The vision of the four chariots. Crowns are ordered for Jesus the high priest, as a type of Christ.
In a vision of chariots is foreshewed the succession of foure monarchies. 11. In crownes set on the high priests head, the Kingdom, and Priesthood of Christ: 15. and the rewards of them that receiue him.
1And I turned, and lifted up my eyes, and saw: and behold four chariots came out from the midst of two mountains: and the mountains were mountains of brass.E mi volsi, e alzai gli occhi, e vidi apparire quattro cocchi dalla gola di due montagne: e le montagne (eran) montagne di bronzo.AND I turned, and lifted vp mine eyes, and saw: and behold foure chariots coming forth from the middes of two mountaines: & the mountaines, mountaines of brasse.Et conversus sum, et levavi oculos meos, et vidi: et ecce quatuor quadrigæ egredientes de medio duorum montium: et montes, montes ærei. 2In the first chariot were red horses, and in the second chariot black horses.Al primo cocchio cavalli rossi, al secondo cocchio cavalli neri.In the first chariot red horses, & in the second chariot blacke horses,In quadriga prima equi rufi, et in quadriga secunda equi nigri, 3And in the third chariot white horses, and in the fourth chariot grisled horses, and strong ones.E al terzo cocchio cavalli bianchi, e al quarto cocchio cavalli pezzati, e vigorosi.and in the third chariot white horses, and in the fourth chariot speckled horses, & strong.et in quadriga tertia equi albi, et in quadriga quarta equi varii et fortes. 4And I answered, and said to the angel that spoke in me: What are these, my lord?E io dissi all'Angelo, che parlava in me: Che cose son queste, Signor mio?And I answered, and sayd to the Angel, that spake in me: What are these thinges, my Lord?Et respondi, et dixi ad angelum qui loquebatur in me: Quid sunt hæc, domine mi ? 5And the angel answered, and said to me: These are the four winds of the heaven, which go forth to stand before the Lord of all the earth.E l'Angelo rispose, e dissemi: Questi sono i quattro venti del cielo, che vengon fuora per presentarsi dinanzi al Dominatore di tutta la terra.And the Angel answered, and sayd to me: These are the foure windes of heauen, which goeforth to stand before the Dominatour of al the earth.Et respondit angelus, et ait ad me: Isti sunt quatuor venti cæli, qui egrediuntur ut stent coram Dominatore omnis terræ. 6That in which were the black horses went forth into the land of the north, and the white went forth after them: and the grisled went forth to the land of the south.Quello, che avea i cavalli neri, si movea verso la terra di settentrione, e i cavalli bianchi gli andaron dietro; e i pezzati andaron verso il paese di mezzodì.That, in which were the blacke horses went forth into the land of the North, and the white went forth after them: and the speckled went forth to the land of the South.In qua erant equi nigri, egrediebantur in terram aquilonis: et albi egressi sunt post eos, et varii egressi sunt ad terram austri.
7And they that were most strong, went out, and sought to go, and to run to and fro through all the earth. And he said: Go, walk throughout the earth: and they walked throughout the earth.E questi, che erano fortissimi, usciti che furono, bramavan di scorrere tutta la terra. E quegli disse: Andate, scorrete la terra; e quegli scorser la terra.But they that were strongest, went out, and sought to goe, and to runne about through out al the earth. And he sayd: Goe walke through out the earth: and they walked through out the earth.Qui autem erant robustissimi, exierunt, et quærebant ire et discurrere per omnem terram. Et dixit: Ite, perambulate terram: et perambulaverunt terram. 8And he called me, and spoke to me, saying: Behold they that go forth into the land of the north, have quieted my spirit in the land of the north.E quegli mi chiamò, e mi parlò, e disse: Ecco che quelli, i quali vanno nella terra di settentrione, hanno fatto, che si posasse il mio spirito nella terra di settentrione.And he called me, and spake to me, saying: Behold, they that goe forth into the land of the North, haue made my spirit to rest in the land of the North.Et vocavit me, et locutus est ad me, dicens: Ecce qui egrediuntur in terram aquilonis, requiescere fecerunt spiritum meum in terra aquilonis. 9And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:E il Signore parlò a me; e disse:And the word of our Lord was made to me, saying:Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens: 10Take of them of the captivity, of Holdai, and of Tobias, and of Idaias; thou shalt come in that day, and shalt go into the house of Josias, the son of Sophonias, who came out of Babylon.Prendi i doni di quelli della trasmigrazione, da Holdai, e da Tobia, e da Idaia venuti da Babilonia, e anderai il tal giorno, ed entrerai nella casa di Josia figliuolo di Sofonia.Take of the transmigration of Holdai, and of Tobias, and of Idaias: and thou shalt come in that day, and shalt enter into the house of Iosias, the sonne of Sophonias, who came out of Babylon.Sume a transmigratione, ab Holdai, et a Tobia, et ab Idaia: et venies tu in die illa, et intrabis domum Josiæ filii Sophoniæ, qui venerunt de Babylone. 11And thou shalt take gold and silver: and shalt make crowns, and thou shalt set them on the head of Jesus the son of Josedec, the high priest.E prenderai l'oro, e l'argento, e ne farai corone da mettere sulla testa di Gesù figliuolo di Josedec sommo Sacerdote.And thou shalt take gold and siluer: & shalt make crownes, and thou shalt set on the head of Iesus the sonne of Iosedec the grand priest,Et sumes aurum et argentum, et facies coronas, et pones in capite Jesu filii Josedec, sacerdotis magni:
12And thou shalt speak to him, saying: Thus saith the Lord of hosts, saying: BEHOLD A MAN, THE ORIENT IS HIS NAME: and under him shall he spring up, and shall build a temple to the Lord.E parlerai a lui, egli dirai: Queste cose dice il Signore degli eserciti: Ecco l'uomo, il cui nome è l'Oriente, ed ei germinerà da se stesso, ed egli edificherà il tempio al Signore.and thou shalt speake to him, saying: Thus sayth the Lord of hosts, saying: BEHOLD A MAN ORIENT IS HIS NAME: and vnder him shal spring vp, and shal build a temple to our Lord.et loqueris ad eum, dicens: Hæc ait Dominus exercituum, dicens: Ecce vir, Oriens nomen ejus, et subter eum orietur, et ædificabit templum Domino. 13Yea, he shall build a temple to the Lord: and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit, and rule upon his throne: and he shall be a priest upon his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.Egli edificherà il tempio al Signore, ed egli sarà ammantato di gloria, e siederà, e regnerà sul suo trono, e il sacerdote si starà sul suo trono, e sarà tra questi due unione di pace.And he shal build a temple to our Lord: and shal beare glorie, and shal sit, and rule vpon his throne: and he shal be a priest vpon his throne, and the counsel of peace shal be betwen them two.Et ipse exstruet templum Domino: et ipse portabit gloriam, et sedebit, et dominabitur super solio suo: et erit sacerdos super solio suo, et consilium pacis erit inter illos duos. 14And the crowns shall be to Helem, and Tobias, and Idaias, and to Hem, the son of Sophonias, a memorial in the temple of the Lord.E le corone saranno un monumento per Helem, e Tobia, e Idaia, ed Hem figliuolo di Sofonia nel tempio del Signore.And the crownes shal be to Helem, and Tobias, and Idaias, and Hem, the sonne of Sophonias, a memorial in the temple of our Lord.Et coronæ erunt Helem, et Tobiæ, et Idaiæ, et Hem filio Sophoniæ, memoriale in templo Domini. 15And they that are far off, shall come and shall build in the temple of the Lord: and you shall know that the Lord of hosts sent me to you. But this shall come to pass, if hearing you will hear the voice of the Lord your God.E i più lontani verranno, e lavoreranno attorno al tempio del Signore; e voi conoscerete, che il Signore degli eserciti mi ha mandato a voi. Or questo avverrà, se voi ascolterete con docilità la voce del Signore Dio vostro.And they that are far, shal come, and shal build in the temple of our Lord: and you shal know that the Lord of hosts sent me to you. But this shal be, if hearing you wil heare the voice of our Lord your God.Et qui procul sunt, venient, et ædificabunt in templo Domini: et scietis quia Dominus exercituum misit me ad vos. Erit autem hoc, si auditu audieritis vocem Domini Dei vestri.
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Worthington
Four chariots. The four great empires of the Chaldeans, Persians, Grecians, and Romans; or, perhaps, by the fourth chariot are represented the kings of Egypt and of Asia, the descendants of Ptolemeus and Seleucus. (Challoner) (See Daniel ii.) (Worthington)
The chariots seem to represent the same thing as the four horns, (chap. 1:18.) namely, the punishment of the four empires. The angel says nothing of the first chariot, as the Chaldeans, who overthrew the Assyrians, were now devoid of power.
Calmet
Brass, or hard; signifying that the chariots were designed to bruise nations. (Calmet)
Menochius
Empires depend on the decrees of God. (Menochius)
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Haydock
Strong; (Protestant marginal note) the text has "bay." (Haydock)
St. Jerome
Some Greek copies read erroneously, red. (St. Jerome)
Haydock
Others have, variegated, as ver. 7. (Haydock)
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Calmet
Winds. These angels go throughout the world to punish, Daniel 10:13. We commonly suppose the tutelar angels to be for the defence of their kingdoms. (Calmet)
Haydock
But they may often promote our real welfare by chastisements. (Haydock)
Menochius
The four monarchies fight like the winds, and soon disappear. (Menochius)
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Challoner
North. So Babylon is called, because it lay to the north in respect of Jerusalem. The black horses, that is, the Medes and Persians, and after them Alexander and his Greeks, signified by the white horses, went thither because they conquered Babylon, executed upon it the judgments of God, which is signified [in] ver. 8 by the expression of quieting his spirit. (Challoner)
Menochius
The Persians are black, afflicting the Jews under Assuerus, and hindering the temple. (Menochius)
Haydock
Cambyses meditated their utter ruin, Zacharias 2:20. (Haydock)
Calmet
White. Alexander was of a beneficent temper when he was not intoxicated. He fought for glory, and was kind to the Jews. (Calmet)
Challoner
South: Egypt, which lay to the south of Jerusalem, and was occupied first by Ptolemeus, and then by the Romans. (Challoner)
Calmet
The Lagides were some good and some very bad princes, represented by the grisly colour. (Calmet)
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St. Jerome
Strong. Septuagint, "variegated;" psaroi, (Haydock) sturnini. (St. Jerome)
Menochius
Earth. This well describes the ambition and power of the Seleucides, particularly of Antiochus the great, (Calmet) or of the Roman generals down to Caesar. (Menochius)
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Haydock
Spirit. Septuagint, "wrath or fury." (Haydock)
Nabopolassar overcame the Assyrians, Cyrus the Chaldeans, as Alexander would shortly treat the Persians.
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Calmet
Holdai, etc. They had brought presents for the temple, which are to be used to make crowns for Jesus and Zorobabel, ver. 13. (Calmet)
Haydock
The names are interpreted by the Septuagint, "of the princes and of its useful things, and of those who have known it, (captivity) and thou," etc. (Haydock)
St. Jerome
Helem and Hem are afterwards mentioned instead of Holdai, ver. 14. (St. Jerome)
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Menochius
Crowns. Chaldean, "a great crown." Septuagint, ver. 14., "a crown;" perhaps like the pope's (Menochius)
Worthington
Jesus. When the prophet set the crown on the high priest's head, in order to shew that it did not belong to him, except as a figure of the Messias, he added, behold a man, who is also God, called Orient, or "raising up," and establishing the kingdom, which was promised to David. (St. Jerome) (Worthington)
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Haydock
Orient. Protestants, "the branch, and he shall grow up out of his place." (Haydock)
Theodoret
Hebrew, "under or from himself." This alludes to the miraculous birth of Christ, (Isaias 11:1.) whom the prophet had principally in view; though his hearers might naturally understand (Calmet) Zorobabel, who was to preserve the royal family and build the temple. (Theodoret; St. Jerome)
Calmet
Yet he was only a shadow of the Messias, Zacharias 3:8. (Calmet)
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Calmet
Glory. Septuagint, "virtue," or "receive strength" and courage, areten; (Haydock) or one of the crowns, as prince of Juda, ver. 10. (Calmet)
Challoner
Both. That is, he shall unite in himself the two offices or dignities of king and priest. (Challoner)
Haydock
Zorobabel and Jesus shall act in concert. (Haydock)
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Haydock
Helem. Septuagint, "the crown shall be for those who expect him." (Haydock)
St. Jerome
Hem. Septuagint, "for grace." Hebrew chen. (St. Jerome)
Haydock
Thus proper names are frequently interpreted. (Haydock)
Calmet
The crowns were not to be worn, but to be deposited in the temple, 1 Machabees 1:23. (Calmet)
Menochius
The names of those four who had contributed towards their making, were to be inscribed upon them. Helem and Hem are the same with Holdai and Josias. (Menochius)
St. Jerome
The Jews say Hem or Daniel, and his three companions, brought gifts. (St. Jerome)
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Calmet
Off. Many Jews now assisted in the building, coming from all parts. The temple was thus finished in four years time; whereas Solomon, with all his riches and workmen, spent seven in building one. (Calmet)
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Four chariots.... The four great empires of the Chaldeans, Persians, Grecians, and Romans. Or perhaps by the fourth chariot are represented the kings of Egypt and of Asia, the descendants of Ptolemeus and Seleucus.
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The land of the north.... So Babylon is called; because it lay to the north in respect of Jerusalem. The black horses, that is, the Medes and Persians: and after them Alexander and his Greeks, signified by the white horses, went thither because they conquered Babylon, executed upon it the judgments of God, which is signified, ver. 8, by the expression of quieting his spirit.—Ibid. The land of the south.... Egypt, which lay to the south of Jerusalem, and was occupied first by Ptolemeus, and then by the Romans.
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Between them both.... That is, he shall unite in himself the two offices or dignities of king and priest.
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Foure Monarchies of the Chaldees, the Medes and Persians, the Grecians, and the Romanes. Dan. 2.
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VVhen the prophet set the crovvne on the high priests head, that he might withal signifie that it perteyned not him, but as in figure of Christ, he explicateth, that God reueled this mysterie, saying: Behold a man vvho is also God, called Orient, that is Raising vp & establishing the kingdom vvhich vvas promised to Dauid. S. Iero. is bunc locum.
Luc. 1. r, 78.
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.14
… What, again, are those mountains of bronze, from the midst of which four chariots come forth?
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 53.8
… He sees Jesus, “clothed with filthy garments,” a stone with seven eyes, a candle-stick all of gold with lamps as many as the eyes, and two olive trees on the right side of the bowl and on the left. After he has described the horses, red, black, white, and grisled,
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St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 106
… And that He should arise like a star from the seed of Abraham, Moses showed beforehand when he thus said, ‘A star shall arise from Jacob, and a leader from Israel;’ and another Scripture says, ‘Behold a man; the East is His name.’
St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 121
… For the word of His truth and wisdom is more ardent and more light-giving than the rays of the sun, and sinks down into the depths of heart and mind. Hence also the Scripture said, ‘His name shall rise up above the sun.’ And again, Zechariah says, ‘His name is the East.’
Tertullian † AD 220 Against the Valentinians 3
… let him unroll his length through his sinuous joints; let him tortuously crawl, though not all at once, beast as he is that skulks the light. Of our dove, however, how simple is the very home!—always in high and open places, and facing the light! As the symbol of the Holy Spirit, it loves the (radiant) East, that figure of Christ.
St Hippolytus † AD 235 On Proverbs 1
… “and the ways of a ship crossing the sea,” i.e., the ways of the Church, which is in this life as in a sea, and which is directed by her hope in Christ through the cross; “and the ways of a man in youth,” —the ways of Him, namely, who is born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin. For behold, says the Scripture, a man whose name is the Rising.
Rufinus of Aquileia † AD 411 The Apology of Rufinus. Addressed to Apronianus, in Reply to Jerome's Letter to Pammachius 1.42
“In the end of all things, when we shall have begun to know God face to face, and shall have come to the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ, of whose fulness we all have received, so that Christ will not be in us in part but wholly, and, leaving the rudiments of babes, we shall have grown into the perfect man, of whom the Prophet says,
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1. AND I TURNED, AND LIFTED UP. — "Turned," that is again, or once more I lifted up my eyes, and saw a new vision: for the verb, or rather the participle, is put for an adverb, by a change of construction customary among the Hebrews. Thus Vatablus. Whence from this place it is not clear whether this vision immediately followed the vision of the preceding chapter, or rather after a greater interval of time. AND BEHOLD FOUR CHARIOTS. — Theodoret, whom Palacius and a Castro follow, by four chariots understand four troops of angels, procuring the affairs and advantages of the Jews. For in chapter I, 8, he saw in like manner various horses, white and red, which represented the guardian angels of the Jews, as I said there. For these stand before the Lord, as it is said in verse 5, to execute his various commands concerning the government of his people, according to that of Habakkuk III, 8: "Thou that ascendest upon thy horses: and thy chariots are salvation." And Psalm LXVII, 18: "The chariot of God is multiplied ten thousand fold, thousands of them that rejoice: the Lord is among them in the holy place." Whence also Elias in a chariot of fiery horses, that is of angels, was taken up into heaven, IV Kings II, 11. And chapter VI, 17, Eliseus besieged by the Syrians, "saw the mountain full of horses and fiery chariots round about him," namely of angels, to protect him. Now these four chariots, that is troops of angels, thus in particular detail from Theodoret does a Castro apply and explain: The red horses, he says, signify avenging and bloody angels, who went forth from the Lord and remained in Judea, that the Jews by their power might be avenged of their enemies and protected. The chariot of angels which was drawn by black horses was sent into the northern land, that through the Medes and Persians it might destroy the Babylonians, enemies of the Jews. The chariot of angels with white horses was sent after the former, that the Jews, made free and restored joyfully to their homeland through the same Persians, it might conduct. The chariot of angels with various horses was sent toward the South, that the enemies of the Jews, envying them their happiness, through the variety of nations might be restrained, lest they harm them in any way. But the common opinion of the Fathers and interpreters is, that these four chariots signify four monarchies contending concerning the impious Babylonian empire, which God by his providence successively brought forth into light, ruled, changed at his pleasure to show forth his power and glory, especially concerning his people, either to chastise them, or to protect and promote them, to all the world: and so the red horses denote the monarchy of the Assyrians and Chaldeans, the black ones of the Persians, the white ones of the Greeks, the various ones of the Romans. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, the Chaldean, Remigius, Haymo, Hugo, Albert, Lyran, Vatablus, Arias, Ribera, Sanchez, Ferdinand, and others throughout. The reason for this symbol of chariots is, that the monarchies already mentioned used chariots in war, and fought from them: chariots therefore signify, that they by their warlike strength, force and tyranny obtained their empires. For by chariots he understands their charioteers and riders, as also in chapter I, 8, namely the monarchs themselves, and their leaders and soldiers sitting in chariots, both for waging war and for triumphing to display their pomp and glory, unless you say with Sanchez, that these chariots are driven not by men, but by beasts; because the monarchies were bestial and tyrannical, as if imitating and seeming to have taken on the nature and character of the beasts to which they are compared and represented, indeed more so. Whence also Daniel chapter VII, 3, saw them represented by four beasts, which I reviewed a little before. Add, just as a charioteer with loosened, tightened or bent reins can at his pleasure drive, stop and direct a chariot in any direction; so kings and monarchs by their laws, decrees, prudence, counsel, command govern the peoples subject to them, and moderate them according to their will. And because a triumph is as it were a certain temporary kingdom, decreed to leaders for a victory gained, therefore those triumphing were carried in a chariot, as temporary kings. Furthermore, that the ancients fought in chariots, and hence that a chariot is a symbol of war and of a kingdom devoted to war, is evident from that Psalm XIX, 8: "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God." And Nahum III, 2: "The noise of the whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the neighing horse, and of the running chariot." And Canticles I, 8: "If thou know not thyself, O fair one, go forth, and follow after the steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds." Thus of Turnus sings Virgil in Aeneid XII: He demands horses and arms together, and proud in a leap springs into the chariot, and strives with his hands to manage the reins. Thus Isaiah, chapter XXI, verse 7, saw in chariots an ascender of a camel and an ascender of an ass, that is Darius and Cyrus invading Babylon. Finally, Ezekiel saw the chariot of the cherubim as it were a four-horse chariot of God, going forth to the destruction of the Jews and Gentiles, attended by four animals, a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle. To this pertains that passage from Deuteronomy, chapter XXXIII, verse 26: "The ascender of heaven is thy helper;" for heaven is as it were the war chariot of God. Mystically, Clarius, Burgensis and certain ancient writers cited by St. Jerome understand by the four four-horse chariots the four Gospels, proclaimed and spread fourfold by fourfold preachers throughout the whole world. For the red horses signify the apostles and martyrs, who sealed the Gospels with their own blood. The black horses signify the prophets and doctors, who entered into the deep and as it were hidden in dark caves the mysteries of God, and there as if darkened, preached the same in the world, but darkly, that is obscurely, and as it were through a glass and in an enigma, as the Apostle says in I Corinthians XIII, 12. The white yoked horses signify virgins, white as lilies through virginity. The varied and strong horses signify confessors illustrious with various gifts of God. For all these, as it were the four-horse chariots of God driven and impelled by the wind and impulse of the Holy Spirit, subdued all nations to Christ. For just as God subjected the world to four-horse chariots, that is to the monarchs of the Chaldeans, Persians, Greeks and Romans, so much more by His ineffable providence did He subject the same to Christ through the fourfold saints, into whose kingdom all kings and kingdoms have ceased. FROM THE MIDST OF TWO MOUNTAINS. — These two mountains are a symbol of the power and providence of God, whose two parts, and as it were mountains are mind and will, namely wisdom and decree, or disposition and definition, or predestination and execution. The sense therefore is, as if to say: These four four-horse chariots, that is monarchies, were so constrained and shut in by the power and providence of God, as if they were enclosed by brazen mountains, that is the strongest and impenetrable, until God loosened His hand and gave them power to go forth, that they might seize the empire and subject other nations to themselves. He alludes, says Mariana, to Mount Taurus, or the Caucasus, where two ridges of the mountain come together in a gorge, like iron gates, of which Hegesippus speaks in book V, chapter L. The place is so called, not because there are gates there, but on account of its fortification. For properly from these mountains came forth their inhabitants the Persians, who were the first and principal in laying waste this kingdom of Babylonian impiety, and therefore they caused the Spirit of God to rest, as is said in verse 8. In a similar manner God's providence by His wisdom and will, as it were by two iron mountains coming together, contained these monarchies, just as the poets fable that winds (to which these monarchies are compared in verse 5) are shut up by Aeolus in caves and mountain hiding-places, which fable they seem to have borrowed from this, of which Homer speaks in Odyssey XX, and from him Virgil in book I of the Aeneid: "Here in a vast cave King Aeolus holds in check the struggling winds and roaring tempests by his command, and restrains them with bonds and prison. Otherwise the seas and lands and the deep sky would surely be carried away swiftly with them." Hence secondly, Vatable understands by these mountains the strength of these kings and nations, who by their military virtue obtained the monarchy for themselves. In a similar manner Arias understands their counsel and industry, which in wars often prevails over strength. Mystically, Albertus, Lyranus and Hugo understand by the two mountains Israel and Judah, from which came forth the Prophets, who as it were brazen mountains, that is strong and unconquered, certainly and infallibly foretold the beginning, progress and end of these monarchies. Allegorically, the two mountains are the two testaments, the old of Moses and the new of Christ. For these are as it were two immovable and irrefragable mountains, from which came forth the four Gospels, which occupied the whole world. Thus Clarius and Burgensis. BRAZEN, — that is strong and hard like brass. R. David wrongly translated it as steel. For the Hebrew word nechoset signifies brass, not steel, and brass is equally a symbol of hardness as steel.
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2. IN THE FIRST CHARIOT RED HORSES. — Mariana understands by the red horses, as being the strongest, the monarchy of the Romans, which although it was last in order, was nevertheless first in strength and virtue: whence it is placed first in this place. But all others understand by the red horses the monarchy of the Assyrians and Chaldeans, which was in fact first. These are called red, both because they were bloodthirsty and cruel, especially toward the Jews, whom they despoiled of city, temple, liberty and life (hence that celebrated, dire and grievous captivity of the Jews in Babylon for seventy years: thus St. Jerome, Remigius, Hugo, Lyra and others); and because they used red garments, that is purple and scarlet, as is evident from Nahum II, 3: "His shield is like fire, the men of his army are in scarlet." And St. John calls Babylon a purple harlot, Apoc. XVII, 3, and cap. XVIII, 16: "Woe, he says, to that great city, which was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet." For this color denotes and sharpens the ardor of the mind for fighting: whence red horses are more lively, more upright and more spirited. For the red color is inflamed and reflects the splendor of fire, and this better than ruddy, which nevertheless is an index of zeal and acrimony, as Alciatus testifies in emblem CXVII, when he says: But ruddy raiment adorns armed horsemen. For this reason after the Chaldeans other nations also going to battle used red garments, as the Persians, as testified by Xenophon lib. VII of the Cyropaedia: and the Greeks, as testified by Aelian lib. VI, cap. VI, especially the Lacedaemonians. Alexander ab Alexandro demonstrates this more fully from Plutarch, Aelian and Valerius in lib. I Genial. XX, and Tiraquellus in the same place. But because the first Babylonians used purple or scarlet garment in wars, whom the Greeks and Persians afterwards imitated; hence this color is given to the Babylonians. Thus Arias and others. Furthermore, what these red horses did, Zechariah does not declare, both because they had already passed; and because it was sufficiently known to the Jews recently returning from Babylon, as St. Jerome says; and because their deeds were harmful and disastrous to the Jews, as Cyril says. But the angel here shows joyful things to Zechariah, so that he might encourage and console the afflicted Jews. Allegorically Clarius says: The red horses, which went forth nowhere else, signify St. James, St. Stephen, and the first similar preachers and athletes of Christ, who preached the Gospel of Christ among the cruel and bloody Jews: and for this reason killed by them in Judea, reddened with their own blood, they went forth from earth to heaven in no other way. IN THE SECOND CHARIOT BLACK HORSES. — Black horses designate the Persians: because these brought more horror and sorrow than damage and slaughter upon the Jews; as Cambyses, who hindered the building of the temple; and Ahasuerus the husband of Esther, who seduced by Haman devoted all the Jews to death. Thus St. Jerome. Arias adds that the Persians were accustomed to use dark and black garments, and hence are called dusky, as it were Persian and dark. But this is not clear from histories, indeed Xenophon, in the place already cited, asserts that they used scarlet in war.
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3. IN THE THIRD CHARIOT WHITE HORSES. — White horses denote Alexander, Ptolemy Philadelphus, and the Greeks, who were merciful and benevolent toward the Jews, so much so that Alexander bowed down and adored the high priest Jaddus, as Josephus testifies in book XI of the Antiquities, final chapter. For although Antiochus Epiphanes, sprung from the Greeks, afflicted the Jews, yet this affliction was of short duration, and in it the Maccabees were made bright and illustrious by their victories. Cyril adds that the Greeks are denoted by the white color, both because they mostly wore white garments; and because they had a plain and open language, alien from the darkness and obscurity of barbarians; and because they loved delights and banquets, of which white garment was the symbol: for this was festive, convivial and joyful clothing; and because in wars they were fortunate and victorious, as is evident from Alexander: for white garment was indeed the dress of the triumphant. IN THE FOURTH CHARIOT HORSES VARIOUS AND STRONG. — Mariana understands by the various horses the Egyptians: for these ruled widely over Egypt to the south, and over neighboring Syria and Ethiopia, and were powerful and renowned. But all the others understand by this fourth chariot the monarchy of the Romans. For this was powerful and strong, and equally various, both in government, because at first it was monarchical in kings, then aristocratic in consuls, afterwards democratic in tribunes of the people, again monarchical in emperors, and that from a various people: for some were Italians, others Spaniards, others Gauls, others Greeks, etc.; and because the Romans were various in genius, equally as in their feelings toward the Jews: for some were benevolent toward them, such as the Roman Senate in the time of the Maccabees, when it made a covenant with them; likewise Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius; some were hostile and cruel, such as Pompey, Caligula, Nero, Vespasian and Hadrian. Thus St. Jerome. For "various" in Hebrew it is berudim, that is, hail-spotted, that is, sprinkled and variegated with white spots like hail, which the Latins call guttati, as Martial in book V, Epigram CIV, calls the Numidian birds guttati. Whence the Syriac translates it, with scattered fleece, or tending toward a flame color; the Arabic of Antioch, with the color of worm or purple. Again for "strong" in Hebrew it is amutsim, which Aquila translates as κραταιοί, or, as St. Jerome reads it, κραιπνοί, that is, powerful, robust; the Septuagint, ψαροί, that is, starling-colored, namely the color of the starling bird: for this bird is called ψάρος; or swift, from ψαίρειν, whence αἰψηρός. The Chaldean translates it kitmanin, which the Royal Bible translates as ash-colored: others better translate it as breaking, or grinding, reducing to ash, according to that which Daniel says concerning the same in chapter II, 40: "As iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things, so shall this break in pieces and bruise all these." The origin of this double version is that the Hebrew amutsim properly signifies strong, and therefore swift, as the Septuagint translates, and breaking all things, as the Chaldean translates. But some, among whom is Arias, took amutsim for chamutsim, that is, fermented, namely ash-colored, for ferment is of this color; or starling-colored, as others translate from the Septuagint, for starlings are likewise of ash color. Whence also the Syriac, even the Vatican, omits "strong." But the former reading amutsim, that is, strong, is the true and genuine one. Moreover Arias, by ash-colored, understands the Turks, Arabs and Saracens, who have an ash color; especially the Ottomans. For these occupied a great part of the Roman empire by their strength, which their law imparts to them, namely the Alcoran: for this commands them to propagate their sect by arms. But these cannot be reckoned as Romans, since they are sworn enemies of the Romans; nor are they most robust, since the Christian Europeans are far more robust than they, as is evident in battles. Add that this sect of Mahomet is foul and base, and not worthy of these oracles and utterances of Zacharias. Mystically, Alcazar in chapter VI of the Apocalypse, note 5, page 444, understands by the four-colored horses and chariots four gifts and virtues, by which the Apostles and apostolic men, as it were chariots of Christ, themselves subdued the whole world; namely white horses denote apostolic immaculate holiness, red ones burning zeal, various ones wisdom, black ones modesty. Concerning whiteness, see Alciatus, emblem CXVII: "A white robe is the garment of a sincere soul and pure mind." Reds denote ardor, because this color is kindled and fiery. Variegated colors signify the eternal wisdom of God, which distinguished that variety of Apostles and faithful with such great beauty; for manifold color is a multiform art and wisdom. For the spirit of wisdom is manifold, Wisdom VII, 22. Black color signifies modesty; hence the clergy and monks of St. Basil, St. Benedict, St. Augustine, etc., are clothed in black, according to that passage in the Canticle V, 11: "His hair is black as a raven," where Delrio from Hesychius, Bernard, Alcuin, Bede, Haymo and Anselm shows that blackness is a symbol of a thing despised and contemptible in external appearance, which is the foundation of humility and modesty, according to that passage in the Canticle I, 5: "I am black, but beautiful." From these chariots of Zechariah appear to have arisen the four factions of the Circus chariot-drivers, distinguished by as many colors, which often stirred up grave tumults among the Romans and Greeks. For there were chariot-drivers, some dressed in white, others in red, others in green, others in blue, concerning all of which epigrams exist in book V of the Anthology, and in Dio book LIX, and in Suetonius in Vitellius, chapter XIV. For the white-clad correspond to the white chariots of Zechariah, the red-clad to the red, the green-clad to the black, the blue-clad to the variegated. For the green color is leek-colored, or greenish, which is compounded from yellow and black, as Plato testifies in the Timaeus. The blue color was called cyan, or cerulean and marine, says Vegetius; but the sea, on account of its waves and the reverberation of the sun's rays, exhibits various colors, but chiefly cerulean. Whence Arias thinks the horses of Zechariah were variegated, tending toward cerulean. Furthermore, by these four colors they appear to have represented the four elements and their mutual discord and conflicts, namely by red fire; for red is the color of fire and fiery; by white air; for clear air whitens; by blue, or cerulean, water and the sea; by green, or leek-colored, earth, producing plants and leeks. For God, the supreme charioteer of the universe, governs these four elements and brings them into conflict with one another and tempers them. Whence concerning the origin of the blue and green factions thus in the ancient Collections of Histories in Vatican Codex 96, we read: "Oenomaus first invented the Circus colors, by which he represented as it were a contest between earth and sea. Lots were cast; whoever it fell to would take the part of earth in the contest, he would put on a green garment; but a blue one, whoever took the part of the sea. Oenomaus established this contest on the twenty-fourth day of March. If the green color had won, all hoped for the fertility of the earth; if blue, for calm navigation of the sea. Wherefore farmers desired victory for the green color; sailors for the blue."
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5. THESE ARE THE FOUR WINDS. — That is, as it were four winds: for the Hebrews often omit caph, which is the sign of similitude, as if to say, These four chariots, that is, monarchies, shall clash with one another like contrary winds, and violently and swiftly like winds shall overturn all things, wherever they rush: finally they shall pass swiftly and cease, as winds do. He alludes to Daniel VII, 2, where likewise Daniel saw these four kingdoms depicted by four winds clashing in the sea, as if to say, These chariots are like the four winds shown to Daniel: for as winds disturb the sea, so chariots disturb the earth. Thus Theodoret, Vatablus, Sanchez here and Pererius in Daniel VII, 2. In similar phrase God is said to have raised up the spirit of Cyrus, I Esdras I, 1, and the spirit of the kings of the Medes, Jeremiah LI, 11. Moreover St. Jerome, Theodoret, Remigius and Vatablus, by the four winds understand four regions, or climates of the world, to which these chariots went forth, that they might subject them to themselves. Whence Vatablus translates: These are the chariots, which go forth to the four winds, or regions of the quarters; and the Chaldean: These are four kingdoms, which are in the four winds of heaven. Finally for wind, in Hebrew it is ruchot, that is, spirits, such as are angels, equally as winds. Whence Theodoret, Palacius and a Castro by these chariots and winds understand angels presiding over kingdoms, namely the four monarchies, of which it is said in Psalm CIII, 4: "Who maketh his angels spirits," and these stand before the Lord. This sense comes to the same thing. For what is said of angels is said and understood of those monarchies committed to them. Morally, learn here that kingdoms and powers of this world have the nature of winds, equally as of chariots, both because they are strong and mighty in arms; and because they are swift; and because they soon vanish. Foolish therefore is he who follows winds, which he cannot catch, and if he could, he could not hold them long, says Sanchez. You see the chariot of a prince with four or six swift horses running swiftly past, think that thus all the principalities of the world pass by. You feel winds flying most swiftly through the air, think that in like manner kings and kingdoms fly by, and all the heights of dignities: "All power hath a short life," says the Wise Man. THAT THEY MIGHT STAND, — as it were ready to receive and execute his commands. For God through them punishes whom he will, indeed he always punished and overthrew the earlier through the later, as the Chaldeans through the Persians, the Persians through the Greeks, the Greeks through the Romans. See the sayings of Isaiah, cap. X, 5, and Jeremiah cap. XXV, 9 and following. Where note that all men, even if they be most wicked, such as many of these monarchs were, namely tyrants, stand before God as it were instruments and officers of his, that they may either defend his people, or punish the impious. In Hebrew it is mehitiatseu, that is, from standing; Pagninus and the Zurich Bible, from the place where they stood before the Lord; Our translator with the Septuagint better renders it, for the sake of standing, that is, for standing: because the Hebrew min often signifies for, and sometimes is taken for le, that is, for. For these particles and servile letters by enallage are not rarely exchanged with one another: mehitiatseu therefore, that is, from standing, is the same as lehitiatseu, that is, for standing, that they might stand.
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6. THE BLACK HORSES WENT FORTH INTO THE LAND OF THE NORTH. — The black horses signify the Persians who laid waste Babylon, which is to the north of Judea, as I said verse 2. AND THE WHITE WENT FORTH AFTER THEM. — Alexander and the Macedonians are denoted, who succeeded the Persians in the monarchy, and wrested it from them near Babylon: for the seat of the Persian empire was Babylon, says Vatablus. Whence near it at Arbela Alexander routed the forces of Darius Codomannus (who was the last of the Persian monarchs), and therefore there he was proclaimed king of Asia, and entered Babylon as victor, and subjected all its dominions to himself, as witnesses Curtius lib. V, and Plutarch in the Life of Alexander. AND THE VARIEGATED WENT FORTH INTO THE LAND OF THE SOUTH, — that is to say, the Romans went forth into Egypt: for this is to the south of the Holy Land, namely of Judea, according to which Scripture is accustomed to describe and mark the regions of the world. Vatablus and Arias think this was done through Julius Caesar, who first conquered Egypt. Others more rightly judge that it was done through Augustus the successor of Julius: for Augustus through the victory at Actium defeated Antony and Cleopatra, and thus extinguished the kingdom of the Greeks, namely the Ptolemies, in Egypt, and transferred it to himself and the Romans. Whence he himself first made Egypt a province, as witness Suetonius in his Life, cap. XVII and XVIII, which Julius had not dared to do. Then therefore the third monarchy of the Greeks being overthrown, the fourth of Augustus and the Romans began. Whence shortly after from Augustus as now already a monarch, went forth an edict that the whole world should be described. Thus St. Jerome, Ribera, Sanchez, Fernandius and others.
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7. BUT THOSE WHICH WERE MOST STRONG. — In Hebrew האמוצים haamutsim, that is, those strong by excellence, of whom verse 3, as if to say: From the fourth chariot the most robust horses, namely the strongest of the Romans, by the nod of God shall walk about, that is, by walking about shall subdue (as I showed in cap. I, 11) the whole earth. Such successively were Scipio, Pompey, Caesar, Augustus, Vespasian, Trajan, Constantine, Theodosius, etc. For the Romans, gradually increasing in arms and strength, became most robust, and occupied very many nations. Thus St. Jerome, St. Cyril, Theodoret, Lyra, Hugh, Vatablus and others. Arias understands by the most strong the Turks and Ottomans, as I said verse 2. Better Ribera understands the Goths, who were mercenaries of the Romans, and defended and propagated their empire, and rendered outstanding service fighting under Maximinus against the Parthians, under Constantine against Licinius, and under Honorius. But the Goths were not Romans, and under Honorius they broke their treaty and turned into enemies, devastating Italy, Spain and Africa, and even Rome itself, under their leaders and kings Alaric and Genseric. And so on account of the multitude of the nation, poverty and barbarism, they were great plunderers of the Romans and of the nations allied with them for many centuries. See Orosius lib. VII, cap. XIX and following. Again, the Goths did not walk about, that is, occupy the whole earth. Unless you say with Sanchez that by Goths are understood the kings of Spain, who were descended from the Goths; for these indeed gradually propagated their empire widely, and extended it through America, Peru, Brazil and the whole new world. For they occupied the West Indies, and much in the East Indies, with admirable boldness, equally with fortitude and victories illustrious even to the point of miracle. But the kings of Spain never existed, or were named, emperors of the Romans (except under Charles V, in whom the kingdom of Spain was joined to the Roman empire). And by the same reasoning we could call these most strong ones Pepin, Charles Martel, and especially Charlemagne, and his successors kings of the Austrasians, Franks and Germans, who were truly in fact and in name kings and emperors of the Romans, and their empire through Austrasia, Gaul, Germany, Saxony, Holland, England, Denmark and Sweden they either propagated far and wide, or restored; as under Godfrey of Bouillon they recovered Syria and the Holy Land. Add to these chariots of Zechariah, as also the four-fold statue of Daniel cap. II, properly signify the monarchies and monarchs who preceded Christ: for they seemed to Daniel to end in Christ and the kingdom of Christ, verse 44, as also here Zechariah saw them terminate in the East, that is, in Christ, verse 12.
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8. BEHOLD THEY GO FORTH INTO THE LAND OF THE NORTH, — namely the Persians, who under Cyrus, and again under Darius Hystaspes, in the time of the prophet Zechariah, laid waste Babylon. Thus Lyra, Vatablus, Arias and others. The Hebrews add, St. Jerome, Haymo and Remigius, that not only the black horses, that is the Persians, did this; but also the white ones, that is the Greeks. For Alexander overthrew Darius near Babylon, and as victor entered Babylon brought into his power, as I said verse 6. THEY HAVE CAUSED MY SPIRIT TO REST IN THE LAND OF THE NORTH. — "Spirit," that is fury, as the Septuagint translates it, as if to say the Persians satisfied my wrath, and to me angry at the Chaldean tyrants, while they laid them waste, they fulfilled my vengeance; and thus they calmed my spirit desirous of just vengeance. Because indeed Zechariah, in the preceding chapter, in the last verse, had said that an ephah of impiety and idolatry had been placed and lifted up in Babylon, hence he says in this place, that in its punishment God's spirit, by which he himself was indignant that a rival idol should dominate in Babylon, has rested: and therefore with it and its idol cut off, the spirit, that is the will of God avenging, was calmed and pacified, indeed consoled, recreated and gladdened: just as a man injured, and therefore angry and furious, rages so long until he avenges himself on the enemy who injured him; but after vengeance is accomplished, this fury, as if satiated with the blood of the enemy, grows quiet. Thus Theodoret, Haymo, Remigius, Lyra, Hugo, Arias and Vatablus. Otherwise St. Jerome from the Hebrews: "This spirit," he says, "is understood to be prophetic," as if to say the Persians caused my prophecies, by which I threatened destruction to Babylon, to rest in the same: because they, by destroying Babylon, fulfilled and executed them. Note: These things are said for the consolation of the Jews, who had been laid waste by the Babylonians and led away into Babylon; and to stir up hatred of impiety and idolatry (of which Babylon was the metropolis), so that the Jews might abominate it, as they afterwards did abominate it, and therefore so much mention is made here of the things carried in the chariots in Babylon, namely of the vengeance accomplished in it. Morally, learn here how just and righteous vengeance for crimes is holy and pleasing to God. Let therefore princes, magistrates, judges, praetors, etc., learn from this place that when they punish the wicked, especially persecutors of the faithful and pious, such as the Chaldeans were, they cause the spirit, mind, will, justice and wrath of God to rest, which before vengeance is accomplished hisses, burns, boils, and cooks a thousand threats and dire thunderbolts in its heart, both against the wicked and against princes and judges who do not punish them, but tolerate or dissemble them, according to that word of Amos, chapter II, 13: "Behold I will make you creak beneath you, as a cart creaks that is laden with hay." And chapter III, 8: "The lion shall roar, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who shall not prophesy?" See the things said there.
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10. FROM THE CAPTIVITY, — namely from the Jews in captivity, who either in themselves, or in their parents seventy years before, were carried away into Babylon by the Chaldeans, and were transmigrated, and there still dwell and have fixed their home. For they sent gifts to be offered in Jerusalem in the temple through Holdai, Tobiah, Idaiah and Josiah. An abstract is put for the concrete after the Hebrew manner, namely captivity for those who were once in captivity. It is a hysteron proteron. For the words are to be arranged thus: Come, O Zacharias, into the house of Josiah, son of Sophonias, on the day when gifts are about to be offered by Holdai, Tobias and Idaias, who have just recently come from Babylon, and from them thou shalt receive gold and silver, which as a gift they send through them, and the Jews who were once transmigrated into Babylon offer to the temple, and there still dwell, so that from it thou mayest make crowns to be placed on the head of Jesus the high priest. THOU SHALT COME INTO THE HOUSE OF JOSIAH THE SON OF SOPHONIAS. — Hence it appears that only three aforementioned offered these gifts, namely Holdai, Tobias and Idaias, but in the house of Josiah, son of Sophonias, who was a keeper of the temple or sacristan, as the Hebrews wish; or a treasurer, and he collected money for the building of the temple and its expenses, as Cyril, Haymo and Remigius say; or certainly he was a goldsmith, who was about to fashion crowns from this gold. Whence also the name of Josiah with the other three was inscribed on the crowns under the name Hem, as appears in verse 14. Theodoret, however, thinks that Josiah was the fourth, who returning with the other three from Babylon, offered these gifts; for immediately follows: "Who came from Babylon:" where the pronoun who refers both to Josiah, who immediately preceded, and to the three others: unless thou sayest there is a hysteron proteron, and by it the who is referred to the three alone, who were named before, as St. Cyril thinks. Josiah therefore seems to Theodoret to have been the principal of these four legates; or certainly their host, so that the other three might lodge in his house. The Hebrews, St. Jerome, Remigius, Albert and Hugh favor this, who hand down that these four legates were Daniel, Ananiah, Azariah and Misael. But this is very doubtful: for it does not appear that Daniel could have prolonged his life so far. For in the third year of Cyrus he was one hundred years old, as I showed in the Proem to Daniel, and then he seems to have died; or certainly, as Isidore in his Life hands down, he died in the first year of Darius Hystaspes, when he was already one hundred and eleven years old. But Zacharias received these oracles after the beginning of the reign of Darius Hystaspes, as appears in chapter I, 1. AND THOU SHALT MAKE CROWNS. — By crowns understand one great crown, composed of two or three partial crowns: for that one was placed on the head of Jesus the high priest alone, just as on the head of the Roman pontiff is placed a tiara distinguished by a triple crown, which the common people call a kingdom, for reasons which I shall soon give. Whence the Chaldean renders: Thou shalt make a great crown. And the Septuagint in verse 14: There shall be a crown. Wherefore it seems that this crown of Jesus was one total, made up of other partial ones, or encircled in the manner of a double or triple diadem, so that it might signify the twofold dignity and power of Jesus, namely ecclesiastical and civil, that is, the pontificate and the principate; or threefold, that is, manifold, full and complete. After the return from Babylon, indeed, the supreme power both lay and sacred was in the hands of the high priests, as I taught above from Josephus, book XI of the Antiquities, chapter IV, and is evident in the Maccabees, who were at the same time high priests and princes of the people; and in Eliacim, or Joacim the high priest in the time of Judith, who against Holofernes as a prince disposed the Jews, and commanded that they should besiege the straits of the mountains, through which the enemy was about to pass, Judith XV. Hence in the histories of Joseph and Esdras, book II, 12, and in public records, the successors and descendants of Jesus are described, not those of Zorobabel. Thus Abulensis in I Paralipomenon, chapter VI, Question VIII, Genebrardus in the Chronology, Sanchez and others. Arias holds that these partial crowns were made of plainly distinct material, namely one of gold, the other of silver: The golden one, he says, signified the pontificate, the silver one the principate. For the latter is inferior to the former, just as silver is to gold. Others think that two complete crowns were made here, namely one for Jesus the priest, another for Zerubbabel the prince, each of gold and silver mixed together. Thus the Hebrews, St. Jerome, Remigius, Albert, Hugh and a Castro. But there is no mention of Zerubbabel here: for the entire prophecy is directed to Jesus the priest: "Thou shalt put," he says, "upon the head of Jesus." Wherefore either one crown encircled and distinguished by two smaller ones was placed upon his head; or, if you prefer, two complete ones, say they were imposed successively, namely first one, then the other, as Cyril, Theodoret, Rupert, Lyra, Vatable and Clarius hold; just as an emperor is now first crowned with an iron crown, then a silver one, finally a golden one. Yet a more fitting and more august form will be if we say it was one, but encircled with two or three partial ones, such as the Roman Pontiff wears. For he wears a threefold crown: first, because he is the spouse and prince of the Church, which is victorious, triumphant and reigning over the whole world; second, because as vicar he represents King Christ: just as therefore the kingdom of Christ surpasses all kingdoms, so it was fitting that this diadem should stand out among all diadems; third, because he presides over three parts of the world, Asia, Africa, Europe; fourth, because the number three is the symbol of the highest equity, which is required in the Pontiff: for three is the first resolution of the discordant dyad, and the balance of numbers, of justice and of all things; fifth, because it represents the Holy Trinity, of which he is priest and pontiff; sixth, because three signifies the consummation of all virtues and things, which was in Christ, and ought to be in some manner in the Pontiff. Ovid, speaking of the dignity of the crown in book V of the Fasti, thus sings: That crown commends the fasces given and the ivory chair: That crown triumphs on crowned horses on high. Then because the crown admonishes the pontiff and prince of perfect and excellent virtue, namely that there ought to be nothing in him which is not complete and absolute in every respect; for the form of a crown is most absolute, being a circle returning everywhere in a circle. Again, he ought to shine in heroic deeds like the sun; for the sun wears a radiant crown upon its head. For, as Virgil says in the epigram On the Rising Sun: The sun, a head of distinction with burning crown of rays, Brings forth from the watery births of Tethys. Finally, here one wishes to exclaim that of Prudentius from the Peristephanon: O threefold honor, O threefold summit, By which the head of our world is raised up. Eternal glory of the Christian world! This is that sublimity of majesty, the efficacy of the three-peaked, that threefold, I say, and incomparable diadem; thus Paschasius On Crowns, book IX, final chapter. These crowns of Jesus son of Josedec therefore appear to have been similar, because they represented the crowns and kingdom of Christ, just as the threefold crown of the Pontiff represents the same; that therefore was here typologically figured and foreshadowed in the crowns of Jesus the Priest, especially because עטרות ataroth, that is crowns, is a plural, not a dual, and therefore signifies more, three rather than two. THOU SHALT PUT UPON THE HEAD OF JESUS SON OF JOSEDEC,—the priest: for he speaks of this literally; for he could not place it upon the head of the Orient, that is Christ, as some wish; for Zechariah could not see and touch Christ, since he was not yet born. Therefore God here commands him literally to place a double or triple crown upon the head of Jesus, as it were upon the priest and prince; then so that literally it may signify that he will be glorious in this new temple, and thus may encourage him to complete and adorn its construction; then mystically, namely so that he may be a type of Jesus Christ the priest and king, and may represent his priesthood and kingdom. That Christ was a king is evident from Psalm II, 6: "But I am appointed king." And Luke I, 32: "The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever." That he was the same priest is evident from Psalm CIX, 4: "Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech;" and the Apostle teaches the same thing throughout the entire epistle to the Hebrews. Moreover, a crown is the insignia and coat of arms of the priest, equally as of the king, both because each is placed as it were some earthly god at the highest pinnacle of dignity and of rule. For crowns were once the proper attribute of the gods. Mystically, the pontiffs and princes who, in the manner of Christ, rightly exercise the pontificate and principate which they have received from him, place a pontifical and royal crown upon the head of Jesus Christ: because they promote, increase, and adorn his priesthood and kingdom which he holds in the Church. As a symbol of this matter, the twenty-four elders, as it were patriarchs and pontiffs of both the New and Old Testament, Apocalypse IV, 10, "fell down before him that sat on the throne, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory, and honour, and virtue." The holy martyrs, priests, religious, virgins, and indeed any of the faithful do the same in their measure, when, struggling against the world, the flesh, and the devil, they overcome them and triumph over them, when they ascend to the heights of virtue, when they accomplish heroic deeds. When therefore thou overcomest a fierce temptation, when thou tramplest the suggestion of the devil, when thou restrainest the movements of anger, when thou tramplest pride, gluttony, lust, sloth, thou placest a crown upon the head of Christ; by which he is adorned and rejoices far more than if thou hadst adorned him with a golden or jeweled crown. This is what Isaiah says in chapter LXII, 3: "Thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a diadem of the kingdom in the hand of thy God." Moreover, these crowns are offered by those who return from Babylon to Jerusalem, that is, from sin to the state of grace through penance: "because as we make progress," says St. Jerome, "and return to better things, through each of our virtues the Lord is crowned, nay, when we ourselves are crowned with the virtue of penance, the Saviour receives a crown in each of us." Thus the Apostle says to the Philippians in chapter IV: "My joy and my crown." Much more may God say of the saints: You are my joy and my crown; and in turn each saint, stirring up his soul to the praise and thanksgiving of God, may say of him with the Psalmist, Psalm CII, 4: "Who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion," as if to say, God is he who with thy very works of mercy and virtue, which thou weavest together in his honour as a crown, crowneth thee. For what else are our good works but the gifts of God? says St. Augustine.
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12. BEHOLD A MAN RISING. — The Hebrews, according to St. Jerome, Theodoret, Remigius, Albert and Hugh, understand by Rising Zerubbabel, who, as if dead in Babylon, returning thence began as it were to rise and flourish again, when he became the prince of the returning people. Whence they think another crown was placed upon him by Zechariah. Thus they apply and explain this entire verse to him: Zerubbabel with Jesus as a new shoot, and a new sun of the people, shall build the temple of the Lord and perfect it, and shall wear another crown, because he himself shall have the seat of a duke to govern the civil affairs of the people; just as Jesus the priest shall have the pontifical seat to direct the sacred affairs. Moreover between these two, namely between the priest and the prince, there shall be counsel of peace and the greatest union. But truly the Rising, in Hebrew צמח tsemach, that is, a shoot, is the proper name of Christ, as I have shown in chapter III, 8; for there, equally as here, the whole discourse is directed to Jesus the son of Josedec, the antitype and antonym of Jesus Christ, and no mention is made of Zerubbabel. Whence the Chaldean translator renders it: Behold a man whose name is Messiah; so also the ancient Rabbis according to Galatinus, book III, chapter XVI. So also St. Jerome, Haymo, Albert, Rupert, Vatablus and Lyran, who however alone wrongly understands by Rising also Jesus the son of Josedec. Now the sense is, as if to say, This crown I place upon thee, O Jesus, son of Josedec, not on account of thee, but on account of the Rising, that is Christ, so that thou mayest bear his type, and represent his priesthood and principate. Vatablus thinks Christ is called the Rising, because he himself when newly born "increased in age, and wisdom, and grace with God and men," as Luke says; and because he grew in the Church, as I shall presently say. Whence the Syrian translator renders it: Behold a man, and his name is Rising, and from beneath he shall rise; the Alexandrian Arabic: Behold a man, his name is Rising, he shall hasten suddenly, and shall build the house of the Lord. AND FROM BENEATH HIM. — In Hebrew mittachtan, that is, from beneath him shall rise, as if to say, Christ shall be and shall be called the Rising: because from beneath Christ, and from Christ, as from a root, shall rise and shall germinate as it were secretly and gradually without perception, a multitude of branches, that is, of the faithful, so that it shall spread itself into a great tree; for he himself shall build the temple, that is, the Church, of the Lord. Thus St. Jerome. Whence the Chaldean translator renders it: Christ is his name, who is to be revealed, and magnified, and who shall build the temple of the Lord. This is what Christ says in John, chapter XII, 24: "Unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, itself remaineth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." Whence St. Bernard, sermon 15 in the Canticles: "Let the grain therefore die, and let the harvest of the nations rise." Symbolically Lyran: In the nativity, he says, of Christ, from beneath him who is God shall rise, and shall be born as man; and conversely from beneath man rising and being born, shall rise as it were and be born God. For God has risen and as it were been born to us, when Christ was born man, in whom divinity lay hidden, which by hypostatic union uniting humanity to itself, with it seemed tacitly as it were to be born and to rise on earth. Tropologically, St. Gregory, book XX of the Morals, chapter XVIII, or, according to another edition, chapter XXI: "The Rising," he says, "is his name. For because light rises from the east, he is rightly called the Rising, by whose light of justice the night of our justice is illuminated." Hear also St. Ambrose, book On Paradise, chapter III: "Paradise," he says, "was toward the east in Eden, that is, toward Christ, who poured forth a certain brightness of eternal light, and is in Eden, that is, in pleasure." Anagogically Rupert: In the resurrection, he says, Christ was to be the Rising; because henceforth always to be in rising, never in setting. For when he shall have died, among the dead he shall rise to those who fear the name of the Lord; and ascending, he shall rise alive to earth and heaven, so that he shall never die again, and through him in the multitude of believers shall be dilated, and in the glory of the rising shall be magnified. Again from beneath himself shall rise, that is, by virtue not alien, but his own, namely of his divinity, he shall rise, and shall spread himself and his Church throughout the whole world. Finally, St. Chrysostom, in his homily on these words of Zechariah, at the end of vol. I, reads and explains it differently, namely thus: Behold a man, the Orient is his name, under his shadow the sun shall rise; he himself shall come to save his people. "What kind of name is Orient?" he says. "Delightful, sweet, pleasant. Let us always desire this, that turned away from the West, intent upon the East, we may know God almighty. Under his shadow the sun shall rise. And truly under his shadow has risen the brightness of his divinity, who has placed his tabernacle in the sun. Because light has come into the world, it has shone upon our dark minds, the earth has been declared, hidden things have been made manifest, dark things have been opened, so that light might rise upon us. Because we who sat in darkness and the shadow of death, light has risen upon us. This sun is not cloudy, nor covered, not ascending and descending; but that sun of justice, which by its coming has made splendid the whole hinge of the world, what else did it do except to make for the Father and for himself a peculiar people, having given the pledge of the Holy Spirit?" AND HE SHALL BUILD A TEMPLE TO THE LORD. — He alludes to the temple rebuilt by Jesus and Zerubbabel, that is to say, Just as these rebuild the material temple of Solomon: so the Orient, that is Jesus Christ, shall build a spiritual temple, namely the Christian Church for God. Whence he confirms this same thing by repeated assertion, when he adds: "And he himself shall build (in Hebrew it is the same verb as before, but in the future tense, namely יבנה iibne, that is shall build) a temple to the Lord," that is to say, Altogether he himself as he shall begin, so shall he complete the building of the temple, that is of the Church of God. Mystically, by this repetition is signified a twofold temple, namely the Church militant and triumphant, to be built by Christ. Thus St. Jerome, Rupert, Lyra, Clarius and Vatablus.
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13. AND HE HIMSELF (the Rising One, not Zerubbabel, as the Hebrews and Theodoret wish, but Christ) SHALL BEAR GLORY, — namely a crown of glory, that is, of glorious priesthood and kingdom, according to that in Psalm XX, 4: "Thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stone." Whence explaining this, he adds: "And he shall sit, and shall rule upon his throne, and he shall be a priest upon his throne." Now Christ obtained this glory in an inchoate manner in this life; wherefore the Prophet signifies here four chariots, that is, monarchies, to have ceased in the kingdom of Christ, of which he says: "He shall rule upon his throne," but Christ obtained this glory, dominion and kingdom in full measure after the resurrection, when, having overcome death, sin and the demon, triumphing he ascended into heaven, and there sits at the right hand of the Father, as it were King of kings and Lord of lords, leading after him the hosts of all the saints to eternal glory and triumph. Thus St. Jerome, Rupert, Arias and Vatablus. St. John beheld this glory of Christ in the Apocalypse, cap. V, 12, when he heard the angels and all the saints acclaiming him: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and divinity (the name and fame of divinity, and its glory, worship and adoration), and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." And soon after: "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in it, I heard all saying: To him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb, blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, for ever and ever. And the four living creatures said: Amen." See the words there. Where St. John appears to allude to this passage according to the Septuagint, which for glory render power, concerning which St. Jerome says: "By one, he says, ἐπιδοξότης, by another ἐπιπρέπεια, by another ἀφιτά, by another δόξα is written, which sound either illustrious, or comeliness, or power, or glory," all which and more St. John has embraced. AND THE COUNSEL OF PEACE (that is, supreme peace, union and concord; for prudent counsel brings about this, and this must be guarded and preserved by all counsel), SHALL BE BETWEEN THOSE TWO, — namely between Jesus the priest and Zerubbabel the prince, say those from among the Hebrews, St. Jerome, Theodoret, Remigius, Lyra and Hugh. But no mention has been made of Zerubbabel here: wherefore he cannot be demonstrated with Jesus by the demonstrative pronoun those. I say therefore that those demonstrates the two thrones, or two seats, namely of priesthood and principality; for although throne in Latin is of neuter gender, yet the Hebrew כסא kisse, that is, throne or seat, is of masculine gender. Thus St. Jerome, Rupert, Vatablus, Clarius and Arias. Or rather more aptly to the matter, and equally to the Latin version, those demonstrates the prince, who, as was said before, "shall sit and shall rule upon his throne," and the priest, of whom he soon adds: "And he shall be a priest upon his throne," as if to say: In Christ there shall be supreme consensus and concord between the prince sitting on the royal throne, and the priest sitting on the priestly throne; because Christ shall be both, and shall unite in himself both dignities of priesthood and kingdom: of which thing Jesus the son of Josedec, verse 11, received a double crown as a type, namely of priesthood and principality, so that he might portend both powers to be united in Christ. For before, when these powers were divided, there was often strife and dissension between priests and kings, as is evident from the books of Kings. Some expound it thus, as if to say: There shall be supreme consensus between Jesus Josedec and Jesus Christ, such as is between image and exemplar, between idea and work, between type and antitype. But this is more typical and mystical than literal and genuine. Therefore what I said before is the literal sense, which the Syriac favors, which renders: And the counselor (giving counsel and counseling) of peace shall be between those two; and the Arabic of Antioch more significantly: And the kingdom of peace shall be upon them all; and the Arabic of Alexandria: And there shall be counsel of concord between them.
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14. AND THE CROWNS SHALL BE TO HELEM AND TO TOBIAS, etc., — that is to say, After thou shalt have placed upon the head of Jesus the crowns already mentioned, thou shalt take them down, and consecrate them, and place them in the temple, with the names of those four men inscribed in them, who offered gold and silver for them, namely Helem, Tobias, Idaia and Hem, for their perpetual remembrance; because these crowns shall henceforth dwell in the temple, that is in the house of the high priest, that is to say, The high priest who shall preside over the temple shall henceforth preside also over the kingdom, and shall be king or prince: then that they may be "a memorial," that is to say, that their memory and praise may be eternal, who by this offering both of Jesus the son of Josedec, and in him of Jesus Christ's kingdom and priesthood tacitly acknowledged, and professed themselves and their possessions consecrated to him. Thus St. Jerome, Theodoret, Remigius and Lyra. Note: He who in verse 10 is called Holdai, here is called Helem; and he who there is called Josias, here is called Hen. But they were of two names. Moreover these names, because they are shorter, rather than those first longer ones, were inscribed on the crowns. Morally, learn here how pleasing it is to God to offer his riches to the temple, and to persons dedicated to him, so that he may wish their names to be inscribed on the gifts, for their perpetual fame and glory, so that by these crowns not so much God as the very offerers themselves may be seen to be crowned by God. Mystically St. Jerome: Holdai, he says, is interpreted in Hebrew as supplication of the Lord; Tobias, good of the Lord, or pleasing to the Lord; Idaia, known of the Lord. For Holdai he put Helem, which is interpreted as dream: and in the fourth place he added Hen, that is grace; because Daniel in chapter II, by invocation of God and grace, obtained the interpretation of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. For the Hebrews hand down that Holdai, Tobias, Idaia and Hem were Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael. Mystically therefore by these etymologies it is signified that to those who approach the Lord, and beseech him, and are pleasing to God, and therefore known to God, let there be given Hen, that is grace, and gifts, which are signified by the name of grace: and Helem, that is dream, that is the delights of the bride, and rest in the embrace and bosom of the Lord, according to that in the Canticle V, 2: "I sleep, and my heart watcheth." And chapter III, 5: "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and the harts of the fields, that you stir not up, nor make to awake my beloved, till she please." To this the Septuagint agrees, who for Holdai translate, those who wait; for Tobias, useful; for Idaia, those who know. Whence thus they translate: And the crown shall be to those who wait, and to the useful ones of him, and to those who have known her, and in grace to the son of Zephaniah, and in a psalm in the house of the Lord. Which St. Jerome explaining thus says: "The crown, that is the badge of victory when Christ shall have been crowned, is also promised to these, who wait for him (according to that of Paul in II Timothy IV, 8: For the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord will render to me in that day, a just judge: not only to me, but also to those who love, and therefore wait for his coming) and understand the usefulness of their captivity once, and have known all the mysteries of God, so that they may be in the grace of the son of Zephaniah, that is of the visitation of the Lord. And those who in Babylon said: Upon the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept, when we remembered Sion, after they shall have returned to Jerusalem, shall receive the psaltery and the timbrel, and shall sing in the Church of the Lord: and those who by greater sins were far from Judea and from true confession, by each progress of theirs shall build the house of the Lord. But all things shall come to pass which have been promised, if they shall wish to hear the Lord, and having done penance shall remain in good works." Whence Tertullian in book IV Against Marcion, chapter XXXIX, reads: And the crown shall be to those who shall have endured, that is to say, Endurance shall bring forth a crown to the patient and to the martyrs. Morally, let princes learn here that they ought to cultivate harmony with the Church and the Pontiffs, inasmuch as their dignity is inferior and subordinate to theirs, and thus connected and united in Christ, "so that neither the royal pinnacle may depress the dignity of the priesthood, nor the dignity of the priesthood the royal pinnacle; but in the glory of one Lord Jesus Christ both may agree," says St. Jerome; and then they will be fortunate and blessed. Thus Saul was blessed, so long as he obeyed the admonitions of Samuel: but when he departed from them, he deprived himself of life and kingdom and his family. Thus Joas, so long as he obeyed Joiada, was pious and fortunate; but when he killed his son Zacharias, he himself was soon killed, II Paralipomenon XXIV, 25. Thus Ozias, because he usurped the priesthood, burning incense, was struck with leprosy, II Paralipomenon XXVI, 19. Thus Jeroboam, Achab, Jehu and the other kings of Israel, because they made a schism from the pontiffs and the temple, were all without exception deprived of kingdom and life. Thus Constantine, following the teachings of Sylvester, became glorious. Thus Gratian, Valentinian, Theodosius, disciples and followers of St. Ambrose, obtained a celebrated name on earth and in heaven. Thus Charles the Great, a wonderful cultivator and defender of the Roman Church, as much as of the Pontiff, obtained the name of Great through his victories and deeds. Let princes therefore follow that counsel, or rather commandment, which St. Louis, the wise and pious king of France, left in his testament to his son and successor Philip when dying: "Be," he says, "always and in all things devoted and obedient to the Roman Church and to the Pontiff, and honor him as a spiritual father." AND THEY THAT ARE FAR OFF,—that is, Those who are distant from Jerusalem and the temple, and dwell in remote places, incited both by others and by those four men who brought gold from Babylon and offered it to the temple, by their example, memory and glory, will themselves also bring their gifts, to promote the building and adornment of the temple. Thus the Hebrews, Theodoret, St. Jerome, Remigius, Albert and others. Thus Darius and Artaxerxes sent expenses and offerings to the temple, as Esdras relates in book I, chapters VI and VII. Allegorically, that is, When Christ shall build the Church, and in it the Pontiff and prince shall be as crowned by God, there will come from the distant parts of the world Gentiles, who had hitherto been far removed from God, Christ, heaven and salvation, to promote the building of his Church. For from the Gentiles were created bishops, doctors, pastors, etc., who built up and spread the Church of Christ by word and example. Thus St. Jerome, Rupert and Arias. This is what the Apostle says in Ephesians II, 13: "You who were afar off, are made nigh in the blood of Christ." Whence he infers in verse 17: "Therefore now you are no more strangers and foreigners; but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and the domestics of God." Foreseeing these coming from afar, Isaiah, chapter LX, 1, exults and cries out: "Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem: for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Lift up thy eyes round about, and see: all these are gathered together, they are come to thee: thy sons shall come from afar, and thy daughters shall rise up at thy side." AND YOU SHALL KNOW,—that is, When you shall see these my oracles fulfilled in fact, and especially when crowds shall flow together from remote cities and nations to the temple, and shall offer their gifts therein, then you shall know that I, Zacharias, who predicted these things, did not predict them from myself, but sent and inspired by God, and at the same time you will believe that the things which I predicted concerning the Orient, that is Christ, I predicted from God, and therefore the same things will be fulfilled in their time with equal certainty; for these are the words of Zacharias concerning Christ, as is evident; not of Christ concerning himself, as Eusebius thought in book V of the Demonstration, chapter V. AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS,—that is, These prosperous and glorious things will befall the temple, and consequently you, O Jews, but under this condition, namely if you obey the law and voice of God; but if you are disobedient and rebellious to him, do not accuse me of falsehood, if God revokes these his and my promises. Thus Theodoret. Mystically, that is, If you, O Jews, will hear and receive Christ and the voice and doctrine of Christ, you will know that I have truly prophesied concerning him under the name of the Orient, and his temple, that is the Church, and you will become partakers of all his goods, which he himself will bring down from heaven to earth: but if you reject him, he will revoke these his goods from you, and transfer them to the Gentiles.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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In visione antecedenti vati exhibita est theocratia eiusque bona quae in peccatorum deletione, in pace et felicitate consistunt. Earum rerum «ontemplationi magna cum aàdmiratione et stupore inhaesisse propheta censendus est, ita ut iis mens eius atqueattentio plane fuerit occupata. Quare ut ad novam visionerg percipiendam aptus fiat, excitatione aliqua ab angelo facta opus est :
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v. 4 « Et reversus est angelus qui loquebatur ?n me et suscitavit me quasi virum qui suscitatur de somno suo » ; — cum tam explicite notetur et reversus est angelus, videtur allusio fieri ad 2, 3; ibi egressus est angelus i. e. in visione recessit ab intima illa cum vate quasi cohabitatione, quae verbo loquentis in me designatur, ita ut vates angelum cerneret aliquo spatio a se disiunctum. Nunc igitur angelus ad intimam illam cohabitationem revertitur, id quod etiam colloquio instituto confirmatur, quod in hoc capite eodem modo habetur, uti 1, 19 seq., dum a 2, 3-3, 10 talis collocutio non adsit. Et statim signum edit praesentiae suae angelus; suscitat i. e. ad novam visionem percipiendam efficaciter excitat et disponit vatem, a stupore et admiratione prioris visionis mentem eius excutiens (cf. Hier. Rib. Lap. Men.) et ad magnam novae rei attentionem et vigilantiam provocans (S. Cyr.)..- Cum explicite dicatur quasi virum... non erit cum Schegg et Trochon de somno cogitandum, quo propheta refectus fuerit et ex quo ab angelo suscitetur. Si cui somnus placuerit, de tali explicet quem Ieremias in visione se dicit esse expertum : « ideo quasi de somno suscitatus sum et vidi, et somnus meus dulcis mihi » (Ier. 34, 26) i. e. visionem suam et altissimam ac suavissimam rerum contemplationem dulcem somnum Zdicit. Angeli reditum Alb. intelligit non de loco ad locum, sed solum de ostensione Anius visionis ad ostensionem alterius. Át ipsam visionem ab angelo tutelari et interlocutore ei esse exhibitam, non dicitur; sed visionis ostensae explicatio ei subministratur ab eo angelo. Etiam Sanct. angeli reditum eum in modum accipit, ut is qui nunquam recesserat novum praesentiae suae vestigium et testimonium ediderit. Iam ad visionem oblatam ut oculos mentis defigat, eum hortatur et cum . eum suscitasset, certe etiam eius mentem exacuit et ei novam quandam et altiorem vim addidit (Lap.) ; v. 2 « et dixit ad me : quid tu vides? et dixi : vidi, et ecce candelabrum aureum totum et lampas eius super caput ipsius et septem lucernae eius super tllud. et septem infusoria lucernis quae erant super caput eius, v. 3 et duae olivae super illud, una a dextris lampadis, et una a sinistris eius » ; — cernit igitur vates candelabrum totum ex auro factum eum fere in modum, quo in sanctuario templi candelabrum erat (cf. Ex. 25, 31-40; 31, 1'1-23), at aliquibus rebus mutatis ; nam super candelabrum erat lampas eius i. e. ex hebr. lecythus vel lenticula eius, phiala, vas aliquod concavum et sphaericum ad oleum continendum (cf. Mar. Men. Gord. Calm.) ; ex hoc vase ad singulas candelabri aurei [ucernas, in quihus ellychnia insunt, oleum ad nutriendam flammam deducitur per totidem $nfusoria,i. e. per tubulos vel parvos canales seu fistulas sive meatus. Super eo eminebant duae olivae ad dexteram et ad sinistram lampadis i. e. vasis olearii gphaerici, quae olivae oleum subministrare censendae sunt vasi illi oleario in summitate candelabri conspicuo. Id ex ipsa arborum ratione vasioleario adstantium consequitur et etiam clarius enuntiatur iníra v. 19; nam conspiciuntur duae spicae olivarum, i. e. duo rami oleis pleni, quisunt iuxta duos canales per quos oleum olearum in vas illud sphaericum et concavum maius iugiter infunditur (cf. Vat. Mar. Calm.). rint quadraginta novem infundibula. Repetitione enim hebr. numerana Cistibntiet exprimuntur, communiter quidem sine * particula, at etiam cum ea, uti 2 Sam. 41, 90. 4 Chron. 20, 6 (cf. Schegg, Keil). Sed cum talis numerus aequo maior videatur, alii septem et septem quatuordecim explicant, alii per anadiplosin ita dici senüunt, ut affirmationis gratia iteretur : septem, lucernae super illud, septem, inquam, sunt et septem infusoria (cf. Vat. Sanct. Lap.). Ceterum notandum est, quamvis codices hebr. omnes habeant hanc repetitionem (— unus omittit * particulam ; cf. Sehegg) et ea etiam cernatur apud Syrum et Chald., illam tamen apud LXX non exprimi, neque eius fleri mentionem in commentariis S. Hier. Si septena infundibula assumere placet, designatur singulis lucernis abundantissime oleum affluere ad magnas flammas nutriendas '*. Huius symboli explicationem vates ab angelo interprete exquirit; v. 4 « et respondi et aio ad angelum qui loquebatur in me, dicens : quid sunt haec, domine mi?
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v. 5 et respondit angelus qui loquebatur in me, et dixit ad me : numquid, nescis, quid sunt haec? et dizi : non, domine mi »; — « angelus eum nescire illorum significationem propemodum obstupescit et num vere nesciat, interrogat. Propheta ignorantiam aperte confitente et tarditatem suam non erubescente obscuritatem visi deinceps enucleat et tamquam ex imagine manifesta et in oculis incurrente scopum in ea latentem explanat » (S. Cyr.) ; fortasse rectius dices cum Zib. repetitionem ab angelo fieri, ut vatem praeparet ad attentius audiendum et studium discendi acuat ; alii tamen cum S. Cyr. admirationem angeli expressam cernunt, quod vates ea non statim perspiciat, quamvis prophetiae eiusargumentum spectent, et comparant Ioan. 3, 10: « tu es magister in Israel et haec ignoras » (cf. Lap.)? Iam explicatio visionis per angelum subditur :
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v. 6 «et respondit et ait ad, me Üicens : hoc est verbum Domini ad. Zorobabel dicens : non in exercitu nec in robore, sed. in spiritu meo, dicit Dominus ezercituum » ; — «sermo Dei ad Zorobabel ipse est interpretatio visionis », uti optime dicit S. Hier. ; cum enim, prout notat TAheod., propheta percontaretur, quarum rerum figura et aenigmata essent, quae fuerant demonstrata, angeli responsio necessario illarum refert explanationem, eam quidem non per singula membra incedentem et ut ita dicam verbalem, formalem, verum rei summam exprimentem et realem. Ne igitur confidat in exercitu vel apparatu bellico et humana fortitudine; non hisce res esse gerendas, non ad horum normam rempublicam esse instituendam, verum omnia esse dimetienda, gerenda, administranda in spiritu Dei ; Dei favorem unum esse adminiculum, Dei voluntatem unam normam. Proinde indoles spiritualis surgentis novae theocratiae quam maxime indicatur. H&ec verba, ut monet S. Cyr., ducem revocant ab humanis frivolisque cogitationibus, eum deterrent ab expeditionibus bellicis, ne tali ratione adminiculis humanis et humano modo theocratiam stabiliri posse opinetur, et omnia in uno Dei auxilio et consilio esse constituenda docent. Haec verba Zorobabeli tamquam tessera proponuntur, qua in omni negotio et in tota rerum administratione ac gubernatione utatur et qua unice omnia disponat et in restituenda theocratia laboret. Pars prior clare quoque proponitur Mich. 5, 10-14; pars altera Soph. 3, 1'] et saepe. Ex hac norma generali statim pro conditione praesenti applicatio fit ;. omnia obstacula scil. et impedimenta quae templi fabricam obruere videntur, iri superatum et remotum : v. "1 «quis tu mons magne coram Zorobabel? in planum! et educet lapidem primarium et exaequabit gratiam gratiae eius » ; — pars prior promissionem continet amplam : etsi Zorobabeli opponantur montes, obstacula gravissima, potestates adversariae vel gentes quae eum ab opere incepto theocratiae restituendae retrahere et impedire conentur, haec omnia uno verbo ac nutu Dei dissipabuntur; mons ille subito tolletur et in planum redigetur. Mos loquendi per interrogationem et brevis atque abruptus per modum imperii et iussionis valde est emphaticus; depingit, quantopere summum quodque obstaculum quasi nihil sit despiciendum et quam facile ac cito a Deo possit removeri et quam certo sit auferendum. Montem magnum multi interpretantur diabolum (S. Hier. Cyr. Rup. Rib. Sa, Tir.; regnum chaldaicum (?) vel diabolum Aib.) ; alii generatim adversarios vel vim hostilem ! (Theod. M. Sanct. Lap. Men. Gord.) vel speciali ratio-. ne gentes templi fabricam impedientes (Theod.) ; omnes isti simul intel: liguntur, quia quidquid Zorobabeli eiusque operi negotium facessere possit a Deo conterendum promittitur. Ita scil. spiritus Dei suam exhibet efficaciam (cf. Is. 40, 4 ; 49, 41. Ier. 51, 25). Hoc vero auxilium particulari ratione cernetur in templi fabrica quam Zorobabel feliciter perficiet : et educet lapidem primarium. Hac locutione intelligi templi fabricam, omnes consentiunt. Sed quid proprie sit. educere lapidem capitis vel primarium, non ita obvium est. Multi intelligunt illum qui totum aedificium absolvat, lapidem culminis, qui in fastigio collocetur ad finem fabricae imponendum (cf. Sanct. Lap. Gord. Calm. Keil, Trochon). Verum num talis lapis supremus ad fastigium absolvendum revera notus erat veteribus? Valde dubito ; nam de fornice aedificando, in quo talis lapis summus et opus concludens adhiberi solet, hoc loco certe non est sermo. Quare significatio de lapide angulari erit retinenda (cf. Rib. Ros. Ges. Thes. 1951, Schegg) ; is vero educetur et tamquam lapis angularis revera consistet, si aedificium ei innititur ; quare fabricae templi continuatio et absolutio indicari videtur. Haec autem eductio fit ex hebr. cum faustis acclamationibus adstantium : gratia, gratia ei i. e. feliciter sit positus, faveat ei Deus (cf. Rib. Sanct. Mar. Calm.). Sensus iste ex hebr. planus est ac facilis; obscurus ac impeditus ex vulg. exaequabit gratiam gratiae eius; explicant : gratiam et splendorem huius templi aequalem faciet gratiae prioris (cf. Sanct. Men.) ; at hoc verum non est ; si templum consideras, inferius est priore; si dignitatem eius ex Agg. 2, 8, superior erit gloria eius ; alii : decus addet decori (Calm.); alii : beneficium fabricae absolutae erit aequale beneficio inchoationis; ea prosperitate perficiet, qua coepit (Tir. Gord.) etc. S. Hier. secutus esse videtur versionem graecam ; ieót»tz Jápttog wdpita aote etiam Aq. habet ££taocst x áprroc, ut legitur M. 16 c, 3003, vel ex Middeldorpfio p. 558 ktoosost xéprra* vel, uti Field (Orig. Hex. IT, 1020) rem exhibet : Aq. &&soctt Xápitoc — cod. 86 syrohexaplaris affert Aq. &££cost X&ptv. nomine ££:0060s« pro verbo male habito —, Sym. 506; Xáptv aot/, — cod. 86 aoto0. —, Theod. &arámavciw, xaránavocu avt — cod. 86 a9:». Unde hebr. niNn derivarunt a nm) aequale, planum esse, non à N'U vel potius ix. Ceterum vocem nNUn $. Hier. vertit Is. 22, 2 clamorem, item Iob 39, 7. Syrus totam sententiam reddit : et protulit lapidem praecipuum aequalitatis et xniseritordiaó ; id quod S. Ephraem de concordia accipit et amore subditorum in ducem Zorobabel. Chald. autem hanc partem ita explanat : revelabit (Deus) Christum suum, cuius nomen dictum est ab aeterno et qui dominabitur in omnia regna. Manifesto lapidem primarium interpretatur Messiam. Audita angeli explicatione v. 6 ratio visionis accuratius est perpendenda. Quae angelus explicavit, certefacem praeferre debent ; at ea valde brevia sunt et concisa, ita ut Lap. scribere non dubitet : «symbolum candelabri explicat angelus, sed tam concise et obscure, ut Oedipo sit opus ». Quid candelabrum sibi velit, optime explicabimus, si cum Rib. advertimus, Apoc. 4, 20dici: « candelabra septem septem ecclesiae sunt ». Unde candelabrum symbolum est populi theocratici. Candelabrum in sanctuario positum et iugiter accensum coram Domino apte designat populum theocraticum, qualis esse debet, lucens scil. coram Domino et lucem cognitionis divinae ad tenebras ignorantiae et iniquitatis dispellendas aliis diffundens et afferens. Quare discipulos suos Christus vocat lucem mundi, omnesque exhortatur : luceat lux vestra etc., et S. Paulus dicit homines christianos lucere sicut luminaria in mundo (Phil. 2, 15). Cum igitur candelabrum aureum obiiciatur menti prophetae eo sane consilio, ut ex ea visione Zorobabel dux edoceatur (— v. 6 hoc est verbum Domini ad Zorobabel —), hoc symbolo designatur, qualis ex Dei voluntate esse debeat theocratia instaurata ; debet scil. esse sicut candelabrum in sanctuario iugiter ardens et lucens coram Domino ; ex qua re indoles . theocratiae spiritualis clare elucet ; neque enim symbolo bellico neque re mundana theocratia exprimitur, sed re sacra ad Dei cultum pertinente et in sanctuario collocata. Ex auro totum erat candelabrum confectum ; quo facile declaratur, quanto in pretio sit apud Deum populus theocraticus, sed simul eo symbolo admonitio continetur, ut se purum ac sanctum conservet populus Dei. Septem lucernis est instructum ex similitudine cum candelabro in sanctuario ; septem lucernis vel varia exhibentur et multiplicia opera, quibus populus lucere debeat coram Deo v. g. septem virtutibus (tribus theologicis, cardinalibus quattuor, i. e. omnibus) vel quovis tempore i. e. sugiter theocratia coram Deo lucens ; numero emim septenario tempo- 'is divisiones apud Hebraeos reguntur hebdomadum vid. annorum sabbaticorum et annorum iubilaeorum et in universum sacer iste numerus multitudinem atque copiam designat (vide ad Mich. 5, 5). Ut autem septem lucernae lucere possint per totidem canales eis oleum subministratur, velex textu hebr. singulis per septenos canales i. e. quam abundantissime. Oleum apte designat influxum et gratiam divinam ; est enim oleum, unctio symbolum virtutis, fortitudinis, roboris, laetitiae, quae infusione et communicatione spiritus Dei animis hominum induntur (cf. Ps. 29, 5; 44, 8; 88, 21. Is. 61, 3) ; inde actio unctionis regum et sacerdotum et unctio fidelium per Spiritum sanctum (2 Cor. 1, 21. 4 Ioan. 9, 20. 29'1) explicatur. Oleum lucernis continuo affluens eandem exhibet imaginem ac vitis iugiter sucum suum transfundens palmitibus (cf. Ioan. 15, 1. 5). Oleum autem continuo affluit ex una ampulla, in quam ex duabus olivis immittitur. Duae olivae vel duo rami oleis pleni per duos tubos oleum suum transfundunt in unam ampullam, ex qua omnibus lucernis praesto est. Accedit igitur symbolica repraesentatio maxime ad rerum naturam ; oleum enim exoleis exprimitur. Duae olivae vel duo rami oleis pleni ab angelo v. 14 explicantur « duo filii olei qui assistunt Dominatori universae terrae » ; et sunt duae dignitates theocraticae per quas Deus suae gratiae auxilia populo suo communicari vult, sacrum scil. regimen et sacerdotium ; ista assistunt Domino, quatenus ab eo sunt instituta, ut iis demum regnum Dei in terris constituatur, propagetur et homines persacrum imperium et sacerdotium expientur, reconcilientur cum Deo, erudiantur in viis Domini et efficaciter ad Deum ordinentur et dirigantur. In sacerdotio et sacro imperio vel in duplici potestate sacerdotali et regali omnis theocratia quasi in suo cardine vertitur; hanc duplicem potestatem Deus in vetere instituit, eandem Christus in nova retinuit et ex indole novae et gublimioris theocratiae altiore acsublimiore dignitate, auctoritate, effica- ' cia exornatam voluit. Per hanc duplicem potestatem demum verissime . oleum, ope cuius lucerna lucet coram Deo et hominibus, distribuitur ; per eam enim hominibus, veritas et gratia communicatur i. e. illustratio intellectus et robur voluntatis, ut et agenda cognoscant et quae cognoverint opere exsequi valeant. Quantopere id in nova theocratia, i. e. in novo foedere verum sit, expositione non indiget, cum constet bona supernaturalia fidelibus per duos illos canales via ordinaria ex Christi institutione affluere ; idem autem, quantum umbrae et figurae ratio postulat vel patitur, in vetere theocratia obtinuit. Regnum et sacerdotium instituit Deus, ut utriusque ministerio fideli et populus regatur et Deo tamquam populus sanctus sistatur. Neque significatione carere videtur, quod duae olivae in unum vas olearium oleum infundunt, ita ut ex uno omnes lucernae alantur. Duae enim hae potestates non solum intime inter se nectuntur, sed etiam ex Dei consilio et natura rei virtutem et efficientiam suam ita unire debent, ut unus aliquis fons auxiliorum coelestium pro populo exsistat. Sunt quidem sacrum imperium et sacerdotium instrumentum duplex, quorum utrumque proprios habet effectus; at nihilominus actiones eorum in unum convergunt et ut habeatur totus effectus qui ad finem requiritur, Scil. ut adsit sanctitas illa lucens coram Deo et hominibus, opus est actione utriusque coniuncta, sicuti opus est pro vita rationali intellectu et voluntate, pro vita supernaturali veritate et gratia. Quantum hoc verum sit in theocratia novi foederis i. e. quantopere potestas iurisdictionis et ordinis inter se compleant, iuvent, unum fontem auxiliorum integrum pro fidelium necessitatibus constituant, adeo manifestum est, utinnuisse sufficiat. | Igitur hoc symbolo candelabri et olivarum indoles spiritualis theocratiae quam clarissime exprimitur. In sanctuario coram Deo lucet candelabrum ; aluntur eius lucernae duplici illa potestate theocratica, quae qua talis ! a Deo est instituta, nomine et auctoritate Dei agit et a Deo vim et virtutem accipit. Quare angelus v. 6 veram symboli significationem iis verbis est complexus, quibus omnia esse agenda, dimetienda indicat non auxiliis et normis humanis, sed virtute illa et regula, quae spiritu Dei constituitur. In novo autem foedere cum Christus sit rex et sacerdos et ab eo omnis potestas regiminis sacri et sacerdotii ultimatim sit derivanda, in manifesto est positum, in quantum valeat angeli monitum : uno spiritu Christi cuncta geri et animari. Haec symboli explicatio commendari videtur, quia 1? verbis angeli omnino concordat, ita ut ea non sint nisl necessaria conclusio ex re repraesentata ; 2? apte et obvie ad res in visione exhibitas accommodatur ; 3* magnam partem iam a veteribus est proposita. Candelabrum enim Ecclesiam interpretantur S. Hier. Cyr. Rib. Sanct. Sa, Lap. Est. Men. et iam S. Hier. explicite asserit, ab ecclesiasticis viris in commentariis hanc tradi explanationem ; duas autem olivas esse regnum et sacerdotium tradunt Theod. Theod. M. lacobus edessenus (legitur in opp. S. Ephraem, II p. 289), Sanct. Lap.;iis quoque iure adnumerantur ii, qui Iesum sacerdotem et Zorobabelem intelligunt : S. Ephr. Barh. Mar. Men. Tir. Gord. Calm., quia in istis duobus potestatem theocraticam exhiberi ac repraesentari omnino censent. Ceterum in explanatione magna cernitur varietas. Iam S. Hier. postquam varias explanationes proposuit, ita concludit : « haec ut quivimus et ut vires ingenioli nostri ferre potuerunt, locuti sumus, et Hebraeorum et nostrorum varias opiniones breviter perstringentes ; si quis melius immo verius dixerft, et nos libenter melioribus acquiescimus » (M. 95, 1447). Delectum aliquem ex variis expositionibus esse faciendum et aliqua a nullo adhuc dicta adiungi oportere, etiam Rib. asserit : « decerpam itaque in hac visione et in reliquis quae supersunt, quod mihi in unoquoque videbitur probabilius, et addam alia quae deerunt, ut plenam atque integram expositionem habeamus » ; et Sanct. fatetur : «incidimus in locum qui diu optima torsit ingenia, neque tamen e multis explicatio est ulla quae curioso ac studioso lectori omnino satisfaciat ». Plerisque visio symbolica reddebatur explicatu difficilior, quia in summitate . eandelabri lampadem ardentem adesse ex textu graeco et latino censebant hancque Christum interpretabantur ; ita viam sibi occluserunt, qua quid sibi vellent duae olivae intelligerent (cf. Cyr. Rup. Rib. Sanct. Est.). Unde duas olivas ad merum fere ornatum adstare facile quis coniectare posset ; illas Moysen et Eliam, legem et evangelium, Iudaeos et gentes, Enoch et Eliam, immo et Filium Dei et Spiritum sanctum interpretati sunt (cf. apud S. Hier. Cyr. Alb. Rib. Est.) et etiam ii, qui regnum et sacerdotium exponebant, veram symboli vim non clare efferunt, quia ab olivis oleum derivari ad alendas lucernas non attenderunt, vel quia lampadem Christum interpretantes ab olivis in Christum oleum derivari tamquam rem àbsurdam reiicere cogebantur. Alii in candelabro non Ecclesiam cernunt, verum divinam gratiam et providentiam (Theod. Theod. M. Mar. Tir.), vel Christum (Rup.), vel spiritum Dei . (Schegg). Unde in lucernis quoque et infusoriis explicandis in varias partes discedunt. Divinae providentiae assiduitatem, perpetuitatem, liberalitatem Teod. cernit adumbratam, item Schegg ; Cyr. vero Apostolos, Rib. iustos et septem sacramenta ; sim. Sanct. etc. Ad explicationem quam proposuimus prope accedunt Calm. Trochon. (ef. etiam Reinke, Die mess. Weissag. IV, 9. p. 52), praeter eos qui, ut supra com- - memoravi, saltem rei summam eodem fere modo accipiunt interpretantes cande labrum de Ecclesia et duas olivas de regno et sacerdoti:
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Repetita assertione eonfirmatur promissio v. "1 data. Specie et figura quadam theocratiae proposita et indole eius in universum depicta apte subiungitur, quaenam sint praecipuae Zorobabelis partes in eo opere. Ut enim theocratia vetus rite restituatur, et consistat, praeprimis opus est templo (vide quae dicta sunt in prolegg. ad Aggaeum) ; unde
6:9
v. 8 « Et factum est verbum Domini ad, me dicens : v.9 manus Zorobabel fundaverunt domum istam et manus eius perficient eam ; et scietis quia. Dominus ezercituum misit me ad vos » ; — verba sunt angeli, uti patet quia se dicit missum a Domino exercituum ad nuntium hunc perferendum ; cf. 9, 9; non esse verba prophetae ex eo colligitur, quia sermo integer a v. 8-10 propter v. 11 ad angelum loquentem referri debet. Ex templi autem restitutione agnoscant et pro certo habeant, reliqua quoque quae de theocratia dicta sint suo tempore certo iri impletum. Templi fundamenta iecit Zorobabel « anno secundo adventus eorum mense secundo » Esd. 3, 8-13; verum mox a gentibus opus inceptum impediebatur, Esd. 4, 1-5. 24 : « tunc intermissum est opus domus Domini in Ierusalem et non fiebat usque ad annum secundum Darii regis Persarum ». Post vaticinia et admonitiones Aggaei, quae fiebant anno secundo Darii mense sexto die primo et mense septimo die vigesimo primo (Agg. 4, 1-2, 10), haec visio mense octavo novos addidit animos et nova etiam calcaria ad opus Dei aggrediendum. Subiungit angelus parva et exilia initia non esse parvi facienda; adfore opem divinam copiosam :
6:10
v. 10 « quis enim despexit dies parvos ? et laetabuntur et videbunt lapidem stanneum in manu Zorobabel. Septem isti oculi sunt Domini qui discurrunt in universam terram » ; — hebr. quis enim despexit diem rerum parvarum? i. e. diem quo solummodo res parvae fiunt ; dicuntur dies magni, parvi metonymice, in quibus magna vel parva contingunt !, vel qui sunt viles et despecti prae magnis et magnificis illis, quibus Salomon aedificavit templum prius (Lap.). Monet 1. Uti CAald. addit : propter aedificium quod sit exiguum. igitur angelus, ne parva initia templi rerumque difficultatem veriti animis cadant, ne illa contemnant aut grandia enasci posse negent. Cum enim tam praeclaris vaticiniis, quae hisce visionibus continentur, per Deum erudiantur et erigantur, quis audebit parva illa initia flocci facere et quis non potius firma fide et fiducia sibi persuadebit, Deum qui ez fihilo condidit universa, ex parvis initiis magnificam esse educturum molem, quo eius potentia et gratia tanto magis eluceat, quanto minus spes aderat ex subsidiis humanis ? Interrogatio ergo quis... est indignantis et prohibentis vel admirantis post talia promissa posse quemquam cum pusillanimitate de rerum conditione exili angi et perturbari. Quid potius praestandum sit et quid aequus rerum iudex sentire debeat, effert dicens : cum laetitia et gaudio videbunt perpendiculum ! in manu Zorobabelis i. e. aedificantem cernent laetabundi; cum enim perpendiculum mittitur, iam paries fit (Rib. Sanct. Lap. Sa, Mar. Men. Tir. Gord. Calm.). Et eos iuremerito laetari debere declarat addens, septem oculos Domini dirigi in tale opus i. e. septem angelos Domini qui adstant coram Domino et praecipui sunt rerum administratores Deique in gubernatione ministri, opus illud suo favore prosequi, suis auxiliis promovere (cf. Rib. Sanct. Lap. Tir. Calm.) ; cf. 3, 9. Apoc. 5, 6 dicuntur septem oculi « septem spiritus Dei missi in omnem terram » ; quare etiam h. l. de angelis esse interpretandum censemus, dum alii curam et providentiam Dei ita depingi volunt (cf. S. Cyr. Theod. Theod. M. Mar. Trochon), vel septem moderatores et principes iustos vel septem Spiritus sancti operationes (S. Ephr.), vel septem declarari lucernas (Schegg). In alium sensum interrogatio inflectitur a S. Hier. : «qui despexerint dies parvos (hoc autem refert ad regiam potestatem, ut commoneat Zorobabel et Iesum et populum aedificantes templum Dei nequaquam adversarios timere prohibentes, sed audire Dominum cohortantem), ex eo quod, despiciunt regale fastigium, laetabuntur et videbunt auxilium Salvatoris » ; sim. Haimo. Aliter S. Cyr. : « si quis parvos et paucos dies medios despexerit sive nihili duxerit dilationem non moestus propter hoc, omnino omni laetitia replebitur ». Theod. Theod. M. legunt non puxe&c fiépoc, sed i.xxedc diesque longos refert Theod. ad annos septuaginta, per quos Deus despiciens lerusalem ad vastitatem urbem condemnarit, Theod. M. moneri censet audientes, ne putent vaticinia haec multo post tempore esse eventura. i: Secundum accentuationem textus hebr. mas. ita iungitur : cum laetitia vi- dent perpendiculum in manu Zorobabel septem illi, oculi Domini, isti discurrunt per omnem terram. Est ergo oppositio : homines parva illa initia despiciunt, verum enimvero septem spiritus Domini laetantur, prospicientes scil. ad quam laetum exitum illa sint perducenda; vel quis audeat despicere, dum spiritus coelestes laetantur ? Sensus hic utique non erit spernendus, eumque recentiores fere sequuntur (cf. Ros. Keil, Trochon). At veteres : LXX, Syrus, Chald. coniungunt, uti S. Hier. atque hic modus ex ipsa verborum collocatione simplicior est ac planior etiam in hebr., quare etiam Hitz. fatetur prope esse ad manum, ut quis verba isti septem cum sequentibus coniungat. Responsione angeli v. 6. 9 intellexit vates candelabrum lucens symbolum esse theocratiae per Dei spiritum instaurandae hancque instaurationem expostulare femplum, quippe quod sit vehiculum cultus divini, unionis omnium inter se et pignus coelestium beneficiorum Deique cum populo suo commercii. Restat, ut de duabus olivis quaerat; v. 41 «et respondi et dizi ad eum : quid. sunt duae olivae istae ad. dexteram candelabri et ad sinistram etus ? v. 49 et. respondi secundo et dixi ad eum : quid sunt duae spicae olivarum quae sunt iuxta duo rostra, aurea, in quibus sunt suffusoria ez auro »? — secunda quaestio priorem magis determinat; perspexit enim vates, olivarum significationem potissimum eo contineri et repraesentari, quod duobus ramis oleum infundunt in duos tubos vel canales ; in hebr. enim legitur : quid duae spicae olearum quae iuxta, duos canales aureos e[fundentes de se aurum? i. e. duae spicae vel, ut S. Hier. bene explicat, duo rami sunt super duo rostra aurea, quae graece uo5ec?peg appellantur, vel sunt « in manu duarum narium » !, imminent duobus epistomiis et ista epistomia effundunt aurum i. e. liquorem auri instar flavum et fulgentem ?, oleum i igitur purissimum ac optimum desuper ipsis (hebr.) defluens ex ramis olearum (vel ut hebr. etiam concipi potest : oleae demittunt de se liquorem aureum). Cur secundo vates interroget, varie explicant ; angelum noluisse respondere, quare vatem denuo atque instantius rogare, censent S. Hier. Sanct. Men. Tir. Calm. et addit Lap. angelum tacuisse, ut in propheta acueret desiderium cognoscendi symbola. Quaestionis immutationem aliter explanat S. Cyr. : « duas olivas 2. Haecque metaphora obvia esse potest Hebraeis, apud quos oleum wm i. e. splen- nominavit in principio ; sed mentis oculo acutius visa intuitus non amplius oliyas sed ramos olivarum nominat ». Censet Rib. : « quia alia quaerenda occurrerunt antequam angelus respondeat, omnia quaerit, ut ad omnia respondeat, quamvis ille ad praecipuam solum quaestionem respondeat cetera prophetae relinquens meditanda et ex dictis intelligenda ». Repetita quaestio certe indicium est . magno teneri vatem rem penitus perspiciendi desiderio (cf. S. Cyr.). Angelus mirari videtur, quod olivarum symbolum vates non perspiciat, cum tamen sciat, unde theocratiae divini favores affluant et qua duplici potestate divinitus ordinata consistat ; v. 13 « et ait ad. me dicens : numquid nescis, quid sunt haec? et dixi : non, domine mi; v. A&et dizit : isti sunt duo filii olei qui assistunt Dominatori universae terrae » ; — cf. v. S et explicationem ad v. 6 datam; filii olei dicuntur, quia vocatione Dei et unctione spiritus Dei ad munus theocraticum vocantur. Sunt qui: olivas duas regnum et sacerdotium, duos ramos Zorobabel et Iesum sacerdotem, utpote eo tempore munera illa obeuntes designari volunt (cf. Theod. M.). Domino assistunt; «assistentia hoc loco familiaritatem et promptam voluntatem ad ei obtemperandum ministrandumque significat » (S. Cyr. sim. Rib.). Sicut visione tertia (cp. 3) Iesus sacerdos, ita hac visione quarta Zorobabel dux sollemniter de munere suo edocetur. Aptissime post urbis aedificationem (cp. 2), ea exhibentur, quibus Deus uti vult ad theocratiam instituendam et quibus ipsa theocratia potissimum constat. Ita in ipsis visionibus adest nexus et certa quaedam rerum inter se consequentium series. Anc. — In volumine seu longa charta volante cernit vates maledictiones quibus Deus peccatores est deleturus (5, 1-4). Ipsam dein videt, iniquitatem quasi colligi atque recondi in modio et a terra sancta asportari in terram Sennaar, ubi stabilem figat sedem (5, 5-11). Ostensa est prophetae urbis aedificatio templique instauratio simul cum utriusque potestatis theocraticae, sacerdotalis scil. et civilis, sanctificatione et ad munus obeundum institutione sacra. Id in antecedentibus capitibus considerandum nobis est propositum. Iam ut theocratia plena et perfecta sua forma absolvatur et absoluta prophetae menti sistatur secundum imaginem suam coelestem, relinquitur, ut populus theocraticus ab inquinamentis purus et integer exhibeatur. Sanctitas enim illa, quam indolem esse theocratiae perspeximus et quam in Iesu sacerdote et Zorobabel duce adumbratam et institutam vidimus, etiam in populum redundare debet, cui haec praeprimis doctrina est inculcanda, vera demum sanctitate sola, non sanguinis cognatione unumquemque beneficiorum restitutae theocratiae fore participem. Quare in priore huius visionis parte iudicium Dei ostenditur gravissimum, quo impii maledictionibus . obruti funditus delebuntur. Salutari enim timore omnes percelli oportet, quo efficaciter a peccatis retrahantur ; est enim initium sapientiae timor Domini ; simulque cavendum est, ne Iudaeis falsa quaedam fiducia atque praesumptio propter generis iudaici electionem et. adoptionem "divinitus factam inhaereat ; ad quod quam proni fuerint, tristis illa experientia Christi tempore facta abunde docet : nos filii Abraham sumus, quo uno titulo se Deo gratos esse regnique eius heredes quasi necessarios se iactare solebant. Quare quae sors etiam intra theocratiam peccatores maneat, prophetae ostenditur ; v. 4 « Et conversus sum et levavi oculos meos et vidi, et ecce volumen volans ; v. 9 et dizit ad. me : quid tu vides? et dizi : ego video volumen volans ; longitudo eius viginti cubitorum et latitudo - etus decem cubitorum » ; — hebr. intellige : et iterum levavi oculos eos; rursus scil. mens eius et attentio avocatur ad aliam visionem percipiendam ; videt autem volumen volans i. e. volumen expansum et volans vel magnam quandam membranam ad iustum volumen more veterum cirea cylindrum convolvendum aptam peraerem ferri. Quam visionem ut attente consideret, angelus interpres monet. Accuratius eam intuitus vates longitudinem latitudinemque quanta sit deprehendit. Numeros igitur non fortuito et quasi casu poni, ex angeli interrogatione colligi videtur ; interrogat enim angelus, postquam vatesiam oculis mentis volumen volans percepit, qua interrogatione nihil aliud innuitur, nisi ut. attente speciem oblatam qualis sit consideret et singula quaeque notet ac sibi describat contemplatione. Sed quid numeris istis lateat, difficile dixeris. Vix tibi satisfactum senties, si qui dicunt magnitudinem .ac multitudinem maledictionum designari in genere, quae tantam requirant membranamin qua scribantur (Mar. Tir. Gord.). Si numeros istos in sacra historia inquisierimus, eos deprehendimus 1* in structura sanctuarii tabernaculi, quod Ex. 26. 36 describitur ; 2^in porticu templi quam Salomon aedificavit (3 Reg. 6, 3) ; 8* in figura cherubim in templo ; erant enim decem cubitorum altitudinis (8 Reg. 6, 23-26) eorumque alae viginti cubitis extendebantur (2 Par. 3, 11) ; 4^ in altari aeneo holocaustorum, quod erat viginti cubitorum longitudinis et decem cubitorum altitudinis (2 Par. 4, 4). Ad unum ex istis allusionem fieri, probabile videtur. Apparet scil. maledictionis scriptura eadem mensura, qua Iudaeis olim exhibebatur reconciliationis et expiationis instrumentum in altari holocautomatum, vel qua sanctuarium et aditus ad sanctum sanctorum erat institutum ; utrumque negligunt peccatores; quare iis eadem mensura et iusta talionis poena maledictio pro- . ponitur. Quare numeros hos ad sanctuarium et altare holocaustorum (illud tabernaculi, templi Salomonis hoc) referri, non plane incongruum videtur. In porticu autem Solomonis typicam significationem adesse vix tibi persuadebis ; facilius similitudinem vel analogiam potius e contrario in cherubim exploraveris ; uti enim illa templi erant ornamentum et arcam foederis obumbrantia tegebant et quasi custodiebant ; ita populus theocraticus debuit esse in Dei habitaculo et consistere coram Deo quasi ornamentum sacrum ! in nomen et in laudem etin gloriam eius et. tamquam fidelis foederis eiusque legum custos. Quod si negligunt, iure merito maledictio eis apparet in mensura cherubim, custodum ac vindicum foederis et ultorum scelerum (cf. Gen. 3, 24). ad portam templi ex qua volumen egredi videbatur (cf. apud Lap. et Tir.) ; alii ad terram Iudaeam, cuius longitudo duplo et amplius maior sit quam latitudo ; «nam ut ait S. Hier. in ep. ad Dardanum, a Dan usque Bersabee quaeest longitudo illius vix 160 millium in longum spatio tenditur; latitudo autem a loppe usque Bethlehem 46 millibus constat » (Lap. ; cf. Vat. Men. Tir.). Alii mensuram ad rationem peccati et poenae referunt ; latitudinem peccati adesse, cum ad plures extendatur, uti furtum et periurium, quia plurimi laedantur; longitudinem autem cum quis multum temporis maneat in peccato; poenam quoque habituram esse latitudinem i. e. perventuram ad multos, sed multo longiorem fore eius durationem etc. ; cf. Rib. Sanct. Numeros casu appom nihilque designari censet Schegg esseque delectos addit tamen, quia Hebraei numerum quintum non amaverint ; decem perfectionis esse numerum, quinque imperfectionis ; quare decem et quinque hoc loco non fuisse apta, unde viginti et decem esse selecta. Demum res secundum mensuram et normam sanctuarii esse diiudicandas i. e. secundum leges divinitus populo datas explicant Keil et Trochon. In textu graeco non volumen legitur, sed àgézavov falx. Legerunt igitur LXX quod iam adnotant Barh. Rib. Sanct. Lap. non i530 sed 532. Uti S. Hier. refert, Aq. et Theod. verterunt $:90ipx, quae vox pellem dicit ad scribendum paratam ; Sym. vero xsoaA&; capitulum. Est eadem vox quae legitur Ps. 39, 8 jn capite libri scriptum est de me i, e. in volumine libri (Buchrolle). Et quid tale volumen significet et contineat, angelus declarat v. 8 «haec est maledictio quae egreditur super faciem omnis terrae ; quia omnis fur sicut ibi scriptum est iudicabitur, et omnis iurans ex. hoc similiter iudicabitur » ; — exhibetur volans, eo quod Dei vindicta sem per imminet capiti sceleratorum Dei tantummodo praestolans annutum, ut involet peccatores (cf. Lap.); uti iam bene advertit Rup. : « prophetiae praesentis ordo postulat faciem omnis terrae hic intelligi universitatem terrae iudaicae quae legem accepit» (cf. Rib. Sanct. Lap. Sa, Mar.) Tales autem minae proponuntur, ut poenarum comminatione audientes exterreantur et efficaciter a peccatis retrahantur, ne ullo pacto sibi impunitatem promittant (cf. Cyr. Theod. Theod. M. Rib. Sanct.). Hisce simul patefit, qualem populum Deus sibi eligere velit et quid a reducibus potissimüm exspectet. Duo peccata farti et periurii nominantur, vel ut hisce omnia peccata in Deum et homines commissa comprehendantur ; « nam quia universa lex et prophetae ex his verbis pendent: diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo et diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum, sub furto et periurio omnem speciem peccati complexus est» (Theod. sim. TAeod. M. Barh. Sa, Mar. Lap. Men. Tir. Calm.), vel ut ex prima et altera decalogi tabula unum pro reliquis peccatis enumeretur (Tir. Gord.), vel quia ludaei reduces propter paupertetem hisce criminibus ! magis erant expositi (Lap.). S. Hier. sensum textus hebr. bene expressit vertens sícuf ibi scriptum est. Ad verbum habes : quía omnis fur hinc scundum illud (scil. volumen) ezstirpabitus et omnis iurans (scil. perierans) illinc scundum illud exstirpabitur ; hinc, illinc ex una et altera parte i. e. volumen illud interius exteriusque est inscriptum maledictionibus in furta et in periuria, uti iam intellexerunt Pagninus, Vat. Mar. Santc. (ef. apud Lap. et Rib. quoque) et aliqui recentiores (cf. Keil). Alii hinc referunt ad terram Iudaeae : hinc scil. eiicietur vel quicumque in hac ferra furatur (cf. Schegg). Verbum np3 h. l. ea significatione sumendum erit qua Is. 3, 26. evacuari ; proprie E dicit purum esse, mundari ; inde auferri emundatione explicari potest, quasi everri ; LXX vertunt $«0vx2025e1at, Chald. 'po vapulabit ; veteres fortasse 7122 legisse, conjectura est apud Ros. Ges. Thes. p. 910, Iam quantae efficaciae futura sit maledictio ibi scripta, declaratur v. 4 « educam illud, dicit Dominus exercituum, et veniet ad domum furis et ad domum turantis in nomine meo mendaciter et commorabitur in medio domus eius et consumet eam et ligna eius et lapides eius » ; — i. e. describitur maledictio non obiter percutiens vel cito transiens sed quae apud impium stabilem figat sedem eumque et res ipsius stirpitus deleat atque consumat ; agit scil. per modum anathematis (2?) quo omnia fun-- ditus exstirpanda erant, « et est sane mirifica exaggeratio divinae vindictae quae sic grassatur in sceleratorum domo, sicut ignis in arida materia » (Sanct.). Itascil. Deus suam declarat sanctitatem, qua scelus omne summe abominatur, ita zelum suum quo pro theocratia zelatur (cf. 1, 14), et iram magnam qua irascitur in omnes theocratiae hostes, etsi sanguine iudaico prognati sint. Tali comminatione iam praeluditur iudicio messianico : « ipse enim quasi ignis conflans et quasi herba fullonum ; et sedebit conflans et emundans argentum et purgabit filios Levi et colabit eos » (Mal. 3, 2) ; « cuins ventilabrum in manu sua et permundabit aream suam » (Matth. 3, 12). Solummodo pios ad theocratiam adscribi Deumque a regni sui beneficiis malos excludere exclusosque miseriae tradere, symbolica repraesentatione vati ostenditur. Ipsa autem visio ei pignori est et documento, Deum veram sanctitatem in electo suo populo esse excitaturum impietate semota. Proinde haec quoque visio docet, qualis sit apud Deum vera theocratiae species atque forma, spiritualis scil. remota iniquitate, quae ex terra sancta longe amandatur. Quae indoles spiritualis cum adeo frequenter apud prophetas delineetur, iuremerito animum subit admiratio, quod ludaei tam parum de ea intelligentes aliam prorsus rerum conditionem victoriis et pompa illustrem sibi sint tam pertinaciter polliciti. Adeo est. difficile ad spiritualia mentes transferri. Angelo duce et monitore etiam haec visio prophetae offertur ; v. 5 « Et egressus est angelus qui loquebatur in me et dizit ad. me : leva oculos tuos et vide, quid est hoc quod. egreditur » ? — cum angelus v. 8 agens inducatur, supponi debet eum ab intima illa in animo prophetae habitatione egressum prophetae apparuisse; inde est quod dicitur et egressus est, quod alii de nova visione exhibenda explicant (S. Cyr. Men.) ; at angelus interpres non offert visionem, sed oblatam explicat, uti res constanter proponitur. Etiam hic angelus prophetam solum monere dicitur, ut attentionem vertat ad id quod egreditur i. e. quod eius in aspectum venit et ei repraesentatur (Sa, Men.), quod ideo egredi dicitur, « quia movebatur seseque spectantis oculis offerebat, qua ratione in dramate de scena egredi in proscenium dicuntur actores » (Sanct. Rib.). Vates non statim deprehendit, quid sibi obiiciatur spectandum : v. 6 « et dizi : quidnam est? et ait : haec est amphora egrediens. Et dixit : haec est oculus eorum $n universa terra » ;, — primo angelus ipsam symboli formam declarat : id quod apparet est epha (hebr.) ; videt scil. in terra (v. 9) vates apparere epha, mensurae genus pro aridis communissimum apud Hebraeos « fere par medimno attico 48 choenicas sive senos modios capienti ', eodem in metiendis rebus aridis valore quo in liquidis bat seu amphora » (Fürst C.). S. Hier in comm. amphoram sive mensuram in aere ferri explicat. Dein angelus significationem mensurae indicat : haec est oculus eorum i. e. hic est aspectus, haec forma et figura peccatorum qui sunt in terra hac, in Iudaea ; tali specie eorum sors repraesentatur. Quomodo id fiat, sequentibus statim declaratur : v. '1 « et ecce, talentum plumbi portabatur, et ecce mulier una. sedens in, medio amphorae ; v. 8 et dizit : haec est impietas. Et proiecit eam in. medio. amphorae et misit massam plumbeam 1n os eius » ; — notat S. Hier. : « pro talento plumbi in consequentibus legimus lapidem plumbi ? ; ipse est igitur lapis plumbi qui et talentum plumbi, quod nos manifestius exprimentes massam vel sphaeram plumbi interpretati sumus » ; visa est igitur massa vel discus magnus plumbi in aere ferri ; in ipso modio (epha) mulier apparuit; hanc angelus « praecipitem misit in medium amphorae... et talentum plumbi in modum gravissimi lapidis mittit in os amphorae » (S.Hier.). Mulier haec impietatem repraesentat angelo interpretante ; « typus enim voluptatis et etiam infirmitatis est mulier et omnis iniquitas non aliter committitur nisi voluptate aliqua ad malum inescante et infirmitate mentis ad hoc consentiente... pingitur ergo et congruenter valde gpecie mulieris iniquitas » (S. Cyr. sim. Theod. Alb. Rib. Sanct.). Cur peccatores specie mulieris exhibeantur, forte non incongrue referes ad parabolam apud Ezechielem propositam de duabus sororibus (cp. 23) vel ad imaginem satis in usu positam populum Israel peccatorem tamquam mulierem infidelem et adulteram traducendi (cf. Is. 4, 21. Ier. 2, 20. Ez. 46, 31. Os. 2, 5). Cur in epha, in mensura, colligatur iniquitas, explicari potest cum plerisque, quia Deus quandoque certam peccatorum Scelerumque mensuram et copiam exspectare dicitur, antequam in gentem integram poenas devolvat ; ita Gen. 15, 46 : « necdum enim completae sunt iniquitates Amorrhaeorum usque ad praesens tempus » (cf. S. Cyr. Theod. Rib. Sanct. Lap.). Sicut itaque docente Domino in saeculorum fine angeli colligent de regno Dei omnia scandala et eos qui faciunt iniquitatem et, mittent eos in caminum ignis (Matth. 43, 40. 41), ita hic in visione angelus scelera collecta in mensura includi perhibetur actione ad id accommodata et sensibus vatis proposita. Iam ostenditur eiusmodi peccatoribus non esse sedem et locum in regno Dei, in terra Domino sancta et ab ipso electa, verum illos iri eiectum ut habeant sortem cüm inimicis Dei et osoribus Dei eamque stabilem et permanentem : v. 9 « et levavi oculos meos et vidi, et ecce duae mulieres | egredientes et spiritus in alis earum, et habebant alas quasi alas milvi et levaverunt amphoram inter terram et coelum ; v. 40 et dizi ad angelum qui loquebatur 4n me : quo istae deferunt amphoram ? v. 44 et dizit ad me : ut aedificetur ei domus $n terra Sennaar et stabiliatur et ponatur ibi super basem suam » ; — i. e. postquam angelum vidit qui mulierem in mensura apposito disco plumbeo includit, egrediuntur i. e. apparent duae mulieres alis ciconiae (hebr.) ' praeditae, quae amphoram levant et rapido volatu, dum vehementi vento alae agitantur, illam deferunt in terram Sennaar, ut ibi mulieri i. e. iniquitati mansio stabilis , erigatur. Terra Sennaar est terra primi regni, de quo in s. Scriptura 4. Ita scil. amon recentiores fere intelligunt (cf. Rib. Calm.). Veteres vocem varie redmentio fit; ibi scil. Nemrod robustus venator coram Domino regnum suum condidit, qui filius Cusch coepit esse potens in terra (Gen. 10, 8- 10) ; ibi rebellio illa patrata est quae in aedificanda turri Babel hominum superbiam et arrogantiam quam maxime extulit, donec Deus eos dispergeret; quare terra Sennaar aptum est symbolum regionis a regno Dei alienae et solis Dei hostibus destinatae. Accedit quod Sennaar regio est inferioris Babyloniae ! ; proinde nomen ipsum exsilium et iugum captivitatis in mentem revocat. Indicat igitur Deus, etiam theocratia restituta fore ut peccatoribus instet exsilium alterum stabile, diuturnum, ut recalcitrantes eiecti et abscissi a populo electo inter adversarios Dei in terra hostili vitam agere cogantur. Ita enim Deus purgabit aream suam et qui spiritu theocratico non sunt imbuti, hos angelorum etiam ministerio punitos e regno suo eiicit iisque partem ponit et sedem stabilem figit inter inimicos Dei, quibus interitus certus est aeternus. Sancta est enim theocratia et qui non sunt sancti necessario ex ea excluduntur. Haec in universum videtur esse actionis symbolicae significatio. Singula autem quaedam accuratius erunt lustranda. In epha plerique mensuram certam et fixam cernunt, qua impleta Deus puniat. Alii exprimicensent peccatores iri collectum sicut grana frumenti in mensura. Massam plumbi punitionem vel pondus iudicii explicant (Theod. Rup.). Videtur tamen hic praecipue designare, quam certo peccatores conclusi ab ultore Deo cohibeantur, ne ultra impietatem suam in terra sancta vel propagent vel ostentent. Mulier enim quae sedet in amphora, quae igitur ibi quasi quiete degit ut in sua provincia et quae eminet super amphoram, massa hac in os amphorae iniecta et aliorum aspectui subtrahitur et intra amphoram conclusa et occulta tenetur. Hoc significare videtur, quomodo peccatores quoque et impii media in theocratia sedem figere, impietatem suam manifestare aliisque ad imitationem proponere et in iniquitate eminere aliisque dominari conentur, donec tandem a Deo cohibeantur, opprimantur, auferantur. Hoc symbolo Deus promittit se eos esse coerciturum, idque fieri ostendit per angeli ministerium ; sunt enim hi administratorii spiritus in ministerium missi propter eos qui hereditatem capiunt salutis (Hebr. 4, 14). Quare eo sensu omnino id quoque in visione continetur, quod S. Ephr. effert, offerri consolationem populo Dei eo quod polliceatur Deus ablatum iri impedimenta, quibus hostes populum infestent. | Difficilius dixeris, quid duae mulieres alatae significent. Alas habere 1. Dicunt assyriologi, *y39J esse eandem vocem ac. Sumer (Sunger) ; Sumer autem Babycernuntur, quo expeditius ac celerius munere suo fungantur et impietatem auferant. Quam celeriter et facile Deus impiorum conamina subvertere possit, in re proposita quasi in imagine cernere licet, Alas habent avis magnae immundae (cf. Lev. 41, 19. Deut. 14, 48), quibus et labori praestando et celeritati consulitur !. Mulieres eliguntur ad mulierem illam auferendam e terra sancta, forte ut innuatur, iniquitatem iusta retributione puniri per iniquitatem vel iniquos sibi ipsis esse causam ruinae et suis se iniquitatibus innodare ad interitum ; solet enim Deus capere astutum in astutia sua (Iob 5, 13. 4 Cor. 3, 19) et iniquitas solet converti in caput iniqui et in verticem eius descendere (Ps. "1, 171 hebr.). Duae cernuntur, forte ut poena gravis designetur vel ut Deo minime deesse adiumenta adumbretur, quibus omnem iniquitatem facillime re-- primat. Cum autem in terram Sennaar ut in sedem stabilem impietas ablegetyr, simul pro Iudaeis qui etiam tunc in Babylonia commorabantur, efficax continetur adhortatio, ut regionem maledicto divino percussam fugiant, sedem iniquitatis relinquant, ad terram Deo sacram et sacram cum Deo communionem se recipiant, si beneficiorum theocraticorum esse velint participes. potest. Angelus v. 6 solum exhibet in universum, ad quid visio ista tendat el quo sit referenda ; et ad hoc satis apta est expressio hebr. et latina ; quid singulatim proponatur, sequenti explicatione v. 8. 41 docetur. Quare aptus adest iu hebr. visionis et explicationis progressus, qui secundum lectionem graecam non habetur. Unde lectio difficilior per se tamquam vera h. 1. erit agnoscenda. — Syrus quidem sequitur LXX ; Chald. autem textum hebr. exprimit ; fert enim Per paraphrasin : ecce illi revelantur coram omnibus habitatoribus terrae. Dein commemorandum est, hanc visionem a non paucis non ad rem futuram sed potius ad praeteritam referri, scil. ad Israelitarum in alienas regiones factam abductionem (cf. S. Hier. Cyr. Theod. Theod. M. Alb.). Unde etiam in duabus mulieribus alii cernunt tribus decem et duas (S. Hier. Cyr. Rup. Ailb.), alii tribus luda et Beniamin (Vat. alios vide apud Lap.) ; sed iam obstat, quod istae tribus portabantur in exsilium ; quare alii tales excogitarunt, qui auctores captivitatis et. effectores abductionis erant ; v. g. Iloakim et Sedeciam (Tir.), Nabuchodonosor et Nabuzardan (Lap.), Assyrios et Chaldaeos, Persas et Graecos (Calm.), vel excaecationem et. indurationem (Rib.), vel generatim duo vitia Mar.) ; S. Ephr. et Barh. in illis cez nunt exhibitam divinam sanctitatem et vindictam scelerum ultricem. Sed de re praeterita non potest esse sermo ita, ut in ea tota ratio visionis habeatur ; nam bene sentit fiib. : « hoc tantum dico me non posse intelligere Quod plerique hanc visionem de captivitate explicant... quorsum atlinebat tam obscura prophetia de re praeterita et quae iam mutari non poterat «? Rectius est quod alii dicunt, esse visionem partim aenigma rei praeteritae, partim futu. rae (Lap. Men.) i. e. visio quidem refertur ad rem futuram, sed ipsa res futura exhibetur ad analogiam rei praeteritae ; uti scil. Deus iam semel peccatores eiecit ex terra sancta, ita etiam ex theocratia instaurata removebit impios ; punitio igitur futura imagine praeteritae demonstratur. Eo ipso quod Babylonis fit mentio, verum est etiam quod Mar. Lap. Tir. monent, eos increpari qui obliti lerusalem haeserint Babylone ; verum hoc est potius ex consequente; praecipua visionis indoles refert amoveri peccatores ex theocratia. Quid maneat peccatores, sede illa stabili in terra Sennaar exprimitur : hostibus scil. Dei adnumerantur, nihil iis prodest nativitas ex gente electa, obdurationi, excaecalioni. sunt obnoxii ; verbo uno, exclusi sunt e regno Dei et subiecti maledictionibus quibus a priscis temporibus prophetae Babylonem sunt prosecuti (cf. Is. 13, 19-22 er. 94, 37 seq. etc.). (Quare qui de futura ludaeorum excaecatione visionem hànc explicant (cf. Rup. Sanct.), rem dicunt quae utique in commoratione stabili in terra Sennaar continetur. Neque tamen visio speciali ratione spectat Antichristi tempora, uti volunt Rib. Sa, Lap, Men. Tir. Gord., sed normam exhibet generalem, qua elucet Deum semper sanctitati regni sui provisurum neque impios eius regni posse esse participes ; unde in [visione etiam non solis Dabyloniis (Theod. Theod. M.), verum potiisimum et praecipue peccatoribus ludaeis poenae perpetuae portenduntur et exsilium stabile inter gentes. Quantopere haec norma generalis caede Messiae peracta in populo Messiae inimico sit adimpleta, in manifesto est positum. Anc. — Cernit propheta in regione urbis sanctae e medio duorum montium progredientes quattuor quadrigas cum equis varii coloris; hisce Dei iudicia perferri in omnes terrae partes angelus docet ( 6, 1-8). Dein iubetur propheta accipere aurum et argentum ab exsulibus, et coronas inde factas sacerdoti imponere, typo Messiae, qui regnum sacerdotale gloriae et pacis instituet, ad quod alieni quoque confluent (6, 9-15).
6:10
… Jedaiah, borne by many priests: one entrusted with the second turn of service in the Temple (I Chron. 9:10; 24:7); various from the time of Nehemiah and of the exile (Ezra 2:36; Neh. 7:39; 11:10; 12:6; 79:21); one at the time of the prophet Zechariah (Zech. 6:10, 14).
Sophonias (Heb. Şēphanjāh "Yahweh Protects")
… Chron. 6:21 [Vulg. 36]); a high priest, before whom Jeremiah was denounced as a false prophet (Jer. 21:1; 29:25, 29; 37:3), who was later deported and killed after the capture of Jerusalem (ibid. 52:24 ff.; 2 Kings 25:18 ff.); a citizen of Jerusalem (Zech. 6:10, 14).
6:11
JOSEDEC. - Father of the high priest Jesus (Hag. 1, 1.12.14; 2, 3.5; Zech. 6, 11; Sir. 49, 14).
6:12
The exiles who return from the exile, rebuild the Temple, resume worship, renew the covenant, are of the tribe of J.; the new community formed by them is the elect Israel, legitimate heir of the divine promises, prologue and immediate preparation for the messianic kingdom (Hag. 2:6-9, 20-23; Zech. 6:12-15; 8:6-8, 20-23; Mal. 1:11; 3:1). This spiritual supremacy was tangibly manifested in the Temple, the only place where external worship of Yahweh was permitted. …
… han-Nāsiri, and the Christians han-Nāsirim (with s). The plural "by the prophets" can be understood as "of category" (standing for the singular) or as including other passages in which the Messiah is called seed or shoot (semah: Jer. 23:3; 33:15; Zech. 3:8; 6:12).
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.