Isaiah 11
Commentary from 34 fathers
and the Spirit of God shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and godliness shall fill him;
καὶ ἀναπαύσεται ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ, πνεῦμα σοφίας καὶ συνέσεως, πνεῦμα βουλῆς καὶ ἰσχύος, πνεῦμα γνώσεως καὶ εὐσεβείας·
и҆ почі́етъ на не́мъ дх҃ъ бж҃їй, дх҃ъ премⷣрости и҆ ра́зꙋма, дх҃ъ совѣ́та и҆ крѣ́пости, дх҃ъ вѣ́дѣнїѧ и҆ бл҃гоче́стїѧ:
2–3The Scripture says that these enumerated powers of the Spirit have come on Him, not because He stood in need of them, but because they would rest in Him, i.e., would find their accomplishment in Him, so that there would be no more prophets in your nation after the ancient custom: and this fact you plainly perceive. For after Him no prophet has arisen among you.
Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter LXXXVII
2–3Moreover, the apostle Paul says, “Having the same Spirit; as it is written, ‘I believed, and therefore have I spoken’; we also believe, and therefore speak.” He is therefore one and the same Spirit who was in the prophets and apostles, except that in the former he was occasional, in the latter always. But in the former not as being always in them, in the latter as abiding always in them; and in the former distributed with reserve, in the latter entirely poured out; in the former given sparingly, in the latter liberally bestowed; not yet manifested before the Lord’s resurrection, but conferred after the resurrection. For, he said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth.” And, “When he, the Advocate, shall come, whom I shall send to you from my Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from my Father.” And, “If I do not go away, that Advocate shall not come to you; but if I go away, I will send him to you.” And, “When the Spirit of truth shall come, he will direct you into all the truth.” And because the Lord was about to depart to the heavens, he gave the Paraclete out of necessity to the disciples; so as not to leave them in any degree orphans, which was hardly desirable, and forsake them without an advocate and some kind of protector.For this is he who strengthened their hearts and minds, who marked out the Gospel sacraments, who was in them the enlightener of divine things; and they being strengthened, feared, for the sake of the Lord’s name, neither dungeons nor chains, nay, even trod under foot the very powers of the world and its tortures. For they were henceforth armed and strengthened by the same Spirit, having in themselves the gifts which this same Spirit distributes and appropriates to the church, the spouse of Christ, as her ornaments. This is he who places prophets in the church, instructs teachers, directs tongues, gives powers and healings, does wonderful works, often discrimination of spirits, affords powers of government, suggests counsels and orders and arranges whatever other gifts there are of charismata.… This is he who, after the manner of a dove, when our Lord was baptized, came and abode upon him, dwelling in Christ full and entire, and not maimed in any measure or portion; but with his whole overflow copiously distributed and sent forth, so that from him others might receive some enjoyment of his graces: the source of the wholeness of the Holy Spirit remaining in Christ, so that from him might be drawn streams of gifts and works, while the Holy Spirit dwelt richly in Christ. For truly Isaiah, prophesying this, said, “And the Spirit of wisdom and understanding shall rest upon him, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and piety; and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him.” This selfsame thing also he said in the person of the Lord himself, in another place. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because he has anointed me, he has sent me to preach the gospel to the poor.”
On the Trinity 29
2–3In Christ alone he dwells fully and entirely, not lacking in any measure or part; but in all his overflowing abundance dispensed and sent forth, so that other men might receive from Christ a first outpouring, as it were, of his graces. For the fountainhead of the entire Holy Spirit abides in Christ, that from him might be drawn streams of grace and wondrous deeds because the Holy Spirit dwells richly in Christ.
On the Trinity 29:11
2–3Isaiah signifies that the Spirit was indeed one and indivisible, but his operations diverse.
Catechetical Lecture 16:30
2–3I think Isaiah loves to call the activities of the Spirit “spirits.”
On Pentecost, Oration 41:3
2–3Therefore, the fear of the just is the tribunal of Christ's speech and the golden foundation of full prudence. But the good image, like the likeness of truth, is the word of the saints. And see how the fear of the saints is like a golden foundation. Read Isaiah: see how much fear he has subjected, in order to make it blameless and good fear: the spirit, he says, of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and power, the spirit of knowledge and piety, the spirit of holy fear. By how much fear did he subject, so that he might have something to follow? He is informed through wisdom, instructed through understanding, guided by counsel, strengthened by virtue, governed by knowledge, adorned by piety. Take away from fear of the Lord those things, and it is an irrational and foolish fear, one of those: "Outside are battles, inside are fears," by which even Paul would have been afflicted if he did not have the Lord as his comforter.
Exposition on Psalm 118, 5.39
2–3So, then, the Holy Spirit is the river, and the abundant river, which according to the Hebrews flowed from Jesus in the lands, as we have received it prophesied by the mouth of Isaiah. This is the great river that flows always and never fails. And not only a river, but also one of copious stream and overflowing greatness, as also David said: “The stream of the river makes glad the city of God.”60For neither is that city, the heavenly Jerusalem, watered by the channel of any earthly river, but that Holy Spirit, proceeding from the fount of life, by a short draught of whom we are satiated, seems to flow more abundantly among those celestial thrones, dominions and powers, angels and archangels, rushing in the full course of the seven virtues of the Spirit. For if a river rising above its banks overflows, how much more does the Spirit, rising above every creature, when he touches the low-lying fields of our minds, as it were, make glad that heavenly nature of the creatures with the larger fertility of his sanctification. And let it not trouble you that either here it is said “rivers” or elsewhere “seven Spirits,” for by the sanctification of these seven gifts of the Spirit, as Isaiah said, is signified the fullness of all virtue; the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and godliness, and the Spirit of the fear of God. One, then is the river, but many the channels of the gifts of the Spirit. This river, then, goes forth from the fount of life.
On the Holy Spirit 1.16
2–3And as the Son is the Angel of great counsel, so, too, is the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Counsel, that you may know that the Counsel of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is One. Counsel, not concerning any doubtful matters, but concerning those foreknown and determined.
On the Holy Spirit, Book 2.2.20
2–3Scripture testifies that “a great and strong angel exclaimed in heaven: Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seal? No one was able to open the book or to look at it, neither in heaven nor on earth nor under the earth.” John wept and lamented that none of all the rational creatures in the universe was found worthy to open the book to look at it. One of the elders consoled John as he wept and said, “Do not cry, John. Behold, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, was victorious in opening the book and breaking its seal.” What, I ask, is this book which no one was ever able to receive from the hand of the living, except “he who walks without sin and does justice”? It is not enough that he walk without sin or that he be a lamb, but he must be a slain lamb who crowned purity with the witness of the passion of life, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God. These undoubtedly are “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and piety, and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord.” What, therefore, is this book? It is the book of judgment, I believe. For “the Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son.”
Defense Against the Pelagians 15:5-10
A person would not have wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of God unless, according to the prophet's words, he had received "the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, of counsel and of fortitude, of knowledge and of godliness, and of fear of God." ... And a person would not have power and love and sobriety, except by receiving the Spirit of whom the apostle speaks: "We have not received the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of sobriety." So also one would not have faith unless he received the spirit of faith of which the same apostle says: "But having the same spirit of faith, as it is written, 'I believed, therefore I have spoken,' we also believe therefore we speak also." Thus he shows very plainly that faith is not received because of merit but by the mercy of him who has mercy on whom he will, when he says of himself: "I have obtained mercy to be faithful."
Letter 194
For if Paul had said only "Jesus Christ," he would have included Jesus Christ according to his divinity, according to his being the Word who was with God, Jesus Christ the Son of God. Yet children cannot receive what is said in this manner. How, therefore, do they who are fed milk receive it? "Jesus Christ," he said, "and him crucified." Feed upon what he did for you, and you will grow to know him as he is. There are therefore both those who ascend and those who descend on that ladder. Who are they that ascend? They who progress towards the understanding of things spiritual. Who are they that descend? They who, although, as far as men may, they enjoy the comprehension of things spiritual: nevertheless, descend unto the infants, to say to them such things as they can receive, so that, after being nourished with milk, they may become fitted and strong enough to take spiritual meat. Isaiah, brothers, was himself among those who descended to us, for the steps upon which he descended are obvious. In reference to the Holy Spirit, he said "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and fortitude, of knowledge and piety, the Spirit of the fear of God rested upon him," he began from wisdom and descended toward fear. See how the teacher descended from wisdom toward fear; you who learn, if you are to make progress, must ascend from fear to wisdom. For it is written, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Listen, therefore, to the psalms.
Explanations of the Psalms 120 (119): 1
And this Holy Spirit is in Scripture especially spoken of by the number seven, whether in Isaiah or in the Apocalypse, where the seven Spirits of God are most directly mentioned, on account of the sevenfold operation of one and the self-same Spirit. And this sevenfold operation is mentioned in Isaiah: "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and fortitude, of knowledge and piety, the Spirit of the fear of God rested upon him." This fear of the Lord should be understood as pure, enduring forever.
Explanations of the Psalms 150: 1
"The love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."That the Holy Spirit is suggested by the number seven anybody knows who can read. But listen anyway, those of you who read carelessly, or perhaps cannot read. This is how God presents the Holy Spirit through the prophet Isaiah: "The Spirit," he says, "of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and fortitude, of knowledge and piety, the Spirit of the fear of God." This is the sevenfold Spirit who is also called down upon the newly baptized. The law is the Decalogue; the Ten Commandments, you see, were written on tablets, but stone ones still, because of the stubborn hardness of the Jews. After the Spirit came, what does the apostle say? "You yourselves are our letter, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but on the fleshly tablets of the heart." Take away the Spirit, the letter kills, because it finds the sinner guilty, doesn't set him free. That's why the apostle says, "For we are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything as coming from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of the new covenant, not in the letter, but in the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit brings to life." So add seven to ten, if you wish to fulfill all justice. When you are commanded by the law to do something, ask the Spirit to help you.
Sermon 229M.2
The apostle also says to Timothy, "For God hath not given to us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Now in respect of this passage of the apostle, we must be on our guard against supposing that we have not received the spirit of the fear of God, which is undoubtedly a great gift of God, and concerning which the prophet Isaiah says, "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon thee, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and piety, the spirit of the fear of the Lord." It is not the fear with which Peter denied Christ that we have received the spirit of, but that fear concerning which Christ Himself says, "Fear Him who hath power to destroy both soul and body in hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him." This, indeed, He said, lest we should deny Him from the same fear which shook Peter; for such cowardice he plainly wished to be removed from us when He, in the preceding passage, said, "Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do." It is not of this fear that we have received the spirit, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. And of this spirit the same Apostle Paul discourses to the Romans: "We glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us." Not by ourselves, therefore, but by the Holy Ghost which is given to us, does it come to pass that, through that very love, which he shows us to be the gift of God, tribulation does not do away with patience, but rather produces it.
On Grace and Free Will 39
It seems to me, therefore, that the sevenfold operation of the Holy Spirit, of which Isaiah speaks, coincides with these stages and maxims. However, the order is different. In Isaiah, the enumeration begins from the higher, while here it begins from the lower; in the former, it starts from wisdom and ends at the fear of God. But "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Therefore, if we ascend step by step, as it were, while we enumerate, the first grade is the love of God; the second is piety; the third is knowledge; the fourth is fortitude; the fifth is counsel; the sixth is understanding; the seventh is wisdom. The fear of God coincides with the humble, of whom it is here said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit."
Sermon on the Mount 1:11
2–3About this text you should first take care to observe that Isaiah does not say that “the spirit of fear shall rest upon him” but “shall fill him.” The power of it is so abundant that if once it possesses a person in its strength, it possesses his mind to the exclusion of all else. Linked with the charity that never fails, it fills and permanently possesses the soul whom it has seized, and it cannot be lessened by the temptations of any this-worldly happiness.
Conference 11:13
2–3We read in Isaiah that the Spirit of the Lord descended upon the Lord Jesus, “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and piety.” It is in reference to this same Spirit of the Lord who descended upon the Savior in a holy outpouring that the Son said through Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” and that Matthew the Evangelist said, “Behold, the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending upon him like a dove.” Luke the Evangelist, moreover, clearly teaches that the Spirit of God whom the Savior received in baptism is the Holy Spirit: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan.”
Two Books on the Holy Spirit 1:7
2–3As we said earlier, the seven-formed Spirit has been denoted here, as you easily infer by calculation and recognize by his activity. But we must regard this Holy Spirit as one and the same as him whose virtues are known by Isaiah’s witness to be the same seven which we have mentioned: the Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of courage, of knowledge, of piety, of fear of the Lord; and he distributes these to each as he wills. It should not trouble you that everywhere Isaiah ascribes the words to the voice of the Holy Spirit, for clearly “voice” is associated with the whole Trinity. We read of the Father’s voice when he says, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased,” and again of the Son’s voice in the words “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Likewise in the Acts of the Apostles we read of the Holy Spirit: “Separate for me Paul and Barnabas, for the work to which I have called them.”
Exposition of the Psalms 28:9
2–3For there are seven sons born to us, when by the conception of good intent the seven virtues of the holy Spirit spring up in us. Thus the Prophet particularizes this inward offspring, when the Spirit renders the mind fruitful, in these words: "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and piety, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him." So when by the coming of the Holy Spirit there is engendered in each of us, wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, piety, and the fear of the Lord, something like a lasting posterity is begotten in the mind, which preserves the stock of our nobility that is above unto life, for so much the longer as it allies it with the love of eternity.
Morals on the Book of Job, Book 1, Section 27
2–3The gate is ascended by seven steps, because through the sevenfold grace of the Holy Spirit the entrance to heavenly life is opened to us. Isaiah, enumerating this sevenfold grace in our very Head, or in His body, which we are, says: "The spirit of wisdom and understanding shall rest upon Him, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill Him." Speaking of heavenly things, he numbered these steps by descending rather than ascending, namely: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, fear. And since it is written, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," it is without doubt established that one ascends from fear to wisdom, but does not return from wisdom to fear, because indeed wisdom possesses perfect charity. And it is written: "Perfect charity casts out fear." Therefore the prophet, because he was speaking from heavenly things down to the lowest, began rather from wisdom and descended to fear. But we who strive from earthly things toward heavenly things, let us enumerate those same steps by ascending, that we may be able to arrive from fear to wisdom. For in our mind the first step of ascent is the fear of the Lord; the second, piety; the third, knowledge; the fourth, fortitude; the fifth, counsel; the sixth, understanding; the seventh, wisdom. For the fear of the Lord exists in the mind. But what kind of fear is this, if piety is not with it?
Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 2, Homily 7
2–3For you know that in the Old Testament all action is commanded through the precepts of the Decalogue, but in the New Testament the power of that same action is given through the sevenfold grace of the Holy Spirit as the faithful are multiplied. Announcing this, the prophet says: "The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and fortitude, the Spirit of knowledge and piety, and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him." But he receives action in this Spirit who acknowledges the faith of the Trinity, so that he believes the Father and the Son and the same Holy Spirit to be of one power and confesses them to be of one substance. Because therefore the seven things we mentioned above were given more broadly through the New Testament, but the ten precepts through the Old, all our virtue and action can be fully comprehended through ten and seven.
Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 24
2–3The seven lamps are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, all of which remain in our Lord and Redeemer forever and are distributed in his members (that is, in all the elect) according to his will.
On the Tabernacle 1:9
2–3Only of the mediator between God and humanity, the man Jesus Christ, can it be said truthfully, “And the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and piety, and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord will fill him.” Each of the saints, on the other hand, receives not the fullness of his Spirit but receives from his fullness only as the Spirit grants it, for “to one is given through the Spirit a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith in the same Spirit, to another the grace of healing in the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of languages, to another the interpretation of words. One and the same Spirit operates all of these gifts, dividing to each person as he wills.”
Homilies on the Gospels 1:2
2–3In truth, not all the saints receive the fullness of his Spirit, but they receive from his fullness, insofar as he grants it.
Homilies on the Gospels 1:2
357. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. Here he describes him as to his sanctity, as to three things:
first, as to habits of necessity;
second, as to rectitude of works: he shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes (Isa 11:3);
third, as to the effect of this rectitude: the wolf shall dwell with the lamb (Isa 11:6).
His perfection as to gratuitous habits is shown in three things.
First, as to their rest: shall rest, for grace was not increased in him: a woman shall compass a man (Jer 31:22); nor was it interrupted by fault: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth (1 Pet 2:22); nor was it troubled by the battle of the flesh, for it was without the original fault: let it expect light, and not see it, nor the rising of the dawning of the day (Job 3:9); he upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining upon him, he it is that baptizes (John 1:33).
358. As to multitude in all the gifts: the spirit of wisdom. For although all the gifts of sanctifying grace are infused at the same time, nevertheless, no one else has perfect use of them all, because of which, concerning all these, it is now said: there was not found the like to him (Sir 44:20); nor again all gratuitous graces: to one indeed, by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom: and to another, the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit (1 Cor 12:8–9). But Christ had all of these perfectly, for God doth not give the Spirit by measure (John 3:34).
360. To understand these things which are said here it necessary to see five things concerning these gifts:
first, how they differ from the virtues, the beatitudes, and the fruits;
second, their number;
third, their order;
fourth, how they exist in Christ;
fifth, in what manner they are attributed to the Holy Spirit.
361. Concerning the first, it is to be known that, as Gregory says, the gifts are given to assist the virtues, by which the powers of the soul are perfected for acts that are proportionate according to a human manner, as faith, which makes us to see in a glass and obscurity. Now there is a twofold defect of virtue: one accidental, from the indisposition of the one who has the habit, from which the virtue remains imperfect in the subject, and this defect is removed through the increase of the virtue; the other defect is essential on the part of the habit itself, as faith is continually imperfect according to its disposition, because it is obscure, and this defect is removed through a higher habit, which is called a gift, for as it exceeds the manner of human operation, it is given by God: as the gift of understanding, which in some manner makes things of faith to be seen clearly and distinctly. An operation, however, proceeding from a virtue perfected by a gift is called a beatitude, which is nothing other than operation according to perfect virtue, as the Philosopher says, as is said in Matthew 5:8: blessed are the clean of heart: they shall see God. But delight necessarily follows such operation, for delight is the unhindered operation of a proper habit, as the Philosopher says; and according to this, it is called a fruit; hence Ambrose on the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22), says that they are called fruits in as much as they renew minds with sincere delight.
362. Concerning the second, it is to be known that the number of the gifts can be understood in three ways, because gifts are perfected either through retreat from evil, and thus is fear; or through approach to good, and thus either according to the contemplative life or according to the active life: if according to the contemplative, either according to the end of contemplation, and thus is wisdom, which concerns the highest causes; or according the means to the end, and thus is understanding, as of created spiritual substances and of what pertains to them. If according to the active life, either as to those things to which all are held, and thus the executive gift is piety, which is benevolence to those who are joined by faith or the image of God, and the directing gift is knowledge; or of those things to which not all are held, and the executive gift is fortitude, as it exposes itself to difficulties, and the directing gift is counsel.
363. From this the response to the third is now evident, because the gifts are ordered first in as far as they are perfections, and this order is considered according to the emanation of the gifts from the giver, and not in as far as they are received. Again it is evident that wisdom directs understanding, because the wise man sets things in order, and, through first things, someone is regulated in secondary things, as metaphysics regulates the other sciences, counsel regulates fortitude, knowledge regulates piety, fear regulates in all, because it directs to approach the good and in retreat from evil.
364. Concerning the fourth, it is to be known that Christ had these gifts according to their most excellent uses, according to which they are had in heaven. For he did not have servile fear as if he feared punishment or filial fear as if he feared to sin but the chaste fear which belongs to reverence: he was heard for his reverence (Heb 5:7). And it is similarly evident concerning the other gifts. However, it is said especially that the spirit of fear filled him lest, from the greatness of his gifts, he be thought to be proud, like the first angel, about whom it is said in Ezekiel 28:16: by the multitude of your wisdom or merchandise, your inner parts were filled with iniquity; or because he came to save through humility; or because he wished to be imitated in this: learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart (Matt 11:29).
365. Concerning the fifth, it is to be known that if these gifts are considered according to their own natures, as knowledge in as much as it is knowledge, then some of them are appropriated to the Son, which pertain to the perfection of the intellect, some to Holy Spirit, which pertain to the perfection of the affections, although all of them together are gifts of the entire Trinity. If, however, they are considered in as much as they have the nature of a gift, they are thus all attributed to the Holy Spirit, who is the first gift in whom all gifts are given. Similarly too if they are considered as to the principle of motion of such gifts, which is love: for the goodness of God, as Dionysius says, is diffusive of all things which are received in creatures from God, which are appropriated to the Holy Spirit. Others, however, refer this to the holiness of Josias and Ezechias; the Jews refer it to the antichrist.
Commentary on Isaiah
the spirit of the fear of God. He shall not judge according to appearance, nor reprove according to report:
ἐμπλήσει αὐτὸν πνεῦμα φόβου Θεοῦ. οὐ κατὰ τὴν δόξαν κρινεῖ οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν λαλιὰν ἐλέγξει,
и҆спо́лнитъ є҆го̀ дх҃ъ стра́ха бж҃їѧ: не по сла́вѣ сꙋди́ти и҆́мать, нижѐ по глаго́ланїю ѡ҆бличи́тъ,
3–5(Verse 3 and following) He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears. But he will judge the poor with justice, and decide with fairness for the humble of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and kill the wicked with the breath of his lips. Righteousness will be his belt, and faithfulness the sash around his waist. These words refer to the first coming of the Savior; the Jews argue about the future at the end of the world. Moreover, they translated: He will not judge according to glory, nor argue according to speech: but he will judge with humble judgment, and argue the humble of the earth. For he shows no partiality in judgment: but he speaks to the scribes, Pharisees and rulers: Woe to you, hypocrites: And, the kingdom of God will be taken from you, and given to the nation producing its fruits (Matthew 23:13, and 21:43). And he does not rebuke according to words and the hearing of the ears. For when they said to Him, 'Master, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth, and do not care about anyone's opinion, for You do not regard the appearance of men' (Matthew 22:16), knowing their malice, He answered, 'Why do you test me, you hypocrites?' and so on with similar things. He judged in righteousness the poor in spirit, to whom belongs the kingdom of God, and he rebuked in fairness the meek and humble of the earth, saying to the Apostles, 'Are you still foolish?' And again: Do you not yet understand or comprehend? And to Peter specifically: O you of little faith, why did you doubt? (Mark 8:17). Or certainly for the humble and meek he argued for others who sought to oppress them (Matthew 14:31). He also struck down all earthly works with a rod, or as the Septuagint translated, with the word of his mouth, speaking in the Gospel: Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. And with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked (Mat. X, 34, and Luc. XII, 51): of whom we read in the ninth psalm: Thou hast rebuked the Gentiles, and the wicked one hath perished: thou hast put out their name for ever and ever (Ps. IX, 6). And the Apostle Paul writes: Whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth (II Thess. II, 8; Ephes. VI). But when the wicked man is struck, the Lord is girded with justice and truth and faith. For he has made Himself to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1), who also speaks in the Gospel: I am the light, and the life, and the truth (John 8:6 and 14). And it is said in the Psalms: Truth has risen from the earth: and justice has looked down from heaven (Psalm 84:2). Therefore, the Apostle also exhorts the Ephesians: Stand therefore, having your loins girded with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14). But if faith is read for truth, it must be said that the belt of the Lord, with which Jeremiah was girded (Jeremiah 13), is the faith of believers.
Commentary on Isaiah
359. As to fullness, for he was perfect in every grace, which is noted where it says, the spirit of the fear of the Lord filled him: we saw him full of grace (John 1:14). Concerning all these things: in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead corporeally (Col 2:9).
366. He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes. Here he shows his holiness as to rectitude of works, and especially in judging, because this is the work of a king. Hence he shows three things:
first, his shrewdness in discerning;
second, his justice in executing: but he shall judge;
third, his constancy in persevering, and justice shall be (Isa 11:5).
Therefore he says, as to the first, he shall not judge according to the sight of the outward eyes, nor according to the hearing of the outward ears, as if to those who say in Matthew 22:16, master, we know that you are a true speaker. Because he needed not that any should give testimony of man: for he knew what was in man (John 2:25). And this cannot be explained as of a mere man, as is said in 1 Samuel 16:7: man sees those things that appear, but the Lord beholds the heart. And therefore they said separately, now we know that you know all things (John 16:30). Nevertheless, others explain this in a tortured way as concerning the just kings, for they did not judge things that appear at first glance according to flatteries, but diligently sought the truth of the case.
Commentary on Isaiah
but he shall judge the cause of the lowly, and shall reprove the lowly of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the word of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he destroy the ungodly one.
ἀλλὰ κρινεῖ ταπεινῷ κρίσιν καὶ ἐλέγξει τοὺς ταπεινοὺς τῆς γῆς· καὶ πατάξει γῆν τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν πνεύματι διὰ χειλέων ἀνελεῖ ἀσεβῆ·
но сꙋ́дитъ пра́вдою смире́нномꙋ сꙋ́дъ и҆ ѡ҆бличи́тъ пра́востїю смирє́нныѧ землѝ, и҆ порази́тъ зе́млю сло́вомъ ᲂу҆́стъ свои́хъ и҆ дх҃омъ ᲂу҆сте́нъ ᲂу҆бїе́тъ нечести́ваго:
"And out of His mouth was issuing a sharp two-edged sword." By the twice-sharpened sword going forth out of His mouth is shown, that it is He Himself who has both now declared the word of the Gospel, and previously by Moses declared the knowledge of the law to the whole world. But because from the same word, as well of the New as of the Old Testament, He will assert Himself upon the whole human race, therefore He is spoken of as two-edged. For the sword arms the soldier, the sword slays the enemy, the sword punishes the deserter. And that He might show to the apostles that He was announcing judgment, He says: "I came not to send peace, but a sword." And after He had completed His parables, He says to them: "Have ye understood all these things? And they said, We have. And He added, Therefore is every scribe instructed in the kingdom of God like unto a man that is a father of a family, bringing forth from his treasure things new and old," -the new, the evangelical words of the apostles; the old, the precepts of the law and the prophets: and He testified that these proceeded out of His mouth. Moreover, He also says to Peter: "Go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that shall first come up; and having opened its mouth, thou shalt find a stater (that is, two denarii), and thou shalt give it for me and for thee." And similarly David says by the Spirit: "God spake once, twice I have heard the same." Because God once decreed from the beginning what shall be even to the end. Finally, as He Himself is the Judge appointed by the Father. on account of His assumption of humanity, wishing to show that men shall be judged by the word that He had declared, He says: "Think ye that I will judge you at the last day? Nay, but the word," says He, "which I have spoken unto you, that shall judge you in the last day." And Paul, speaking of Antichrist to the Thessalonians, says: "Whom the Lord Jesus will slay by the breath of His mouth." And Isaiah says: "By the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked." This, therefore, is the two-edged sword issuing out of His mouth.
Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
For in the last days false prophets shall be multiplied, and such as corrupt the word; and the sheep shall be changed into wolves, and love into hatred: for through the abounding of iniquity the love of many shall wax cold. For men shall hate, and persecute, and betray one another. And then shall appear the deceiver of the world, the enemy of the truth, the prince of lies, [2 Thessalonians 2:3-12] whom the Lord Jesus "shall destroy with the spirit of His mouth, who takes away the wicked with His lips; and many shall be offended at Him. But they that endure to the end, the same shall be saved. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven;" [Isaiah 11:4; Matthew 24:1-51] and afterwards shall be the voice of a trumpet by the archangel; and in that interval shall be the revival of those that were asleep. And then shall the Lord come, and all His saints with Him, with a great concussion above the clouds, with the angels of His power, [Matthew 16:27] in the throne of His kingdom, to condemn the devil, the deceiver of the world, and to render to every one according to his deeds. "Then shall the wicked go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous shall go into life eternal," [Matthew 25:46] to inherit those things "which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, such things as God has prepared for them that love Him;" [1 Corinthians 2:9] and they shall rejoice in the kingdom of God, which is in Christ Jesus.
(Book 7), Section 2, XXXII
He [Christ] does not esteem the learned above the simple, nor the rich above the poor.
Catechetical Lecture 15:23
rod of his mouth....: He is not speaking literally, for all the language in this passage he employs in a spiritual sense.
That the Holy Spirit also proceeds from the Son, the prophetic and apostolic teaching shows us. So Isaiah says concerning the Son, “He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.” Concerning him the apostle also says, “Whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth.” The one Son of God himself, showing who the Spirit of his mouth is, after his resurrection, breathing on his disciples, says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” “From the mouth,” indeed, of the Lord Jesus himself, says John in the Apocalypse, “a sharp, two-edged word came forth.” The very Spirit of his mouth is the sword itself that comes forth from his mouth.
To Peter on the Faith 54
Hence, when Isaiah said “he will judge the poor with justice,” he was without doubt speaking of those very persons to whom it was said, “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”
Commentary on Samuel 1:7.6
367. But he shall judge. Here his justice in executing is shown.
And first, as to the good, in distributing their rights: he shall judge, in the day of judgment and even now: the Father has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22); the Poor, about whom it says in Matthew 5:3: blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Second, as to the wicked, and first, as to the members: he shall strike the earth, that is, the earthly, with the rod of his mouth: go, you cursed, into everlasting fire (Matt 25:41); woe to you, scribes and Pharisees (Matt 23:13); as to the head: with the breath of his lips, that is, his indignation expressed with words; he shall slay the wicked, that is, the antichrist: the man of sin will be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and is lifted up above all that is called God or that is worshipped (2 Thess 2:3–4); or the devil: now is the judgment of the world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out (John 12:31). And all this can be explained literally of the just kings, and who slew the impious with their precepts.
Commentary on Isaiah
And he shall have his loins girt with righteousness, and his sides clothed with truth.
καὶ ἔσται δικαιοσύνῃ ἐζωσμένος τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ εἰλημένος τὰς πλευράς.
и҆ бꙋ́детъ препоѧ́санъ пра́вдою ѡ҆ чре́слѣхъ свои́хъ и҆ и҆́стиною ѡ҆бви́тъ по ре́брамъ свои̑мъ:
“Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and truth the girdle of his loins.” As a king has a belt made of gold and precious stones, so in a prophetic manner, he speaks about the belt made of righteousness and truth. By the belt we may also understand the divinity of the Word, because he is righteousness, according to the apostle: “He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” He is also the truth, according to Evangelist: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” The Word being the righteousness and the truth that comes from the root of Jesse, his waist [belt] points out to his attribute as king and warrior as the Word who conquers the invisible powers and hosts.
Commentary on Isaiah 11:7
At all times let us stand firm, but especially now, although many afflictions overtake us and many heretics are furious against us. Let us then, my beloved brothers, celebrate with thanksgiving the holy feast that now draws near to us, “girding up the loins of our minds,” like our Savior Jesus Christ, of whom it is written, “Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.”
Festal Letter 3
He is not speaking of a literal, physical belt, for all the language in this passage he employs in a spiritual sense.
Homilies on Ephesians 23
368. And justice shall be. Here his constancy in persevering is set out: and justice, which he shall observe in his judgments, shall be the girdle of his loins, that is, the sword with which he shall fight, and faith, confidence from God by which he will prevail; and this can be applied to Christ and to the just kings. Or the girdle of his loins which strongly adheres to man, and girdles the whole man on all sides. Or justice, in the equity of the deed, faith, faithfulness in the mode of doing: stand, having your loins girt about (Eph 6:14); or justice, the just; faith, the faithful; and thus these words are only referred to Christ: as the girdle sticks close to the loins of a man, so have I brought close to me all the house of Israel (Jer 13:11). From this Jerome argues against the Hebrews that all these things cannot be understood literally.
Commentary on Isaiah
And the wolf shall feed with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the young calf and bull and lion shall feed together; and a little child shall lead them.
καὶ συμβοσκηθήσεται λύκος μετ᾿ ἀρνός, καὶ πάρδαλις συναναπαύσεται ἐρίφω, καὶ μοσχάριον καὶ ταῦρος καὶ λέων ἅμα βοσκηθήσονται, καὶ παιδίον μικρὸν ἄξει αὐτούς·
и҆ пасти́сѧ бꙋ́дꙋтъ вкꙋ́пѣ во́лкъ со а҆́гнцемъ, и҆ ры́сь почі́етъ со ко́злищемъ, и҆ теле́цъ и҆ ю҆не́цъ и҆ ле́въ вкꙋ́пѣ пасти́сѧ бꙋ́дꙋтъ, и҆ ѻ҆троча̀ ма́ло поведе́тъ ѧ҆̀:
6–7The elders who saw John, the disciple of the Lord, related that they had heard from him how the Lord used to teach in regard to these times, and say: The days will come, in which vines shall grow, each having ten thousand branches, and in each branch ten thousand twigs, and in each true twig ten thousand shoots, and in each one of the shoots ten thousand clusters, and on every one of the clusters ten thousand grapes, and every grape when pressed will give five and twenty metretes of wine. And when any one of the saints shall lay hold of a cluster, another shall cry out, "I am a better cluster, take me; bless the Lord through me." In like manner [the Lord declared] that a grain of wheat would produce ten thousand ears, and that every ear should have ten thousand grains, and every grain would yield ten pounds (quinque bilibres) of clear, pure, fine flour; and that all other fruit-bearing trees, and seeds and grass, would produce in similar proportions (secundum congruentiam iis consequentem); and that all animals feeding [only] on the productions of the earth, should [in those days] become peaceful and harmonious among each other, and be in perfect subjection to man... Now these things are credible to believers... When the traitor Judas did not give credit to them, and put the question, 'How then can things about to bring forth so abundantly be wrought by the Lord.' the Lord declared, 'They who shall come to these [times] shall see.'
Against Heresies (Book 5, Chapter 33), Section 4
6–7The predicted blessing, therefore, belongs unquestionably to the times of the kingdom, when the righteous shall bear rule upon their rising from the dead; when also the creation, having been renovated and set free, shall fructify with an abundance of all kinds of food, from the dew of heaven, and from the fertility of the earth: as the elders who saw John, the disciple of the Lord, related that they had heard from him how the Lord used to teach in regard to these times, and say: The days will come, in which vines shall grow, each having ten thousand branches, and in each branch ten thousand twigs, and in each true twig ten thousand shoots, and in each one of the shoots ten thousand clusters, and on every one of the clusters ten thousand grapes, and every grape when pressed will give five and twenty metretes of wine. And when any one of the saints shall lay hold of a cluster, another shall cry out, "I am a better cluster, take me; bless the Lord through me." In like manner [the Lord declared] that a grain of wheat would produce ten thousand ears, and that every ear should have ten thousand grains, and every grain would yield ten pounds (quinque bilibres) of clear, pure, fine flour; and that all other fruit-bearing trees, and seeds and grass, would produce in similar proportions (secundum congruentiam iis consequentem); and that all animals feeding [only] on the productions of the earth, should [in those days] become peaceful and harmonious among each other, and be in perfect subjection to man.
And these things are borne witness to in writing by Papias, the hearer of John, and a companion of Polycarp, in his fourth book; for there were five books compiled (συντεταγμένα) by him. And he says in addition, "Now these things are credible to believers." And he says that, "when the traitor Judas did not give credit to them, and put the question, 'How then can things about to bring forth so abundantly be wrought by the Lord.' the Lord declared, 'They who shall come to these [times] shall see.' " When prophesying of these times, therefore, Esaias says: "The wolf also shall feed with the lamb, and the leopard shall take his rest with the kid; the calf also, and the bull, and the lion shall eat together; and a little boy shall lead them. The ox and the bear shall feed together, and their young ones shall agree together; and the lion shall eat straw as well as the ox. And the infant boy shall thrust his hand into the asp's den, into the nest also of the adder's brood; and they shall do no harm, nor have power to hurt anything in my holy mountain." And again he says, in recapitulation, "Wolves and lambs shall then browse together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and the serpent earth as if it were bread; and they shall neither hurt nor annoy anything in my holy mountain, says the Lord." [Isaiah 40:6, etc.] I am quite aware that some persons endeavour to refer these words to the case of savage men, both of different nations and various habits, who come to believe, and when they have believed, act in harmony with the righteous. But although this is [true] now with regard to some men coming from various nations to the harmony of the faith, nevertheless in the resurrection of the just [the words shall also apply] to those animals mentioned. For God is rich in all things. And it is right that when the creation is restored, all the animals should obey and be in subjection to man, and revert to the food originally given by God (for they had been originally subjected in obedience to Adam), that is, the productions of the earth. But some other occasion, and not the present, is [to be sought] for showing that the lion shall [then] feed on straw. And this indicates the large size and rich quality of the fruits. For if that animal, the lion, feeds upon straw [at that period], of what a quality must the wheat itself be whose straw shall serve as suitable food for lions?
Against Heresies (Book 5, Chapter 33), Sections 3-4
I am aware that some try to refer these [prophecies] to fierce people of diverse nations and of different kinds of behavior, who have believed, and when they have believed have come to agree with the righteous. But although this is now true of various kinds of people who have come from different nations to the one conviction of the faith, nevertheless [it will also be true] in the resurrection of the just with reference to these animals.
Against Heresies 5
[Isaiah] continues prophetically to show the transformation of all different races of humanity, barbarian and Greek … through the teaching of Christ.… The irrational animals and wild beasts in the passage represent the Gentiles, who are naturally like animals. One who comes from the seed of Jesse will rule over the Gentiles. This is the genealogy of our Savior and Lord, in whom the Gentiles now believe and hope.
Proof of the Gospel 3:2
The prophet also foretold the kinds of people from whom the church would be established. Not only the meek and the mild and the good would form the church. The wild, the inhuman and men whose ways were like those of wolves and lions and bulls would flock together with them and form one church. Hear how the prophet foretold the diversity of this flock when he said, “Then a wolf shall feed with a lamb.” And by this he showed the simplicity of the way of life the church’s rulers would live.
Demonstration Against the Pagans 6:8
When he says, “Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the rough ways shall be made smooth,” he is signifying the exaltation of the lowly, the humiliation of the self-willed, the hardness of the law changed into easiness of faith. For it is no longer toils and labors, says he, but grace and forgiveness of sins, affording great facility of salvation. Next he states the cause of these things, saying, “All flesh shall see the salvation of God,” no longer Jews and proselytes only, but also all earth and sea and the entire human race. Because by “the crooked things” he signified our whole corrupt life, publicans, harlots, robbers, magicians, as many as having been perverted before afterwards walked in the right way: much as he himself likewise said, “Publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you,” because they believed. And in other words also again the prophet declared the selfsame thing, thus saying, “Then wolves and lambs shall feed together.” For similarly here by the hills and valleys, he meant that incongruities of character are blended into one and the same evenness of self-restraint, so also there, by the characters of the brute animals indicating the different human dispositions, he again spoke of their being linked in one and the same harmony of godliness.
Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 10:3
I have heard many saying, “The threats of a king are like the wrath of a lion”; being full of dejection and lamentation. What then should we say to such? That he who said, “The wolves and the lambs shall feed together; and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox,” will be able to convert the lion into a mild lamb.
Homilies Concerning the Statues 3:5
6–9(Verse 6 and following) The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat; the calf, the lion, and the sheep will all stay together, and a small child will lead them. The calf and the bear will graze together; their young ones will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like an ox. The infant will play near the cobra's den, and the young child will put his hand into the viper's nest. They will not cause harm or destroy on my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. This also the Jews and our Jewish followers contend will happen literally, that in the glory of Christ, whom they believe will come at the end of the world, all beasts will be tamed, and the former ferocity, the wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the other things with the others, which we now see as contrary to each other. We should ask those who accept everything in the present text as it is written, and do not relate to spiritual understanding, according to the saying of the Apostle, who says: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:3), therefore, the root, and the branch, and the flower should not be understood literally: and when it is said that the earth was struck by the word of God, and the wicked were killed by the breath of his lips, they should be understood as written: and they should be compelled to teach how the Lord's loins are surrounded by incorporeal things with righteousness and truth. But let us also ask them what is worthy of the majesty of the Lord, that the wolf and the lamb may feed together, and the leopard may lie down with the young goat, and the lion may eat straw like the ox, and a small child may put his hand into the hole of the venomous snake? Unless, perhaps, according to the fables of the poets, they will restore to us the golden age of Saturn, in which wolves and lambs will feed together, and rivers will flow with sweet wine, and the sweetest honey will drip from the leaves of trees, and everything will be filled with milk from the fountains. But if they respond that for the happiness of the times these things are to come, so that without anyone's harm, men may enjoy all good things, let them hear from us that nothing is good except virtue, and nothing is evil except vice, as the Psalmist says: Who is the man that desires life, and loves to see good days? Restrain your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil, and do good. (Psalm 34:14; 31:27). But riches, and bodily health, and abundance of all things, and their contraries, poverty, weakness, and lack, even among the philosophers of the world, are neither reckoned among good things nor among bad things, but are called indifferent. And the Stoics also, who agree in most respects with our doctrine, consider nothing to be good except honesty and virtue alone, and nothing to be evil except shamefulness. We have briefly stated these things in order to convincingly refute those who Judaize while in a deep sleep. However, through the life-giving spirit, understanding is easy. For Paul, formerly a persecutor and destroyer of the Church, is like a wolf, of whom it is said: Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; he dwelt with the lamb, or like Ananias, by whom he was baptized (Gen. XLIX, 27; Acts VIII), or like the Apostle Peter, to whom it was said: Feed my lambs (John XXI). And the leopard, who previously did not change its spots, lies down in the fountain of the Lord with the kid, not the one on the left, but the one sacrificed on the Lord's Passover. And this must be noted, that neither the lamb nor the kid dwell and lie down with the wolf and the leopard, but the wolf and the leopard imitate the innocence of the lamb and the kid. The lion also will dwell together with the most ferocious, and the sheep, and the calf. This we see daily in the Church, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the humble, kings and commoners dwelling together, and being ruled in the Church by little children, whom we understand to be the Apostles, and by Apostolic men, unskilled in language, but not in knowledge. When those who are bound together in the discipline of the Lord are united among themselves, so that their families are also joined, then this will be fulfilled: their young ones will rest together. The lion will also not eat meat, but straw, so that it may feed on simple food. And here it must be observed that it is not the ox that eats meat, but the lion that eats straw. I think that in Holy Scriptures, straw is understood as simple words. However, wheat and the inner marrow represent the meaning that is found in the letter: and it often happens that people of the world, who are ignorant of the mysteries, feed on simple reading of the Scriptures. The infant, who is small in wickedness, also puts his hand into the snake's hole and drives away the demons from the bodies of those possessed. But the child who is weaned is no longer nourished by milk but now eats solid food. He puts his hand into the cave of the ruler, that is, into the dwelling place of Satan himself, and from there he pulls him out. Hence, the power was given to the Apostles to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10). However, poisonous animals will never be able to harm or kill those who dwell in the holy mountain of God, which is interpreted as the Church, as it is said in the Gospel: A city set on a hill cannot be hidden (Matt. 5:14). But lest we think that this is said about Mount Zion according to the error of the Hebrews, the following verse of the Gospel preaching shows the sacraments: For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord (Isaiah 11:9). This is what was said above more obscurely: The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid (Isaiah 11:6). And according to their custom, the words of the prophets are revealed at the end: As the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). Just as the depths of the sea are covered by the waters of the sea, that is, the land covered by the waves, so the knowledge of the Lord will fill the whole earth. The blessed Apostle Peter also testifies to the diverse conjunction of previous manners in the linen cloth (Acts 10), which was sent down from heaven, having four elements, which we understand as representing the four regions of the world, so that we may know the earth filled with the knowledge of God: in this vessel there were quadrupeds, and serpents, and wild beasts, and birds of the sky, so that just as the Ark did in the Flood, the Church may provide in the world.
Commentary on Isaiah
The others are easy to understand according to the vivifying spirit. For Paul the wolf, who first persecuted and lacerated the church, about whom it was said, “Benjamin is a rapacious wolf,” lived with a lamb—that is, either with Ananias, by whom he was baptized, or with the apostle Peter, to whom it was said, “Feed my lambs.” And the leopard, which first did not change its spots, once it was washed in the fountain of the Lord lay down with the kid—not the goat on the left but the one that is sacrificed at the pasch of the Lord. It is also to be noted that the lamb and the kid will not dwell and recline with the wolf and the leopard, but the wolf and the leopard will imitate the innocence of the lamb and the kid.The lion, previously most ferocious, and the sheep and the calf lingered together. We also see in the church today that the rich and the poor, the powerful and the humble, kings and peasants, remain together and are ruled in the church by small children, whom we understand to be the apostles and apostolic men, men who are unskilled in rhetoric but not in knowledge. When they are federated among themselves by the discipline of the Lord, such that their families also are united, then the saying will be implemented: “Their young will lie down together.” The lion, moreover, will not eat meat but hay, because it feeds on simple food. Observe also that the cow will not eat meat, but the lion will eat hay. I believe that “hay” in sacred Scripture is understood to be simple words, as is “wheat,” the inner marrow, the meaning which is found in the letter. And it frequently happens that secular men unacquainted with the mysteries are fed by a simple reading of the Scriptures. The infant also, who is a child with respect to evil, places his hand in the hole of the asp and demons flee from the besieged bodies of men. One who is weaned no longer takes nourishment from the milk of infants but now feeds on solid food. He puts his hand in the den of the serpent, that is, the habitation of Satan himself, and extracts him from it. Hence the apostles were given power to tread on serpents and scorpions and every strength of the enemy. And venomous beasts were previously unable to harm or to kill those who will have lived on God’s holy mountain, which means the church, about which it is said in the Gospel, “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
Commentary on Isaiah 4:11.6-9
Not of course that the ox may learn ferocity from the lion but that the lion may learn docility from the ox.
Letter 130.8
“And I will strike for you a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the air and with what crawls on the ground; and I will destroy the bow, the sword and war from the earth; and I will make them sleep in safety.” According to the Septuagint, “And I will arrange for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the air and with what crawls on the ground; and I will destroy war from the earth; and I will make them live in hope.” When all talk of false religion is removed from the people who confess the Lord and, he said, when they call me “my husband,” no longer daring to cry to “Baal” (which means “my idol”), then I will strike for them a covenant and an agreement with the beasts of the field and with the birds of the sky and with what crawls on the ground. Of this moment Isaiah also speaks: “The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the kid, and the calf, the lion and the lamb will remain together, and a small child will lead them.” The cow and the bear will feed together and relax with their young; and the lion will eat hay like the ox, no longer desiring to eat flesh and blood at all, but enjoying its food with the pure and simple. To enable him to receive Cornelius from the Gentiles, it was revealed and commanded to Peter that he could eat any animal and that he should consider nothing to be unclean when, after being seized with thanksgiving, he later heard: “What God has purified, you must not call common.” At the coming of the Lord our Savior, therefore, after the triumph of his resurrection and ascension to the Father, two walls will be joined at the cornerstone by him who “made both one.” He called her “pitied” who was once called “not pitied,” and he called them his people who was once called “not my people.” And the bow, the sword and war will be destroyed, granting peace to all. For instruments of war are unnecessary when there is no one to wage war. Israel will be joined to the Gentiles, and what was said in Deuteronomy will be fulfilled: “Rejoice, Gentiles, with his people.” For “God is known in Judah, his name is great in Israel.”
Commentary on Hosea 1:2.18
The promise will be fulfilled when kings, peasants and the poor all gather equally around the one table of Christ (believed and seen by us); according to the prophet Isaiah: “Then the wolf will dine with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the kid, and the cow, the lion and the lamb will eat straw together, and a small child will feed them.”
The Book of Promises and Predictions of God 3:39.46
For behold, we who seem clothed in religious habit have come together from the diverse condition of the world to faith and to hearing the word of the almighty Lord, and from dissimilar iniquities we have been gathered into the concord of holy Church, so that what is said of the promise of the Church through Isaiah now seems to have been openly fulfilled: "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid." For through the bowels of holy charity the wolf dwells with the lamb, because those who were plunderers in the world rest in peace with the gentle and meek. And the leopard lies down with the kid, because he who was spotted with the stains of his sins consents to be humbled with him who despises himself and confesses himself a sinner. Where it is also added: "The calf and the lion and the sheep shall dwell together," because he who prepares himself as a daily sacrifice to God through a contrite heart, and another who raged severely from cruelty like a lion, and another who perseveres in the simplicity of his innocence like a sheep, have come together in the folds of holy Church. Behold what charity is like, which kindles, burns up, melts together the diversities of minds and reforms them as it were into one appearance of gold.
Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 2, Homily 4
369. The wolf shall dwell. Here the effect of his rectitude is set out, which is in the multitude of peace, which he shows as to two things:
first, as to the meekness of the great,
second, as to the security of the lowly: and the sucking child (Isa 11:8).
The meekness of the great is shown as to three things:
first, as to dwelling: the rapacious wolf with the innocent lamb, and on the contrary, for the wolf will follow the lamb's innocence; the crafty leopard with the simple kid; the calf, a kind of animal that is strong, and the lion, a kind of animal that is strong and fierce; the sheep, a kind of animal that is weak, together they will all be in unity, where there is neither Gentile nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian nor Scythian, bond nor free. But Christ is all and in all (Col 3:11). This is signified in Noah's ark, where there were all animals of each kind (Gen 7:1–3).
370. Second, as to government: a little child: Peter the fisherman. Above: behold I and my children (Isa 8:18); the foolish things of the world has God chosen, that he may confound the wise and the contemptible things that he may confound the strong (1 Cor 1:27); shall lead, that is, he shall lead them to the kingdom, like a general.
Commentary on Isaiah
And sometimes this pure gentleness and this pure fierceness met and justified their juncture; the paradox of all the prophets was fulfilled, and, in the soul of St. Louis, the lion lay down with the lamb. But remember that this text is too lightly interpreted. It is constantly assured, especially in our Tolstoyan tendencies, that when the lion lies down with the lamb the lion becomes lamb-like. But that is brutal annexation and imperialism on the part of the lamb. That is simply the lamb absorbing the lion instead of the lion eating the lamb. The real problem is--Can the lion lie down with the lamb and still retain his royal ferocity? That is the problem the Church attempted; that is the miracle she achieved.
Orthodoxy, Ch. 6: The Paradoxes of Christianity (1908)
6–7If the earthly lion could read the prophecy of that day when he shall eat hay like an ox, he would regard it as a description not of heaven, but of hell. And if there is nothing in the lion but carnivorous sentience, then he is unconscious and his "survival" would have no meaning. But if there is a rudimentary Leonine self, to that also God can give a "body" as it pleases Him--a body no longer living by the destruction of the lamb, yet richly Leonine in the sense that it also expresses whatever energy and splendour and exulting power dwelled within the visible lion on this earth. I think, under correction, that the prophet used an eastern hyperbole when he spoke of the lion and the lamb lying down together. That would be rather impertinent of the lamb. To have lions and lambs that so consorted (except on some rare celestial Saturnalia of topsy-turvydom) would be the same as having neither lambs nor lions. I think the lion, when he has ceased to be dangerous, will still be awful: indeed, that we shall then first see that of which the present fangs and claws are a clumsy, and satanically perverted, imitation. There will still be something like the shaking of a golden mane: and often the good Duke will say, "Let him roar again".
The Problem of Pain, Chapter 9: Animal Pain
And the ox and bear shall feed together; and their young shall be together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
καὶ βοῦς καὶ ἄρκος ἅμα βοσκηθήσονται, καὶ ἅμα τὰ παιδία αὐτῶν ἔσονται, καὶ λέων καὶ βοῦς ἅμα φάγονται ἄχυρα.
и҆ во́лъ и҆ медвѣ́дь вкꙋ́пѣ пасти́сѧ бꙋ́дꙋтъ, и҆ вкꙋ́пѣ дѣ́ти и҆́хъ бꙋ́дꙋтъ, и҆ ле́въ а҆́ки во́лъ ꙗ҆́сти бꙋ́детъ плє́вы:
Where and when, therefore, will this blessing be accomplished except in the kingdom of God, where grain, wine and oil are in abundance? The earth will yield its fruit generously and every evil will be destroyed, as Isaiah said: “In those days, the lion will eat straw with the ox, the wolf and the lamb will feed together, and a small child will put his hand in the den of an asp without being harmed.” In his kingdom, God will recreate the world as wonderfully as it was made at the beginning, before the first man sinned. For after he violated the word of God, all things were corrupted, profaned and cursed when God said, “Cursed is the ground because of your works.” The passing form of this world, therefore, will become the kingdom of the saints and the liberation of creation.
Origen’s Tractate on the Books of Holy Scripture 5:36-37
Such is the grace of the waters, that their calves and lions flee from them, so that this prophetic saying about the sanctity of the Church rightly applies to them: Then wolves and lambs will graze together, and lions and oxen will eat straw together. No wonder, since even in the Church, water works in the same way, that the washed-away wickedness of the thieves is compared with the innocence.
The Six Days of Creation, 5.2.6
If we carefully examine the words of the Prophets, we discover that these and they were put forth by the same Spirit. For when Isaiah observed the life of sinners devoured by the ancient and insatiable enemy, he said, "the lion shall eat straw like the ox." But what is signified by the words hay, and straw, except the life of the carnal? Of which it is said by the Prophet, "All flesh is hay." He then who here is 'Behemoth,' is there a 'lion;' they who are here called 'hay,' are there called 'straw.' But the mind strives to enquire why this lion in Isaiah, or Behemoth as he is called by the voice of the Lord, is in both passages compared not to a horse, but an ox. But we ascertain this the sooner, if we consider what is the difference of foods in the two animals. For horses eat hay, however dirty, but drink clean water only. But oxen drink water, however filthy, but feed only on clean hay. What then is it, for which this Behemoth is compared to an ox, which feeds on clean food, except that which is said of this ancient enemy by another Prophet: "His food is choice." For he rejoices not in seizing those whom he beholds lying of their own accord in the lowest depths with himself, involved in wicked and filthy actions. He therefore seeks to eat hay as an ox, because he seeks to wound with the fang of his suggestion the pure life of the spiritual.
Morals on the Book of Job, Book 32, Section 18
Hence there too it is added: "And a little child shall lead them." Who is this little child except he of whom it is written: "A child is born to us, a son is given to us"? He leads those dwelling together, because lest our hearts cling to earthly things, he daily inflames them through inward desire. And this very leading of his is to kindle us unceasingly to love of him, lest when we love one another we remain in mind in this exile, lest the rest of this life so please us that it leads to forgetfulness of our homeland, lest the mind delighted by prosperity grow sluggish.
Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 2, Homily 4
371. Third, as to eating, in two ways:
as to conformity of food: the calf, who eats grass and is a clean animal, the bear, who tears meat and is not a clean animal, shall feed together, on the same food of the Word of God; their young ones, that is, their families, together, that is, in conformity, shall rest to eat, or the food of the sacraments: they ate the same spiritual food (1 Cor 10:3).
Second, as to humility of food, the lion, the king, like the ox, the rustic, straw, rough doctrine, or, literally, abstinence from food: shall the rhinoceros be willing to serve you, or will he stay at your crib? (Job 39:9).
But this seems to be more expressly preserved in religion, where men of different ages and conditions live with one mind, that is, in conformity: who makes men of one mind to dwell in a house (Ps 67:7[68:6]). Others say that this was fulfilled in the time of the good kings, when the great lived in peace with the lowly. The Jews say all these things are to happen literally in the times of the antichrist.
Commentary on Isaiah
And an infant shall put his hand on the holes of asps, and on the nest of young asps.
καὶ παιδίον νήπιον ἐπὶ τρώγλην ἀσπίδων καὶ ἐπὶ κοίτην ἐκγόνων ἀσπίδων τὴν χεῖρα ἐπιβαλεῖ.
и҆ ѻ҆троча̀ мла́до на пещє́ры а҆́спїдѡвъ и҆ на ло́же и҆сча́дїй а҆́спїдскихъ рꙋ́кꙋ возложи́тъ:
Happily the Creator has promised by Isaiah to give this power even to little children, of putting their hand in the cockatrice den and on the hole of the young asps without at all receiving hurt. And, indeed, we are aware … that under the figure of scorpions and serpents are portended evil spirits, whose very prince is described by the name of serpent, dragon and every other most conspicuous beast in the power of the Creator. This power the Creator conferred first of all upon his Christ, even as the ninetieth psalm says to him: “Upon the asp and the basilisk shall you tread; the lion and the dragon shall you trample under foot.” So also Isaiah: “In that day the Lord God shall draw his sacred, great and strong sword” (even his Christ) “against that dragon, that great and tortuous serpent; and he shall slay him in that day.”
Against Marcion 4.24
Listen to how the flesh of God becomes an antidote: The Word became flesh; He put His hand into the den of vipers, He expelled the venom, He removed sin; that is, He condemned sin in the flesh.
Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalm 37.4
372. And the sucking child shall play. Here he shows the security of the young, and he sets out three things:
their confidence, where against horror he sets out joy: on the other hole of the asp, that is, on the trials which the devil or a tyrant will send, and immediately, because he has begun to be nourished by the milk of the doctrine of faith: and not only so: but we glory also in tribulation, knowing that tribulation works patience (Rom 5:3); or in converting the wicked: he that hears, let him say: come (Rev 22:17). Against flight, which is indicative of fear, he sets out the daring of invasion; the weaned child, now eating solid food, shall do more, for he shall thrust his hand into the den of the basilisk, that is, the devil, who is king over all the children of pride (Job 41:25); for he will confidently expose himself to the persecutions of tyrants, as did many martyrs: he exults boldly, he goes forward to meet armed men (Job 39:21); or this refers to preachers, who thrust the hand of preaching for the conversion of sinners; or at the breasts, of newness and delight, for the newly converted rejoice at this.
Commentary on Isaiah
And they shall not hurt, nor shall they at all be able to destroy any one on my holy mountain: for the whole [world] is filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as much water covers the seas.
καὶ οὐ μὴ κακοποιήσουσιν, οὐδὲ μὴ δύνωνται ἀπολέσαι οὐδένα ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ ἅγιόν μου, ὅτι ἐνεπλήσθη ἡ σύμπασα τοῦ γνῶναι τὸν Κύριον ὡς ὕδωρ πολὺ κατακαλύψαι θαλάσσας.
и҆ не сотворѧ́тъ ѕла̀, ни возмо́гꙋтъ погꙋби́ти никого́же на горѣ̀ ст҃ѣ́й мое́й: ꙗ҆́кѡ напо́лнисѧ всѧ̀ землѧ̀ вѣ́дѣнїѧ гдⷭ҇нѧ, а҆́ки вода̀ мно́га покры̀ мо́ре.
But now, to all the earth has gone forth their voice, and all the earth has been filled with the knowledge of God, and the disciples have made disciples of all the nations, and now is fulfilled what is written: “They shall be all taught of God.” And then what was revealed was but a type; but now the truth has been manifested.
Discourses Against the Arians 1.13.8
We all are blended into one and the same evenness of self-restraint, so also there, by the characters of the brute animals indicating the different dispositions of men, he again spoke of their being linked in one and the same harmony of godliness.
The successful spread of the gospel message all over the world was also predicted.
Demonstration Against the Pagans 6:4
Paul testifies to our Redeemer when he says, “He was made a curse for us.” The wood of the cross is also announced through the prophet, who said, “The Lord reigned from a tree,” and again, “Let us put wood in his bread.” But the wood of the cross is explicitly revealed through the gospel, where the prophesied passion of the Lord is described.This very same cross is also maintained in words and works through the apostles, as when Paul writes, “The world is crucified to me and I to the world,” and again, “May I glory in nothing except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” For us who strive to reach the eternal homeland, therefore, sacred Scripture is the sea in its four aspects. It announces the cross because it bears us on a tree to the land of the living. Had the prophet not found a likeness between sacred Scripture and the sea, he never would have said, “The earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord, like the waters covering the sea.” It follows, then: “The four had one likeness and their appearance and work was like a wheel within a wheel.” The four had one likeness because what the law proclaimed, so also did the prophets; and what the prophets announced, the gospel set forth; and what the gospel set forth, the apostles proclaimed throughout the world. The likeness of the four is one, therefore, because even though the divine words are distinct with regard to time, they are nevertheless unified to those who hear them. “And their appearance and work was like a wheel within a wheel.” The wheel within a wheel is the New Testament within the Old, as we have already said, for what the Old Testament signifies, this the New Testament displays. Let me speak succinctly of complex matters. What does it mean that Eve is produced from a sleeping Adam if not that the church is formed from the dying Christ? What does it mean that Isaac bore wood as he was led to be sacrificed and that he continued to live after he had been laid on the altar, if not that our Redeemer himself bore the wood of the cross as he was led along and that he died in sacrifice for us according to his humanity but nevertheless remained immortal in his divinity?
Homilies on Ezekiel 1:6.13-15
373. Second, he sets out inability to hurt them: they shall not hurt; in my holy mountain, that is, the Church, except the willing: behold, I have given you power (Luke 10:19); and these signs shall follow them that believe: they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents: and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them (Mark 16:17–18).
374. Third, he sets out the cause of both: for the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord: their sound has gone forth into all the earth (Ps 18:5[19:4]); I, wisdom, have poured out rivers (Sir 24:40).
The Jews explain all of this literally. Others say that it signifies that, in the times of the good kings, all the young boldly committed themselves to those who were previously plunderers and cruel men.
Commentary on Isaiah
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall arise to rule over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust, and his rest shall be glorious.
Καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἡ ρίζα τοῦ ᾿Ιεσσαὶ καὶ ὁ ἀνιστάμενος ἄρχειν ἐθνῶν, ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσι, καὶ ἔσται ἡ ἀνάπαυσις αὐτοῦ τιμή.
И҆ бꙋ́детъ въ де́нь ѻ҆́ный ко́рень і҆ессе́овъ, и҆ востаѧ́й владѣ́ти ꙗ҆зы̑ки, на того̀ ꙗ҆зы́цы ᲂу҆пова́ти бꙋ́дꙋтъ: и҆ бꙋ́детъ поко́й є҆гѡ̀ че́сть.
Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. [Isaiah 11:10] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
10–11Here is the meaning: his death will be glorious so that what the Savior prayed in the Gospel might be fulfilled: “Father, glorify me with the glory that I had with you before the world came to be.” This was said about his nativity and about other sacraments in the public view. He came to death who was not accustomed to bearing the name of the dead but because perpetual life was in Christ, it was called “rest.” But we, in order to make the meaning clear to the reader, replaced “rest” and “dormancy” with another word of the same meaning: “sepulcher.” At that time therefore, when the gospel of Christ shines in all the world and the earth is filled with the knowledge of God, like waters of the sea covering the land, the root of Jesse and he who arises from his stem will be a sign to all the people, that they might see the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. He will have a horn in his hands, in which are hidden his strength, that when he is exalted he might draw all things to himself.
Commentary on Isaiah 4:11.10
10–11Long before this tomb [of Christ] was hewn out by Joseph, its glory was foretold in Isaiah’s prediction, “his rest shall be glorious,” meaning that the place of the Lord’s burial should be held in universal honor.
Letter 46.5
10–11In that day, that is, at the time of which it was also spoken above, when the root of Jesse will arise as a sign for the peoples, or to rule the nations, the Lord will send forth his hand a second time that all of Israel may be saved at the end of the world when the fullness of the Gentiles will enter, by no means according to our Judaizers. But we should understand all these things as pertaining to the first advent. For since only one day is indicated both here and above, we are unable to refer the former to the first advent and the latter to the second, such that the events that follow and those that preceded would not be referred to Christ, whom the Jews contended had not yet come, but would still come in the future. After the calling of the Gentiles, therefore, who were formerly thought to be the tail, Israel will be known as the tail, that the Lord may put forth his hand a second time and take possession of the remnant of his people, about whom we also read above: not all of Israel but that portion of Israel to be saved, which will remain from Assyria and Egypt and diverse parts of the world. For first the twelve apostles and the seventy and the one hundred twenty souls and the five hundred to whom the Lord appeared at once, then the three thousand and the five thousand are Jews who will have believed in the Lord.
Commentary on Isaiah 4:11.11-14
10–14On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious. LXX: On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall seek him out, and his dwelling shall be honored. For his resting place has been chosen in Hebrew, Mnuatho (), which all have likewise translated. And for his honor, in Hebrew it is read as Chabod (), which clearly signifies glory. And the meaning is: his death will be glorious, so that what the Savior prays for in the Gospel may be fulfilled: Father, glorify me with the glory which I had before the world was with you (John 17:5). It has been said about his birth, it has been said about the others in the midst of the Sacraments: he came to death, which is not called by the usual name of mortals, but because eternal life was in Christ, it is called rest. But we, in order to make the meaning clear to the reader, translate it as dormition and rest, with another word but the same meaning, we turn it into a tomb. Therefore, in that time, when the Gospel of Christ will shine forth throughout the whole world, and the knowledge of the Lord will fill all the earth like the waters cover the sea, the root of Jesse will be and the one who will rise from his lineage as a sign for all peoples, so that the nations may see the sign of the Son of Man in heaven (Matt. 24). He will have horns in his hands, in which his strength will be hidden, so that when exalted, he may draw all things to himself (Hab. 3). As the Septuagint translated, he will rise from the dead to be the prince of all nations, and all peoples will hope in him. This is also testified by Jacob in a mystical message about the tribe of Judah: The prince will not fail from Judah, nor the leader from his loins, until he comes to whom it belongs, and he will be the expectation of the nations. And in that day, the Lord will stretch out his hand a second time to possess the remnant of his people, which will be left behind by the Assyrians, and by Egypt, and by Phut, and by Ethiopia, and by Elam, and by Shinar, and by Hamath, and by the islands of the sea. And He will lift up a signal for the nations, and will gather the outcasts of Israel, and assemble the scattered ones of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The jealousy of Ephraim will depart, and the enemies of Judah will be destroyed. Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, and Judah will not fight against Ephraim. They will swoop down on the Philistines' shoulder through the sea, together they will plunder the sons of the East. And Edom and Moab will be under their control, and the sons of Ammon will obey them. In that day, which is the time mentioned before, when the Root of Jesse rises as a signal for the peoples, in order to rule over the nations, the Lord will stretch out His hand a second time, so that not according to our Jewish understanding at the end of the world, when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, then all Israel will be saved (Rom. XI); but let us understand all these things in relation to His first coming. For we cannot, when the same day is said both now and above, refer it to the first coming, and the one below to the second: lest by these things which follow, and those which precede, Christ whom the Jews contend has not yet come but is to come, should be referred to him. After the calling of the Gentiles, therefore, which were formerly reckoned in the tail, Israel shall be reckoned in the tail, in order that the Lord may again put forth his hand a second time, and possess the remnant of his people, of whom we have read above, not all Israel, but the remnants are to be saved, which shall be left by the Assyrians and by Egypt, and by the various nations around. For first the Twelve Apostles, and seventy, and one hundred twenty souls, and five hundred, who were gathered together, the Lord appeared to them, then three thousand, and five thousand Jews believed in the Lord. James also speaks to the apostle Paul, who himself was among the others: See, brother, how many thousands there are of believing Jews? all of these are zealous for the law (Acts 21:20). And in the same volume we read: Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven, who were amazed and said: Are not all these Galileans, and how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism; Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues! (Acts 2:9-11) From all these nations, people from Israel, through the apostles, will be saved. The Ecclesiastical Histories report that the apostles preached the Gospel in the whole world, in such a way that some reached Persia and India, and Ethiopia extended its hands to God, and gifts for Christ were brought from across the rivers of Ethiopia. So that it may not seem to signify only the eastern peoples, it also includes the rest: And from the islands of the sea. However, the islands of the sea signify the western region, which is enclosed by the circuit of the ocean. Therefore, the sign of the Cross will be raised among all nations, and first it will gather the people of Israel from the synagogues, in order to fulfill the command of the Savior given to the Apostles, who said: Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 10:6). Finally, Paul also speaks to the unbelievers among the Jews, saying: It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first; but since you have rejected it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles, as the Lord has commanded us (Acts 13:46-47). But the four cardinal directions, east and west, south and north, signify, as by these the calling of the world is demonstrated. In that time, Isaiah says, Ephraim and Judah, who now, as prophesied by me, dissent with hostile hatred between themselves, will not be enemies, but according to the prophecy of Ezekiel, two rods will be joined into one rod, and they will be joined in the Church of Christ, who were previously separated (Ezek. VII), so that they may work together in the nations and willingly bear the burden of the Philistines on their shoulders across the sea, that is, they may first preach to the coastal Palestinians and swiftly proceed by sea to the other nations. Or according to the Seventy Interpreters: they will fly in the ships of foreigners, they will plunder the sea together; from which let us understand the example of the apostle Paul, who was carried by ships of foreigners through Pamphylia, and Asia, and Macedonia, and Achaia, and various islands and provinces, even to Italy (Acts 28), and as he himself writes, to Spain also (Romans 15). Therefore, Ephraim and Judah, that is, those who believed in Christ from the twelve tribes of the Jews, will plunder the East together, and extend their hands in Idumea and Moab, according to what Christ speaks mystically in the person of David: I will stretch out my shoe to Idumea: to me foreigners will serve (Psalm 59:10). For at that time when Isaiah prophesied, these nations were adversaries to the people of Judah, and therefore he now says that after the root of Jesse rises, to reign over the nations, and the banner of the Cross for the salvation of the whole world is raised up, then even Idumea, Moab, and the sons of Ammon, in fact, the entire extent of Arabia, will give their hands to the Apostles, and in the places of idolatry the Church of Christ will be raised up.
Commentary on Isaiah
10–11Now Jesse was the father of David, and the promise with an oath was made to David. The prophet would not have spoken of the Lord Christ as a rod growing out of Jesse if he had only known him as God.
Dialogue 1
375. In that day. Here he places the dignity of the restorer. For a sign, the sign of the cross; those who take up this sign will be saved: I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself (John 12:32); below: behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and will set up my sign to the people; him the Gentiles shall beseech (Isa 49:22). All kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall serve him (Ps 71[72]:11). His sepulcher shall be glorious: it shall be venerated by all; hence it is signified by the sepulcher which he built in Modin for an everlasting monument, that it might be seen by all passing by (1 Macc 13:25–30). Others explain this as concerning Josias, for he was buried in the sepulchers of the kings.
Commentary on Isaiah
And it shall be in that day, [that] the Lord shall again shew his hand, to be zealous for the remnant that is left of the people, which shall be left by the Assyrians, and [that] from Egypt, and from the country of Babylon, and from Ethiopia, and from the Elamites, and from the rising of the sun, and out of Arabia.
καὶ ἔσται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνη προσθήσει Κύριος τοῦ δεῖξαι τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ τοῦ ζηλῶσαι τὸ καταλειφθὲν ὑπόλοιπον τοῦ λαοῦ, ὃ ἂν καταλειφθῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ᾿Ασσυρίων καὶ ἀπὸ Αἰγύπτου καὶ Βαβυλωνίας καὶ Αἰθιοπίας καὶ ἀπὸ ᾿Ελαμιτῶν καὶ ἀπὸ ἡλίου ἀνατολῶν καὶ ἐξ ᾿Αραβίας.
И҆ бꙋ́детъ въ де́нь ѻ҆́ный, приложи́тъ гдⷭ҇ь показа́ти рꙋ́кꙋ свою̀, є҆́же возревнова́ти по ѡ҆ста́нкꙋ про́чемꙋ люді́й, и҆́же а҆́ще ѡ҆ста́нетъ ѿ а҆ссѷрі́ѡвъ и҆ ѿ є҆гѵ́пта, и҆ вавѷлѡ́на и҆ ѿ є҆ѳїо́пїи, и҆ ѿ є҆ламі́тѡвъ и҆ ѿ восто́кѡвъ со́лнца, и҆ ѿ а҆раві́и и҆ ѿ ѻ҆стровѡ́въ морски́хъ.
376. And it shall come to pass in that day. In this part he promises the restoration of the people as to three things:
first, as to their liberation;
second, as to the condition of the liberated, where it says, and the envy of Ephraim shall be taken away (Isa 11:13);
third, as to the preparation of their liberation, where it says, and the Lord shall lay waste (Isa 11:15).
Concerning the first, he does two things:
first, he promises their liberation;
second, he describes the manner of their liberation: and the Lord shall set up a sign (Isa 11:12).
Some explain this as concerning the liberation from captivity in Babylon, when the Lord took possession of them, snatching them out of slavery in Babylon; and it is called second in relation to the first liberation, by which he led them out of slavery in Egypt: for when Nabuchodonosor was ravaging them, different nations led them into captivity and slavery, and, many of them having been killed, those remaining were congregated by the command of king Cyrus, as we read in Ezra 1. But this is better explained as concerning the liberation accomplished by Christ: for thus it agrees with what precedes it.
377. In that day, namely, when he shall stand as a sign of the peoples, the Lord shall set his hand the second time, through the apostles, for he himself preached the first time; the remnant, for a remnant shall be saved: in which is noted the holiness of the Jewish converts, and the multitude of the gentiles, about which, it says in Micah 7:1: I am become as one that gleans in autumn the grapes of the vintage. Phetros is a region which has its name from one of the sons of Abraham; Elam, a city of Persia; Emath, Antioch; Sennar, a place in Chaldea (Jer 30). Or, the second time, in the second coming, when the hearts of children will be turned to their fathers by the preaching of Elias (Mal 4:6). Blindness in part has happened in Israel (Rom 11:25).
Commentary on Isaiah
And he shall lift up a standard for the nations, and he shall gather the lost ones of Israel, and he shall gather the dispersed of Juda from the four corners of the earth.
καὶ ἀρεῖ σημεῖον εἰς τὰ ἔθνη καὶ συνάξει τοὺς ἀπολομένους ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ τοὺς διεσπαρμένους τοῦ ᾿Ιούδα συνάξει ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων πτερύγων τῆς γῆς.
И҆ воздви́гнетъ зна́менїе въ ꙗ҆зы́ки, и҆ собере́тъ поги́бшыѧ і҆и҃лєвы, и҆ расточє́нныѧ і҆ꙋ̑дины собере́тъ ѿ четы́рехъ кри́лъ землѝ.
378. And he shall set up. Here he places the manner of liberation, as to the first explanation: a sign, that is, the edict of king Cyrus; the fugitives of Israel, literally, those who went to Ezechias in Jerusalem, and joined themselves to the two tribes, and were captured with them and liberated with them. Or the sign of the Cross, as to the second explanation; he shall assemble the fugitives: to you it behooved us first to speak the word of God: but because you reject it . . . behold we turn to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46). Or the sign of some miracle by which they will be converted to the preaching of Elias, below: behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and will set up my sign to the people (Isa 49:22); you shall proclaim (Ezek 34).
Commentary on Isaiah
And the envy of Ephraim shall be taken away, and the enemies of Juda shall perish: Ephraim shall not envy Juda, and Juda shall not afflict Ephraim.
ἀφαιρεθήσεται ὁ ζῆλος ᾿Εφραὶμ καὶ οἱ ἐχθροὶ ᾿Ιούδα ἀπολοῦνται· ᾿Εφραὶμ οὐ ζηλώσει ᾿Ιούδαν, καὶ ᾿Ιούδας οὐ θλίψει ᾿Εφραίμ.
И҆ ѿи́метсѧ ре́вность є҆фре́мова, и҆ вразѝ і҆ꙋ̑дины поги́бнꙋтъ: є҆фре́мъ не возревнꙋ́етъ і҆ꙋ́дѣ, и҆ і҆ꙋ́да не ѡ҆скорби́тъ є҆фре́ма.
379. And the envy of Ephraim shall be taken away. Here the condition of the liberated is shown,
and first, as to concord, in contrast to the hatred which had existed between Ephraim and Judah: and the envy of Ephraim shall be taken away, that is, their hatred; this was fulfilled in the return from captivity, according to the first explanation; or as to the unity of faith, according to the second; or it will be fulfilled in the future, as to the third explanation. Of this concord: the house of Judah shall go to the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land which I gave to your fathers (Jer 3:18).
Commentary on Isaiah
And they shall fly in the ships of the Philistines: they shall at the same time spoil the sea, and them [that come] from the east, and Idumea: and they shall lay their hands on Moab first; but the children of Ammon shall first obey [them]
καὶ πετασθήσονται ἐν πλοίοις ἀλλοφύλων θάλασσαν, ἅμα προνομεύσουσι καὶ τοὺς ἀφ᾿ ἡλίου ἀνατολῶν καὶ ᾿Ιδουμαίαν· καὶ ἐπὶ Μωὰβ πρῶτον τὰς χεῖρας ἐπιβαλοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ ᾿Αμμὼν πρῶτοι ὑπακούσονται.
И҆ полетѧ́тъ въ корабле́хъ и҆ноплеме́нничихъ, мо́ре кꙋ́пнѡ плѣнѧ́тъ, и҆ сꙋ́щихъ ѿ востѡ́къ со́лнца, и҆ і҆дꙋме́ю: и҆ на мѡа́ва пе́рвѣе рꙋ́ки возложа́тъ, сы́нове же а҆ммѡ̑ни пе́рвїи покорѧ́тсѧ.
He [the Antichrist] shall be proclaimed king by them, and shall be magnified by all, and shall prove himself an abomination of desolation to the world.
Fragments from Commentary on Daniel 2:40
380. Second, as to power in the subjugation of enemies, either that which occurred literally in the time of the Maccabees, as to the first explanation; or through the preaching of the apostles, as to the second; or as to the prosperity which the Lord will also give them in the future. They shall fly, as if to say, they shall fall quickly, upon the shoulders of the Philistines, to scourge them, by the sea, because they are near the sea, and this as to the first and third explanation; together, with those already conquered, they shall spoil the children of the east, the Assyrians: this is not said to have happened in the time of the Maccabees; or they shall spoil by the sea, because the Philistines abounded in ships. Edom, and Moab, who at first were enemies, shall fulfill the precept of their hand, not expecting the other to act according to the command: in which is noted their great exaltation; and the children of Ammon: all these were great adversaries, below: behold these shall come from afar (Isa 49:12). Or, they shall fly, because of their desire to preach, by the sea, for the apostles reached many nations by ship through the sea. Or by the nations which he names he understands all nations, below: who are these, that fly as clouds? (Isa 60:8); the precept of their hand, for they taught by word and example.
Commentary on Isaiah
And the Lord shall make desolate the sea of Egypt; and he shall lay his hand on the river with a strong wind, and he shall smite the seven channels, so that men shall pass through it dry-shod.
καὶ ἐρημώσει Κύριος τὴν θάλασσαν Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐπιβαλεῖ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν ποταμὸν πνεύματι βιαίῳ καὶ πατάξει ἑπτὰ φάραγγας, ὥστε διαπορεύεσθαι αὐτὸν ἐν ὑποδήμασι·
И҆ ѡ҆пꙋстоши́тъ гдⷭ҇ь мо́ре є҆гѵ́петское и҆ возложи́тъ рꙋ́кꙋ свою̀ на рѣкꙋ̀ дꙋ́хомъ преси́льнымъ: и҆ порази́тъ на се́дмь де́брїй, ꙗ҆́коже преходи́ти ю҆̀ во ѡ҆бꙋве́нїи:
15–16And the Lord will dry up the tongue of the sea of Egypt, and he will lift his hand over the river with the strength of his spirit, and he will strike it in the seven streams, so that people can cross it in sandals. And there will be a highway for the remnant of my people who are left from Assyria, just as there was for Israel on the day when they came up from the land of Egypt. Just as Edom and Moab, and the sons of Ammon will submit their hands to the Apostles, so that they may obey the preaching of the Gospel, in the same way the Lord himself, who fulfilled those things in his Apostles, will dry up not the sea according to the Septuagint, but according to the Hebrews, the tongue of the sea of Egypt, which previously blasphemed against the Lord and presided over the Egyptian superstition. And in the Psalms we read: This great and spacious sea, wherein are reptiles without number (Psalm 10:25-26). It is said of them: This dragon, whom you have made to mock at him. Therefore, he shall desolate, that is, put under a curse, as Theodotion, Aquila, and Symmachus translated it, the tongue of the Egyptian sea, and he shall lift up his hand over the rivers of Egypt in the strength of his spirit, or his most violent spirit, which we understand to be the kingdom of the Romans. For when Caesar Augustus was reigning (Luke 2), when the flower of Jesse's root ascended, and the first census was made in the Roman world, the most powerful kingdom of the Egyptians, which lasted for many generations, was destroyed by the death of Cleopatra, and the Egyptian river was struck into seven streams, or into seven valleys. For the Nile, which previously flowed in one channel and was impassable, was divided and cut into seven very humble valleys and streams, so that it could be crossed on foot. However, this symbolically signifies that the nation of the Egyptians, given over to such great idolatry and worthless superstition, consecrated hawks, owls, dogs, goats, and donkeys with divine names, in order to distribute the infinite power of the kingdom through individual judges of the Roman empire, so that Thebes has one judge, Libya has another, Pentapolis has another, Egypt has another, Alexandria has another, and various regions, which the Egyptians call 'laws'. Therefore, under the metaphor, the Nile is divided into parts and cut into streams, so that the Evangelical word can flow freely and reach the farthest people of Egypt without any hindrance. And just as in the time of Moses the Red Sea was dried up so that the people could flee from Egypt, in contrast, the rivers of Egypt will dry up so that the remaining people of God, who will be saved from the Assyrians and various nations, can pass into Egypt, not fleeing from it, but entering and treading on it with their own feet. A wise and Christian reader should have this rule of the promises of the prophets, that we may teach spiritually things which the Jews, and not only our, rather not our Judaizers, contend carnally will happen in the future, lest we be compelled to judaize by the occasion of such fables and inextricable questions, according to the Apostle (II Tim. II).
Commentary on Isaiah
It is said, as Paul witnesses: "And from sin He condemned sin." He bound his tongue with a cord, because by means of the likeness of sinful flesh He swept away all his deceitful arguments from the hearts of His Elect. For behold, when the Lord appears in the flesh, the tongue of Leviathan is bound, because, when His truth had become known, those doctrines of falsehood were silenced.
For where is now the error of the Academicians, who endeavour to establish on sure grounds that nothing is sure, who with shameless brow demand from their hearers belief in their assertions, when they declare that nothing is true? Where is the superstition of the Mathematicians, who, looking up at the courses of the constellations, make the lives of men to depend on the motions of the stars? Though the birth of twins often scatters their doctrine to the winds; for though born at one and the same moment, they do not abide in the same kind of conversation. Where are those many false teachings, which we abstain from enumerating, for fear of digressing far from the course of our commentary? But every false doctrine has now been silenced, because the Lord has bound the tongue of Leviathan by the cord of His Incarnation. Whence it is also well said by the Prophet: "And the Lord shall lay waste the tongue of the Egyptian sea." For the 'tongue of the sea,' is the knowledge of secular learning. But it is well called 'the Egyptian sea;' because it is darkened with the gloom of sin. The Lord, therefore, laid waste the tongue of the Egyptian sea, because by manifesting Himself in the flesh, He destroyed the false wisdom of this world. The tongue of Leviathan is, therefore, bound with a cord, because the preaching of the old sinner was bound by the likeness of sinful flesh.
Morals on the Book of Job, Book 33, Sections 18-19
381. And the Lord shall lay waste. Here the preparation of their liberation is set out. And concerning this two things are set out:
first, the preparation,
second, the attainment of the benefit: and there shall be a highway (Isa 11:16).
And the preparation is promised according to the likeness of the twofold benefit which was shown to their fathers who came out of Egypt:
first, in the parting of the sea, which we read about in Exodus 14, and as to this, he says, the tongue of the sea; and it is called the tongue of the sea because, as the Master says in the Histories, when the sons of Israel came out of Egypt, the sea was not parted from one shore, but like a tongue of land which surrounded a mountain. The tongue of the sea, that is, the middle of the sea, in the manner of Hebrew speech, which calls anything that is in the middle the tongue, because the tongue is in the middle of the mouth. This indeed never happened literally; but it signifies the removal of all impediments that detained them, as to the first explanation; or the tongue of the sea refers to Egypt, whose shore the sea licks. But as to the second explanation, the Lord shall lay waste the tongue of the sea of Egypt, that is, the tongue by which they praised idols.
382. The second benefit was in the parting of the Jordan, which we read about in Joshua 4; and as to this, he says: he shall lift up his hand, that is, his power, over the river, as to the first explanation; and this is metaphorical speech, so that by the division of the sea and the river the removal of all impediments is understood; as to the second explanation, it literally signifies a river: the Nile, which was divided into seven streams by Alexander, who was the preparation for the Romans; and it was broadened so much that, with the water passing through streams and channels, it could be forded in shoes by the apostles, about whom Ephesians 6:15 says, your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Or by the river is signified the kingdom of Egypt, which was divided by the Romans into many senates. In the strength of his spirit, the army of Alexander, or of the Romans; or the spirit, that is, the wind, like what is said in Exodus 14:21: by a strong and burning wind blowing all the night.
Commentary on Isaiah
And there shall be a passage for my people that is left in Egypt: and it shall be to Israel as the day when he came forth out of the land of Egypt.
καὶ ἔσται δίοδος τῷ καταλειφθέντι μου λαῷ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ ἔσται τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα ὅτε ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου.
и҆ бꙋ́детъ проше́ствїе лю́демъ мои̑мъ ѡ҆ста́вшымъ во є҆гѵ́птѣ, и҆ бꙋ́детъ і҆и҃лю, ꙗ҆́коже въ де́нь, є҆гда̀ и҆зы́де ѿ землѝ є҆гѵ́петскїѧ.
383. And there shall be a highway. Here the benefit is set out, and it is already evident from what has been said; as there was: renew your signs, and work new miracles. Glorify your hand, and your right arm. Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath (Sir 36:6–8).
Commentary on Isaiah
And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a blossom shall come up from [his] root:
ΚΑΙ ἐξελεύσεται ῥάβδος ἐκ τῆς ρίζης ᾿Ιεσσαί, καὶ ἄνθος ἐκ τῆς ρίζης ἀναβήσεται.
И҆ и҆зы́детъ же́злъ и҆з̾ ко́рене і҆ессе́ова, и҆ цвѣ́тъ ѿ ко́рене є҆гѡ̀ взы́детъ: