God comforts his church, promising to protect her for ever: he expostulates with the Jews for their ingratitude.
God comforteth his Church, promising euer to protect the same: 11. blameth the Iewes, expostulating their ingratitude.
1And now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, and called thee by thy name: thou art mine.Ora dice il Signore, che te creò, o Giacobbe, e te formò, o Israele: non temere; perocché io ti ho redento, e ti ho chiamato pel tuo nome: tu se mio.AND now thus sayth our Lord that created thee ô Iacob, & formed thee ô Israel: Feare not, because I haue redemed thee, and called thee by thy name: thou art mine.Et nunc hæc dicit Dominus / creans te, Jacob, / et formans te, Israël: / Noli timere, quia redemi te, / et vocavi te nomine tuo: meus es tu. 2When thou shalt pass through the waters, I will be with thee, and the rivers shall not cover thee: when thou shalt walk in the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, and the flames shall not burn in thee:Quando tu passerai per mezzo alle acque, io sarò teco, e non ti cuoprirà la corrente: quando passerai per mezzo al fuoco, non sarai abbruciato, e la fiamma non avrà ardore per te.When thou shalt passe through the waters, I wil be with thee, and the floudes shal not couer thee: when thou shalt walke in fyre, thou shalt not be burnt, and the flame shal not burne in thee:Cum transieris per aquas, tecum ero, / et flumina non operient te; / cum ambulaveris in igne, non combureris, et flamma non ardebit in te. 3For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I have given Egypt for thy atonement, Ethiopia and Saba for thee.Perchè io sono il Signore Dio tuo, il Santo d'Israele tuo in Salvatore, prezzo di tua liberazione ho dato l'Egitto, l'Etiopia, e SabaBecause I am the Lord thy God the holie one of Israel thy sauiour, I haue geuen Aegypt thy propitiation, Aethiopia and Sale for thee.Quia ego Dominus Deus tuus, / Sanctus Israël, salvator tuus, / dedi propitiationem tuam Ægyptum, / Æthopiam, et Saba, pro te. 4Since thou becamest honourable in my eyes, thou art glorious: I have loved thee, and I will give men for thee, and people for thy life.Dopo che tu diventasti orrevole, e glorioso negli occhi miei, io ti ho amato, e per te darò degli uomini, e de' popoli per tua salvezza.Since thou becamest honorable in mine eies, and glorious: I haue loued thee, & I wil geue men for thee, and peoples for thy soule.Ex quo honorabilis factus es in oculis meis, / et gloriosus, ego dilexi te, / et dabo homines pro te, / et populos pro anima tua. 5Fear not, for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west.Non temere; perocché io son teco dall'Oriente condurrò i tuoi figliuoli, e dall'Occidente vi riunirò.Feare not, because I am with thee: from the East wil I bring thy seede, and from the West I wil gather thee.Noli timere, quia ego tecum sum; / ab oriente adducam semen tuum, / et ab occidente congregabo te.
6I will say to the north: Give up: and to the south: Keep not back: bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.Al Settentrione dirò: Dammeli: e al Mezzogiorno: Non ritenerli: conducetemi i miei figliuoli da' rimoti paesi, e le mie figlie dalle estremità della terra;I wil say to the North: Geue: and to the South, Hinder not: bring my sonnes from a farre, and my daughters from the endes of the earth.Dicam aquiloni: Da; / et austro: Noli prohibere: / affer filios meos de longinquo, / et filias meas ab extremis terræ. 7And every one that calleth upon my name, I have created him for my glory. I have formed him, and made him.Perocché tutti quelli, che invocano il nome mio, per gloria mia gli ho creati, gli ho formati, e gli ho fatti.And cuerie one that inuocateth my name, for my glorie haue I created him, formed him, and made him.Et omnem qui invocat nomen meum, / in gloriam meam creavi eum, formavi eum, et feci eum. 8Bring forth the people that are blind, and have eyes: that are deaf, and have ears.Manda fuora quel popolo, che è cieco, benché abbia occhi; ed è sordo, benché abbia orecchie.Bring forth the blind people, and hauing eyes: the deafe, and he hath eares.Educ foras populum cæcum, et oculos habentem; / surdum, et aures ei sunt. 9All the nations are assembled together, and the tribes are gathered: who among you can declare this, and shall make us hear the former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, let them be justified, and hear, and say: It is truth.Si radunino insieme tutte le genti, e si uniscano le tribù: chi di voi annunzierà simil cosa, e farà a noi ascoltare quello, che dee prima accadere? Producano i lor testimoni, si giustifichino, e que' che ascoltano, dicano: È vero.Al the nations are assembled together, and the tribes are gathered: which of you can shew this, and shal make vs heare the former thinges? Let them geue their witnesses, and be iustified, and heare, and say: In verie deede.Omnes gentes congregatæ sunt simul, / et collectæ sunt tribus. / Quis in vobis annuntiet istud, / et quæ prima sunt audire nos faciet ? / Dent testes eorum, justificentur, / et audiant, et dicant: Vere. 10You are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that you may know, and believe me, and understand that I myself am. Before me there was no God formed, and after me there shall be none.Testimoni miei, dice il Signore, e siete voi, e il mio servo; affinchè conosciate, e crediate, e intendiate, ch'io son quell'io. Formato non fu alcun Dio avanti di me né saravvi dopo di me.You are my witnesses, sayth our Lord, and my seruants whom I haue chosen: that you may know, and beleue me, and vnderstand that I myself am. Before me there hath no god bene formed, & after me there shal not be.Vos testes mei, dicit Dominus, / et servus meus quem elegi: / ut sciatis, et credatis mihi, / et intelligatis quia ego ipse sum; / ante me non est formatus Deus, / et post me non erit.
11I am, I am the Lord: and there is no saviour besides me.Io sono, io sono il Signore, e non è Salvatore fuori di me.I am, I am the Lord, and there is no sauiour beside me.Ego sum, ego sum Dominus, / et non est absque me salvator. 12I have declared, and have saved. I have made it heard, and there was no strange one among you. You are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and I am God.Io predissi, io salvai; e vel feci sapere, e nissun Dio straniero fu tra di voi: voi miei testimoni, dice il Signore, ed io son Dio.I haue shewed, and haue saued: I haue made it heard, and there hath bene no strange one among you. You are my witnesses, sayth our Lord, and I God.Ego annuntiavi, et salvavi; auditum feci, / et non fuit in vobis alienus: / vos testes mei, dicit Dominus, / et ego Deus. 13And from the beginning I am the same, and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall turn it away?E io stesso sono fin da principio, e non è chi dalla mano mia si sottragga: io farò, e chi disfarà?And from the beginning I my self, and there is not that can deliuer out of my hand: I wil worke, and who shal turne it away?Et ab initio ego ipse, / et non est qui de manu mea eruat. / Operabor, et quis avertet illud ? 14Thus saith the Lord your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their bars, and the Chaldeans glorying in their ships.Queste cose dice il Signore Redentor vostro, il Santo d'Israele: Per amor di voi ho mandato gente a Babilonia, e ne gettai a terra tutte le difese, e i Caldei, che si gloriavano delle loro navi.Thus sayth the Lord your redemer, the holie one of Israel: For your sake haue I sent forth into Babylon, and haue plucked downe al the barres, and Chaldees glorying in their shippes.Hæc dicit Dominus, redemptor vester, / Sanctus Israël: / Propter vos misi in Babylonem, / et detraxi vectes universos, / et Chaldæos in navibus suis gloriantes. 15I am the Lord your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.Io il Signore, il Santo vostro, Creator d'Israele, Re vostro.I the Lord your holie one, that created Israel your king.Ego Dominus, Sanctus vester, / creans Israël, rex vester. 16Thus saith the Lord, who made a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters.Queste cose dice il Signore, che aperse una strada nel mare, e un sentiero nelle acque precipitose.Thus sayth our Lord, that gaue a way in the sea, and a path in the vehement waters.Hæc dicit Dominus, / qui dedit in mari viam, / et in aquis torrentibus semitam; 17Who brought forth the chariot and the horse, the army and the strong: they lay down to sleep together, and they shall not rise again: they are broken as flax, and are extinct.Egli è, che fece uscir in campo cocchi, e i cavalli, le schiere, e i capitani, e si addormentarono insieme, né si sveglieranno: furono spenti come lino fumante, e perirono.Which brought forth the chariote and the house: the arme and the strong: they slept together, neither shal they rise agayne: they are broken as flaxe, and are extinct,qui eduxit quadrigam et equum, / agmen et robustum: / simul obdormierunt, nec resurgent; / contriti sunt quasi linum, et extincti sunt.
18Remember not former things, and look not on things of old.Scordatevi delle cose passate, e non badate alle antiche.Remember not former thinges, and looke not on thinges of old.Ne memineritis priorum, / et antiqua ne intueamini. 19Behold I do new things, and now they shall spring forth, verily you shall know them: I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.Ecco, che cose nuove io fo, e or ora verranno in luce, certamente voi lo saprete: aprirò una strada nel deserto, e sorgive di acqua nel paese disabitato.Behold I make new thinges, and now they shal spring forth, verely you shal know them: I wil make a way in the desert, and riuers in the place not haunted.Ecce ego facio nova, / et nunc orientur, utique cognoscetis ea: / ponam in deserto viam, / et in invio flumina. 20The beast of the field shall glorify me, the dragons and the ostriches: because I have given waters in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, to my chosen.Daran gloria a me le bestie salvatiche, i dragoni; e gli struzzoli; perchè ho fatto scaturire acque nel deserto, e fiumi nella terra disabitata per dar da bere al mio popolo, al mio eletto.The beast of the fielde shal glorifie me, the dragons & the ostreches: because I haue geuen waters in the desert: riuers in the place not haunted, that I might geue drinke to my people, to mine elect.Glorificabit me bestia agri, / dracones, et struthiones: / quia dedi in deserto aquas, / flumina in invio, / ut darem potum populo meo, electo meo. 21This people have I formed for myself, they shall shew forth my praise.Questo popolo l'ho io formato per me: egli annunzierà le mie laudi.This people haue I formed for myself, they shal tel my prayse.Populum istum formavi mihi: / laudem meam narrabit. 22But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, neither hast thou laboured about me, O Israel.Tu non mi hai invocato, o Giacobbe, tu non ti se' preso cura di me, o Israele.Thou hast not inuocated me ô Iacob, neither hast thou labored in men ô Israel.Non me invocasti, Jacob, / nec laborasti in me, Israël. 23Thou hast not offered me the ram of thy holocaust, nor hast thou glorified me with thy victims: I have not caused thee to serve with oblations, nor wearied thee with incense.Tu non hai offerto a me il tuo capro in olocausto, e non mi hai onorato colle vittime: non son io quegli, cui tu hai servito colle obblazioni, ne io ti ho data la fatica di bruciare l'incenso.Thou hast not offered me the ramme of thyne holocaust, and with thy victimes thou hast not glorified me: I haue not made thee to serue in oblation, nor put thee to payne in frankincense.Non obtulisti mihi arietem holocausti tui, / et victimis tuis non glorificasti me; / non te servire feci in oblatione, / nec laborem tibi præbui in thure.
24Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy victims. But thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities.Non hai comprato per me col denaro la canna odorosa, e non mi hai rallegrato col grasso delle tue vittime. Piuttosto me hai tu fatto servire ne' tuoi peccati: a me hai recato pena colle tue iniquità.Thou hast not bought me sweete cane for siluer, and with the fatte of thy victimes thou hast not inebriated me. But thou hast made me to serue with thy sinnes, thou hast put me to payne with thine iniquities.Non emisti mihi argento calamum, / et adipe victimarum tuarum non inebriasti me: / verumtamen servire me fecisti in peccatis tuis; / præbuisti mihi laborem in iniquitatibus tuis. 25I am, I am he that blot out thy iniquities for my own sake, and I will not remember thy sins.Io sono, son io stesso, che cancello le tue iniquità per me medesimo, e de' peccati tuoi non avrò più memoria.I am, I am he that take cleane away thine iniquities for mine owne sake, and I wil not remember thy sinnes.Ego sum, ego sum ipse qui deleo iniquitates tuas propter me, / et peccatorum tuorum non recordabor. 26Put me in remembrance, and let us plead together: tell if thou hast any thing to justify thyself.Ricorda tu a me, e facciasi insieme giudizio di noi, racconta se hai qualche cosa per essere giustificato.Bring me into remembrance, and let vs be iudged together: tel if thou haue any thing that thou mayst be iustified.Reduc me in memoriam, et judicemur simul: / narra si quid habes ut justificeris. 27Thy first father sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.Il padre tuo egli il primo peccò, e i tuoi internunzi prevaricarono contro di me.Thy first father sinned, and thy interpreters haue transgressed against me.Pater tuus primus peccavit, / et interpretes tui prævaricati sunt in me: 28And I have profaned the holy princes, I have given Jacob to slaughter, and Israel to reproach.Per questo dichiarai immondi i principi sacrati, e Giacobbe diedi allo sterminio, e Israele all'obbrobrio.And I haue profaned the holie princes, I haue geuen Iacob to destruction, & Israel to reproch.et contaminavi principes sanctos; / dedi ad internecionem Jacob, / et Israël in blasphemiam.
43:1
Calmet
And. Notwithstanding the sins of his people, God will deliver them, that they may be his witnesses, ver. 10. (Calmet)
Calmet
Name. As an intimate friend, (Haydock) or slave, Isaias 49:1. (Calmet)
Worthington
God grants grace without any preceding merit. (Worthington)
43:2
Haydock
Waters. In every emergency, God will protect thee, (Calmet) as he did the three children. [Daniel iii.] (Haydock)
Worthington
He will suffer none to perish, without their own fault. Hence the Church still continues pure. (Worthington)
43:3
43:4
Eyes, by a gratuitous choice.
Men. Chaldeans, etc.
43:5
East. Babylon.
West. The islands beyond the Mediterranean.
43:6
North. Assyria.
Calmet
South. Egypt. The captives returned from these countries under Cyrus, Alexander the Great, etc., so that before the coming of Christ, Judea was as well peopled as ever. (Calmet)
43:7
Haydock
Calleth. Hebrew, "is called by my name." (Protestants) (Haydock)
My people's chastisements and liberation prove my divine perfections.
43:8
Haydock
Ears. Yet will not hear, (Calmet) or who are miraculously healed. (Haydock)
Houbigant
It seems rather to mean idolatrous nations, (ver. 9.; Calmet) or rebellious Jews. (Forerius) (Houbigant)
43:9
Haydock
Former. The pagans were little acquainted with antiquity. Such researches lead to the knowledge of the true religion. (Haydock)
Truth, if they can produce any true prophecy.
43:10
Calmet
Witnesses. The history of the Israelites was sufficient to shew who was God. (Calmet)
St. Augustine
Thus the establishment of Christianity manifests its truth. (St. Augustine, City of God 22:6.)
Haydock
Septuagint add, "and I am witness." (Haydock)
43:12
One idol, to announce what would happen.
43:14
Bars. Septuagint, "fugitives." Theodotion, "strong ones."
Calmet
Glorying. Septuagint, "shall be bound in ships," to be sent beyond the Caspian Sea. (Calmet)
Worthington
Cyrus was victorious for the sake of God's people; for he will not neglect his Church. (Worthington)
43:16
43:19
New. I shall work the like miracles as were seen in the wilderness.
43:20
Chosen. We know not that rivers were found in Arabia. But the people were equally favoured. Christ facilitates the road to heaven by his example and graces, while the most savage tempers are changed in baptism.
43:23
Calmet
Incense. My kindness is gratuitous. In a strange land, thou couldst not offer sacrifice. See Isaias 48:9., and 49:1. (Calmet)
43:24
Haydock
Iniquities. Thou hast shewn the greatest ingratitude. (Haydock)
Yet I will save thee.
43:26
Thyself. God condescends to act thus with men, Isaias 41:20., and Osee 4:1.
43:27
Tirinus
First father. Adam, (Lyranus) or rather Abraham sinned, by diffidence, (Genesis 15:8.; St. Jerome) or was formerly an idolater, Josue 24:2. (Genebrard, the year of the world 2049) (St. Augustine, City of God 16:12.) (Calmet) (Tirinus)
Worthington
All the patriarchs and teachers sinned, till Christ, the immaculate lamb, appeared. Adam engaged all in guilt. (Worthington)
43:28
Menochius
Profaned, or declared such, (Haydock) Nadab, etc., (Leviticus 10:1.; Calmet) or Moses and Aaron. (Menochius)
Haydock
Septuagint, "and the princes defiled my holy things." (Haydock)
Calmet
Slaughter. Hebrew, "anathema." Yet I will re-establish all. (Calmet)
43:1
Christ calleth, and ind•eth sinners with grace, without anie precedent good worke or desire in them, euen as he createth of nothing.
43:2
In al tribulations and persecutions Christ protecteth his seruantes, not suffering them to be tempted further then they may resist •f they wil. VVherby the Church stil remaneth incontaminate, and shal neuer be destroyed.
43:14
God made Cytus conquerour of Babylon not for his owne sake, but for Israel, that h• might release their captiuitie. For God perpetually disposeth of kingdomes for the good of his Church.
43:19
Concordance 2 Cor 5
Concordance Apo. 21.
43:27
The sinne of Adam contaminating al mankind was not purged by anie:
Al Patriarches Priestes Prophetes & al others sinning; til Christ the innocent lambe came to take away the sinne of the world.
43:1
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus 10
… “Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, and called thee by thy name: thou art mine. And if thou passest through the water, I am with thee, and the rivers shall not overflow thee. And if thou passest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, and the flame shall not burn thee; for I, the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, am He who maketh thee safe.”
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Answer to Eunomius' Second Book 1
But the names which the Lord gives to such stars we may plainly learn from the prophecy of Esaias, which says, “I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine
43:2
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 21.2
… Against thy words will I also speak unto thee. For I said the Prophet said unto Israel, as from the mouth of God:— If thou shalt pass through the sea, I will be with thee, and the rivers shall not overflow thee; and if thou shalt walk upon fire, thou shalt not be burned, and the flame shall not search thee; because the Lord thy God is with thee .
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Repentance 1.14
… Let us not then suffer this fire to approach the bosom of our minds and the depths of our hearts, lest we burn up the covering of our inmost hearts, and lest the devouring fire of lust consume this outward garment of the soul and its fleshy veil, but let us pass through the fire.
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 7.4
… For it is written, But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea ( Exod. xiv. 29 ). And through the prophet the Lord promises saying, When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and the rivers shall not overflow thee (
43:3
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 12.28
… And in Isaiah it is said to Israel, “I gave Ethiopia in exchange for thee, and Egypt and Syene for thee; from what time thou hast become honourable before Me thou wast glorified.”
43:5
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.14.1
… of whom Esaias also says, “I will bring thy seed from the east, and will gather thee from the west; and I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth; all, as many as have been called in My name: for in My glory I have prepared, and formed, and made him.”
43:8
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 13.12
… Who is deaf but My servant? and blind, but he to whom I have sent My messengers?” And that no one might ascribe this blindness of theirs to nature instead of to their own will, elsewhere He says: “Bring forth the people that are blind and have eyes: that are deaf and have ears;” and again: “having eyes, but ye see not; and ears, but ye hear not.”
43:10
St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 122
… Therefore what was written by the prophets was spoken not of those persons, but of us, concerning whom the Scripture speaks: ‘I will lead the blind by a way which they knew not; and they shall walk in paths which they have not known. And I am witness, saith the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen.’
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.6.2
… Therefore God has been declared through the Son, who is in the Father, and has the Father in Himself —He who is, the Father bearing witness to the Son, and the Son announcing the Father.—As also Esaias says, “I too am witness,” he declares, “saith the Lord God, and the Son whom I have chosen, that ye may know, and believe, and understand that I am.”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.5.1
… Now He is the Creator, and He it is who is God over all, as Esaias says, “I am witness, saith the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen, that ye may know, and believe, and understand that I am . Before me there was no other God, neither shall be after me. I am God, and besides me there is no Saviour. I have proclaimed, and I have saved.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 2.28
… Their religion was sanctified and made acceptable to God by their knowledge and faith and expectation of Christ. For we have observed that God declares Himself to be a witness and exhorts them all to declare the same about Christ, and to be imitators of Him, bearing witness of Him to all who require it. For he says,
St Methodius † AD 311 Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna On the Day that They Met in the Temple 1
… With longing I expect Thee who, with Thy word, embracest all things. I wait for Thee, the Lord of life and death. For Thee I look, the Giver of the law, and the Successor of the law. I hunger for Thee, who quickenest the dead; I thirst for Thee, who refreshest the weary; I desire Thee, the Creator and Redeemer of the world.
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 4.35
… And His own words bear witness that there is no God anterior to God the Un-originate; Be ye My witnesses, and I am witness, saith the Lord God, and My Servant Whom I have chosen, that ye may know and believe and understand that I am, and before Me there is no other God, nor shall be after Me
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 32
… Is it not evident that they are due to passages which imply them, though the words do not actually occur? What are these passages?—I am the first, and I am the last, and before Me there was no God, neither shall there be after Me.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.8
55. Let us take them, then, in their order. In the Old Testament—to cite one out of a multitude of testimonies—it is written: “Before Me hath there been no other God, and after Me shall there be none.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 4
… “For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain.” ( Wisd. ix. 14 .) Still I should like to ask our objectors, what means that which is said by the Prophet, “Before Me there was no God formed, nor is there any after Me”? (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 15
[3.] “He hath declared Him,” saith John. What hath he declared? That “no man hath seen God at any time”? That “God is one”? But this all the other prophets testify, and Moses continually exclaims, “The Lord thy God is one Lord” ( Deut. vi. 4 ); and Esaias, “Before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.” (
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 1.5
… Thou shalt have no other Gods before Me . And again He says, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord . And in Isaiah the prophet we read, For I am the first God and I am the last, and beside Me there is no God. Before Me there was not any God, nor after Me will there be any God, and beside Me there is no God
43:11
Novatian † AD 258 A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 30
… For we both know, and read, and believe, and maintain that God is one, who made the heaven as well as the earth, since we neither know any other, nor shall we at any time know such, seeing that there is none. “I,” says He, “am God, and there is none beside me, righteous and a Saviour.”
43:12
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 19
… iv. 18 .) So also His Father makes great account of prophecy, when He sets Himself against the honor paid to idols: “Let them declare to you,” saith He, “what shall come upon you” ( Isa. xlvii. 13 ); and again, “I have declared, and have saved, and there was no foreign God amongst you” (
43:15
St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 135
“And when Scripture says, ‘I am the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, who have made known Israel your King,’
43:18
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.1
… But why enlarge, when the Creator by the same prophet foretells the renovation more manifestly and clearly than the light itself? “Remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old” (the old things have passed away, and new things are arising). “Behold, I will do new things, which shall now spring forth.”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.2
… For the abolition of the ancient law we fully admit, and hold that it actually proceeds from the dispensation of the Creator,—a point which we have already often treated in the course of our discussion, when we showed that the innovation was foretold by the prophets of our God. Now, if the Creator indeed promised that “the ancient things should pass away,”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.19
… All the rest of his precepts, as we have shown sufficiently, when treating of them as they occurred in another epistle, emanated from the Creator, who, while predicting that “old things were to pass away,” and that He would “make all things new,”
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 6
Plainly, if you show by what patronages of heavenly precedents and precepts it is that you open to adultery alone—and therein to fornication also—the gate of repentance, at this very line our hostile encounter will forthwith cross swords. Yet I must necessarily prescribe you a law, not to stretch out your hand after the old things,
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 62.8
… “Remember not,” says he, “the former things, and consider not the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, which shall now spring forth; and ye shall know it. I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry place, to give drink to my elected people, my people whom I have purchased, that they might show forth my praise.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 1.13
In Isaiah: “Therefore remember ye not the former things, neither reconsider the ancient things. Behold, I make new the things which shall now arise, and ye shall know it; and I will make in the desert a way, and rivers in a dry place, to give drink to my chosen race, my people whom I acquired, that they should show forth my praises.”
43:19
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.33.14
… and again, “And remember ye not the things of old: behold, I make new things which shall now arise, and ye shall know it; and I will make a way in the desert, and rivers in a dry land, to give drink to my chosen people, my people whom I have acquired, that they may show forth my praise,”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 1.20
… Thus He says by Isaiah: Old things have passed away. “Behold, I will do a new thing.”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.11
… I should like to know in what respect the Creator is inconsistent with Himself. When by Jeremiah He gave this precept, “Break up for yourselves new pastures,” does He not turn away from the old state of things? And when by Isaiah He proclaims how “old things were passed away; and, behold, all things, which I am making, are new,”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.12
… God would be unjust, if any one were not punished or else rewarded in that very condition, wherein the merit was itself achieved. “If therefore any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new;” and so is accomplished the prophecy of Isaiah.
43:20
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.13
… Now, the same number of apostles was thus portended, as if they were to be fountains and rivers which should water the Gentile world, which was formerly dry and destitute of knowledge (as He says by Isaiah: “I will put streams in the unwatered ground”
43:23
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.17.3
… thou hast not served Me in sacrifices, nor in [the matter of] frankincense hast thou done anything laboriously; neither hast thou bought for Me incense with money, nor have I desired the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast stood before Me in thy sins and in thine iniquities.”
43:25
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 3.10
61. You have blotted it out, indeed, in your breasts and minds, but the Word of God is not blotted out, the Holy Spirit is not blotted out, but turns away from impious minds; not grace but iniquity is blotted out; for it is written: “I am He, I am He that blot out thine iniquities.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Repentance 2.4
28. But if they be not converted, do you at least repent, who by many a slip have fallen from the lofty pinnacle of innocence and faith. We have a good Lord, Whose will it is to forgive all, Who called you by the prophet, and said: “I, even I, am He that blotteth out transgressions, and I will not remember, but do thou remember, and let us plead together.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 20.6
… “Every night will I wash my bed: I will water my couch with tears;” if we expel from our hearts all recollection of our faults, though on the contrary we are bidden carefully to preserve the remembrance of them, as the Lord says: “And thine iniquities I will not remember: but do thou recollect them?”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 20.8
… “I even I am He that blotteth out thine iniquities for Mine own sake, and I will remember thy sins no more.”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.29
Hence David, when he prayed, saying, Turn away thine eyes from my sins ( Ps. l. 11 ), had said also a little before, My fault is ever before me ( v. 5 ); as if to say, I beseech thee not to regard my sin, since I myself cease not to regard it. Whence also the Lord says through the prophet, And I will not be mindful of thy sins, but be thou mindful of them (
Anonymous A Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian by an Anonymous Bishop 18
… and make to yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. And why do ye deliver yourselves over to death, O house of Israel? For I do not desire the death of the sinner.” “I am He, I am He who blot out thy crimes, and I will not remember them. But do thou have in mind, and let us judge; tell thou thy wickednesses first, that thou mayest be justified.”
Pseudo-Cyprian Exhortation to Repentance 1
Also in the same place: “I am He, I am He that blotteth out thy iniquities, and will not remember them; but do thou remember them, and let us be judged together; do thou first tell thine unrighteousnesses.”
43:26
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Magnesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 12
… I know that ye are not puffed up, for ye have Jesus in yourselves. And all the more when I commend you, I know that ye cherish modesty of spirit; as it is written, “The righteous man is his own accuser;” and again, “Declare thou first thine iniquities, that thou mayest be justified;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 An Exhortation to Theodore After His Fall 1
… Hear at least what He says by the mouth of the prophet: “Declare thou first thy iniquities that thou mayest be justified.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Three Homilies Concerning the Power of Demons 2.6
6. Do you wish that I shall speak of the ways of repentance? They are many, and various, and different, and all lead to heaven. The first way of repentance is condemnation of sins. “Declare thou first thy sins that thou mayest be justified.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 41
… If any man hath been in a state of contrition, he knows that the soul is punished by this more than anything. If any hath been living in remembrance of sins, he knows the anguish thence arising. Therefore doth God appoint righteousness as a reward for such repentance, saying, “Be thou first to tell thy sins, that thou mayest be justified.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 25
… vi. 14 ), He says. What hardship is there in this? “If ye judge the cause of the fatherless, and see that the widow have right, come and let us converse together,” He saith, “and if your sins be as purple, I will make them white as snow.” ( Is. i. 17, 18 .) What labor is there here? “Tell thy sins, that thou mayest be justified.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 11
… xii. 21 .) For he who after sinning hath practised repentance, is a worthy object not of grief but of gratulations, having passed over into the choir of the righteous. For, (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 4
… lvii. 17, 18 . LXX.) and in Ahab’s case, this appeased the wrath of God: ( 1 Kings xxi. 29 .) concerning the latter, “Remit, and it shall be remitted unto you.” There is also again another way which bringeth us this medicine; condemning what we have done amiss; for, “Declare thou first thy transgressions, that thou mayest be justified.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 5
… For he too, had he not outstepped nature, would not have slain his child. And let nothing disturb thee then, but be lift up above the very heavens. Groan bitterly, sacrifice confession, (for, saith he, “Declare thou first thy transgressions that thou mayest be justified,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 10
Behold ye a virtuous spirit? I was not ashamed, he saith, to own before the whole multitude my involuntary sins: And if he was not ashamed to confess, much more were it our duty to do so. For saith the prophet, “Set thou forth thy cause, that thou mayest be justified.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 7
Now to this end God hath opened to us many ways. For, “Tell thou first,” saith He, “thy sins, that thou mayest be justified” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 9
… First, of the condemnation of our own sins; “For” (it is said) “mine iniquity have I not hid” ( Ps. xxxii. 5 ); and again, “I will confess against myself my lawlessness unto the Lord, and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my heart.” And “Declare thou at the first thy sins, that thou mayest be justified.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 14
[9.] Let us then also “hearken and forget” our own evils. I do not say our sins, for (He says) “Remember thou first, and I will not remember.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 1.13
… confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We are then righteous when we confess that we are sinners, and our righteousness depends not upon our own merits, but on the mercy of God, as the Holy Scripture says, “The righteous man accuseth himself when he beginneth to speak,” and elsewhere,
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 108
… because we cannot place limits to God’s mercy nor fix times for Him with whom true conversion suffers no delay of forgiveness, as says God’s Spirit by the prophet, “when thou hast turned and lamented, then shalt thou be saved ;” and elsewhere, “Declare thou thy iniquities beforehand, that thou may’st be justified
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 11.30
… xii. 6 ). Wherefore under the very stripes of God let us recall to mind both His gifts and the losses of our guilt. Let us consider what good things He has showered upon our ill-doing, and what ill things we have committed under His goodness. Let us fulfil what the Lord says through the prophet, Put me in remembrance, that we may plead together (
43:1
1. AND NOW THUS SAITH THE LORD CREATING THEE. — That Israel, afflicted by enemies, may not despair and think himself lost, He raises him up in hope, saying that God has created and formed him for Himself as a people. And that He may confirm him more in hope, He recalls four kinds of benefits conferred upon him. First, creation, saying, "creating." For God created all men, but the Hebrews in a peculiar manner, because He miraculously begot Isaac from Abraham and Sarah, who was old and barren, and Isaac begot Jacob from Rebecca, from whom the Hebrews were descended. Second, formation, when He says "forming," that is to say, Just as a potter forms and shapes a vessel for himself in honor, and distinguishes it from other vile and sordid vessels: so I have formed thee, O Israel! into a faithful, pious and holy commonwealth, giving thee the holy law and sacred ceremonies and the rites of sacrifices. Third, redemption from servitude, when He says: "I have redeemed thee." Fourth, election into a chosen and peculiar people, that thou shouldst be called the people of God, when He says: "Thou art mine." Morally, in adversities and threats of God, we ought not to lose heart, but to encourage ourselves by the remembrance of God's benefits; and to say to God: "Deliver not up to beasts the souls of them that confess to thee, and forget not the works of thy hands." Thus Forerius. I HAVE REDEEMED THEE — from captivity, both that of Egypt through Moses, and that of Babylon through Cyrus, and especially that of the devil through Christ. For "I have redeemed thee" can also be expounded by the future "I will redeem," according to Canon XIII. I HAVE CALLED THEE BY THY NAME. — He alludes to the custom of benign masters, who call by their proper name the servants whom they love and summon, saying, not, Servant, come here, but, Peter, or Paul, come; hear, Pamphilus. Thus God says, "Israel, come": for this is a sign of benevolence. Thus Vatablus. Second and better, Leo Castrius, "I have called thee by thy name," that is, as thou mayest translate from the Hebrew, I have called thy name, which is what follows: "Thou art mine." Therefore God gives Israel a new name, namely this: "Thou art mine." In like manner, Osee chapter 1, God commands to call his firstborn son "Jezrahel," that is, seed of God: but the third: "Not my people." For it is a great dignity and utility that, as the Apostle says, "we should be called and be the sons of God." For, as Plato says in the Cratylus: "It is the appellation of God, when God causes to exist in the thing named that which the name signifies." Therefore when He gives to Israel in the spirit, that is to the Church, and to faithful Christians, this name; "Thou art mine," He makes it so in reality that they themselves are the people, the peculium and possession of God. This is what from Moses, Exodus xix, 5, St. Peter says, epistle I, chapter II, 9: "You are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people," that is, as Moses has it, in Hebrew סגולה segulla, that is, the peculium and treasure of God. See the things said there.
43:2
2. WHEN THOU SHALT PASS THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH THEE, etc.; AND WHEN THOU SHALT WALK IN THE FIRE, THOU SHALT NOT BE BURNT. — Some translate it in the past tense: When thou didst pass through the waters, I was with thee, namely in the passage of the Red Sea and the Jordan; when thou didst walk in the fire, thou wast not burnt, namely when I led Abraham out of Ur, that is out of the fire, of the Chaldeans. See what is said Genesis xi, 31, as if to say: In like manner now, and henceforth I will lead thee unharmed through fire and water, that is through whatever grave perils of life, both in Babylon, and more especially in the persecution of the Emperors and tyrants who persecute Christ's Church and Christians with flame and sword, and therefore in any temptation and adversity I will free thee, or so strengthen thee, that for my name's sake thou wilt prefer to be in fire rather than in comfort, nay thou wilt rejoice and desire for God and God's faith to be drowned in waters, to be burned in fire, and thou wilt say with St. Laurence: "Thou hast tried me with fire, and iniquity hath not been found in me." For as Christ conquered death by dying, so St. Laurence and the Martyrs burned in fire, proved superior to fire and tyrants by their magnanimity and constancy, nay they provoked fire as it were to a duel. As St. Ignatius did, writing to the Romans: "Fire, he says, cross, beasts, etc., let all the torments of the devil come upon me, only that I may enjoy Christ." Whence Clement of Alexandria, lib. I Pædag. cap. ix: "If thou shalt pass, he says, through fire, thou shalt not be burnt, because thou shalt not fall into corruption, but shalt pass on to immortality;" and thou shalt say with the Psalmist: "We have passed through fire and water, and thou hast brought us out into a place of refreshment." Appositely St. Athanasius, lib. De Incarnat. Verbi, and from him Leo Castrius: "As, he says, from asbestos stone (as Dioscorides testifies, lib. V, cap. cxiii, and Pliny, lib. XXXVI, cap. xix), being ductile and flexible, weavers draw out threads, and from them weave cloths and sails which if they be cast into fire, they burn indeed, but come forth from the flames unconquered and more splendid: so the blessed Virgin bore the Lamb, from whose glorious fleece was made for us the garment of immortality: clothed in which, we can neither be burned by fire, nor enclosed by waters, nor by anything, but pass through all torments unharmed, and fly to heaven." For the soul flies away at once, the body will fly away in the resurrection. Nay, thus literally in the furnace of Babylon the Angel by his garment as it were protected the three youths from fire on account of the merit of chastity, innocence, religion and constancy, the Angel, I say, like unto the Son of God, and a type of Christ, Daniel III, 92. Thus St. John came forth unharmed from the vat of boiling oil here at Rome before the Latin Gate (a place I have often visited with great sense of piety, and have seen). Thus concerning St. Polycarp placed on a burning pyre the Smyrneans write in Eusebius, lib. IV Histor. cap. xv: "The fire made a chamber-like form, and like a sail of a ship filled with wind, surrounded the body of the Martyr as with a wall; and it was in the midst not as burning flesh, but as gold and silver tried in a furnace. For we perceived such a fragrance of good odor, as if either frankincense or some other precious spice were breathing forth. At length therefore the wicked, when they saw that his body could not be consumed by fire, order the executioner to come near, and to pierce it through with a sword. Which being done, much blood flowed forth, so that the fire was extinguished, and all the multitude marveled." Thus St. Vincent under Dacian, St. Cecilia, St. Lucy, St. Agnes, and many other virgins, remained unharmed in the flames, Christ protecting them: and with no less miracle, when they were tempted on all sides by the fire of lust, they were not burned by it, but remained inviolate: nay they obtained from their spouse Christ an angel as the guardian and perpetual avenger of their virginity. Thus also St. Dominic, not the founder of the Order of Preachers, but another of the same Order and name, tempted by a woman from without, by a demon from within with the fire of lust, when he strongly A remarkable example concerning this matter is related by St. Paulinus, in his epistle to Macarius, about a certain old catechumen who was called Victor at his baptism. For he alone in a ship, torn away by the force of a tempest, without a rudder, without food, without any human aid, was tossed about in the sea for several weeks, protected, nourished and guided by God and His Angels: "For Christ Himself, says Paulinus, now gleaming with His own countenance, now venerable through the mouth of St. Felix, sat in the stern, and caressed the old man, who reclined his head between His knees; and he saw Angels also frequently keeping watch over the ship, and performing all the duties of a sailor: nor indeed did Angels as sailors guide that ship alone; its helmsman was the governor of the world. For twenty-three days a man, excluded not only from lands but from men, the sport of all winds, an exile from all earth, a stranger to a different sea, and deprived of the human race, amid waves and sea-beasts, in the wandering lodging of an erratic ship, worn out by fastings, old age, and fear, I ask you, did he endure by his own nature? To whom then can it be obscure that God was in him. The ship first was driven to the City, and the Roman harbor saw the lighthouse: then it traversed Campania in long stretches, and with changed whirlwinds flew over to the shores of Africa; and torn away again from there, it crossed Sicily; thus plowing the straits, as if a divine ship, and endowed with a spirit divinely sent, it of its own accord avoided what was to be avoided, and sought what was to be sought. At last it put an end to its wanderings and perils on the shores of Lucania." There indeed the old man, calling out for the aid of fishermen, had his ship drawn to shore by them, and saw the harbor. Wherefore, giving thanks to God, having received baptism, he established a holy and Christian life. Paulinus narrates these things at length and elegantly. Thus God rules His faithful, who leads them like a sheep Joseph. Mystically St. Gregory, book VI, epistle 169 to Cyriacus: "When thou shalt pass through the waters, I will be with thee, and the rivers shall not cover thee. For those rivers cover whom the actions of this world confound with perturbation of mind. For he who holds the grace of the Holy Spirit in his mind, passes through waters, and yet is not covered by rivers; because even amid the very crowds of peoples he conducts the steps of his journey in such a way that he does not submit the head of his mind to the actions of the world." all temptations overcome, he heard demons crying out: "Thou hast conquered, because thou hast been in fire, and hast not been burned." Bartholomaeus Pisanus relates in the Deeds of St. Francis, that Frederick II the Emperor invited St. Francis from a sermon which he had delivered against the vice of lust to dinner, and having treated him sumptuously, led him alone into a bedroom, where a harlot was prepared, who enticed him to turpitude. Immediately the Saint threw himself into a fire burning in the bedroom, and reclining in it as if in a bed, invited that same harlot to him: she, struck both by the fire's burning and by the man's holiness, immediately took to flight. The Emperor, having observed everything through cracks, seeing the blessed man with his body whole and unharmed by the fire, whom he had determined to mock, began greatly to admire and venerate him. Such even now are many Religious, and virgins, who live angelically in the flesh, who like salamanders in this fire, through the grace of Christ, dwell whole and unharmed. See the words of Daniel, chapter III, verse 4. From this place of Isaiah St. Cyprian, in the tract On the Exhortation of Martyrs, teaches that the faithful ought not to fear injuries, nor persecutions: "Because, he says, the Lord is greater in protecting than the devil in attacking. Wherefore in persecutions let no one think what danger the devil brings, but rather let him consider what aid God provides: nor let human harassment weaken the mind, but let the protection of the Lord strengthen faith, when each one according to the promises of the Lord, and the merits of his faith, receives so much of the aid of God as he believes he will receive; nor let there be anything which the Almighty cannot provide, unless the faith of the receiver, being frail, should fail." The same, in the tract On the Lord's Prayer: "Since all things are God's, he says, he who has God will lack nothing, if he himself does not fail God."
43:3
3. I HAVE GIVEN EGYPT AS THY RANSOM, ETHIOPIA AND SABA FOR THEE. — St. Jerome takes "ransom" actively, as if to say: I have given to thee, O Israel, O Church! the Egyptians, Ethiopians and Sabeans, so that by preaching the Gospel of Christ thou mightest convert them, reconcile them to God and make them propitious. "And I will give men for thee," that is, all men to whom thou shalt preach, whom thou shalt convert, their salvation shall be imputed to thee. But thus "for thee" is taken quite improperly by the Seventy. It is better to take "ransom" passively for a sin-offering, or expiatory victim, but a human one (which the ancients called καθάρματα) such as was M. Curtius, who as a horseman leapt into a great chasm in the earth at Rome to appease the divine wrath toward the whole people by his death. Such also was symbolically that scapegoat or emissary goat, to which the High Priest, on the day of expiation, imprecated the sins of the whole people, and thus sent it into the desert to be devoured by wild beasts, as I said from Origen and Cyril on Leviticus, chapter xvi, 21 and following. The sense therefore is, as if to say: When Sennacherib threatened Israel, that is Judea and Jerusalem, and that city was about to be laid waste and as it were devoured by him, I brought it about that in place of Judea, Sennacherib should be offered up as an expiatory victim, Ethiopia, Egypt and Saba, to be slain by him. Whence the Septuagint translates: I have made an exchange of thy ransom, Egypt and Ethiopia and Saba for thee. This is what is said in Proverbs xi, 8: "The just shall be delivered out of distress: and the wicked shall be delivered in his stead." See the history above, chapter xxxvii, where it is narrated that Sennacherib, having left Jerusalem, went against Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, who was moving arms against him, and chapter xx, where Egypt conspiring with Ethiopia is foretold to be laid waste by Sennacherib. Moreover, Saba here is a part of Ethiopia, in which reigned the queen of Saba, namely Abyssinia, where now reigns the Prester John, whence came the Eunuch of Candace queen of the Ethiopians to Jerusalem, converted and baptized by Philip, Acts viii, 27. But under this type something deeper is understood concerning the Christian Church, as if to say: For thee, O Israel! that is O Church of the faithful! I will destroy the Ethiopians, Egyptians and Sabeans, that is all nations and enemies opposing thee, and I will make them as it were a victim for thee, through which my justice and righteous vengeance shall be fulfilled and as it were satisfied, and thereby all the more reconciled to thee. Thus Cyril. Otherwise Procopius, St. Jerome and Forerius, as if to say: I have given "ransom," or as the Septuagint, exchange, that is in exchange and as the price of thy blood and that of thy Martyrs, O Israel, my servant! that is, O Christ! I have delivered and subjected to thy Church Egypt, Ethiopia and all parts of the world. This sense agrees with the first. For according to the rule of Ticonius, what is said of the body, that is the Church, applies also to the head, that is Christ: and vice versa. Thus therefore Christ represents the Church, as a king represents his kingdom. What follows favors Christ: "I will give peoples for thy soul." Note here that the nations hostile to the Church have been made victims, either because remaining in infidelity they were slain and cut off by God, or rather because God subjected them to Christ, and made them from unbelievers faithful and subject to Christ. For thus they were victims most pleasing to God, since dying to sin and to the old life, they began to live to God: offering these, Paul says, Romans xv, 16: "That I may be a minister of Christ Jesus among the Gentiles: sanctifying (in Greek ἱερουργοῦντα, that is sacrificing) the Gospel of God, that the oblation (victim) of the Gentiles may be made acceptable, and sanctified in the Holy Ghost." And to this victim he willingly offers his own blood as a libation, Philippians ii, 17, saying: "Yea, and if I be offered up upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and congratulate myself with you all." And of this he says, Romans xii, 1: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service."
43:4
4. AND I WILL GIVE MEN FOR THEE. — As I gave the Ethiopians for thee, so also will I give the Babylonians; for Cyrus destroyed them, that he might free the Jews: much more will I give men and all peoples for Christ and the Church, that is I will overthrow them, or convert them, as I have already said.
43:5
5. I WILL BRING FROM THE EAST, — as if to say: In the Babylonian captivity ye shall be scattered into the four quarters of the world, as is said in Zechariah ii, 6; but from all I will bring you back into Judea. Much more do these things apply to the Gentiles brought from all quarters of the world, and coming to the Church of Christ. Thus from the West came and come to it the Europeans; from the East the Indians; from the North the Goths, Livonians, Muscovites, Poles; from the South the Egyptians and Africans. Whence follows:
43:7
7. AND EVERY ONE THAT CALLETH UPON MY NAME. — The to is causal, signifying because, as if to say: I will bring them forth, because I have created, formed and made them faithful Christians, to this end, that they might call upon and celebrate my name, and serve me in Majesty and glory in holiness and justice, all the days of their life, nay even of their eternity.
43:8
8. BRING FORTH THE BLIND PEOPLE. — Calvin thus translates and explains it: I will bring forth the blind, so that I may restore sight to them; the deaf I will thus free, so that they may recover their ears, as if to say: In captivity their eyes shall be opened so that they may see, and their ears so that they may hear, from which they are already deprived by their own malice, while they close them. But the Hebrew stands in the way, which word for word has: Bring forth or cast out the blind people, who have eyes; and the deaf, who have ears. Some take these things concerning the Gentiles who are idolaters; but I say the Prophet speaks concerning the Jews; for these he called blind and deaf in the preceding chapter, verse 19: for such they became when the Gentiles were illuminated by Christ, as if to say: Cast out, O Christ! through yourself and your Apostles, from yourself and your Church the Jews, who have eyes with which they may see your miracles; and ears with which they may hear your doctrine; but the light of truth which they see and hear, they are unwilling to receive and to admit into their mind. These blind ones and deaf ones therefore reject, and rather blind them more, and finally cast them into eternal darkness, and bring it about that in place of the Jews, all the tribes of the Gentiles may be joined to you and to your Church. Thus St. Jerome, Procopius and Theodoret. See Prosper, book I On the Calling of the Gentiles, chapter vi. This is what Christ says in Matthew viii, 12: "The children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness," that is, the extreme, or that which occupies all those things which are outside the kingdom of God. For in the kingdom of God there is light; but outside, whatever there is, is dark, indeed mere darkness.
43:9
9. ALL NATIONS ARE GATHERED TOGETHER. — The Prophet returns in his customary manner to the Gentiles and their idols, with which he began to dispute in chapter xli, verse 22. Now understand the little word "if" to be supplied, as if to say, "If all nations are gathered together," or imagine them to be gathered together in your mind, or, as Vatablus translates it, let all nations be gathered together with their gods, let them do and proclaim the things which I do and proclaim here, let them produce witnesses if they have any. I have demonstrated from chapter xxx until now that I am Jehovah, God who made the past things as I foretold them, and who am about to make new things, namely that the Messiah come forth from the stock of Abraham, who will illuminate the whole world and redeem it from the power of the devil; at whose coming the Jews will degenerate from the faith of their fathers, and will become blind and will perish: wherefore in their place I will call and substitute the Gentiles, and will incorporate them into the seed of Abraham. What one of the Gentiles, what one of the gods knew this mystery? Who foretold it? "Let them give witnesses," if they have any, "of oracles, and let them be justified," that is, let them justify their cause, namely let them prove themselves to be gods from the foreknowledge of future things, so that the listening peoples may say: "Truly," namely, these are gods and foreknowers of future things. Thus St. Cyril, Forerius and others.
43:10
10. YOU ARE MY WITNESSES, SAITH THE LORD, AND MY SERVANT, WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN. — The Gentiles and idols have no witnesses of their oracles and miracles: but I bring forth many. You, O Israelites! are witnesses of those things which I say: for you have already recently seen me deliver you from Sennacherib, and his camp fallen by an Angel, as I promised. Likewise you have seen the miracle of the sun and the shadow turned back on the dial of Achaz, and the life of your king Hezekiah, already taken away, restored to him by me. You also, O Prophets! are witnesses of your oracles, that is, of mine. You finally, O Apostles, O faithful, O Martyrs! in the time of Christ, will be witnesses, when you shall see these oracles and promises of mine truly fulfilled. This is what Christ says, Acts cap. I, 8: "You shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth." AND MY SERVANT, — that is, Cyrus, says Hugo: for he indeed, liberating the Jews from Babylon, was as it were a witness of the divine promise concerning the same liberation. Secondly, Forerius takes it as Isaiah. Thirdly and most rightly, others throughout take it as Christ; for he indeed, cap. xlii, 1, was called the "servant" of God, and he, by fulfilling these oracles of God through his words, deeds, miracles, and his passion and redemption, will be a witness, that is, will truly testify and demonstrate that they are true, and consequently that both himself and the Father, by whom he was sent, are the true God. Whence concerning the same he says, cap. lv, vers. 4: "Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and a master to the Gentiles;" thus in the Apocalypse I, 5, it is said: "From Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness;" and cap. III, vers. 14: "Thus saith: Amen, the faithful and true witness."
43:12
12. I HAVE ANNOUNCED, AND I HAVE SAVED: I HAVE MADE IT HEARD, AND THERE WAS NO STRANGER AMONG YOU, — that is, another, namely God, who would do these things, as if to say Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, etc., and recently Hezekiah, to whom I foretold and bestowed salvation, either from enemies or from disease, whom I thus protected and magnified, these, I say, did not worship other gods, but me alone. Indeed, by my aid the Canaanites and other nations worshipping other gods were driven from their land: therefore they accomplished this not by the power of gods, but by mine alone.
43:13
13. There is none that can deliver out of my hand, — as if to say I have the keys of life and death, the soul and breath of each man I hold in my hand, I give life and death, I alone am God almighty and all-knowing. From me idols, princes, and all mortal things are condemned to death, as Seneca says. Would that we often thought on this, and strove to serve him alone, and to revere and fear him, "who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell!"
43:14
14. FOR YOUR SAKE I SENT (shall send Cyrus) INTO BABYLON, AND (through him) I DREW DOWN (that is shall draw down) ALL THE BARS, — as if to say the bars of the gates, and all the strength and fortifications of Babylon I shall break, that I may free you from it: in like manner through Christ, whose type was Cyrus, from Babylon, that is the world, and from the power of the Chaldeans, that is demons, I shall free you. Thus St. Jerome, Procopius and Cyril. By "bars" Jerome again understands princes, because they are strong and powerful. Secondly, Sanchez by "bars" understands obstacles and hindrances, which were as it were prisons and bolts by which God had hitherto kept the Persians and Medes eager for war and dominion, and as it were confined them, but now that these are broken he has set them free, so that they rush headlong into Babylon. These bars Zechariah, cap. vi, 1, calls "mountains of brass." Thirdly and most rightly, "bars" are the walls, towers, gates, and their bars and locks, and all the fortifications of Babylon. The Septuagint for bars renders, fleeing. For the Hebrew בריח bariach signifies both: for the root ברח barach means he fled, whence the bar is called bariach, because it runs across, and as it were flees from one end to the other. Moreover by fleeing Cyril understands the Persians, as if to say the Persians, who before had fled the Chaldeans, now animated by God shall invade them. Procopius however understands the Chaldeans, whom the Persians pursuing as they fled, slew or took captive. AND THE CHALDEANS IN THEIR SHIPS GLORYING. — Babylon is washed by the Tigris and Euphrates: for these rivers as it were enclose and surround the city with bars, and through aqueducts stagnating in many places (as happens in Venice) provide it with wonderful utility as well as delights: but Cyrus removed and overturned these, when by diverting the Euphrates into other and many channels through soldiers, he invaded and occupied the city with dry foot, as I shall show in Jeremiah L, 36.
43:16
16. Who gave a way in the sea (the Red Sea), and a path in the mighty waters. — He recalls the former benefits and miracles bestowed on Israel, in the passage of the Red Sea, Exod. cap. xiv. By the waters of the torrent he understands either the waters of the Jordan, which the Hebrews, under the leadership of Joshua, crossed with dry bed, when it was swollen at the time of harvest, and therefore was borne along headlong with great force like a torrent, Joshua iii; or rather the waters of the Red Sea, as in the latter verse, after the manner of Hebrew rhythm, he elegantly says the same thing as in the former. Whence the Septuagint renders, mighty water, as is said of the passage of the Red Sea in Exod. xv, 10: "They sank as lead in the mighty waters." For the waters of the Red Sea, suspended by God on either side like mountains, so as to give a middle path for the passage of the Hebrews, as if suffering force, and roaring, once they had crossed, soon with great crash rolled together, like torrents, nay like mountains, pursuing the Egyptians and overwhelmed them. Thus St. Jerome, Procopius, Sanchez, Forerius and others. This is what follows:
43:17
17. WHO BROUGHT OUT THE CHARIOT, — that is to say, God drew on and as it were induced Pharaoh with his chariots and forces into the Red Sea, so that he might pursue the Hebrews, and there drowned him. Whence the Egyptians fell asleep in perpetual death there. THEY ARE BROKEN AS FLAX, AND EXTINGUISHED, — with that same ease, namely, by which flax, or tow set on fire or smoking, when plunged into strong waters, or a great river, is soon broken and extinguished. Again, because the soul is like a certain spark of fire in us, hence he called the Egyptians extinguished, as smoking flax. Thirdly, in smoking flax he notes the wrath and ardor of pursuing the Hebrews in the Egyptians, which like a flame was extinguished by waters. Thus Forerius.
43:18
18. Remember not the former things, — that is to say, Great appear these miracles which I did for you in the Red Sea; but they are small, or nothing, if compared with those which I shall do for you in the Church of Christ. For those by their magnitude and glory shall bury these old things. Thus St. Jerome, Procopius, Sanchez, Forerius and others. Let Christians note here how many and how great benefits they have been heaped with by God before the Jews, and all the nations of all ages, and let them show themselves grateful to God.
43:19
19. I WILL MAKE A WAY IN THE DESERT. — Some take these things literally concerning the return from Babylon: for then indeed either literally, as they sound, these things were given by God to the Hebrews, as they were given to them, when with the leader Moses they journeyed through the desert into Chanaan: or by these as it were in proverbs only it is signified, that the Jews, returning from Babylon, received very great benefits from God. But those were of old, and those exiles; here however God promises new things to the new Church, and magnificent ones. He speaks therefore of grace poured out through Christ upon the Gentiles, "that where iniquity abounded, grace also might abound." Yet he alludes to the type of the Hebrews, crossing the desert under the leader Moses. For then God went before them as it were in the way, in a pillar of fire and cloud; then also from the rock struck by Moses he gave them abundant waters, and as it were rivers, which would suffice for such great camps, and which endured, and thereafter flowed perpetually: so that after the departure of the Hebrews, wild beasts, dragons and ostriches parched with thirst would extinguish it; and therefore with silent voice they would glorify God and give him thanks. Whence Abulensis in Numbers xx, Question II and III, holds with the Hebrews that these waters not only flowed through the desert and followed the Hebrews, as the Apostle hints at in I Corinthians x, 4; but also from that time Arabia became habitable because of the waters drawn forth by Moses and enduring, when before on account of aridity, heat and thirst it was uninhabitable; which is to be discussed elsewhere. The sense therefore is, that is to say, I once opened a way to the Hebrews in the Red Sea, and in the impassable desert: but now I shall open a way through the whole world as it were a great sea to all nations, a way, I say, to Christ, the Church, salvation and heaven, and I shall give in the wilderness of the Gentiles not to the body, but to the soul from "the fountains of the Savior" not a river, but rivers of grace, so that the nations, barbarous and savage, like dragons, ostriches and other beasts, nay even incorporated with Leviathan himself, as I said in chapter xxvii, verse 1, may praise and glorify me. Thus St. Jerome. Hence Plato, in book III of the Republic, teaches that in man, as in the Trojan horse, there are all animals: for in the deceitful one is the fox, in the cruel the lion, in the lustful the sow fond of mud, in the sluggish the ass, in the suspicious the keen sense of dogs, in the gluttonous the wolf, in the vain male and female the peacock, in the talkative the magpie, etc. And some think this is what Pythagoras meant, when he said that the souls of the wicked degenerate and migrate into the bodies of beasts, and clothe themselves in lions, wolves, dogs, etc. See Canon XIX. In a similar way St. Gregory, in book XXXI of the Morals, chapter v, verse 6, by "dragons" understands men creeping on the ground, carnal, and manifestly wicked, but by "ostriches" hypocrites. For the ostrich has feathers as if about to fly, and yet does not fly. Both of these, converted by Christ and the Apostles, will sincerely and seriously glorify God. The Septuagint for dragons renders Sirens, such namely as fascinated the companions of Ulysses by their song, and converted them into pigs, asses and other beasts. Such are mistresses and procuresses, who madden young men by their form, voice and gestures: these Christ and the Apostles will convert, and teach them to sing Alleluia to God.
43:21
21. THIS PEOPLE HAVE I FORMED FOR MYSELF, THEY SHALL SHOW FORTH MY PRAISE. — Hence it is clear that by "dragons, ostriches," etc., not beasts, but men and people are understood. He answers the third objection of the Jews saying: How, O Lord, having abandoned us, who are faithful men, and a people once chosen by you, who worship you with victims and incense, do you transfer yourself to the Gentiles, who live not as men, but as dragons and beasts? How do you take them to yourself and choose them? God responds: I have formed this people, I have raised up sons of Abraham from stones, nay from beasts, so that he himself might perpetually represent and celebrate magnificence in himself, beneficence, power and glory. Whence it follows:
43:22
22. YOU HAVE NOT CALLED UPON ME, JACOB, NOR HAVE YOU LABORED IN ME, ISRAEL. — "In me," that is in my worship. It is a new objection. For he answers another objection and insistence of the Jews. For Israel will say: If you have called the Gentiles, that they may praise you, what else do I do? Do I not sing psalms and hymns to you? Do I not offer you incense and victims? The Lord responds: "You have not called upon me;" your invocations, praises and psalms, are not praises of me, but reproaches; and therefore you have not offered them to me, nor glorified me with them, but dishonored me; consequently I have not required this servitude of offerings, and the labor of burning incense from you, I have not willed it, I have not desired it, because those things bring me not pleasure, but trouble; both because you praise me polluted with crimes, you sacrifice to me; and because you think me reconciled and delighted by these external praises and victims. You are deceived: for I am not pleased by victims of oxen and rams, I do not feed on them, I am not made drunk, I do not smell the aromatic cane, and the smoke of incense, I am nourished and delighted by no odor: but by a contrite and pure heart, namely by the victims of the mind, and the incense of virtues, which you neglect: and that you might be induced to offer these, I instituted these external sacrifices, as mere incentives. Thus St. Jerome, Procopius and others. This is what he said in chapter I: "To what purpose is the multitude of your victims to me?" etc. See the things said there. Otherwise the Syriac and Arabic translate, namely: You have not called me, O Jacob! and (or because) behold I have called you, Israel.
43:24
THE CANE — aromatic. Forerius takes it as cinnamon, which is commonly so called, which he himself distinguishes from cinnamom. See the things said in Exodus xxx, 24, and Jeremiah chapter vi, 20. You have made me to serve, — as if to say: I have not made you serve me in victims: but you have made me serve you, that is, you have burdened me with your sins, afflicted me with trouble, and, as if I were your servant or slave, have loaded me down. It is a catachresis. This is what he said in chapter I, verse 14: "I have labored bearing." Whence the Septuagint translates, in your sins and iniquities you have stood before me (for thus the Roman edition reads, and Irenaeus and Procopius, although others read otherwise, as I shall say presently) as shameless and impudent, not so much offering victims as sins before my eyes, displaying them, and as if offering them, and therefore irritating me, and as if mocking me, nay fighting against me. For the sinner stands before God with his sins, as if about to fight against him. For sins are certain darts, which the sinner aims and hurls against God, says Sanchez. This is the genuine sense. Morally, let Christians take note that when they sin, they make God to themselves and to their sins as it were a servant. For by his concurrence, nature and gifts received from him, they abuse them for crimes, and drag God and God's gifts, as if unwilling, to those crimes. Secondly, Forerius explains, as if to say: You have not so much served me with your sacrifices, as I have served your gain, honor, feasts and pleasures from them, O priests and Jews! when I would permit you to be expiated by them, and to be held in the people as expiated, when in truth these would have no power of expiating, but would leave you sinners just as before. Thirdly, from Lactantius, book IV, chapter xix, Leo Castrius, as if to say: By your sins to "serve," that is to put on the flesh of a slave, to undergo the punishments of a slave, namely the cross, you have made "me" Christ: nay both you, O Israel! and Pilate and the Romans have treated me in death, not so much as a slave, as a beast or brute animal. Whence according to St. Jerome the Septuagint thus translate: ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις σου ὑπερήσπισά σε; in your sins I have defended you, and as a hyperaspist I have opposed myself as a shield for you against the wrath of God. Thus also from the Septuagint read Cyril, Theodoret and Eusebius, book X of the Demonstration. Otherwise St. Jerome explains the Septuagint: As if, he says, it were labor for God, and weariness to defend sinners. Just as if merciful and sparing God fights against himself, and his own justice, demanding that just vengeance strike down sins and sinners.
43:25
25. I am, I am myself, who blot out thy iniquities (that is to say, not thy victims, which have more of wickedness than of piety, not the works of the law done by thee, as thou thinkest: but I through Christ, and through the merits of Christ, blot out thy iniquities) for my sake (that is, for the sake of my immense mercy, and my pure love, not for the merits of thy fathers): AND I WILL NOT REMEMBER THY SINS,—so as to impute them to thee for guilt and punishment, so as to avenge them: otherwise indeed the memory of sins remains in God equally as of all past things, knowing, but not avenging. St. Jerome notes that deleo alludes to a handwriting, which man while he sins, as it were writes with his own hand, and subscribes with his own name, by which he sells himself to sin and the devil as it were as a slave, binds and devotes himself. God deletes and abolishes this, while He deletes the guilt and obligation of sin. On which see Origen, homily 13 in Genesis. Secondly, the ego ego repeated has emphasis, and is of one assuring, and as it were taking pleasure and glorying. How therefore are we not seized with love for so indulgent a father, who in himself is our pure love? St. Ambrose prudently, book II On Penance, chapter vi: "I, says God, blot out thy iniquities, and I will not remember; but thou remember for correction: remember, that thou mayest know that thy sin is forgiven, lest thou glory as if innocent."
43:26
26. BRING ME INTO REMEMBRANCE, AND LET US JUDGE TOGETHER: TELL IF THOU HAST ANYTHING TO JUSTIFY THYSELF.—Note here the humanity of God, who descends to our judgments, and submits himself as it were to the arbitration of men, that is to say, O Israel! who thinkest thou art justified by the works of the law, whatever merits thou hast, on account of which thou thinkest I ought to forgive thee, and blot out thy iniquities, bring them forth into the open, cause them to come into my mind: for I remember nothing of the sort. It is a tacit mockery. For who teaches God, or brings anything into his remembrance? Thus Forerius. LET US JUDGE TOGETHER,—that we may see whether from thy works and merits, or truly from my mere mercy the remission of sins ought to come to thee, that thou mayest be "justified," that in this cause and suit thou mayest come out superior, and show that the right stands with thee, and so a sentence be pronounced for thee, namely this, that the remission of sins is to be ascribed to thy merits, not to the grace of God. Thus Forerius. This is the genuine sense. Otherwise St. Gregory explains this, book XXVI of Morals, chapter vi, namely concerning the examination of conscience, especially that which precedes the confession of sins, so that those doing this afterwards, and receiving absolution, may be justified. For this examination is like a private and domestic judgment, in which he describes the required persons, namely, the accuser, the judge, the officer and the executioner thus: "Conscience, he says, accuses, reason judges, fear binds, sorrow torments." Finally the Septuagint translates, do thou tell thy iniquities first that thou mayest be justified, which St. Cyril, Ambrose, Augustine, Leo, Chrysostom, and from them Leo Castrius, understand concerning Sacramental confession, which they prove from this place to be a necessary means to justification. Indeed in this sense Castrius accepts and interprets our Vulgate version.
43:27
27. THY FATHER FIRST SINNED,—that is to say, do not say thou art justified on account of the merits of thy fathers: for they themselves also sinned. For who would say that by his merit we are freed from sin, who was once subject to sin? "Father" therefore is either Adam: for he first sinned, and poured sin into all his posterity. Or rather Abraham: for he was properly the father of the Jews, that is, the patriarch, and the Jews thought that on account of his merits justice and all things were owed to them. Whence they perpetually boasted: "We have Abraham for our father, and we are the seed of Abraham." Moreover Abraham sinned, because before he was called by God, he worshipped the idols of his nation, namely of the Chaldeans, as is plain from Joshua, chapter xxiv, 2. See the passages Genesis, chapter xi, 31, and chapter xii, 1. AND THY INTERPRETERS,—namely Moses and Aaron, who were mediators and messengers between God and the people. These also transgressed, namely at the waters of contradiction, and therefore were excluded by God from entering the promised land. Whence also Hosea
43:28
28. I HAVE DEFILED THE PRINCES OF THE SANCTUARY, — that is, I have shown them defiled by sin (see Can. XXIX), and unworthy to enter the holy land: wherefore I have condemned them as guilty of sin to death, and forced them to die in the desert. I GAVE JACOB TO UTTER DESTRUCTION (when I condemned all the Jacobites, that is the Hebrews, equally to death to be undergone in the desert on account of their murmuring, Numer. xiv, 29. And so I gave) ISRAEL TO BLASPHEMY, — that is, as the Chaldean and Septuagint versions have it, to reproach from enemies. For enemies mocked them and derided them, because on account of their crimes they were all being killed in the desert by their God, who had led them out of Egypt. In what manner therefore can the justice of your fathers justify you, who were condemned to death on account of their crimes? There is therefore no reason for you to glory in their merits, O Israel! "For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God," Rom. cap. iii, 23. And so not Aaron through his merits or sacrifices expiates you; but God's mercy, by which you are justified freely through Christ. Wherefore it is no wonder if I wished to create a new people of believers from the Gentiles, who acknowledge this very thing, so that he himself might celebrate my mercy, when he sees that he had nothing from himself except sins for which he should blush, and that he has been justified by my mere grace. Thus St. Jerome, Forerius and others.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
43:3
qui praenuntiat de futuris suppliciis. Oseae ult.: «Quis sapieus, et intelliget ista; intelligens, et sciet hoc?» Secundo determinat veritatem quantum ad poenae auctorem: Quis dedit in direptionem Jacob? 1 Regum 2: «Dominus mortificat et vivificat, deducit ad inferos et reducit.» Secundo quantum ad culpam: Nonne Dominus ipse cui peccavimus? Baruch 14. «Justitias ipsius nescierunt, neque ambulaverunt per viam mandatorum Dei.» Et quantum ad poenam, Et effudit. Ps. 68: «Effunde super eos iram tuam, et furor irae tuae comprehendat eos.» Effusio abundantiam significat. Tertio excludit veritatis cognitionem: Et combustit, scilicet materiali igne per hostium vastationem; non cognovit, se adeo pro peccatis suis punitum. Psalm. 81: «Nescierunt neque intellexerunt, in tenebris ambulant.»
Hic ostendit eis divinam dilectionem per remedia quae eis inter angustias concessit. Et dividitur in partes tres. In prima promittit futura remedia, ad ostendendam dilectionem; in secunda commemorat praeterita beneficia, ad confirmandum promissionem; ibi, Haec dicit Dominus; in tertia excludit merita, ad tollendam praesumptionem; ibi, Non me invocasti, Jacob, nec laborasti in me Israel. Circa primum tria facit. Primo ostendit in eos divinae dilectionis privilegium; secundo ex promissis remediiis excludit divinae protestatis consorium. ibi, Omnes gentes congregatae sunt simul; in tertia ponit dilectionis significationem. ibi, Haec dicit Dominus redemptor vester. Circa primum promittit eis tria remedia. Primo in poenis sustentationem, excludens timorem ex divina praesentia: Creans te, quantum ad substantiae principium: Deut. 52: «Ipse est pater tuus, qui possedit et fecit et creavit te:» faciens, quantum ad formam quam dedit. Gen. 2: «Formavit Deus hominem de limo terrae.» Redemi te, a malis. Oseae 13: «De manu mortis liberabo eos, et de morte redimam eos.» Et vocavi, ad gratiam. Oseae 2: «Voca bo non plebem meam plebem meam.» Ponit promotionem: Cum transiveris per aquas, Aegyptias, flumina Chaldaeai; igne, Graeci; flumina Romani. Non enim ex toto sunt consumpti. Ps. 65: «Transivimus per ignem et aquam, et eduxisti nos in « refrigerium. » Et assignat hujus rationem: Quia ego Dominus. Supra 12: « Vere ipse Deus salvator noster. » Secundo promittit poenarum commutationem ut scilicet alios loco ipsius puniat. Et ponit commutationem. Dedi propitiationem, idest ut propitiator, quasi poenis eos affligens qui te ad peccandum sui auxilii spe provocabant. Saba, civitas Æthiopiæ. Prov. 11: « Justus de angustia liberatus est, et tradetur impius pro eo. » Et assignat rationem, scilicet ipsam dilectionem: Ex quo honorabile, idest feci et reputavi te honorabilem. Pro te, pro liberatione tua. Jer. 51: « Si filius mihi honorabilis Ephraim, si puer delictus. » Tertio promittit eis a tribulationibus omnimodam liberationem: et circa hoc tria facit.
43:5
Primo promittit liberationis beneficium, Noli timere ab oriente: quia undique dispersi erant.
43:7
Supra 11: « Congregabit profugos Israel. » Secundo adducit liberationis meritum: Et omnem qui invocat nomen meum, adducam, in gloriam meam, ut glorificet me, et ut ipse gloriosus appaream. Joel. 2: « Omnis quicumque invocaverit nomen Domini, salvus erit. » Tertio promulgat liberationis præceptum. Educ, o Cyre, foras, extra terram captivitatis, populum, scilicet Judæorum. Jer. 5: « Audi popule stulte, qui non habes cor, qui habentes oculos non videtis, et aures, et non auditis. » Omnes gentes congregatæ sunt simul. Hic excludit divinitatis consortium. Et primo ostendit aliorum deorum falsitatem per modum judicii, ponens gentium ad idola consensum: Congregatæ sunt, in unum errorem. Ps. 13: « Omnes declinaverunt, simul inutiles facti sunt: petens divinitatis signum. Qu s ex vobis; idest, quis deorum vestrorum. Vel loquitur ad idola, et petit testimonium.
43:9
Dent testes, et justificentur: juste dicantur dii; et testes audiánt, ab eis futura, et dicant, pro vobis testimonium. Supra 41: « Non est annuntians neque prædicens, neque audiens sermones vestros. » Secundo prædicat suæ divinitatis veritatem: et primo quantum ad scientiam; secundo quantum ad potentiam; ibi, Vos testes mei. Circa primum duo facit. Primo dat testimonium: Vere vos testes mi, et servus meus, populus Jacob, vel Christus. Act. 1: « Eritis mihi testes in omni Judæa et Jerusalem. » Ponens cognoscendi modum, Ut sciat is, quantum ad ea quæ per naturales rationes de Deo sciri possunt, et credatis, quantum ad ea quæ supra rationem sunt: et sic intelligatis: quia « nisi credideritis, non intelligetis, » sup. 7, secundum aliam litteram. Ponens etiam testimonium dictum, quod ipse sit solus Deus: Quia ego solus, sum, Deus.
43:10
Ante me non est formatus Deus Deut. 32: « Videte quod ego sim solus, et non sit alius Deus præter me. » Et quod sit solus Dominus, Ego sum, singulariter, ego sum, et excellentior. Act. 4: « Salus non est in aliquo alio. » Secundo dat divinitas est signum. Ego annuntiavi . . . et non fuit, a quo scire possetis. Ps. 80: « Israel, si me audieris. non erit in te deus recens, nec adorabis deum alienum. »
Nota super illo verbo, Cum ambulareris in igne, non combureris, quia Deus liberat sanctos suos ab igne multiplici. Primo carnalis tentationis. Job 50:
« Ignis est usque ad consummationem devorans. » Secundo temporalis tribulationis. Ps. 16: « Igne me examinasti, et non est inventa in me iniquitas. » Tertio æternæ damnationis. Matth. 25: « Ite maledicti in ignem æternum. » Quarto divinæ indignationis. Deu. 52. « Ignis succensus est in furore meo. » Primo igne utuntur læsivientes. 1 Cor. 7: « Melius est nubere quam uri. » Secundo impatientes. Supra 13: « Facies combusta vultus eorum. » Tertio impoenitentes. Ps. 103: « Flamma combussit peccatores. » Quarto superbientes. Ps. 17: « Montium fundamenta combure. »
Item super illo, Cum transieris per aquas, tecum ero, quia Deus liberat ab aquis primo voluntatis. Prov. 10: « Aquæ furtivæ dulciores sunt; in quibus suffocantur per luxuriam. Secundo cupiditatis. Exod. 13: « Submersi sunt quasi plumbum in aquis vehementibus; » in quibus suffocantur per avaritiam. Tertio adversitatis. Psal. 68: « In travерunt aquæ usque ad animam meam; » in quibus suffocantur per impatientiam. Quarto mundanæ potestatis. Apoc. 17: « Aquæ super quas sedebat; » in quibus suffocantur per superbiam.
43:12
Vos testes mei, dicit Dominus, et ego Deus. Hic ostendit veritatem divinitatis quantum ad potentiam: et primo dat testimonium, Vos testes.
43:13
Joan. 8: « Ego principium, qui et loquor vobis. » Secundo dat potentiae signum in puniendo: Et non est qui de manu mea eruat. » Et in operando, Operatur.
43:14
Supra 14: « Dominus exercitum dicit; et quis poterit infirmare? » Haec dicit Dominus redemptor vester, Sanctus Israel. Hic ponit dilectionis signum: quia pro eis Babylones in navibus gloriante, propter multitudinem aquarum, destruxit. Emisi, iram scilicet.
43:16
Haec dicit Dominus qui dedit in mari viam, et in aquis torrentibus semitam. Hic commemorat beneficia præterita, quando egressi sunt de Aegypto, in eorum gubernatione. In mari, rubro, Exod. 14: In aquis torrentibus, Maron, Numer. 21: In Jordane, Josue 3.
43:17
Et quantum ad hostium destructionem, Qui eduxit quadrigam, currus Pharaonis. Exod. 15: « Electi principes ejus subversi sunt in mari rubro. » Quasi limm, in momento succensum. Secundo promittit multo majora: et circa hoc tria facit.
43:18
Primo ostendit futurorum beneficiorum magnitudinem ex priorum comparatione: Ne memineritis; quasi dicit: Non sunt digna ut in memoriam habeantur in comparatione futurorum.
43:19
Ea quæ retro sunt obliviscantur ex horum novitate: Ecce ego facio nova, inaudita. Apoc. 21: « Ecce nova facio omnia. » Ex eorum deterioratione: Ponam in deserto, idest in terra Judæorum, quæ fuit prius deserta, viam, euntium ad festivitates: flumina, consolationis. Psalm. 106: « Posuit desertum in stagna aquarum, et terram sine aqua in exitus aquarum. » Et si exponuntur hæc ad litteram de liberatione de captivitate Babiloniæ, dicuntur majora quam liberare de Aegypto; non propter majora miracula; sed quia reges de quorum potestate liberavit eos, potentiores Pharaone fuerunt; vel quia de loco magis distanti venerunt Si autem referatur ad liberationem faciam per Christum, constat quod nihil ita admirabile præcesserat in sæculis præteritis.
43:20
Secundo ostendit beneficiorum utilitatem in gentibus: Et glorificabit me bestia agri, idest gentilis bestialiter vivens conversus ad Christum, vel videns quomodo Judæos liberat. Psal. 148: « Bestiae et universa pecora, serpentes et volucres pennatae. » Et in Judaeis, Ut darem potum, doctrinae et consolationis.
43:21
Tertio assignat rationem, Populum formari mihi, scilicet in laudem meam.
43:22
Prover. 16: « Universa propter semetipsun operatus est Dominus. » Non me invocasti, Jacob. Hic excludit merita Judaeorum ad consequenda tanta beneficia: et circa hoc tria facit. Primo excludit meritum; secundo dat responsionis locum, ibi Reduc me in memoriam; tertio removet quemdam respondendi modum, ibi, Pater tuus primus peccavit. Circa primum tria facit. Primo excludit meritum, Non me invocasti, ut haec omnia darem; vel quia non toto corde Deo offerebant, sed partim Deo, partim idolis; vel quia Deo non offerebant; vel quia spe temporalis retributionis faciebant, vel quia post adventum Christi accepta non fuerunt. Malach. 3: « Quis est in vobis qui claudat ostia, et incendat altare meum gratuito? » Psal. 49: « Numquid manducabo carnes taurorum, aut sanguinem hircorum potabo? » Secundo ostendit ipsorum reatum, Vcruntamen servire; quasi dicat: Servilem me ostendistis, cum me offendentes non puniebam. Supra 1: « Facta sunt mihi molestae; laboravi sustinens. » Loquitur more humano. Tertio ostendit datum gratis beneficium, Ego sum. Psalm. 24: « Propter nomen tuum propitiaberis peccato meo. » Reduc me in memoriam. Hic responsioni dat locum.
43:26
Reduc; quasi dicat: Recogita quae tibi fecerim; narra si quid habes, ad te excusandum, vel me accusandum, ut justificeris, idest ut videaris justus.
43:27
Pater tuus primus peccavit. Hic removet quamdam viam respondendi. Posset enim allegare patrum innocentiam; sed contra hoc dicit. Pater, Abraham petens signum de promissione Dei, quasi dubitans, Genes. 13: Interpretes, Moyses et Aaron ad aquas contradictionis, Num. 27: Contaminavi, idest contaminari permisi, ad internectionem: quia omnes in deserto mortui sunt, excepto Caleb et Josue. Psal. 105: « Peccavimus cum patribus nostris, injuste egimus, iniquitatem fecimus. »
Nota super illo verbo, Reduc in memoriam, quia reducere debemus Deum in memoriam primo quantum ad mirabilia quae fecit, ad venerandum. Psal. 104: « Mementote mirabilium ejus quae fecit. » Secundo quantum ad beneficia quae dedit, ad gratiandum. Eccli. ult.: « Memoratus sum misericordiae tuae et operationis tuae quae a saeculo sunt, quoniam eruis sustinentes te, et liberas eos de manu angustiae, Domine Deus noster. » Tertio quantum ad tormenta quae sustinuit, ad compatiendum. Thren. 3: « Recordare paupertatis meae, absynthii et fellis. » Quarto quantum ad praecepta quae dedit, ad observandum. Psal. 102: « Memores sunt mandatorum ipsius ad faciendum ea. »
43:1
v. 4 « Et nunc haec dicit Dominus creans te lacob et formans te Israel : noli limere, quia redemi te et vocavi te nomine tuo; meus es tu» ! —1am in eo quod populum hunc peculiari modo sibi efformavit pignus adest salutis, neque enim Deus frustra opus tale effecisse censeri potest; creans sensu speciali, quia ex Abraham et Sara sterilibus peculiari interventu filium promissionis et in eo integrum eduxit populum (cf. 54, 1); formans variis scil. modis populum adolescentem erudiens, ducens, donec tandem ad aetatem virilem et ad formam reipublicae theocraticae perveniret. Haec Dei cura diuturna, multiplex et ordinem naturae saepe praetergressa effectu nequit carere. In ipsis nominibus Iacob, Israel merita Deus agnoscit patriarcharum, promissa lis data rata habet et ea in hoc populo quem eis compellat quasi reponi et collocari asserit. Quare si talis Deus loquitur, verba eius multiplici modo commendantur : monet, ne quid timeant ; possunt esse securi, quia eos liberavit ex Aegypto, Deus autem opus inceptum non abrumpit, eos nomine vocavit i. e. volui ut nomen tuum esset : meus es tu (Men. For.); in peculium eos sibi elegit et gentem sanctam (Ex. 19, 5. 6); illam peculiarem electionem in memoriam revocat, quando inito foedere cum toto populo promisit se fore ipsorum Deum (For.); dein familiaritatis: ac benevolentiae signum est vocare aliquem nomine suo (Sanct.); ceterum vide 4, 1. — Deus opera praeterita et beneficia praestita ob oculos ponit; hie modus loquendi efficax est et psychologicus; quare nulla ratio adest, perfecta ila redemi etc. de tempore futuro explicare (cum Sanct. Sasb. Mald. Mar. Kn. Naeg.); futurum tempus clare demum designatur in consequentibus; unde iuremerito plerique interpretes v. 4 de tempore transacto accipiunt (cf. For. Osor. Malv. Lap. Men. Tir. Calm. Schegg, Rohl. Troch. Hahn, Del.). Uti beneficia iam praestita pignora sunt salutis dandae, ita quoque ab iisdem desumuntur exempla bonorum quae Deus paratus sit dare cum opus fuerit; neque enim permittet liberationem secundam cedere priori; unde
Sed Deus populum suum non abiicit. Consolari populum iusserat prophetas (40, 1); tamquam bellator fortis pro suis surgere vult Dominus (42, 13), ergo suis insignem praestabit salutem. Hanc iam adumbrare incipit vates, ut postquam modo calamitatem extremam proposuit (42, 22. 24) animosque terruit, descriptione salutis eos emolliat et alliciat, ut ad talem Deum totis mentibus sese convertant. Pios autem Deoque dediios hac praeclara salutis exhibitione confortat et erigit, ut ad quid tandem per varias calamitates perveniendum sit constanter ob oculos habeant neve unquam miseriarum publicarum pondere animos despondeant. Quare e calamitate descripta subito fit transitus ad laetiora *
43:2
v. 2 « cum transieris per aquas, tecum ero et flumina non operient te; cum ambulaveris in igne, non combureris et flamma non ardebit in te » ; — cf. Ex. 14, 22 seq. beneficium promittit aequale; immo maius, ut illaesi per flammas incedant. Tam firmo consilio vult ergo Deus eos liberare, ut se paratum declaret ad maxima miracula patranda. Si ergo inimici eos quasi fluminibus includerent ne abire possent vel incendiis eos delere vellent, Deus tutos eos et securos educeret. Ceterum in aquis et igne maxima quaeque pericula exhibentur contra quae ut sese tueantur homines plane impotes sunt. lam si in summis illis discriminibus adeo mire servantur, quid de minoribus erit timendum? Tam mira autem protectione Deus populum suum cinget, quia ipse est Ja/ve, Deus foederis, qui foedus revera exsequitur Deus fidelissimus, immutatus (« ego Iahve, non mutor » Mal.
43:3
3, 6) et Sanctus Israel, qui conditionem sui populi talem necessario expetit, qualis sanctitatem suam decet, ut. scil. sit gens sancta et gloriam Dei manifestet. Quare v. 3 « quia ego Dominus Deus tuus, Sanctus Israel salvator tuus, dedi propitiationem tuam. Aegyptum, Aethiopiam et Saba pro te » ;— de Jahve cf. Os. 2, 20; Sanctus Israel cf. 6, 3; dedi pretium redemptionis tuae Aegyptum ; etiam hic quaedam videtur esse allusio ad liberationem ex Aegypto; uti scil. olim Aegyptii suo ipsorum interitu Israelitas in libertatem vindicabant quasi pretium solventes libertatis sua morte (cf. For.), ita in altera quoque liberatione ex Babylonia Deus pretium solvet liberatori ei donans pro beneficio Iudaeis praestito Aegyptum, Aethiopiam et Saba. Similiter Deus dicitur dedisse Nabuchodonosori Aegyptum pro servitio in expugnatione Tyri Domino praestito (Ez. 29, 18). Aegyptus, Cusch, Saba, regiones ad Nilum inferiorem et superiorem, ad regnum babylonicum non pertinebant, sed sub Caumbyse regno medo - persico sunt subiectae. Pro gratia igitur et liberatione Iudaeis concessa regnum persicum has dicitur provincias in augmentum gloriae accepisse. Qua in re nihil interest, utrum Cyrus ipse an Cambyses demum Aegyptum expugnaverit; teste Herodoto (1, 153) Cyrus ézziyc ctpanAaxésty Emi sous Alvuzslouc ; teste Xenophonte dicitur Cyrus expeditionem in Aegyptum suscepisse et Aegyptum expugnasse (Cyrop. 8, 6, 20 coll. 14, 1, 4). Valet ergo, ut h. 1l. S. Thom. Sanct. Mald. Tir. adnotant, ium in populorum sortibus illud : iustus de angustia liberabitur et tradetur impius pro eo (Prov. 11, 8; 21, 48). Saba a plerisque intelligitur Meroe, uti iam Iosephus explicat (Antiq. 2, 40, 9), insula scil. illa ampla et fertilis, quam Nilus, Astaboras (hodie Atbara et Tacazze ei.est nomen) et Astapus (Bahr el Azrak, vulgo Nilus caeruleus) fluvii eingunt (cf. Winer s. v. Seba; Schenkel Bibellex. V p. 263; Knobel, Voelkertafel p. 258). Verba recentiores accipiunt de expugnatione Aegypti per Persas facta. Idque recle. Veteres interpretes vel explicarunt in universum, alios populos esse oppressos ae vexatos a Deo, quia iniuriam intulissent ludaeis; complurium sententiam ita proponit Osor. : « pro te Aegyptios oppressi, omnes denique orbis, terrarum nationes quae te persequuntur ad tuae gloriae materiam toleravi easque tandem exitio dedi atque perfeci, ut non modo tibi nihil hostes nocere possent, sed ex omnibus eorum perditis conatibus magnus tibi decoris et gloriae cumulus accederet ». Plerique ad rem particularem referunt ex bello assyriaco : effeci ut Sennacherib Iudae et Ierusalem iam imminens ad vastandam Aegyptum etc. verteretur, atque ita regnis illis ei obiectis quasi in tui pretium te liberavi (c£. Sanct. Mald. Lap. Men. Tir.). Quae tamen explicatio cum rebus gestis non congruit. Alia vide apud For. Malv. Alii volunt sensum solum esse, populum iudaicum Domino multo cariorem esse aliis populis potentibus licet et opulentis, quales sint Aegyptii, Cuschaei, Sabaei (cf. tos.) ; verum haec explicatio a proprietate verborum longius aequo recedit; aliis demum placet gentes has solum exempli causa nominari et sensum esse, fore ut Deus populum suum ex potestate gentium quibus eum tradiderit iterum liberet, dum a gentibus illis tamquam expiationem et piaculum pro oppressione ludaeis illata vitam in iudicio repetat easque perdat (cf. Hahn) ; cf. 45, 14. Sed non cernitur, quomodo in hae expositione sensus retineatur vocis *23 Aórpov, pretium redemptionis. Prima e contra explicatio et vocibus maxime est apta et aliis comprobatur exemplis neque à rerum gestarum historia recedit. In hae quoque re insigne cernitur documentum, quanto amore Deus populum suum prosequatur
43:4
v. 4 « ex quo honorabilis factus es in oculis meis et gloriosus, ego dilexi te et dabo homines pro te et populos pro anima tua » ; — gradatione quadam dicitur quia pretiosus es in oculis meis et honoratus et ego diligo te, darem ! (si opus esset) Aomines pro te et populos pro vita tua (hebr.). Populus electus cum gentibus comparatus numero sane parvus et exiguus haberi poterat ; propterea declarat Deus se non secundum multitudinem et magnitudinem iudicium ferre, verum apud se populum electum in eo honoris loco ac pretii censu haberi, ut si optio necesse esset potius alios homines et nationes alias neci traderet et interitui quam suum abiiceret populum, vel ad unum hunc redimendum alias nationes tamquam Aózeoy libenter proderet. Hac sollemni asseveratione magna affertur consolatio afflictis, discunt enim se in providentia Dei supernaturali praecipuum occupare locum et Deum id acturum ut populum suum ex vilitate et abiectione liberet et in capite gentium collocet. Utique id praestitit Deus educendo ex hoc populo Messiam et in hunc populum quasi in olivam inserendo oleastrum, populum gentilem (Rom. 11, 17), sunt enim « secundum electionem carissimi propter patres » (Rom. 11, 28). Simul eadem asseveratione illud continetur omnia demum in nationum sortibus a Deo dirigi ad suum regnum propagandum et stabiliendum. . Post talia promissa et divini amoris aestimationisque documenta adhortatio et confortatio ab initio data (v. 1) magna cum emphasi redit; nam quam solidis et inconcussis innitatur fundamentis ostensum est;
43:5
v. 8 « noli timere quia ego tecum sum ; ab oriente adducam semen tuum et ab occidente congregabo te ;
43:6
v. 6 dicam aquiloni da, et austro : noli prohibere; affer filios meos de longinquo et filias meas ab extremis terrae »! — cf. 41, 11; non solum ex Assyria et Babylonia, verum ex omnibus terris et si usque ad extrema terrae essent dispersi, Deus eos reducet; Deus ergo quantum in se est nullum ex populo electo deserit et abiicit, omnes salutis participes reddere vult; cf. Am. 9, 9 in cribratione illa qua triticum a palea Separat ne unum quidem granum peribit et similiter infra 65, 8. Captivos ex Iudaeis iam eo tempore in varias et longinquas regiones fuisse abductos vide ad Ioel 3, 2. 6. Promissio haec quemadmodum universalis est et ex generali Dei de populo electo consilio ortum ducit, ita praeter liberationem ex exsilio tempus quoque messianicum spectat et populi ad Messiam collectionem includit; cuius rei indicium eo habetur quia post exsilium ea promissio denuo proponitur; vide ad Zach. 10, 9-12. Hac ratione quoque amor Dei v. 3. 4 insignius demonstratur. Atque collato 49, 99 apparet beneficium praestari prorsus gratuitum ex sola benignitate et potentia Dei profectum, quod viribus humanis neutiquam efficeretur. Eam populi in omnes terrae plagas dispersi congregationem iam olim Deus promiserat Deut. 30, 3. 4. In modo loquendi explicite asseritur Deum Is. 43, 1-8. 129. obstacula esse remoturum et reliquas nationes iuberi populo Dei opem ferre et auxilium quo melius ad Dei regnum aggregetur. Confirmatur promissio data, dum eius declaratur amplitudo et in ea summi Dei gloriam agi et contineri affirmatur
43:7
v. 1 « et omnem qui invocat nomen meum in gloriam meam creavi eum, formavi eum et feci eum »; — hebr. omnem vocatum in nomine meo i. e. qui vocatur de nomine meo, qui meus est ideoque hanc appellationem servi Dei etc. sibi iure vindicat, sicuti v. g. idololatra filia dei alieni vocatur (Mal. 2, t1) ; unde ex hebr. etiam verus Dei cultor indicatur, sicut in vulg. qui invocat nomen mewm is directe et immediate designatur. Textus hebr. ita cum antecedentibus coniungi potest, ut dicatur ex v. 6 affer... omnem nomine meo vocatum et quem creavi etc. Sensus non mutatur; solum ratio confirmationis fortius effertur in vulg. Simul innuitur conditio quae requiritur, ut singulos Deus ad suum regnum congreget; debent scil. etsi dispersi inter gentes sese cultu et religione veros praebere Dei adoratores et servos, ex hisce neminem iri exclusum Deus spondet et hi demum soli oblatam omnibus salutem amplectentur; indicat ergo propheta carnalem ex Abraham generationem minime sufficere, illos e Iudaeis qui mores gentilium imitati sint vel a sincero cultu Dei defecerint, qui igitur iam non nomine Iahve ut servi eius et cultores appellari possint, tanta promissionis amplitudine minime concludi. Cultor autem Dei omnis illa fruetur promissione tam certo quam certum 'est Deum qui gloriam suam alteri non det (42, 8) suae gloriae stabiliendae curam gerere; unde in gloriam meam i. e. talem scil. Deus singulari quadam actione creat, exsistentia vitaque donat, format, vita donatum ulterius efformat et erudit et demum perficit, ad debitum perfectionis culmen adducit ; ei per omnia vitae quasi stadia et spatia assistit, ut exsistat, debito modo in Dei cultu érescat et ad praestitutum finem perveniat. Hisce ergo liberatio sensu amplissimo accepta et descripta est et suis rationibus probata et stabilita. Iam oraculum hoc omnibus proponitur tamquam documentum quo Deus suam ostendit divinitatem eodem modo quo 41, 29 et 42, 9. Ut eius argumentationis vis percipiatur, primo quid Deus praedicat se facturum denuo clare proponitur
43:8
v. 8 « educ foras populum caecum et oculos habentem, surdum el aures ei sunt » ! — is sane compellatur qui in antecedentibus tamquam liberator descriptus est. Populus depingitur idem qui 42, 49 caecus et surdus est appellatus et de quo tamen v. 20 dicebatur : qui vides multa nonne custodies, qui apertas habes aures ? Eum iri liberatum quamvis Dei mandatis toties non obedierit, praedicitur ; ferant; vult enim in populo caeco et inobedienti, quamvis testis esset tot Dei magnalium, documentum :quoque edere et misericordiae suae fidelissimae et potentiae. Hane sententiam Iaeg. ad antecedentia arcte adnectit et vertit : educit itaque foras populum.... ut sit conclusio oraculi-antecedentis. Verum plerique ad subsequentia referunt. Idque melius. Nam disceptatio quae iam instituitur aliqua ratione vestiatur vel introdueatur necesse est. Idque apte fit ea sententia tamquam qua rei summa de qua agitur in medium affertur. Alii ita versum concipiunt, ut populus iubeatur educi non ex exsilio, sed in locum disceptationis, ut eo praesente res publice agatur; qua in explicatione aliqui gentes intelligunt (Sanct. Troch.), alii Israel. At neutrum dici potest. Non prius ; nam de congregatione gentium fit sermo v. 9; non alterum (cum Ges. Kn. Del.), quia Israel . non in locum illum disceptationis est educendus, sed de Israel disceptatio est instituenda, utrum scil. de eo vàticinium sit editum et impletum. Ergo multo aptius res de qua agitur censenda est in omnium conspectu proponi. Ad liberationem a Cyro faciendam verba refert S. Thom. : educ, o Cyre, populum extra terram captivitatis. — A serie rerum recedunt qui explicant de populo caeco e regno Dei expellendo (For. Men. Calm.). — LXX vertunt xoi £fyorov. Ad disceptationem (cf. 41, 4) convocantur nationes
43:9
v. 9 « omnes gentes congregatae sunt simul et collectae sunt tribus; quis in vobis annuntiet istud et quae prima sunt audire nos faciet? dent testes eorum, iustificentur, et audiant et. dicant : vere »! — nationibus congregatis (quae causam idolorum tuendam suscipiunt) quaestio ponitur, quis in eis tale quid annuntiet; iubetur scil. surgere propheta deorum vel qui probare possit simile oraculum editum esse vel qui nunc edat vel qui prima proferat i. e. oracula antea fusa et eventu probata ostendat. Si itaque tale quid habent, adducant testes, per quos veritati rei testimonium reddatur, ut si isti rem ritetestati fuerint, in iudicio causam vincant, iustificentur, superiores evadant in disceptatione et deorum causam ad victoriam perducant. Quod si factum est, omnes nationes congregatae audiant testimonia allata, audiant sententiam prolatam, eamque palam suo applausu approbent dicentes vere, ita est. Supple ergo ad audiant et dicent nationes congregatas quae quasi arbitrae adsunt vol quae deorum causam tuentur et quae auditis testimoniis testium, quibus res probetur, sententiam plausu excipiant. Perperam aliqui volunt supplere testes: testes audiant; at postquam prolatis testibus dictum est, ?ustificentur, absolvantur in iudicio, iam non apparet, quid testes audiant et quid sua assertione corroborent. Quare pronuntiata in iudicio sententia, quae verbo éustificentur indicatur, ut ab omnibus percipiatur et palam suscipiatur, ultimo membro indicatur. Ita igitur disceptationis conditiones, modus iudicii ferendi, et sententiae promulgatio sunt proposita. Verum gentes nihil habent quod proponant. Unde Deus conditiones implet et quid ipse praestiterit edicit
43:10
V. 10 « vos testes mei, dicit Dominus, et servus meus quem elegi, ut sciatis et credalis mihi et intelligatis quia ego ipse sum; ante me non est formatus Deus et post me non erit »; — Deus populum suum tamquam testem citare potest editorum vaticiniorum ; ea enim in Israel nota erant, ea exstitisse ante eventum omnes testari possunt. Unde revera testes sunt Dei apud nationes. Eodem modo servus quem elegit, qui eo ipso quod veniet et munus sibi oraculo assignatum obibit insigne edet testimonium omniscientiae Dei. Dum autem populus ea Deo suo testatur et proinde Deum omnium rerum gubernatorem profitetur, maxima exhibetur ipsi admonitio ut tali Deo se totum dedat, ut verbis et operibus unum Deum summum confiteatur, ei plenissima fide et fiducia se committat et iustam de divina eius maiestate notionem alte animis insculpat. Israel Dei causam apud gentes agere perhibetur iisque ea promere documenta et testimonia quibus numen divinum probetur. Sublime hoc munus per prophetam ei assignatum iam Isaiae tempore aptissimum erat, quo animi, piorum confortentur, erigantur, edoceantur quoque de salute quae ex Iudaea in omnes sit propaganda. Vaticiniis Deum vivum se inter eos praestare discunt, unde idololatrae quoque admonentur, ut tandem mente percipiant non exsistere ullum numen quod cum Domino comparari possit, ipsum esse unum et unicum, aeternum ; alia numina non esse nisi ficticia, quae demum penitus e memoria hominum delebuniur. — S. Thom. vel populum vel Christum intelligi ait). Iam uter proprie et proxime erit intelligendus ? Instituta disceptatio nationibus convocatis nos omnino remittere videtur ad. scenam 41, 4 descriptam et 41, 21 seq. contentam, ita ut Cyrum intelligamus ; sed eum Cyrus non explicite vocatus sit servus Domini, et eum 49, 9 etiam de oraeulis messianicis simile quoddam argumentum pro divinitate peti videatur, potius Messias intelligi debere videtur. Fortasse optimun erit indole huius orationis considerata generali, qua liberatio utraque saepe quasi unum opus Dei exhibetur, etiam servum ita umwm explicare, qui tamen, uti liberatio est duplex, ità quoque in rerum natura non erit unus, verum duo, de quibus tamen hoc loco quia de utroque eadem valet argumentatio quasi de uno aliquo sermo instituatur. Sunt enim oraeula Dei de Cyro et. Messia praedicta, impleta : ergo eius rei in utroque casu estis vos et. servus nieus testes. — Singularis est sententia a. Vef. proposita, qui servum meum simul cum Deo dicentem exhibet : effatum Iahve et servi mei, unde simul consequi ait servum illum esse Deum propter sermoues v. 10-13 utrique adscriptos. — Chald. addit : et servus meus NrnnZ2 ; in versione syriaca exhibetur pluralis : servi mei. — Etiam vos aliter aliqui explicant; volunt enim gentes compellari et ipsas et populum Israel advocari tamquam testes. Sed quia modo gentes iussae erant testes dare idolorum (v. 9), vix statim eaedem gentes a Domino tamquam sibi testimonium reddeutes advocabuntur. Utique dici potest vero aliquo sensu gentes quoque esse testes oraculorum Dei eorumque impletionis ; verum non id solum hoc loco expendendum est, sed primarie, ad quos fiat sermo; iam à v. 10 [sraelitas compellari patet ex v. 12 : « uon fuit in vobis deus alienus, v0s lestes mei » quae verba omne dubium removent. Numen divinum soli lahve competere: probatum est; sed rei cardo denuo cum emphasi repetitur
43:11
v. 11 « ego sum, ego sum Dominus et non est absque me salvator;
43:12
v. 12 ego «nnuntiavi et salvavi, auditum feci et non fuit in vobis alienus; vos testes mei dicit Dominus et ego Deus »! — ut lahve, Deum vivum et operantem se praedictione et impletione exhibuit; et ut talem sese ostendit in variis populi sortibus rebusque gestis; semper enim per prophetas ad populum locutus est et quae annuntiavit, complevit, ita ut in populo non deus alienus aliquid tale unquam attentaverit, neque unquam potentiae ediderit documentum; etiam eius rei testes eos appellat,qui id ita se habere gentibus testentur; alienus scil. deus cf. Deut. 32, 16. Is. 17, 40. Ier. 9, 25; 9, 13. Ps. 43, 21; 80, 10. Cum igitur iam tot ediderit potentiae documenta, etiam quae nunc praedicit ad exitum perducet
43:13
v. 13 « et ab initio ego ipse et non est qui de manu mea eruat; operabor et quis avertet illud »? — est Deus aeternus, semper perdurans; homines autem sicut fenum quod exsiccatur, ut flos statim decidens (40, 6-8); quis ergo eos e Dei potentia posset eripere quos ipse apprehendit ut puniat? Alluditur ad 41, 2 seq. 42, 13 seq. et tota haec pars concluditur asseveratione omnia haec Deum velle in opus deducere neque quemquam posse impedire. Ipso loquendi modo ostendit propheta Deum triumphatorem, sed etiam declarat revera edi vaticinia de re quae nondum exsistat ; si enim versus exsilii finem, cum Cyrus iam plurimas victorias reportasset, has victorias eo modo praediceret quo fit 41, 2 seq., tali interrogatione : ego operabor, quis avertet illud? se et Deum suum risui exposuisset. Hebr. proprie etiam a die ego sum, Qm explieant ab inilio, ab aeterno LXX S. Hier. Syrus (a primo die), Chald. et e recentioribus Rohl. Hits. Sein. Stier aliique contradicentibus aliis (kn. Hahn, Del. Naeg. Or.), qui vertunt etiam ab hoc die i. e. sicut antea, ilà quoque in. posterum se vivum Deum praestabit, vcl quod Naej. vult post hoc i. e. post liberationem quoque se populo exhibebit Deum praesentem. Praeterea parlüeulam etiam ad contextum illamque notionem haud aptam esse contendunt. Sed haee ralio cerle non valet. Nam si propheta Deum aelernum, ab initio esse dicit, id quod nomine [ahve implicite latet effert, et hac Dei aeternitate commemorata et antecedenti versui el subsequenti assertioni pondus accedit ; unde apte senlentia inducitur : eliam ab initio ego sum. Adde quod versiones veteres singulari consensu de aeternitate, initio explicaverint. Neque inauditum est poni D**2 eo sensu quo plenius exspeetares B3* rmv; nam 4 Sam. 15, 23 legis 7»eo eodem sensu quo v. 26 seribitur 705 nma. Quare h. 1. standum erit explicationi veterum.
43:14
v. 14 « Haec dicit Dominus redemptor vester, Sanctus Israel : propter vos misi in Babyloniam et detrazi vectes universos et Chaldaeos in navibus suis gloriantes » ; — haec verba praeludium quoddam sunt ad 45, 4 seq. ; ita oraculum inceptum 41, 2 per hos veluti gradus magis magisque explicatur et declaratur. Intra huius vero orationis limites si consistimus, id quod 42, 13 de Deo bellatore dictum erat, iam partim illustratur : mittit enim Deus in Babyloniam sanctificatos suos (cf. 13, 3) vel quod idem est h. l. eum de quo 41, 2. 3 erat sermo, propter vos, ut vos e captivitate liberet; nam id fore in eorum commodum iam antecedentibus satis est declaratum ; cf. 41, 10 seq. 42, 16; 43, 1 seq. Coram legato suo Deus omnia deiicit impedimenta et Chaldaeos fractis viribus in fugam coniiciet; vectes i.e repagula vel generatim munimenta dicuntur, eodem modo expliea quo 49, 9 : portas aereas conteram et vectes ferreos confringam. In textu mas. cui LXX et Syrus adstipulantur, de fugitivis est sermo : descendere facio (ut) fugitivos omnes et Chaldaeos 1n naves iubilationis suae i. e. quibus scil. gloriabantur ; fuga ergo omnes esse proiiciendos terra cula evadant. Chaldaei enim et in Euphrate et in sinu persico navigationem exercebant navibusque a Phoenicibus exstructis ad bella gerenda utebantur (cf. tewlinson l. c. I p. 128; I1 p. 448). Hac fuga praecipite omnium ruina regni bab;lonici clare designatur simili modo quo 13, 14. S. Hier.legit m^n2 vectes; eodem modo legunt aliqui rabbini et Seb. Schmidt, Umbreit aliique (ef. Naeg.), quae lectio etiam de liberatione e carcere reiectis repagulis intelligi potest; ceterum cf. 15, 5. Ut /S. Hier. refert, Theod. vertit fortes. Recentiores cum textu mas. LXX et Syro legunt on fugitivi; de qua voce cf. Is. 27, 1. Iob 26, 13. — Sed qui sunt isli fugitivi ? Del. intelligit vulgus promiscuum, de quo Is. 13, 14; 47, 15; itaque alienigenas qui Babylonem confluere solebant. Sed Cur isti omnes vocantur sine ulla ulteriore determinatione? Unde melius erit id intelligere quod maxime obvium est : omnes scil. habitatores. Babel, quibus dein emphasis gratia adduntur Chaldaei ; nomen hoc prius designabat Babyloniam mediam, sed mox extendebatur ad Babyloniam universam ; unde incolis urbis adduntur omnes qui ad Babyloniam perlinent, quorum fuga regnum esse dissolutum declaratur. De significaüone nominis vide Delitzsch, Wo lag das Paradies ? p. 200. Novam eius loci interpretationem proposuit Naeg. ultimum membrum vertens : in Chaldaeorum terram navibus (vebamur), clamor eorum. In parte meridionali Babyloniae usque ad sinum persicum proprie fuisse sedem Chaldaeorum ; regionem eam paludibus et latebris fuisse celebrem, itlà ut v. g. Merodach Baladan quotiescumque a regibus assyriacis in angusüas esset redactus, sese illuc reciperet et in arce sua Bit Iakin paludibus bene proteeta sese feliciter defenderet. Unde satis patere, ait. Naeg., Chaldaeos bello pressos in suam priorem dilionem fugere et ibi sese abscondere solitos esse; immo cum Merodach Baladan e latebris suis esset exturbatus, eum fugisse in insulam sinus persiei. Similem ergo hoc loco fugam innui a propheta et ad eam Chaldaeos inter se hortari. Explicatio haec certe non careret probabilitate neque displiceret, si vox nm ei posset adaptari. At vox haec plerumque de clamore laetitiae et exsultationis dicitur, quae nolio in illam explicationem cerle non convenit ; aliquoties adhibetur de deprecalione, vagitu; cf. Ps. 17, 1; 61, 25 88, 3; 106, 41. Ier. 14, 12. quibus locis vertiiur in vulg. deprecatio, oratio, preces ; verum haec quoque significatio non potest illi expositioni adaplari. Hanc autem ruinam regni babylonici Israelitis cessuram esse in utilitatem clare edicitur
Quaenam sint illa quae Dominus sit operaturus, iam distincte proponuntur ita quidem ut oracula quoque prius edita (41, 2. 3. 25) illustrentur magisque determinentur ;
43:15
v. 15 « ego Dominus, Sanctus vester, creans Israel, rez vester » ; — cum enim Deus opere illo v. 14 commemorato tam Israelitarum declaratur, necessario censendus est opus illud efficere ut est Deus foederis (Iahve), qui sacra quadam aemulatione suam in populo relucere vult sanctitatem, qui cum Israel singulari ratione procreaverit et suum in eo constituerit regnum, certe ferre non potest ut talis populus misera servitute tabescat, verum qui antiqua miracula pro suo populo instaurabit. Atque revera tituli isti tam ampli sunt et priscis magnalibus Dei innituntur, ita ut Deus hisce nominibus se designans iam grande beneficium populo polliceri videatur. Neque quae sequuntur hanc spem fallunt, Nam primo hos titulos rebus olim gestis quam merito sibi conveniant ostendit (v. 16. 17), dein eosdem promissis magnificis pro tempore futuro iure se retinere declarat (v. 18 seq.). i: Praeclare olim hos titulos in se expressit magnis miraculis in commodum populi patratis
43:16
v. 16 « Aaec dicit Dominus qui dedit in mari viam et in aquis torrentibus semitam, v. A1 qui eduxit quadrigam et equum, agmen et robustum ; simul obdormierunt nec resurgent; contriti sunt. quasi linum et exstincti sunt »; — en, magnalia ista simul pignora sunt et documenta certissima, posse Deum ea efficere quae v. 14 dicta sunt. Nam quae olim impedimenta aderant velex mari in exitu ex Aegypto velex aquis torrentibus, dum Iordanis fluvius esset transeundus, vel ex hominum malitia et potentia, dum Aegyptii manu forti Israelitas persequerentur, haec omnia Deus plane vicit atque contrivit. Interitus Aegyptiorum quattuor membris explicatius ob oculos ponitur : quam subito omnes morte intercepti a proposito destiterint neque periculum adesse ironice additur eos ad opus reversuros et persecutionem instauraturos; penitus interierunt et quam facile Deus talem , effecit stragem ? quasi lucernae ellychnium (hebr. cf. 42, 3) quis exstinguat, vel illud aquis immersum facillime exstinguatur. Quae potestas Dei quo clarius eluceat, pompam et apparatum exercitus Aegyptiorum enumerat; dicitur Deus illum exercitum equestrem et pedestrem et robustum (heroem, regem ; vel agmen potentissimum) eduxisse, quia hanc persecutionem et iram inimicorum permisit. Quam maxime enim spectat ad Dei potentiam declarandam, ut hostes ne machinari quidem posse quidquam contra populum Dei dicantur, nisi permiserit Deus. — Ceterum non multum interest, utrum in v. 16 duo agnoscas illa in mari rubro et Iordane (cum S. Hier. Cyr. Sa, Malv.) vel unum illud miraculum in mari rubro (cum S. Ephr. Osor. Sasb. Mald. Mar. Men); nam membrum alterum potest esse mera epexegesis ad prius et ut Sanct. advertit etiam aquae maris rubri vehementes dicuntur (Ex. 15, 10) ; sed cum impedimenta ex rerum natura et ab hominibus profecta divisim recenseantur, ex v. 177 non potest certo argui non esse sermonem in v. 16 de transitu Iordanis. Illa magnalia Dei certe mirabilia erant. et Dei amorem in populum demonstrant; illis optime quoque illustratur quod dictum erat 43, 3. Sed utut illa grandia sunt, multo maiora promittuntur, quibus illorum memoria quasi obscuretur
d) Bonorum divinorum communicatio 25, 6-12. €) lustorum iubilus de exaltatione 26, 1-11. f) lustorum iubilus de ope et spe praeclara 26, 19-49... g) Qua via ad salutem perveniatur 26, 20-21, 6. h) Benevolum Dei de populo consilium 27, 7-13. Trimum vae Cap. 98 . (a Ruina Samariae praedicitur 28, 1r . b) Invehitur in contemptores 28, 1-13. c) In Sion lapis angularis pretiosus 28, 14-92. . Isans I. — 40. à) Non Aegyptus, sed Dominus opem feret 31, 1-9 b) Laoti rerum. conditio. promittitur 32, 1-8.
43:18
v. 48 « ne memineritis priorum et antiqua ne intueamini ;
43:19
v. 19 ecce ego facio mova et munc orientur, utique cognoscelis ea »! — « ut enim umbra corpori concedit, ut lucernae lumen in splendorem solis incurrens evanescit, sic intelligite memoriam antiqui beneficii amplitudine et magnificentia, veritate et constantia futuri doni esse obscurandam et deponendam » (Osor.). Adeo ergo cari et pretiosi sunt coram Deo (43, 4); ea adhortatione illis modum quasi e& mensuram exhibet, unde de futuro. munere iudicium | ferant. Beneficia illa vocat moo« ; haec mova sunt quae 42, 13; 43, 3. 6 ete. proponuntur : collectio populi ex omnibus terrae plagis ad novam condendam theocratiam eamque illustriorem, dum prior illa liberatio populum ex una natione eduxit. Uti ergo in hac Deus suum pro populo zelum et amorem praeclare ostendit (cf. v. 411), ita in maiore altera illustriora quoque edet documenta zeli et amoris (cf. 42, 13). Iam nova illa dicuntur germinare (hebr.), quia in Dei consilio non solum adsunt, sed iam annuntiantur et quia in certa ruina theocratiae propter Dei consilia iam illud ipsum quasi germen adest ex quo instauratio sequetur, sicut in semine in terram lacto et abscondito iam novae plantae germen continetur. Nova nunc germinant, quia coram oculis prophetae iam adstant duo illi, qui novam rerum conditionem et inaugurare et perficere debebunt ; vel forte commodius explicabis hebr. quia in voce nn7 passim temporis notio interit (ut. Ges. loquitur, Thes. p. 994) et saepe est particula excitantis et asscverantis (cf. Is. 36, 5. 10) : et ego faciens novum, iam vero germinabit, nonne id cognoscetis ? i. e. certissime experimento rem cognoscetis illam novam ; populus ille cui fiunt promissa illa impletione facta cognoscet; populus enim theocraticus quasi una persona moralis consideratur, quae educta est ex Aegypto, ducta per desertum, introducta in Palaestinam, apostasia facta in exsilium pulsa, inde reducta etc. (cf. Ier. 2, 2. Ez. 16, 3 etc.). Quid novi Deus facturus sit, ad similitudinem priscorum beneficiorum olim in deserto populo praestitorum ita declaratur, ut simul appareat quanto maiora Deus donare paratus sit : « ponam in. deserto viam et in invio flumina ;
43:20
v. 20 glorificabit me bestia agri, dracones et struthiones, quia dedi in deserto aquas, flumina in invio, ut darem potum populo meo, electo meo » ; — desertum mutabit, ut in eo adsint viae planae et commodae et copia aquarum ; proin reditus populi quam facillimus et gratissimus efficietur, obstacula removebuntur, suppeditabuntur commoda quam largissime. Hanc largitatem ita depingit, ut bestiae desertae olim regionis iam sistantur laetae et exsultabundae de tanta aquarum et fertilitatis copia quam Deus super desertum effuderit. Sicut hae laudes bestiarum, quibus Deum honorare dicuntur, abundantiam bonorum eam significat, quae a populo bonis iam repleto redundet in animalia, ita beneficia haec ipsis animalibus praestita denuo nos docent, quam intimus adsit nexus inter hominem et creaturam ; haec enim uti cum peccante affligitur, similiter cum reconciliato et glorificato beneficii redemptionis suo modo erit particeps (cf. 41, 6. Rom. 8, 19-93), sicut sane in deserto, cum Deus populo potum praestitit aquam e petra educens, hoc beneficio greges quoque Israelitarum recreati sunt. Maec ergo quae olim fiebant symbola fiunt futurorum, dum simul argumento sunt et pignori, Deum et posse et velle suis promissis stare. — JDracones, à":n, LXX seigzisz, explicant canes feros, silvestres, aureos; cf. Is. 13, 92 et quae notavi ad Mich. 1, 8. Iob 30, 99. Cur Deus tanta usurus sit potentia et liberalitate, declaratur
43:21
v. 9l « populum istum formavi mihi, laudem meam narrabit » ; — duae assignantur rationes aeque graves atque efficaces : Dei scil. opus quo providentia sua eaque praeternaturali populum hunc sibi creaverit et educaverit, et gloria quam per eum inter reliquas gentes notam fieri ac praedicari vult. Dei autem opera cassa esse nequeunt neque unquam Deus fine suo se frustrari permittet ; unde habent documenta certissima fore ut fiat instauratio. In qua rerum innovatione magnifica eo praeclarius cernitur liberalitas et benignitas Dei qui talia promittit et praestat iis qui per se nihil eiusmodi meriti sint, verum potius saepenumero offenso Deo indignos praebuerint se benevolentia divina. Quemadmodum supra 42, 22-25 exsilium poenam esse pro peccatis declaravit, ita nunc explicite probat, beneficium liberationis gratuito a Deo donari neque ullis hominum operibus vel cultu exhibito illud posse acquiri vel digne rependi : haec enim duo alte insculpta esse debent animis omnium, ut recte iudicent et de fatis populi israelitici et de divina providentia ; hisce animus ille pharisaicus ac superbus retunditur et plane exstinguitur. Quare jam per singula argumentatio instituitur
43:22
v. 22 « mon me invocasti Iacob, nec laborasti in me Israel »! — prius generatim cultas commemoratur adorationis; non supplicatione vel efflagitatione assidua illam sibi promeruit populus salutem ; forte adhibetur nomen /acob, Israel tacita reprehensione, quia patris Iacob exemplum minime sunt imitati qui cum angelo luctatus invaluit, flevit et rogavit benedictionem et nomen Israel sortitus est, quoniam contra Deum fortüis fuit (Gen. 32, 24 seq. Os. 12, 4). Multum aliter populus eiusdem nominis : non clamat ad Deum nec multum laboris et curae de Deo sibi facessit; id non sine ironia quadam dicitur. Hebr. explica : non me invocasti, «£ mei gratia laboris aut molestiae aliquid insumeres (cf. Malv. I. Kn. Del. Or.). enim melius vel unice verbo Y3* convenit laborare cum virium contenüone et ad defatigationem usque, praesertim cum 2 dieatur de re in qua laboratur et desudatur, cui opera impenditur ; cf. Is. 62, 8. Ios. 24, 13 (Ges. Thes. p. 564). Dein ea explicatio magis consona est cum sequentibus, in quibus quomodo non laborem impenderint in cultu divino aecuratius delineatur. Neque variis sacrificiorum generibus eam sibi promeruerunt gratiam ;
43:23
v. 98 « non obtulisti mihi arietem holocausti tui et victimis tuis non glorificasti me; non te seroire feci in oblatione, nec laborem tibi praebui in thure; v. 23; et tu non laborasti in me v. 22, tu vero me servire fecisti, mihi laborem et defatigationem (cf. 73") attulisti. Peccata ut pondus, iugum, ut fasti-- dium, molestia considerantur, quibus Deus rex populi ab eo sit affectus; quibus verbis quam efficacissime declaratur quantopere peccatum Deo displiceat, sed una exprimitur, quanta longanimitate et patientia usus sit erga populum ; « tu autem me servire et laborare fecisti in peccatis tuis, ut cogerer dicere : laboravi sustinens » (Is. 4, 14. S. Hier.). Et apposite ad totam arguendi seriem notat S. Cyr. « non quando sacrificas, non cum boves offers et pecora mactas, vocavi te, ne forte putes te liberationem habuisse velut quoddam oblationis praemium, sed cum in peccatis versareris et inqüinamentis esses implicitus, tum misericordia te etamore dignatus sum ». Unde apparet Deum ex mera gratia liberare et salutem concedere. Peccata populi eiusque indignitas eo illustriorem reddunt fidelitatem et misericordiam Dei; contingit id quod simili causa apostolus dixit : iniquitas nostra iustitiam Dei commendat (Rom. 3, 5). Quare magna cum emphasi omnem gratiam in se solo constitui et a se solo liberrime concedi asserit
43:24
v. 94 non emisti mihi argento calamwn et adipe victimarum tuarum non inebriasti me » ; — per singula fit enumeratio, quo clarius et nervosius efferatur beneficium revera donari gratuito. Sed quo modo dicuntur non sacrificasse, quamvis cultum illum externum saepe observatum fuisse certum sit, immo aliis reprehensionibus (uti v. g. 1, 11) cultum talem exerceri prorsus supponatur ? Censent prophetam de exsilii tempore loqui, quo sacrificia nulla fiebant (cf. Calm. RoAl. Del.) ; unde liberationem non esse iis oblationibus obtentam satis clare patet. Alii opinantur, non negari cultum esse exercitum, sed id Deum . asserere sibi illa sacrificia non fuisse grata neque accepta, quia non offerebantur cum debita devotione, ita ut vere essent pietatis et cultus divini signa et symbola externa (cf. Sasb. Pint. Lap. Men.), vel ut dicantur non Deo obtulisse eodem sensu quo apud Zachariam dicitur : numquid ieiunium ieiunastis mihi ? quia scil. in eo religioso munere aliquid praeter Deum intuebantur (Sanct. sim. S. Thom.), vel quia hostias easdem etiam idolis offerebant (S. Hier.), vel demum ut negligentia. accusetur, qua saepe non obtulerint prout debuerint ; nam is quoque qui non debite et diligenter facit vel non semper facit quod debet, omnino non fecisse argui potest (cf. Se, Gord. Naeg.). Si ad membrum seeundum attendimus : non glorificasti me, id praeprimis inculcari videtur, sacrificia dici non esse oblata quia non ita fiebant, ut vere in Dei honorem cederent; quare non ea erant quae Deus praescripsit. Dein id quoque monet Deus se non postulasse a populo difficilia, ita ut populus propter labores praestitos et maximos sumptus impensos dona illa praeclariora quasi iure quodam exigere posset, neque populum ullo modo eam in cultu diligentiam exhibuisse, qua sibi saltem aequitate quadam se meruisse bona illa persuadere ullo pacto commode posset. Itaque, omni ex parte beneficia ad meram Dei grotiam esse referenda docetur. Propterea singula percurrit ; sacrificia quotidiana, quae mane et vespere erant offerenda (cf. n? — et Ex. 29, 38-42. Num. 98, 3-8), alia sacrificia cruenta, quae vario tempore fieri poterant, sacrificia incruenta vel ferta, quae partim cum illis iungebantur, partim ut sacrificia propria dicabantur, sacrificia thuris et aromatum quae in altari thymiamatum cremabantur, sacrum unguentum, cui calamus inserviebat (Ex. 30, 23). De sacrificiis cf. Is. 1, 41. Calamus nap erit idem cum nmi-np Ex. 30, 23 z&apos &pepuxzzós, calamus odoratus, qui ad unguentum sacrum praeparandum requirebatur; praecipue calamus indicus et arabieus maximi aestimabatur ; cf. Winer, Realwoerterb. I p. 645 ; vel generatim simul cum thure de aromatis dicitur, ex quibus - oblatio sacri incensi vel thymiamatis confieiebatur ; cf. Ex. 30, 34. Saltem ex rabbinorum sententia calamus ad sacrum thymiama requirebatur, sed Ex. l. c. non enumeratur. Thus addebatur fertis et panibus propositionis et necessarium erat ad oblalionem quolidianam thymiamatis (cf. Ex. 30, 7. Lev. 2, 1). Demum ultimo loco omnia complectens Deus dicit : non me satiasti, non me recreasti adipe victimarum — adipes enim in igne sacrificii cremabantur — i. e. nihil quod Deo ex integro placeret praestiterunt, verum ei nauseam et fastidium crearunt peccatis suis, id quod emphatica oppositione ad antecedentia in medium profertur : « verumtamen servire me fecisti in peccatis Luis, praebuisti mihi laborem 4n iniquitatibus luis »; — attende antitheta : ego te non servire feci
43:25
v. 28 « ego sum, ego sum ipse qui deleo iniquitates tuas propler me et peccatorum tuorum mon recordabor » ! — ergo Deus solus delet, et delet propter se, propter gloriam suam, propter opus et foedus olim initum ; « propter me et non propter poenitentiam quae non est inventa inte » S. Ephr. ; propter me includit rationes eas omnes quae alibi in Dei nominibus, Sancti Israel, creatoris, Iahve, regis exprimuntur; aufert iugum a populo, ne quando dicant gentes : ubi est deus eorum ? Opprobrium enim populi etiam deo tutelari est dedecori (cf. 48, 9. 11. Ez. 36, 22. Ps. 113, 14). Hoc vero loco maxima consideratione dignum est mentionem fieri ablationis iniquiiatum. Postquam enim optima quaeque promissa sunt symbolis maximam quandam prosperitatem porteudentibus (cf. v. 19. 20) et beneficia haec praestari prorsus gratuito multipliciter est assertum, iam magna emphasi tamquam opus a solo Deo efficiendum, quo antecedentia promissa contineantur et compleantur, inculcatur deletio peccatorum, venia concessa. Unde populus edocetur, innovationem et instaurationem eo potissimum constitui, ut ablata iniquitate vera efflorescat pietas. Quemadmodum igitur propter peccata eos servitutem et opprobria ineurrisse propheta monuit (cf. 42, 19 seq.), ita in peccatorum deletione magnum illud beneficium liberationis consistere et in amicitia Dei recuperata qua promittit se oblivioni dare offensas, summa illa bona includi et exhiberi hoc loco docet. Indicat itaque indolem instaurationis spiritualem, ab exspectatione beneficiorum terrenorum animos popularium evehit ad beneficium ordinis altioris, quo maxime indigent, in peccatis demum veram consistere servitutem et iniquitate illud populo Dei esse vulnus inflictum quo misere prostratus iaceat, peccatis igitur ablatis veram concedi liberationem hisce propheta satis clare proponit; id quod in priore quoque parte haud semel inculcavit; cf. 1, 26 ; 4, 4; 11,9etec. Quo melius populus suas agnoscat culpas et ex iis beneficium gratuito concedi accuratius perspiciat, admonetur ut perscrutetur si quid meriti se habere putet idque Domino pandat
43:26
v. 96 « reduc me in memoriam et iudicemur simul! narra si quid habes, ut iustificeris »! — hebr. fae me recordari; si quid habere te opinaris meriti, reduc mihi et revoca in memoriam; adhortatio est ironica, dicit Deus sibi nihil meriti quod habeat populus notum esse, ergo iuvent ipsius memoriam et suggerant quid habeant ; tum ait disceptationem forensem se velle cum eis inire : contendamus in iudicio et disceptemus, « ut si iuris aequitati niteris litem obtineas » (Osor.); iustificari i. e. causam evincere, pro tribunali iustam iudicari cf. 41, 26; 43, 9. Verum populus nihil potest proferre; Deus autem quo magis benignitas et gratia eluceat, et populus suam clarius perspiciat indignitatem ultimo demum loco ostendit peccata longa generationum serie in populo altas egisse radices et adeo in universum serpsisse, ut demum populum hostibus vexandum tradere cogeretur. Ergo neque ex tempore praeterito neque ex praesenti aliud quidquam afferri posse manifestum facit nisi populi peccata et indignitatem. Quare cum tali populo nihilominus insignia illa et grandia promittantur quibus priora benefieia obscurentur (v. 48), quid magis aptum in medium adduci posset, quo liberalitas Dei et gratia commendetur ? Propterea Deus peccatum ab initio in ipso electo populo nimium invaluisse iis in memoriam revocat, cum ipsi nihil boni habeant quod Deo in memoriam revocent
43:27
v. 9 « paler tuus primus peccavit. el interpretes tui praevaricati sunt in me,
43:28
v. 98 et contaminavi principes sanctos; dedi ad internecionem. Iacob et Israel in blasphemiam »; — ecce, hoc promeriti sunt : patres eorum et interpretes i. e. doctores, quilegem tueri eiusque observantiam urgere debebant, ergo ii a quibus et vitam trahebant et institutionem, omnes peccato erant infecti; demum iniquitas ita praevaluit, ut Deus ipsos principes theocraticos, sacra digniiate praeditos, cum essent nobiles inter gentem Deo sacram, cum in regno sacerdotali (Ez. 17, 6) locum occuparent praecipuum, contaminare, profanare (hebr.), sacra dignitate exuere et hostibus puniendos iradere cogeretur; simul cum principibus totus populus exitio et opprobriis est obrutus. Haec est ergo conditio illa, in quam populus suis meritis est prolapsus : principes sacri iam profanatione abiecti, Jacob anathemate et maledictione percussus et internecioni devotus, Jsrael contumeliis obrutus ; en sacra illa nomina ab iis tanta affecta sunt ignominia, in tantam malorum voraginem immersa; itaque « narra si quid habes, ut iustificeris »! Ecce quanta vi et eloquentia Isaias propositum suum demonstrat et mediis in peccatorum tenebris gratiae lumen splendescere ostendit! Iam quaeri debet, quis sit primüs pater, qui interpretes? Interpretationem unice aptam indicant LXX dum vocem quoque primam collective explicantes vertunt cí zazígsz 0p.» «góc ; intelligendi sunt ii quos Deus ex Aegypto eduxit, ita ut a tempore illo usque ad diem praesentem continua quaedam series peccatorum adfuisse in populo Dei asseratur. Vocem autem de generatione illa ex Aegypto liberata explicandam esse suadetur, quia illa generatio revera saepe nomine patrum. designatur et quia saepe apud prophetas si de peccatis populi sermo est, iam illius in deserto transgressionis tamquam mali pro tempore futuro augurii et exempli pessimi quod posteri imitati sint mentio fit, ita ut revera peccata patrum illorum ut initium ac fons calamitatum exhibeantur; demum ea explicatio suadetur exclusione aliarum, quarum nulla apta est. Haec jam paucis declaranda sunt. Primam illam generationem nomine patrium designari, satis frequens est et saepe statim adiungitur accusatio de peccatis eorum ; ita v. g. Ier.2, 8 : quid invenerunt patres vestri in me iniquitatis, quia elongaverunt a me et ambulaverunt post vanitatem ? vel 1, 23 : facti sunt retrorsum a die qua egressi sunt patres eorum de terra Aegypti usque ad diem hane; vel 11, 1 : contestans contestatus sum patres vestros in die qua eduxi eos de terra Aegypti usque ad diem hanc... et non audierunt; vel 11, 10 : reversi sunt ad iniquitatem patrum suorum priorum qui noluerunt audire verba mea; quo in loco verba eadem in numero plurali occurrunt (E*28N98 an*2N) ; cf. praeterea Ier. 11, 4; 31, 39; 34, 13. Baruch 1, 19. Ez. 20, 4 seq. 18. 27. 36 : sicut iudicio contendi adversum patres vestros in deserto terrae Aegypti, sic iudicabo vos; similiter legitur Os. 9, 10 : quasi prima poma ficulneae, vidi patres eorum; illi autem intraverunt ad Beelphegor ; idem loquendi modus invenitur in psalmis; v. g. Ps. 11, 8 : ne sint sicut patres eorum, generatio prava et exasperans ; vel 71, 51 : quemadmodum patres eorum, conversi sint in arcum pravum; sim. Ps. 94, 9; 105, 7 : patres nostri in Aegypto non intellexerunt mirabilia tua etc. De aliis interpretationibus vide infra. Interpretes intellige cum S. Cyr. et Theod. de iis qui vi muneris et officii custodes atque interpretes legis esse debebant, de sacerdotibus, principibus, iudicibus, eo scil. modo quo Michaeas dicit : audite principes Iacob et duces domus Israel : numquid non vestrum est scire iudicium (Mich. 3, 1)? Audi S. Cyr. : « nam qui ad ministerium electi erant et sapientes et legisperiti et populum sibi commissum erudire solebant, eorum qui iugo suberant et patres et principes et duces appellari poterant. Itaque cum haec absurda et indecora non a gregaria turba, sed ab his fiant quorum erat aliorum scelera corrigere, molestum est et poena inevitabilis et debita his qui fecerunt impie ». Hisce adde pseudoprophetas quoque, qui de corde suo prophetabant, populo blandiebantur, pacem promittebant, ubi non erat pax et ita ruinam populi promovebant et peccatis addebant peccata; cf. Ier. 5, 31 : « prophetae. prophetabant mendacium et sacerdotes applaudebant manibus suis et populus meus dilexit talia; quid igitur fiet in novissimis eius »? Pseudoprophetis autem semper turbam plebis adhaesisse et ex iis falsam sibi securitatem et impunitatem peccandi promisisse, minis et. querelis prophetarum manifestum est (cf. Mich. 3, 5; 2, 41 hebr. Ez. 13, 4 etc.). Interpretationem patris primi de prima illa generatione ex Aegypto educta aliarum exclusione suaderi et commendari dixi. Explicant enim patrem primum vel Adam, vel Abraham, vel Thare, vel lacob. Sed quaevis explicatio suis premitur difficultatibus. Nam Adam intelligi (cum Osor. Pint. Mald. Sa, Mar. Tir. Net. Piscatore, Ges. Hitz. Umbreit, Kn. aliisque) nequit ; nullibi enim pater populi electi dicitur neque ut Auius populi theocratici peccata aecusentur et ratio reddatur, car hunc populum Deus puniverit eique gratuito gratiam praestet, peccatum. Adami omnibus hominibus commune conferre vel declarare quidquam videtur; neque placet cum Adamo enumerari interpretes populi ; nam dicatur populi omnibus sceleribus foedati et foedifragi vel ut ipse primam iam apposuisse censeatur manum ad ruinam populi efficiendam. : Alii, uti For. de Thare cogiant; sed cum ipse nullibi, pater populi Israel appelletur, nemini eius nominis poterat in mentem venire; si hunc propheta designare voluit, clarius sane loquendum erat. Neque Jacob (ut Ewald, Sein. Cheyne, Or. volunt) intelligi potest ; nullibi enim tamquain peccator traducitur, e contra Osee cius fidei, obedientiae, patientiae exemplum illustre praedicat et posteris imitandum proponit eos vituperans quod a tàm praeclaro patré degeneres facti sint (cf. ad Os. 19, 3 seq.). Sed talis certe non erit in agmine peccatorum tamquam dux peccati eolloeandus. Si de solo regno israelitico sermo esset, coniectura a Darh. proposita, leroboam qui vitulum fecerit esse intelligendum, non esset spernenda, quia cultus ille per emphasim peccatum dicitur et via leroboam et peccatum leroboam constanter ut causa fertilis scelerum in regno [Ísrael effertur, quia separavit Israel a Domino (cf. 4 Reg. 17, 21. 3 Reg. 16, 2. 19. 26. 31. 4 Reg. 3, 3; 10, 29 ; 13, 2. 6. 11; 14, 24 etoe.). At non est usitatum regem appellare patrem. — Quare etiam explicatio a S. Ephr. proposita de Saule qui non una vice sed pluribus peccaverit admilti nequit. — Ergo nil aliud restat, quam ut nomen accipiatur collective ; id etiam iam concedit S. Hier. (ieri posse, cum primo loco explicet : « pater tuus primus peccavit in solitudine : omnis videlicet populus Israel » ; sim. Haimo ; eius expositionis mentionem faciunt eamque approbant Malv. Mald. Schegg, Loch (qui tamen speciali modo refert ad Gen. 49, 3-1). Etiam de interpretibus non consentiant interpretes. Multi ibi sermonem fieri volunt de Moyse et Aaron qui ad aquam contradictionis peccaverint (Ex. 17); ita S. Hier. Haim. S. Thom. Pint. Sasb. Sanct. Mald. Sa, Vat. Malv. Lap. Men. Tir. For. Calm.; verum praevaricati sunt *ry2 culpam dicit multo maiorem (cf. Is. 1, 2; 46, 8) defectionem scil. a Deo et turpem foederis violationem. Quare explicatio quoque de prophetis (Schegg, Loch, Hahn, Del.) aDeo missis stare nequit, neque enim prophetae ruinam populi suis peccatis promovebant, eos autem illa labe et inürmitate laborasse quam in sanctis quoque hominibus humanae naturae fragililas secum fert, nihil ad rem est hoc loco cum de iis agatur delictis quibus demum respublica concidit. Quare de iis est sermo qui uti sacerdotes (Lev. 10, 11. Mich. 3, 11) custodes legis ciusque interpretes esse debebant, de quibus Isaias alibi conqueritur : speculatores eius caeci omnes, neseierunt universi, canes muti non valentes latrare, videntes vana, .dormientes et amantes somnia et canes impudentissimi nescierunt saturitatem ; ipsi pastores ignoraverunt intelligentiam ete. (Is. 56, 10. 11). Huc quoque refer reprehensiones quae apud prophetas de sacerdotibus et pseudoprophetis, de iudicibus et magistratibus crebro fiunt; isti enim omnes vel vere vel ficte tamquam interpretes legis Dei ct duces populi constituebantur et ad horum ordinum peccata ruina regni tamquam ad suam originem et causam refertur (cf. Is. 5, 13. 24. 25 propter hoc, ideo iratus est furor Domini in populum ; Ier. 23, 1 seq. Ez. 8, 11; 13, 4; 34, 1 seq. Mich. 3, 12 propter hoe causa vestri Sion quasi ager arabitur etc. etc.). Demum adverte apud LXX legi in v. 97 oi &pjovrec, non interpreles; etiam Syrus exhibet principes, Chald. doctores. Aliter quoque legitur in v. 98 apud LXX et Syrum : principes tui polluerunt sancta mea; id quod S. Ephr. de Manasse intelligit qui sanctuarium introducto idolo quadrifacie polluerit; principes in v. 2/7 explicat de domo Ieroboam et Achaz eorumque asseclis. Commemoravit quam indignum beneficiis sese populus praestiterit, miseriam declaravit, in quam sua culpa prolapsi sunt (43, 21. 28). Ipsi: se erigere minime valent. Quare si ea in rerum conditione magnifica fiunt instaurationis promissa, iis quam splendidissime liberalitas Dei et gratia gratuito praestita declaratur. Postquam itaque-populus enumeratione iniquitatum humiliatus est et ad suae nequitiae et indignitatis culpam agnoscendam perductus, illa adest animorum dispositio qua consolationes Dei et rite aestimantur et omnem suam efficaciam sortiri possunt. Unde acri reprehensioni subiungitur
43:1
… refuge and support (Ps. 9:13-19; 33:7; 34:10; Is. 57:15) and the Messiah will deliver them (Ps. 71:2-4, 12 f.) from the arrogance of the magnates, representatives and arbiters of legality, who trample them: he will be their redeemer and avenger (gō'ēl: Is. 43:1; 44:22, etc.; Ps. 71:14). Jesus introduces into the Kingdom of happiness the great mass of the wretched, exploited and deluded by the cunning and greedy minorities of the powerful …
43:6
In Scripture the texts abound in which, while the inexhaustible expansive virtue of the Infinite Good is magnified, it is at the same time noted that God has created all things for His glory (Is. 43, 6-7; Ps. 115, 2-3; I Thess. 4, 3). "Thus, therefore, God wills Himself and other things. …
43:10
As for the concept, the Apocalypse seems directly linked to Is. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12, where God promises redemption by defining himself: "I am the first and the last" (words with which the Apocalypse explains the formula "A-Ω" in 21:8 and 22:13), as a guarantee of fulfillment (cf. Is. 43:10-12). The Apocalypse therefore intends to suggest in the proem (1:8) and in the conclusion (21:6 and 22:13) that God's salvific counsel will be fulfilled to the end, when the Almighty …
43:15
… The first of these names is rarely applied to the true God (cf. Judg. 6:25), but appears in many theophoric proper names, such as 'Elba'al, Be'eljādhā' Be'aljāh etc.; the second is read in Deut. 35:5; Is. 6:5; 33:22; 43:15; Jer. 48:15; Ps. 5:3, etc.; sometimes it is specified with reference to the chosen people ("king of Jacob", "king of Israel"), or with adjectives that determine the majesty ("great …
43:16
… 8:30-35; 1 Kings 2:3) is accepted in the New Testament (Mark 12:16 - Ex. 3:2, 6). The historical authority of Exodus is presupposed and affirmed by the whole Old Testament: the slavery and the miraculous departure from Egypt are often recalled there (e.g. Is. 43:16; 51:10; Ps. 66:6; 78:13; 106:9; 114:3); Moses (v.) emerges in the history of Israel as liberator, shaper of national unity and lawgiver; Hebrew worship was formed of feasts (Passover …
43:25
… sins (cf. ibid., 3, q. 87, a. 4); d) he who is in the grace of God can be absolved from some venial sins without the remission of the other venial sins; e) sins erased in the Sacrament of Penance do not revive because of a subsequent sin (cf. Is. 1:18; 43:25; Ez. 33:12-16; Council of Trent, sess. …
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.