Thomas Aquinas

For Jerusalem is ruined. Here he gives the cause of what has been said, namely of the renunciation: and first he gives the proximate cause, namely the punishment of universal ruin: hence it is said in the person of the prophet: therefore he will refuse — "for," that is "because," Jerusalem is ruined, that is, the city itself; and Judah, that is, the province itself, has collapsed, through punishment, from its integrity. Below 23: they have led its strong men into captivity, they have undermined its houses, they have set it in ruin. Second, he gives the remote cause, namely guilt. And it is divided into three parts. In the first he aggravates the guilt; in the second he ordains punishment against the guilt, at the words, woe to their soul; third he shows the justice of the one who punishes, at the words, say to the just.

He aggravates the sin from three things. From the species of the sin, because it is blasphemy against God: hence he says: therefore it has collapsed, because their tongue is against the Lord. Below 57: over whom have you sported, over whom have you opened wide your mouth, and put out your tongue? Second, from the novelty of the sin: hence he says: their devisings are against the Lord. Hosea 7: now their own devisings have surrounded them, they have been made before my face. Third, from the publication of the sin: hence he says: the recognition of their face; and this, because they made their sin, recognized from their face, known to others. It shall answer them, as a punishment as regards gesture. And as to the commending of the sin he says: and they have preached their sin as Sodom, that is, they have praised it. Jer. 2: you have made yourself a harlot's forehead, and you have refused to blush. It is expounded otherwise in the Gloss: the recognition of their face, that is, the knowledge of their sins, which they will have in the intellect, since the senses are in the face — it shall answer them, when they ask why they are punished. Or otherwise: the recognition of their face, that is, the remorse of conscience, shall answer them, as a punishment. And mystically this is referred to the sin by which, seeing Christ, they refused to recognize him, concerning which conscience will accuse them, according to what the Gloss says. And because the justice of God does not allow such grave evils to go unpunished, therefore woe to their soul, not only to their body: for evils have been rendered to them, in the foreknowledge of God; or the past tense is put for the future.

And lest the punishment be thought to involve everyone, the justice of God in discerning the good from the evil is subjoined: and concerning this he does two things. First he sets down the reward of the good, saying, say to the just man — whoever he may be — that it shall be well with him, when others shall be damned, because he shall eat the fruit, that is, the reward, of his own devisings, as it were receiving the fruit of the good things he has thought out. For just as the wicked are solicitous to find ways by which sin may be committed, so too the good are solicitous to devise how they may be able to please God. 1 Cor. 7: he who is without a wife is solicitous for the things that are the Lord's, how he may please God. Ps. 127: because you shall eat the labors of your hands, you are blessed, and it shall be well with you. Second he sets down the punishment of the wicked, saying, woe to the wicked unto evil, that is, for the evil that impends over him. The retribution of his own hands — Ps. 9: the sinner is caught in the works of his own hands.

My people. Here the oppression of the people is censured, according as it is the sin of the man who oppresses. And it is divided into two parts. In the first the vice of oppression is set down; in the second the judgment of punishment is brought in, at the words, the Lord stands up to judge. Now some oppressed the people in three ways. For first, the princes oppressed by violence, seizing: and as to this he says: they have despoiled my people, of their goods. Ezek. 22: they oppressed the people of the land with oppression, and seized violently; they afflicted the needy and the poor. Second, the women, drawing them on to concupiscence, and even to idolatry, as is said of Solomon, 3 Kings 11; and as to this he says: their women have ruled over them. Ecclus. 9: do not give a woman power over your soul, lest she enter in upon your strength. Third, the prophets, deceiving through the cunning of flattery; and as to this he says, my people; as if to say: I was accustomed to speak to you through the prophets; but because they are liars, I will speak to you through myself, lest it seem that it ought not to be believed, that a prophet speaks against a prophet. They deceive, by promising security. They lay waste, by furnishing occasion for guilt. Mic. 3: thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who bite with their teeth, and preach peace. Jer. 14: the prophets say to them: you shall not see the sword, and there shall be no famine among you; he will give you true peace in this place.

He stands up to judge. Here judgment is brought in to punish the oppressors: and it is divided into two: in the first the judgment against the oppressing princes is set down; in the second, against the women, at the words, and the Lord said. The false prophets deceived in order to despoil the people; and therefore they have the same judgment as the princes. Ezek. 13: they profaned me among my people, for a handful of barley and a piece of bread. Concerning the first he does three things. First the judge is brought in: hence he says, he stands up to judge. Mic. 4: he shall judge many peoples. Dan. 7: the judgment sat, and the books were opened. Second the accused are brought in: hence he says: the Lord will come to judgment with the elders, namely the priests, and the princes, the kings and the leaders. Ezek. 34: I will judge between cattle and cattle, and between ram and he-goat. Third the cause is set down: and first the accusation of the plaintiff is brought in, when he says, you have devoured: Mic. 3: they have eaten the flesh of my people; second the rebuke of the judge is set down, when he says: why do you crush, by afflicting, and grind the faces of the poor, by wasting them with hunger? Amos 4: you do wrong to the needy, and you shall crush the poor. For God himself will be both the plaintiff and the judge.

The fruit of the just man, which he renders: of his own operation, John 10: go and bear fruit, and let your fruit remain; of his own preaching, Hebrews, last chapter: let us offer the sacrifice of praise always to God, that is, the fruit of the lips of those confessing his name; of his own confession. Which he receives: of the remission of guilt, Is. 27: the iniquity of the house of Jacob shall be forgiven, and this is all the fruit, that his sin be taken away; of the participation of grace, Gal. 5: but the fruit of the spirit: charity, joy, etc.; of the contemplation of wisdom, Prov. 3: her acquisition is better than the trading of gold and silver, her first and purest fruits. Which he seeks: in the enjoyment of God, Song 2: his fruit is sweet to my throat; in the fellowship of the heavenly choir, Ezek. 36: mountains of Israel, put forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people Israel; in the reception of the divine gift, Song 4: your shoots are a paradise of pomegranates, with the fruits of apples.