Theodoret of Cyrus

“When we hear Moses' writings describe how God took dust from the earth with his hands in order to make man, we try to understand what such language might mean. It means this: the whole of God had a special interest in the creation of the human nature. The great prophet proclaims this very thing, since everything else in creation was made by spoken command. Man, however, was made by God's "hands." … Just like an embryo is planted in the mother's womb and develops from the material which has surrounded it from the beginning, so also God wanted to take the material for the human body from the earth. Thus, clay became flesh and blood, and skin, and nerves, and veins, and arteries, and the brain, and bone marrow and supporting bones, and so on.”

“Because the devil was envious and the woman was gullible, humankind was immediately cast out of paradise. It was made to walk the very earth from which Adam had just been created, inheriting sweat, toil and hard labor. Along with Adam, the earth and all living things that followed were subjected to evil, being restrained like a horse that is bridled. For since Adam did not use good judgment during the age of paradise—an age which was free from sorrow and pain—he was joined to adversity. Through his suffering he might then get rid of the disease which had come upon him in the midst of paradise.By punishing us with death, the lawgiver cut off the spread of sin. And yet through that very punishment he also demonstrated his love for us. He bound sin and death together when he gave the law, placing the sinner under punishment of death. And yet he ordered things in such a way that the punishment might in itself serve the goal of salvation. For death brings about separation from this life and brings evil works to an end. It sets us free from labor, sweat and pain, and ends the suffering of the body. Thus the Judge mixes his love for us with punishment.”

“Some interpreters understand this not of two men or, as others fantasize, of Cain, but of one and the same young man: "a man I have killed for wounding me and a young man for bruising me." That is, a young man approaching maturity. He escapes vengeance through confession of sin, and pronouncing judgment on himself, he prevents divine judgment.”

“Why was Noah not blamed for falling into drunkenness? His falling was not due to intemperance but inexperience. For he was the first man to press the fruit of the vine and was ignorant not only of the power of the drink but also of the kind of change it had undergone. Because it ought to be mixed first before being drunk, he suffered drowsiness. There was nothing new about the fact that he was naked. For even now some people sleep naked, sleep having taken away their consciousness. The drunkenness, added to sleep, makes easier a defense of his nakedness.”

“Why did God command Moses to erect the tabernacle on the first day of the first month? Because at that time he created the world. The sprouting of the trees attests to this fact. For Scripture says, "Let the earth sprout forth grass for fodder, and sow seed according to its kind and its likeness, and fruit-bearing trees that produce fruit, with its seed within it in its likeness, according to its kind upon the earth." When spring begins, the meadows bloom, the fields grow like waves, and the trees germinate their fruit. So too in this very season God set Israel free from slavery under the Egyptians and the archangel Gabriel brought the holy virgin the good news of her mysterious childbearing. In this same season the Lord Christ underwent his saving passion. Most fittingly, the Lord God of all ordered the tabernacle to be erected on the first day of the first month because it was the image of the entire world, and also so that the people would prepare for the feast of Passover, which the law commanded the Jews to celebrate as the first feast. At that time, they were going to celebrate this feast for the first time in the desert, for this was the second year after their deliverance from slavery.”

“Why did God command that some of the sacred vessels should be covered with blue veils and others with purple veils?Only the veils of the more precious vessels were blue. The color suggests the sky. For this reason God commanded the objects behind the veil to be covered with blue tapestry but the objects outside it with purple and colors like it. For the sky is not subject to punishment, but the earth is punished for transgressions of the law. The color purple signifies a kingdom. The kingdom of God is divine, without beginning and indestructible. Hence the objects outside the tent were covered with veils both purple and blue. When the household of Kohath exercised their office, the law commanded that the priests should first enter the sanctuary and cover the ark and the other vessels with the veils already mentioned. Only then would the household of Kohath transport these objects, lest they lay eyes on things that are sacred and secret and that would destroy those who see them accidentally.”

“Why did he command these men, and lepers, and those with gonorrhea, to dwell outside the camp?He teaches us great things from small things. For if one who touches a dead body is unclean, so much the more is one who kills a man, because he incurs blood guilt. And if a leper is unclean, so much the more is one who perpetrates various forms of iniquity. And through the condemnation of one with gonorrhea, adultery is condemned. For if an involuntary act is abominable, so much the more is an act committed deliberately.”

“What does this mean: "if any man or woman commits one of all the human sins"?Scripture call the smaller sins human. It is not possible for human nature, subject to change as it is, to be delivered from every sin. For "no one is clean from filth, even if his life is one day long." This is why holy David says, "Do not enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no living man will be justified." Only Christ the Lord, both as God and as man, is blameless. The prophet Isaiah foresaw this and said, "He committed no transgression, nor was deceit found in his mouth." For this reason he took upon himself the sins of others, for he had none of his own. For Isaiah also says, "He bears our sins, and he is afflicted for us." And the great John says, "Behold the lamb of God, who bears the sins of the world." For this reason he is also called "free among the dead," since he suffered death unjustly. The divine law teaches how those who have sinned moderately are to be healed. For the law commands that he who has done wrong in a matter of contracts should first confess the sin and then give back what was taken to the one he wronged, adding one fifth to the principal. If it happens that the one wronged dies before the sinner repents of his sin, he should pay the amount to the man's nearest relative. The law names as his nearest relative the one related to him by generation. The order of generation is this: first his son, then his daughter, then the brother of his father, then the brother of his grandfather. If there is none of these, then it should be another close kinsman. If no kinsman can be found, the law declares that he should offer the stated sum to God. For the law says this: "If the man has no near relative, so that the sinner can give him what he owes, then the debt is paid to the Lord in the person of the priest, except for the ram of expiation, through which expiation is made for him." The law mandates that the priests should eat the first fruits that are offered. For the Levites were the first fruits of the people, and the priests were the first fruits of the Levites. As first fruits, then, they acquire the first fruits.”

“For he selected this one nation to teach the knowledge of God to all the others. Just as he had selected one man—at one time Moses, at another Joshua, at another Samuel, at another some other of the prophets—to look after the welfare of this race, one man who benefited his fellows by practicing true wisdom, so through the one race, Israel, he called all the races of the earth that shared the same nature to share the same religion. Rahab, the harlot, testifies that this is so. Though she belonged to a different race and was a harlot, she relied solely on their reputation, accepted their religion, abandoned her own beliefs and entrusted herself to strangers. "We have heard," she said, "what things the Lord your God has done to the Egyptians, and fear of you fell on us." Accordingly, she made a pact with the spies and sealed it with an oath.”

“The story of Boaz also teaches us about virtue. For he not only liberally shares his grain with Ruth but also consoles her with words. Not only does he share food with her but also was himself the minister of his kindness; so that whoever does not order another person to be his minister, but prepares the flour and bread himself, will have given very liberally indeed.”

“With a heart thankful for the remembrance of kindness, Naomi rewarded the absent benefactor of her daughter-in-law with a blessing. For she said, "May he who has acknowledged you be blessed, for he has filled an empty soul by doing what he did. He took notice not of poverty but only of the Lawgiver, who ordered that widows be shown care."”

“What does Naomi suggest to her daughter-in-law? When Ruth heard her mother-in-law saying, "Our neighbor is a true man," she was reminded of his great kindness and thought to want him [to be] married to her in law, so that she might keep up the memory of the dead. Therefore, she [Naomi] suggests to her that she sleep at Boaz's feet, not that she might sell her body (for the words of the narrative signify the opposite); rather, she trusts the man's temperance and judgment. Moreover, the actions corroborate the words.”

“He praised Ruth's deed and, moreover, he did not betray temperance, but he kept to the law of nuptial congress. "You show by your deed," he said, "that this was not done out of voluptuousness. In fact, you might have gone to those who are young and blooming, with only the intent of enjoying voluptuousness, but you went to the man who stands in place of a father to you." Twice indeed, he calls her daughter.”

“The man was so virtuous that he did not rush into a marriage outside the law, but he spoke with his neighbors about the marriage. However, his words are also worthy of admiration. For his first words were not about the marriage but about the possession of fields, etc. Moreover, when, on account of the prospective marriage he [the relative] in fact refused the contract for the land and indeed took off his sandal and gave it to Boaz, in accordance with the law, Boaz then took Ruth to be his wife. Furthermore, because he was not serving lust, he took her in the spirit that one should take a wife, and his words also showed themselves worthy of praise, You are witnesses today, etc. "I do not," he said, "transgress the law in marrying a Moabite woman; rather, I diligently fulfill divine law, so that the memory of the dead is not extinguished."”

“For he selected this one nation to teach the knowledge of God to all the others.… The Philistines also testified to this. They feared the presence of the ark and said to one another, "This is the God who struck Egypt. Woe to us Philistines." Then God gave the ark to the Philistines to convict his people of transgressing the law. For he could not make those who flagrantly broke the law its upholders. But in giving the ark he safeguarded his majesty, teaching the Philistines that it was sinful men they had conquered and not God.”

“So Dagon who was adored as God by them (although he was a dumb, senseless idol) was made to fall before the ark, and God prepared to stage a spectacle for the spectators, so that the Philistines might perceive the difference between false god and true God.In their folly, they raised him up again only to see him fallen a second time and brought to his knees, so to speak. Behaving thus with singular stupidity and reluctant to recognize the difference, they were taught by experience not to run to excess. Having learned their lesson, they returned to their senses, shook off their drunken ignorance and returned the ark, as was fitting, to its proper admirers, having honored it with votive offerings. They confessed their chastisements and instructed those who received it about the manner of its return.”

“And we need only the Lord's goodness to stay the storm. Easy it is for him to stay it, but we are unworthy of the calm, yet the grace of his patience is enough for us, so that with good fortune by it we may get the better of our foes. So the divine apostle has taught us to pray "for he will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it." But I beseech your godliness to stop the mouths of the objectors and make them understand that it is not for them who stand, as the phrase goes, out of range, to scoff at men fighting in the ranks and giving and receiving blows; for what does it matter which weapon the soldier uses to strike down his antagonists? Even the great David did not use a panoply when he killed the aliens' champion, and Samson killed thousands on one day with the jawbone of an ass. Nobody grumbles at the victory, nor accuses the conqueror of cowardice, because he wins it without brandishing a spear or covering himself with his shield or throwing darts or shooting arrows. The defenders of true religion must be criticized in the same way, nor must we try to find language which will stir strife, but rather arguments which plainly proclaim the truth and make those who venture to oppose it ashamed of themselves.”

“It ought not to excite astonishment that Constantine was so far deceived as to send so many great men into exile: for he believed the assertions of bishops of high fame and reputation, who skillfully concealed their malice. Those who are acquainted with the Sacred Scriptures know that the holy David, although he was a prophet, was deceived; and that too not by a priest, but by one who was a menial, a slave and a rascal. I mean Ziba, who deluded the king by lies against Mephibosheth, and thus obtained his land. It is not to condemn the prophet that I speak in this way; but that I may defend the emperor, by showing the weakness of human nature, and to teach that credit should not be given only to those who advance accusations, even though they may appear worthy of credit; but that the other party ought also to be heard, and that one ear should be left open to the accused.”

“Some people blame Solomon because he killed his brother. Now the ways of life of people are different. Some of them certainly practice the highest form of philosophy; others pursue that virtue which is called political or civil; others manage the kingdom or hold power militarily. It is necessary to judge each of them according to the way of life that they follow. Therefore an apostolic or prophetic perfection cannot be expected from Solomon, but only those actions that are appropriate to kings. He knew that Adonijah desired to gain supreme command. In fact, he had tried to take hold of the kingdom. When he attacked him the first time openly, he still forgave him and promised him that he would be safe if he behaved with modesty. But after he asked for the partner of his father, he did not grant this to him because Adonijah was opening the way to tyranny. Therefore Solomon ordered him to be killed, as he was concerned for the tranquility of his kingdom.”

“This was also a pious man, and a relative of his. Indeed, his family constantly lived in tents and kept away from drunkenness. The prophet Jeremiah mentions them with praise, and history shows their piety. Therefore king Jehu, as soon as he saw him, blessed him, that is, greeted him. Then he asked, "Is your heart as true to mine as mine is to yours?" When he had answered, "It is," Jehu said to him, "If it is, give me your hand." Then, while he was taking him into his chariot, he said, " 'Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.' So he had him ride in his chariot." From this it clearly appears that also among the ten tribes there were people endowed with piety, and thanks to them, God, who rules everything with wisdom, tolerated all the others.”

“"Then Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, 'Ahab offered Baal small service; but Jehu will offer much more.' " We need to examine the purpose of words and actions. And this must be done here too. In fact, since he did not want anyone to escape his revenge, Jehu used these words, so that all the priests of Baal might come confidently. In addition, in order that no priest of God might share with them the same punishment, he ordered that they be driven away as though they were not worthy of that celebration, and so he killed only [the idolatrous priests]. He also burned the statue of Baal, cut down its sacred groves and freed the whole land of Israel from other idols. However, he continued to worship the two golden calves and gave the name of Baalim to the sanctuary of Baal.”

“I certainly do not think that he built [the altar] for the God of all things but just for certain of those who are falsely called gods. This is what the book of Chronicles points out. It reads, "In the time of his distress this king Ahaz became yet more faithless to the Lord. For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which had defeated him, and said, "Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they may help me." But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel." And this is also signified by the next verse: "Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God and cut in pieces the utensils of the house of God. He shut up the doors of the house of the Lord and made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem." He did these and other similar things, as is also confirmed in the book of Chronicles: "When King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, he saw the altar that was at Damascus. King Ahaz sent to the priest Uriah a model of the altar, and its pattern, exact in all its details." He removed the genuine altar of bronze, which Solomon had built, and put in its place another one recently made. And what happened to the stands is revealed by what follows: "King Ahaz cut off the frames of the stands," the text says, "and removed the laver from them." And he even dared to commit another act of impiety: he moved the entrance of the royal house into the divine temple, transforming the sacred enclosure into a thoroughfare.”

“There is abundant information in the books of Chronicles which were written to continue the books of the Kings and to preserve the memory of such important events. The first book begins with a genealogy that sets out to demonstrate how the human race came from a single man. Since it focuses only on the single kingdom of Judah, it can tell us about its cities and the villages, and from where they took their names. Here we come to know Nathan, from whom the blessed Luke constructed the beginning of his genealogy of our Lord and Savior, Son of David and Solomon's brother4 on his mother's side: "The following children were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimeah, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon, that is, the four children he fathered with Bersabea, daughter of Ammiel." And Rechab6 herself, who is mentioned in many books of Scripture, is said to have come from the tribe of Judah.It also clearly explains why Reuben lost his birthright and Joseph gained it and also, finally, the reason why the tribe of Judah obtained the highest honor: "The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. He was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's bed his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright; though Judah became prominent among his brothers and a ruler came from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph." It also explains the reason why such a great honor was conceded to Joseph. By the will of God Judah had the dignity of receiving the Lord who was born from him according to the flesh. This is the sense tacitly expressed with the words "a leader from him." Indeed the passage seems to assert that not only the kings of the earth derived from Judah, but also the eternal king himself who had no beginning and will never end. It also describes the situation of the tribes beyond the Jordan, those of Reuben and Gad, and even the tribes of Manasseh which later were received into those of the Hagarites and the Itureans, and talks about the tribes of the Naphiseans, and all those peoples who entered into conflict with them. In addition the text relates how they fought and won, and made the Hagarites flee. And it also reports the reason for the victory: "When they received help against them, the Hagarites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried to God in the battle, and he granted their entreaty because they trusted in him." It also describes the amount of the spoils of war: "They captured their livestock: 50, of their camels, 250, sheep, 2, donkeys and 100, captives. Many were slain because the war was from God. And they lived in their territory until the exile."”

“The genealogy of the priests and the Levites comes after this. It relates that Zadok, who was high priest at the time of David, had been the eleventh from Aaron; that Azariah, nephew of Zadok, had been the first to receive the priestly anointing in the temple built by Solomon. Among them there was also Jehozadak, who was brought to Babylon as a war prisoner. Jesus9 was his son, a high priest as well, who delivered the people from bondage together with Zerubbabel, and built a temple for the Lord. Here we also learn that Korah, who revolted against the great Moses, was a nephew of Isaar, son of Caath and brother of Amram, Aaron's and Moses' father. According to this lineage he was related to the first legislator. But he himself paid in the desert for his errors, although his children did not share the punishment of their father. From here Samuel13 came and then Aeman, who intoned Psalms and was a nephew of the prophet Samuel. In fact he was the son of Joel, son of Samuel. On the other hand, Asaph, one of the singers, came from the lineage of Gerson, son of Levi and brother of Caath. Aetham, who also belonged to the group of the singers, had Merari, the third son of Levi, as great-grandfather.The text also explains the difference between the priests and the Levites. It relates that the Levites were initiated into all the ministries of the holy altar of God: "But Aaron and his sons made offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense, doing all the work of the most holy place, to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded." It seems to me, in fact, that this book was written after the return from Babylon. For this reason it also talks about the bondage and explains its cause: "So all Israel was enrolled by genealogies; and these are written in the book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. Now the first to live again in their possessions in their towns were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants." These accounts show that the book was begun after the captivity. Indeed no historian ever relates facts that happened afterwards, but what happened before or during his times. And actually only the prophets have the power to foretell the future. In addition it says that also those who had inhabited that land before them had been enslaved. And actually many of them still live with them: the Canaanites, Chettites, Jebusites, who had been their companions in such a misfortune. Also the priests and the Levites were brought into captivity with the Israelites. I believe that those who were called "the saints' servants" were then called Nathinim. Many of them, in fact, consecrated themselves to the ministries of the priests and the Levites. There were among them also those who were entrusted with the carrying of the water, the gathering of wood and other necessary duties. Indeed, if it was imposed to the Gabaonites, who were foreigners, to follow Joshua in the praises and to perform some works as porters or carpenters, this task was even more the duty of the Israelites. As a proof of this I have found in the interpretation of Hebrew names that this name means "house of Iaō," that is, "of the God who is." The text, in fact, mentions the children of Israel and among them Judah and Benjamin, and Ephraim18 and Manasseh. It also mentions the priests and the Levites, who inhabited those cities. About the Korēnites it says that they derived from Korah. It also says that among them there had been the guardians of the temple of God as well, and it seems that this custom had been introduced by Samuel and David. "All these, who were chosen as gatekeepers at the thresholds, were two hundred twelve. They were enrolled by genealogies in their villages. David and the prophet Samuel established them in their office of trust. So they and their descendants were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, that is, the house of the tent, as guards. The gatekeepers were on the four sides, east, west, north, and south."”

“The Chronicles also speak about the tabernacle because a temple of the Lord had not yet been built by either Samuel or David. The text also adds that that the holy services were held in the tabernacle. Worship was observed at that time according to the number of the days of the week. For it also says, "and their kindred who were in their villages were obliged to come in every seven days, in turn, to be with them." With regard to the holy utensils it says, "Some of them had charge of the utensils of service, for they were required to count them when they were brought in and taken out. Others of them were appointed over the furniture, and over all the holy utensils, also over the choice flour, the wine, the oil, the incense and the spices." And about the priests it says, "Others, of the sons of the priests, prepared the mixing of the spices." With regard to the tomb of Saul the Chronicles gives us much information, and in the Book of Kings itself we read that his bones were gathered and buried in the land of Jabesh.”

“Solomon means "peaceable"; as you can find in the Chronicles: God said to David when he wanted to build the new temple, "Lo, a son is born to you; he will be a man of repose, and I shall give him peace from all his enemies round about because his name is Solomon, and I shall give peace and tranquility to Israel in his days. He will build a house for my name, and he will be a son to me, and I shall be a father to him, and I shall assure the throne of his kingdom in Israel forever." It is well known, however, that Solomon died without living long, and that his throne came to an end. He gives the name Solomon, therefore, to our peaceable Lord, of whom blessed Paul says, "For he is our peace, who has made the two one and has broken down the dividing wall." … Now it was not Solomon who had dominion to the ends of the world [either] but he who sprang from Solomon in his humanity, Jesus Christ, and was called Solomon on account of his peaceable and gentle nature and his being the cause of peace.”

“The passage shows the impiety of the ten tribes: "For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law; but when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them." Do not imitate, the Scripture says, the impiety of your brothers. They do not preach the true God but pursue false idols. For this reason they have been deprived of the priests and the teachers, who could teach them the law of God. Experience, therefore, becomes our guide in showing the damages of impiety. For after being afflicted by any kind of calamity they implore now the help of God, giving themselves entirely to the ineffable goodness of the Lord.”

“The streams from the divine Spirit resemble watering by rivers: just as they cause trees planted near them to flourish, so the spiritual streams are the cause of bearing divine fruit. For this very reason Christ the Lord called his own teaching water.… Appropriately, then, blessed David compared the person devoted to the divine sayings with trees growing on riverbanks, ever green, bearing fruit in season.”

“[The words of the psalm] come from someone deploring and censuring folly.… Despite their conspiring together and hatching a tawdry plot for the murder of the Lord, their schemes all came to nothing, as they were unable to consign to oblivion the one crucified by them: on the third day he rose again and took possession of the world.”

“To be sure, God the Word had the name "only-begotten Son" before the ages as connatural with his condition, yet while still possessing the title of the Son as God, he also receives it as human being. Hence in the present psalm he added the words [of this verse]. Now no one who believes the teaching of the divine Spirit would apply this verse to the divinity of Christ the Lord. In fact, let us listen in this regard to the God of all speaking through David, "From the womb before the morning star I begot you." So as man he both receives this verse and hears what follows.”

“Now it is possible to discover an appropriate fulfillment for this prophecy, too: the number of the Jews who came to faith was not only the 12 apostles but was as well the 70 disciples, the 120 whom blessed Peter addressed in assembly, the 500 to whom he appeared on one occasion after the resurrection according to the statement of the divinely inspired Paul, the 3, and the 5, that the chief of the apostles made his catch through addressing them and the many myriads of whom the mighty James exclaimed, "You see, brother, what countless numbers of Jewish believers there are." These, to be sure, and in addition to them those of the Jews throughout the whole world who have come to faith he declares a holy people, and through them he takes possession of all the nations, thus fulfilling the prophecy in the words "Rejoice, nations, with his people." In addition to this, however, he fulfills also his own prophecy, which he made in regard to the Jews in the words, "Now, I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. Those, too, I must gather; they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd." This, too, he says in the present psalm. But it occurs to me to lament the faithlessness of the [unbelieving] Jews, who though hearing the prophecy that made specific mention of the ends of the earth, and realizing that none of their kings had had such sway, but only Christ the Lord, David's offspring in the flesh, blind the eyes of their mind according to the prophecy that says, "They grope about, as blind people do for the wall, and not as they will do who have the benefit of eyesight."”

“Many, in fact, are the enemies of every kind who assail me from all sides, but more numerous are those who trouble me by their mockery and their claims that I am bereft of your providence. Yet I know that you would not persist in ignoring me, despite my many failings. On the contrary, you will raise up the one who now humbles himself for the sin he committed and make him appear stronger than his foes.… I have confidence neither in kingship nor in sovereignty; instead, I trust in you to be my glory, and I expect to be quickly raised up by your right hand.”

“On all sides the church of God is buffeted by many huge waves, as likewise is each soul that embraces the devout life, but each survives and breasts the billows by constantly invoking the divine aid. This in fact is what the inspired Word also teaches, instructing us how it behooves us both to entreat and implore the God and King of all.”

“He does not beg to be uncensured but rather not to be censured in anger, nor does he plead to avoid discipline but not to suffer it with wrath. Discipline me like a father, he asks, not like a judge; like a physician, not like a torturer. Do not fit the punishment to the crime; instead, temper justice with lovingkindness.”

“Under the influence of weakness, sin overcomes. After all, if the reasoning faculty within us were not weak, the passions would not rebel; to put it another way, provided the charioteer is firm and steers and controls the horses skillfully, there is no occasion for bucking.… He calls reasoning bones, since bones are naturally rather dense and support the body; speaking figuratively he gave the name "bones" to reasoning, by which the living being is steered. Disturbance in that faculty, he is saying, ruffled and shook me. Hence I beg to be allowed to enjoy your lovingkindness so as to receive healing through it.”

“It is not in death but in life that one recalls God. Likewise, confession and reform do not come to the departed in hades. God confined life and action to this life; there, however, he conducts an evaluation of performance. And in any case this is proper to the eighth day, giving no longer opportunity for preparation by good or bad deeds to those who have arrived at it; instead, whatever works you have sown for yourself you will have occasion to reap. For this reason he obliges you to practice repentance here, there being no practice of this kind of effort in hades.”

“In these words the divine David has not left a testimony to his own righteousness: we hear him protesting the opposite, "because I acknowledge my lawlessness, and my sin is always before me"; and, "I said, 'I shall declare my lawlessness against myself to the Lord,' " but he calls it justice in the matter before us. I committed no wrong, in fact, he is saying, against Absalom, or Ahithophel or those arrayed in battle with them against me. So I beg to be judged in the light of this righteousness and innocence and not in the light of the faults previously committed by me. I ask for judgment on these current grounds and not for a payment of penalty at this time for other sins.”

“"God is a righteous judge, … who does not give free rein to his wrath every day." Instead, he also shows lovingkindness, by which he bears people's faults for a longer time. For whenever he sees people not reaping profit from it, he gives them further opportunity with the addition of threats, putting the punishments off; but if they scorn the opportunity and persist in sinning, he immediately brings on their ruin in keeping with justice.”

“These are not words of punishment, note, but of threat: he said wield, not inflict; bent his bow, not fired the arrow. And to teach us against whom he will fire the arrows, he immediately attached the words "he made his arrows into flaming shafts," that is, those taking combustible material of sin, building with wood, hay and stubble, as the divine apostle says, will be struck with these fiery arrows.”

“And this is a precise demonstration of your lovingkindness and power, he is saying, imbuing the lowly nature of human beings with wisdom so that they might have control over not only the land creatures but also those that fly and that swim and that do both, use their skills to hunt those in the heights and in the depths, and keep under control those that pass through the air and those hidden in the water.… Uncreated nature alone, you see, is separate from this subjection as something free. The nature that receives existence from it, however, is subject whatever it be—visible or invisible—to Christ the Lord, both as God and as man. Such is the honor human nature received from the God of all. Hence, as a conclusion he used the same verse as at the beginning: "O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is your name in all the earth!"”

“It is characteristic of the perfect to dedicate their whole heart to God and to consecrate their whole mind to him. "You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart," Scripture says, "with your whole soul, with your whole strength and with your whole mind." Those who divide their thoughts between mammon and God, between Christ and gold, between the present and the future life, cannot truthfully say, "I shall confess to you, O Lord, with all my heart."”

“[The godless one] was stripped of his own weapons, having no supporters of his godlessness; instead, those who appointed themselves his instruments have now changed sides and taken up the fight against him. With the overthrow of godlessness practiced in them in former times, the cities took on the building up of true religion; it would have been impossible for them to develop true religion had not they overthrown godlessness first.”

“A drastic alteration of circumstances took place in reality: ancient enemies became friends, those distant became close, slaves became sons, those ignorant became knowledgeable, those in darkness came to be in light, the dead in hope of life the poor became heirs of the kingdom of heaven, Jews came to be far away and Gentiles close at hand, sons became dogs, dogs sons. In short, the Savior's devices took on a divine seemliness: the gift of immortality was given through mortality, life through death, honor through dishonor, blessing through curse, salvation through a cross—these are the devices, these the exploits of our God.”

“The unbeliever and the sinner never keeps God before his eyes; instead, each day and at every moment he soils and sullies his paths, not believing there is any judgment. Well, what is the reason for this?… He completely despises your laws; he spends all his time in lawlessness. The unbeliever, in fact, belittles and vilifies the commands of God.”

“So while they practice their evil ways against me, you, the righteous Judge, seated on your heavenly throne and making your own special appearance in the temple on earth, view the whole world, though sufficient for you is a mere glance of your eyes to learn about all human affairs. You know precisely the doings of the righteous and the unrighteous, and you measure out repayment for work done.”

“By night I am overwhelmed by my problems, in the grip of discouragement like a kind of sleep. But if the light of your assistance shines, it will disperse the darkness of trouble and put an end to the sleep of discouragement. If, however, you delay your help, I am afraid the sleep will turn into death, as the distress becomes stronger than my resolve.”

“[Like the Assyrian army in the days of Hezekiah], all will come to know through experience the one fighting against them; fear will strike them from a source they did not expect. I mean, who would have thought they would be destroyed by an angel? That God cares for the Jews? Those who mocked the counsel of poor and lowly Hezekiah for trusting in God rather than arms will realize that the one who made himself dependent on God enjoyed a hope that was not disappointed.”

“It is necessary, he is saying, for such a one to rid himself of evil and be free of all blame, and to practice every virtue studiously.… He must keep free of falsehood not only his tongue but also his mind, and be rid completely of the double deceit so that on their part no harm results to their neighbor. Now, it was very logical for him to make mention first of the heart, then of the tongue and then of the deed: word precedes action; and thinking, word.”

“The psalm is spoken in the person of the Savior but is spoken from the viewpoint of his humanity, as are also many other such statements that we find in the sacred Gospels.… In this psalm also he asks to be protected and is protected by himself: while he asks as a human being, as God he grants the request, his own Father of course being pleased and cooperating.”

“So at this place, too, Christ the Lord in human fashion says, "Constantly supported by the divine nature, I am in the midst of my saving passion and find gladness in the hope of resurrection. My soul, you see, will not be abandoned in hades, nor will my flesh suffer natural corruption. I shall achieve a rapid resurrection and return to life, giving all people a glimpse of this path."”

“This psalm refutes the folly of Arius, of Eunomius and of Apollinaris: the former ones said God the Word assumed a body without a soul, whereas Apollinaris called the body that was assumed ensouled though denying it a rational soul; I do not know where he found his doctrine of these two souls—the divine Scripture nowhere teaches it. Yet the all-Holy Spirit through blessed David made undisguised mention of a soul, thus giving clear refutation of each heresy.”

“He will be in unceasing joy, having become immune to suffering, to change, to death, even in his human nature. As God, you see, this was always the case, and of course even in his human nature once formed in the womb it was easy to provide him with this. But he allowed the nature he had assumed to travel through the sufferings so as by these means to loose the sway of sin, put a stop to the tyranny of the devil, undo the power of death and provide all people with the basis of a new life. So as man he assumes both incorruption and immortality.”

“Although many times [David had] Saul in his grasp, he refrained from doing away with him and instead rendered good for evil; hence he recalled even the night in which he did this, when by night he saved the sleeping Saul from death and allowed no one to deal him a lethal blow. Now, in a figurative manner he calls his disasters "nights" on account of the gloom of discouragement, as likewise he refers to the test as burning: "you examined me by fire," he says, "and no wrong was found in me." In other words, just as you would test gold of some sort, you found me unadulterated, O Lord; so far be it from me to harm the enemy that I even kept my tongue free of abuse against him, and what he continues to do I refrained from mentioning.”

“We learn three kinds of divine laws from blessed Paul. One unwritten kind he said was given to human beings in creation and nature: "From the creation of the world," he says, "his invisible attributes have been understood and seen in created things"; and again, "For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, practice the obligations of the law instinctively, despite having no law they are a law to themselves." … Another law was provided in writing through the mighty Moses: "The Law was added because of transgressions," he says, "ordained through angels in the hand of a mediator." He knew also a third one imposed after these, the law of grace: "For the law of the Spirit of life," he says, "has set me free from the law of sin and death." Blessed David in this psalm teaches human beings the harmony between these, following the same order: first, the one the Creator preaches in creation; then the one given through Moses, instilling a greater knowledge of the Creator to those willing to attend; after that, the law of grace, perfectly purifying souls and freeing them from the present destruction. This in fact is the reason the psalm also refers us "to the end," naming the New Testament in the end.”

“The ordained succession of night and day illustrates the boundaries set by the Creator … the visible things are inanimate, being a kind of mask that teaches everyone to be led from visible things to the invisible God and to offer singing to him … by putting forth neither words nor verbal expressions but the norm, and demonstrating their own order, they summon all land and sea to the divine singing.”

“He calls the Mosaic law Law, testimony, judgments, command, decrees.… It is called Law in that it regulates and prescribes the best way of life; testimony in testifying against sinners and highlighting the punishment for transgression; judgments in teaching what is right, forbidding what is wrong and declaring virtuous people righteous; command in commanding what is to be done and giving orders authoritatively; decrees in revealing the divine verdicts and teaching what goods the observant will enjoy and to what punishments the transgressor will be consigned … the law of God, being free of every fault, corrects people's souls and makes them faultless; the testimony gives wisdom to the immature and simple by frightening them; the judgments gladden the heart by revealing the basis of judgment; the command gives light to the mind's eye, teaching what constitutes service to the God of all. While piety and the fear of God, in suggesting observance of these, procure enjoyment of the eternal good, it was right for him to speak of the fear of God as pure—that is, free from blame—for the reason that human fear is blameworthy, being synonymous with dread. Now, he called the decrees true and justified on account of their conferring on people both honors and warranted punishments. In conclusion, he said these are worth more than gold and precious stones and sweeter than honey—not to all human beings, however, but to those truly human, whose life is not comparable with the brute beasts.”

“We see none of this happening to David or to any of his successors. Only Christ the Lord, on the contrary, who is of David according to the flesh, God the Word who became man, who though of David's line took the form of a slave; he filled all earth and sea with the knowledge of God, after all, and persuaded those who were once in error and offered adoration to idols to adore the true God instead of false gods.”

“Having said in the psalm before this, "The needy eat and will be filled, and those who seek him out will praise the Lord," and again, "All the prosperous of the earth ate and adored him," here he suggests the provider of such food and calls the feeder shepherd. This in fact is the name Christ the Lord also gave himself: "I am the good shepherd, I know my own, and I am known by my own." It is also what he called himself through the prophet Ezekiel. So here, too, all who enjoyed the saving food cry out, "The Lord shepherds me, and nothing will be wanting for me": this shepherd regales those shepherded by him with enjoyment of good things of all kinds.”

“"Your rod and your staff comforted me": with one he supports my weakness, with the other he guides toward the right way. You would not be wrong, however, to apply this to the saving cross: by its seal and remembrance we are rid of the hostile demons and guided to the true path. This is the meaning of "your rod and your staff comforted me": the cross is assembled from two rods, with the upright staff confirming and directing those who believe in him and strengthening those who are weak, and using the crossbar as a rod against the demons.”

“Now, it was quite appropriate for him to associate mercy with blessing: even what are thought rewards are given to human beings only on account of divine lovingkindness. I mean, all the righteousness of human beings is not nearly sufficient for gifts bestowed by God and certainly not for those yet to come, which even surpass human imagining.”

“Let no one wonder, I ask you, on hearing of the ignorance of the invisible powers: they have neither advance knowledge nor complete knowledge—only the divine nature has that knowledge. Angels and archangels, however, and the other companies of the invisible powers know as much as they are taught, for which reason the divine apostle also, speaking of them, said, "So that to the principalities and authorities in the heavenly places the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known through the church." Now, if they came to learn the divine wisdom more precisely through the life of the church, there is nothing out of order for the powers on high to be ignorant even of the mystery of Christ's ascension when they see the human nature and do not perceive the divinity concealed in it.… No human being had ever passed through [the eternal gates]; but when God the Word became human and took up our first fruits, he both led the way up to heaven and took his place at the right hand of majesty in the highest places, above every principality, authority, dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.”

“Those constantly reared on the sacred Words have a precise knowledge from them that all the dispensations of God our Savior are tempered with mercy and truth: to some, who repent of sins committed, he extends mercy and pardon; others unconquered he proclaims and crowns as champions of virtue, giving his verdict with truth, while admittedly on those caught up in lawlessness and not taking advantage of repentance he inflicts punishments in terms of the standard of truth.”

“Prayer offered to God befits a king: it is appropriate for one appointed to rule to exercise complete care of his subjects. This is surely the reason that blessed David offered prayer not only for himself but also for a people entrusted to him, especially as the salvation of the one who reigns wisely and well constitutes the welfare of the whole people. The verse implies something else as well, however. Israel was divided, in the time of Saul, of Mephibosheth and of Absalom. Consequently, if I were to enjoy your aid, he is saying, and prove stronger than my adversaries, Israel itself would obtain peace by putting an end to civil strife and would revel in your good things.”

“Having enjoyed such beneficence, he is saying, I seek from my benefactor not wealth or influence, royalty or glory, but constant attendance in the divine temple, contemplation of the divine beauty there and inspection of everything happening in accordance with law. I have … already secured salvation from that source and escaped the hand of my pursuers. This the mighty David both asked for and received from the munificent God: he brought back the divine ark, erected another more wonderful tabernacle and assembled the different choirs of singers. You could gain a more precise knowledge of this from the books of Chronicles.”

“The mind adorned with virility, he is saying, and by means of it getting the better of the onset of misfortunes, is strengthened, and gains the victory and awaits the divine promises, to which it becomes the heir, the body also co-operating. Now, he calls the life looked forward to "land of the living" insofar as it is separated from death and free of corruption and sadness.”

“Though the temple was not yet built, he gives the name "temple" to the tabernacle in which he prayed, distant from it in body but directing his mind there. Likewise also when blessed Daniel in Babylon prayed, he opened the windows facing Jerusalem, not under the impression that God was confined there but from his knowledge that the divine manifestation occurred there.”

“Let no one think, however, that the righteous person is cursing his enemies: the words are a mark not of cursing but of a just verdict. "Grant them their due repayment," he says, meaning, May they fall foul of their own schemes, which they hatch against one another. This is said also in the seventh psalm, "Their trouble will come back on their own head, and their wrong will come down on top of them."”

“The prayer for the people befits the king as well: it is also admirable about mighty David that though pursued also by the people, who waged war on him along with Saul, he offered supplication on their behalf to God. He foresaw their future conversion, you see, and had regard not for the injustice but for the servitude to come.”

“You who are entrusted with the divine message, he is saying, and are called children of God, bear the divine message everywhere with all enthusiasm, transform those reared on nonsense into rational people and offer them first to God; then through them present the worship and the hymns, celebrating the benefactor in the divine dwellings. This resembles what was said by the Savior to the sacred apostles, "Go, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."”

“From this he prophesies the power imparted to the apostles.… The narrative of the Acts also teaches us things in harmony with this: we learn from there how at his ascension Christ the Lord addressed his holy disciples in the words, "Stay in this city until you have been clothed with power from on high." Ten days later on the feast of Pentecost, "there came a sound from heaven like that of a violent wind blowing." … Now, he gives the name "voice" to the grace of the Spirit filling the apostles with power and might and rendering puny people magnificent.”

“Now, he called "woods" the idols' precincts as being utterly fruitless; these are the kinds of woods or coppices that the best woodcutters are accustomed to chop down, leaving the earth bare of them, and they plant fruitbearing trees and sow seeds of edible crops. The cultivators of the world did this, too: pulling up idols' precincts by the roots, they planted the divine churches in their place.”

“Human nature did not beseech God and look for reprieve from destruction; rather, it constantly fell to wailing and weeping, with death in view and no expectation of resurrection. Accordingly, the psalmist made mention of the tears and laments that occur with the sick and dying to show the ineffable lovingkindness of God … [by which,] without being invoked and seeing only the wailing, he took pity on what was happening and gave a reprieve from death.”

“Now, things turned out like this both in the case of Hezekiah and in the case of the salvation of everyone. After the Assyrians applied those awful threats and moved the city to weeping, they sustained the blow at night, and in the morning they filled with good cheer those whom they had forced to weep. The divine Isaiah brought Hezekiah the sentence of death in the evening, and towards morning brought him in turn the good news of life. And it happened likewise in the case of the salvation of everyone: the sacred apostles and the believers along with them lamented the passion of the Lord, but toward morning the women came and brought the joy of the resurrection.”

“We have a basis of high repute in the evidence given by the God of all of his great affection for us: "God so loved the world," Scripture says, "that he has given his only-begotten Son so that all who believe in him may not perish but have eternal life." "O Lord my God, I shall confess to you forever": not only in the present life but also after the resurrection I shall offer hymns to you, constantly recounting your extraordinary and ineffable gifts.”

“Everyone has given me up for lost, he is saying, like a vessel mislaid or a corpse occupying a tomb. He brought out the degree of forgetfulness by reference to the worthless vessel: just as when lost it vanishes from the memory of the losers for reason of its worthlessness, he is saying, so too am I in their estimation like someone nonexistent and have become deserving of no esteem.”

“Now, the verse has this sense: You hide the rewards and prizes for those who fear you, O Lord, many and great and marvelous though these are, and instead you allow them to struggle with sweat and tears. Yet there comes the time when you reveal the rewards, giving cheer to the athletes.… Then he described in detail the providence in their favor.… Your appearance suffices, he is saying (he calls it "presence"), for them to be freed from all human disturbance and commotion, and to conceal them as though admitted to the precincts of some tabernacle and render them invisible.”

“This psalm is likely to have been spoken by blessed David at the time of being pursued by Absalom.… I thought that on falling into sin, he is saying, I was far from your care; but you took account of my humble words and did not despise me in my need. Now, he rightly called his sin "departure": after treading the way of righteousness he left it and turned aside; but he stumbled and fell foul of bloodthirsty brigands. This very thing reveals David's virtue: he was not in the habit of sinning, but departing a little from his chosen course he suffered that awful slide.”

“When David said, "I have sinned against the Lord," Nathan replied, "The Lord has put away your sin, you will not die." He did, however, threaten to fill his house with calamities of all kinds; here too likewise, "You put away the impiety of my sin": immediately after perpetrating such things, he is saying, I should have been consigned to death according to the law, but you applied your lovingkindness and did not so consign me, keeping my treatment to moderate censure.”

“Effort and time on the part of workers was not required: a word was sufficient for creating on his part. He said, Let a firmament be made, and so it was. Let lights be made in the firmament of heaven, and it was. Such is the surface meaning of the text. True theology, however, gives a glimpse of God the Word with the all-holy Spirit making the heavens and the heavenly powers. The inspired composition of the Old Testament anticipates the Gospel teaching: as the divinely inspired John, the son of thunder, taught the whole world, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; all things were made through him, and without him was made not one thing that was made."”

“The peaceable person entertains peace toward everyone, not purloining the neighbor's property furtively, not committing homicide, not undermining marriages, not speaking evil, not doing evil, doing favors, showing respect, sharing, lending support, sharing dangers and struggles—such is unalloyed love and genuine friendship.”

“While the psalm had this ending, therefore, I beseech those reading it not to incur even the slightest harm from the prayer of the righteous person or make it the occasion for curses against one's enemies. Instead, realize that the inspired author was adopting the way of life sanctioned by the Law, not by the Gospels. Now, the Law speaks plainly of loving the neighbor and hating the enemy. By contrast, Christ the Lord, to show virtue in its perfection, said, "It was said to those of old, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say to you. Love your enemies and bless those who persecute you." The divine apostle also said something in harmony with this, "Bless and do not curse." Looking at this difference, therefore, realize what is in keeping with the Law and what with grace. In particular, it was not to deliver a curse that David said this; rather, in inspired fashion he foretold what would clearly come to be. Now, for proof that in keeping with the gospel requirements even he did not take vengeance on those who wronged him, listen to him saying, "If I repaid in like fashion those rendering me evil, let me then end up empty-handed before my foes. Let my foe then hunt my soul down, apprehend it, trample my life in the ground and bury my glory in the dust." And he did not say this without doing it: he put his words into practice, and the actions are clearer than the words. Twice when he had his enemy in his hands, remember, he not only did not do away with him; … when he fell in battle, he wept bitterly over him, and the one who brought word of his death he dispatched for exulting and boasting of the execution. Now, I was obliged to recount these events because of those who boast and quote the case of the divine David so that they may have the best values of David as a beneficial model.”

“He so distracts himself, he is saying, and banishes the fear of God from his own sight that his lawlessness, which in fact is obvious, is seen and discovered by everyone and thus attracts loathing. He has given himself unswervingly to lawlessness. Now, he adopts this ignorance so willingly that he is not prepared to assess what he has done or loathe his evil exploits.”

“While those people turn their hand to such things as though no one were watching, you, Lord, possess immeasurable mercy, incalculable truth and righteousness comparable to the highest mountains. Now, your truth comes to human beings through the inspired authors as though through some clouds, regaling them with saving rain. "Your judgments are like the great deep": possessing such wonderful truth and righteousness, why you show long-suffering I do not know; your judgments resemble the impenetrable depths. That is to say, just as the bottom of the sea is beyond human vision, so an understanding of your judgments is beyond our grasp.”

“Here he clearly reveals to us the mystery of the holy Trinity: he called the Only-begotten Word of God a "fountain of life." This is the name, too, remember, God personally gave himself through the prophet Jeremiah: "They have forsaken me, a fountain of living water, taken their leave and dug for themselves cracked cisterns incapable of holding water." So he says this fountain is in the presence of the Father, according to the following Gospel teaching: "I in the Father and the Father in me." "In your light we shall see light": Illumined by the all-holy Spirit we shall perceive the rays of your Only-begotten; Scripture says, "No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit," and "God revealed to us through his Spirit." We have consequently come to a precise knowledge of the three persons in the one divinity through the inspired words.”

“It is impossible for anyone to travel blamelessly the way of virtue without God's grace. He works in association with those who have this intent: for the acquisition of virtue there is need of human zeal and divine assistance at one and the same time. Thus, you see, even if the one traveling this path should slip, he will gain divine support. Likewise, when blessed David stumbled and ran the risk of coming to grief, he was borne up by divine grace.”

“So, he means, my handling of desire not fittingly but wastefully proved the cause of these troubles.… From that desire [as he says in the next verse] I garnered the fruit, which was my stooping to earth, he is saying, and constant bewailing on account of my heart's bitter pangs. For this reason I changed the force of desire and made it a minister to the divine will.… Since once I used it wrongly, I shall always apply it to the benefit of your commands.”

“History teaches this more clearly. Even when Absalom mounted a case against his father and drew to his side those who had lost cases in judgment, blessed David was long-suffering. When Shimei berated him with voice and hand upraised, he took the abuse in silence; and he forbade Abishai to try to exact justice against the culprit in the words, "Let him curse me because the Lord bade him curse David."”

“In place of the impious worship of the idols I was taught to sing the praises of the true God and offer a song—not an old one but a new one, suited to the new favors. I no longer make supplication in dirges, you see; instead, I sing of the favors. So this is related, as I said, to the sufferings of David as a type and to the favors done to him. And it is related in particular to the human race sunken to the very depths of sin and consigned to death but retrieved through the incarnation of our Savior and given the hope of resurrection.”

“The wonders performed by your power, he is saying, defy counting and all description: there is no one who can do the like. While your creation is great and beautiful, what you arrange time after time in your providence surpasses human praise—in Egypt, in the wilderness, in the case of Moses, in the case of Joshua, in the case of Samuel, and earlier instances than those, having to do with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the royalty Joseph gained through slavery, not to mention all the other cases individually.”

“The apostolic exhortation sings a similar note to this, "I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, the worship according to reason." In place of the rites of the Law, the Lord required us to consecrate our limbs. Now, seeing your grace, he says, I offered myself to you in the words "Here I am." This statement, of course, blessed Paul applies to Christ the Lord, and rightly so: he is our nature's first fruits, and it is fitting for him in the first place to speak for us and in himself to prefigure in type what is appropriate in our case.”

“Blessed David promises to preach God's righteousness, the truth of inspired composition, the admirable salvation and immeasurable mercy in a great assembly gathered by divine grace throughout the whole world. And redeemed nature itself promises to give this response to its salvation by flocking to church, moving its lips in hymn singing, proclaiming God's righteous judgment, recounting his ineffable care and giving a glimpse of the truth of the inspired promises.”

“The church of God, buffeted by billows from the godless, in its struggles is not carried away but attributes developments to sins and failings and begs to enjoy assistance from the Savior. In a particular way, the church of God is not composed completely of perfect people; instead, it numbers also those addicted to sloth and inclined to the careless life, who choose to serve pleasure. Since it is one body, both features are displayed as in the case of one person.”

“Though having lordship of visible and invisible things, he had nowhere to lay his head, was born of a virgin and through lack of bed was laid in a manger. Consequently, the inspired Word declares blessed the one able to understand this poverty and filled with zeal to sing the praises as far as possible of the one who accepted it.”

“I am the one who is poor, he is saying, who embraced voluntary poverty, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, who makes my own the sufferings of human beings, who though having committed no sin offers the prayer for human nature as nature's firstfruits. It should be noted, however, that Symmachus said not "because I sinned against you" but "even if I sinned against you."”

“Now, the outcome of events testifies to these things: furtively they conversed together and looked for the way to implement the plot. Then they made a charge of overthrow, saying to Pilate, "He makes himself king and forbids us paying tribute to Caesar," which is what the prophecy says: "They set up a lawless plan against me." That is, they leveled a charge of lawlessness against me.”

“All this was said on the part of the nature assumed, which was involved also in the passion.… Since, then, the assumed nature remained free of all wickedness, it was right for him to say, "But you supported me for my innocence and confirmed me in your presence forever": I received a stable unity, the combining was indivisible, the glory everlasting.”

“After the sad events, therefore, he proclaims pleasant ones and ahead of time teaches that they will quickly secure their recall, and with the guidance of God's grace, they will return to the land of their desire and will rebuild God's house, will celebrate the customary festivals and welcome into their ears the festive sound and spiritual melody.”

“You, O Lord, he is saying, drove out from here the Canaanites along with the other nations, settling our ancestors in their place: it was not by trusting in strength or depending on armor that they emerged stronger that such people, but led by your grace they felled some and took others into slavery, since you accorded them a special relationship with you—the meaning of "you took delight in them."”

“Now, all this the grace of the Spirit foretold, teaching those who would experience those troubles to bear nobly what befell them and request relief from them from the God of all. Those remarkable people did exactly that: with their words they appeased God, led by him they routed the enemy, and they recovered their former freedom for their fellow citizens.”

“He was also anointed in the all-holy Spirit, not as God but as a human being: as God he was of one being with the Spirit, whereas as a human being he receives the gifts of the Spirit like a kind of anointing. Thus he "loved righteousness and hated lawlessness": this is a matter of intentional choice, not of natural power, whereas as God he has "a rod of equity as the rod of his kingship."”

“After the previous psalm prophesied about the church's being composed from godless nations and becoming a queen, and showed her sons to be made princes of the whole earth, here it gives a glimpse of the disturbances that occurred in the beginning of the preaching, with uprisings developing and opposing the believers. Then it foreshadows in word how the ranks of the persecuted would be protected by hope in God and scorn the waves crashing around them: with the God of all as strong rampart, he is saying, we shall not notice the tribulations of all kinds.”

“The God of all, who subjected kings to us and gave us control of all the nations, and in addition to that entrusts the beauty and excellence of Jacob to us—not all the Jewish people, who are named for Jacob, in fact, but "the beauty of Jacob," the excellence and the elite of Jacob, those adorned with faith, who accepted the message without delay, who submitted to the sweet yoke of the Savior. These, you see, he both "chose" and "loved," and to them he entrusted the apostolic governance.”

“Often the divine Scripture gives the name "city" not to the building but to the way of life. Accordingly, here too he says the Lord of all was shown to be great through the things done by him in connection with his city, which the elevation of its teachings rendered illustrious as though located on a lofty and mighty hill.”

“On the one hand, there is one church throughout all land and sea; thus we say in prayer, For the holy, single, universal and apostolic church, from one end of the world to the other. On the other hand, it is also divided into cities, towns and villages, which the inspired Word called "buildings." As each city is composed of different houses and yet is called one city, so there are countless churches that defy numbering, both on islands and on continents, but all constitute one by being united in the common harmony of the true teachings. In these the God of all became apparent.”

“He calls the godly form of government "Zion," that is, the church throughout the world, and "its towers" those devoted to virtue and imitating on earth the way of life of the angels, encircling and protecting it like towers. "Buildings" likewise, as we have said before, the churches divided among the cities, towns and villages: he speaks of them as one and many. So the inspired word, the grace of the all-holy Spirit, urges those to whom the saving message was entrusted to go around and move about, both to strengthen the towers with teaching and confirm its other force, and in addition to this to apportion care of the churches, as we have already remarked on the forty-fifth psalm. He urges it here, too: "take its buildings one by one," so that one may care for this church and another for that, and be in charge of each by way of cultivating and exercising due care.”

“Each generation has to pass on to the next what we have received from the former so that the saving message may pass to all generations, and all people know that he is our God and Lord, good shepherd, everlasting. Since he said, "take its buildings one by one," and entrusted to them the task of shepherding, of necessity he taught that there is one good shepherd, who laid down his life for the sheep, shepherding forever, and shepherding not only the sheep but also those called pastors of the sheep.”

“All people, listen to my words, city dwellers and country people, more refined and more rustic, all in common and also individuals.… Let nature in general hear my words, and each one reap the benefit for themselves.… Let those abounding in wealth and those caught up in poverty accept the exhortation alike, the word of instruction respecting no difference between wealth and poverty.”

“I fear and dread the day of retribution, on which the righteous Judge will repay everyone according to their works. Now, aware of this, keep such fear before your eyes in your own case.… But if you were to inquire why I am afraid, listen closely: it is an evil day, about which countless declamations are made in the inspired Scriptures. The cause of my fear is the life of lawlessness, through which I strayed from the straight and narrow.”

“After this he provides explanation and advice for those condemned to a life of poverty and worn out through the arrogance of the rich.… Do not consider present prosperity any great thing, he is saying: wealth that catches all eyes is not lasting; those who raise their eyebrows and are puffed up at it will shortly after leave it all behind and be dispatched to death.”

“Do not think the second coming will be like his first: at that time he concealed his characteristic magnificence in lowliness and poverty, whereas in this case he will reveal plainly to everyone his lordship and kingship, no longer employing long-suffering but judging justly. As he said, "he will not keep silence. A fire will burn in his presence, with a severe storm around him." Blessed Daniel had a vision of this: "A river of fire," he says, "was flowing in front of him, his throne a fiery flame, its wheels flaming fire."”

“I saw these crimes committed by you, I practiced long-suffering, I waited for your repentance. But you took even my long-suffering as an excuse for impiety, guessing that I was pleased with your lawlessness and would not inflict punishment.… Since you were not cured by the mild remedy of long-suffering, I shall prepare more painful ones for you and apply burning by censure. Now, this is in keeping with those words of the apostle, "Do you not realize that the goodness of God leads you in the direction of repentance, but by your obduracy and unrepentant heart you store up for yourself wrath on the day of wrath, revelation and just judgment of God, who will repay everyone according to their works."”

“Then [Symmachus] outlines what was done of old. "He turns the sea into dry land; they will cross the river on foot." The tense has been changed here: he spoke of the past as future, whereas the others retained the tense, Symmachus saying, "He turned the sea into dry land, they crossed the river on foot." This is the God, he is saying, who will grant us salvation as well, who of old divided sea and river, and bade our forebears cross without risk and accords the nations the crossing that they make when through the washing of regeneration they are reformed. In other words, just as at that time through the hand of the mighty Moses he divided the Red Sea at this point, … so now as well through the hand of the priests he renews the people who believe in Christ, while submerging in figure Pharaoh with his chariots—that is, the devil with his desires (the initiated know what I mean).”

“"When you ventured forth in the midst of your people, O God, when you passed through the wilderness, earth shook and the heavens sent down drops." Symmachus rendered it thus, "O God, when you went before your people, moving through the uninhabited land, earth shook and heaven sent down drops." On the point of passing through that barren and uninhabited land, which had not yet felt the light's ray, you disturbed the earth and shook it, and from heaven you sent down the shower of grace. Now, in the one case, this happened at the crucifixion. At that time the earth shook and the rocks broke open, and all the earth was disturbed on gaining the impression that the Creator of all was hung up on the cross; in the other case, after the return to heaven. At that time the grace of the Spirit came on the apostles, like drops of dew. Then, to teach Jews more clearly who was doing all this, he added, "at the presence of the God of Sinai, at the presence of the God of Israel." The one who appeared to our forebears on Mount Sinai, he is saying, is the one who also shook the earth at the time of the passion to refute our folly and who made the gift of the Spirit.”

“If every one had imitated this cruelty, nothing else would have been left then for me in my lifetime but to be wasted by want, and, at my death, instead of being committed to a tomb, to be made meat for dogs and wild beasts. But I have found support in those who care nothing for this present life but await the enjoyment of everlasting blessings, and these furnish me with manifold consolation. But the loving Lord "caused judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared and was still, when God arose to judgment." But the wicked shall perish. The falsehood of the new heresy20 has been proscribed, and the truth of the divine Gospels is publicly proclaimed. I for my part exclaim with the blessed David, "Blessed be the Lord God who alone does wondrous things, and blessed be his glorious name: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; amen and amen."”

“The blessed David fell into several errors, which God, who wisely orders all things, has caused to be recorded for the good of them that were to come after. But it was not on their account that Absalom, parricide, murderer, impious and altogether vile, started his wild war against his father. The reason of his beginning that most unrighteous struggle was because he coveted the sovereignty. The divine David, however, when these events were coming to pass, began to remember the wrong that he had done. I too am conscious within myself of the guilt of many errors, but I have kept undefiled the dogmatic teaching of the apostles. And they who have trampled on all laws human and divine and condemned me in my absence have not sentenced me for what I have done wrong, for my secret deeds are not made manifest to them; but they have contrived false witness and false charges against me, or rather in their open attack on the doctrines of the apostles have proscribed me for my obedience to them. "So the Lord awoke as one out of sleep; he put his enemies to rout and put them to everlasting disgrace." Counterfeit and spurious doctrines he has scattered to the winds, and he has provided for the free preaching of those which he has handed down to us in the holy Gospels. To me this suffices for complete delight. I do not even long for a city in which I have passed all my time in hard work; all I long for is to see the establishment of the truth of the Gospels. And now the Lord has satisfied this longing. I am therefore very glad and happy, and I sing praises to our generous Lord, and I invite your honor to rejoice with me, and, with our praises, to put up the earnest prayer that the people who say now one thing and now another and change about to suit the hour, like the chameleons who assume the color of the leaves, may be strengthened by the loving-kindness of the Lord, established on the rocks and, of his mercy, made to pay the highest honor to the truth.”

“"Blow the trumpet at the new moon, on our festival day of good omen. Because it is a command for Israel, a judgment of the God of Jacob." God ordered the priests to use the trumpets. They reminded the people of the trumpets used on the mountain: when the God of all spoke on Mount Sinai, [Scripture] says, there was a loud noise of the trumpet. So when the priests used the trumpets, they reminded the people of that appearance. Consequently, they were right to command those who had been granted return and had enjoyed the divine assistance to make use of the trumpets along with the other instruments.”

“"If my people listened to me, if Israel traveled in my ways, I would have reduced their foes to nothing and laid my hand on those afflicting them." If they had adhered to my advice and followed my commandments, I would easily have destroyed their foes. "To nothing" suggests the facility—in other words, easily and without trouble I would have been able to bring about their ruin in an instant.”

“"The Lord's foes were false to him." Aquila … put it this way: "in their hatred they will deny the Lord." By denying Christ the Lord, they brought hatred on themselves, and by being false to him and to the existing covenants they made themselves enemies of the Lord. After the giving of the law, [Scripture] says that the people replied, "All that the Lord God has said we will do and listen to." While their promises were of this kind, their words were the direct opposite—they crucified their own Lord when he appeared and received a penalty for their impiety, namely, eternal ruin. This was true not only of them but also of Arius, Eunomius, Nestorius and the devotees of their teachings.”

“"I have said you are gods and all of you children of the most High, but you shall die like man." This he says to them that did not accept the gift of adoption but dishonor the incarnation of the pure generation of the Word of God, deprive humankind of ascent to God and are ungrateful to the Word of God who for their sakes was made flesh. For this cause was the Word made human, that humanity receiving the Word and accepting the adoption should be made God's children.”

“When Leontius perceived this, he did not think it safe to try to prevent them, for he saw that the people were exceedingly well-disposed towards these excellent men. However, putting a colour of courtesy on his speech, he requested that they would perform this act of worship in the churches. They were perfectly well aware of his evil intent. Nevertheless they set about obeying his behest and readily summoned their choir to the Church, exhorting them to sing praises to the good Lord. Nothing, however, could induce Leontius to correct his wickedness, but be put on the mask of equity, and concealed the iniquity of Stephanus and Placidus. Men who had accepted the corruption of the faith of priests and deacons, although they had embraced a life of vile irregularity, he added to the roll; while others adorned with every kind of virtue and firm adherents of apostolic doctrines, he left unrecognised. Thus it came to pass that among the clergy were numbered a majority of men tainted with heresy, while the mass of the laity were champions of the Faith, and even professional teachers lacked courage to lay bare their blasphemy. In truth the deeds of impiety and iniquity done by Placidus, Stephanus, and Leontius, in Antioch are so many as to want a special history of their own, and so terrible as to be worthy of the lament of David; for of them too it must be said "For lo thy enemies make a murmuring and they that hate thee lift up their head. They have imagined craftily against the people and taken counsel against thy secret ones. They have said come and let us root them out that they be no more a people: and that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance."”

“Orthodoxos: Listen now how the prophet praises God at the very beginning of the psalm. He saw with his prophetic eyes the future iniquity of his people and the captivity that was in consequence foredoomed; yet he praised his own Lord for unfailing promises. "I will sing," he says, "of the mercies of the Lord forever; with my mouth will I make known your faithfulness to all generations, for you have said, Mercy shall be built up forever, your faithfulness you shall establish in the very heavens."Through all this the prophet teaches that the promise was made by God on account of loving-kindness and that the promise is faithful. Then he goes on to say what he promised, and to whom, introducing God as the speaker. ("I have made a covenant with my chosen.") It is the patriarchs that he called chosen; then he goes on, "I have sworn to David my servant," and he states concerning what he swore, "Your descendants will I establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations."”

“"For I forgot to eat my bread. At the sound of my groaning, my bones stuck to my flesh." I lost appetite for any food, and was completely bereft of my former good condition, my body being consumed by the wasting of discouragement; I am but skin and bones. The word of God, then, is our soul's bread: just as ordinary bread nourishes the body, so the word from heaven [nourishes] the soul's substance. In passing on the prayer, Christ said as much to the apostles, "Give us this day our daily bread." So whoever forgets to eat it, that is, to be active (action, after all, constituting the eating of the spiritual bread, as is clear from the saying of the Lord to the apostles, "Be active, not for the eating, which perishes, but for that which endures to life eternal"), this one's heart is stricken and dried up like hay. How does hay get stricken and dry up? When rain stops falling on it. As the heart, too, when suffering from a dearth of the word, is then stricken and dries up, the flower of virtue no longer has the strength to bloom.”

“Even in the case of our own soul, when we say that it cannot die, we do not predicate weakness of it, but we proclaim its capacity of immortality. And similarly when we confess the immutability, impassibility and immortality of God, we cannot attribute to the divine nature change, passion or death. Suppose they insist that God can do whatever he will, you must reply to them that he wishes to do nothing that it is not his nature to do. He is good by nature; therefore he does not wish anything evil. He is just by nature; therefore he does not wish anything unjust. He is true by nature; therefore he considers falsehood abominable. He is by nature immutable; therefore he does not admit of change. If he does not admit of change, he is always in the same state and condition. This he himself asserts through the prophet: "I am the Lord; I change not." And the blessed David says, "You are the same, and your years shall have no end." If he is the same, he undergoes no change. If he is naturally superior to change and mutation, he has not become mortal from immortal or passible from impassible, for had this been possible he would not have taken on him our nature. But since he has an immortal nature, he took a body capable of suffering, and with the body a human soul. Both of these he kept unstained from the defilements of sin and gave his soul for the sake of the souls that had sinned and his body for the sake of the bodies that had died. And since the body that was assumed is described as the body of the very only-begotten Son of God, he refers the passion of the body to himself.”

“Let the word weakness teach us that Jesus was not nailed to the tree as the Almighty, the uncircumscribed, the immutable and invariable, but that the nature enlivened by the power of God, according to the apostle's teaching, died and was buried—both death and burial being proper to the nature of a servant. "He broke the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in sunder" and destroyed the power of death and in three days raised his own temple. These are proofs of the divine nature in accordance with the Lord's words "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." Thus through the sufferings of the one Christ we contemplate the manhood and through the miracles we apprehend the godhead.”

“He is named Christ from being as man anointed with the Holy Spirit, and called our high priest, apostle, prophet and king. Long ago the divine Moses exclaimed, "The Lord your God will raise up to you a prophet, from the midst of you, of your brethren, like to me." And the divine David cries, "The Lord has sworn and will not repent, you are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." This prophecy is confirmed by the divine apostle. And again "seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess."”

“For it is absurd, the height of stupidity, no, of extreme insanity, for those only to sing the praises of the pilot who ride the rough waves and are borne on the breakers and who pass their lives in great misfortune, while those who are situated outside the range of fire, as the proverb has it, being spectators rather than contestants, hurl their blasphemous taunts at the ringmaster when they cannot pelt him literally. That those who cultivate virtue praise the God of the universe not merely when they are borne on favorable winds, but even when they are struggling with billow and storm, can be perceived from the exclamation of the blessed David, a man who spent a lifetime in warfare and struggle with countless misfortunes: "What shall I render to the Lord for all the things that he has rendered to me?"”

“Regarding the divine nature the prophet David says, "Behold, he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." But the narrative of the Evangelist describes the Master Christ as sleeping in the boat. Now not sleeping and being asleep are two contrary ideas, so the prophet contradicts the Gospels if, as they argue, the Master Christ was God alone. There is no contradiction, for both prophecies and Gospels flow from one and the same spirit. The Master Christ therefore had a body, akin to all other bodies, affected by the need of sleep. So the argument for the confusion is proved a fable.Regarding the divine nature the prophet Isaiah said, "He shall neither be hungry nor weary" and so on. But the Evangelist says, "Jesus, being weary with his journey, sat thus by the well";23 and "shall not be weary" is contrary to "being weary." Therefore the prophecy is contrary to the narrative of the Gospels. But they are not contrary, for both are descriptive of one God. Not being weary is proper to the uncircumscribed nature that fills all things. But moving from place to place is proper to the circumscribed nature. When that which moves is constrained to travel, it is subject to the weariness of the wayfarer. Therefore what walked and was weary was a body, for the union did not confound the natures.”

“"Blessed are all who fear the Lord." The inspired word declared blessed not the one from Abraham's stock or from Israel's seed but the person adorned with the fear of God. Blessed Peter also says this in the book of Acts: "In truth I grasp the fact that God shows no partiality, but in every nation the person fearing him and performing righteousness is acceptable to him." The inspired word also gave a glimpse of the character of the fear of God, adding "those walking in his ways": 2 "Not everyone saying to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in heaven." So it is typical of those fearing the Lord not to stray from the ways of God but to travel in them without fail.”

“Since water does not support horses, donkeys, mules, the tracks of wheels and the marks of wagons and chariots, which are all unmistakable guides to travelers by land, the Maker of the universe has given to the broad seas the disposition of the stars like road tracks on land.Praise the wonders of divine providence! Oh! Ineffable love! Oh! unspeakable wisdom! Who could marvel enough at the goodness of divine providence, at its power, its nobility in difficulties, its ease in managing awkward situations, its magnificence, its resourcefulness? Truly your knowledge was wonderful to me: "I was overwhelmed and could not reach to it." That is my exclamation, too. If you listen to me, you too will recite these words with me, praise the Benefactor with all your might and render grateful words of thanks for his countless blessings.”

“And so loud is their proclamation that the whole human race hears their voice, "There are no speeches or utterances where their voices are not heard." For every race and every tongue hears the proclamations of day and night. Tongue differs from tongue, but nature is one and derives the same lesson from day and night. Thus the same author, singing the praises of the Creator in another psalm, says, "Your knowledge was wonderful to me; I was overwhelmed, and I could not reach to it."”

“We have confessed that God the Word took not a body only but also a soul. Why then did the divine Evangelist omit in this place mention of the soul and mention the flesh only? Is it not clear that he mentioned the visible nature and intended to include the nature united to it? For the mention of the soul is understood of course in that of the flesh. For when we hear the prophet saying, "Let all flesh bless his holy name," we do not understand the prophet to be exhorting bodies of flesh without souls but believe the whole to be summoned to give praise in the summoning of a part.”

“But what excuse for despondency will we have left if we take to heart God's own promises and the hopes of Christians: the resurrection, I mean, eternal life, continuance in the kingdom, and all that "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of people, the things that God has prepared for them that love him"? Does not the apostle say emphatically, "I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not even as others which have no hope"? I have known many people who even without hope have got the better of their grief by the strength of reason alone, and it would indeed be extraordinary if they who are supported by such a hope should prove weaker than they who have no hope at all. Let us then, I implore you, look at the end as a long journey. When he went on a journey, we used indeed to be sorry, but we waited for his return. Now let the separation sadden us indeed in some degree, for I am not exhorting what is contrary to human nature, but do not let us wail as over a corpse; let us rather congratulate him on his setting forth and his departure hence, because he is now free from a world of uncertainties and fears no further change of soul or body or of corporeal conditions. The strife now ended, he waits for his reward. Do not grieve too much for orphans and widows. We have a greater Guardian whose law it is that all should take good care of orphans and widows and about whom the divine David says, "The Lord relieves the fatherless and widow, but the way of the wicked he turns upside down." Only let us put the rudders of our lives in his hands, and we shall meet with an unfailing providence. His guardianship will be surer than can be that of any man, for his are the words "Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yet will I not forget you." He is nearer to us than father and mother for he is our Maker and Creator. It is not marriage that makes fathers, but fathers are made fathers at his will.”

“It is also necessary to say by way of introduction that three works belong to Solomon: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs. Proverbs offers those interested moral benefit, while Ecclesiastes comments on the nature of visible realities and thoroughly explains the futility of the present life so that we may learn its transitory character, despise passing realities and long for the future as something lasting. The Song of Songs … brings out the mystical intercourse between the bride and the bridegroom, the result being that the whole of Solomon's work constitutes a kind of ladder with three steps—moral, physical and mystical. That is to say, the person approaching a religious way of life must first purify the mind with good behavior, then strive to discern the futility of impermanent things and the transitory character of what seems pleasant, and then finally take wings and long for the bridegroom, who promises eternal goods. Hence this book is placed third, so the person treading this path comes to perfection.”

“Let us set about the commentary by making this considerable recommendation to those reading it, not to charge us with plagiarism if they find in our commentary something said by the fathers. We admit, in fact, that we have found in them the basis for clear exposition; far from being plagiarism, however, such material is an inheritance from our forebears. Some things that we include we have taken from them, other things we came up with ourselves and added; some things expressed at length by certain commentators we abbreviated, other things requiring further work we developed.”

“Let us consider why on earth Solomon the sage called it not Song but "Song of Songs"; after all, the fact that nothing that is the result of the divine Spirit's action is said idly and to no purpose is clear to people of a sober and pious mind. This being the case, the question needs to be asked why the work is called "Song of Songs" and not Song. In fact, we find many songs, psalms, hymns and odes, oral and written, both in blessed David and in the biblical authors before him and after him.…Solomon the sage … composed a song that was not for triumph in battle or for morning prayer but for a wedding.… The Song of Songs … outlines his wedding and depicts his love for the bride. "Bride" is the term he uses of the people who in the above songs have been freed from captivity, have attained their freedom and associated themselves to the king, retaining an indelible memory of his favors, giving evidence of great benevolence and affection for him and constantly attending on him. Then, when the powers on high enquire, "Who is the king of glory?" they long to be with him, unable to bear being separated even for a short space of time from their savior. This is the reason this book is called the Song of Songs, the phrase suggesting that those other songs were composed with a view to this song, and the others lead to this one.… This is the reason, therefore, that the book is called the Song of Songs, in that it teaches us the major forms of God's goodness and reveals to us the innermost recesses and the holiest of holy mysteries of divine loving-kindness.”

“Some commentators misrepresent the Song of Songs, believe it to be not a spiritual book [and] come up instead with some fanciful stories inferior even to babbling old wives' tales and dare to claim that Solomon the sage wrote it as a factual account of himself and the Pharaoh's daughter.… Those of a more serious frame of mind, on the contrary, gave the name "royal" to the material, and saw the people referred to as the bride and the groom.…My view is that when they read this composition and noticed in it unguents, kisses, thighs, belly, navel, cheeks, eyes, lilies, apples, nard, ointment, myrrh and the like, in their ignorance of the characteristics of the divine Scripture they were unwilling to get beyond the surface, penetrate the veil of the expression, gain entrance in spirit and behold the glory of the Lord with face unveiled. Rather, they gave the text a corporeal interpretation and were drawn into that awful blasphemy.”

“Let no earthbound and materially minded person, however, be abashed at the mention of "kisses." Let them, on the contrary, consider that also at the moment of holy communion we receive the bridegroom's limbs, caress and embrace them, press them to our heart with our eyes, imagine a kind of embrace, believe ourselves to be with him, embrace him, caress him, love driving out fear, in the words of the divine Scripture.…The Song of Songs introduces the bride saying, "Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth." Now, by "kiss" we understand not the joining of mouths but the communion of pious soul and divine Word. It is like the bride saying something of this kind, I experienced your words in writing, but I long to hear your very voice as well, I wish to receive the sacred teaching directly from your mouth and to caress it with the lips of my mind.”

“She is admitted to the inner chamber, the quarters and rooms of the bridegroom, and boastfully says to her own retinue, "The king introduced me into his chamber," that is, he revealed to me his hidden purposes, the plan concealed from ages and generations he made known to me, the treasuries obscure, hidden, and unseen he opened to me, in keeping with the prophecy of Isaiah.”

“The bride is saying this no longer to the young girls but to those taking pride in the law, glorying and boasting, and reproaching her not only for her foreign origins but also for her former superstition and the black color coming from it. Hence she says to them, "I am not only black but also beautiful: though once blind, I gained my sight, and though once clad in rags, I am now clothed in a vesture of gold, of a rich variety, enjoying the king's regard. I attend on the king, displacing you for raging against the king, delivering him to death, and defiling the bridal chamber with a series of adulteries. So do not reproach me for my black color, nor bring my former vices to the fore: I am black, I admit, but beautiful and pleasing to the bridegroom.… I too am Ethiopian, then, but the bride of the great lawgiver, daughter of a Midianite priest, an idolatrous man. I forgot my people and my father's house—hence the king desired my beauty.""So do not gaze on me for my being black, because the sun looked at me; you will see me, black though I now am, made white, and you will cry out, 'Who is this who emerges in her whiteness?' I shall tell you also the reason for this blackness: I became black through worshiping creation instead of the Creator, and adoring this visible sun instead of the sun of righteousness. But I saw the difference between the one and the other, and forsook the creature to worship the Creator. So do not gaze on me for being blackened because the sun looked at me—or, as Symmachus says, fastened upon me. In fact, 'I am black and beautiful, daughters of Jerusalem': black as a result of the former impiety, beautiful as a result of repentance; black as a result of unbelief, beautiful as a result of belief. I was as black 'as the tents of Kedar,' which means darkness; I became beautiful 'like Solomon's curtains.' "”

“In the Song of Songs the bride cries aloud, "I am black and beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem"—"black" in the sense of deceived, besmirched by the stench of wild beasts, and "beautiful" in the sense of awaiting for your arrival from heaven as Lord for the sake of my salvation. He suggested at the same time both the gloom of impiety and the charm given by divine grace.”

“It is logical for the bride to enquire at the time of midday where the bridegroom takes his rest because when the light of knowledge became stronger, heresies developed which, while bearing the name of Christians, were nevertheless devoid of truth. This is the reason she is exercised and anxious to learn the spot where the bridegroom rests the sheep, the risk of falling in with the flocks of so-called companions. It should be understood that just as there were the prophets and the false prophets opposed to them, and likewise apostles and false apostles of an opposite mind, so too false Christs are referred to in the divine Scripture. Hence the Lord also says, "Many false prophets will rise up and will lead many people astray." And blessed Paul was in the habit of speaking not only of false brethren but also of false apostles—hence his remark, "For such people are false apostles." The bride begs not to fall in with these people since they give the appearance of shepherds and likewise seem to have flocks and herds. Of such kind are the people who hold the views of Arius, Eunomius, Marcion, Valentinus, Mani and Montanus. While invested with a Christian appearance and name, building churches, reading divine Scriptures to sheep led astray, wrongly tending their followers and thought to be companions of the bridegroom, they are instead pernicious schemers, providing the sheep with poison instead of nourishing draughts.”

“Here in figurative fashion he referred by "Pharaoh" to the implacable foe of our nature, the noxious enemy common to us all whom he drowned in the holy waters of baptism like Pharaoh. My mare, then, which I used when I overwhelmed Pharaoh's chariots, I judge you to resemble since you are close to me and have love for me.… So from the apostolic words we understand the mystical words of the Song, and hear the bridegroom saying, I declare that you, being close to me, and hence called an intimate, getting the name from the fact, are like my mare, which I used when drowning the spiritual Pharaoh with his chariots, and I granted you freedom.”

“"How beautifully made your cheeks, like those of a turtledove." Zoologists claim that the turtledove not only likes solitude but is also not promiscuous, the male mating with one female, and the female associating with one male, and at the death of its mate it refrains from mating with another bird. Appropriately, then, he says the church in its relationship to Christ is like her, shunning relations with others, and reluctant after his death to abandon him, awaiting instead the resurrection and looking forward to his second coming. He also says her neck is like a necklace; this is a choker, a kind of ornament beautifying the neck. He is commending her for nicely carrying the yoke of religion, of which the bridegroom says in the Gospels, "Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy and my burden light."”

“"It will lodge between my breasts," that is, in the governing part of my soul, which is located in the heart lying between the breasts. This indicates the fulfillment of the prophecy spoken by God, "I shall dwell and walk about among them, and I shall be their God and they shall be my people, says the Lord almighty." The bridegroom in person also makes the promise, "We shall come, my Father and I, and shall make our abode with him."”

“I was "a flower of the countryside," that is, I assumed an earthly body and sprang from the earth, being eternal and exalted or, rather, immeasurable. I became "a lily" not of mountains or hills, or simply of the countryside, but of "valleys": I brought not only the good news of salvation to the living but also resurrection to the dead, descending to the lower parts of the earth to fill everything. This is the reason he calls himself "a flower of the countryside, a lily of the valleys," that is, the dead: to them he both promised and brought into effect a return to life.”

“"His left hand under my head, and his right hand will embrace me." Let us be careful once more, however, not to get involved in corporeal ideas on hearing "left hand" and "right hand." Solomon, in fact, speaks of wisdom, which is a habit and not substance: "Length of life and years of existence are in her right hand, and in her left wealth and glory." Likewise regarding the "embrace" you can find in the Proverbs the saying, "Love her, and she will keep you safe; ring her about with a rampart, and she will exalt you; honor her, and she will embrace you." Let us take occasion from this, then, to understand the references spiritually, believing the so-called embrace to be a communion between the divine Word and the pious soul, and the "right and left hands" should be understood in the way taken by us. So as not to leave its deeper meaning undiscerned, however, let us interpret it this way: God is in the habit of bestowing both beneficence and punishment, distributing both to those who deserve them. Let us accordingly understand beneficent grace in the case of the right hand, and punishment in the case of the left, and thus listen to the bride saying, "His left hand under my head," that is, "I am beyond punishments, I am not subject to them, on account of my closeness to the bridegroom and my attention to his service"; and "His right hand will embrace me," that is, "He will regale me with his beneficence and fill me with it as though enfolding and embracing me, and satisfying my desire."”

“"I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and forces of the field to stir up and awaken love for as long as he wishes," that is, "Do not allow love for God in us to slumber: stir it up and inflame it, and pour the memory of kindnesses like oil on it lest it be said of us also, 'They fell into a deep sleep, and found nothing.' " In other words, if you do not proclaim day in day out his salvation and recall the marvels he worked, and instead you forget his kindnesses, love will be extinguished and die, as it were. We must, on the contrary, continually rekindle it, stir it up and lift the flame itself on high.”

“It makes sense, therefore, for the bridegroom to call the bride, mature in virtue as she is, "dove," that is, spiritual and filled with the Holy Spirit.…The bridegroom encourages and consoles his church in its struggle with trials, "peeps through the windows and looks in through the netting," and urges her to stand fast and to fly to him.… He is saying, if you rest in the middle of the two Testaments and draw benefit from both, you will find there the manifold gifts of the Spirit. The bride, accordingly, by accepting the spiritual exhortation and lying between the lots, found the wings coated in silver through which she was bidden fly up to the bridegroom.”

“"Catch us little foxes that demolish vineyards." Some commentators actually applied "little" to the "vineyards"; but the sense is no different in either case. By "foxes" he refers to those with a deceitful attitude who harm the Lord's churches that are just beginning to flourish—hence his saying "our vines blossom." By "foxes" he is hinting at the heretics warring against people in the church and endeavoring furtively and deceitfully to steal away those not yet made firm in the faith. By persuasiveness in word and by the snares and intricacies of argumentation they lead astray those of simpler disposition and damage the vines. For this reason he bids those exercising the teaching role to hunt them down and ensnare them with the arguments of the truth and rid the blossoming vines of this damage.”

“Since the bridegroom is incomprehensible in his being even to the holy angels, and hence they did not give me an answer to my question, teaching me by their silence that he is incomprehensible even to them, the uncreated to created beings, I left them as well, still searching for my beloved."It was not long after passing them that I found him whom my soul loved. I laid hold of him." I had scarcely bypassed the creature to reach the angelic nature itself in an effort to find my uncreated beloved, my benefactor as he is, when by faith alone I came upon him, bypassing all beings and with the confirmation from experience itself that the one responsible for everything is above all beings and in his being is seen by no nature, of the senses or the intellect, being superior to them in substance.”

“She says she found him and did not let him go before bringing him into her mother's house and the inner chamber of the one who conceived her. By "city" she refers to the house of God, which we call church, by "marketplaces" and "streets" the divine Scriptures, by the city's "watchmen" the holy prophets and the sacred apostles, from whom the pious soul learns in its longing for the divine Word. After these she finds the bridegroom attended by guards and attendants, she lays hold of him, clings to him and is reluctant to leave him before she brings him into her mother's house and the inner chamber of the one who conceived her. Now, we recognize the mother of the pious as the Jerusalem on high, of whom blessed Paul says, "The Jerusalem on high is free in being mother of us all."”

“We must enquire why on earth they call the bridegroom Solomon. Solomon means "peaceable," as you can find in the Chronicles. God said to David, when he wanted to build the new temple, "Lo, a son is born to you; he will be a man of repose, and I shall give him peace from all his enemies round about, because his name is Solomon, and I shall give peace and tranquility to Israel in his days. He will build a house for my name, and he will be a son to me, and I shall be a father to him, and I shall assure the throne of his kingdom in Israel forever." …It was not Solomon who had dominion to the ends of the world but he who sprang from Solomon in his humanity, Jesus Christ, and was called Solomon on account of his peaceable and gentle nature and his being the cause of peace.”

“We require prayer, in fact—attentive and earnest prayer—for our eyes to become like doves with the gift of spiritual sight, getting beyond the veil of the letter and distinguishing clearly the hidden mysteries. It is not possible by any other way, you see, to come to know the meaning of the divine Scripture, especially the Song of Songs, than having the very one who inspired those composers illuminate our vision by sending rays of grace and give a glimpse of the hidden sense.”

“"Your lips distill a honeycomb, bride; honey and milk are under your tongue." Here it refers to the teachers of the church, offering religious teaching and, as it were, carrying honeycomb of bees on its lips, and distilling drops of honey, containing not only honey but also milk, and providing to each the appropriate nourishment, both suited to the infants and adapted to the mature. Now, honeycombs borne on the lips of the teachers are the divine Scriptures, which contain bees that make honeycombs and produce honey, the sacred prophets and apostles. These latter fly about the meadows of the Holy Spirit, as it were constructing the honeycombs of the divine Scriptures, filling them with the honey of doctrine and dispatching them to us for our benefit. The letter resembles the honeycomb, while the sense hidden in it resembles the honey; the lips of pious teachers release the drops of this honey. Also, milk flowing from their tongue reaches those in need of milk.”

“"Fragrance of your garments like the fragrance of frankincense." We said before that the bridegroom himself became her garment, and blessed Paul confirms it in the words, "All of you who were baptized into Christ put on Christ." Now, the bridegroom is both God eternal and was born a man from the holy Virgin in the last days. While remaining what he was, he took as well what is ours, and clothed the bride who was formerly left naked—hence his saying to her, "fragrance of your garments like the fragrance of frankincense." She is clothed with Christ, who is both God and man. Now, "frankincense" is a symbol of the true doctrine of God, since under the norms of the old law it was offered to God.”

“He calls her "a garden," not as though bearing a single fruit of piety and virtue, but as one producing many and varied fruits; and "locked" as though sealed off and proof against intrigue.… She is also "a fountain sealed." She is not available to everyone but to those thought worthy of these streams; the Lord in the sacred Gospels also says of this fountain, "Whoever drinks of the water I shall give will not thirst forever, and instead there will be in them a spring of living water gushing up to life eternal." Properly, then, he refers to her as "a fountain sealed" for not being available to everyone but to those thought worthy. The divine sacraments, after all, are available not to the uninitiated but to the initiated, not to those wallowing in iniquity after initiation but to those living an exact life or purified through repentance.”

“"Pomegranate" is to be taken figuratively as love, since countless seeds are contained together within the one skin, pressed together without squeezing or ruining one another, remaining fresh unless one of the seeds in the middle goes bad. You can also gain a different insight from the sections in the middle: we see many ranks also among the saved, one of virgins, one of ascetics, one of those drawing the yoke of marriage, and of the affluent, one of those living a life of poverty, one of slaves in love with godliness, one of masters exercising lordship lawfully. The pomegranate, too, then, has walled off compartments, as it were, separating its seeds into certain divisions. This is the reason he compares the presents of the bride to "an orchard of pomegranates."”

“[This garden] also contains "a spring" and "a well of water alive and babbling from Lebanon." It contains not only the gospel teaching that flows openly but also the "well" of the law, which is "a well of water alive" that also holds hidden streams that babble, emit a sound and flow from Lebanon. The way of life according to the law blossomed in Jerusalem, which is figuratively called Lebanon, but this well changed direction toward the Lord's bride, the church, and though hidden, it flows with a babble and irrigates the orchard of the church.”

“The bride instructs the young women who had enquired as to the features of the bridegroom, saying, "My nephew is white and ruddy," mentioning "white" first and "ruddy" second. He was always God, but he became man as well, not by abandoning what he was or being turned into a man but by putting on a human nature. So he is "white" as God: what could be whiter than light? Now, he is the true light, according to the Gospel saying, "He was the true light, which enlightens every person coming into the world."He is not only "white," however, but also "ruddy." After all, he is not only God but also man. Now, the term ruddy suggests earthly; hence also in Isaiah the divine powers, on seeing him ascending from earth to heaven, pose the question, "Who is this coming from Edom, the red of his garments from Bozrah? He is charming in his vesture, overpowering in his strength."”

“"His eyes like doves on pools of water," once again here by mention of the "eyes" admiring his keen sight. Hence her saying they are like doves "on pools of water" reminds us of the dove coming down on him in the Jordan. … Hence the bride says, "His eyes like doves on pools of water": his eyes are constantly upon the source of baptism, awaiting those being saved and longing for the salvation of everyone.”

“"His form is like choice incense, like cedars." Here again she makes reference to the fact of two natures, calling the divine nature "incense" since by the law incense was offered to God, and by "cedar" referring to the human nature in its not being affected by the rottenness of sin, the cedar of all trees not going rotten.”

“"Turn your eyes away from me because they set me all aflutter." What he means is something like this: the beauty of your eyes, the sharpness of your vision and the clarity of your thinking have drawn me to love of you; but do not gaze at me immoderately lest I take harm from it. After all, I am inaccessible and incomprehensible, surpassing all comprehension, not only human but also angelic. Even if you wish to surpass limits and pry into what is beyond your power, you would not only find nothing but would also impair your sight and render it dull. Such is the nature of light, after all: as it illumines the eye, so it penalizes intemperance with damage.”

“Let us examine why on earth he mentioned "sixty queens" but "eighty concubines." The number sixty contains six tens, and while the ten signifies perfection, the six represents the number of the world's creation: in six days the God of all formed the whole creation. Accordingly, by "sixty queens" he referred to the souls in this world who were made perfect in virtue and who longed for the kingdom. The bride lives a way of life above this world, she is outside it, flies beyond it, is totally the bridegroom's and has him constantly in mind, whereas these latter souls live in this world and practice the perfection of virtue to the extent possible while longing to attain the kingdom. But it is through fear that they obey the laws, and so they were called "eighty." The divine Scripture, remember, speaks of the time of judgment as the eighth. In describing judgment in the Psalms, blessed David used the title "On the eighth" and began this way, "Lord, do not censure me in your anger, nor chastise me in your wrath," and shortly after, "Because in death there is no one to remember you, in hades who will confess you?" Thus [he brings] out that at the time of judgment no place for repentance will be given to those who have sinned and have not had a change of heart.”

“"As beautiful as the special moon." The experts in these matters say the moon gets its light from the sun's rays and gets partial light when a small part of it faces the sun. When it is directly opposite and is in full view of the sun, it is completely lit up as though reflecting its face like a kind of mirror and leaving no part of its bulk unlit. The church of Christ likewise, therefore, the congregation of the souls made perfect in virtue, "with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror," in the words of blessed Paul, "is being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, as a work of the Lord, the Spirit." And it becomes so completely luminous as to resemble a moon, and a "special moon," that is, full moon.”

“The bride, however, is not only "like a special moon," but also she will shine in the future life "like a sun," astounding all with its brightness. They will marvel not only at her light but also at her orderliness. There is nothing disordered about the Lord's bride, nothing undetermined; she gives practical directions like a kind of plumb line, and regulates her own life by use of norm and rule.”

“By "nut plantation" they refer to the present life, which is harsh, troublesome and laborious but contains hidden in itself the fruit of virtue. The fruit of the nut has a bitter skin on the outside, the second one is tough and resistant, and the edible part is hidden as though deposited in a kind of inner chamber and is not extracted without effort. Such also is the present life, containing as it does harsh pain and grief, containing hardship and effort which, however, are not fruitless, not useless, holding the fruit hidden within them. Hence blessed Paul also says, "Our life is hidden with Christ in God; but when Christ our life is revealed, then we too shall live in him."”

“Just as the work calls Solomon—our Lord, in other words—"peaceable," so too it calls his bride "peacemaker" for attaining peace from him and being freed from the former conflict. The bridegroom's attendants, then, on seeing her driven from the chariot and under attack, comfort her in the words, "Return," peacemaker, "return, return, and we shall look upon you." That is to say, "Do not be afraid of your pursuers but hold fast the doctrine, proclaim the message of the doctrine, have no fear of the chariot, do not be afraid of war, called peacemaker as you are. In fact, if you persist in your preaching, we shall see your kingdom."”

“"The hair of your head like purple, a king caught in its tresses." Your hair was previously loose and hence was compared with the flocks of goats emerging in Gilead, whereas now it is caught up, and not only caught up but also wondrously dyed, resembling a king clad in purple and hastening in all directions. By the comparison of her fastened hair to royal purple he refers to the teaching proposed in orderly fashion and colored with the blood of Christ. A king clad in purple is not so resplendent as the teacher of religion who carefully composes the proclamation of the knowledge of God and offers it to the devotees of truth.”

“"I shall lead you into my mother's house and into the chamber of the one who conceived me." Now, what is the house of the all-holy Spirit (of whom the bride was born, after all) if not the divine temple, which resembles the Jerusalem on high, where they enter to speak with the bridegroom, having received the status of bride? And there, she says, "I shall give you some spiced wine to drink and some juice from my pomegranates," by "spiced wine" referring to the teaching redolent of divine grace, as it were spiced and proving to be fragrant. By "juice of pomegranates" she refers to the benefit deriving from the fruits of love.”

“"Who is this coming up all covered in white, leaning on her nephew?" They do not say "white" but "all covered in white," being black, remember. While the bride said of the bridegroom, "My nephew is white," and did not say "covered in white," being such by nature, she on the contrary was covered in black (the sun looked on her, remember) and is now covered in white and shares the bridegroom's whiteness. And just as being the light he both made her light and called her so, and being holy he made her holy, and becoming resurrection he accorded her resurrection, so he also gave her a share in his own peculiar whiteness. Hence on seeing her, the young women say, "Who is this coming up all covered in white, leaning on her nephew?" Guided by him and as it were led hand in hand, she makes her ascent into heaven and her departure to her beloved through her firm belief in him.”

“Possess "ardor" as well: if you were to acquire it, you would allow no one else to have more importance in your eyes, or yourself to be apathetic, but only her to enjoy your intimacy. "Ardor is harsh," note, and difficult to overcome, like hades (drawing the name hades from common usage, and applying it also to death). But love is so strong because first of all it has wings, and around its wings it has a fiery flame and emits sparks. What could be more powerful than this when enkindled, especially since its fire is of the kind that is unquenchable?”

“"If a man gives his whole life for love, they will utterly despise him." Those bereft and devoid of love will despise the one giving his life for love; hence blessed Paul also said, "When reviled we bless, when persecuted we put up with it, when blasphemed we are encouraging, we have become the world's refuse, as it were, everyone's off-scouring to this day." This happens, in fact, to people who are dizzy: though they cannot stand up straight, they think everything else is spinning around; similarly also people bereft of love blaspheme the devotees of love as stupid and foolish. Far from undermining love, however, this even rendered it more ardent. When reviled the apostles gave blessings, when blasphemed they were encouraging, and on becoming the world's refuse, as it were, they claimed to be everyone's off-scouring to this day.”

“It is the holy authors who were celebrated in the Old Testament who see the bride's spiritual youth and the immaturity and inconspicuous condition of her breasts. In their capacity as go-betweens and marriage brokers [they] say among themselves, "The king is now on the point of taking our sister as his bride, but she is small and without breasts. She is not yet fertile, nor can she provide the milk of instruction or offer developed nourishment to the needy. So we must give thought to what is to be done. Since she is about to be related to the great king and be like a wall of his house, watching and guarding what is within, and being like a door that protects the contents, let us build as if on a wall 'silver parapets.' " That is,[the parapets are] arguments splendid for their reasoning, the Lord's sayings, after all, being "pure sayings, silver tried in the fire, tested in the earth." "So … from her position on them she may fire at the enemy and hunt down the schemers. Let us place on her as on a door tablets made of cedar that incur no decay from sin, cedar being incorruptible."”

“When Isaiah calls them "evil seed," he does not mean to insult the ancestors of those to whom he was speaking. Rather he was denouncing their own wickedness, just as John the Baptist called the Jewish leaders "a brood of vipers" and the Lord called them "an evil and adulterous generation." They were called these things because they did not preserve the virtuous life of those who went before them.”

“[Isaiah] announces the wonderful and widespread demonstration of piety everywhere: idolatry will be destroyed, while the house of God will receive its due sign of universal respect.… After our Savior's appearing, idolatry will be shown and the beauty of truth will be unveiled. In this we will see the fulfillment of this announcement. Furthermore, by "last days" he means that time following incarnation.”

“I am amazed at the persistence of some to interpret this passage in such a way as to conclude that this is a prediction of the return from Babylonian captivity. Which nations rushed to the temple after its rebuilding? What law was given from there? God gave the ancient law on Sinai, not Zion. Clearly Isaiah is referring to the New Testament, where the law was first given to the apostles and then delivered to all peoples by them. He announces that in addition to the law, the word would come from Zion. The term word is a title given to the message of the gospel. The blessed Luke says, "Those who were from the beginning eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us." He is not talking about God the Word but the message of the divine word. Zion is not where God the Word was from but where he taught the truth.”

“Those who are zealous in the service of God, however, do not get a reward of praise, nor indeed do those who are concerned about the laws of God look for this return. For praise is often known to injure many, since it makes them less attuned and slows their pace. If a person thinks he has reached the goal of his endeavor—and praise gives him to understand that he has—he stops his race and victory eludes him. This was revealed by the God of the universe, speaking through the prophet: "My people, they that call you blessed, the same deceive you and destroy the way of your steps." For praise slackens the intensity of their zeal and prevents them from reaching the goal.”

“By speaking of Uzziah's death, the prophet informs us that it was Uzziah's sin that had brought an end to prophetic activity. At the beginning of his reign Uzziah had God's favor and was victorious over the Allophyles [foreigners]and other neighboring enemies. But he became blinded by pride because of his victory. His pride caused him to usurp the honor of the priesthood. He took it on himself to trespass into the sanctuary of the temple and offer incense, though even the priests were not allowed to do this, as only the high priest had the right to enter the Holy of Holies. Azarias and other priests tried to stop him from doing this, but he ignored their warning.… It was not until after the death of the king that God granted this vision to the prophet, who had angered God by not identifying the culpability of the king.”

“Isaiah has revealed the Father's existence but not his essence (WHICH CANNOT BE SEEN). In other places God reveals himself in ways that also demonstrate that no one has seen his essence. Abraham saw him in one way, Moses in another, Micah saw him in yet another way, which was different from the way Daniel saw him. Ezekiel saw God in yet another way. God's essence, however, does not have many different forms, because God is incorporeal, indivisible, simple, invisible and inaccessible.”

“Because the seraphim use the title Lord singularly in this song, but repeat "holy" three times (in reference to the Trinity), we know they are referring to the one essence of Deity. The praise "holy, holy, holy" properly indicates the Trinity, and the appellation "Lord of Hosts" indicates the oneness of the divine essence. Furthermore, the seraphim, in their song, praise the eternal essence for having filled both heaven and the entire earth with his glory. This happened through the incarnation of our God and Savior; because after the appearing of the Master, the nations received the illuminating ray of divine knowledge.”

“But the prophet who predicted the Emmanuel has written of him a little further on that "unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders; and his name is called angel of great counsel, wonderful, counselor, mighty God, powerful, Prince of peace, Father of the age to come." Now if the baby born of the virgin is styled "Mighty God," then it is only with reason that the mother is called "mother of God." For the mother shares the honor of her offspring, and the Virgin is both mother of the Lord Christ as man and again is his servant as Lord and Creator and God.”

“Behold, then, how the Maker of the universe has always shown a loving care for humanity, not merely for the race of the descendants of Abraham but for all the descendants of Adam; through one tribe he has led all tribes to a knowledge of himself. He used them for this purpose both when they were religious and when they were paying the penalty for their sins. For instance, Nebuchadnezzar, the arrogant tyrant, who raised up the golden image and called on all to adore it, said, "I will gather in my hand the whole earth as a nest, as eggs that lie abandoned will I gather it."”

“Therefore all the human qualities of the Lord Christ, hunger, I mean, and thirst and weariness, sleep, fear, sweat, prayer, and ignorance, and the like, we affirm to belong to our nature which God the Word assumed and united to himself in effecting our salvation. But the restitution of motion to the maimed, the resurrection of the dead, the supply of loaves and all the other miracles we believe to be works of the divine power. In this sense I say that the same Lord Christ both suffers and destroys suffering; suffers, that is, as touching the visible, and destroys suffering as touching the ineffably indwelling Godhead. This is proved beyond question by the narrative of the holy Evangelists, from whom we learn that when lying in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes, he was announced by a star, worshiped by magi and hymned by angels. Thus we reverently discern that the swaddling bands and the lack of a bed and all the poverty belonged to the manhood; while the journey of the magi and the guiding of the star and the company of the angels proclaim the Godhead of the unseen. In like manner he makes his escape into Egypt and avoids the fury of Herod by flight, for he was man; but as the prophet says, "He shakes the idols of Egypt," for he was by nature God.”

“To convince you of this, return again to the sea, and observe its depths, its extent, its division into bays, its shores, its port, the islands in its midst, the kinds of fishes in it and their species, shapes, variety and fondness for the shore.…Since journeying by land is fraught with difficulty and the satisfaction of all our needs on such journeys is not only difficult but impossible, the surface of the sea is there to take vessels, small and large, and to provide much necessary cargo for those in short supply. A single frigate can be seen taking as much as many thousand beasts. To ease the burden for seafarers the Creator made islands as ports in which they could call, rest, buy their needs and then set sail again for their destination. "Be ashamed" then "at this multitude of blessings, said the sea." For the words of the prophet apply more to you than to Sidon. For Sidon, ignoring the Creator, divided the divinity into many gods, mutilated the monotheistic form of worship and extended it to nonexistent deities, not indeed denying providence but ascribing it also to these false gods. For it would not offer sacrifice to these false gods unless it had fully persuaded itself that they provide assistance and avert disaster. But you who have been delivered from the error of polytheism and agree that all visible things are created; you, who adore their Creator, banish him from his creatures, set him completely outside his creation, assert that such an ordered universe is without a pilot and is borne about aimlessly like a ship without ballast. Be ashamed, then, at the blessings received from the sea, from the earth, from the air, from the sun and the sky that affords a roof over our heads. Respect the tribute you receive from creation.”

“The book of 2 Kings also speaks of this event. Isaiah has included it to his prophecy in order to show that his prophecy is true. Previously the prophet has made announcements concerning Babylon, Tyre, Egypt and other nations, but he is mostly concerned with the incarnation of our Savior, the unbelief and resultant judgment of Israel, and the call and salvation of the Gentiles. He has also announced Assyria's attack and their ultimate destruction. It follows that he would include this event here to demonstrate that his prophecies are true. By showing that the announcement related to Sennacherib is true, he can show that all his other prophecies will be fulfilled in the same way.”

“The God of the universe has left the king aside to invite the priests to give courage back to Jerusalem, as if the chastisement with which it had been threatened had already occurred. This is made clear in the passage to follow: "Comfort [Jerusalem], for its humiliation is accomplished." The words of the threat have received a perfect accomplishment. "[Its] sin is put away: for it has received of the Lord's hand double the amount of its sins." It is worthwhile to admire the kindness of the Master at this point: because he is good and his compassion is unfathomable, and although he inflicted a punishment less than equal to the sin, he says, by reason of great benevolence, that this lesser punishment is double the amount of the sin. Now that the chastisement was less than the sin, the same prophet has cried in testimony: "Your chastening was to us with small affliction." Nevertheless, because he tempers his justice with infinite mercy, the lesson that the victims of the chastisement call small, the judge has called double [the amount of the sin]. Then he teaches the comforters the means of comfort.”

“The true consolation, the genuine comfort and the real deliverance from the iniquities of humankind is the incarnation of our God and Savior. Now the first who acted as herald of this event was the inspired John the Baptist. Accordingly, the prophetic text proclaims the realities that relate to him in advance, for that is what the three blessed Evangelists have taught us and that the most divine Mark has even made the prologue of his work. As for the inspired John, whom the Pharisees asked whether he himself was the Christ, he declared on his part: "I am 'the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord' " as the prophet Isaiah said; I am not God the Word but a voice, for it is as a herald that I am announcing God the Word, who is incarnate. Moreover, he refers to the Gentiles as the "untrodden [land]" because they have not yet received the prophetic stamp.”

“He has clearly shown by these terms the facility of the evangelical proclamation: thanks to this facility, in a short time it filled the whole world. One should understand by "filled valleys" and "mountains and hills brought low" that literally it relates to a way that is level and cleared of all obstacles, but in a figurative sense, the souls of the unbelievers are the valleys, those who are lying in some way at the bottom of a pit and who do not have the intelligence to turn toward the heavens, while the mountains and the hills are the demons who are worshiped on the mountains and on the hills, whose deceit has been ended by the incarnation of our Savior.”

“The one who has made these declarations, he says, is incapable of deceit. As for me, I am greatly astonished at those who think that the prophet has made these prophecies on the subject of the return from Babylon; for they should have considered that the prophetic text has clearly proclaimed in advance that the salvation of God would be evident for all people, whereas this return [from exile] was not evident for all, while the cross of the Savior and the sufferings of the Master have reached even to the ends of the earth.”

“It is the chorus of the apostles that the prophetic text raises here. It is precisely for this reason that after expressing this exhortation in the singular the text shifts into the plural and says, "Lift up [the voice], do not fear." In the same way, in his turn, Christ our Master said to the apostles, "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul." And again, after bringing them out from the prison, he bade them to proclaim quite freely the words of this life. Moreover, he calls "mountain" the summit of the knowledge of God.”

“These words are a glimpse of the second coming of the Savior. It is then that he will give the laborers their reward. "He will reward each according to his works," according to the word of the apostle. "For the Day," he says, "will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is." This is the proclamation that the Lord has ordained to the holy apostles to make in their turn. "Go," he has said, "to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' " One can therefore see that the oracles of the prophet are thus in agreement with the words of the Gospel.”

“Of this prophecy also let us observe the fulfillment in the exact way and in truth in the holy Gospels. In the first place, the Lord has said, "I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep and am known by my own … and [I] lay down my life for the sheep." Moreover, he has likewise gathered the lambs with his arms, [that is to say] by the power of his teachings. For soon he said to the fishermen, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men [people]." Presently he called the publicans and ate with them. Again, another time, he allowed even a woman who had led an evil life to shed tears at his feet. He has likewise comforted pregnant women with the thought that they would give birth for salvation. As they learned of the destruction of death and the hope of the resurrection, they possesed sufficient solace for their pains in the expectation of the benefits that had been announced. Finally, while the holy Virgin still carried him in her womb, he filled Elizabeth, who was with child, with joy.”

“At the moment when he gave the law, the God of the universe transmitted his commands in these terms: "You shall not make for yourself an image or likeness of any thing, whether of things in the heaven above, and in the earth beneath, and in the waters under the earth … for I am the Lord your God." That is to say, of the God whose appearance you have not seen. Here also the prophetic text, while denouncing the lack of sense of those who fabricate idols and who worship them, strives to show the infinite character of divine capacity; but in [Isaiah's] inability to teach people another way, he sets out the creation to indicate [its] extraordinary measure; that which, he says, is a drop in the bucket, a turning of a balance, or spittle, so much is all the human race in relation to that ineffable and unlimited power. Then [Isaiah] teaches that the collection of all kinds of beasts is a small thing and not enough for an offering in honor of the divine magnificence, and that [even] all the forests of Lebanon are incapable of satisfying the fire lit [on the altar of sacrifice]. What image could you, therefore, fashion that would be equivalent in nature?”

“On the subject of the God of the universe, [Isaiah] has expressed himself in the following manner: "Lebanon is not enough to burn," while here, to mock the feebleness of idols, he makes it obvious that the artisan has a need for wood to give form to the pretended god. Not only, [Isaiah] says, does he borrow its essence and its appearance from an outside source, but he even calls for much artfulness in order to obtain an image and to keep it from being moved.”

“It is he, [Isaiah] says, who has caused the earth to appear; it is he who holds it in his hand and who directs it. As for human beings, they are no different from grasshoppers if one compares them with divine power. Then [Isaiah] teaches that God is not only the Maker of the earth but also the Creator of the heavens: "He that set up the heaven as a chamber and stretched it out as a tent to dwell in." For since the earth is like the ground floor of a house and the sky simulates a roof in the form of an arch and dome, [Isaiah] has aptly compared it with a tent. And after having shown us the God of the universe as Creator, the prophetic text indicates to us his ineffable providence.”

“It is thus he has brought down Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar and thousands of others. "And has made the earth as nothing." For the power of the Creator does not even have the object of his creation as a measure, but only his will: "Our God has done in heaven and on earth whatsoever he has pleased," not all that he has the power [to do] but all he pleases: for he would be capable [of accomplishing] works many times greater, but God has accomplished what he judges to be best.”

“[Isaiah] says, look at the sun, the moon, the movement of the stars, the cycle of the year, the changing of the seasons, the regular succession of night and day. For this is what [Isaiah] has added: "He who brings forth by number the order of the cosmos." For he calls the setting in order of creation "the cosmos." "He shall call them by names." He is ignorant of nothing, [Isaiah] says, but he knows all things with clarity, since it is he who has given a name equally to each and every thing. "By means of the greatness of [your] glory and by the power of [your] might nothing has escaped you." He has power above all, he is able [to do] all, he is ignorant of nothing that exists, and he knows the very thoughts of people.”

“Then he recalls the truths that he has often taught: "[I am an] eternal God." This is what the blessed Moses has also said: "I AM WHO I AM." As for the blessed David, he in his turn addresses himself to him in these terms: "But you, Lord, endure forever, and your remembrance to generation and generation." Or again: "But you are the same, and your years shall not fail."”

“These things took place at the time of the Jews and the divine apostles. In fact, all those who did not believe were handed over to famine, disease, war and bondage. Those, however, who believed were renewed by the All-Holy Spirit and so imitated the swift flight of eagles. They flew over all the earth, struggling in bodies so foreign to them.”

“He calls the churches "islands," because they receive the assault of the waves of persecutors and because they are founded on the rock. He gives the title of "princes" to the heralds of truth, who have become changed from their [previous state] after their call: "Follow me," says [the Scripture] and I will make you fishers of men." They have consequently taken on new strength: it was no longer fish drawn from a single lake, but humans drawn from the entire world that they made their catch.”

“Of this righteousness, the blessed Paul has said in his turn: "It is from God that we have been given wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption." When this righteousness arose and pervaded the world, kings were dismayed, tyrants were conquered, all kinds of torments were suppressed; the persecuted overcame their persecutors, and, as if rejoicing in great peace, they ran the course that was set before them. However, the words "it will not come" are not to be found in the Septuagint.… They show clearly that righteousness will not come for all but [only] for believers; for the ungodly did not even desire to pay attention to divine messages.”

“From the beginning, [Isaiah] says, God has made announcements concerning righteousness. He made the covenant with Abraham in these terms: "All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in your seed," and he [renewed] the covenant with Isaac, Jacob, Moses and David. This is what he has likewise announced through other prophets. "I, God, I AM the first, and I AM the future." The One who gave the Old Testament, he says, is not different from the One who established the New. The divine nature is one, always the same and unchanging.”

“Look, [Isaiah] says, what the newcomers to the truth say to those who are still held prisoner to the error of idols, to show them their impotence: idols can neither walk nor hold themselves up without being fastened with nails. As for the phrase "it is a piece well joined," the three interpreters have rendered it, "it is a joint well made"; that is to say, the joints are well fitted. It has been put together by craftsmanship.”

“To Israel [Isaiah] awards praise at one time, then later addresses accusations. Far from acting in a contradictory manner, he does things in consonance. For those who believe are descendants of Israel, as are also those who crucified Jesus. It is, therefore, natural that [Isaiah] should praise one and accuse the other. Here, in any case, he has recalled his promises and his benefits of former times: he led their patriarch [Abraham] out of the land of the Chaldeans. He delivered their whole race from the domination of the Egyptians; and he deemed them worthy of all kinds of attention.”

“This is what already happened figuratively in the epoch of the Babylonians, since the God of the universe destroyed their empire, liberated the Jews from bitter servitude and brought them back to the land of their ancestors. However, this deliverance applies properly and truly to the holy apostles and to the victorious martyrs: their enemies are covered with shame, their persecutors have today disappeared and are unknown, whereas the defenders of the truth attract all the attention and are known by all.”

“When we hear the prophet say, "You, Israel, my child, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, whom I have loved," we do not think, do we, that the Jews are only flesh and not complete human beings composed of bodies and rational souls?… And [don't we think] that the seed of Abraham is not without a soul and not without a mind but that it possesses everything that belongs to Abraham's nature?… We confess one Son, who, according to the divine apostle, took hold of the seed of Abraham and brought about the salvation of human beings.”

“This shows clearly that the prophetic text applies to those who have believed in the Lord. It is a small part of Israel that believed, while the major part refused to. That is why Paul said that even at the present time there remains a remnant according to God's gracious election.… As for the name "worm," it fits very well. In the first place, this remnants' appearance was contemptible. In fact, this is what the divine apostle meant when he said, "God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise." But Isaiah calls them worms for another reason. The worm that lodges in wood of poor quality will in a short time wear it down. Similarly, those who are athletes of the truth will, while hidden and imperceptible, destroy the error of the idols.”

“He refers in this way to those who have been entrusted with the grace of instruction. For he has said in the holy Gospels: "He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." "I will make the desert pools of water and a parched land springs." He gives the name "desert" to the Gentiles; this promise had been made to them similarly in the preceding passages.”

“To the expression "your judgment draws near," Symmachus has given the following interpretation: "Present your case, the Lord has said; bring up your solid supports, the king of Jacob has said." Become judges, he says, between myself and the idols; produce your solid props or, according to Theodotion, "your firm supports," that is to say, the idols. Let them reveal the future; let them inform us of [the things] that have happened from the beginning. I, for my part, have not ceased to do the one and the other. Through my servant Moses, I have even taught what took place before the creation of humanity. As for the future, I have revealed it through [Moses] and through the other prophets.”

“If you do not want to demonstrate your personal strength from your knowledge or prescience, then do so through a demonstration of your power. Demonstrate your power, whether it be kind or punishing. "It is I who will put to death and I who will bring to life, I who will strike down and I who will heal. There is no one who can deliver out of my hands." But because you are lacking in knowledge and in power, I will now expose your emptiness. "They have dug you from the ground as an abomination." For whether they are wooden or from gold, silver or bronze, they all have their origin from the earth.”

“He threatens the idols with destruction. He calls "the one who comes from the east" the righteousness that has awakened, concerning which he had earlier said, "Who has roused righteousness from the east?" And he calls the one from the north the church drawn from the nations, toward which came the one from Theman or from the "rainy country," according to the other translators. For God came from Theman, that is, from the south. It is to this church that the Master Christ has revealed himself, finding it scattered by the deceit of the idols. He warmed [the church] with the southern rays and led it to life. Its leaders, priests and teachers have trampled the idols under their feet.”

“[Isaiah] calls him "servant" or "slave," according to the other interpreters, in connection with his humanity. It is in relation to this that he has [also] given him the name of Jacob and Israel, seeing that it is from Jacob, who is also Israel, that [Christ] descended according to the flesh. In the same way he also receives the most Holy Spirit, not insofar as [he is] God—for he lacks nothing—but as man for the purpose of becoming the model for those who have believed in him. Of this gentleness both his words and his deeds give witness: "Learn from me," [Christ] says, "for I am gentle and lowly of heart." Even when he received a blow to the face, he said to the one who struck him, "Friend, if I have spoken evil, bear witness to the evil; but if well, why do you strike me?" Although he could destroy those who unleashed rage against him by having lightning strike them immediately, he breaks them like a bruised reed and snuffs them like smoldering flax; he has borne their folly. For [Christ] was aware of the outcome of these events, and he knew that the truth would be manifested through them. It was likewise even after he had been delivered over to death; he shone forth anew, filled the earth with truth and had invited the Gentiles to put their hope in him. It is this that the prophetic text has said: "In his name the nations put their trust."”

“It is the Son who possesses the glory of the Father, and it is in the glory of the Father that he will manifest himself, for the divinity of the Son and of the Father is one. Thus, if God says that he will not give his glory to another and if the Son manifestly possesses the glory of the Father, it is evident that he is not another according to the essence but that [the Son] has the same nature as the Father.”

“Again, God calls the people who suffer from unbelief and who are devoid of intellectual acuteness "the blind." He promises to guide their steps on the way they do not know, for they failed to recognize the path of the truth but followed on the paths of error. "I will turn darkness into light for them." After freeing them from their previous ignorance, I will deem them worthy of the knowledge of God, for ignorance is like darkness, whereas knowledge is analogous to the light. "And crooked things into straight." For the difficult course of wisdom, of the governing of oneself and of justice, he has made an easy course, since he has attached the hope of future benefits to the efforts to claim virtue. "These are the words that I will fulfill for them; and I will not forsake them." I will not cease to judge them worthy of these benefits, and I will lavish all kinds of care, even to the future.”

“Who is as blind as the one who has moved away? Symmachus translates, "Who is as blind as the perfect and as blind as the servant of the Lord?" He says that although the nations are just as much in error, they do not deserve the same accusation. For they did not have the prophets guiding them toward the truth and were not deemed worthy of such attention. "The one who is far off" has the same meaning; he who has been called by God has left the service of God, preferring the worship of idols.”

“He has taught us both the divine object and the free will of the human creature. Although he desires, he says, that you be justified by choosing godliness, you have, on the contrary, taken the opposite way and reaped death. "For there is a snare in the secret chambers everywhere, and in the houses also, where they have hidden them."”

“Even when the compassionate God disciplines, he does not abandon mercy.… For, he says, "judge, consider, take heart." Now God strengthens those who were reduced to slavery in Babylon. And since they bore the title "the people of God," it was appropriate that God addressed the people in this way: "I have called you by your name. You are mine." He says, "You possess the name by which I have called you."”

“These predictions received their fulfillment after the defeat of the Babylonians, for Cyrus commanded [the Jews] to return to Judea. At the time the latter made [their] return from the east, those who had taken flight during the war and reached the west then [also] returned to the land, probably because they recognized the peace that had come on Judea. In any case, it is with truth and precision that the text clearly indicates the people that the holy apostles have called from the entire world and who have obtained salvation. For in every city the Jews were the first to whom the apostles offered the divine teachings.”

“If you want to have me as a witness to your verdict, then be the first to render witness to my truth. In this case, I will not be alone in bearing witness, but there is also my chosen servant. Now it is neither Moses nor another of the prophets who is referred to here, but Christ our Master. And he calls him a [servant], not as God but as a human being; for it is as a human being that he has named him "chosen." … We likewise find in the holy Gospels this number of two witnesses. In the course of a conversation with the Jews our Master Christ in effect declared, "It is written in your law that the testimony of two persons is true. I bear witness concerning myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness." … "I am, I am your God, and there is no other savior besides me." Again these words proclaim the one divinity. For our Master Christ is called "savior" throughout the holy Scriptures, as I think even the followers of Arius and Eunomius would concede. Now if apart from God there is no savior and if Christ is called "Savior," it is clear that he participates in the [divine] nature. If Christ does not, as the blasphemers allege, then he is not Savior.… But if he is Savior, then he shares the same essence to which alone belongs the faculty of saving.”

“I not only made the predictions; I have also brought them to their conclusion. "I reproached, and then there was no strange god among you." The three interpreters have rendered the word "I have reproached" by the verb "I have made to understand," which comes back to saying, I have born witness. The verb "I have made reproaches" also has the same sense: it is because they do not cease to sin that they suffer reproaches. Moreover, he then makes the following declaration: At the time when I gave the law, no strange god was present: "You are my witnesses, and I am the Lord God." Know clearly, he is saying, that no one else is concerned for you, but that you alone have benefited by my providence.”

“What I am going to do, he says, merits still more admiration than the things done [in the past]. He adds what will be: "And I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the dry land." Some have thought that these declarations relate to the return from Babylon. This is wrong, for he did not favor them at that time, while they were returning from exile, either with a strange road or with rivers. But he is calling the Gentiles "the desert" [wilderness], and the preachings of the apostles "rivers" and the course that escapes error "the way." What he has added makes it equally obvious.”

“"Because I have given water in the wilderness and rivers in the waterless land to assuage the thirst of my elect race; the people I have set aside for myself proclaim my virtues." The race that [Jesus] put on according to his human nature is human nature in its entirety, yet is nearer still to the Jewish race. For there is no doubting that our Lord came from Judah.”

“Do not forget your errors, God says, but keep them firmly in your memory so that you will always recognize how great are my benefits. In this way you will avoid committing the same misdeeds. Now since he has mentioned judgment and that fear is an appropriate response, he teaches them who would learn the way of victory. "You be the first to confess your sins, so as to be justified." I do not want to overcome you, but rather I long for the opposite. Learn how it is possible for you to overcome; confess first your errors, and I will grant you pardon. I will judge you if you attempt to hide something from me. If you confess, I will forgive.”

“He does not cease to make mention of the creation and of his kindness after the creation.… You will not be alone in enjoying my benefits, he says, for the thirsty nations will also drink from the streams of salvation, thanks to your descendants.… He is addressing those who are in Babylon, yet it is not to them but to their descendants that he promises to give the grace of the Spirit.… Here the prophetic text, having promised to give water to those traveling through a dry land, has shown through whom he will give it. "I will set my Spirit on your seed and my blessing on your children."”

“"Thus says the Lord, the king of Israel, the God of hosts who has saved them: I am the first, and I remain after these things. Apart from me there is no God." If there is no God apart from him, the Son is not consubstantial with the Father, as the blasphemy of Arius and Eunomius teaches. How, then, can they call him God? If the Son is God and the prophetic word is true that openly states there is no other God, the divinity of the holy Trinity is one, even if they do not admit this.”

“[Isaiah] has demonstrated that the production of these so-called gods relies on contributions. Their creator needs the blacksmith to prepare the tools and the whetstone for sharpening them; for his part, the bronzesmith needs coal and fire, while the constructor of the objects needs food and drink! It takes all this to prepare a god who is worshiped by these ignorant people. Isaiah is not finished mocking them. After choosing a log, the artisan immediately measures the so-called god. whereas the true God is immeasurable. He then shapes it with the appropriate tools, whereas the real God has no form or shape.… He does not copy divine characteristics but human ones; he shapes his human image and adores his own image as if it were divine.”

“If it is a god, [Isaiah] says, the whole of the wood should be divine. Why, therefore, do you burn leftover parts of the wood and avail yourself of the fire to provide for your food, since at one time you bake bread, at another you boil and roast meat, and both eat and warm yourself and enjoy its light? Is not the wood that is put into the fire of the same kind as that which you worship? How, therefore, can you cast aside the one and adore the other?”

“Foolishness has mastered them; they have lost the faculty of reasoning and are slaves to folly. This is why I will put my Spirit on your descendants, so that they will be delivered from error, for in no other way can they receive the truth. "See, you will not say, There is a lie in my right hand." The other interpreters join this passage to the one that precedes: "[Know] that no one is able to deliver his soul and no one says, is it a lie that you have in your right hand?" [Isaiah] has, therefore, said about the people who are in error that they do not recognize as a lie that which they are holding. But according to the Septuagint, this phrase, which is put into the mouth of God, should be understood thus: "Are my works," he says, "like those of a whetstone? Has a human made me? Am I an idol? Am I fabricated by cutting wood or stones of gold or silver?"”

“Again, the prophetic text has made use of a personification. Just as when [Isaiah] accuses Israel, he has invited the heavens and the earth to serve as witness, so also when he announces benefits, he invites creation anew to partake in the joy; it is not as though the elements are animate, but when we are depressed, they seem somber to us, and when we are happy, they naturally seem more radiant. It is not the elements that have changed, but it is to us that they present this appearance. If, however, one desires to apprehend the celestial powers by the phrase "the heavens" and the holy prophets by "the foundations of the earth," with the thought that they are the ones who sustain [the benefits], one will not be far from the truth. For the Lord has said, "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." One can understand the mountains, hills and the woods in a similar fashion. After the return of Israel, they flourished again because they were cultivated and were the source of rejoicing on the mountains.”

“The text has presented, at the same time, a triple teaching: God is the creator, the master and the protector. For the term "Lord" demonstrates his sovereignty; the idea of "redemption," God's protection; and that of "formation," the creation. "I am the Lord who performs all these things." It is I who have sent you the sorrows and who will obtain the joys for you. Then God shows, by the events that have already happened, what he is able to do. "I alone stretched out the heaven and established the earth." This again serves to refute completely the madness of Arius and Eunomius, for who is the one who alone has created the elements? Is it the Father? Then the Son is not the Creator. Or is it the Son? Then the Father is not the Creator. But if it is the Father and the Son, how should we understand the term "alone"? Surely it is evident that we must understand it of the one divinity of the Trinity.”

“Here he calls "servant" the very prophet who is exercising the ministry of these words. "And verifying the counsel of his messengers." Not only of this messenger, he says, but also that of all the others who transmit the divine word. Thus, it is not without forethought that he has made this declaration here but to give force to what is going to be said, for he prophesies in the next passage the royalty of Cyrus, who was the first to reign over the Persians, and the return of the people, the reconstruction of Jerusalem and the total defeat of Babylon. This is why he has prefaced it with "And confirming the word of his servant." "Who says to Jerusalem, you shall be inhabited; and to the cities of Judea, you shall be built, and its desert places shall spring forth." The text has shown the tremendous power of the Creator: I only have to speak, he says, and my will is accomplished; for it is by a word that I likewise effected the creation.”

“The divine Scripture designates under the name "anointed" not only those who are brought forward for unction but also those whom the God of the universe has singled out with a view toward [fulfilling] a required function. Thus, referring to the patriarchs who lived before the law, he has said, "Touch not my anointed ones." Here, in any case, he has given to Cyrus the title "anointed," in order to announce that it is [God] who has chosen him as king in such a way as to defeat the empire of the Babylonians, to make an end to the captivity of the Jews and to [re]construct the temple of God.”

“By all that is about to be said, he has taught that he has invested Cyrus as king, he has given him the necessary sovereignty to direct his empire with good will and so that the disposition of difficult matters is mitigated and facilitated. This is what the phrase means: "I will level mountains, and I will break to pieces brazen doors."”

“[Cyrus] also was a slave to the error of idolatry. Even though he had received kingship from the God of the universe and obtained such great assistance from him, he had not known the dispenser of these benefits. God had nevertheless deemed him worthy, despite his error, of all these benefits. He had appointed him as an instrument of chastisement to the Babylonians and of the liberation of Israel. However, I have found some copies that bear this text: "Meanwhile, Israel, you have not known me." But I have not found the presence of the word Israel, either in the Hebrew text or with the other interpreters or in the Hexapla version [Origen's compilation] of the Septuagint. And it is justifiably so, for it is not Israel that he is accusing of scorning him, but Cyrus. Then he also indicates the cause of the liberation of the Jews.”

“He calls "light" here the happy events—the cessation of slavery, the liberation and the return—and "darkness" the sad happenings—the siege, the subjection, the enslavement. It is I, he says, who am the author of these two series of events, of these and of those. It is I who made use of Nebuchadnezzar to inflict the chastisement and who have chosen Cyrus as the instrument for the liberation. And just as I am the creator of the light and of darkness, and [just as] I have produced each of them so that they are used for humankind, I have inflicted bondage on Israel in its interest, and I have made the gift of freedom by reason of my benevolence. "Who make peace and create evil." He has clearly taught what he has meant under the name of darkness and of light: it is peace that he has called "light" and the events that seem bad "darkness." So [God] has called them evil, not because they are evil by nature but because people considered them thus. For we have the habit of saying, "Today is a bad day for me," not because the day itself is changed to some other nature but because in the course of that day some events happened that produced sorrow.”

“"And let the clouds rain righteousness." On the occasion of making previous threats, he has said, "I will command the clouds to rain no rain on it," and … it was the prophets who were referred to in this way. Here, therefore, the text invites the prophets to present, as a kind of rain, the discourse dealing with righteousness. In fact, those recognized as prophets after the return from exile were Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. "And let the earth bring forth and blossom with mercy, and bring forth righteousness likewise." For it is fitting likewise that the people who benefit from such watering offer fruits in consonance with the watering. Thus, the rain provides discourse regarding righteousness; therefore, he demands from them the fruits of righteousness and mercy. For he has called the people who inhabit the earth "the earth." "I am the Lord who created you." It is I who likewise from the beginning have brought you into existence.”

“Just as the potter models anew the vase of broken clay, [God] says, for my part, I will make you better than at first. "Will the plowman plow the earth all day?" This comes back to saying it is not effective to use chastisement continually, for the cultivator does not keep tearing up the soil without ceasing. "Woe to him who disputes with the One who formed him!" "Shall the clay say to the potter, What are you doing that you do not work, nor have hands? Shall the thing formed answer him that formed it?" Since there were many in that epoch, and now likewise, who concern themselves ill-advisedly with divine providence and who attempt to study inquisitively the cause for the occurrence of wars, of periods of sterility of the soil, of premature deaths and of all the things of this nature, it is understandable that he should first of all deplore those who demand an accounting from the Creator of the universe. He, then, has skillfully closed their mouth by the image of the clay and the potter: the clay does not demand an accounting from the one who worked it regarding his rest or his work. In the same way is it no more fitting to occupy yourself rudely with divine matters, for you are precisely the clay. But there is between me and the potter the greatest difference there could be: the potter, though he is the creator of the utensil of clay, is nevertheless, on his part, the firstborn of the clay, whereas I possess an uncreated nature. Yet the clay does not say a word but supports the modeling that the potter wishes to impose on it, while you pay no attention to my providence.”

“[Isaiah] has said this to mock the delusion of idols. For their votaries used certain practices of sorcery. They took darkness as an auxiliary for deceit and, from the bottom of some secluded and obscure place, they said whatever they wished and deceived their listeners, all the while saying that it was the idols who uttered that voice. As for me, on the contrary, he says, when I gave the law, as whenever I prophesied, I have spoken openly.”

“"I am God, and there is no other God apart from me, the righteous one and savior. There is none beside me." These words clearly teach us the homoousion. For if the Father is God as the Son is God, the Father savior as the Son is savior, the prophetic text applies these things univocally; it makes extremely clear that their essence is identical.… If the Father is speaking these things, the Son is excluded from these titles and is not homoousios. Or the Son is the one speaking and the Father does not have them. But if God is the Father and God is the Son and the Father is savior and the Son savior, that is why it is said in the singular that there is no other God and savior beside him.”

“"They will be justified in the Lord, and all the seed of the sons of Israel will be glorified in God." It does not say all the seed of Israel but "all the seed of the sons of Israel." The "sons of Israel" are those who are descended from Israel. Their seed is those judged worthy of salvation from among the nations. It is, indeed, thanks to those among the Jews who believed that their descendants received the seed of the teaching and harvested the fruit of salvation.”

“Having discussed the Deity, displayed the believers and confounded the unbelievers, the prophetic text also predicts the destruction of the idols. Some copies carry "Dagon." That was an idol of the Allophyles [foreigners]. As for Bel, some claim that he was Kronos. Then [Isaiah] generalizes: "Their graven images are gone to the wild beasts and the cattle." For they did not only manufacture anthropomorphic idols but also idols resembling wild beasts and cattle. The Egyptians, in particular, worshiped representations of monkeys, of dogs, of lions, of farm animals and of crocodiles, whereas the Akaronites even had an image of a fly, and some others worshiped figures of bats. These are the practices that the beginning of the prophetic text has already denounced. He predicts the destruction of all these idols.”

“[Isaiah] has clearly mocked the impotence of the idols. And since he had made mention of their creation from a piece of wood in a preceding passage, but gold and silver are more precious material than wood, and many people on account of the material treated the gods of gold and of silver with the greater regard, he considers it necessary to give this instruction concerning them: people collect gold and silver. They hire a goldsmith, weigh the statue he has fashioned and treat it as a god. Yet it moves with the feet of others, but if they are lacking, it stands still. Moreover, it brings no help to its worshipers. After this refutation, [Isaiah] introduces an exhortation.”

“For though you are unworthy of salvation, since you have distanced yourself from righteousness because of your iniquity, I will procure salvation [for you] and will inflict just chastisement on the Babylonians. "I have given salvation in Zion to Israel for my glory." For thanks to the salvation of Israel, all will learn of my power and acknowledge that I am truly God.”

“"Come down, sit on the ground, virgin daughter of Babylon." Isaiah calls her "virgin" not because she was chaste—in fact she was corrupt and shameless—but because she was dressed in the manner of a virgin. "Sit down on the ground; it is not a throne." You have been deprived of royalty, he says; you have changed place with a slave. "Sink down into the shades, O daughter of the Chaldeans, for you shall no more be called tender and luxurious." You have lost your good fortune of former times; you do not revel in the misfortunes of others.… The one who has redeemed you has the name "the Lord of Hosts." If anyone wants to understand this passage as applying equally to Babylon, one should recognize that through its punishment it has been spared from sinning more. Because Babylon no longer was in power, it no longer sinned and gained the benefit of avoiding greater sins.”

“For they have burned the temple of God, they have consecrated the sacred vessels to idols, and they have used cruelty against the prisoners. "I gave them into your hands." You would not have carried off the victory if I had not willed it. I delivered them [to you] because I wanted to correct them, not exterminate them. "But you did not extend mercy to them; you made the yoke of the aged very heavy." Even age did not seem to you worthy of respect. [Isaiah] has by this trait shown the extent of their hardness.”

“Suddenly, [Isaiah] says, you will receive destruction and undergo the misfortunes that you do not expect. "[There shall be] a pit, and you shall fall into it; and grief shall come on you, and you cannot be cleared." Symmachus and Aquila have rendered the translation of this passage as follows: "And a misfortune will befall you that you will not be able to avert," that is to say, I will precipitate you into unavoidable misfortunes, and you will not obtain a pardon, for you have sinned beyond [the point] of being pardoned." "And destruction shall come suddenly on you, and you shall not know." For Babylon had not been expecting a change [of fortune] and had had no dread of seeing the situation reversed.”

“In the other nations likewise, there are people who choose an iniquitous law, he says, but not all embrace this mode of conduct. For your part, you studied iniquity and you practiced the extreme of impiety as if it were the height of piety; therefore you will not enjoy salvation. As for us, instructed by their punishment, let us procure salvation, and may their destruction turn to our advantage! Seeing what payment is reserved for malice, and taking on the opposite mode of conduct and having as a holy anchor trust in the God of the universe, we will obtain his solicitude during the present life, just as we will enjoy the eternal benefits in the life to come by the grace of Christ our Savior. Glory to the Father, together with him, in the unity of the All-Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.”

“The adversities that have come on you were announced by me well beforehand, in order that you would be frightened by threats and driven to repentance, so that you may steer clear of the dreadful events. But since you failed to believe my words, I will now proceed to demonstrate their truth by my actions. For you see what is added, "I acted suddenly, and the events came to pass."”

“Instructed by this passage, the divine Stephen in his turn says to the Jews, "You stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your ancestors did, so do you." And also through the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah, the God of the universe has declared to them, "You have had the appearance of a prostitute; you refuse to be ashamed." It is this shamelessness that [Isaiah] likewise alludes to by [the phrase] "brazen forehead." The forehead of a brass statue does not blush. Similarly, you no longer blush when you commit evil or when you are confronted or chastised.… In this way he has described with greater clarity their spirit of disobedience. For they voluntarily refused to listen, because they did not even desire to hear the words of God.”

“It was not a need for money that caused me to deliver you to the Babylonians but the will to make you atone for your iniquity; nevertheless, I am going to make you a gift of freedom again. For Isaiah has called the bondage a "furnace of poverty." In a furnace the fire itself remains hidden, and only the smoke released from the furnace can be seen. Likewise, prisoners of war do not dare to lament openly, but in their hearts. For they are consumed by the flame of discouragement, and their groan rises like a kind of smoke.… Since the enemies thought they had triumphed, not only over you but even over me, and that it was my weakness that had allowed them to dominate you, I will liberate you from this bitter slavery to the extent that even those who do not know me will hear of my might.”

“Since you have not believed the gloomy predictions, believe, then, at least in the prophecies of encouragement. For I do not prophesy falsely in dark, inaccessible places after the manner of the [oracles of] idols. But I know these things clearly before their occurrence since I am present to the events themselves and see each one. "And now the Lord has sent me as well as his Spirit." It is the prophet who made this declaration. He says, "I do not speak on my own authority but because the God of the universe and the holiest Spirit has sent me." Now [the text] demonstrates here that there is another person besides God, the person of the Spirit, so as to refute the Jews and the mad ravings of Sabellius. For [Isaiah] said, "The Lord sent me as well as his Spirit." For Sabellius often taught the one deity of God.… He must also teach about the particular characteristics of the persons, sometimes that of the Son and that of the Father, sometimes that of the Father and that of the Holy Spirit.”

“"I am the Lord your God. I have shown how to find my way so that you may benefit by traveling on that way." … But since the Jews did not desire to pay attention to these commandments, by reason of their attachment to a fleshly manner of thinking, they viewed having many children as a sign of blessing.… Nevertheless, although you have despised my laws, I will consider you worthy of consideration and, once again, you will be called "my people."”

“The three interpreters treat this as if it were something that had already occurred: "You made water flow for them from a rock; the waters broke the hard rock and flowed out." According to the Septuagint, the text alludes to the prophetic grace the Jews enjoyed drinking in divine draughts even while in Babylon from the prophets Daniel and Ezekiel. Because they found themselves in a desert of sorts as a result of the impiety of the Babylonians, they possessed a kind of rock in the prophecy that poured for them the drink of salvation. Further, even after the return from exile, it was Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi who presented to them these divine waters, while the admirable Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua, the son of Jozadek, wore their piety like a necklace. They offered divine teaching to them like water to the thirsty.”

“Instead of "after a long time," Symmachus has said, "Lend your ear, O Gentiles, [who come] from afar." The text therefore calls [those of] the islands, the continents and even those who inhabit the extremities [of the earth] to listen to the prophecy. But the expression of the Septuagint, "after a long time," should be understood as follows: the Lord of the universe promised to Abraham to bless all nations in his posterity. This promise he also made to Isaac and to Jacob. Jacob, in his turn, gave it to Judah as a blessing: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, or a lawgiver from between his feet, until he comes for whom it is reserved, he who is also the expectation of nations." Now, a very great number of years had passed from the promise made to Abraham until the call of the Gentiles. This is why the prophetic text says, "Listen, you Gentiles, after a long time." Then he adds, "It shall stand, says the Lord," that is, to say the word of the promise, for the promise of God is trustworthy.”

“Such is the word, the source of division that he presented to all people; likewise he declared, "I have not come to bring peace to the earth, but a sword." And moreover, the divine apostle says, "The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword." … "He has set me like a chosen arrow and hidden me in his quiver." Similarly, Isaiah said this metaphorically; he speaks of an arrow that wounds the souls of those who love him. Each cries, "I am wounded by love." The quiver represents the mystery of the economy of the incarnation.”

“"You are my servant Israel, and I will glorify myself in you." This is to be understood according to Christ's human nature. For according to his human nature Christ is called Israel, Jacob, the son of David, the seed of Abraham, and so on. Christ is called "servant" since the servile nature God the Word assumed was the form of a slave. For "he has given him the name above every name," that is, to be the Son. As God, Christ the master was always Son, but as man he became Son. For there is not one that is "that Son" and another that is "this Son," but the one who is God the Son also became the Son as a human being.”

“Then Isaiah predicts the disobedience of the Jews and the salvation of the nations. "Behold, I have given your race as a covenant, as a light to the nations." The Lord's race according to the flesh was the entire race of human beings, yet his own and nearest was Israel.… "And I will put an end to the arrangements that I made with their ancestors."”

“To apply these words to Zerubabbel is absolute nonsense. For Zerubbabel led the Jews out of Babylon, but he did not deliver the nations from error or present the new covenant to the nations. Isaiah says these things about the Lord Christ; it is Christ who has filled the wilderness of the world with divine shoots. He has restored the ruined earth, set those trapped in sins free from chains and illuminated those sitting in darkness with the light of the knowledge of God.”

“He has threatened Israel [with suffering] hunger for the Word and [with] a dearth of clouds: "I will send," he says, "a famine of hearing the word of the Lord," and elsewhere: "And I will command the clouds to rain no rain upon it." Here, on the contrary, he promises those who have believed in him that they would have an abundance of divine nourishment and that they will have sources of salvation at their disposal forever.”

“It should be noted with attention that he has not made mention here either of Israel or of Jacob but that he has given the name of "people" to those he has assembled from all parts and has deemed worthy of salvation. He has again called on creation to join in the rejoicing, since even for a single sinner who repents, according to the word of the Lord, the assembly of angels rejoices.”

“Only let us put the rudders of our lives in his hands, and we shall encounter an unfailing providence. God's guardianship will be surer than that of any person, for his are the words, "Can a woman forget her nursing child? Will she not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yet I will not forget you." God is nearer to us than a father and mother, for he is our Maker and Creator.”

“It is the king of Babylon who has destroyed Jerusalem and the king of the Persians who has ordained its reconstruction. But as these last were formerly subjects of the Assyrians, they also joined with them in taking the city. Thus, he can say that the same men both destroyed the city and reconstructed it. "And they that made you desolate shall depart from you." It is to levy the punishment for their faults that they have been delivered into the hands of their enemies. But it is the demons who are the cause of their faults, those they served in giving them the name of gods. He, therefore, predicts the end of the cult of idols and the deliverance from error.”

“And all, even to our own day, stream toward Jerusalem, driven by the desire to see the three longed-for places of the cross, the resurrection and the ascension. Thus, it is from this church, gathered from across the earth and sea, that kings have become foster fathers and rulers providers of nourishment; the first offer firstfruits and the second tithes. These kings, for their part, are even granted an allocation of food for those consecrated to the God of the universe.… The rest of the passage teaches this with clarity. "With their faces to the earth, they prostrate themselves before you and lick the dust off your feet. You will know that I am the Lord." We see these things happening every day. In all the churches the faithful approach with their foreheads bowed to the ground and their lips on the doors to demonstrate their respect for God.”

“For "it is I," he says, who "am God the first, and I am he for the things to come." It is he who has made us and judged us to be worthy of salvation, he who has freed us from the original deception, he who has promised us the kingdom of God, of which may we enjoy the grace of him who has saved us and to whom is due glory for ages of ages.”

“Then he recalls for them what he has accomplished: "Behold, by my rebuke I will dry up the sea and make rivers a wilderness; and their fish shall be dried up because there is no water and shall die for thirst." Symmachus has rendered this passage as if it concerns events already accomplished: "Behold that at my rebuke I have dried up the sea, that I have made the rivers a desert and that their fish have been putrified for lack of water." Thus, the God of the universe accomplished this at the time he delivered them from the bondage of the Egyptians: it was then that he parted the Red Sea, divided the Jordan in two and revealed that the fish in its bed were dead from deprivation of its nourishing waters. If, however, one likewise understands this passage [to relate] to the future, as the Septuagint desires [to do], one will do no violence to the senses. It indicates from great miracles that he will also be able to accomplish small things: if it was easy for me to dry up the sea, he says, and to interrupt the course of rivers, it would have been much easier to annihilate an army that was marching against you.”

“I have many times endured your belief in idols and the infinite number of iniquities that you have perpetrated, but what you have dared now is not susceptible to any pardon: it is an evil that is irremediable and incurable. For I am no longer acting through the prophets as intermediaries, but I have assumed the form of a servant, and I have lived among you as a man; and in spite of the frequency of my appeals and my exhortations, I have not persuaded you. This, in turn, is confirmed by the recital of the divine Gospels in these terms: "Jesus cried out, saying, 'If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink,' and elsewhere: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." The divine Evangelists have let us know still many other declarations of this kind. In this way, then, the prophetic text has taught us that the total destruction that they undergo in the last place has been obtained for them by their folly against the Master. Then, in interrogative form again [he declares]: "Is not my hand strong to redeem? Or do I not have the strength to protect you [from danger]?" Do you think, he says, that the adversaries have conquered me because of my weakness? Is it not possible for anyone to see how easy and convenient it is for me to make you appear superior to everyone?”

“"I will clothe the sky with shadows, and I will change its cover to be like mourning cloth." He has done this and will do it. For he did it when he was crucified: "From the sixth hour to the ninth the shadows covered the whole earth." And he will do it again at the time of the fulfillment, for it says, "The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give off its light."”

“Christ our Master says this in a human way. For the rest, we find many statements of this kind in the divine Gospels: "And Jesus increased in age," it is said, "and wisdom and grace before God and before people." He calls youth "early"; thus, the prophet likewise taught this in a preceding passage. After having announced [Christ's] conception by the Virgin, he had added, "Before he [the child] shall know good or evil, he refuses evil, to choose the good." The Evangelist declares something similar: "And the child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was on him." As for the phrase "the instruction the Lord gives opens my ears," in my opinion, it is not pronounced regarding him but on the subject of the disciples who believed in [Christ], for he gives the name of "ears" to his hearers, that is, to those to whom he presents the divine words, that is, to those to whom he declared, as we learn it in reading the holy Gospels: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"”

“This whole recital is taught by the holy Gospels. For the servant of the high priest gave [Christ] a blow on the cheek; some struck his face, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck you?" Others spat in his face; as for Pilate, he had him scourged and delivered him to be crucified. So, all this he predicts in the prophecy to teach of his own patience.”

“It is as a man that he calls himself "Servant," for "although he exists in the form of God, he has assumed the form of a servant." Likewise in the divine Gospel [Christ] says that he has received instruction as to what he should say and proclaim. "They walk in darkness, and there is no light for them." Although the light has risen, as for them, they have clung to the darkness. "Trust in the name of the Lord, and rely on God." [Isaiah] says, if you really put absolute and true hope in God, that will [serve to] sustain you and make you sure.”

“He is leaving aside the unbelievers here in order to address those who have believed: it is to them that he gives the name of enamored with God and with righteousness. He comforts them because they are few in number and invites them to turn their eyes toward their ancestors: he reminds them of Abraham and Sarah and the many thousands of descendants who came from them. This is similar to the term expressed in the divine Gospels: "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." It is the same here.”

“Nothing made is an obstacle to my power: not the fact that I called just one man or that old age was on him, or that Sarah lacked the physical capability; yet his race was [indeed] increased, just as I had wished. Be unbelieving no longer, therefore, even though you are [now] easy to count; I will make you too many to number.”

“It is not a question of inhabited places but of desert places, not of regions situated in the east but of those in the west. Those who have seen the city with their own eyes know that the temple of the Jews was in the eastern part of the city, whereas the cross and the [place of] the resurrection were in the western part. Moreover, these places were formerly situated outside the walls. The divine apostle was witness to this when he said, "Jesus … suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach." He makes this prediction accordingly: all the places of the city that were deserted and all those that were in the west will be as the garden of the Lord, for they truly possess the tree of life. "They shall find in it gladness and exultation, thanksgiving and the voice of praise." This also we still see fulfilled in our day: in place of the smoke, of the odor of fat that rises from the victims and of the cult rendered according to the law, which the Lord of the universe, even in former days, did not find agreeable, night and day Zion raises hymns in honor of the God of the universe, for it is filled with [worshipers] who chant hymns.”

“He calls his power "arm": that which constitutes the greatest proof of divine power is to have conquered the world by the cross, by ignominy and by death; it is to have given fishermen, publicans, shoemakers as masters to philosophers and to rhetoricians; it is to have, thanks to a dozen men, cultivated the whole world and, thanks to an equally small number of men, filled the entire earth and sea with the divine message.”

“From the sky and the earth, from the things on high and those below, learn of my power. I produced these elements with great ease and, conversely, I can make them disappear. "But my salvation shall be for eternity, and my righteousness shall not fail." This is what the Lord has likewise said in the holy Gospels: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words will by no means pass away."”

“This is what the Lord has also said in the divine Gospels: "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul," and again: "Do not fear them," and: "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and shall say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven." Similarly, here, the prophetic text has shown that people who revile and trample underfoot the heralds of truth are like garments and like wool that is eaten away by the moth, while the salvation and the righteousness of those who are being insulted has no end and escapes death. After having made the prediction here concerning the new people, [the prophet] passes to another subject and prophesies to Jerusalem the return from exile in Babylon. One should know, however, that these announcements were not made at the same time as the others, but that the first dates from one epoch, the second from some other time, and that they were put together later to form a single book.”

“The great number of the Egyptians he calls the "sea." If, however, one wishes also to see the Assyrians under this name, the explanation would hardly stray from the truth. "[Are you not the one] who made the depths of the sea a way of passage for the delivered and redeemed?" He has said that of the Red Sea: because it was parted in two, Israel enjoyed salvation. So he is recalling these events in order to invite them to have confidence relating to future events. The ensuing passage makes this quite clear.”

“"They will be gathered by the Lord, and they will arrive in Zion full of joy and an eternal cheerfulness; and on their head praise and joy will take hold of them; sadness, pain and grief will have gone." He has declared in advance the return of cheerfulness and joy, which take hold of believers after the coming as man of our Savior.… Then by the expression of the face he inspires confidence.… It is the Lord who strengthens him, the One who worked these paradoxes in former times, who delivered Pharaoh with his army into the sea, who killed the many thousands of Assyrians through one angel. … He says, "You have worked with the enemies and have carried out their aims—you were afraid of them and forgot me who am the Creator of all things, among whom he gave a thousand pledges of power. Yet you feared a mortal and corruptible man while you have not paid attention to your own dignity and you have not sought my help."”

“"And his bread will not fail because I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves, the Lord of hosts is my name." The phrase "and his bread will not fail" appears in the Septuagint with an asterisk. The text means that in very captivity they will enjoy the divine concern since God provides generously for their need.”

“It is by means of actions that I will teach you the truth of my words. "And I will shelter you under the shadow of my hand, with which I fixed the sky and founded the earth: and the Lord shall say to Zion, you are my people." It suffices to recall the creation to show the capability of his dynamic force that he has promised to convey to them; for he has indicated his dynamic force by the name "hand."”

“He calls chastisement "the cup," because it is stupefying like drunkenness. Of this cup, the blessed David has likewise made mention in the following terms: "For there is a cup in the hand of the Lord, full strength, full of a mixture [of aromatics]; and he has turned it from side to side"—for he chastises some, now others—"but its dregs have not been wholly poured out; all the sinners of the earth shall drink them." The divine Jeremiah, in turn, has mentioned this in these terms: "Thus the Lord God said, Take the cup of this undiluted wine from my hand, and you shall cause all the nations to drink, to whom I send you. And they shall drink and vomit and become mad." And to teach what he means by the name "cup," he has added, "from the face of my sword, which I shall send in the middle of them." Then he adds, "I took the cup out of the Lord's hand and caused the nations to whom the Lord sent me to drink: Jerusalem and the cities of Judea, and the kings of Judea and their princes, to make them a desert place, a desolation and a hissing," as is the case today and so on. Here also, God has therefore declared through the prophet: "You have drained the cup of calamity and emptied it," that is to say, you have endured a very great chastisement, and you have had no help from the kings, the generals and the multitude of soldiers in whom you continued to put your trust.”

“By "two," he means the bravery of the adversaries and the desertion of the auxiliaries: while the former attack with courage, the others flee in a cowardly fashion. "Downfall and destruction." He has again presented two calamities: that of falling and that of being crushed. For sometimes a person falls without being struck. "Famine and sword." Again a double chastisement: if the first make a siege from the city of the outside, even harder to endure than the enemies was the famine that was within, annihilating them.”

“By the slumber, he has indicated their indolence, and by the cooked vegetables their laxness. But what he adds is even harsher than what he has said before: "They that are full of the anger of the Lord are caused to faint by the Lord God." By their iniquity they draw my anger, and by reason of my anger, they are deprived of my kind attention and despoiled of every kind of strength.”

“He calls the lower city "Jerusalem," and the city on high "Zion," but both together are one city. This is why he promises restoration to both; and, since foreign nations crossed through it without fear when its inhabitants had been taken captive, he is promising deliverance from these foreigners.… It is due to their sins that they have been sold, but it is by the benevolence of God that they have obtained deliverance.”

“His question is a matter of style meant to show the strangeness of the happening: did you not go to Egypt? he says. Why then have you come back from there? "Thus says the Lord, because my people was taken for nothing, you wonder and howl." You are struck with amazement, he says, in deploring the captivity, because, despite the title of "my people" that you carry, you have suffered these misfortunes. Well, do not wonder, but consider how "on account of you my name is continually blasphemed among the Gentiles." The fact that you are justifiably undergoing these misfortunes is not so insupportable as the fact that I am blasphemed because of you and that the Gentiles think my weakness is the cause of the bad fortune that you have endured.”

“When the Romans were on the point of making a campaign against Jerusalem, all those who had accepted the message exiled themselves in other cities, for they had learned of the misfortunes that would strike Jerusalem. Thus, it is the Lord in person who commanded them to do this: "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near," and again: "Then, let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let him who is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house." Therefore, because they knew these events in advance, they went out and escaped the misfortunes of the siege of the city, while the Savior in person guided them, directed their steps toward the Gentiles and assembled the church derived from the Gentiles. Since we also have learned of these events, let us, therefore, flee disbelief; let us persevere in the faith; let us guard the commandments of God and let us proceed on the right path, with the Lord Jesus to guide our way.”

“For not all believed, but those who did believe admired to the highest point the mystery of piety. "And kings shall keep their mouths shut." At the manifest demonstration of God's power, those who formerly persecuted him and had dared to blaspheme will restrain their tongues from slander. Then he adds in a clearer vein: "For they to whom no report was brought concerning him shall see; and they who have not heard shall consider." For those who did not receive the prophetic predictions, but who served idols, will see, thanks to the heralds of truth, the might of him who was proclaimed to them, and they will know his power. After the predictions concerning the Gentiles, he also prophesies the incredulity of the Jews.”

“And next he teaches the forms of dishonor and shame, "A man being in sorrow." He points out the nature that received the suffering, for his body was nailed to the cross, but his divinity made the passion its own. "And he was familiar with sickness." This was said about his humanity. For to be courageous and philosophical touches not divine but human nature. "For his face was turned away. It was not valued or appreciated." The three translators render it this way, "And like a hiding of the face from him, he was made nothing and not appreciated." That is, he hid the divine energy and chose suffering and did not seek vengeance on others. For as he was on the cross he said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." This teaches us the reasons for the passion: "He bore our sicknesses and suffered for us." Symmachus translated, "Indeed, he personally has taken on our sicknesses and endured our pains." We deserved death for those sins we had committed, and having received this penalty, he received death on our behalf.”

“The offenses of all were not equal, and there was not only one way of being impious; for the idols of the Egyptians and those of the Phoenicians were not the same, those of the Greeks were different, and those of the Scythians were something else. Nevertheless, although the forms of error were different, we had all in a common manner abandoned the true God, and by this we resembled sheep who have gone astray and are exposed to the wolves.”

“It was fitting for him to heal like by like and to recall the other wandering sheep by becoming a sheep himself. He became a sheep, without being changed into one, or without being altered or without quitting his own essence.… For, according to Isaiah, he was sheared as well as slaughtered. For he endured death in his humanity. But as God he remained alive and impassible and gave the fleece of his body to the shearers.”

“Having thus proclaimed in advance the iniquity of the people, he addresses to them an exhortation to repent—for he saw in advance those among them who, after these events, would have the faith. Of this number was the divine Paul; of this number were the three thousand men and the many thousands—and he says, "If you can give an offering for sin, your soul shall see a long-lived offspring." If you acknowledge your impiety, and if you request salvation, you will obtain life eternal; for this is what he has called "long-lived."”

“He accordingly bids the barren one to fill the world with houses of prayer and to make them left and right, that is to say, in the south and the north. One is not, however, mistaken if one gives the name of "stakes" to the holy prophets, to the apostles and to the martyrs, hidden in the earth, as the tent stakes are; these are the ones who maintain the tabernacle of the church, holding it upright with their doctrines as if with ropes. They are also called "foundations."”

“Symmachus translated, "The Lord who takes pity on you says, lowly one, who has not been comforted, I have mercy for you. For I have seen you wandering aimlessly, as if surrounded by the spirits of deceit that have restless thoughts." … He calls godly public behavior a "city." The marks of the saints are various. But all are equally pleasing in God's sight. For that reason he calls them all precious stones, even if they have various characters. By coal is symbolized God's burning love. Sapphire represents the person who hides his virtue, for the hue of sapphire is a deep one. By "jasper" … is designated, I think, the luster of miracle working.… Then Isaiah leaves the figurative way of speaking to put things more clearly: "All your sons shall be taught of the Lord." He has called figuratively "stones," the appearance of virtue. The peace of God is here promised. Paul refers to this construction when he says, "Like a skilled architect I laid the foundation."”

“This the Lord has taught in turn in the holy Gospels: "Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world." He gives it to those who provide proof of the righteousness that he has established by his laws: "For I was hungry," he says, "and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink" and the rest.”

“Behold what [Isaiah] has shown here, before indicating the road of righteousness. For it is thanks to all-holy baptism that "we are justified freely," according to the divine apostle: "by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." It is this the prophetic text likewise allows [us] to understand: "And all that have no money, go and buy, and eat and drink wine and fat without money or price." The divine Scripture often calls righteousness "money." "The oracles of the Lord are pure oracles; as silver tried in the fire, proved in a furnace of earth." As for those who live with iniquity, "call them rejected silver, for the Lord has rejected them." …Here he rejected the sacrifices of the law.… The prophetic text teaches that these sacrifices gave no nourishment to the soul.”

“He has shown by this the change undergone by the foreign nations. For people who formerly resembled useless and rampant weeds, behold, after having had knowledge of the Savior, they have imitated the height of the cypress and the sweet aroma of the myrtle. They proclaim by their deeds the power of our God and Savior, in offering their own change as a sign [to others] and as a miracle, great, astonishing and lasting. Thus, this sign will be eternal and shall not fail.… Let us therefore offer ourselves [to others] as a sign worthy of our God and Savior, not only in adhering to the holy precepts but also in embracing the mode of life corresponding thereto, to the end that seeing our "good works" people may "glorify your Father in heaven." To him are due all glory, honor and magnificence, together with his only-begotten Son and the All-Holy Spirit, now and forever and to ages of ages. Amen.”

“The inspired prophets spoke not only of things to come but also gave dogmatic and ethical instruction. And they announced both judgment and salvation to those of former times, so that by the promise of good things and by the warning of pains they might turn them from evil and point them to virtue. One can easily learn this from the present oracle. For the prophetic word counsels Israel to be held by righteousness and to have uprightness as the soul's principle and then adds the prediction of the Savior and the revelation of mercy. For both [the moral and the predictive teaching] point to the Master's appearing.”

“Having made these promises to foreigners and eunuchs, he predicts to the Jews the last siege that would be made by the Romans.… The Roman army was gathered from diverse nations, because they were at that time the masters of all Europe and had conquered the larger part of Asia. This is why the prophetic text says, "Come to devour, all you beasts of the forest." Some, however, have related these words to Gog and Magog, without observing the fact that the latter were consumed in the mountains of Judea under the effect of punishment coming from God, whereas those who are now summoned are being urged to devour other people.”

“He foretells here the cross of the Master; for he calls the Master Christ "righteous," he who committed no sin and in whose mouth no deceit was found.… "His grave shall be in peace." For the righteous has been removed out of the way of injustice. He says this about Christ our Master and simultaneously lets us see the injustice of the murder and the victory that followed the death. For the death effected for us the reconciliation with God. He himself left his grave to ascend to the heavens.”

“He has shown the variety of types of care; although he dwells in the heavens, [God] considers lowly things, and though as holy he resides among holy ones he gives spiritual comfort to those who are spiritually weak. Those who are heartbroken he leads back to life. For he does not concern himself only with the righteous but also with those who have let themselves draw near to the abyss of evil, and he brings healing in various ways to those afflicted in soul.”

“Symmachus and Aquila, instead of saying, "to the afflicted," have said "to those who weep for him." God our Master has shown the power of repentance. For he has seen their regret and their change of thinking and the sadness of their expression, and he has deemed them to be worthy of encouragement, they and those who weep for them. Now it is the heralds of truth who weep for them, while the blessed Paul prayed that he might be cut off for their sake. These things he has done, God who created fruit of the lips, that is, he who established the sacrifice of praise, rather than the cult appointed by the law.”

“They think that abstaining from food is the height of virtue, and they accuse me of not automatically deeming them worthy of all providence. As for the phrase "they desire to be near to God," Symmachus translates, "they wish the nearness of God" and Aquila, "they will19 the drawing near of God." The text shows that they have no desire to draw near to God, but want him to come near to them through his protection and care, even while choosing a life unworthy of him.”

“The light is desirable, but more desirable still is the dawn that appears after the night. This he has called "the morning light." … Aquila has, "Then your light will break through like the dawn." For just as the dawn tears away the curtain of the night, so, he says, the night of your misfortunes, your life lived under the law, will disperse, and the light of my providence will be supplied to you.… "Your righteousness will go out before you, and the glory of the Lord will surround you." He makes it clear that the divine works follow our works. For with our righteousness in the vanguard, the glory of the Lord of the universe is given access, shining on us as we look for it.”

“As for "Here I am," this does not mean a voice but the operation through actions. For you are taught by events that the God whom you called on is with you.You will have God present, who will offer you a share of his goodness. We think by "bones" is meant the thoughts; for these receive joy. For if anyone takes God's promise to his "bones," he will not miss the intention of the prophecy. For the body is enriched by joy in the soul. "For a joyful heart cheers the face."”

“He teaches the manner [in which it is required] to rest: "Nor speak a word in anger out of your mouth," he says, "and you shall trust in the Lord"; it is as though if he ordains to honor the sabbath by making an end to bad actions and clinging to the accomplishment of good actions. There you see why he imposes a double duty even on priests, for they offered double sacrifices; they were required to sacrifice the victims and to clean the meats, offer them on the altar, light the fire and bring wood to the fire to feed it. Similarly, the reading of the divine word was done in abundance, as was the chanting of hymns and the prayer. And all that shows that the law diverted them from practical realities to lead them to spiritual realities on the day of the Sabbath, for they could not act continuously in such a way, given that they lived in a too-carnal fashion and were entirely absorbed in the cares they took with the body. "And he shall bring you up to the good places of the land and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father." And [here is] the confirmation of what he has just said: "For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it." The One who has made the promise does not lie, he says; he will undoubtedly grant you to take part in his beneficence, and you will enjoy the providence accorded to your ancestors.”

“The prophetic text makes this statement detailed in order to invite those who desire help to appease the Lord by saying something like the following: We acknowledge our offenses, we have recognized our impiety, we have spoken falsely against you, our Master, since we promised to keep your laws and we have violated them. We have not ceased contradicting you, uttering words of unrighteousness, proposing things that are unjust, failing to dread your judgment. We have kept ourselves far from righteousness. After this, he changes the form of his statements and puts their accusation categorically: "For truth is consumed in their ways." It has vanished, he says, because deceit has veiled it. "And they could not pass by a straight path." For they have not stopped taking the opposite route.”

“He has shown how truth has departed: they did not want to consider their duty, he says, but they have distorted their intelligence so as not to understand what ought to be done and what is useful. "The truth in this has disappeared, and the person who turned away from evil has been besieged." They have distanced themselves so far from the truth that they openly combat those who turn away from perversity and choose the good.”

“For the unjust deeds displeased the just judge so he did not call the workers of these deeds "humans," for although being in an honored place they do not understand and are comparable to the unthinking beasts and resemble them.… In place of "mercy" the three translators have rendered "justice," so as to say "he has exacted a just recompense on them." It calls the operation of God his "arm," while "mercy" teaches the usefulness of discipline. The God of all things disciplines for profit.”

“This prophecy has three subjects. One subject, presented as in a sketch, is the rebuilding of Jerusalem that took place at the time of Cyrus and Darius. Another is like an icon "written" or drawn with many colors as it shows more precisely the lines of truth—the shining brightness of the holy church. The third is the archetype of the icon, that is, the life to come and our citizenship in heaven. The divine Paul taught this distinction: "The law contained the shadow of things to come and not the image of the realities." And he calls the things to come the immortal and pain-free existence, the life unsullied by worry; whereas the image of the realities6 is the ecclesiastical commonwealth and its existence, which is like a model of the things to come.… For the painters have the reality that they copy to make their picture, drawing a sketch first before filling in the shadow with colors … the prophetic words apply to the church of God, which has received the light of the knowledge of God and is encircled by the glory of the Savior.”

“This does not easily apply to the Jews. For those who were captives did not all return.… But the church of God gathers its children from all the nations. And [they are] to be seen running toward Jerusalem from all the world, not in order to worship God in the temple of the Jews but that they might see the well-known places of the cross and the resurrection and the ascension.…This does not apply to the Jews. Of what sort of nations and peoples are riches brought forth for them? But the church of God receives the gifts once offered to the demons, and the sea that was once bitter is now sweetened by the wood of the cross of the Savior, and having thus received a wonderful change it brings forth the church of God—it is especially to the city of Jerusalem they bring these, running from all lands.”

“And what is more, they (Ethiopians, Midianites, Arabians) are also in the habit of offering these beasts as presents to the God of the universe, some, in gaining closeness to some apostle, offer them as gifts; others, in approaching a martyr, look for his intercession to reconcile themselves to God and lead [their beasts] by way of firstfruits of offerings that they have promised to make.… The text teaches therefore that even less intelligent people will share in the light of the knowledge of God. And indeed it did not say that irrational offerings would be made on the altar, but "acceptable" sacrifices, that is, "agreeable" sacrifices.…The church of God is therefore seized with amazement in contemplating the clouds of people who hasten towards it; they resemble doves flying in the company of their little ones. However, if one desires to understand this passage exactly, let him consider what happens during public feasts of the Lord or those of holy martyrs.”

“Cyrus ordained the reconstruction of Jerusalem, but the work remained unfinished. Under Darius, the son of Hystapis, only the temple of God was reconstructed. Under Artaxerxes the Long-armed, Nehemiah—who was not a stranger but a Jew—was engaged in the reconstruction of the walls. The money that he possessed to cover the expense was not provided from royal riches, but he had gathered it as the result of a collection; and, after the conquest of the Jews, the Roman emperors rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. Whoever would wish, however, to understand [the text] more precisely will find that these are the teachers who have come from foreign nations who watch over it and guard it by their prayers and their instructions. "For by reason of my wrath I struck you, and by reason of mercy I loved you." That applies both to the ancient Jerusalem, which had been destroyed by reason of [their] sins, and to the reconstruction by reason of the singular [divine] benevolence, and to the church of God, which was formerly like a desert, since it did not benefit from divine solicitude but which has enjoyed the result of the Savior's providence.”

“Which power of the nations ran toward the former Jerusalem to worship? Which kings were led to worship the God of the universe? But the gates of the church of God are always open to receive the arrivals, and they receive also the godly kings drawn there by the teaching of the holy apostles.…The Babylonians hardly idolized Jerusalem, whereas the majority of the members of the Gentiles adore the church of God and that is particularly true of their offspring. When the parents have reached the end of their life, their children, having learned the truth from them, present worship to the Savior by carrying out their acts of worship in the houses of prayer.… For the earthly Jerusalem received another name, when the Roman kings called it Aelia. How then can the accuracy of the prophecy be shown unless one understand "Zion" more in a spiritual sense?… The church of God demonstrates the truth of this prediction. It continually receives royal gifts and welcomes that which is brought forth from the nations as it sings the praises of the One who is the cause of all these.”

“Everyone will see a truer fulfillment of these promises in the future life. That life is free from all injustice. That life is adorned with the highest justice. That life is in truth without sorrow and exempt from troubles. However, one also finds, as it were, a prefigurement of a similar state of affairs even now in the church of God. It has been freed from the error of idols, it continually extols the God of the universe in hymns and its leaders watch (insofar as it is in their power) over the interests of those who are victims of injustice.”

“This is exactly what the future life possesses. It will need neither moon nor sun, since it has the ineffable light of God. But those who believe can take advantage of it in a provisional form. Nevertheless, in a figurative sense, believers enjoy this light even now. When they are illuminated by this light, they take the road that is free from error.… And this is what is announced about the life to come. It will have immutability of thought. It will be arrayed in righteousness forever. It will have freedom from sin. It will not have an excess of either youth or age. Instead, it will have a life without end. And in that life those who are worthy will inherit the land of the living.”

“After completing these predictions, Isaiah now turns the prophecy to Christ the Master, who in the present life has given these things to the church and has promised the commonwealth to come.… We do not need many examples to explain the meaning of this prophecy. For the Master himself has made it clear to us. For, entering the synagogue he took the book, unrolled it … and he was anointed by the All-Holy Spirit, not as God but as man. For we have often made this manifest already in our other writings.…Isaiah calls "poor" those who have lost heavenly riches, "broken-hearted" those who have corrupted their reason, "blind" those who do not know God and who worship creation, "prisoner" those brought into the enemy's camp and who have lost their original freedom.… Christ did not only give to us the forgiveness of sins and free us from the tyranny of the devil and reveal to us the divine light, but he also announced the future existence and warned of the righteous judgment. For I think that "the year of grace" means his first coming and "day of recompense" the day of judgment. To console all who mourn with the hope of the resurrection, he has tempered the despair of death.… "Perfume of joy," which Theodotion and Symmachus translate by "oil of gladness," refers to the mystical anointing through which those made worthy receive the cloak of glory; for "cloak" must be understood as spiritual clothing.… As the blessed David says, "This is the generation that seeks the Lord." The three interpreters, instead of "the generations of justice," have "the strong ones of justice, a plantation of the Lord for his glory." In this way, the finest generals of godliness, as they roam the globe, remove impiety, and they plant in the desert the first plantations of the Lord.”

“Here in the person of the church he cries to its benefactor, … "May my soul rejoice." … He calls the grace of baptism "the garment of salvation" and "the cloak of joy," for "as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." For in the Hebrew language the garment of salvation is called the garment of "Jeshua," that is, of Jesus, like a young groom. … She both calls herself a bride, because she has been yoked to the bridegroom, and a bridegroom, because she has put on the bridegroom [Christ]. As for the mitre, the three interpreters translate it as "crown." Of this adornment the blessed David comments, "The queen is here on your right, arrayed in a multicolored golden vestment." The text means the multicolored gifts of the All-Holy Spirit.”

“Again, he gives the name Jerusalem to the bride but calls guards those who lead the godly people through city and town, those who night and day sing praises to God and guard the city. If one wants to take these as angels, one would not be far wrong. For it says, "The angel of the Lord will encircle those who are afraid and protect them."”

“As you battle courageously, I will lead from the front. Since there is no one else better by whom one should swear, then by my own glory and by my own power I swear, since I will guard your harvest for you and stop those who are perpetual thieves, while you will profit from your own labors. Wheat and wine and food, spiritually speaking, signify the harvest of righteousness.”

“Thus, what God has indicated to the ends of the earth is not the reconstruction of Jerusalem but the cross, the passion, the resurrection, the ascension of the Master to the heavens, the coming of the Holy Spirit and the hope of future benefits. He commands the heralds to prepare the road and to make it level … by removing difficulties. For he calls obstacles "stones." … Then, once the route has been arranged, he ordains the heralds to say to the daughter of Zion, that is, to the church extended throughout the world, "Behold, your Savior has come to you, having his reward and his work before his face."”

“They call the red land "Edom," and "Bosor" to the flesh; they were amazed at the ineffable beauty of the one wrapped in earthly and fleshly apparel, such as to drive those who looked to love. The blessed David is mindful of this beauty: "Fair and beautiful among the sons of humankind." That Edom means flame-colored is affirmed in the Song of Songs by the bride, who cries, "My beloved is red and white." Christ's nature is twofold. Therefore, white means the inaccessible light of divinity, red the human appearance.”

“He calls "arm" the power of righteousness, for he guarded spotless and free from sin the nature that he assumed. We who have benefited from this good work and have been delivered from that bitter slavery, let us sing praises to the author of these things. He was the one who underwent the battle and provided us with the gift of victory and peace. Let us hope that we can enjoy this victory until the end, by the grace of the one who has conquered.”

“For the grace of the incarnation is of mercy and good will. Aquila translates, instead of "virtues," "hymns"; Theodotion and Symmachus render it "songs of praise." For "make retribution," Symmachus has "work benefits." But the Septuagint is more accurate in putting "make retribution," since we deserved punishment but received salvation instead of punishment.… He switches us to the opposite, giving us good things in place of bad.… He does not use justice only in judging, but he moderates justice with mercy, or rather good will wins over justice.”

“Your great tolerance encouraged our shamelessness. When you did not punish our sins, we remained transgressors, disregarding your laws. In the same sense, God said to the blessed Moses, "I will harden Pharaoh's heart." He used his great forbearance and tolerance and punishes Pharaoh only with frogs and locusts and flies to begin with, and Pharaoh thought that God could not increase the level of punishment.… You have been patient for a long time; you have not disciplined us, seeing us transgressing without a care; we have accordingly hardened our hearts and as a consequence left the straight path.”

“The holy of holies of the sanctuary, which it was forbidden to touch and to which access was reserved for priests alone, has been despoiled and trampled by impious enemies. For the Babylonians were not the only impious ones; the Macedonians and the Romans were also, when they devastated Jerusalem.… We have resembled our ancestors who, in the time of slavery in Egypt, had not yet received the title of "your people."”

“He has shown the justice of mercy. For the mercy of God is not without judgment, nor is his judgment lacking in mercy. On that account he adds the provision of his mercy to those who are patient and acting justly.… He compares not their sin but their righteousness with an unclean rag. Now if it is their righteousness that is compared with this, it is because their sin does not have anything with which it can be compared.”

“If we who bear the name of "your people," he says, are unworthy of your goodwill, judge the city worthy to be spared by reason of its founder, for it has become a desert. And he makes mention of his name [David] in order to evoke mercy.… As for the passage, "the house, our sanctuary has become a curse," the other translators have rendered this by "[it has gone] into disappearance." However, the term "curse" offers just as well a meaning that is in accord with the misfortune suffered; for it is usual to say, "May you suffer what such a person suffered!" So the famous temple, the temple full of holiness, the temple praised by all, has been burned by the enemy's fire, and it now only serves as a formula to curse those who mock.”

“It is the nations who did not have a prophet sent to them who recognize their maker and benefactor, whereas those who received all sorts of care gained no profit but continued in their sinful habits. The phrase "all day long I have held out my hands" refers to the care for them that he gave for all that time, but the saving suffering of the cross in which he stretched out his hands is also alluded to here.”

“If anyone finds one ripe grape in a bunch, he spares the whole bunch on its account, in order to present to God the firstfruits. In the same way, since I promised to Abraham to bless all the nations in his seed, I maintained the seed of all Israel when they sinned, and I did not overlook their slavery in Egypt. For this reason, I freed them from their Babylonian captivity.… The "valley of Achor" is an allusion to the contrition that is among the churches. For Achar or Achor, having stolen and broken the law of the ban, was thrown into a ravine, and through this tragic example they were filled with much contrition.”

“Those who have attained the summit of perfection have as their harbor not life, or the resurrection or any of these admirable things but the desired One himself, for whose sake they counted misfortune a delight, and weary toil the sweetest repose, and time spent in the desert more desirable than city life, and poverty fairer than wealth and irksome slavery sweeter than any position of authority. This is the reward awaited by the doers of virtue. "It is an inheritance for those who serve God," as the prophet Isaiah exclaims.”

“He has already mentioned this name. It is new and not old. For after the appearance of Christ the master, those who believed were called Christians. They bore this in place of all approving words. When one wished to praise, they were accustomed to add after many kind words, "He is a true Christian." And when on another occasion exhorting someone, they were accustomed to say, "Act as a Christian, do what befits a Christian." So this name is full of eulogy and blessing.”

“The heaven became new and the earth new for those who once erred and divinized these things. For they recognize the Creator of these things and learn that the things are not gods but the creations of God. They are new for those who see things completely differently. Now that their error has ceased, creation appears clearly as creation and Creator as Creator.”

“This is a prediction Isaiah made previously after having announced the growth from the stem of Jesse. Now, we see the fulfillment of this prophecy as rulers and ruled, kings and servants, wise and foolish will share a common table—that is, the teaching of the Spirit. For he calls those who live in moderation lambs, whereas those with high ambitions are wolves. The lion is the one exalted to royal status, cattle are those worthy of the priesthood, and straw is the food of cattle. The lion will no longer be a carnivore but shall share the food of the cattle.”

“"And the serpent shall eat dust as bread." This is the food that the righteous Judge has assigned to it from the beginning: "On your breast and belly you shall go, and you shall eat earth all the days of your life." And so Isaiah calls the common enemy of humanity a serpent. He has subjected him to the ancient curse. This is similarly indicated in the passage that follows: "They shall not injure or destroy on my holy mountains, says the Lord." All strength had been removed from him, not only from the fact that he crept on the ground but also that the saints had trampled him under foot and the wood of the cross crushed him.”

“In these terms God rejects the worship that was restricted to one place and shows that he is the maker of heaven and earth, and the shaper of all things and the one who has no need of a temple made with hands... I have a true house and holy temple. It is whoever arranges his or her life according to my laws and fears and trembles at transgressing my commands. It is the person who stands out in a gentle disposition and humility of mind.”

“By these words he rejected the worship prescribed by the law by teaching this; it was for their sake that he had established this legislation from early times, not because he took pleasure in their sacrifices but because he was exercising forethought for them in their weakness. That is why he put side by side what was allowed and what was forbidden, for to sacrifice an ox or give a sheep as a burnt offering, to offer the fruit of corn and frankincense—these were in former times permitted by God, but to start a fight and lose one's tongue to blasphemy was totally forbidden.”

“Just as I will transform all that is seen and will produce a new creation, so I will guard your memory forever—and not yours alone but all those who have believed through you.… He mentions a description of the city and the various dwellings of which the Lord said, "With my father there are many mansions," that is, levels of worthiness. He means those continually rejoicing and singing in choirs … he has displayed by that the everlastingness of the chastisement, for the fire is inextinguishable and the worm immortal. With this chastisement he has threatened them, and not them alone but also those who infringe on his divine laws. Finally, therefore, so as not to partake of this chastisement with them, let us avoid partaking of their iniquity; for thus we will join the chorus of those who are in joy.”

“King Josiah's father was Amon, an impious man. His grandfather was Manasseh, who had instructed Josiah's father in his impiety. Josiah, on the contrary, went the exact opposite of them, siding with the party of the godly. His children, however, showed no interest in their father's virtue and imitated their forefathers' godlessness. Knowing this in advance, therefore, the God of all elected the prophet in the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign and commanded him to foretell the calamities that would befall both city and people.”

“God's choice of Jeremiah was not without basis: knowledge preceded it. Notice it says that God had knowledge and then he consecrated, for he knows everything before it happens. Now, he employed the word consecrated, meaning "he appointed." Then God also mentions the task for which he selected him: "I appointed you as prophet to the nations." Thus, he prophesies not only concerning the fortunes of the Jews but also the other nations. "I replied, O Lord and Master that you are, see, I do not know how to speak, because I am a child." The prophet recognized the one addressing him. This is why he called him by a title having to do with lordship. When the mighty Moses was once speaking, remember, and wanted to learn the divine name, the Lord said, "I am the one who is." He imitates Moses' timidity by saying youth is not up to prophesying. The Lord, however, urges him not to put forward the excuse of youthfulness but to do as he is told.”

“The blessed Jeremiah also saw a boiling pot tilted away from the north. So he means that Manasseh will recover its own land, Ephraim regain its former power and Judah be renamed king of all, whereas the Moabites will be subject to them, observing their invincible strength—and not only they but also Edomites and foreigners.”

“He emphasizes the justice of what has been done by adding, "I shall pronounce my judgment against them because of all their wickedness in forsaking me. They sacrificed to foreign gods and worshiped the works of their hands." What could be more foolish than this kind of godlessness? What could be more righteous than retribution? Consider that they, for their part, forsook their own maker and turned things of their own making into gods. He, by contrast, after demonstrating his patient mercy for such a long time, finally deprived them of his characteristic grace. Once deprived of it, they became enslaved to unholy people.”

“Now, here he clearly reveals to us the mystery of the holy Trinity: he called the only-begotten Word of God a fountain of life. This is the name, too, remember, God personally gave himself through the prophet Jeremiah: "They have forsaken me, a fountain of living water, taken their leave and dug for themselves cracked cisterns incapable of holding water."”

“Now, those who were called children and were enrolled in the ranks of children made themselves foreign by proving ungrateful for favors done, limping in respect of the faith and abandoning the path of godliness. Thus God said through the prophet Jeremiah, "How did you turn into bitterness to me, a foreign vine, whereas I planted every vine to be genuine and fruitful?"”

“Those who place themselves far from your care and choose to serve idols will reap the destructive fruit of defection. He calls idolatry infidelity here. God likewise says also through Jeremiah, "She went up every high hill and under every green tree and was unfaithful there. I said, after all this infidelity of hers, 'Return unto me,' and she did not return." Again, "She committed adultery with tree and stone," meaning, "Leaving me, her spouse, she served false gods." Accordingly, here too he called the worship of idols infidelity.”

“Those who place themselves far from your care and choose to serve idols will reap the destructive fruit of defection. He calls idolatry infidelity here. God likewise says also through Jeremiah, "She went up every high hill and under every green tree and was unfaithful there. I said, after all this infidelity of hers, 'Return unto me,' and she did not return." Again, "She committed adultery with tree and stone," meaning, "Leaving me, her spouse, she served false gods." Accordingly, here too he called the worship of idols infidelity.”

“Those who place themselves far from your care and choose to serve idols will reap the destructive fruit of defection. He calls idolatry infidelity here. God likewise says also through Jeremiah, "She went up every high hill and under every green tree and was unfaithful there. I said, after all this infidelity of hers, 'Return unto me,' and she did not return." Again, "She committed adultery with tree and stone," meaning, "Leaving me, her spouse, she served false gods." Accordingly, here too he called the worship of idols infidelity.”

“"If you swear, 'The Lord lives,' in truth, in justice and in righteousness." In the sacred Gospels, by contrast, he made more perfect prescriptions than these: "It was said to the ancients, You shall not swear falsely: you shall discharge your oaths to the Lord. But I tell you, do not swear at all." He bids Jews, being weak as they are, to swear by him so that through the habit of swearing they may learn to adore him alone. He also promises that if this is done, "nations will be blessed through him and through him will praise God in Jerusalem." In other words, when they practiced true worship of God, many of the neighboring peoples would learn about godliness.”

“He clearly brought out that the visible circumcision is a type of the invisible, and that if there is circumcision within, bodily circumcision is unnecessary. Taking a lead from this text, the divine apostle wrote to the Romans, "A person is not a Jew, you see, who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision what is outward, in the flesh; rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in spirit and not in letter. That person's commendation comes not from people but from God."”

“"Well-off" refers to the priests and the teachers of the law; "poor" refers to the rest, insofar as they did not possess the wealth of divine knowledge. Yet he accuses both of lawlessness, proceeding in this way, "They all alike broke the yoke, they snapped the bonds." It was not without purpose the prophet said this. Instead, since the Lord promised lovingkindness, provided he found someone "doing justice and seeking faith," he explains that though he went looking, as he was commanded to do, he found they had all broken the yoke of the law.”

“The holy prophets might themselves be considered as "many ways"; our Lord, however, is the truly good way. In fact, listen to his words, "I am the way, the truth and the life." But each of the prophetic ways leads to this way, Moses the lawgiver hinting at this in his words, "The Lord our God will raise up for you from among your brothers a prophet like me." David, king and prophet, and also Isaiah, Micah, Ezekiel and each of the prophets give a glimpse of this way. And as there is one way leading to the biggest cities that we are accustomed to call kingly and royal—whereas some paths do conduct people from both town and country to this one way—so there is one way leading to the Father, the only-begotten Son of God, while the blessed prophets lead people to this one way who choose to travel by the particular path they represent. The prophetic word, therefore, bids Jews to search out the prophetic ways and through them to discover the good way and travel in it.”

“Jeremiah refers to their guides by the term "shepherds," not simply those accorded spiritual guidance but also kings and rulers who have accepted the divine message. This is the way the divine apostles Barnabas and Paul also behaved. When they entered a certain synagogue, they principally engaged the Jews in discussion. But when they perceived their unbelief, they said, "It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first, but since you resist it and pass judgment on yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we turn to the nations, the Lord having given us this direction. I have placed you as a light for the nations to bring salvation to the ends of the earth." This is where this prophecy finds its fulfillment.”

“It is made clear also from this that the obsolete prescriptions of the law had been imposed because of Israel's limitations. Since they had learned in Egypt how to sacrifice to idols, he wanted to separate them from those practices—in all the prophets he rejects them, remember—yet out of consideration for their limitations he utters this remark, "Eat flesh," that is, Although I reject the sacrifices, I shall not oppose your partaking of flesh. After all, he declares in the law that those wishing to partake of flesh in their own cities and towns should "perform the sacrifice, but pour out the blood on the ground and then partake of the sacrifice," not as though they were offering it as a sacrifice but as ordinary flesh, as part of the prohibition imposed on performing sacred rites outside the designated place.”

“They were fabricating deceit, engaging in blackmail, leveling false accusations against neighbors. For this is what he says, "Deceit, not faith, prevails over the land, for they proceed from evil to evil." Because of this he exposes their evil, which never changes as they move "from evil to evil," immediately adding the reason they neglect the divine law: because "they do not know me, says the Lord."”

“By "windows" he refers to the error of their thinking: through them they gave entrance to the error and the blow inflicted by it. You would not be wide of the mark to call the body's senses "windows"—sight, taste, smell, hearing and touch. Both life and death can enter through these. For example, the person who looks with restraint reaps life, while the one looking immoderately gains death. The truthful tongue procures salvation for the soul, while the lying one brings about ruin; and likewise with the rest, as you can easily learn.”

“It is clear, therefore, from what was said at first and what was added, that the verse "I know, Lord, that the people's way is not their own," neither subjects our free will to nature's enslavement nor submits our affairs to an ordained necessity. Instead, it expressly teaches us that the Lord God keeps his hand on the tiller of the universe and wisely directs it. He provides blessings but also corrects with justice whenever he perceives that despite his extended long-suffering we persist in evildoing.”

“The inspired author knows the usefulness of discipline and understands that the Lord is exercising loving-kindness in applying it to human beings. This is the reason he asks to have a share in it. God exercises goodness in applying correction, and correction produces knowledge. Likewise the prophet Jeremiah begs, "Correct us, O Lord, but in just measure, not in anger, lest you make us few." Thus, a sick person who longs for health goes in search of a cure through cutting by steel and burning.”

“When he was giving the law, he added this to the law, for he said, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the things written in the book of the law, to do them," and he also promises there and again here how he will deem worthy of all care those who keep the divine commandments. And he reminds them also of the things spoken to their ancestors and of their ancestors' disobedience. For they turned their ear away, he says, and every one went in the direction of his own evil heart. And he says here "direction" not as meaning "uprightness" but rather the evil that arises immediately in their malice. For they have not turned from this evil but have journeyed constantly in it. "And I brought on them all the words of this covenant that I commanded them to do, and yet they did not do." He gave them over to noteworthy punishments; sometimes they served the Ammonites, other times the Moabites and still other times other foreigners.…The phrase "a band has been found" means "they have banded themselves together and joined themselves with their ancestors and they travel down the road of their ancestors' wickedness." He indicates as much also through the things that are brought against them. "And behold, they go after foreign gods, in order to serve them." They do these things in transgression of the covenant that was given to them. For this reason I will surround them with misfortunes of all kinds, and those who weep I will not deem worthy to be spared. They will not even enjoy any help from the gods who are revered by them.”

“There was a reason that God allowed the prophet to be tested by troubles. Since Jeremiah had often tried to offer intercession for the transgressors—in his desire to convince Jeremiah that God was not compassionate but the harsh treasury of goodness—he allowed the rebellion to occur. In his deep grief, however, Jeremiah implores God to judge justly and exact penalties from the unholy. The Lord accepts his petition, gives a reply, threatens punishment and notes that some will be slaughtered in war and others destroyed by famine.”

“The Edomites and the Moabites and the Ammonites and the foreigners were always of a hateful and malicious disposition toward the Jews. When they saw the misfortunes brought against the Jews, they exulted over the Jews. For this reason he teaches them in advance of the future calling again of the Jews. And he calls their rulers "shepherds."”

“And showing the unchangeable nature of his wrath, God introduced these words: "I will not yearn after them, and I will not spare them, and I will not have pity on them because of their destruction," rather than "[I will not have pity on] their destruction." Then he calls their punishment drunkenness since those who fall into great misfortunes resemble those who are intoxicated inasmuch as they are not able even to mourn because they are suffering so much.”

“"After committing many transgressions," he says, "you were not prepared to have recourse to repentance. I shall no longer demonstrate longsuffering. Instead, I will inflict punishment." It is better, therefore, to live according to the divine laws. But since we who are human will most likely fall at some point, we ought to have recourse to the remedies of repentance, and through them placate the judge and escape the experience of the punishments he threatens. May we for our part continue to not experience them, thanks to the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“And blessed Daniel the prophet, the divine Ezekiel (who was both prophet and priest) and many other priests in addition to them shared in these misfortunes. For God provided for those profane exiles and sent along also prophets that could be pedagogues and teachers so that the exiles might not incline entirely to godlessness.”

“He forecasts what would happen after the return, what would happen to them under the Macedonians and the destruction that would be inflicted on them by the Romans. He brings out that the first fate would happen to them owing to the impiety committed by Manasseh. Yet he is not an unjust judge, nor does he require an account of them for others' faults. He submits them to the evils prophesied as sharers in impiety and enthusiastic supporters of their wicked king.”

“Nothing is more potent than the conscience: letters inscribed on it are indelible. I mean, even if everyone mounted a case to his or her conscience supported by favorable evidence, the conscience itself cannot tolerate the wickedness of falsehood. It is pricked and goaded and delivers its verdict incorruptibly. He says this here, too: The facts accuse you, and the conscience joins in testimony against you. He reminds them also of the groves, the altars and what was done on them, and he threatens to give to the enemy all their wealth along with the idols.”

“Do not despair of salvation, God is saying. Even if I condemn a nation and threaten ultimate punishment, if I see their repentance, I extend mercy instead of inflicting punishment. If I promise an abundance of blessings, but they scorn me and embrace wickedness, I shall not fulfill the promise of blessings. Knowing this, then, do not despair of better things, but apply repentance and reap salvation.”

“He calls Jerusalem "Lebanon," and he calls the royal palace in Jerusalem "Gilead." And there is a region in Lebanon that is called by that name, and there is also another Gilead in Israelite territory. But I think that the palace is being compared with the Gilead in Lebanon because of the impiety that they had dared to do in their midst. For this reason he threatens complete destruction on them.”

“Since they did not imitate the piety of their ancestors though taking pride in their kinship with them—making much of Abraham, Isaac, Israel, David, Hezekiah and Josiah, men conspicuous for their virtue—for this reason the God of all rejects the arrogance of Jeconiah in these words: Even if he were a ring and were placed on my right hand, I would pull it off and hand it over to the enemy. Thus, let him not trust in his forebears' virtue without emulating their virtue.”

“These things were fulfilled according to the type in the case of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak. However, this prophecy was not altogether fulfilled, for many would rise up against them—not only their neighbors but also later on the Macedonians and finally the Romans. But the prophecy proclaims the everlasting nature of grace. Therefore, it is clear that these things were not fulfilled during their lifetimes but during the lifetimes of the apostles, for they alone had the gift of the Holy Spirit.… The Jews shamelessly endeavor to apply this to Zerubbabel. But they need to understand that he was no king—just a popular leader—and he was not called Jozadak. Neither is the meaning of the name appropriate to him, the word meaning "the Lord our righteousness" or, in the Syriac rendering, "Lord, make us righteous"—neither of which applies to Zerubbabel. Since, however, he was a type of Christ the Lord and brought back the captives from Babylon to Judah, just as the Lord transferred those enslaved by the devil to truth, anyone applying this to him in the manner of a type would do nothing beyond reason. It is necessary that we understand, however, that it is the Lord Jesus Christ, a descendant of David according to the flesh, who is proclaimed by the prophets as "the righteous dawn," "the righteous king" and "the Lord of righteousness."”

“If the sun, being corporeal, for it is visible and susceptible to disintegration, cannot be polluted when it passes through corpses, putrid mud and many other evil-smelling substances, much more impervious to such pollution is the maker of the sun, the creator of the universe, the incorporeal one, the invisible, the unchangeable, the one who always remains the same. And that those things are so the following reflection will bear out. We both assert and believe that his nature is infinite, for we have heard him exclaim: "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? says the Lord."”

“He mentions the great number of years in order to emphasize God's long-suffering in putting up with unbelievers for so long. I sent my servants the prophets to you, he says. I urged you to abandon the road to ruin and travel by the other road that produces life. I, in fact, promised you blessings for doing this. But you did not listen, and instead you chose the worship of idols. And to censure the purpose of this unbelief he went on, "So that you might provoke me by the works of your own hands to your own misfortune." To provoke me, you committed those things, but then you also reaped their harmful effects then as well.”

“And he calls God's punishment the "cup of unmixed wine." … By "drinking" and "vomiting" Jeremiah implies they have had enough, and in their "raving," he alludes to the terrible nature of their punishment. Then the prophet further relates how Jerusalem and the cities that paid tribute to it, along with their kings and rulers, were made to drink this cup.”

“He did not use the word perhaps out of ignorance, aware as he was of their disobedience. Instead, he expressed such uncertainty to avoid their taking note of the divine sentence and despairing of salvation. It resembles also what was said by Ezekiel, "If then they hear, if then they see." In other words, it was not a result of ignorance. It was, rather, to prevent their saying, He foretold our disobedience, and he is trustworthy, so how is it possible for us to be changed? Thus, in the present words he emphasizes that it is possible to undergo a change in behavior, if they are willing.”

“Ramah belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, and the tomb of Rachel is in the hippodrome of Chaphratha on the way to Ephrath. While the prophecy had its fulfillment in the time of Herod the Great, who did away with the babies in the hope of doing away at the same time with the newborn Savior, the prophet places it here in the context of the promise of good things so as to emphasize that the birth of our Lord and Savior according to the flesh was the real good and the summit of salvation, though on account of it the babies met that unjust end.”

“The future life achieves the fulfillment of these words. In that life we shall no longer need instruction from one another, since everything will be patently obvious. Sufferings will be at an end, bodies will be incorruptible, souls will be immune to change. Now it is customary with the divine Scripture to mix prophecies together. It connects prophecies about his repeated call to Israel with those about the captivity, and the Lord in the sacred Gospels cites at the one time the sayings about Jerusalem and those about the consummation.”

“Two things are worth marveling at: the law given by the father and the obedience rendered by the children and descendants. For they loved a life free from care and possessions and—what is most unexpected—put little stock in their property, even though they had children, because they made themselves dependent on the divine hope as far as they were concerned. But if these people embraced the consummate philosophy during the time of the law (which had no perfection because of the weakness of those who were given the law), what sort of people would they have been if they had heard the law of the gospel?”

“The God of all commands the prophet to tell all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "These people refuse to drink wine because they keep the commandment of their father, but you do not conduct yourselves according to my laws, although you receive the teachings of the prophets day and night. For this reason, I will bring on you all kinds of calamities, but the best of good things are promised to the offspring of Rechab, who keep the command of their father."”

“He had often spoken these things previously. We must investigate why in the world he promises safety to those who go out of the city but threatens destruction to those who do not go out. When Nebuchadnezzar had elevated Zedekiah to the kingship, the latter had sworn an oath to him that he would pay tribute and maintain a favorable disposition to the one who had appointed him. But when a short time had passed, he violated the terms of the agreement and both did not pay the tribute and appealed to Egypt for help. Since he had taken these oaths not by some idols lacking any souls but by the Creator of all, and yet he had dared to violate them, the Lord God then ordered him to go out to the Chaldeans and in this way to render service for his perjury.”

“Both Nebuchadnezzar the king and Ebedmelech the Ethiopian increased the condemnation of the Jews. Although they were foreigners, they respected the prophet, but the Jews (who had been raised on the words of the prophets) did not want to pay attention to the divine words, but they subjected the prophets to punishments of every kind. The promise of God surely obtained its fulfillment. When God appointed him a prophet, he promised to make him irresistible and like an iron pillar and a bronze wall because on the one hand they would wage war against him but on the other hand they would not prevail. Nebuzaradan and all the company of rulers summoned Jeremiah from the prison and handed him over to Gedaliah, whom he had ordered to rule over the remnant in Judah. And the prophet thought that it was worth noting that the things spoken beforehand by God concerning Ebedmelech were fulfilled. For with him, nothing is uncared for or lacking reward.”

“And here it is clear that God chose Israel from the beginning as a kindness to the other nations. For the miracles that took place because of them amazed all and clearly taught that their God alone was the true God. And again their misfortunes accused them of their wickedness and proclaimed the righteous verdict of God. Thus, for example, Nebuzaradan said that the Jews deservedly suffered punishment and God had acted justly.”

“Their words are full of piety but do not agree with their actions. When ten days had passed, the prophet obtained his reply. But I think that the delay of the response was for the benefit of those who had made the request, so that they might know how God barely received the supplication of the prophet. Accordingly, the prophet says that God had ordered for them to stay in that land. He says, "I will deem you worthy of all care."”

“The city had two names. It was called both On and Heliopolis. Exodus also taught this, for it says that the children of Israel built cities for Pharaoh: Pithom, Raamses and On, which is Heliopolis. God calls Nebuchadnezzar his servant, not because he is a servant in appearance or disposition but because he is a servant by nature: creation is the servant of the Creator. At the same time he teaches that Nebuchadnezzar does these things because God permits him to.”

“He reminds them (as they have it fresh in their memory) of all the evils perpetuated by their ancestors and by their kings and mighty people, and he reminds them of the misfortunes of all kinds brought to bear against them. And he threatens them, calling himself the Lord of hosts and the God of Israel, so that they might hear the greatness of his authority and learn of his care for their ancestors and so that they might show reverence and fear.”

“The Lord comforts Baruch, who was serving the prophet, writing the oracles, complaining about the hardships and feeling vexed. He commands him to bear nobly his life full of pain. He says, "If I am now uprooting, cutting off and handing over to all sorts of punishments all the people whom I led out of Egypt and planted in this land, are you distraught because you alone are not spending your life in tranquility? But you should not do this. I will still take care of you, and, when I bring punishment on them, I will bring you comfort. And wherever you live, you will have my care."”

“After completing his prophecies concerning the people of Israel, he foretells what will happen to the other nations, teaching that he is Creator, God and Lord of all. First, he recounts those things that pertain to Egypt and teaches the time of this prophecy. The prediction was fulfilled after the death of the pharaoh Neco. Neco killed Josiah by the Euphrates River and was himself killed by the king of the Babylonians.”

“The Egyptians call Zeus Ammon. For this reason it is also called the Ammonian land. They have furnished the largest sacred precinct for this deity. He calls Ammon "Egypt's son" on the grounds that Ammon was a god created by it, since a statue is something made by human hands. Thus, he threatens to give Ammon and their other gods to the Babylonians, for he says this: "And on Pharaoh and on Egypt and on its gods and those who trust in them, he says that the enemy will overcome them all alike—the king, rulers, idols and bodyguards." Once Egypt has been given over to the king of the Babylonians, he will recover his earlier dominion.”

“Now he directs his prophecy against foreigners. He calls the inhabitants of Ashkelon, Gaza, Azotus, Gath and Ekron "foreigners." He says that the prediction took place before Pharaoh struck Gaza, and he likens the army of the Babylonians to a flooding river swollen by rain and melted snow. Cities will be overwhelmed by this flood; their inhabitants will be destroyed and lament and be unable to bear the din of the arms and chariots.”

“He used the phrase "he sent messengers to the nations" to mean "command." It is also likely that by divine command ministering angels stirred up the enemy. Remember that the divine David also says, "He sent forth on them the wrath of his anger; anger, wrath and distress, a dispatch by means of wicked angels." He calls them "wicked," not as such by nature but as communicating punishment as a benefit. We, too, are in the habit of calling the calamities that befall us evil. Likewise an angel wiped out the firstborn of the Egyptians. In the same way, other calamities were sent against Israel when David took a census of the people. There are many other such examples you could find in the divine Scripture.”

“Then he likens them to lost sheep. He ascribes the cause for the destruction of the sheep to the shepherds. He calls "shepherds" not only their kings but also their priests. And he saw how they prepared them to wander: "They drove them to the mountains and made them wander; they have gone from mountain to hill and have forgotten their fold." He calls the shrines of the idols "hills" and "mountains" for in them they worshiped the idols. And he calls the temple of God a "fold" because they had there the enjoyment of good things. This wandering handed them over to the enemy inasmuch as they sinned against the Lord.”

“Up then, I beseech you, let us fight for the Lord's sheep. Their Lord is near. He will certainly appear and scatter the wolves and glorify the shepherds. "The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him." Let us not murmur at the storm that has arisen, for the Lord of all knows what is good for us. Wherefore also when the apostle asked for release from his trials he would not grant his supplication but said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Let us then bravely bear the evils that befall us; it is in war that heroes are discerned, in conflicts that athletes are crowned, in the surge of the sea that the art of the helmsman is shown, in the fire that the gold is tried. And let us not, I beseech you, heed only ourselves; let us rather have forethought for the rest, and that much more for the sick than for the whole, for it is an apostolic precept that exclaims, "Comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak." Let us then stretch out our hands to them that lie low, let us tend their wounds and set them at their post to fight the devil. Nothing will so vex him as to see them fighting and striking again. Our Lord is full of lovingkindness. He receives the repentance of sinners. Let us hear his words: "As I live, says the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live." So he prefaced his words with an oath, and he who forbids oaths to others swore himself to convince us how he desires our repentance and salvation. Of this teaching the divine books, both the old and the new, are full, and the precepts of the holy Fathers teach the same.But not as though you were ignorant have I written to you; rather have I reminded you of what you know, like those who standing safe on the shore help those who are tossed by the storm and show them a rock, or give warning of a hidden shallow or catch and haul in a rope that has been thrown. "And the God of peace shall bring Satan under your feet shortly" and shall gladden our ears with news that you have passed from storm to calm, at his word to the waves, "peace be still." And you also should offer prayers for us, for you who have undergone peril for his sake can speak with greater boldness.”

“The lion represents kingship (for it is the royal animal); the ox priesthood, for an ox was offered for the chief of the priests; prophecy is shown through the eagle, for it is the creature that flies high and has very sharp sight. The prophecy is of this kind: it contemplates the heights and looks very far into the future. It therefore teaches through what has been spoken, that the whole of human nature, together with its own leaders, has been subjected to the ruler and maker of all things, and he has instructed the human race in so many gifts.”

“He shows by these things not that everything is to be understood by divine power but that some things are clear to them and others are unknown, and they do not go beyond the limit set down for them. They stretch out two wings in their exultation, for the gift of contemplation has been granted, and they cover their bodies with two wings, covering those things that are hidden in happy ignorance, and they do not struggle in order to observe things that it is not right for them to see.”

“The prophet also claims that the spirit of life was in the wheels, its movement was spontaneous and of its own free will. For the chariot was not placed on some living creatures or on a yoke, but violent clouds went before, and that mighty wind followed. The divine vehicle ran on its own accord with the living creatures preceding it and the wheels moving on their own.”

“The godhead is empty of body and form; it is simple, and it has no part in composition and any form; nor can it be seen with eyes, nor can it be understood with the mind or limited within a boundary. He reveals visions just as it is necessary to make them appear. And in this place he shows these awesome things: he shows the favor that all people are to be granted, namely, of God and of our Savior in the dispensation of the flesh. Because of this, he says that human appearance is two natures: the one of amber, the other of fire, and the one carrying and the other being carried. In this way, the divine nature took on the human.”

“Here he clearly shows the distinction between apostolic and prophetic labors. Prophets have committed to them the responsibility of only one race, from which they were to have arisen and whose native language they knew. Apostles … have all the nations and peoples of the world entrusted to them, according to the command of the Lord.”

“Ezekiel was to lie down on his right side for 40 days and 150 on his left, to dig through a wall and flee, portraying in himself the captivity. Another time Ezekiel is to sharpen a sword to a point, shave his head with it and divide the hair four ways and assign a part here, a part there, without listing it all. The ruler of the universe ordered each of these things to be done so that by the strangeness of this spectacle he might gather those who would not be persuaded by speech or give an ear to prophecy and so dispose them to hear the divine oracles.… So, just as the God of the universe providentially ordered each one of these things to be done for the good of those who live carelessly, so he arranged this extraordinary novelty to draw everyone by its strangeness to the spectacle and make his counsel persuasive to those who come. For the novelty of the spectacle is a reliable guarantee of the instruction it can give, and whoever comes to the spectacle leaves instructed in divine matters.”

“He calls it a new heart, as a force in the soul for honorable things. When they are disposed to contrary things, they refer to a change toward better things as a new spirit. Just as he spoke of another heart and did not mean a change in nature, but a disposition towards better things, so this is shared through a new spirit.”

“I will not allow those punishments that the parents avoided to be repeated by their children, since I am the Lord of both of them and have the same care for all of them. For all souls are mine, and the soul that sins pays the penalty. Thus God teaches us forms of justice, and the way people can delight in life and be released by prayer and become free.”

“He means by these things a change of attitude. Your heart, he says, will incline to better things, no longer following your previous preference for what is worse. That "I will give" in no way damages free will, for by words and deeds and endless miracles, not only among them but in all races, so that they start to live piously; he persuades, he does not compel. And although he does not compel but persuades, he says that he has inclined their minds toward better things.”

“These things did not happen before the coming of the Lord Christ. Since they had three prophets after the return to Jerusalem, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, they were immediately deprived of the gift of prophecy. But after our God and Savior was made man and ascended into the heavens, and the Holy Spirit came on the holy apostles, through them grace was given not only to the Jews but also to all those from the peoples who came to faith. He calls a heart of stone one that is antagonistic and rebellious, and a heart of flesh, one that is compliant and obedient to what it is told, and is able to draw out the meaning of the divine writings … this is the mark of a spirit of grace, which assists our free will and ensures that what has been said proceeds in due course.”

“And so the God of all makes evident the foolishness, infirmity and loathsome ways of the world in order to put to shame its power and wisdom. People who care for bodily things and seek beauty, greatness and great bodily strength know nothing of divine wisdom but rather only a false and artificial sort of eloquence. And thus is the distance between humanity and God. The false pretense of the king is shown as he wished not only the other captives be servants but also that they be descendents from kings. Now all this happened just as Isaiah had predicted to Hezekiah …: "And some of your own sons will become slaves, yes eunuchs, in the palace of the king of Babylon."”

“So here he informs us of the king's generosity in providing them with nourishment that was not of an ordinary kind fit for captives and slaves; instead, he gave orders for them to share in the king's table. Shortly afterward he mentions their self-control and sound values, not indulging in self-glorification but proposing a beneficial lesson to those prepared to accept benefit. It is possible to see also the moderation in his thinking: after mentioning above that the king ordered young men of royal birth to be chosen, fair to behold and of becoming stature, and citing at this point the persons' names, he simply referred to the tribe of Judah and concealed their royal connections.”

“For those who love God do not seek after the God of all in just one place, but even in the midst of this misfortune they worshiped as if in the house of the Creator. In that place there are many wondrous moments to be found. For having been reared on the teachings of the Jews and having learned the customary service to God, they now were dwelling in a foreign land and were being forced into slavery exactly at the prime of their life. They were forced to abide under the foreign customs. But having seen the Babylonians offer defiled meat to the idols and the polluted libations at the temple, they took heed and, neglecting their own safety, rejected the king's banquet, beseeching the chief eunuch to allow them to be excused from partaking of the king's food.”

“This pointless objection of the eunuch was cowardly. He [the eunuch] was a man whose spirit did not know grace but took pleasure in his own sensuality. Of this man and human morality, take heed as there is the opinion that sumptuous feeding on nutritious foods provides for the body nourishment enough for it to flourish. In fact, it is not with such indulgence that you should chance your life, for it was with a small portion and by way of self-control that they [Daniel and his friends] flourished.”

“We learned earlier that at the beginning of his [Nebuchadnezzar's] reign, he advanced with the army to Judea in the third year of the reign of Joachim.… So most blessed Daniel, recalling the first year after the capture of the Jews, … now adds, "in the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream." He [Daniel] added this not without reason but that we should know the time with precision. This is like the divine ways of the prophets, noting the facts related to the kings, a sure reference to the number of years.”

“The providential plan is unveiled to the wise. The dream was made known to the prophet and so making evident that which he willed to be accomplished, that in turn [the prophet's] good and saving counsel would be readily received. The king was frightened by the dream, and yet he also feared that he would forget the dream. That which the God of all foreknows is made known to those who are faithful, as is likewise the foolishness of the king. For surely it is foolish to ask others to recall the dream.”

“The Chaldeans responded, Wherefore it is not possible to know precisely what you [the king] thought. What is humanly possible, they said, you may require from us, but not that which is beyond our nature. You who govern the greatest of all kingdoms must act justly in the governance of that kingdom and require from your subjects that which is possible. That which is now requested is by no mean just. Such knowledge does not belong to human beings.”

“Truly, much that is true is found in the midst of the lies. Those who seek God are the friends of truth, while those who depend on human reason alone are wicked and in all they say and do attempt to seduce people. But the friends of truth adhere to nothing apart from that which comes from on high. They call on the One who rules over all, taking heed to depend on prayer, standing steadfast, not distressed, not at this moment or in this place, but standing against the onslaught of human reason. And through the testimony of blessed Daniel, we see the beloved youth given straightaway the revelation concerning the dream, not because of his calculations but simply because it was proper time to hand over to the one who prays. He alone was of great courage, but at the same time his companions jointly took up the prayer. For none had abandoned the hope.”

“In everything he reveals his gratitude, not only composing the hymn but also making the discovery of the dream the theme of the composition. It is proper, he is saying, constantly to sing praises of God, who is eternal and everlasting, fount of wisdom and understanding as he is, governing everything correctly and beneficently.”

“Such is the life of the devout, acknowledging that God is the source of understanding. He was the One who met Daniel's needs at the right moment and assured him a safe harbor. And after being well supplied with that which was the best, Daniel did not prove forgetful of the gifts but sang praises in response to his holy benefactor.”

“Clearly, this teaches about that which will occur at the end, that is, the coming of the kingdom of heaven that is without end. For the kingdom of iron having been brought alongside the weaker element and the composite vessel having been wrought, then shall appear "the stone cut without hand." … The stone that was cut without hands and grew into a great mountain and fills the whole earth is the second advent, and it will strike against the feet of the vessel … and all kingdoms will be destroyed and delivered up to oblivion, and the kingdom without end will be established.”

“Truly this holy prophet loved God with all his heart, all his soul, all his strength, all his power. And having loved so fervently, he genuinely trusted, and he believed deeply, expecting that help would come from him. And it was as he had expected. And so also one is taught about the love of a neighbor, as it happened that the companions were also accepted. "For all the ancient Scriptures were written for our instruction and that through fortitude and the encouragement of the Scriptures we may have faith in Jesus Christ," who is the glory for the Father with the Holy Spirit world without end. Amen.”

“Our Lord is good and loves humankind, so the creator and ruler desires "all to be saved and to know the truth" and "does not seek the death of the wicked but that they should turn and live." Indeed, for that reason he died for our salvation. So truly he [the king] acts like a fool; being enslaved to arrogance, he derives no benefit from the divine remedy, but like the one who lives with illness, he rejects the cure from those who practice medicine. Thus, the awful disease tends to grow day by day. Such a man is this boastful king, who the God of all bestowed on him kindness without bounds, applying the cure for countless transgressions and acts of impiety. So also God revealed that the bringing of peace is fragile and passing, as he held aloft the ones made captive by war and who bore by compulsion the yoke of slavery. They shined splendidly and steadfastly and were admired for the wisdom of their prophecy. And thereby the God of all was indeed confessed to be the true God. But after a short time, the king came back into his true nature, just "as a dog returns to his vomit."”

“Far from serving our Lord for payment, we are motivated by affection and longing, and at the same time we prefer the service of our God to everything. Hence, instead of asking for relief from the troubles unconditionally, we embrace the Lord's planning and providence; and without knowledge of what will be of benefit, we leave the helm to the pilot, no matter what he wishes, understanding clearly that he is able to free us from the threatened evils. Whether he wishes to do so, we do not know; but we leave it to him, wise governor as he is, and accept his verdict, confident that it is to our benefit. Whether he rescues us or not, therefore, we shun worship of your statue and your gods.”

“Nebuchadnezzar was in control of the whole of Asia, had brought Egypt under his control and had subjugated the Ethiopians living near Egypt. Nevertheless he treated his subjects very harshly and had reached such a state of arrogance as to think that he was greater and more powerful than not only the so-called gods but even the true God.… [But] nothing of what was done by him would have happened without God's permitting it and wanting to call to account for impiety those who had suffered this from him. Hence he was right to add, "Surely an axe will not be glorified apart from the one wielding it? Or the saw exalted apart from the one pulling it? Likewise for anyone holding rod or staff." As it is impossible, he is saying, for axe or saw or rod to move of itself (each of these operating when someone chooses to move them by using their hand), so too you did what you did, when my providence allowed you, on account of the lawlessness of the victims. So do not think you achieved this by your own wisdom and power. If, however, you are not prepared to learn this lesson in a sensible fashion and put an end to your lofty arrogance, you will learn by experience that this is the way things are.… [So] God struck that arrogant mind that had dreamed of preternatural things with insanity and dementia. Then, when he became wildly enraged, he caused him to be driven out and live in the desert for a long time. He next caused him to gain an appreciation of the fate that had befallen him; after all, it was impossible for one who lacked all sense and feeling to reap any benefit. Thus, after refusing to do so, that fellow acknowledged the rapid changes in his life, wept and wailed for his own stupidity and confessed God's kingdom to be without succession, lasting for all ages. Learning this from experience, he once more through God's ineffable loving kindness returned to his own kingdom. In the belief, however, that it would be an injustice to all people if he were to conceal God's providence, he recounted in a letter to all his subjects throughout the world his former prosperity and the misfortune that befell him, then the repentance by which he won the Lord over. While this is the theme of the letter, then, I developed it at length, in my wish … to make clear the care of the God of all for everyone.”

“It was not without purpose that he cited his own name: it was to confirm his name in word; since he was very famous as having control of everyone throughout Asia, Egypt and Ethiopia, he cited his name at the beginning as sufficient confirmation of what was said. He meant, I was at the height of good fortune and surrounded continually with countless good things.”

“Good fortune often causes the general run of people to forget their benefactors, whereas it is necessity that recalls to mind those who have treated us well; and while the person in good health does not keep in mind the physician's competence, on falling ill he or she remembers having that complaint before and returning to good health thanks to such and such a physician. So too Nebuchadnezzar: when he consigned those holy people to the fire, he did not remember Daniel's favor; but when he later had a dream and felt alarm in his soul, he remembered Daniel's wisdom and his recall and interpretation of the previous dream. Hence he said he had God's Spirit and was capable of interpreting every mystery, and he requested him to make clear to him this dream as well, obscure as it was.”

“By the tree blessed Daniel said [Nebuchadnezzar] personally was depicted, and he said its height reached to heaven to suggest not the real tree but his thoughts and imaginings.… His [conceited attitude] is the reason he sees the height of the tree reaching to heaven; but since, so to say, he even had control of the whole world, he sees the tree trunk—that is, the extent of its breadth—expanding as far as the ends of the earth.”

“This is what the angel means, that the fate of the tree will come to pass for this purpose, for everyone to know through this that there is one God, Lord and King, who appoints kings on the earth and entrusts the kingdom to whomever he wishes. In fact, to bring out his own authority, he appoints as king the one who is at one time the most insignificant and thought to be of no value and makes those of greatest rank obey him.”

“Daniel's wisdom is worth admiring: he did not say simply, the big tree, but grown to great size and strength—in other words, instead of being great from the beginning, you became great gradually, and instead of having strength from the outset, you gradually acquired it. Hence he goes further, "Because you have grown great and strong, your greatness has increased, you reach to heaven and your lordship to the ends of the earth." It was very fitting and appropriate for him to relate these things to heaven and earth: he said his lordship had reached the ends of the earth, that is, his authority, whereas it was not yet his lordship that had reached to heaven but his imaginings.”

“At this point it is possible to learn the value of the apostolic teaching, "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities"; blessed Daniel, note, calls the impious king "lord" and, influenced by the norm of authority, he adopts the appropriate titles, and he gives a glimpse of the truth of the dream, distressing though it is.”

“Now, while some commentators claimed the "seven times" are seven years, others said three and a half. The divine Scripture, in fact, divides the year not into four seasons but into two more generic parts, winter and summer; so seven divisions of that kind amount to three and a half years. You will spend such a length of time in misfortune.”

“Having foretold the future in this way, [Daniel] offers exhortation and excellent advice and applies a remedy suited to the wound … "compassion for the poor." In this he implies the insatiable cruelty with which [Nebuchadnezzar] treated his subjects. Do you wish, he asks, to receive lovingkindness? Give evidence of it to those who share the same nature as you; this is the way you will persuade the judge to cancel his threat and leave it unfulfilled.”

“The text then conveys also the span of divine longsuffering: after the passage of twelve months the threat in the prophecy reached its factual conclusion. Though given such a length of time to repent, he failed to meet the deadline for repentance; it would be of him that blessed Paul spoke, "Do you despise the riches of his kindness, forbearance and longsuffering? Are you unaware that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? In your hard and impenitent heart, however, you are storing up wrath for yourselves on the day of wrath, revelation and right judgment by God, who will render to everyone according to each one's works: eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, while anger and wrath will come to those who in self-seeking do not obey the truth but obey iniquity. There will be tribulation and distress for every person guilty of evildoing."”

“Up to the present I [Nebuchadnezzar] thought myself very great and elevated, whereas now I know clearly that all human nature is nothing compared with God. Having sought a term for insignificance and not found one suitable, he used "nothing," which gives a sufficient clue to the instability and impermanence of nature; while calling God "Most High, Lord, living and eternal king," he spoke of all human beings as "nothing." In similar fashion also blessed Isaiah in comparing the divine nature with the idols focused on human nature: "If all the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as a turn of the scale and will be accounted as spittle, while Lebanon is not sufficient for burning, and all its animals not sufficient for a burnt offering, and all the nations are nothing and were reckoned as nothing in comparison with him, to what will you compare the Lord? and with what analogy compare him?"”

“Squalid and dirty, in all likelihood, unkempt and with nails grown long, he washed away the dirt, and thanks to divine grace he was recognized as the person who previously had administered the mighty kingdom. "My rulers and my nobility sought me out": they put aside their hatred and adopted a friendly attitude toward me.”

“This man was the son of Nebuchadnezzar but did not directly succeed him.… After Nebuchadnezzar, then, Evil-merodach ruled, and after him Belshazzar. The most divine Daniel, however, omitted mention of the former man, since he was composing not history pure and simple but prophecy—hence his not recording everything done by Nebuchadnezzar, either, but only those things of which mention was required with a view to bringing benefit. So since also in the time of Belshazzar God gave evidence of a wonderful miracle capable of instilling reverence and dread not only in the people of that time but also in those of any later time and of leading them to the true religion, he did not think it right to conceal in silence such a great act of kindness, judging it instead a holy thing to put it in writing and leave for everyone a record of the teaching.”

“In other words, intoxication confused his thinking, and intemperance gave rise to this insane action against God: the vessels consecrated to the worship of God, which his father Nebuchadnezzar had seized when God surrendered them but had honored in the way he thought fit and had kept from human use, this man presumed to use like ordinary vessels, not only giving the order but giving effect to the order.”

“Since, you see, he had sung the praises of the idols, deprived as they were of any power to move, and had scorned the God of all, the Lord of all gives him a lesson in his invisible and incorporeal nature by letting him see only fingers writing, the purpose being to instruct him that he would not even see them were it not that he personally had provided the occasion of need.”

“From this it is clear that the Lord was concerned for the welfare of the others and did not take the king's life on the spot, instead giving a glimpse of the writer's fingers. But having startled him by this and instilled fear, he caused the wise men of the Chaldeans to be summoned and showed up their falsity and weakness while producing the need for Daniel's wisdom so as through his tongue to accredit him and benefit the others, and with this happening to inflict punishment at that stage on the impious king.”

“"Amid the king's and his nobles' words the queen entered the banqueting hall," that is, with them pondering what should be done and various people making various suggestions under pressure of fear, the queen entered. Now, in my view, this lady was his mother: the wives were attending the banquet along with the concubines, and drinking from the gold and silver vessels was himself and his nobles, his wives—that is, his spouses—and his concubines, partners of his not by law but in lust. Now, this lady entered after the hubbub, and being old she probably was not a party at that stage to the drunkenness and antics or dancing.”

“Now, by "alertness" she referred to vigilance of soul, and by "understanding" to a grasp of hidden things and an insight into what escaped many. "Your father King Nebuchadnezzar," she went on, "made him chief of magicians, soothsayers, astrologers, and fortune tellers," adding the reason, "because an extraordinary spirit was in him," that is, he has the surpassing grace of the Spirit.”