A prophecy of Cyrus, as a figure of Christ, the great deliverer of God’s people.
Cyrus, by Gods prouidence ouercoming Babylon, wil deliuer the Iewes from captiuitie. 4. Yet is reprehended because he acknowledgeth not God. 8. Vpon which occasion the prophet foresheweth the coming of Christ; 14. in figure of whom he addeth more of Cyrus: 18. and auoucheth that there is but one true God.
1Thus saith the Lord to my anointed Cyrus, whose right hand I have taken hold of, to subdue nations before his face, and to turn the backs of kings, and to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut.Queste cose dice il Signore a Ciro mio unto, cui io ho preso per mano, per soggettare a lui le nazioni, e porre in fuga i re, e aprire davanti a lui le porte, e le porte non saran chiuse.THVS sayth the Lord to my christ Cyrus, whose right hand I haue taken, to subdew the Gentiles before his face, and to turne the backes of kinges, & to open the doores before him, and the gates shal not be shut.Hæc dicit Dominus christo meo Cyro, / cujus apprehendi dexteram, / ut subjiciam ante faciem ejus gentes, / et dorsa regum vertam, / et aperiam coram eo januas, / et portæ non claudentur: 2I will go before thee, and will humble the great ones of the earth: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and will burst the bars of iron.Io anderò innanzi a te, ed umilierò i grandi della terra: spezzerò le porte di bronzo, e romperò i catenacci di ferro.I wil goe before thee, and wil humble the glorious of the earth: I wil breake the brasen gates, and wil burst the iron barres.Ego ante te ibo, et gloriosos terræ humiliabo; / portas æreas conteram, / et vectes ferreos confringam: 3And I will give thee hidden treasures, and the concealed riches of secret places: that thou mayest know that I am the Lord who call thee by thy name, the God of Israel.E darò a te i tesori nascosti, e le ricchezze sepolte; affinchè tu sappi, che son io il Signore, che ti chiamo per nome, il Dio d'Israele.And I wil geue thee hidden treasures, & mysteries of secretes: that thou mayst know that I am the Lord, which cal thy name, the God of Israel.et dabo tibi thesauros absconditos, / et arcana secretorum, / ut scias quia ego Dominus, / qui voco nomen tuum, Deus Israël, 4For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have made a likeness of thee, and thou hast not known me.Per amor del mio servo Giacobbe, e d'Israele eletto mio, ti ho chiamato pel tuo nome, ti ho dato un cognome, e tu non mi hai conosciuto.For my seruant Iacob, and Israel myne elect, and I haue called thee by thy name: I haue resembled thee, and thou hast not knowen me.propter servum meum Jacob, / et Israël, electum meum; / et vocavi te nomine tuo: / assimilavi te, et non cognovisti me.
5I am the Lord, and there is none else: there is no God besides me: I girded thee, and thou hast not known me:Io il Signore, e altri non v'ha; non è Dio fuori di me: io ti ho cinta la spada al fianco, e tu non mi hai conosciuto:I the Lord, & there is none els: beside me there is no God: I girded thee, and thou hast not knowen me:Ego Dominus, et non est amplius; / extra me non est deus; / accinxi te, et non cognovisti me: 6That they may know who are from the rising of the sun, and they who are from the west, that there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is none else:Affinchè sappian tutti dove il sol nasce, e dov' egli tramonta, che nissuno è fuori di me. Io il Signore, e non havvene un altro.that they which are from the rising of the sunne, and which are from the west may know, that there is none beside me. I the Lord, and there is none oher,ut sciant hi qui ab ortu solis et qui ab occidente, / quoniam absque me non est: / ego Dominus, et non est alter: 7I form the light, and create darkness, I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord that do all these things.Io, che formo la luce, e creo le tenebre, io che io la pace, e creo le sciagure. Io il Signore, che fo tutte queste cose.that forme light, and create darknesse, make peace, and create euil: I the Lord that doe al these thinges.formans lucem et creans tenebras, / faciens pacem et creans malum: / ego Dominus faciens omnia hæc. 8Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened, and bud forth a saviour: and let justice spring up together: I the Lord have created him.Mandate o cieli di sopra la vostra rugiada, e le nubi piovano il giusto: si apra la terra, e germini il Salvatore, e nasca insieme la giustizia. Io il Signore lo ho creato.Droppe dew ye heauens from aboue, and let the cloudes rayne the iust: be the earth opened, and bud forth a sauiour: and let iustice spring vp withal: I the Lord haue created him.Rorate, cæli, desuper, / et nubes pluant justum; / aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem, / et justitia oriatur simul: / ego Dominus creavi eum. 9Woe to him that gainsayeth his maker, a sherd of the earthen pots: shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it: What art thou making, and thy work is without hands?Guai a colui, che contraddice a lui, che lo formò, vaso di terra di Samos. La pasta di terra dice ella forse al vasaio; Che fai tu? Il tuo lavoro non è opra di mano.Woe to him that gainesayeth his maker, a sheard of the earthen pottes: shal the clay say to him that fashioneth it: What makest thou, & thy worke is without handes?Væ qui contradicit fictori suo, / testa de samiis terræ ! / Numquid dicet lutum figulo suo: Quid facis, / et opus tuum absque manibus est ?
10Woe to him that saith to his father: Why begettest thou? and to the woman: Why dost thou bring forth?Guai a colui, che dice al padre: Perchè mi generavi tu? E alla madre: Perchè mi concepivi tu?Woe to him that sayth to his father: Why doest thou beget? and to the woman: Why doest thou trauel?Væ qui dicit patri: Quid generas ? / et mulieri: Quid parturis ? 11Thus saith the Lord the Holy One of Israel, his maker: Ask me of things to come, concerning my children, and concerning the work of my hands give ye charge to me.Queste cose dice il Signore, il Santo d'Israele, cui egli formo: Interrogatemi sopra le cose future? sopra i miei figliuoli, e sopra le opere delle mie mani datemi i vostri ordini.Thus sayth our Lord the holy one of Israel the maker therof: Aske me thinges to come: concerning my children and the worke of my handes command you me.Hæc dicit Dominus, / Sanctus Israël, plastes ejus: / Ventura interrogate me; / super filios meos et super opus manuum mearum mandate mihi. 12I made the earth: and I created man upon it: my hand stretched forth the heavens, and I have commanded all their host.Io feci la terra; e in essa creai l'uomo: le mani mie disteser i cieli, e alla loro milizia io feci comandamento.I made the earth: & man vpon the same I haue created: my handes stretched forth the heauens, and I haue commanded al their host.Ego feci terram, / et hominem super eam creavi ego: / manus meæ tetenderunt cælos, / et omni militiæ eorum mandavi. 13I have raised him up to justice, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and let go my captives, not for ransom, nor for presents, saith the Lord the God of hosts.Io lo ho suscitato per la giustizia, e reggerò tutti i suoi passi: egli edificherà la mia città, e a' miei schiavi darà libertà, non a prezzo, né per donativi, dice il Signore Dio degli eserciti.I haue raysed him vp to iustice, & wil direct al his wayes: he shal build my citie, & dismisse my captiuitie: not for price, nor for giftes, sayth our Lord the God of hostes.Ego suscitavi eum ad justitiam, / et omnes vias ejus dirigam; / ipse ædificabit civitatem meam, / et captivitatem meam dimittet, / non in pretio neque in muneribus, / dicit Dominus Deus exercituum. 14Thus saith the Lord: The labour of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and of Sabaim, men of stature shall come over to thee, and shall be thine: they shall walk after thee, they shall go bound with manacles: and they shall worship thee, and shall make supplication to thee: only in thee is God, and there is no God besides thee.Queste cose dice il Signore: Le fatiche dell'Egitto, e il mercimonio dell'Etiopia, e i Sabei uomini di grande statura passeranno dalla tua parte, e saran tuoi: cammineran dietro a te colle mani legate; e te adoreranno, e a te porgeranno preghiere. Teco solamente e Dio, fuori del quale altro Dio non è.Thus sayth our Lord: The labour of Aegypt, and the merchandise of Aethiopia, and of Sabaim the high men shal passe to thee, & shal be thine: they shal walke after thee, they shal goe bound with manicles: and they shal adore thee, and shal beseche thee: Onlie in thee is God, and there is no God beside thee.Hæc dicit Dominus: / Labor Ægypti, et negotiatio Æthiopiæ, / et Sabaim viri sublimes / ad te transibunt, et tui erunt; / post te ambulabunt, / vincti manicis pergent, et te adorabunt, / teque deprecabuntur. / Tantum in te est Deus, / et non est absque te deus.
15Verily thou art a hidden God, the God of Israel the saviour.Veramente un Dio ascoso se' tu, Dio d'Israele Salvatore.Verely thou art God hidden, the God of Israel a sauiour.Vere tu es Deus absconditus, / Deus Israël, salvator. 16They are all confounded and ashamed: the forgers of errors are gone together into confusion.Son confusi, e svergognati tutti: sono caduti insieme nell'obbrobrio i fabbricatori degli errori.They are al confounded, and ashamed: the forgers of errours are gone together into confusion.Confusi sunt, et erubuerunt omnes: / simul abierunt in confusionem fabricatores errorum. 17Israel is saved in the Lord with an eternal salvation: you shall not be confounded, and you shall not be ashamed for ever and ever.Israele dal Signore è stato salvato con salute eterna: non sarete confusi, né arrossirete per tutti i secoli.Israel is saued in our Lord with eternal saluation: you shal not be confounded, and you shal not be ashamed for euer and euer.Israël salvatus est in Domino salute æterna; / non confundemini, et non erubescetis usque in sæculum sæculi. 18For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens, God himself that formed the earth, and made it, the very maker thereof: he did not create it in vain: he formed it to be inhabited. I am the Lord, and there is no other.Perocché queste cose dice il Signore, che crea i cieli; lo stesso Dio, che forma, e produce la terra; egli è il suo faccitore: non invano la ha creata: la formò, perchè fosse abitata: Io il Signore, ed altro non v'ha.Because thus sayth our Lord that created the heauens, the verie God that formed the earth, and made it, the verie maker therof: he did not create it in vaine: to be inhabited he formed it. I the Lord, and there is none other.Quia hæc dicit Dominus / creans cælos, / ipse Deus formans terram / et faciens eam, ipse plastes ejus; / non in vanum creavit eam: / ut habitaretur formavit eam: / Ego Dominus, et non est alius. 19I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I have not said to the seed of Jacob: Seek me in vain. I am the Lord that speak justice, that declare right things.Non di nascosto ho parlato, in qualche tenebroso luogo della terra: non ho detto alla stirpe di Giacobbe: Cercatemi inutilmente. Io Signore, che insegno la giustizia, e predico la rettitudine.I haue not spoken in secrete, in a darke place of the earth: I haue not sayd to the seede of Iacob: Seeke me in vayne. I the Lord that speake iustice, that declare right thinges.Non in abscondito locutus sum, / in loco terræ tenebroso; / non dixi semini Jacob frustra: / Quærite me: / ego Dominus loquens justitiam, / annuntians recta.
20Assemble yourselves, and come, and draw near together, ye that are saved of the Gentiles: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven work, and pray to a god that cannot save.Raunatevi, e venite, e appressatevi voi tutti, che siete usciti salvi di mezzo alle nazioni: sono senza intelletto coloro, che alzano statua di legno scolpita da loro, e fan preghiere a un dio, che non salva.Gather ye together, and come, and approch together ye that are saued of the Gentiles: they haue bene ignorant that lift vp the wood of their grauen worke, and aske of a God that saueth not.Congregamini, et venite, et accedite simul / qui salvati estis ex gentibus: / nescierunt qui levant lignum sculpturæ suæ, / et rogant deum non salvantem. 21Tell ye, and come, and consult together: who hath declared this from the beginning, who hath foretold this from that time? Have not I the Lord, and there is no God else besides me? A just God and a saviour, there is none besides me.Parlate, e venite, e fate consiglio insieme: chi fu, che fin da principio annunziò cosa tale, chi fin d'allora la predisse? Non son io quello, io il Signore, e altro Dio non è fuori di me? Dio giusto, e che salvi, non è altri che io.Declare ye, and come, and consult together: who hath made this to be heard from the begynning, from that time foretold this? Haue not I the Lord, and there is no God besides but I? A iust God, and that saueth there is none beside me.Annuntiate, et venite, / et consiliamini simul. / Quis auditum fecit hoc ab initio, / ex tunc prædixit illud ? / numquid non ego Dominus, / et non est ultra deus absque me ? / Deus justus, et salvans non est præter me. 22Be converted to me, and you shall be saved, all ye ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no other.Convertitevi a me da tutte le estremità della terra, e avrete salute; perocché io son Dio, e altri non v'ha.Be conuerted to me, and you shal be saued al ye endes of the earth: because I am God, and there is none other.Convertimini ad me, et salvi eritis, / omnes fines terræ, / quia ego Deus, et non est alius. 23I have sworn by myself, the word of justice shall go out of my mouth, and shall not return:Per me stesso ho giurato; parola di giustizia è uscita dalla mia bocca, e non sarà rivocata: A me piegherassi ogni ginocchio, e per me farà giuramento ogni lingua.I haue sworne by myself, the word of iustice shal procede out of my mouth, and shal not returne,In memetipso juravi; / egredietur de ore meo justitiæ verbum, / et non revertetur: / quia mihi curvabitur omne genu, / et jurabit omnis lingua. 24For every knee shall be bowed to me, and every tongue shall swear.Diranno adunque nel Signore, che a me appartiene la giustizia, e l'impero: a lui verranno, e saranno confusi tutti quelli, che se gli oppongono.because euerie knee shal be bowed to me, and euerie tongue shal sweare.Ergo in Domino, dicet, / meæ sunt justitiæ et imperium; / ad eum venient, et confundentur / omnes qui repugnant ei.
25Therefore shall he say: In the Lord are my justices and empire: they shall come to him, and all that resist him shall be confounded.Dal Signore sarà giustificata, e glorificata tutta la posterità d'Israele.Therfore in our Lord, shal he say, are my iustices and empire: they shal come to him, and al that resist him, shal be confounded.In Domino justificabitur, et laudabitur / omne semen Israël. 26In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and praised.In our Lord shal al the seede of Israel be iustified and praysed.
45:1
Anointed, often implies one chosen for some great work. Cyrus was to ruin the empire of Babylon, and to set the nations at liberty. He was a proof of the Deity by executing his decrees.
St. Jerome
Cyrus. Some copies of the Septuagint seem to have read kurio, "to the Lord," incorrectly. (St. Jerome)
Worthington
Though Cyrus was not anointed, he is styled thus, in allusion to the custom of the Jewish kings. (Worthington)
45:2
Brass. Babylon had 100 such gates. (Herodotus 1:179.)
45:3
Treasures. See Pliny, [Natural History?] 33:3. He overcame the rich king of Lydia, etc.
45:4
Likeness of Christ.
Calmet
Known me. Before the Jews had shewn Cyrus the prophecies, he did not attribute his success to the Lord, and even afterwards he seems not to have left the superstitions of his country, as his sacrifices to idols are described. He resembled Nabuchodonosor and the philosophers, who did not glorify God according to their knowledge, Daniel 2:47., and Romans 1:21. Cyrus even revoked the decree for building the temple, 1 Esdras 4:5. (Calmet)
Worthington
He believed there was one God; (1 Esdras i.) yet he did not embrace the truth entirely. (Worthington)
45:7
Challoner
Create evil, etc. The evils of afflictions and punishments, but not the evil of sin. (Challoner)
I afflict and comfort my people.
45:8
Saviour. Thus the ancient saints thirsted for the coming of Christ. His figure is styled the just, Isaias 41:2, 25.
Calmet
Him. Christ, born of the virgin, in time, and of God from all eternity. I have appointed Cyrus to be his precursor, to set the captives free. (Calmet)
Worthington
He has been spoken of before. But now the prophet turns to Christ alone, who built his Church on a rock. (Worthington)
St. Jerome
Cyrus had not a right faith in God, and Zorobabel was himself set free, and was not king. (St. Jerome)
45:9
Haydock
Earthen. Literally, "Samian." (Haydock)
Calmet
Samos was famous for its pottery. (Pliny, [Natural History?] 35:12.) Hebrew, "Clay, disputest thou against the potters of the earth?" He shews the folly of idols, after having proved his own divinity. (Calmet)
Haydock
Protestants, "Let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth." (Haydock)
45:10
Menochius
Forth. As such language would be improper to parents, so it is wrong to complain that God places us in any situation. (Menochius)
45:11
To me. Ask what will come to pass, or direct me how to act.
45:13
Calmet
Justice. Cyrus shall punish the Chaldeans and restore the Jews. (Calmet)
Houbigant
The prophet returns to him after having mentioned a greater Saviour, ver. 8. (Houbigant)
45:14
Calmet
Cyrus possessed all these countries. He sent the Egyptians home in the third year of his reign, at Babylon, the year of the world 3470, Ezechiel 29:11. They never became subject to the Jews; but embraced the religion of Christ, acknowledging him for God, ver. 15. (Calmet)
Haydock
Besides thee. Protestants, "Surely God is in thee, and there is none else, there is no God." Those whom we have hitherto adored, deserve not the name. Vulgate and Septuagint make the people address Christ, the God-man. (Haydock)
45:15
Saviour. We confess that thou hast delivered the Jews; or rather, we acknowledge that thou, O Christ, art true God under the veils of thy human nature, and Saviour of all. Cyrus was only a feeble representation of thee.
45:16
Confusion. Idolaters shall be confounded, when they shall behold the glory of the elect.
45:18
In vain. Hebrew, "to be a chaos," Genesis 8:2.
45:19
Earth. The pagan oracles were given chiefly in mountains, where the impostures of the priests might escape detection. They were also generally ambiguous, or mere guesses. The declarations of the true prophets were quite the reverse.
Calmet
In vain; without reward. (Calmet)
45:20
Gentiles: converts, (Haydock) or Jews, returning from Babylon.
45:21
Me. He transports his auditors to the times succeeding the captivity, when the completion of the prophecies will be evident.
45:23
Myself, having none greater, Hebrews 6:13.
Justice: sure.
To me. All that are born belong to me. The Jewish women had seldom recourse to midwives, (Exodus 1:19., and 1 Kings 4:19.; Calmet) no more than the Ethiopians. (Ludolf. 1:14.)
Haydock
Swear, by the true God. (Haydock)
Oaths on proper occasions, honour him, Deuteronomy 6:13. Nothing could be spoken more plainly of the Gentiles' conversion.
45:25
Empire. Cyrus shall make this confession, (1 Esdras 1:2.) and all who embrace the religion of Christ, shall attribute all their virtue to him.
45:7
Create evil, etc.... The evils of afflictions and punishments, but not the evil of sin.
45:1
Because al kinges that reigned amōg the Iewes vvere annointed vvith oyle, Cyrus is called christ though he was not ordayned with this ceremony of annointing.
45:4
S. Ierom noteth here out of Iosephus (l. 11. Antiq) that Cyrus finding his name long before prophe cied by Isaias, became very beneuolous to the Ievves, louing them as the familiar seruants of God.
Concordance 2. Par. ••.
But though he knew and professed one God, & no other (1. Esd. 1.) yet he was not conuerted in al pointes of religion, neither serued God according to that general knowlege he had, and so knew not God rightly.
45:8
The prophet in the former prophecie contemplating Christ as in a figure novv eleuated more in spirite, prophecieth of Christ only, vvho built his Church vpon a sure rock. Not of Cyrus, who being aduanced by God yet perfectly knevv not God v. 4. nor of Zorobabel vvho did not release the people from captiuitie, but together with others, vvas released, neither had the title of a king, but liued in subiection to other kinges. S. Ierom. in hunc locum.
45:9
Concordance Rom. 9. Iere. 18.
45:24
Concordance Rom. •4. Phil. 2.
45:1
St Barnabas † AD 61 The Epistle of Barnabas 12
… and I will break in pieces the strength of kings.”
Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 7
… For that Christ was to come we know that even the Jews do not attempt to disprove, inasmuch as it is to His advent that they are directing their hope. Nor need we inquire at more length concerning that matter, since in days bygone all the prophets have prophesied of it; as Isaiah: “Thus saith the Lord God to my Christ (the) Lord,
Tertullian † AD 220 Against Praxeas 11
… Observe also the Spirit speaking of the Father and the Son, in the character of a third Person: “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.” Likewise in the words of Isaiah: “Thus saith the Lord to the Lord mine Anointed.”
Tertullian † AD 220 Against Praxeas 28
… And if, to quote another passage, “Thus saith the Lord to my Lord Christ,”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 1.22
… ye who dwell in the region of the shadow of death, the light shall shine upon you.” Also in the same: “Thus saith the Lord God to Christ my Lord, whose right hand I hold, that the nations may hear Him; and I will break asunder the strength of kings, I will open before Him gates; and cities shall not be shut.”
Novatian † AD 258 A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 26
… “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right hand, until I shall make Thine enemies the stool of Thy feet?” Or when, unfolding the prophecies of Isaiah, he finds it written thus: “Thus saith the Lord to Christ my Lord?”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 9
… The strange children have waxed aged, and have halted from their paths.” ( Ps. xviii. 43–45 , LXX.) And again, “They to whom it had not been told concerning Him, shall see, and they which had not heard, shall understand.” And, “I was found of them that sought Me not” ( Isa. lii. 15 ); “I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.” (
45:2
St Barnabas † AD 61 The Epistle of Barnabas 11
… For ye shall be as the fledglings of a bird, which fly away when the nest is removed.” And again saith the prophet, “I will go before thee and make level the mountains, and will break the brazen gates, and bruise in pieces the iron bars; and I will give thee the secret, hidden, invisible treasures, that they may know that I am the Lord God.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 5.2
… But we trust that we shall be able in some measure to explain them, if by your prayers that word of the Lord, which was announced by Isaiah, may apply to us also—“I will go before thee, and bring low the mighty ones of the land, I will break the gates of brass, and cut asunder the iron bars, and I will open to thee concealed treasures and hidden secrets”
45:3
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.25
… “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the prudent will I hide.” So in another passage He intimates both that He has concealed, and that He will also reveal: “I will give unto them treasures that have been hidden, and secret ones will I discover to them.”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.6
… once also was latent under figures, allegories, and enigmatical types; but it was afterwards to be revealed in Christ, who was set “as a light to the Gentiles,” by the Creator who promised through the mouth of Isaiah that He would discover “the hidden treasures, which eye had not seen.”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.14
… for it was into the world of another God that he descended. The truth is, the Creator’s resources and riches, which once had been hidden, were now disclosed. For so had He promised: “I will give to them treasures which have been hidden, and which men have not seen will I open to them.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.1-2.23
… that field.” Let us notice, then, whether the apparent and superficial and obvious meaning of Scripture does not resemble a field filled with plants of every kind, while the things lying in it, and not visible to all, but buried, as it were, under the plants that are seen, are the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge; which the Spirit through Isaiah
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.96
… who has not, by a triple inscription of them upon the breadth of his heart, attained the mind of Christ; nor been admitted to the treasures which to most men remain hidden, secret, and dark, to gaze upon the riches therein?
45:5
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.5.4
… but the existence of all the other animal substances they ascribe to fear, such as the souls of irrational animals, and of wild beasts, and men. And on this account, he (the Demiurge), being incapable of recognising any spiritual essences, imagined himself to be God alone, and declared through the prophets, “I am God, and besides me there is none else.”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.29.4
… When these were generated, the mother Sophia deeply grieved, fled away, departed into the upper regions, and became the last of the Ogdoad, reckoning it downwards. On her thus departing, he imagined he was the only being in existence; and on this account declared, “I am a jealous God, and besides me there is no one.”
Tertullian † AD 220 Against the Valentinians 21
… Besides, the Demiurge had so little mastery over things, on the score, you must know, of his inability to approach spiritual essences, (constituted as he was) of animal elements, that, imagining himself to be the only being, he uttered this soliloquy: “I am God, and beside me there is none else.”
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Flesh of Christ 24
… Having thus Marcion in his prophetic view, he says, “I am God, and there is none else; there is no God beside me.”
Tertullian † AD 220 Against Praxeas 18
… because it is the Father who is acknowledged in the first place, and after the Father the Son is named. Therefore “there is one God,” the Father, “and without Him there is none else.”
Tertullian † AD 220 Against Praxeas 20
… For as in the Old Testament Scriptures they lay hold of nothing else than, “I am God, and beside me there is no God;”
45:6
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 2.4.1
… I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; He is not a God of the dead, but of the living,” most clearly teach us, that He called the God of the patriarchs (because they were holy, and were alive) the God of the living, the same, viz., who had said in the prophets, “I am God, and besides Me there is no God.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 6.5
Germanus : We often read in holy Scripture that God has created evil or brought it upon men, as is this passage: “There is none beside Me. I am the Lord, and there is none else: I form the light and create darkness, I make peace, and create evil.”
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.40.1
… and who has the eternal fire for the ringleader of the apostasy, the devil, and those who revolted with him, into which [fire] the Lord has declared those men shall be sent who have been set apart by themselves on His left hand. And this is what has been spoken by the prophet, “I am a jealous God, making peace, and creating evil things;”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 1.2
… Now (like many other persons now-a-days, especially those who have an heretical proclivity), while morbidly brooding over the question of the origin of evil, his perception became blunted by the very irregularity of his researches; and when he found the Creator declaring, “I am He that createth evil,”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 1.16
… who also strikes and heals. Why do they take Him to be uniform in one class of things alone, as the Creator of visible things, and only them; whereas He ought to be believed to have created both the visible and the invisible, in just the same way as life and death, or as evil things and peace?
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 2.14
On all occasions does God meet you: it is He who smites, but also heals; who kills, but also makes alive; who humbles, and yet exalts; who “creates evil,” but also “makes peace;”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 2.24
… There is. We say, in short, that evil in the present case means, not what may be attributed to the Creator’s nature as an evil being, but what may be attributed to His power as a judge. In accordance with which He declared, “I create evil,”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.1
… Why do you wrest to the Creator’s prejudice those examples from which you draw your antitheses, when you may recognise them all in His sensations and affections? “I will wound,” He says, “and I will heal;” “I will kill,” He says again, “and I will make alive” —even the same “who createth evil and maketh peace;”
Tertullian † AD 220 Against Hermogenes 32
… Of darkness, indeed, the Lord Himself by Isaiah says, “I formed the light, and I created darkness.”
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 2
… Because, albeit God is by nature good, still He is “just” too. For, from the nature of the case, just as He knows how to “heal,” so does He withal know how to “smite;” “making peace,” but withal “creating evils;”
Tertullian † AD 220 De Fuga in Persecutione 3
3. Seeing therefore, too, these cases occur in persecutions more than at other times, as there is then among us more of proving or rejecting, more of abusing or punishing, it must be that their general occurrence is permitted or commanded by Him at whose will they happen even partially; by Him, I mean, who says, “I am He who make peace and create evil,”
St Hippolytus † AD 235 On the Psalms 6
… just as the day of judgment is called the evil day, as being laden with miseries and pains for sinners. To the same effect is the word of Isaiah, “I, the Lord, make peace, and create evil;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.1.8
… Thereupon the heretics, reading that it is written in the law, “A fire has been kindled in Mine anger;” and that “I the Lord am a jealous (God), visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation;” and that “it repenteth Me that I anointed Saul to be king;” and, “I am the Lord , who make peace and create evil;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.1-2.8
… And those belonging to heretical sects reading this (statement), “A fire has been kindled in Mine anger;” and this, “I am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation;” and this, “I repent of having anointed Saul to be king;” and this, “I am a God that maketh peace, and createth evil;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 6.55
… “If we have received good at the hand of the Lord, shall we not also receive evil!” Since, then, there is found in the sacred Scriptures, in a certain passage, this statement put into the mouth of God, “I make peace, and create evil;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 6.56
… nor would one visit “with a rod the transgressions of those who forsake the law of the Lord, and their iniquities with stripes;” nor could it be said, “Thou hast coals of fire to set upon them; they shall be to thee a help.” In the same way also we explain the expressions, “I, who make peace, and create evil;”
Novatian † AD 258 A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 3
… Who, similarly wishing still more to come into our knowledge, and, by way of stirring up our minds to His worship, said, “I am the Lord, who made the light and created the darkness;”
Archelaus † fl. AD 278 A Fragment of the Same Disputation 1
… And if again, you find fault with the one because He has prepared a fire, why do you not find fault with the other, who says, “Depart from me into everlasting fire?” If you find fault with Him who says, “I, God, make peace, and create evil,”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 6.27
… If again thou findest fault, because He prepared fire, wherefore dost thou not find fault with Him who saith, Depart from Me into everlasting fire ? If thou findest fault with Him who saith, I am God that make peace, and create evil
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 9.7
7. But let no one tolerate any who say that one is the Creator of the light, and another of darkness : for let him remember how Isaiah says, I am the God who made the light, and created darkness
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Three Homilies Concerning the Power of Demons 1
… so he has called the matter, according to the estimate of mankind. This then is that which the prophet saith “There is no evil in the city which the Lord hath not done.” This too by means of Isaiah God has made clear saying “I am God who maketh peace and createth evil,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 22
By “evil” here He means, not wickedness, far from it, but affliction, and trouble, and calamities; much as in another place also He saith, “Is there evil in a city, which the Lord hath not done?” nor any thing like these, but the scourges which are borne from above. And again, “I,” saith He, “make peace, and create evils:”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Morals of the Manichæans 7
… So they suffer misery by the divine judgment, while they are ranked suitably to their deserts. Hence we see the excellence of that saying which you are always inveighing against so strongly, "I make good things, and create evil things."
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St Methodius † AD 311 Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna On the Day that They Met in the Temple 1
… Therefore rejoice with me this day, ye heavens, for the Lord hath showed mercy to His people. Yea, let the clouds drop the dew of righteousness upon the world; let the foundations of the earth sound a trumpet-blast to those in Hades, for the resurrection of them that sleep is come.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 50
… you are guiltless. Do not want to be more merciful than God ( b ), or rather, if you wish it, you will not be able, not even in the least degree. How should you? “As far as the heaven is from the earth,” Scripture says, “so far are My counsels from your counsels” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 20.17
… because the former things have passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.” This city is said to come down out of heaven, because the grace with which God formed it is of heaven. Wherefore He says to it by Isaiah, “I am the Lord that formed thee.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 24
… In this nativity of Christ, according to the prophecy of David, “truth sprang out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven .” In this nativity also, Isaiah’s saying is fulfilled, “let the earth produce and bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Commentary on Galatians 3
… for doth it ever avail while he that made it liveth?” ( Heb. ix. 17 .) One may find him dwelling with pleasure on such arguments. In the Old Testament God does the same thing in many instances, as, “Can a woman forget her sucking child?” ( Isa. xlix. 15 .) and again, “Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou?” (
St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 2
xlv. 9 . Woe unto him who striveth with his Maker.
John Cassian † AD 435 The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius 7.2
… and even water, which has been flowing from the beginning of things, and which all living creatures use, could, if God gave the word, be made a body in the womb, and have birth given to it. For who can set a limit to divine works, or circumscribe Divine Providence? or who (to use the words of Scripture) can say to Him “What doest thou?”
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St Hippolytus † AD 235 Against the Heresy of One Noetus 4
… and they shall come after thee bound with manacles, and they shall fall down unto thee; and they shall make supplication unto thee, because God is in thee; and there is no God beside thee. For Thou art God, and we knew not; the God of Israel, the Saviour.”
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 4.38
… For Thou art God, and we knew it not, O God of Israel, the Saviour. All that resist Him shall be ashamed and confounded, and shall walk in confusion
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 12.39
… For everything, which there is in created things, was always with God: for although these things in respect of their creation have a beginning, nevertheless they have no beginning in respect of the knowledge and power of God. And here the prophet is our witness, saying, O God, Who hast made all things which shall be
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.15
… “They parted My garments among them.” This the Evangelist showeth to have been spoken prophetically of the time of the Passion, for to God the things that are to come are present, and for Him Who foreknoweth all things, they are as though they were past and over; as it is written, “Who hath made the things that are to be.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.16
197. But thou sayest that He knows the present and does not know the future. Though this is a foolish suggestion, yet that I may satisfy thee on Scriptural grounds, learn that He made not only what is past, but also what is future, as it is written: “Who made things to come.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace 23
… For this reason, also, the prophet Isaiah says concerning Him, “Who has made the things that shall be.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace 45
It is not, then, to be doubted that men’s wills cannot, so as to prevent His doing what he wills, withstand the will of God, “who hath done all things whatsoever He pleased in heaven and in earth,” and who also “has done those things that are to come;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints 1.19
… but what follows—“which God hath prepared that we should walk in them”—is predestination, which cannot exist without foreknowledge, although foreknowledge may exist without predestination; because God foreknew by predestination those things which He was about to do, whence it was said, “He made those things that shall be.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 68.1
… How are we to think of this, but in the same way as the prophet, who also declares of God, that He has [already] made that which is yet to be. For he says not, Who will make what is yet to be, but, “Who has made what is yet to be.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 86.1
… How, then, are we to understand that He made known unto the disciples all that He had heard of the Father, when there are many things that He saith not, just because He knows that they cannot bear them now? Doubtless what He is yet to do He says that He has done as the same Being who hath made those things which are yet to be.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 96.1
… my Father I have made known unto you,” and yet says here, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” But how it was that He spake of what He had not yet done as if it were done, just as the prophet testifies that God has made those things which are still to come, when He says, “Who hath made those things which are still to come,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 105.4
… as it was also declared of Him by the prophet, “Who hath made the things that are to be.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 105.10
… mentioning by name, as speaking; speaking, as commanding? Nor doth the Apostle say, “He calleth those things which be not, that they may be;” but, “as though they were.” For with God that hath already happened which, according to His disposition, is fixed for the future: for of Him it is elsewhere said, “He who made things to come.”
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Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 1.7.3
We think, then, that they may be designated as living beings, for this reason, that they are said to receive commandments from God, which is ordinarily the case only with rational beings. “I have given a commandment to all the stars,”
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Tertullian † AD 220 Against Praxeas 13
… Accordingly, Isaiah also says to the Person of Christ: “The Sabæans, men of stature, shall pass over to Thee; and they shall follow after Thee, bound in fetters; and they shall worship Thee, because God is in Thee: for Thou art our God, yet we knew it not; Thou art the God of Israel.”
St Hippolytus † AD 235 Against the Heresy of One Noetus 2
… and they shall come after thee bound with manacles, and they shall fall down unto thee, because God is in thee; and they shall make supplication unto thee: and there is no God beside thee. For Thou art God, and we knew not; God of Israel, the Saviour.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 2.7
… and shall walk after Thee bound with chains; and shall worship Thee, and shall pray to Thee, because God is in Thee, and there is no other God beside Thee. For Thou art God, and we knew it not, O God of Israel, our Saviour. They shall all be confounded and fear who oppose Thee, and shall fall into confusion.”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 2.16
… God worship Him ;’ and by all the Gentiles, as Isaiah says, ‘The labour of Egypt and merchandize of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thy servants;’ and then, ‘they shall fall down unto thee, and shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee, and there is none else, there is no God
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 11.16
16. Wouldest thou receive yet a third testimony to Christ’s Godhead? Hear Esaias saying, Egypt hath laboured, and the merchandise of Ethiopia: and soon after, In Thee shall they make supplication, because God is in Thee, and there is no God save Thee. For Thou art God, and we knew it not, the God of Israel, the Saviour
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 11.2
… “The Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and shall be servants unto thee: they shall come after thee bound in fetters, and in thee shall they make supplication, because God is in thee, and there is no God beside thee; for thou art God
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.8
… Is it that you are afraid of seeming to join the Spirit with the Father and the Son? But hear what is written of the Spirit: “For the law of the Spirit is life in Christ Jesus.” And in another place God the Father says: “They shall worship Thee, and in Thee they shall make supplication.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.3
… mighty men shall come over to thee, and shall be thy servants, and in thy train shall they follow, bound in fetters, and they shall fall down before thee, and to thee shall they make supplication: for God is in thee, and there is no God beside thee. For thou art God, and we knew it not, O God of Israel.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius 5.5
He it is then of whom the Prophet says: “For in Thee is God, and there is no God beside Thee. For Thou art our God and we knew Thee not, O God of Israel the Saviour.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 152
… They shall make supplication unto thee saying, surely God is in thee and there is none else, there is no God. Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.”
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 10.15
… and Son, in that He was made to him of the seed of David according to the flesh. For He doth not say, Christ is not David’s Son, but if ye already hold that He is his Son, learn how He is his Lord: and do not hold in respect of Christ that He is the Son of Man, for so is He David’s Son; and leave out that He is the Son of God, for so is He David’s Lord.
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Tertullian † AD 220 Against Hermogenes 29
… The earth itself He did not endow with its varied fruitfulness all at once; but at first He bestowed upon it being, and then He filled it, that it might not be made in vain. For thus says Isaiah: “He created it not in vain; He formed it to be inhabited.”
St Methodius † AD 311 From the Discourse on the Resurrection, Part I 1
… Isaiah says, too, “For as the new heaven and the new earth which I make, remaineth before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name be;” and again, “Thus saith the Lord that created the heaven, it is He who prepared the earth and created it, He determined it; He created it not in vain, but formed it to be inhabited.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.3
23. There is, therefore, God in God, but not two Gods; for it is written that there is one God,
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 2
… Because, albeit God is by nature good, still He is “just”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 122.2
… “Return,” he cries, “O children of Israel, ye who think deep counsel and wicked. Return thou unto me and I will redeem thee. I am God, and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.
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Novatian † AD 258 A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 3
… and lest its greatness, lying unequally, should easily fall into ruins if it were not balanced with equal weights, He has poised this burden of the earthly mass with equity. Who says by the prophet, “I am God, and there is none beside me.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Thessalonians 6
… xi. 28 .) And again through the Prophet He calls, saying, “Will a woman forget to have compassion on the offspring of her womb? But even if a woman should forget, yet will I not forget thee, saith the Lord.” ( Isa. xlix. 15 , Sept.) Of how great a love are these words? And again, “Turn unto Me” (
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Tertullian † AD 220 Against Hermogenes 6
… He is God, to be sure. God shall also attest the same; but He has also sworn sometimes by Himself, that there is no other God like Him.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 25
… For he intimates some such thing, as if he had said, How does it affect you? Are you to be punished for him? But this he does not say, but hints at it by putting it in a milder form, and saying, “For we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ:” and, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” And he introduces the prophet
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Morals of the Manichæans 14
… But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
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St Justin Martyr † AD 165 The First Apology 52
… And that these things also have been foretold as yet to be, we will prove. By Ezekiel the prophet it was said: “Joint shall be joined to joint, and bone to bone, and flesh shall grow again; and every knee shall bow to the Lord, and every tongue shall confess Him.”
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.31
Forasmuch then as our turning away from God is our own act, and this is evil will; but our turning to God is not possible, except He rouses and helps us, and this is good will,—what have we that we have not received? But if we received, why do we glory as if we had not received? Therefore, as “he that glorieth must glory in the Lord,”
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1. THUS SAITH THE LORD TO MY ANOINTED CYRUS. — Note with St. Jerome, Theodoret, Cyril, Procopius, Eusebius, lib. VI Demonstr. cap. IX, and others, that God here speaks literally of Cyrus, the future king of the Persians, and promises him victory against the Chaldeans and monarchy. For to Cyrus, not to Christ the Lord, applies that of verses 4 and 5: "And thou hast not known me." For God chose Cyrus to be the destroyer of the Chaldean monarchy and to transfer it to himself, for this purpose: that he might be the avenger of the Jews and release them free from Babylon into Judea. This prophecy was uttered by Isaiah concerning Cyrus two hundred and ten years before the time of Cyrus, says Josephus. Moreover, that Cyrus read this prophecy concerning himself, and being encouraged by it, took courage to invade Babylon, and promised freedom to the captive Jews, is gathered first from Josephus, lib. XI Antiq. cap. I, where he relates that the Jews showed this oracle of Isaiah to Cyrus; and from this Cyrus acknowledged the true God of the Hebrews, and publicly professed it, and accepted his kingdom, and sent the Jews from the Babylonian captivity with gifts to the temple into their homeland; secondly, the same is evident from the letters and edict of Cyrus himself releasing the Jews, in I Esdr. cap. I, 2: "All, he says, the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given to me, and he hath commanded me (where? unless here through Isaiah?) to build him a house in Jerusalem." Cyrus therefore could legitimately, namely by the will of God and by right received from him, destroy Babylon and transfer its empire to himself; thus he was not a tyrant, but a legitimate king and monarch, at least after he heard from the Jews this oracle of Isaiah concerning himself. He could, I say: for in fact he seems to have served not so much God as his own ambition in this matter. This is what he says, verse 4: "And thou hast not known me." See Canon. XXXVI and Can. XXXVII. Moreover, God willed these things concerning Cyrus to be predicted by Isaiah for this purpose: that to the Jews, from this future liberation by Cyrus, as well as from other ancient benefits of God bestowed upon them, he might make faith by experience in his oracles through Isaiah, concerning the remission of sins and graces to be brought through Christ, of which those were a type. Again, for this reason: that the Jews might not ascribe this their liberation through Cyrus to another, either to a man or to an idol, for example to the Persians or Chaldeans; but to God alone, as the one who alone had promised and foretold it so many years before. Allegorically Isaiah speaks of Christ. For Cyrus was his type, who freed the Jews and all men from the captivity of sin, death and the devil, and who broke the bars of hell, and from it led forth the holy Patriarchs, says St. Chrysostom, Demonstr. that Christ is God, tom. V. Indeed many of the ancients, such as St. Augustine, lib. De Quinque hæres. cap. VII, tom. V; Tertullian, Nyssenus, and Cyprian in their books and testimonies Against the Jews; Lactantius, Chrysostom, and others whom Leo Castrius cites, R. Abraham, R. Solomon and other Rabbis in Galatinus, lib. IV, cap. XII, take these literally of the Messiah, or Christ. Whence the Fathers already cited from the Septuagint, for Κύρῳ, that is Cyrus, read Κυρίῳ, that is Lord, and thus translate: Thus saith the Lord to my anointed Lord. But an error crept into the Septuagint; for Κύρῳ must be corrected: for thus the Hebrew, Chaldean and Latin Bibles have it. Thus St. Jerome. For what Leo Castrius thinks the Septuagint read in Hebrew לכורש lecores, that is to Cyrus, separately in this manner לכו leco, that is to him, and רש ras, that is poor, as if to say to him Christ, who as a poor man entered Jerusalem riding on an ass on Palm Sunday, as if there to be inaugurated king and Messiah; this, I say, is distorted and not true. For in Hebrew not לכו leco, but לו lo, signifies and. Castrius adds: Or certainly they thought the Septuagint, Cores as well as Emmanuel, to be a name of Christ. But since we have in this word a clear name of Cyrus, why should we invent these diversions lacking foundation? Note here that the Masoretes, ignorant of the histories and names of Gentile kings, wrongly substituted points here: for כורש cores, as they point it, it should be pointed כורט curos, that is Cyrus. For thus pointed did the Septuagint, our version and others read it. In like manner for Darius, they wrongly point דריום Dariaves, I Esdr. cap. VI, 1. TO MY CHRIST CYRUS. — Cyrus is called in Hebrew Messiah, that is, Christ, or the anointed one; both by allusion to the kings of the Hebrews, for these were consecrated by anointing; whence these alone in Scripture are called the Christs of the Lord, as St. Augustine says in Psalm XLIV, verse 8. But Cyrus was a king elected by God for the liberation of the Hebrews: whence God calls him here his own; for he says: "To my Christ." Then because Cyrus was a type and image of Christ: but an image takes on the name of its antitype, or exemplar. For thus when we see an image of St. Peter, or St. Paul, we say: This is St. Peter, this is St. Paul. Whence Cyrus in the Persian language signifies the sun, as Plutarch says in the Life of Artaxerxes Mnemon. For Cyrus the Persians, as also the Rabbis, with other pointing say Cores, which is akin to the Hebrew Chares, that is, sun. For he himself shone forth to the world and to the Hebrews as a new sun, just as Christ the sun of justice visited us rising from on high. Thus Samson in Hebrew is the same as a small sun. For such was he to the Hebrews sitting in darkness of affliction and captivity under the yoke of the Philistines, which he, if not entirely shook off, certainly shook off for a time; whence he too was a type of Christ. Hence they say that Cyrus saw in dreams a sun standing at his feet, and when Cyrus wished to seize it, the sun fled away, and this a third time: when asked what this portended, they answered that it portended that Cyrus would reign for thirty years. Cyrus therefore among the kings of the Gentiles, and among the Persians shone forth as a sun, both in wisdom, and in justice, and in temperance, and in magnanimity, and in liberality, and so was an example of all kingly virtues, as Xenophon says, who in book VIII of the Education of Cyrus: "It is not, he says, the custom of Cyrus to gather money, who delights more in giving than in seeking and possessing;" as the sun does, which gives light and life to all, and receives nothing from anyone. But he shone forth especially as a sun in religion among his people: for he began his empire from divine matters and sacrifice, as Xenophon says in book I, and he believed in the immortality of the soul. For his voice is found in Cicero in the Greater Cato: "I could never be persuaded that souls, while they were in mortal bodies, lived; when they departed from these, they died: nor indeed is the soul then unwise, when it has escaped from an unwise body, but when freed from the admixture of the body it has become pure and whole, then it is wise." Wherefore Xenophon describes his death thus in book VIII. There seemed to approach him a certain one of human appearance more august, and to say: "Gather your vessels, O Cyrus! for now you are about to go to the gods." Immediately therefore, having taken the victims, he performed a religious rite to Jupiter the father, and to the sun, saying: Jupiter of my fathers, and sun, etc., I give you great thanks, because I have understood your care for me, and because my spirit was never lifted up in prosperous circumstances beyond the condition of humanity. Thus Aesop (as his Life has it), renowned in ancient wisdom, was received magnificently by Nectanebo the Egyptian king (for he was a king clothed in royal raiment, and wearing on his head a jeweled tiara, and surrounded by the flower of the first men, and sitting on a sublime throne), asked by the king: "To what do you compare me, and those who are around me?" answered: "You to the spring sun, but these to precious ears of grain." At which word the king was so delighted that he honored the man with admiration and gifts. A king and prince on earth therefore is what the sun is in heaven. For first, as the sun alone is in the world, so the king alone is in the kingdom. Second, the sun in its motion follows nature: so let the king follow reason, and not admit to the partnership of the kingdom the lusts and desires of the mind; for the sun is in the world what reason is in man, as Philo says. Third, the sun is most pure and most bright: so let the king shine forth to his people. Fourth, the sun is called Apollo, as he who frees us from diseases, that is, he who liberates us from illnesses: so it is likewise the king's part to avert every plague and calamity from his subjects. Wherefore Plutarch, in the book On the Doctrine of Princes: "The prince, he says, is an image of God administering all things, needing nothing from Phidias the sculptor, but he himself renders himself like to God through virtue, and fashions a statue most pleasing and most magnificent to all eyes. For just as God in heaven has established the sun and moon as the most beautiful image of himself, such is in the republic the image and light the prince, who, revering God, upholds justice, that is, bears the reason of God, namely intellect, not a scepter, or thunderbolt, or trident, by which form some fashion and paint themselves, rendering their stupidity, that they may seem unapproachable, odious." Fifth, the sun penetrating and heating all things, that is in the world, which the heart is in an animal, as Plato says: thus also it is the king's to rule all things and as it were to vivify them. Sixth, the chief gift of the sun is goodness; for with its rays shining forth, it benefits all, and therefore it is full of cheerfulness: thus also the king, who wears a radiant diadem, should take care that from his head shine forth prudence, constancy, justice, and especially beneficence, by which, like a certain salutary sun, he may irradiate and refresh all. Seventh, Orpheus gave this encomium to the sun: ἥλιε παντοκράτορ, κόσμου πνεῦμα, κόσμου δύναμις, κόσμου φῶς: Sun almighty, spirit of the world, power of the world, light of the world. What in the whole kingdom is more powerful than the king? Is he not also the spirit of the kingdom? Is he not its power and light? Eighth, the sun consumes noxious and superfluous humours, lest they infect the air: the king removes evildoers, lest they disturb the commonwealth. Ninth, the sun is all-seeing light: and the king is all-seeing, knowing all things. Thus Demosthenes, as Plutarch testifies, when the Athenian people were struck with fear at the arrival of Philoxenus, one of the prefects of Alexander's fleet (for then there was discussion about sending aid against Alexander): "What will they do," said Demosthenes, "if they see the sun, who cannot lift their eyes against a lamp?" Namely, he called King Alexander the sun, Philoxenus the prefect, a lamp. Thus Virgil attributed a radiant head to the Latin king, and said he was the grandson of the Sun. Thus Joseph saw his father Jacob, who was the prince of the Hebrews, represented in dreams by the sun, Genesis 37:9. The Apharantians, a Libyan people, cursed the rising sun, because it revealed many evils: and wicked men hate the king. Tenth, as the sun sees all things, so also is it seen by all: thus the king is exposed to the eyes of all, to the judgments of all, to the speech of all. Let him therefore think this is said to him: in the sphere of the sun you hide and sleep. Eleventh, the sun is intolerant of all stain: and the king of all wickedness and impurity. Twelfth, the Dorians called the sun ἁλίζ, according to its gathering men into one and the same place, because it congregates men in one place: and the king gathers men scattered by language, customs, institutions, religion into one body and commonwealth. Thirteenth, the sun failing, darkened, lurid, portends all evil to men: and the king deformed by vices brings all vices and calamities to the commonwealth. Fourteenth, the sun is surrounded by stars, and although it alone shines, it nevertheless communicates its light to the stars: likewise from the presence of the king, all the heights of dignities arise. When the sun departs, beauty perishes for the stars: thus without the king, all authority perishes for the nobles and magistrates. Fifteenth, the sun is restless, indeed ἀδαμάνατος, that is unwearied, and always like itself, never swifter or slower than its wont: and the king always acts and rules all things, but with a calm mind, and avoids all hasty counsel. Sixteenth, as under the sun, so under a good king, all things are not only healthy, but also flourish, grow golden, and gain strength. Seventeenth, the sun rises on the pious and impious, so equitable and common is it: the king is intent on the welfare of all, indeed protecting the good, but recalling the wicked to amendment. Hence as the sun, as it were borne in a chariot among the planets, travels in the middle: thus the king in the middle, and as it were in the centre of the kingdom, should sit, so that he may present himself equally to all round about. Eighteenth, the sun is always young (whence the Persians called it κοῦρος, that is a youth), always vigorous. It has, however, three ages as it were. For at first sight, says Martianus Capella, book I: "It is like a boy shining and gleaming; in its middle course, it is a vigorous youth; at the end, it appears an aged setting sun." And the king at his very approach should show courtesy, lest he terrify those approaching by his majesty; but in the conduct of affairs let him display youthful strength; finally in counsels, let him show the prudence of age as to what must be done. Thus Carolus Paschalius, book IX On Crowns, chapter XV. Hence also St. Augustine teaches that the king is like the sun, the people like the moon. Hear him, book I On Genesis against the Manichees, chapter XXIII: "What," he says, "more clearly signifies the splendor of the kingdom than the excellence of the sun? and the splendor of the moon shows the people obedient to the kingdom," etc. WHOSE RIGHT HAND I HAVE TAKEN HOLD OF. — First, because I have used his right hand to strike and punish the Chaldeans. Second, because I, as it were a pedagogue, taking him by the right hand, have led him through so many enemies and obstacles, strengthening him, directing him, protecting him, giving him victories, and making all things prosperous for him even unto the destruction of Babylon. Whence the Arabic version has: I have taken hold of him, his right hand in his hands, I will go before him. AND I WILL TURN THE BACKS OF KINGS. — In Hebrew it is, I will open or loosen the loins, that is, I will make the kings weak-loined, unwarlike and infirm to resist Cyrus. Again, I will disarm them, and ungird the sword with which they are girded at the loins. For thus in Job XII it is said: "He looseth the girdle of kings." Thus on the other hand to gird and bind up the loins signifies to strengthen, to make agile and ready. Whence the Septuagint clearly translate here, I will break the strength of kings. Isaiah therefore predicts that God will give Cyrus such great strength that no one shall be able to resist him, that he shall conquer the most powerful kings and the most fortified cities, that he shall obtain riches, victories and glory to an admirable degree of wonder, and this on account of his servant Jacob, namely that he may favor the Jacobites and deliver them from Babylon: which all things, as Isaiah predicted, were fulfilled and actually happened to Cyrus, as St. Jerome teaches, which Herodotus and Xenophon attest in the eight books in which the latter wrote the history of this Cyrus the Great. Hear Xenophon, at the beginning of book I: "Cyrus," he says, "subjugated the Syrians, Assyrians, Arabs, Cappadocians, Phrygians, both Lydians, Carians, Phoenicians, Babylonians. He also gained possession of the Bactrians and Indians, and the Cilicians, and likewise the Sacae, and Paphlagonians, and Mariandynians, and very many other nations, whose names no one would even mention. Moreover he ruled over the Asiatics, Greeks, Cypriots and Egyptians," etc. Hear also Herodotus, book I, where commending the good fortune of Cyrus he thus says: "Whatever nation Cyrus invaded, that nation could in no way escape." I will go before thee, — as a standard-bearer whom you may follow, or as a prefect of the camp, and as a forerunner, who considers whether the way ahead is safe, and if there be any danger explores and prevents it beforehand, so that there be nothing for you to fear while you follow me going before. Thus the Angel went before in a pillar the camp of the Hebrews in the desert, Exodus XIII, 21.
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3. I WILL GIVE THEE TREASURES HIDDEN, AND RICHES OF SECRETS. In Hebrew, I will give thee treasures of darkness, and treasures of hiddenness, that is treasures buried in the earth, and there lying hidden in darkness, and concealed in secret, and as the Septuagint translate, σκοτεινούς, ἀποκρύφους, ἀοράτους, that is dark, hidden, invisible, as if to say I will cause you to possess the treasures of the cities which I shall subject to you, even the most hidden ones. For the inhabitants of cities are accustomed to bury their treasures, especially when an enemy approaches, or to hide them. Thus the Mexicans buried theirs, and when conquered by the Spanish they wished to reveal them to them without fear, without any punishments being proposed. Only Atahualpa the king, captured by them, that he might ransom himself, promised to fill with gold the chamber in which he was held, and almost fulfilled it; yet he did not escape death. Thus Cyrus occupied the greatest riches of Croesus, when he had conquered him. For the riches of Croesus became a proverb, so that we say: "Richer than Croesus, poorer than Irus." Again, the riches of Babylon, which Nebuchadnezzar had gathered from so many kingdoms, and his golden statue, vast and immense, Daniel III, 1, the victor Cyrus possessed. If you reduce to our currency the sum of treasures which Pliny writes that Cyrus carried off from subjugated Asia, book XXXIII, chapter III, you will find that he carried off three hundred millions. The Chaldean codices, which according to Sanchez of Complutum exist in manuscript, at the beginning of the book of Esther thus have it: When Cyrus laid waste Babylon, he dug on the side of the Euphrates, and found there six hundred and eighty bronze hydrias full of the finest gold, and precious stones and pearls and gems. The Prophet alludes to the name of Cyrus according to the Hebrew etymology. For Cyrus in Hebrew signifies heir and possessor; from the root ירש iaras, that is, he inherited, he possessed. See here the fleeting nature of riches. For "Cyrus," after three years of his monarchy, became "Irus," when by Tomyris queen of the Scythians he was stripped of life, kingdom and all goods: nay more, Tomyris, casting the head of Cyrus into a skin full of blood, insulted him saying: "Satisfy yourself, O Cyrus! with the blood which you have thirsted for so greatly." Symbolically Forerius notes that the Hebrew matmon or mammon, and the Chaldean mammona, that is riches and treasures, are called of darkness or obscurity (for matmon is derived from טמן taman, that is, he hid, he concealed in darkness), not without wit, because Pluto the god of darkness presides over them, and because they are dug up from darkness, and stored away in darkness. For indeed those are not friends of these riches unless they also love darkness.
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4. FOR THE SAKE OF MY SERVANT JACOB. — This is the end and purpose of God, on account of which He so exalted Cyrus: whence it is clear that God likewise wished this prophecy of Isaiah concerning himself to be made known to Cyrus, so that through it the Jews might obtain his favor, when he himself would see their Prophet had uttered so favorable a vaticination concerning him, as I said at the beginning of the chapter. I have called thee by thy name, — by calling thee, verse 1, my Christ Cyrus. Otherwise John Alba, in the Electorum IX: "I have called thee by thy name," that is, says he, I have chosen thee, O Cyrus! for power and kingdom. For the name is sometimes put for power, riches and kingdom. Thus in Exodus XXXIII, 17, God says to Moses: "I know thee by name," that is, I have chosen thee for this office, that thou mayest be leader and prince of my people. For the name is put for office and dignity: because these bring with them a cognomen and titles, and produce both name and glory. This sense seems to be symbolic rather than literal. I have likened thee. — In Hebrew כנה iecannecha, that is, I have given thee a cognomen, calling thee my Christ: for I have made thee like unto Christ my king and shepherd, and his type. For as thou shalt deliver the Jews from Babylon, so Christ shall deliver men from hell. Thus St. Jerome, Forerius, Vatablus and others. See the words at verse 4. Secondly, Sanchez: "I have likened thee," that is, I have described thee by thy marks and characteristics, calling thee by thy name which thou shalt bear, namely Cyrus, and also as the rider of the ass and camel, chapter XXI, verse 7, that is, a mule, or half-ass, because thou art to be born of a Persian father and a Median mother. Again, by foretelling thy riches, victories and the overthrow of Babylon; for from these as it were from thy image and likeness, when thou art born, thou shalt be known, namely that these things have been foretold of thee, and that I have here described to thee an effigy most like unto thee. And thou hast not known me. — Namely at this time when I here describe and liken thee, because thou art not yet born. Thus Lyran and Forerius. Whence Vatablus translates: I have given thee a cognomen when thou hadst not yet knowledge of me. Secondly, even when born and existing as king, "thou hast not known me," except after I have enlightened thee through the Jews, and shown thee this prophecy of me concerning thee. Thirdly and genuinely, "thou hast not known me," namely in that I have likened thee to my Christ, as if to say, Thou knowest not that thou art chosen by me and directed to the overthrow of Babylon, with this counsel, that thou mayest free the Jews from thence, and that thou mayest bear the form and type of my Christ. For thou knowest not my Christ, much less knowest thou that thou dost foreshadow him; wherefore neither me, nor my providence, which destines thee and thy victories to this end, dost thou sufficiently acknowledge, nay rather thou ascribest them not to me, but to thyself, to thy arms and thy fortune. The same thing happened to Cyrus as if someone inexperienced in painting had painted most perfectly and to the life the image of a king whom he had never seen. All would say that a higher and divine hand had intervened, which had guided the hand of the painter. Thus the hand of God fashioned and painted Cyrus, so that he might represent to the life his exemplar, that is, Christ. Thus Sanchez. Fourthly, because, although Cyrus acknowledged the God of the Hebrews, and confessed him in public writings, yet he did not depart from his idolatry (as it appears), but worshipped his former idols, not the God of the Hebrews; whence also he miserably perished in the tyrannical invasion of the Scythians. Thus St. Jerome.
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5. I have girded thee, — I shall gird thee with a sword, I shall arm thee, I shall give thee strength and courage to dare great things; I shall make thee ready, as a valiant soldier; I shall send thee swiftly to battles, and by my auspices thou shalt join battle and conquer, even though thou knowest me not. Thus Forerius. The Septuagint translates, I have strengthened thee.
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6. THAT THEY MAY KNOW. — Truly and piously Forerius: Since, says he, true knowledge of God is altogether necessary for our salvation, and one is as far from salvation as he is distant from this knowledge, hence God, most loving of our salvation, imparts it to our senses in wonderful ways. Throughout Scripture therefore thou shalt find floods, tempests, submersions, conflagrations, calamities, chastisements; and on the other hand deliverances, unexpected victories, etc., which men cannot but observe are done by the Lord to this end, so that no one is so dull as not to become a partaker of divine knowledge, and especially not to acknowledge that there is a divine power which presides over the world, kingdoms and men, and disposes them, and which is equally the avenger and punisher of crimes, and the rewarder of virtues.
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7. FORMING LIGHT, AND CREATING DARKNESS, — that is to say, I at the beginning of the world created the heavens and the earth, and made it so that darkness and light, and light and darkness succeeded one another. It is a synecdoche: for from the creation of light and darkness, he understands the creation, disposition and governance of the whole world. For it cannot be that one God created the world, and another governs it when created, especially because the conservation of created things is a continuation of creation, and as it were a certain continuous creation. He mentions rather light and darkness than other things created by God, because light is a symbol of joy, freedom and prosperity, which God brought to the Jews through Cyrus: but darkness is a symbol of sadness, imprisonment and hardships. Again, in the word of light, he alludes to the name of Cyrus, which in Persian signifies the sun, which is most bright. For God made Cyrus rise to the Jews in the darkness of captivity as it were a sun, as it is said in verse 1. MAKING PEACE, AND CREATING EVIL. — Peace to the Hebrews is rest, abundance, freedom, happiness, and the affluence of all goods: therefore opposite to this, "evil" is the disturbance of things, want, plague, famine, war, servitude, captivity, and whatever afflicts man and makes him miserable. God therefore creates this evil of punishment, but not the evil of guilt. Thus St. Jerome, Augustine, Irenaeus, Chrysostom, and from these Leo Castrius. See St. Basil, homily That God is not the cause of evils, that is to say, That, O Israel! at some time you lived in peace, this was my benefit. Again, that now you are held captive, this too is my work. Thus St. Jerome. To this I created for you this evil of Babylonian captivity, I again through Cyrus will make peace, and will assert you into freedom. God therefore is he who governs all things created by himself by his power and wisdom: who first brought darkness and evil to the Jews, but light and peace to the Chaldeans; then in turn, through Cyrus created light and peace for the Jews, darkness and evil for the Chaldeans. He did the same in other ages, in individual kingdoms, alternating turns, now giving light, now darkness. He does the same today in Belgium and other provinces. Wherefore rightly St. Jerome, from this sentiment of Isaiah: "Let Marcion be confounded," he says, "introducing two gods, one good, the other evil; one the creator of visible things, the other of invisible things; one the author of peace, the other of evil; when one and the same God created both according to the diversity of merits." And symbolically St. Gregory, III Moral. VII: "The Lord indicates," he says, "that he creates evils, when things well made and by nature good, he forms into a scourge for us acting badly. Whence also poison is indeed death to man, but life to the serpent. Whence also it is well said: Forming light, and creating darkness: because when through scourges darkness of external pain is created, within through instruction the light of the mind is kindled. Making peace, and creating evils, because then peace with God is restored to us, when these things which are well made, but badly desired, are turned into scourges which are evils to us."
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8. RORATE (Forerius, let flow down), O HEAVENS, FROM ABOVE. — The Syrian translator rendered it: Rejoice, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down justice: let the earth be opened, and let salvation be multiplied; the Arabic Antiochene: Grant grace, O heaven! from above, and you, O clouds, who scatter justice! let the earth rejoice, and let truth be multiplied; the Arabic Alexandrine: Grant grace, O heaven! from above, and let the clouds scatter justice: let the earth be opened, and let salvation be multiplied. St. Thomas, Lyra, Forerius, take these literally of Cyrus, allegorically of Christ. For the Jews captive in Babylon yearned for Cyrus as for a heavenly dew. Again Cyrus, says Lyra, is compared here to heavenly rain and to the earth bringing forth, because Astyages, as Herodotus testifies in book I, the grandfather of Cyrus, saw in a dream from the body of his daughter, who was the mother of Cyrus, a vine proceeding, whose branches overshadowed all of Asia: which the diviners interpreted to mean that a son would be born from her who would rule over all of Asia. But more sublime things are spoken here than would befit Cyrus. I say therefore that the Prophet, as was his custom, when he saw in Cyrus an image of Christ, immediately rushed toward him: for Christ was his love, his aim, his desire. Whence here his burning prayer breaks forth. Thus in chapter XVI, verse 1, he suddenly flew toward him saying: "Send forth the Lamb, O Lord, the ruler of the earth." See Canon V. Wherefore these things concerning Christ are to be taken literally, and a parenthesis should be closed which separates this whole verse from the preceding and following verses, where the prophecy concerning Cyrus is continuous. Thus commonly the Fathers. Whence St. Augustine, in the book On Five Heresies, chapter IV, holds that these things are spoken so plainly and openly concerning the incarnation of Christ, that they need no interpretation. The Council of Hispalis notes, Canon XIII, that by these words of Isaiah both natures in Christ are signified, namely the divine, when he says: "Rorate, O heavens, from above;" the human, when he says: "Let the earth be opened, and let it bring forth the Saviour." For just as the Holy Spirit is called rain and dew, so also is the Son. As in Psalm LXXI, 6: "He shall come down like rain upon the fleece." Of which the dew descending upon the fleece of Gideon was a symbol, Judges VI, 37. Thus Sanchez. Secondly, more correctly and properly, you should take both this hemistich of the human generation and nature of Christ: for the whole discourse of the Prophet is concerning this. For Christ, as man, was the offspring of heaven, because he was conceived from the dew of heaven, that is from the Holy Spirit; and the offspring of earth, because he was formed and born from the blessed Virgin. Whence Vatablus thus expounds it: "Rorate, O heavens, from above," that is let the Holy Spirit descend upon the Virgin, and bedew her and make her fruitful, so that she may bring forth the Just One and the Saviour. Again in the nativity and advent of Christ, says Forerius: "Mercy and truth have met each other: justice and peace have kissed one another: truth is sprung out of the earth, and justice hath looked down from heaven:" because heavenly gifts have sprung forth on earth. And when throughout the whole world the heavens have become honey-flowing, the whole earth is filled with the mercy of the Lord. Thus the riches of heaven have become also earthly, and earth and heaven, as it were reduced into one field and offspring. Finally, note rorate. For the birth of Christ is aptly compared to dew. First, because the origin of dew is hidden and concealed: thus the generation of Christ was mysterious. Secondly, dew which is nothing other than pure and subtle vapor, resolved into water, is a symbol of virginity and virginal childbirth. Thirdly, dew arises at night: thus Christ was born at night. "For when all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in the midst of her swift course, thy almighty word, O Lord, leaped down from thy royal throne, etc., into the midst of the land," Wisdom XVIII, 14. Fourthly, dew breathes forth a sweet breeze and vital breath to living creatures, and to all living things, and mitigates their heat for them: thus Christ breathes forth the breath of life to us, and thereby tempers the heat of concupiscence. Fifthly, dew is of an airy and heavenly nature, and therefore if you fill an empty egg, namely an eggshell emptied of its contents, with dew, and attach it to a rod, and accommodate it properly, when warmed by the sun, it will rise to the top of the rod. For dew is borne upward, especially if excited by heat, and is in part turned into vapor. Thus Christ is of heavenly nature, as much as of life, and makes his followers heavenly. "The first man," says the Apostle in I Corinthians XV, 47, "was of the earth, earthly: the second man from heaven, heavenly. Such as is the earthly, such also are the earthly; and such as is the heavenly, such also are the heavenly. Therefore, as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us also bear the image of the heavenly." Sixth, dew is fatty, and instills a fatty and as it were oiled juice into buds, seeds and plants, and thus fattens them, thickens them and makes them fruitful: thus Christ, sprinkling the world with the dew of grace, made it fruitful so as to bring forth virtues, equally as Saints in every kind of virtue and holiness, namely, illustrious Martyrs, Confessors, Bishops, Religious, virgins, widows, married persons, and those of every state, lot and kind. Seventh, dew condensed becomes manna, which is sweet for food, and efficacious for medicine: thus Christ in the Eucharist gave himself to us for food, and is himself manna, that is, "the bread coming down from heaven," by whose virtue we not only live and resist temptations, but also shall rise again unto eternal life, John VI, 55. See what is said concerning manna, Exodus XVI. Eighth, dew falling into an open shell, when struck with heavenly force, especially lightning, is compressed and constrained, becomes a union or pearl, as Pliny testifies, lib. IX, XXXIII and others: thus the divinity of Christ falling into the shell of the Virgin's womb, and forming for itself a human body from it, and uniting that body to itself by divine force through the working of the Holy Spirit, formed a most beautiful and most precious pearl, namely, a most precious union, that is, Christ God and man. Finally, dew is honeyed, and so honey is nothing other than the marrow of dew, and its juice most sweet and subtle, which is gathered from herbs, flowers and the soil of the earth, and is collected by bees. Thus Aristotle, lib. V Hist. Animal. cap. XXII, teaches that bees construct honeycombs from flowers, form wax from the tears of trees, gather honey from the dew of the air. That bees do not make honey, as Seneca thinks, but carry it made in the air, is proved by Aristotle, Pliny and our Conimbricenses, tract. 7 in Meteora, cap. IX, both from the fact that beekeepers find the cells of bees filled with honey in one or two days: for in so short a time bees cannot make so much honey; and from the fact that in autumn bees do not repair the honey taken from them, although flowers are still available at that time. It is otherwise with silkworms, which we see make silk thread, but slowly after long eating of mulberry leaves, digestion and alteration, so that in the third stage they change color, and finally become yellow: then indeed the yellow silk threads are slowly drawn out from their entrails by spinning (a marvelous work of nature, indeed of God). We do not see this in bees: they therefore collect honey, that is the marrow of dew, they do not make it. In like manner, what is Jesus, but the marrow of the dew of heaven, that is: "Honey in the mouth, melody in the ear, jubilation in the heart?" says St. Bernard. AND LET THE CLOUDS RAIN DOWN THE JUST. — In Hebrew, justice, that is, the just one, namely Christ, who is most just, and is himself as it were justice, which he will therefore bring with him to the world. Whence it follows: "I the Lord have created him." The Prophet signifies that the incarnation of Christ will be nothing other than the joy and jubilation of the clouds and heavens, indeed of the whole world. LET THE EARTH OPEN AND BRING FORTH A SAVIOUR, — that is to say, Would that the earth might bring forth and bring to light a Saviour! For the earth also was about to contribute its work in this marvelous work of the nativity of Christ: for Christ was indeed about to be born from heaven, but on earth. Thus Adam. This is the genuine sense: for thus the earth is here taken simply and generically. For the earth provided the matter for the body, so that Christ might be born. Second, this earth is the Blessed Virgin, who, receiving the dew of the Holy Spirit, conceived and brought forth the Saviour. For no other earth did this, or could do it. Thus the Fathers commonly. Therefore the first Adam was formed from a virgin earth, that is, from vile clay; but the second Adam formed for himself a body from the most pure blood of the most holy Virgin. You will say: How can the Blessed Virgin, who always remained a virgin, that is, with a closed womb, be said to be open? I answer, it is a metonymy: "Let it open," that is, like one opening, bring forth and produce. For the earth naturally cannot germinate and produce a sprout unless it is split and opened by the force of a seed bursting forth and germinating, and thus yields and gives place to the emerging sprout. By a similar metonymy it is said in cap. LXIV, 1: "Would that thou wouldst rend the heavens, and wouldst come down!" For if a body naturally descended from heaven, it would have to rend the heavens; but God, who is spirit, in his descent has no need of the rending of the heavens. Secondly, Sanchez responds that τό aperiatur signifies here the spring season, for we call that open, because then those things which were contracted by the cold of winter are loosened, grow warm and dissolve. Concerning which Ovid says: They remember April to be named from the open season. That is to say, Adam and Eve by their sin brought winter and the rigour of virtues and joy upon the world. This winter and cold lasted until the Blessed Virgin, who brought spiritual and virginal spring to the world, when she herself, like a lily of the valleys, not from human seed but from the sprinkling of the Holy Spirit, brought forth the Saviour. This is what is said in the Canticle II, 12: "The voice of the turtle is heard in our land: the fig tree hath put forth her green figs, the vines in flower yield their sweet smell." Thirdly, Origen, Tertullian, St. Jerome, Epiphanius, Nyssenus and Ambrose say that Christ alone opened the womb of his mother, that is, was born and came forth from it closed, just as if it had been opened: for to him it was pervious and penetrable, just as to us those things are which are open. And so they think that Christ alone is designated by this law, Exodus chapter XIII, 12: "Thou shalt separate all that openeth the womb to the Lord." See the things said there. It is a catachresis. Similar is it when we say that Christ by his death opened heaven to us which was before closed, because he made it pervious and penetrable to us. Thus the Spanish and Portuguese are said to have opened the Indies and islands of the new world to us, because they first penetrated there with their ships and showed the way to be pervious. From the Hebrew it can be translated otherwise. First thus: Let the earth open, and let it bring forth, or germinate, salvation and justice. Secondly thus: Let the earth open, and let it germinate (namely the heavens and the earth) salvation, and let justice grow up together. Thus Forerius. AND LET JUSTICE SPRING UP TOGETHER. — He alludes to, nay almost word for word cites that of David, Psalm LXXI, 6: "He shall come down like rain upon the fleece, and as showers falling gently upon the earth. In his days shall justice spring up," that is to say, From Adam until Christ, the earth brought forth thorns and thistles of sins; let therefore Christ the justifier come, that with him justice and the just may germinate, the Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Virgins, etc. It can, secondly, be translated thus: Let the earth open, and let them produce (the heavens and the earth) saving fruit and justice, which it will cause to germinate together, that is, which the Virgin is about to produce together with Christ, says Vatablus. Which note against the heretics who mock us when we say that the Blessed Virgin crushed the head of the serpent, brought forth salvation, when we greet her: "Hail, Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope, hail." I THE LORD HAVE CREATED HIM. — "I have created," that is, I will create. It is the voice of God, responding to the prayers of Isaiah, that is to say, What thou dost so desire, O Isaiah! just as the dry and thirsty earth desires rain from heaven, this I will in its time provide and create, that is, bring forth this just one: for his coming and nativity is my gift and benefit, that is to say, If I am he who promises Christ, forms and creates him, that he may free you from sin and the devil, as thou thyself, beseeching me for his coming, confessest; to me therefore this whole business of his is to be entrusted, it pertains to me to designate the time in which he ought to be born and come forth. Whence it follows: "Woe to him that contradicteth his maker." Secondly, more aptly Sanchez and others refer these things to Cyrus, as if to him, after his sigh interrupted by a parenthesis, the Prophet returns here. For thus these things with the preceding ones are aptly and plainly connected, cohere most excellently, just as with the following ones. For explaining τό I have created him, he subjoins verse 13: "I have raised him up: he shall build my city (Jerusalem), and shall let go my captives." Which words properly belong to Cyrus alone, but in such a way that Cyrus was a type of Christ.
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9. WOE TO HIM THAT CONTRADICTETH HIS MAKER, A POTSHERD OF THE POTSHERDS OF THE EARTH, — that is to say, Woe to the potsherd contending with its potter, and saying: Why hast thou made me thus, and not thus? for the potter would soon break it and crush it. In like manner man, formed by God and as it were a potsherd of God, contending with him, would deserve to be crushed and annihilated by him. These things pertain to "I am the Lord, making peace, and creating evil." For he rebukes the murmurers saying: Why, O Lord, didst thou give peace to our fathers, even as to other nations, but to us hast thou created a wretched and evil age of captivity in Babylon? Again, why dost thou prosper Cyrus, a man unbelieving and impious, and makest him our liberator and leader? Why sendest thou not to us another Moses, Joshua, Gideon, etc., as thou didst send to our fathers from their own seed and stock? For hitherto the discourse hath been concerning Cyrus. Wherefore God answereth concerning Cyrus, verse 13: "I have raised him up, etc., he shall build the city," etc. God repelleth these, as if to say: Who art thou that criest out against me? thou, I say, who art in my hand, by which I have formed thee like a potter, as a potsherd of the potsherds of the earth, that is from earthen vessels, made from earth? For Samian vessels are called potsherds, from Samos, an island, in which these were made most beautifully, on account of the clay which is there most excellent, most firm and most hard, so much so that sharp knives are made from it, as Pliny testifieth, book XXXV, chapter XII. Whence also Agathocles, king of Sicily, dined in Samian vessels, that he might always remember himself to be the son of a potter. The Apostle useth a similar comparison of clay and earth, Rom. IX, 20, and repelleth those who murmur against God on account of the lot of their state and grace given to them. God doth the same through Jeremiah, chapter XVIII, 6. See the words there. In Hebrew it is, a potsherd of the potsherds of the earth, that is to say, an earthen and earthy potsherd, not a brazen one, one potsherd out of a multitude of potsherds, a most vile potsherd. It can, secondly, be translated from the Hebrew with Forerius and Vatablus: Woe to him that contendeth with his maker, a potsherd with the potters, or makers of the earth; so that he saith the same thing in the latter hemistich as in the former. Thirdly, the Septuagint and Theodotion, for a potsherd of the potsherds of the earth, translate, those who plough, ploughing the earth. For the Hebrew חרש charas, if the ש be pointed on the right horn, signifieth to plough; but if on the left, and with other points thou readest חרש cheres, it signifieth a potsherd. Procopius thus expoundeth this in one manner, as if God said: I have reformed a people into another form, whom I exercise like the inhabitants of the earth, like fields, I plough and subdue. See therefore that ye resist not the disposition of my providence, no more than clay resisteth the potter. But Leo Castrius translateth it, a plough to those ploughing, so that it be another similitude, but signifying the same thing as the former, a potsherd to the potter, that is to say, Will the plough contend with the ploughman, and say to him: Why, after thou hast ploughed and sown, dost thou set me aside and cast me away? why dost thou not always use me, and plough? Thus from St. Ambrose, Castrius. Wherefore the Septuagint translate: Will he that plougheth plough all day? SHALL THE CLAY SAY TO HIM THAT FASHIONETH IT: WHAT ART THOU MAKING, AND THY WORK IS WITHOUT HANDS? — that is to say, thy work lacketh its handles. For handles to a vessel are what hands are to man. Secondly, that is to say, thy work is unpolished and unformed, as if it had been wrought with feet, not with hands. And thus the blasphemy is greater.
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10. Woe to him that saith to his father: Why begettest thou? — By another similitude he reproveth the murmurers, that is to say, A son would be foolish and contumacious, and worthy to perish and be destroyed, who should say to his father: Why hast thou begotten me deformed, blind, lame, stupid, that is to say, ignoble, poor, unfortunate, and not beautiful, whole, ingenious, noble, rich and fortunate? And as Forerius saith: Why hast thou made me fruitful, and burdened with much offspring, which I am not able to support? or if he should prescribe a measure to him in the very generation: I will that thou beget me such and such, not otherwise. Much more is he such who crieth out against God the Father in heaven concerning his lot given to him by him, and murmureth, or prescribeth a measure, so that in the future he may grant him such and such a lot, not another. For in like manner Jeremiah complaineth, chapter XV, verse 10: "Woe is me, my mother! why didst thou bear me, a man of strife, a man of discord?" Symbolically St. Jerome expoundeth these things concerning Christ, that is to say, Woe to him who saith to the Almighty Father: Why dost thou beget a Son? and who saith to the Blessed Virgin: Why dost thou bring forth? Is it God? but God is eternal, he is not begotten in time. Is it man? why then art thou called Θεοτόκος, that is, the Mother of God? as Nestorius blasphemed, as if these and similar words were his. Wherefore allegorically St. Cyril referreth these things to Nicodemus and the like, who, hearing from Christ that every one must be born again through baptism, said: "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born again?" John III, 4.
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11. THUS SAITH THE LORD, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, HIS MAKER, — namely of Israel. Here he gives the apodosis, that is, the application of the similitude, applying it to God, as if to say: Israel is clay or earth, God is the maker or potter: Israel is a son, God is the Father: therefore it is not fitting that the Israelites should clamor and contend with God, and as if complaining that he does not care for them. Let them be silent like clay: let them be subject like obedient and prudent sons, this is their lot: it is mine to provide for them, and to dispose their sad and happy affairs alike. Yet in order that I may show to you, O Israelites! my immense benevolence, I grant you that which a potsherd would not dare to do to a potter, a son to a father. Wherefore "ask me of things to come, concerning my sons," namely what concerning you, who are my sons, and concerning your captivity to be prolonged or released, I have decreed, and what shall befall you: "And concerning the work of my hands, command ye me," that is, through Isaias, and through my Prophets inquire and ask, that they may tell you what things are to come and are to be done by me; which idols can by no means do. For he repeatedly returns to the divination of future things, and by this disputing with idols concerning divinity he conquers and triumphs. Thus Sanchez. Again, this "work" of God are the heavens, the stars, the earth, men. Whence it follows: "I have made the earth." Otherwise St. Jerome and Forerius, who think these things are said ironically and mockingly, as if St. Jerome says: Let the potsherd ask me, and inquire into the secrets of future things, and command me, how I ought to rule my adopted sons, who are to believe in my Son, as if to say: Is it your part to command me, what to do, how I ought to rule my sons? as if to say: By no means.
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12. I have made the earth. — Here God explains his work, of which he is the maker, and as it were assigns the reason to those who murmur. AND I HAVE COMMANDED ALL THE HOST THEREOF, — as if to say: The stars, which the Gentiles worship as gods, are subject to me, I command them, that is, I dispose and order them.
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13. I have raised him up in justice. — By him St. Jerome, Procopius, Eusebius, lib. V Demonstr. cap. IV, Epiphanius, Hilarius, Origen, Haymo, and from them Leo Castrius understand Christ: St. Thomas however, Hugo, Forerius and Sanchez understand Cyrus. Both are true: for he here mixes the type with the antitype, and speaks of Cyrus as of a type of Christ. Whence some things he says which pertain more to Cyrus, some which pertain more to Christ. "In justice," so that namely Cyrus might justly punish the tyrants of the Chaldeans, and might free the faithful Hebrews from their tyranny. From the Hebrew it can be translated, in justice, that is, from my mere goodness, provoked by no merits of yours, but only because I am just and holy, I will give you Cyrus as a liberator. Secondly, Forerius: Justice, he says, can here be taken for the very reason of divine counsels, which is full of equity, and is itself the rule and measure of all things that are justly done, as if to say: I have raised up Cyrus with the greatest justice and equity, having weighed all things that were to be weighed in so difficult a matter, and having regard to causes, and effects, and time, and place. It is not therefore fitting that anyone should murmur here saying: Why did you send Cyrus, a Gentile, not a Hebrew, or some faithful one, who would free us from Babylon? or, why did you send him so late, or at this time rather than that? But let all acknowledge and praise my wisdom, equity and clemency. Now under Cyrus he looks to Christ, whom it is clear was raised up by God in justice to be propagated throughout the whole world. HE SHALL BUILD MY CITY (Jerusalem) AND SHALL LET GO MY CAPTIVITY (that is, my captive people, namely the Jews), — freely and without ransom. That Cyrus did this by his command and edict is evident from I Esdras I, 3. Whence it is evident that this passage is to be understood literally of Cyrus, yet so that the Prophet looked to something deeper in Cyrus, namely Christ, who built the city, that is, the Church, and released the captivity of mankind, not by price, but freely, nay, by paying and giving forth himself as our ransom, namely his blood. Thus the Fathers cited a little before.
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14. THE LABOR OF EGYPT, AND THE MERCHANDISE OF ETHIOPIA, AND THE SABEANS, MEN OF STATURE, SHALL PASS OVER TO THEE, AND SHALL BE THINE. — Hugo and Vatablus refer these things to Israel, or to Judea, as if to say: The Egyptians, Ethiopians and Sabeans, seeing, O Israel! that thou art prospering and blessed by God, shall make a covenant with thee, indeed many of them shall embrace thy religion. Or, as Vatablus says, the sense is, as if to say, the Israelites shall possess the riches of the Egyptians, Ethiopians and Sabeans, namely when God shall strike down the camp of Sennacherib and the Assyrians at the walls of Jerusalem by an Angel: for these things were in the possession of the aforesaid peoples, as already subdued, and they already had the spoils of Egypt, Ethiopia and Saba, which they had seized there, which the Jews shall now take from them. But this sense, being as frigid and uncertain and doubtful as it is, does not cohere with the text. For the Prophet has been speaking not of Israel, but of Cyrus up to this point. I say therefore that, according to the letter, the discourse is concerning Cyrus, whose victories he touches upon in passing; but under him he understands Christ and the victories of Christ, as if to say: Cyrus shall conquer Egypt, Ethiopia and its principal province, namely Saba, or Abyssinia; and these provinces shall surrender themselves to Cyrus, the overthrower of Babylon and of the Chaldean monarchy. Thus indeed it came to pass, as Xenophon teaches in book VII of the Cyropaedia, and in book VIII, where he terminates Cyrus's kingdom from the East at the Red Sea, from the West at Egypt, from the South at Ethiopia, from the North at the Euxine Pontus. Furthermore, concerning Cyrus it is said: "So much is God in thee." Just as it is said in chapter X, verse 5, that the indignation of God was in the hand and rod of Assur, when through him he struck and punished the Jews and other peoples. In like manner God was directing Cyrus to the destruction of Babylon and to the liberation of the Jews; whence he adds:
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15. Truly thou art a hidden God, — who namely hidest thyself in Cyrus, a man impious, an idolater and a tyrant, and who thus workest secretly through him, and makest war, so that not thou, but he alone appeareth to wage war. Whence Xenophon and other historians attribute the victories of Cyrus to his virtue; this is what Isaiah said in verse 5: "I have girded thee, and thou hast not known me." Thus Diego Alvarez, Pintus and Sanchez, who aptly collecteth from this morally, that those things which are well done by a prelate, or magistrate, even infidel and impious (such as Cyrus was), are to be attributed to God. Again, God useth unworthy instruments, such as Cyrus was, for the sake of, and for the good of his faithful ones. Thus, as St. Chrysostom saith, homily 3 on the epistle to the Colossians: "God deigned to speak to Cain, on account of Abel; to the devil, on account of Job; to Pharaoh, on account of Joseph; to Nebuchadnezzar, on account of Daniel; to Belshazzar, on account of the same. And the Magi also obtained a revelation; and Caiaphas, although he was the slayer of Christ and unworthy, prophesied, on account of the dignity of the priesthood." Finally, Sanchez collecteth from this that subjects ought to obey even impious prelates, and to think that in them God speaketh, commandeth and governeth. Yea, St. Gregory addeth, book II of the Morals, chapter VI, that the power of the devil is never unjust, although the will is always wicked: "Because," saith he, "it hath will from itself, but power from the Lord." But rather these things are to be understood of Christ, whom he understandeth under Cyrus, and as it were representeth in an image. For to him, not to Cyrus, doth it properly and fully pertain what followeth: "Only in thee is God, and there is no God besides thee. Truly thou art a hidden God." Thus St. Jerome, Procopius, Theodoret, Cyril, Eusebius, book V of the Demonstration, chapter IV; Hilary, book IV on the Trinity, and others throughout. The sense therefore is: "The labour of Egypt," etc., that is, riches obtained by the labour of the Egyptians, Ethiopians and Sabeans, that is, of any Gentiles, even the most remote, shall serve thee, O Christ! the whole world shall submit itself to thee, as it were conquered in war, and bound by the spirit of grace and charity. For the Gentiles converted by Christ and the Apostles offered all their possessions with faith to Christ the Lord, so that they seemed as it were captives of the Apostles. For those first Christians gave themselves over, both bodies and souls, and all things, and would even have plucked out their eyes, if it had been possible, saith St. Paul, Galatians IV, 15, to promote the grace and glory of Christ and his Apostles. It can, secondly, be explained metrically thus: "The labour of Egypt," that is, of laborious Egypt, and industrious Ethiopia, namely the rich from labour and agriculture, as well as from merchandise and industry: these, I say, with their riches and wares "shall pass over to thee, O Christ!" forsaking their religion and their gods, and shall believe in thee, worship and adore thee, "bound with fetters," as it were subdued in war, conquered and led in triumph. This phrase signifieth complete, but voluntary subjection: which the following words indicate, of bowing, supplication, or entreaty, likewise the free confession and rejoicing of them, saying to Christ: "Only in thee is God." These fetters therefore were the mighty and efficacious grace, and the impulse of the Holy Spirit, "whose bonds are stronger than adamant," saith St. Ambrose on Psalm XXXVII, after the beginning. Thus also St. Jerome, and the other Fathers already cited, among whom St. Hilary: "Such," saith he, "was Paul bound for Christ, who therefore, Ephesians III, 1; Philippians I, 13, and elsewhere, glorieth in these bonds of his." ONLY IN THEE IS GOD. — Vatablus translateth: Truly in thee is God, besides whom there is no other. That is, certainly in thee, O Cyrus! is God, who fighteth and conquereth, besides whom there is no other God, as if to say: It is not Cyrus who overthrew Babylon, who saveth Israel; but it is God, who directeth his right hand to smite the Chaldeans and to deliver the Hebrews. Whence after this work of God was accomplished, he was wretched, and in the third year after was slain by a woman Tomyris, with his whole army; as also Sennacherib, after the vengeance of God was accomplished, was slain by an Angel; Vespasian and Titus, after the destruction of Judea, to which they were directed by God, shortly after both perished miserably. Thus Sanchez, Alvarez, Pintus and Vatablus. But properly these things belong to Christ alone. First indeed in Christ, as He is God, there is the whole divinity equally as in the Holy Trinity. For the Father (as also the Holy Spirit) is in the Son through that divine circuminsession of the Holy Trinity, as Theologians call it; for Christ signifies this when He says in John XIV, 9: "Philip, he that seeth me, seeth the Father also. Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?" that is to say, as Cyril says, I have my doctrine and works from the Father, and they are common with the Father: therefore also nature and divinity. Therefore these words of Christ signify the intimate and perfect indwelling of one person of the Holy Trinity in another, and conversely, which Damascene, book I On the Faith, chapter XI, calls περιχώρησις, and from him the Scholastics call circuminsession. Concerning this mystery St. Augustine disputes in book VI of On the Trinity, final chapter, Hilary in book IV of On the Trinity, Ambrose in chapter XIII of the epistle to the Corinthians: "Each thing, says Augustine, is in each (person), and all things in each, and each in all, and all in all, and one is all." Wherefore from this place and similar ones the Scholastics, and namely Francis Suarez, book IV On the Trinity, at the end, learnedly teaches against Durand and Henry, that this circuminsession is in the Holy Trinity not only as regards the divine essence, but also as regards the persons themselves, and that more properly: although its foundation is the very essence, which in the three persons is one and the same. Therefore in the essence properly there is unity and identity, not circuminsession or περιχώρησις. Wherefore not rightly do Budaeus, and from him Henry Stephanus, in the Lexicon interpret περιχώρησις at the place cited of Damascene as ἑνότητα, that is unity. For περιχώρησις, that is circuminsession, is one thing, unity is another, as is evident from the terms. This circuminsession therefore is nothing other than the intimate presence of one person to another, whose root and as it were cause is their very immensity. For since they themselves are immense in themselves, from this it necessarily follows that they are intimately in themselves mutually not only according to essence, but also according to their own relations. Whence just as they have the immense character of the essence which they include, so from the same root they have it that they are intimately in themselves mutually, even according to their own relations. Wherefore this circuminsession is mutual presence, and as it were penetration, that is, the inexistence and indwelling of one person in another. This is what St. Athanasius says in the Exposition of the Faith: "The Holy Spirit is always in the hands of the Father and the Son." And Damascene, book I On the Faith, chapter X, for this reason calls the Holy Spirit "inseparable and not departing from the Father and the Son." And chapter IX, he compares the procession of one person to light flowing forth from fire: "Because, he says, light is generated from fire, and is not separated from fire, but is always in it." And Fulgentius, book On the Faith to Peter, chapter I: "Through this unity of essence, he says, the whole Father is in the Son and the Holy Spirit, the whole Son is in the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the whole Holy Spirit is in the Father and the Son. None of these is outside any one of them." We sing the same thing in the hymn at Lauds of the second feria: "In the Father the whole Son, and the whole Father in the Word." The cause is, the immensity of the divine persons, as I said, then the highest connection, and intimate conjunction, which arises from one and the same essence in number. For from it it comes to pass that the divine Persons are to one another inseparable; most closely joined and intimate: from this it comes to pass that they inexist in one another. Thus concerning Christ as He is God, the Fathers explain this place of Isaiah: St. Jerome, St. Ambrose, book I On the Faith, chapter II, and Athanasius, book On the Assumption of Man. You will say: It is false that God is only in the Son: for He is also in the Father and the Holy Spirit. I answer, the word only excludes idols, Angels and other beings. For the rule of Theologians is: When exclusive words are added to the divine Persons, in essential attributes, or those common to the three persons, they exclude only other things, which have a nature and essence other than God; but not other divine persons: for these, since they have the same essence, also have the same essential attributes. The sense therefore is: Only in you, O Christ! is God, that is to say, There is no other divinity in the world than that which is in you, which nevertheless is also in the Father and the Holy Spirit. See St. Thomas and the Scholastics, I part., Question XXXI, articles 3 and 4. Secondly, these words are fitting for Christ as He is man, because in the humanity of Christ, as in a temple, the divinity dwells corporally, indeed the fullness of divinity, as the Apostle says in Colossians II, 9. See the things said there. Thus St. Jerome, Procopius, Theodoret and Cyril, book I on John chapter XV, Epiphanius, book II on the heresies of the Noetians. The sense therefore is, as if to say, The nations seeing the grace of Christ, of the Apostles, and of the first Christians, their virtues, their angelic morals, and their holy and divine conversation, indeed seeing in themselves through baptism and Christianity such a great change of morals, that from barbarians, proud, blasphemous, cursing, murderous, rapacious, gluttonous, lustful, etc., through the faith and grace of Christ they become humane, humble, fearing God, lovable, just, sober, chaste, etc., are astounded, and say to Christ: Truly "so much God is in thee." Happy are we, who have thee, indeed God, not transforming bodies, but souls, and making from beasts men, indeed Angels. This happens literally today in Japan, China, Brazil and other parts of India, as the letters of Our men from there testify. Let Christian Europeans note this, especially Pastors and Ecclesiastics. For if heretics, Jews and other infidels saw in them that holiness, those angelic morals, without avarice, ambition, baseness, which were in the Apostles, and are today in India, surely many of them, as if bound with chains, would follow them, and would exclaim: "Truly God is in you." Truly in you nothing else shines forth except God. "You are the seed which the Lord hath blessed." On the contrary we know, as ignorance and evil life of some priests gave occasion to Lutheranism, so also today they blaspheme, and insult the Church, when they hear or see their impure life, and more firmly establish themselves in their heresy and hatred of priests. AND THERE IS NO GOD WITHOUT THEE. — For who could have subjected the whole world to Christ crucified and His Gospel so paradoxical concerning the contempt of honor, riches, pleasures, unless God alone! Who, unless God, is able thus to change the mind of man? By what strength could man thus overcome and subdue himself, his unbridled passions? Who could thus overcome and suppress the innate concupiscence in each? Who could make so many men at once, Angels, indeed certain gods, unless God? Not to you, O Christ, and Christians! arms, not armies, not eloquence produced this dignity, this efficacy. God alone is seen in you, in this work of yours, as the author of your efficacy and liberty. This glory is owed to no one except God. Thus Paul preached "Christ crucified, not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in the showing of the spirit and of power, so that, he says, the sublimity may be of the power of God, and not of us." Thus Forerius. Hence Mahomet in the Alcoran took that profession of his faith, indeed perfidy, which the Mahometans cry out even to hoarseness in their Mosques or temples: "There is no God except God, and Mahomet is his counselor." TRULY THOU ART A HIDDEN GOD. — In Hebrew אתה אל מסתתר mistatter, that is, hiding himself. Thus first, God is called hidden, because by His nature He is invisible, and escapes the sight of Angels equally as of men, "and He dwelleth in light inaccessible." Whence to Moses, Solomon and others He appeared throughout covered with cloud and darkness. Again, "hidden," because He revealed Himself not to all, but only to His elect Israelites. "God is known in Judea: in Israel His name is great." Thus Vatablus. Hence in the temples of the Egyptians this emblem of God was seen inscribed: "I am that which was, which is, and which shall be; no one hath ever revealed my veil." Secondly and properly, "God hidden" is called the Savior (as follows), that is Jesus, on account of the mysterious sacrament of the assumed body, says St. Jerome, by which his divinity is concealed by the covering of flesh. Whence the Septuagint translates, Thou art God, and we knew it not. Thus Hilarius, book IV On the Trinity, Ambrose in chapter II to the Romans, Eusebius, book V Demonstration IV; Cyrillus (or rather Clictovaeus Boeterius of Paris; for he repaired four middle books of Cyrillus on John, which had been lost), book V on John chapter II, in those words: "We know not whence he is." Where he teaches that the Jews took occasion from this place of Isaiah to say: "When Christ comes, no one knows whence he is." For concerning Christ as man, the antitype of Cyrus, the Prophet speaks throughout this entire chapter. The sense therefore is, as if to say, Just as God worked salvation for the Jews in Cyrus in a hidden manner, and as if concealed himself: so much more in Christ, a poor and abject man, will divinity hide itself, nor can it be seen by eyes: but it will shine forth in works, and will show itself. For men will recognize him to be God from the miracles and salvation which he will bring: for he will be the savior of the whole world. From this place it is clearly evident against the Arians, that Christ is truly and properly God. Whence St. Ambrose in the place already cited: "Because, he says, the Son of God always indeed appeared, but was hidden as to who he was; when after the resurrection he is known, it is said to him in confession: Thou art God, and we knew it not. And he who was thought in the law to be only an Angel, and a leader of the army of the Lord, when he is understood to be the Son of God, it is said to him with thanksgiving: Thou art God, and we knew it not." Mystically, these words fitly apply to the Eucharist: there not only the divinity, but also the humanity of Christ is hidden under the species of bread and wine: there all the senses are deceived, except hearing: sight sees the color of bread, taste tastes the flavor of bread, smell smells the odor of bread, touch touches the round shape and smoothness of bread: hearing alone hears the truth, namely: "This is my body." Here therefore mystically is fulfilled that word of Isaac concerning Jacob covering himself with the hairy skins of Esau: "The voice indeed is the voice of Jacob; but the hands are the hands of Esau," Genesis XXVII, 22. For thus here the hand touches the accidents of bread, but the voice is the voice of Christ, who cannot be deceived, or deceive, and says: "This is my body." Of the Eucharist therefore it is truly said: "In thee alone is God," namely Christ, not bread, not another substance. "Truly thou (O Christ in the Eucharist) art God hidden, God of Israel the savior." Thou art hidden there really in body, soul and divinity: but thou art recognized in the power and salvation which thou bringest to the Israelites, that is to the faithful, worthily eating, while thou changest their heart, healest their vices, soothest their passions, makest their mind heavenly, and then soothest it with such divine consolations, that it rejoices, and says with St. Monica in Holy Communion: "My heart, and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God.""
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16. THEY ARE CONFOUNDED. — Again and again God turns back upon himself, and rises up against idolatry then raging, as if to say, When the Babylonians, and other nations, shall have seen that Baal, or Bel their god, cannot protect them, lest they be laid waste by the true God through Cyrus; then they themselves together with their gods, and their makers, shall be put to shame. Again, when the Gentiles shall see Christ with his divinity hidden in himself, revealing it through miracles, through holiness and the charisms of the Holy Spirit, then all who have worshipped and made idols shall be put to shame; nay, they will despise them, and burn them, and transfer themselves to the worship of Christ. Note: Idols are called errors, because it is the greatest error that stones and wood should present themselves as being gods. In Hebrew it is צרים tsarim, that is, straits or distresses. For idols, or rather demons, through idols reduce the minds of their worshippers into a thousand straits and distresses, and chiefly into perpetual remorse of conscience, in that they neglect God the creator of heaven, and worship stones in his place, which torment them. Thus Forerius, Sanchez, Vatablus and others. Otherwise Adams, as if to say, The scribes and Pharisees together went into confusion of their errors and lies, which they spread throughout the world, namely, that Christ did not rise again, but was stolen away by the Apostles. But the contrary was made manifest, and the whole world believed. Yet this sense is more restricted.
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17. ISRAEL IS SAVED IN THE LORD WITH AN EVERLASTING SALVATION, — that is to say, upon the Babylonians and the Gentiles who are idolaters shall come shame and ignominy, both temporal through Cyrus, and eternal through Satan in hell, of which that temporal was the shadow and prelude: but the true Israelites, that is the faithful Christians, shall be given by Christ salvation and eternal glory: hence it is clear that this pertains to Christ, not to Cyrus. For the Prophet leaps from the type to the antitype, and soon springs back to the type, or history; for it is established that the salvation which Cyrus brought to the Jews was not eternal: indeed, shortly after it, they were most grievously afflicted by Antiochus and other kings of Asia, for two hundred years in the time of the Maccabees; and not long after they lost the scepter, under Herod and the Romans, and were finally destroyed by Titus.
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18. THUS SAITH THE LORD THAT CREATED THE HEAVENS. — He adds "that created the heavens," to intimate that the heavens were created by God for this purpose, that the true Israelites might enter into them and possess them; and there obtain the everlasting salvation (which he promised them here). HE CREATED IT NOT IN VAIN (the earth): HE FORMED IT TO BE INHABITED, — that is to say, As God created heaven as a reward for the faithful, so he created the earth as a stadium, that namely men might dwell in it for a time, and there live so piously and holily, fighting strongly against sins; and all the assaults of the flesh and the devil, so that as conquerors they might merit to be crowned in the heavens. This is what Paul says: "We are made a spectacle (in Greek θέατρον, a theatre) to the world, and to angels, and to men," I Cor. IV, 9. Furthermore, God casts his eye upon the land of Judea, and returns to Cyrus, that is to say, I shall bring you back through Cyrus into Judea: for I did not create it in vain, that it should be and remain desolate, as it now is for you in Babylon in captivity; but that I might bring you back into it, as I once first led you in, having expelled the Canaanites through Joshua.
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19. NOT IN SECRET HAVE I SPOKEN IN A DARK PLACE OF THE EARTH, — that is to say, the oracles of the Sibyls were given forth from a cave, and enchanters and magicians from subterranean places, where they consulted the demon, who, being conscious of his own wickedness, shuns the light, and being the prince of darkness, therefore seeks hiding places: but I have not spoken in secret, but on Sinai, on the summit of a high mountain, before all the Hebrews, with lightnings and thunders, with a clear voice, in broad daylight I made a covenant with them, and I promised that I would give them the land of Chanaan, if they obeyed my law, and as I promised, so also I performed. I therefore am He who led you into Chanaan, I likewise am He who bring you back from Babylon to the same place. To this Christ alluded, saying, John XVIII, 20: "I have spoken openly to the world: and in secret I have spoken nothing." For impostors and heresiarchs, who teach falsehood, seek hiding places, and there conduct their assemblies, as Vincent of Lérins rightly noted in his golden little work Against Heresies. I SAID NOT TO THE SEED OF JACOB: SEEK ME IN VAIN. — God here gives a threefold distinction between Himself and idols. First, that He Himself answers in public, idols in secret. Second, that they are worshipped in vain: for they give their worshippers no reward; God gives His worshippers ample rewards, as He led the Jews and brought them back into the land of Chanaan. Third, idols and demons exact from their worshippers impure and wicked services and worship; God demands nothing but pure and holy things, as follows.
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20. Gather yourselves together,—that is to say, You therefore all who now flee from Babylon and escape from captivity: you also who are converted from Gentilism to Christ, come together and bring, if you have anything, which you might oppose to those things which I have said, for the cause of idols: if you have seen or heard anything in Babylon or Gentilism which would show that they are gods, if you have experienced any help or divinity from them, come forward. But I propose these things in vain: for I know that all of you will say with me: THEY KNEW NOT (that is, all idolaters are blind and foolish) WHO LIFT UP THE WOOD (thus it should be read with the Romans and Hebrews, not a sign) OF THEIR CARVING (that is, who set up a wooden idol carved by themselves, and worship it), AND PRAY (and invoke) TO A GOD THAT CANNOT SAVE. —For how shall he save and raise up others, who is not able to raise up and save himself? Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, St. Thomas, Adam, Forerius and others.
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21. ANNOUNCE, AND COME, AND TAKE COUNSEL TOGETHER, — that is to say, Join together conversations, assemblies and counsels, so that what does not occur to one, another may suggest on behalf of the deity of idols, and especially let this be done among you: who foretold that the Jews would be freed from Babylon by Cyrus, and actually accomplished it? and that men would be freed from the captivity of the devil by Christ, and will accomplish it with equal faithfulness in his time? Who, I say, except I, whom Israel worships? It is therefore clear that there is no other God holy and savior than I. Wherefore:
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22. BE CONVERTED TO ME, AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED, ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. — God here promises to the faithful who worship and invoke him all salvation temporal and spiritual, but especially spiritual and eternal through Christ.
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23. I HAVE SWORN BY MYSELF. — Here God sanctions and confirms his promises by an oath, that is to say, By myself I have sworn, that is I swear (see Canon XIII), that the sentence and word, justly and in equity pronounced by my mouth, shall by no means be made void, but shall truly be fulfilled. Moreover that word is what follows: "Because (that) to me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear," that is, not only the Jewish nation, but all nations whatsoever shall acknowledge me, fear me and worship me: and therefore by me they shall swear, not by idols. They shall worship, I say, in the beginning in this life, when they are converted to me, as St. Jerome, St. Cyril, St. Thomas and others say: but perfectly and completely they shall worship in the future, and on the day of judgment: so that even my enemies, forced by violence, as a footstool shall be subjected under my feet, and shall confess me to be their God and Lord. For this also pertains to the day of judgment, is evident from Rom. cap. XIV, 10, where when the Apostle had said: "For we shall all stand before the tribunal of Christ," he adds proof from this place, saying: "For it is written: As I live (that is I swear by my life), saith the Lord, that to me every knee shall bow: and every tongue shall confess to God." Thus Adam and Sanchez. JUSTICE OF THE WORD. — Forerius and Vatablus translate, justice the word, that is the word which is true and pure justice: for justice, says Forerius, can first be taken as beneficence. For God swears here that he will give to the whole world the greatest benefit, and most desirable, namely true knowledge of himself, obedience and religion, in which alone our salvation consists. Secondly, "justice" can properly be taken, that is to say, I swear that I will give to the world justice, which is my very word: for Christ the Son of God is the "justice" and "Word" of the Father, which did not return empty, but was efficacious, and inebriating the earth, made it fruitful and justified it. Thus Haymo and Forerius. Thirdly and most plainly, there goes forth from the mouth of God the judge "justice" or "the word of justice," that is a most just and most equitable word. For it is most just that every rational creature, even demons, should subject themselves to God their maker and creator, and worship and glorify him. Justice therefore, that is just, and to God due observance and submission is signified by to me every knee shall bow: observance by and every tongue shall swear. To this the Apostle alluded, Philip. II, 10: "That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth; and every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father." Which he says Christ accomplished through humility, in that he took the form of a servant, being made man. Therefore while he swears that he will make every knee bow to him, he implicitly swears that he will take the form of a servant: which word and oath is the justice, mercy and sanctification of the world. St. Jerome notes in to me every knee shall bow, it is clearly signified the Christian people. "For it is the custom," he says, "of the Church to bend the knee to Christ: which the Jews, showing the pride of their mind, do not do at all." For the Jews pray standing and upright.
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24. EVERY TONGUE SHALL SWEAR. — "Shall swear," that is shall celebrate, worship, adore. It is a synecdoche. For an oath is put for any worship of God, as I said above. Whence St. Paul for shall swear translates, shall confess, that is shall praise and glorify, Roman. cap. XIV, 11. For men are accustomed to swear by him whom they believe to be God, and the supreme Divinity, of which perjury is the avenger.
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25. Therefore in the Lord shall every tongue say (as preceded): MINE ARE JUSTICE AND EMPIRE. — First, Forerius thinks there is a transposition of words, and the sentence should be arranged thus: Every tongue shall say: My justices are in the Lord, as in the fountain and giver, that is to say, All my justices flow from God, to Him are to be ascribed my virtues and holy works, not to me; He is to be glorified, not I. Therefore the heretics wrongly abuse this place for their imputed justice, by which they say they are just, not by formal and inherent justice, but by extrinsic or imputed justice from God. Second, with another punctuation the same Forerius reads and understands thus: Every tongue shall swear, and shall say in the Lord, that is through God, through Christ, so that by the "in the Lord" there is described the formula of an oath which the faithful will use. Then "shall say" also "every tongue, that mine are justice and empire," that is, Justice belongs to God, or the praise of justice, and empire belongs to God. He says "mine," because these are the words of God speaking: therefore this is an explanation of what preceded, "to me every knee shall bow": just as the former part, "in the Lord," is an explanation of "every tongue shall swear," that is to say, Every tongue shall cry out that I am just and ruler: or that in me there is both justice and power, strength, empire. For the Hebrew עזה signifies all these things, and all these things are required in a true prince, such as Christ is, namely justice, that He may rule justly; and power, that He may be able to execute His justice. Whence Scripture often commends these two things in God, Psalm LXX, 19: "Thy power, and Thy justice, O God." And Psalm VII, 12: "God is a just judge, strong." Whence the Septuagint here translates: Every tongue shall swear by God, saying: Justice and glory shall come to Him. Thus Sanchez. Third, the same Forerius thus translates: Surely Jehova said: By Jehova to me are justice and empire, that is, Jehova Christ said: From Jehova, that is from God the Father, I have justice, that I am just, and justifying: I have also the empire of the Church, and of the whole world: so that no one is a faithful citizen of the Church, no one is just, except whom I shall have justified; and whomever I shall have converted and justified, let him be faithful and just, and by me enrolled in the civil law of the Church. This is what Christ says: "All power is given to me in heaven and on earth," Matthew XXVIII, 18; and to the Apostles: "Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them: and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained," John XX, 23. Fourth, others think these things pertain to the faithful and the Church, that is to say, Every faithful one with his tongue saying "in the Lord," that is confessing and praising the Lord, shall say: "Mine are the justices" of the Gospel, mine is the "empire" and kingdom of Christ, mine is His Church, not the Jews'. Thus St. Jerome. The second sense coheres very well with the preceding, and seems most genuine from the Hebrew phrase. For the "in the Lord," באדני badonai, is a formula of swearing customary among the Hebrews. Then the first, which is easy and apt. TO HIM (Christ God) SHALL COME (that they may bow the knee to Him), AND ALL (the unfaithful and rebels) WHO RESIST HIM SHALL BE CONFOUNDED. — This shall happen on the day of judgment. These are the words of the Prophet proving the sentence of God: for the preceding are the words and sentence of God.
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26. IN THE LORD SHALL BE JUSTIFIED, AND ALL THE SEED OF ISRAEL SHALL BE PRAISED. — The rebels shall be confounded, and shall go into eternal fire: but the Israelites, that is the faithful, "in the Lord," that is with the Lord, by the Lord, before the Lord, "shall be justified" through faith in Christ: or rather they shall be justified, that is, they shall be publicly declared just, and shall be pronounced before the whole world, so that no one dare condemn those whom God justifies and absolves, as St. Paul says. Hence by all "all the seed of Israel shall be praised," so that even the reprobate who had despised them in this life shall be forced to praise them, and to say: "Behold how they are counted among the sons of God, and their lot is among the saints!" For this is the salvation and eternal praise which He promised to give to true Israelites, that is to the faithful, through Christ, verse 17. He calls "the seed of Israel" the children of Israel, not carnal, but spiritual, namely the faithful and the saints. Do you wish illustrious and praiseworthy examples of this seed, bending not only the knee, but also the heart and body and soul to God, and swearing by His name, and confessing and adorning His justice, strength and dominion in a glorious struggle and victory? Receive them. In the city of Tyanæ in Mauritania, King Huneric appointed Cyrilla, an Arian bishop. The citizens, execrating Arianism and confessing Christ as God, began to celebrate the divine mysteries publicly in one house. Cyrilla reported this to Huneric, who ordered that when all the province was gathered in the middle of the forum, their tongues and right hands be cut off at the root. When this was done, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, they spoke, and speak, in the same manner as they spoke before, as Victor of Utica says, book III of the Vandals. In the same place he relates that a bishop named Habet Deum, when by Anthony the Arian he was bound hand and foot, and his mouth was stopped so that his tongue could not cry out, was forcibly rebaptized; then when his bonds were loosed, he heard from him: "Behold now, brother Habet Deum, you have become our Christian. What more can you do, except consent to the will of the king?" To which Habet Deum replied: "That is, impious Anthony, the condemnation of death, where the assent of the will is held. I, holding fast to my faith, confessing with frequent utterances what I believe and have believed, defended it by crying out. But also after you bound me with chains, and stopped the gate of my mouth, in the praetorium of my heart, the angels writing down the deeds of my violence, I accomplished them, and sent them to be read by my Emperor." The same man afterwards, complaining to Huneric about the persecution, said: "What, now that you have cast them out, do you have? What do you contend with daily those whom you have banished to exile? You have taken away substance from the Churches, and deprived private homes of their country: only the soul remains, which you crush in captivity. O the times, O the customs! The whole world understands this, and he himself who persecutes sees it. If the faith which you hold is called faith, why do you agitate the members of true faith with such persecutions? What have you to do with our exile? What have you to do with the poor in the world, whose life is always in Christ? Let it at least be permitted to rejoice in the company of beasts those whom you have cast out from the face of all peoples." Victorianus, Proconsul of Carthage and familiar of King Huneric, when he was urged by the king through intermediaries to Arianism, answered with a free voice: "Secure in God and in Christ my Lord, I say to those who speak to the king, let him subdue with fires, drive with beasts, torture with all kinds of torments; if I consent, I am in vain baptized in the Church. For if this present life alone had been, and we did not hope for another, which truly is, eternal, I would not have done so to glory for a short time temporally, and to be ungrateful to Him who entrusted His faith to me as a creditor." At which the tyrant, enraged, tortured him with inexplicable torments: who, rejoicing in the Lord, and happily finishing his course, received the crown of martyrdom. In the same place he relates that St. Victoria, suspended by the same king, when she was being burned with fire cast upon her before her sons and husband, was tempted by him with these words: "Why do you suffer, spouse? If you despise me, at least have pity on these impious little ones whom you have borne. Why do you forget your womb, and count as nothing those whom you brought forth with groaning? Where are the bonds of conjugal love? Look, I beseech you, upon your sons and husband, obey the king, so that you may escape the torments still impending, and at the same time be given to me and to your children." But she, hearing neither the weeping of her children nor the blandishments of the serpent, raising her affection much higher from the earth, despised the world with its desires. When he continued to suspend her, those who were torturing her, seeing her shoulders torn, perceived her dead, and laid her down completely lifeless in every part: which she afterwards related, that a certain virgin had stood by her and touched each of her limbs, and immediately she was healed. O glorious victory of Victoria! In the same place he relates that two brothers swore to each other constancy in faith, and asked the torturers that they be tortured with the same punishment, and while by the first hanging with stones tied to their feet they hung the whole day, one of them asked to be taken down and given a respite. To him the other brother, fearing lest he deny the faith, cried out from the hanging: "No, no, brother; we did not thus swear to Christ. I will accuse you when we come before his terrible throne, because we swore upon his body and blood that we would suffer for him in turn." Saying these things he comforted his brother, who crying out with a great voice said: "Torture the Christians with whatever punishments you wish, and press them with cruel pains. What my brother will do, this also will I do." And so burned with hot plates, scraped with nails, and afflicted with other most grievous punishments, they stood firm, so that the torturers cast them from their sight, saying: If all the people imitated these, so that no one would convert to our religion, and especially because no bruises, no trace of punishments appeared in them at all. This is what the Prophet here says and foretells: "In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall be praised." Truly did St. Jerome say: "The life of the Saints is an interpretation of the Scriptures."
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Postquam confortavit eos ad summam expectationem promissorum divinorum, in parte ista incipit prosequi divinas promissiones, ad eorum consolationem: et dividitur in duas. In prima promittit liberationem a malis; in secunda promittit salvationem in bonis. Haec dicit Dominus sanctus Israel, plastes ejus. Prima in duas. In prima promittit eis liberationis beneficium; in secunda excludit ome liberationis impedimentum, cap. 50: Haec dicit Dominus: Quis est etc. Prima in tres. In prima praesignat eis liberatorem; in secunda praedicat captivitatem et detinentium destructionem, cap. 46, Contractus est Bel; in tertia promittit etiam Judaeorum liberationem, cap. 48: Audite haec domus Jacob. Prima in duas. In prima praenuntiat liberatorem; in secunda ostendit consequentem utilitatem, ibi, Haec dicit Dominus sanctus Israel, plastes ejus. Prima in tres. In prima praedict libera toris potestate; in secunda describit ipsius nativitatem, ibi, Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant justum; in tertia refellit incredulorum contradictionem, ibi, Vae qui contradicit fictori suo. Circa primum duo. Primo ponit fastigium ad quod exaltatus fuit, contra tria quae solent evadere manus regis: vel propter multitudinem; et quantum ad hoc dicit, Christo, idest regi, non propterunctionem, sed propter regimen dignitatem: quia apud eos reges ungebantur. Apprehendi dexteram, quasi auxiliator operum ipsius, gentes, diversas.
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Deuter. 28: « Dabit Dominus inimicos vestros in manus vestras. » Vel propter fortitudinem; et quantum ad hoc dicit: Ante ibo, parans victoriae tuae locum, imminentendo terrorem tuum adversariis: gloriosos, potentes supra alios, sicut Babylonios: portas aereas, potentissimas civitates.
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Psal. 106: « Con- trivit portas aereas, et vectes ferreos confregit. » Vel propter absensionem; et quantum ad hoc dicit: Et dabo tibi thesauros, diversorum regnorum, quorum civitates cepit. Job 12: « Revelat profunda de tenebris, et abscondita producit in lucem. » Secundo ponit beneficium fructum: et primo in ipso; secundo in aliis, ibi, Sciant hi qui ab oriente et qui ab occidente. Circa primum duo. Primo ponit potestatis fructum a Deo requisitum in Cyro, scilicet suae cognitionis: Ut seias quia ego. Rom. 4: « Vocat ea quae non sunt tamquam ea quae sunt: » et populi liberationis, Propter servum meum, ut scilicet liberes eum de captivitate. Secundo ostendit illud beneficium ex parte ipsius Cyri, ex parte frustratum: Et vocavi, praedicendo nomen tuum: assimilavi, hoc in aliis sanctis meis, quorum nomina prius a Domino praedicta sunt: non cognovisti me, esse tantum Deum verum, permanens in idolis. Accinri, foritudine. Prov. 1: Vocavi et rec- « nuistis, » accipere disciplinam.
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Ut sciant hi qui ab oriente et qui ab occidente, quoniam absque me non est Deus. Hic ostendit fructum in aliis: et primo ostendit quod in aliis quaerit suae cognitionis fructum. Qui ab oriente, idest habitantes per totum mundum. Quod completum fuit in hoc quod Cyrus epistolam suis laudem Dei scripsit ubique; vel quia omnes Deum collaudaverunt videntes Judaeorum liberationem. Psal. 82: « Sciant quia nomen » tibi Dominus; tu solus Altissimus super omnem « terram. » Secundo proponit suae divinitatis argumentum, quod cognosci potest in hoc quod potest affligere et liberare, Ego Dominus. Lucem, diem in consolatione: malum, poenae. Amos 5: « Non est malum in civitate quod Dominus non » fecerit. » Eccli. 42: « Omnia fecit Dominus du- » plicia, unum contra unum. » Rorate caeli desuper et nubes pluant justum. Hic describit nativitatem Cyri sub metaphora fructus arboris, ad cujus generationem requiritur humor terrae et pluvia et ros de caelo; ita in nativitate Cyri concurrexit divina misericordia, intendens populum suum per eum liberare: et inferior natura, quae significatur in terra. Unde tria faciunt. Describet enim ortum, Rorate: nativitatis fructum, Et justitia oriatur: et primum nativitatis principium, Ego Dominus.
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Pluant justum, neutraliter vel masculine: vel per caelum et nubes, prophetae et alii justi qui ipsum prae-
nuntiando, et lacrymis a Deo poscendo, quodam modo ipsum pluerunt. I sal. 74: « Descendet sicut pluvia in vellus. »
Nota super illo verbo, Israel electum meum, quia sancti sunt electi primo per praedestinationem. Eph. 1: « Elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem. » Secundo sunt formati per gratiae infusionem. Gen. 2: « Formavit Dominus hominem, » et inspiravit in eo spiraculum vitae. » Tertio recti per dilectionem. Cant. 1: « Recti diligunt te. » Quarto servi per debitum operationis. Lucae 17: « Servi inutiles sumus. »
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Vae qui contradicit fictori suo. Hic excludit infidelium contradictionem: et primo sub metaphora artificis lutum fingentis: quia sicut lutum non contradicit figulo, ita nec Judaei debenter Deo contradicere, non credentes posse consurgere qui Babylonios superarent. De Samiis, vas is ficilibus, quia hujus ars in Samos civitate inventa est, Absque manibus est? quasi absque recta operatione manus, vel sicut la-genae manus habent.
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Rom. 9: « Numquid dicet » figmentum ei qui fecit illud: Quid me fecisti sic? » Sub metaphora patris generantis, Vae qui dicit patri: quia ego sum pater creans Cyrum, et sicut mater concipiens ipsum in proposito; et ideo non debetis in hoc mihi contradicere, sicut nec matri generanti. Infra 66: « Numquid ego qui alios parere facio, » ipse non pariam? dicit Dominus. Si ego qui generationem ceteris tribuo, sterilis ero? » Vel loquitur contra illos divinos qui ex ortu Cyri multa praenuntiabant mala futura, dicentes melius esse si non nasceretur. Vel contra illos de Judaeis qui dicebant: Ad quid generamus filios, ut in captivitate nascantur?
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Haec dicit Dominus sanctus Israel, plastes ejus. Hic ponit liberatoris utilitatem: et primo quantum ad liberationem Judaeorum; secundo quantum ad conversionem gentium, ibi, Quia haec dicit Dominus creans caelos. Circa primum tria. Primo ostendit suam ad praedicendum futura autoritatem: Ego, scilicet Cyro, plastes, factor, filios meos, Judaeos, liberatos, vel alios quoscumque volo nascituros; et non idola. Secundo praedicit liberationem, ostendens suam potestatem, qui promittit, Ego feci. Militiae eorum, scilicet eactorum, mandavi, praesignando suum officium et naturam. Su-pra 40: « Qui educit in numero militiam eorum. » Et exequentis directionem: Ego suscitavi, ad dignitatem, eum, Cyrum (praeteritum pro futuro) ad justitiam, faciendam de Chaldaeis. Prober. 5: « In » omnibus viis tuis cogita illum, et ipse diriget « gressus tuos. » Et promittit liberationem: Ipse, scilicet Cyrus, aedificabit, promittens, et dans expensas ad aedificium. Infra 52: « Grates venundati » estis, et sine argento redimemini. » Haec dicit Dominus; Labor Aegypti. Hic terto pro mittit liberatorum exaltationem quantum ad tria. Primo quantum ad alienorum adhaesionem, Labor Aegypti, divitiae ipsorum, et ipsi quantum ad multos qui eos secuti fuerunt. Vel loquitur de his qui adhaeserunt, Labor, in idolis cessabit. Negotiatio, terrena.
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Et adhaerentium subjectionem: Post te ambulabunt, tibi subjecti, Junctis manibus, idest vinculis manuum, quasi ita humiliati coram te sicut hi qui taliter ete.: vel vinculis praeceptorum Christi. Ponens etiam veritatis confessionem, Tantum in te, scilicet haec dicentes. Absconditus, non visibilis sicut dii vestri; salvator, non imbecillis. Psalm. 17: « Posuit tenebras latibulum suum. » Secundo o- stendit eorum exaltationem quantum ad hostium confusionem, Confusi sunt.
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Michaeae ultim.: « Vi- debunt gentes, et confundentur super omni forti- « tudine sua. » Tertio quantum ad Judaeorum perpetuam salutem: Israel salvatus est usque in saeculum. Ubi sic canitur vel de spirituali Israeli.
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Soph. 5: « Rex Israel Dominus in medio tui; non « timebis malum ultra. » Quia haec dicit Domi- nus creans caelos. Hic ponit aliam utilitatem quan- tum ad conversionem gentium: et circa hoc tria facit. Primo inducit quinque rationes inducentes ad conversionem; quarum prima sumitur ex rerum creatione, Ipse Deus: Psalm. 143: « Qui fecit cae- « lum et terram, mare et omnia quae in eis « sunt. » Secundo ex hominum dilectione, quia dedit eis terram in habitaculum (Psalm. 103): « Caelum caeli Domino, terram autem dedit filiis « hominum. » Non in vanum. Tertio ex veritatis praedicatae manifestatione, Non in abscondito, quasi ea quae ratio naturalis dictat facienda, vel de prae- dicatione fidei Christianae. Joan. 18: « Ego palam « locutus sum mundo. » Quarto ex praeceptorum utilitate, Non dixi: Psalm. 118: « In custodiendis « illis retributio multa. » Quinto ex praeceptorum aequitate, Ego Dominus.
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Infra 65: « Ego qui loquor « justitiam, et propugnator sum ad salvandum. » Congregamini, et venite. Hic secundo injungit Ju- daeis gentium vocationem, commemorans eorum salutem: Congregamini, quasi ad audiendum prae- ceptum meum, qui salvati, liberati a captivitate gentium. Infra ult.: « Mittam ex eis qui salvati « fuerint ad gentes in mare, in Africam et Ly- « diam. » Ponens etiam vocandorum errorem, sci- licet gentium, Nescierunt. Baruch ultim.: « Videbi- « tis in Babylonia deos aureos et argenteos et « lapideos et ligneos in humeris portari, ostentan- « tes metum gentibus. » Injungens suae laudis annuntiationem, Annuntiate; in qua injungit offi- cium, Consiliamini, qualiter debeatis alios conver- tere. Psalm. 95: « Annuntiate inter gentes gloriam « ejus. » Quis auditum fecit hoc ab initio? Hic ostendit in quo docet eos suae divinitatis argu- mentum, ad alios convertendum, scilicet ex prae- cognitione futurorum: et ponit rationem, et con- clusionem, Numquid? Eccl. 42: « Annuntians quae « praeterierunt. » Tertio invitat gentes ad conver- sionem: et primo ponitur invitatio, Convertimini: Zach. 1: « Convertimini ad me, ait Dominus exer- « cituum, et ego convertar ad vos. » Secundo praedicit conversionem eorum, ponens signum ado- rationis, In meipso: quia non habeo majorem per quem jurem. Non revertetur, sine effectu.
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Infra 55: « Sic erit verbum meum quod egredietur de « ore meo; non revertetur ad me vacuum. » Cur- rabitur, a Christianis, qui est modus adorandi Re- demptorem, secundum dictum Phil. 2: « In nomi- « ne Jesu omne genu flectatur caelestium, ter- « restrium et infernorum. » Ponens etiam signum jurationis, Jurabit: quia unusquisque jurat in Deo
suo.
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Psalm. 62: « Laudabuntur omnes qui jurant « in eo. » Ponens etiam signum verae confessio- nis: Ergo in Domino dicet, idest in persona Do- mini, meae, scilicet Ecclesiae Dei: vel meae, scili- cet Dei: Apoc. 1: « Ipsi gloria in saecula. » Justitiae, non legis Judaeorum figurae. Tertio praedicit in- credulorum confusionem: Ad eum venient, quasi judicandi.
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Quarto credentium salutem: In Domino justificabitur omne semen, non solum secundum carnem, sed secundum fidem. Ps. 108: « Qui in- « surgunt in me confundantur. » Mystice, Forate caeli, de Christi nativitate. In quo tria facit; scili- cet nativitatis principium, nascentis ortum, et nati- vitatis fructum. Principium est triplex. Primum caelum rorans, quasi principium effectivum, scilicet quia trium personarum, propter quod pluraliter di- citur, Caeli. Pater Filium mittendo. Gal. 4: « At « ubi venit plenitudo temporis, misit Deus Filium « suum. » Filius carnem assumendo. Phil. 2: « Humiliavit semetipsum factus obediens usque ad « mortem. » Spiritus sanctus conceptionem facien- do. Math. 1: « Quod enim in ea natum est, de « Spiritu sancto est. » Secundum principium est nubes pluens, quod est principium praeparati- vum; in quo accipitur annuntiantis Angeli officium. Job 37: « Nubes spargunt lumen suum; quae « lustrant cuncta. » Prophetarum vaticinium. Ps. 17: « Tenebrosa aqua in nubibus aeris. » Rom. 1: « Quod ante promiserat per prophetas suos in « Scripturis sanctis de Filio suo. » Justorum de- siderium. Psalm. 105: « Ponis nubem ascensum « tuum. » Malach. 5: « Statim veniet ad templum « sanctum dominator quem vos quaeritis, et An- « gelus testamenti quem vos vultis. » Tertium principium est terra germinans, quod est princi- pium conceptivum, Beata Virgo; de qua in Psal. 84: « Terra nostra dabit fructum suum. » Cujus aperiatur affectus ad inveniendum gratiae privile- gium. Luc. 1: « Ne timeas Maria. » Prov. ult.: « Mul- « tae filiae congregaverunt divitias: tu supergressa « es universas. » Intellectus, ad credendum Angeli verbum. Luc. 1: « Beata quae credidisti, quoniam « perficientur in te quae dicta sunt tibi. » Uterus, ad concipiendum Dei filium. Luc. 1: « Ecce con- « cipies in utero, et paries filium. » Sed ortus comparatur rori, pluviae, et germini. Quia Chri- stus est ros ad refrigerandum. Supra 18: « Sicut « nubes roris in die messis. » Pluvia ad fecon- dandum. Psalm. 71: « Descendet sicut pluvia in « vellus. » Germen ad fructificandum. Jer. 25: « Suscitabo David germen justum. » Fructus est justitia, quae cum illo oritur tripliciter: quam opere implevit: Matth. 5: « Sic decet nos implere omnem « justitiam: » quam sermone docuit: infra 65: « Ego qui loquor justitiam, et propugnator sum « ad salvandum. » Quam pro munere dedit. ! Cor. 1: « Factus est nobis sapientia et sanctifica- « tio et justitia. »
45:1
v. 4. « IJaec dicit Dominus christo meo Cyro, cuius apprehendi dexteram, ut subiiciam ante faciem eius gentes et dorsa regum vertam et aperiam coram eo ianuas et portae non claudentur » ; — hebr. uncto suo Cyro, uti Syrus quoque et Chald. habent. Cyrus insignitur titulo regis theocratici : unctus vel christus Domini, similiter ut 44, 98 pastor meus erat appellatus. Dei enim voluntatem de populo theocratico exsequitur, peculiari modo a Deo vocatur, eligitur, iuvatur, bellica fortitudine instruitur, per eum gloria Domini innotescere debet gentibus; ergo iure eo titulo salutatur (ef. S. Cyr. Theod. Procop. Mald.). Ille enim quem Deus eligit et sua virtute induit, «unctus dicitur. Adde quod liberatio ex Babylone praeludium quoddam erat et typus liberationis messianicae ; quare uti alter liberator Unctus, Christus xax' &&ey3» dicitur, ita consentaneum quoque est, ut prior liberator ipso nomine typicam illam rationem exprimat; imago enim sortitur nomen eius cuius est imago, ait Men. et sim. S. Hier. Mald. For. Sanct. Lap. Dextera aliquem prehendere (41,13; 42, 6)esteum juvare, corroborare, secure ducere, ut operi iniuncto plene satisfaciat ; hic ergo ad prosternendum coram eo gentes (hebr.). Reges quoque coram eo a Domino virtate et roborespoliantur : lumbos regum aperiam (hebr.) vel dissolvam scil. prae metu, ita ut omni robore careant; in lumbis enim robur declaratur, unde lumbos aperire vel cingulum solvere est eos reddere inermes, elumbes, infirmos, uti bene exprimunt LXX icy»v (xcukioY jixppüto ; significat itaque. discingere, contrarium «à lumbos accingere vel robur et agilitatem dare (cf. For.). Reges autem devictos ei dat Deus ad aperiendas coram eo fores (hebr.), ut eorum palatia et arces occupet; neque urbes munitae poterunt ei resistere, quas Dominus aperuerit coram eo portas nemo iam poterit claudere , nemo poterit eas ei eripere vel eum ab expugnatione arcere (cf. de modo loquendi quo assertio gravis exprimitur Is. 22, 92. Iob 12, 14. Apoc. 3, '1i). Eodem modo legimus 41, 2 : dabit in conspectu eius gentes et reges obtinebit etc. ; unde de quo 41, 9 sermo sit, .hoc loco clare ostenditur. Quam facile sit victurus et quam secure (« transibit in pace » 41, 3) Deo quasi duce et imperatore coram eo ingrediente declaratur
45:2
v. 2 « ego ante te ibo et gloriosos terrae hwmiliabo; portas aereas conteram et vectes ferreos confringam » ; — i. e. « ante te ibo quasi dux et antesignanus, ut praeivi olim castra Hebraeorum in deserto » (Tir.) ; verba hebr. eodem fere modo leguntur Deut. 31, 8 (hebr.) et similiter Iud. 4, 14. Deus igitur ei parat viam; sequitur enim post te anteibo : et tumida complanabo vel tortuosa, inflexa, anfractuosa faciam recta et plana (hebr.), uti hebr. iam explicant Mald. Mar. Molv. et recentiores. Impedimenta igitur quae a regione, montibus, collibus, anfractibus et asperitatibus viarum (Osor.) obiiciuntur, Deus removebit, « velut praeeursor qui an tutus sit progressus considerat et si quid sit periculi antevertit » (For.); cf. 42, 16. Praeter haec obstacula ea quoque Deus amovet quae industria hominum opponuntur, etsi sint fortissima ; erit scil. Deus effractor vel perruptor, uti de Israelitarum reditu Michaeas loquitur (2, 13); portae aereae et vectes ferrei optime dicuntur, cum Babylonem centum portis aereis munitam esse narret Herodotus : zjAa 8& éyeoxüat mípis v0 velyeog Exavóv, yAkwsat mücat, xoi cvaDpuol c6 xo Oxip- 9upga ócaótoc (1, 179). Ergo hic quoque, uti 44, 21, verba ita sunt conformata ut et omnium impedimentorum amotionem dicant et simul peculiari modo ad victoriam de Babylone reportatam conveniant. Ceterum verum est quod Sanct. dicit, in portis ferreis et vectibus omnia impedimenta significari quae retardare potuerint Cyri victorias, et S. Hier. monet : « legamus Xenophontis octo. librorum Cyri maioris. historiam et prophetiam Isaiae cernemus expletam ; quae enim civitas illi non patuit? quae non regum terga subiecit? qui muri prius inexpugnabiles non illius obsidione subversi sunt »? Hisce autem expeditionibus Cyrus etiam ditabitur ;' Deus enim thesauros ei dabit quos frustra solertia et prudentia hominum abscondere conabatur v.-3 «et dabo tibi thesauros. absconditos et arcana. secreto- Tum, ut'scias quia ego Dominus qui voco nomen tuum, Deus Israel » ; — hebr. thesauros caliginis et recondita latebrarum (cf. Mald. Vat. Malv.) i. e. thesauros in latibulis et locis absconditis asservatos. Plenae sunt veterum historiae narrationes de immensis thesauris ! a Cyro acquisitis Asia devicta. Magnos sane thesauros invenisse censendus est Babylone (cf. Ier. 50, 31; 51, 13) et Sardibus Croeso devicto, cum Sardes urbs censeretur opulentissima secunda a Babylone (cf. Cyropaed. 7, 9, 11. Del. Rohl.). Tales autem fore ait vates rerum earum cursus, itaque a Deo iri dispositum, ut cognoscat peculiarem Dei interventum et Dominum ipsum nomine vocasse et sibi auxilium praestitisse tamquam Deum Israel qui haec omnia ita ordinavit ut demum consilium suum de Israel exsequeretur. Haec quoque ad amussim conveniunt cum iis quae Cyrus in decreto dicit : omnia regna terrae dedit mihi Iahve Deus coeli (2 Par. 36, 93. Esdr. 4, 9). Nomine vocare eo aptius dicitur propter 44, 98 et 45, 1 et nisi nomen esset revera praedictum, vix apte posset dici, id quod inter recentiores praesertim /Vaeg. pluribus prosequitur ; inter veteres explicat S. Hier. : « ut beneficiis unum sentires Deum, praesertim cum scias, multo antequam nascereris tuum nomen esse praedictum » ; sim. Euseb. : « reconditos thesauros aperiam tibi, ut ipsis operibus ediscas, quis ego sim, qui ante tot annos ipsissimum nomen tuum propheticis Scripturis meis quasi cippis aeternis insculpsi ». Iam alius finis cur Deus eas victorias Cyro concedat exprimitur et simul declaratur cur Deus modo se Deum Israel nominaverit
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v. 4 « propter servum meum lacob ei Israel electum meum et vocavi te nomine tuo; assimilavi te et non. cognovisti me »; — cur propter servum meum Iacob habemus explicatum 44, 28, unde simul elucet versum istum necessario requiri. Inde simule docemur quomodo Deus rerum humanaprovidentiae suae ordinem et rationem dirigat atque disponat. Primum enim locum ac praecipuum in Dei dispositione obtinet theocratia; id hoc loco clare enuntiatur ; quare dicitur Cyrus a Deo nomine vocatus (cf. v. 3) et cognominàtus propter populum electum; hebr..cognominavi te (cf. Mald. Vat. Malv. Mar. For.) i. e. de te locutus sum per prophetas meos nomen tuum et munus tuum annuntians, te pastorem etc. nominando et unctum meum et quae peracturus esses praedicens; simili modo etiam assimilavi te explicari potest : quia longe antequam nasceretur, iis a Deo descriptus est coloribus, his notatus est characteribus et signis, ut facile a quolibet cognosci potuerit (Sanct.) vel ut alii exponunt, in typum et imaginem Messiae, veri illius Christi praecessit, cum 'liberatoris munus gereret et uncti nomine insignitus esset (cf. S. Hier. Est. Lap. Men. Tir.). Cyrus autem iis a Deo praeventus est beneficiis, cum verum Deum non cognosceret. Vere dicit S. Hier. : « tu autem non cognovisü me, id est, simulacra coluisti, non Deum ». Id quam vere dictum est, monumenta recenti tempore inventa satis superque produnt. Cyrus enim, uti ex inscriptionibus eius nomine factis aperte colligitur, eodem modo quo fahve mentionem fecit in edicto ab Esdra relato, etiam veneratur Bel, Nebo, Marduk deum magnum, dominum iisque templa vel erigit vel instaurat (cf. Vigourouz l. c. IV p. 510 seq. Civiltà cattolica, serie 12, 3 p. 526 ; 5 p. 165; 8 p. 405). Cyrus in suis inscriptionibus se deorum babylonicorum cultorem eximium profitetur et templa eorum sedulo instaurat. Unde facile conciliantur duo illa effata : v. 3 uL scias.... et
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v. 4 mon cognovisti me; agnovit Deum Israel, uti ex decreto eius elucet; at cum similem honorem etiam diis conferret, iüremerito dieitur non cognovisse Deum, quem si vere cognovisset, iam nulla ratione loqui potuit, uti locutus esse aperte perhibetur in monumentis. Quare reipsa ostenditur non esse cum Del. ad illam explicationem confugiendum : non cognovisti me i. e. antequam nascereris; nam id per se apertissime patet neque tali indiget asseveratione. Deus opus illud constituit propter Cyrum, propter populum Israel qu» v. 3. 4) et demum etiam propter gentes; in ea autem rerum dispositione suum manifestat numen divinum ; quare
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v. 9 « ego Domimus et non est amplius ; extra me mon est. Deus; accinzi te et non cognovisti me; v. 6 ut sciant hi qui ab ortu solis et qui ab occidente, quoniam absque me non est ; ego Dominus et non est alter » ; — « quia.. enim volui, inquit, meos eripi, etiam per eos qui gloriam meam non norunt hanc rem conficiam, ut manifeste videant qui in universa terra sunt Deum praeter me non esse » (S. Cyr.) Atque peculiarem quandam opem divinam reluxisse in Cyro etiam ex iis colligi potest quae Herodotus tradit; ei enim illo referente hoc ponitur quasi futuri temporis augurium : o fili Cambysis, te enim dii respiciunt (1, 124); et alio in loco causas exponens cur Cyrus bellum susceperit adversus Massagetas has. affert rationes : primum quidem natales eius quod videretur quid maius esse homine, secundo fortuna qua usus fuerat in bello; quocumque enim belli expeditionem susciperet, fieri non potuisse ut ea gens evaderet (1, 204). Ex quibus satis elucet ipsas gentes divinum quid in Cyro agnovisse; id autem a multis Deo Israel esse attributum iam eo patet quia hunc Deum ipse Cyrus in suo decreto confitetur quod traduxit in omni regno suo (Esdr. 1, 1). Immo si Iosepho fides est adhibenda, palam professus est se illum esse credere Deum quem Israelitarum adoret populus (Antiq. 11, 1). Attende quomodo hic iam id praeparetur, quod in regno messianico sollemne est, simul eum populi Dei liberatione gentium quoque ad Dei cognitionem adductionem indicari. Quare v. 6 liberatione Israelitarum effectum iri dicitur, ut ab ortu solis ad occasum usque i. e. in universo orbe quem sol.perlustrat cognitioni Dei via pandatur (cf. S. Hier. Cyr. Euseb.). Deum agnoscendum esse unum rerum omnium moderatorem, a quo et bona cuncta proveniunt et mala quoque permittuntur, vates praeprimis urget contra varia gentilium opinamenta, et quam apte id moneatur contra opinionem Persarum duo esse suprema rerum principia, bonum unum alterum malum, per se intelligitur ; unde quantum differat Iahve ab Ahura-mazda et aliis gentilium figmentis declaratur ulterius v. ' formans lucem et creans tenebras, faciens pacem et creans malum, ego Dominus faciens omnia haec » ; — omuia igitur et prospera et adversa ab uno eius pendere nutu asseritur; lux metaphora est satis frequens pro rebus secundis, tenebrae pro adversis ; idem cernis in pace, rerum omnium prosperarum cumulo cum abundantia, et in malo, rerum omnium calamitosarum compendio quodam proponi; « ego Dominus ad cuius voluntatem haec omnia administrantur, ut vel beneficiis mortales alliciam vel propositis minis absterream, vel pios homines praemiis amplissimis ornem vel impios extremo exitio atque clade conficiam » (Osor.). Itaque opus Cyri et Israelitis commodum afferet (v. 4) et ad id quoque ordinatur, ut Dei cognitio per orbem diffundatur (v. 6). Cernit igitur vates opus Cyri tamquam illud ex quo salus pro Iudaeis et illuminatio quoque gentium quasi ex suo germine vel fonte initium capit. Unde pro eo quo flagrat desiderio, ut salus promissa et magnificis oraculis eousque descripta et populo suo et orbi universo demum exoriatur, preces effundit inflammato studio et ardenti cupiditate pandit quibusnam suspiriis pectus propheticum incaluerit, dum Deus talia de rebus futuris servo suo revelare dignatus est ;
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v. 8 « rorate coeli desuper et nubes pluant iustum ; aperiatur terra et germinet salvatorem et iustitia oriatur simul » ! — hebr. rorate coeli desuper et nubes pluant iustitiam, aperiat se terra et proferant salutem et germinare iubeat iustitiam simul ; similiter LXX quorum verba ita reddit S. Hier. : laetetur coelum desuper et nubes spargant iustitiam ; germinet terra et oriatur misericordia et iustitiam ' (vel iustitia) germinet simul. Efflagitat igitur propheta et suo exemplo suisque suspiriis edocet populum, quali desiderio continuo debeant a Domino efflagitare salutem promissam. Quam ardens sit desiderium, efficaciter exprimitur in compellatione coelorum nubiumque, ut sicut rorem pluviamque salutarem terris demittere solent, iam quasi rorem spiritualem et iustitiae imbrem effundant; ut terra quae tot beneficia hominibus sinu suo fecundissimo offert, iam praeclariorem edat fructum. Cum igitur pluviae fecundantes coelitus descendant et aperto quasi terrae sinu recipiantur, et ea ratione et homini innumera beneficia ad vitam necessaria multaque iucunda obveniant et ipsi terrae suus detur ornatus et maxima concilietur amoenitas, . facile intelligitur quomodo ad maximum rerum sublimium desiderium exprimendum vates eo usus sit symbolo et ea compellatione. Quae loquendi figura etiam eo apte adhiberi censenda est, quia bona illa salutis et iustitiae cum a terra exsulent, revera coelitus descendere ac donari debeant et tum demum terra sacrum illud germen divinitus receptum fovere atque incolentibus communicare debeat. Quod a vate tantis votis expetitur est iustitia, salus, i. e. conditio illa quam Deus adesse vult sanctitatis et summae pro hominibus felicitatis ; ita enim omnia promissa divinitus data summatim comprehenduntur ; . dustitia nominat novam illam conditionem respectu habito ad Deum, ad eius sanctitatem et gloriam, quae in iustitia ubique terrarum regnante relucet ; salus homines respicit qui opere illo divino et vera illa iustitia ad beatitatem adduci debent. Unde simul elucet vatem hisce suspiriis toto animo expetere opus messianicum ; nam quaecumque demum apud ipsum et apud alios prophetas de Messia eiusque opere legimus, ?ustitia et salu'e quasi tessera quadam continentur (cf. 4, 3-6; 9, 7; 11, 1 seq. 16, 5; 19, 923. Ier. 3, 17; 23, 5; 33, 18 etc. Os. 2, 48 etc.). Ad tale autem desiderium excitatur proxime quidem vaticinio de Cyro facto ; attamen non solo hoc oraculo, sed potius fine illo ostenso quem ex opere Cyri et pro Israel et pro gentibus Deus obtinere vult. Qui finis (v. 4. 6) eum iam operis Cyri per se spectati limites excedat et ad altius quiddam et sublimius feratur, necessario inferre debebimus prophetam cum iustitiam et salutem tanto ardore et iis dicendi luminibus exposcat, non debile quoddam iustitiae et salutis initium, non ambratilem salutem, sed iustitiae et salutis perfectionem et veram exhibitionem et perpetuam eius durationem efflagitare; aliis verbis, eum a desiderio liberationis prioris ascendere ad desiderium liberationis et salutis messianicae. Quae cum ita sint, ex hac petitione salutis messianieae quae opus a Cyro praestandum subsequitur iuremerito alia consideratione adhibita colliges statui inter Cyrum eiusque opus et Messiam opusque eius nexum quendam symbolicum et typicum, ut id quod in priore debili quodam et infirmo fiat initio, id in altero perficiatur multo sublimius, perfectius in ordine multo altiore magisque universale ; eundem nexum iam innui iure existimaveris nomine uwncti vel christi Cyro indito. Ex qua explicatione id quoque colligitur verbis vulg. sensum textus originalis reddi, sed ita ut quod hebr. de opere messianico, de iustitia et salute messianica explicite et unice dicitur, hie de ipso Messia salutis et iustitiae auctore, effectore, largitore enuntietur. Si verba vatis spectaveris, interpretem S. Hier. excessisse dices limites versionis; at si consideraveris apud Isaiam ipsum Messiam saepe ut auctorem illorum bonorum exhiberi et opus messianicum per unum aliquem salvatorem praestandum describi, interpres S. Hier. minime contra mentem prophetae aliis ex locis sibi notam hane versionem instituit. Unde simul patet iuremerito pulcherrimam hane precationem sacro Adventus tempore ab Ecclesia usurpari, ut exprimatur quanto cum desiderio adventus Messiae sit olim exspectatus et etiamnum a singulis debeat exoptari maior eius iustitiae ac salutis participatio. Cum in vulg. 41, 2 Cyrus vocetur iustus neque obscure tamquam liberator ac salvator populi describatur (cf. 44, 96-98; 49, 4), omnino possumus verba vulg. uti textum hebr. ita explanare, ut a Cyri persona et opere gressus fiat ad expetendum illum qui zaz' 22cyz» iustus est et salvator. ruptione. Certe maior adesset concinnitas, si uti in priore versus parte coeli et nubes, ita in allera terra compellaretur ad fructum illum praeclarum producendum; primo quidem ut sese aperiat ad coelestem imbrem suscipiendum, dein ut salutem proferat cocl:sti rore gravidata et iustitiam faciat germinare. Quare valde probabile videtur Petitioni prophetae et ardenti desiderio quod ad exemplum quoque ct eruditionem populi expressit, statim Deus approbans illud et quam sibi gratum sit ostendens respondet : « ego Dominus creavi eum » ; — hebr. verte creavi illud vel creo illud (cf. Malv. et recentiores). Ita Deus annuit petitioni, promissionem confirmat, consolationem dat afflictis; verum hac fide et fiducia contenti sint ; quando creaturus sit, ne inquirant; sufficiat ad solamen certa promissio. Haec vero promissio confirmatur eo quod si quis auderet Deo eiusque voluntati et operi sese opponere, id res esse declaratur summae stultitiae quae in maximum eius detrimentum non posset non converti. Quare eum in modum Deus responsum confirmat quo supra dixerat : operabor et quis avertet illud (43, 13)? et sim.
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40, 6—8. 12; v. 9 « vae qui contradicit fictori suo, testa de samiis terrae; numquid. dicet. lutum figulo suo : quid. facis, et opus tuum : absque manibus est »? — duo excluduntur : ne quis Deo-operanti se opponat;-ne modum et rationem, conditionem vel tempus quando et quomodo Domino placuerit promissa in opus deducere quis audeat ad crisin revocare. Prius excluditur minaci illo vae, excluditur ostensa hominis fragilitate et vilitate (cf. 40, 6. 15. 22) ; nam quis est? est testa una ex innumeris ac vilibus testis terrae; quasi testa contenderet.conira figulum! « quasi lutum et testa de testis contradicat figulo suo » (S. Hier.); de samiis « samia vasa fictilia apud veteres auctores celebrata sunt; posuit interpres nomen proprium pro communi » (Mald. cf. Plinius 33, 12. 16. Sanct. Malv.). Alterum ne quis Deum inertiae aut imprudentiae arguat vel de inodo exsequendi promissa sibi arroget iudicium, excluditur ostensa summa eius accusationis stupiditate, quasi lutum figuli artem. reprehenderet vel opus twuwm diceret : non sunt ei manus (hebr.), opus iudicium ferret de artifice eumque argueret quod agendo et laborando impar sit nec manus habeat ad aliquid perficiendum. Ita homo se gerit, qui providentiam et consilia Dei suo iudicio subiicit vel de Dei potentia dubitat. Comparationibus res illustratur simili modo quo 10, 15; 29, 16. Illa comparatio eo magis est ad rem quia homo de limo formatus est a Domino (Gen. 2, 7), quia est ergo testa de testis terrae, ex terrena materia concretus. Dicitur opus tuum, ut argumentum ad hominem efficacius efferatur : quid homo diceret si ei ab opere quod fabricavit ignorantia, inscitia, impoteatia obiiceretur vel exprobrareiur ? Pariter ad impietatem et proiectam audaciam et impudentiam esset referendum, si qui in opere salutis et iustitiae Deo limites praescribere eiusque liberalitatem ita vellent restringere, ut eam ad omnes gentes extendi minime optarent, vel si aegre ferrent, quod gentes demum eodem in censu apud Deum haberentur atque iisdem fruerentur beneficiis. Eam mentem qua Iudaei se solos esse populum Dei electum opinari poterant, vates excludit minaci annuntiatione
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v. 10 « vae qui dicit patri : quid generas? et mulieri : quid parturis »? — quae verba id dicere videntur : « quidnam tibi est quod rursum generas? quasi doleat filius ob frairum multitudinem, nimirum propter hereditatem aut aliquam aliam causam » (For.). Impium esset atque impudens et diris suppliciis dignum, si filius iura parentum infringere et cohibere vellet; aeque si populus Israel, filius primogenitus Dei (Ex. 4, 22. Ier. 31, 9) non aequo animo ferret gentes quoque in adoptionem filiorum assumptum iri iisdemque secum donis ac gratiis insigniri (sim. Theod. heracl.). Monentur ergo Iudaei ne superba quadam aestimatione nimium sibi arrogent et Deo, ut sibi ipsis cuncta beneficia aliis exclusis obveniant, quasi interdicant gentes quoque in filiorum censum referre. Cum enim v. 6 opus Dei in id tendere dicatur, ut sciant gentes Dominum et proinde opus Dei in beneficium gentium fieri asseratur, invidia quadam animi Iudaeorum occupari poterant. Quam opportuna, immo necessaria eiusmodi fuerit admonitio, ex superba Iudaeorum de origine abrahamitica elatione et ex odio colligitur quo postmodum regnum messianieum propterea prosesecuti sunt, quia gentes eodem censu et eadem cum Iudaeis dignitate in illud admitterentur (cf. Act. 13, 45 : videntes autem turbas Iudaei repleti sunt, zelo et contradicebant his quae a Paulo dicebantur blasphemantes; Act. 92, 91 audiunt Paulum disserentem donec dicit se missum ad gentibus praedicandum; quo audito statim vociferantur : tolle de terra huiusmodi, non enim fas est eum vivere). tus prodiret, idem faceret ac si infans nondum conceptus et natus negaret fieri posse, ut pater gigneret (Hahn) ; at quis non videt satis absurda hic supponi? nam ille qui nondum exsistit fingitur quaerere ex parentibus et suam ipsius futuram exsistentiam in dubium vocare ! Mira sane fictio, qua ostendatur Deum posse consilia sua exsequi! Melius alii : ut indignum est queri de parentibus quod genuerint, ita de Deo quod fecerit aut tali loco, tempore (Men.) ; sed uti in comparatione priore habitudo illa inter figulum et lutum non nude ponitur sed quae inter Deum et hominem ratio intercedat pariter illustrat, ita in hoe quoque membro comparatio ad id speciatim tendere debet, ut Dei patris et populi sui tamquam filii primogeniti conditio et habitudo spectetur, et ea quidem quae ad generationem referatur. Neque enim exemplum sumitura filio qui generatim in parentes invehitur, sed qui parentes de generatione reprehendit. Huic ut satisfaciant, alii fingunt informem filium invehi in parentes, quia setalem et non pulchriorem genuerint (ef. Sanct. For. Lap.) ; sed de informi filio qui ita expostulet, nihil legitur. Neque sufficit dicere cum Del. talem expostulationem cum Deo a populo fieri, si de secretis providentiae consiliis cam Deo querulus contendat; neque cum ftohl. populum de divina ope desperantem eandem admittere proiectam impudentiam ac si quis diceret parentibus : qualem fetum omnibus bonis nobilem vos poteritis edere? Nam de fetu fali edendo aeque parum in textu legitur, quam de fetu informi. Itaque nihil aliud restat, quam ut verba accipiantur eo modo quo proferuntur : filius reprehendit parentes, eo quod generent; ergo alios filios in Iucem edi iam non vult; haec ergo habitudo transferenda est ad populum et ad similem eum Deo expostulationem, ita ut ratio patris ac filii servetur, uti in membro antecedente servatur analogice inter figulum et lutum, inter Deum et populum. Quod si expenderis, non invenies aptam interpretationem aliam nisi quam supra dedi : vae si [srael aegre tulerit alios quoque populos ad adoptionem filiorum Dei admitti ! Id utique aversati sunt Iudaei ; sed vae illud eis evenit; longe maxima pars non accessit ad regnum messianicum. Alios autem populos in eodem cum Israel habitum iri censu et ordine cf. Is. 19, 94; 66, 94. Operi Dei non est obsistendum ; verum Domino summo ac Parenti summa fiducia est adhaerendum. Quod ut populus in omni rerum difficultate faciat, denuo monet Deus, ut oraculis datis fidem adhibeant et Deo curam esse de populo suo confidant
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v. 11 « Haec dicit Dominus Sanctus Israel, plastes eius : ventura. interrogate me, super filios meos et super opus manuum mearum mandate mihi »! — tituli quibus Deus et Se et populum nominat iam continent certissimi auxilii documentum, idque confirmatur quia si ulteriora volunt documenta, ea se non negaturum esse spopondit : ventura... si qua trepidatio et anxietas animos occupaverit tempore calamitatis, si in rerum perturbatione et communi gentium terrore (cf. 41, 8; 43, 1. 2. 1) ipse populus iamiam timere vel dubitare incipiat de rerum eventu, paratum se esse declarat ad lumen et solatium subministrandum. Adest scil. in theocratia munus propheticum ; adeant ergo prophetas legitimos neque Deus responsa et consolationem denegabit; quis enim filiorum-curam abiiciet vel opus manuum suarum petulanter destruet? Habent ergo inipsa theocratia a Deo instituta et conservata et variis subsidiis! instructa, quibus Deus se rerum administratorem et moderatorem probat, pignus certissimum auxilii divini simul cum variis modis sese certiores reddendi de consiliis Deiet rerum eventus rite aestimandi. Deum autem potentia excellere qua valeat eadem prae - stare, ex opere divino in mundi hominumque creatione et conservatione satis conspicuo firmiter sibi persuadeant
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v. 19 « ego feci terram et hominem super eam creavi ego; manus meae tetenderunt coelos et omni militiae eorum mandavi » ; — agminibus stellarum ipse imperat ; terra igitur eiusque incolae, coeli eorumque agmina potentiae Dei et imperio testimonium dicunt ; tali Deo ergo tuto curam unius populi committere possunt; non eum deficiet potentia; cf. 40, 15. 26; 42, 5; A4, 24. Atque statim subdit insigne illius curae documentum qua opus manuum suarum, populum suum, complectatur, quo exemplo simul declarat se revera ventura annuntiasse (v. 11) ; quare ad antecedentium confirmationem repetit
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v. 13 « ego suscitavi eum ad. iustitiam et. omnes vias eius dirigam ; ipse aedificabit. civitatem meam et. captivitatem meam. dimittet, non in pretio neque. in. muneribus, dicit. Dominus Deus exercituum » ; — iustitia est status ille rectus quem Deus vult, qui secundum Dei promissa, sanctitatem, divinam providentiam adesse vel effici debet; dicitur de tota ea conditione vel etiam de uno opere Dei efficiendo. Bene Mald.: « Cyrum faciam in hac re ministrum iustitiae meae, ut populum in libertatem dimittat » ; cf. 41, 9 ; 44, 28; 45, 1. Est a Deo suscitatus, ut opus divinitus iniunctum perficiat; ad id Deus eum diriget et ducet ; quomodo, iam 43, 1-3 dictum est. Insuper novum additur oraculum, Cyrum gratuito, non accepto pretio neque favore largis muneribus conciliato, populo daturum esse redeundi veniam (cf. Esdr. 1, 7); pretium datur venditori rei aequivalens ; munus datur ad favorem conciliandum gratiamque habendam; ergo non opus erit Aózpov solvere, nec gratiam Cyri operose sibi acquirere, nec pro beneficio praestito pretiosa munera dare; Cyrus e contra reducibus necessaria subministranda curavit (Esdr. 4, 4. 7 seq). Tali autem favore praestito omnino credibile est aliorum admirationem esse excitatam eosque Dei Israelis potentiam numenque agnovisse qui eam mentem Cyro indiderit et tam insignem triumphum reditumque adeo honorificum populo suo procurarit, id quod ideo facilius et vehementius mentes aliorum perculisse censendum est, quia Cyrus in decreto suo palam se a Domino ita agere iussum esse profitetar. Quo sensu Cyrus urbem aedificare dici possit, vide ad 44, 26. 28. Ex quibus locis et ex 41, 2. 24 patet de'Cyro esse sermonem ; aliqui tamen immediate de Christo explicant (cf. S. Hier. Cyr. Osor. Sasb.) ; urgent enim quidam Cyrum non aedificasse Ierusalem ; ergo ad eum non spectare. Sed ne Christus quidem aedificavit lerusalem ; ceterum iam bene responsum est ab Euseb. : « hic quadam ratione civitatem Hierosolymam aedificavit quia volentem quemque permisit Babylone proficisci et locum restaurare ». S. Ephr. de Cyro explicat. . Liberatio ex captivitate, instauratio urbis initium est theocratiae innovatae. Huic autem omnes gentes subdentur. Unde hoc quoque loco propheta a prima instaurationis inchoatione statim transit ad eius culmen et fastigium, quod in gentium ad Deum conversione ternitur. Ostendit enim Deus, ut Malv. dicit, consilium suum se non alium ad finem ista effecturum esse quam ut promoveat hoc pacto et instauret regnum suum tempore suo per Christum qui fundamentum est et finis omnium prophetiarum. lerusalem instaurata iam describitur ut centrum illud ad quod gentes properabunt (cf. 2, 3). Occasio autem ex eo depromitur, . quia uti iam 43, 3 dictum est, Aegyptus, Aethiopia et Saba dabitur propitiatio pro Israel ; regno persico regiones illae adiungentur quasi in pretium pro redemptione Israel; unde
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v. 14 « haec dicit Dominus : labor Aegypti et negotiatio Aethiopiae et Sabaim viri. sublimes ad te transibunt et. tui erunt; post te ambulabunt, vincti manicis pergent et te adorabunt teque deprecabuntur : tantum. in te est Deus et non.est absque te. Deus » ; — Deus alloquitur Israel, populum e captivitate reducem ; uti olim Israel spoliis Aegyptiorum ditatus est, ita theocratiam instauratam illustrem fore opibus quas Aegyptii labore pepererunt et opibus partis commercio Aethiopum dicitur et etiam, ut hebr. iungi potest, commercio Sabaim, Sabaeorum, qui sunt viri mensurae (hebr.) i. e. staturae procerae (uti eam phrasin vertit S. Hier. Num 13, 32; cf. Ier. 22, 14). De regione Saba cf. 43, 3. Opes et divitias gentium instauratae theocratiae obventuras esse, etiam 93, 48; 60, 6. Agg. 2, 8 (hebr.) dieitur. Quanto autem studio populo Dei adiungant sese et adhaereant, sequentibus declaratur : sese totos mancipatos vinctosque tradere gestiunt, se prosternunt, magna devotione orant et profitentur, in Israel, in ea familia Deum adesse, ibi se manifestasse neque alibi inveniri posse neque alium exsistere Deum. Uti ergo in Cyro eiusque opere divina elucet providentia (48, 6), ita multo magis in plena instauratione; agnoscent gentes bona Dei reponi in theocratia, in regno Dei (cf. 2, 3; 19, 23: 44, 5). Sermonem fieri ad captivitatem (v. 13), ad Israel certum est ; id enim elucet ex suffixo femin. quod Syrus quoque constanter expressit ; id ex eo quod in te est Deus dicitur et statim v. 15 Deus Israel dicitur. Iam S. Thom. ab hoc versu liberatorum exaltationem describi recte vidit; at eum ex interpretibus latinis pauei secuti sunt ; nam solum Maid. et Calm. de lerusalem explicant, sicut recentiores quoque ; plerique Cyrum (Osor. Sanct. Lap. Men. Tir. Gord.) vel Christum (S. Cyr. Hier. Pint. Sasb. Sa) appellari censent. S. Hier. propter v. 19 de solo Christo posse intelligi censet ; quae ratio tamen rem non evincit. 'Nam ab allocutione ad lerusalem facta post nomen Dei introductum facilis est transitus ad ipsius Dei compellationem, cuius mirabiliter gesta in Israel admirantur. Ab agnitione qua confitentur in Israel sese Deum gloriose manifestare .ad huius Dei compellationem admirabundi progrediuntur, brevi formula quasi tessera enuntiantes quid ex theocratia coram proposita didicerint ;
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v. 48 « vere tu es Deus absconditus, Deus Israel, salvator » | — Deus qui modo hominibus ignoto et abscondito agit, qui diu ignotus et absconditus erat gentibus et tandem ut Deus in familia Israel se omnibus revelat et salutis largitorem se omnibus praestat. Admirantur ergo miram divini consilii providentiam, quae ratione ab hominum sapientia occulta. singulorum sortes gubernat; antea enim quasi latere videbatur Deus : Israel et tamen in abscondito ille omnium regnorum sortibus praesidebat et regnum suum a parvis initiis ad perfectionem adducebat, ita ut ad hoc regnum iam magno desiderio accedant. Unde hac tessera etiam ratio redditur, cur v. 14 tanta cum subiectione et devotione gentes sese adiungere gestiant ad populum Dei, atque id quod v. 6 de scientia Dei diffundenda dictum est hae tessera optime exprimitur. Quare haec verba neque ab Isaia dici neque a populo Dei quasi responsionis loco enuntiari censenda sunt (ut volunt Kn. Sein. Del. Or. Rohl.). Optime enim ea formula utuntur gentes qua declarent, cur Deo Israel nomen dandum sit; etin tali gentium cognitione et laude Dei optime id exhibetur, ad quod efficiendum Cyri opere quasi primus "factus est gressus (v. 6). Verum vae illis qui Deum absconditum agnoscere et venerari nolunt
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v. 16 « confusi sunt et erubuerunt omnes ; simul abierunt in. confusionem fabricalores errorum » ; — hebr. fabricatores simulacrorum (Mald. Mar. Malv. Osor.) ; cf. 41, 24 etc. Regnum enim Dei ideo fundatur, ut idola corruant. Quare hoc versu et sequenti norma illa universalis proponitur qua reram humanarum administratio a Deo regitur : confusio et ignominia impiis, piis vero salus et beatitas ;
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v. 11 « Zsrael salvatus est in Domino salute aeterna; non confundemini et non erubescetis usque in saeculum saeculi » ; — instauratio praedicatur talis quae nullo unquam tempore deficiet, quae igitur instauratio est sanctitatis stabilis. Quoties enim eousque Israel cladibus et subiectione et vastatione terrae est ignominia affectus ab hostibus et ludibrio habitus ? Confusionem autem portavit propter peccata, sicut leremias eos facit confitentes : dormiemus in confusione nostra et operies nosignominia nostra, quoniam Domino Deo nostro peccavimus nos (Ier. 3, 25). Ita quidem in vetere theocratia. At instauratio prorsus alia erit; ut non adsit opprobrium et confusio, abesse debet iniquitas, florere debet pietas et morum integritas. Hanc consequetur Israel per Dominum et in hac simul felicitate fruetur. Proinde qui ad populum Dei accedunt stabili salute potientur. — Haec autem instaurationis conditio salute aeterna et perpetua sanclitate conspicua quam hoe loco vates effert nobis denuo, ostendit opus Cyri (v. 13) non considerari a propheta solum ut in se est, sed prout est, prolusio et inchoatio et quasi primus gradus instaurationis sublimioris atque spiritualis. Ad oppositionem v. 16 et v. 17 confer cap. 34 et 954, 48, 91. 92; M1, 19. 90: 66, 92. 94. Talem salutem aeternam iri concessum probatur primo ratione generali €x Dei creatoris voluntate deprompta, dein ex vaticiniis et. promissis divinis publice datis. Atque in priore quidem argumentatione spectatur salutis inchoatio quae in reditu populi consistit, in altera ab hoc initio gradus fit ad salutem in universum. Cernitur itaque hoc quoque loco progressus a re particulari ad annuntiationem universalem, cernitur nexus ille arctus qui in visione prophetica adest inter theocratiae instaurationem primam imperfectamque et eius innovationis perfectionem. Deus ergo populo suo auxiliator assistet et deserta regionis palaestinensis eriget (44, 96), quia qui res creavit etiam res illas ad suum perduci finem perfectionemque vult
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v. 18 « Quia haec dicit Dominus creans. coelos, ipse Deus formans terram et faciens eam, ipse plastes eius : non in vanum creavit eam ; ut habitaretur. formavit eam; ego Dominus et non est alius »; — quem laborem et quam sedulitate posuerit Deus formans ien. eam perficiens et ad suum finem aptans vel disponens (hebr.), explicite enarratur, ut in aptatione adeo sedulo facta finis Dei quem frustrari nolit agnoscatur. Sententia haec de terra palaestinensi dicitur, quam Deus singulas ratione ubcrem reddidit atque amoenam et theocratiae veteri aptam et consentaneam ipso suo situ et conformatione. Hanc ergo regionem iacere desertam, derelictam ab illis quibus praeparata fuerit, et iam non consilio divino inservire Deus certe non vult; aliam enim voluntatem in opere illo formationis ac dispositionis declaravit. Talem autem voluntatem neque retractavit neque ab alio quodam eludi aut frustrari permittet ; id quod sollemni illa declaratione : ego Iahve et non est amplius, so solum esse Deum absolute perfectum, unum et unicum, corroborat. Debebit ergo terra palaestinensis iterum inservire illi consilio Dei ad quod fuerat selecta, i. e. theocratiae formandae et populo Dei educando; unde hisce verbis promissio continetur in Dei voluntate et opere clare manifestata, « redituros esse in illam ex eorum genere qui abdueti fuerant, qui illam postliminio incolerent » (Sanct. sim. Lap.) Atque ad rem advertit Sanct. esse in Scriptura frequens, ut eum sermo significare videatur universam terram ad illam tamen provinciam coarctetur, de qua accommodate naturae rerum de quibus agitur actum oportuit. Voluntatem hane in rebus a Deo paratis ac gestis declaratam amplius et illustrius manifestavit et explicavit publicis suis ad populum annuntiationibus et propositis atque datis praemiis;
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v. 19 « nom in abscondito locutus swm, in loco terrae tenebroso; non dixi semini Iacob : frustra quaerite me ; ego Dominus loquens iustitiam, annuntians recta »! — non secrete, modo paucissimis noto, non in loco terrae caliginoso, in antris, speluncis, cavernis, uti apud gentiles oracula dari et mysteria celebrari solebant coram paucis initiatis, Iahve sua dedit oracula ; neque postulavit a posteris Iacob, ut se frustra, inaniter, sine praemio proposito colerent, sed cultui suo largissima annexuit praemia eaque cultoribus fideliter ac liberaliter distribuit. Haec in eum finem dici, ut idololatria et superstitio traducatur et reprehendatur, in aperto est positum ; modum plane diversum ab idolis quo Deus utatar et ea ipsa quae in rebus gestis et sortibus Israelitarum coram omnibus in luce apertissima collocata cernuntur, propheta affert sui temporis necessitatibus consulens, ut contribules ab idolis et vana observantia ad Dei cultum traducat. Quem in finem ut totam populi electi historiam ab initio perlustrent, monet; invenient ubique Deum qui se vivum praestitit, continuo per suos prophetas palam et publice ad totum populum loquens et qui in terrae ubertate concessa, in cladibus hostibus inflictis, in regni splendore piis regibus dato perpetuo demonstravit se posse et velle suis cultoribus praemia largissima donare. Clarissime igitar in omnibus rebus israeliticis eminet et agnoscendus est lahve tamquam loquens iustitiam, annuntians recta, qui scil, optimum ac felieissimum rerum statum qui divinae sanctitati plane respondeat in terris efficere vult eumque in finem illam Zustitiam per legem, prophetas loquitur et ideo ea praedicanda et perpetuo inculeanda curat quae recta sunt, quae illi iustitiae ad amussim consentanea et ab hominibus opere sunt exprimenda, ergo id quod ius fasque est (cf. aw" Prov. 4, 3; 8, 6; 23, 46. Is. 33, 195). Cum Deus talem se praestiterit palam et diu, simili ratione, uti supra 41, 1, gentes convocat, ut iudicio illo per Cyrum facto testimonium dicant, cuiusnam vis et potentia ibi facta sit conspicua
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v. 20 « congrcgamini et venite et accedite simul qui salvati estis er gentibus : nescierunt qui levant lignum. sculpturae suae et rogant deum non salvanlem »; — salvati i. e. qui evaserunt ex gentibus, qui reliqui a communi calamitate facti sunt; Deus enim « dabit in conspectu eius gentes » (41, 2) et cum Cyrus descriptus sit conculcans magistratus ut lutum (41, 25), gentes subiiciens, reges reddens elumbes, iure ii qui post tale iudicium divinitus exercitum (cf. 13, 3) residui sunt appellantur : qui evaserunt ; hi non intelliguntur Iudaei ex captivitate babylonica liberati (For. Mar. Tir. Naeg. ), nam ii non sunt gentes neque tales qui quasi profugi evaserint periculum, cum Iudaeis Cyrus nihil periculi. afferre dicatur (41, 14; 45, 4), sed intelliguntur gentes ex iudicio illo residuae, quae, ut bene notat Men., si idolorum causam defendere volunt, afferantsi quid habeant pro causa eorum. Verum fateri debebunt, carere intelligentia et nihil sapere eos qui lignea simulacra portant (46, 1) et plane stupidos esse qui tali deo supplicent qui non possit opem ferre. Id didicerunt, id elucet ex victoriis quibus Cyrus gentes et earum idola prostravit (41, 6 seq. 45, 6. 16; 49, 17). Ita ergo ex rerum eventu de idolis iudicandum erit et de cultoribus idolorum. — Cum emphasi dieitur lignwm, id scil. et non numen quoddam inhabitans sollemni pompa et supplicatione venerantes portant, sane ridendi et ridiculi qui graviter et sollemniter truncum gestant et honorant (cf. Baruch 6, 3). Verum aliter de Deo iudicium ferent, qui res et praedixit et in opus deduxit. Cum enim diu ante impletionem oracula dederit certissima, clara, nota, iuremerito omnes testes potest provocare, ut consultatione inter se habita edicant et palam annuntient quis talia praedixerit ;
45:21
v. 21 « annuntiate et venite et consiliamini simul, quis auditum fecit hoc ab initio, ez tunc praedixit illud? numquid non ego Dominus et non est ultra Deus absque me? Deus iustus et salvans non est praeter me »; — uti supra41, 93. 26; 42, 9 ; 43,9. 10; 44, 1, ita denuo Deus provocat triumphantis in modum ad oracula data : quis audire fecit hoc ab olim vel a priore tempore; ez tunci. e. antiquitus, a longo inde tempore praedixit (cf. 44, 8; 48, 3. 5. 1)? Cum igitur denuo gentes convocatae admoneantur, ut si quid habeant pro idolis proferant, ut in medium afferant (hebr.) scil. sua argumenta (cf. de locutione 41, 91. 29), ut consultent simul (hebr.), sapientissimos quosque consulant et collatis inter se consiliis mature dispiciant, ergo rem exactissime examinent et al irutinam revocent, sane proiectissimae audaciae, impudentiae, immo et stulütiae esset, si oracula in fine exsilii vel Cyri tempore conficta ita proponerentur : quis hoc auditum fecit 2TP'? ab olim, antiquo iam tempore? nonne ego Dominus? et. si tale oraculum afferretur uti hoc loco revera affertur, ut invicte ostenderetur Iahve esse Deum et praeter eum (hebr.) non esse Deum, fraus illa a blasphemiae crimine nullatenus excusaretur. Oraculum illud ostendens et ad rerum gestarum testimonium provocans Iahve se esse unicum Deum gentibus probat, se solum esse Deum iustum,sanctum et sanctitatem efficientem et salutem praebentem. Quis tam sollemnem provocationem et attestationem fraudi et mendacio superstructam esse ab eo asserere ausus fuerit, qui tanta cum indignatione in fraudes et mendacia incantatorum invehitur? Et si solum Cyri tempore oraculum in medium proferretur, quam facile potuit et debuit fraus detegi; ergo simul stultissime egisset pseudovates talia fingens. Praeterea adverte, quam serio in-subsequentibus admoneantur omnes, ut ad talem Deum qui se probavit Deum totis animis convertantur. Sed si ipsa illa probatio ex oraculis proposita mendacio innititur, nonne Deo ludibria offeruntur ? Cum ergo Iahve suam divinitatem oraculis olim editis manifestaverit clare et invicte, cum ipse solus sit Deus salutem praebens, restat ut id. fiat ad quod efficiendum oracula illa et opus Cyro divinitus datum tendunt; quare sequitur v.22 « convertimini ad me et salvi eritis omnes fines terrae, quia ego Deus et non est alius » ; — Deus qui est unicus salvator, vult revera omnibus esse salvator; inde disceptationem illam forensem instituit (41, 1) et hoc loco omnes invitat, ut ex opere Dei in rerum gubernatione conspicuo ipsum agnoscant. En, iste demum est finis e& terminus totius providentiae divinae, ad quem omnia in generis humani rebus et sortibus tendunt. Hoc autem Dei consilium frustrari nequit. Quia ipse solus. est Deus etiam necessario postulare debet, ut omnes ipsum agnoscant et relictis idolis colant adoratione perfecta. Quare
45:23
v. 23 « in memetipso iuravi, egredietur de ore meo iustitiae verbum et non rcvertetur :
45:24
v. 24 quia mihi curvabitur omne genu et iurabit omnis lingua »! — gravissima subditur ratio, cur omnes ad Deum convertantur; Dei scil. iusiurandum i. e. voluntas eius quam maxime determinata, sollemnis, et maximo cum pondere manifestata, qua edicit fore id certissimum quod iuramento stabilitur. Est enim iste modus asseverandi quam maxime certus et omnis controversiae finis apud homines; Deus iurat per semetipsum, quia altiorem se non habet, « ut per duas res immobiles quibus impossibile est mentiri Deum » (Hebr. 6, 18) certissimum habeamus rei documentum ; additur asseveratio duplex : egressum est ex ore meo in iustitia verbum et non revertetur (hebr.) i. e. est irrevocabile, non vacuum et inane reddeíur, sed fiet certissime (cf. 55, 11). Verbum hoc egreditur ex ore Dei i. e. Deus id vult et mandat Zn iustitia, iustissime ; debet id mandare et imperare visuae sanctitatis et infinitae perfectionis qua ut ab omnibus sibi honor et gloria reddatur summa necessitate exigere debet ; quare istud Dei mandatum quam maxime datur $uste i. e. recto ordini quam maxime est conforme et consentaneum ; « vere dignum et iustum est, aequum et salutare »! Talis Dei voluntas non poterit frustrari; mandatum Dei non carebit successu. Quae sit tam determinata voluntas, explicatur v. 24 quia mihi curvabitur... signum effertur externum adorationis, cui iungitur confessio linguae, index animi; iurare actus est cultus divini (cf. 19, 18; 44, 5), quia in iuramento per Deum facto Deus publice ac sollemniter agnoscitur tamquam numen omniscium, vindex mali, veritatis amans, potentissimum, curam habens rerum humanarum, iustitiae tenax etc. Una itaque cultus divini species synecdochice ponitur pro quovis Dei cultu (ef. Sasb. Sanct. Lap. Men.). Ergo dicit Deus fore ut omnes se ipsum colant et maiestati divinae debitum subiectionis tributum solvant. Atque revera omnes etsi hisce in terris eius misericordiam adorare et honorare noluerint, in aeternitate iustitiam divinam honorare cogentur. Quali autem cognitione Dei imbuti adorationis cultum ei sint exhibituri declaratur v. 28 « ergo in Domino, dicet, meae sunt iustitiae et imperium, ad. eum venient ; et confundentur omnes qui repugnant ei » ; — hebr. solum in lIahve, de me dicent, iustitiae sunt et robur; agnoscitur Dominus tamquam unicus fons iustitiarum i. e. plenitudinis iustitiae et sanctitatis, ex quo recta vitae totius ratio singulis debeat provenire; apud ipsum est imperium i. e. fortitudo, potentia, robur (Sanct. Mald. Mar. Malv.), quo adiuti et confortati singuli et iustitiam virtutemque con- Stanter sequantur et omni infestatione hostili evadant superiores. Aliis verbis : apud Dominum invenient veram doctrinam qua ratione tota vita sit ordinanda, et reperient robur animique vires ab eo haurient, ut quae cognoverint vita exprimant ab hostium insidiis tuti. Sed qui se separant ab hoc fonte vitae et salutis, qui suecens? sunt contra eum (hebr.), ei se opponunt, confusione et ignominia obruti interibunt. S. Hier. vertens meae iustitiae » quod in textu hebr. arete adnectitur ad "2N ab hac voce separavit et ad sequentem traxit. Plerumque vertunt : mihi dicet scil. unusquisque de me, quoad me dicet (cf. Malv.: HI. Net. Rohl. Ges. Sein. Kn. Del. Naeg. Or.). LXX *5 omittunt et verba aliter iungunt : « iurabit (et. confitebitur) omnis lingua Deo dicens : iustitia et gloria ad eum veniet » (ita vertit S. Hier.). Aliter quoque Syrus : et dicent : in Domino est iustiia et potentes ad eum venient ; Chald. : in Verbo (Memra) Domini ad me dixit, ut adduceret iustitiam et fortitudinem, in. Verbo eius confitebuntur. — Ceterum etiam textum hebr. aliqui aliter iungunt : in. Domino ut iurandi formulam capiunt : per Dominum iuro, mihi promisit salutem et forütudinem ; vel iungunt per Dominum, uti LXX cum superioribus : omnis lingua iurabit solum per Dominum ; mihi, inquit (Dominus), sunt salus et fortitudo (cf. For. Sanct. 105.). Sed modus supra propositus est magis obvius et ad contextum magis aptus, quo explicetur, qua animi habitudine Deum adorent et qua cognitione imbuti ad Deum veniant. Demum per modum epiphonematis concluditur
45:25
v. 26 « in. Domino iustificabitur et laudabitur omne semen Israel » ; — hebr. et gloriabi- (ur omne semen Israel (cf. Sa, Mar. Malv.); ed id enim ut populus Dei ad veram iustitiae normam evehatur et in illo statu reperiatur qui populum Dei electum ex voluntate Dei deceat, omnia quae Deus per Cyrum est operaturus tendunt. In hac autem iustitia simul continetur gloria Israel; ut Israel id agnoscat, ut omnes sibi persuadeant in Domino solo omnem salutem et gloriam concludi, ad id oratio quoque prophetae tendit; quare ad quid demum ex inchoata illa per Cyrum liberatione perveniendum sit, brevi hac formula complectitur, uti. sequenti quoque oratione : dabo in Sion salutem et in Israel gloriam meam (46, 13). Anc. — Idola Chaldaeorum cum ignominia et damno cultorum superata sunt et deiecta. Deus autem uti populo nascenti adiutor adstitit, ita nunquam teneram eius curam dimittet (46, 1-4.) Cum tantum igitur adsit inter Deum et idola discrimen, res est indignissima Deo relicto idolis adhaerere. Haec recordentur et pudefiant ; reducant in memoriam quae pro ipsis olim gesserit Deus, quae pro futuro tempore in ipsorum salutem gerenda annuntiet ; adducet enim virum voluntatis suae et iustitiam et salutem in Israel constituet (46, 5-13). Quae in antecedentibus de confusione idololatrarum exposita sunt, exemplo illustrantur; sculptile ad nihil utile (44, 10) esse Chaldaei experientur devicti a Cyro, a quo illa cultores suos servare nequaquam poterant. Contra idolorum impotentiam effertur Dei de populo suo cura quam olim praestitit et in futurum praestabit, quam vaticinio edito de Cyro iam demonstravit; quare firma fiducia opem divinam et salutem exspectare possunt. Denuo ergo et quidem clarius ruina regni babylonici praedicitur, cum idola praecipua Chaldaeorum penitus devictum et contritum iri annuntietur. Ex quo vaticinio statim pro aequalibus doctrina colligitur de idolorum vanitate et de Deo qui sui populi servatorem se eousque praestitit et opis ulterioris ferendae iam dedit pignus et documentum. Quare aequum est, ut huic Deo adhaereant idolis repudiatis et laetam spem pro futuro concipiant. Hac igitur ratione vates et suis aequalibus consulit et pro tempore oppressionis solamen exhibet. Vates statim nos rapit in medias res ostendens idola turpiter victa et deiecta. Est autem Babyloniorum clades etiam clades idolorum quia deus patrius sui populi curam gerere ita censebatur, ut populi gloria esset ipsius dei gloria, in populo autem devicto dei quoque potentia dei.ceretur (cf. Ex. 12, 12. Ier. 46, 25; 48, 1; 49, 3; 50, 1. Am. 1, 13. Nah. 1, 14. Hab. 1, 16. Zach. 2, 8). Quare si casus deorum Babel annuntiatur opprobriis plenus, eo ipso excidium regni declaratur et ita vaticinia antecedentia magis magisque explicantur ;
45:1
… genitive of Yahweh (or of an equivalent pronoun): "the anointed of Yahweh" (ὁ χριστὸς Κυρίου); 15 times in I-II Sam.; Ps. (Heb.) 2:2; 18:51; 20:7; 28:8; 84:10; 89:39, 52; 132:10, 17 (the plural, in Ps. 105:15 and I Par. 16:22, is a unique case); Is. 45:1; Hab. 3:13. This royal name māfiah χριστός is used 2 times for Saul, 1 time for Solomon (II Par. 6:42), 1 time for Zedekiah (Lam. 4:20), 1 time (analogously) for Cyrus (Is. …
… The expression is considered a gloss by van Hoonacker, Nowack and Mitchell; and such a solution is not to be neglected, although it is not necessary for one who acknowledges the supernatural character of prophetic inspiration (cf. Is. 45:1). The principal argument, as A. Clamer well summarizes it, would lie in the difference of "eschatological conceptions" between the first and the second part; in the latter there is …
45:12
It is the plural of ṣābhā', which means "army," but in the construct state with ḥaṭ-ōmājim it can also mean "stars" (cf. Isa. 34:4; 40:26; 45:12 etc.) or "angels" (cf. 1 Kings 22:19; 2 Chron. 18:18). In the plural it often retains its ordinary meaning. …
45:21
… The admirable correspondence between the predictions of the prophets and their realization is, finally, the ultimate seal of divine inspiration (Isa. 41:22 ff.; 44:7 ff.; 44:26; 45:21; 46:10 ff.).
45:28
… "rationabile obsequium" (Rom. 12:1), that is, a "spiritual," intelligent and free worship (cf. Sum. Theol., 1ᵃ-2ᵃᵒ, q. 113, a. 3; De Veritate, q. 28, a. 3-4). Scripture is explicit: God invites man to awake, to rise up (Eph. 5:14), to repent, to be converted (Is. 45:28), to believe (Mk. 1:15), without which there is no justification but death (Lk. 13:3-5; Jn. 8:24; 20:31). It is the sinner himself who must perform these acts, urged and aided by actual …
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.