" on the day of judgment, etc. "And thus there will be peace throughout all things, so that with no hindrances of bodily passions, or impediments of unbelieving mind, Christ may be made all in all, offering to the Father the hearts of all. Whence also to him alone it is said mystically: I will take thee, Zorobabel, and will make thee as a signet, because I have chosen thee. For when our soul shall be peaceful, then it will receive in itself as a signet Christ, that is the image of God, that it may be according to the image. For as is the heavenly, so also are the heavenly. And we must bear the image of the heavenly, that is peace."
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12. He asks. — The Prophet here proposes two questions to the priests, that from their answers he may convict the Jews of neglect of the building of the temple. The first is: if a man carry holy flesh, namely sacrificed to God, in the hem of his garment, and the extremity of it, namely of the garment, not of the flesh, touch bread, wine, etc., will bread, wine, etc., be sanctified by this contact of the garment? The priests answer: By no means; and rightly: because although sanctified flesh, if it touch a garment, sanctifies it, as is sanctioned Levit. VI, 27; yet further, the garment sanctified by contact with sanctified flesh, if it touch bread, wine, etc., will not pour its sanctity into them, and will not sanctify them. Understand sanctification to be the legal and ceremonial sanctification of the old law, by which a holy thing was to be separated from profane use, and given to God and treated holily. The Prophet then applies the answer to his purpose, saying: "So this people," etc. verse 15, as if to say: Just as a garment touching holy flesh is not so sanctified that it can sanctify bread, wine, or men touching it; so likewise although you, O Jews, without a temple have an altar, in which you offer victims to God and consecrate them, as appears I Esdras III, 3; yet these victims and flesh sacrificed there, even though they sanctify the one touching and eating them legally, that is outwardly and by way of ceremony, nevertheless they cannot further sanctify your actions and offerings, and all things which you touch and handle, and much less can they wash away from you the internal impurity of disobedience, and the external impurity of neglect of the building of the temple, according to that Jeremiah XI, 15: "Will the holy flesh take away thy malices from thee, in which thou hast gloried?" Do not therefore excuse yourselves, O Jews, from the building saying: We have a temple, in it we offer victims, which, while we offer and eat them, sanctify us and all our actions and works, and if there be any vice or sin in them, they wash away and cleanse them. For neither can your expiatory victims expiate and purge the mind from disobedience and guilt. Whence he proposes a second question, which presses more closely, and says:
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14. AND THE LORD RAISED UP THE SPIRIT OF ZERUBBABEL, AND THE SPIRIT OF JESUS. — "That the kingdom and priesthood may build the temple of God, says St. Jerome, the spirit of the people is also raised up, which slept before in them; not the body, not the soul, but the spirit, which knows better how to build the temple of God." Tropologically, "The Holy Spirit is raised up in us, that we may enter the house of the Lord, and do the works of the Lord." Moreover God raised up the spirit, that is the mind and soul of the people, stirring them up that they might intently and strenuously apply themselves to the building. 14. If he that is defiled in soul shall touch. — Soul by a Hebrew antiphrasis is here put for a corpse, as also in Leviticus XIX, 27; XXI, 1; and Numbers V, verse 2: "Let not the priest be defiled in deaths;" in Hebrew, in soul. See the remarks there. "Defiled" therefore "in soul," is defiled from contact with a corpse, or carrion, which by the rite of the old law, Numbers XIX, 13 and 22, all things which it touched, it defiled by its contact and rendered unclean. Concerning this therefore it says: "If he that is defiled in soul shall touch any of these," namely bread, wine, etc., "shall the" bread, wine, etc., touched by him "be defiled? And the" priests "said: The" bread, wine, etc., which the defiled one touched "shall be defiled": for by touching them he defiled and contaminated them. Now he applies it thus: "So the people," Morally, from this place gather that unclean priests by contact with the altar, or chalice, or sacred thing do not sanctify it; but rather defile and foul it. Thus Theodoret. Hence St. Augustine rightly infers in his book Against Fulgentius the Donatist, chapter XVI, and Gregory of Nazianzus in his first Apology, that virtue is far surpassed by vice, and vice is more powerful than virtue. For vice immediately communicates and rubs its malice on the one it touches,
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16. And now set your hearts from this day and upward. — As if to say, Consider the want, sterility, and all the adversities which have befallen you from this day through all the years past, in which you neglected the building of the temple, and from this learn that there is no other cause of these things than this neglect of the temple. For when any one of you went to a heap of harvest, which seemed as if it would give twenty measures of grain, when he winnowed it he found only ten measures. So he who went to a winepress full of grapes, which seemed as if they would give fifty gallons of wine, when he pressed them found only twenty. Why this? because I blew upon your harvests and grapes, as I said in chapter I, 9. Note: The word measures is not in the Hebrew, but is understood as a common and ordinary measure of grain. Thus Our [Vulgate], the Chaldee, Pagninus and Vatablus. But the Septuagint understand sata. Thus for gallons the Hebrew is פורה pura, which the Septuagint translate as amphoras; the Chaldee, vessels; Pagninus, botos; the Zurich [Bible], urns. Properly pura signifies a winepress: hence by catachresis it signifies the ordinary measure of wine, which when expressed from the winepress is received in a vessel, such as a gallon, amphora, etc.
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18. I smote you with blasting wind and with mildew. — Mildew is a blight of grain, when from excessive moisture it grows pale, withers, wastes away, so that finally the grains turn to ash. See the remarks on Joel I, 4.
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19. Set your hearts from this day, and forward. — In Hebrew ומעלה vemala, that is and above, as it is translated in verse 16. Now above, that is beyond, henceforth, whether you regard the future, as here, or the past, as in verse 16. The sense is, as if to say, I commanded you in verse 16 to consider the past years of sterility and adversity, in which you neglected the building of the temple; now likewise I command you to consider the future years of fertility and prosperity, from the fact that you have resumed the building of the temple: so that from the unlike outcome of both periods of years and their contrary fortune you may certainly gather that there was no other cause of your adversity than the neglect of the temple; nor will there be any other cause of your happiness henceforth than care and zeal for the temple. Learn here that it is the part of the prudent to consider times, and to compare past with future: for time teaches prudence. Whence Thales, when asked "what was the wisest thing," answered: "Time: for it discovers all things." Thus Laertius relates it in book I of the Lives of the Philosophers, chapter I. Hence also Plutarch in his Life of Pericles: "Time," he says, "is the best counselor of all." And Livy, decade 3, book II: "Time," he says, "and days make us better, wiser, and more steadfast." And Menander: Time leads truth to light, Revealing all things time brings to light. No counselor is better than time. Finally the Philosopher acutely and truly said that "truth is the daughter of time." From the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month: from the day on which the foundations of the temple were laid. — Now those had begun to be laid ten years before, namely in the second year of Cyrus, in the second month, on the first day, as appears in I Esdras III, 8 and following. But the building was hindered by Cambyses, and the work stood still until Darius, when, with Haggai prophesying, they resumed the work in the second year of Darius, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month; namely on that day they began to cut wood, convey stones and prepare all materials, so that on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, as is said here, the foundations, long since begun under Cyrus, were laid completely and perfectly all around. Thus Arias, Ribera and others reconcile these passages, which seem to contain a contradiction.
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20. Is the seed yet in the germ? — That is to say, The seed has not yet sprouted, so that from an abundant and luxuriant germ you might conjecture and hope for a plentiful harvest; yet I promise it to you now, on account of the diligence which you show in the building of the temple, because I will bless your seed, and will cause it to germinate and produce many stalks, ears and grains. For germ in Hebrew is מגורה, megura, which the Chaldean, Syrian, Arabic and Septuagint translate as threshing floor; the Rabbis, Pagninus, Vatablus and Arias translate it as granary, which R. Solomon explains thus: Is not all the seed in the granary, because this year you have not yet sown, and the trees have not yet sprouted? but you will sow, and I will bless your sowings sufficiently, and will make them fruitful and multiply them. But Our author more correctly with the Zurich Bible translates it as germ: for the harvest is placed in the threshing floor and granary, but the seed in the field so that it may germinate. Germ therefore is called megura from the root gur, that is to dwell, to inhabit: because in the germ the seed dwells as it were, namely the ear, and the grain protruding from the seed. Hence it is clear that Holy Scripture uses the reckoning of the sacred year, not the common and profane year. For it calls the ninth month here that in which sown seed germinates: but this happens in Palestine in November. The ninth month therefore is November, and consequently the first is Nisan, or March, from which the sacred year began. Morally, learn here that saying of the Apostle: "Bodily exercise (such as sowing, planting, trading) is profitable for a little: but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come," I Timothy, cap. IV, 8. For God here promises blessing, that is, an abundance of temporal goods, to the pious and those who promote His building and worship, much more so spiritual goods to those who Incidentally note here that there were two temples of God, and two of their builders, and each received a promise from God on account of the building of the temple, that Christ would be born from him. The first is David, who took care of all the expenses for the building of the temple, and entrusted them to his son Solomon, and therefore heard from God: "He (the son who will be born from you) shall be to me a son, and I will be to him a father: and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever," I Paralipomenon, XXII, 10. The other was Zerubbabel, who restored the second temple, and therefore God likewise promises him here the son Christ, namely that he will be born from his line. Whence we learn how liberal God is, who for a small work and obedience promises so great a reward as Christ is. Again, how pleasing to God is religion, namely the building of monasteries, temples, and their ornament and worship: much more so than to Him is pleasing the building of the living temple of virtues in the soul, both our own and that of our neighbors, and especially the conversion of whole cities and nations. To this pertains the exposition of Remigius, Lyra and Vatablus, who think that these things are promised not to Zerubbabel, but to Christ, namely that he himself is to be the future king of the world, and therefore all kingdoms, all kings and princes are to be moved and subjected to him. For this comes to the same thing. For whether you say that these things are promised to Zerubbabel not in himself, but in his descendants, namely Christ; or whether you say that these things are promised to Christ himself to be born from Zerubbabel, the matter comes to the same conclusion. Yet more fittingly we assign these things to Zerubbabel himself: because Haggai assigns them to him as a reward for the building, and also Ecclesiasticus XLIX, 13, saying: "How shall we magnify Zerubbabel? for he also is as a sign in the right hand." Thus Scripture promises to David that which was to be fulfilled in Christ his son: "I will raise up," it says, "a shepherd, my servant David," that is, Christ, the son of David and his antitype, Ezekiel, XXXIV, 23. Thus the blessing of Abraham made, that in him all nations should be blessed, Genesis, XVIII, 18, was fulfilled in Christ born from Abraham. Thus the promise of the land of Canaan made to him, Genesis, XIII, 15, was fulfilled after 400 years in his descendants. Anagogically St. Jerome, Haymo and Hugo expound these things of the second coming of Christ to judgment, to resurrection, glory and kingdom. For then God will shake all the kingdoms of the world, and will subject them to him as judge and lord, as the Apostle teaches, I Corinthians, cap. XV, verses 24 and following. Mystically, God does this daily in the descendants of Christ, namely in Christian kings, prelates, pontiffs, whose rights and kingdoms He propagates, by defeating heretics, Turks, infidels, and subjecting them to them, so that thus the Church and the kingdom of Christ may be enlarged and magnified.
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21. And the word of the Lord came a second time. — For on the 24th day of the ninth month, Haggai received two oracles from God. The first was verse 11; the second is this, in which he promises Zerubbabel, on account of the diligent work in the building of the temple, that Christ will be born from his descendants, who will build the Church, in which he will reign and rule over all nations. Thus St. Jerome, Remigius, Albert and others. This is the fourth and last prophecy of Haggai, in which, as is his custom, he rises to Christ, and in him as it were the end and scope, terminates and concludes his oracles.
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22. Speak to Zerubbabel. — First, Theodoret thinks that here is promised to Zerubbabel in his own person, that God will defend him with the people from the invasion of Gog and Magog, indeed will cause them to destroy each other by mutual slaughter, and the Jews will plunder their spoils. But Gog and Magog were not in the time of Zerubbabel, but will be at the end of the world, as is evident from Ezech. XXXVIII and XXXIX, and Apoc. cap. XX, 7. Second, the Hebrews think that here is promised to Zerubbabel the destruction of the Persians, whom he himself feared, as if he himself were to see it, and in it unharmed, as if he were to be preserved by God as a signet ring. But these are fables. For the Persians were destroyed by Alexander the Great 200 years after the times of Zerubbabel and Darius Hystaspes. Wherefore others not improbably refer these things to the descendants of Zerubbabel, whom God protected from Alexander the Great. For when Alexander subjected all nations to himself, God exempted the Jews, and bent the swollen spirit of Alexander to modesty and benevolence, so that he venerated Jaddus the high priest of the Jews, and embraced the Jews kindly, and dismissed them free and unencumbered. I say therefore that these things are promised to Zerubbabel, not in himself, but in his descendants, namely in Christ, as if to say: Because thou, O Zerubbabel, wast the leader and director of the building of my temple, therefore as a reward I promise thee, that amid so many wars, and amid so many kings and monarchies of the Persians, Greeks and Romans, which after thy death will struggle against each other, and will mutually collide and destroy themselves, I will preserve thee and thy house and ducal family unharmed, as my signet ring, and will propagate it in continuous succession; indeed I will cause Christ to be born from thee, who, having overthrown all kingdoms, will possess the dominion of all things, and will be King of kings and Lord of lords. This therefore is the promise made to Zerubbabel: because although it is to be fulfilled in Christ, yet it touches and affects Zerubbabel himself: for it is a great honor and glory to him, that he himself of the ducal family I will move heaven and earth alike, — namely by commotions and translations of monarchies, of which I spoke a little before, and by others which I enumerated in verse 8. Thus St. Jerome.
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23. And I will break the strength of the kingdom of the Gentiles. — Thus God broke the Persians already then ruling over the Jews through the Greeks, the Greeks through the Romans, the Romans through mutual and civil wars. And they shall come down, — that is they shall fall, or be cast down to the earth slain and dead, as if to say: There will be most bitter wars and slaughter among the Greeks, Persians and Romans; and yet amid them I will preserve thee alone, that is thy family, O Zerubbabel, because these slaughters prepare the way for the kingdom and monarchy of Christ to be born from thee, according to the vision of Daniel, cap. II, where after he had recounted the breaking of the four-part statue, signifying the four monarchies of the world, by a stone cut from the mountain without hands, namely by Christ, he adds concerning his monarchy verse 44: "But in the days of those kingdoms the God of heaven will raise up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, and his kingdom shall not be delivered up to another people, and it shall break in pieces and shall consume all these kingdoms, and itself shall stand for ever."
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24. Serve meus. — Not only Zerubbabel, but also Christ, to whom all these things pertain, as man, is called, and truly is the servant of God, as I said on Isaiah chapter XLII, 1: "Behold my servant, I will uphold him: my elect, my soul hath been well pleased in him." I will make thee as a signet, — in Hebrew חותם chotam, that is, a signet seal, especially in a ring, by which the ancients first sealed and guarded both edicts and letters, and chests and other secret or precious things, and namely testaments. For the root Chatam signifies to close, to seal, to confirm with a seal, to shut and to— Secondly, this signet of the ring was engraved in jasper, or another precious stone: wherefore they wore the ring on the finger for ornament, so that by it they might display their nobility, coats of arms and insignia engraved on the stone. Thus Africanus engraved his father's image on a ring: Augustus a sphinx, and then the image of Alexander the Great: others lions, dragons, etc. Hence the father, when the prodigal son is received back into favor, orders a ring to be given to him, as a sign of restored dignity, Luke XV, 22. Whence the Syrian translated chotam as signet; the Arabic, however, both, namely a ring, that is, a signet ring, which is truly a signet and seal. Thirdly, a ring was given to legates who were sent to foreign nations, both for honor and to procure them authority and credibility: likewise to victors and triumphators, as Pliny testifies in book XXXIII, chapter I, but especially to dearest and most faithful friends. Thus Pharao gave his ring to Joseph, Genesis XLI, 42, and Ahasuerus to Haman his intimate, Esther III, 10. Hence Cicero admonishes his brother Quintus: "Let," he says, "thy ring be not the minister of another's will, but the witness of thine." Fourthly, a ring among spouses was a sign of marriage and mutual love, which would bind each, as the finger, so also the heart and mind with a ring, that is, with the bond and symbol of charity. Hence it is a sign of conjugal faith, and admonishes its wearers. Whence it is worn on the fourth finger of the left hand, which is therefore called the ring finger, because it has a vein leading to the heart, as St. Ambrose says in the book On the Patriarchs, and Gellius in book X. That the finger which is an indication of the heart may be honored as it were with a crown by the ring, says Pierius in book XLI. Hence also the ancients wore the image of him whom they loved in rings, so that they might always behold him and constantly think of him. Hence the bridegroom asks of the bride, Canticles VIII, 6: "Put," he says, "me as a signet upon thy heart, as a signet upon thy arm," that namely thou mayest see, think and love nothing but me; that thou mayest appear to have thy heart and arm sealed with my ring, nay with myself, as the guardian and lord of thy heart and all thy works, so that thou mayest exclude all others from them. Moreover, that thou mayest suffer thyself to be fashioned like soft wax, and mayest not express anything in thy conduct which I have not first impressed upon thee. For this is fitting in this divine marriage. Fifthly, a ring was held by the ancients to be a symbol and cause of prudence, so that by it they might know the succession of times and their changes, and what ought to be done at any time. Thus Jarchus gave seven rings to Apollonius of Tyana, as Philostratus says in his Life, book III, chapter XIII, marked with the names of seven stars, which Apollonius wore one on each day. It is probable that they were magical, such as Clement of Alexandria in book III of the Stromata records that Excessus the tyrant of Phocis had: from which when struck together and producing a sound, he knew the opportunities for conducting affairs: but the wicked man perished miserably with his rings. The Scholiast of Aristophanes writes that Eudemus the philosopher made physical rings against demons and serpents. An Arabic codex concerning the ring of Solomon narrates that Solomon had a fatal ring, in which that wonderful power of wisdom was held wrapped up, which his beloved cast into the Jordan— Happy he to whom heaven and earth lay open In his fingers. Thus Nicholas Causinus in book XI of the Parallel History, chapters LXVI, LXVII and LXVIII. Thus astronomical rings teach the celestial signs, the progress of the sun, and the spaces of hours. Rings made from sea-horse restrain spasm. Others made from certain stones resist melancholy, mania, epilepsy, and aid toward serenity of mind, judgment and wisdom. Now that we may apply these things to Zerubbabel and open up the genuine sense of this passage, it should be noted that Haggai alludes to Jeremiah XXII, 24, where God threatens the impious King Jeconias of Judah with these words: "As I live, saith the Lord: if Jeconias the son of Joakim king of Juda shall be as a signet upon my right hand, I will pluck thee thence. And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, etc., into the hand of Nabuchodonosor," that is to say, Even if Jeconias were to me so necessary, so joined, so dear and so precious as is a signet ring, which is never taken from the hand of him who wears and seals with it, as were his grandfather Josias and his ancestors David, Josaphat and Ezechias, yet on account of his crimes I will pluck him from me and lead him away into Babylon and deliver him into the hands of Nabuchodonosor. Jeconias was the grandfather of Zerubbabel: for Jeconias begat Salathiel, and Salathiel begat Zerubbabel. What therefore God took away from the grandfather on account of impiety, namely to be the signet or signet ring of God, this He here restored to his grandson Zerubbabel on account of piety. Whence He also brought it about that, just as Jeconias had been the leader of those going into Babylonian captivity, so Zerubbabel his grandson should be the leader in God's name of those returning thence to Jerusalem. Just as therefore princes restore to a son or grandson the royal seal which they had taken from a chancellor on account of crime, on account of his merits; so God does here. Whence concerning him Ecclesiasticus saith in chapter XLIX, 13: "How shall we magnify Zorobabel? for he also was as a signet in the right hand." Furthermore, the five gifts of the signet already enumerated are fitting for Zerubbabel, both in his own person and in the person of Christ sprung from him, concerning whom properly this passage treats, as interpreters commonly teach, whom Emmanuel and Mariana shall follow. In his own person: first, because, just as a signet ring is guarded before all things, so God guarded Zerubbabel and his line before the line of other kings. For He opposes him to these, saying: "I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the Gentiles; but I will take thee, O Zorobabel my servant the son of Salathiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet, for I have chosen thee," that is to say, I will destroy other kings and kingdoms, but thee as my ring I will guard, I will hold dear and take care of, and I will make thee as a seal sealing and guarding, not only the body of King Darius, III Esdras, chapter III, 3, joined with chapter IV, 13, but also the whole people of Israel, of whom thou shalt be in my name the liberator and restorer. Secondly, thou art to me an honor and ornament like a golden ring, both because thou buildest my house for me; and because thou maintainest and promotest the commonwealth of my people in my worship. Thou art therefore likewise the glory and honor of the commonwealth, just as Judith, to whom the people acclaims in victory in chapter XV, 10: "Thou art the glory of Jerusalem, thou art the joy of Israel, thou art the honor of our people." Thirdly, thou art my legate, both to Darius and to the people, that thou mayest expound to both my will, law and commands, and therefore thou art to me as a ring: because I have secured for thee authority and credibility with both; that in all things they may have faith in thee as in a legate sent by me and bearing my signet. Fourthly, thou art dear to me and joined to me as a ring, that I may always have thee before my eyes, in my heart and in my care. Whence the Chaldean translator renders it: I will set thee as the engraving of a signet upon my hand. Hence I will make thee as it were my son-in-law, that namely my only son may take flesh from thee, and so thou shalt beget that same son of mine as man, whom I begat as God. Hence Arias thus explains it, that is to say, Just as a signet is usually placed in a certain part of a ring, so thy name, O Zerubbabel, I will insert into the family and genealogy of Christ, that it may be eternal and glorious, nor be able to be blotted out by any time or oblivion, as indeed it has been inserted into it, Matthew I, 12. Fifthly, I give thee wisdom represented by the signet; whence in the problem: "What is the strongest?" Zerubbabel answering that it is truth, received the prize of wisdom from Darius, III Esdras, IV, 13 and 42. Hence also he ruled the people wisely, defended them from the Samaritans, and reconciled Darius to them. Wherefore after he had brought the people back to Jerusalem, he himself returned to Babylon, that he might plead the cause of the people before the king, and there he died. But rather these things belong to Zerubbabel, not in his own person, but in that of Christ; for Haggai speaks of him literally, saying: "In that day," namely in the time of Christ, as if to say, as Castro says: I will take your flesh, O Zerubbabel, which I will insert as it were a golden signet ring into the right hand of my Father, namely into my Son, who is my arm, my right hand, my strength and fortitude, Isaiah LIII, 1, so that by such a Son begotten from you, you may be honored by all and glorified, indeed exalted above all kings, and as it were deified, in the human nature which my Son will assume from your posterity, and will unite to himself and deify, and that eternally, so that he may always adhere to it in all ages, as a ring to a finger. Or I will make you as a signet, that is, I will make your line and offspring as a ring going round the world, whose ends are united in the stone containing a sardonyx, that is, Christ the Son of God, who is the seal and character of the Father. For just as of Adam, who in this circle of the genealogy of Christ is the first, it is said in Luke III, 38: "Who was of God;" so likewise Christ in the end is the Son of God. Moreover, just as a hand is adorned with a ring, so I will adorn my Son with the flesh which he will assume from your line, as it were with a ring. For thus Isaiah says of the Church in chapter LXII, 3: "You shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a diadem of the kingdom in the hand of your God." Furthermore, Zerubbabel was a type and figure of Christ: first, by his leadership and the restoration of the people from Babylon, as Christ freed us from sin, death and hell; second, because he built the temple, as Christ built the Church; third, by his protection of the people before Darius, as Christ is our advocate before the Father; fourth, by his defense, fighting against the Samaritans who wished to hinder the building of the temple, as Christ fights for his martyrs and the faithful; fifth, because, as Zerubbabel lived for the people and died in Babylon; so Christ in the world, which is Babylon, that is, the confusion of all vices and evils; sixth, as Zerubbabel was dear to God and united with him, so Christ was most closely united with him, and thus united his humanity to the Word hypostatically; seventh, because as Zerubbabel was wise, so Christ is most wise. Therefore the true Zerubbabel, that is, Christ, the Son of Zerubbabel and his antitype, is a sign, that is, a seal not merely signifying, as Rosenmüller thinks, that Jehovah would preserve this Zerubbabel unharmed; but it pertains to the singular preservation and destiny of the whole tribe of Judah, from whose line that leader of the Jews was born, and the Messiah was to come; nor did the Prophet dream that the times of the Messiah were at hand, since it is not necessary that the words and fates of Zerubbabel pertain to life and destiny. For how could they, unless they had been utterly mad, have expected at that time the overthrow of the kingdoms of the Gentiles, whose hope the Jews connected with the times of the Messiah? On the contrary, from the passages Daniel VII, IX; Psalm XLV and following, and others, it is clear that the Hebrew Prophets, long after the Babylonian captivity, after the kingdom of the Macedonians and Syrians had already been broken and removed, expected the coming of the Messiah, and believed that the Messiah would indeed die for sins (Isaiah LIII and following), but would be raised from the dead (Psalm XVI, 10); would ascend to heaven (Psalm LXVIII, 19; Psalm CX, 1), which being done, with the worship of Jehovah spread everywhere under the new (that is, the fourth of Daniel) empire, with the Jews scattered throughout all nations, and the nations themselves corrupted by depravity and wickedness, the Messiah would come again, and celebrate his final victory; concerning which ideas Isaiah LXII and following; Ezekiel XXXVIII, 9, and in Joel, chapter III, are explained more fully, and this is not the place to discourse more copiously. This much only may be added, that this notion is repeated in Matthew XXIV; Luke XXI, and Revelation XI, XII and following, and that concerning the time of the coming of the Messiah, neither the opinion of Jesus nor of the Apostles can be understood and learned without a more careful and truly Hebrew interpretation. Hence in the signet, the seal, spoken of Zerubbabel, are the insignia of divine power, majesty and glory, likewise as of the stars, in which as it were in torches it sparkles and shines. Hence secondly, Christ as a seal was equally to the Father and to the Church, indeed to the angels, and to all creatures, and to the whole universe, for honor and ornament, and thus he himself was the beauty and glory of all. For the incarnate Word not only reconciled man to the Word, the earth to heaven, all creatures to God, but also physically joined and united them in his hypostasis. Thirdly, Christ was a seal, as it were the legate of the Father to men, according to that of Isaiah, chapter LV, 4: "Behold, I have given him as a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the Gentiles." Fourth, Christ was a seal, that is, the most beloved, most precious and most closely united to the Father, and likewise the delights, exultation and jubilation of the whole world. For His humanity, as it were a bride espoused, was espoused to the Word as a bridegroom: whence the Wise Man sings its epithalamium throughout the entire Song of Songs. Fifth, Christ was a seal, that is, the uncreated Wisdom of the Father, which the Word is; created, as He is man. Whence He Himself revealed to us the mysteries of the Father, and things hidden from the foundation of the world, Matt. XIII, 35. Mystically, Christ is the seal of God, because by His image, namely by His faith, grace, virtue and morals, as well as by His character, He seals His faithful in baptism and other sacraments. For God sent Christ, because "He willed us to be conformed to the image of His Son," Rom. VIII, 29, so that "as we have borne the image of the earthly Adam, so we may also bear the image of the heavenly," I Cor. XV, 49. And with the Apostle let us say: "I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me," Gal. II, 20. Note here: Christ is called by Haggai a seal, or signet of God as man, not as God; for He assumed humanity, not divinity, from the flesh and stock of Zerubbabel. Christ therefore as man is the seal of God: first, through the communication of idioms, by which things that are God's are attributed to man: because the Son of God is the seal and image of the Father, hence also this man hypostatically united to the Son of God, namely Christ, is the seal and image of the Father. Second, formally, because the Word impressed His likeness upon humanity, namely His knowledge, power, holiness, His thoughts, utterances, actions and morals. Third, because Christ as man was a seal, that is, the most evident sign and testimony of God's attributes, namely power, justice, wisdom, and especially His love of mankind and immense love toward men; for in order to show these things, God willed His Son to be incarnate. Christ therefore incarnate is as it were an expressed seal, in which we read, nay we see expressed and depicted God's love, power, justice, wisdom, etc. Fourth, because Christ like a seal testified and made us certain what was the will of God, what was His doctrine, law and commands, namely that which He promulgated and taught in the Gospel: "No one, says St. John I, 17, hath ever seen God; the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him unto us." For this reason God gave Christ the power of working miracles, so that as it were by a seal He might confirm His words, and demonstrate that they were revealed and commanded to Him by God, according to that passage John VI, 27: "For Him hath God the Father sealed." God therefore, overthrowing the monarchs and monarchies of the Persians, Greeks and Romans, as Haggai teaches, took up Zerubbabel, that is, Christ the son of Zerubbabel, and set Him as a sign, so that namely He might be the seal of the divine kingdom and of the King of kings, namely God the Father, who, excluding all others, alone through Christ wished to reign in the world through His faith, grace and evangelical law. For God, because He is invisible in Himself, therefore clothed and veiled His Son in flesh, so that through it He Himself might as it were shine through and be transparent, just as He shines through heaven and the stars, according to that passage Job cap. IX, 7: "He shutteth up the stars as under a seal," that is, God shut up and hid the stars under storms and darkness, which are as it were seals, veils and Christ was a seal, as it were the legate of the Father to men, according to that passage of Isaiah, cap. LV, 4: "Behold I have given Him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the Gentiles." Second, Christ as a seal seals and guards His faithful against all temptations and enemies. Moreover the seal of Christ is the cross, according to that passage Ezech. IX, 4: "Mark Tau upon the foreheads of the men that sigh." And Apoc. VII, 2: "I saw another angel, etc., having the sign of the living God." For the cross protects us against the allurements of the flesh, the world and the devil, and makes us followers, soldiers and martyrs of the crucified Christ. Whence the Apostle: "I, he says, bear the marks of the Lord Jesus in my body," Gal. VI, 17. Wherefore Christ through the cross is the standard and military sign against heretics, Jews and pagans, says Rupert. Again the cross of Christ is a medicine curing the spasm of pride, the epilepsy of wrath, the mania of lust, the melancholy of sloth, etc. Wherever therefore you see the cross, know that the thing is good and pleasing to God, because you see the seal of Christ impressed upon it. Such are penance, mortification, self-denial, austerity, persecution, humiliation, patience, contempt, reproaches, prisons, martyrdoms. On the contrary the seal of the devil is pleasure; wherever therefore you see it, beware as of a serpent. Such are following one's appetites, softness, license, ambition, self-esteem, praises, Because I have chosen thee. — The Chaldean paraphrase: Because in thee I have been well pleased. Thus to Christ baptized in the Jordan, the heavenly voice from the Father descended: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," Matthew III, 17. For Christ was the love and delight of the Father, and therefore He appeased His wrath against mankind, and became the propitiation and reconciliation of the world, as St. Paul teaches everywhere. Wherefore what antiquity said of Scipio: "Neither shall Rome fall while Scipio stands, nor shall Scipio live if the city falls;" this you would say far more truly not so much of Zerubbabel as of Christ: Neither shall the Church fall while Christ stands; nor shall Christ stand, if (God forbid) the Church should fall. For the conclusion of the prophecy of Haggai, note that it wholly concerns and urges the restoration of the temple literally; but allegorically through the building of the temple it represents the building of the Church to be erected by Christ; and tropologically the institutions of Orders and Religions to be made by Saints Basil, Anthony, Benedict, Augustine, Jerome, Bernard, etc., likewise the building of virtues in a holy soul. Moreover there are many analogies between the building of the corporeal and mystical temple, namely the Church, congregation, college, Religion, and any holy soul. First indeed, just as the temple is the house of God, dedicated and consecrated to Him by certain rites; so also is the Church, Religion and holy soul. These rites of consecration of the temple are five, namely sprinkling, inscription, anointing, illumination, blessing. The sprinkling of the faithful Secondly, in the consecrated temple angels keep watch, as is evident from many of their appearances made there: so also do angels and archangels frequently visit the holy soul and honor it, as being the temple of God and dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Be therefore the temple of God, and God most high shall dwell in thee. For a soul having God in itself is the temple of God, in which divine mysteries are celebrated," says St. Bernard, On the Interpretation of the House, chapter III. Thirdly: "The house of God," both corporeal and spiritual, "holiness becomes: for He is delighted not so much by polished marbles as by adorned morals, and loves pure minds more than gilded walls," says St. Bernard to the Knights of the Temple, chapter V. The same in On the Nature of Divine Love, chapter XIII: "This temple," he says, "when it shall have been adorned by the placing of the aforesaid virtues, and dedicated by the aforesaid order of dedication, can receive no further alien titles, no inhabitant except God, who founded and created it. Therefore that holy soul loves or cares for nothing further earthly, nothing material, nothing corruptible, from the time it has returned from the place of burdens; although it uses something of these things sometimes as if in passing, but disdains to enjoy them. If anything prosperous happens in such matters, it passes away; it is not troubled if anything adverse occurs. Whatever pertains to the body, whether good or evil, is outside, and cannot reach him who is within." And St. Augustine, explaining that passage of Psalm LXIV: Holy is thy temple, wonderful in equity, or, as he himself reads it, in justice: "He did not say," he says, "thy temple is holy, wonderful in columns, wonderful in marbles, wonderful in gilded roofs, but wonderful in justice." Fourthly, the building of the temple is made from many stones, but polished; so the Church rises from the faithful polished by the cross and mortification, according to that verse from the ecclesiastical office in the dedication of the temple: By blows and pressures Polished stones, Are fitted to their places, By the hands of the craftsman, Are arranged to remain In sacred buildings. Fifth, stones of the building joined and bound together with one another complete the temple: thus also the association of the faithful completes the Church. Wherefore first, just as one stone placed on high, or on the altar, does not despise another which is placed on the pavement, or in the foundation; nor does this one envy that one, but rather willingly sustains the whole mass of the building: so in the Church prelates and doctors do not despise subjects and common people; nor do these envy those: but both, content and joyful in their lot and vocation, in the place and degree in which they are set by God and His vicars, complete the whole fabric of the Church. Second, just as the stones of the temple are joined together with lime, otherwise they would fall and overturn the building: so the faithful are bound together by charity; for this is the glue, the union, and as it were the soul of the Church, which otherwise would be dissolved and scattered. Whence St. Augustine in Psalm X: "He violates the temple of God," says he, "who violates unity." Third, just as in a building one stone bears another; so in the Church and Religion one faithful person bears another, brother bears brother, and tolerates and supports his ways and infirmities, thinking, as St. Gregory says, that he in turn is borne by another; and, if perchance he is no longer borne, he was at some time borne, so that he might learn to repay the same service of bearing to others at some time. Moreover, a holy man not only bears his brother's infirmity, but also strives to heal and correct it, just as the hand labors to bind and care for an afflicted member. St. Gregory, book XX of the Morals, chapter XXVI: "It is sometimes," says he, "more to have compassion from the heart than to give; because the more anyone has compassion on the needy, the less does he esteem everything that he gives." And soon after: "Because anyone often gives something even who does not have compassion, but never does he who truly has compassion deny what is necessary to his neighbor." Again, there is no one so rude, so vile and miserable, who could not become a distinguished instrument, indeed a temple of the glory of God, if he is stripped of the necessary care. These three things are likewise in the faithful and holy soul. For first, the eye does not despise the foot, nor does the foot envy the eye; but content in their place and office they conspire to the same body, as the Apostle teaches in I Corinthians XII, throughout the whole chapter. Second, all the powers and forces of the soul are bound together by charity. Whence St. Bernard in the tract On Conscience, near the beginning: "Let the soul see," says he, "and carefully beware lest its members be at variance with one another, that is, reason, will and memory. It prepares a worthy dwelling for God, whose reason is not deceived, nor will perverted, nor memory defiled." Third, the members and powers tolerate one another mutually and bear one another's burden together. St. Bernard suggests a fitting means to these things in the place already cited: "Return," says he, "to your heart, and carefully examine yourself: consider whence you come, whither you tend, how you live, what you do, what you lose, and how much you make progress daily, or how much you fall back; by which thoughts are you more frequently assailed, by which affections are you more often touched, or by which machines of temptations are you more sharply attacked by the evil spirit. And when you have fully known, as far as possible, the whole state and condition of the inner and outer man, not only Sixth, just as God is worshipped in the temple by prayers, vows, oblations, and sacrifices: so He is worshipped by the same means in the Church, in Religious life, and in a holy soul, which offers itself to God as a whole burnt offering through the three vows of Religious life: the body through penances, as a sacrifice for sin: thanksgiving and supplication, as a peace offering. Whence St. Augustine, book X of the City of God, chapter VI: "The man himself, he says, consecrated and devoted to the name of God, insofar as he dies to the world so that he may live to God, is a sacrifice. For the body becomes a sacrifice when we mortify it by temperance for the honor of God: but the soul when it turns itself to God, so that, inflamed by the fire of His love, it loses the form of worldly desire, and reformed as subject to Him as to an unchangeable form; hence pleasing to Him, in that it has received something of His beauty." The same St. Augustine, in the book On Nature and Grace, chapter VI, 4, praises the saying of St. Sixtus the Pontiff and martyr, whose deacon was St. Lawrence: "God, he says, permitted to men the freedom of their will, so that living purely and without sin, they might become like God." And: "A pure mind is a holy temple to God, and a clean heart is the best altar to Him." In this sacrifice therefore the priest is the faithful and religious person himself: the knife is hatred of self, of the flesh, and of the world: the fire is charity: the victim is the body and soul with their members and powers, which die to the world, but begin to live better to God. To this St. Paul exhorts in Romans XII, 1: "I beseech you, he says, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living host, holy, pleasing to God, your reasonable service." And St. Peter in his first epistle, chapter II, 5: "And you yourselves, he says, as living stones are built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Seventh, God in the temple, as a father of a household in his house, is present and presides: there He hears the prayers and vows of those praying, there He bestows benefits, there He gives oracles: so also in the Church, in Religious life, and in a holy soul God is present, indeed He presides: hence He illuminates it with His illuminations, moves and directs it by His impulses to all good, and grants whatever is requested. Whence St. Augustine infers in sermon 210 On the Seasons: "Whenever, he says, we commit some sin either by thinking, or by speaking, or even by doing, we destroy the temple of God, and we inflict injuries on Him who dwells in us." Where it is worthy of consideration that the Holy Spirit, and consequently the whole holy Trinity, is present in a just soul, not only through charity and His gifts, but also through itself substantially and personally, so that, if by impossibility it had not been present before through substance, it would now become substantially present through justice and sanctity, as with St. Thomas, Bonaventura, and Furthermore, in this structure it is necessary first to lay a solid foundation of faith, not of any kind, but of living and efficacious faith. For this has incited the saints to arduous works of virtue, as the Apostle teaches throughout chapter XI to the Hebrews. Then to it one must build two walls, of fear and of great-souled hope; to these add the four cardinal virtues and the others annexed to them. Let the pavement be laid with humility. Let the roof be covered with charity. Let the tower of prayer and contemplation be erected, from which we may both watch for the snares of the enemy and implore the aid of God and the heavenly ones. Tropologically, the faithful ought to be a seal of God, both passively, namely impressed from the divine exemplar and His image, to which he was created and by Christ recreated, marked so that he may bear and express God and God's virtues in heart, mouth and deed; and also actively, namely so that he may impress that same image of God upon all others, so that all may feel that word from Psalm IV, 7: "The light of Thy countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us," and therefore break and cast away all the seals of the world, the flesh and the devil. Nicholas Causinus relates from Ptolemy in book XI of the Parallel History, chapter VI, 5, that Helena sealed her letters with an Asterite stone, which has such power that when exposed to the sun it catches fire, with the figure of a fish called Panis impressed upon it; and he explains it symbolically thus: It can be turned against those, he says, who mix heaven with earth, profane things with divine, the love of God with the love of flesh and the world. For in that same ring the figure of Panis was joined to the heavenly stone: for this fish is similar to Pan, from whom it took its name: but Pan is an impure and lustful god. What has a star to do with earthly things, light with darkness, purity with unchastity, the love of God with the love of the world, the image of God with the image of the devil? Just as therefore wax bears no other image than that of its seal, so let the faithful bear no other likeness, no other life, no other manners than those of Christ and God, according to that word of Paul: "Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ." Paul was a seal of Christ, impressing his doctrine and manners upon all. Let us be such also: thus shall we likewise be a seal of Christ, and a signet ring in the hand of God; thus shall that word of His be fitting for us, I Cor. IX, 2: "You are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord;" nay, that word once spoken of the Cherub and king of Tyre: "Thou wast the seal of resemblance, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty, thou hast been in the pleasures of the paradise of God: every precious stone was thy covering." Ezech. XXVIII, 12. And finally God shall seal us, nay shall give us as a gift with the seal and ring of His glory: for this is the seal of God's predestination and election, of which the Apostle speaks in II Timoth. II, 19: "The firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal: The Lord knoweth who are His, and let every one depart from iniquity that nameth the name of the Lord." Pious therefore and zealous kings, princes, rulers, doctors, preachers, etc., in the manner of Zorobabel and Christ are as it were a seal and golden ring in the hand of God, by which He Himself seals His faithful and impresses upon them His image and His divine manners. Let this therefore be for them a sharp spur to virtue and zeal, namely that with Elias they may be zealous for the house of God, and for the holiness and salvation of the souls entrusted to them. Nay more, let them know that they shall be the mouth of God, according to that which God promised in Jerem. XV, 19: "If thou wilt separate the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth." Finally, St. Ambrose understands by seal the peace of the soul, by which it is as it were sealed and marked with the image of God. I have cited the words of Ambrose at verse 10.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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9, 4 in die vigesima et quarta mensis, 4n sexto mense, 1n anno secundo Darii regis » ; — suscitare spiritum idem est atque aliquem reddere promptum, magno eum fervore ac studio imbuere excusso quasi somno pigritiae et negligentiae, vires addere atque animum. Cum omnes etiam duces excitentur, ipsi quoque Zorobabel et Iesus aliquam negligentiam admisisse videntur, saltem populo conniventes eiusque excusationes ratas habentes. Opus aggressi sunt die 24 eiusdem mensis, in cuius primo die admonitio prima facta est; tempus intermedium deliberationi et consiliis rei moliendae impendebant (Cyr. Rib.) vel materiarum praeparationi et apparatui conquirendo insumebant (Men.). Ex commentario S. Hier. liquet, eum duos istos versus intime inter se iunxisse, ita ut perperam in editionibus vulg. ab altero novum caput incipiatur. Ita enim scribit: «et ingressi faciebant opera, quae digna erant penetralibus domus Domini, in eodem anno Darii regis quo j et supra, in eo mense qui et in principio positus est; sed non in eodem ; die; ibi enim unus dies mensis ponitur, hic vero vicesimus quartus » etc. Et ita immediate iungunt et opus inchoatum esse explicant Cyr. Theod. Haim. Rup. Alb. Rib. Sanct. Lap., brevi omnes interpretes ; quare mirum est in editionibus vulg. constanter versum hunc alteri praefici ca- . piti, idque eo magis mirum, quia Hugo a S. Caro, qui primus capita . quae hodie habentur distinxit !, verba ea quae nunc in vulg. in initio cap. 2 legimus rite cum antecedentibus coniunxit. Scribit enim : « mense sezto primo die huius mensis audierunt verbum Dei et vigesima quarta incipiunt facere opus Dei. — In septimo mense : haec est secunda visio » etc. Át optimus est distinguendi modus quem apud S. Cyr. deprehendimus, ut a verbis «in anno secundo » etc. cap. 2 inchoetur. Sed hoc divisionis vitium est inolitum. lam Alb. adnotat : «nota quod licet communiter bibliae hic habeant capitulum, tamen secundum Hieronymum et secundum glossam legendum est istud cum praecedenti et sic punetandum : ingressi sunt et faciebant opus... in die 24 mensis in 6 mense, et capitulum postea incipit : in anno secundo Darii regis, septimo mense ». Lucas Brug. antiqua manuscripta indicare ait verba illa ad finem periodi antecedentis esse ponenda, quia « verba sequentia in septimo mense incipiunt a litera capitali ». Rib. ita : « male haec verba in multis exemplaribus in secundo capite ponuntur, cum omnino pertineant ad praecedentia et initium secundi capitis esse debeat : in septimo mense, ut incipere videmus apud Hieronymum et in glossa ordinaria et ut ego in antiquo codice manuscripto reperi»; monetque simile vitium deprehendi in initio cp. 27 Ier., ubi verba «in principio regni Ioakim filii Iosiae regis luda » omnino ad finem cp. 26 pertinent ; id auod verissimum est,
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v. 2 « In septimo mense, vigesima et prima mensis factum est verbum Domini in manu * Aggaei prophetae dicens: wv.
Anc. — Versus finem festi tabernaculorum cum prioris templi splendorisque eius recordatio animos nonnihil deprimeret templumque quod nunc erat exstruendum, quasi vile despicerent, nova promissione de Dei fideli ac potenti protectione et adimpletione promissionum moestos erigit propheta (2, 2-6) ; et speciatim edicit, mox fore tempora messianica eiusque bona ; quare templum hoc alterum maiore gloria quam prius fore illustre (2, "1-10). Festo tabernaculorum iam ad finem vergente, quippe quod a 'die 45 mensis septimi per "| dies celebrabatur et octavo die « celeberrimo atque sanctissimo » absolvebatur (cf. Lev. 93, 34-43. Deut. 16, 45), iterum fit verbum Domini ad prophetam. Dum enim festum agerent tabernaculorum et per dies sollemnes, uti festi ratio et institutio exigebat, beneficia olim populo electo praestita recolerent, fieri non potuit, quin temporum praesentium afflictionem et conditionem humilem magis magisque persentiscerent. Quam si comparatione instituta cum splendidis oraculis ab Isaia aliisque de periodo instaurationis editis conferebant, nihil nisi triste, abiectum tunc sibi accidere conqueri facile poterant. Quare mirum non est, cum templi humilis structura ipsa de abiectiore conditione eos admonere videretur, quod operis faciendi alacritatem mox tristitia quaedam et animorum deiectio exceperit. Adde, quod anteacti anni messis parva et manca aliam tristibus addebat lugendi materiam ; animi autem lugentes calamitatem suam undequaque accrescere et. augeri facile sibi persuadent. Quare Deus, antequam celebritas tabernaculorum finiretur, moestos consolari et ad novam alacritatem provocare studet;
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3 loquere ad Zorobabel filium Salathiel, ducem Iuda, et ad Iesum filium losedec, sacerdotem magnum et ad reliquos ? populi dicens :
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v. & quis in, vobis est. derelictus, qui vidit domum «stam «n gloria sua prima ? et quid vos videtis hanc nunc? numquid non $ta est, quasi mon sit in oculis vestris »? — Optime S. Cyr. caput hoc incipit : « secundo anno sub Dariorege » i. e. verba ultima praecedentis versus ad hunc trahit ?, uti novae rei relatio plana ac distincta exigere videtur.,— Iam cum templi fundamenta sub Cyro ponerentur, « plurimi etiam de sacerdotibus et levitis et principes patrum et seniores, qui viderant templum prius cum fundatum esset, et hoc templum in oculis eorum, flebant voce magna » (Esd. 3, 12). Idem evenisse aedificio paulatim surgente eo magis oportuit, quia quae oculis cernimus animos magis commovent atc"e percellunt; unde quo magis templi aedificium crescere, eo vividius et efficacius apparuit, quantum a priore distaret, qui aspectus iam non solum menti exhibitus, verum ipsis oculis haustus maiorem in dies doloris sensum animis inussisse censendus est. Aderant sine dubio, qui prius templum pueri vel iuvenes viderant — nam a templo combusto anno 588 a. Ch. usque ad alterum Darii Hystaspis annum anni fluxerant 68 — et qui eius speciem animis alte impressam gerebant; reliqui ex aliorum narratione magnificum sane atque excellentissimum artis exemplar sibi efformaverant et forte vero sublimius; nonne enim qui de re magnifica ad aliorum admirationem referunt, facile exaggerant, quia aliorum obstupefactione delectantur atque sibi ipsis ex rei magnitudine aliquid existimationis conciliari censent? nonne si alios admirabundos loqui audimus, facile rem animis fingimus sublimiorum ? Quare istis considerationibus adhibitis sine ullo negotio elucebit, quare templum hoc quasi nihil comparatione prioris facta spreverint. Solet namque animus, uti gaudio affectus, ita moerore obrutus unamquamque fere rem aut mire extollere aut in imum deprimere. In textu hebr. 1*5 37122 cum particula comparationis dupliciter posita non taret difficultate. Aliqui vertunt : nonne id quod est sicut illud est quasi nihil in oculis vestris (cf. Hitx. Schegg). Sed locutio satisimplexa est ; in ea enim non templum, sed aliquid quod sit simile templo, in comparationem adhibetur, cum tamen templum ipsum denotare velint ; vel : nonne (domus) qualis est, sicut nihil est in oculis vestris (cf. Reinke) ; at hic quoque deest saltem clarus &c simplex dicendi modus, quem in lingua vulgari qua populus suos solet exprimere sensus, quam maxime et iuremerito exspectamus. Forte explicari potest ex analogia cum Gen. &&, 18, ubi in hebr. duplex est comparationis particula in sententia : quia tu es sicut Pharao ; vel uti Ios. 14, 11 et 1 Sam. 30, 24, ubi vim particulae reddes : nonne quantum (quale) istud, tantum (tale) nihil est in oculis vestris ; sed hic etiam modus non satis simplex est atque obvius pro cogitatione adeo clara. LXX unam tanlum exhibent particulam ; item Syrus ; Chald. verbis transposilis et inserto 12 bene sensum reddit : nonne tamquam nihil it& ipsum reputatur in oculis vestris. Houbig. textum hebr. emendandum censet et scri bendum *132:2 prae illo : nonne hoc templum comparatum cum priore (prae illo €), est sicut nihil ? Alii rem expedire volunt allegantes Is. 24, 2. Os. &, 9 : « et erit sicut populus, sic sacerdos », quibus addi potest Lev. 2&, 16 : « morte morietur sicut peregrinus ita civis » ; sed haec exempla non sunt ad rem, quia in iis de duabus rebus simul tertium aliquid enuntiatur, in nostro autem loco duae res inter ee comp& rantur, ex qua comparatione demum sensus percipi debet. Templum alterum splendore et magnificentia multum cessisse priori, íam inde elucet, quod in templo Salomonis pretiosa ligna et aurum sumptuosissime adhibebantur (cf. 3 Reg. 6, 9. 40. 15. 18. 20-35. 2 Par. ' 9, 2-4, 22) : « nihil erat in templo quod non auro tegebatur — sed et pavimentum domus texit auro intrinsecus et extrinsecus » etc. ; tempore vero Aggaei ad tales sumptus nemo cogitationem adiicere potuit ; immo iam sola recordatio quot operarii adhibiti sint a Salomone, animos tristi comparatione obruere debuit; Salomoni enim fuerunt « septuaginta millia eorum qui onera portabant et octoginta millia latomorum in monte » (3 Reg. 5, 15), dum qui Cyro permittente reversi sunt universi non erant nisi quadraginta duo millia trecenti sexaginta cum septem millibus trecentis triginta septem servis et ancillis (Esd. 2, 64. 65). Utrum vcl qua ratione templum alterum magnitudine cesserit, certo dici nequit. Si in templo Salomonis porticus ante frontem revera erat altitudinis cen- : tum viginti cubitorum ! (2 Par. 3, 4), templum alterum quod ex Cyri mandato altitudinem sexaginta cubitorum superare non potuit, etiam ea parte multum inferius erat priore. Ceterum ex Talmudistarum doctrina quinque deerant templo secundo : arca foederis, ignis sacer, schechina (nubes lucida super arcam tamquam signum praesentiae divinae), spiritus prophetiae, Urim et Thummim (tract. Joma f. 21, 2. cf. Mar. Keil, Handbuch der bibl. Archaeologie, I p. 139). | At Deus « non sinit eos moerore deiici neque terroribus ad inertiam expugnari; quin potius ad laborandi fervorem inoitat et vigorem alacritatemque illis iniicit » (Cyr.) ; unde
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v. 5 « et nunc confortare Zorobabel, dicit Dominus, et confortare Iesu fili Iosedec, sacerdos magne, et confortare omnis populus terrae, dicit Dominus exercituum, et facite ; quoniam ego vobiscum sum, dicit Dominus exercituum ;
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v. 6 verbum quod pepigi vobiscum cum egrederemini de terra Aegypti, et spiritus meus erit 1n medio vestrum, nolite timere » ! — triplex repetitio exhortationis confortare magnam exhibet vim et divini auxilii promptitudinem spondet ; dicitur absolute facite i. e. opus perficite, sedulo operamini ; subditur ratio, cur alacriter operi insistant : Deum scil. habent adiutorem et quis tanto adiutore et auctore non prompto animo se ad opus accingat ? Promissionem de ope praesenti ferenda fulcit Deus declarans foedus olim initum firmum ac ratum consistere, proinde se qua sit fidelitate immutata non posse non praesentem adesse et efficax ferre auxilium. Unde « qualiter cum eis sit, subdit : verbum etc. » (Aib.) i. e. « vos eritis mihi in peculium de cunctis gentibus, in regnum sacerdotale » (Ex. 19, 5. 6; Rib. Schegg, T'rochon), ex quo consequens est : « ponam tabernaculum meum in medio vestrum et non abiiciet vos anima mea » (Lev. 96, 11; Sanct.). Vi pacti huius firmi ac stabilis etiam spiritus Domini erit stans, consistens (hebr.) inter eos i. e. spiritus ille vim et efficaciam spirans, vitam largiens et vigorem, de quo : « emittes spiritum tuum et creabuntur », qui dicit sollicitam in Deo curam, amo rem, providentiam, patrocinium, tutelam (cf. Sanct.) et qui adesse iam probatur ex eo, quia ab ipso prophetae, Aggaeus et Zacharias, sunt. in- . Spirati et ad animos excitandos impulsi (cf. Alb. ; ita iam Chald. : prophetae mei docentes inter vos). Unde cum « spiritus meus non recedat a vobis, nolite timere, ego sum qui iubeo Dominus omnipotens, cuius dixisse fecisse est » (S. Hier.). Aliqui iungunt facite verbum parenthesi interposita ; ita S. Cyr. Lap. Men. Tir. ; sed coniunctio haec est satis dura neque sensus videtur satis ad rem praesentem accommodatus ; neque enim admonentur in universum, ut foedus olim initum vel renovent vel servent, sed verbum audiunt consolatorium, quo animi deiecti confortentur. Adde quod S. Hier. nexum illum prorsus non agnoscit ; scribit enim : « nolite desperare, nec lassas manus dimittite sed... confortamini et facite opus in domo mea : ego enim sum vobiscum et sermo meus quem pepigi vobiscum ». Eodem modo Theod. : x«l $ A6yoc uou... xal to xveüud uoo dolovoxt» iy uio óiGv: sim. Alb. Rib. Sanct. Sa, Mar. Schegg, Reinke, Trochon. In hebr. incipit sententia a particula TN quae cum nota sit accusativi, explanationem facite verbum commendare videtur. At non necessario; neque enim desunt exempla, quibus alius quoque eius particulae usus satis innotescit, quo uti latinum quoad, quod. attinet ad. adhibetur, ut notio quaedam maiori cum vi efferatur ; cf. Ez. 17, 91 ; 44, 3; alia vide apud Ewald, Lehrbuch d. hobr. Spr. 2. 271 p. 683 seq. Ges. Thes. p. 168; Reinke (Hag. p. 74). Haec explicatio plana est ; aliud verbum supplere v. g. recordamini verbum, id quod aliqui supplent, plane est arbitrarium ; neque commodum est cum aliis explanare : sum vobiscum... cum verbo quod pepigi vobiscum.
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Quo alacrius operi manus admoveant templumque ipsum, etsi sit salomonico inferius, maiore pretio aestiment, Deus tempora instare monet messianica iisque adumbratis ostendit, qualem ac quantam gloriam ex salute messianica ibi manifestanda et concedenda in templum redundaturam esse aequum sit. Cum templum utpote habitaculum Dei in medio populo suo et locus propitiationis quam maxime exhibeat Dei cum suis commercium, in- &tauratio templi simul est verum quoddam pignus et excellentissima spon- 8io instaurationis foederis divini. Quae instauratio cum ex indole foederis ab initio initi et divinis promissionibus manifestati intimo quodam nexu tempora prospiciat messianica (cf. Is. 40 - 660. Os. 9, 18; 8, M. Am. 9, 14. Mich. 4, 14. Soph. 3, 8. 9 etc.), inde fit, ut ipsius templi restitutio vivum quoddam evadat et efficax vaticinium periodi messianicae. Unde iis qui moerentes et tepidi fabricam templi vel despiciunt vel negligunt, Deus proponit, quantorum bonorum praesagium et symbolum templum revera sit: eos nimirum excitat, ut conscii sibi fiant, se illud iam moliri templum, quod summa gloria sit exornandum. Simul v. 4 et seq. indicatur maior quaedam et amplior explicatio versus praecedentis ; quomodo scil. Deus pactum suum sit in opus deducturus, qua ratione, potentia, gloria spiritus eius sit inter populum suum electum sese manifestaturus et omnem timoris causam longissime amoturus. Tempus autem messianicum ex vaticiniis antea iam promulgatis delineatur tamquam periodus, qua omnium rerum gentiumque commotione et innovatione novus isque divinus ordo sit progignendus. Initium fit ab eo quod est maxime generale et universale : v. "| « Quia haec dicit Dominus exercituum : adhuc unum modicum est, et ego commovebo coelum et terram et mare et. aridam » ; — hebr. verte : adhuc semel (uti LXX & àxo5 — cf. Hebr. 12, 26), modicum (est) id i. e. post modicum tempus ; dicit ergo Deus se adhuc semel, adhuc una vice commoturum coelum et terram. Certe adest allusio ad commotionem illam, - qua foedus sinaiticum erat vestitum, cum « coeperint audiri tonitrua ac micare fulgura et nubes densissima operire montem » (Ex. 19, 16; cf. Deut. 5, 23); nam in prisca illa manifestatione «terra mota est coelique ac nubes distillaverunt aquis, montes fluxerunt a facie Domini et.Sinai a facie Dei Israel » (Iud. 5, 4. 8 ; cf. Ps. 61, 8. 9) ; bene S. IFier. : « quando primum testamentum dabam et in Sina monte sum visus, commovi coelum et terram et mare rubrum et desertum, ut vobiscum ponerem testamentum » ; similia monet S. Cyr. : « quando Israelem vindicare in libertatem cogitabat, visus est tantum non omnia concutere, aquis quidem in sanguinem versis, coelo grandine demissa, mari diviso, in- Star murorum aquis defixis et coelo manna suppeditante » ( sim. Haimo, Alb. Sanct. Est. Mar. Lap. Trochon)!. Cum prius foedus ita commemoretur, facile concludendum erit, intercedere rationem symbolicam et typicam inter illud et novum alterum. Si autem sermo fit de nova commotione, sponte quasi sua illa vaticinia in memoriam revocantur, quibus Deus periodum messianicam éntegram iam olim exhibuit apud Ioel et Isaiam ; Ioel 2, 30. 31: «dabo prodigia in coelo et in terra. . . sol con- 4 Vertetur in tenebras et luna in sanguinem » (cf. 3, 15); apud Isaiam ' vero de commotione maxima est mentio, qua iudicium messianicum sit . vestiendum (cf. 24, 4. 19-23); regnum autem messianicum proponitur ' tamquam creatio, plantatio novae terrae novorumque coelorum (Is. 94, . 16; 65, 171;.66, 22). Affertur enim regno messianico innovatio quaedam atque immutatio creaturae, liberatio a servitute corruptionis et glorificatio in gloria filiorum Dei; sed antequam ad ultimum hoc fastigium perveniatur, multiplex antecedat necesse est rerum omnium et coelestum et terrestrium commotio !, illa maxime, qua in iudicio universali periodus terrestris absolvitur ; alias minores cernere licet in variis imperiorum perturbationibus, quorum ruina regnum messianicum est constitutum, in multis etiam prodigiis, in mira Dei protectione, in laboribus illis terra marique susceptis, quibus simul cum manifesta nationum per orbem terrarum commotione spirituali seu regeneratione regnum messianicum est propagatum. Erat enim et est revera fermentum, quod universum orbem pervadit ac fermentat; est Dei institutio, qua vires coelestes tribuuntur et in qua tota simul coelestis hierarchia magna alacritate suas peragit partes (cf. Eph. 3, 10. Hebr. 1, 14). Amplissimo igitur sensu ortus, progressus, effectus regni messianici dicuntur coeli terraeque commotio. | Et quia regni messianici praeparatio, quae testibus prophetis (cf. Is. 2, 19 seq. ; 19, 21. Mich. 5, 40 seq. Dan. 2, 44) fit deiectis et deletis regnis terrenis, iam instat — regna enim Assyriorum, Aegyptiorum, Chaldaeorum, post quorum casum prophetae regnum messianicum exsurgere cernebant, iam perierunt; regnum Persorum mox interibit ; regnum vero Graecorum et Romanorum ex divina providentia viam debet parare praedicationi et faciliori diffusioni salutis messianicae — quia igitur praeparatio regni messianici iamiam instat, tempus modicum esse ait propheta, usque dum commotio illa incipienda sit. Est insuper (quae ratio multis arridet) tempus modicum, si tempus primae promissionis et per multa saecula iam exspectationis spectes, vel si tempus illud ad aeternitatem conferas vel etiam ad temporalem regni messianici durationem (cf. Rib. Sanct. Sa, Lap. Men. Tir. Gord.). Vel Bi malueris, cogita prophetam in Dei specula stantem, qui interna mentis aci, mültorum saeculorum cursum perlustrat et coram quo simili modo € mille anni ante oculos tuos, tamquam dies hesterna quae praetertit ». Eam commotionem varie explicant. S. Cyr. eam cognitione contineri vul, qua et coelum i. e. angeli et terra et mare et insulae mysterium Sabiatoris persolis obtenebratione, terrae motu, petris scissis ; idem S. Ambrosius (ep. 30 n. 41 ; M. 16, 1064), Haimo ; Rup. autem eam exhiberi dicit verbis apud Lucam, Frequentiores alii commotionem interpretantur, quae Christi nativitate, baptismo, morte facta sit et quidem coeli descensu seil. angelorum, stella magorum, voce coelitus delapsa ; ferrae etc. quatenus omnia Christo dederint testimonium, mare dum se calcandum praebuerit etc.(ef. Alb. Sanct. Lap. Men. Mar. Tir, Gord.) ; Estius commotionem cernit expletam in instauratione coelestium et ter-- restrium per sanguinem Christi, Rib. in gaudio, quo coeli commovebantur Christo ad homines veniente ; ipse aliique praeterea addunt signa et prodigia in coelo et in terra visa, quibus veteres quidam scriptores tempora Augusti Imperatoris exornarunt (cf. Lap.). Sehegg ab accuratiore explanatione abstinet, solum monens in prophetiea visione solere ruinam regnorum coniungi cum magnis coeli terraeque perturbationibus. Iam si verborum prophetiae amplitudinem spectamus, negandum non erit omnibus istis explanationibus aliquid inesse veri ; nam illis modis coeli terraeque commotio facta est. Át sane falsum esset asserere, prophetam certum quendam modum voluisse annuntiare v. g. angelorum descensum praedixisse. Utrum Deus haec omnia et singula significare voluerit, quaestio est inutilis ; nobis id unum in explicatione incumbit, ut ex vaticiniis antecedentibus ad hanc prophetiam explanandam nobis viam paremus adhibita indole generali regni messianici. Atque ita supra interpretationem tentavimus. duabus sententiis unam efficiunt : adhuc unum modioum est. Verum gratis Dy asuppletur ; altera versio iam eo refutatur, quia TN priorem lecum obtinet ; si tamquam adiectivum adiungendum esset voci t9y2, post eam ex usu constanti necessario essel collocandum (cf. Keil) ; vide Gen. 41, 1. 6 ; 27, 38. Ex. 12, &9et plurima eius collocationis exempla, quae affert Fürst in Concordantiis hebr. p. 28 seq. — Dene habet Syrus : iterum una vice ; sed omittit, uti LXX, illud modicum ; Chald. eundem sensum exprimit, quem vulg. sequitur. h 4 A descriptione quam maxime universali de coeli terraeque commotione, qua regnum messianicum sit praeparandum, inducendum, propagandum, absolvendum, descendit sermo divinus ad duo magis particularia : ad gentium commotionem eiusque effectum et ad gloriam templi manife- 'standam. Atque secundum textum hebr. ita
2:8
v. 8 el commovebo omnes gontes et venient pretiosa omnium gentium et implebo domum hanc. gloria i. e. gentes omnes magna quadam commotione excitabuntur et ad regnum messianicum confluent, ita ut se et quaecumque habeant pretiosissima !, Deo eiusque cultui devoveant ; vaticinium hoc arcte cohaeret cum Is. 60, 5-1. 11 : « tunc videbis et afflues et mirabitur et dilatabitur cor tuum, quando conversa fuerit ad te multitudo maris, fortitudo gentium venerit tibi, inundatio camelorum operiet te, dromedarii Madian :et Epha : omnes de Saba venient aurum et thus deferentes... ut afferatur ad te fortitudo (hebr. opes) gentium » (cf. Erklaerung d. Proph. Is. p. 695). Post amplam hanc praedictionem quae muKa complectitur, alia etiam magis specialis adiungitur : et implebo domum hanc gloria; uti :scil. in prima templi dedicatione gloria Domini in nube lucida templum implevit (8 Reg. 8, 10), ita alterum hoc templum modo quodam altiore et sublimiore impletum iri promittit gloria. Modum accuratius non effert «Dominus ; sufficere debet credentibus firma haec atque certa promissio, quam fide et spe amplectantur. Modus vero sublimior atque excellentior jam a priore colligi debet ex idole temporis messianici ; is demum clare effertur a Malachia propheta : « et veniet ad templum suum Dominator quem vos quaeritis, et Angelus testamenti quem vos vultis » (Mal. 3, 1). Eum modum versio S. Hier. iam hoc loco innuere videtur ; explicite qui- - dem non dicitur Messiam venturum ad templum, attamen adventus Mes- 'siae et templi gloria arcte inter se copulantur v. 8 « et movebo omnes gentes et veniet. Desideratus cunctis gentibus et implebo domum istam gloria, dicit Dominus exercituum » ; — commotionem iure intelliges : saltem ex parte eam, qua Isaias (2, 12 seq. et cp. 13-24) et Daniel (2, ,94) regna esse collapsura significarunt, antequam vel ut regnum Messiae adveniat. De tali commotione aequales Aggaei, memores illorum vaticiniorum, cogitare debebant, eamque multi interpretes ob oculos habent, dum de bellis populorumque perturbationibus loquuntur et de universi orbis agitatione, quae factae sint tum per Alexandrum Magnum, tum ' per Romanos (cf. Calm. sim. Rib. Sanct. Lap. Mar. Men. Tir. Gord.). , Utut haec vera sunt, minime ibi est standum, sed in tam amplo oraculo » etiam de illa gentium commotione erit cogitandum, qua iam ante Ag- : gaeum populos magno impetu venturos esse significabatur ad regnum ; Messiae vel ad montem Sion vel ad urbem Ierusalem (cf. Is. 2, 2 seq. ; ':44, 1; 49, 11 seq. ; 60, 4-16 etc. Mich. 4, 1 etc.). Haec certe cum menti et memoriae piorum haererent, oraculo Aggaei audito statim occurrerunt; proinde ex vaticiniis antea datis facile intellexerunt describi tempora messianica. Unde non immerito etiam de gentium conversione mentionem ingerunt interpretes (cf. Cyr. Hier. Alb. Sanct. Lap. Sa, Men.) !*. Quo sensu Messias Desideratus cunctis gentibus dici possit ?, ita explicant : « quoniam omnes gentes illius adventu et redemptione multum indigebant, et unaquaeque res quasi pondere naturae appetit id, quo maxime indiget» (Rib.); unde sunt, qui exponunt, desideratum poni pro desiderabili, qui iuremerito summis votis ac desideriis ardentissimis expetitur quippe qui in se uno omnia qaae desiderari possint, cumulatissime concludat atque exhibeat (cf. Est. Sanct. Lap.). Immerito autem, ut ostendant Messiam a gentibus fuisse desideratum et exspectatum, provocant multi ad Gen. 49, 10; ibi enim in textu hebr. non legitur : ipse erit exspectatio gentium, verum ipsi erit obsequium (obedientia) populorum. Melius allegabis Is. 42, 4 : «et legem eius insulae exspectabunt », et Is. 51, 5; 60, 9. | | Aegre hoc loco ab illa sententia recedo, quam multi catholici tanto cum studio et conatu defendere tentant scil. textum hebraeum eum in modum vel posse vel etiam debere verti, ut vertit S. Hier. et in vulg. legitur. Dico me aegre recedere, quia sententia in vulg. data adeo est pia et ipsi vaticinio multum splendoris conciliare videtur, atque insuper quia video eam a tot viris doctis et piis ? tanto cum conatu defendi, ita ut qui eam relinquat, fere impietatis insimulandus esse videatur. At liceat uti proverbio : amicus Plato, amicus Socrates, magis amica veritas. Equidem fateor me rei veritate plane cogi neque mihi ulla ratione posse persuadere textum hebr. uti est in eum sensum posse verti. Id autem duplici ratione mihi iniungitur : ex ipsa voce i1T2n! et ex forma plurali 33; accedunt confirmationis causa rationes ex v. 9 et ex analogia cum Is. 60, 5 petitae atque depromptae. Paucis rem declarabo. Primum offendor, quia Messias hic eo nom:ne appellaretur, quod in vaticiniis prioribus non innuitur neque in posterioribus declaratur, quodque in hoc ipso loco esse designationem Messiae nullo certo vestigio apparet : quae res si universa lustraveris vaticinia messianica, est plane inaudita, inusitata plane. Cogita enim e. g. nomen Messiae 2X germen ; quam gedulo haec appellatio praeparatur 2 Sam. 93, 5 (hebr.) ; Is. 4, 2 germen Domini ; Ier. 28, 5 « suscitabo David germen iustum » ; denique Zach. 3, 8 «adducam servum meum germen » ; 6, 12 « vir germen nomen eius » tamquam nomen Messiae clare effertur et facile ex antecedentibus vaticiniis tamquam tale declaratur et eo ipso loco satis in ea dignitate describitur.Idem cernes, si nomen David spectaveris , cf. 2 Reg. "1, 14. Os. 38, $9. Am. 9, 11. Is. 9, 65; 11, 15,16, 5; 55, 3. Ier. 23, 5; 30, 9; 33, 195. Ez. 34, 93; 31, 24. 25 quibus locis satis superque declaratur, cur Messias David, germen David, servus meus David nominetur. Si quaeris, cur Gen. 49, 10 vocetur Schiloh (si talem explanationem eo loco amplecti placuerit), responsio in promptu est : is, qui benedicturus est omnes gentes (Gen. 12, 3; 22, 18; 28, 14) et veteribus inimicitiis sublatis reconciliationem allaturus (cf. Gen. 3, 15) apte vocatur Pacificator !', qui insuper eodem in loco Gen. 49, 44, uti multorum est opinio, vel saltem postmodom tamquam talis Ps. "14 clarissime praedicatur. Sed frustra quaeres, ubi ^T2n vel in antecedentibus vel in subsequentibus oraculis tamquam Messiae nomen indicetur vel declaretur. At quomodo propheta subito nulla praeparatione facta nomen inferret eousque inauditum ? qua ratione haec designatio Messiae posset percipi, nulla explicatione adiecta, nulla declaratione subsecuta? Neque vox ea est inusitata. Quae si esset, facilius exciperes, ipsa voce inusitata prophetam ad eximium quoddam et novum auditorum mentes animosque voluisse avocare — uti in Schiloh, Gen. 49, 40. Sed vox est crebro in usu posita ; unde communem suam notionem debuit audient bus suggerere. Iam ea nulla est alia nisi illa quam supra dedi ; vide 4 Sam. 9, 20: « et cuius erunt optima quaeque Israel » ? 2 Chron. 31, 27, ubi sermo est de thesauris ab Ezechia collectis «et vasorum magni pretii»; 2 Chron. 36, 40 : « asportatis simul pretiosissimis vasis domus Domini »; Is. 2, 46 : « omne quod visu pulchrum est » ; ler. 28, 34 : « quasi vasa pretiosa » idemque Os. 18, 15. Nah. 92, 10 et cf. Ier. 3, 19. Zach. 1; 44 dicitur « terra chemdah » i. e. terra quae apud incolas magno in pretio habetur ; idem Ier. 12, 40. Ez. 26, 12 : « domus praeclaras subvertent » etc. ?. Adde, quod statim subditur explicationis causa, cur gen- 4. Adde, nomen alibi nunquam obvium ellerri. $. LXX vocem varie reddunt : &xiüopía, 43AXoc, Éxatvos, Eritupmtó:, bxMxtóc, epato«. tes veniant cum suis rebus opibusque pretiosis * «meum est argentum et meum est aurum, dicit Dominus exercituum »; quae thesaurorum mentio suo modo multum confert, ut vox de thesauris usitata sensu hoc consueto ab auditoribus debeat intelligi. Nullum ergo adest in voce eiusque usu vestigium, latere in ea designationem Messiae. Quod autem unius personae designationem penitus excludit, est numerus pluralis in $N3 veniunt. Nunquam enim apud Hebraeos nomen singulare ! cum plurali numero iungitur, nisi illud nomen sit collectivum i. e. multitudinem quandam et turbam exprimat, uti v. g. populus, vel nisi habeat adiunctam aliquam determinationem in genitivo plur. ita, ut cum illa unam notionem efficiat sensu plurali ideoque constructio quam vocant ad sensum exsurgat. Quod aliqui de plurali maiestatico oggerunt, plane fictum est et ab indole linguae hebr. alienum. Habetur igitur pluralis, quia 2133725 n2 unam notionem efficit, in qua omnes gentes secundum sensum praevalent, ita ut in iis notio princeps habeatur, vel aliis verbis : quia sensus est : omnes gentes venient cum opibus suis. Atque tantum si hoc obtinet, constructio ea adhiberi potest. Iam applica id ad sensum alium : Desiderium omnium gentium i. e. Messias omnium gentium veniet; in hac sententia nemo pluralem venient fingere potest, quia notio « Messias omnium gentium » vel « Desiderium omnium gentium » non ita in unum conceptum conflari potest, ut omnes gentes fiant secundum sensum pars praecipua ac principalis. Quod aliqui de enallage numeri in hebr. loquuntur, vel oppido falsum est vel non est ad rem. Si autem aliqui ad regulam quandam Glassii provocant, qua constare aiunt in hebr. posse nomen singulare quod habeat genitivum in plurali adiunctum etiam cum plurali efferri, hi hac sua provocatione se ipsos iugulant. Nam illa Glassii regula non est alia, quam quae modo exposita est; id quod ipsa exempla a Glassio allata evincunt. Sunt enim haec : 9 Sam. 10, 9 «facies pugnae » i. e. in tali locutione verbum poteat conformari non cum facie sed cum pugna; cur? quia facies 3 Chron. 21, 20 et ivit "Tan N52, communiter explieant : mortuug est a nullo desidefatus ; LXX iv oox Exalvo ; vulg. ambulavitque non recte. Alii locutionem referre malunt ad id quod sequitur * «et sepelierunt eum... verumtamen non in sepulchro regum », exponentos : mortem obiit indeooram. Dan. 14, 37 evj3 rrron alii explicant. de dea Mylitta vel etiam de Tammuz, cuius cultus delicias mulierum constituat; alii de re prctiosa quam plurimà pugnae unam constituit notionem, cuius pars praecipua est pugna, ac si latine dicere liceret: facies certaminis versum est; aliud cernitur Iob 15, 20 : « numerus annorum incerti sunt»; Lev. 13, 9 ac si diceres : « ictus leprae molesta est et horrenda »; Ier. 40, 99 : «vox rumoris » auditus est. Vides hisce exemplis ubique notionem genitivo expressam tamquam principalem efferri; ideoque verbum cum illa conformari ; idem igitur, si intra linguae limites consistere vis, applica ad « desiderium omnium gentium venient » et aliter, nisi rationi et logicae pariter nuntium remiseris explicare non poteris atque: «omnes gentes cum suis desideratis vel opibus venient ». Quod alii volunt: Desiderium ut nomen Messiae plurima in se complecti, esse enim Messiam omnium rerum desiderabilium culmen ac fontem, multum quidem iuvat ad ascesin, nihil vero ad grammaticam. Nam non quodvis nomen amplae significationis pluralem admittit numerum, sed id solum quod turba aliqua ex multis collecta constat, ut v. g. populus, urbs, dominatio (— domini), vir Iudaeae (— viri), insidiator (— insidiatores), semen sanctum (— posteri), grex etc !. Exempla vide Is. 290, 9. Ier. 44, 21. Nah. 2, 5. Iud. 5, 7; 20, 371. 4 Reg. 5, 47. 2 Chron. 13, 15 (cf. Ewald, Lehrb. 8. 311 b. c). | - Quae cum ita sint, textu hebr. retento alia versio quam quae supra data est fieri nequit. Non autem esse suspicionem corruptionis movendam, iam docet versio «à» LXX : xài 45e «k £xXexck xdytuv tw &0vÀv, docent Syrus quoque et Chald. qui eundem textum hebr. supponunt et speciatim pro plurali :N2 explicitum ferunt testimonium ?* eodem modo enim propheta sermono uteretur qui a nullo posset intelligi. Eadem responsio valet pro sententia à Corluy adoptata : « plurale |N2 explicari potest ex eo quod gentes conciperent Messiam ac si in eo exspectarent cumulum omnium bonorum quae desiderarent. Non absimili modo scripsit olim Cicero ad uxorem suam : valbte, mea desideria, valete»! Insuper dubito an loquendi modus Ciceronis multum iuvet ad Aggaei sermonem intelligendum. Certe mallem exempla proferri hobraica &d usum hebraicum ostendendum. Ceterum exemplum € Cicerone allatum plane mon est ad Tem, cum ibi constructio ad sensum wminime adsit, neque enim Cicero scripsit : desiderium meum valete : quod si scripsisset, ad illum modum loquendi sententia utiquo propius accederet. Vide quibus praesidiis adhibitis Aggaei verba plana explicentur! Neque valet, quod Bade praeterea obiicit : venire non apte dici de re inanimata ; nam hebr. N*2 saepissime usurpatur de rebus inanimatis et prosperis et adver- $is, speciatim quoque de proventibus et thesauris qui alicui obveniunt; cf. Lev. 925, 23. 1 Reg. 10, 14. 2 Chron. 9, 13; plurima exempla videsis. apud Ges. Thos. p. 185, et lustra, 8i tua interest, concordantiam hobr. & Fürst concinnatam. 2. At notandum est, Syrum vertere : «et afferent desiderium omnium populorum » i. e, Alii vertunt : et venient optimi quique gentium (cf. Schegg, Reinke) ; sed dubito, an vox hebr. hanc admittat notionem, pro qua alias "a2 electio usurpatur (cf. Ex. 15, 4. Is. 22, 1 ; 371, 24. Ier. 22, '1). Veterum aliquorum versiones : et accedent ad desiderium... et venient gentes cum desiderio (cf. Galatinus, de arcanis cath. verit. lib. & cp. 9 et 24 ; Critici sacri ad h. 1. ; Synopsis Criticorum ad h. 1.) hodie iure sunt explosae, utpote quae modum loquendi inusitatum et omissionem praepositionum (ox vel 3) supponant. Ceterum compertum est, cum Aggaeus genere dicendi utatur simplici ac plano, minime licere explicandi modum supponere qui etiam sermonem a communi alienum et artificio expolitum vix deceat. — Habemus igitur in hoc loco sensum illum propriis verbis in vulg. versione expressum quem S. Hier. verbis hebr. subiecit ; quandoque autem s. doctor suum sensum legentibus manifestum facere solet (cf. Cornely, Introd. I p. 421). Textum graccum ita explanat S. Cyr. : « fuerunt innumeri ex omni gente, insignes et electi qui crediderunt et quasi splendida quaedam anathemata seu donaria in domo Dei congregati et illi ita decus conciliantes eamque gloriosam et celebrem reddentes a Christo vicissim glorificati sunt. Didicerunt enim orare et dicere : et sit splendor Domini Dei nostri super nos ». Et S. Hier. in explicatione textus LXX : « ob id autem motae sunt omnes nationes, ut ex earum motu veniret electa gentium multitudo et quae ubicumque praeclara sunt : verbi gratia electa de Corintho, quia multus in ea erat populus Dei ; electa de Macedonia, quia grandis in Thessalonica Dei ecclesia congregata » etc. Ad promissionem datam confirmandam additur
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v. 9 « meum est argentim et meum est aurum, dicit Dominus exercituum »; — i. e. ut S. Hier. exponit : « ne forsitan sponsorem putetis infirmum, meae sunt cunctae opes ; ego in ornamentum templi aurum argentumque donabo, ut maior fiat huius domus gloria quam prioris ». Vel secundum Rib. : « si vobis hoc alius promitteret, merito forte dubitaretis an ita divitiis abundaret, ut rem tantam praestare possct; sed me promittente, cuius est aurum et argentum, etiam si magnis et incredibilibus expensis domus sit aedificanda, quae potest esse causa dubitandi » ? Neigitur ex praesenti conditione misera ansam capiant socordiae, tristitiae, se omnium divitiarum Dorainum qui adfuturus sit operi spondet. Alii sensu contrario ea verba eapiunt : « neinglorium fore existimetis templum, quoniam auro et argento splendidisque divitiis forte carebit; non indigeo his; meum est enim aurum...» Cyr. ; sim. Lap. Mar. Clarius, Calm. Reinke et provocant ad Ps. 49, 9. 10. Verum iam Rib. reponit : « cui extortam istam et violentam expositionem probabunt ? nec aurum daturus nec argentum quorsum oportuit diceret, suum esse utrumque » ? Magis expedita est aliorum explanatio ; si yellem templum ornatum esse pretiosa ac varia supellectile, mihi difficile non foret, cum meum sit aurum (Sanct. Vat. Sa, Men.). Demum, quo alacrius ad opus nobile assurgant, gloriam templi promittit maiorem quam unquam fuerit eiusque celebritatis causam decla- Tat :
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v. 10 « magna erit gloria domus istius novissimae plus quam primae, dicit Dominus exercituum ; et in. loco isto dabo pacem, dicit Dominus exercituum » ! ; — hebr. etiam vertere potes : novissima gloria domus istius maior erit quam prima, uti habent LXX peyaAn Éfcva 1 bóSa «oU olxou toótouU dj cy tr Uxip t» mpocrv ; tum domus templum dicit unum theocraticum, quod tempore Salomonis exstitit et in altero hoc aedificio exsistere pergit, et quod ultimo tempore i. e. messianico maiore gloria sit exornandum, quam unquam habuerit tempore prisco ?. Magna sane consolatio tristium et languidorum excitatio ! Quanto enim splendore tempora Salomonis in omnium mentibus fulsisse censebimus ? et quis non tantae gloriae particeps esse cuperet? Iam ad maiorem etiam gloriam domum iri provectum et proinde eos maiori gloriae cooperari posse Deus pollicetur. Et cur maior gloria futura sit, exponit : dabo pacem scil. in templo isto, in loco qui eo templo est consecratus dabit Deus salutem messianicam ; est enim pax complexio quaedam ac summa omnium beneficiorum, quae Messias est largiturus; ipse quoque Messias a prioribus prophetis iam est annuntiatus tamquam Pacificator (Gen. 49, 10), princeps pacis (Is. 9, 6), cuius regnum pacem affert, pace abundat (Ps. 11) ita, ut pacis non sit finis (Is. 9, 1), immo qui sit ipse paz (Mich. 5, 5). Unde manifestum est, verba dabo pacem sollemnem enuntiare promissionem Messiae et ea ratione potuisse ab aequalibus Aggaei intelligi. Templi gloria incepit a Salomone qui rex erat et nomine et re pacificus ; maiore splendore gloria haec effulgebit ab altero principe pacis, a Messia, cuius typus prior ille Salomon fuit. Proinde ex tempore messianico et ex ipso Messia abundantem gloriam esse in templum redundaturam, qui Aggaeum audiebant, omnino intelligere poterant. Atque id ad animos erigendos et ad opus alacriter obeundum et urgendum apprime factum erat. Qua ratione templum sit gloria implendum, exponit Malachias (3, 1). Hac expositione et verbis satisfit et temporum, Aggaei conditioni et simul ille habetur sensus, quem apologetae communiter huic loco inesse contendunt contra Iudaeos, scil. stante templo hoc debuisse Messiam venire. Quamvis plerique vaticinium i$a accipiant, quasi tota probandi vis vel solum vel primario colligenda sit ex versione S. Hier : « et veniet . Desideratus cunctis gentibus » ; id vero perperam fieri, supra ostensum est. Maior ergo gloria templi in eo habetur, quia largitio salutis messianicae arcte coniungitur cum templo et tempori quo templum exsistit adstringitur. Gloria prior in eo consistebat, quod templum Dei inhabitationem et commercium cum populo suo repraesentabat et umbratilem illam ac typicam reconciliationem veteris foederis complectebatur ; ultima gloria eo erit maior, quo maior est ipsa Verbi incarnati in templo prae- 'gentia prae nube illa et umbra divinae praesentiae et quo maior est vera illa pax et reconciliatio per Messiam data quam eius figura. Quanto igitur tempus messianicum gloriosius est tempore antecedente, tanto etiam templum gloriosius erit praedicandum, quia tempus illud auspicatissimum videbit. Et revera Christus templum miraculis, praedicatione illustravit, eo in loco se tamquam pacis et beatitatis largitorem omnibus proposuit : « si quis sitit, veniat ad me et bibat ; qui credit in me, flumina de ventre eius fluent aquae vivae » (Ioan. 1, 8'1. 38) et « ego sum lux mundi, qui sequitur me, non ambulat in tenebris, sed habebit lumen vitae » (Ioan. 8, 12). Atque insuper propter templi significationem et munus, scil. ut sit theocratiae centrum et novae altiorisque instaurationis pignus ac promissio realis, optime ei salus messianica adnexa perhibetur : in loco isto dabo pacem. Quare vaticinium spectare ad templum illud materiale omnino tenendum est, id quod ipsa verba et temporis , conditio omnino exigunt. Verum si ipsius instaurationis scopum ultimum et culmen spectamus, omnino licet dicere cum S. Augustino : « per instaurationem templi illius significata est Ecclesia, quia ipsa renovatio ilius aedificii significat eloquio prophetico alterum testamentum quod appellatur novum » (sim. Hier. Rup. Rib.), et moderatione aliqua adhibita etiam reliqua eius verba adoptare possumus ita, ut prophetiam templum spectare non negemus : « per signilicantem locum ille, qui eo significatur intelligendus est, ut quia illo loco instaurato significata est Ecclesia, nihil aliud accipiatur quod dictum est : in loco isto dabo pacem, nisi dabo pacem in loco quem significat locus iste » (de Civ. D. 18, 48). Ut ostenderent prophetiam hanc esse impletam, nonnulli multum laborabant. Iam S. Augustinus scribit : « non itaque Aggaei prophetia in templi illius instauratione completa est » ; etiam S. Cyr. de Ecclesia interpretatur ; ita S. Ambrosius* quoque et Haimo, Alb., qui notat: « quod de templo Iudaeorum nullo modo potest esse verum, quod continuo a gloria descendit usque ad extremam ignominiam ». Alii gloriam templi maiorem etiam eo vindicare volunt, quod contendunt templum ab Herode instauratum fuisse magnificentius salomonico, quem in finem multa afferuntur ex Iosepho (Ant. 15, 14 ; de bello iud. 6, 6). Eam sententiam * praesertim Rib. multis propugnat ; eam refert neque tamen plane approbat Calm. ; vehementer impugnant Sanct. Lap. Sed certe quidquid est de templo ab Herode aucto et exornato (cf. von Haneberg, Relig. Alterth. d. Bibel p. 260 seq., Zschokke 1. c. p. 314 seq.) ea sententia minime indigemus ad prophetiae impletionem declarandam et cum Rup. censemus, de tali gloria, quae ab Herode vano et superbo rege non pro Dei gloria sed pro sua ipsius ambitione et fastu templo sit collata, Dominum non esse dignatum loqui. Neque aliquam partem gloriae a propheta annuntiatae opus erit repetere ex muneribus illis templo collatis, de quibus 2 Mach. 3, 2. [n graeca versione adest glossa haec? ad v. 10: « et pacem animae in acquisitionem omni qui aedificat ad excitandum templum istud » i. e. divinam pacem eis gratificabor, quae animabus conciliabit salutem (Theod.). Nonnulli pacis promissionem intelligunt de temporum securitate et quiete, quae ad templum aedificandum a Deo concedenda sit (Theod. Hier. Rib. Sanct.) ; sed iure plerique pacem intelligunt messianicam, multis vaticiniis iam promissam (cf. Alb. Sa, Lap. Men. Tir. Clarius, Calm. Schegg, Keil), immo S. Cyr. de ipso Christo explicat, qui coelitus tamquam donum donabitur et omnium pax est ; cf. Mich. 8, 9 « et erit iste pax ». TERTIA ADMONITIO DE CAUSA CALAMITATUM ET PROMISSIO BENEDICTIONIS 2, 11-20. Anc. — Die 24 mensis noni analogia ex lege deprompta docentur non sufficere, ut terram Deo sacram incolant et sacrificia offerant, quamdiu ipsi coram Deo immundi hanc immunditiam omnibus suis operibus aspergant. Inde factum, ut omnium,rerum penuria praeter exspectationem affligerentur (2, 11-18). Verum obedientibus Deus in futurum largam concedet benedictionem (2, 19. 20). Nono mense (Casleu ; cf. Zach. ", 4. 4 Mach. 4, 52), qui alteri parti Novembris et priori Decembris aequiparatur, pluviae exspectabantur semini agris commisso salutares, quibus spes messis bonae magnam partem continebatur. Quare eo mense iam augurari licuit, qualis frugum proventus sit futurus. Ut operi incepto alacres insistant, propheta eos edocet de causa calamitatum et falsam pietatis speciem quam sibi obtendebant iis adimit. Quo facto apti redduntur, qui divinam benedictionem in abundanti pluvia iamiam manifestatam rite aestiment eamque magis magisque promereri satagant. Rem proponit per modum analogiae ex legis praescripto et indole depromptae. Posita interrogatione et responso a sacerdotibus accepto id efficitur, ut doctrina quam tradere vult altius firmiusque animis infixa haereat. Quam fideliter Deus populo assistat eumque ad theocratiae instaurationem suaviter simul et fortiter urgeat, ex repetitis hisce ad prophetam verbis praeclare elucet. Tres enim menses fluxerant ab operis instauratione (2, 1) et duo a secunda admonitione (2, 2), cum tertia vice Deus suos per prophetam alloquitur :
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v. 44 «/n vigesima et quarta noni mensis in anno secundo Darii regis factum est verbum Domini ad Aggaeum prophetam dicens :
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v. 19 haec dicit Dominus exercituum dicens : interroga sacerdotes legem dicens » ; — i. e. propone quaestionem ex lege venientem (S. Hier.), ex qua rite soluta doctrina quaedam et institutio moralis ! colligatur ; « simulque considera sacerdotum esse officii, de lege interroganti respondere ; si sacerdos est, sciat legem Domini ; si ignorat legem, ipse se arguit non esse Domini sacerdotem » . (S. Hier.); « interrogat sacerdotes ; scriptum est enim : labia sacerdotis custodient scientiam et legem requirent ex ore eius » (Mal. 2, "1. S. Cyr.); cf. Deut. 19, 41 ; 91, 5. 2 Par. 17, 8. 9. Quaestionem ponit ex Lev.
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6, 20 : v. 43 « si tulerit homo carnem sanctificatam in ora vestimenti sui et tetigerit de summitate eius panem, aut pulmentum, aut. vinum, aut. oleum, aut omnem cibum : numquid. sanctificabitur ? respondentes autem sacerdotes dixerunt : non » ; — caro saneta (hebr.) est. caro animalium quae tamquam victimae et sacrificia Domino mactabantur; erat sancta, quia ab usu profano separata Deoque sacra vel in epulis sacrificialibus sacra comestione solum a levitice mundis comedi poterat, vel solis sacerdotibus Deo sacris in usum cedebat vel pro diversitate sacrificiorum eacro igne altaris absumebatur (cf. Lev. 1, 6-8. 12; 6, 26; '1, 15-90 ; 40, 13 etc.). Legis praescriptum respicitur de hostia pro peccato : « quidquid tetigerit carnes cius, sanctificabitur » (Lev. 6, 91); si vestis sanguine fuerit aspersa, lavari debuit in loco sancto; vas fictile in quo caro cocta erat, confringendum, vas aeneum defricandum et lavandum erat (cf. Lev. 6, 28). Sanctificatio ca erat, ut nefas esset antequam exsecratio fieret, tale vestimentum ad usum profanum adhibere; illis enim ex contactu rei sacrae, carnis saerae vel sanguinis oblati aliquid sacrum adlhaercre censebatur, sed ita tamen, ut ipsa vestis suo contactu hanc indolem sanctam cum aliis rebus minime communicaret ; non cum pane, neque cum coctione (hebr. ct ut habet S. Hier. in com.) etc. Verum late serpit et cuncta inficit immundities legalis
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v. 14 «et dizit Aggaeus : si tetigerit pollutus in anima ex omnibus his, mwunquid contaminabitur ? et responderunt sacerdotes ct direrunt ; contaminabifur » ; — pollutus in anima i. e. qui contagione mortui est immundus effectus, uti rite explicat S. Hier. et ut clucet ex Lev. 92, 4. Num. 5, 2; 6, 6 etc. in quibus aliisque locis S. Hier. vertit « pollutus super mortuo» !. Erat haec immundities levitica una ex gravissimis ?^, quia per septem durabat dies ct ad cam eluendam duplici lustratione aliisque ritibus opus erat (cf. Num. 19, 44 - 90). Sacerdotes rite respondent ; nam « quidquid tetigerit immundus, immundum faciet : et anima quae horum quidquam tetigerit, immunda erit usque ad vesperum » (Num. 19, 22). Quorsum has quaestiones posuerit, aperit propheta
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v. 415 « et respondit Aggaeus et dixit : sic populus iste et sic gens ista ante faciem meam, dicit Dominus, et sic omne opus manuum eorum et omnia quae obtulerunt tbi contaminata erunt » ; — 1. e. immundi sunt coram Domino ; ideo neque laboribus eorum favet neque oblationes gratas habet; sunt vero immundi et quasi polluti super mortuo, quia templum eversum et emortuum et cuius symbolum est emortuam theocratiam suscitare iis cordi non est, sed assiduo et contra Dei praeceptum libenter quasi cohabitant cum templo emortuo; ideo inobedientia et contumacia et negligentia rei divinae sunt contaminati ; quare necessario opera eorum nulla consequitur benedictio, oblationes eorum nullum beneplacitum divinum, favor nullus. Ita, prout advertit S. Cyr., lex illa adumbrat conditionem eorum qui peccato mortali obstricti nihil pro aeterna mercede validum efficere possunt. Applicationem propheta quidem alteri solum quaestioni adnectit; iam quae est doctrina prioris? Eam enim quaestionem non frustra poni, in comperto est. Censet Schegg, duobus exemplis duo designari genera immunditiei; alterum quo non cuncta hominum opera inficiantur, alterum. quo omnia reddantur Deo exosa. At haec explicatio in exemplo et in re ipsa intelligi nequit. Nam sanctitas illa qua res ad usum profanum iam non possit adhiberi, nisi exsecratio praecesserit, non potest in eodem censu poni cum immunditie, qua res sine sacrilegio non potest ad usum sacrum inservire ; in re vero non percipitur, quaenam conditio moralis omnia opera hominum reddere possit mala et Deo displicentia, cum peccator quoque opera naturaliter bona facere possit et saepe etiam a gratia actuali praeventus opera edat supernaturalia, immo ad ipsam iustificationem actibus supernaturalibus se debeat disponere. Quare in priore exemplo potius docet, quam inefficax sit sanctitas illa externa ritibus et sacrificiis veteris foederis obtenta ; atque nihil iis prodesse, vivere in terra Deo sacra, offerre victimas in altari et ceteros ritus externos subire, nisi tota mentis devotione et obedientia se Deo tradiderint eiusque mandatis sint dicto audientes ; ita S. Hier. : «scito non tam sanctificari te ex hostiis quae templo diruto tibi prodesse non poterunt, quam contaminari omnia opera tua et cuncta quae agis ex eo quod negligis». Quia Deo non eam quam postulat obedientiam ac promptitudinem exhibent, Deus quoque eorum labori bus temporali benedictione non favet ; quamdiu intersunt « mortuis operibus » (S. Hier.), temploscil. emortuo cohabitant, polluti sunt coram Deo et iuremerito poenis legitimis i. e. penuria, sterilitate propter illam im munditiem quae omnia inficiat, plectuntur et quamdiu illam contaminatonem non removerint, nihil iis profutura sacrificia vel ritus sacros (cf. Theod.) Nam, ut declarat rem S. Gyr. : «sicuti vestimenta etsi per carnes sacrificiorum sanctificata non idcirco sanctificabunt alia, a quibus tanguntur ; ita Deo sacrificare sanctos non efficiet illos qui eum alia via laeserint et in eo quod ipsi complacitum est, ferias otiumque agere voluerint» (sim. S. Hier. Rib. Sanct. Lap. Galm. Reinke). Quantopere ex contaminatione illa operis Dei neglecti et quasi emortui afflicti fuerint, tristi ipsorum experientia satis superque illustratur ; solum opus est ut animos advertant :
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v. 46 « et nunc ponite corda vestra a die hac et supra, antequam poneretur lapis super lapidem $n templo Domini ; v. À'l cum accederetis ad. acervum viginti modiorum et fierent decem ; et intraretis ad. torcular, ut exprimeretis quinquaginta lagenas, et fiebant viginti » ; — i. e. attente recogitate et oculis mentis bene lustrate tempus anteactum ab hoc die animos referentes ad tempora antecedentia, ad illa scil. in quibus nulla aderat aedificii promovendi cura ; lapidem super lapidem ponere non dicit primam fundamenti collocationem sed fundamento iam iacto laboris et structurae continuationem. Quid vero illi tempori proprium fuerit et palpabile divinae castigationis iraeque argumentum, praeclare ad oculos demonstrat : « cum accederes ad acervos et putares viginti te habere modios, nonne vix mediam partem colligere poteras ? ad torcular quoque cum accederetis et videretis uvas et quinquaginta amphoras vobis oculi pollicerentur, non dico partem mediam, sed vix viginti amphoras exprimere poteratis » (S. Hier.). In hebr. venit (quispiam) ad acervum viginti et fuit decem sine certo mensurae nomine, quod tamen S. Hier. bene supplevit ; in altero membro venit ad cupam torcularis ad haurienda quinquaginta . . . 'vWD Is. 63, 3 vertitur torcular ; fortasse sen sus est: oculis uvas lustrantes putabatis vos debere quinquagies mudare (fnr) torcular i. e. evacuare iterumque implere; sed egregie decepti estis. Chald. ponit 1*233 dolia, utres ; S. Hier. in versione lagenas, in commentario amphoras ; LXX uetontzac* ; Syrus vero vocem prorsus omisit. — Ceterum sensum bene expressit S. Hier. ; v. 1'l incipit in hebr. On 9 i. e. antequam essent haec vel fierent haec, scil. opera illa in domo Domini aedificanda; vel quod aliis praeplacet : er quo illi fuerunt dies (cf. Schegg, Keil) ;sed cum dies antea non commemorentur, melior videtur prior jnterpretatio. Ad messem praeter omnem exspectationem minorem aliae plagae accedebant
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v. 148 « percussi vos vento urente et aurugine et grandine, omnia opera manuum vestrarum, et non fuit in vobis qui reverteretur ad me, dicit Dominus » ; — cf. Am. 4, 9; hebr. uredine vos percussi i. e. variis morbis quibus frumenta pereunt, grandine, qua vineta delentur et quaecumque demum severunt vel plantaverunt, Dei maledicto tacta successu caruerunt. Hebr. et non vos ad me? scil. reversi estis ; &. Unde coniectat Houbig. esse rescribendum ;1515, quae vox eadem sit ac B lagena ; cf. & Sam. 10, 1. 2 teg. 9, 1. 3. 9. S. Hier. videtur legisse Q5rww ; LXX. oox éxeotpédats xoóc us ; sim. Syrus, Chald. ; ergo exprimunt sensum textus mas. Locutio O2nN7yN aequivalet (33*N ; verum est plaue T:v - Vi ow inusitata, in quantum id dicere licet in tanta paucitate librorum hebr.qui ad nos pervenerunt. omnes illae admonitiones socordiam et segnitiem non excusserunt. Discant igitur, temporum praeteritorum calamitates non fortuito evenisse, verum a Deo fuisse immissas propter templi opus neglectum. « Exposui, ait, vobis quae sustinueritis antequam inciperetis aedificare templum meum ; nunc exponam, quae vobis ventura sunt prospera qui templum meum aedificare coepistis » (S. Hier.) ;
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v. 19 « Ponite corda vestra ex die ista et in futurum, a die vigesima et quarta noni mensis, a die qua fundamenta iacta sunt templi Domini ; ponite super cor vestrum ;
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v. 20 numquid iam semen in germine est? et adhuc vinea et ficus et malogranatum et lignum olivae non floruit ; ez die ista benedicam » ; — i. e. ut exponit S. Hier. : «a die 24 mensis noni, in quo templi fundamenta sunt iacta, quanta rerum abundantia futura sit, considerate ; ex hac igitur die ponite corda vestra in futurum et deinceps. Nonus est mensis quem nos Novembrem vel Decembrem dicimus ... igitur decimus est mensis eo tempore, quo semina latitant in terra nec futura fecunditas coniectari potest. Numquid iam, ait, semen in germine est? quod melius hebraice dicitur in folliculo, ut thecam frumenti significet. Numquid vinea et ficus et malogranatum et lignum olivae florem suum dederunt? ut ex flore intelligatur et fructus ? Utique non; mense enim ' Decembri, ut diximus, futurarum nulla signa sunt frugum. Ne igitur dicatis, hoc me prudenti ratione coniicere et futuram fecunditatem de floribus arborum herbisque segetum suspicari : ecce nulla signa sunt et tamen ego praedico vobis, qui coepistis aedificare templum meum, ad benedictionem meam frugum omnium fecunditatem ». Ita S. Hier. suam declarat versionem ; eumque interpretes latini fere sequuntur. Sed cum templi fundamenta iam sub Cyro sint iacta (Esd. 3, 10 seq.) et iam 924 die mensis sexti opus in domo Domini fecisse dicantur, quomodo demum post 3 menses iterum fundamenta poni refertur? Rem varie expediunt : fundamenta erigere et continuare (Rib.), inchoata plene et perfecte absolvere, vel fabricam templi resumere (Lap.), in altera parte, in qua nondum posita erant (Sa) ; sexto mense esse solum materiam comportatam et praeparationem factam ad aedificationem (Sanct.); vel illud a die qua fundamenta 4acta sunt addi ad antecedentia quasi per figuram correctionis, ut indicetur, non solum a die 24 mensis noni, verum iam a die 24 mensis sexti benedictionem divinam incepisse et si bene rem perpenderint, deprehendi posse et agnosci; proinde diem istum a quo computatio sit inchoanda, non tam esse diem 94 mensis noni, sed eundem diem mensis sexti (cf. Reinke). Et sane in explicatione data fundamenta facere sensu quodam latiore accipi debet, ut sit idem ac lapidem ponere super lapidem v. 16. Promissio benedicam copiam indicat et ubertatem. Adnotat Tir. : « quodsi materialem fabricam promoventibus sic benedicit Deus, quam putamus mercedem daturum qui spiritualem animarum aedificationem totis viribus tum in se, tum in aliis procurant»? Ceterum fertilitatis et ubertatis promissio ad indolem veteris foederis omnino est adaptata (cf. Lev. 26, 3-13. Deut. 28, 2-14). At textus hebr. vix ita concipi potest, ut S. Hier. explicuit ; praesertim in v. 20 ; nam 22 neque est germen, neque folliculus, sed certe, sicuti voces cognatae Ps. 59, 6. Ioel 4, 17 receptaculum, horreum, apotheca ; proinde : estne semen adhuc in horreo (cf. Mar. Men. Calm. Schegg)? in secundo membro S. Hier. cum LXX legit tiv pro :as. 1Y — usque ad vitem et ficum et malogranatum et arborem oleae, non tulit. Verum quo sensu ea dicantur, valde est controversum. Alii interrogationem estne semen... esse volunt adhortationem, ut iam omni fiducia semen iaciant terraeque committant (ita rab. Salomon quem affert Lap. et Ilitz.) et illud « non tulit » tamquam sententiam omisso relativo ita adiungunt, ut sensus exsistat: et usque ad ficum ... quae eousque non protulerunt fructus, ab hac die benedicam i. e. cunctae plantationes et arbores uberem habebunt benedictionem (cf. Hitz.). Alii sententiam v. 19 a die qua fundamenta iacta. sunt.... non tulit integram ad tempus anteactum referunt ; ita $cil. ut propheta, antequam de futura benedictione promissionem enuntiet, denuo iis in memoriam revocet, quomodo advertere debeant a die iacti fundamenti sibi non obvenisse semen in granario neque arbores fructus suos tulisse, quia mox fundamentis positis opus domus Domini intermiserint (cf. Keil). Haec explicatio id habet commodi, ut fundare templum sua nativa vi et significatione accipiatur ; pin75 &ccurate verti potest : quoad diem quo fundatum est templum advertite : num semen in granario i. e. num ex eo tempore colligere potuistis etcondere frumentum in horreo ? ita Y? de frumento Lev. 97, 30. Iob 39, 12. Is. 93, 3; cf. Ges. Thes. p. 432; Reinke. Nam eos ne sementem quidem quam sparserant ex messe collegisse, nimis hyperbolice diceretur de temporis spatio adeo longo, quod ab anno secundo reditus eorum usque ad annum secundum Darii fluxit (an. 536-519). In initio versus 19 eadem est phrasis quam v. 16 S. llier. vertit: a die hac et supra i. e. sursum, ad superius tempus attendite ; v. 19 vertit in futurum, quod h. 1. omnino retineri potest et a plerisque etiain retinetur ; nam sursum uti spectare potest tempus praeteritum, ita etiam referri potest ad futurum, uti revera refertur ad futurum 4 Sam. 10, 13: « et directus est Spiritus Domini a die illa in David et deinceps » et 4 Sam. 30, 25. QUARTUS SERMO DOMUI DAVID STADILITATEM SPONDET 9, 21-2Á. Anc. — Eodem die quo benedictio temporalis populo promittitur, sublimior promissio fit Zorobabeli duci ex domo David : omnia scil. regna omnemque potentiam humanam iri deiectum ; at domum David et. principem eius in omnium rerum ruina arctissime iri coniunctum cum Deo et gloria exaltatum. Templi aedificium restitutum theocratiam significat restauratam. Haec autem ex 2 Reg. "1, 14 seq. nexu indissolubili domui David est conserta, cui reznum sempiternum, thronus aeternus promittebatur, quae gratiosa promissio, ut eo loco dicit Deus, non recedet. (nota *o* 5, idem ac Gen, 49, 10) ullo tempore. Quare consentaneum prorsus est, ut in ea instauratione etiam antiqua illa vaticinia suo robore permanere ostendantur. Quod ut fiat explicite, eo magis expedire videtur, quia ultimus rex theocraticus, Sedecias, modo quam maxime manifesto erat abiectus (Ez. 94, 93). Ne igitur quidquam deesse videretur, sollemnis Dei declaratio fit per prophetam de stabili domus Davidicae quam repraesentabat Zorobabel dignitate et electione divina. Utique thronus theocraticus externe non restituitur ; est enim corona abiecta et eversione sepulta, « donec veniat is cuius est ius et dabo ei », ut apud Ezechielem Dominus dixerat (21, 2) — ; Deus « in virga virorum et in placis filiorum hominum » castigavit reges impios et propterea splendorem regni externum abstulit ; sed nihilominus promissio Davidi facta debet permanere in suo vigore, cuius indicium iam in eo cernitur, quia unus ex Davidis posteris dux est populi et operis instaurandi hortator, promotor, princeps. Eius dignitas theocratica etiam in humili conditione permansura et demum super omnia regna mundi triumphatura debuit et declarari et agnosci. Ita initium instaurationis ad quod culmen et fastigium natura sua tendat, praeclare ostenditur. | Unde bene scribit S. Cyr. gressum faciens ad hunc locum : « ex particularibus fere et ex quotidianis et obviis actionibus ad universa et maxime generalia propheticus sermo excurrit » ;
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v. 21 « Et factum est verbum Domini secundo ad. Aggacum in vigesima et quarta, mensis dicens :
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v. 29 loquere ad. Zorobabel ducem luda, dicens : ego movebo coelum pariter et terram ;
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v. 23 et subvertam solium regnorum et conteram fortitudinem regni gentium et subvertam quadrigam et ascensorem eius et descendent equi et ascensores eorum, vir 4n gladio fratris sui » ;— cf. 2, 'l seq. ; uti supra, ita hic prophetia a maxime universali et ultimo incipit, quod demum in coelis novis et terra nova (S. Hier.) plene erit complendum ; dein transit ad regnorum subversionem, quam praeviam fore vel etiam comitem regni messianici, iam Isaias, Michaeas, Daniel significarunt. Bene scribit Rup. : « revocemus ad memoriam illam Danielis visionem, in qua quattuor bestiae grandes ascendebant de mari (cap. 7)... quod enim apud illum talibus est imaginibus praesignatum, hoc ip- 8Um in isto est verbis repromissum ». Atque in quattuor membris quattuor illa censet Fiup. designari regna eorumque interitum : subvertam solium Babyloniorum et conteram fortitudinem Persarum et Medorum, subvertam quadrigam et ascensorem, regnum Graecorum, et descendent equi, Romanorum scil. imperium, « cuius equi multi et equorum ascensores plurimi fuerunt ». Alii Aggaei verbis id adumbratum cernunt, quod Daniel 2, 44 indicatur. (Rib. Lap.), idem nimirum, ut ait S. Cyr., quod in cantico de tempore messianico praedicatur concepto in utero B. V. Salvatore : « deposuit potentes de sede ». In hebr. et conteram fortituditem regnorum gentium ; descendere idem est ac ruere in interitum, descendere in lacum, in foveam i. e. perire et quidem dum mutua caede inter se interficiunt (cf. Ez. 38, 21). Sed in tali nationum regnorumque perturbatione nihil erit timendum domui Davidis illisque qui ei adhaerent. Quo magis enim nationes concutiantur, eo maior et insignior in domo David manifestabitur divina protectio, electio, exaltatio :
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v. 24 « in die illa, dicit Dominus exercituum, assumam te, Zorobabel filà Salathicl, serve meus, dicit Dominus, et oponam te quasi signaculum ; quia te elegi, dieit Dominus exercituum »; — promissio signaculi symbolo effertur et quidem aptissime ; nam Techo. nias, avus Zorobabel (cf. 4 Par. 3, 1'1) hisce verbis fuit abiectus: e vivo ego, dicit Dominus, quia si fuerit Iechonias, annulus (Gr'in signaculum uti h. 1.) in manu dextera mea, inde evellam eum » (ler. 22, 24) et in eo regnum externum erat ablatum a domo David : « haec dicit Dominus : scribe virum istum sterilem,... nec enim erit de semine eius vir, qui Sedeat super solium David et. potestatem habeat ultra in Iuda » (Ier. 92, 30). Unde in eius nepote convenientissime restitutio stirpi Davidicae debita enuntiatur. Annulus signatorius nunquam de manu gestantis ac sigillantis aufertur, decus est et ornamentum, dignitatis auctoritatisque signum efficax, ideoque res cara et pretiosa (cf. Sanct. Lap. Mar.), quae diligenter custoditur (Rib. Men.). Talis est Zorobabel, ut stirps domus Davidis et dux Iuda ; Deus erit cum eo eumque cura, sollertia, amore maximo prosequetur et in dignitate theocratica stabili ratione confirmabit. Hanc ei laudem concedit auctor sacer : « quomodo amplificemus Zorobabel ? nam et ipse quasi signum in' dextera manu » (Eccli. 49, 13). Atque ea promissio eatenus in ipso Zorobabel pro temporis conditione completa est praeparatione regni messianici, quatenus templi fabricam absolvitet populum reducem gubernabat ; sed simul ad id oportet attendi quod mox postea Zacharias propheta de summo sacerdote eiusque amicis docuit : «audi, tu et amici tui, quia viri portendentes sunt » (Zach. 3, 8) i. e. quia in sua dignitate aliquid sublimius portendunt, typisunt rerum futurarum, quibus igitur promissiones fiunt, non ut in ipsis iam plene et per(ecte compleantur, sed quia vicero gerunt e& urpbrem quandam referunt Messiae : «ecce enim ego adducam servum meum Germen» (hebr. Zach. 3, 8). Aliis verbis : non Zorobabeli soli, verum dignitati theocraticae quae in ipso residet, talis fit promissio. Neque id mirum videri potest ei, qui adverterit iam saepissime in vetere foedere datas esse promissiones eis qui ipsam impletionem non viderint; ita enim illis qui viri sunt portendentes talia dicuntur, quae in posteris demum effectum habebunt; ita quae patriarchis dicta sunt: in te benedicentur omnes gentes terrae ; quae lacob filiis suis vaticinatus est, non in ipsis (nisi forte inchoatione quadam) impleta sunt, sed in sera demum posteritate, in qua dignitas theocratica patribus collata suis incrementis aucta ad perfectionem a Deo praeordinatam pervenit (cf. Sanct. Rib. Sa, Lap. Gord.). Idem dic de oraculo Zorobabeli dato. In rerum omnium regnorumque perturbatione firmiter stabit domus illa etilladignitas, cuius vicem gerens nunc est Zorobabel ; stabitet Domino intime coniungetur tamquam res pretiosa et auctoritatis voluntatisque divinae organum et instrumentum — annulus enim signatorius ubicumque legitime impressus cernitur, regis declarat voluntatem auctoritatemque scriptis ac mandatis conciliat irrefragabilem — idque erit quia elegi te i. e. promissiones factae sunt Davidi de regno aeterno, de throno iugiter firmo : « semel iuravi in sancto meo, si David mentiar : semen eius in aeternum manebit et thronus eius sicut sol in conspectu meo » (Ps. 88, 36), quae in Messia ex domo David orituro demum impletae sunt : « dabit illi Dominus Deus sedem David patris eius et regnabit in domo Iacob in aeternum » (Luc. 4, 32). Quare etiam hoc vaticinium ultimatim praecipue in Messiam tendit, propter quem domus David conservatur et a Deo protegitur. Iure igitur interpretes in Zorobabele typum Messiae agnoscunt (cf. Hier. Cyr. Lap.). Praeclare absolvitur libellus Aggaei. In omnium rerum commutatione ostenditur id quod firmum permanet atque inconcussum ; et ad quem tandem exitum tota generis humani rerumque omnium dispositio dirigatur, sollemni modo effertur. Haec salus messianica est spes unica, est solatium firmissimum, quo in temporum tenebris animi eriguntur ; « quia coeli sicut fumus liquescent, et terra sicut vestimentum atteretur et habitatores eius sicut haec interibunt ; salus autem mea in sempiternum erit .. ; montes commovebuntur et colles contremiscent ; misericordia autem mea non recedet a te» (Is. 51, 6 ; 94, 10). Theod. et Theod. M. explicant, uti supra, de Gog et Magog i. e. de invasione gentium in Palaestinam ; gentibus iis mutua caede prostratis et parta victoria illustrem effectum iri Zorobabel ; Calm. vero, id quod sane miraberis, non vatici- Zacharias !, filius Barachiae et nepos Addo, ex genere sacerdotali fuis se videtur. Inter eos enim sacerdotes qui cum Zorobabel et Iosue ascenderunt i. e. ex exsilio ad patriam terram revertebantur, adnumeratur familia Addo et ex ea Zacharias sacerdos et familiae princeps fuisse perhibetur in diebus loacim (cf. Neh. 12, 4. 16). Nomina igitur congruunt; unde ea sententia probabilitate non caret; certam eam cum aliis (Keil, Schegg, Trochon) dicere non ausim, quia et nomen Zachariae valde frequens erat (viginti, immo plures, eo nomine in s. literis nominantur) et quia neque apud Nehemiam propheta ille Zacharias dicitur neque in nostro libro is qui propheta est sacerdos describitur. leremias . quidem et. Ezechiel se sacerdotali genere ortos esse clare dicunt (Ier. 4, 4. Ez. 4, 3); Zacharias id non effert atque ab Esdra quoque solum prophetae nomine et titulo appellatur (Esd. 5, 1; 6, 44 — in utroque loco filius Addo dicitur i. e. more in genealogiis satfrequente nepos Addo). - Eum ex Levi genere fuisse etiam S. Cyr. affert neque tamen unde hauserit addit. In aetate iuvenili ad munus propheticum eum electum fuisse, aliqui ex 2, 4 curre, loquere ad puerum istum coniecerunt ; at res est plane incerta, cum *93 saepe minime aetatem verum solum ministerium vel servitium dicat (cf. ad 2, 4). Etiam peius alii ex ipsis visionibus, quippe quae sint luxuriantis et iuvenilis ingenii vivacisque imaginandi . facultatis vel foetus (Ewald) vel saltem indicia et testimonia (Haever- ; nw alii explicant memoriam Domini (S. Hier. ín Ioel, prolog. et Zach. 1, 4), alii: nick), aetatem iuvenilem deprehendi posse arguebant. Indicium magis certum colligi posset, si Addo ille qui cum Zorobabel rediit revera est avus prophetae nostri. Verum cum neque de aetate Addo neque de tempore nativitatis aliquid innotescat, etiam in hac hypothesi res in ancipiti haeret. Unum fortasse ex ea efficitur, scil. id quod apud Pseudo-Dorotheum aliosque legitur, Zachariam senem, vel cum iam esset aetate provectus, ex Chaldaea rediisse (ita quoque Barh. et martyrologium romanum die 6. Sept.), satis dubium reddi. Plura quidem de eo referuntur apud Pseudo-Epiphanium, Sozomenum, Nicephorum, quae tamen adeo sunt incerta, etiam fabulosa, ut in medium ea proferre pigeat (lege, si vacat, apud Lap. Calm.). Maioris momenti quaestio est, sitne Zacharias filius Barachiae qui inter templum et altare occisus sit a Iudaeis (Matth. 93, 33), noster propheta. ld haud pauci affirmant (vide veterum quoque testimonia apud Sanct. Rib.) neque sane ea ratio obstat quam S. Hier. urget, tempore Zachariae vix templi ruinas exstitisse; nam anno 6 Darii templum est finitum ; ergo si vates oraculo suo 2 anno Darii edito adhuc per 4 circiter annos vixit, potuit occidi inter templum et altare. Verum alia obstant. Vix enim reduces ex exsilio quorum cor Deus tetigerat, tantum scelus admittere potuisse censendi sunt. Neque scelus illud, de quo Christus, ad unius alteriusvehominis pravitatem quam inter Zachariae aequales adfuisse fortasse aliquis excipiet, referri potest sed tamquam populi crimen et culpa nationalis traducitur. Adde, quod in libro Esdrae mentione Zachariae facta nulla sittalis eriminis accusatio, neque in libro Nehemiae neque apud Malachiam, cum tamen peccata multo minora non taceantur. Insuper teste Hier. in evangelio aramaico quo Nazareni utebantur Zacharias filius loiadae legobatur ; unde nomen Barachiae forte ad graecum Matthaei interpretem referri debet (et ad eventum narratum apud Josephum, bell. iud. 4, 6, 4 ?). Unde multo probabilius videtur Christum eo loco commemorasse primam caedem et ultimam, cuius in - s.libris ex ordine apud Iudaeos adoptato dispositis narratio occurrat, scil. caedem Abel in Genesi descriptam et caedem Zachariae 9 Par. (Chron.) 94, 20-22, qui propter reprehensionem datam furiis popularibus lapidabatur in atrio domus Domini et moriens dixit : videat Dominus et requirat, cuius mors culpa erat nationalis. Incepit munus exercere propheticum eodem cum Aggaeo anno, i. e. anno secundo Darii, duobus mensibus post primum Aggaei oraculum, in mense vid. octavo. Eiusdem anni mense undecimo die 24 mensis variis visionibus ei epocha instaurationis eiusque indoles est exhibita (4, 7) ; uti ex "1, 4 elucet, etiam. anno quarto Darii adhuc vaticinatus est ; fortasse ex Esd. 6, 14. 45 coniectare licet, eum templum finitum adhuc vidisse. Cum igitur Aggaei coaevus sit, quae de temporis conditione modo ad Aggaeum praefati sumus, etiam pro Zacharia valent. Eius quoque muneris partes non minimae erant principes et populum calcaribus additis stimulare, ut ad instaurationem alacriter manus admoverent. Qua ratione id praestiterit et quomodo instaurationis temporisque messianici indolem delineaverit, brevis argumenti in libro tractati conspectus docebit. s Prophetae liber tribus partibus dividitur. Prima pars brevi prooemio et adhortatione ad sinceram conversionem praemissa visionibus quas vates accepit describendis potissimum immoratur (1, "1 - 6, 8) et actione symbolica absolvitur (6, 9 - 45). Altera parte duobus capitibus 7. 8 populus de vera praeparatione edocetur, quae ad consequenda promissa magnifica sit necessario praemittenda. Tertia demum parte onus Dei in terra Hadrach et onus Dei super Israel duabus sectionibus (cp. 9 - 41; cp 12-414) proponitur, quibus iudicium in gentes exercendum, tempus messianicum et benedictionis copia uberius delineatur. Et haec quidem in universum. Speciatim autem argumentum libri ita accuratius declaratur : in prophetiae prooemio aequales suos admonet, ut toto corde ad Deum convertantur neve se exhibeant tales, quales eorum maiores fuerint. Ita iam populum edocet, quid praestandum ab ipso sit, ut divino consilio in opere instaurationis se docilem praebeat (1, 4 - 6). Tum sex visionibus et actione symbolica futuram theocratiae instaurationem et indolem (et proin regnum quoque messianicum, ad quod reditus ex exsilio est quasi gressus ac gradus primus) describit atque declarat. Et in prima quidem visione (4, "1 - 21) ei offertur, quomodo Deus, ut Sionis misereatur, gentium potestatem moz sit deiecturus. Idque tali schemate proponitur : cernit angelum Domini specie equitis stantem cui alii angeli singulorum populorum custodes et patroni nuntium undequaque afferunt, terram populosque quiescere (i. e. nondum adesse illam gentium commotionem, de qua ut salutis messignicae auspice Aggaeus ante menses quinque vaticinatus erat; Agg. 2, 1); quo audito angelus apud Dominum pro Ierusalem intercedit. Respondet Deus verba consolatoria : se gentes esse deiecturum, ad lerusalem autem in misericordiis reversurum et bona abundantissima largiturum. Atque statim in primae promissionis confirmationem vati species offertur, quomodo quattuor corgua, symbola scil. potestatum hostilium, quibus populus Dei afíligebatur, per totidem fabros conterantur. Verba illa consolatoria (4, 14 - 1'1) iam in nuce, si ita loqui fas est, omnia Dei promissa continent et sequentibus visionibus suo ordine clarius determinantur et explicantur. . Ita quattuor fabrorum visio qui cornua confringunt, impedimenta removet, potestatero hostilem deiicit. DB LIBRI ZACH. ARGUMENTO | 94183 Altera visione (cp. 2) primus gressus ad instaurationem theocratiae . fit ; offertur vati urbis Ierusalem instauratio gloriosa : nova civitas amplitudine et hominum copia eminebit ; ipse Dominus erit munimen eius . et gloria. Hac visione delectatus propheta ardenti studio omnes qui etiamtum in terra aliena degunt, excitat, ut redeant; Dominum iis favorem praestaturum ; fore laetitiam et gaudium in Sion, in hereditate Domini. Verum quid prodesset urbem instaurare, nisi fecundus ille veteris ruinae fons obstrueretur, qui in principum sacerdotumque corruptione tot mala et demum extremum exitium in veterem effudit theocratiam ? Quare in tertia visione (cp. 3) cernitur sacerdotii sanctitas restituta, ex quo munere sanctitas et benedictio in populum est derivanda. Exhibetur id actione symbolica : Iesus sacerdos ablatis vestibus sordidis induitur novis atque splendidis ; additur admonitio, ut in viis Domini ambulet ; promissio fit praesidii coelestis, adventus Messiae et theocratiae instaurationis, quam sanctitas et pax comitentur ac consequantur. Visione quarta (cp. 4) ad ipsius Zorobabel principis eruditionem £ndoles spiritualis theocratiae exprimitur symbolo aurei candelabri lucentis in sanctuario coram Deo, quod candelabrum duplici illa potestate a Deo instituta sacerdotii sacrique regiminis accipit oleum subministratum ; ea enim via in regno Dei hominibus veritas et gratia ordinarie contingere debet. Imagine tali theocratiae proposita, uti cp. 3 sacerdos de suo munere edocebatur, ita iam Zorobabel princeps (sacri regiminis vicem gerens et in se exprimens) quae ipsius sint partes in hac instauratione, per Dei nuntium audit * praeprimis enim opus est in ea foederis innovatione et in regni messianici praeparatione templo ; quare eius aedificatio sublatis impedimentis a Zorobabele perficienda promittitur. Iam urbe (cp. 2) temploque (cp. 4) aedificatis et utraque potestate sacra (sacerdotii sacrique regiminis cp. 3. 4) sanctificata et de muneris ratione coelitus edocta in quinta visione (cp. 9) symbolum candelabri aurei clarius determinatur i. e. populus ostenditur theocraticus ab inquinamentis purus ; exhibetur scil. quomodo sanctitas in sacra potestate reposita redundare debeat in populum. Atque eum in finem iudicium Dei ostenditur quo impietas sit auferenda a populo; idque ita, ut impii maledictione obruti pereant et Deus sedulo caveat, ne impietas diutius in terra theocratica sedem figat. Utrumque visione symbolica prophetae offertur, volumine scil. maledictionum volante et amphora iniquitatis in terram Sennaar ablata. Quid vero peccatoribus e theocratia eiectis i. e. hostibus theocratiae immineat, sexta visione (6, 1-8) adumbratur.: iam enim quadrigae Domini egredi cernuntur et discurrere per orbem et vindictam Domino quaquaversus spargere. Ita illud exhibetur iudicium in gentes, quod regni messianici est augurium, et quo hostes Dei prosternuntur. Quantum vero servis Dei reposita sit gloria et beatitas actione symbolica declaratur : iubetur propheta ab exsulibus accipere aurum et argentum et coronas inde factas impositasque sacerdoti, typc Messiae, reponere tamquam memoriale in templo Domini, hancque actionem ita verbis explanare, ut Messiae regi et sacerdoti populus etiam in exsilio positus sit acceptus (6, 9-15). Atque hisce prima pars absolvitur, in qua igitur instauratio per singulas partes proponitur eiusque indoles varie describitur. | Altera pars (cp. *.. 8) brevis est, facilis ac plana. Cum scil. propheta interrogaretur, essentne ieiunia olim instituta ad dierum nefastorum memoriam recolendam retinenda necne, docet populum de iis quae Deus ab iis exquirat : ut vid. iustitiam et misericordiam colant ; quod ut sedulo praestent, promissa magnifica renovantur. Hisce propheta populum erudit, quomodo instaurationi promissae animis praeparati obviam ire debeant. Quare instauratione in prima parte proposita iam declaratur in altera parte, qua via illi occurrere debeant. Est etenim haec via obedien- . tia erga Deum, qua veritatem, iustitiam, caritatem colant atque exerceant; promissa autem Dei in eius amore, in urbis restitutione gloriosa, in benedictionum divinarum copia, in gentium ad veri Dei cultum confluxu continentur : quare magna animorum fortitudine et alacritate operi a Deo ipsis commisso insistant ! In tertia parte (cp. 9-14) rem pertractat multis numeris si ipsum argumentum spectes visiones primae partis declarantem. Epocham enim describit messianicam, eius bona illustrat, sed etiam iudicia eius et perpessiones effert. Ex aequali titulo onus verbi Domini in duas dividitur sectiones (cp. 9-11; 12-14). Prima oneris denuntiatio cadit in gentes Palaestinae vicinas : in Syriam, Phoenicen, in Philisthaeos ; quibus afflictio et eversio praedicitur sed;eum in finem, ut demum Dei cultoribus aggregentur. Dum gentes vicinae terrore percelluntur, ad Sionem venit ingentis laetitiae causa, Rex pacificus, regni universalis fündator. Quare qui adhuc procul degunt, ut veniant invitantur et magnis Dei favoribus quos suis tribuere paratus sit ad reditum incitantur : exornabit enim populum suum victoriis et insigni sua protectione, bonorum omnium copia; auferet malos pastores, theocratiam firmam ac stabilem constituet, eius cives heroes reddet robore et laetitia exsultantes ; dispersos colliget et magnis si opus fuerit miraculis eos reducet. Cum igitur tam 'vaeclara populo suo praestare paratus sit Dominus, quis non libenter . 3 vocem audiet eique obsequetur ? Sed vae contemptoribus, vae gm, contumaci ! Ei iudieium imminet vastationis. Divina circa grezem beneficia actione symbolica prophetae tamquam pastoris exprimuntur — at grex pervicax varios pastoris conatus et labores repudiat; quare hostibus traditur vexandus. Pauci ea castigatione resipiscunt. Ipse grex novum pastoris conatum insigni contumelia, servili mercede soluta, irrihac sectione utraque sors vitae et mortis populo proponitur. Rex pacificus veniet ad Sionem : verum utrum ad resurrectionem an ad ruinam pro populo electo, ex pastoris male tractati symbolo iam infausto augurio pervidetur. Altera sectio (cp. 12-14) onus verbi Domini super Israel theocratiae impugnationes (inde onus), sed etiam praeclaras Deo protegente victorias et egregios ex afflictionibus enascentes fructus proponit. Argumentum hoc generale duplici modo pertractatur. Prius enim exhibentur gentes aemulatione quadam urbem sanctam infestantes ; at frustra. Deus adiutor adest suis quos insigni robore et magna dignitate vestit. Robur istud quo hostiles impetus retundunt, in spiritu gratiae et precum et in sacro de Christi passione luctu consistere mox declaratur ; victoria de hostibus et pax consecuta in novae theocratiae sanctitate constituitur. Sed cur haec ipsa nova theocratia adhuc hostium infestationi obnoxia est? Vates secundo loco earum persecutionum mysterium revelat : percute pastorem et dispergentur oves : afflictionem eam et probationem symbolo urbis expugnatae describit, qua in calamitate Deus insigni miraculo suos eripit et salvat. Ex tali autem perpessione novus theocratiae splendor, regni Dei dilatatio et centri theocratiae exaltatio exorietur ; hostes vero prosternentur ; eorum spoliis theocratia ornabitur. Iam omnes gentes magna animorum laetitia Dominum colent et tota theocratiae conditio maiore quam olim dignitate et sanctitate coram Domino consistet. Ita in fine libri talem exhibet populum theocraticum, qualem eum in visione candelabri aurei conspexerat, vel in actione symbolica coronis in templo Dei repositis expresserat. Ex argumento proposito iam elucet, quam praeclara vaticinia messianica et quam insignia pro epocha messianica documenta in hoc libro contineantur. Árgumenti sublimitate Zacharias excellit inter minores prohetas et quamvis dicendi genere et splendore ad Isaiae maiestatem non perveniat, tamen rerum profunditate, varietate, amplitudine, in quantum libri moles longe minor fert, non adeo longe ab eo abesse videtur. — Interpretandi difficultatem agnoscunt omnes. S. Hier. librum vocat obscurissimum (M. 25, 141']) et in commentariis de ea re saepius conqueritur; ita ad cp. 14 scribit, omnia usque ad finem voluminis « tantis sunt contexta mysteriis, ut. misericordia Dei et tuis indigeamus orationibus, ne cursus noster aliquo praepediatur errore et malevolis iusta sit occasio detrahendi, qui ad hoc solum linguas se habere putant, ut proximos lacerent et duritiem frontis attritae verborum rabie conso- lentur » (l. c. 1497). Dicendi genus secundum subiectam materiam va- . rium est, sed semper aptum ; simplex et prosaicum in prima parte, qua "visiones acceptas explanat; in altera parte iam paululum assurgit; in tertia demum grande argumentum splendore quoque ac maiestate quadam ornat ; « sunt aliqua sub eius vaticinii finem et, poetica et valde ornata et, ut in vate omnium fortasse obscurissimo, satis perspicua » (Lowth, de s. poesi Hebr., prael. 21). Tertiam quoque partem (cp. 9-14) intime esse priori adnexam et colligatam, iam ipse argumenti nexus et affinitas suadet. Verum maioris ea in re ponderis est totius antiquitatis et iudaicae et christianae consensio atque conspiratio, qua eorum quoque capitum auctorem esse Zachariam indubie efficitur *. Nam mox post Zachariae mortem canonis sacri collectio et quasi constitutio facta est, eo igitur tempore, quo de eorum vaticiniorum auctore certissime constare et potuit et debuit (cf. Cornely, Introd. I p. 39 seq.) ; quarenunquam fieri potuisset, ut ei attribuerentur vaticinia, nisi ab eo profecta illa esse tunc temporis omnibus esset persuasum. Quanta autem cura vaticinia et nomina vatum conservata sint, ipse duodecim prophetarum liber satis iam per se prodit. Cernimus enim in eo sedulo servata et propriis nominibus distincta minora quoque vaticinia ; ita v. g. parvulum Abdiae oraculum non solum religiose est custoditum, ne ipsa sua exigua mole quasi excideret et interiret, verum etiam a reliquis separatum proprii vatis nomine inscriptum ad nos usque descendit. Sed si minima oracula tanta cum cura suis servabantur auctoribus, quis sibi persuadere poterit, maiora vaticinia vel sine auctoris nomine esse pervulgata vel cuiquam perperam esse assuta ? Neque prius neque alterum fieri potuit. Oracula enim inde solum accipere auctoritatem poterant, quod a propheta legitimo et divino testimonio comprobato edebantur; quare nomen prophetae necessario iis addebatur, simili ratione, uti leges promulgari non possunt nisi auctoritate legitima munitae. Homines porro res religiosas cum cura et sollicitudine tractare solent.; id a fortiore valet de oraculis veteris foederis, quibus laeta spes et exspectatio populi iudaici continebatur ; unde plane fieri nequit, ut iam tempore Esdrae et Nehemiae oraculorum series tanta, tam gravis, tam illustris, fuerit Zachariae attributa et cum eius oraculis adscripta, nisi ex rei veritate indubie de eorum origine constitisset. Ea vero fuisse attributa Zachariae et veteres versiones ostendunt, in quibus sine ulla varietate Immediate post capita priora leguntur adscripta, et codices quotquot supersunt et unanimis et synagogae et Ecclesiae christianae antiquae consensus et affirmatio (de Iudaeorum consensu vide Fürst, der Kanon d. A. Test. p. 49). : Hisce accedunt clara indicia in ipsis oraculis expressa, quibus tempus post exsilium proditur. Invitantur enim 9, 11. 12 exsules ad reditum et urgentur, ut ad Sionem revertantur ; id quod ad Zachariae tempus apprime, ne dicam unice, est factum ; item 10, 2 populi dispersio et captivitas uti res iam facta exhibetur ; 40, 6 vero et Iudaeorum et Israelitarum restitutio promittitur ita, ut utriusque abductio et punitio simul enuntietur iam facta : « erunt sicut fuerunt, quando non proieceram eos » ; 10, 8 praesertim Ephraimitae dicuntur adhuc esse reducendi et congregandi, id quod supponit iam Iudaeorum partem magnam esse re» ductam ; 10, 40 ex Aegypto et Assur multos fore reduces et in Galaad et Libanon esse collocandos promittitur ; ergo ex Chaldaea iam plerique redierunt et terra meridionalis circa Ierusalem iam est incolis praedita. Neque id neg.iigendum est, 9, 43 ostendi Javan i. e. Graeciam tamquam potestatem praecipuam, immo unicam, quae theocratiae instauratae bellum moveat ; tempus igitur delineatur post exsilium excisis iam et destructis regnis Ássyriorum et Chaldaeorum ; illa describitur potestas inimica, de qua Daniel 8, 8. 24 vaticinatus est. Populum theocraticum iam esse gentibus traditum et veterem theocratiam dissolutam, haud obscure in ipso symbolo muneris pastoritii indicatur 141, 10. 44 : « et tuli virgam meam... et abscidi eam, ut irritum: facerem foedus meum, quod percussi cum omnibus populis ef in irritum deductum est in. die illa » ; immo iam aliquis exsilii et punitionis fructus exstitisse dicitur : « et cognoverunt sic pauperes gregis » (vide comment.). Ducum Iuda domusque Davidis ea fit mentio, quae non tum cum oraculum funderetur, sed solum pro futuro tempore eis honorificam dignitatis conditionem assignet (cf. 12, 'I. 8. 42; 13, 1). Adde quod 12, 44 mortem Iosiae iam evenisse eiusque luctum in Israel iure quodam hereditario celebrari aperte supponitur. Insuper negari nequit, locos sat multos ita efferri, ut. vatem nostrum respexisse ad priores prophetas, ad Ieremiam, Sophoniam, Ezechielem, ut de Isaia aliisque taceam, res sit satis explorata. Qua dere inter se confer: 9, 9. 3 et Ez. 28, 4. 5; 9, B et Soph. 2, 4; 9, 40 et Mich. 5, 9; 9,12 et Is. 40, 9; 40, 3 et Ez. 34, 41; 11, & et Ez. 34, 4 ; 13, 8. 9 et Ez. D, 19; 18, 9 et Os. 2, 95; 14, 8 et Ez. 41, 1-12 (Ioel 3, 48); 14, 10. 14 et Ier. 31, 38-40 ;*44, 16-19 et Is. 60, 12 et 66, 93; 14, 20. 21 et Ez. 43, 19 et 44, 9 et forte etiam 12, 1 et Is. 44, 24 et 01, 13 (cf. Reinke, Baitraege, 6 p. 6. Keil, Lehrb. d. Einl. 2. 103, 3. Vigourouz, Manuel biblique II p. 663. Kaulen, Einl. p. 368 etc.). Si haec tempus arguunt post exsilium, etiam talia non desunt quae eundem auctorem horum capitum fuisse suadeant, qui priora condiderit. Ad id ostendendum iam confert magna illa similitudo quae inter priorem ac posteriorem partem pluribus in rebus deprehenditur : v. g. 4, 44. 15 et 6, 8 hostes theocratiae interituros vaticinatur ; idem in altera parte per singulas gentes prosequitur 9, 4.- 6 et 12, 92 seq. et 14, 12 ; Messias Rex in utraque parte insigni modo effertur 3, 8 et 6, 19 et 9, 9. 10; instauratione messianica ostensa utrimque fit invitatio ad reditum 9, 6. "1 et 9, 441 - 17 ; utrimque gentes multas nomen daturas esse Domino praedicitur 2, 41 et 6, 15 et 8, 22 et 14, 16. 1'1 ; utrimque sanctitas in nova theocratia effulgens praeclaro modo illustratur 3, 2 seq. 9,4 -11 et 13, 1 - 6 et 14, 20. 21; in utraque parte impietatem iri ablatum a theocratia et punitum clare exprimitur 5, '1 seq. 6, "1 et 11, 4 seq. 11, 16. Eadem ratione vaticinia de abundantia et prosperitate epochae instaurationis inter se collata iuremerito ad eundem auctorem interna sua similitudine referri debent; ita v. g. 4, 16.11; 2, 9; 8, 3-5 et 9, 10 - 41; 10,1; 19, 8; 14, 1 - 44. 14 ; ubique pariter promissiones praecipue dantur centro theocratiae lerusalem : 4, 16. 17; 2,9. 12; 3, 2; 8, 3 -D et 9, 8 seq. 12, 2 seq. 13, 15; 14, 8. 10 - 12. 16. 21; eaedem fere promissiones de reditu, de confortatione leguntur 8, 8. 9 et 10, 6. 10 etc. Hisce addi debet similitudo quaedam, quae utrobique in peculiaribus dicendi modis reperitur; aliqua ex praecipuis accipe : phrasis rarà et satis inusitata 291 *270 legitur 7, 14 et 9, 8 ; '2Y5 in significatione auferendi, removendi habetur 3, 4 et 13, 2; providentia Dei oculi nomine designatur 3, 9 ; 4, 40; 9, 1; nomine Iuda et Israel vel Ephraim et Ioseph theocratia appellari solet ; praeterea inter se confer 2, 10 et 9, 9 (ef. Reinke l. c. Keill. c. Kaulen, Einl. I, 36], Trochon, Les pet. proph. p. 404). Einl. p. 480; Kaulen, Einl. 1. c. Trochon 1. c. Immo aliqui, uti Hitzig, alium statuunt auctorem pro cp. 9-14, alium pro 12-14; similiter Kamphausen, Schrader, aliique. Anc. — Serio admonentur, ne patrum exempla secuti Domino sint inobedientes, verum ut toto corde se Deo dedant. Temporis designatio quae communiter apud prophetas fieri solet, cum non pro aequalibus fieri censenda sit — ipsi enim tempus norunt — sed pro posteris reique memoria, iam indicat Deum in prophetiis dandis non solum aequalium curam agere sed in futura quoque tempora hominum spectare utilitatem et doctrinam. Praeterea «oportebat, ut quando voluit Deus, ut legati a se prophetae monumentum exstaret, tanti beneficii tempus amplissimi alicuius et nobilissimi regis aetate notaretur » (Sanct.).
2:1
… 23, 16; 20, 7-9, 15, 19; 14, 14; Ezek. 13, 3-17; Mic. 3, 5-8; Zech. 7, 12; cf. II Sam. 7, 1 ff.), declares divine (Hos. 4, 1; Joel 1, 1; Am. 1, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2, 1 etc.; Obad. 1; Jon. 1, 1; 3, 1; Mic. 1, 1; 3, 5; 6, 1; Nah. 1, 12; Zeph. 1, 1; Hag. 1, 1; 2, 1, 11, 21; Zech. 1, 1; 7, 1 ff.) what he has written; reports visions, revelations or supernatural dreams (Num. 12, 6 ff.; Is. 6, 20; Jer. 1, 11-16; Ezek. 4, 1-5, 4; Jer. 4, 20 ff.; …
Zerubbabel (Heb. Zerubbābel, Babylonian name, Zir-Babili, "Seed" or "Sprout of Babel")
… the raising of a splendid building like that of Solomon, was dispelled by Haggai's second address, which foretold the future fortunes of the new construction, in which the glory of the Lord would be manifested in the triumphal advent of the Messiah (ibid. 2:1-9). The threat of suspension attempted by the Persian satrap Tattenai, certainly incited by the Samaritans, deliberately excluded from the works of the Temple, came to nothing, because …
2:3
JOSEDEC. - Father of the high priest Jesus (Hag. 1, 1.12.14; 2, 3.5; Zech. 6, 11; Sir. 49, 14).
2:5
… True, the repatriates are the foretold "remnant" (Hag. 1, 12; Zech. 8, 6.11; cf. 2, 9.14 [Vulg. 2, 5.10]), the Israel of the promises (Zech. 1, 7-17; 2, 5-17 [Vulg. 2, 1-13]; Mal. 1, 1-5; Joel 2, 18 f. 26 f.), the heirs of the covenant of Sinai or of David (Hag. 2, 5; which now has its full realization: Zech. 2, 16; 8, 8; Joel 2, 17; 4, 2.16 f. [Vulg. 3, 2.16 f.]), and they are blessed by Jahweh (Hag. 2.18 f.; Zech. 8.14 f.), while Edom and all …
2:6
The exiles who return from the exile, rebuild the Temple, resume worship, renew the covenant, are of the tribe of J.; the new community formed by them is the elect Israel, legitimate heir of the divine promises, prologue and immediate preparation for the messianic kingdom (Hag. 2:6-9, 20-23; Zech. 6:12-15; 8:6-8, 20-23; Mal. 1:11; 3:1). This spiritual supremacy was tangibly manifested in the Temple, the only place where external worship of Yahweh was permitted. …
… Edom and all who rejoiced at the ruin of Judah are about to be punished (Zech. 1, 7-17; Mal. 1, 1-5; Joel 4, 4-8). But the present is only a shadow of the future greatness: the reconstituted theocracy is preparation and prelude to the kingdom of the M. (Hag. 2, 6-9; Zech. 6; Mal. 1, 11; 3, 1; Joel 4), therefore it cannot perish until the fulfillment of its mission, notwithstanding the extreme attempt of the pagan forces (Hag. 2, 20-23; Joel 4, …
2:9
… a single perfect, immaculate sacrifice, offered to Jahweh throughout the world, will take the place of the Mosaic sacrifices: Mal. 1, 11; c) a precursor will immediately prepare the people for the work of the M. (Mal. 3, 1 ff.; cf. Is. 42, 6; 49, 8; Hag. 2, 9). Such a precursor, of whom Elijah (v.) is the type, "will turn the heart of the fathers toward the children" and vice versa (Mal. 4, 5 f. = Lk. 1, 16 f.; Mt. 11, 10; 17, 10-13). There …
2:11
… hôrāh) denoted the (oral) directive that the priests gave in the name of Yahweh, especially in matters of ritual observance (the various sacrifices and their modes, the conditions of purity, the criteria of leprosy, etc.), to those who consulted them; cf. Hag. 2, 11; Mal. 2, 6-9. The depositaries and dispensers of the t. were the priests: Mic. 3, 11; Jer. 2, 8; 18, 18; Zeph. 3, 4; Ez. 7, 26; 22, 16; 44, 23 (cf. Lev. 14, 57); cf. Hab. 1, 2-4 and …
2:20
… the reconstituted theocracy is preparation and prelude to the kingdom of the M. (Hag. 2, 6-9; Zech. 6; Mal. 1, 11; 3, 1; Joel 4), therefore it cannot perish until the fulfillment of its mission, notwithstanding the extreme attempt of the pagan forces (Hag. 2, 20-23; Joel 4, 9-18; which reflect Ez. 38-39). The visions of Zechariah and the prophecies of Joel have as their central idea this perpetuity of the reborn Israel.
2:22
Zerubbabel (Heb. Zerubbābel, Babylonian name, Zir-Babili, "Seed" or "Sprout of Babel")
… Once the construction of the Temple was finished, Z., this reviver of Israel, a true signet ring on the hand of Yahweh, deservedly celebrated in the sacred books (cf. Hag. 2:22-24; Eccl. 49:13-14), disappears from history.
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.