The Gentiles, who were barren before, shall multiply in the church of Christ: from which God’s mercy shall never depart.
Gentiles who were barren, shal multiplie in the Church of Christ: 10. from which Gods mercie shal neuer be separated.
1Give praise, O thou barren, that bearest not: sing forth praise, and make a joyful noise, thou that didst not travail with child: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband, saith the Lord.Rallegrati, o sterile, che non partorisci: canta inni di laude, e di gioia tu, che non eri feconda; perchè molti più sono i figliuoli della abbandonata, che di colei, che avea marito, dice il Signore.PRAISE ô barren woman which bearest not: sing prayse, and make ioyful noyse, which didst not beare: because manie are the children of the desolate more then of her, that hath a husband, saith our Lord.Lauda, sterilis, quæ non paris; / decanta laudem, et hinni, quæ non pariebas: / quoniam multi filii desertæ / magis quam ejus quæ habet virum, dicit Dominus. 2Enlarge the place of thy tent, and stretch out the skins of thy tabernacles, spare not: lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.Prendi più ampio sito per le tue tende, e dilata senza risparmio le pelli de' tuoi padiglioni: allunga le tue funi, e rinforza i tuoi chiodi;Enlarge the place of thy tent, and stretch out the skinnes of thy tabernacles, spare not: make long thy coardes, and fasten thy nailes.Dilata locum tentorii tui, / et pelles tabernaculorum tuorum extende: / ne parcas: / longos fac funiculos tuos, / et clavos tuos consolida. 3For thou shalt pass on to the right hand, and to the left: and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and shall inhabit the desolate cities.Perocché tu ti farai largo a destra, ed a sinistra: e la tua prole signoreggerà le nazioni, e abiterà le città deserte.For thou shalt penetrate to the right hand, and to the left: and thy seede shal inherite the Gentiles, and shal inhabite the desolate cities.Ad dexteram enim et ad lævam penetrabis, / et semen tuum gentes hæreditabit, / et civitates desertas inhabitabit. 4Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded, nor blush: for thou shalt not be put to shame, because thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt remember no more the reproach of thy widowhood.Non temere: tu non sarai confusa né avrai da arrossire, né da vergognarti perchè della confusione di tua adolescenza non avrai più memoria, né dell'obbrobrio di tua vedovanza più ti sovverrà.Feare not, because thou shalt not be confounded, nor blush: for thou shalt not be ashamed, because thou shalt forget the confusion of thy youth, and the reproch of thy widowhood thou shalt remenber no more.Noli timere, quia non confunderis, / neque erubesces; non enim te pudebit, / quia confusionis adolescentiæ tuæ oblivisceris, / et opprobrii viduitatis tuæ non recordaberis amplius.
5For he that made thee shall rule over thee, the Lord of hosts is his name: and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, shall be called the God of all the earth.Imperocché tuo Signore sarà colui, che ti ha creata: il nome suo è, Signor degli eserciti, e il tuo Redentore, il Santo d'Israele sarà chiamato il Dio di tutta la terra.Because he shal rule ouer thee that made thee, the Lord of hostes is his name: & thy redemer the holie one of Israel, shal be called the God of al the earth.Quia dominabitur tui qui fecit te, / Dominus exercituum nomen ejus, / et redemptor tuus, Sanctus Israël: / Deus omnis terræ vocabitur. 6For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and mourning in spirit, and as a wife cast off from her youth, said thy God.Perocché come donna abbandonata, e afflitta di spirito ti ha chiamato il Signore, e come sposa ripudiata ne' più verdi anni, dice il tuo Dio.For as a woman forsaken & mourning in spirit hath our Lord called thee, and as a wife cast of from her youth, hath thy God sayd:Quia et mulierem derelictam et mœrentem spiritu / vocavit te Dominus, / et uxorem ab adolescentia abjectam, / dixit Deus tuus. 7For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee.Per un punto, per poco tempo ti ho abbandonata, e con grandi misericordie ti accoglierò.For a moment, a litle while haue I forsaken thee, & in great mercies wil I gather thee.Ad punctum in modico dereliqui te, / et in miserationibus magnis congregabo te. 8In a moment of indignation have I hid my face a little while from thee, but with everlasting kindness have I had mercy on thee, said the Lord thy Redeemer.Nel momento dell'ira ascosi per poco a te il mio volto, e con sempiterna misericordia ho avuto di te pietà, dice il Signore, che t'ha redenta.In a moment of indignation haue I hid my face a litle while from thee, and in mercie euerlasting haue I had mercie on thee, sayd thy redeemer our Lord.In momento indignationis abscondi / faciem meam parumper a te; / et in misericordia sempiterna misertus sum tui, / dixit redemptor tuus, Dominus. 9This thing is to me as in the days of Noe, to whom I swore, that I would no more bring in the waters of Noe upon the earth: so have I sworn not to be angry with thee, and not to rebuke thee.Questo è adesso per me come quando nei giorni di Noè io giurai di non mandar più sulla terra le acque: così ho giurato di non aver ira contro di te, e di non farti rimprovero;As in the daies of Noe is this thing to me, to whom I sware, that I would no more bring in the waters of Noe vpon the earth: so haue I sworne not to be angrie with thee, and not to rebuke thee.Sicut in diebus Noë istud mihi est, / cui juravi ne inducerem aquas Noë ultra super terram; / sic juravi ut non irascar tibi, / et non increpem te.
10For the mountains shall be moved, and the hills shall tremble; but my mercy shall not depart from thee, and the covenant of my peace shall not be moved: said the Lord that hath mercy on thee.Imperocché i monti saranno smossi, e i colli vacilleranno, ma la misericordia mia non ritirerassi da te, e la mia alleanza di pace sarà immobile: ha detto il Signore, che ha compassione di te.For the mountaines shal be moued, and the little hilles shal tremble: but my mercie shal not depart from thee, and the couenant of my peace shal not be moued: sayd our Lord thy miseratour.Montes enim commovebuntur, / et colles contremiscent; / misericordia autem mea non recedet a te, / et fœdus pacis meæ non movebitur, / dixit miserator tuus Dominus. 11O poor little one, tossed with tempest, without all comfort, behold I will lay thy stones in order, and will lay thy foundations with sapphires,Poverella sbattuta dalla tempesta, e priva d'ogni consolazione. Ecco, che io disporrò per ordine le tue pietre, e i fondamenti tuoi farò di saffiri.Poore litle one shaken with tempest, without al comfort, behold I wil lay thy stones in order, and wil found thee in sapphires,Paupercula, tempestate convulsa absque ulla consolatione, / ecce ego sternam per ordinem lapides tuos, / et fundabo te in sapphiris: 12And I will make thy bulwarks of jasper: and thy gates of graven stones, and all thy borders of desirable stones.E farò di jaspide i tuoi baluardi, e le tue porte di pietre scolpite, e tutto il tuo circuito di pietre preziose.and I wil put the iasper stone for thy munitions: and thy gates into grauen stones, and al thy borders into stones worthie to be desired.et ponam jaspidem propugnacula tua, / et portas tuas in lapides sculptos, / et omnes terminos tuos in lapides desiderabiles; 13All thy children shall be taught of the Lord: and great shall be the peace of thy children.Tutti i tuoi figliuoli avranno il Signore per maestro, e abbondanza di pace.Al thy children taught of our Lord: & a multitude of peace to thy children.universos filios tuos doctos a Domino, / et multitudinem pacis filiis tuis. 14And thou shalt be founded in justice: depart far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near thee.E tu sarai fondata nella giustizia: tu sarai sicura dalla fraude, e non ne avrai da temere: e dallo spavento, che a te non si accosterà.And in iustice thou shalt be founded: depart far from calumnie because thou shalt not feare: and from dread, because it shal not approch to thee.Et in justitia fundaberis: / recede procul a calumnia, quia non timebis, / et a pavore, quia non appropinquabit tibi.
15Behold, an inhabitant shall come, who was not with me, he that was a stranger to thee before, shall be joined to thee.Ecco, che il forestiero, che non era con me, verrà, quegli, che una volta era straniero per te, si unirà teco.Behold, the borderer shal come, which was not with me, thy stranger sometime, shal be ioyned to thee.Ecce accola veniet qui non erat mecum, / advena quondam tuus adjungetur tibi. 16Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and bringeth forth an instrument for his work, and I have created the killer to destroy.Io ho creato il fabbro, che accende col soffio i carboni per formare uno strumento per l'opera sua, ed io ho creato l'uccisore, che stermina.Behold, I haue created the smith that bloweth the coles in the fire, and bringeth forth a vessel for his worke, & I created the killer to destroy.Ecce ego creavi fabrum / sufflantem in igne prunas, / et proferentem vas in opus suum; / et ego creavi interfectorem ad disperdendum. 17No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper: and every tongue that resisteth thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their justice with me, saith the Lord.Nissun'arme preparata contro di te farà colpo, e giudicherai qualunque e lingua, che resisterà a te in giudizio. Questa è l'eredità de' servi del Signore, e la loro giustizia è presso di me, dica il Signore.Euerie vessel, that is made agaynst thee, shal not prosper: and euerie tongue resisting thee in iudgement, thou shalt iudge. This is the inheritance of the seruants of our Lord, and their iustice with me, sayth our Lord.Omne vas quod fictum est contra te, non dirigetur, / et omnem linguam resistentem tibi in judicio, judicabis. / Hæc est hæreditas servorum Domini, / et justitia eorum apud me, dicit Dominus.
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Calmet
Barren Jews in captivity, or Church of the Gentiles, to which alone many of the expressions can be applied. (Calmet)
Worthington
The Gentiles were before unfruitful, as the Jews will be till towards the latter times. (Worthington)
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Stakes, to receive so great a family. All the Israelites did not return, and it does not appear that many embraced their religion, as they have done that of Christ.
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Left. To the north and south. Jerusalem increased. But what was it compared with the Christian establishment!
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Calmet
Widowhood. Thy former excesses shall be forgotten. (Calmet)
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Thee. Hebrew, "Bohalaic (Haydock) shall be your Baalim," or husband, who was styled Lord, 1 Peter 3:6. Perhaps he may allude to the two wives, the synagogue and the Church, or to the idols, which should be adored no more.
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Youth. This enhances her fault. God is pleased to overlook it, in the captives (chap. 50:1.) and Gentiles.
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Calmet
Earth. Giving him the rainbow for a sign. My covenant with the Church is equally irrevocable: she is founded on a rock, Matthew 16:18. (Calmet)
Worthington
Christ will no more abandon her than he will drown the world. Some mountains shall be moved out of their place, but she shall not. (Worthington)
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Sapphires. Hebrew, "antimony," a mineral shining like silver, 4 Kings 9:30.
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Haydock
Bulwarks. Hebrew, windows of crystal; (Ezechiel 27:1[].; Calmet) Protestants, "of agate." (Haydock)
All this is allegorical, like the redemption of the new Jerusalem, Apocalypse. xxi.
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Thee. The Cutheans rendered the Jews suspected, 1 Esdras 4:2., and 6:1
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To thee, in the inheritance. This was verified in the Church. We have no accout of many being converted before.
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Calmet
Destroy. I can give peace or war. (Calmet)
Haydock
Septuagint, "but I have created thee not for utter destruction." (Haydock)
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In the old testament Gentiles were barren bringing no fruite to God, but in the new testament they are fructful, & the Iewes are barren, til the later end of the world, when they also shal be fructful againe.
Concordance Gal. 4.
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Lut. •.
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Concordance Gen. 9.
As it is assured that the world shal neuer be drowned againe with water: so it is, that the Church of Christ shal neuer be suppressed.
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An other assurance that moutaines & hilles shal rather be moued, yea some mountaines shal be remoued, but the Church shal be alwayes firme and perpetual.
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Concordance Ioan. •. v. 45.
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Pope St Clement I † AD 99 The Second Epistle of Clement 2
“Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for she that is desolate hath many more children than she that hath an husband.”
St Justin Martyr † AD 165 The First Apology 53
… And the prophecy in which it was predicted that there should be more believers from the Gentiles than from the Jews and Samaritans, we will produce: it ran thus: “Rejoice, O barren, thou that dost not bear; break forth and shout, thou that dost not travail, because many more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath an husband.”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.10.3
… and she is beloved who was not beloved;” and in what sense He says that “more are the children of her that was desolate, than of her who possessed a husband.”
Tertullian † AD 220 Five Books in Reply to Marcion 3
Barren, giv’n birth: now a new people, born
St Hippolytus † AD 235 The Refutation of All Heresies 5.3
… And the Phrygians style him, he says, “very fruitful” likewise, “because,” says he, “more numerous are the children of the desolate one, than those of her which hath an husband;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 10.23
… and, on account of it, “the children of the desolate one,” who had not been instructed either in the law or the prophets, “might be more than of her who has the husband,”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 1.21
… spare not, make long thy measures, and strengthen thy stakes: stretch forth yet to thy right hand and to thy left hand; and thy seed shall possess the nations, and shall inhabit the deserted cities. Fear not; because thou shalt overcome: nor be afraid because thou art cursed; for thou shalt forget thy eternal confusion.”
St Methodius † AD 311 Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna On the Day that They Met in the Temple 1
… Fear not, little flock, the storms of the enemy, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom, and that you should tread upon the necks of your enemies. Hail, and rejoice, thou that wast once barren, and without seed unto godliness, but who hast now many children of faith.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Virgins 1.6
… For what bride has more children than holy Church, who is a virgin in her sacraments and a mother to her people, whose fertility even holy Scripture attests, saying, “For many more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath an husband”?
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Widows 3
15. This is assuredly that widow of whom it was said: “Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry, thou that availest not with child; for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her who hath an husband.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Commentary on Galatians 4
Ver. 27 . “Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry, thou that travailest not, for more are the children of the desolate than of her which hath the husband.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.21
21. The old law had a different ideal of blessedness, for therein it is said: “Blessed is he who hath seed in Zion and a family in Jerusalem:” and “Cursed is the barren who beareth not:”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 66.4
… great among the great, a leader among leaders, he is the commander in chief of all monks. He and others like him are the offspring which Paulina desired to have in her life time and which she has given us in her death. “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child”;
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 1.32
… Let us hasten to the rest: “The virgin daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn.” To her whom he called daughter the prophet also gave the title virgin, for fear that if he spoke only of a daughter, it might be supposed that she was married. This is the virgin daughter whom elsewhere he thus addresses:
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.29
But let us now hear what follows about the Church. He says, “Rejoice, O barren, thou that barest not; break forth and cry, thou that didst not travail with child: for many more are the children of the desolate than of her that has an husband.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 3.13
… but now we see what was prophesied concerning her: “Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for there are many children of the desolate more than of her who has an husband,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 59.1.10
… To Her indeed hath been said, “Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 69.1
… Unto his glory then of Christ’s Church our eyes we have opened; and that barren one, for whom joy was proclaimed and foretold, because she was to have more sons than she that had the husband,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 79.4
4. But now in that which followeth, “they have made Jerusalem for a keeping of apples;” even the Church herself is rightly understood under this name, even the free Jerusalem our mother, concerning whom hath been written, “many more are the sons of the forsaken, than of her that hath the husband.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 79.6
… 3 ). If we herein understand the earthly city Jerusalem, we perceive the shedding of their blood in the circuit thereof, whom the enemy could find outside the walls. But if we understand it of that Jerusalem, concerning whom hath been said, “many more are the sons of her that was forsaken, than of her that hath the husband,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 81.8
… Joseph sold into Egypt is Christ passing over to the Gentiles. There Joseph after tribulations was exalted, and here Christ, after the suffering of the Martyrs, was glorified. Thenceforth to Joseph the Gentiles rather belong, and thenceforth augmentation; because, “Many are the children of her that was desolate, rather than of her that hath the husband.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 89.39
39. “Remember, Lord, the rebuke that Thy servants have” ( ver. 50 ). Even while Christ was living, and while He was sitting on His Father’s right hand, reproaches were cast against the Christians: they long were reproached with the name of Christ. That widowed one who brought forth, and whose children were more than those of the married wife,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 102.23
… not by our tongue, but by our life.…From His elect and holy men, Jerusalem also answereth Him. For Jerusalem also was called: and the first Jerusalem refused to hear, and it was said unto her, “Behold, thy house shall be left unto the desolate.” …But that Jerusalem, of whom it was written, “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.16
… 21 ). Out of Zion is Jerusalem too. Zion is “watching,” Jerusalem the “vision of peace.” In what Jerusalem will He dwell now? In that which has fallen? Nay, but in that which is our mother, which is in the heavens, of which it is said, “The desolate hath more children than she which hath a husband.”
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 42.7
7. I seem indeed to hear that voice, from Him Who gathers together those who are broken, and welcomes the oppressed: Enlarge thy cords, break forth on the right hand and on the left, drive in thy stakes, spare not thy curtains.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 59.1.10
… For thy king is hidden, and more sons to thee there are by a hidden Bridegroom.…The Prophet addeth, “Enlarge the place of Thy tabernacle, and Thy courts fix thou: there is no cause for thee to spare, extend further thy cords, and strong stakes set thou again and again on the right and on the left.”
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 59.1.10
… occupy nevertheless all nations; bidden to the marriage be good men and evil men, filled be the marriage with guests; it is the office of servants to bid, of the Lord to sever. “Cities which had been forsaken Thou shall inhabit:”
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Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 10.4.49
49. In these words she exults. And in similar words the heavenly bridegroom, the Word Jesus Christ himself, answers her. Hear the Lord saying, ‘Fear not because thou hast been put to shame, neither be thou confounded because thou hast been rebuked; for thou shalt forget the former shame, and the reproach of thy widowhood shalt thou remember no more.’
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Widows 3
… “Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry, thou that availest not with child; for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her who hath an husband.” And well is she a widow of whom it is well said: “Thou shalt not remember thy shame and thy widowhood, for I am the Lord Who make thee.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 60.9
… and through the heap of witness was the Love of Christ enlarged; and through the enlargement of the Love of Christ, were the Gentiles possessed. There followeth, “And mine is Manasses;” which is interpreted forgotten. For to Her had been said, “Confusion for everlasting Thou shalt forget, and of the reproach of Thy widowhood Thou shalt not be mindful.”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.2
( Admonition 3.) Differently to be admonished are the poor and the rich: for to the former we ought to offer the solace of comfort against tribulation, but in the latter to induce fear as against elation. For to the poor one it is said by the Lord through the prophet, Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded (
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.7
… Thus the Lord , openly upbraiding the impudent people of the Jews, saying, There is come unto thee a whore’s forehead; thou wouldest not blush ( Jerem. iii. 3 ). But again He revives them when ashamed, saying, Thou shalt forget the confusion of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood; for thy Maker will reign over thee (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 1.14
… This is that God of Israel of whom the prophet spake so long time since, when he thus addressed the people of God: “And He who brought thee out, the God of Israel, shall be called (the God) of the whole earth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 1.31
… It is in this manner, therefore, that Isaiah speaks, commencing with the humility of Christ, and turning afterwards to an address to the Church, on to that verse which we have already instanced, where he says: And He who brought thee out, the same God of Israel, shall be called the God of the whole earth.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 47.8
… “In Judah is God known.” Not yet was it said to the sons of Korah, “O clap your hands, all ye nations.” For that God known in Judah, is King of all the earth: now by all He is acknowledged, for that is fulfilled which Isaiah saith, “He is thy God who hath delivered thee, the God of the whole earth shall He be called.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 72.20
… 18 ). Contemplating all things above spoken of, a hymn bursteth forth; and the Lord God of Israel is blessed. For that is being fulfilled which hath been spoken to that barren woman, “and He that hath delivered Thee, the God of Israel, shall Himself be called of the whole earth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 79.6
… For in that lesson of the Prophet, wherein is written, “many more are the sons of her that was forsaken, than of her that hath the husband:” a little after unto the same is said, “and He that hath delivered thee, shall be called the God of Israel of the universal earth.”
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Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 10.4.49
… For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercy will I have mercy upon thee; in a little wrath I hid my face from thee, but with everlasting mercy will I have mercy upon thee, saith the Lord that hath redeemed thee.’
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Widows 3
… “Thou shalt not remember thy shame and thy widowhood, for I am the Lord Who make thee.” And perchance therefore is she a widow who has lost her Husband indeed in the suffering of His body, but in the day of judgment shall receive again the Son of Man Whom she seemed to have lost. “For a short time have I forsaken thee,”
Pseudo-Cyprian Exhortation to Repentance 1
Also in the same: “For a very little season I have forsaken thee, and with great mercy I will pity thee. In a very little wrath I turned away my face from thee; in everlasting mercy I will pity thee.”
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 42.7
7. I seem indeed to hear that voice, from Him Who gathers together those who are broken, and welcomes the oppressed: Enlarge thy cords, break forth on the right hand and on the left, drive in thy stakes, spare not thy curtains. I have given thee up, and I will help thee. In a little wrath I smote thee, but with everlasting mercy I will glorify thee.
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St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 138
“You know, then, sirs,” I said, “that God has said in Isaiah to Jerusalem: ‘I saved thee in the deluge of Noah.’
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 21.6
… She is forsaken upon the ground and there is none to raise her up . For if the prophecy is true which Jeremiah spoke about Babylon, also that about Jerusalem is true and worthy of faith. And Isaiah said unto Jerusalem:— I will not again be wroth with thee, nor will I reprove thee .
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 5.34.4
… “Behold, I will lay in order for thee a carbuncle stone, and sapphire for thy foundations; and I will lay thy ramparts with jasper, and thy gates with crystal, and thy wall with choice stones: and all thy children shall be taught of God, and great shall be the peace of thy children; and in righteousness shalt thou be built up.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 8.19
… “Behold, I will lay thy stones with carbuncles, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy battlements of jasper, and thy gates of crystal, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.26
… But I cannot tell if it be possible that, at the revolution of long periods of time, things of the same nature should take place again, but in a worse way. The prophecies of Isaiah which we mentioned are the following:
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 10.4.62
… and all thy sons shall be taught of God, and thy children shall enjoy complete peace; and in righteousness shalt thou be built.’
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.2
… for to the former we ought to offer the solace of comfort against tribulation, but in the latter to induce fear as against elation. For to the poor one it is said by the Lord through the prophet, Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded ( Isai. liv. 4 ). And not long after, soothing her, He says, O thou poor little one, tossed with tempest (
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Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 7.30
It seems to me also that the fancy of Plato, that those stones which we call precious stones derive their lustre from a reflection, as it were, of the stones in that better land, is taken from the words of Isaiah in describing the city of God, “I will make thy battlements of jasper, thy stones shall be crystal, and thy borders of precious stones;”
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 On the Incarnation of the Word 32-2
… 5. But as to Gentile wisdom, and the sounding pretensions of the philosophers, I think none can need our argument, since the wonder is before the eyes of all, that while the wise among the Greeks had written so much, and were unable to persuade even a few
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 1.13
… And then, from Dan to Beersheba was the Law proclaimed, and in Judæa only was God known; but now, unto all the earth has gone forth their voice, and all the earth has been filled with the knowledge of God , and the disciples have made disciples of all the nations , and now is fulfilled what is written, ‘They shall be all taught of God
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.8
… In fact they are almost more in number than those whom they govern; pitiable as regards piety, and unfortunate in their dignity; so that, it seems to me, they will not, as time and this evil alike progress, have any one left to rule, when all are teachers, instead of, as the promise says, taught of God,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 2
… He granted me a hearing ear.” ( Is. i. 4 . Sept.) For as the Prophets heard otherwise than the many, so also do the faithful than the Catechumens. Hereby the Catechumen also is taught not to learn to hear these things of men, (for He saith, “Call no man master upon the earth , but from above, from heaven, “For they shall be all taught of God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 12
… that they are impossibilities, he himself is the first to show, who does not practice them. But if he sees his virtue fully carried out in action, he will no longer be able to speak thus. Yet although the life of our teacher be careless, let us take heed to ourselves, and let us listen to the words of the prophet; “They shall be all taught of God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Thessalonians 6
“For ye yourselves are taught of God.” And see with how high a praise he has made God their Teacher in this matter. Ye need not, he says, to learn from man. Which also the prophet says, “and they shall all be taught of God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 46
Ver. 45 . “They shall all be taught of God.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin 1.14
… “And indeed ye do it towards all the brethren which are in all Macedonia.” As if the surest sign that you have been taught of God, is that you put into practice what you have been taught. Of that character are all who are called accord ing to God’s purpose, as it is written in the prophets: “They shall be all taught of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 2.6
… And after that judgment, i.e. when the process of distinguishing and separating the righteous from the unrighteous has taken place, God will so dwell in the righteous, that there will be no need for any one being taught by man, but all will be, as it is written, “taught of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 2.10
… things all of which will certainly no more have existence when all shall be taught of God,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 135.12
… and many of them, nay, near all hold this language, so that we see of a truth that God teacheth them within. The prophecy of Scripture is fulfilled, when it says, “And they shall all be taught of God.”
54:15
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.26
… and proselytes also are to come to them at that time through Christ, and are to fly to them, according to the saying,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.9
… But it is written: “Paul the servant of Christ through the will of God;” and elsewhere: “Wherefore thou art now not a servant but a son, and if a son an heir also through God;” and again: “As Christ rose from the dead by the glory of God.” And elsewhere God the Father says to the Son: “Behold proselytes shall come to Thee through Me.”
54:1
1. Rejoice, barren one, who dost not bear. St. Thomas and Hugo understand this of earthly Jerusalem, that is, of the Jews captive in Babylon: for to them is promised a return, abundance of things and abundant offspring. Jews after Christ promise themselves these same things from this place in the advent of their Messiah. Secondly, the Chiliasts and Millenarians, whose parent was Papias a disciple of St. John, understand these things of a thousand years of happiness, in which they think the Saints will reign with Christ here on earth after the day of judgment, and will enjoy all his delights, as St. Jerome testifies. Thirdly, Forerius holds that here is spoken of the heavenly Jerusalem from the Apostle, Galatians IV, 26, where he says that the heavenly Jerusalem is our mother, whom St. John, Apocalypse xxi, 2, calls the new city descending from heaven, in which all things are heavenly, walls, houses, citizens, rites, laws, customs, just as the king himself is heavenly, who descended from heaven and founded the kingdom of heaven on earth, and made one kingdom from earth and heaven. This is true anagogically, not literally, except insofar as the Church militant is called by John, Apocalypse xxi, and others the heavenly Jerusalem for the reason already stated by Forerius. Wherefore I say, according to the letter Isaiah here addresses the Church of Christ, gathered both from Jews and rather from Gentiles. For this was small at the beginning, and as it were barren with respect to the Synagogue. Again, Gentility before Christ was barren, and forsaken by God, by faith, by grace, by sons, by the faithful and by saints; but through Christ, it has been made fruitful in all these things more than the Synagogue, which had long possessed a husband, namely God. Thus the Apostle explains this place, Galatians IV, 27. See the things said there. Note: The Prophet here explains that seed of long life born from the mortified grain, that is, from Christ crucified, of which he treated in the preceding chapter, verse 10. Thus St. Augustine, book I On the Harmony of the Gospels, chapter xiii. Beautifully St. Ambrose, in the book On Virgins: The holy, he says, Church immaculate in intercourse, fruitful in childbirth, is a virgin in chastity, a mother in offspring. She nourishes you, a virgin, not with the milk of the body, but with the milk of the Apostles. She is a virgin in Sacraments and virtues; she is a mother to peoples, whose fruitfulness Scripture testifies, because the children of the forsaken are more than those of her who has a husband. Our Church does not have a husband, she has a Bridegroom. She has a Bridegroom of sound doctrine; with the Word, without any bending of modesty, as it were with an eternal Bridegroom she is joined. Rejoice, thou that didst not bear, that is to say, Rejoice in the manner of a mare neighing, when she neighs with a horse and her offspring and foal, especially having brought forth some victory. Thus St. Jerome. It is a catachresis. For the neighing of a mare signifies the gladness, the profuse joy, the jubilation and triumph of the Church. They are also fruits of the passion and death of Christ flowing into the Church, as we said in the analysis of chapter LIII; which indeed, First, is stirred up to gladness, and to enlarge the assembly for receiving the Gentiles, 1-3; Secondly, is brought back from the state of former smallness and bereavement to a larger lot, God recalling her whom he had repudiated, Verses 4-6; Thirdly, is confirmed by an oath concerning the repudiation not to be repeated again, 7-10; Fourthly, is forewarned of stability and adornment through abundance of charisms, of peace of conscience and integrity of reputation through the gifts of knowledge and justice, of increase and abundance through the conversion of Gentiles about to accede, 11-15; Fifthly, is instructed concerning the effort of enemies, the hand and tongue opposing in vain to cease, 16, 17. Many children of the forsaken, that is to say, the Church will give more children to God than the Synagogue. He alludes to Sarah and Hagar; for Sarah was a type of the Church, Hagar of the Synagogue. Sarah is said to be forsaken, because when she saw that there was no hope of offspring from herself, she substituted her handmaid Hagar to her husband; whence she herself abstaining from intercourse with her husband, as appears from Genesis xv, 3, was seen by him to be forsaken. Enlarge the place of thy tent. St. Jerome notes in the word of tent and tabernacle, that there is an allusion to the tabernacle of Moses made in Sinai. For this, as it were the mobile temple of God, was a type of the Church and of the temples of Christ. Secondly, the faithful dwelling in the earthly Church do not have here a firm house, but as it were guests and wayfarers dwell in it, as in a tabernacle; and they tend toward the eternal house prepared in the heavens. The Church therefore here dwells entirely in tabernacles, as a stranger, and passing into heaven, as her home and seat. Spare not labor or expense, but with all study and expense make thy cords long (so that thou mayest receive in thy tabernacle so numerous an offspring about to come to thee, that is to say, So many faithful sons will grow up for thee, that thou must enlarge and expand the place and temples to gather them together, and build more). Strengthen thy stakes. Because thou art to endure even to the end of the world, indeed eternally. For these imperatives, make, strengthen, signify the future, namely that God will enlarge through all nations and provinces, and will solidify the Church in perpetuity, since the Synagogue has confined herself to Judaea alone, and after a short time he will take away and abrogate her. For this is what Jeremiah says of her, Lamentations II, 6: He hath scattered as a garden his tabernacle, he hath destroyed his tabernacle.
54:3
3. To the right hand and to the left (to the East and to the West, that is in every direction through all the regions of the world) you shall break through. In Hebrew tiphrotsi, that is you shall burst forth, break through, with force, zeal and the multitude of your sons like soldiers, who burst forth into whatever regions of enemies, even the most fortified, or like seed, or a tree and root, for example a palm, which powerfully spreads itself in every direction and takes root, and therefore grows and spreads equally upward, and stands firm and immovable. And your seed (your sons, namely the Apostles and apostolic men, and other faithful) shall inherit the Gentiles. Shall subdue and possess the Gentiles, firmly and securely like an inheritance. He alludes to that which God promised to Abraham, Genesis xxii, 17: Your seed shall possess the gates of your enemies. For this carnal seed of Abraham was a type of this spiritual seed of Christ and the Church. And the cities that are desolate, by God, faith, law, grace and salvation, such as all those once were outside Judea, and now are in India, Japan, Mexico, etc., which we hear are daily more and more illuminated by the faith of Christ, and increased by the faithful, and we rejoice. Shall inhabit. Both because apostolic men will there set up houses, temples and altars; and because the inhabitants shall be converted by them, and shall become Christians, and seed, that is sons, of the Church, as if to say: By the preaching of your sons, O Church! you shall have sons, that is faithful Gentiles, in cities that are desolate, that is infidel. Thus Vatablus.
54:4
4. Because you shall forget the confusion of your youth, and shall remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. The Church consists of Jews and Gentiles. The youth of the Jews was in the time of Moses, under whom the Synagogue began and grew. Confusion was the adoration of the golden calf, and their other crimes both in Egypt and in the desert. Widowhood was in the captivity of Babylon, of which it is said in Lamentations I, 1: She has become as a widow, the lady of the Gentiles. But the youth of the Gentiles was the second age of the world, namely that which was shortly after Noah, indeed under Noah (whence he mentions it in verse 9), in the time of Abraham (for Noah saw Abraham), and thereafter. For God made a covenant with all the Gentiles in Noah, Genesis ix, 9; but shortly after the Gentiles turned away from God to idols, and from all of them God chose one Abraham with his family for himself as a people. For Noah died when Abraham was fifty years old, and when the world was full of idolatry and impiety. Whence God called Abraham forth from it to his worship, when he himself was seventy-five years old. Wherefore for youth in Hebrew is alumim, that is concealments, because alma is a young girl unmarried and virgin, hidden at home by a man. So also heathendom unfaithful hid itself from God as it were unmarried, and sought hiding places in which to cover and conceal its superstitions, filth and crimes. Therefore the whole time of heathendom before Christ is called youth, or virginity and concealment, because it itself with respect to God the Spouse of the Church, was as it were a wandering and unmarried girl (for thus we call those who are not married, even if they are very old), and because it hid and concealed itself in the darkness of infidelity and shameful crimes. Secondly, this same is the time of the widowhood of the Gentiles. For the people of the Gentiles immediately in their youth, that is immediately after their origin in Noah, became widowed, that is without God, and turned away to idols and vices. If therefore you regard it as it was joined to God in Noah its parent, it became widowed: but if you regard it as it departed from the faith of Noah, and as the people of heathendom began to be as it were another, it was as an unmarried youth and virgin. From the origin therefore of heathendom the Gentiles or people of the Gentiles, was a virgin. Moreover this time he calls the reproach of widowhood, both because in it, on account of crimes, the people of the Gentiles, abandoned by God and like a widow forsaken, was left; whence verse 8 calls it a wife cast off, that is repudiated, and because it was barren of spiritual sons, that is of the faithful. For barrenness among Jews and Gentiles was a reproach: The reproach therefore of widowhood is the reproach of barrenness. The Prophet therefore signifies, that Christ called heathendom thus abandoned, and from youth cast off and repudiated by God, to himself, and joined it to himself as it were as a bride, and made it fruitful with noble offspring. So that it now happy, joyful and glorious, shall utterly forget the former barrenness and reproach. Thus Forerius, Sanchez and others.
54:5
5. Because He who made you shall rule over you, the Lord of hosts is His name. He shall rule over you, that is, He shall marry you, He shall join you to Himself as a wife in matrimony, He Himself who is the Lord of hosts and Lord of all the earth, which He shall therefore subject to you equally as to Himself; you, I say, who were unmarried, a widow and forsaken. For here is treated the marriage of God and Christ with the Church, and this is signified by the Hebrew word baal, namely both husband and lord; for a husband is as it were the lord of his wife. Whence Vatablus and Forerius translate: Because your husband shall be He who made you, Jehovah Sabaoth is His name. Thus Sara calls Abraham her husband lord, Gen. xviii, 12. So St. Natalia, wife of St. Adrian the Martyr, called him lord, as is evident from her Life. For it is a law of nature which God sanctioned for women, Gen. III, 16: You shall be under the power of your husband, and he shall rule over you. Whence St. Augustine asserts and is cited in the chapter Caput, at the end of CXXIII, Question V: Women serve their husbands by the common law of nature. And the Apostle, I Cor. xi, 3: The head of every man, he says, is Christ: but the head of the woman is the man: and the head of Christ is God. And Aristotle, lib. II Econ. cap. I: The woman, he says, ought to think that the character of her husband is the law of life imposed upon her by God. And Pittacus, one of the seven wise men of Greece: gynaikis arche, that is, to rule over a wife. Indeed, that the husband was judge of the wife among the ancient Romans, together with her relatives, when she was accused of infamy or capital crime, is taught by that law of Romulus in Suetonius in Tiberius, cap. xv: A man convicted of adultery, let the husband and relatives slay as they will. Wherefore St. Ignatius to the Antiochenes: Women, he says, honor your husbands, and do not dare to call them by their own name, but by a common one, saying, my lord, as Bethsabee calls David her husband lord, and herself his handmaid, III Reg. I, 17.
54:6
6. Because as a woman forsaken. The word "because" gives the reason why in the preceding verse he said: Your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, that is, of Israel, as if to say God shall redeem you, because you were as a woman forsaken and repudiated, and therefore mourning, and afflicted and miserable; from this reproach and hardship God shall redeem and free you, taking you into marriage and as a companion of His bed; because He Himself is as merciful as you are miserable, indeed He is mercy itself. This is what St. Leo says, serm. 2 De Nativ.: God almighty and clement, whose nature is goodness, whose will is power, whose work is mercy, as soon as diabolical malignity mortified us with the poison of its envy, He predestined Christ to come in the flesh, who, born of a Virgin, by His uncorrupted nativity condemned the violator of human generation, etc. A wife cast off from youth, that is, repudiated: hence he called her a little while before an unmarried maiden and a widow, because she was repudiated as if unmarried and a widow; for although she had a husband, yet she was immediately rejected by him, she ceased to have him, which is the same as if she had never had him. Whence she is called a virgin, equally as a widow. A virgin, because scarcely joined to a husband; a widow, because soon she was repudiated by him. This is what Paul says, Ephes. II, 12: At that time you were without Christ, alienated from the conversation of Israel, and strangers to the testaments, having no hope of the promise, and without God in this world.
54:7
7. For a moment in a little while I forsook you, and in great mercies I will gather you. Note here that a moment is called the space of two thousand years, which was from Abraham until Christ, during which the Gentiles were forsaken and repudiated by God; because in respect to eternity, with which thereafter the Church was joined to God, and became His eternal wife, the former time is like a moment, as St. Jerome says. Therefore the Jews in vain object to Christ the phrase "for a moment." For equally when they refer these things to their Messiah, whom they have vainly awaited for 1600 years now, when we object to them the phrase "for a moment," they answer that 1600 years is a moment in respect to eternity. And so they themselves thus gouge out the eyes of crows. Tropologically St. Ambrose, as if to say: For a moment in this life I forsook you with temptations, as it were, that I might bestow upon you an eternal crown. Whence St. Peter seems to have alluded to this, epist. I, cap. I, vers. 6, when he says: In which you shall rejoice, though now for a little while, if it be necessary, you are made sorrowful in various temptations; and St. Paul, II Cor. IV, 17: The momentary and light tribulation of our affliction works for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory. For these are the mercies of the Lord, as Isaiah says here, so great and so mighty, that they overwhelm all the past time of hardships, so that it appears to have been like a moment and an instant. Whence soon, explaining and inculcating the same thing in other words, he adds:
54:8
8. In a moment of indignation I hid My face from thee for a little while, and in everlasting mercy I have had compassion on thee. Note: The hiding, or turning away of God's face, in Scripture signifies and in reality brings about all evil, just as the illumination or showing of His countenance brings about all good. For just as when the sun is absent, or hides itself behind clouds, darkness occupies all things (for the sun is the eye of the world, by which the earth sees all things); but when it returns and shows itself, all things appear bright, joyful and vivid: so much more is this the case with God, who is the uncreated and immense sun of the world. The eclipse of this sun is brought about by clouds, that is, our sins, which create a great and cloudy chaos between us and God. For He Himself is light from His own nature, emitting perpetual rays, by which He illuminates every man coming into this world; we therefore cover and shut Him out with a cloud of sins, and in order that He might dispel it, Christ descended to us: therefore, having become man, He dispelled it, and made it so that we dwell in light. Wherefore, as in the day let us walk honestly, says Forerius. For mercy in Hebrew it is chesed, that is, piety, namely that tender, benign and beneficent affection by which parents naturally love their offspring, as their own bowels. To this St. Paul alluded to Titus, III, 4: The goodness and kindness of God our Saviour hath appeared; not by the works of justice which we have done, but according to His mercy He hath saved us. This mercy He calls everlasting, because God will not change or revoke this affection, so as to repudiate the Church, or substitute another in her place, as He did with the Synagogue: but He will have, love and protect the Church as a spouse forever. Whence it follows:
54:9
9. As in the days of Noah this is to Me, that is to say, This oath and covenant of Mine, which through Christ I shall establish with the Gentiles and with the Church, shall be firm and eternal, just as the covenant made with Noah concerning the prevention of the flood thereafter was firm and eternal. Our text reads bime, that is, in the days; now they read kime, that is, because waters. Whence they translate, the waters of Noah this shall be to Me, that is to say, I seem to Myself to be in the days of the waters of Noah, or My wrath shall be like the flood which happened in the time of Noah, says Vatablus. For just as the wrath of God buried the sins of the world under the flood in Noah's time, so also it destroyed and condemned all the Gentiles through Christ. Again, just as God swore to Noah that He would no longer destroy men by flood: so He swore to Christ that He would no longer destroy the Church gathered from the Gentiles. He mentions Noah and the flood, first, because in Noah began the renewal both of the human race and of the Church which God then espoused to Himself: but soon, as it apostatized to idols and vices, He repudiated it until Christ, when He reconciled to Himself what had been repudiated, and bound it by a new marriage. What therefore God began to do for the Church in the time of Noah, this He restored and perfected in the time of Christ. Secondly, because Noah, the restorer of the human race, was a type of Christ the Redeemer; the water of the flood, of baptism; the ark, of the Church; the rainbow, of the cross of Christ. For this indeed placates God's wrath. Thus St. Justin, Against Trypho; indeed St. Peter, epistle I, cap. III, verses 20 and 21. See the words at Genesis ix, 13. That I may not be angry with thee, and may not rebuke thee, That is, being angry I may not destroy thee, as I destroyed the world by the flood, and the Jews by destruction. By anger and rebuke therefore He understands destruction, or repudiation: otherwise indeed God is angry with the Church, when He punishes her, not to destroy, but to purify, that is to say, I shall make it so that, just as the waters of Noah no longer covered, nor shall cover the earth; so neither shall the inundation of crimes (for the flood signified this) overwhelm her, nor shall the world again relapse into its former idols and vices; but Christ shall dry them up and take them away: by which it shall come to pass that I shall no longer be angry with thee, O Church! nor rebuke thee, namely by flood or destruction, destroying thee: thou shalt indeed be tossed about, like the ark of Noah, by waters, that is, by persecutions, but thou shalt not be overwhelmed by them.
54:10
10. For the mountains shall be moved, that is to say, Sooner shall the mountains be transferred from their place than I shall cease to have mercy on thee: or, even if the mountains be moved, I nevertheless shall not be moved, I shall not change the purpose, the mercy which I promised thee both here and at Jeremiah xxxi, 31, I shall not revoke. Thus St. Jerome.
54:11
11. A poor little one, convulsed by tempest. In Hebrew soura, horribly shaken, tossed about and prostrated. For it is Hophal, which signifies a strong and efficacious passion, corresponding to the strong and efficacious action and tossing of Hiphil. Such was the Church before Christ, abandoned by God; but through Christ it has been made from a poor little one rich and splendid, from convulsed solid, from destitute of consolation, abounding in it. For this is what follows: Behold I will lay thy stones with order. The Chaldean, Vatablus, Forerius and others translate, I will lay in antimony thy stones, that is like antimony, namely like a woman adorned, who paints her eyes with antimony, thy stones I will carve, and I will adorn thee with them, says St. Jerome. For in Hebrew puch is the same as the Latin fucus, namely antimony. For antimony is a subfuscous fossil like marble, according to Dioscorides, book V, chapter 59, as if to say, I will lay thy pavement with colored and shining marble, like antimony, or, as Forerius wishes, with antimony itself. Secondly, the Septuagint more rightly translate puch as carbuncle; for this is of the color of antimony, so that puch is the same as the related nophech. Hence they themselves translate: I prepare for thee a carbuncle stone of thine. Whence also the Rabbis translate: I will cause to rest in carbuncle thy stones, that is I will lay beneath the stones of thy building carbuncles and sapphires, as if to say, Thy foundation will be splendid and precious from carbuncles and sapphires. For we can refer both these stones, and both words, namely I will lay and I will found, to the foundations. Now Forerius understands pavements by foundations: for foundation is also called that which is on the surface of the earth; and then according to the Septuagint, who translate, I will prepare, or I will lay, carbuncle thy stones, the sense will be, as if to say, The stones with which I will lay thy pavement will be carbuncles. For kings and princes are accustomed to strew the pavements of chambers or houses with precious stone, such as marble: indeed Pliny, book XXXVII, relates that Nero's chambers were furnished with pearls: but these were excessive and unusual luxuries of Nero. Whence also Martial, mocking one similar, says: And the onyx gleams beneath thy foot. In a similar manner in Rome we see the pavements of temples, such as St. Peter's, St. Paul's, St. Cecilia's, and many others, strewn with precious and shining marble, alabaster, Parian stone, etc. The Prophet therefore signifies that the Church will claim for itself these ornaments of kings, namely sapphires, jaspers, etc.; but in such a way that those things which they themselves carry on their bosoms and fingers as precious, she herself will lay beneath her as if vile and insignificant and trample under foot. This sense agrees with the Latin, I will lay. But more plainly from the Hebrew marbits, that is I will cause to rest or lie, take foundation properly: for in it other stones lie and rest. Take foundation therefore, which stands above the earth, in which are placed several rows of stones cut and polished for elegance. Note: Here and elsewhere the structure of the Church is described, as if a royal, or most beautiful and precious basilica, so that its foundations are of carbuncles and sapphires; its bulwarks, of jasper; its gates, of carved stone, and the rest proportionally are of beautiful and precious stones. All which things signify symbolically that the charisms of the Holy Spirit, virtues and sacraments, which He will communicate to her, and by which Christ will establish and build her, will be most beautiful, most precious and most solid. Again it signifies the Apostles, and Apostolic men, and illustrious Saints, who either founded, or defended, or propagated, exalted and adorned the Church. For these were carbuncles through charity; sapphires, on account of heavenly life; jaspers, on account of the strength of faith, etc. For these are the riches of the Church, spiritual namely rather than temporal, by which she exceeds all the riches of kings. Whence alluding to this, St. Paul, Ephesians II, 19, says: You are fellow citizens with the saints, and the domestics of God: built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone. For with the Apostles as if with carbuncles, sapphires, etc., other faithful and just ones, as stones, though less precious nevertheless, have been built in. And Christ: Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church. Hence also Zacharias, chapter 9, verse 16, according to the Septuagint says: Holy stones roll upon the earth. Nay more, St. John, Apocalypse 21, 19, asserts that the foundations of the holy city, that is the Church, are twelve precious stones, and asserts that these denote the twelve Apostles. Thus Cyril, Procopius and St. Jerome. Hear St. Jerome: The carbuncle which is prepared, or is spread out in order, seems to me to be the fiery word of doctrine: which, putting to flight the error of darkness, illuminates the hearts of believers. This is the one which one of the Seraphim took with tongs grasped, to purge the lips of Isaiah, etc. Moreover the sapphire, which is placed in the foundations, has the likeness of heaven and of the upper air: which is such that it can say with Socrates the Aristophanic thing: I ascend the air and despise the sun, that is, I climb the air and despise the sun. Or with the Apostle Paul: But our conversation is in heaven. The Scripture of Ezekiel also commemorates that the place in which the throne of God is has the likeness of sapphire, and the glory of the Lord consists in this colour, which bears the image of the supercaelestial. But also the bulwarks of the Lord's city, that is the fortifications of the walls, are constructed of jaspers: which can destroy and confute every height exalting itself against the knowledge of God, and subject falsehood to truth. Whoever therefore is strongest in disputing, and strengthened by the testimonies of holy Scriptures, he is the bulwark of the Church. Thus the sapphire is he who dwells in mind in the heavens, and shines with golden points, that is with rays of charity, and who cannot be scratched, that is is unbroken and unconquered. See what I have said concerning the sapphire, Exod. cap. xxiv, 10, and Exod. xxviii, 18. Finally St. Cyril understands Christ through the carbuncle, because, he says, whoever believes in Christ will not be ashamed, which he proves and explains thus: The faithful, being made very red with the blood of Christ, however much they are assailed by reproaches and injuries, can no longer be suffused with redness, so as to bear confusion before them; because already through the imitation of Christ they have put on every redness of confusion: just as he who is by nature most ruddy cannot be suffused with redness any more. This is pious, but mystical.
54:12
12. And I will make jasper (Symmachus alone translated it archedonium, says St. Jerome) thy bulwarks. Forerius translated: And I will make agate thy windows; Vatablus: I will make thy windows of crystal. But the Septuagint translate, as does our text. For the Hebrew scimschotaich, that is, solaria, is derived from scemes, that is, sun, and signifies not so much windows, which admit the rays of the sun, as circular bulwarks, lofty and shining with the rays of the sun, which gleaming from afar are seen, so that they appear to be certain earthly suns: whence they are called solaria. Of jasper, says St. Jerome, there are many kinds; for one kind has the likeness of emerald, which is found in the fountains of the river Thermodon, and is called Grammatias, by which it is thought that all phantasms are put to flight. Another is greener than the sea, and tinged as it were with flowers; this is said to be born in the mountain Ida of Phrygia, and in its deepest caverns, etc. And there is another jasper similar to snow and to the foam of the waves of the sea, and glowing gently as it were with mingled blood. We have said this, so that we might know all spiritual graces in the bulwarks of the Church; whoever has these puts to flight vain fears, and can say with the spouse: My brother is white and ruddy. Symbolically St. Jerome: Four, he says, orders of stones were woven into the Rational, Exodus cap. xxviii, 17. The first order had sardius, topaz, emerald: the second order had carbuncle, sapphire, jasper. In which it is to be noted, that the second order of stones is also placed here; for we do not yet retain perfection, nor have we come to the first things. And thy gates in stones carved. It is hypallage, that is to say, I will make carved stones in thy gates: or I will make thy gates of carved stones. He translated rightly, carved, for this is the Hebrew ecdach. Theodotion translate profiti, that is, carving; Aquila, trypanismou, which word sounds the sense of perforated and hidden gems, says St. Jerome, in which images or emblems are carved. Thus the life of a priest ought to be polished and carved, so that in it the life of Christ and the Apostles may be seen as it were expressed. For a priest is the gate of the Church. But the Septuagint, Forerius and others for ecdach read ecrach, by cech, and translate crystal; for it is derived from the root carach, that is, made bare, and kerach is said, that is, frost, because it makes bare and as it were causes the leaves of trees and the grass of the earth to mourn. Hence kerach signifies crystal, which shines through like frost, nay is made from frost, or from moisture concreted and congealed, if we believe Pliny, lib. XXXVII, cap. II, Seneca and others, nay even St. Jerome, who says: By the most violent frosts of the Alps, and in caves inaccessible to the sun, waters are said to congeal into crystal, and by touch indeed a stone, by sight water. By which it is shown that those who are in the gates of the Church ought to be stained by no filth, but ought to be of the purest faith, and to say with the Prophet: I have understood thy commandments. And to hear that: Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God. Crystal therefore signifies how brightly and purely a priest ought to shine in virtues, who as it were a gate leads others into the Church and admits them. Again, how humble he ought to be and likewise steadfast, and nature surpassed by grace. For crystal congeals and hardens from water into stone. Thus also a priest from nature soft and fluid ought to harden into the strength of the Spirit through grace. And all thy borders (the Septuagint translate, thy walls) in stones desirable. In Hebrew, of desire, that is, beautiful and precious, and therefore desirable. It is hypallage, that is to say, I will make desirable stones in all thy borders, that is to say, I will build thee on all sides from precious stones: there will be in thee no stone which is not desirable; whithersoever thou turnest, thou shalt tread upon precious things, and shalt enjoy the abundance of all riches. Thus St. Jerome. These stones signify all the faithful and the just, and their virtues and graces; and at the same time they hint that crosses, images, altars, chapels, and other insignia of the Christian faith are to be erected from stone in the borders of cities and provinces of Christians, as titles, with all the signs and titles of idols abolished. Wherefore morally St. Gregory, lib. XVIII Moral. xix: God has laid, he says, stones in the Church in order; because in it He distinguished holy souls by the diversity of their merits. He founded it upon sapphires, which stones indeed hold in themselves a likeness of the color of the air; because the strength of the Church is solidified in souls desiring heavenly things. And because jasper is of a green color, he placed jasper as its bulwarks; because those set against adversaries for the defense of the holy Church are they who, living by internal desires, do not wither against the reprobate aridity of the times. He then adds concerning the gates: And he set its gates in stones hewn. For these are indeed the gates of the Church, through whose life and teaching a multitude of believers enters into it. Who, for the reason that they are powerful in great works, and what they assert in speaking they show forth in living, are remembered not as pure, but as hewn stones. For in their upright life a correct operation is seen, as if in those very stones is expressed what they have done. Where also, concluding the whole number of the Saints in a general collection, he subjoined: All your borders in stones to be desired, namely, as he subjoins, all your children taught of the Lord.
54:13
13. All your children taught of the Lord. Supply "I will place." The Teachers of the Church, as carbuncles, sapphires, jaspers and hewn stones, he placed in the foundation, bulwarks and gates of the Church; now he describes their disciples, who are to be built in as it were desirable stones, and says they shall be taught, not only externally by them, but also internally by the Lord; so that wisdom may fill their mind, peace their will, and thus they may be enriched in all things with heavenly goods. Thus Christ explains it, John vi, 44. For when he had said: No man can come to me, unless the Father, who sent me, draw him, he proves this, adding verse 45: It is written in the Prophets: And they shall all be taught of God, in Hebrew limmude iehovah, in Greek didaktoi tou Theou, that is, taught of God. Thus often the Interpreter takes verbal nouns in -bilis for the passive participle: as incredibilis, for incredulous; desperabilis, for desperate; persuasibilis, for persuaded or persuading. And they shall be taught of God, because God, breathing into the mind a supernatural light to the intellect, and pious impulses to the will, and sending them forth, shall teach and persuade them of those things which through the external voice Christ and his disciples shall propose to them. He contrasts Christians with Jews. For these were taught by God more externally than internally, namely through the Prophets, through the Priests, through Sacred Scripture in the Old Testament. This distinction is delivered by Jeremiah, cap. xxxi, 33, when concerning the New Testament he says: I will give my law in their minds, and in their heart will I write it. Thus St. Jerome. Hence the Holy Spirit was given to the Apostles at Pentecost, and sat upon them in the form of fiery tongues, as if he would speak through their mouth, and would make their minds and tongues on fire, which would dart forth the flame of divine love into their hearers. Such theodidacts above others were St. Anthony, Hilarion, Paul, Francis, Dominic and others, as I said Hebr. viii, at the end. And multitude of peace to your children. Supply "I will place." From the doctrine of Christ follows peace both of conscience with God, and of concord with neighbors, and peace, that is, prosperity, and abundance of all goods.
54:14
14. And thou shalt be founded in justice. That is, thou shalt be strengthened, as Vatablus translates it, as if to say: There is nothing, O Church! O my spouse! which thou shouldest fear lest some sedition, what frauds, what violence and persecution, what enemy, should snatch away this peace, doctrine, gems and riches from thee: for thy very justice shall strengthen thee, thy holiness shall protect thee: nor will God permit thee to be destroyed, who is the avenger and defender of justice and holiness. Let republics and magistrates, kingdoms, kings and princes note this, if they wish to have a safe and stable kingdom or commonwealth, let them found it in justice and holiness. For justice here is taken generally, and embraces both the other virtues and particular justice. Thus Haymo. Secondly, Adam: Justice, he says, thou shalt be founded, as if to say: God will make it so that all things in thee are done justly and in order: for then to each one justice, that is, the order due to each one, is given. Thirdly, St. Jerome understands by justice a prosopolepsia, or impartiality toward all: So that in no way, he says, art thou the God of one nation, but of the whole world; who calls to his faith servants and free men, Greeks and barbarians, rich and poor, nobles and ignoble, men and women, children and elders: and all things which appear in the world to be contrary. For this is justice in God, although he is not bound by it; hence he did not act unjustly, nor was he a respecter of persons, when before Christ he chose the Jews and abandoned the Gentiles. But the first sense is more divine and genuine. Recede far from calumny. It is a prophecy, not a command. For it promises to the Church, because it is founded in justice, all security, as if to say: Then thou shalt recede and be far away from calumny and fear. Now by calumny, first, some understand the ancient calumniator, the devil. Secondly, St. Jerome, sin and every kind of evil. For all, he himself says, iniquity and rapine are born from calumny. Thirdly and best, by calumny understand any fraud and cavil; by fear understand any violence, forces and arms, which can inspire fear. Thus St. Thomas, Vatablus, Adam, and Forerius, who says: There are two things which can inspire fear in the Church: either frauds or violence, heretics or tyrants, attacking either secretly or openly: from both Christ renders his Church safe through justice, by which he has justified her. For if God justify, who shall condemn? if God protect, who shall assail? Therefore by justice or justification thou shalt be safe, thou shalt be strong: nor shall all the machinations of the devil be able either to cast thee down or to plunder thy riches. In this verse therefore I would believe God has met the objection which could arise from the promise of such great riches. For as poverty is safe, so on the other hand frauds and violence are prepared for riches. Consider here, O Christian! how much thou shouldest esteem this justification: for what he promises to his Church, Christ should be believed to have promised also to his own, namely that being justified we may have peace. If therefore we retain justice, let the devil rage, let the world attempt to deceive, let the flesh lust; they can press, they cannot oppress, we shall nevertheless retain peace: let us not therefore abandon justice. St. Jerome, however, takes recede properly as an imperative, as if to say: Thou art founded in justice: if therefore thou wishest to preserve this thy foundation, recede from calumny and fraud, and thus thou shalt likewise recede from all fear. For justice shall make thee secure. Because thou shalt not fear. The because is not causal, nor does it signify a cause, but a consequence and effect, and is the same as whence or wherefore, as also often elsewhere. For this is the Hebrew ki, as if to say: Thou shalt recede far from calumny, whence thou shalt not fear it; and from fear, whence it shall not approach thee. 15 and 16. Behold a stranger shall come (The Church could fear two things, as I said, namely calumny and violence: calumny from the Gentiles mocking, because she worshipped the crucified Christ (for this seemed foolish to them); violence from the arms of smiths and soldiers. He excludes the former here, as if to say: Strangers, that is, Gentiles once alienated from God and thy enemies, O Church! shall be joined to thee and subjected to thee by God working. Whence in place of former mockeries and cavils, they shall give thee praises and commendations. He excludes the latter when he says): Behold I have created the smith blowing the coal (who namely with bellows stirs up the fire, by which he makes the iron hot) and bringing forth a vessel (that is, an instrument, for example a hammer) unto (for) his work (so that namely the hammer striking the hot iron, from it forges a sword, spear or lance. In like manner) I have created the destroyer (that is, a tyrant, enemy and soldier, born and destined) to destroy, as if to say: There is no reason for thee to fear hostile arms, and the smiths of arms, or the enemies themselves armed and prepared to slay and destroy thee: because both they themselves and their armies, arms, smiths and all their strength are in my hand. I created them and gave them, and I shall bring it about that they harm thee not, but are subject to thee, either willingly, by turning themselves to thee: or unwillingly, by subjugating them to thee. Since therefore I command thee to be secure, there is no reason for thee to fear: for I shall bring it about that they either cannot use their arms against thee, or that they use them not for thy assault, but for thy defense and protection. To this sense the Septuagint agrees; for they translate: Behold proselytes shall come to thee through me, and shall be thy colonists, and shall flee to thee. Mystically St. Jerome, Haymo and Adam understand by the smith the devil, the smith and artificer of all evils, who blows coals in the fire, while he stirs up and inflames tyrants, heretics and other enemies, that they may persecute Christians. He brings them forth as his instruments, that through them he may do his work. He is also the destroyer of those who shall be unbelievers. But all who against thee, O Church! are fabricated by this blowing smith, shall not be directed, but shall both feel present punishments and eternal ones. For the smith to destroy, the Septuagint translates contrarily, not as a smith, not unto destruction: which St. Jerome and Cyril thus explain, as if to say: I reform and remake thee, O Church! but not as a smith of iron, who indeed remakes and recasts his vessels for the better, but so that, when he has used them sufficiently, he casts them away and lets them perish: for he uses them not for their benefit, but for his own. But I reform thee with a certain spiritual reformation continually lasting and eternal, not for my benefit, but for thine, of which the Lord said to Nicodemus: Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, John III, 3. But the first sense is the genuine one; as also the former reading and version of our Interpreter. Finally Forerius from the Hebrew thus translates: Behold gathering shall gather itself (a hostile mass), it shall fail so as not to be; whosoever shall gather himself with thee (against thee), shall fall beside thee: thus also nearly Vatablus, as if to say: Whosoever shall collect arms and soldiers against thee, these shall fall at thy feet, shall perish or succumb; for thy enemies are my enemies: he who touches thee touches the apple of my eye: he who assails thee assails me, to which Christ alluded, saying: He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth, Matt. XII, 30. For he who fights against God does not collect strength, but dissolves and disperses it. If thou translate thus, these things pertain to the following verse: but this version is wholly discordant with Ours and the Septuagint; which indeed agrees more with the Hebrew: for gur indeed signifies to sojourn and to be a stranger; not however, to gather soldiers.
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17. It shall not be directed, it shall not have success, it shall not profit, it shall not reach the effect to which it is directed by the enemy, namely that it might trample down or destroy the Church. And every tongue (calumnious, of which verse 14) resisting thee in judgment, thou shalt judge, that is to say, God shall turn away and repel force and tyrants; calumny and calumniators, heretics and the like, thou thyself, O Church! shalt judge and condemn in thy tribunal: the calumnies also and blasphemies of the Gentiles and Pagans, by just war, through Christian princes thou shalt judge, that is thou shalt avenge and restrain. Hence it is clear that the Church is the judge of controversies of faith, and that to her pertains judgment concerning heresy and heretics. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord. He closes the foregoing with an epiphoneme, that is to say, This is a sort of hereditary lot, which shall come to the Church and to the servants of the Lord from Him: namely, that they be rich in gems and heavenly goods, enjoy fullness of justice, holiness and peace; no one shall be able to disturb this or plunder these their riches; but they themselves shall overcome all enemies, and condemn or convert them. And their justice with me. Justice, first, can be understood as just works, that is to say, Their just works are preserved with me, are always before me; whence I shall render to them both the present reward already mentioned and the eternal reward in the heavens. Thus Vatablus. Second, justice, that is the reward and recompense of justice, that is to say, I shall repay to them the reward of justice, namely the lot already mentioned. Third, justice, that is justification and praise. For sometimes justice is put for the very proclamation of justice, says Forerius. For this indeed is congruent, opposed and repaid to calumny, that is to say, For the calumny which thou hast suffered, thou shalt receive proclamations and the eulogy of thy justice.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
54:1
Hic contra rerum dejectionem promittit exaltationis remedium: et primo promittit multitudinem contra paucitatem; secundo honoris restitutionem contra confusionem, ibi, Noli timere, quia non confunderis, neque erubescis; tertio prosperitatem contra pristinam adversitatem, ibi, Paupercula tempestate convulsa. Circa primum tria. Primo praedicit filiorum multitudinem, indicens gratiarum actionis laudem: O steriles, Jerusalem, quae non paris, quia derelicta et deserta, lauda, Deum pro concessis beneficiis. Laudantium jucunditatem: Decanta laudem: est enim canticum, mentis exultatio in vocem proptura ex jucunditatis magnitudine: hiimi, in modum equi prae magnitudine vocem ad exprimendum formare non potens.
54:2
Jer. 31: «Exulta « in laetitia, Jacob. » Ps. 146: «Deo nostro sit « jucunda decoraque laudatio. » Et promittens filiorum multitudinem, Quoniam multi; quasi, magis multiplicabuntur filii tui, quamvis sis deserta, quam illarum civitatum quae viros habent ad generandum. 1 Reg. 2: «Donec steriles peperit plurimos, et quae multos habebat filios infirmata « est. » Secundo exhortatur ad loci ampliationem sub metaphora tentorii: Dilata, locum, quantum ad solum quo extenditur; pelles, quibus tegitur; fumiculos, quibus paxilli ligantur; clavos, quibus tabulae conjunguntur, vel ipsos paxillos. Et haec leguntur fuisse in tabernaculo foederis: Exod. 26, et 56.
54:3
Ac prae multitudine hominum oportet majorem habitationem quaerere, quam sit terra promissionis Tertio praedicit exhortationis impletionem: Ad dexteram enim, et ad laevam penetrabis; quasi, undique te dilatabis: quod impletum fuit tempore Machabaeorum, quando appositae fuerunt quaedam civitates de regione Samariae et de aliis regno Judaeorum. Gen. 24: «Possideat semen tuum portas inimicorum suorum. » Noli timere, quia non confunderis, neque erubescis. Ilic promittit pristini honoris restitutionem, contra confusionem quam prius sustinuerant. Secundo promissionis firmitatem: Sicut in diebus Noe. Circa primum duo facit. Primo promittit pristinae confusionis oblivionem: Non confunderis, interius, non erubescis, exterius. Non pudet, ex consideratione tuae turpitudinis; oblivisceris praebundantiae gloriae; adolescentiae quando peccasti in deserto, viduitatis, quando fuisti a Deo separata in captivitate Babylonis.
54:6
Supra 45: «Non « confundemini, neque erubescetis. » Sopho. 5: «In die illa non confunderis super omnibus ad-« inventionibus tuis. » Secundo promittit pristini honoris restitutionem: et primo ponit restitutionem quantum ad dominium, Qxia dominabitur; et quantum ad conjugium, Mulierem derelictam. Jerem. 5: «Si dimiserit vir uxorem suam, et aliam duxerit, « et recedens ab eo duxerit virum alterum; numquid revertetur ad eum ultra? » Secundo promittit honoris ampliationem quantum ad honorem multitudinem: Dixit Deus, In modico, passa es respectu eorum quae tibi miserendo tribuam. 2 Corinth. 4: «Id enim quod in praesenti est, momentum « est. » Et quantum ad Dei timorem, In momento; quasi dicat: Brevi tempore iram meam sensisti respectu ejus quo tui miserebor. Haec autem omnia quae dicta sunt, mystice exponuntur de vocatione gentium: quia gentilitas prius sterilis, postmodum multos filios congregavit, secundum Glossam. Sicut in d ebus Noe istud mihi est. Hic ostendit promissionis similitudinem. Juravi, idest firmiter statui, si tamen in praecceptis meis permanseris. Gen. 9: «Statuam pactum meum vobiscum, et cum semine « vestro post vos. » Secundo ex creaturarum stabiliun operatione: Montes enim commovebuntur; quasi dicat: Facilis est montes et colles immutari, quam verba mea cessare. Vel per montes et colles, mundi potentes. Ps. 43: «Non timebi-« mus dum turbabitur terra. »
Nota super illo verbo, Lauda sterilis, quia est sterilitas primo perversae actionis. Job 13: «Con-« gregatio hypocrisae sterilis. » Secundo sacrae contemplationis. Genes. 29: «Rachel erat sterilis. » Tertio temporalis tribulationis. Supra 49: «Adhuc « dicient in auribus tuis filii sterilitatis.
Item nota super illo verbo, Dilata tentorium, quia dilatandum est cor primo propter hospitis magnitudinem. Jerem. 23: «Numquid non caelum et « terram ego impleo? dicit Dominus. » Secundo propter munerum multitudinem. Infra 60: «Vide-« bis, et afflues, et dilatabitur cor tuum. » Tertio propter viae expletionem. Psalm. 118: «Viam « mandatorum tuorum cucurri. »
54:7
Item nota super illo verbo, In miserationibus magnis, quia misericordiae futurae magnae sunt, primi quia intrinsecae. Rom. 8: «Existimo quod « non sunt condignae passiones hujus temporis ad « futuram gloriam quae revelabitur in nobis. » Secundo quia aeternae. 2 Cor. 4: «Quae enim « videntur, temporalia sunt; quae autem non vi-« dentur, aeterna. » Tertio quia perfectae. Luc. 1: «Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes gene-« rationes. » Quarto quia in plures extensae. Luc. 14: «Homo quidam fecit caenam magnam, « et vocavit multos. » Quinto quia integrae. Apoc. 21: «Absterget Deus omnem lacrymam ab oculis « sanctorum. »
54:1
Anc. — Ierusalem, olim sterilis, iam multitudine filiorum tanta abundabit, ut locum habitationis dilatare debeat (54, 1-3). Deus auferet ienominiam ab urbe, quia ipse rex in ea dominabitur; urbem infidelem punivit, sed iam in misericordia eius miseretur neque unquam ab ea illam auferet (54, 4-10). Quare urbs gemmis quasi et lapidibus pretiosis aedificabitur, incolae sancti erunt et divinitus — edocti; alienigenae adiungentur, urbs ab omni impugnatione hostili potenter defendetur (84, 11-17). Uti supra 49, 6 et 50, 9 et 53, 10-12 post labores servi Dei statim opus eius praeclarum subditur et effectus illi et fructus insignes enumerantur qui ex eius humiliatione orituri sunt, ita nunc ea quae paucis 53, 10-12 indicata erant iam explicatius proponuntur. Quemadmodum enim in altera parte cap. 49 Sionis gloria post labores et gloriam servi Domini splendido modo delineabatur, ita nunc eadem ratione post labores Messiae gloria describitur urbis instauratae. Atque primo quidem ita exhibetur, ut potissimum verba illa declarentur : videbit semen, iustificabit multos (53, 11). Ipso nexu interno et serie oraculorum indicatur gloria Messiae quae in opere eius relucet ct ex opere et effectu in ipsum Messiam refunditur. Messias enim et Sion vel Ierusalem eodem inter se nexu continentur quo regnum David et lerusalem, quo templum et Sion. Unde consequens est ut instaurata theocratia in ea urbe describatur quae veteris theocratiae centrum et sedes erat. Vide quae dicta sunt ad 2, 9.
54:4
cationem sobolis et multitudinem iustificandorum ac reducendorum ad veram Dei cognitionem praedixisset, id iam spiritu praevidens non potuit se contineri quin tot filiorum matri congratularetur et ad decantandas Deo gratiarum actiones invitaret » (For.); simili modo nexum cum antecedentibus adstruunt Euseb. S. Hier. Cyr. Malv. Osor. Sanct. aliique. Forma orationis est eadem quae supra 49, 44; 51, 11; 52,2 adhibebatur; v. 4 « Lauda sterilis quae non paris, decanta laudem et hinni quae non pariebas, quoniam multi filii desertae magis quam eius quae habet virum, dicit Dominus » ; — ter invitatur ad maximam laetitiae et iubilationis significationem, quia plures sint filii desolatae quam filii coniugatae (hebr.). Compellari Ierusalem, quam vocem Chald. addit, ex sequentibus patet et ex 49, 14; 51, 17; 52, 9 consequitur. Ipsa vero compellatio sterilis quae non peperit (hebr.) urbem dicit viduam, populo suo filiisque orbatam, ita ut iam sit quasi sterilis quae nullum ediderit partum ; nam non intelligi sterilem quae omnino non habeat prolem ex ultimis verbis elucet. Ea autem compellatio fit quia salus messiana prophetice ex desolatione et humilitate efflorescere cernitur. Quamdiu respublica iudaica et templum consistebant, urbs Ierusa- . lem erat maritata i. e. foedus illud cum Deo externa quoque specie exsistebat et rex theocraticus thronum Iahve obtinebat, Dominus populi sui rex erat et dominator in Sion ; sed regno iudaico destructo et populo in exsilium abducto urbs Ierusalem facta est deserta, desolata, quam Dominus vir eius reliquit solam (cf. 30, 1). Hanc mulieris infidelis desolationem iam delineat Osee propheta : dies multos exspectabis me et non eris viro, sed et ego exspectabo te (0s. 3, 3). Ruinae quippe urbis et templi et regnum iudaicum theocraticum iam destructum aperte profite- " bantur violationem .foederis esse factam et populum a Deo punitum. Verum ex hac abiectione et conditione vili Deus miserator populum suum erigit et theocratiam instaurat eamque ad messianam perficit. Haec mente contemplatus propheta consolatur urbem derelictam cum iubilatione annuntians post ruinam fore instaurationem multo gloriosiorem et uberiorem. dereliquit me Dominus (49, 14), quo antea vocata est captiva filia Sion (52, 9); est sterilis quia filii eius proiecti sunt (51, 20). Ergo miseriam exsilii propheta ob oculos habet et cum tantam filiorum multitudinem Sioni dari cernat, instaurationem messianam delineat, in qua Sion mater fit populorum (cf. 66, 8 et supra 49, 48 seq.). Unde intelligitur quo sensu hic de Ecclesia ex gentibus collecta sermo sit. Inter plures filios desertae adnumerantur gentes ; et hoc modo de coetu ex gentibus collecto sermo fit ; eorum autem mater est Sion vel lerusalem, lerusalem utique messiano sensu ; unde S. Paulus de lerusalem coelesti quae sit mater nostra ad hunc locum loquitur (Gal. 4, 27). Bene S. Ephr. explicat scribens : filii Ecclesiae multo plures érunt quam filii synagogae. Cum instauratio futura sit multo splendidior atque uberior, quam veteris theocratiae conditio etiam prosperrimo tempore fuerit, iure dicit plures filios fore desertae quam fuerint coniugatae, quos scil. Ierusalem vetus Domino coniuncta habuerit. Ad hanc filiorum multitudinem multo maiorem priore designandam et accommodate ad prosopopoeiam exhibendam monet vates ut. urbs ampla ad habitandum spatia provideat v. 9 « dilata locum tentorii tui et pelles tabernaculorum tuorum eztende, ne parcas, longos fac funiculos tuos et clavos tuos consolida » ! — cf. 49, 20; simili modo novum urbis aedificium ingenti spatio esse extendendum videt Zacharias (2, 2 seq.). Hebr. et aulaea tabernaculorum extendant, ne cohibe. Ad tentorium amplissimum religandum longi opus sunt funes et paxillos solide oportet in terram defigere, quibus funes et tentorii moles sustententur. Proinde tentorium vel habitaculum requiritur amplissimum et robustissimum. Indoles ergo theocratiae instauratae est amplitudo (universalitas) et firmitas; prior theocratia concidit iniquitate populi; nova firma erit et stabilis nulli iam interitui obnoxia. " Amplitudinem illam ita describit vates, ut simul novam suggerat pro iubilatione Ierusalem rationem v. 3 « ad dexteram enim et ad laevam penetrabis et semen tuum gentes hereditabit et civitates desertas inhabitabit »; — ad dexteram i. e. meridiem versus, ad sinistram i. e. aquilonem versus erumpet ;. proinde in omnem partem urbs nova crescet et augebitur. Et uti perpetuo fit in instaurationis descriptione, statim mentio fit aggregationis gentium ; semen tuum (cf. 53, 10) sunt filii Sionis messianicae, per quos salus gentibus afferetur. Duo asseruntur : gentes sibi subiicient, eas possidebunt; quo modo, iam Gen. 99, 48 ; 24, 60; 26, 3. 4; 28, 13. 14 indicatur : benedicentur in semine tuo omnes gentes terrae ; dein vastitates quoque ac solitudines, urbes destructas insixabunt d e. ea est indoles et vis instaurationis, ut priora damna per bella et inimicitias, brevi per effectus peccatorum illata reparentur, ut ipsa quoque creatura particeps suo modo reddatur benedictionis messianae. Illam possessionem gentium quam capient fore pacificam ultimo membro declaratur ; si enim quae antea bellis destructa sunt reparant et vulnera regionibus quasi illata sanant, certe non censendi sunt ipsi velle novis stragibus gentes terrasque proscindere. Quare etiam hebr. v? h. 1. intelligi debet cum veteribus versionibus eodem modo quo saepe (Gen. 18, 3. 4; 21, 10. 17. Lev. 25, 46. Num. 36, 8) adhibetur scil. de possessione gentium, non cum aliquibus (Ges. Kn.) de expulsione. Nam gentes iri congregatum ad theocratiam instauratam ita continuo per prophetam annuntiatur, ut spatio habitationis dilatato iam de gentium expossessuri indubie declaratur, et ad hanc acceptionem omnia iila faciunt quae habentur 49, 23 ; 52, 15; 53, 12; et in parte priore 2, 3; 141, 10; 14, 1 etc. Talis ergo erit nova theocratia : universalis, pacem afferens et prosperitatem. Adest igitur cur Sion laudes Deo canat : pro una terra omnes iam accipit, pro uno populo omnes gentes. Unde simul ratio affertur pro v. 2 ut amplissimum habitandi spatium seligatur, ut Ierusalem eius amplitudinis memor qua gentes quoque comprehendantur ntagis magisque extendat habitationem neve unquam cohibeat quominus addant. v. 4 « Noli timere, quia non confunderis neque erubesces, non enim te pudebit, quia confusionis adolescentiae tuae oblivisceris et opprobrii viduitatis tuae non recordaberis amplius »; — concinne in hebr. noli timere quia non confunderis ; neve pudefias, quia non pudore suffunderis ; prius generatim asseritur iam non fore ignominiam pro urbe theocratica; dein speciali modo additur etiam confusionem et ignominiam prioris temporis oblivioni datum iri. Ignominia adolescentiae est infidelitas illa qua po pulus foedere inito mox vario modo in deserto contra Deum peccavit populus enim qui educitur ex Aegypto tamquam sponsa consideratur iuvenis quam Dominus ignominiae ereptam sibi foedere et amore coniungit (cf. Ier. 2, 2 hebr. Ez. 16, 6 seq.), verum haec sponsa mox evasit infidelis et contumax (ler. 32, 23), quare variis castigationibus a Deo affligitur. Cum commoratio in Aegypto et servitus non fuerit poena, vix confusio adolescentiae in illa commoratione reponi poterit; populi adolescentia tempus dicitur egressionis ex Aegypto et foederis initi, v. g. Ez. 16, 60 : recordabor ego pacti mei tecum in diebus adolescentiae tuae. Huic infidelitati a sponsa iuvene iam admissae adiungitur opprobrium viduitatis i. e. exsilii et eiectionis a terra Domini hereditate ; liac enim viduitate constituitur Ierusalem deserta v. 1. Sed in theocratia instaurata (messiana) iam non est, cur quis de illa apostasia olim facta pudefiat. Tanta enim adest salutis gloria et laetitia, ut veteris dedecoris memoria exstinguatur. Cur autem nulla adsit ignominia neque ea ex delictis et opprobriis praeteritis iure timeri possit, ratio redditur, quia Dominus foedus illud amoris et gratiae denuo restituit
Quo magis illa crescat exsultatio de tanta filiorum copia et gloria instaurationis, Deus Sioni omnem eximit timorem quem praeterito tempore edocta forte de futuro quoque concipere posset. Unde proponit quid interfuturum sit discriminis inter utramque conditionem et primo quidem removet timorem confusionis denuo obventurae
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v. 8 « quia dominabitur tui qui fecit te, Dominus exercituum nomen eius, et redemptor twus Sanctus [srael, Deus omnis terrae vocabitur » ; — in hebr. accommodate ad v. 1 et viduitatem in v. 4 quia vir tuus creator tuus (cf. For. Mald. Mar. Malv. Sanct. Lap.). Is enim qui populum condidit eum non disperdet, verum foedere amore pleno sibi eum copulat ; amat populum sicut sponsus sponsam et cum sit Dominus agminum coelestium et terrestrium etiam potestate valet qua foedus illud exornet. Conditionem theocratiae collapsam eriget, vindicabit, restituet Sanctus Israel, qui qua talis sanctitatem suam in populo relucere vult (cf. 6, 3); eamque restituet non iam in arctis prioris Israel finibus, verum se Deum totius orbis terrarum re praestabit et manifestabit, quare illam in universa terra relucere vult: plena est omnis terra gloria eius (6, 3). Unde pariter patet, cur adhortatio ad spatium dilatandum facta sit et quo sensu incolae Ierusalem gentes hereditare dicantur (v. 2. 3). Ergo sis « secura, quia habebis maritum et potentem et amantem et fecundum qui te defendat » (Mald.). Haec promissio denuo confirmatur, dum Deus simul populum de poena inflieta amanter consolatur v. 6 « quia ut mulierem derelictam et moerentem spiritu vocavit te Dominus et uxorem ab adolescentia abiectam, dixit Deus tuus » ; — vocat eam Dominus ad novum foedus ineundum et ad novum thalami honorem ex conditione misera ; ostendit suam misericordiam et benignitatem quia uxorem illam revocat quam iuvenem iuremerito eiecerat propter delicta ; sed simul indicatur quid in uxore necessario requirat, ut eam denuo admittat ; debet illa scil. esse moerens spiritu, afflicta spiritu, dolore scil. contrita et pudore de iniquitate admissa et de bono foederis sua culpa deperdito. Id igitur postulatur tamquam fructus castigationis et exsilii, et tamquam praeparatio ad instaurationem, ut populus de culpis admissis vere doleat; unde propheta iam incipit innuere quomodo obviandum sit instaurationi. Eandem animi dispositionem postmodum pluribus exsequitur ; eandem describunt et, expostulant reliqui prophetae (cf. Os. 2, 44. Mich. "71, 9. Ier. 3, 28. Baruch 4, 1*1. Dan. 9, 5 etc.). Deus autem mulierem infidelem non dure increpat, sed amanter consolatur. Quanto enim in eam amore etiamnum feratur ostendit, quia pro castigatione inflicta iam clementiam spondet sempiternam, quasi duritiem illam quam coactus ei adhibuit largissima amoris perpetui effusione compensare vellet. Unde v. '1 « ad. punctum in modico dereliqui te et in miserationibus magnis congregabo te;
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v. 6 dixit Deus tuus;
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v. 8 in momento indignationis abscondi faciem meam parwnper a te. et in misericordia sempiterna misertus sum tui, dixit redemptor tuus Dominus »; — imminutio et extenuatio culpae ad veniae et amoris significationem pertinet eamque eo magis reddit iucundam et gratam, quo magis is cui ignoscitur gravem suam esse culpam cognoverit. Unde Deus modum consolandi adoptat quo animi maxime permulcentur. Breve est exsilii tempus « quia multo longius est tempus misericordiae suae et in infinita saecula procurrit : breve enim et contractum est irae tempus, si ad longitudinem benignitatis nunquam finiendae nobis a Deo datae conferatur, qui nos a potestate tenebrarum eruit et ad regnum Filii dilectionis suae in lucem transtulit » (S. Cyr.). Excellentia novi foederis prae vetere hisce pariter declaratur ; duobus enim praestare dicitur : miserationibus magnis i.e. maioribus et uberioribus Dei donis ac gratiis et amore sempiterno (hebr. 72m) vel benevolentia Dei perpetua; unde implicite promittitur sanctitas novi foederis nunquam deficiens, quia Deus nunquam amorem sium a nova theocratia amovebit. Vetus iniquitate populi concidit, nova autem inconcussa stabit, quia erit inviolabiliter sancta ; cf. 51, 6. 8. 22; 52, 1. 10. Igitur hic quoque valet : non sicut delictum, ita et donum, scd multo magis gratia Dei et donum abundavit (Rom. 5, 15; cf. Mald Tir.) In hebr. v. 6 et 8 « propheta utitur eleganti paronomasia » (Malv.). Adnotat Sanct. a pio atque attento philosopho coniectari posse, quanti fieri debeant miserationes illae magnae, id est beneficia quae Deus promittit iis quos in Ecclesiae sinum congregabit, quando illorum comparatione tot annorum repudium, tam diuturni labores a prudentibus rerum aestimatoribus instar puncti censentur. Amorem hunc quem continuo instauratae theocratiae impendere vult, sollemni iureiurando Deus confirmat v. 8 dixit redemptor tuus Dominus;
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v. 9 « sicut in diebus Noe istud, mihi est, cui iuravi ne inducerem aquas Noe ultra supra terram, sic iuravi wt non ?rascar tibi et non increpem te »; — hebr. quia ut aquae Noe haec mihi, in quibus iuravi.. LXX xà voU b89arog toU imi Nàe; non aquas sed dies Noe exprimunt Syrus, Aq. Sym. Theod. S. Hier. Chald. ! ; ceterum sensus demum idem eruitur. Alludit. vates ad Gen. 9, 41 : « statuam pactum meum vobiscum et nequaquam ultra interficietur omnis caro aquis diluvii, neque erit deinceps diluvium dissipans terram ». Proinde tale iudicium quod Deus exercuit ac devolvit in veterem theocratiam regnum iudaicum tradendo hostibus et populum in exsilium eiiciendo iam non erit; aliis verbis : nova theocratia iam non eo modo quo vetus castigabitur ; proinde cum nexus sit statuendus individuus inter culpam et castigationem, nova theocratia erit sancta, ita ut talem ei infligere castigationem iam nullo modo opus sit futurum. Haec igitur irae Dei effusio quae facta est in exsilio erat ut diluvium ; talis iam non erit. Quibus verbis apertissime patet Deum alloqui Ierusalem messianam et nullo pacto urbem iudaicam qua talem vel populum iudaicum qua talem ; nam in urbem illam et stirpem iterum tale iudieium devolutum est simile priori, immo gravius priore, scil. vastatio per Romanos facta et dispersio por Romanos inducta. Unde de cuius urbis restitutione sermo propheticus instituatur, patere debet neque opinamentis chiliastarum vel antiquorum vel recentium est attendendum, cum et ipse propheta et S. Paulus (Gal. 4, 9'7) nos doceant minime urbem lapidibus constantem esse argumentum prophetiae, verum theocratiam novam messianam, cuius symbolum apte assumitur Ierusalem, utpote sedes ac centrum theocratiae veteris. Iurisiurandi sacramento additur ulterior confirmatio similis illi 51, 6. 8, scil. Dei promissa firmitate et constantia eminere prae cunctis rebus creatis ; unde etsi quae firmissima sunt hisce in terris contremiscant et pereant, Dei gratia tamen nunquam recedet a theocratia nova;
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v. 10 « montes enim commovebuntur et colles contremiscent, misericordia autem mea, non recedet a te et foedus pacis meae non movebitur, dixit miserator tuus Dominus » ; — i. e. etsi firma terrae fundamenta nutent et concutiantur, verba Dei tamen non nutabunt; cf. Matth. 94, 35. Ex rebus gestis (v. 9) et ex rerum natura ea seligit propheta quae firmissima sunt, ut Dei promissa prae cunctis stabilitate et firmitate eminere doceat. Hac promissione sanctitas novi foederis denuo corroboratur; misericordia enim et foedus pacis in eo potissimum elucent quia stabilis adest fidelitas, et si illa perseverare dicuntur, eo ipso uberrima promittitur gratia, qua constans sanctitas in nova theocratia conservatur. Haec autem concessum iri .ex Dei miserentis gratia, quae novae theocratiae propria est, ultimis verbis edicitur. Nota singula promissa formula 1. Discrimen scilicet in hebr. est minimum; voculas '273» alii legerunt. iunctas "25; ita quadam adiecta confirmari; v. 4 dixit Dominus ; v. 10 dixit miserator tuus Dominus; quo maiora sunt promissa et magis ad consolationem facta, eo graviori formula quasi sigillo apposito roborantur. Hisce quoque metire 'ac pondera, quanti aestimanda sit iustitia illa quam largitur servus Domini (53, 11). Cum tam praeclara promissa dentur, iam facile patet quantopere nova theocratia prae vetere emineat. Id vero symbolica quadam ratione (magis etiam et distinctius effertur. Unde veteris miseria commemorata quam praeclaro aedificio nova sit exstruenda ostenditur
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v. 14 « Paupercula, tempestate convulsa absque ulla consolatione! ecce ego sternam per ordinem lapides tuos et fundabo te in sapphiris » ; — uti in v. 4 denuo inculcatur salutem esse exorituram, dum urbs sit in conditione vili et abiecta ; quae conditio tribus designatur vocibus : misera, saeva quasi tempestate concussa et convulsa et dispersa (cf. Os. 13, 3) et ab aliis non consolatione, sed ignominia et opprobriis affecta; nam « longe factus est a me consolator » et « cui comparabo te et consolabor te, quis medebitur tui » (cf. Lament. 1, 16 ; 2, 13 etc.)? Verum secundum multitudinem afflictionum consolationes ei fient. Instaurationem splendidam splendida urbis aedificatione repraesentat : ecce ego : ipse Dominus operis effector et auctor erit. Unde aedificium singulari pulchritudine splendebit ; nam in hebr. sternam in stibio lapides tuos, uti ipse S. Hier. hebr. vertit et explicat idem : « in similitudinem comptae mulieris quae oculos pingit stibio, ut pulchritudinem significet civitatis »; « quemadmodum enim cum mulier, ut formae decorem addat, stibio linit oculos, ita et ego, inquit, omni specie ac decore formosiores ponam structurae iuae lapides » (Juseb.). Est stibium fucus quo mulieres ad palpebras . illinendas utebantur, ut oculis maiorem adderent splendorem. Unde dicitur lapides iri inter se coniunctum non calce, sed stibio, quo splendor moenibus et aedificiis concilietur (cf. For. Malv. Sanct. Lap. Tir. Troch.). In fundamentis ponuntur sapphiri, qui, ut ait S. Hier. « habent coeli similitudinem et supra nos aeris, et Ezechielis quoque Scriptura commemorat quod locus in quo thronus Dei sit sapphiri habeat similitudinem et gloria Domini in hoc colore consistat, qui portat imaginem supercoelestis ». Unde declaratur fundamentum adesse coeleste, immotum firmamenti instar, firmum ac stabile, ut thronus Dei (cf. Ez. 1, 96; 10, 1). Eiusmodi aedificii imagine S. Paulus quoque regnum messianicum describit : « superaedificati super fundamentum apostolorum et prophetarum, ipso summo angulari lapide Christo Iesu in quo omnis aedificatio constructa crescit in templum sanctum in Domino » (Eph. 2, 20. 21). Fundamento et moenibus reliqua quoque adaptantur
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v. 12 « et ponam iaspidem propugnacula. tua. et portas twas in. lapides sculptos et omnes terminos tuos in lapides desiderabiles » ; — propugnacula, éxXie; LXX, pinnae conficiuntur ex rubino (uti plerumque vocem hebr. explicant); portas tuas ponam in carbunculos ; portae igitur ex carbunculis fient et omnes termini ex margaritis; terminos intellige, uti Deut. 19, 14; 97, 471. Os. 5, 10. Prov. 22, 98 etc., de lapidibus vel signis quibus limites agrorum describuntur; ergo campi, agri, fines urbis pretiosis lapidibus definiuntur, ab aliis separantur et distinguuntur (cf. Mar. Sanct.). Minus placet quod alii exponunt, totum muri circuitum ostentaturum esse lapides pretiosos (Ros. Ewald, Kn.), vel : quocumque te vertas, pretiosa quaeque calcabis, quasi viae omnes totumque usque ad terminum spatium margaritis vel gemrais essent constrata (Osor. For. Lap. Hahn, Del. Naeg.). Ceterum de singulorum nominum explicatione aliqua satis dubia sunt. Adnotal S. Hier. : « ubi nos iaspidem sequentes LXX diximus in hebr. scriptum habet chodchod (1512), quod solus Symmachus 72xn8óviov transtulit ». Iam. Mald. scribit : « alii margaritam, ut Chald., alii gemmas, alii carbunculum, alii rubinum, alii crystallum, alii adamantem interpretantur ». Vox praeterea solum invenitur Ez. 27, 16, &d quem loeum S. Hier. notat : « chodchod omnes interpretes ita ut in hebr. positum est transtulerunt »; LXX eo loco legunt 70pz6e. Recentiores rubinum intelligunt. Ubi S. Hier. ponit lapides sculptos, LXX. habent lapides «gvozód)Xov et teste S. Hier. « Symmachus et. Theodotio scalpturae, id est, 3*vo7; , Aquila xpoxaviopov, quod verbum foratarum caelatarumque gemmarum sensum sonat ». Recentiores interpretantur carbunculum ; et ità iam apud Maid. Malv. Calm., et vocem TEN proprie lapides flammantes, lucentes explicant vel lapides splendoris ignei. Talis igitur est Sion, de qua Dominus : ecce in manibus meis descripsi te; muri tui coram oculis meis semper (49, 16). Iam quid magnificentia ista aedificii sibi vult? S. Cyr. explicat de Christo qui sit fundamenti instar et de apostolis et doctoribus qui sint pro propugnaculis portisque Ecclesiae, per quos Ecclesia defenditur et ad Ecclesiam intratur; S. Hier. de doctrina, virtutibus, charismatibus quibus Ecclesia ornatur et similiter Pint. Sanct. Lap. aliique quorum loco audiatur Osor. : « eris itaque pietate fundata et cupiditate rerum coelestium inflammata et invicto robore animi divinaque constantia munita omniumque virtutum maximarum claritate et splendore collucebis, ita ut divino praesidio cincta sis et opibus divinis egregie locupletata ». Per singula tamen nomina non opus est explicationem velle pertexere. Symbolum enim est haec aédificatio atque id praeprimis depingitur splendorem ac dignitatem theocratiae instauratae esse singulare Dei opus et longe eminere prae vetere theocratia; tantum adesse discrimen ac si urbi communi opponas urbem margaritis exstructam. Iam ut Isaias saepius solet, imagini et symbolo subdit explicationem (cf. 14, 92. 23. 95. 26 etc.) declarans qui sint lapides vivi quibus urbs sit aedificanda :
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v. 13 « universos filios tuos doctos a Domino et multitudinem pacis filiis tuis »; — ponam scil.; novae theocratiae iam non dicitur vituperium illud 50, 2 ; huius cives vel filii se Domino docendos promptis animis committunt, ut ipse servus Domini 50, 5, et hac institutione proficiunt. Maior Dei cognitio atque magis intima propria exhibetur novae theocratiae (cf. 11, 9. Ier. 31, 34), idque eo magis quia Messias iudicium, legem proferet et in lucem gentium erit (42, 1 seq. 49, 6) ; unde decet homines maiore scientia Dei imbui. Cum vetus etiam theocratia habuerit prophetas a Deo edoctos praeter institutionem legis omnibus promulgatam atque communem, id quo nova theocratia eminebit, in eo erit reponendum, ut. et maior adsit et magis universalis cognitio Dei. Neque enim utriusque discrimen in eo constituitur, ut vetus habuerit magisterium externum; nova habitura sit excluso hoc solum magisterium internum divinitus cuivis concessum, sed uti in vetere theocratia « discipuli Domini » efformabantur magisterio externo et interna gratiae Dei illustratione (cf. 8, 16), ita erit in nova quoque eo solum discrimine, ut in hac amplior sit magisque generalis cognitio Dei (cf. Ioan. 6, 45. 1 Thess. 4, 9). Idem habes expressum in illa populorum inter se adhortatione : ascendamus ad montem Domini et ad domum Dei Iacob et docebit nos vias suas (2, 3) ; dum enim dicunt se ascendere ad domum Dei Iacob, ad eam Se accessuros spondent familiam, in qua Deus sua reposuit oracula, ergo magisterium profitentur adeundum esse externum, dum autem dicunt et docebit nos internam illam uberemque gratiae illustrationem concessum iri rite quaerentibus et ad Deum Iacob i. e. in certa familia sese manifestantem accedentibus indicant. Hanc autem cognitionem divinitus ubertim infusam consequitur pacis abundantia, quae pax omnium bonorum cumulum exhibet et periodi messianae constans est signum et tessera (cf. 9, 6. 7; 11, 6). Nova igitur theocratia et intellectum hominis et voluntatem propriis bonis donisque imbuet; nam « lex per Moysen data est, gratia et veritas per Iesum Christum facta est » (loan. 1, 17). Haec pacis bona oriri dicuntur ex intima illa cognitione Dei; optime quidem ; nam « haec est vita aeterna ut cognoscant te, solum Deum verum, et quem misisti Iesum Christum » (Ioan. 17, 3). Unde quid magnifica illa aedificatio lerusalem sibi velit, vates ulterius declarat
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v. 44 « et in iustitia fundaberis; recede procul a. calumnia quia non timebis, et a pavore quia non appropinquabit tibi »! — hebr. iustitia firmaberis ; firma novae theocratiae conditio in eo consistit quod in ea perpetua adest sanctitas. Priori enim theocratiae hostes ideo nocere poterant quia populus a pietate desciverat ; nova e contra stabili pietate firmabitur; quare ei dici potest : procul esto ab oppressione ; iam nullum adest periculum quod timeat, quia dum sanctitate firmatur, nullus ei hostis damnum inferre poterit. Id autem certissime fore modo loquendi per imperativum denotatur. Nullus ei pavor poterit appropinquare sanctitate munitae; nam uti Zach. 2, 5 dicitur : ego ero ei, ait Dominus, murus ignis in circuitu. In nova Sion demum implebitur quod Balaam praedixerat, Dominum fore populi sui defensorem ac tutorem, quamdiu ei fideliter servierit : « non est idolum in Iacob nec videtur simulacrum in Israel : Dominus Deus eius cum eo est et clangor victoriae regis in illo » (Num. 23, 21). Illam conditionem vetus Sion non adimplevit, quare etiam promissione illa non est potita; implebit nova; unde perpetuo Dominus erit cum ea et clangor victoriae in illa. Haec autem novae theocratiae sanctitas non ad unum restringitur populum, sed uti constanter fit in oraculis messianis, promissio indolem universalem induit. Simul nova subditur ratio, cur Sion procul futura sit a pavore ; nam alienigenae aut fient subditi theocratiae et tunc sane nihil periculi ab iis imminet (v. 13), aut si eam impugnare conantur, peribunt (v. 16. 17). Unde
54:15
v. 48 « ecce accola veniet qui non erat mecum ; advena quondam tuus adiungetur tibi » ; — quiantea a Deo plane alienus erat, ergo gentilis, fiet accola Israelitarum, fiet sicut. proselyta ; et qui verum Deum iam colebat, eousque proselyta erat portae, etiam arctiore vinculo populo Dei iungetur. Modus loquendi depromptus est a duplici genere proselytarum i. e. alienigenarum, qui in Palaestina simul cum Israelitis habitare poterant. Nam qui dicebantur proselytae portae vel peregrini inter portas tuas verum Dei cultum ita exercebant, ut tamen non omnia praecepta foederis legisque observarent, dum proselytae iustitiae circumcisione assumpta penitus in populum Israel assumerentur (cf. Ex, 42, 49). Etiam illi iuribus quibusdam fruebantur (cf. Lev. 19, 10; 93, 99. Deut. 14, 29; 16, 10 etc.). Erit igitur sensus : in nova Viecerdd efficietur, ut qui Deum nondum noverint eum cognoscant et colant, qui iam cognoverint eique servierint, maiore studio et ardentiore ei adhaereant. Unde facile consequitur gradus quosdam in perfecto cultu Dei innui. Ita vulg. ; similem sensum dant LXX : ecce proselytae accedent ad te per me et coloni erunt tui et ad te confugient (ex versione S. Hier); sim. Syrus : omnes qui alieni sunt a manibus meis (aversi a partibus meis) ad te ingredientur et eris asylum habitatoribus tuis; Chald. : en, congregatione congregabuntur ad te exsules (transmigrationes) populi tui in fine, reges populorum qui congregantur ad opprimendum te, lerusalem, in medio tui prosternentur. Et cum S. Hier. nihil de aliorum versionibus adnotet, valde probabile est etiam Aq. Theod. Sym." . verba hebr. vertisse eo modo quo LXX et S. Hier. Verbum "a saepius apud Is. adhibetur ; cf. 11, 6 ; 16, 4 habitare, commorari ; 98, '1 peregrinari ; 39, 44 ; 52, 4; quare sane hoc nostro loco eodein sensu accipi potest. Unde hebr. verbotenus verti potest : em habitando habitabit (qui) non est mecum ; id quod eundem cum vulg. sensum exhibet ; parumper alio modo Vet. : nemo tamquam peregrinus aberit a signo meo (foederis scil.). In altero membro 5v 52: eodem sensu accipiendum erit quo adhibetur 1 Sam. 29, 3. 29 Reg. 95, 11. 1 Par. 12, 19. 90. 9 Par. 45, 9. Ier. 91, 9; 34, 9 et cum 5 Num. 34, 2. Iud. 18, 4. Ios. 17, 5. Ez. 41, 14. 92. Ps. 16, 6 scil. ad aliquem transire, alicui obtingere. Hoc modo verba acceperunt LXX, Syrus, S. Hier. et e recentioribus complures (ef. - Malv. Mald. Calm. Reinke, Net. Ges. Hahn, Or.). Quare versio vulg. iure sustineri potest. Sensus qui in ea habetur ad contextum omnino aptus est ; immo multo melior quam ille, quem alii e recentioribus ex textu hebr. eliciunt. Accipiunt enim ^3 notione congregandi sensu tamen hostili et explicant : si qui sese congregaverint ad te impugnandum, id fit absque me, iniussu meo, .contra meam voluntatem ; quisquis congregaverit se contra te, propter te cadet (ita iam Osor. Clarius, For. Rohl. Sein. Kn. Del. Naeg.). Alii explicant **3 notione disceptandi, quae tamen significatio nullo exemplo probari potest. Explicatio autem haec propterea minus placet, quia ea quae demum in v. 16. 17 dicuntur iam praeoccupantur, ita ut fere tautologia textui imponatur. Cum ergo versio vulg. et verbis hebr. omnino accommodetur et in veteram versionum acceptione fundetur et insuper meliorem exhibeat sensum, omnino praeferenda esse videtur. Neque quidquam erit ab hostibus timendum. Nam
54:16
v. 16 « ecce ego creavi fabrum sufflantem in igne prunas et proferentem vas in opus suum et ego creavi interfectorem. ad disperdendum » ; — vas intellige arma, quae faber facit vel secundum munus suum vel ad suum consilium exsequendum. Et eum qui arma parat creavit Deus et eum quoque qui perniciem infert; « tam hostes tui quam eorum industria et vires in manu mea sunt; ego eos creavi et ex dono meo habent vires, industriam, arma bellica; si ergo iubeo te securam agere, non est quod timeas » (For. sim. Mald. Sanct. Lap. Men.). Cum igitur et is qui arma parat et is qui eis utitur ad perniciem inferendam totus plene a Deo dependeat, utpote a Deo creatus, nihil est quod timeatur; uti enim illi in vita, ita in quocumque etiam opere ad unum Dei nutum diriguntur et ab eius imperio sese eximere nullo modo possunt. Vel duo membra versus etiam ita concipi possunt : uti Deus eum creat qui arma conficit ad bellum inferendum ita etiam illum creat qui huiusmodi hostem comprimat et exstinguat (cf. Osor. Malv. Rohl.). Hostes igitur plane in Dei potestate sunt; « quae res valde confirmare ac solari debet eos qui in Ecclesiae fide atque complexu sunt, cum illius auctor ac conditor Deus omnia adversariorum machinamenta et vires dissolvere possit ac perdere solo nutu » (Sanct.). Si alii fabrum hune diabolum interpretantur (S. Hier. Pint. Sasb.), eum nominant qui omnium hostium in theocratiam furentium princeps est et antesignanus et qui sane arma contra eam proferre et adhibere non cessat. Cum ergo cuncta a Dei potestate dependeant, Deus autem Sionem velit firmiter restauratam, facile sequitur
54:17
v. 17 « omne vas quod. fictum est contra te non dirigetur et omnem linguam resistentem tibi in iudicio iudicabis; haec est hereditas servorum Domini et iustitia. eorum apud me, dicit Dominus »; — i. e. nullus impetus hostilis contra Sion prosperum habebit exitum '. Duo genera impugnationum indicantur : alterum quod fit vase i. e. bellico instrumento, igitur vel armis vel vi et violentia, persecutionibus, brevi potentia materiali ; alterum quod fit lingua, quae est mentis et intellectus interpres, oppugnatione quae fit eloquentiae et scientiae auxiliis. Neutrum genus succedet. In utroque autem omnes impugnationes quae concipi possunt includuntur. Bene notandum est, in hebr. magis nervose dici : omnem linguam quae tecum (contra te) consistet ad iudicium condemnabis ; ergo Sion habebit ius et potestatem, ut omnem qui iudicio contendat cum Sione condemnet, reum vel impium declaret. Contendere autem cum Sione is dicitur, qui vel obedientiam et submissionem denegat vel Sionem erroris accusat vel doctrinam eius impugnat. Ut ergo nova theocratia omnem linguam contendentem iudicio possit. condemnare efficaciter, adesse debet in ea summa auctoritas iudicialis, cui omnes se subiicere tenentur. Ad hane autem auctoritatem praeprimis pertinet ut in nova theocratia adsit magisterium infallibile, quo sine ullo erroris periculo constet, quid sit vera doctrina; nam quomodo sine tali auctoritate Sion posset omnem linguam condemnare? etiam illam qua ipsa doctrina fucatis rationibus impugnatur? Promittitur itaque theocratiae victoria perennis, qua prosternet hostes aperta vi insultantes vel calumniis, mendaciis, falsis doctrinis et rationibus eam impugnantes. Et talis victoria perpetua est hereditas, sors inalienabilis servorum Domini, quibus scil. ea contingit quia intime iuncti sunt cum servo Domini. Servus enim Domini in lucem gentium erit; hanc autem lucem omnibus afferet ope theocratiae instauratae i. e. ope suae Ecclesiae; ergo sors ej attributa et ius illud quod Deus apud se sartum tectumque servabit (Mald.) erit indefectibilitas Ecclesiae, qua omni impetu superior omnem impugnationem et errorem perpetuo victrix efficaciter reiiciet. Duo illa hostium genera ita describit S. Cyr. : « hi grassantur in sanctos, interdum et iacula emittunt multifariam saevitiae suae tela iactantes, persecutiones et, afflictiones et variatentationum inventa inducentes ; sed non prosperabuntur a Christo, ut possint animas sanctorum corrumpere ; impiarum dein haereseon inventores, blasphemas voces contra ineffabilem maiestatem proiicientes tantum non vocant in ius sanctos qui veritatem propugnant et sinceram ecclesiasticorum dogmatum rectitudinem iuveniliter et animose defensant; verumtamen vincuntur Christo etiam hoc sanctis largiente. Ab eo enim proficiscitur quod possunt omnem hostium impetum omnemque semen illud quod servus Domini videbit (53, 10); haec autem theocratia erit universalis (v. 2. 3), erit sancta (v. 4-14), erit invieta (v. 9. 10. 16. 1), omni impetu et errore superior et potestate et auctoritate iudiciali omnes adversarios condemnans (v. 11; sim. Sasb. Pint. For. Sanct. Lap. Tir. Troch).
54:9
The Flood is recalled in the Old and New Testaments: Wis. 10, 4; 16, 6 ff.; Sir. 16, 7; 44, 17-19; Is. 54, 9; Mt. 24, 37-39; Lk. 17, 26 ff.; I Pt. 3, 20 ff.; II Pt. 2, 5; Heb. 11, 7. These passages affirm the historicity not only of the fact, but also of the circumstances narrated in Genesis. …
Noe (Heb. Nōah; Septuagint Nōe; cf. Old Babylonian Nuḫīja)
… promise that he would no longer in the future inflict upon the human race a punishment like that one (Gen. 8:21 ff.), a promise that God more solemnly confirmed some time later, stipulating with N. and his descendants a "covenant" (ibid. 9:8-17; cf. Is. 54:9), which he set as a divine seal upon N.'s condition as the new progenitor of the human race; in it he renewed and expanded certain dispositions already given to the first head, Adam …
54:13
… messianic kingdom; the holy work par excellence, the study of the T., will be the reward of the righteous in Eden; such rabbinic affirmations twist the divine promise: "I will put my t. within them and write it on their heart" (Jer. 31:32 [Vulg. 33]; cf. Isa. 54:13; Ps. 37 [36]:31).
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.