After the persecutions of the church shall follow great prosperity. Persecutors shall be punished: so shall all that will not serve God in his church.
Ierusalem shal be destroyed, manie Iewes slaine, the rest made captiues: 3. Christs Church shal florish, 8. especially in the Gentils. 12. Persecuters shal be finally punished: 20. and the godlie procede in grace.
1Behold the days of the Lord shall come, and thy spoils shall be divided in the midst of thee.Ecco, che vengono i giorni del Signore, e si farà in mezzo a te la spartizione delle tue spoglie.BEHOLD the dayes of our Lord shal come, and thy spoyles shal be diuided in the middes of thee.Ecce venient dies Domini, et dividentur spolia tua in medio tui. 2And I will gather all nations to Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken, and the houses shall be rifled, and the women shall be defiled: and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the rest of the people shall not be taken away out of the city.Ed io raunerò tutte le genti a combattere contro Gerusalemme, e la città sarà espugnata, e atterrate le case, e violate le donne; e la metà de' cittadini anderà in ischiavitù; e il resto del popolo non sarà tolto dalla città.And I wil gather together al nations to Ierusalem into battel, and the citie shal be taken, and the houses shal be wasted, and the wemen shal be defiled: and the halfe part of the citie shal goe forth into captiuitie, and the rest of the people shal not be taken away out of the citie.Et congregabo omnes gentes ad Jerusalem in prælium: et capietur civitas, et vastabuntur domus, et mulieres violabuntur: et egredietur media pars civitatis in captivitatem, et reliquum populi non auferetur ex urbe. 3Then the Lord shall go forth, and shall fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.E il Signore apparirà, e combatterà contro quelle nazioni, come combattè nel dì di quella battaglia.And our Lord wil goe forth, and wil fight against those nations, as he fought in the day of conflict.Et egredietur Dominus, et præliabitur contra gentes illas, sicut præliatus est in die certaminis. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is over against Jerusalem towards the east: and the mount of Olives shall be divided in the midst thereof to the east, and to the west with a very great opening, and half of the mountain shall be separated to the north, and half thereof to the south.Egli in quel dì poserà i suoi piedi sul monte degli ulivi, che sta dirimpetto a Gerusalemme da levante; e si spaccherà il monte degli ulivi nel suo mezzo a levante, e a ponente in grandissima voragine, e la metà del monte diviso cadrà a settentrione, e l'altra a mezzodì.And his feete shal stand in that day vpon the mount of oliues, which is against Ierusalem toward the East: and the mount of oliues shal be clouen by the halfe part therof to the East, & to the Weast with a stiepe rupture exceding great, and halfe of the mountayne shal be seperated to the North, & halfe therof to the South.Et stabunt pedes ejus in die illa super montem Olivarum, qui est contra Jerusalem ad orientem: et scindetur mons Olivarum ex media parte sui ad orientem et ad occidentem, prærupto grandi valde: et separabitur medium montis ad aquilonem, et medium ejus ad meridiem.
5And you shall flee to the valley of those mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall be joined even to the next, and you shall flee as you fled from the face of the earthquake in the days of Ozias king of Juda: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with him.E voi fuggirete alla valle di quei monti, perché la valle di quei monti sarà congiunta col (monte) vicino, e fuggirete come fuggiste dal tremuoto a' tempi di Ozia re di Giuda. E verrà il Signore Dio mio, e con lui tutti i santi.And you shal flie to the valley of those mountaynes, because the valley of the mountaynes shal be ioyned euen to the next, and you shal flee as you fled from the face of the earthquake in the dayes of Ozias king of Iuda: and our Lord my God shal come, and al the saintes with him.Et fugietis ad vallem montium eorum, quoniam conjungetur vallis montium usque ad proximum: et fugietis sicut fugistis a facie terræmotus in diebus Oziæ regis Juda: et veniet Dominus Deus meus, omnesque sancti cum eo. 6And it shall come to pass in that day, that there shall be no light, but cold and frost.E in quel giorno non sarà luce, ma freddo, e gelo.And it shal be in that day: there shal be no light, but cold and frost.Et erit in die illa: non erit lux, sed frigus et gelu. 7And there shall be one day, which is known to the Lord, not day nor night: and in the time of the evening there shall be light:E vi sarà un giorno, che è conosciuto dal Signore, che non sarà nè giorno, nè notte: e sulla sera sarà la luce.And there shal be one day, which is knowen to our Lord, not day nor night: & in the time of the euening there shal be light.Et erit dies una quæ nota est Domino, non dies neque nox: et in tempore vesperi erit lux. 8And it shall come to pass in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem: half of them to the east sea, and half of them to the last sea: they shall be in summer and in winter.E in quel giorno sgorgheranno da Gerusalemme acque vive; la metà di esse verso il mare orientale, e l'altra metà verso il mare d'occidente: vi saranno di state, e di verno.And it shal be in that day: liuing waters shal issue forth out of Ierusalem: halfe of them to the East sea, and halfe of them to the last sea: in summer & in winter shal they be.Et erit in die illa: exibunt aquæ vivæ de Jerusalem: medium earum ad mare orientale, et medium earum ad mare novissimum: in æstate et in hieme erunt.
9And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day there shall be one Lord, and his name shall be one.E il Signore regnerà sopra tutta la terra: in quel giorno un solo sarà il Signore, e un solo il suo nome.And our Lord shal be king ouer al the earth: in that day there shal be one Lord, & his name shal be one.Et erit Dominus rex super omnem terram: in die illa erit Dominus unus, et erit nomen ejus unum. 10And all the land shall return even to the desert, from the hill to Remmon to the south of Jerusalem: and she shall be exalted, and shall dwell in her own place, from the gate of Benjamin even to the place of the former gate, and even to the gate of the corners: and from the tower of Hananeel even to the king’s winepresses.E la terra tornerà ad essere abitata fino al deserto, dal colle a Remmon a mezzodì di Gerusalemme; ed ella sarà esaltata, e sarà abitata nel suo sito, dalla porta di Benjamin fino al luogo dell'antica porta, e fino alla porta degli angoli; e dalla torre di Hananeel fino agli strettoi del re.And al the land shal returne euen to the desert, from the hil of Remmon to the South of Ierusalem: and it shal be exalted, and shal dwel in her place, from the gate of Beniamin euen to the place of the former gate, and euen to the gate of the corners: & from the towre of Hananeel euen to the kings presses.Et revertetur omnis terra usque ad desertum, de colle Remmon ad austrum Jerusalem: et exaltabitur, et habitabit in loco suo, a porta Benjamin usque ad locum portæ prioris, et usque ad portam angulorum, et a turre Hananeel usque ad torcularia regis. 11And people shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more an anathema: but Jerusalem shall sit secure.Ed ella sarà abitata, e non sarà più anatema; ma Gerusalemme siederà tranquilla.And they shal dwel in it, and there shal be anathema no more: but Ierusalem shal sit secure.Et habitabunt in ea, et anathema non erit amplius, sed sedebit Jerusalem secura. 12And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord shall strike all nations that have fought against Jerusalem: the flesh of every one shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.E questa sarà la piaga, colla quale percuoterà il Signore tutte le genti, che han tirata la spada contro Gerusalemme: si struggeranno le carni di ciascheduno, mentr'ei si starà ritto su suoi piedi, e marciranno i loro occhi ne' loro forami, e s'infradicirà nelle loro bocche la lingua.And this shal be the plague, wherwith our Lord shal strike al nations, that haue fought against Ierusalem: the flesh shal pine away of euerie one standing vpon his feete, and his eyes shal weare away in their holes, & their tongue shal consume away in their mouth.Et hæc erit plaga qua percutiet Dominus omnes gentes quæ pugnaverunt adversus Jerusalem: tabescet caro uniuscujusque stantis super pedes suos: et oculi ejus contabescent in foraminibus suis, et lingua eorum contabescet in ore suo.
13In that day there shall be a great tumult from the Lord among them: and a man shall take the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall be clasped upon his neighbour’s hand.In quel giorno sarà da Dio scompiglio grande tra loro, e l'uno stringerà la mano dell'altro, e si attaccherà colla mano alla mano del suo fratello.In that day there shal be a great tumult of our Lord among them: and a man shal take the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shal be clasped vpon his neighbours hand.In die illa erit tumultus Domini magnus in eis: et apprehendet vir manum proximi sui, et conseretur manus ejus super manum proximi sui. 14And even Juda shall fight against Jerusalem: and the riches of all nations round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and garments in great abundance.E Giuda istesso combatterà contro Gerusalemme, e si ammasseran le ricchezze di tutte le genti all'intorno l'oro, e l'argento, e copia grande di vestimenta,Yea and Iudas shal fight agaynst Ierusalem: and the riches of al nations round about shal be gathered together, gold, and siluer, and garments exceding manie.Sed et Judas pugnabit adversus Jerusalem: et congregabuntur divitiæ omnium gentium in circuitu, aurum, et argentum, et vestes multæ satis. 15And the destruction of the horse, and of the mule, and of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts, that shall be in those tents, shall be like this destruction.E i cavalli, e i muli, e i cammelli, e gli asini, e tutte le bestie, che saranno in quel campo, soffriranno quella medesima piaga.And so shal there be ruine of horse, and mule, and camel, and asse, and of al the beasts, that shal be in those tents, as is this ruine.Et sic erit ruina equi, et muli, et cameli, et asini, et omnium jumentorum quæ fuerint in castris illis, sicut ruina hæc. 16And all they that shall be left of all nations that came against Jerusalem, shall go up from year to year, to adore the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.E tutti quelli, che resteranno di tutte quante le genti, che si mossero contro Gerusalemme, anderanno ogn'anno ad adorare il Signore Re degli eserciti, ed a celebrare la festa de' tabernacoli.And al that shal be left of al Nations, that came against Ierusalem, shal goe vp from yeare to yeare, to adore the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the festiuitie of tabernacles.Et omnes qui reliqui fuerint de universis gentibus quæ venerunt contra Jerusalem, ascendent ab anno in annum ut adorent regem, Dominum exercituum, et celebrent festivitatem tabernaculorum.
17And it shall come to pass, that he that shall not go up of the families of the land to Jerusalem, to adore the King, the Lord of hosts, there shall be no rain upon them.E qualunque sia delle famiglie della terra, che non si porti a Gerusalemme ad adorare il Re, il Signore degli eserciti, non vi sarà pioggia per lei.And it shal be: he that shal not ascend of the families of the land to Ierusalem, to adore the King, the Lord of hosts, there shal be no showre vpon them.Et erit: qui non ascenderit de familiis terræ ad Jerusalem ut adoret regem, Dominum exercituum, non erit super eos imber. 18And if the family of Egypt go not up nor come: neither shall it be upon them, but there shall be destruction wherewith the Lord will strike all nations that will not go up to keep the feast of tabernacles.Che se qualche famiglia di Egitto non si muoverà, e non verrà, neppur per lei vi sarà pioggia; ma rovina grande il Signore farà soffrire a tutte le genti, che non anderanno a celebrare la festa de' tabernacoli.Yea and if the familie of Aegypt shal not ascend, and shal not come: neither vpon them shal it be, but ruine shal be, wherwith our Lord wil strike al Nations that wil not ascend to celebrate the festiuitie of tabernacles.Quod etsi familia Ægypti non ascenderit et non venerit, nec super eos erit: sed erit ruina, qua percutiet Dominus omnes gentes quæ non ascenderint ad celebrandam festivitatem tabernaculorum. 19This shall be the sin of Egypt, and this the sin of all nations, that will not go up to keep the feast of tabernacles.Questo sarà il gran peccato dell'Egitto, e questo il peccato di tutte le genti, il non andare a celebrare la solennità de' tabernacoli.This shal be the sinne of Aegypt, and this the sinne of al Nations, that wil not ascend to celebrate the festiuitie of tabernacles.Hoc erit peccatum Ægypti, et hoc peccatum omnium gentium quæ non ascenderint ad celebrandam festivitatem tabernaculorum. 20In that day that which is upon the bridle of the horse shall be holy to the Lord: and the caldrons in the house of the Lord shall be as the phials before the altar.In quel giorno quello, che orna la briglia del cavallo, sarà consagrato al e Signore, e le caldaie nella casa del Signore saranno come le caraffe dell'altare.In that day shal that which is vpon the bridle of the horse be holie to our Lord: and the caudrons in the house of our Lord shal be as the phials before the altar.In die illa, erit quod super frenum equi est, sanctum Domino: et erunt lebetes in domo Domini quasi phialæ coram altari.
21And every caldron in Jerusalem and Juda shall be sanctified to the Lord of hosts: and all that sacrifice shall come, and take of them, and shall seethe in them: and the merchant shall be no more in the house of the Lord of hosts in that day.E tutte le caldaie di Gerusalemme, e di Giuda saran consagrate al Signore degli eserciti, e tutti quelli, che offeriran sagrifizio, verranno, e le prenderanno per cuocervi le carni: e non sarà più in quel giorno alcun mercatante nella casa del Signore degli eserciti.And euerie caudron in Ierusalem, and Iuda shal be sanctified to the Lord of hosts: and al that immolate, shal come, and take of them, and shal sethe in them: & there shal be merchant no more in the house of the Lord of hosts in that day.Et erit omnis lebes in Jerusalem et in Juda sanctificatus Domino exercituum: et venient omnes immolantes, et sument ex eis, et coquent in eis: et non erit mercator ultra in domo Domini exercituum in die illo.
14:1
14:2
Calmet
I will gather, etc. This seems to be a prophecy of what was done by Antiochus, (Challoner) or of the last siege, (Worthington) by the Romans. (St. Jerome; Theodoret; Eusebius, Dem. 6:18.) (Calmet)
Josephus
Vespasian collected numerous forces. (Josephus, Jewish Wars 3:1.)
Tacitus
Titus had six legions and many auxiliaries, Arabs, etc. (Tacitus, Hist. v.)
Worthington
Various nations composed their army. (Worthington)
Josephus
Rifled, or demolished. None was left standing. (Josephus, Jewish Wars 7:6.; Heges. 5:49.)
Josephus
St. Jerome and others think that the city on Sion was spared, (Calmet) and 40,000 were permitted to dwell where they had a mind. (Josephus, Jewish Wars 7:15.)
Theodoret
But it is not said that they continued at Jerusalem. Half the Jews therefore perished, and those who maintained the siege found a grave in the city. (Theodoret)
Half only denotes a considerable part, as [in] ver. 8. Those who followed our Saviour's admonition, retired before, and were safe (Calmet) at Pella, Zacharias 10:11. Septuagint, "the rest of my people shall not be destroyed out of the city."
14:3
Haydock
Shall. Septuagint, "will stand in battle array among," etc. (parataxetai en) though he will one day punish the victorious Romans. (Haydock)
Calmet
Now he fought with them as [the] Hebrew may signify. (Calmet)
Various prodigies made this clear: (Josephus, Jewish Wars 7:12, 16.) so that Titus would not receive the crown which was presented to him, as he looked upon himself only as the instrument employed by divine justice. (Philost. 6:14.)
Calmet
This sense is given by St. Cyril, etc. (Calmet)
Haydock
In the days of Epiphanes, God defeated his projects. (Haydock)
14:4
Olives. Here the tenth legion was stationed, (Josephus, Jewish Wars 6:3.) on the spot where Christ had denounced this judgment, and ascended into heaven, Luke 19:41., and Acts 1:12.
Grotius
South. We cannot shew the literal accomplishment. If it regard the latter times, this must be hidden. But it suffices that some great earthquake should take place, according to most interpreters; or rather, (Calmet) the Romans removed vast quantities of earth and stone. (Josephus, Jewish Wars 6:12.) (Grotius)
14:5
Calmet
Flee. While the siege was forming many escaped, according to Josephus. Hebrew, Septuagint, etc., "The vale of my mountains shall be filled up, for," etc. (Calmet)
Haydock
Yet Protestants agree with us. (Haydock)
Menochius
Those should be "my." (Ribera) (Menochius)
Haydock
The next. Protestants and Septuagint, "reach unto Azal." (Haydock)
Calmet
You shall. Septuagint, etc., "and it shall be filled, as it was filled at the earthquake," etc. (Calmet)
Josephus
The Romans had to raise many works in the vale of Cedron, so that the trees all round were cut down, and the garden walls removed thither. (Josephus, Jewish Wars 6:4, 14.)
Ozias, when he attempted to offer incense. (Josephus, Antiquities 9:11.) (Amos 1:1., and 4 Kings 15:15.)
Worthington
Yet the earthquake is not specified in the sacred historical books. (Worthington)
Calmet
On that occasion, the people retired into the vale formed by the separation of Olivet; or, if we follow the Septuagint, part of that mountain fell into the valley of Cedron, which we find nowhere else specified. (Calmet)
Haydock
With him. Protestants, "thee." (Haydock)
Calmet
God is attended by his angels; though the Romans may be called his saints, or people destined to execute his decrees in this war, Isaias 13:3., and Sophonias 1:7., and Deuteronomy 33:3., and Joel 3:1. (Calmet)
14:6
Challoner
No light; viz., in that dismal time of the persecution of Antiochus, when it was neither day nor night, (ver. 7.) because they neither had the comfortable light of the day, nor the repose of the night. (Challoner)
Calmet
Darkness denotes distress. The citizens shall be in despair, Matthew 24:29., and Ezechiel 22:8., and Joel 2:2., and Apocalypse 9:2. Hebrew seems to be corrupt: "no precious light, but thick," or a cloud. (Calmet)
14:7
Challoner
In the time of the evening there shall be light. An unexpected light shall arise by the means of the Machabees, when things shall seem to be at the worst. (Challoner)
Josephus
At one period of the last siege, it was dubious what would be the event, particularly (Calmet) when Titus was separated from almost all his attendants, and when the besieged burned the works of the enemy. (Josephus, Jewish Wars 6:2., and 12.)
14:8
Challoner
Living waters; viz., the gospel of Christ. (Challoner)
Haydock
Last: Mediterranean. (Haydock)
Calmet
The prophet now turns to the figurative Jerusalem. The earthly city was not well supplied with water. (Calmet)
St. Jerome in Isaias xlix
It was in the most dry and barren part of the country. (St. Jerome in Isaias xlix.)
14:9
Calmet
One Lord. The apostles justly gave this title to Christ, John 13:14. He is possessed of all power, Matthew 28:18., and Philippians 2:10. Pastors are all subject to him. (Calmet)
Haydock
The Pope styles himself, "servant of the servants of God," since St. Gregory's time. (Haydock)
14:10
Challoner
Return. This in some measure was verified by means of the Machabees; but is rather to be taken in a spiritual sense, as relating to the propagation of the Church and kingdom of Christ, the true Jerusalem, which alone shall never fall under the anathema of destruction, or God's curse. (Challoner)
The limits of Jerusalem were never so extensive.
Hill, or Gabaa to Remmon," or the pomegranate. The situation is not ascertained.
14:11
Calmet
Anathema. It shall not be sentenced to utter ruin. The Church may suffer losses, but cannot perish. (Calmet)
14:12
Challoner
Consume. Such judgments as these have often fallen upon the persecutors of God's Church, as appears by many instances in history. (Challoner)
Worthington
This has partly been verified in persecuting emperors, (St. Jerome) and in others, and will befall the wicked when the day of judgment shall draw near. (Worthington)
Herod, who made war on Christ, and Agrippa, who attacked his Church, (Calmet) were both devoured by worms. (Josephus, Antiquities 17:9., and 19:7.) (Acts 12:13.)
Nero slew himself; Maximian was eaten to death by an inward ulcer; and his colleague's (Maximinus) eyes fell from his head. (Eusebius in Constantine 1:57., and 59.)
It would seem as if Zacharias beheld them. He may also speak of the attempts of God, and of Epiphanes, Zacharias 2:8., and 12:9.
14:13
Them. The Church shall be alarmed at these wars, seeing enemies on all sides. But those days shall be shortened, Matthew 24:21.
Calmet
Hand. Christians shall assist each other; or rather the nearest relations will persecute them, Matthew 10:21, 36. (Calmet)
14:14
Challoner
Even Juda, etc. The carnal Jews, and other false brothers, shall join in persecuting the Church. (Challoner)
The Jews shewed themselves the most virulent, 2 Corinthians 11:24., and Acts viii., etc. They insisted on the death of St. Polycarp.
Theod.[Theodoret
Riches. Converts shewed their generosity so much, (Calmet) that Julian and Felix, apostates, complained of this profusion in sacred vessels. (Theod.[Theodoret,?] Hist. 2:11, 12.)
14:15
Challoner
Shall be like this destruction. That is, the beasts shall be destroyed as well as the men; the common soldiers as well as their leaders. (Challoner)
Haydock
History does not specify the death of cattle, (Calmet) though in plagues this would inevitably follow; and the pagans complained that they were become more common since the propagation of the gospel. (Haydock)
Calmet
The reverses which the troops of Dioclesian, etc., sustained, were to punish their enmity to religion. (Calmet)
14:16
Calmet
Left. That is, many of them that persecuted the Church shall be converted to its faith and communion, (Challoner) particularly after Constantine. (Calmet)
Challoner
Tabernacles. This feast was kept by the Jews, in memory of their sojourning forty years in the desert, in their way to the land of promise. And in the spiritual sense, is duly kept by all such Christians as in their earthly pilgrimage are continually advancing towards their true home, the heavenly Jerusalem, by the help of the sacraments and sacrifice of the Church. And they that neglect this, must not look for the kind showers of divine grace to give fruitfulness to their souls. (Challoner)
Calmet
Out of the Church there is no salvation. (Calmet)
Haydock
Other things may be obtained. (St. Cyprian) (Haydock)
Worthington
The converts shall celebrate the Christian festivals, and merit great rewards, while infidels shall remain barren and devoid of eternal happiness. (Worthington)
14:17
Haydock
There. Septuagint, "these shall also be added to them" who perish. (Haydock)
14:19
Calmet
Sin, or punishment. Formerly various nations were excluded from the religion or assemblies of Israel, Leviticus 22:25., and Deuteronomy 23:1. Now all are invited and compelled to enter the Church, so that they can have no excuse, Luke 14:24. (Calmet)
Haydock
Those rejected by the Jews might still have true faith. (Haydock)
14:20
Challoner
Bridle. The golden ornaments of the bridles, etc., shall be turned into offerings in the house of God. And there shall be an abundance of cauldrons and phials for the sacrifices of the temple; by which is meant, under a figure, the great resort there shall be to the temple, that is, to the Church of Christ, and her sacrifice. (Challoner)
Calmet
It is of a different nature, being the body and blood of Christ. But it shall not be confined to one place, nor the priesthood to one family, ver. 21. Hebrew, "they shall inscribe on the stables, Holy," etc. The most filthy places shall be purified and changed into temples; or, "what is upon the little bells for horses shall be sanctified;" or, on these "bells shall be inscribed, sacred to the Lord." (Calmet)
Haydock
Metsilloth may signify a bell or bridle, etc. (Haydock)
Calmet
The bits were often of gold. (Virgil, Aeneid vii., and viii.) (Calmet)
Haydock
St. Jerome's master said the word should be motsiluth, "trappings" and armour. (Haydock)
14:21
Merchant; or, as some render it, the Chanaanite shall be no more, etc., that is, the profane and unbelievers shall have no title to be in the house of the Lord; or, there shall be no occasion for buyers or sellers of oxen, or sheep, or doves, in the house of God, such as Jesus Christ cast out of the temple. (Challoner) (John 2:16.)
Calmet
All former distinction of Jew and Gentile shall cease in the Church. Past faults shall be forgotten. (Calmet)
14:2
I will gather, etc.... This seems to be a prophecy of what was done by Antiochus.
14:6
No light.... Viz., in that dismal time of persecution of Antiochus, when it was neither day nor night: (ver. 7) because they neither had the comfortable light of the day, nor the repose of the night.
14:7
In the time of the evening there shall be light.... An unexpected light shall arise by the means of the Machabees, when things shall seem to be at the worst.
14:8
Living waters.... Viz., the gospel of Christ.
14:10
All the land shall return, etc.... This, in some measure, was verified by the means of the Machabees: but is rather to be taken in a spiritual sense, as relating to the propagation of the church, and kingdom of Christ, the true Jerusalem, which alone shall never fall under the anathema of destruction, or God’s curse.
14:12
The flesh of every one shall consume, etc.... Such judgments as these have often fallen upon the persecutors of God’s church, as appears by many instances in history.
14:14
Even Juda, etc.... The carnal Jews, and other false brothers, shall join in persecuting the church.
14:15
Shall be like this destruction.... That is, the beasts shall be destroyed as well as the men: the common soldiers as well as their leaders.
14:16
They that shall be left, etc.... That is, many of them that persecuted the church shall be converted to its faith and communion.—Ibid. To keep the feast of tabernacles.... This feast was kept by the Jews in memory of their sojourning forty years in the desert, in their way to the land of promise. And in the spiritual sense is duly kept by all such Christians as in their earthly pilgrimage are continually advancing toward their true home, the heavenly Jerusalem; by the help of the sacraments and sacrifice of the church. And they that neglect this must not look for the kind showers of divine grace, to give fruitfulness to their souls.
14:20
That which is upon the bridle, etc.... The golden ornaments of the bridles, etc., shall be turned into offerings in the house of God. And there shall be an abundance of caldrons and phials for the sacrifices of the temple; by which is meant, under a figure, the great resort there shall be to the temple, that is, to the church of Christ, and her sacrifice.
14:21
The merchant shall be no more, etc.... Or, as some render it, The Chanaanite shall be no more, etc., that is, the profane and unbelievers shall have no title to be in the house of the Lord. Or there shall be no occasion for buyers or sellers of oxen, or sheep, or doves, in the house of God, such as Jesus Christ cast out of the temple.
THE PROPHECY OF MALACHIAS
MALACHIAS, whose name signifies The Angel of the Lord, was contemporary with NEHEMIAS, and by some is believed to have been the same person as ESDRAS. He was the last of the prophets, in the order of time, and flourished about four hundred years before Christ. He foretells the coming of Christ; the reprobation of the Jews and their sacrifices; and the calling of the Gentiles, who shall offer up to God in every place an acceptable sacrifice.
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In the armie of the Romaines were souldiars of manie nations at the last destructiō of Ierusalem.
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Concordance E••. 14.
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Amos. ch. 1. maketh also mention of this earthquake, and Iosephus li. 9. c. 11 Antiq. though it be not in the bookes of the Kinges nor Paralipomenon.
Concordance Amos. •. v. 1.
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Christian doctrine of the Catholique Church vniuersal in al
places and
al times.
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It partly appeared already (as. S. Ierom noteth) in the persecuting Emperors, & since in other examples, but specially these calamities vvil fal vpon the vvicked nere the day of Iudgement. as Luc. 21 v. 26.
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In the meane time such as before persecuted the Church shal be conuerted, & vvith great deuotion vvil celebrate the festiuities, and exercise religious rites to Gods honour: and shal merite great revvardes.
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And the obstinate incredulous shal remaine barren vvithout grace, and voide of eternal glorie.
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Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.39
… other places outside Jerusalem whither to retire —“in the day-time He was teaching in the temple;” just as He had foretold by Hosea: “In my house did they find me, and there did I speak with them.” “But at night He went out to the Mount of Olives.” For thus had Zechariah pointed out: “And His feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives.”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 12.11
… And give the sign not far from the city, that it may not be unknown to us: and give us the sign plain before our eyes, that even when in the city we may behold the place. And the Prophet again makes answer, saying: And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the east
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 2.4
… there may be another and subtler method of accounting for it, is the consideration that the seasons of the years also revolve in four successive alternations, and that the world itself has its bounds determined by four divisions, which Scripture sometimes designates by the names of the winds,—East and West, Aquilo [or North] and Meridian [or South].
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.11
119. Yet learn that the Son knows the day of judgment. We read in Zechariah: “And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with Him. In that day there shall not be light, but cold and frost, and it shall be one day, and that day is known unto the Lord.”
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Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 1.11
… And the sun set in midday and the land was darkened in the shining daytime, as is written in Zechariah the Prophet:— It shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, I will cause the sun to set in midday, and will make dark the land in the shining daytime .
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 17.10
… Now what is the day that was distinguished by the prodigy, that it was neither daytime nor night, and that at the evening time there was light? Evidently the day on which they crucified Him, for in the midst of that day there came darkness, and at the evening time there was light. And again he said:— That day there shall be cold and frost .
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 13.24
… but from the ninth hour there was light again. Are these things also written? Let us inquire. Now the Prophet Zacharias says, And it shall come to pass in that day, that there shall not be light, and there shall be cold and frost one day; (the cold on account of which Peter warmed himself;) And that day shall be known unto the Lord
Rufinus of Aquileia † AD 411 A Commentary on the Apostles' Creed 24
… To this also you will find the Prophet witnessing, “Thy Sun shall go down at mid-day.” And again, the Prophet Zechariah, “In that day there shall be no more light. There shall be cold and frost in one day, and that day known to the Lord; and it shall be neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.”
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Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 17.10
… and all His bones cried out. And on that day a great prodigy happened. namely, that the light became dark in the middle of the day, as Zechariah prophesied, saying:— The day shall be known unto the Lord. It shall not be daytime, and it shall not be night; and at the evening time there shall be light .
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 13.24
… but God called the darkness night . Wherefore it was neither day nor night: for neither was it all light, that it should be called day; nor was it all darkness, that it should be called night; but after the ninth hour the sun shone forth. This also the Prophet foretels; for after saying, Not day, nor night, he added, And at evening time it shall be light
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Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 9
… as it says through Zechariah: “And Judah keepeth guard at Jerusalem, and shall amass all the vigour of the surrounding peoples, gold and silver.”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 3.13
… Thus He says by Zechariah: “And Judah shall also fight at Jerusalem and shall gather together all the wealth of the nations round about, gold and silver.”
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Sozomen † AD 450 The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen 2.1
… Of these, it is related, the emperor had a head-piece and bit made for his horse, according to the prophecy of Zechariah, who referred to this period when he said, “that which shall be upon the bit of the horse shall be holy to the Lord Almighty.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret 1.17
… The other portion of the nails she ordered to be formed into the bridle of his horse, not only to ensure the safety of the emperor, but also to fulfil an ancient prophecy; for long before Zechariah, the prophet, had predicted that “ There shall be upon the bridles of the horses Holiness unto the Lord Almighty
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Verse 1. Behold they come. — First, the Jews refer this entire chapter to the time of the Messiah, whom they themselves, along with all these goods here enumerated by Zechariah, expect literally. But they are mistaken: for from 1600 years ago Jerusalem was utterly destroyed by Titus, the temple, the commonwealth and the Jewish people, whose desolation will last until the end of the world, as Daniel says in chapter ix, last verse. Add to this: the Prophet here says that Jerusalem is first to be captured and laid waste, and a middle part of the Jews in it will go into captivity, both of which presuppose that the Jews will be restored in Jerusalem; for they cannot be captured and laid waste who do not exist; and then God will fight for them, namely through the Messiah, as they themselves say. But this cannot be true: for thus the Jews would be restored before the Messiah, and would obtain Jerusalem, and would flourish in it, which yet they themselves deny. For they say that the restoration of Jerusalem and of the Jews will be through the forces and arms of the Messiah; otherwise indeed before the Messiah they would have to posit another Messiah, who would restore Jerusalem to the Jews. And so the Rabbis here destroy themselves, and, as is commonly said, put out the eyes of crows. Then in verse 14 it is said: "And Judas also shall fight against Jerusalem;" but this cannot be said of their Messiah. For he himself will arise from the tribe of Judah, as the son and successor of David and Solomon, and with his fellow-tribesmen the Jews will restore Jerusalem, as they say. Moreover in verse 16 it is said that all nations will ascend from year to year to Jerusalem, to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles. But this cannot happen literally, as it sounds, both because the city of Jerusalem cannot hold all the nations of the whole world; and because they themselves teach that the happiness and kingdom of the Messiah pertains to the Jews, not to the nations: for the nations will then be servants and slaves of the Jews, as they themselves now serve the nations. Finally, some things, if you take them as they sound concerning Jerusalem, are absurd and contradictory. Such is what is said in verse 21: "And every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be sanctified to the Lord," for thus in the time of the Messiah, the Jews at home would have no pots in which to cook meats, for which nevertheless they long after the manner of their fathers; but they would have to consecrate all their pots to God in the temple. Wherefore truly St. Jerome here at verse 11 says: "These things the Jews dream according to the letter: and our Chiliasts, who in turn desire to hear: Increase and multiply; and fill the earth, and for the continence of this life and brief fasting promise themselves bulbs, and vulvas, and birds of pheasant, and attagen, not Ionic but Jewish, concerning which the Lord can truly say: My spirit shall not remain in these men, because they are flesh, etc. But we interpret the heavenly Jerusalem as the Church, which walking in the flesh does not live according to the flesh, whose citizenship is in heaven. For after the Lord Jesus shall be king over all the earth, concerning which the Holy Spirit speaks to the Father through the Prophet: O God, give thy judgment to the king, and thy justice to the king's son; then there shall be one Lord, and one name of his, all false religion trampled down, according to that: O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in all the earth! And elsewhere: As thy name, O God, so also is thy praise in all the earth." Second, many think that the Prophet here describes literally the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, and that in punishment for Christ crucified by them, as I said in the preceding chapter, verses 6 and 7. Thus Eusebius in book VI of the Demonstration, chapter xviii, St. Cyril, Theodoret, Rupert, Vatable, Ribera, Sanchez, and St. Jerome seems to incline. But all the following things stand in the way. For God did not fight against the Roman destroyers of Jerusalem, nor did he restore Jerusalem after the destruction by Titus, nor did he cause all nations to come to worship God in it, and to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles, since Jerusalem after Titus remains destroyed and desolate for 1600 years until the present day. I say therefore: Literally signified here is Jerusalem to be captured by Antiochus Epiphanes, and to be restored by the Maccabees, as I proved in the Proem, and this teach Palacius, Mariana and a Castro, and the very event itself, as is evident from the books of the Maccabees, especially book I, chapters 1, 22 and seq. Moreover, under the type of the desolation of Jerusalem, is here depicted the desolation of the Church, especially the primitive Church, which was made by Nero, Trajan and other pagan emperors. For then temples were captured and overthrown by them; the faithful were deprived, some of their goods, some of their liberty, some of their life. For the Church is said to be captured and desolated when its faithful are captured and desolated. Thus Arias. Whence the Gloss holds that there is here described the persecution of the Church made by Cosroes, king of the Persians, and by Omar, king of the Arabs: for each of them conquered Jerusalem, and killed some of the citizens, led away others, and subjected others to tribute: which servitude lasted until Godfrey of Bouillon, who restored the holy places to Christians by fighting. Thus the Gloss. Anagogically, there is signified here the desolation of the Church to come through Antichrist, whom the Jews will receive as their Messiah. For he will rage against it far more gravely than Nero, Decius and other tyrants, will violate the wives of the faithful (for he will be most licentious), will destroy all human and divine laws, especially in Jerusalem, where he will sit violently as a tyrant, and will set up the throne of his tyranny, as St. John expressly teaches in the Apocalypse xx, 8. For speaking of Gog and Magog, who will be the soldiers and leaders of Antichrist, he says: "And they went up upon the breadth of the earth, and encompassed the camp of the saints, and the beloved city," namely Jerusalem, into which Christians will gather, that he may slay them. Whence in Jerusalem by Antichrist will be slain Elias and Henoch, as St. John teaches in the Apocalypse xi, 8 and following. Thus Lyra, Dionysius and others. And in this sense the opinion of the Jews will be true, who say that these things pertain to the last times, in which the Messiah will come; but they err, while they think the Messiah will restore Judaism, not Christianity, and therefore will give temporal goods to the Jews, not spiritual. And so when these and similar places of Scripture are objected to the Jews, we can respond that we also understand them of the coming of the Messiah; but of the first literally, of the second anagogically. For since the second coming of the Messiah is to be at the end of the world, those things which are here said of the restoration and celebration of Jerusalem cannot be understood of it literally, and that all nations will come to it yearly to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles; for if the end of the world will then be at hand, the end of the feasts of this life will also be at hand, and consequently the feast of Tabernacles we shall henceforth celebrate not literally, but anagogically in heaven.
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Vers. 2. Half of the city shall go out into captivity. — Those who understand this of the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus thus explain it, as if to say: Half of the citizens will be killed and captured, the remaining part of the faithful warned by the Prophets will flee from the city and will be saved, as Christ forewarned in Matthew xxiv, 16. Thus Theodoret and Eusebius lib. VI Demonstr. cap. xviii. But by far the greater part was killed; for few were captured, although the Prophet here asserts that half the city was captured. For Josephus lib. VII Belli, cap. xvii, says that eleven hundred thousand Jews were killed, but only 97 thousand were captured. Again, Christians were not saved in the city, as the Prophet here says, but outside it. Wherefore Rupert, Ribera and others thus explain it, as if to say: One part of the citizens of Jerusalem under Titus will be captured, but the other part will not be taken from the city: because in it they will be killed, or will be consumed and die by famine and hardships. But I have already proved that these things pertain to the destruction of Jerusalem by Antiochus, not by Titus; under Antiochus therefore these things happened is evident from the books of Maccabees, and namely from lib. II, cap. v, 14, where it is said: "There were in all eighty thousand killed in three days, forty thousand taken captive, and no fewer sold." Again, many of the Jews partly from fear, partly from malice consented to Antiochus, and therefore remained in the city, and plundered the others, of whom it is said I Maccab. 1, 55: "And many of the people were gathered unto them that had forsaken the law of the Lord, and they did evil in the land: and they drove Israel into hiding places, and into the secret places of fugitives." And of these Zacharias says: "And the remnant of the people shall not be taken away out of the city," namely because they gave themselves to Antiochus, or certainly will be bound by him. For half here is not to be taken precisely and arithmetically, but morally, as if to say: One part of the citizens will go out into captivity, the other will remain in the city, either bound, or as deserters.
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Vers. 3. And the Lord shall go forth, and shall fight against the nations. — In Hebrew בגוים baggoim, that is, among the nations; which can be understood in two ways. First, as if to say, With the nations, namely with Titus and the Romans, God shall fight against the Jews. Thus Cyril and Theodoret. Second, baggoim is better translated as against the nations, that is, against the nations, as Our translation, the Chaldean and others render it; and indeed the Septuagint in the Vatican edition; for in the Complutensian they have, among the nations. He speaks literally of the miraculous battles of the Maccabees against Antiochus, in which God through angels also visibly appearing seemed to fight for Judas, as is evident from II Maccabees, chapter x, 29, and chapter xi, 8, and chapter xv, 12. As he fought in the day of battle, — Namely that famous and most celebrated one, in which he fought against Pharaoh, and crushed him in the Red Sea, as the Chaldean has it. Wherefore Judas Maccabeus, encouraging his men with hope of divine aid to battle, said: "Remember how our fathers were saved in the Red Sea, when Pharaoh pursued them," etc., I Maccabees iv, 9. Under this type of the Maccabees, the victory of Christ over paganism is signified parabolically, as if to say, Christ shall subject to himself the nations once adverse to God through the Gospel, and shall plunge their sins in baptism, "as he fought in the day of battle," that is, as once fighting in the type of this matter against Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the Red Sea, he drowned them there. Thus St. Jerome. Anagogically, the battle of Christ against Antichrist is signified (for Antiochus was the type and forerunner of this one, as much as Pharaoh), Gog and Magog, whom according to Jerusalem he shall rout from heaven, destroy and cast down into the depths of hell, as the Apostle teaches in II Thessalonians ii, 8, and St. John in the Apocalypse xx, 9 and following. Thus Lyra, Hugh and Dionysius. Again, the strife and battle of Christ against all the impious on the day of judgment is signified, whom his sentence shall condemn, and his power shall drive into hell, saying: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire."
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Verse 4. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives. — Tertullian in book IV Against Marcion, chapter xxxix, reads: His feet shall stand on Elaeone, that is on the mount of Olivet; for ἔλαιον to the Greeks is oil. For God shall descend with his angels upon this mountain, so that from it he may defend Jerusalem and rout the forces of Antioch, and therefore by treading upon the mountain with his feet, he shall make it tremble and split asunder, concerning which presently. This mountain is called the mount of Olivet, or of Olives, from the abundance of olive trees growing frequently upon it, which is otherwise called the holy mountain and the renowned mountain. It is distant from Jerusalem by five stadia, and is separated from it by the valley of Cedron intervening. Under this type is signified Christ God made man, about to stand and turn about on the mount of Olivet, and there to spend the night in prayer, to teach the Apostles, and to begin his passion. For there praying in the garden he was captured, just as from there like a king and Messiah, triumphing he entered the city with branches of olives on Palm Sunday. From this place also glorious before his disciples he ascended into heaven, Acts i. On the mount of Olivet therefore he began and completed, both our redemption and his Church. For ascending thence he commanded the Apostles and said: "You shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth," Acts i, 8. Wherefore the mount of Olivet is a symbol of the Church gathered from the nations obeying Christ, in which the feet of Christ stand and rest: for the olive is a hieroglyphic of surrender, subjection, obedience, reverence and worship. For formerly when peoples surrendered themselves to some prince, they held forth branches of olive, as if seeking peace, as Servius teaches in Aeneid viii; whence our Martin of Roa in book IV of Singulars, chapter v, gives this sense of this passage, to wit: Mountains of olives, that is the Romans who shall possess the empire of the whole world, shall cast themselves at the feet of Jesus Christ, when the Jews shall reject him. Thus St. Ambrose in chapter xxi of Luke, and Eusebius in book VI of the Demonstration, chapter xviii, teach that the Church is signified in the mount of Olives. For this reason Christ frequently prayed and dwelt on this mountain, and ascended from it into heaven, so that he might signify that he would pass over into the Church of the nations, and would pour forth his mercy and gifts upon it. Thus Psalm li, 10, it is said: "But I as a fruitful olive in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever," to wit: The rich hope in their riches, as was said before: but I hope in the mercy of God, I hold forth to him branches of olive, and cast myself as a suppliant at his feet, I surrender myself to him, I adore him prone: I confess myself conquered by his greatness, I yield my hands; and therefore I do not doubt that I shall obtain pardon and mercy, which is owed to suppliants and the conquered. Moreover he adds "for ever," because the olive is a symbol of eternity, as Pierius testifies: but such ought to be those who surrender themselves to God, that they persevere in the course of life, unlike those who believe for a time, and in time of temptation fall away. Therefore Paul in Romans xi, 17, says the nations are made olives from the wild olive, because the faith which the Church of the Nations once received, it shall never abandon, nor shall it fail from the religion of Christ, as the Jews failed. Thus Psalm cxxviii it is said: "Thy children as young olive plants round about thy table," to wit: I shall raise up for thee sons subject and obedient, equally as peaceful and concordant among themselves; for the olive is a symbol of subjection and peace, as I have said. I have reviewed more analogies of the olive and the Church and the holy soul in Jeremiah xi, 16. Anagogically, Christ is signified on the mount of Olivet about to cast down Antichrist, when he himself like Christ shall wish to ascend from the same place into heaven. Thus St. Jerome in Daniel xi, Damascene in book IV On the Faith, chapter xxvii, Anselm in II Thessalonians ii, Lyran, Hugh and Dionysius. Again on the day of judgment with all his angels he shall descend upon the mount of Olivet, which overlooks the valley of Josaphat, so that there he may judge and dispute with all nations, as Joel says in chapter iii, 2. Who is against Jerusalem to the East. — He alludes to the Ascension of Christ: for Christ ascended into heaven on the Mount of Olives, so that by the vineyard of the Jews becoming wild, he might show that he had made an olivet, that is, a Church fertile with olives, that is, with saints, the pious, the merciful, the luminous and enriched with the Holy Spirit. Thus Eusebius, lib. VI Demonstr. cap. xviii; whence he says: "Who is against," or opposed to the old "Jerusalem," and the Synagogue "to the East;" because the Church was preferred to the Synagogue and made nearer to the sun of justice, that is, to Christ, so that it might receive the first rays of his rising, of faith, grace and all charisms, so that in respect to it Jerusalem would be to the West: by which he signified that the Synagogue was to be blinded, and therefore was to fall at the coming of Christ. Hence also Christ, his face turned away from Jerusalem, looking toward the West, was crucified, and from thence by the institution of the Apostles Christians pray turned toward the East, and temples face the East, in which the image of Christ crucified looks toward the West, those who adore which necessarily look toward the East. Thus Damascenus, lib. IV De Fide, xiii, and others. In like manner Christ ascended into heaven on the Mount of Olives, his face turned away from Jerusalem (as is clear from the traces of his feet impressed on the stone, which are still seen), turned toward the West, and looking toward the Roman Church, to which he himself sent St. Peter his Vicar and St. Paul the teacher of the Gentiles, so that they might transfer the seat of the Church there. Thus Adrichomius in Descript. Terrae sanctae, treating of the Mount of Olives. Note: Formerly outside Jerusalem there were two mountains opposite to each other, namely to the East the Mount of Olives, to which opposite to the West was opposed the Mount of Calvary, on which Christ was crucified, which formerly was outside the city, but now is within it. But in the city itself there were two neighboring mountains, namely Sion looking toward the South, on which was the citadel of David, and Moriah looking toward the North, on which the temple was built. Between these two mountains was a short valley filled with the houses of citizens, which is called Mello and Tyropaeon. And the Mount of Olives shall be split. — St. Jerome, Cyril, Theodoret, Burgensis, Palacius, hold that this splitting will be fourfold in the manner of a cross, toward the four quarters of the world, so that the Mount of Olives shall be split first from East to West, then those two split parts shall again be split from North to South. But the Chaldean, Eusebius, Lyra, Vatablus, Ribera, Sanchez and others hold that it is to be split into only two parts, namely toward the East and West through the middle, so that one part of the split mountain inclines (whence for "shall be separated," the Septuagint renders "shall incline"; the Zurich Bible, "shall bend"; Pagninus, "shall recede") toward the South, the other toward the North, and between both in the middle is a steep chasm, or deep valley, which shall be joined to the valley of Josaphat, or Cedron, and thence to the valley of the Mount of Sion, so that the Jews who shall flee from Sion and the city through the valley of Josaphat, shall pass through the valley made in the split Mount of Olives. You may ask, when and how did this splitting of the Mount of Olives occur? Those who think that the matter here concerns the siege and destruction of Jerusalem by Titus and the Romans explain these things variously. For some interpret the splitting of the Mount of Olives parabolically as the schisms and seditions of the Zealots and other Jews in the city. Others, such as Theodoret, hold that the Mount of Olives is called the army of the Romans, which occupied that mountain: and the mountain is said to be divided because the Roman army was divided to besiege and attack other places of the city, since the city toward the Mount of Olives, on account of the valley or chasm of the Cedron interposed, would be more difficult of access and assault. But our Sanchez explains it in three ways: First, he suspects that in the siege of the Romans, the Mount of Olives was truly divided by a great earthquake, even if Josephus does not say this, nor do any histories, just as they do not remember the earthquake under Ozias, which nevertheless Zacharias teaches occurred here. Second, the camps of the Romans on this mountain were so disposed by Titus that they extended from East to West, and thus on either side left two parts toward North and South, but the valley of Cedron was very steep, which the Romans also occupied: for a valley is nothing other than a splitting of mountains, as if to say the depth of Cedron will not fortify the Jews, nor hinder the Romans from invading and occupying the city; because they will fill everything with their soldiers. Third, as if to say Titus filled and leveled the very deep chasm of Cedron, which lay between the city and his camps situated on the Mount of Olives, and fortified the city, by bringing up embankments so that access would be easy for soldiers to invade the walls. That he did this in other valleys, Josephus teaches in book VI of the Wars, chapter iv. And that embankments and walls were constructed in the very valley of Cedron itself, the same Josephus teaches in book VI, chapter xiii. The Septuagint favors this, which says in verse 5 that the valley of mountains was closed up: therefore the Mount of Olives is said to be split because from it the Romans cut stones, and rolled them down with earth into the valley of Cedron below, and filled it with them. Wherefore the Prophet says: "You shall flee," O Jews, "to the valley of my mountains," that is into the city, to the space which lies between Mount Moriah and Mount Sion (where the temple of God was): "because the valley of mountains shall be joined," that is the valley of Cedron, which lies between the Mount of Olives and Mount Sion, "even to the next," namely the Mount of Olives: for Titus surrounded the city with a wall, drawn through Cedron to the Mount of Olives. But only the tenth legion of the Romans was stationed on the Mount of Olives, which was to the East of the city: but the rest of Titus's army besieged the city from the northern part, in a place called Sapha, or Scopos, and was situated opposite two towers, which were called Psephina and Hippicus, as Josephus expressly says in book VI of the Wars, chapter v. And so Titus besieged the city plainly near the Mount of Calvary. For this was almost opposite Psephina, where the Jews crucified Christ, as Adrichomius notes in the Description of Jerusalem, and others; so that the Jews might know that Titus had come for this, to be the avenger of the death of Christ, and to punish them there, where they themselves had committed the parricide of Christ, or rather the deicide. Finally, however, Titus, in order to occupy the city more quickly, surrounded it on all sides with a wall, in which he established 40 castles, and completed this work in the space of three days, and thus drove the Jews to famine and extremities. Wherefore it is not likely that he filled and leveled the valley of Cedron. For Josephus in book VI, chapter iv, only says that he leveled the valley which was between his camps situated in Scopos, to the North; not however the valley of the Mount of Olives, which was to the East. Moreover Titus was wholly occupied in drawing a wall around the city, and this alone occupied all his soldiers. For this wall was in circumference 39 stadia, that is almost five miles, as Josephus says. Add that the matter here concerns not the time of Titus and the Romans, but of Antiochus and the Maccabees, as I said at the beginning. I say therefore from this place it appears that in the time of Antiochus and the Maccabees the Mount of Olives was split, when God descended upon it with angels, although this is not narrated in the books of the Maccabees nor elsewhere; just as the earthquake which occurred under Ozias is not narrated in the books of Kings, and many other things. The words themselves and the reason of the time demand this sense: for the matter is treated of the age of the Maccabees: thus from Castro, and Paul of Palacio, who writes thus: I believe this prophecy was fulfilled before the victories of the Maccabees, when many signs were seen in heaven, namely horsemen running through the air, armed cohorts, the running of horses, II Maccabees v. For these cohorts were of angels, with whom the Lord came in visible form: therefore when the Lord came, the mountain trembled (for when God goes forth, the earth is moved and shaken, Psalm lxvii, 9). From the trembling indeed it was split into four parts, signifying the splitting and division of the Jews from their homeland into the four quarters of the world. Thus Palacio. Moreover this splitting of the mountain was a type of the splitting of the same at the end of the world, as I shall presently say; but among other things it represented the present circumstances, both the flights on account of the impending calamities from Antiochus; and the splittings and schisms of the Jews, while some adhered to the Maccabees, others to Antiochus: again others to Antiochus and the Syrians, others favored Ptolemy and the Egyptians. In a similar manner under the Emperor Constantius, and St. Cyril patriarch of Jerusalem, in the year of the Lord 353, the cross brighter than the sun appeared from heaven in full daylight above the Mount of Olives (and perhaps Zacharias also alluded to this) marking it as it were and cutting it in the manner of a cross, so as to represent the schism of the Church which the Arians were making, and to warn Constantius their supporter by the sign of the Holy Cross, and that the Crucified Son of God should be adored as consubstantial with the Father and as the true God, as his father Constantine had adored him, who therefore through the standard of the cross obtained divine victories over Maxentius and other enemies; as if Christ from on high were to thunder to the orthodox afflicted by Constantius: Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world by the cross, and you shall overcome the Arians by the same. Wherefore the whole city, stirred by this sign of the cross, ran to the church, praising and celebrating God and the Son of God; indeed many Jews and Gentiles, seeing this radiant sign of the cross in the heavens, were amazed, and were converted to Christ. St. Cyril describes the deed done and seen by himself at length in his letter to the Emperor Constantius at the end of the Catecheses Mystagogicae. The same thing is narrated briefly thus in the Acts of the Martyr Artemius, on the 19th of October, in Surius: "At that very time, when Magnentius had been defeated, the greatest sign of the cross appearing wonderfully, so that it surpassed the light of day with admirable splendor, was seen at Jerusalem about the third hour of the day, when it was a feast day which is called Pentecost, extending from the place which is called Calvary, even to the Mount of Olives." Thus also Sozomenus lib. IV, cap. iv; Socrates lib. II, cap. xxiv, and from them Baronius in the year of the Lord 353. Similar was the appearance of Christ on the Mount of Olives, in the year of Christ 419, which Baronius thus relates from the chronicle of Marcellinus: "In the year of Christ 419, many cities and villages of Palestine collapsed from an earthquake. Our Lord Jesus Christ, always everywhere whole, manifested himself from a cloud above the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem. Many nations of the neighboring peoples of both sexes, both by sight and by hearing terrified and believing, were washed in the sacred font of Christ. And of all the baptized in their white garments the cross of Christ the Savior, by the nod of divinity, was immediately impressed and shone forth. By occasion of which admirable thing, from the time of the coming of the Lord to judge, conversations were everywhere mingled, in that from the prophecy of the prophet Daniel, cap. vii, the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds had already been foretold; and Zacharias, cap. xiv, had prophesied of the very place of his coming upon the Mount of Olives. And the angels had announced to the Apostles concerning Christ ascending into heaven from the Mount of Olives: As you have seen him going into heaven, so shall he come. On occasion of which Hesychius seems to have written epistle 79 to St. Augustine, concerning the Last Day, which, since so many signs had preceded it (as he says), seemed now to be at hand. To which St. Augustine responding in epistle 80, disputes at length concerning the time of the last day." Thus far Baronius on occasion of Melania the Younger, who in the same year separately from her husband Pinianus lived a monastic life, and in a cell near the Mount of Olives persevered shut up for 14 years, and led a life in a narrow place similar to the angels. A similar apparition occurred on the same mountain at the time of the holy war, when Christians, animated by zeal, captured Jerusalem. William of Tyre recounts this deed in Book VIII of the History of the Holy War, chapter xvi: when the Christians were exhausted in the siege of Jerusalem and therefore dispersing, he says: "Behold, divine power came to aid desperate circumstances. For from the Mount of Olives a certain soldier, who however did not appear afterwards, waving a splendid and gleaming shield, gave a sign to our legions to return to the same place and renew the engagement. Encouraged by this sign, Duke Godfrey of Bouillon was the first to ascend the walls, and others following him, immediately at his command broke through the Gate of St. Stephen, through which they led the entire Christian army into the city." Thus Jerusalem was captured by the Christians in the year of the Lord 1099, on the 15th day of July, a Friday, on which Christ dying triumphed over death. An oracle of a holy man helped, who dwelling on the Mount of Olives had predicted that the city would be captured on that day, as Tyre says in chapter xvii. Whence even before the siege of the city, the Christians with bare feet and great devotion, singing litanies with crosses, processed as far as the Mount of Olives, as the same author says in chapter xi. It is probable that Zechariah here, or rather the Holy Spirit, had regard to these and similar apparitions. Whence Lyra mystically explains this passage of Zechariah concerning Jerusalem captured by Godfrey of Bouillon and the Christians: for a sign of the city being captured was given to them from the Mount of Olives, as I have already said from Tyre. Finally, some explain these things conditionally, that is to say: God will so protect you, O Hebrews, that if it should be necessary for your protection to split the Mount of Olives, so that through it you might escape the hands of enemies, He will truly do it, but such great effort will not be necessary: for He will be able to protect you in a thousand other ways. Similar is Isaiah xi, 15, and Zechariah x, 11. Thus Castro. Now parabolically and as it were allegorically, the Mount of Olives is the Church, says Eusebius in Book VI of the Demonstration, chapter xviii. It was split when there the Apostles were commanded by the ascending Christ to go into the whole world, and from there they divided and scattered themselves into the four regions of the world, and Christ's faith and the Church. Again this splitting of the mountain denotes the commotion and contrition of the nations, hearing the Gospel of Christ, according to that passage in Luke iii, 5: "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough ways plain." But one part of them remained toward the North, that is, persisted in the cold of their infidelity and impiety: for the North wind signifies those who are cold and torpid from infidelity and sin, while the other part turning toward the South signifies the faithful, who are warm with charity and fervent in the Spirit of God: for the South is warm. By the symbol of this matter Ezekiel saw the glory of God, that is, God glorious sitting in the chariot of the Cherubim, and surrounded by four Cherubim, flying forth from the Jewish temple to the Mount of Olives. For thus he says in chapter xi, 23: "And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain that is on the east side of the city," namely above the Mount of Olives, so that from this mountain He might expect and behold the new Jerusalem, as a phoenix rising from the ashes of the old in Sion, namely the Church of Christ, as I said there. Moreover the Gloss understands by the splitting of the Mount of Olives the schism of the Greeks from the Latins: for the Greeks dwell toward the East, who are divided from the Latins dwelling toward the West. Whence it says: "And you shall flee," that is, you ought to flee to obedience to the Roman Church, whose great mountains, namely Sts. Peter and Paul, are patrons. Anagogically, the Mount of Olives will be split when the Antichrist shall wish to ascend from it into heaven: for cast down by Christ he will fall, and the earth, namely the mountain opening, will swallow him alive, as I said on II Thessalonians ii, 8. This is what St. John says in the Apocalypse xix, 20: "The beast (namely the Antichrist) was taken, and with him the false prophet, etc. These two were cast alive into the pool of fire burning with brimstone." Again on the day of judgment, Christ the judge will descend upon the Mount of Olives: whence then by His majesty and power, with a great earthquake, He will shake it, so that the mountain itself, as it were in fear and reverence of Christ the judge, will tremble; at the same time so that by this earthquake it may split open and widen the valley of Josaphat, to receive all men to be judged there by Christ. For if God, about to give the law, descending upon Sinai shook the mountain, Exodus xix, much more will He do this when descending to judgment. St. Clement of Rome teaches this very thing expressly in book VII of the Apostolic Constitutions, chapter xxxiii: "The Mount of Olives itself, he says, will yield to the glory of the coming One, and split into four parts, will flee far away, so that the tribunal of the judge may have the theater of the whole world attending it. But the trembling of men will be so great that the mad will flee into the middle valley, which will be made most spacious; since it will be joined with the distant mountains together with all the surrounding plain." This indeed agrees very well with the words of Zacharias. Thus among others Emmanuel Sa, and Josephus a Costa in book IV of De Tempor. noviss. chapters xiii and xiv, and Leonard Lessius in book XIII of De Divinis attrib. chapter xxi, at the end: "Zacharias indicates, he says, that the Mount of Olives (near which is the valley of Josaphat) is to be split into four parts, so that a very great plain may be made, in which those to be judged may be received." Moreover this splitting of the mountain will represent the separation of the Southern peoples, that is of the fervent and the elect from the Northern peoples, that is of the cold and the reprobate. For those will be Eastern, because the light and eternal glory will rise upon them: but these will be Western, because they will go into the setting and eternal death. By a great precipice, — that is a great chasm, as the Septuagint translates it; or a valley, as the Chaldean version, which will open deeply from the splitting of the mountain, and will gape. Parabolically this gaping here signifies the ruin and desolation of Jerusalem, when the Apostles departing to the gentiles, the unfaithful Jews shortly after were laid waste by Titus, sunk down as it were into the depths of an abyss, by the just vengeance of God. Anagogically, it signifies the great gaping of the Mount of Olives and the valley of Josaphat to come on the day of judgment, by which the gaping earth will send all the reprobate standing there into the depths of hell. This gaping therefore and chasm will be most profound: for from the valley of the Mount of Olives it will extend all the way to hell, which is in the center of the earth. On the day of judgment therefore this prophecy will be properly and plainly fulfilled, and there will be made a fissure of the Mount of Olives, and a huge chasm all the way to the depths of hell, so that into it will look not only the reprobate, but also the elect of God, and they will rejoice wonderfully that by the grace of Christ they have escaped that horrible abyss of fire, into which they will see so many impious sunk. St. Dionysius the Areopagite saw this horrible chasm in spirit, and thus describes it from the mouth of St. Carpus in his epistle 8 to Demophilus, saying: "He (Carpus) reported that he saw a house in which he was standing, first violently shaken, and then split from the top through the middle, etc. He also said that he saw the ground itself, like some vast dark depth, torn asunder, and those men to whom he had cursed evils standing before him at the mouth of that deep chasm trembling and miserable, and who from the very instability of their feet were already seen to be sinking. Moreover from the lower part of the chasm he saw serpents emerging, which around their unstable and tottering feet, sometimes indeed gathered into a coil, and pressed down together and dragged along, sometimes however with teeth and tails, with mouth, throat, tongues, and with the whole motion of their body seemed to inflict an immense force of terror, so that they strove in all ways to hurl them downward. But there were also certain men in the middle, who made an assault against them together with the serpents, harassing together and driving them, and striking: and those seemed to be near to falling," etc.
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Verse 5. And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains. — The Hebrew, the Septuagint and St. Jerome in his Commentary read, of mine. Whence also in the Latin texts it seems it should be read thus. Note the flight to the valley: for physically in an earthquake, counsel and remedy is to flee to valleys and low places; for these are shaken less by earthquake than mountains. Moreover, the sense of this passage is that which I gave in verse 4. For the valley of the mountains shall be joined even to the next, — in Hebrew even to אצל atsal, which the Septuagint, the Chaldean, Aquila, Theodotion, Vatablus and Pagninus take and leave as a proper name. But Our [translator], Symmachus and others render it as a common noun, even to the next; others, even to the separated, namely from the earthquake, and therefore a safe place. Now various [interpreters] expound these things variously. Two expositions are more probable. The first, as if to say: That you may escape Antiochus and the enemies besieging and invading Jerusalem, you shall flee through the valley of Josaphat and of Olivet (for God will split the Mount of Olivet for this reason, that through its cleft and the adjoining valley you may be able to flee: whence it is called the valley of mountains, namely already divided. For the Mount of Olivet through this splitting will be divided into two, or, as others [say], into four mountains) even to Atsal, where you will be safe and secure from the enemy. Thus Castro, the Zurich [edition] and Arias. The second, as if to say: That you may flee and escape this earthquake, by which the Mount of Olivet will be shaken and split, you shall flee into the valley of my mountains, namely into the valley of Mello, or of Tyropaeus, which lies between the Mount of Sion and the Mount of Moria: for these are my mountains, because on Moria I have my temple, on Sion my fortress of David: "For the valley of the mountains shall be joined even to the next," as if to say: Because the valley, that is, the chasm made in the Mount of Olivet now divided (which therefore is now not the valley of one mountain, but of two, namely of mountains now divided) will reach to the mountain next to it, namely to Moria. Whence in the whole valley of Josaphat even to Moria, from this earthquake and splitting you will not be safe: you shall therefore flee beyond the Mount of Moria to the valley of Mello, free from this earthquake, that you may be safe there. Thus St. Jerome. Or Lyran: Because the valley of the mountains, that is the valley of Josaphat, which lies between the Mount of Olivet and the Mount of Sion, shall be joined even to the next, namely the chasm made in the Mount of Olivet. Whence in it you will not be without fear and danger: you will therefore not dare to flee to it: you shall flee therefore to the valley of my mountains, that is lying between Sion and Moria, which are my mountains. This exposition is favored by what follows: "And you shall flee as you fled from the face of the earthquake in the days of Ozias:" you were therefore going to flee not from enemies, but from the earthquake; and therefore you were going to flee not into the very splitting of the Mount of Olivet, made by this earthquake, but far from it into the valley of Sion and Moria, which was altogether immune from the earthquake. Symbolically, this flight in the earthquake foreshadows the flight of the Maccabees and Jews to forests and caves in the earthquake, that is in the persecution of Antiochus, of which I Maccabees ii, 28. Parabolically, take this of the hardening of the Jews, as if to say: When the Mount of Olivet, that is the Church of Christ, shall be scattered into the four regions of the world, then you, O unbelieving Jews, shall flee from the Gospel, from Christ and from the Church, not indeed to idolatry and paganism, but to the shadowy valley of my mountains, that is, to the worship, shadows and ceremonies of the old law, which flourished on the mountain of the temple, namely Moria and Sion, which were once my mountains. Thus Eusebius in book VI of the Demonstration, chapter xviii: "What," he says, "can be the valley of the mountains of God, except that which was once celebrated under the law of Moses and Jerusalem, the bodily and Jewish worship?" So also Stunica, Ribera and others, who contend that this sense is literal: I acknowledge it to be literal, but typical and parabolical, based on the preceding [sense] which I assigned, as I said at the beginning of the chapter. Whence it follows: "For the valley of the mountains shall be joined even to the next," as if to say: This valley, that is this shadowy, but obstinate religion of the Jews, will join itself so much more closely to the neighboring temple and to the temple's rites, the more it sees the Church of Christ scattered and propagated. Otherwise Emmanuel Sa, as if to say: This worship of the old law will cling to the Jews most tenaciously, and will adhere closely wherever they dwell. Note: For נסתם nastem, that is, you shall flee, from the root נוס nus, that is, he fled, the Septuagint, reading with different vowel points נסתם nistam, from the root סתם satam, that is, he shut, he stopped up, translate: And the valley of my mountains shall be stopped up (filled), and the valley of the mountains shall be joined even to Asal. So also the Chaldean. Which according to the letter could thus be understood, as if to say: The Mount of Olives shall be split, and by this splitting shall fall, and shall level the whole valley of Josaphat lying beneath it, even to the neighboring Mount Moria. But parabolically thus Eusebius explains it, as if to say: This shadowy valley of the Jewish religion shall be stopped up, that is, shall cease and be darkened by the light of the Gospel, and its shadow shall give way to the truth of Christ: because they shall be joined to Asal, that is, to the Mount of Olives (for from thence Christ sent the Apostles to the Jews and Gentiles) which is called Asal, that is, the work of God, as if from the root עשה asa, that is, he made, אל el, that is, God. But Our Author reads better nastem, and translates, you shall flee, because it follows: "As you fled from the face of the earthquake in the days of Ozias." And because it preceded: "The Mount of Olives shall be split;" for by the splitting the mountain was opened, not stopped up. As you fled,—as if to say: With that trembling, speed, crowd and throng you shall flee, with which you fled from the earthquake which happened in the time of Ozias; concerning which I spoke in Amos i, 1. And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with him.—He repeats and emphasizes what he said in verse 3: "And the Lord shall go forth, and shall fight against those nations, and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives." He speaks therefore according to the letter of the descent of God, by which he descended to fight for the Jews through the Maccabees against Antiochus, and to crush him, as I said in verse 3. Moreover, when the war of the faithful is difficult, and the victory illustrious, then God is said to descend with all his saints, namely with angels: because all stand by him, that they may fight for him; hence he is called God of hosts. Thus Ezekiel saw in cap. i, God borne in a war chariot, surrounded by four Cherubim descending into battle against the Jews, that he might strike them through the Chaldeans. And the Psalmist in Psalm xvii, graphically describes the majesty of God descending into battle against his enemies, his soldiers, his angers, his spirits. And among other things he says in verse 11: "He ascended upon the Cherubim and flew, he flew upon the wings of the winds." And verse 15: "He sent forth his arrows, and scattered them: he multiplied lightnings, and troubled them." With similar terror, pomp and retinue he descended upon Sinai to give the law to the Hebrews, and to fight for them against the nations, Deuter. xxxiii, 2: "The Lord came from Sinai, etc.: he appeared from Mount Pharan, and with him thousands of saints." Now under the type of the divine battle waged through the Maccabees, is understood parabolically the spiritual battle of Christ to be waged through the Apostles, as if to say: Christ shall come who through the Apostles shall overcome all nations, and shall subject them to his faith and Gospel. Thus Theodoret, Vatablus, Arias, and Eusebius lib. VI Demonstrat. cap. xviii. Anagogically and especially, is signified here the descent of Christ to universal judgment, with all the angels and saints upon the Mount of Olives above the valley of Josaphat, that he may condemn and punish the Antichrist and all the impious. For alluding to this, Jude in his epistle verse 14 says: "Behold the Lord cometh with thousands of his saints to execute judgment against all." And Christ in Matt. xxiv, 30: "And they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power and majesty, and he shall send his angels." And cap. xxv, 31: "When the Son of Man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him." Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, Remigius, Hugh, Lyran, Ribera, Sanchez, and others everywhere, who contend that this sense is literal: I judge it to be anagogical, but especially intended by the Holy Spirit; for the literal is concerning the Maccabees, the parabolical concerning the Apostles, as I showed at the beginning of the chapter.
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Verse 6. There shall not be light, but cold and frost. — Thus also the Septuagint, the Chaldean and the Zurich version: they therefore seem to have read in the Hebrew כי קרור ki karot, that is, but cold, or rather וקרור vekarot (for easily if vau is shortened, it is turned into iod, and vau is often an adversative signifying but, as is frequently seen in the Proverbs of Solomon), that is, and cold, or colds: for the root קרר karar signifies to grow cold. Now let them read יקרות iekarot, that is, of precious things: for יקר iakar indeed signifies to be precious, comely, excellent. Whence they translate: There shall not be light of precious things, that is, precious, clear, excellent, יקפארן vekippaon, that is, and (that is, but) of concretion, that is, concreted, dense: this is, in that day there shall not be clear light, nor dark, but mixed, cloudy and malignant, such as is at dawn, as if to say, In that day there shall not be full joy, nor full sadness, but joyful things shall be mixed with sad: but in the evening full happiness and joy shall follow. To the same point nearly comes our version and the Septuagint. For the sense is, as if to say, In that day there shall not be clear and pleasant light, such as is in summer; but concreted with cold clouds, and as if congealed, and therefore troublesome and sad. Whence Pagninus translates: In that day there shall not be precious light, and (but) congealed snow: but the Arabic Alexandrian: There shall be snow and hail (cold and storms) in one day. And the Lord shall appear (be revealed) in that day: And there shall not be light in that day, neither night, nor evening. According to the letter it denotes the time of calamity and affliction of the Jews in the persecution of Antiochus. For darkness, cold and frost are the symbols of this. Whence in Scripture in the destruction of Babylon, Samaria, Jerusalem, etc., it is said that not only the day is darkened, but also the sun, moon and stars, by hyperbole and hypallage: because namely to the Babylonians, Samaritans and Hierosolymites afflicted in such great disaster, the light seemed to grow dark, and the sun itself, even at midday, seemed to be obscured. Whence explaining he adds:
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Verse 7. And there shall be one day, which is known to the Lord, not day nor night, — that is to say, There shall come a time of persecution, which (and whose bitterness) is known to God alone, indeed foreseen and predestined by Him, in which the day shall not appear to be day to the Jews greatly afflicted by so many calamities, nor yet night, since the sun shines: therefore this time shall be something between day and night, and as it were tempered from day and night: for it shall have from the sun the light of day, but from the tyranny of Antiochus it shall have darkness, that is, the afflictions of night. And in the time of evening (in Hebrew, at evening) there shall be light, — that is, as the Zurich Bible has it: At evening there shall be light, that is to say, At the end of this calamitous time, as it were at evening this darkness of his shall cease, and there shall succeed the light of happiness and joy, namely when the Maccabees shall vindicate their citizens and rout the forces of Antiochus. Under this type of the Maccabees it is signified parabolically that after the obscurity and shadows of the Jewish law, and after the darkness of ignorance and the frost of malice, in which all nations before Christ, and indeed the Jews themselves, dwelt, there shall succeed the light of the Gospel of Christ, and into that as it were evening shall pass away that dark day of Judaism, according to that oracle of Zacharias: "To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death," Luke i, 79. And Isaiah cap. lx, 1: "Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come." This is what Paul says Rom. xiii, 12: "The night is passed, and the day is at hand." Hence also Christ is said to have come in the flesh at the end, and as it were at the evening of the world. Symbolically, Theodoret refers these things to the day of the passion of Christ: for then darkness came over the whole earth, which turned the day as it were into night, so that that day was properly neither day nor night, but a participation of both, and there was cold in it. Whence Peter stood by the fire warming himself, after the clear day of the resurrection of Christ succeeded. Thus also Clement of Rome in book V of the Constitutions cap. xiii: "Afterwards, he says, there were darkness from the sixth hour until the ninth, and again light in the evening, as it is written: Not day, and not night, and at evening there shall be light." Thus also Eusebius lib. VI Demonstr. cap. xviii. Moreover, cold can be taken either properly or metonymically for darkness and night: for these are cold; for cold is opposed to light, when he says: "There shall be no light, but cold and frost." Thus Sanchez. Anagogically, in the time of this life there is not clear light of the knowledge of God, nor serene day of the love and worship of God, both because we walk by faith, not by sight; and because we walk among the wicked, in whom charity is extinguished, and even in the saints themselves on account of concupiscences and temptations, charity often grows cold: but at evening, namely at the end of the world, there shall be light of eternal brightness, when God of gods shall be seen face to face in Sion. Whence St. Job prayed cap. iii, 3, saying: "Let the day perish in which I was born," that is to say, Let the day of mortality perish, and let the light of immortality break forth, says St. Gregory there. And the Bride in Cant. cap. ii, verse 17, wishes "that the day" of eternity "should breathe" and "the shadows" of time and mortality "should decline." This therefore day shall be most bright and most joyful to the saints and the blessed, but most dark and most sad to the wicked and the damned. Whence some say that this one day shall be as it were twofold, namely "in it there shall be no light, but cold and frost" to the wicked; but the same shall be day and light to the good and the pious: just as the same day to the Hebrews in Egypt was a most bright day, but to the Egyptians a most dark night through the plague of darkness which God inflicted upon them. For, as Wisdom says cap. xvii, 19: "The whole world of the earth was illuminated with clear light, etc. But upon them was laid a heavy night, an image of the darkness that was to come upon them." Moreover, a little before the day of judgment there shall be cloudy and cold days, both physically on account of eclipses and heavenly storms; and morally on account of various errors and the impiety of men, as well as on account of the greatest plagues which God shall send upon the wicked, which are enumerated Apoc. cap. vii, viii, ix and xvi. But at evening, that is at the end of the world, there shall succeed one clear light, namely the eternal day of glory, to which no night shall succeed. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, Remigius, Hugh, Lyra, Sanchez and others, who think this sense to be literal: I judge it to be anagogical, but chiefly the intention here of the Holy Spirit: for the words of the text agree excellently with that. For under that time there shall be neither day, because the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven. He dissolved the ice of the pool with heat, and made the water warm. Thus it is in their Life in Surius, on the 9th of March. shall fall from heaven; but neither shall there be night, because the sun, although darkened, shall be present to this hemisphere. At length, however, there shall be light, and that most clear, because when judgment is finished and the reprobate are plunged into hell, the world shall be renewed, and the sun shall shine seven times more brightly, and the moon truly like the sun, as Isaiah says in chapter xxx, 26. There shall be added the splendor of Christ and of all the Saints, who shall shine as the sun, Matthew xiii, 43. Moreover, the elements now purified shall add much light and splendor to the world. For if we believe St. Thomas, in IV, dist. xlviii, Question I, article 4: "The earth shall be luminous and transparent like glass on its surface, water like crystal, air as now is heaven, fire as now are the luminaries of heaven." Again, there shall be neither day nor night, that is, the alternation and succession by which night continually succeeds day, because the sun shall stand still, and therefore there shall be one and continuous most luminous day. Thus Sanchez. To this is added that interpretation of some, which is as follows, namely, that day of judgment, which is known to God alone, because it shall be the last of the age, hence it shall not have another day or night succeeding it, and because it shall be wonderful and extraordinary both to the elect and to the reprobate; it shall not properly be called day, nor night, but evening, that is, its end shall terminate in light, that is, the eternal glory of the saints. To this our Thomas, taught by God, alludes in book III of the Imitation of Christ, chapter xlvii, piously and forcefully from the person of Christ to the faithful and pious one: "Do," he says, "what you do faithfully, labor in my vineyard: I shall be your reward. Write, read, sing, groan, be silent, pray, bear manfully adversities: eternal life is worthy of all these and greater struggles; peace shall come in one day, which is known to the Lord, and it shall be neither day nor night, namely of this time; but perpetual light, infinite clarity, firm peace and secure rest. You shall not say then: Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Nor shall you cry out: Woe is me! because my sojourning is prolonged, because death shall be cast down, and salvation shall be unfailing, no anxiety, blessed joy, a sweet and comely society." This the holy soldiers and forty martyrs under the emperor Licinius, condemned by the prefect Agricolaus to a frozen pond, were thinking. For they were kindling one another to undergo it bravely with these words: "Hard frost, but sweet paradise. Afflicting ice, but delightful rest. Lasting a brief time, the bosom of Abraham shall cherish us perpetually. One night we shall exchange for eternal ages (and for one perpetual day, which has neither night nor end). Let the foot be burned by cold, so that with the angels it may continually leap. Let the hand be stiffened by cold, so that it may have the faculty of raising itself to God. When once we must die, let us die so that we may live." Thus St. Basil relates it in the homily On the 40 Martyrs. Wherefore before evening they were sent into the pond, when it was neither day nor night, in the evening and night they were gifted with heavenly light. For about the third hour of the night the sun surrounded them with such brightness and warmth as in summer, and the cold and The divine Plato saw these things through a shadow, whose saying this is in the Theaetetus: "Philosophy, or true wisdom, is the return of the soul from this dark life, which ought rather to be called night than life, to the true light of being." Wherefore he himself everywhere exhorts those devoted to wisdom to trample upon the lusts of the flesh and devote themselves to seeking and contemplating truth alone, and divine light. For God is τὸ ὄν, τὸ κάλλος, being itself, beauty itself, life itself, etc., says the same in the Phaedo.
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Verse 8. Living waters shall go out. — Living waters are called fountains, which gush forth and bubble up from their own veins. Great convenience to a city and place, as well as recreation and ornament, are brought by fountains and their aqueducts. Hence the modern Romans, and more so the ancient, filled Rome with fountains and their aqueducts with great labour and expense, so much so that Pliny, book xxxvi, chapter xv, calls them the wonders of the world, and asserts that nothing more wonderful exists in Rome, indeed not in the whole world. The Jews made similar ones in Jerusalem, especially Solomon, who says of himself in Ecclesiastes ii, 6: "I made me pools of water," so much so that our Vilalpando, in volume II of De Templo, page 563, contends that Solomon's aqueducts were more magnificent than the aqueducts of the Romans. Ezechias also made such ones, IV Kings chapter xx, 20. Zacharias therefore alludes to these fountains of Jerusalem, and hints that they, broken or collapsed in the Babylonian captivity, or by Antiochus, are to be restored, increased and adorned. That the Jews returning from captivity did this, Nehemias chapter iii, verse 15 teaches, saying: "And Sellum built the gate of the fountain, etc., and the walls of the pool of Siloe in the king's garden." And verse 16: "Even to the pool, which was made with great labour." And Ecclesiasticus l, 3, concerning Simon the high priest, who lived in the time of Ptolemy Philadelphia (for he had as grandfather Jaddua the high priest, whom Alexander the Great adored), it is said: "In his days the wells of waters gushed out, and like the sea were filled exceedingly." That the Machabees and their successors did the same in the restoration of Jerusalem is not doubtful: for thus they adorned Jerusalem, that it seemed to be the delights of the world. Hence Adrichomius and many other geographers describe very many fountains in Jerusalem; namely towards the East, "towards," that is, "the Eastern sea" (which is the Dead Sea, or the lake Asphaltites), the fountain of Siloe, the fountain of Rogel, the fountain of the Dragon, the torrent of Cedron, the Probatica pool looked towards the West, "towards," that is, "the last sea," that is the Mediterranean, among others the fountain of Gihon stood out, where Solomon was anointed king, and it was twofold, upper and lower. Moreover there was a stream which flowed out of Jerusalem even to the Eastern sea, and flowed into it at the statue of salt, near Engaddi. On the other side there was a hill and aqueduct, near Gabaon and Jerusalem, where Abner slew Azael the brother of Joab, II Kings chapter ii. We see in many provinces whole rivers, for many miles, led by art through a dug channel. Thus, to pass over others, Brussels, a celebrated city of Belgium and seat of princes, by its own expense, having dug a ditch, made a navigable river through a space of 15 Italian miles, even to the Scaldis, which flows past Antwerp, a navigable river, by which all merchandise is carried to Antwerp, and thence to Spain, and throughout the whole world, with great convenience and profit, and is brought back. What if the Jews made a similar ditch and river, and led it from Jerusalem to the Mediterranean Sea, so that by it all sea merchandise might be brought into the city, and theirs might be carried out by the same, to be divided and distributed throughout the whole world? Certainly the distance of Jerusalem from the Mediterranean is only twice as great, namely about 30 miles (which is a day's journey), indeed it will be equal, namely 15 miles, if you lead a river from Jerusalem into the torrent Gaas: or into the torrent which flows into this sea at Eleutheropolis. If this is true, it answers exactly to the words of Zacharias, when he says: "Half of them towards the Eastern sea, and half of them towards the last sea," which is the Western, or Mediterranean. From the temple it is established from Aristaeus, the book On the Seventy Interpreters, that it was filled with underground aqueducts up to five stadia. Hence St. John, alluding to these fountains of Jerusalem, Apocalypse xxii, 1, says similar ones, but more excellent, shall be in the heavenly Jerusalem. This great abundance of waters signifies nothing else to the Prophet, than that great shall be the happiness and pleasantness of Jerusalem, so that it shall be wholly irrigated with waters, which flowing out from it on both sides into the fields, shall make them fertile and delightful; which in the time of the Machabees and their successors was in fact completed. Now under these fountains and aqueducts of Jerusalem, understood symbolically, he signifies the fortunate and joyful expeditions of Judas and his brothers, both for undertaking battles and victories against Antiochus, and for gathering together the fugitive Jews, and recalling those who through fear of Antiochus had fallen away to paganism, back to the faith, and encouraging those who stood firm in constancy, and this throughout all Judaea, whose boundary to the east was the Eastern sea, or the Dead Sea, to the west the Mediterranean sea, as if to say: The Maccabees will go forth from Jerusalem, who will so water the dry and parched face of Judaea in such great persecution that the Jews, almost extinguished, will revive, namely Judas will go forth against Galaad and the Ammonites, who are to the east near the Dead Sea; Jonathan moreover against Joppe and the Philistines, who are to the west of Jerusalem, as is evident from I Maccabees v, 6 and 55, and chapter x, 76. Thus Paul of Palacio. Parabolically moreover, and especially, understand the waters of the doctrine and evangelical grace: for Christ and the Apostles belched forth these from Jerusalem, as from a womb, and derived them throughout the entire East and West (whence Arias by the Eastern and Western sea understands the Eastern and Western Ocean, by which the Spanish and Portuguese sail to India, both Eastern and Western, and there sow the faith and Church of Christ) under which understand the remaining two regions of the world, namely the South and the North: and they did this both in summer and in winter, that is continually and at all times, both in favorable and unfavorable circumstances, both in adverse and prosperous, as if to say: "Out of Sion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem," Isaiah ii, 3; for from it the law and grace of Christ will be scattered throughout the whole world. He alludes to what he said in chapter xiii, 1: "In that day there shall be a fountain open to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem," as if to say: From Jerusalem as from a fountain will flow forth the vital waters of wisdom and grace to all nations. Thus St. Cyril, St. Jerome, Remigius, Hugh, Ribera here, and Eusebius book VI of the Demonstration chapter xviii, and St. Augustine book Against Fulgentius the Donatist chapter vi. Theodoretus adds, who thinks that here is alluded to the water and blood which flowed from the side of Christ, pierced by a lance on the cross, which were symbols of our redemption and of the saints, by which all nations are saved: "Water," he says, "purifies us and cleanses us from sins: blood nourishes, waters and causes to germinate," namely the fruits of good works. Anagogically, there are signified here the gifts and joys of the blessed in heavenly Jerusalem, which flow forth from the vision of God as from a fountain, concerning which Apocalypse xxii, 1: "And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb," etc. See the things said there. As a symbol of which thing from the earthly paradise four rivers flowed forth, Genesis ii, 10. Thus Lyra. In summer and in winter they shall be, — as if to say: These fountains of Jerusalem will be perennial, continually gushing forth waters. Symbolically, the Maccabees both in winter and in summer, that is at any time even the most inopportune, fighting and conquering gave consolation, rest and joy to Israel, like perennial fountains. Thus Palacio. Parabolically, in the Church the fountains of doctrine and grace, which are the sacraments, continually flow for those willing to draw from them. Tropologically, by no labors, and at no time, whether adverse or prosperous, do holy men dry up, so as to lose the grace of God; or if they be doctors and pastors, so as not to derive and pour it forth to others. Thus Stunica. The Septuagint translates: In summer and in spring it shall be thus, which St. Jerome expounds mystically, as if to say: These waters will flow at Easter and Pentecost: for then the solemn baptism is wont to be celebrated, to which accordingly the filling and blessing of the sacred font is prefixed: "That we may celebrate," he says, "Easter and Pentecost, in which we pass from earthly things to heavenly, and offer our fruits to God. For in Easter the end of winter is, the beginning of spring: in Pentecost the beginning of summer, when we offer to God the labors of our hands and fruits. Concerning this summer and spring the just—
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9. AND THE LORD SHALL BE KING OVER ALL THE EARTH. Literally, this applies thinly to the Maccabees, whose battles and victories divinely celebrated and made famous throughout all the earth, namely Judaea, indeed the whole world; and consequently most nations feared and honored their God as the giver and author, as it were the Lord of all the earth. But truly and fully it applies to Christ, whom all nations, knowing Him as God and Lord of the world through the preaching of the Apostles, invoked and worshipped. Thus St. Jerome, Remigius, Rupertus, Haymo, Ribera and others. IN THAT DAY THE LORD SHALL BE ONE, AND HIS NAME SHALL BE ONE, that is to say, Now many are held and named gods in the world, such as Jupiter, Apollo, Saturn, Mars, etc.; but in the time of Christ one God shall be worshipped and named by all nations, namely Christ, who alone is the true God, and the same with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Then therefore everywhere the name of Christ alone shall be invoked, not that of idols. Thus Vatablus and the others already cited. Note the metonymy: for the name signifies the thing, namely the person named. Thus Poets call celebrated and renowned men names. Whence Ovid, elegy IV, book III of the Tristia: "Live for yourself, and flee great names far away:" names, that is, the powerful and princes, such as was Augustus, who banished Ovid to Sarmatia, which is now Poland, where the place of his exile is shown.
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10. AND ALL THE LAND SHALL RETURN EVEN TO THE DESERT. In Hebrew, as a desert, that is equally as a desert. Whence the Septuagint translates: Going round (the Lord, who went before) all the land and the desert, that is even to the desert, inclusively, as Our translator rendered it. According to the letter it signifies that the Jews, who in the persecution of Antiochus had been scattered and fled even to deserts, mountains and caves, after the battles and victories of the Maccabees shall return to their seats and homes; they shall return, I say, from the hill, namely Gabaa, as the Hebrew texts have it (which was a city of Benjamin, in which Saul the first king of Israel was born), which was the northern boundary of the kingdom of Judah, even to Remmon, which was another boundary of Judah on the southern side, that is to say, the Jews scattered to the extreme boundaries of the kingdom shall return to their seats, and especially to Jerusalem, and shall dwell therein in peace and gladly: by which is signified that all Judea shall be peaceful, quiet and happy. Thus Palacius and Mariana. This was true in the Maccabees and the Synagogue, more truly in the Apostles, through whom all nations flowed together into the Church. Secondly, because the Hebrew ערבה araba signifies not only desert, but also a plain, hence others explain it thus, that is to say, "It shall return," that is all the land near Jerusalem shall be reduced to a desert, that is to a level ground, or into a plain and open space, so that the city of Jerusalem and its suburbs, villages and vineyards might be extended and built therein. Whence from the Hebrew the Chaldean and Pagninus translate: All the land shall be surrounded as a plain, that is to say, By those living waters, which in verse 8 I said were to go forth from Jerusalem, all the land, namely that near Jerusalem, shall be irrigated and surrounded. That this was done in the time of the Maccabees is evident from the fountain of Gihon, Rogel, Cedron and others mentioned a little before, by which Jerusalem is irrigated and as it were surrounded on both sides, both to the East and to the West, as is evident to one inspecting the plan and delineation of Jerusalem, which Adrichomius and others exhibit to the life. Wherefore the Jews contend in vain that these things have never been fulfilled, but are to be fulfilled by their Messiah. For they began to be fulfilled under the Maccabees corporally, as Palacius, Mariana and others teach; but spiritually, and much more excellently and divinely they have been fulfilled through the preaching of Christ and the Apostles. AND JERUSALEM SHALL BE EXALTED, both in houses and walls, and in fame and glory. For the Maccabees built up the mount of Sion, namely by surrounding it with high walls and towers round about. Thus Palacius. FROM THE HILL REMMON. In Hebrew miggheba, which the Septuagint, the Chaldean, the Rabbis, and those who followed them, the Zurich Bible, Pagninus and other more recent translators, take as a proper name, and translate: From Gabaa even to Remmon. And thus Our translator can be understood, from the hill, namely Gabaa, even to Remmon. For Remmon is in the accusative case: it is evident from the article lamed, which is prefixed to it: for lamed serves the Hebrews for the accusative. But because lamed sometimes serves also for the genitive, hence secondly it can be translated, from the hill of Remmon, that is of Remmon. If you expound it by the accusative, the sense will be that which I gave a little before, namely that the Jews scattered from every quarter shall return, namely from the hill Gabaa, which is to the north of Jerusalem, even to Remmon, which is to the south of the same. Where note that there were two Remmons, one in the tribe of Simeon, of which Joshua xix, 7; this was to the south of Jerusalem; hence it is of this that we speak here: another in the tribe of Judah; this was to the north, which Josephus in book V of the Antiquities, chapter vi, calls Roob, and it was a steep rock, and in it a city, distant from Jerusalem 15 miles, not far from Gabaa between the North and the East, in which six hundred men shut themselves up in the destruction of the tribe of Benjamin, from whom the whole tribe was restored, Judges chapter xx and xxi. Thus St. Jerome, Adrichomius and others. Now if you take this second Remmon, and that in the genitive, the sense will be similar to that already stated: according to another version however mentioned a little before, the sense will be, that is to say, The region near Jerusalem shall be made level from the hill Remmon, which is to the North, to the South, understand and, that is to say, and to the region which is to the South, thus Sanchez; or even to the South, that is even to the place Remmon, on the southern side opposite, so that the intermediate space be an equal, pleasant and delightful plain, and an open field, through which the streets of Jerusalem may extend partly, partly suburbs, partly villages, vineyards and gardens. Or, that is to say, The inhabitants of the Holy Land from Remmon even to the southern place opposite to it, shall come to Jerusalem, that they may build it. Or the plain, interposed between Remmon and the southern place opposite to it, shall be irrigated by the living waters going forth from Jerusalem. Mystically, the faithful in the Church say with the Bride, Cant. IV, 6: "I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense," namely of penance and prayer; thence they proceed to Remmon, that is pomegranate (whence also Andrew Masius in Joshua, cap. xix, 13, thinks this place was called Remmon from the abundance and fertility of pomegranates), namely to full charity, both of God and of neighbour. For just as the pomegranate contains many seeds and is as it were composed of them; so charity embraces all neighbours in its bowels, binds and unites them to itself, and is as it were composed of all the loves of all and of each. AND HE SHALL DWELL IN HIS PLACE, that is it shall be rebuilt in its former place, says St. Jerome. But the Roman and Hebrew texts read, he dwelt, that is he shall dwell, in his place, that is in quiet, secure, joyfully shall he dwell in his home, fearing no enemies. The Septuagint takes the Hebrew רמה rama, that is it shall be exalted, as a proper name. Whence they translate: But Rama shall remain in its place. FROM THE GATE OF BENJAMIN. This was in Bezetha, or Caenopolis, that is the new city. It signifies therefore the old city being enlarged by a new one, namely Bezetha, or Caenopolis being added to it. Note here that Jerusalem was thus enlarged, so that to the old city two other parts, as it were new cities, were added, so that it was as it were a threefold or triple city, each of which had its own walls and gates. Hence they were also called the first, second, third city. The first was the old one, in which was the former gate. The second was next to the old one, in which dwelt the prophetess Holda, IV Kings xxii, 14. The third was the outermost, and was called Bezetha, or Caenopolis, in which was the gate of Benjamin. See the type of Jerusalem in Adrichomius. FROM THE TOWER OF HANANEEL (which was the last of the old city, and from thence the city began to be enlarged, Caenopolis being added), as far as the wine presses of the king, which were on the opposite side most remote, namely on Mount Sion, in which the wine of kings was pressed. All these things signify Jerusalem to be greatly enlarged and adorned at four gates under the Maccabees, say Mariana and Palacius, by which are symbolically signified the amplification, levelling, and adornment of the Church of Christ toward the four quarters of the world, and the multitude of believers and Christians. A similar symbol of the dilation of the Church under the type of the extension of Jerusalem is found in Jeremiah cap. xxxi, at the end, and in Isaiah cap. li, 2, as I said there. Whence St. Jerome mystically thus explains: "Then shall all the land return in which the Jews dwelt, even to the desert, that is even to the people of the Gentiles, who were formerly desert, and had no knowledge of the law, from Gabaa to Remmon, that is from the hill to the high place: because from the earth and from the desert we ascend to hills, and from hills to mountains. Whence also the Bridegroom, Cant. II, leaps over the hills, which are smaller, and bounds over the high mountains, of which it is written: The high mountains for the stags." But Mariana more plainly and easily explains this version literally thus: All the land shall be surrounded as a plain, as if to say, By those living waters, which in verse 8 I said were to go forth from Jerusalem, all the land shall be irrigated and surrounded, namely that near Jerusalem. That this was done in the time of the Maccabees is evident from the fountain of Gihon, Rogel, Cedron and others mentioned a little before.
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11. THERE SHALL BE NO MORE ANATHEMA. In Hebrew man cherem, that is, cutting off, that is, a thing abominable and to be cut off, namely an idol which Antiochus placed in the temple, which by Daniel cap. xi, 31, is called the abomination of desolation, as if to say, Idols shall no longer pollute the temple, nor be worshipped. Thus Theodoret and Palacius. This was done under the Maccabees. Secondly, properly, anathema in Hebrew is called cherem, that is, cutting off, cutting down, as the Chaldean translator rendered it, concerning which I have spoken Rom. ix, 3, and Levit. cap. xxvii, 28, as if to say, Jerusalem shall no more be cut off, nor laid waste, namely for a long and immemorial time: for afterwards it was completely cut off by Titus. Parabolically, the Church of Christ shall not be cut off, as the Synagogue was cut off, but shall endure forever, until it is transferred from the state of warfare to the state of triumph. Whence St. Jerome: "There shall be," he says, "no fear of hostile assault, no dread;" for "Jerusalem shall sit secure" in faith and hope of divine protection and guardianship; in like manner every faithful and holy person shall sit secure in it, according to that Psalm. xc, 1: "He that dwelleth in the aid of the Most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of heaven." Do you wish for an illustrious example, nay rather in one many things, and those most excellent? Take it. That great St. Sabas, who in the time of the emperors Anastasius and Justinian vigorously defended the Council of Chalcedon, and laden with merits, in the 92nd year of his age, in the year of Christ 531, gloriously departed to heaven, when Satan fiercely rushed upon him in the form of a lion, stood secure, because relying on God, and said: "If thou hast received power against me, why dost thou restrain thy assault? I am prepared, yielding to God's commands, and offering myself not unwillingly to be devoured; if not, why dost thou roar and exult in vain? For I shall walk, and shall tread thee under foot, O lion, armed with the strength of Christ." Satan fled: and from that time all beasts became more tame and obedient to him: so much so that he himself lived among them, and was harmed in no way whatsoever. An Agarene plotting the death of St. Sabas, while he prayed: "These in chariots, O Lord, and these in horses, but we shall be magnified in the name of thy God," was immediately swallowed up by the earth, like another Dathan. Thenceforward God's grace so imbued the holy man, that he made light of the snares of barbarians: and not only was he not overcome by them, but was not even terrified at all. Many therefore giving themselves to him for holy discipline, his Laura became a choir of Apostles, or a Church of angels praising the Lord. He himself throughout the time of fasting was fasting, and touched no food except on Saturdays and Sundays when he received the divine sacraments. Tempted by a demon he would sing psalms: hence his heart was filled with tranquility and cheerfulness, and the demon cried out that he was vanquished by him. Great confidence in God obtained for him through a miracle water, money, and whatever he wished. Entering the cave of a huge lion, when he had given himself to sleep after prayers, the beast came to him in the middle of the night, and seizing him by his garment dragged him outside. He, awakened and not at all disturbed by the sight of the lion, immediately began the nocturnal hymns. The lion went outside and waited until the prayers were finished: when they were finished, the lion returned, and tried to drag him out by his garment; to which he, undaunted: "O lion," he said, "this cave is sufficient for both of us to dwell in, if thou wilt. But if this does not seem good to thee, do thou rather yield the cave to me, for I am formed by God's hand, and am honored by his image." Hearing this the lion departed, yielding the cave and bed to St. Sabas. Nay, even robbers meeting lions said: "By the prayers of Sabas the monk, give way to us on the road:" and immediately the lions, as if struck by a heavy blow, at the name of Sabas, threw themselves to flight: seeing which, the robbers were converted and changed their life. A lion, whose foot was pierced by a stake, came to St. Sabas, holding out his foot, and seeking help. The holy man removed the stake, wherefore the grateful lion thereafter clung to him like a servant, and served him in all things as much as he could, guarding the ass which carried water and necessaries to the monastery. He who did not fear beasts, did not fear kings. He freely rebuked Anastasius the heretical emperor. The emperor Justinus, beholding his face shining with light, as if of an angel of God, received him, and asked his blessing from him. The emperor Justinian revered him, and at his request did wonderful things. He had appointed the third hour for a conference with him: when that hour struck, Sabas, leaving the emperor, withdrew to his accustomed psalmody. When his disciple urged him to meet the emperor: "The emperor," he said, "does what is fitting for him: and we do what we ought." These things Cyril in the Life of St. Sabas.
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12. TABESCET (in Hebrew המק hamec, that is, it shall melt, just as wax melts and dissolves before fire, so Pagninus and Vatablus, it shall waste away, I say) THE FLESH OF EACH ONE UPON HIS FEET, that is, of the living and vigorous, as if to say: The enemies of Jerusalem shall waste away, not by fever, not by disease, but by divine plague, so that one who is healthy, standing, living and vigorous shall wither and waste away. This happened to Antiochus, whom God, swollen with pride and raging, suddenly "smote with an incurable and invisible plague: for when he had finished this very discourse (about utterly laying waste Jerusalem), a dire pain of his bowels seized him, and bitter torments of his inward parts, etc." II Maccabees IX, 5. In like manner the commanders and mighty soldiers of Antiochus, fighting with Judas and the Maccabees, struck and smitten by God, fell in spirit and strength, as if wasting away. Thus of Lysias it is said in I Maccabees cap. IV, 27: "When he heard these things, he was confounded in mind and grew weak." And Judas prays to God verse 32, saying: "Give them fear, and waste away the boldness of their strength, and let them be moved with the breaking of themselves." Similarly in lib. II, cap. x, 30, it is narrated that angels attending Judas "kept him safe: but against the adversaries they cast darts and lightnings, by which also being blinded with confusion, they fell." And cap. xii, 22, speaking of the battle of Judas with Timothy: "And when the first cohort of Judas appeared, fear was struck into the enemies from the presence of God, who sees all things, and they turned to flight one from another, so that they were rather cast down by their own men, and weakened by the blows of their own swords." Parabolically, this was more truly fulfilled in the persecutors of the Church. "Let us read," says St. Jerome, "the ecclesiastical histories, what Valerian, what Decius, what Diocletian, what Maximinian, what the most savage of all Maximinus, and recently Julian suffered; and then we shall prove by facts that the truth of the prophecy is fulfilled even according to the letter, that their flesh rotted away, and their eyes wasted, and their tongue dissolved into filth and corruption." Thus the blasphemous tongue of Nestorius, which he had thrust out against the Church and the Blessed Virgin, teaching that she was not the Mother of God, but the Mother of Christ, was eaten away by worms and wasted. Thus Arius, struck by a heavenly plague, while he proceeded to invade the church of Christians at Constantinople, seized with great pain of his bowels, retiring to the latrines, discharged his intestines and breathed out his wretched soul, as St. Ambrose relates in lib. I De Fide, cap. ix, and Socrates in lib. I Histor. cap. xxv. Thus Calvin, like Herod, consumed by madness and worms, became to the whole world an example and portent of divine vengeance, as Bolsec relates in his Life. This is what Isaiah says cap. xlix, 26: "I will feed thy enemies with their own flesh, and they shall be made drunk with their own blood as with new wine." See the sayings there. Anagogically, thus God shall dissolve and cause to waste away the Antichrist, Gog, Magog, and all the wicked, at the end of the world through terrible plagues, which He shall send upon them, "men withering away for fear, and expectation of (those things) that shall come upon the whole world," as Christ says Luke cap. xxi, 26. For these plagues and terrors shall be sent properly and directly upon the wicked, yet indirectly and concomitantly they shall affect also the pious, but for their good. For this shall be for them either a purgatory of penance, or a martyrdom of patience, to illustrate their virtue and increase their crown. Thus Lyra. Tropologically, the flesh, eyes and tongue waste away in us, when through the grace of Christ we mortify the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes and the pride of life, which is chiefly shown in the boasting of the tongue. For these are the three enemies and tempters of us in the world, as St. John teaches in epist. I, cap. ii, 16. Thus Stunica. AND THEIR HANDS SHALL BE JOINED. In Hebrew: And the hand shall rise upon the hand of his neighbor, which Remigius and Hugo explain thus, that is to say, The infidels, seeing the wonderful prodigies of the Apostles, shall join their hands, and by that sign shall make a covenant, so that they may together surrender themselves to Christ and the Apostles. Secondly, Vatablus translates it, shall rise, namely into the air, that is, shall vanish, his hand in the hand of his neighbor, that is to say, If anyone shall have asked help from his companion to attack Jerusalem, he shall do so in vain: because neither human strength nor human counsels shall avail anything against the strength and counsels of God. Thirdly, the Chaldean translates it: And his hand shall be torn away with the hand of his neighbor; and Pagninus: His hand shall be cut down upon the hand of his friend, that is to say, They shall implore the help of their companions, but with them shall be cut down. Fourthly and more truly, Theodoret and Lyran explain it, that is to say, So great shall be the tumult of the enemies, that turned against one another they shall join hands, and shall cut one another with mutual wounds. Fifthly and most simply, that is to say, So great shall be the trepidation of those in tumult, so great the fear, that terrified by fear they shall seize hands, and shall join and gather them together, so that by this union gathered together they may in some way resist fear. For thus we see sheep, cattle, pigs, and all animals in fear, for example when a wolf comes, driven by nature to gather and condense themselves, as if they seek help from one another, so that in one and that common throng pressed together they may resist the common enemy and protect themselves. Such is the force of fear, and on the other hand the force of society, according to that in Ecclesiastes IV, 9: "It is therefore better that two should be together, than one: for they have the advantage of their company, etc. And if anyone prevail against one, two resist him: a threefold cord is not easily broken."
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13. THERE SHALL BE A GREAT TUMULT OF THE LORD (namely excited by the Lord, and therefore) IN THEM, namely in the enemies, by fear, partly from wickedness, in hope of riches and honors they shall join themselves to Antiochus, and shall fight against Jerusalem and the Maccabees, as I said cap. xii, 2. Similarly in lib. II, cap. x, 30, it is narrated that angels attending Judas...
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14. BUT ALSO JUDAH, that is to say, Many Jews partly from fear, partly from wickedness, in hope of riches and honors shall join themselves to Antiochus, and shall fight against Jerusalem and the Maccabees, as I said cap. xii, 2. Similarly in the time of Christ the Jews shall attack Jerusalem, that is, the Church being born in Jerusalem. Mystically, Judah, that is, those who confess and are faithful fight against Jerusalem, that is, the Church, those who renounce and abjure the Christian faith which they have professed, and become heretics, apostates, Saracens, pagans: for these are wont to be the most hostile enemies of the faith once known and of the Church. Thus Remigius and Lyran. We see this in renegades, who are the strength of the Turks against Christians. AND RICHES SHALL BE GATHERED TOGETHER. Thus literally from the spoils of Nicanor and other commanders and forces of Antiochus, Judas Maccabeus enriched himself and his own, II Maccabees viii, 27: thus Theodoret, Palacius and Mariana, under whose type he understands the spoils which the Apostles brought into the Church from the gentiles. For, as Isaiah says in cap. lx, 16, the gentiles converted to Christ brought all their riches into the Church. Whence he rejoices with the Church saying: "Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt be nursed with the breast of kings, etc. For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver;" under which again he mystically understands wisdom, philosophy, eloquence, mathematics and other sciences and arts, both liberal and mechanical, with which the converted Gentiles adorned the Church. Less fittingly Lyran takes these as the spoils of the gentiles, which Antichrist shall bring into Jerusalem, where he shall fix his throne; for he himself shall be the enemy and tyrant of Jerusalem, not the king and protector. Mystically, Remigius, Albert, Vatablus and Arias understand by gold charity, by silver divine wisdom, by garments and other things the other Christian graces and virtues, which the gentiles converted to Christ had received from God. But they did not bring them into the Church, but in the Church they would receive them, yet they adorned it with them.
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15. And so shall be the ruin of the horse, and mule, etc., as THIS RUIN, that is to say, As I said vers. 12, men to be slain and to fall, and nations which with Antiochus shall fight against Jerusalem, and typically against the Church; so I say likewise their horses, mules, camels, etc., to be slain and to fall, with which they shall fight against Jerusalem, either by fighting or by carrying baggage. Symbolically, all these things by catachresis signify the riches and warlike instruments of the enemies of the Church, namely nobility, cunning, ingenuity, wisdom, power, eloquence, etc., which shall cease to the victorious Church. Mystically with St. Jerome and Remigius understand by horses the luxurious or arrogant; by mules, the deceitful, or rather the headstrong and fanciful; by camels, those burdened with riches and vices; by asses, the slothful, dull and foolish. For their luxury, arrogance, deceit, avarice, sloth, etc., have fallen, when in baptism or penance they have put on chastity, humility, purity, charity and the fervor of Christ.
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16. And all that shall be left, namely from the slaughter of battle. According to the letter it alludes to the nations which after so many and so illustrious victories of the Maccabees, partly received Judaism, partly as allies flowed together to Jerusalem yearly at their feasts, and there adored their God. Thus Theodoret, Palacius and Mariana. For thus Josephus teaches in book XIII of the Antiquities, chapter xviii, that the Idumeans subdued by the arms of Hyrcanus, who was the son of Simon the brother of Judas Maccabeus, received circumcision and Judaism. But because few nations did this, hence typically and rather in them he understands all who were converted to Christ, as if to say: The rest perishing in their infidelity, the remnant of the nations converted to the faith of Christ will come into the Church year by year, and there will celebrate Christian feasts, not Jewish, thus Stunica, Sanchez and others. Mystically they will always celebrate the feast of Tabernacles; because they will live as pilgrims in this world, ever tending toward the heavenly homeland, in which they will fix their mind, so that there they may celebrate the perpetual feast of Tabernacles in glory. He names the feast of Tabernacles before the others, both because that one was celebrated longer than the others, namely for seven days; and because it alludes to the tabernacles of the Hebrews in the desert, in which covered by the heavenly pillar of fire by night and of cloud by day, they were protected from the darkness of night, as well as from the heat of day: in a similar manner the faithful in the Church are protected by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit from every temptation and hardship; and finally so that Christians may remember that they do not have here a city and a permanent dwelling, but dwell in tabernacles as soldiers and pilgrims, and tend toward the eternal home in the heavens. See the sayings at Leviticus xxxiii, 42. Thus St. Jerome, Remigius, Hugo, Lyran, Vatablus, Ribera and others throughout. Mystically Eusebius in book VIII of the Demonstration, chapter IV, understands by tabernacles particular Churches, in which as in tabernacles secure from every storm and assault of the enemy, the faithful dwell tending toward heaven. The Jews object that the feast of Tabernacles is to be taken properly, and therefore these things are to be expected from the Messiah to come. For why should we take it spiritually and mystically? I answer, partly it is taken properly, and thus it was fulfilled in the Maccabees; partly and rather spiritually, and thus it is more fully fulfilled in Christians. Moreover, why the Prophet calls the feasts of Christians by the name of the Jewish feast of Tabernacles, there are various reasons. The first, because he was speaking to Jews, who knew only Jewish feasts. The second, so that he might show that Jewish feasts are types and figures of Christian feasts, and these correspond to those, as the body corresponds to the shadow. For great faith in the Church is made by the agreement and consonance of the New Testament with the Old, and that all its sacraments and gifts were foreshadowed through the old and Jewish. The third, because Christians celebrate the feast of Tabernacles far more truly and really, not once a year, as the Jews do, but continuously and perpetually. This is what St. Peter admonishes them of in his first epistle, chapter ii, 11, saying: "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to refrain yourselves from carnal desires." And St. Paul often teaches us that like Abraham we are pilgrims of the earth, but citizens of heaven and of the saints, and domestics of God: "Faith, he says in Hebrews xi, 4 and 9, is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not. Abraham by faith dwelt in the land of promise, as in a strange land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, co-heirs of the same promise. For he looked for a city that hath foundations; whose builder and maker is God." See the sayings there. The fourth, because the Prophets speak prophetically, that is parabolically, symbolically, enigmatically, both on account of the absence of future things, which they saw through shadows and figures; and on account of their obscurity, and for the elegance of prophecy. Thus this whole chapter, as well as almost the whole of Zechariah, and Ezechiel in many places, and St. John in the Apocalypse are symbolic and parabolic. In a similar manner the Egyptians represented their mysteries through hieroglyphics: but the Jews were neighbors to the Egyptians, and dwelling first in Egypt saw those very things themselves: whence also they imitated them from time to time, and therefore the Prophets prophesy in a similar manner, lest they appear inferior to the Egyptians, especially since the Egyptians drew their symbols and letters and their wisdom from the Hebrews, namely from Abraham, Jacob, Moses, etc., as Eusebius teaches in book X of the Preparation, II, Clement of Alexandria in book I of the Stromata, and St. Augustine in book XVIII of the City of God, chapter xxxix. Fifth, because spiritual things and spiritual goods, which Christ brought in the New Testament, could not conveniently be explained to men, and especially to unlearned Jews, except through bodily symbols to which they were accustomed. Tropologically and anagogically St. Jerome says: "As long as," he says, "we are making progress, and in the race and contest, we dwell in tabernacles; striving with all our mind toward this, that we may pass from tabernacles to a firm and stable seat, that is the house of God. Whence also St. David says in the Psalm: 'Woe is me! because my sojourning is prolonged.' And: 'I am a stranger and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.' This speaks he who is in Egypt, and still placed in the world. But he who goes forth from Egypt (which in Hebrew is called מצרים mitsraim, and is interpreted tribulation) and enters into the wilderness of vices, pursues his journey, and says in the Psalm: 'I will go into the place of the wonderful tabernacle even to the house of God,' etc. Whence also he says: 'How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! my soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord.' And shortly after: 'Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, O Lord, they shall praise thee for ever and ever. Blessed are they whose strength is in thee: in the vale of tears, in the place which they have set. For the Lord will give blessings, and our land shall yield its fruit. Justice shall walk before him: and shall set his steps in the way.' 'One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may see the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple.' He who dwells in such tabernacles, and hastens to go from tabernacles to courts, and from courts to the house, and from the house to the temple of the Lord, ought to celebrate the solemnities of tabernacles in the most beautiful wood of wisdom," Levit. XXIII, 40.
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17. AND IT SHALL BE THAT WHOEVER SHALL NOT GO UP OF THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH, namely of Judaea: for it is of this that the matter is here, and it alone was bound by the old law, and consequently to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles. Thus Vatablus, as if to say: The Jews who shall not go up to Jerusalem to the feast of Tabernacles shall be deprived of rain, both corporeal (for God punished the Jews for impiety in the time of Achab and Elias, and afterwards often by drought and sterility), and rather spiritual, of the word, doctrine and grace of God: much more shall the Jews and whatever nations be deprived of this rain who shall not go up to mystical Jerusalem, that is the Church, and shall not celebrate there the mystical feast of Tabernacles, which I have already explained. Thus St. Jerome, Remigius, Lyra and others. Sanchez rightly notes that by rain are signified the greatest benefits. Whence Theodoret thus explains: "There shall be no rain upon them, that is they shall obtain no mercy." For all the fertility and happiness of Judaea depended upon the early and latter rain, namely of sowing and harvest: whence the Prophets promise it so often, and threaten its withdrawal to the impious. Zacharias therefore alludes to that of Moses, Deuter. cap. xi, 10: "For the land, which thou shalt go in to possess, is not like the land of Egypt, from which thou camest out, where the seed is sown, and watered by hand, after the manner of gardens: but it is a land of hills and plains, expecting rain from heaven. And the Lord thy God taketh care of it, and his eyes are upon it from the beginning of the year unto the end thereof. If therefore you obey, etc., he will give you the early and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thy oil."
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18. AND IF THE FAMILY OF EGYPT SHALL NOT GO UP. He mentions Egypt rather than other regions and nations: first, because it directly concerns the Jews, who under Jonathan the brother of Judas Maccabaeus, by the consent of Ptolemy Philometor king of Egypt, built there a temple similar to that of Jerusalem at Heliopolis, and in it established as high priest Onias the son of Onias the high priest, from whom the city and region, as well as the temple, were called Onion. In that same place the child Jesus, fleeing from Herod, was exiled: whence even now there is shown there the fountain of Jesus, irrigating a garden of balsam, from the irrigation of which balsam is believed to arise, as Bredembachius holds, as Adrichomius reports in his work on Heliopolis: this temple stood until the reign of Vespasian for 350 years. It was erected against the law of God, which commands that sacrifice be made only in the place chosen by God, namely in the temple of Jerusalem. Deut. xvi, 2. The Jews therefore sinned in Egypt by erecting as it were an altar against an altar, and making a schism from Jerusalem and the temple built there by the command of God, concerning which Josephus in book XIII of the Antiquities, chapter vi. The sense therefore is, as if to say: If the Jews who dwell in Egypt wish to go to their Onion and not to ascend to Jerusalem, they shall be deprived likewise of the rain already mentioned. Second, because the Egyptians were neighbors to the Jews and hostile to them; whence by synecdoche they represent any gentiles and enemies of the Jews, as if to say: If Gentiles most alien from Jerusalem, such as the Egyptians were chiefly, will not mystically ascend to it, namely if they will not go to the Church and become Christians, there shall not be upon them rain of heavenly grace. Thus St. Jerome, Theodoret, Remigius, Lyra and Vatablus. Third, because Egypt lacks rain and heavenly moisture: for it has instead terrestrial water, namely the Nile, by the inundation of which it is irrigated and made fertile, more or less according to the greater or lesser flooding thereof. Whence Pliny in book V, chapter IX says: "Egypt, he says, in twelve cubits (by which the Nile rising and overflowing the fields ascends and stands out) feels famine, in thirteen it still hungers, fourteen cubits bring gladness, fifteen bring security, sixteen delights." Wherefore when he threatens the Egyptians here and says, "There shall not be upon them rain," by rain understand the irrigation of the Nile: for this is to Egypt in place of rain: otherwise there is no punishment to them from the lack of rain, if the inundation of the Nile be present. Whence the Chaldean translator renders it: Its Nile does not grow. Thus Mariana. The sense is, as if to say: Gentiles, who seem to themselves to abound in the rain of wisdom, where Egypt abounds in the water of the Nile, shall be destitute of this, unless they go to the Church and draw it thence from heaven. They shall be punished with dryness and sterility, not so much bodily as spiritual, of grace and saving doctrine. Fourth, because Egypt in Hebrew is called מצרים mitsraim, which word signifies straits, or two straits, or something narrow and confined between two pressing things: whence it aptly represents the straits of the unfaithful, present and eternal, which await them unless they go to the Church and are irrigated by its divine rain. Wherefore he adds: "But it shall be desolation, with which God shall strike all nations," etc. This desolation is partly temporal, for example that by which Constantine, Theodosius, Charles, and other Christian princes struck down and prostrated the unfaithful in battles; partly eternal, by which God shall strike them in hell.
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19. THIS SHALL BE THE SIN OF EGYPT. "Sin," that is the punishment and plague of sin, namely the desolation already mentioned. Whence the Chaldean translator: This shall be the vengeance of the Egyptians and the punishment of the peoples; it is a metonymy. Second, properly, as if to say: This shall be antonomastically the sin, namely the sin of sins, the greatest of all, if namely the nations will not come forth from their gentilism and enter Jerusalem, that is the Church of Christ, and in it celebrate the spiritual feast of Tabernacles, tending by faith, hope and charity to the heavenly homeland. Thus St. Jerome, Theodoret, Remigius and Hugh.
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20. IN THAT DAY THAT WHICH IS UPON THE BRIDLE OF THE HORSE SHALL BE HOLY TO THE LORD. In Hebrew it is מצלות metsillot, which the Septuagint, the Syriac, the Arabic Antiochene, and our Vulgate translate as bridle. Marinus gives the reason in his Lexicon: I would believe, he says, that metsillot is that iron part of the bridle which projects from the horse's mouth (which is commonly called the bit of the horse), thus named from collision and tinkling, namely from the word צלצל tsiltsel, which by onomatopoeia signifies a tinkling cymbal (or something similar). Hence secondly, R. David and Pagninus translate it as tintinnabulum, which muleteers hang from the head or neck of pack mules and horses, especially of princes, both for ornament and so that from its sound one may know where they are, lest if they stray from the road they be lost. Whence Pagninus translates: In that day there shall be upon the bells of horses holiness to the Lord, that is to say, upon the bells of horses shall be inscribed these two words, holiness to the Lord, so that it may be signified that they are consecrated to God. Thirdly, the Chaldean and St. Jerome in his Commentary translate it as phaleras, which cover, adorn and overshadow the horse; for indeed the root צלל tsalel signifies to cover, to overshadow: whence צל tsel is shadow. Wherefore the Chaldean translates: In that time the trappings of the horse shall be sanctified to the Lord; and the Zurich Bible: In that day that which is upon the horse's trappings shall be consecrated to the Lord. Fourthly, Clarius translates it as collars; others as coverings and any ornaments of horses; finally the Arabic Alexandrine translates it as rotten, or the decay of the horse. The sense is, that is to say, the Maccabees as victors, equally as victorious Christian princes, shall consecrate to God in the temple the spoils of the enemy, especially the trappings and ornaments which they took from their horses, just as David consecrated to God in the temple the sword which he took from Goliath when he slew him, I Kings xiii. Again, that is to say, after the victory and dominion of the Church there shall be peace everywhere, so that the gold, silver and gems with which the bridles of princes are wont to be adorned, and the precious coverings and trappings of the noble, shall be converted to the worship of God, and shall be said to belong to God, either as trophies in thanksgiving, as Theodoret wishes, or to testify to the affection of piety and devotion. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, Vatablus, Arias, Ribera and others. To this is added the exposition of Stunica, who thinks there is an allusion here to the plate which was suspended on the forehead of the high priest's tiara, on which was inscribed: Holiness to the Lord, that is to say, This is the high priest sanctified and consecrated to the Lord. Zechariah therefore indicates that the Maccabees and soldiers victorious in their battles shall prefer the holiness of the Lord, as it were a title and cause, equally as a symbol of war, in which they place all hope of victory, that is to say, We fight for the holy law of God; whence we bear its symbol on our standards and arms, and therefore we are confident that we shall be victors. That Judas Maccabeus did this is well known from the books of the Maccabees. This Christian princes now do against heretics and infidels in France, Germany, Bohemia, Wallachia, India, etc., contending, and therefore they triumph over them, and obtain victories almost miraculous. The Gentiles saw and did the same thing in shadow. For a worthy saying is attributed to Alexander in Dio, oration 2 On Kingship: "Temples," he says, "should be adorned with the spoils and arms of enemies; for Hector also vowed to hang the spoils of enemies at the temple of Apollo the archer." I have cited more of their maxims and examples at Numbers xxxi, 50, where the Israelites consecrated to God the spoils of the Midianites, as to the giver of victory; and at Genesis xiv, 20, where Abraham, having won victory over four kings, offered to Melchizedek, as God's vicar and priest, the tithes of the spoils. Furthermore, he mentions bridles rather than other things, because he dealt with the enemies of Jerusalem and the Church, whom he asserts, when conquered, shall offer their bridles and trappings, that is their ornaments, delights and riches, either willingly or by force, namely through the victors, to the Church. For soldiers, namely knights, formerly placed, and still place, all their wealth in adorning their arms and horses. Whence Juvenal, satire xi: Whatever silver there was shone forth in arms alone. And soon after: The soldier broke the cups of great craftsmen, that his horse might rejoice in the trappings. Hence they made bridles of gold. Such were those of Pallas, Aeneid VIII: The twin bridles which my Pallas now has, golden. Such also were the bridles of the horses which Latinus sent to Aeneas, Aeneid VII: Covered with gold, they chew the tawny gold beneath their teeth. Indeed, even angels attending Judas Maccabeus appeared on horses adorned with golden bridles, I Maccabees x, 29. Hence that saying of St. Bernard rebuking the luxury not of soldiers, but of prelates: "Learn, O Pontiffs, what gold does in bridles?" Hence secondly, many think that Constantine the Great is denoted here, who placed the nail by which Christ was crucified upon the bridle of his horse, so that he might show his piety toward Christ, and might profess that he had obtained, and hoped thereafter to obtain victories against the infidels, the enemies of Christ, by the aid and virtue of the crucified Christ. For in the time of Constantine the Church triumphed over her enemies, and obtained that glory which Zacharias here describes, as if to say: Upon the bridle of Constantine's horse shall be that which is holy to the Lord, that is, the nail sanctified to the Lord from contact with the most holy body of Christ. For why should not that nail be holy, which was the principal instrument of Christ's passion and our redemption? St. Jerome ridicules this, but not St. Cyril: "It is not incredible, he says, that someone should have said this, nor is it unbecoming that God should have remembered and honored by prophetic prediction an emperor most pious, etc. For what else does it declare that the horses of kings are adorned with the nail of the cross of Christ, than the supreme piety of emperors?" More emphatically St. Ambrose, in his oration On the Death of the Emperor Theodosius: "She sought (St. Helena) the nails by which the Lord was crucified, and found them. From one nail she ordered bridles to be made, from another she wove a diadem, turning one to ornament, the other to devotion. She sent therefore to her son Constantine a diadem marked with gems, which the more precious gem of the divine redemption of the cross would bind together with iron: she sent also the bridle, and Constantine used both, and transmitted the faith to succeeding kings. Therefore the beginning of believing emperors is that which is holy upon the bridle: from it faith, so that persecution might cease, devotion might succeed." And a little later: "Rightly the nail is in the head, so that where sense is, there is protection: in the crown upon the vertex, in the hands the rein. The crown from the cross, so that faith may shine: the rein also from the cross, so that power may rule, and there may be just moderation, not unjust command." And after much of the same argument: "What else therefore did the work of Helena accomplish, to direct the bridles, except that it seemed to say to all emperors by the Holy Spirit: Be not like the horse and the mule; but constrain their jaws with bridle and bit, those who do not acknowledge themselves as kings, so that they might rule their subjects?" And he adds that he restrained by this bridle the insolence of tyrants, Licinius, Maximus, etc. Theodoret has the same in book I of his History, cap. xviii: "Helena, he says, took care that part of the nails be skillfully enclosed in the helmet of the emperor, so that she might provide for the head of her son, and that the darts of enemies might be repelled: part she mixed with the bridle of his horse, so that she might render the emperor both safe and secure, while she could fulfill the ancient prophecy. For long ago the prophet Zacharias predicted: That which is in the bridle of the horse shall be holy to the Lord Almighty." Sozomenus has the same in book II of his History, cap. 1, Nicephorus in book VIII, cap. xxix, and others. Furthermore Gregory of Tours, in his book On the Glory of Martyrs, cap. vi, firmly affirming that the nails by which Christ was crucified were four, namely one in each of the feet as well as in the hands, thus narrates how they were distributed by St. Helena: "Truly the nails of the Lord's cross, beautiful and more noble than any metal, which held the blessed limbs, were found by Queen Helena after the discovery of the holy Cross itself; and from two indeed she fortified the bridle of the emperor, so that more easily, if hostile nations had resisted the prince, they might be put to flight by this virtue, concerning which it is not unknown that the prophet Zacharias prophesied," etc. He adds that the third was thrown by St. Helena into the stormy Adriatic sea, infamous for shipwrecks, and that after this was done, the sea thereafter became calm and peaceful for those sailing; but the fourth was placed in the helmet of the statue of Constantine. Zonaras has the same in book III of his Annals, although St. Ambrose and Baronius, in the year of Christ 326, assert that it was placed, not in the helmet of the statue, but in the crown itself, which Constantine was accustomed to wear upon his head. Gregory adds a miracle of the nail in the bridle, which occurred in his own age, namely in the time of the Emperor Justin: "They say, he says, that this bridle has great virtue, which cannot be doubted: which the Emperor Justin publicly experienced and made known to all his people. For being deceived by a certain magician for money, he endured intolerable attacks sent to him by the shadow of a demon through two nights of driving; but when on the third night he placed the bridle upon his head, the enemy no longer had a place for laying snares, and the author of the attacks was found and struck down by the sword." Finally, by the bridle is signified the emperor Constantine himself, who submitted himself and his empire with a bridle and sanctified it, that is, consecrated it to Christ. Whence the Arabic commentator of Antioch translates: In that day there shall be (sitting, namely Constantine) upon the bridle of a horse sanctified to the Lord; and the Arabic commentator of Alexandria: In that day he who shall seize the bridle of the horse (of the enemy slain by him) shall be holy to the Lord Almighty. Tropologically, St. Jerome understands by the bridle continence and mortification, by which we restrain the itch of concupiscence, especially of the mouth and tongue, through the word of God, concerning which it is said in Psalm xxxi: "In bit and bridle bind up their jaws." And St. James cap. III: "In the mouths of horses we put bits, and turn about their whole body, so that they may go in the right way, and may offer their soft backs for sitting to the Lord. Such a bridle, and such a word composed of the variety of gold and silver, prepares fierce horses for the Saviour to sit upon, and makes them holy, and properly consecrated to His worship." Thus St. Jerome. Note: For מצלות metsillot, Aquila and Symmachus read with different pointing מצלות metsullot. Whence they translate βάθος, that is, depth; Symmachus, περίπατον σύσκιον, that is, a shaded or dark passage, through which St. Jerome understands the arcane and mystical knowledge, "which David also, he says, boasted of having like the best horse, saying: The hidden and secret things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me, Psalm L; and the Apostle: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways! Rom. xi, 33. From this depth the Prophet cried out to the Lord, and he heard him. Psalm xvii, 7. Into these darknesses and divine sacraments Moses entered in the darkness of Mount Sinai, that he might see God; concerning which David also Psalm xxxv, 7: The judgments of the Lord are a great deep. These mysteries, and these holy sacraments are the Lord's, which the Evangelist John knew, because he was accustomed to say, what perhaps the angels did not know: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And for this reason he is loved by the Lord: because he had the best depth, and had reclined upon the breast of Jesus; whence also he had drawn wisdom." AND THERE SHALL BE CALDRONS IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD AS BOWLS. Caldrons were pots in which the flesh of victims sacrificed to God was cooked. The use of bowls in the temple was threefold: First, in them incense was burned. Second, in them libations were made, that is, wine was drunk or poured out as a libation to God, according to that passage Amos vi, 6: "Who drink wine in bowls." Third, in bowls the blood of victims was caught, which was then poured out at the horns of the altar, so that it might be signified that the blood in which the life of the animal consists, and consequently the life itself, is given and sacrificed to God, as I have said in Leviticus. For which reason there was a great abundance of bowls, and far greater than of caldrons or pots. The Prophet therefore says that there shall be such a concourse of nations in Jerusalem, to sacrifice in the feast of Tabernacles, that caldrons, in which victims are to be cooked, shall be in such abundance as bowls are accustomed to be at another time. For in that feast, as the number of sacrifices and caldrons shall increase, so shall the bowls also increase proportionally. For one caldron requires three or four bowls: wherefore then there were more bowls than caldrons; but there shall be as many caldrons as are accustomed to be bowls, that is to say, There shall be many instruments of sacrifices and of divine worship, because there shall be a great multitude of people, and equally piety and religion. This was fulfilled literally under the Maccabees, who by their battles restored and increased to Jerusalem and the temple their own glory. Parabolically, or rather it is in the Church of Christ, in which there are as many caldrons, that is, chalices, patens, ciboriums, tabernacles, censers, and other sacred vessels in which either the flesh and blood of the immaculate Lamb, Christ the Lord, are sacrificed, or some ministry is exhibited to this sacrifice, as there were bowls in the old law and temple. Thus Lyra. Or, that is to say, As there shall be many caldrons, that is, patens, ciboriums and tabernacles, in which the consecrated hosts, namely the flesh of Christ, are consecrated or reserved: so likewise there shall be many bowls, that is, many chalices, in which the blood of Christ is consecrated, sacrificed and drunk: for neither can the flesh be consecrated unless the blood also be consecrated: whence also every chalice has its own paten, in which the body of Christ is reserved. Note: The phial was holier and more sacred in the temple than the pot, first, because physically it was brighter and purer, and equally more precious, because it was often made of silver or gold; the pot, however, was made of clay or bronze, and on account of the fire, meat and smoke it was black, sooty, foul-smelling and filthy. Whence that common saying: Woe to you! the black pot used to say to the pot: for the pot is a cooking vessel, as much as a pot. Second, because the phial properly and directly served the sacrifice, namely for the reception and pouring out of the blood of the victim, for instance for libation; likewise for incense, and its fumigation and burning: the pot, however, only served for cooking and boiling the meat of the victim already slain, and therefore after the sacrifice was completed, so that those offering might become partakers of it, and might eat and feast on the meat of the victim which they had offered before the Lord. Hence third, all phials were of the temple, and therefore consecrated to God: but the pots were not. For although there were some pots in the temple for cooking meat, especially of the priests, nevertheless when a great multitude of those sacrificing flocked together, as happened at the feast of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, these were not sufficient: hence then each layman sacrificing had to procure for himself a pot, borrowing or hiring it, in which he might cook his meat; which he then returned to the one who lent or hired it to him. Zacharias therefore predicts here that there will be such great devotion of the people that, when many will flock together to sacrifice at the feast of Tabernacles, many also from Jerusalem and Judah will bring their own pots, not only for themselves, but also for others, whom they will freely lend to strangers, so that it will not be necessary to buy or hire them from merchants; and after the sacrifices are completed they will leave them in the temple, and dedicate them to God forever: by which it will come to pass that the number of holy pots will be as great as that of phials, and they will be held almost as sacred (as being consecrated to God with such great devotion, and sanctified by contact with so many meats of God immolated), as phials, and thus they will seem almost to pass into the dignity and sanctity of phials. This was fulfilled literally under the Maccabees, when they themselves purified the temple, and celebrated its dedication and consecration with divine fire received from heaven, which consumed the sacrifices, by which miracle seen all rushed together eagerly to offer victims, which this fire would burn for God. Hence mystically, the pots are priests: for just as in pots with fire applied beneath the meat of the victim was cooked; so by priests the fiery force and virtue of the Holy Spirit consecrates and effects the Eucharist, which they then distribute to the faithful as heavenly and life-giving bread, that is to say, There will be such a number of priests in the new law as there was of phials and other sacred vessels in the old law. Thus from Castro. More generally Remigius and Vatablus understand by pots the minds of Christians, in which the vices of the flesh are consumed by the fire of charity, and prayers and vows are cooked for the Lord: these same are phials, in which the incense of devotion and praise to God constantly exhales and is fragrant, that is to say, There will be such an abundance of the faithful, who will slay themselves in their hearts as it were as victims, and will offer themselves to God as the sweetest incense, as great as was the number of pots for sacrifices, and of phials for perfumes in the Old Testament. Somewhat differently St. Jerome; for he assigns the pots and jars of meat to the Jews, but the phials of perfumes to Christians: "Let them love," he says, "the bronze pots, who loved the pots of Egypt; and meat, and melons, and garlic, and onions, and cucumbers. Let us turn the Jewish pots in which the meat of victims was cooked into phials of perfumes before the altar of the Lord, of which the bride says to the bridegroom, Song vi: My brother has gone down into his garden to the beds of perfumes, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies, etc., so that he may fill the phials of the souls of believers, and pour out libations to the Lord from them. When such pots have been turned into the phials of the Lord, and have been able to say: We are the good odor of Christ; and instead of the rankness of meats have begun to bear various flowers of virtues, then they will be sanctified to the Lord in Jerusalem and in Judah. For Jerusalem expresses the vision of peace, Judah expresses the one confessing." To this the Church alludes, when she sings of St. Mary Magdalene: From a pot a phial becomes Transformed into a vessel of glory, From a vessel of shame. that is to say, What was formerly a black cauldron, full of meats, gluttony, wine and lust, has become a golden bowl offering incense of penance and charity to Christ. Whence she expended her hair, perfumes, and other instruments of seduction, and cauldrons, that is, instruments of gluttony and lust, in honour of Christ, and offered them to Him as it were in a bowl, just as she poured out precious ointments from a broken alabaster jar upon His head. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril and Haymo mystically expound these things concerning mortification, by which cauldrons, that is, whatever in us is base and carnal, is so refined by the fire of the Holy Spirit that it entirely exhales and passes over into spirit; whereby it comes to pass that mortified flesh breathes forth to God and the angels such a fragrance as golden bowls fragrant with perfume are accustomed to have, says Sanchez. Indeed this sense aptly corresponds to the literal sense, and to the difference between the cauldron and the bowl, which I assigned a little before. To this also the Apostle alluded in II Tim. ii, 20, and Rom. ix, 21, where he teaches that in the house of God there are some vessels unto honour, and some unto dishonour; and that the sinner, who is a vessel of dishonour, if he repent and cleanse himself from sins, becomes a vessel of honour and glory. For thus Magdalen, who was a sinner a cauldron of ignominy, having done penance became a bowl of glory.
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21. EVERY POT (namely, necessary for sacrifices) SHALL BE SANCTIFIED TO THE LORD, that is to say, The temple will abound in vessels and things necessary for the worship of God, so that nothing will be lacking to anyone for sacrificing and worshipping God properly. Or, that is to say, Every pot which is in the house of the Lord, as he said in the preceding verse, will continually remain there as if sanctified to the Lord, nor will it be taken out to be applied to profane uses. For chalices and sacred vessels once consecrated to God remain sacred forever, nor is it lawful to reduce them to profane uses. Or, as Palacius says, that is to say, There will be such a multitude of those sacrificing, that pots will be brought eagerly from all Jerusalem and Judea, in which the flesh of victims will be cooked, and thereafter those pots, as if now sanctified by these victims, will remain for the use of the temple, and will be consecrated to God and the temple. This was true in the Maccabees, more truly in Christians; for these abound in chalices, censers, pots and all vessels suitable for sacrifice and the worship of God. For in these the Churches, monasteries and temples are rich, to the envy of heretics. Mystically, every pot, that is, every priest, and therefore every faithful person, will remain a priest and faithful, that is, devoted to the worship of God, and as if consecrated to God, so that in his own degree he may faithfully and piously serve God, nor return any longer to infidelity, crimes and profane uses, that is, he may not lawfully return; and if he shows himself such as he has professed, he will never in fact return. From this place it is clear that these things are to be understood spiritually rather than corporally. For corporally in strictness it is false that every pot in Jerusalem and Judea was sanctified to the Lord: otherwise the Jerusalemites and Jews would have had to bring all their pots to the temple and dedicate them to God, nor could they have kept any at home for their own uses, which is clearly false. Spiritually, however, it is true that every pot, that is, every priest and faithful person in ordination and baptism is consecrated to the Lord. Whence St. Peter, speaking to the faithful even laypeople: "You, he says, are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ," 1 Pet. ii, 9. And St. Paul: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service," Rom. xii, 1. And: "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise always to God, that is, the fruit of lips confessing to his name. But do not forget to do good and to impart; for by such sacrifices God is pleased," Heb. xiii, 15. AND THEY SHALL COOK IN THEM, that is to say, The Jews under the Maccabees will cook in their pots the flesh which they have sacrificed to God; Christians, however, especially priests, will cook in their minds pious and ardent desires, resolutions and vows, as if victims of God, both of contrition and penance, both of praises and hymns, both of charity, especially concerning the conversion of souls, so that namely they may teach their neighbors the things of salvation, turn them away from sins to virtues, and lead them to a holy and perfect life; for these are victims to God as most honorable, so most pleasing and delightful. De Castro adds another sense, that is to say, The faithful of Christ will choose from men sacred to God, whom they will find everywhere, whomever they wish, so that through him they may offer to God the true sacrifice of Christ, namely the Eucharist, without cost and expense; which once they needed to purchase victims and hire pots for cooking the flesh of sacrifices. Whence it follows: AND THERE SHALL BE NO MORE A MERCHANT. The Hebrews and the Septuagint: There shall be no Chanaanite, that is, merchant, as Aquila, the Chaldean and Our version translate. For formerly the Chanaanites were celebrated in commerce. Now the sense is, that is to say, In the temple there will be an abundance of pots, bowls and other vessels, which are necessary for sacrificing, and therefore there will be no merchants who sell or rent them to foreigners coming to Jerusalem for sacrificing. Or, as Palacius says, that is to say, There will be such charity among those gathering at the temple, that each will exhibit and lend to another, especially to a stranger and pilgrim, pots and bowls without price freely; so great also will be the devotion and diligence of those coming, that each will bring to himself the things necessary for sacrifice, and therefore there will be no need for merchants, who are accustomed to sell them at feasts to those arriving. This was done under the Maccabees. Now under this type it is signified parabolically that, among Christians wishing to sacrifice to God, there shall not be merchants who sell sheep, oxen, doves, and other victims which they immolate to God, and other things necessary for sacrifice, as they were among the Jews, because the sacrifice of Christians shall be, not carnal of oxen and sheep, but mystical, namely of the Eucharist; or spiritual and mental, namely of prayer, contrition, charity, etc., that is to say, In the Church of Christ it shall be easy and without price to worship God and to sacrifice to Him. By the symbol of this matter Christ cast out from the temple those buying and selling, Matt. xxi, 12. Hence Stunica thus expounds it: There shall not be a Canaanite, that is a Gabaonite, who after his manner (for Joshua cap. ix, 27, condemned the Gabaonites to carry wood and water for the sacrifices of the temple) shall supply things necessary for sacrifice. But the Gabaonites were not merchants, but servants of the Hebrews. Again, there shall not be in the Church a merchant, namely of spiritual things, that is a simoniac, who namely sells or buys the Eucharist and sacred things for a price, because Christ commanded the Apostles and their successors: "Freely have you received, freely give," Matt. cap. x, 8. Thus Lyra and Vatable. Furthermore, there shall not be a simoniac, that is it shall not be lawful to be one, nor shall it be permitted that one be; because he shall be punished by the prelates of the Church, and shall be deprived of the benefice which he obtained simoniacally, if the matter be established. Otherwise Theodoret, Albert and Clarius: for these understand by Canaanite a wicked and depraved man. For such indeed the Canaanites were of old, and therefore they were driven out of the holy land by God through the Hebrews, that is to say, Christians shall not be wicked, but pious and holy; understand as far as it is by the force of Christianity and the grace of Christ: for all who obey and cooperate with this grace are holy: if anyone however be unwilling for this, it is no wonder if he become wicked, but by his own fault and malice. Moreover if he be wicked, the Church shall endeavor to correct him; if admonished a second and third time he be unwilling to correct himself, the Church shall excommunicate him and expel him from the assembly of the faithful, according to the precept of Christ, Matt. xviii, 15: "May the Lord Almighty," says Theodoret, "grant that this voice be true in this time, so that no one among us may be seen to be a Canaanite, but all according to the tradition of the Gospel may live, and await the blessed hope and the coming of the great God our Savior Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father be glory and with the Holy Spirit now and always, and for ever and ever. Amen."
Argument: Introduction to Malachi It is asked FIRST, who was Malachi? Origen answers first, according to St. Jerome and Cyril, that he was an angel who assumed a body and united it to himself hypostatically, so that he might be a type of Christ, and so that he might proclaim these oracles of God to the Jews. He proves this from the fact that Malachi in Hebrew is the same as the angel of the Lord. And thus the Septuagint translates it in chapter I, 1, and from them Clement of Alexandria in book I of the Stromata, and St. Augustine in book XX of the City of God, chapter xxv. And St. Chrysostom in oration 2 Against the Jews, and homily 14 on the epistle to the Hebrews: "Read," he says, "what Haggai says, what Zechariah says, what the angel (namely Malachi) says, what Ezra accuses." Moved by a similar argument, Origen held that Haggai and John the Baptist were incorporeal angels, because in the Scriptures they are called angels, as is evident from Haggai I, 13, and Matthew xi, 10. Tertullian seems to have held a similar view to Origen in his book On the Flesh of Christ, chapters III and vi, where he proves that it was not impossible for the Word of God to assume flesh, from the fact that it was possible for angels: which unless you understand of hypostatic assumption, his reasoning would be futile and of no weight. Moreover, Origen delivers this opinion both elsewhere and expressly in volume II on John, explaining those words of Malachi: "Behold I send my angel." But this is an error. For it is of faith that John the Baptist was a man, begotten of Zacharias and Elizabeth, as is evident from Luke I, 15, and John I, 6. And it is certain that all the Prophets were men. Whence Ecclesiasticus chapter xlix, 12: "And the bones of the twelve Prophets," he says, "shall flourish from their place." If they had bones, and these shall again flourish and rise again; therefore they were true men: for these consist of flesh and bones. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, Theodoret and others everywhere. To the argument I answer that Prophets are called angels, that is, messengers and legates of God. Thus any priest is called an angel by Malachi, when he says chapter II, 7: "The lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth; because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts." Second, they are called angels on account of angelic morals, form and life. In a similar way many today give their sons the name Angelus, on account of the devotion which they have toward the angels, and so that they might imitate their purity. Thus St. Epiphanius in his book On the Life and Morals of the Prophets, on Malachi and Haggai, who also adds from the opinion of the Hebrews, that Malachi is called an angel, because whatever he preached, the same things were taught and confirmed by an angel coming from heaven. But let the credibility of this matter rest with the Hebrews; certainly it seems to smack of a fable and Rabbinic fiction. Second, the ancient Hebrews, equally as the moderns, hand down that Malachi was Ezra the priest and scribe. This tradition St. Jerome, Remigius, Rupert, Ribera and others report and follow. The reasons and conjectures of this opinion are various. The first, because Malachi treats the same subject as Ezra, namely he censures the neglect of the law and the worship of God, and specifically marriages with foreigners, which Ezra censures in chapter ix. The second, because Ezra lived at the same time as Malachi, and he mentions in chapter v, 1, Haggai and Zechariah, but not Malachi: therefore it is a sign that he himself was Malachi, who was thus named, when sent by God as it were as an angel, that is a messenger and prophet, to the people, so that he might lead them to repentance, by which they might escape the impending disasters. The third, because Ezra, a man of remarkable holiness, zealous and an outstanding preacher, altogether seems to have been a prophet, and could not have been any other than Malachi. The fourth, because Ecclesiasticus chapter xlix, when it praises Zerubbabel, Jesus, Nehemiah, passes over Ezra, who does not yield to them in virtue and deeds: therefore it is likely that he himself praised him among the 12 Minor Prophets, under the name of Malachi. On the other hand Josephus...
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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v. 1 « Ecce, venient dies Domini et dividentur spolia tua in medio tui »; — dies dicuntur venire Domino (hebr.) vel quia ipse est egregiae illius probationis auctor (cf. 43, 9: ducam, uram, probabo) vel quia tali tempore quam maxime suam coram omnibus gloriose patefacit maiestatem et potentiam. Spolia dividi in media urbe urbem dicit expugnatam et victores hostes magna in ea versari securitate (cf. S. Hier. Rib.). Quomodo ad id perventum sit, declaratur v. $ « et congregabo omnes gentes ad lerusalem in proelium, et capietur civitas et vastabuntur domus et mulieres violabuntur et egredietur media pars civitatis in captivitatem et reliquum populi non auferetur ez urbe »; — de notione Ierusalem vide ad 12, 2. Uti ibi Ierusalem superliminare crapulae et lapis oneris vocatur omnibus populis, ita h.l. conatus exhibentur quibus hostes levare student hunc lapidem ; per aliquod tempus civitas sancta et sedes theocratiae hostium impetui patet et vastationi est subiecta atque multi incolarum et civium (media pars) in servitutem abripiuntur aliaque quae in urbis expugnatione hostili evenire solent quasi impune patrantur. Et talia a Domino immitti perhibentur. Ille enim congregat hostes, ille scil. qui etiam dixit : framea, suscitare super pastorem, urit et probat gregem (cf. 12, 2. 3 ponam). Permittit igitur inimicos iniuriis et vastationibus et spoliationibus et carcere et morte grassari in suos. Hi enim sunt ignes illi ad excoquendum, ignes ad metalla purganda, ad animas sanctas sublimi ac coelesti virtutum splendore exornandas. Verum, uti 12, 4 Deus suorum causam egregie tuetur et hostes insigni clade prosternit, ita etiam h. l. valentissimum praebet praesidium ;
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v. 9 «et egredietur Dominus et proeliabitur contra gentes sllas, sicut proeliatus est in die certaminis » ; — « egredi dicitur Deus, cum se aliquo opere manifestat » (Sanct.) ; cf. Mich. 1, 3. Comparatio dicit Deum ita pugnare contra hostes, sicut solet, sicut iam saepe in Israelitarum bonum sese pugnantem et hostes dissipantem exhibuit (cf. Ios. 10, 14. 42; 93, 8. 10. Iud. 4, 19; 5, 8. 4 Reg. '1, 10. 2 Par. 20, 171; 32, 21). Plerique cum S. IIier. illum diem certaminis explicant, « quando Pharaonem in mari submersit rubro et pro israelitico populo dimicavit » (S. Hier. Rib. Sanct. Lap. Reinke) ; ita. Chald. quoque; potest etiam inde commendari, quia prophetae saepius liberationem messianicam ex priore illa illustrant (cf. Is. 11, 41. Ier. 16, 14; 23, 8. Zach. 10, 41?). Atque, uti in pugna contra Aegyptios Deus populo suo iter aperuit per maris aestus, ita prodigio utetur haud absimili, si opus fuerit, animumque ostendet ad auxiliandum paratissimum et remedia subministrabit efficacissima. Haec symbolice proponuntur
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v. & « et stabunt pedes eius in die illa super montem olivarum qui est contra Ierusalem ad. orientem, et scindetur mons olivarum ez media parte sui ad orientem et ad occidentem praerupto grandi valde, et separabitur medium montis ad aquilonem et medium eius ad meridicm » ; — 1. e. mons olivarum ip medio diffinditur ita, ut grandis exsistat vallis ab oriente ad occidentem et mon- ' tis partes scissae recedant ad partem septemtrionalem et ad meridiem. Si Deus montes tangit, fumigant, si descendit, liquefiunt (cf. Mich. 4, 3), si eos calcat, scinduntur ; terrae motus ac concussionis saepius fit mentio in oppugnatione et strage Dei hostibus inferenda; cf. Is. 29, 6. er. 4, 94. Ez. 38, 19. 20. Ioel 2, 10; 3, 16; similia in aliis Dei manifestationibus symbola maiestatis et pctentiae proponuntur (Ps. 45, "1; 61, 9; 81, 5; 91, 1; 98, 4 etc. Hac autem valleaperta aperit suis salutis opportunitatem et absconsionem ab hostibus qui urbem devastant eosque quasi sub tegmine alarum suarum in summa rerum trepidatione protegit. Ita sensus esse videtur
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v. 5 «et fugietis ad. vallem montium eorum, quoniam coniungetur vallis montium usque ad. proximum ; et fugietis, sicut fugistis a facie terrae motus in diebus Oziae regis Iuda » ; — quod in vulg. legitur montium eorum « manifestum mendum est et legendum omnino montium meorum, ut constat ex hebr. et LXX ceterisque et veteribus et novis interpretibus et ex translatione quae est apud Hier. atque ex eiusdem commentariis » ;. ita Rib. ceteroquin acerrimus vulg. defensor atque vindex. Vallis montium Domini est vallis scissione monti$ olivarum exorta; hebr. nam pertinget vallis montium ad Azal! i. e. haec vallis noviter orta proten-, detur usque Azal.vel Azel, qui vicus idem esse videtur cum Beth-haezel. Mich. 4, 11 ; secundum S. Cyr. vicus est in extremo recessu montis situs. ' Terrae motus tempore Oziae solus Amos (1, 1) mentionem facit. Compa-- ratione summa trepidatio, terror, maxima quaedam festinatio et inde magna persecutionis vis et impetus illustratur. E Locutio sicut fugistis non necessario scriptorem arguit qui ad eius rei aequales loquitur ; verum eodem modoadhibetursicutapud prophetassaepe. de universo populi israelitici tempore sermo fit ac si iidem ad quos admonitio dirigitur in omni epocha vixissent ; est scil. totus populus quasi una persona, moralis, quae in Aegypto servivit, educta est, legem accepit, Palaestinam occupavit et multiplici apostasia Dominum offendit ; ita leremias nomine Dei ad aequales suos loquitur : « recordatus sum tui, miserans adolescentiam tuam et caritatem desponsationis tuae, quando secuta es me in deserto... induxi vos in terram Carmeli... etingressi contaminastis terram... et misi ad vos omnes servos meos prophetas » ler. 2, 2 seq. "1, 25 ; ita multoties Ez. 40, & seq. 23, 4 seq. Os. 2, 8 seq. Am. 2, 10 : « ego sum qui ascendere vos feci de terra Aegypti et duxi vos in deserto per quadraginta annos » etc. | Textus vulg. satis est obscurus. Explicant : quia vallis i. e. vorago. illa facta in monte oliveti iam diviso (quae proinde iam non est vallis unius montis sed duorum, nimirum montium iam divisorum) pertinget ad montem sibi proximum (Lap.). Alii vallem montium meorum de valle explicant interiecta inter Sion et Moria (cf. S. Hier. Rib. Men. Sanct.) : « cum hiatus ille grandis ex olivarum monte ad locum civitati proximum producendus sit, recipient sese cives ad eam urbis partem, quae a praerupto illo atque ab hoste imminenti putabatur tuta; haec vero est inter duos montes Dei, Sionem videlicet et Moriam » (Sanct.). At non est probabile, fieri montis divisionem ad terrorem civibus incutiendum, neque cernitur, quomodo capta urbe sese recipiant in vallem montis Sion et Moria, quippe quae in ipsa urbe sita minime tuta esse possit ab hostibus. Cum fiat fuga, res aliter cogitari nequit, quam ut Deus evadendi opportunitatem montis olivarum divisione suis aperiat et offerat. Sinit igitur hostes per aliquod tempus in urbe sancta grassari, suis tamen receptaculum praebet locumque securum ; at mox manifestam maiestatem suam facit et suis et hostibus. Salus enim praeclara et triumphus indicatur eo quod Dominus cum sanctis suis venire dicitur : « et veniet Dominus Deus meus omnesque sancti cum eo » ; — uti olim ad foedus cum populo pangendum descendit ad montem Sinai « et cum eo sanctorum millia » (Deut. 33, 2), ita suis adest ad foedus suum vindicandum, defendendum, corroborandum; adsunt cum eo angelorum cohortes, quippe quisint « administratorii spiritus in ministerium missi propter eos qui hereditatem capient salutis » (Hebr. 4, 14) ; ita venturus in maiestate cum angelis suis exspectatur in fine saeculorum adsuos salvandos et inimicos ruina aeterna prosternendos (cf. Dan. "1, 9. 10. Matth. 23, 31. Marc. 8,38;13, 2'1. Luc. 9,206 ; 12, 8). Ad rem observat Lap. : « cum bellum fidelium est difficile et victoria illustris, tunc dicitur Deus descendere cum omnibus sanctis suis, puta angelis, quia omnes ei adstant ut pro eo decertent ». Tempus probationis et persecutionis tempus est afflictionis et tristitiae, tempus etiam periculis plenum pro ipsis piis; quam temporis conditionem vates symbolis declarat :
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v. 6 « eterit, in die illa non erit luz, sed. frigus et gelu » ; — lux enim symbolum est laetitiae, festivitatis, felicitatis; ea absente tenebris, pavore omnia obvolvuntur; frigore et ' gelu vita eiusque actiones impediuntur, enecantur. Sed si illud tempus iam piis est formidandum, eo maiore iure tempus iudicii divini et vindictae inimicis erit pertimescendum. Quare verba haec potiore etiam modo hostes tangunt, quibus cum Dominus descendat cum angelis suis ad auxilium suis praestandum, tenebrae et horrores ingruent, quibus omnis vitae lux et amoenitas aufertur et mortis rigor ac torpor imminet (cf. 12, 4). Tempus igitur describitur calamitosum utrisque piis ac impiis, diverso utique exitu. Pro populo enim Dei mediis in calamitatibus lux ac salus orietur, uti iam adventu Domini indicatur. Textum hebr. nunc multi vertunt : splendores condensabuntur vel obtenebrescent i. e. sidera quoque lucem non dabunt, uti fere de magno iudicii die praedicitur, quo Deus hostes conteret ; cf. Is. 13, 10. Ier. &, 28. Ez. 32, 7. 8. Ioel 2, 31 ; 3, 15. Matth. 24, 29. Ea translatio sequitur kethib. Sed satis est inusitatum astra dici claritates, res pretiosas ; neque locutio Iob 31, 26 obvia qon "p incedens clare (de luha) satis probat sidera appellari res pretiosas. Neque veteres eam norunt interpretationem ; sed fere uti S. Hier. verterunt ; ità LXX xol (om xoi táyo; ; Sym. ààX ijóxoc x«l máyoc ; unde legerunt ntYpt pro ^ et sicut habet geri YINDpY; etiam Syrus et Chald. hanc exprimunt lectionem ; quare ea erit retinenda. Insuper meliorem praebet sensum ; nam sidera obscurari iam in membro priore eo ipso indicatur, quia lucemnon fore asseritur; in veterum autem versione additur ad lucis absentiam noyum incommodum idque satis grave e& durum. Neque forma pluralis rp" et frigora negotium facessit. Nomina enim eiusmodi in plurali saepius efferuntur (cf. Ewald, Lehrb. 2. 179). Unde iuremerito complures recentiones veterum versionem retinent ; cf. Hitz. Schegg. Suo demum tempore mediis in afflictionibus liberatio et felicitatis abundantia a Domino concedetur : v. "| « eterit dies una quae nota est Domino, nont dies neque noz ; et in tempore vesperi erit luy »; — Deus solus scit i. e. Deus pro beneplacito suo auxilium fert, quando ipse vult ; ad abdita eius providentiae consilia pertinet, utrum tempori probationis mox sit finis imponendus, an tardius ; interea ipsum probatio-. nis tempus ita est conformatum, ut sit quasi medium quoddam inter diem ac noctem ; non est, plenus dies, cum ingruit calamitas; non est nox, quia certa affulget spes et Dei gratia et benignitas tot promissis devincta piis semper affert consolationem !. Sed vespere, quando ita ingruit rabies persecutionis, ut lux omnis exstingui et densa nox iam proxima esse videatur, subito lux i. e. felicitas, salus, gloriosa liberatio atque victoriae triumphus a Domino concedetur. Erit contrarium eius quod minatus est Dominus apud Amos : «occidet sol in meridie et tenebrescere faciam terram in die luminis » (Am. 8, 9). Ita Ierusalem sentiet onus ex oppugnatione ; est enim lapis oneris (19, 3) qui levatur; et donec levantes concisione lacerentur, ipsa urbs angustiis et tribulationibus quasi crepusculo quodam obvolvetur. Conditio igitur ac status Eccle- 1. Bone S. Ephr. : « non erit per omnia tribulatio neque per omnia consolatio ». siae militantis hisce describitur : in mundo pressuram habebitis; sed confidite, ego vici mundum £n tempus obscurum, sed luce divina temperatum, et ex tribulatione efflorescit salus : tempore vesper: luz. quia grex cum suo pastore per multas tribulauones intret oportet in regnum coelorum. Haec lux tempore vesperuno est idem ac « super domum, luda aperiam oculos meos » eo scil. tempore, quo etiam contra Iuda impetus fit in obsidione lerusalem (12, 1. 4). pastore spreto et de poena inde consequente in contemptores, fta locus noster arctissimo vinculo cohaeret cum pastore percusso et afflictione et probatione A ren inde consequente ; quare neutrum caput a tempore messianico avelli potest, neque ullo modo probabile est, vaticinia quae etiam externis verborum vinculis : ita sint inter se colligata, tempora spectare modo messianica modo antecedentia. Alii volunt describi ultima Ecclesiae tempora et futuram Iudaeorum conversionem (cf. Keil, Reinke saltem a v. 3; Schegg) ; de qua sententia melius postea disserendum erit. Christus sedens super montem oliveti discipulis suis tribulationes et persecutiones futuras praedicit, praedicit urbis excidium et diem iudicii ultimi (Matth. 94, 9 seq. ; Marc. 13, 3 seq.) ; ex eodem monte in coelum ascendit et « hic Iesus qui assumptus est a vobis in coelum, sic veniet quemadmodum vidistis eum euntem in coelum » (Act. 4, 11. 12). Cum et apud Ezechielem gloria Domini relictis templo et urbe consistat super montem qui est ad orientem urbis (Ez. 11, 99 — cf. Zach. 14, A) et apud Zachariam tam explicite statuatur : ef. stabunt pedes eius super montem olivarum qui est contra lerusalem ad orientem, certe minime temere iudicare is erit censendus qui putaverit inter Christi commorationem iudiciique denuntiationem in monte oliveti atque verba prophetica esse nexum aliquem divino consilio factum Christumque voluisse etiam ea in re aliqua prophetarum verba ad literam explere, uti ipsi placuit de triginta argenteis et de figulo (14, 13), quamvis nos ex oraculorum consideratione talem nexum non perspiciamus. Id tamen dicere licet, esse summopere aptum et conveniens cernique divinam in re quoque minore dispositionem, ut ex eo praecise loco fiat et iudicii denuntiatio in urbem rebellem et persecutionum praedictio pro fidelibus, in quem gloria Domini urbe relicta etiudicio tradita sese recipere visa est apud Ezechielem, et in quo stans Dominus suis occurrere et opem ferre cernitur apud Zachariam (ef. Eusebius l. e. M. 22, 497). g) Deus in suos benignissimus, terribilis in hostes 44, 8-15, In tribulatione et persecutione praeclari maturescunt fructus. Omnis enim scoriaaufertur, pretiosa metalla excoquuntur, ut aurum et argentum insigni splendore et puritate refulgeat. Dominus ipse fideles suos qui fortiter permanserunt in afflictione et in probatione, nova amoris exhibitione complectitur, ut qui socii erant pastoris percussi, sint etiam partipugna peracta (cf. Ps. 44, 8). Unde post persecutionem nova et laeta benedictionis epocha Ecclesiae Dei illucescit eamque s. vates delineat
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v. 8 « Et erit, in die illa exibunt aquae vivae de Ierusalem ; medium earum ad, mare orientale et medium earum ad, mare novissimum; in aestate et hieme erunt » ; — cf. 43, 1. Ez. 41, 4 seq. ; aquae iugiter maum (orientale) et mare mediterraneum (occidentale, hebr.)i. e. ubique ex uberrima scaturieine diffundentur. Aquae fertilitatis, ubertatis, vitae, et amoenitatis symbolum atque adiumentum sunt : quare usitata translatione ad gratiam, benedictionem, doctrinam divinam designandam usurpantur; cf. Is. 12, 3; « haurietis aquas in gaudio de fontibus salvatoris (salutis, hebr.) »: 35, 6: 41. 18; 44, 3; 49, 10; 55, 1 Ier. 2, 13: quare Christus quoque ea metaphora utitur, se promittens daturum aquam vivam, fontem salientem in vitam aeternam. ad se invitans sitientes etc. (cf. loan. A, 10. 13 seq : 7, 38. Apoc 7. 17:24 6;22,1 47). Ex Ierusalem igitur, quod nomen eadem notione accipitur uti 12, 1. continuo sine defectu — unde aestate et hieme i e. omni anni tempore. etiam eo quo plerique torrentes et rivi deficere et aresceresolent — in omnem partem etiam in regiones desertas salutaris doctrinae et divinae gratiae rivuli dividentur. Duo maria alii de Iudaeis et gentibus (S. Hier. Ephr. Cyr. Calm.), alii de oriente et occidente, ad quas regiones fontes salutis pertingent (Eusebius, dem. evang. 6. 18. M. 22. 465. Theod Rib. Sanct. Sa), explicant ; sensus descriptionis est, centrum theocratiae effecturum esse, ut ubique fecunditas et vita salutis doctrina et. gratia enutrita efflorescat. Sive igitur aquas dicas Christi doctrinam evangeliique praedicationem (S. Ephr Hier. Theod. Rib. Sa, Calm.), sive Spiritum S quem Christus sit largiturus (S. Cyr.), sive sacramenta (Sanct.), oraculi sensus rite exprimitur, quippe quo ubertas divinae largitionis ad salutem et beatitatem efficiendam declaratur. Plerique interpretes, vel ut Sanct. ait. pene omnes, oraculum hoc directe et immediate de Ecclesia Christi exponunt. idque rerum serie omnino postulatur, ut supra iam expositum: est et. prout ex. parallelismo ad 13, 1 elucet. Attamen fuerunt, quj ad Machabaeorum tempora id referrent. Ita Theod. M. quidem nulla Ecclesiae mentione facta: S. Ephr. quoque qui tamen fatetur plene oraculum impleri ip novo foedere. Lap quoque censet sensum historicum (literalem) esse de fontibus urbis, quos in captivitate babylonica vel ab Ántiocho confractos aut collapsos propheta dicat restaurandos, augendos, exornandos; id enim fecisse ludaeos reduces. narrari a Nehemia (Neh. 3. 15), id praestitisse Simonem ponuficem (Eccli. 50. 3) neque de Machabaeis id dubium esse posse: dein. vult symbolice sub hisce fontibus e! aquaeductibus intelligi faustos laetosque egressus Judae et fratrum eiue ad proelia et victorias, demum parabolice et poussime intelgr aquas doctrinae etf gratiae evangelicae , sim rem exptánant Men. 7r. Atque quo sensu theocratia sit fons abundantissimus, in orbem effluens. declaratur
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v. 9 « et erit Dominus rez super omnem terram ;.in die illa erit Dominus unus et erit nomen evus unum » ; — i. € theocratia erit universalis, omnes gentes complectens , cultus unius Dei ubique exercebitur, ille solus adorabitur; alia deorum nomina, quae in vetere theocratia quasi iure suo regiones ac ditiones occupaverant, funditus regimine ac dominatione privantur. ld quoque optime subiungitur. Est enim quaevis persecutio, quam Ecclesia subit et ex qua nova virtute et pulchritudine victrix evadit, simul periodus gratiae pro iis qui nondum ei nomen dederunt; nova quippe luce et gloria vident Ecclesiam resplendentem ; coelestis Sponsus sponsae suae nova concessit monilia eamque denuo ut suam dilectam mundo ostendit et pro afflictione quam subiit gaudia maioris fecunditatis novamque prolem ei concedit. Valet enim semper et ubique: sanguis martyrum semen Christianorum. Ita revera cernitur Ecclesia post unamquamque persecutionem nova cepisse incrementa vegetioremque manifestasse vitam. — Eundem habes parallelismum 13, 2 : «disperdam nomina idolorum de terra» (Sanct.). Ad hoc vaticinium aliaque similia rite intelligenda et expendenda inservit quod h. 1. affert Sanct., saepe in Scriptura dici fieri, quae ut fiant ipsa rerum natura aut potentia postulent, futurum enim tempus interdum non actum significare sed potentiam ; « sic ergo Deus rex erit et Dominus unus super terram undecumque sublatis idolis, quia vis ea erit fontis illius qui in omnem mundi partem effundetur, ut haec omnia praestare . nonsolum possit, sed etiam mereatur ». Uti urbi, centro theocratiae, expugnatio et devastatio praedicta est (12, 2. 3; 14, 1), ita ad oraculi seriem prorsus spectat, ut eiusdem urbis exaltatio et firma sedes atque secura indicetur et secundum textum hebr. quidem regio circa urbem montana et aspera complanatur et in planitiem vertitur; id quod etiam ad v. 8 convenienter fieri patet, ut aquae e loco edito in mare occidentale et orientale diffluere posse videantur ; et convertetur tota terra sicuti planities a Geba usque ad. Remmon ad, austrum Ierusalem i. e. tota regio a Geba, a parte septemtrionali regni Iuda (cf. 4 Reg. 23, 8) usque ad partem australem extremam, Remmon (cf. Ios. 15, 32), convertetur ut fiat sicut 2272 i. e. campestria Iordanis (cf. Ios. 4, 13; 48, 18. 2 Sam. 2, 29; 4, '1 etc.). Hac terrae complanatione Ierusalem exaltatur: Symbolum idem de monte Domini praedicatur Is. 2, 2. Mich. 4, 4. S. Ilier. vocem Y233 appellative. vertit. collem ; hoc enim, inquit, Gabaa sonat. Unde in vulg.
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v. 10 «et revertetur omnis terra usque ad, desertum, de colle Remmon ad. austrum Ierusalem ; et exaltabitur et habitabit in loco suo a porta Beniamin usque ad locum portae prioris et usque ad portam angulorum et a turre Hananecl usque ad torcularia regis» ; — desertum intellige planitiem Iordanis : tota regio vertetur in planitiem ; ad Remmon additur ad austrum Ierusalem, ut distinguatur a Remmon in Galilaea (Ios. 19, 13) et a petra Remmon septemtrionem versus ab urbe (Iud. 20, 45 — cf. Keil, Riess, bibl. Geogr. p. 80 !). Montibus et collibus applanatis centrum theocratiae 1. Remmon ad austrum secundum Onom. Euseb. distabat ab Eleutheropoli meridiem ver. eo illustrius atque excolsius cernitur. Sicut Ieremias urbis aedificandae et instaurandae certum ambitum ac terminum assignavit (Ier. 31, 38-40), ita Zacharias quoque, quamvis 2, 4 audierit : « absque muro habitobitur Ierusalem », et simili ratione cernit Ezechiel urbem certis mensuris ac definitis reaedificatam (Ez. 48, 48 seq.). Portam Beniamin in parte septemtrionali sitam fuisse probabile est eamque etiam portam Ephraim (4 Reg. 44, 13. Neh. 8, 16) appellari (?) aliqui coniiciunt (Reinke, Schegg, Keil — esse eandem quam hodie portam Damasci vocant, opinatur Trochon). Ab hac porta aedificabitur usque ad portam priorem vel primam, quam esse censent portam veterem (Neh. 3, 6; 12, 39), et usque ad portam angulorum. Haec eadem esse videtur, quae 4 Reg. 14, 13 et Ier. 31,38 porta anguli appellatur et quae a porta Ephraim quadringentis cubitis distabat (cf. & Reg. 1. c.). Unde in parte septemtrionali a porta Beniamin urbis moenia designantur versus occidentem usque ad portam anguli, versus orientem usque ad portam primam vel veterem. Dein eorum ductus describitur, uti videtur, ab angulo inter septemtrionem et orientem solém spectante meridiem versus i. e. a turre Hananeel usque ad torcularia regis. llla turris inter septemtrionem et orientem fuisse dieitur haud longe dissita a porta ovium (cf. Nch. 3, 4 ; 12, 39. Ier. 31, . 98). Torcularia regis ibi fere sita fuisse plerique opinantur, ubi horti regis erant (Neh. 3, 15) eo scil. loco, ubi vallis Hinnom, vallis Cedron et Tyropoeon vallis coeunt, in parte maxime meridionali urbis (cf. Reinke, Keil, Trochon). certe ad olivas montes oliveti exprimendas inservierint. Sed cur non potius ad uvas torculandas et mustum generandum ? Torcularia esse solebant extra urbes saxis incisa. Unde fortasse Zacharias urbis ambitum maiorem quam olim fuerit indicare voluit. Quid de tali urbis designatione et descriptione censendum erit? Cum prior pars versus de planitie efficienda a Geba usque ad Remmon non possit literaliter intelligi — neque enim pAysica regionis illius transmutatio hucusque facta est neque eam tempore futuro fore ulla probabilitatis specie coniici poterit — etiam partis alterius alia quaerenda erit explanatio. Et ea quidem quam S. Cyr. proponit, maxime videtur esse commoda : « Deus gloria sua sanctam civitatem implebit, hoc est, intelligibilem (voqv/») Ierusalem, cuius latitudinem et longitudinem rursum ut in typo per terrestrem lerusalem ostendit ». Loquitur vates ad modum prophetarum antecedentium ; Isaias urbem instauratam monuerat : dilata locum tentorii tui etc. (Is. 84, 2 seq.), eam gemmis aedificandam praedixerat (04, 11 seq.); ambitum urbis Teremias assignaverat (ler. 84, 38-40); Ezechiel templum novum accuratissime delineaverat (Ez. 40-43, 49), terram pro singulis tribubus maxima cura distribuerat (A48, 4-99) etc. ; simili modo Zacharias theocratiae instaurationem exemplo et symbolo ab urbe veteris theocratiae centro et metropoli petito illustrat. Qui urbis Ierusalem in fine temporum instaurationem terraeque palaestinensis splendorem futurum exspectant, hisce potissimum locis 1nnituntur. Atque, uti iam Rup. aperte fatetur, « haec litera omnis fere usque ad finem voluminis talis est sine dubio, ut puerum allicere possit ad favorem sui totiusque voluminis prophetici, scil. populum iudaicum sensu puerili, qui talia libenter audit et sic intelligit, quod Messias quando in Hierusalem aurea atque gemmata sederit regnaturus, cuncta auferet idola » etc. Et S. Hier. ad h. l. scribit : « haec Iudaei iuxta literam somniant et nostri 40accaf... nec opponant nobis Ioannis Apocalypsin (cp. 20), quia et ipsa spiritualiter disserenda est. Nos autem coelestem lerusalem interpretemur Ecclesiam... »; et saepe perhoc caput (et alibi quoque frequenter) in talem interpretationem Iudaeorum et iudaizantium acerbe et acriter invehitur v. g. « haec sibi infelix Iuda promittit... nos autem omnia ista referamus ad Ecclesiae beatitudinem ; et haec Iudaei (ad v. 15) sub 5$Aepp£vo suo ' carnaliter explenda contendunt; haec toti qp e e quoque (ad v. 16) Iudaei cassa spe in mille annorum regno futura promittunt; haec omnia (ad v. 18. 19) Iudaei et iudaizantes nostri, immo non nostri quia iudaizantes, sperant futura corporaliter, utique et circumcisionem sibi et coniugia in mille annorum imperio promittentes » etc. Ipse nostro loco allegorice rem explanat nomina singula plane allegorica significatione capiens : « tunc revertetur omnis terra usque ad desertum i. e. usque ad populum gentium, qui prius desertus erat et legis notitiam non habebat, a colle usque ad excelsum, quia de terra et de deserto ad colles, et de collibus ad montana consurgimus... vel hoc dicamus, quod fines Ecclesiae de collibus incipiant, ut.omnis ordo ecclesiasticus construatur... nec hoc est Ecclesia fine contenta, sed perveniet usque ad austrum in luce plenissima » etc. ; simili allegoria porta prior, porta angulorum, turris Hananeel, torcularia regis exponuntur; qua in re eum alii quoque sequuntur v. g. Rup. Alb. Tali autem interpretationi nemo facile assentietur. Est enim ab omni usu alienum nec alio quopiam exemplo demonstrari potest, desertum poni pro gentibus, vel portam Beniamin pro virtute, portam angulorum pro caritate etc. Cum igitur eiusmodi aenigmatica explicandi ratio admitti nequeat et ex altera parte etiam verum sit, quod iam monuit Aib. : « quod de hac reaedificatione Ierusalem praedicit propheta, convenit inter Hebraeos et inter ecclesiasticos scriptores nunquam esse factum », qualem interpretandi viam ingrediemur? An exspectabimus cum chiliastis impletionem literalem futaram? Si cui haec via videatur commodissima, perpendat velim, num etiam physicam illam montium colliumque applanationem assumere velit, num physicam montis Domini super omnes colles et montes exaltationem, num etiam aedificationem Ierusalem ex gemmis, eius in sapphiris fundationem, propugnaculorum ex iaspide fabricationem et talem terrae palaestinensis in singulas tribus divisionem taleque templi aedificium talemque cultum et ea sacrificia, qualia ab Ezechiele tam accurate et sollicite describuntur. Haec enim omnia intime inter se cohaerent, et si unum literaliter explicandum esse opinaberis, reliqua iam non poteris a tali explanatione excludere, nisi pro summo arbitrio et lubitu sine certa norma te agere posse aestimaveris. At ea omnia ad literam accipere nemo probabit. Ergo conclusum est, etiam locum nostrum nonita esse accipiendum, ut eius literalem impletionem exspectemus. An oraculum hoc inter ea referemus, quorum norma statuitur apud Ieremiam (18,.1-10)? i. e. quae quidem absolute proferuntur, at non sunt implenda, nisi ab iis ad quos diriguntur certae quaedam conditiones in opus fuerint deductae. Potuit utiqueDeus reducibus aedificationem urbis iis limitibus quos Zacharias hic assignat, promittere ; quae promissio si Iudaei fideliter suas partes praestitissent, non caruisset eventu, quae tamen quia illi deficerent, ipsa quoque defecisset. Talis explanatio arcte inhaeret normae in sacris literis traditae (ler. l. c. Ez. 33, 13-16). At nostro loco eam admitti non posse censeo. Neque enim ea est oralio contexta, ut de tempóre reditus ex exsilio vel de urbis aedificatione exsilio soluto mentio iniiciatur, id quod ex totius oraculi et tenore et collocatione nobis saltem persuasum est. Nihil aliud ergo relinquitur pro huius loci explanatione nisi ut dicamus, ipsius theocratiae aedificium imagine quadam depictum nobis proponi et similitudine quadam repraesentari, vel, uti veteres loqui solent, prophetam loqui metaphorice de Ecclesia ac si loqueretur de lerusalem, et terrenae civitatis imagine exprimi amplissimos Ecclesiae fines (cf. Rib. Sanct.). Talis autem erit in theocratia nova rerum conditio, ut perpetua ibi vigeat sanctitas ; quare excidium nullum, nulla perturbatio intimam cum Deo unionem et veram in Deo pacem impediet ;
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v. 11 « et habitabunt in ea et anathema non erit amplius, sed. sedebit lerusalem secura » ; — in antiqua theocratia tamquam exsules violato foedere migrare iussi sunt ; non ita in nova. Igitur perpetua fidelitate et sanctitate ! Deo adhaerebunt ; non erit excidium, destructio ; de anathemate, quo idololatrae et urbes eorum percutiendi erant, vide Ex. 22, 19. Deut. 1, 2; 18, 15; 20, 17. Ios. 6, 171; 10, 28. 1 Reg. 15, 3 etc. Ergo indefectibilitas Ecclesiae hoc quoque nomine docetur ; vel uti Rib. monet, non fore unquam perdendam aut digsipandam Ecclesiam, tametsi multis persecutionibus concutiatur ; posse quidem, prout Calm. adnotat, aliquo detrimento a domesticis externisque hostibus affici; at cum illius fundamenta lapidi innitantur, ruinae obnoxiam non esse sed perpetuo firmiter in se consistere. Pace fruetur et securitate; cuius promissionis veracitas quavis persecutione comprobatur. Haec quoque constanter tempori messianico adscribuntur.. Sed dum Deus amicos suos tot beneficiis complectitur, hostes theocratiae tremendo supplicio cruciat atque prosternit
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v. 19 « et haec erit plaga qua percutiet Dominus omnes gentes, quae pugnaverunt adversus lerusalem : tabescet caro uniuscuiusque stantis super pedes suos et oculi eius contabescent 1n. foraminibus suis et. lingua eorum contabescet $n. ore $40 » ; — hisce scil. declaratur v. 3, quomodo Deus proeliaturus sit contra gentes ; atque sicut comparetione instituta cum cp. 12 maior apparet urbis sanctae oppressio (14, 3), ita terribilior quoque poena hostium exhibetur, quam 42,4. Vivi putrescent; « declinaverunt ad absurdas voluptates, quaecumque videbant, ore hiante quodammodo appetebant ac deglutiebant ; acuerunt linguas suas contra Christum et sacra Ecclesiae dogmata impie carpserunt. Iure igitur in carne, in oculis, inlinguis poe- 1. Barh. : « anathema non erit i. e. peccatum domus filiorum Israol ». Paoprz. Mix. ll — 36 nam susceperunt » (S. Cyr.). Corpore, oculis, lingua sanctam Dei civitatem oppugnarunt : corpore, cum arma ferrent et varios subirent labores ; oculis, cum debiliores urbis partes insidiose exquirerent et iam oculos suos eius ruina pascere et delectare exoptarent : « lapidetur et aspiciat in Sion oculus noster » (Mich. 4, 11) ; linguis, cum blasphemias, calumnias, maledictiones in Deum et theocratiam effutirent, unde convenienti poena plectuntur, ut sint quasi cadavera perpetuo viventia (cf. Is. 66, 24). Poena, haec etiam id innuere videtur, hostes iri perculsum et impeditum medio in cursu ; dum integris viribus Ecclesiam se aggredi opinentur, subito fore, ut abominandum in modum concidant et prosternantur, ut. omnes, machinationes turpiter ac foede effectu careant et penitus quasi putredine dissolvantur. Adnotat S. Hier. : « nos autem dicemus, omnes persecutores qui afflixerunt Ecclesiam Domini, ut taceamus de futuris cruciatibus, etiam in praesenti saeculo recepisse quae fecerint. Legamus ecclesiasticas historias, quid Valerianus, quid Decius, quid Diocletianus, quid Maximianus et nuper Iulianus passi sint, et tunc rebus probabimus etiam iuxta literam prophetiae veritatem esse completam, quod computruerint carnes eorum et oculi contabuerint et lingua in pedorem etsaniem dissoluta sit. . Porro si ex hoc dicto haereticis crudelitas Dei.videtur ostendi, audiant . haec universa fieri, ut deficientibus malis succrescant bona ». Ut plena atque integra eorum strages ac clades habeatur, alia quoque. poenarum genera adduntur, ut neminem impune abiturum significetur, alio scil. genere puniendum, si aliud evaserit ;
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v. 43 « in die illa erit tumultus Domini magnus in eis et apprehendet vir manum proximi sui et conseretur manus eius super manum proximi sui » ; — Dominus mittit terrorem, perturbationem in eos, ita ut mutua caede inter se occidant (cf. Iud. 1, 22. 4 Reg. 14, 20. 2 Par. 20, 22. 23) ; « Dominus mentis usu privatos inter se confligere faciet, ut mutuis vulneribus interficiantur» (Theod.); manuum ergo apprehensio atque consertio non amico modo neque supplicantium habitu (S. Cyr. Rup. Alb.), sed inter se pugnantium ac caedentium more hoc loco est intelligenda (Mar. Lap. Men. Calm. Reinke, Trochon); cf. 41, 6; ad hocapte diciturin hebr. et ascendet manus eius contra (supra) manum proximi sui. Opima autem hostium spolia cedent in utilitatem theocratiae 1. e. multiplici utilitate va- - riisque ornamentis ditata Ecclesia ex persecutionibus victrix evadet, et eo maior erit talis utilitas, eo maior praeda, quo maiore multitudine ho- . stes adversus eam conglomerabuntur. Id indicatur
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v. 14 « sed et Iuda pugnabit adversus Ierusalem, et congregabuntur divitiae omnium gentium in circuitu, aurwun et argentum et vestes multae satis » ; — in textu hebr. nihil adest de hostilitate Iudae adversus Ierusalem, sed solum dicitur : etiam Iuda pugnabit in. Ierusalem i. e. totus populus theocraticus causam sustentabit centri et metropolis theocratiae; omnes denique partes suas habebunt et agent et certamina subire debebunt, quando impetus fit hostilis in Ierusalem (cf. 12, 2. 4 seq.). Et ita quoque verba hebr. intellecta sunt in versione graeca 'Icj8ag «zxpazxzezat i» "lepouca Ay. et apud Syrum . Cum Iuda neque in antecedentibus neque hic tamquam Aostis theocratiae designetur, textus lat. solum intelligi potest de Iudaeis qui pugnent adversus urbem ab hostibus occupatam, ut hanc urbem e potestate hostium vindicent (cf. Schegg). Tali pugnae victoria deesse non potest. Quam futura sit excellens, spoliorum multitudine et pretio indicatur. Uti olim Iudaei spoliis Aegyptiorum ditati egressi sunt ex Aegypto, ita Ecclesia ab ipsis suis hostibus non parva capit emolumenta. Dene advertit Rib. : «in loco ipso obsidionis relinquent divitias quas attulerant et eorum spoliis Ecclesia victrix ditabitur. Ita factum est, nam ex regibus et sapientibus qui Ecclésiam impugnabant, multi conversi sunt. et locupletata est eorum eruditione et eloquentia et nobilitate et potentia » (sim. S. Cyr. Alb.). Atque hostium destructio erit omnibus numeris absoluta. In Ierusalem non erit anathema (v. 11); tali vero hostes percutientur; quare uti fit in anathemate, non solum ipsi, verum etiam omnia eorum iumenta etc. excidio devovebuntur ; ita
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v. 15 « et sic erit ruina equi et muli et cameli et asini et omnium iumentorum quae fuerint in. castris illis, sicut ruina haec » ; — i. e. pari plaga,sicut modo v. 12 dictum est, absumentur, ut caro tabescat etc. Animalia recensentur quorum usus est et in ipsa pugna et ad sarcinas ferendas et reliqua in bellis necessaria. Plenissima igitur strages et clades proponitur modo ad veterem historiam accommodato (cf. Num. 16, 32. Ios. 1, 24). Etiam hanc partem aliqui sensu literali de Machabaeorum tempore praediei opinantur ; in qua sententia v. 10 explanant de Iudaeis qui tempore Antiochi fugerint dispersi usque ad deserta, montes et cavernas; post victorias autem Machabaeorum reversi sint ad suas sedes et domus, reversi a colle Gabaa etc. ; urbem esse exaltatam a Machabaeis aedificatis scil. altis muris et turribus per circuitum montis Sion etc. ; simili plaga v. 12 et Antiochum et duces et milites eius esse percussos, et talem plagam ut Deus hostibus immitteret, Iudam a Deo efflagitasse ; cf. 1 Mach. 4, 27. 31 seq. 2 Mach. 9, 5; 10, 30 ; 12, 22; designari v. 14 Iudaeos apostatas et spolia Nicanoris aliorumque Antiochi ducum et copiarum, quibus se suosque Iudas Machabaeus ditaverit (2 Mach. 8, 97); ita fere 1. Aliud exprimere videtur Chald. : « et etiam do domo Iuda adduceut. populi quasi violenter ad suscituidam | pugnam iu Ierusalem » ; eundem in modum etiam aliqui. recentiores textum hebr. iutellizunt, cum 3 coniunctum eum ono: habeat significationem contrd aliquem vol cum aliquo pugnare. Sed exiude non scquitur, id semper obtinere. Mar. Lap. Men. Tir. Sensu pleno, mystico ea dici de Ecclesia omnino asserunt. Quanta sit interpretum varietas, inde metiri poteris, quod Theod. M. ea intelligit de iis quae prorime post tempus editi oraculi in pugna cum Gog fieri debeant (de Gog etiam Theod. mentionem iniicit), alii autem de tempore Antichristi et de illis pugnis sermonem fieri volunt, de quibus in Apoc. 20, 7.
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v. 16 « Et omnes qui reliqui fuerint de universis gentibus quae venerunt contra lerusalem, ascendent ab anno 1n annum, ut adorent Regem, Dominum exercituum, et celebrent festivitatem tabernaculorum»; — ad id igitur iudicia Dei persecutoribus inflicta tendunt, ut ipsi quoque verae cognitionis fiant participes. Verum etiam ex iis multos quidem esse vocatos, paucos autem electos verba ipsa indicant. Cultum Dei exhibebunt omni studio et cura nihil omittentes. Hoc indicatur eo quod ex norma veteris foederis festum tabernaculorum eo quo oportuit temporei1. e. singulis annis fideliter celebrare dicuntur. Propheta rem delineat ex . instituto vetere, «quia loquebatur Iudaeis qui nonnisi festa iudaica norant » (Lap.) et quia ipsi prophetae cultus Dei et adoratio illis formis et modis obversabatur, quibus suo tempore exercebatur. Rem non posse intelligi literaliter, iam eo liquet quia fieri nequit, ut gentes omnes annis singulis adeant lerusalem. Oraculum istud eadem ratione sensum hunc excludit qua illud Isaiae quod imitatur: « et erit mensis ex mense et sabbatum ex sabbato; veniet omnis caro ut adoret coram facie mea» etc. (Is. 66, 23. 24). | Cur adoratio gentium celebritati tabernaculorum comparetur, certo non est ea causa quia festivitas tum celebrabatur, quando pro instituendo itinere et maxima aderat opportunitas et temporis commoditas (Theod. Theod. M. Mar.) , neque quod tempore Zachariae hoc solum festum templo nondum aedificato agebatur (Schegg), sed ratio ex peculiari . indole peti debet huius sollemnitatis qua praeprimis reddebatur vocationi et electioni gentium congrua. Festive enim ibi commemorabantur commoratio in deserto et beneficia Dei accepta et messis finitae offerebatur gratiarum actio (Lev. 23, 39 - 43. Deut. 16, 13). Iam gentes quoque post longam in deserto migrationem tandem servitute ereptae terra promissa potitae sunt ibique uberem fructuum spiritualium messem fecerunt; quare iuremerito tale festum laetitiae et gratiarum actionis peragunt, et tali symbolo optime adumbratur, quibus animorum sensis imbutas eas esse deceat. Praeterea illa festivitate omnes admonentur non solum liberationis per Messiam acceptae et, vocationis adductionisque ad eius regnum (Rup.), verum etiam edocentur, hane ipsam in terris commorationem esse peregrinationem ad patriam coelestem assequendam (Alb. Lap.). Unde bene advertit Rib.: « hunc festum diem illi vere celebrant, qui per desertum huius vitae festinantes in terram veram promissionis, id est in aeternam beatitudinem, in tentoriis habitant temporalia contemnentes et ad fixum atque sempiternum domicilium paratum in coelis transire concupiscunt. His verbis ostendit perfectionem vitae Christianorum recens ad evangelium conversorum »; quibus adde quae Sanct. monet: «ut Iudaei. ea celebritate memoriam revocabant illius beneficii quo ex Aegypto per desertum ad terram promissam inducti sunt, ita illi recens ad fidem et Ecclesiam vocati gratias agent, quod ex gentium tenebris idolorumque sordibus ad Ecclesiae lavacrum evangeliique lucem translati sunt ». Christiani enim, ut adnotat Lap., longe magis ac verius agunt festum tabernaculorum memores doctrinae: « carissimi, obsecro vos tamquam advenas et peregrinos abstinere vos a carnalibus desideriis » (1 Petr. 2, 11), nosque esse hospites super terram futuram patriam inquirentes (Hebr. 11, 13-15). Tale igitur festum ii revera peragunt, qui in Christo iustificati secundum hanc iustitiam acceptam in gratiarum actione vivunt et magno desiderio coelesti civitati obviam feruntur (cf. S. Cyr.). Quare eo ipso consequitur illos qui hanc in se indolem festi non exprimant, tamquam ingratos homines et rebus terrenis immersos a gratia Dei longe abesse. Unde apte sequitur
Persecutiones quae excitantur contra theocratiam et iudicia divina quibus hostes coercentur ad theocratiae incrementum et splendorem pariter magnam afferent utilitatem. Hisce enim cultus Dei propagabitur. Quare
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v. 171 « et erit qui, non ascenderit de familiis terrae ad lerusalem ut adoret Regem, Dominum exercituum, non erit super eos imber » ; — in oriente maxime imber statutis cadens temporibus omnis fertilitatis et amoenitatis regionis est conditio; eius autem defectus horrorem, desolationem, mortem affert; quare imber totius benedictionis divinae quasi summam quandam prae se fert ; eius autem prohibitio supplicium est et bonorum omnium privatio (cf. Theod. Sanct.); atque quam gravis sit in re temporali ea afflictio, aequalibus Zachariae tristi constabat experientia (cf. Agg. 1, 10. 11). Gentes familiae terrae dicuntur, quia omnes ad unum grandem Dei populum, ad unam eius tribum et familiam efficiendam vocantur in ordine naturali aeque atque in supernaturali. .. Atque ea est novae theocratiae indoles, ut gentes omnes complectatur ; ad eam declarandam Deus peculiari modo minisque propositis illam gentem ad theocratiam studiose ineundam colendamque invitat, quae veteri theocratiae inimicissima fuit et populo iudaico odio et abominationi ; v. 48 « quod et si familia Aegypti non ascenderit et non venerit, nec super eos erit, sed erit ruina, qua percutiet Dominus omnes gentes quae non ascenderint ad. celebrandam festivitatem tabernaculorum » ; — quanta igitur rerum mutatio ! in vetere theocratia alieni minime iubebantur ad templum Dei convenire festos dies celebraturi, immo erant qui vel penitus vel saltem ad diuturnum tempus ne in coetum populi Dei admitterentur, lege divina prohibebantur (Deut. 23, 4 seq.); at in nova omnes vocantur, immo de iis valet : compelle intrare (Luc. 14, 23. Calm.). Benedictionis divinae ambitus et largitas nostrae quoque cooperationi respondebit ; animos gratos, beneficii et liberationis acceptae memores, in veram patriam aspirantes et terrena solum in transitu peregrinorum viatorumque more aspicientes ac praetereuntes Deus eius festi symbolo a nobis exigit. Si nos deerimus, non erit imber, non erit gratiae Dei effusio, sed plaga (v. 12 hebr.) et ruina. Subtilius advertunt aliqui, Aegyptum non imbrem, verum Nili inundationem exspectare ; quod ultimum utique verum est et iam Deut. 41, 10. 41 adnotatur. Unde iam LXX omittunt ND et vertunt xoi exi coítou; Éoxat f, mrG«, ita ut delmbris defectu nulla fiat mentio ; atque eodem modo Syrus et aliqui codd. hebr. (cf. de Rossi) legunt ; Chald. vero imbre suppresso scribit : non crescet eis Nilus. Eodem modo interpretatur Mar. : per imbrem Nili inundationem intellige ; atque Hitz. ad evadendam difficultatem sententiam censet legendam esse cum interrogatione (et Nb — Non ? vel x51 uti Ex. 8, 22. Ez. 10, 56) : nonne super eos erit plaga ? alii autem particulam negantem esse cum LXX Syroque delendam (Trochon). Sed quare ? ut Nilus augeatur et ad iustam mensuram crescat et inundet, opus est imbribus in montibus ac regionibus ex quibus Nilus profluit ; ergo Aegy ptii quoque imbre indigere recte dicuntur. Quam serio exposcat Deus sensus illos in festo tabernaculorum symbolice expressos, repetita docet interminatio
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v. 19 « hoc erit peccatum Aegypti et hoc peccatum omntum gentium quae von, ascenderint ad. celebrandam festivitatem tabernaculorum » ; — i. e. talis erit poena peccati, scil. plaga, ruina v. 17. 18 (cf. Rib. Sanct. Sa, Lap. Reinke, Schegg, Trochon); voces enim quae peccatum dieunt, etiam propter nexum intimum inter culpam et poenam, ipsam designant poenam ; cf. Num. 32, 23. Uti in vetere foedere tribus Israelin Ierusalem ascendebant, ut coram Domino se sisterent, unum Dei populum se profiterentur et uno illo theocratiae centro ipsi inter se et cum Deo unione quadam sacra continerentur, ita non sine ratione prophetia etiam pro instaurationis epocha ascendere ad theocratiae centrum tam perspicue effert, ascendere utique non pedibus et itinere, verum animo et mente i. e. omnes oportet in ipsa religionis ac pietatis professione intime esse iunctos regno a Messia instituto et centro eius; a quo qui avulsi sunt vel accedere renuunt, sermone prophetico tamquam tales designantur, qui non ascendant ad Ierusalem. Verus Dei cultus et adoratio illa quam Dominus postulat, in visione prophetica intime iungitur cum accessu ad regni metropolim et centrum unitatis visibile (cf. Is. 2, 2. Mich. 4, 1). Convenientissime quoque omnium gentium in regno Dei collectionem qua regnum Domini universale constituitur (cf. v. 9), festo tabernaculorum tamquam festo messis collectae quod maxima eum laetitia celebrabatur, propheta proponit. Nam maxima etiam decet laetitia salutari tale regni Det incrementum. Iam qualis et quanta adsit gaudii materia pro veris D»i cultoribus, eximia illa sanctitate propheta depingit, quae in nova theocratia futura sit. Vetus theocratia peccatis concidit, foederis fracti indicium et documentum erat urbis templique eversio et populi theocratici in alienas regiones abduetio : at nova theocratia omni genere sanctitatis erit illustris ideoque indefectibilis. Quare propheta hanc delineans sanctitatem optime adumbrat indolem instaurationis simulque aeternam eius durationem et splendorem divinum egregie proponit. Sanctitatem omnia pervadentem exemplis exhibet ad mores antiquos et ad notionem puritatis leviticae accommodatis :
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v. 20 « in die lla erit quod super frenum equi est sanctum Domino, et erunt lebetes in. domo Domini quasi phialae coram altari» ; — pontifex laminam in fronte gestabat de auro purissimo, in qua sculptum erat opere caelatoris sanctum Domino ; tali inscriptione munus pontificis longissime a profanis rebus esse remotum et proxime ad Deum accedere eique plane esse sacrum ac dedicatum et a Deo tamquam rem sacrosanctam agnosci significabatur; iam in nova theocratia omnia ita ad Dei cultum sunt sacrata et devota, ut equi, animalia olim levitice immunda, frena gerere dicantur ea inscriptione ornata, qua omnia equorum servitia in bello ac pace ad Dei cultum referri et Deo esse acceptissima innuatur. Sed ut talis adesse possit rerum conditio, homines ubique et constanter in unum Dei honorem et cultum omnes dirigere labores et conatus oportet. In frenis ità inscriptis alii cernunt pacis symbola, quia bellica instrumenta, quorum vices in frenis e& equis cernantur, tamquam sacra anathemata Deo consecrarentur (S. Cyr. Rib. Sa); alii hostium caesorum spolia quae D»o a victoribus in perpetuam concessae victoriae memoriam et gratiarum actionem dedicarentur, uti v. g. David gladium Goliath. consecravit (Theod. M. Barh. Tir. sim. Theod. Lap. Gord.) vel Israelitae spolia Madianitarum (Num. 31, 80); alii generatim res pretiosas — frena enim olim fuisse splendidissima et interdum aurea; et frena synecdochice poni pro phaleris vel ornamentis equorum — in Dei honorem et cultum offerri ea locutione intelligunt (Men. Calm.). Certe ex uno genere multa esse discenda et uno exemplo multa illustrari vult propheta. Quare ex usu et vita communi aliud subdit exemplum in lebete qui sit sanctus sicut phialae, quibus sanguis sacrificialis victimarum excipiebatur et ad altare aspergebatur vel effundebatur. In iis enim maior inesse censebatur sanctitas, quia àd sublimissimum adorationis cultusque actum, ad sacrificium, accedebant propius quam lebetes in domo Domini, qui ad coquendas carnes et epulas sacrificiales praeparandas inserviebant. In nova igitur theocratia maior erit atque intimior ad Deum accessus, gradus altior ac sublimior sanctitatis, et inde generatim maior dignitas theocratica. Hanc revera Christus adesse demonstrat dicens de suo praecursore : « amen dico vobis, non surrexit inter natos mulierum maior Ioanne Baptista; qui autem minor est in regno coelorum maior est illo » (Matth. 11, 11) ; hanc S. Paulus describit sub lege servientes servos dicens, filios vero sub gratia constitutos (Gal. 4, 1-5). De versione sua ita S. Hier. disserit : « verbum hebr. mesuloth (n*5xa) Aq. et Theod. 8.6ó» interpretati sunt i. e. profundum ; Sym. egízxzov a2oy10v i. e. incessum umbrosum. Soli Septuaginta *x3ivóv i. e. frenum transtulerunt, quos et nos in hoc loco secuti sumus, ne novum aliquid in quaestione vulgata videremur afferre. Quod cum àb Hebraeo quaererem quid significaret, ait mihi non debere nos legere mesuloth sed mesaloth, quod significat phaleras equorum et ornatum bellicum, et excepto hoc loco in nullo penitus sanctarum Seripturarum volumine hoc verbum reperiri ». Syrus quoque frenum exhibet ; Chald. vocem praebet N3*12, quam ephippia, clitellas vel phaleras interpretantur (cf. Burtforf, Lex. chald. 1083 ; Levy I p. 384). larchi exponit vocem res inter se concutientes, crepitacula, tintinnabula (Itos.) et eam significationem recentiores quoque sequuntur, explicantes vocem ex boy (cf. Vat. Mar. Ges. Thes. p. 1168, Reinke, Schegg, Keil, Pressel). De more veterum hisce equos ornandi » vide Heinke. Ad sanctitatem exhibendam et dignitatem theocraticam alio eoque maiore utitur exemplo. Non solum templi supellex, verum etiam ea quae in domibus habetur, erit sancta;
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v. 91 «et erit omnis lebes $n. lerusalem et in luda sanctificatus Domino exercituum, et venient omnes immolantes et sument ex eis et. coquent in. eis, et non. erit. mercator ultra in domo Domini exercituum in die illo » ; — ad normam leviticae munditiei res explanatur. Omnis supellex erit munda et sacra, ita ut qui offerunt sacrificia ea uti possint ad carnes sacras coquendas ; nihil igitur est pollutum, nihil profanum, munda omnia et ad Dei servitium et honorem quae referantur apta. Hoc exemplo innui videtur, praescripta illa de sanctitate levitica et de modis eam restituendi iri abolitum. Iis enim perstantibus fieri neutiquam posset, ut omnis lebes in Iuda ad carnes sacras coquendas inserviat. Aliam igitur et spiritualem fore indolem sanctitatis in nova theocratia et leges caerimoniales suo valore destitui. Demum in coetu Dei sacro iam non erit secundum hebr. Chananaeus, 1. e. alienigena, immundus ; verba sensum referunt oraculi ab Isaia dati : «consurge ... induere vestimentis gloriae tuae, lerusalem, quia non adiiciet ultra ut pertranseat per te incircumcisus et. immundus » (Is. 52, 1). Textus lat. mercator illam profanationem tangit et excludit quam Christus bis e loco sacro eiecit (Ioan. 2, 15. Matth. 91, 12. Marc. 11, 15. Luc. 19, 45). LXX et Syrus rite exprimunt Chananaeum ; S. Ilier. vero notat : « pro Chananaeo Aquila interpretatus est mercatorem, quem et nos in hoc loco secuti sumus ». Eandem interpretationem fert Chald. Est usitatum in s. literis, ut pro immundo et polluto nomen nationis gentilis ponatur (cf. Is. 1, 9. Ez. 16, 13). Ii igitur exclusi sunt a theocratia, « qui partes Chananaeorum sequuntur, qui impie vivunt et in iniquitate versantur » (Theod. sim. S. Cyr. Theod. M.) ; sensus est idem qui Is. 4, 3; 60, 21 habetur : « populus tuus omnes iusti » et quo nos confitemur : credo unam sanctam Ecclesiam. Cum Phoenices olim mercatores ut qui maxime essent, facile explicatur, cur nomen *3y25 ad hanc notionem deflectatur; ita iam Prov. 31, 24 cingulum tradidit Chananaeo et Iob 40, 30 divident illum negotiatores ; in utraque iam notione videtur ludere Soph. 1, f1. Hac universa theocratiae sanctitate id demum opere expletur, quod prophetae in quarta visione (4, 2) ostensum erat: populus theocraticus est candelabrum aureum lucens et splendens coram Domino. Talis populus ut efficiatur et demum in sanctuario coelesti sistatur in gloriam ac laudem Dei sempiternam, finis est ac terminus omnium operum divinorum ; quare sublimi modo in eodem termino adumbrando Zachariae vaticinium finitur. Cum neque in libris Esdrae et Nchemiae, neque alibi in veterum scriptis v. g. apud Eccli. ulla inveniatur mentio Malachiae prophetae, et cum insuper nomen ipsum '2N2O potius videatur esse nomen appellatitivum (nuntius meus) quam proprium, immo petitum ex vaticinio 3, 1 adeoque quasi per modum symboli libro praefixum, iam antiquitus dubitatum est, an propheta Malachiae nomine exstiterit necne, neque inter recentiores deerant, qui idem vocarent in quaestionem. Apud Iudaeos quidem antiqua erat traditio, quae in paraphrasi chaldaica huius prophetae legitur, nomine Malachiae appellari Esdram scribam ; eam saepius commemorat et approbat S. Iier., reiicit autem S. Cyr., refert S. Augustinus (de Civ. D. 20, 25. M. 41, 699), approbat Jtup. et strenue tuetur Rib. qui eam opinionem vocat sententiam communiorem, reiiciunt Sanct. Lap. et cum iis commentatores latini, approbant Simonis, Umbreit, Hengstenberg, reiiciunt recentiores alii fere omnes. Potissimam rationem quae traditioni illi 1udaicae suffragatur, iam bene perpendit Rib.: « habeo autem non leve argumentum, quod Ecclesiasticus cum viros insignes laudet in eisque Zorobabelem et Iesum filium Iosedec et Nehemiam qui post Esdram venit ex Babylone, nusquam Esdrae meminit, quem certe non omisisset nisi iam in eodem cap. 49 cum aliis prophetis laudasset dicens : « et duodecim prophetarum ossa pullulent de loco suo, nam corroboraverunt Iacob » etc., ex quo colligitur, eum fuisse unum e duodecim prophetis ; adde quod Aggaei et Zachariae mentio fit in libro Esdrae cp. 5 et 6; Malachiae autem non fit nisi in apocryphis Esdrae, libro quarto (1, 40). Et certe cum eo tempore vixerit, quo res ab Esdra scriptae gerebantur, non praeteriretur, nisi ipse esset Esdras, praesertim cum praeter eum et Aggaeum et Zachariam nullum tune prophetam exstitisse sciamus. Nec patres qui aliud senserunt, movere nos debent; cum enim Hebraeorum literas et traditiones non legissent neque id in Scripturis invenissent, non habebant unde eundem esse Esdram et Malachiam dicerent ». ' Verum, ut ab ipso nomine incipiamus, mirum esset atque sine ullo exemplo simili, libello prophetico non verum praefigi nomen vatis, sed symbolicum et aenigmaticum (nisi dixeris, quod quantum scio nemo adhuc affirmavit, Esdram apud aequales utroque nomine, vero ac symbolico, aeque notum fuisse). Residet enim quam maxime prophetiae auctoritas in legitimo propheta, qui tamquam talis notus, a Deo approbatus et omnibus est conspicuus. Cui prophetarum unquam in mentem venit, vaticinia sua obscuro nomine et symbolico edere? E contra nomen suum et saepe patris nomen et tempus et vocationem ad munus propheticum oraculis suis inscribunt atque praefigunt, ut dubium nullum, nulla ambiguitas admittatur. Nonne vaticinium potius redderetur suspicioni fraudisque et mendacii accusationi obnoxium, si ederetur nomine tecto ignoto, fictitio ' ? Neque valet exceptio, quam Jengstenberg affert, nomina quoque symbolica adesse in libro Proverbiorum 30,1; 31, 4. Nam non omnino constat ea nomina esse solum symbolica et fictitia ; dein id quod potissimum est, aliud est acute et sapienter dicta, quae suam in se ipsis habent et per se produnt veritatem et sapientiam, alieno nomine edere, et eo modo publice proponere oracula et vaticinia, quorum veritas et auctoritas per ipsum vatem eiusque legationem divinam omnibus notam est demonstranda et fulcienda, ut fidem inveniant apud eos, in quorum utilitatem, consolationem, doctrinam promulgantur. Neque in ipso nomine seria adest difficultas. Utique alibi nomen non occurrit. Sed si omnia nomina in s. literis vel in antiquis monumentis quae casu fortuito semel tantum leguntur, ex albo historiae sunt ,expungenda, quid tandem eveniet? Praeterea si de Hebraeorum lingua vel usibus sermo instituitur, semper memores nos esse oportet, pauca ex Hebraeorum libris, pauca ex eorum lingua usque ad nos pervenisse. Aliis forma nominis molestiam creat ; putant enim nomen non significare nisi nunlius meus, quae utique appellatio vix ad nomen proprium efformandum apta esset. At huic difficultati dupliciter obviam ire poteris. Aut enim dices nomen id ad eorum ordinem pertinere, quae affixo * ex appellativis formantur, quorum sat multa affert Reinke p. 181 et Olshausen (Lehrb. d. hebr. Sprache p. 413) v. g. Garmi, Gadi, Zikri, Ezri, Beri, Ozni, Schelomi, Susi ete. — hac ratione nomen non dicit nisi legatum, nuntium ; et ita explicat v. g. Fürst C. — aut cum plerisque censebis esse nomen abbreviatum pro now? nuntius lahve (cf. Ges. s, v.. Fürst L. Keil, Reinke, Naegelsbach, Real-Encykl. für protest. Theol. IX, 180). Neque talis abbreviatio est inaudita ; prorsus similem habes in Abi 4 Reg. 18, 2, cuius loco legitur Abdijjah 2Par. 29, 1; neque absimilis est Palti, pro quo etiam Paltiel (1 Reg. 95, 44. 2 Reg. 3, 15) atque probijbilissime ad eandem legem referri possunt exempla, ut Abdi et Abdajah, Uri et Urijjah etc. vel siid negaveris, id saltem ex iis efficitur, exstitisse nomina sat multa ex appellativis ope jod quod vocant compaginis efformata. Unde sane nomen non potest esse ratio, cur in dubium vocetur, vixeritne propheta Malachias. Verum haec ipsa forma MaAxyí(a; iam apud LXX in inscriptione libri obvia pleniorem vocis sonum et interpretationem legati Domini sibi postulare videtur. Cum autem LXX
14:4
MOUNT OLIVET. — A hill east of Jerusalem, called in the Bible har haz-Zethim (Zech. 14:4), τὸ ὄρος τῶν ἐλαιῶν, mons Olivarum (Mt. 21:1), τὸ ὄρος τὸ καλούμενον ἐλαιῶν, mons qui vocatur Oliveti (Lk. 19:29; 21:37; Acts 1:12), today Çebel et-Tûr or Çebel ez-Zejtûn. …
14:5
Amos (Hebrew 'Āmōs «Who Bears a Burden», distinct from the name of Isaiah’s father 'Āmōs «Robust»)
… His prophetic vocation, clearly manifested (1:1; 3:3-8; 7:14-15), took place in the time of Jeroboam II, king of Israel from 783 to 743, and of Uzziah, contemporary king of Judah (789-38), two years before the "earthquake" (1:1) of which Zach. 14:5 also speaks. …
14:8
The "torrent of S." (nāhal haf-šittīm; Vulg. torrens spinarum) in Iosl. 3, 18 (a messianic passage) seems to be the continuation of the Kidron (Wādi en-nār) which carries the waters of the Temple toward the Dead Sea, as Ex. 47, 1-12; Zach. 14, 8; Apec. 22, 1 hint. …
… This theme is continued in chs. 12-13, to be concluded in ch. 14 with the image of Jerusalem as a source of salvation for all (Zech. 14:8-11 = Ez. 47:1-11).
14:10
It was originally the "tower of Hananel," existing in the time of Jer. 31:38 (cf. Neh. 3:1; 12:39, and Zech. 14:10). Later restored by the Hasmonean prince (135-104) John Hyrcanus I (Flavius Josephus, Antiq. …
14:15
… the precious vessels of the Temple (II Kings 14, 13-14). King Azariah (782) attends to the restoration of the walls, furnishing with towers "the corner gate and the valley gate" (II Chron. 26, 9), but an earthquake once again devastates J. (Am. 1, 1; Zech. 14, 15) and the desolation would have been complete had not Jotham (738) attended to the fortifications, already begun by his father, especially in the region of Ophel (II Kings 15, 35; II Chron. 27, 2-3).
14:18
deep depression of the Gör (Deut. 3:17; Josh. 3:16; 12:3; 2 Kings 14:25); Jâm haq-Qadhmânî ("eastern sea"), as opposed to the Mediterranean Sea (Ezek. 47:18); or "front sea" (Joel 2:20; Zech. 14:18), in antithesis to the "rear sea" or Mediterranean, according to the manner of Hebrew orientation. …
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.