Thomas Aquinas

In that day. Here he promises exaltation against the oppression of tyrants: and first as to prosperity in temporal things; second as to holiness in spiritual things, at the words, and it shall be that everyone; third as to security from enemies, at the words, and the Lord created.

He promises prosperity, however, in three respects. First as to the honor of men, when he says, in that day, namely after the return from captivity, the branch of the Lord shall be, that is, the sons of Judah, of whom below in 5: the men of Judah are the branch; in magnificence, as to the great things they shall do, and especially in the time of the Machabees, and glory, as to the honor they shall receive. 1 Machabees 15: he saw the glory of Simon, and the splendor in gold and silver, and the abundant array, and was astonished. Second as to the abundance of fruits: and the fruit of the earth exalted, that is, the produce of the earth in abundance. Amos, last chapter: the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that sows seed, and the mountains shall drop sweetness. Psalm 84: our land shall yield her fruit. Third as to the joy of hearts, and exultation to those who shall have been saved, returning from captivity. Below in 51: joy and gladness shall be found in her, thanksgiving, and the voice of praise.

And it shall be that everyone. Here he promises holiness in spiritual things: and concerning this he does three things. First he promises the name of holiness made widely known, which would more entice those who desired glory: hence he says, and it shall be, this which follows, in those times, everyone who shall have been left in Sion, in life, and the one remaining shall be called holy by the voice of the victors. Below in 61: you shall be called the priests of the Lord, the ministers of our God, it shall be said to you. Below in 6: the seed of the holy ones shall be that which has stood in it. Second he gives the sign of those made holy: everyone who is written unto life in Jerusalem; that is, everyone whose life and the descent of whose lineage from parents is written in the annals, according to what is read in 1 Esdras chapter 2, concerning certain men who usurped to themselves the office of priests, and whose genealogy was not numbered. Third, the manner of sanctification: if the Lord shall wash away, that is, if however he shall first wash away the filth, of vices, and the blood, of the prophets shed, from the midst of her, not in a corner, in which the publicity of sin is noted, by the spirit of judgment, as to the equity of the punishment, and of burning, that is, of tribulation as to its bitterness. Spirit, that is, wind, metaphorically, by which the threshing-floor is purged. Jeremiah 4: a burning wind in the ways that are in the desert: the ways of the daughter of my people, for winnowing, and for purging, supply (not).

And the Lord created. Here he shows security from enemies, and preserves the metaphor: for since he had compared tribulation to burning heat, he compares security to a cloud and a tabernacle, by which one is defended from the heat. And it is divided into two parts. First he promises divine protection under the likeness of a cloud; in the second, under the likeness of a tabernacle, at the words, and there shall be a tabernacle, et cetera.

Concerning the first he does three things. First he gives the reason for the protection, and the Lord created. Now, whether in his own foreknowledge or because of the certainty of the prophecy, he uses the past tense for the future; and he says created, because he raised them from a most abject state to so great a glory, just as that which is created comes to be from nothing: over every place of mount Sion, that is, Jerusalem, which lies beneath the citadel of Sion, and the temple, where he has been invoked. Behold the reason for the protection: Jeremiah 14: but you are in us, O Lord, and your holy name has been invoked upon us. Second the protection itself is set down, a cloud. And it is set down according to a comparison to the benefit shown in the going out of the sons of Israel from Egypt: concerning which it is said in Exodus 13: the pillar of cloud never failed them by day; nor the pillar of fire by night before the people. And therefore here he sets down cloud by day, as to the first, and smoke, as to the second, on account of the twofold benefit of fire; namely of heat against cold; and as to this he says, smoke, in which flame is noted, which is smoke set alight, or because it is an effect of heat; and of brightness against darkness; and as to this he says, and brightness. Below in 10: and the light of Israel shall be in fire and his Holy One in flame. Third he sets down the greatness of the protection, over all: because the protection with which God will protect you shall be over all the glory previously granted to you, as it were exceeding it. Haggai 2: great shall be the glory of this latter house more than of the former.

And a tabernacle. Here he describes the same benefit through the metaphor of a tabernacle. Hence he sets down those things for which a tabernacle is useful: for it protects against the heat of the sun through shade; and as to this he says, for a shelter in the daytime from the heat, that is, by day; second it protects against the onslaught of a storm by affording security; and as to this he says, and for a security from the whirlwind: for a whirlwind arises from a certain wrestling of winds; third it protects against the dripping of rains through concealment; and as to this he says, and for a hiding-place from the rain. And according to these three, persecution is designated, according to its different degree. Below in 32: there shall be a man as one who is hidden from the wind, and conceals himself from the storm.

The Glosses, however, touch on a twofold mystery. Some expound the seven women as the Churches; and according to this, this chapter is divided into three parts. First the betrothal is set down; second the exaltation of the bridegroom, at the words, in that day; third the governance of the bride, at the words, and it shall be that everyone.

The betrothal, however, is through faith. Hosea 2: I will betroth you to me in faith. Hence he sets down three things. First the sharing of faith: they shall take hold, through faith; seven women, the seven Churches, concerning which Apocalypse 1: John to the seven Churches, etc., in which are all the Churches, according to the fifth rule of Tyconius. One man, that is, Christ. Canticle, last chapter: I will take hold of you, and lead you into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that bore me. Second the disclosure of hope, which concerns the sacrament to be received: we will eat our own bread, the body of Christ given to us. John 6: the bread that I will give, is my flesh for the life of the world; and which concerns the gift of virtue to be received: we will be covered with our own garments, that is, with virtues. Ezekiel 16: I clothed you with embroidered garments, and shod you with violet-colored shoes (...) and I clothed you with fine linen, and I adorned you with ornaments. Third the desire or petition of charity, which concerns the obtaining of the Christian name. Let only the name be invoked, that we may be called Christians from Christ. Acts 4: there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. And concerning the removal of reproach: take away the reproach that we suffer from the Jews, who say we are without the law. Joshua 5: this day I have taken away the reproach of Egypt from you.

Bread gives pardon of fault. Matthew 6: give us this day our supersubstantial bread, and forgive us our debts. It gives the life of grace. John 6: the bread that I will give, is my flesh for the life of the world. It confirms for the battle. Psalm 103: bread strengthens the heart of man. It strengthens for the journey. 3 Kings 19: he walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights. It causes a foretasting of glory itself. Wisdom 16: you furnished them bread prepared from heaven without labor, having in itself every delight, and the sweetness of every taste.

According to other Glosses it is divided thus. In the first the fullness of grace is noted; in the second the exaltation of glory; in that day; in the third the kindly governance of subjects is set down, and it shall be.

Concerning the first he does three things. First the abundance of gifts is set down, seven women, that is, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are called women, because through them one is generated and nourished in God. One man, Christ uniquely, who alone is without sin. John 1: we saw him as it were the only-begotten, full of grace and truth. Second the sufficiency of the gifts in perfect enjoyment: we will eat our own bread, namely of the homeland, which the Holy Spirit perfectly enjoys, whose gifts they are, as does the Son also. John 4: my food is to do the will of him who sent me. In the attestation of Scripture: and we will be covered with our own garments, that is, with the word of God, by which the gifts are adorned, because to them (---). Third the perfection of the gifts through Christ as to the conferring of salvation: your name, that is, the reality of your name, salvation, be invoked upon us, that is, upon those who are filled with us, because of his fullness we have all received grace for grace: John 1. For before Christ the gifts did not lead through to the kingdom. As to the removal of error: take away our reproach, which we suffer from false virtues, which steal away our name. Romans 13: the night has gone before, and the day has drawn near. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. Canticle 2: catch us the little foxes that destroy the vineyards. Or the reproach which we suffer in the repulsion of men, who repel us by sinning. Wisdom 1: the holy spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful, and — it is subjoined — he shall be rebuked by the iniquity that comes upon him.

In that day. Here the exaltation is set down: and first as to the working of miracles, in magnificence. Exodus 15: magnificent in holiness, terrible and praiseworthy, and doing wonders. Second as to the glorious resurrection, and glory, below in 52: rise up, rise up, put on your strength, O Sion. Third as to the ascension: the fruit of the earth, that is, the Son of the Virgin, exalted. Below in 52: behold my servant shall understand, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be exceedingly high; as to the veneration of the whole world, concerning which Philippians 2: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. Exultation, below in 9: they shall rejoice before you as those who rejoice in the harvest, as conquerors exult when they have taken the spoil.

And it shall be that everyone. Here the governance is set down: and first as to sanctification; second as to the order of sanctification, at the words, if he shall have washed away; third he sets down the protection of those made holy, and he created.

For the holiness of anyone three things are required. First distinction together with faith; and as to this he says: who is left, cast off by unbelievers, as it were distinguished, in Sion, which is a watchtower, because faith sees through a mirror and in an obscure manner: 1 Corinthians 13. And below in 10: in truth the remnant shall be converted, the remnant, I say, of Jacob, to the mighty God. If your people, Israel, shall be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be converted. Second tranquility toward peace: remaining, as it were dwelling, in Jerusalem, which is a vision of peace. Below in 52: Jerusalem, the holy city. Third predestination to glory: everyone who is written. Luke 10: rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Apocalypse 3: I will not blot out his name from the book of life.

If he shall have washed away. Here the order of sanctification is set down: and first through the washing of Baptism: filth, of actual vices, blood, of original sin; or filth, of venial sins, blood, of mortal sins. Ezekiel 16: I washed you with water, and cleansed your blood from you. Through the discernment of penance. By the spirit of judgment. 1 Corinthians 11: if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged by the Lord at all; through the charitable passion. By the spirit of burning, that is, of his own charity, than which none was greater. John 15: no one has greater love than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. Matthew 26: this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto the remission of sins.

And he created. Here the protection is set down. And he sets down the universality of the protection as to those protected: hence, over all; the diversity as to the things protecting: cloud; and the authority as to the things afflicting: hence, by day. But in those protected there are three things; namely the loftiness of contemplation in the heart, mount Sion. Psalm 124: those who trust in the Lord are as mount Sion; he who dwells in Jerusalem shall not be moved forever. The praises of confession in the mouth, he has been invoked. Romans 10: everyone whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. The honesty of conduct in work, glory. 2 Corinthians 1: this is our glory, the testimony of our conscience.

He shall protect, however, through four things. Through the overshadowing spirit, cloud. Luke 1: the power of the Most High shall overshadow you. Through humbling compunction, smoke. Joel 2: I will give wonders in heaven and on earth, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. Through the illuminating truth, brightness. Luke 2: a light for the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel. Through the living Church, tabernacle. Apocalypse 21: behold the tabernacle of God with men, and he shall dwell with them.

The things opposing are three. Prosperity lifting up, by day. Adversity breaking constancy, by night. Psalm 120: the sun shall not burn you by day, nor the moon by night; persecution afflicting, by heat, through affliction. Apocalypse 16: and the fourth Angel poured out his vial upon the sun. And it follows: and it was given to him to afflict men with heat, and with fire. Whirlwind, through onslaught. Below in 21: as whirlwinds come from the south wind, it comes from the desert, from a horrible land. From rain, on account of abundance. Matthew 7: the rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell.