Commentary on Isaiah (Super Isaiam)

"Behold, it is not shortened."

Here he sets down the preparation for receiving salvation on the part of the one who saves: and first he sets down the necessity of salvation; second, the preparation, at "and the Lord saw." Concerning the first, he does two things. First, in the person of the Lord, he shows the necessity of salvation, showing the misery of the people; in the second, the people respond, recognizing their own misery, at "because of this, far removed." Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows the cause of the misery; second, the misery itself, at "devastation and destruction." Concerning the first, he does two things. First he excludes the false cause, whether from a defect of God's power, or from a defect of his knowledge — because, being headlong, he would not hear; nor is it made heavy — above, 50: "is it shortened?" Second, he establishes the true cause, namely their own guilt. First, touching on it in general: "but iniquities" — as to the greater sins — "have divided," as though a wall, or clouds, were set between; "sins" — as to those common to all. Deut. 32: he says, "I will hide my face from them." Second, he pursues it in particular: "for your hands" — and he touches specifically on sins against one's neighbor; for he had touched on sins against God above, in 57, and sins against oneself above, in 56.

Now he first touches on the injustice by which they oppressed others, as to action: "your hands with blood" — of the innocent, whom you have killed; "fingers" — as to lesser injustices, or as to the carefulness of the doing. Above, 1: "for your hands are full of blood." As to speech: "your lips have spoken (...) iniquity," so that the deformity of injustice might be added beyond the deformity of falsehood — Job 6: "you will not find iniquity in my tongue." And as to the omission of justice: "there is no one who judges" — as to the prelates, whose office it is to judge. Jer. 5: "search in her streets, whether you will find a man doing judgment." Second, he touches on the cunning by which they deceived: and first he touches on it insofar as through cunning they aimed at their own advancement: "but they trust in nothing" — in vain counsels, or in idols — "and they speak," expressing the vanity of their heart in words. Amos 6: "you who rejoice in nothing." And insofar as through it they aimed at the oppression of others: "they have conceived trouble" — that is, they so devised ways of harming as to labor at it; or trouble to be brought upon others — "they have brought forth," in the carrying-out of the deed. Ps. 7: "he has conceived sorrow, and has brought forth iniquity."

Second, he applies a certain metaphor: and first he sets it down as to the cunning itself. And as to the bringing-down of others: "the eggs of asps" — that is, poisonous counsels — "they have broken," in public, that is, carrying the deeds through. Deut. 32: "their wine is the gall of dragons, and the incurable venom of asps." And as to their own advancement: "and webs" — that is, thoughts useless for their own advancement. Hosea 8: "for the calf of Samaria shall be as the web of spiders." Again he sets down the metaphor as to the effect of the cunning, as to the first point: "he who shall eat," consenting to the deeds, "of the eggs" — the counsels — "that were warmed," anxiously prepared over a long time, "into a basilisk," as though it will in some way kill even one flying from afar. Above, 14: "from the root of the serpent"; and as to the second point, "their webs" — that is, just as spiders' webs are of no use for clothing, so their counsels are of no use to them, unless they be advanced. Above, 19: "let them be confounded who work in flax, plaiting, and weaving, who work fine things." Second, he explains; and first as to their action: "their works" are "useless" — as to one part; "a work of iniquity" — as to the other. Above, 57: "their works shall not profit them." Second, as to their thoughts: "their feet" — that is, their affections — as to one part. Prov. 1: "their feet run to evil"; "thoughts" — as to the other. Micah 2: "woe to you who think the useless."

"Devastation." Here he shows them their own misery: and first he sets down the greatness of the misery: "devastation" — as to the loss of goods, and "destruction" — as to the loss of persons, "in their ways"; that is, on account of their evil ways it hangs over them from their enemies. Second, the fairness of the misery, namely that they should suffer such things as they do to others: "the way of peace," by which they would set others at peace; "there is no judgment" — right — and therefore "their paths" — that is, the things they devised — "are made crooked" — that is, they have been made crooked for them — because what they were preparing for others, they themselves will suffer. "Everyone who treads" — by pursuing — "does not know" — by experiential knowledge. Ps. 13: "destruction and unhappiness are in their ways."

"Because of this, it is far removed." Here the people confess: and first they confess their misery as to the injustice of oppressing enemies: "judgment is far removed," because God does not judge us against our adversaries; the contrary, above, 46: "I have brought my justice near." As to the anguish of tribulations, setting down under the metaphor of darkness the very obscurity of tribulation: "we have waited for light" — divine consolation — "darkness" — of tribulation. Above, 5: "we shall look toward the earth"; and the difficulty of counsels: "we have groped," as though not knowing what to do. Above, 42: "who is blind but my servant?" And the harm of dangers: "we have stumbled at noonday," in those things in which there was a clear way to escape, "in dark places" — that is, in doubtful ones. Job 5: "by day they shall run into darkness." They confess also the misery as to the sorrow of heart: "we shall roar like bears," on account of cruelty; "like doves," on account of wantonness. Nahum 2: "moaning like doves." And as to the absence of salvation: "we have waited for judgment," on our behalf. Jer. 8: "we shall wait for peace."

Second, he confesses guilt: and first, the manifestation of guilt as to God: "multiplied (...) before you" — in your sight. Heb. 4: "all things are naked and open to his eyes." And as to the people themselves: "and our sins have answered" — in punishments — "with us," because we have not made satisfaction, nor corrected ourselves. Above, 3: "the show of their countenance." Second, the diversity of the sinner against God: "to sin" — in deed; "to lie" — in speech; "turned away" — in omission. And against one's neighbor, in speech: "that we should speak calumny" — against one's neighbor. And against the law: "transgression." Matt. 15: "from the heart come forth evil thoughts." And as to action: "judgment" — of God, for saving us — "turned back." "In the street" — they did injustices in public. "He who withdrew": for they did not only do evil things, but plundered those unwilling to do them. Hos. 4: "there is no mercy"; Wis. 2: "let us circumvent the just man, because he is contrary to our works."

"And the Lord saw." Here he sets down the preparation of salvation on the part of the one saving: and first he sets down the manner of the divine preparation, speaking of God after a human manner, setting down his compassion: "and the Lord saw," with the eye of mercy, "judgment" — of one saving. "A man" — one saving the Jews; "he was amazed" — saddened or distressed. Ez. 22: "and I sought among them a man." Setting down also the taking-up of arms: "and he shall save for himself" — "his arm," that is, his power, so that it should suffer nothing against it; or, the people, for his own worship — "justice shall confirm him," so that he may constantly carry out vengeance. "He is clothed with justice": for just as a soldier is strengthened by arms, so his work is strengthened by justice, and by the purpose of saving. Ps. 97: "his arm has saved for him." Wis. 5: "he shall put on justice as a breastplate." Setting down also the execution of vengeance: "to the islands" — to diverse nations — "a requital," for the evils that they did to the Jews. Dan. 6: "let all men fear and dread the God of Daniel."

Second, he sets down the minister of salvation or of vengeance: "when he shall come like a river," on account of the greatness of power and strength; or, Christ the minister. Ps. 45: "the rush of the river makes glad the city of God." Third, the covenant of firmness: "this is my covenant" — the spirit of prophecy. "Of your seed" — as to the other prophets and apostles, in whom is his spirit, as though an inheritance passing on through the succession of the seed. Joel 2: "I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy."

Note, on that word "your iniquities have divided between you and God," that sin divides — first, from one's neighbor, through dissension. Luke 11: "every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate." Second, from oneself, through contrary affection. Hosea 10: "their heart is divided; now they shall perish." Third, from God, through aversion. Jer. 2: "they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have dug for themselves broken cisterns." Fourth, from the kingdom, through disinheritance — Luke 12: "he shall divide him," etc.; fifth, from the fellowship of the saints, through unlikeness. Above, 56: "the Lord will surely divide me from his people."

Likewise note, on that phrase "their paths are made crooked," that there is a crookedness — first, of guilt. Above, 51: "bow down, that we may pass over." Second, of misery. Ps. 37: "I have been made miserable, and I am bowed down." Third, of sorrow. Baruch 2: "the soul that is sorrowful for the greatness of the evil, and goes bowed down." Fourth, of fraudulence. Ecclus. 12: "if he goes humbled and bowed down, apply your mind, and guard yourself from him." Fifth, of justice. Job 9: "God, whose wrath no one can resist, under whom they are bowed down who carry the world."

Likewise note, on that phrase "like a violent river," that Christ is a violent river — first, on account of the multitude of waters. Ps. 64: "the river of God is filled with waters." Second, on account of the fervor of love. Dan. 7: "a fiery and swift river went forth from before him." Third, on account of the swiftness of its course: Ps. 45: "the rush of the river makes glad the city of God." Fourth, on account of the height of its origin. Apoc. 22: "he showed me a lofty river," etc.