Thomas Aquinas

Above, the Apostle set forth the mystical understanding; here he opens up the mystery. And first as to the mothers; second as to the sons, where he says "but we, brothers," etc. By the two mothers he understands the two testaments. And therefore he first sets down what is signified; second he explains it, where he says "the one indeed from mount," etc. He says therefore: "these," namely the two wives, the handmaid and the free woman, "are the two testaments," the old and the new. Jeremiah 31:31: "I will strike a new covenant with the house of Israel" — behold the new testament; "not according to the covenant," etc. — behold the old testament. For the free woman signifies the new testament, but the handmaid the old.

But in order to know what a testament is, it must be noted that a testament is the same as a pact or covenant of those things which are confirmed by witnesses. Hence in Scripture, many times, in place of "testament" is put "covenant" or "pact." But wherever a covenant or pact intervenes, some promise is made. And therefore, according to the diversity of promises, there is a diversity of testaments. Now two things are promised to us: namely temporal things in the old law, and eternal things in the new. Matthew 5:12: "Rejoice and be glad," etc. These two promises, therefore, are the two testaments. Hence the Apostle, consequently, when he says "the one indeed," etc., explains them. And first as to the old; second as to the new, where he says "but that Jerusalem which is above," etc.

But for the clarity of the letter it must be known, concerning the first, that any citizen of some city is said to be a son of it, and the city itself is as it were his mother. Luke 23:28: "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep," etc. Lamentations, the last chapter: "The renowned sons of Sion," etc. Through this, therefore — that some become citizens of some city — they are made its sons. Now the city of God is twofold: one earthly, namely the earthly Jerusalem; the other spiritual, namely the heavenly Jerusalem. But through the old testament men were made citizens of the earthly city, and through the new, of the heavenly. And therefore concerning this he does two things: first he sets forth the mystery explained; second he assigns the reason for the mystical explanation, where he says "for Sinai," etc.

He says therefore first: I say that it signifies the two testaments, namely the old and the new. And as to this he says: "the first indeed from mount Sinai," etc. Where, first, the place in which it was given is set down, because literally on mount Sinai, as is said in Exodus 20 — whose mystical reason, according to the Gloss, is that Sinai is interpreted "commandment." Hence also by the Apostle the old law is called "the law of commandments," Ephesians 2:15; but the mountain signifies pride, Jeremiah 13:16: "before your feet stumble against the dark mountains," etc. Hence through this mountain on which the law was given, is signified a twofold pride of the Jews: one by which they were proud against God, Deuteronomy 31:27: "I know your contentiousness," etc.; the other by which they were proud against other nations, abusing that which is said in Psalm 147:20: "He has not done in like manner to every nation," etc.

Second, however, he sets forth for what purpose it was given, because not for making free persons, but sons of the handmaid mother, "generating unto servitude, which is Agar" — that is, it is signified through Agar — which indeed generates unto servitude, namely the old testament. And this in three ways: namely as to affection, as to understanding, and as to fruit. As to understanding, indeed, according to knowledge: because in man there is a twofold knowledge — one free, namely when he knows the truth of things according to itself; the other, however, servile, that is, subjected to the veilings of figures. And such was the knowledge of the old testament. As to affection, however, because the new law generates an affection of love, which pertains to freedom, for he who loves is moved from himself. But the old generates an affection of fear, in which is servitude; for he who fears is moved not from himself, but from another. Romans 8:15: "You have not received the spirit of servitude again in fear," etc. But as to fruit, because the new law generates sons to whom an inheritance is owed; but to those whom the old generates, small gifts are owed, as to servants. John 8:35: "The servant does not remain in the house forever; the son remains in the house forever."

He assigns the reason for the mystery when he says "for Sinai is a mountain in Arabia," etc. Where first a doubt arises, because since Sinai is distant from Jerusalem by nearly twenty days' journey, it seems false that Sinai is joined to Jerusalem, as the Apostle here says. But to this it is answered mystically in the Gloss thus: that Sinai is in Arabia. For Arabia is interpreted "lowliness" or "affliction," in which the old testament was given, because men, as it were servants and strangers, were afflicted under it by carnal observances. Acts 15:10: "This is a burden, which neither our fathers nor we," etc. "Which" — the mountain — "is joined" — not through continuity of space but through likeness — "to that which is now Jerusalem," that is, to the Jewish people; because just as they themselves love earthly things, and serve under sin for the sake of temporal things, so also that mountain generated unto servitude.

But this does not seem to be the intention of the Apostle. For he himself intends that the old testament, which was given on mount Sinai, should generate unto servitude from the very place of servitude; because it was given on Sinai, yet not to the sons of Israel remaining there, but to those setting out for the land of promise. For Jerusalem also generates sons of servitude, and therefore as to this, mount Sinai is joined with it. And this is what he says: "which is joined to it" — namely through the continuation of the journey of those going to Jerusalem — "which is now Jerusalem, and serves with her children" — namely with the servitude of the legal observances (from which Christ redeemed us) and the servitude of various sins, John 8:34: "He who commits sin is the servant of sin" — and (literally) from the servitude of the Romans, who ruled over them.

Then, when he says "but that Jerusalem which is above," etc., here consequently he opens up the mystery concerning the free woman. And first he explains the mystery; second he brings in a prophecy, where he says "for it is written," etc. The first indeed can be understood in two ways, according as we can understand this mother either as that through which we are generated, which is the Church Militant; or as that mother into whose sons we are generated, which is the Church Triumphant. 1 Peter 1:3: "He has regenerated us unto a living hope," etc. Thus, therefore, we are generated in the present Church Militant, so that we may arrive at the Triumphant.

Explaining it, then, in this manner, our mother is described from four things: namely from sublimity, when he says "above"; second from her name, when he says "Jerusalem"; third from freedom, when he says "is free"; fourth from fruitfulness, when he says "our mother." She is, therefore, sublime through the open vision of God and through the perfect enjoyment of God, and this as to the Church Triumphant. Isaiah 60:5: "You shall see, and abound," etc. Colossians 3:2: "Mind the things that are above," etc. Likewise sublime through faith and hope, as to the Church Militant. Philippians 3:20: "Our citizenship is in heaven," etc. Canticle 3:6 and 8:5: "Who is this that ascends," etc.

But she is also peaceful, because "Jerusalem," that is, "vision of peace." This indeed befits the Church Triumphant, as having perfect peace. Psalm 147:14: "Who has placed peace as your borders," etc. Isaiah 32:18: "My people shall sit in the beauty of peace." Likewise it befits the Church Militant, which, having peace in Christ, rests. John 16:33: "In me you shall have peace." She is also free — Romans 8:21: "The creature itself shall be freed," etc. — and this as to the Triumphant, and also as to the Militant, as Apocalypse 21:2: "I saw the holy city Jerusalem," etc.

But she is fruitful, because "our mother": the Militant indeed as generating, the Triumphant as that into whose sons we are generated. Psalm 86:5: "Shall not a man say of Sion," etc. Isaiah 60:4: "Your sons shall come from afar," etc.

"For it is written," namely Isaiah 54:1, for according to the Septuagint. Here is set down the prophecy, through which first the freedom of the aforesaid mother is proved; second her fruitfulness, where he says "for many are the children," etc.

But it must be known, concerning the first, that in a fruitful woman, first indeed there is sadness in giving birth, second there follows joy in the offspring received, according to that word of John 16:21: "A woman when she gives birth," etc. But a barren woman neither suffers in childbirth, nor rejoices in offspring. Now "to bear" and "to be in labor" differ, because "to be in labor" denotes the effort toward birth, while "to bear" denotes the bringing forth of the fetus already formed. In labor, therefore, the fruitful woman experiences pain, and in the birth, joy. But the barren woman is deprived both of the pain of labor and of the joy of birth.

But the prophet enjoins these two upon the barren woman, saying "Rejoice, you barren one," etc., where he speaks of Jerusalem, whom he calls free, signified through the barren Sarah. For the Church was barren — namely the Church Militant of the gentiles before its conversion, which was offering a son not to God, but to the Devil. Hence it is said to Babylon, Isaiah 47:9: "Barrenness and widowhood have come upon you," etc. And the Church Triumphant, before the Passion of Christ, was barren, because none were generated into her sons through entrance into glory except in hope. For a sword had been placed before the gate of Paradise, so that no one could enter.

To this barren woman, therefore, it is said "rejoice, you who do not bear," etc., as if he were to say: barren women, as has been said, do not grieve over childbirth, but over the fact that they do not bear. 1 Kings 1:10: "When Anna was of bitter spirit," etc. But you shall rejoice in the multitude of your children. Isaiah 60:5: "Then your heart shall be enlarged and shall marvel" — namely showing outwardly the joy of the mind.

For there are two things in childbirth: namely pain from the breaking of the membranes by which the fetus is contained in the womb, and a cry arising from that very pain. And therefore he says "you who are not in labor" — namely the Church Militant, which does not strive toward birth through desire, and the Triumphant, which is not in labor with grief, or because the time for receiving children had not yet come — "break forth," that is, make manifest outwardly the joy which you have within, "and cry out" with a voice of praise. Isaiah 58:1: "Cry out, do not cease," etc. And these two pertain to freedom, namely to cry out and to break forth: thus, therefore, the freedom of the mother appears.

There follows the fruitfulness: "for many are the children," etc. But since it was said above that the free Church is signified through Sarah, there seems to be a doubt whether Sarah was forsaken. To which it must be known that she was forsaken by Abraham, as is said here, not through divorce, but as to the carnal act. For Abraham did indeed engage in the carnal act, not on account of concupiscence, but for the sake of receiving offspring. When, therefore, it became known to him that Sarah was barren, he forsook her, not breaking the marriage bed, but because he did not make use of her from that precise time when Sarah brought in the handmaid to him. By which it is given to be understood, that the Church of the gentiles was forsaken by Christ, because Christ had not yet come, and that the Church Triumphant was forsaken by men, for whom access to her did not yet lie open.

Of this forsaken woman, therefore — namely the Church of the gentiles — "many are the children," that is, more than the children of her, namely of the synagogue, "which has a husband," namely Moses. 1 Kings 2:5: "The barren has borne very many, and she who had many children," etc. And this upon the coming of the bridegroom, namely Christ, by whom she had been forsaken — not in love, but with the childbearing postponed.