The dreadful evil of sin is displayed, as the great obstacle to all good from God: yet he will send a Redeemer, and make an everlasting covenant with his church.
Sinnes do separate men from God: 3. as manslaughter, theift, and lying, with contempt of iudgement and iustice. 12. Men are otherwise iudged iust or vniust in the world, then in dede they are before God: 16. who seeth and iudgeth al rightly.
1Behold the hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save, neither is his ear heavy that it cannot hear.Ecco che la man del Signore non è accorciata, talmente che egli non possa salvare: né si è a lui ingrossato udito si, ch'ei non senta:BEHOLD the hand of our Lord is not abridged that he can not saue, neither is his eare made heauie that it can not heare.Ecce non est abbreviata manus Domini, ut salvare nequeat, / neque aggravata est auris ejus, ut non exaudiat. 2But your iniquities have divided between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you that he should not hear.Ma le vostre iniquità sono quelle, che han messa divisione tra voi, e il vostro Dio, e i peccati vostri hanno ascosa a voi la sua faccia, ond'ei non vi esaudisse.But your iniquities haue deuided betwen you and your God, and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he would not heare.Sed iniquitates vestræ diviserunt / inter vos et Deum vestrum; / et peccata vestra absconderunt faciem ejus a vobis, / ne exaudiret. 3For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity: your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue uttereth iniquity.Perocché le mani vostre son' imbrattate di sangue, e le vostre dita d'iniquità: le vostre labbra parlano menzogna, e la vostra lingua discorre d'iniquità.For your handes are polluted with bloud and your fingeres with iniquitie: your lippes haue spoken lie, and your tongue speaketh iniquitie.Manus enim vestræ pollutæ sunt sanguine, / et digiti vestri iniquitate; / labia vestra locuta sunt mendacium, / et lingua vestra iniquitatem fatur. 4There is none that calleth upon justice, neither is there any one that judgeth truly: but they trust in a mere nothing, and speak vanities: they have conceived labour, and brought forth iniquity.Non v'ha chi la giustizia chiami a consiglio, non havvi, chi giudichi con verità: ma nel nulla confidano, e nella bocca hanno le vanità: concepirono affanno, e partorirono iniquità.There is none that doth inuocate iustice, neither is there any that iudgeth truly: but they trust in thinges of nothing, and speake vanities: they haue conceiued labour, and brought forth iniquitie.Non est qui invocet justitiam, / neque est qui judicet vere: / sed confidunt in nihilo, et loquuntur vanitates; / conceperunt laborem, et pepererunt iniquitatem. 5They have broken the eggs of asps, and have woven the webs of spiders: he that shall eat of their eggs, shall die: and that which is brought out, shall be hatched into a basilisk.Hanno fatto schiuder le ova degli aspidi, e hanno tessute tele di ragni: chi mangerà di quelle ova, perirà: e se a covare si pongano, ne scapperà fuori un basilisco.They haue broken the egges of aspes, and haue wouen the spiders webbes: he that shal eate of their egges, shal die: and that which is nourished, shal be hatched into a cockatrice.Ova aspidum ruperunt, / et telas araneæ texuerunt. / Qui comederit de ovis eorum, morietur; / et quod confotum est, erumpet in regulum.
6Their webs shall not be for clothing, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are unprofitable works, and the work of iniquity is in their hands.Le loro tele non saran buone a far vesti, né eglino co' lavori loro potranno coprirsi: le fatiche loro sono fatiche inutili; perchè opra d'iniquità è quella, che hanno nelle mani.Their webbes shal not be for clothing, neither shal they be couered with their workes: their workes are vnprofitable workes, and the worke of iniquitie is in their handes.Telæ eorum non erunt in vestimentum, / neque operientur operibus suis; / opera eorum opera inutilia, / et opus iniquitatis in manibus eorum. 7Their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are unprofitable thoughts: wasting and destruction are in their ways.I loro piedi corrono al male, e si affrettano a spargere il sangue innocente: i loro pensieri son pensieri buoni a nulla: dovunque passano, lascian desolazione, ed affanno.Their feete runne to euil, & hasten to shede innocent bloud: their cogitations are vnprofitable cogitations: waste and destruction are in their wayes.Pedes eorum ad malum currunt, / et festinant ut effundant sanguinem innocentem; / cogitationes eorum cogitationes inutiles: / vastitas et contritio in viis eorum. 8They have not known the way of peace, and there is no judgment in their steps: their paths are become crooked to them, every one that treadeth in them knoweth no peace.Non conoscon la via della pace, e i loro passi non son diretti dalla giustizia: le loro vie sono storte; e chiunque le batte, non sa, che sia pace.They haue not knowen the way of peace, and there is no iudgement in their steppes: their pathes are become croked to them: euerie one that treadeth in them, knoweth not peace.Viam pacis nescierunt, / et non est judicium in gressibus eorum; / semitæ eorum incurvatæ sunt eis: / omnis qui calcat in eis, ignorat pacem. 9Therefore is judgment far from us, and justice shall not overtake us. We looked for light, and behold darkness: brightness, and we have walked in the dark.Per questo si è allontanato da noi il giudicio, e non arriva sino a noi la giustizia: aspettammo la luce, ed ecco le tenebre; il chiarore del dì, e camminiamo all'oscuro.For this cause is iudgement far from vs, & iustice shal not apprehend vs. We expected light, and behold darkenesse: brightnes, & we haue walked in darkenes.Propter hoc elongatum est judicium a nobis, / et non apprehendet nos justitia. / Exspectavimus lucem, et ecce tenebræ; / splendorem, et in tenebris ambulavimus. 10We have groped for the wall, and like the blind we have groped as if we had no eyes: we have stumbled at noonday as in darkness, we are in dark places, as dead men.Come ciechi ci attacchiamo alla muraglia, e come privi d'occhi camminiamo a tastoni: inciampiamo nel bel mezzogiorno come all'oscuro, siam come i morti ne' luoghi bui.We haue groped as blind men, for the wal, and as without eies haue feeled: we haue stumbled at noone day as in darkenes, in darke places as the dead.Palpavimus sicut cæci parietem, / et quasi absque oculis attrectavimus: / impegimus meridie quasi in tenebris; / in caliginosis quasi mortui.
11We shall roar all of us like bears, and shall lament as mournful doves. We have looked for judgment, and there is none: for salvation, and it is far from us.Ruggirem tutti noi come orsi, e gemeremo, sospirando come colombe. Noi aspettammo la giustizia, e non viene, la salute, ed ella si è dilungata da noi;We al shal roare as beares, and as mourning doues we shal lament. We haue expected iudgement, and there is none: saluation, and it is far from vs.Rugiemus quasi ursi omnes, / et quasi columbæ meditantes gememus: / exspectavimus judicium, et non est; / salutem, et elongata est a nobis. 12For our iniquities are multiplied before thee, and our sins have testified against us: for our wicked doings are with us, and we have known our iniquities:Perocché le iniquità nostre si sono moltiplicate nel tuo cospetto, e i peccati nostri depongono contro di noi; conciossiachè le nostre scelleratezze sono con noi, e conosciamo le nostre iniquità.For our iniquities are multiplied before thee, and our sinnes haue answered to vs: because our wicked doings are with vs, & our iniquities we haue knowen,Multiplicatæ sunt enim iniquitates nostræ coram te, / et peccata nostra responderunt nobis, / quia scelera nostra nobiscum / et iniquitates nostras cognovimus. 13In sinning and lying against the Lord: and we have turned away so that we went not after our God, but spoke calumny and transgression: we have conceived, and uttered from the heart, words of falsehood.Abbiam peccato, e mentito al Signore, e ci siamo rivolti indietro, per non seguire il nostro Dio, per calunniare, e far ingiustizie: noi concepimmo, e dal cuore mandammo fuori parole di menzogna.to sinne and lie against our Lord: and we were turned away so that we went not after our God, that we spake calumnie and trangression: we conceiued, and spake from the hart words of lying.Peccare et mentiri contra Dominum, / et aversi sumus ne iremus post tergum Dei nostri, / ut loqueremur calumniam et transgressionem; / concepimus et locuti sumus de corde verba mendacii. 14And judgment is turned away backward, and justice hath stood far off: because truth hath fallen down in the street, and equity could not come in.E il giudizio si è ritirato indietro, e lungi se ne sta la giustizia: perocché è andata per terra nel foro la verità, e la rettitudine non può porvi piede.And iudgement was turned backward, and iustice stood far of: because truth hath fallen downe in the streete, and equitie could not enter in.Et conversum est retrorsum judicium, / et justitia longe stetit, / quia corruit in platea veritas, / et æquitas non potuit ingredi.
15And truth hath been forgotten: and he that departed from evil, lay open to be a prey: and the Lord saw, and it appeared evil in his eyes, because there is no judgment.Ed è andata in obblio la verità; e chi dal male si allontanò, fu oppresso: e vide ciò il Signore, e strana cosa a lui parve, che giustizia non fosse più:And truth grew into obliuion: and he that departed from euil, lay open to the praye: and our Lord saw, and it appeared euil in his eies, because there is no iudgement.Et facta est veritas in oblivionem, / et qui recessit a malo, prædæ patuit. / Et vidit Dominus, et malum apparuit in oculis ejus, / quia non est judicium. 16And he saw that there is not a man: and he stood astonished, because there is none to oppose himself: and his own arm brought salvation to him, and his own justice supported him.E vide, che uomo non è, e n'ebbe stupore, perchè non è chi s'interponga, ed ei nel suo braccio trovò la salute, e la giustizia di lui ella stessa lo confortò.And he saw that there is not a man: and he was astoined, because there is none to oppose himself: and his owne arme saued to himself, and his iustice it self confirmed him.Et vidit quia non est vir, / et aporiatus est, quia non est qui occurrat; / et salvavit sibi brachium suum, / et justitia ejus ipsa confirmavit eum. 17He put on justice as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head: he put on the garments of vengeance, and was clad with zeal as with a cloak.Egli si è vestito della giustizia come di una corazza, ed ha sul suo capo il cimiero della salute: il vestimento ond'ei si ammanta è la vendetta, e per pallio, che lo circonda, ha lo zelo.He is clothed with iustice as with a brestplate, and is an helmet of saluation on his head: he is clothed with garments of reuenge, and is couered as with a mantel of zele.Indutus est justitia ut lorica, / et galea salutis in capite ejus; / indutus est vestimentis ultionis, / et opertus est quasi pallio zeli: 18As unto revenge, as it were to repay wrath to his adversaries, and a reward to his enemies: he will repay the like to the islands.Come per far vendetta, come per rendere giusta misura di sdegno a' suoi avversarj, e il contraccambio a' suoi nemici: ei darà alle isole la lor mercede.As vnto reuenge, as it were vnto retribution of indignation to his aduersaries, and recompence to his enemies: he wil repay the like to the ilandes.sicut ad vindictam quasi ad retributionem / indignationis hostibus suis, / et vicissitudinem inimicis suis; / insulis vicem reddet. 19And they from the west, shall fear the name of the Lord: and they from the rising of the sun, his glory when he shall come as a violent stream, which the spirit of the Lord driveth on:E temeranno il nome del Signore quegli, che stanno all'occaso; e la gloria di lui que', che stanno all'oriente, allorché egli verrà come impetuosa fiumana, spinta dallo spirito del Signore.And they of the West, shal feare the name of our Lord: and they of the rysing of the sunne, his glorie: when he shal come as a violent streame, which the spirit of our Lord driueth:Et timebunt qui ab occidente nomen Domini, / et qui ab ortu solis gloriam ejus, / cum venerit quasi fluvius violentus / quem spiritus Domini cogit;
20And there shall come a redeemer to Sion, and to them that return from iniquity in Jacob, saith the Lord.E allorché verrà il Redentore per Sionne, e per quei di Giacobbe, che si convertono dall'iniquità, dice il Signore.and there shal come a redemer to Sion, and to them, that returne from iniquitie in Iacob, sayth our Lord.et venerit Sion redemptor, / et eis qui redeunt ab iniquitate in Jacob, / dicit Dominus. 21This is my covenant with them, saith the Lord: My spirit that is in thee, and my words that I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.E questa è la mia alleanza con essi, dice il Signore: Lo Spirito mio, che è in te, e le parole mie, le quali io ho poste in bocca a te, non si dipartiranno dalla tua bocca, e dalla bocca de' tuoi figliuoli, e dalla bocca de' figliuoli de' tuoi figliuoli da questo punto fino in sempiterno.This is my couenant with them, sayth our Lord: My spirit that is in thee, and my wordes that I haue put in thy mouth, shal not depart out of thy mouth, and out of the mouth of thy seede, and out of the mouth of thy seedes seede, sayth our Lord, from this present and for euer.Hoc fœdus meum cum eis, / dicit Dominus: / spiritus meus qui est in te, / et verba mea quæ posui in ore tuo, / non recedent de ore tuo, / et de ore seminis tui, / et de ore seminis seminis tui, dicit Dominus, / amodo et usque in sempiternum.
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Iniquities. The history of Susanna shews that the captives were not all free from sin, which alone prevented their liberation, Lamentations 3:44. (Calmet) [Daniel xiii.]
Worthington
God is willing and able to save. He punishes for sin, to cause us to repent, ver. 20. (Worthington)
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Justice. They arraign unjustly. None call upon the just God, but trust in idols.
Iniquity. They kill themselves, while they strive to injure others, Psalm 7:15., and Micheas 2:1.
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Calmet
Basilisk, or viper. (Calmet)
Pliny
The young ones "burst through the viper's sides." (Pliny, [Natural History?] 10:62.)
So the works of the wicked are useless or destructive.
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Peace, or prosperity. They quarrel with all, and ruin themselves, Psalm xiii.
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Therefore. The wicked Jews nevertheless confess that their sins prove their destruction.
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Dead. The Jews will not recognize Christ, notwithstanding the prophecies and miracles.
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Judgment, that God would avenge us, (ver. 9.) and regard our fasts, Isaias 58:3.
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In. Where truth is disregarded, there can be no justice.
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Calmet
Himself, to arrest his arm, stretched out to chastise his son; or to second him. There is nothing in man to stop God's vengeance. He therefore pardons out of his own goodness, Isaias 59:2., and 63:4. (Calmet)
Worthington
He became man to redeem us, as no pure mortal could do it. (Worthington)
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Justice. None can blame his conduct.
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St. Jerome
On. Hebrew, "is standard-bearer." (Aquila) (St. Jerome)
Cyrus, the figurative redeemer, proceeds rapidly.
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Haydock
To Sion. Septuagint, "from Sion, and will turn away iniquity from Jacob. (21.) And this," etc. (Haydock)
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Challoner
Covenant. Note here a clear promise of perpetual orthodoxy to the Church of Christ. (Challoner)
She hath still the spirit of truth. (Worthington) (Matthew 28:20.)
Calmet
None will apply this to the synagogue, which is visibly in the dark, and abandoned. (Calmet)
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This is my covenant, etc.... Note here a clear promise of perpetual orthodoxy to the church of Christ.
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No defect is in God spowre nor wil, that he deliuereth not the faithful from afflictions, but their sinnes are the impedimen t;for vvhich he punisheth them, that they may repent, & then he wil deliuer them, v. 20.
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Concordance Iob. 15.
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Concordance Prou. 1. Rom. 7.
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No pure man being able to redeme, and deliuer mankind from captiuitie of sinne, God became man to accomplish this worke.
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Concordance Ephes. 6. 1. Thes. 5.
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Rom. ••.
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The Church hath stil the spirit of truth; and therfore can neuer erre.
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On the Lapsed 21
… And He has poured upon them the fury of His anger.” And elsewhere it testifies and says, “Is the Lord’s hand shortened, that it cannot save; or His ear heavy, that it cannot hear? But your iniquities separate between you and your God; and because of your sins He hath hid His face from you, that He may not have mercy.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 An Address to Demetrianus 11
… “Is the Lord’s hand,” says he, “not strong to save you; or has He made heavy His ear, that He cannot hear you? But your sins separate between you and God; and because of your sins He hath hid His face from you, that He may not have mercy.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 2.5
… For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with sins. Moreover, your lips have spoken wickedness, and your tongue meditates unrighteousness. No one speaketh truth, nor is there true judgment: they trust in vanity, and speak emptiness, who conceive sorrow, and bring forth wickedness.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.48
… For your hands are polluted with blood, and your fingers with sins; and your lips have spoken wickedness, and your tongue devises unrighteousness. No one speaks true things, neither is judgment true. They trust in vanity, and speak emptiness, who conceive sorrow, and bring forth wickedness.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 41.5
… Therefore, says be, “We beseech you in Christ’s stead to be reconciled unto God.” But how are we reconciled, save by the removal of that which separates between us and Himself? For He says by the prophet, “He hath not made the ear heavy that it should not hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 23.12
… “Behold the hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save, neither is His ear heavy that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have divided between you and your God and your sins have hid His face from you that He should not hear.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 An Exhortation to Theodore After His Fall 1
… For He Himself never turns away from us, but it is we who put ourselves far off: for “I am a God” we read “at hand and not a God afar off.” And again, when He was rebuking them by the mouth of this prophet He said “Do not your sins separate between you and me?”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 6.14
… It is the greatest punishment to commit sin, though we may remain unpunished; as on the other hand, it is the greatest honour and repose to live virtuously, though we may be punished. For sins separate us from God; as He Himself speaks; “Have not your sins separated between you and Me?”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 11
… ( Ps. cxxxix. 7 .) How then can we flee from God? Even as we can become distant from God, even as we can be removed afar off. “They that are far from Thee,” it says, “shall perish.” ( Ps. lxxiii. 27 .) And again, “Have not your iniquities separated between Me and you?” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 68
… To terrify the hearer, therefore, the writer saith, “He hardened,” and “gave over.” For to show that He doth not only not give us over, but doth not even leave us, except we will it, hear what He saith, “Do not your iniquities separate between Me and you?” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 4.8
But on account of what does the same apostle say, that we are reconciled to God by Christ, except on account of what we had become enemies? And what is this but sin? Whence also the prophet says, “Your sins separate between you and God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 21.19
… For while they remain, there remains in some sort enmity against God, and alienation from Him, which comes from what is evil in us; since Scripture does not speak falsely, which says, “Your sins separate between you and God.”
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
… your lips have spoken lawlessness, and your tongue imagineth iniquity: no man speaketh right things, nor is there true judgment
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
… for they conceive mischief, and bring forth lawlessness. They have hatched the eggs of an asp, and woven a spider’s web; and he who is prepared to eat of their eggs, when he breaks them finds gall, and a basilisk therein
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Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 21.3
… For if Israel is gathered together, in Sodom and Gomorrha ought they to dwell with the rulers of Sodom and with the people of Gomorrha; and on the vine of Sodom and planting of Gomorrha to eat bitter grapes and gather clusters of gall; and to eat the eggs of the basilisk and to clothe themselves with spiders’ webs,
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 2.7
And now let us see what he adds to his previous statements. “Not dividing,” he says, “His own essence by begetting, and being at once begetter and begotten, at the same time Father and Son; for He is incorruptible.” Of such a kind as this, perhaps, is that of which the prophet says, touching the ungodly, “They weave a spider’s web
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 99
… Holy Scripture clearly teaches us both natures. Nevertheless, though I have ever thus spoken, certain men are uttering lying words against me. But I rely on my conscience and have as witness to my teaching Him who looks into the hearts. So, as the prophet says, I regard the contrivances of calumny as “a spider’s web.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 154
… Now in spite of their having heard the imperial letter and the advice of the most honourable count Candidianus, they have nevertheless made naught of due order. As the prophet says “They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web; and he that would eat of their eggs when he breaks them findeth rottenness, and therein is a viper,”
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 90.10
… and many other instances of the same nature. “Our years are passed in thought like a spider.” We were labouring in things corruptible, corruptible works were we weaving together: which, as the Prophet Isaiah saith, by no means covered us.
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 154
… As the prophet says “They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web; and he that would eat of their eggs when he breaks them findeth rottenness, and therein is a viper,” Wherefore we confidently cry “Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 10
… who, like the eyes that are in the head, survey heavenly things, who stand far aloof from the earth, and have nothing in common with it, whilst others occupy the rank of feet, and tread upon the earth; of healthy feet indeed, for to tread upon the earth is no crime in feet, but to run to evil. “Their feet,” saith the Prophet, “run to evil.” (
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
… when they waited for brightness, they walked in a thick cloud. They shall grope for the wall like the blind, and as those who have no eyes shall they grope; they shall fall at noon-day as at midnight; when dead, they shall groan. They shall roar together as a bear, or as a dove
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.11
… Both secular literature, and the Jewish book entitled Deuterosis,
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 24
… for hear what the Prophet saith, “Let it be unto him as the raiment wherewith he covereth himself, and for the girdle wherewith he is girded continually” ( Ps. cix. 19 .); and the Prophet Isaiah again saith, that God hath “put on righteousness as a breastplate” (
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 19
Ver. 26 . “There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 14.8
… forasmuch as in that humble coming “blindness hath happened in part unto Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles might enter in,” in that other should happen what follows, “and so all Israel should be saved.” For the Apostle too takes that testimony of Isaiah, where it is said, “There shall come out of Sion He who shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:”
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St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 16.30
… signifying that the Spirit is one and undivided, but His operations various. So again, Jacob My servant ,….. I have put My Spirit upon Him . And again, I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed ; and again, And now the Lord Almighty and His Spirit hath sent Me ; and again, This is My covenant with them, saith the Lord, My Spirit which is upon thee
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1. BEHOLD, THE HAND OF THE LORD IS NOT SHORTENED. — The hand, that is, power. See what was said at chapter L, 35. For there the Prophet said the same thing. These words are rightly connected to the end of the preceding chapter in this way, as if to say: Now I have declared and shown to you, O Jews, that if you are pious and merciful, and keep my sabbaths, I will build up the deserts of ages; I will lift you up above the heights of the earth, and feed you with the inheritance of Jacob your father: behold from these promises of mine, and similar benefits which I have otherwise bestowed upon Abraham, David and your fathers, you see easily that the fault and delay are not in me, that you are not liberated from your enemies and troubles, nor does it happen from a defect of my power or benevolence, that I have heavy ears, that is, hard ears and as if stopped up and closed with some heavy and thick humor, so that I do not hear your prayers; but you are at fault, you who by your sins have brought a cloud and great chaos between me and you, which hinders your prayers and repels them, so that they do not penetrate and reach my ears. See what was said in Lamentations III, 44. Whence he adds:
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2. BUT YOUR INIQUITIES HAVE DIVIDED BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOD. — Just as the firmament is the space dividing the waters above from those below, Genesis chapter I, 6; so your sins are the space firmly dividing and separating you from heaven, the Angels and God; therefore your sins "have hidden" from you "His face" and His benevolent eyes, so that He may not regard you kindly and graciously; and His open ears, so that He may not hear your prayers. The Septuagint translates: Because of your sins He turned His face away from you so that He may not have mercy. St. Jerome gives a twofold reason for this. First: "He shows," he says, "that He cannot bear the stench of sins and their iniquity." For just as we turn our nostrils away from a foul and stinking corpse, or from latrines; so God turns Himself away from sin. Second: "He turned," he says, "His face away, lest He should see their shame, and be forced immediately to strike." He turns away His face therefore not so much from anger as from clemency and indulgence, by which He waited patiently for their conversion.
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3. FOR YOUR HANDS ARE POLLUTED WITH BLOOD. — He descends from the general to the particular, and specifically recounts and reproves their crimes. The first is this homicide, in that they have polluted their hands and conscience with blood shed by themselves. AND YOUR FINGERS WITH INIQUITY, — with slaughters, robberies and all violence. YOUR LIPS HAVE SPOKEN LIES, AND YOUR TONGUE UTTERS INIQUITY, — and in speaking adorns and arranges it, as Vatablus translates; for it incites and impels others to the same iniquity.
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4. THERE IS NONE THAT CALLETH UPON JUSTICE, — that is to say, There is none who calls justice into counsel and employs it, that he may judge truly; but they employ in counsel their own avarice and cupidity; and thus they pervert judgments for bribes and favors, condemning the innocent, and adjudging the cause to the guilty. This is evident from what follows. The Hebrew texts word for word have: There is none who calls in justice, which our translator rightly renders: "Who calleth upon justice." Yet secondly it can be translated thus, that is to say, No one calls another justly into court. Whence it follows in the Hebrew: There is none who contends in judgment, or disputes truly; or rather: There is none who is judged truly, because namely, as our translator renders it, there is no judge who judges truly and sincerely. Thirdly, Vatablus thus understands it: There is none who calls in justice, that is, there is none who cries out against the wicked, and justly reproves and judges them acting unjustly. Whence others translate: There is none who cries out for justice. Let the assessors of judges note this, equally as pastors, who, although they do not pronounce unjust sentences, yet do not resist iniquitous judgments, nor undertake the patronage of justice. For their silence is tacit consent. BUT THEY TRUST IN VANITY, — that is to say, They do not trust in justice and truth; but they place their hopes in vain things and nothingness, namely in their stone and wooden idols. Thus St. Thomas and Haymo, or rather in external form and empty appearance and mask; both of justice and piety, and of wisdom and cunning, and of power and authority, by which they unjustly oppress others. THEY HAVE CONCEIVED LABOUR. — Note that by labour or fatigue, and, as in Psalm VII, verses 15 and 17 (to which Isaiah here alludes), our translator renders, "sorrow," by metonymy is signified sin, which is the cause of many sorrows and labors both present and future, and is conceived and perpetrated with great solicitude, anxiety, labor and sorrow. The sinner therefore, like a woman in travail, with great trouble and pain bears, fosters and nourishes sin in the womb of his mind; which he afterwards brings forth with like pain, and moreover soon brings forth for himself both present and eternal punishments. How true this is, is seen plainly in those who seek after honors, riches, and pleasures. Thus Hugo. Secondly and more properly, the sin of homicide and violence against one's neighbor (for it is of this that verse 3 speaks) is called here labor and iniquity, both passively, because it affects the sinner with labor and pain, as I have already said; and actively, because it causes the neighbor whom he kills or injures to labor, groan and suffer. Thus St. Cyril, St. Thomas, Forerius and Sanchez. Whence it follows:
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5. THE EGGS OF THE ASP (only the Aquila translates it, of vipers) THEY BROKE. — It is a proverb, as if to say, "The eggs of the asp," that is, their malignant conceptions and machinations of wrath, rapine and murder, through their sons (for eggs are broken not by the mother, but by the fetus enclosed in the egg, when it is already animated and strives to come forth into the light) or their followers executed (as in a state often some are those who devise the crime, others who help and execute it), and in fact perpetrated robberies and murders. For these are as it were asps coming forth from eggs, which create destruction both for others, to whom they are destined, and for the very authors and parents themselves. Thus St. Jerome, Haymo, Procopius, Hugo and others. For he who rears an asp from an egg is bitten by the same; for when the egg is broken, the asp bursts forth, which inflicts venom in the wound of the tongue upon the breaker of the egg. Some think that here is treated and alluded to the birth of the viper, which bears many offspring up to twenty, but brings them forth gradually, namely one each day; and so the others, impatient of delay, break through the sides, the parent being killed," says Pliny, lib. X, cap. LXII. Whence St. Gregory, lib. XV Moral. IX: "The viper," he says, "is named from the fact that it gives birth by force." For thus the impious, while they devise and bring forth evil for others, draw upon themselves harm and destruction. Although Aldrovandus and other learned men deny that the viper is killed by the fetus; nevertheless Pliny teaches it, and it is the common sense and speech of men, to which Holy Scripture is accustomed to conform itself. In like manner, whether the viper conceives eggs and excludes offspring from them in the womb is uncertain. For Pliny asserts it, Aristotle denies it, lib. V Histor. animalium, cap. V. Scripture therefore calls "eggs" the membrane at least, by which it is certain that the fetus is enclosed in the womb, and which is broken when it is born and comes forth. But the matter here is not about the viper, but the asp. Furthermore, that the asp, like other serpents, lays eggs is established and clear from this passage of Isaiah; nay, not only birds, fish, serpents, but also shells and other shelled animals, in spring and autumn, lay eggs, as Aldrovandus teaches, lib. III de iisdem. Aelianus relates, lib. I De Natura animal., that against the bites of vipers and all serpents a remedy is found, except for the asp alone, especially if it has tasted of a frog, as the same says lib. II. The bite of the asp alone therefore is more powerful than all care, and is overcome by none (except by a woman); inasmuch as it kills by sight or touch alone, one of which it has in common with the regulus, the other with aconite. Hence Nicander: "The bite of the asp," he says, "is incurable." Hence also the proverb: The weapon of the asp is truly a wicked woman. Furthermore, this proverb: "The bite of the asp" applies especially to a secret enemy and so much more pestilential, because secretly and without pain this serpent infuses venom; nor does a wound appear in the body after the bite, only a lethal sleep creeps over: although Pliny, lib. XXIX, cap. IV, and Dioscorides, lib. II, XXXIII, assert that bugs are effective against the bite of the asp. Morally, from a similar case, it is lawful to use this proverb, when someone devises evil for another, which at the same time is turned back and falls upon the head of the deviser. For such a one, as it were brooding over the eggs of the asp and vivifying and breaking them, is bitten by the fetus bursting forth. A similar and most elegant example exists in the Emblem of Alciat 154, concerning the crow and the scorpion: So much so, says the bird, the crow seized in its foot into the air the scorpion, the rewards gained by bold gullet. But this one, venom gradually infused through the limbs, drove the ravisher into the Stygian waters, the avenger. O a thing worthy of laughter! he who prepared fates with threats perished himself, and succumbed to his own deceits. Similarly the ichneumon acts, which by a certain physical antipathy, after killing the mother, rages against the eggs, but incurs death from their contact. Thus the crow seizing the scorpion, its curved tail, receives a lethal wound, and perishes. Hence the proverb: "The crow and the scorpion;" again: "You rouse the four-footed creature," namely the scorpion, which has eight feet. Such also is: "You sting the lion, You irritate the hornets, You are caught in your own snare, You are slain by your own sword." Thus Ovid mourns: "Alas, I suffer wounds made by my own weapons!" And Livy, lib. II De Secundo bello Punico: "Hannibal felt that he was being attacked by his own arts." Plutarch relates that Brasidas the general, having drawn the weapon from his body, pierced with the same him who had sent it. Trebellius Pollio narrates that Marius, one of the thirty tyrants, was killed by a soldier, who approaching him said: "This is the sword which you yourself made." For Marius before his power had been a blacksmith, and this soldier had worked in the smithy under his direction. Tropologically, St. Gregory, book XV of the Morals, IX: "To break the eggs of asps," he says, "for wicked men is to lay open by perverse works the counsels of malignant spirits, which lie hidden in their hearts." And Procopius: "The eggs of asps," he says, "he calls the seeds of the devil, who is an asp and a most venomous and cunning serpent, who deceived Eve and all her children." Allegorically, St. Jerome and Haymo understand these things of the Jews, who like vipers and asps stopped their ears, lest they should hear the doctrine of Christ and the warnings of salvation; and who like vipers killed Christ their parent. Whence also St. John the Baptist calls them "generation of vipers." Arias also rightly applies these things to perverse judges, who by their fraudulent practices drive litigants into desperation and ruin. AND THEY HAVE WOVEN THE WEBS OF SPIDERS,—that is to say, Just as spiders weave webs to catch flies and gnats: so these men by their frauds, robberies and murders thought to prepare and weave for themselves the wealth of the common people and the poor, that they might feast and clothe themselves splendidly; but they wove nothing but futile and useless spider webs. These webs pertain to clothing, just as eggs pertain to feasting and food; for on account of food and clothing, all robbery is committed. Just as therefore in clothing it denotes emptiness and want; for from spider webs clothing cannot be made, as is said in verse 6; so in food it denotes destruction: for he who eats the eggs of asps, as follows, eats poison and death; but he who broods over and hatches eggs, produces a serpent, that is to say, These violent men think by their weapons and frauds to prepare for themselves garments, but they prepare for themselves spider webs, that is, thinness, nakedness, filth, obscurity and poverty: they think to prepare a feast, but they prepare for themselves death and punishment. For all these things the Chaldeans inflicted upon them by the just judgment of God the avenger on account of these crimes, and afterwards the Romans, overthrowing Judea. Whence St. Gregory in the place cited: "To weave the webs of spiders," he says, "is to work any temporal things for the concupiscence of this world; which, since they are solidified by no stability, the wind of mortal life assuredly snatches away." We see the spider continually and studiously weaving, laboring and exhausting itself: but what has it woven? an empty and filthy web. O foolish merchants and weavers, who weave small, fleeting and vile things, and exchange them for great, precious and eternal things, giving heaven for earth, soul for body, life for death! Forerius explains these things otherwise: The fastings, he says, of the Jews, sabbaths, prayers, tithes, and other things which the Jews celebrated with great ambition, were spider webs: for they seemed to have some work and dignity; but since they lacked faith and charity, all their labor was useless. Symbolically, the webs of spiders (which are subtle and artful, but fragile and futile, as St. Gregory of Nazianzus beautifully declares, oration 2 On Theology) are woven first by heretics, by whose sophistries flies are caught, that is, the stupid and rude; but wasps, that is, keen and learned men, break them. Thus Gregory of Nazianzus, oration in praise of Heron. Secondly, by astrologers, who from the stars divine with certainty about the future events of things. Thus St. Ambrose, book IV of the Hexaemeron, IV. Thirdly, by unjust judges and executors of laws, of whom it is said: He grants pardon to ravens, but the censure vexes doves. Wherefore Thales said that laws are like spider webs, which retain small animals, but are torn by large ones. Fourthly, by notaries, scribes, unjust advocates, who ensnare the weak by their frauds, despoil and drain them. Fifthly, by Jews and their vain traditions, futile histories, and Cabalistic fictions. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, Procopius and Delrio, adage 803. WHOEVER SHALL EAT OF THEIR EGGS SHALL DIE,—that is to say, Whoever joins and associates himself with their impious machinations, these shall draw from them not advantage, but harm and destruction. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, Procopius and others. Note here what is the force and perniciousness of perverse association, how deadly it is to converse and associate with the impious. For these at tables, banquets, games, eat the eggs of asps with them, and drink the poison of lust, buffoonery, quarrels, or even of perverse doctrines, by which they kill the soul, and not rarely the body. Hence upon them applies a similar proverb, which Tertullian mentions, book III Against Marcion, chapter VIII: "An asp from a viper;" when the worst takes something evil from the worst: "Let the heretic now cease," says Tertullian, "to borrow poison from the Jew, an asp (as they say) from a viper." It is moreover related among the apophthegms of Diogenes, who, observing two women conferring secretly with each other, said: The asp borrows poison mutually from the viper. The venom of both serpents is incurable and equally harmful; except that the bite of a viper kills more by torments; the asp brings so little pain that there is not even an absence of pleasure, if we believe Pliny. Forerius explains these "eggs" differently, namely that they are perverse doctrines at war with the law of God, such as Christ objects to the Scribes and Jews, namely, that they perverted the commandment of God concerning honoring parents, concerning oaths, concerning the violation of the Sabbath, and others, by their wicked interpretations, as is seen in Matthew XXIII, 16. For those who drew in and followed these things killed the soul; for they were poisons of conscience. Whence Christ admonishes, Matthew XVI, 11: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees," that is, of their corrupted doctrine, which corrupts and infects good morals; as leaven infects a mass of flour; indeed, as a regulus, which kills not only by its breath, but also by its look upon those who behold it. Whence it follows: AND WHAT IS HATCHED SHALL BREAK FORTH INTO A REGULUS, — as if to say: Truly these eggs of the impious are harmful. For if you eat of them, you take in poison; if you tread on them, you will be killed by a young one bursting forth. For regulus Aquila translated viper; Symmachus, asp. It is certain that naturally from the eggs of asps, not reguli, that is, basilisks, but asps are born. It is therefore a proverb similar to that in chapter XIV, 29: "From the root of the serpent shall come forth a regulus," signifying that these conceptions and machinations of the wicked break forth into things most pestilential and pernicious, such as a regulus is, as if to say: Wicked thoughts and machinations, if they break forth into action, produce most wicked deeds, which far exceed the thoughts themselves in wickedness and harm. He gives the reason for what he said in verse 5: "The eggs of asps have broken forth." The Septuagint translates: Whoever shall wish to eat of their eggs (for the eggs of asps are beautiful in external appearance), breaking them shall find something rotten, and in it a regulus. Which according to the sense already given is to be explained. Sanchez thinks Christ alluded to this, when in Luke XI, 12, he said that a father would not give to a son asking for an egg a scorpion, as if to say: He would not give an egg of an asp, in which a regulus or scorpion lies hidden. Morally, St. Gregory, XV Moral. IX: "Whoever shall eat," he says, "of their eggs, shall die; because whoever has received the counsels of unclean spirits kills the life of the soul in himself. And what is hatched shall break forth into a regulus; because the counsel of an evil spirit which is hidden in the heart is nourished unto full iniquity. For the regulus is called the king of serpents. But who is the head of the reprobate, except Antichrist? What therefore is hatched shall break forth into a regulus; because he who receives in himself the counsels of the asp to be nourished, made a member of the wicked head, grows into the body of Antichrist."
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6. NOR SHALL THEY COVER THEMSELVES WITH THEIR WORKS. — For "their" can be translated "of them," namely of the webs, as if to say: With so much work and effort, as spiders weave webs, so that they cover themselves with them; and yet they cannot cover themselves with them, they can be defiled.
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7. THEIR FEET RUN TO EVIL. — Behold, here he explains the spider webs and the eggs of asps, as if to say: Their thought is continually intent upon malice, their hand is stretched out to plunder, their feet run to slaughter, their paths are perverse, — as if to say: Their whole life is corrupted, all their morals and acts are depraved; they think of and do nothing but evils, which bring damage and ruin to others, and likewise to themselves. St. Paul cites this passage, Romans III, 15. See the remarks there. DEVASTATION AND DESTRUCTION IN THEIR WAYS, — as if to say: Wherever they go, they devastate and destroy all things; they are like a plague, which destroys everything.
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8. THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THE WAY OF PEACE, — as if to say: They disturb peace everywhere, they mix all things with tumults and disturbances. It is a meiosis. St. Clement, lib. II Constit. Apost. cap. XXI, aptly applies these things to Bishops, who excommunicate unjustly and hastily (for these shed blood, that is, they kill their own soul and that of another), and who are unwilling to receive penitents, when the Lord Jesus, who is the way of peace, taught, saying: "Forgive, and you shall be forgiven." AND THERE IS NO JUDGMENT (that is, justice, rectitude, equity) IN THEIR STEPS, — as if to say: Their steps are unjust, wicked and distorted. THEIR PATHS ARE CROOKED (that is, depraved, and, as the Septuagint has it, perverse), — they are not straight. WHOEVER TREADS IN THEM (whoever follows their paths, steps and acts), KNOWS NOT PEACE, — because with the tumultuous he is tumultuous, and he devises plunders and slaughters.
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9. THEREFORE JUDGMENT IS REMOVED FAR FROM US (that is, as follows), AND JUSTICE SHALL NOT OVERTAKE US. — For often in the Scriptures judgment is joined with justice, and is explained through it, as in Psalm LXXI, 1: "O God, give thy judgment to the king: and thy justice to the king's son: to judge thy people in justice, and thy poor in judgment." The sense therefore is, as if to say: On account of our crimes now recounted, true justice has withdrawn from us. For what we sought through fastings, feasts and other ceremonies, and arrogated to ourselves, was external only, painted and masked; because we lacked internal purity, mercy and piety. It is a general statement, which applies both to the Jews in the time of Isaiah, and to posterity. Whence St. Jerome rightly adapts it to the Jews who were unbelieving in Christ and persecuted him; from these indeed faith, religion and justice were taken away, and these were transferred to the Gentiles believing in Christ. Secondly, Sanchez also expounds it thus, so that by judgment he understands vengeance against the enemies of the Jews, but the particle and is rational, signifying because, as if to say: On account of this vengeance has not been taken against our enemies; because justice was not found in us, because namely we exercised judgments without truth, and without justice we summoned the innocent to law, as he said in verse 4. For this is a just punishment, that just judgment being neglected, just judgment shall not be made. Thus Forerius. WE HAVE LOOKED FOR LIGHT, AND BEHOLD DARKNESS. — "Light," that is prosperity; "darkness," that is calamity. For light is the symbol of liberty and of a happy and fortunate lot; as darkness is of captivity and misery, as I have said many times already. Now referring this to the Jews in the time of Christ, symbolically "light" and splendor signify the splendor of the Gospel, and the justice of Christ; for what he called judgment and justice a little before, he here calls light and splendor, as if to say: We Jews were expecting the Messiah, who would illuminate us, and redeem us, and justify us; but on account of our unbelief and impiety, when he came, we became blind, and we groped and stumbled at midday, because the faith of Christ, and his justice and grace everywhere propagated and shining, we alone as if blind did not see it, and as if groping we walked (for the blind has a hand in place of an eye; whence first groping with his hand he explores the path, before he sets his step upon it), so that deservedly we all ought to roar and groan, and all recognizing this will truly roar and groan. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, Procopius and Theodoret. For to Christ indeed these things especially pertain, as is evident from the end of the chapter, and from what has been said.
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10. IN DARK PLACES AS THE DEAD. — Leo the Hebrew translates: We dwell in sepulchres as corpses; it signifies the utmost blindness and calamity, as if to say: Just as the dead dwell in dark and foul sepulchres, so we devoted to our crimes and filthiness remain in them, wallow, strike against them, fall, slip, so that never does the light of grace, joy and happiness shine upon us, as if we were plainly dead, bloodless and lifeless: nay, if we are brought to perceive its splendor, we are dazzled and blinded by it, as Galen relates of a certain tyrant who was accustomed to blind men; for he forced them into prisons and dark and gloomy places, and after much time brought them out into the sun, who, suddenly overwhelmed by the brightness of the sun, were immediately deprived of sight. The same thing happens tropologically to philosophers, atheists, politicians, and even to those who place all the supports of their life and condition in their own prudence, labor, arms and strength, who if they are recalled to the clear doctrine of divine truth, will and providence, like owls not bearing so much light, are rather blinded by it. Thus Arias, and from him Delrio, adage 804.
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11. WE SHALL ROAR LIKE BEARS ALL OF US. — The Chaldean paraphrast explains this of the enemies of the Jews, who had raged against them like roaring beasts. But it should have been said thus: The enemies shall roar, not, We shall roar. The sense is therefore, as if to say: Just as bears bereft of their cubs roar horribly from the greatest sorrow, and just as doves perpetually groan as if meditating: so also we Jews, abandoned by God and Christ, and laid waste both by the Chaldeans and by the Romans, shall groan and lament horribly and continually. Thus Cyril. He mentions the roaring of a bear rather than a lion, because bears bring forth shapeless cubs, which they then form by licking, and thus as it were give birth twice; wherefore they love them exceedingly, and if they lose them they grieve exceedingly. Again, the roaring signifying the fury of the bear represents the indignation of the Jews, and at the same time the cries of conscience, which testifies to them and cries out against them that they justly suffer these things on account of their crimes and the slaying of Christ. Secondly, St. Jerome holds that by the bear is signified the cruelty of the Jews toward the poor and humble, for example Christians; by the dove, their fear and timidity toward enemies, whether Chaldeans or Romans. For he says: "We shall roar like bears all of us, and like doves meditating we shall groan; so that they are both cruel and miserable: fierce and savage toward the humble and subject, fearful and trembling toward those who are stronger, whom like hawks they dread exceedingly." And such Jews we see today. Whence the Spanish, when they wish to signify someone timid, say: "He carries a Jew in his breast," says Delrio, adage 805. Thirdly, Procopius thinks that in the bear is noted the savagery of the Jews, in the dove simplicity, each joined with imprudence and stupidity. WE HAVE LOOKED FOR. — He repeats in the manner of one lamenting what he said in verse 9, except that there he called it justice, here he calls it salvation; for justice is salvation begun, just as eternal salvation is justice consummated. For this is what Zacharias, singing of the advent of Christ the Savior, says: "Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us."
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12. AND OUR SINS HAVE ANSWERED AGAINST US. — that is, as Vatablus and Forerius explain, they accuse us before God, and demand vengeance from Him. Here sins are feigned by prosopopoeia as if a person standing before God, and as if being asked what ought to be done to sinners, and the voice of all is one, that they be destroyed and perish. Thus sins are said to cry out to heaven, as if unasked they accuse sinners, and cry out against them; for the more willingly we embrace them, the more sharply do they plead their cause against us before God. Secondly, more simply and more genuinely, the Jews thinking and complaining of their afflictions and punishments, and inquiring into their cause, their sins answered that they were worthy of this penalty. This is what he said in chapter III, 9: "The knowledge of their countenance answered them." See what is said there. Thirdly, beautifully Forerius and Sanchez: Sins, they say, like an echo answer to sinners. For just as an echo returns the voice from rocks the same voice which it received from the one crying out: so the punishment of sin answers to the same fault, as if its echo and reflection or most just reverberation; so that, just as the Jews were impious and cruel toward others, so in turn they feel and experience the Chaldeans and Romans impious and cruel toward them. Again, echo denotes the frequency and divulgation of sins, says Forerius. BECAUSE OUR INIQUITIES ARE WITH US, — among us, nay before us, they are always before our face. Thus David, repenting, said: "To Thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before Thee. For I know my iniquity: and my sin is always against me." Otherwise Sanchez: "Iniquities," he says, that is the punishments of iniquities, are with us, they continually harass us. Moreover he enumerates these iniquities when he adds: "To transgress and to lie against the Lord," so that namely we should break faith given to God, that we would serve Him alone, not idols, not vices, etc.
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14. AND JUDGMENT IS TURNED BACKWARD (Vatablus and Forerius translate, is driven back) — that is, justice is driven away from us. Whence it follows: BECAUSE TRUTH IS FALLEN IN THE STREET, AND EQUITY COULD NOT ENTER, — as if to say: Openly and publicly truth and justice are overthrown: because violence, iniquity and injustice, both of magistrates and of the common people, rage, flood and dominate everywhere. Therefore no place is left in our assembly for equity, no access, no entrance. Hence the Son of God descended from heaven, that He might restore justice in exile. Let republics and kingdoms take note of this, in which justice and virtue with religion have been destroyed, as we see and lament has happened in England, Scotland, Greece, and many other provinces, where Christians and just men lie open as prey to the wicked: "So that, unless you be a wolf, you must be the prey of wolves." Mystically, the street, says St. Jerome, is the broad and licentious life of the carnal, in this truth and honesty have fallen and perished.
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15. HE THAT DEPARTETH FROM EVIL SHALL BE MADE A PREY. — For where violence and impiety hold dominion, there innocence is oppressed, and the just become prey to the wicked. It is an Arabian proverb expressed word for word in Latin from Arabia: To be food for wolves, necessity compels thee in our age; But endure it, unless it please thee to be a wolf. For a thief knows a thief, a wolf knows a wolf.
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16. THERE IS NO MAN (that is to say: There is no one who, namely, doth judgment, that is, justice): AND HE WAS ASTONISHED, — that is, anxious and perplexed God remained: for this is what ἀπορίσμαι means, as I said in I Cor. cap. IV, 8. In Hebrew שתומם ishtomem, that is, he was astonished, that is, being astonished and wondering, and as it were destitute of counsel in a desperate matter, God remained in doubt; because there is no one who by prayer would meet his wrath. Thus St. Jerome and the Chaldean. Wherefore using divine counsel he sought the remedy not from earth, but from heaven; not from men, but from his arm and clemency. Note: Up to this point the Prophet has enumerated very many and most grave crimes of the Jews (under which he understands also the graver crimes of the Gentiles, namely idolaters), and has shown that they were incurable. Wherefore he adds that God undertook this cure in desperate matters, and brought salvation to them through Christ. Paul imitated this in his Epistle to the Romans. For in cap. I, the crimes of the Gentiles; in cap. II, of the Jews; in cap. III, the incurable crimes of both he aggravates, and thence concludes, cap. III, 23 and 24, that both needed the redeemer Christ. This is what the Prophet adds: AND HIS OWN ARM SAVED HIM (brought remedy, aid and salvation). — that is, to God salvation was his arm, that, as Vatablus says, his arm provided the same to him, that is to say, When the crimes of the Jews equally as of the Gentiles had grown to the utmost and were incurable, when the affairs of the world were desperate, and there was no one who would or could heal or bring aid; then God restored this whole matter, both his own and the world's, by his arm, that is, by his power; he himself by his own strength alone accomplished the whole matter. Thus Forerius, Vatablus and others. Some explain it thus, that is to say, Christ brought salvation to himself on the cross and in death, when on the third day by his arm and virtue he raised himself from it. But this is not literal, nor genuine. The Septuagint translates: He avenged with his arm; others: He saved him, namely the people, his arm, namely God's. Symbolically, learn here that in a battle equally spiritual as corporeal, courage avails much: "The commander," says Vegetius, lib. II, "should display ardor of spirit in his countenance and eyes." And Livy, lib. XXII: "The less fear there is, the less danger there is, as it were." And Sallust in Jugurtha: "Always in battle those are in greatest danger who fear most; boldness is held as a wall." And Curtius: "Whoever despises death escapes it; the most timid are overtaken by it." Hence Vegetius, lib. III, cap. XVIII: "Always," he says, "you ought to strive to draw up your line first." Again: "Those seem stronger who do not hesitate to challenge. For there is more courage in bringing danger than in warding it off." AND HIS JUSTICE (that is, the holiness, goodness and mercy of God) UPHELD HIM, — namely God, that is, it sustained and supported him and strengthened him, lest he should desist from what he had begun, but should undertake it strongly and press it forward constantly, so difficult a work of our salvation and redemption; so that, namely, for us enemies, impious, ungrateful, blasphemers, he would give his only-begotten Son into flesh and the death of the cross, and by his death would drive from us our enemies and tyrants, namely the demon, sin, death, hell. Secondly, "justice" here can be taken properly, that is to say, Although men are altogether perverse, the Lord nevertheless will free them, and in freeing them will use justice, namely a just ransom and satisfaction, which he will demand not from their merits, which are none, but from the merits of Christ, by which he satisfied for the sins of men to the last farthing, and thus justly reconciled us to himself, and redeemed us from the captivity of the devil. He speaks literally of the redemption of mankind through Christ, but alluding to the redemption of the Jews from Babylon through Cyrus. For the cause of this was not their own strength and merit, but God's power and grace. Wherefore those who accept these things plainly literally of the Jews and Cyrus, mystically only of Christians and Christ, indulge the Rabbis and Judaizers more than is fitting, and satisfy neither the dignity nor the mind of the Prophet. Indeed St. Jerome explains these better and more probably of the war and arms of God, by which through Titus and the Romans he conquered and destroyed the Jews on account of the crimes recounted above. But since this vengeance of God is customarily against the demon and sin, so that he might free men from them, and since it is itself his clemency toward men: again, since all that follows sounds joy, grace and covenant, the former sense of the redemption of men through Christ seems plainly literal and genuine.
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17. HE WAS CLOTHED WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS AS A BREASTPLATE. — Note the prosopopoeia, by which the Prophet describes God as a soldier armed from head to heels, with arms and panoply, with which the same Apostle arms each faithful one as a soldier of God, fighting against the demon, the world and the flesh, Ephesians VI, 13. Therefore first, the breastplate or corselet of God is "righteousness;" for this armed and strengthened God's whole breast and heart, so that He might fight for righteousness and His just dominion against tyrants, namely against demons, who unjustly held man captive; so that He might drive them from their unjust possession and recall man to his former liberty and his own right and dominion. This righteousness is mercy, says Haymo. Yet more plainly you should understand righteousness here properly: for God communicated it to Christ, so that it might arm and strengthen his whole breast, so that like adamant he might give his back to those striking and scourging him: and so, taking upon himself and bearing the penalties of our sins, he might justly satisfy God for them as much and more than they deserved. Secondly, the helmet of God is "salvation:" this armed God's head and mind, so that his whole intention might be directed toward the salvation of men; this is the active helmet: passive in Christ was divinity itself, for this covered Christ's head and guarded his salvation against enemies, when it raised him from death glorious as the conqueror of death. But you should understand it better of the active: for God and Christ looked to this, and from this Jesus, that is savior, was called. Thus St. Thomas, Hugh and Forerius. Thirdly, his garment was "vengeance:" for he was wholly borne, and as it were with his whole body, against enemies, namely sins, so that he might destroy them. Fourthly, his cloak was "zeal:" for this accumulated, covered and adorned his arms already mentioned. This zeal was threefold, namely first, of his honor and glory: for it would have been a disgrace to God to permit his creature to remain under the power of the devil. Second, of wrath against the demon and sin, his enemies and ours. Third, of love toward men. This threefold zeal, great and abundant, surrounded and adorned God on all sides like a cloak, which loosely embraces and surrounds the body and other garments. God communicated this zeal and the other arms to Christ, the leader of his war. For the whole life of Christ breathed zeal and vengeance: for from zeal for God's glory, our love, and hatred of enemies, he cast them down by his command, abolished sin, killed death, subdued the flesh completely, so that everywhere and in all things— THE HELMET OF SALVATION ON HIS HEAD. — The ancients were accustomed to carry great crests on their helmets, especially from the feathers of eagles, roosters and other victorious birds, both to terrify enemies, and to encourage their own spirits by this appearance, and to display in the helmet and crests the victory and the end and fruit of war which they had conceived in hope and mind, and to execute it strenuously by hand. Wherefore the helmet of God and Christ was salvation; for he bore and brought this forth through this war of his against the world. Moreover the insignia and as it were crest of this helmet was the cross; for through this he gave salvation. Whence Constantine also, about to fight against Maxentius, carried the sign of the cross on his helmet. For, as Prudentius sings, book I Against Symmachus: The cross burned added to the highest crests. This and more concerning the helmet from Sanchez. HE WAS CLOTHED WITH GARMENTS OF VENGEANCE. — St. Jerome, as I said, Cyril, Procopius and Haymo refer these to the vengeance which God exercised upon the impious Jews and killers of Christ through the Romans. But for the reasons which I assigned at verse 16, we shall better and more truly understand these of the vengeance which God wrought through Christ against the demon and sin. Figuratively therefore here Christ the Lord, coming to redeem men, is clothed as a leader in full armor, who, driven by divine fury, rushes not only against demons but also against sinful men subject to them, and strikes down, tramples, slaughters all who come in his way, and quenches his thirst with the blood of the slain. Where note: The Prophets, when they speak of this struggle of Christ and redemption, are accustomed to signify it by a twofold name and almost coupled together, that is vengeance and salvation, slaughter and redemption, indignation and peace, blood and life, victory and safety. For it alludes to the redemption of the Jews, which was accomplished with the slaughter of the Chaldeans, as every victory is accustomed to be accomplished with the slaughter of enemies. Again in this slaughter and salvation the same are enemies and friends, conquered and liberated, slain and redeemed; but dissimilar in character, nature and affection: for Christ subdued and abolished the unfaithful and impious, destroying sins and saving men; namely making the impious pious, the unfaithful faithful, the blasphemers worshippers of God, enemies friends: which was an illustrious and divine victory equally as a slaughter. See Canon XLVI. Whence it follows: HE WAS COVERED AS WITH A CLOAK WITH ZEAL, — that is, he was covered with zeal as with a cloak. Whence Vatable translates: He was clothed with indignation in place of a cloak. Thus at chapter LXI, 3, "a cloak of praise" is called the very praise clothing and adorning the faithful like a cloak: "Zeal therefore equally as charity is a cloak of God and of divine Majesty," as some of the saints wisely said.
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18. HE SHALL RENDER RECOMPENSE TO THE ISLANDS. — He calls islands the remote nations dwelling in islands and beyond islands, as I have said elsewhere: to these he rendered recompense, that is, the retaliation of vengeance, when he destroyed their impiety and idolatry, and made them Christian and pious. Otherwise St. Jerome; for he persisted in his exposition of the destruction of the Jews through Titus: whence by "islands," he understands Jerusalem, which was surrounded and beaten by the Roman army, as an island by sea and waves. But from what has been said it is clear that the former sense is the literal and genuine one.
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19. AND THEY WHO ARE FROM THE WEST SHALL FEAR THE NAME OF THE LORD (that is to say, All nations, both those dwelling toward the East and those toward the West, subdued by Christ and the Apostles, shall fear, that is, shall worship and revere, the faith and glory of God and Christ, and this shall come to pass then), WHEN HE SHALL COME AS A VIOLENT RIVER, WHICH THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD DRIVETH, — that is to say, When the mighty army of the Lord shall come to subdue the nations, which shall come with such force that it shall seem to be as a violent river, which is at the same time seized and driven by the wind; for the course of this rushing river no one can stop or hinder, but it overflows and destroys all things. Whence the Septuagint translates: As a violent river in the wrath of the Lord, it shall come with fury. For violent in Hebrew is צר tsar, that is, narrow, as Aquila translated it, and consequently violent. For a river if reduced to narrow straits and overflowing becomes violent, levels fields, crops, and the labors of oxen. By this force is signified the power, abundance and efficacy of the Gospel, and of the preaching of Christ and the Apostles, to which no wisdom, eloquence, or prudence could resist, as was seen in the preaching of St. Paul. Whence Theodotion translates: As a river narrowing or assailing. This was fulfilled at Pentecost, says St. Jerome, and thereafter, when there came from heaven a sound as of a mighty rushing wind, by which the Apostles, impelled and driven in a mighty spirit, broke the ships of Tarshish, that is, all the machines of the world, and traversed the whole globe most swiftly, and subdued it to Christ. Whoever therefore wishes to be an efficacious and Apostolic herald of the Gospel, and to convert sinners efficaciously through it, must of necessity go and preach, like the Apostles, in a mighty spirit. For cold sermons, such as we see many today, alas! do not strike cold hearts, do not inflame them. WHICH THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD DRIVETH. — "The Spirit of the Lord" is a great and mighty wind: for this gathers the waters and drives them to rush headlong. In like manner and with like force the zeal and spirit of the Lord drove and impelled the army of the Apostles. For driveth in Hebrew is נוססה nosesah, which Leo the Hebrew translates, impels, from the root נסס nasas, that is, flees, and in the piel and poel noses, that is, compelled to flee, drove and impelled. But Vatablus translates nosesah, shall raise a standard. For נס nes signifies a sign and standard, that is to say, Thus the Spirit of God presides over the army of God as a standard-bearer: he leads it, drives it and makes it powerful and efficacious, and prostrates all things. Whence thirdly, Aquila translates nosesah: The Spirit of the Lord is his seal; Theodotion: As a river assailing the Spirit of the Lord is sealed, "in Christ, says St. Jerome. For he is he of whom, John VI, 27, it is said: "For him hath God the Father sealed;" and Isaiah XI, 2: "And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness, and he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord." Whence also we say: The light of thy countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us; and in Ezekiel, chapter IX, verse 4, the foreheads of the men that sigh and mourn are marked with the impression of the letter thau of the Hebrew alphabet, which is the last among them."
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20. AND THERE SHALL COME TO SION A REDEEMER ("Sion," that is to Sion, namely to the Church. Whence explaining further he adds): AND (that is, that is) TO THEM THAT RETURN FROM INIQUITY IN JACOB. — Thus St. Jerome, Cyril and Procopius. For the Church is called "Sion, Jacob, Israel," etc., because it began in Sion among the Jacobites or Israelites, and the first stones thereof, that is the faithful and Apostles, were of the Church. Thus St. Paul explains it, Rom. XI, 26. Wherefore the commentary ascribed to St. Thomas, and Hugo, who take the redeemer literally to be Cyrus and Nehemiah, who was the one who brought back the Jews from Babylon into Judea, so that only allegorically Christ is signified here, greatly diminish, nay distort this oracle of the Prophet, as much as the argumentation of the Apostle. I say therefore that according to the letter the redeemer is Christ, not Cyrus; although it alludes to Cyrus: for Christ, not Cyrus, ratified the new covenant which follows. Whence in the following chapter the Prophet, rejoicing, exults and says: "Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem," etc. The Septuagint and from them St. Paul, Rom. XI, 23, translate somewhat differently thus: There shall come from Sion (for thus have it St. Jerome and the Complutensian, although Cyril, Procopius and the Sixtine have: On account of Sion who shall deliver, and turn away impiety from Jacob; because namely the Hebrew lamed is not only the article of the dative, but also sometimes is taken for מן min, that is from, of; whence לציון letsion they translate: From Sion. Again, it is the same thing to give Christ a redeemer to Sion, that is to those who return from iniquity, as for him to come to deliver and turn away impiety from Jacob: for in this was situated Christ's redemption, just as the antitype of Cyrus's redemption was situated in this, that Cyrus turned away the Babylonian captivity from Jacob, and they themselves returned from it into their homeland. For this reason God and Christ in the helmet and crown of the head offer salvation, not temporal, but spiritual from sin. Whence more clearly with Forerius from the Hebrew it can be translated: And there shall come to Sion a redeemer, and to the captives of Jacob from sin. For the Hebrew שבי schabe, from the root שבה schabah, that is he was captive, signifies captives: but if you derive it from שוב schub, that is he returned, signifies those returning, as our version translates it. Wherefore rightly from this place St. Paul teaches that the Jews are to be converted and saved at the end of the world, when the fullness of the Gentiles shall have entered into the Church. Furthermore, what the Apostle adds: "When I shall take away their sins," is not in this place in Isaiah, but has been added by the Apostle for the sake of explanation; for he explains and emphasizes that which preceded: "Who shall turn away impiety from Jacob," so as to teach that in this is situated the whole of Christ's salvation and redemption. Thus on that passage of Paul Origen, Anselmus, Toletus, Cajetanus, although Sanchez more probably judges these words to be taken from Isaiah IV, 4, where it is said: "If the Lord shall wash away the filth of the daughters of Sion," etc. Or rather from Jer. cap. XXXI, 34, where speaking of this same covenant God says: "For I will be merciful to their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." For Paul is accustomed to connect diverse places of Scripture, and to cite their sense, not their words. THE LORD SAITH, — in Hebrew נאם יהוה neum Iehova, as if to say This is the utterance, decree and oracle of the Lord. For with this grave pronouncement, as it were with a seal, the Prophets are accustomed to mark the promises of God, such as this one is about Christ the redeemer. Whence the Apostle translates it: "A faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation." See what is said I Tim. I, 15.
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21. THIS COVENANT OF MINE, — namely that which preceded concerning sending the redeemer, who shall redeem Jacob from iniquity: for this covenant, or new testament, is nothing other than a liberal sanction of God, and a promise of pardon and grace made primarily to the Jews (for to them the Messias was promised), then consequently also to the other Gentiles. Secondly, and more fittingly, St. Jerome, Haymo, Forerius judge this covenant to be that which follows: "My Spirit," etc., that is to say, This new covenant shall consist in this, that God will give to the Jacobites, who return from iniquity, that is to the Church, His Holy Spirit, and will never take it away from her. MY SPIRIT, WHICH IS IN THEE. — St. Jerome thinks this is said by God to Isaiah, that is to say, My prophetic Spirit, which is in thee, O Isaiah, shall never fail, nor shall my words, that is my oracles, depart from thy mouth, and from thy seed, that is from thy posterity, namely the Prophets and Apostles, even unto eternity. Secondly, Procopius and Cyril judge these to be the words of the Father to the Son, Christ the Lord: for upon Him the Spirit of the Lord rests fixedly and continually. Thirdly and genuinely, others in various places judge these to be the words of God to the Church: for the discourse proceeded concerning her, and with her God here enters into a new covenant, saying: "A covenant with them," etc., namely with the Jacobites, who return from iniquity. For these are the Church, that is the first part of the Church of Christ. Moreover he changes the number here, saying, "in thee," for "with them," or "with you:" because he speaks to Jacob, that is to the whole people, concerning whom we are accustomed now to speak singularly and collectively, now plurally and distributively. "In thee" therefore, O Jacob, O my Christian people, in thee my spirit, my Church, shall rest. For the Hebrew את lecha, that is in thee, is masculine: whence it properly refers to the people, not to Sion, that is to the Church, constitutes. Moreover this spirit is the Holy Spirit, who is diffused through faith and charity in the whole Church, namely in the hearts of the faithful. "Spirit" therefore here is first, of faith and truth, which assists Sion, that is the Church and its head the Roman Pontiff, lest it err in the definitions of faith. For Christ, ascending into heaven, promised this to the Apostles and to the Church even unto the end: otherwise indeed she could at some time err in faith, which God forbid: for then the Church would be, not of God, but of the devil. Secondly, this spirit is of charity and holiness. The sense therefore is, that is to say, The old covenant and Mosaic testament consists in the giving of the law, Exod. XX. But now in the new covenant of Christ I will give the Holy Spirit, namely the spirit of truth and charity, to thee, O Jacob, that is O Church, so that my words, that is my precepts, shall not depart from thy mouth and heart, and from thy seed, that is from thy posterity, forever; but thou shalt always recite and teach them by mouth, and preserve them in thy heart, and fulfill them in deed and life through the grace and aid of that same Spirit. This new covenant and testament therefore consists in the giving of the spirit, by which we freely and gladly fulfill the law and will of God. That this is the sense is evident from Jeremiah, through whom the Holy Spirit thus explains this covenant, cap. XXXI, vers. 33: "This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: I will give my law in their bowels, and I will write it in their heart," namely through the spirit of love and grace, which I will pour into their heart; whereas I wrote the Mosaic law on tablets of stone, not in the heart of the Jews. Whence alluding to this, the Apostle, II Cor. III, 6, teaches that the new Testament is of the spirit, the old was of the letter: on which account St. Augustine writes learnedly, lib. De Spiritu et littera. Note here that this spirit is promised to the Church, that is to the whole assembly of the faithful, not however to individual persons in her: for there are in the Church also impious and sinful faithful as it were dry members. Secondly, however, this spirit is promised to individual true and living members of the Church, that is to the just: for all these are animated and live by this vital spirit. Whence what he says, "in thee," can be understood of any just person, as Adam understands it. For God does not abandon any just person with His grace, unless he first abandons Him, as the Council of Trent teaches, sess. VI, cap. XI. Therefore this spirit of grace on the part of God is eternal, and remains with the just forever, unless he himself willingly cast it off. In like manner the spirit of truth, which is promised not to individual members of the Church, that is to the just, but to the whole Church, and to its head the Roman Pontiff, for defining things controversial in faith, shall not depart from her and from him forever. Otherwise the Hebrews explain it, that is to say, My prophetic spirit, that is, as follows, my words, oracles and doctrine shall not depart, that is shall not depart, from thy mouth and heart, that is to say, Take care, O Jacob, that thou always bear in mind and memory those things which I have already said concerning thy redemption from Babylon and the redeemer. For they judge that "shall not depart" is not of one predicting, but commanding. But this sense wrests the word "spirit," and weakens the oracle concerning the new Testament: wherefore as cold and Judaical it does not seem to be admitted; for the august words of the Prophet look to something more august, namely the institution of the new Testament consisting in spirit, not in law, as is evident from what has been said.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
59:1
Hic ponit praeparationem ad salutem percipiendam ex parte ipsius salvantis: et primo ponit salutis necessitatem; secundo praeparationem, ibi, Et vidit Dominus, et malum apparuit in oculis ejus. Circa primum duo. Primo in persona Domini necessitatem salutis ostendit, miseriam populi ostendens; in secunda respondet populus miseriam suam recognoscens, ibi, Propter hoc elongatum est judicium a nobis. Circa primum duo facit. Primo ostendit miseriae causam; secundo ipsum miseriam, ibi, Vastitas et contritio in viis eorum. Circa primum duo. Primo excludit causam falsam, vel ex defectu virtutis Dei, vel ex defectu cognitionis ipsius, quia praeceps non audiret: Neque aggravata est auris ejus. Supra 50: « Numquid abbreviata et a parvula facta est manus mea ut non possim redimere; aut non est in me virtus ad liberandum? » Secundo astruit causam veram, scilicet ipsorum culpam. Primo tangens ipsam in generali: Sed iniquitates, quantum ad majora, dividerunt, quasi murus, vel nubes intersperta, peccata, quantum ad communia. Deut. 52: « Ait: Abscondam faciem meam ab eis. » Secundo prosequitur in speciali: Manus enim vestrae: et tangit specialiter peccata in proximum: peccata enim in Deum tetigerat supra 57, et peccata in seipsum supra 56. Tangit autem primo injustitiam per quam alios opprimebant, quantum ad operationem: Manus vestrae sanguine: innocentum, quos occidistis, digitis, quantum ad minores injustitias, vel quantum ad diligentiam operationis.
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Supra 1: « Manus enim vestrae sanguine • plenae sunt. » Quantum ad locutionem: Labia vestra locuta . . . iniquitatem, ut addatur justitiae deformitas. Job 6: « Non invenietis in lingua mea • iniquitatem. » Et quantum ad justitiae omissionem: Non est qui judicet, quantum ad praelatos, quorum est judicare.
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Jer. 5: « Quaerite in plateis • ejus an inveniatis virum facientem judicium. » Secundo tangit astutiam per quam decipiebant: et primo tangit ipsam, inquantum per astutiam intendebant sui promotionem: Sed confidunt in nihilo, in vanis consiliis, vel in idolis, et loquuntur, vana- tem cordis verbis exprimentes. Amos 6: « Qui • lactamini in nihilo. » Et inquantum per ipsam intendent aliorum oppressionem: Concepierunt laborem; idest, cum labore excogitaverunt vias nocendi; vel aliis laborem induxerunt; pepererunt, expletione operis. Psal. 7: « Conceptio dolo- • rem, et peperit iniquitatem. » Secundo adaptat quandam metaphoram: et primo ponit ipsam quantum ad ipsam astutiam.
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Et quantum ad aliorum depressionem: Ova aspidum, idest consilia venenosa ruperunt, in publico, opera scilicet productentes. Deut. 32: « Fel draconum vinum eorum, et vene- • num aspidum insanabile. » Et quantum ad suam promotionem, Et telas, idest cogitationes inutiles ad sui promotionem. Oseae 8: « Quoniam in ara- • nearum tela erit vitulus Samariae. » Ponit iterum metaphoram quantum ad effectum astutiae, quantum ad primum: Qui comederit, consentiens factis, de oris, consiliis, confutum, diu praeparatum sollicite, in regulum, quasi a longinquis etiam interfecti quodammodo volantem. Et quantum ad secundum, Telae eorum; idest, sicut telae aranearum non valent ad vestimentum, ita eorum consilia ad nihil valent eis, nisi promoveantur.
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Supra 19: « Confundent qui operabantur linum, plectentes, et • texentes subtilia. » Secundo exponit; et primo quantum ad operationem: Opera eorum inutilia, quantum ad unam partem, opus iniquitatis, quantum ad aliam. Supra 57: « Opera eorum non pro- • derunt eis. » Secundo quantum ad cogitationes: Pedes eorum, idest affectiones quantum ad unam partem. Prover. 1: « Pedes eorum ad malum cur- • run: » cogitationes, quantum ad aliam.
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Michaeae 2: « Vae qui cogitatis inutile. » Vastitas et contritio in viis eorum. Hic ostendit eis eorum miseria: et primo ponit miseriam magnitudinem: Vastitas, quantum ad damnum rerum, et contritio, quantum ad damnum personarum, in viis eorum; idest pro viis malis suis ab hostibus imminet eis. Secundo miseriae aequitatem, ut scilicet talia patiantur qualia aliis faciunt: Viam pacis, qua alios in pace ponerent: non est judicium: rectum, et ideo semitae eorum, idest ea quae cogitaverunt, incurvatae, idest curvae eis factae sunt, quia quod aliis praeparabant, ipsi patientur. Omnis qui calca, prosequendo, ignorat, scientia experimenti. Psal. 15: « Contritio et infelicitas in viis eorum, et viam • pacis non cognoverunt. » Propter hoc elongatum
est.
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Hic populus confitetur: et primo confitetur miseriam quantum ad hostium opprimentium injustitiam: Elongatum est judicium, quia Deus non judicat nos de nostris adversariis: contrarium supra 46: « Prope feci justitiam meam. » Quantum ad tribulationum angustiam, sub metaphora tenebrarum ponens ipsam tribulationis obscuritatem. Expectavimus lucem, divinam consolationem, tenebrae, tribulationis. Et consiliorum difficultatem, Palpavimus, quasi nescientes quid facere.
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Supra 42: « Quis • caecus nisi servus meus? » Et periculorum laesionem: Impegimus meridie, in his in quibus erat clara via ad evadendum, in caliginosis, in dubiis.
59:11
Job 5: « Per diem incurrent tenebras. » Confitentur etiam miseriam quantum ad cordis tristitiam: Rugiemus quasi ursi, propter crudelitatem, quasi columbae, propter lasciviam. Nahum 2: « Gementes ut columbae. » Et quantum ad salutis absentiam: Expectavimus judicium, pro nobis. Secundo confitetur culpam: et primo culpa manifestationem quantum ad Deum: Multiplicate... coram te: in evidentia tua.
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Heb. 4: « Omnia nuda et a- • perta sunt oculis ejus. » Et quantum ad ipsum: Et peccata nostra responderunt in poenis, Nobiscum quia non satisfecimus, nec correximus. Secundo peccatorem diversitatem contra Deum: Peccare, opere, mentiri, locutione, aversi, omissione.
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Et contra proximum locutione: Ut loqueremur calumniam, contra proximum. Et contra legem. Transgressionem. Matth. 15: « De corde exeunt cogitationes malae. » Et quantum ad operationem, Conversus est retrorsus judicium, Dei ad salvandum nos. In platea, in publico injustitias faciebant. Qui recessit: non enim solum faciebant mala, sed nolentes facere depraedabantur. Sap. 2: « Circum- • veniamus justum, quoniam contrarius est operibus • nostris. » Et vidit Dominus, et malum apparuit in oculis ejus.
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Hic ponit salutis praeparationem ex parte salvantis: et primo ponit praeparationis ordinem loquens de Deo secundum humanum modum, ponens ipsius compassionem: Et vidit Dominus, oculo misericordiae, judicium, alicujus salvantis. Vir, salvans Judaeos, aporiatus, contristatus vel angustiatus. Ponens etiam armorum assumptionem: Et salvabit sibi brachium, idest virtus, ut nihil contra patiatur, vel populum ad cultum suum: justitia confirmavit, ut ultionem constanter exequatur. Induvus est justitia: sicut enim miles confirmatur armis, ita opus suum confirmatur justitia, et proposito salvandi. Sap. 5: « Induet pro thorace ju- • stitiam. » Ponens etiam vindictae executionem: Insulis, diversis gentibus, vicem, pro malis quae Judaeis fecerunt. Dan. 6: « Timeant et paveant • omnes Deum Danielis. » Secundo ponit salvationis vel ultionis ministrum.
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Cum venerit quasi fluvius, propter magnitudinem virtutis et fortitudinis; vel Christus minister. Psalm. 45: « Fluvius minis impetus laetificat civitatem Dei. » Tertio firmitatis pactum: Hoc foedus meum, spiritus prophetiae.
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Seminis tui, quantum ad alios prophetas et Apostolos in quibus ejus spiritus, quasi hereditas per successionem seminis vadens. Joel. 2: « Effundam de spiritu meo super omnem carnem, • et prophetabunt filii vestri et filiae vestrae. »
Nota super illo verbo, Iniquitates vestrae diviserunt inter vos et Deum, quia peccatum dividit primo a proximo per dissensionem. Luc. 11: «Omne regnum in seipsum divisum desolabitur.» Secundo a seipso per contrariam affectionem. Oseae 10: «Divisum est cor eorum, nunc interibunt.» Tertio a Deo per aversionem. Jerem. 2: «Me dereliquerunt fontem aquae vivae, et foderunt sibi cisternas dissipatas.» Quarto a sanctorum collegio per dissimilitudinem. Supra 56: «Separatione dividet me Dominus a populo suo.»
Nota super illo verbo, Semitae eorum incurvatae, quod est curvitas primo culpae. Supra 31: «Incurvare, ut transeamus.» Secundo miseriae. Ps. 37: «Miser factus sum ego, et incurvatus sum.» Tertio tristitiae. Baruch 2: «Anima quae est tristis super magnitudinem mali, et incedit curva.» Quarto fraudulentiae. Eccli. 12: «Si humiliatus vadat curvus, ad jice animum tuum, et custodi te ab illo.» Quinto justitiae. Job 9: «Deus cui resistere nemo potest, sub quo curvatur qui portant orbem.»
Nota super illo verbo, Quasi fluvius violentus, quod Christus est fluvius violentus primo propter aquarum multitudinem. Psalm. 64: «Flumen Dei repletum est aquis.» Secundo propter amoris fervorem. Daniel. 7: «Fluvius igneus rapidusque egrediebatur a facie ejus.» Tertio propter cursus velocitatem: Psalm. 43: «Fluminis impetus laetificat civitatem Dei.» Quarto propter originis altitudinem. Apoc. 22: «Ostendit mihi fluvium aquae vivae splendidiun tamquam chrysalum, procedentem de sede Dei et Agni.»
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Anc. — Domino neque potestas neque voluntas deest salvandi ; verum summopere obstant illorum peccata iniustitiae, fraudis, omnisque generis improbitatis (959, 1-8). Haec ratio est cur malis afflicti et prostrati iaceant; hanc malorum omnium causam ut cum dolore agnoscant et profiteantur, propheta iis in verba praeit confessionem delictorum coram Domino faciens (59, 9-15). Verum Dominus qui suam in terris sanctitatem relucere vult, tamquam bellator fortis exsurget, hostibus vindictam, populo suo redemptionem tribuet et foedus gratiae aeternum ad suam gloriam longe lateque annuntiandam statuet (39, 15-21). In oratione praecedenti propheta ostendit omnia in vera pietate constitui; proinde ad salutem a Domino acquirendam praeprimis oportere vera ut foveatur pietas. Neque dissimile est huius orationis argumentum. Ostendit enim vates et longiore enumeratione probat, quantopere peccatis suis obstacula opponant benignitati divinae. Unde eo ipso declarat et aperte docet, cuius generis redemptio prae omnibus necessaria sit, scil. opus esse vera peccatorum detestatione et sedula vitae morumque emendatione. Indoles ergo spiritualis instaurationis praecipue indicatur. Dein ad eam mentem et indolem fovendam propheta humili peccatorum confessione facta statum populi miserum deplorat. Sed quam bene agatur cum iis qui eo modo de peccatis gemunt et lugent, statim praeclara hypotyposi subdit : Deus enim, gloriae suae ac populi zelator, quia nemo sanctitatem in terram reducere potest, ipse se accingit ad causam suam fortiter agendam simili schemate, uti 42, 13 et seq. Declarat igitur in hac oratione vates, primum ad veram resipiscentiam et ad salutem gressum consistere in humili agnitione peccatorum et in dolore de iis concepto; haec vero si adfuerint in populo Dei, Deum sua potentia usurum ad redemptionem gloriosam efficiendam ; simul docet (v. 16) neminem praeter Deum illam posse adducere salutem. Praeterea in hac oratione populi peccata accuratius quam antea recensentur.
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v. 2 « sed iniquitates vestrae diviserunt inter vos et Deum vestrum et peccata vestra absconderunt faciem eius a vobis ne exaudiret » ; — cf. 50, 2. Ipsi potentiae Dei quasi murum ne ad se pertingeret opposuerunt peccata (cf. Ez. 43, 8); iniquitatibus suis faciem i. e. favorem Dei et benevolam iuvandi promptitudinem sibi averterunt (cf. Ier. 5, 25) ; vide ad 8, 17; 94, 8. Lament. 3, 44. Atque quantopere seduli sint in hac divisione inter se et Deum facienda, declaratur
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v. 3 « manus enim vestrae pollutae sunt sanguine et digiti vestri. iniquitate, labia vestra locuta. sunt mendacium et. lingua vestra iniquitatem fatur » ; — cf. 1, 45 ; iurgia igitur et lites et contentiones (88, 4. 6) ad caedes perpetrandas eos impellunt ;tanta est oppressio et iniustitia, ut ne a caedibus quidem abhorreant. A maximis incipit vates ne quis contra accusationem v. 2 prolatam quidquam possit excipere. Cum ex abundantia cordis os loquatur, quantopere sint scelere et fraude infecti animisque polluti, ipsis eorum sermonibus demonstratur. Hebr. n33 proprie meditari, commentari, perpendere; LXX 5 Aàcca Bay ees ; ita vates ab operibus ad verba, a verbis ad intimum malorum fontem, ad animi considerationem et habitum regreditur (cf. Iob 99, 4. Prov. 8, 9. Ps. 35, 28; 11, 24 hebr.); unde linguae, instrumento animi, id adscribitur, quod proprie est animi. Hisce in universum dictis iam ostenditur quantopere ipsa fundamenta iuris et ordinis sint subversa ; sienim iustitia est fundamentum regnorum, a fortiore in theocratia a populo electo norma iuris strenue debuit observari. At
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v. 4 « Ecce non est abbreviata manus Domini ut salvare nequeat, neque aggravata est auris eius ut. non ezaudiat »; — Deus qui olim tot mirabilia pro populo patravit, nihil pristinae suae potentiae amisit ; neque surdus est ita ut clamores populi non audiat ; alludi videtur ad Ex. 3, "1: vidi afflictionem populi mei in Aegypto et clamorem eius audivi... et sciens dolorem eius descendi ut liberem eum etc. ; alia iam àgi tempora conqueruntur neque Deum ut olim sui populi curam habere. Sed murmurantibus ostendit propheta quam immerito conquerantur, penes se esse, ut alia rerum conditio eaque egregia oriatur v. 4 « non est qui invocet. iustitiam neque est qui iudicet vere, sed. confidunt in nihilo et loquuntur vanitates ; conceperunt laborem et pepererunt iniquitatem » ; — etiam hic a rebus externis progreditur vates ad animi indolem et habitudinem. Nemo est qui iustitiam adhibeat vel ad iudicium ferendum vel ad consilium dandum (Sasb. Sanct. Schegg) vel generatim ad normam agendi sentiendique ex ea dirigendam ; neque ea a iudicibus administratur. Neque censent in iustitia demum adesse firmum ordinis bonique communis fundamentum, sed fiduciam suam ponunt in nihilo, in vacuo, 3h, ergo in eo quod in ordine morum et veritatis idem est ac vastatio et rudis indigestaque moles in ordine naturae ; ita bene designatur perversitas, qua omnia ad interitum demum vergunt. Et ut confidunt, ut animis sunt perversi, ita loquuntur inane, vanum, quod nihil in se habet solidi, veri. Animis enim conceperunt et fovent 52y laborem, molestiam, malum ; quare partum edunt verbis et operibus qui iniquitate vel inanitate et improbitate Y'N consistit. Bonum enim est id quod revera est, quod in se habet solidam stabilitatem ; malum e contra vocatur mendacium, inane, vacuum, vastatio, nihil; est enim negatio boni, id est eius quod solum vere est. De modo loquendi cf. Iob 15, 35. Ps. 71, 15. Ceterum membrum primum varie concipitur. Hebr. 3 N^p notionem habet aliquid celebrandi, praedicandi, laudandi. Et hac significatione etiam hic aliqui vocem capiunt : nemo praedicat, publice et palam annuntiat iustitiam, normam recti et veri (cf. Hitz. Ewald, Umbreit, Sein. Del.). Alii Np propter membrum parallelum quod de iudicio agit sensu accipiunt forensi qui adesse videtur Iob 13, 92 certe (sed valde dubie 5, 1 et 14, 15), ergo in ius vocare : nemo alium iuste vocat in ius (ita Ges. Ros. Kn. Naeg.). Alii : nemo Deum invocat tamquam qui in statu iustitiae sit constitutus ; ita Chald. : non est qui oret in veritate, et sim. Hahn ; alii de iniustis iudicum sententiis explicant vel de iniusta testificatione. LXX generatim obóslg AcAst ótxowx. Etiam invocare iustitiam quod vulg. praebet varie explicant : in ius vocare (cf. Osor. For. Men. Calm.), ius suum persequi vel coram iudice repetere (Mald. cf. Calm.) vel ius defendere (Malv. Mar. etiam apud Mald.). In secundo membro de iniustitia agitur quae committatur in litibus instituendis : nemo disceptat in fide vel in veritate ; OZ in niphal communiter habet notionem litigandi, disceptandi cum aliquo, contendendi. Verbum adeo amplum est ut utraque pars iniustitiae commissae et fraudis adhibitae insimuletur. Cum igitur hoc alterum membrum iam complectatur disceptantes coram iudice, primum membrum potest concipi generatim : nemo iustitiam, id quod rectum et iustum est, palam profitetur; dein in altero membro id illustratur exemplo quo simul augetur accusatio : necoram tribunali quidem veritas et fides servatur. Ex eo enim quod in altero membro de iudiciis sermo sit non continuo efficitur etiam primum membrum tantum de iudiciis vel posse vel debere intelligi.
Populus de dilato auxilio divino conquestus erat (58, 9. 3); responderat propheta in oratione antecedente, quare ieiuniis suis non mereantur opem divinam. Alterum ad eandem querelam responsum hoc loco dat ; causam salutis denegatae minime in Deo esse collocandam, verum in suis ipsorum peccatis. Nam
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iniquitatis in manibus eorum » ; — hebr. ova basilisci excludunt i. e. operibus suis mortem et interitum aliis machinantur; in altera imagine de telis aranearum et in v. 6 quam inutilia sint et inania opera eorum declaratur. Eos fortasse vates perstringit qui gloriose sua de bono publico merita iactant. De basilisco cf. 11, 8. Quam perniciosa sint eorum consilia et machinationes, inde elucet quod nemo ea potest evadere; nam qui de eorum ovis comederit i. e. qui eorum consilia adiuverit, ille veneno hausto morietur ; eandem autem sortem etiam experietur, si iis obstiterit : e£ contritum (scil. ovum) viperam emittet (hebr.) ; si quis ovum pedibus contriverit, ex contrito prodibit vipera. Proinde socios malorum male perdent neque minus eos qui pessimas eorum machinationes dissolvere et impedire conantur. Telae aranearum quamvis ad nihil utiles sunt, tamen bestiolis insidias et mortem struunt. Has insidias fortasse in ea quoque imagine vates ob oculos habuit, quia postquam opera ad nihil utilia esse demonstravit, adhuc addit : opera eorum sunt opera NW i. e. non solum inutilia, verum inanitate et improbitate plena et opus oppressionis vel violentiae in manibus eorum (hebr.). Loeutio est proverbialis; quare opiniones vulgares de basilisco supponuntur et sermo ad viperam deflectitur, quae utique ex ovo basilisci non prodit, at apta est qua illustretur, si quis putet se ab uno periculo declinasse feliciter, eum alia et alia via certius esse interiturum. Quae metaphoris indicavit, iam sermone proprio varie explicat v. '1 « pedes eorum ad. malum currunt et festinant ut effundant. sanguinem innocentem ; cogitationes eorum. cogitationes inutiles ; vastitas et contritio in viis eorum » ; — ergo magno studio scelera perpetrant ; in toto externo habitu cernitur impetus ille et tumultus malarum cupiditatum ; in animis autem repleti sunt cogitationibus improbis et iniquis (hebr.) ; ita quoquo loco incedunt, omnia replent vastitate et desolatione, omnia conculcant et pedibus conterunt. Neque mirum ; nam
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v. 8 « viam pacis nescierunt el non est iudicium in gressibus eorum ; semitae eorum incurvatae sunt eis; omnis qui calcat in. eis ignorat pacem » ; — cf. Rom. 3, 13-17. Mala cupiditas est semper male sedula, nunquam quiescit ; quare viam qua ad pacem pervenitur improbi nesciunt neque ipsi sibi neque aliis unquam veram afferunt pacem et felicitatem; neque iustum apud eos invenitur; in semitis per quas incedunt, non reperitur iustitia, e contra semitas suas pervertunt vel sibi curvas faciunt (hebr.), non rectas ad normam et lineam recti ; quicumque in iisingreditur, longissime abest a pace neque unquam ea fruetur; cf. 48, 22 ; 57, 2t. Prov. 4, 48. 16; 6, 48 ; scire pacem (hebr.) est eam experiri, experimento cognoscere. Haec igitur sunt ova illa quae pariunt, telae quas texunt; ex animis suis pessimis pessima quaeque producunt et exsecutioni mandant ; cf. Prov. 2, 8. 9. 15. Ii « pacem ignorant, quocumque modo pacem interpretere; nam neque aliquid assequuntur quod ipsis usui ac voluptati futurum sit, aut quidquid animo aut cogitatione versant, perturbationem, vim, seditionem anhelat » (Sanct.).
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v. 9 « Propter hoc elongatum est iudicium a nobis et non apprehendet nos iustitia ; exspectavimus lucem et ecce tenebrae, splendorem et in tenebris ambulavimus » ! — in verba praeit propheta ; quo culpae confessionem reis reddat faciliorem, ipse se reis et peccatoribus adiungit eorumque culpam suam quoque profitetur iniquitatem. Iudicium vel ius intellige statum illum quem Deus populo promisit, qui iudicio et vindicta in hostes praeparatur et utpote a Deo promis- Sus iam ad ius populi pertinere censetur. Tale ergo iudicium in favorem suorum Deus non exercet, ius illo iudicio restituendum non datur, quia tot delictis impliciti sunt. Ideo etiam zustitia i. e. nova illa saiutis et sanctitatis conditio quam Deus populo inesse vult et quam toties promisit, abest neque res israeliticae in prosperitatem vertuntur. lta iudicium et iustitiam hoc loco accipi debere et ipso nexu cum antecedenti ostenditur et statim metaphora lucis et splendoris declaratur. Quod enim modo iudicium et iustitiam appellavit vates, iam nomine lucis et splendoris designat ; quae autem exspectaverint, discimus ex 58, 2: rogant me iudicia iustitiae ; appropinquare Deum desiderant (hebr.) scil. ut ultionem capiat ab hostibus, suis salutem impertiatur. Monet ergo vates ut falsae exspectationi renuntient ; docet per quam viam ad promissa Dei perveniendum sit. Quare spe vane concepta deiecti radicem et causam mali perpendant. In quantas autem pro luce et splendore felicitatis pervenerint tenebras miseriae, accuratius vates delineat, ut miseriae magnitudinem intime sentientes alacrius ad: remedia applicanda accurrant ;
Scelerum enumeratione et reprehensione facta quid iam agendum sit ut e tali barathro emergant vates docet. Primo scil. perspicere et agnoscere debent causam cur salus et prosperitas ablata sit in delictis esse repositam neque unquam posse meliorem sperari conditionem nisi resipuerint. Unde
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v. 10 « palpavimus sicut caeci. parietem et quasi. absque oculis attrectavimus ; impegimus meridie quasi in tenebris, in caliginosis quasi mortui » ; — quaerunt exitum a malis neque tamen inveniunt, quia non rite quaerunt ; unde caecis palpantibus comparantur qui quod volunt invenire lucis defectu non attingunt et frustra in omnem partem manibus palpant. Immo in maiora mala inciderunt, cum minime id suspicarentur ; meridie impingimus sicut in. crepusculo (hebr.) i. e. « significat propheta usque adeo miseram esse et afflictam fortunam, ut quae optime videri potuerint tempora et quasi meridiana, miserrima sint; si enim tempus aliquod serenum est et lucidum, illud omnino meridianum est ; illud tamen tempus et illa tanta lux neque diffundit animum nocturno moerore contractum neque magis ad vitam voluptatemque facit, quam si nusquam lerris sol affulsisset » (Sanct.). Et ita demum quasi mortui perpetuis orci tenebris constringuntur. -Locutio est ad dolorem et luctum designandum quam maxime apta et gradationem continet; cf. Lament. 3, 6 : in tenebrosis collocavit me tamquam mortuos. Ad id demum res pervenerunt, ut respublica ruinae ineluctabili sit proxima, quam auxilia humana iam avertere non possunt et ex qua, sicut ex morte, si sola remedia humana spectantur, iam non adest reditus ad vitam, ad statum meliorem, ad instaurationem. Ergo salus a solo Domino est exspectanda ; populus e contra pro sua parte omnia quasi consulto fecit, quibus ruinam irreparabilem, mortem, sibi attraheret. Quam graviter sentiant rerum difficultatem, iterum alio modo declaratur
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v. 14 « rugiemus quasi ursi omnes et quasi columbae meditantes gememus ; exspectavimus iudicium et non est, salutem .et elongata est a nobis »; — fremitum edunt ut ursi famelici; nam « vespertinus cireumgemit ursus ovile » (Horatius, Epod. 16, 51; Sanct.) vel quod S. Cyr. sentit, ut ursae quae cum ereptos sibi catulos sentiunt tristes. edunt rugitus. Cum in ursorum rugitu potius aliquid minax et infensum deprehendatur, explicare poteris, eos modo impatientius et acerbius querimonias effundere, modo dolore ingemiscere et suspiria trahere lamentantes et gementes, id quod columbarum gemitu declaratur ; vel omnes magna afflictione percuti et suo quemque more doloris edere significationem, fortes robustosque, potentes ursorum instar, debiles, plebeios columbarum instar. Ceterum vide 2 Reg. 1, 8 : amaro animo velut si ursa raptis catulis saeviat, et Prov. 41, 12. Os. 13, 8 (cf. Sanct. Lap. Men. Tir.). Causam doloris impatientis et amaritudinis et gemituum denuo declarat ; uti
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v. 9 iudicium et iustitiam, ita nunc iudicium et salutem coniungit; 2ustitia ordinem illum rectum dicit quem Deus vult, salus eundem ordinem designat ut homini salutiferum. , Postquam vates satis cum populo miseriam praesentem deploravit, haec lamenta iam ad humilem vertit peccatorum confessionem. Et apte quidem. Qui enim audierint prophetam lamentantem et lamentationibus eius sese adiunxerint, facilius etiam simul cum propheta se peccasse confitebuntur. Ratio enim salutis dilatae vel negatae in peccatis est sita v. 19. « multiplicatae sunt enim iniquitates nostrae coram te et peccata nostra responderunt nobis, quia scelera nostra nobiscum et iniquitates nostras cognovimus : v. 14 « ef conversum est retrorsum. iudicium et iustitia longe stetit, quia corruit in platea veritas et aequitas non potuit ingredi ; v. A5 et facta est veritàs in oblivionem et qui recessit a malo praedae patuit » ; — iustitia, fundainentum regnorum, iam non adest, turpiter opprimitur. Id per singula vates delineat : iudicium i. e. ius, norma iuris quae ubique in republica primum debet occupare locum, ius est aversum retrorsum, quasi retusum et reclusum et in angulum aliquem abiectum ; iustitia stat a longe i. e. nullus adest conatus, ut iustitia reducatur in rempublicam, ut ex iustitiae praeceptis singula fiant. Nam veritas et veracitas iam non adest in urbe; misere prostrata et conculcata iacet in foro et contemnitur, et reclitudo iam non admittitur. Si autem veritas corruit et rectus animi sensus et amor recti iam non permittitur ingredi urbem, nulla in administratione publica aderit iustitia. Quare nulla quoque securitas ; id quod eo maxime ostenditur quia qui probus est et integer, quem igitur omnia iura quam maxime tuentur, is praecipue obiicitur spoliationi et vexationi : malorum et iniuriis; « in quam sententiam aptari potest punicum illud proverbium, cuius Montanus meminit : nisi lupus sis, luporum praedam te esse oportet, id est, si a latronibus spoliari non vis, latronum mores et institutum teneas necesse est ; usque adeo in terra iuris et aequitatis inducta est oblivio; usque adeo versuta et fallax agendi ratio mentes occupavit » (Sanct.). , illud et iustitia prope adest et liberatio populo conceditur; ergo haec oratio conditionem temporis in fine exsilii nullo modo refert. Eadem valent contra sententiam a Seinecke propositam sermonem esse non de exsulibus, sed de iis qui tempore exsilii in terra palaestinensi remansissent. Nam iis quoque instauratio prope adest ; quare etiam iis non potest contrarium annuntiari. Árgumentum ex hac oratione petitum fortius evadit et clarius, si respexeris ea quae supra dicta sunt ad 56, 9 seq. ; ibi enim gentes invitantur, ut veniant et iudicium contra populum exerceant et 57, 13 populum eorum potestati traditum iri asseritur; haec ergo instant, et cum talia immineant, facile explicatur, cur 59, 9-11 maiora etiam mala prope esse haud obscure innuatur. Verum haec omnia in fine exsilii fingi nequeunt.
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Quid saluti obstaret, vates dixit. Eo ipso autem indicavit, quomodo se debeant praeparare ad accipienda promissa divina; iam iis praeivit in humilem peccatorum confessionem et postea 63, 15 seq. hanc animorum praeparationem explicatius per singula pertractat. Nunc autem quo alaerius incitentur, ut pro virili obstacula removeant et ut pii in tanta rerum difficultate (v. 10. 11) solatio et spe erigantur, vates ostendit, quomodo vere manus Domini non sit abbreviata (v. 4), sed qua ratione salvare velit voluntate promptissima. Neque enim fieri potest, ut populum suum abiiciat; uti ipse est sanctus, ita sanctitatem suam in terris relucere vult (cf. 6, 3) ; quare de theocratia misere prostrata non potest non indignari : « Et vidit Dominus et malum apparuit in oculis eius quia non est iudicium,
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v. 46 et vidit quia non est vir, et aporiatus est quia non est qui occurrat, et salvavit sibi brachium. suum et iustitia eius ipsa confirmavit eum » ; — ius, rectum et iustum iacere prostratum, proinde terram non esse plenam gloria Dei, sed potius plenam contemptu Dei, utres maxime contraria divinis consiliis, summopere Domino displicet. Unde per aliquod quidem tempus populum suas ingredi vias permittit; at suo tempore remedium apponit, manum admovet; unde videre nunc dicitur quod semper vidit et scivit, quia nunc « ponitur sa-. lutis praeparatio ex parte salvantis » (S. Thom.) et nunc consilium illud exsequi describitur et malum illud quod eousque toleravit e medio tollere. Ab homine vel humanis remediis non posse afferri salutem et inter homines neminem reperiri qui possit esse intercessor (hebr.) ad avertendam vindictam et ad salutem adducendam, qui ergo malum illud crescens impediat et sanet et murum divisionis amoveat et, mediator sit inter Deum et, populum, bis graviter effertur indeque deducitur Deum ipsum et solum auctorem esse et effectorem salutis pro potentia sua et sanctitate ; quare dicitur : brachium eius i. e. potentia eius ei opem tulit, salutem effecit, et iustitia eius i. e. sanctitas eius qua necessario vult ius et iustitiam in terra consistere, eum suff'ulsit (hebr .), ei adstitit quasi robur subministrans ad opus illud arduum aggrediendum et. perficiendum. Aliis verbis : docet vates penes solum Deum illam reponi potentiam qua salus efficiatur et pro operis gravitate e& hominum improbitate apud ipsum Deum magno quasi conatu et magna virium explicatione opus esse. Salutem autem refert ad Dei potentiam et sanctitatem, eodem modo quo tempore impletionis messianicae beata Messiae mater opus Incarnationis celebrat : fecit mihi magna qui potens est et sanctum nomen eius. Iam brachium, potentia Domini ad salvandum describitur schemate simili, uti 42, 13 : Dominus sicut fortis egredietur, sicut vir proeliator suscitabit zelum ; unde v. 4'1 « indutus est iustitia ut lorica et galea salutis in capite eius ; indutus est vestimentis ultionis et opertus est quasi pallio zeli »; — erit opus Domini in resurrectionem et in ruinam; affert iustitiam et salutem, affert ultionem et vindictam ; utrumque zelo divino exsequetur. Agitur de populo ex hostium potestate et oppressione salvando (cf. 42, 229 seq. 52, 4), « ideo bellatorem Dominum et vindicem inducit servata eadem allegoria, a qua sermonem duxerat » (Sanct.). Iis scil. apparet indutus, quibus instructus et impulsus ad opus se accingit et quae effecturus est. Sua enim impellitur sanctitate, hac certissime victoriam reportabit; unde ea quasi lorica munitus apparet, uti 11, 5 : et erit iustitia cingulum lumborum eius. Ut salus efficiatur, in certamen prodit; quare eam ut galeam longe lateque splendentem capiti gerit impositam. Hostes conteret ; quare induit vestimenta. ultiotionis amictum (hebr.), ad quod vide 63, 2. 3: « aspersus est sanguis eorum super vestimenta mea »; singula fervore animi, zelo divino et efficacia peraget; quare se pallii instar zelo obvolvit vel operuit (hebr.) ; cf. 9, 1 : zelus Domini exercituum faciet hoc. Ita armatus Dominus egreditur ad opus suum, cuius pars quasi prior est iudicium, ultio et deiectio hostium, sicut apud Isaiam a cp. 4 et deinceps via ad salutem exhibetur per destructionem et deiectionem hostium pompaeque Deo contrariae ; unde eodem schemate hoc loco sermo texitur
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v. 18 peccare et mentiri contra Dominum et aversi sumus ne iremus post tergum Dei nostri, ut loqueremur calumniam et transgressionem, concepimus et locuti sumus de corde verba mendacii » ; — coram te, iustitiam Dei punientis profitetur, in qua agnitione iam primus ad resipiscentiam gressus consistit; idem enuntiatur altero membro : peccata nostra testantur (hebr.) contra nos; neque testimonium tale detrectant sed humiliter admittunt profitentes scelera esse secum i. e. se sibi quam maxime conscios esse se peccasse neque id velle negare aut excusatione imminuere, sed sincere fateri. Et haec iam enumerantur in v. 13 et quidem in hebr. per totum versum ponuntur infinitivi verbi : praevaricari et mentiri in Dominum et deficere a Domino, recedere ab eius sequela ; primo loco ponuntur peccata in Deum ; mentiri i. e. abnegare Deum ; ergo idololatriam multiplicem et apostasiam a Deo eiusque foedere designat. Dein peccata recenset contra proximum, contra alteram legis tabulam : loqui oppressionem et defectionem scil. a lege, concipere et proferre ex corde verba mendacii. Describit itaque quemodo peccatum totum occupaverit hominem et eius ad Deum et ad proximum habitudinem vitiaverit. Tria illa contra Deum ita possunt disungui, ut interna animi apostasia, externa negatio et abnegatio Dei verbis facta et demum recessus a Deo externe ostensus, idololatria, intelligatur. Contra proximum peccant oppressione, seductione loquentes scil. et persuadentes transgressionem legis, quae locutio Deut. 13, 6 et Ier. 28, 16 et 29, 39 de seductione pseudoprophetarum adhibetur. Demum sedem omnium scelerum et fontem indicat : in corde concipere et fovere et ex eo protrudere verba vel generatim res mendacii ; mendacium saepe dicitur in universum de peccato, quia veritati contrarium est, hominem quam maxime decipit, ut alias peccatum dicitur inane, vacuum, inutile etc. Cum tale dominium peccatum apud plerosque occupaverit, non mirum est, si tota reipublicae facies subversionem iuris prae se fert. Ab hominibus privatis transit vates ad ordinem publicum v. 18 « sicut ad, vindictam quasi ad. retributionem indignationis hostibus suis et vicissitudinem inimicis suis ; insulis vicem reddet»; — hebr. explica : secundum opera, sic retribuet, iram hostibus suis, retributionem inimicis suis ; insulis retributionem retribuet ; sententia generalis omnes Dei adversarios complectitur ; unde quid impiis inter Iudaeos instet, etiam hic vates indicat. Iudicium a domo Dei incipiet. Qua in descriptione ratio continetur efficax, ut sensus poenitentiae a propheta propositos induant. Dominum exhibet ultorem ; sim. Mal. 9, 11-3, 6 : quis poterit cogitare diem adventus eius ? Opus Domini intelligi salutem messianicam etiam ex eo patet, quia ad reliquas quoque gentes pertinere asseritur. De gentibus in universum ?nsulae intelligendae sunt ; cf. 414, 5. Tempus messianicum est simul tempus iudicii, quia est periodus in resurrectionem et in ruinam, et quia regnum messianicum comminuet et consumet universa regna (Dan. 2, 44; cf. Agg. 2, 1). Altera pars operis Domini est salus et iustitia, est cognitio Dei et cultus in gentes effusus
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v. 19 « et timebunt qui ab occidente nomen Domini et qui ab ortu solis gloriam eius, cum venerit quasi fluvius violentus quem spiritus Domini cogit » ; — iustitia et salus gentibus dabitur eo quod timor Dei et cultus eis communicabitur ; extrema terrae nominantur pro orbe universo ; nomen Domini omnia illa comprehendit quae Deus de se et suis operibus revelare dignatus est. Quanto zelo et efficacia Deus timorem suum et cultum sit propagaturus in gentes, comparatione fluvii omnia impedimenta et obstacula perrumpentis declaratur, quem insuper ventus vehementissimus impellit; uti talis fluvius omnia secum abripit, ita Deus ad sui reverentiam et cultum, proinde ad veram felicitatem et omnium bonorum fontes gentes efficaciter adducet deiectis obstaculis idololatriae et malarum cupiditatum, ad quae deiicienda utique opus est magna vi et contentione, quae in impetu fluminis et in turbine vel tempestate Domini (cf. hebr.) designatur. Postquam orbi universo timor nominis Domini et cultus eius maiestatis est annuntiatus, specialis additur pro Sion promissio
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v. 20 « eft venerit Sion redemptor et eis qui redeunt ab iniquitate in. Iacob, dicit Dominus »; — hebr. et venit Sioni redemptor; Israel salvabitur docente S. Paulo ex hoc loco, quando plenitudo gentium intraverit in regnum Dei (Rom. 11, 26); unde hic et 65, 2 post gentes ad Deum conversas eius fit mentio. Qualis redemptio sit intelligenda, et ex peccatis antea enumeratis ostenditur et ex promissione iis facta qui redeunt, convertuntur a defectione in Iacob (cf. hebr.). Insuper tota descriptio a v. 16 indolem spiritualem instaurationis prae se fert. Cum veniat Deus ad salutem populi sui, nullo unquam tempore dummodo voluerint haec eis salus denegatur; verum quia gentem hanc speciali ratione Deus et elegit et eam conservatam vult, etiam conveniens est, ut demum quae prima fuit in vocatione et electione hane quoque electionem consequatur. Quare S. Paulus ex tanta promissionis illimitatae amplitudine concludit eam speciali ratione et modo magnifico in gente iri impletum. Uti Deus olim postquam manu forti populum suum eripuit ex servitute aegyptiaca foedus cum eo iniit, ita nunc postquam insignis bellator hostibus deiectis (v. 18) suos sibi cultores acquisivit ab occidente et oriente et ex eis qui redeunt ab iniquitate in Iacob (v. 19, 20), cum his tamquam populo suo electo foedus init, foedus scil. novae theocratiae
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v. 91 « hoc foedus meum cum eis, dicit Dominus : spirtus meus qui est in, te et verba mea quae posui in ore tuo, non recedent de ore tuo et de ore seminis tui et de ore seminis seminis tui, dicit Dominus, amodo et usque in sempiternum »; — hebr. magis emphatice : et ego, hoc foedus meum cum eis: spiritus meus qui est super te etc. cf. 11, 8; 42, 1; a plenitudine enim spiritus Domini qui requiescit super Messiam omnes accipient. Pactum igitur Dei in eo consistit, ut populus theocraticus novus habeat spiritum Dei et verba Dei perpetuo. Unde in hac theocratia adest sanctitas et veritatis annuntiatio perennis, ita ut nunquam possit amitti. Spiritus Dei est perpetuus ille influxus et impulsus quo Deus per gratiam suam, per charismata, per suam in iustis inhabitationem regnum messianicum, Ecclesiam Christi, gubernat et exornat; verba eius sunt veritates revelatae et doctrinae divinae. Haec ergo perpetuo in Ecclesia aderunt; unde perpetuo Ecclesia erit sancta, magistra veritatis, quae nequeat errare vel a vero deficere, erit indefectibilis (cf. 54, 171). Forma loquendi arctam indicat illam societatem et bonorum communionem quae inter Messiam et eius Ecclesiam intercedat. Verba praeformant promissiones Christi de Spiritu s. quem sit missurus, qui discipulos in omnem inducat veritatem etc. Quare ad rem Euseb. : « hic itaque spiritus testamentum est; quamobrem salvator ac Dominus noser discipulis suis Spiritum dedit dicens : accipite Spiritum sanctum; hoc igitur novum testamentum est et caput mysterii, Spiritus sanctus. Manent enim et in praesenti et in futuro saeculo haec omnia secundum servatoris verba : coelum et terra iransibunt, verba autem mea non iransibunt ». Verba haec ad Isaiam dirigi aliqui censent eo modo, ut neque ab Isaia unquam recedat spiritus propheticus, neque ab iis qui ei in eo spiritu et ministerio succedant, qui filiiIsaiae diei possint quomodo discipuli vocentur filii, «ut omnis per scriem generatio demonstretur, quod scil. gratia prophetarum in apostolos veniat et in eos qui de Israel per apostolos credituri sunt » (S. Hier. Thom. Sanct. Naeg.); alii verba referunt ad. Christum (Sa), sed plerique recte ad Ecclesiam (ef. Malv. For. Pint. Lap. Men. Tir. Calm. Schegg, Troch.), quibus iam Euseb. S. Cyr. praeierunt. Neque opus est vi verborum hane praedictionem proxime referre ad stirpem Iacob (Mald.) et ad eos qui ab iniquitate redeunt in Iacob. Nam eum in antecedentibus opus Dei describatur, quo cultores sibi effecturus sit in universo orbe et Sionem sit redempturus, ergo opus Dei quo populum sibisit acquisiturus et in occidente et in oriente i. e. in terris gentium . atque in Iacob, id quod sequitur: et foedus meum cum eis, aptius refertur ad totum opus Dei, non ad partem eius operis; haec enim promissio et hoc foedus etiam pertinet ad opus illud. quod vates a v. 16 enarrat et ad quod efficiendum Deus bellator egreditur. Eo enim pacto operi potentiae et sanctitatis stabilitatem conciliat et hac demum promissione de toto Dei populo intellecta sanctitatem et veritatem perenniter in terra constituit, ad quam constituendam armis sese induit Dominus ; ef. 42, 6; 49, 6; 54, 15; 553, 5; 56, 3.
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… Hence the "basilisk" corresponds to venomous serpents (Heb. péthen and 'ep'ēh) in the Septuagint (Ps. 90, 13; Is. 59, 5 [Vulg. regulus]); in the Vulg. 1 time basiliscus (Ps. 90, 13) and 6 times regulus; Aquila has βασιλίσκος (for δράκων) in Deut. 32, 33 and Is. 59, 5 (with ἐχίδναι), Symmachus in Is. …
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.