Commentaria in Scripturam Sacram, Vol. 11: Prolegomena (prefaces and canons)
II. Ver. 22. “Cease ye from the man whose breath is in his nostrils, for he is reputed high.” This is a hieroglyph of Christ, in which his humanity and anger are signified by the words “whose breath is in his nostrils,” as if to say: who, like other men, draws breath through the nostrils, and breathes, and breathes out wrath through the nostrils; but the Godhead by his being called “high,” that is, loftiness itself (as the Hebrew has) and supreme and divine majesty.
III. Chap. iv, ver. 2. “In that day the bud of the Lord shall be in magnificence and glory, and the fruit of the earth shall be high, and a great joy to them that shall escape of Israel.” This bud is a hieroglyph of Christians and of the offspring of the Church, which has magnificently filled not only the whole circle of the earth but heaven also.
IV. Ver. 5. “And the Lord will create upon every place of Mount Sion, and where he is called upon, a cloud by day, and a smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire in the night,” as if to say: As God led the Hebrews through the desert into Chanaan, and went before them on the way in a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night, protecting them from heat, rain and enemies, so likewise he will lead Christians from earth to heaven, protecting them from all adversities by day and night. Hence he adds in explanation: “And there shall be a tabernacle for a shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a security and covert from the whirlwind and from rain.” For the pillar of fire and cloud was a hieroglyph of the Holy Spirit, and of his grace and protection.
V. Chap. v, ver. 1. “My beloved had a vineyard on a hill in a fruitful place,” that is, oily, rich and fertile. “And he fenced it in, and picked the stones out of it, and planted it with the choicest vines, and built a tower in the midst thereof, and set up a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.” This vineyard is a hieroglyph of the Synagogue of the Jews, which, planted and cultivated by God, brought forth not grapes but wild grapes, that is, wicked and impious works. The “horn of oil” is Judea, strong as a horn, fertile and rich as oil: the fence is the law: the tower is the temple: the winepress the altar, etc.
VI. Chap. vi, ver. 1. “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and elevated: and his train filled the temple. Upon it stood the Seraphim: the one had six wings, and the other had six wings: with two they covered his face, and with two they covered his feet, and with two they flew. And they cried one to another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God of hosts, all the earth is full of his glory.” This throne was a hieroglyph of the majesty of the Most Holy Trinity. Hence the Seraphim veil his face, that is, the Godhead; and his feet, that is, the humanity of the Word, namely the mystery of the incarnation of Christ, which the whole Most Holy Trinity wrought, and therefore they ceaselessly cry to him the thrice Holy. Moreover Isaias is here consecrated a Prophet by God through the Seraphim, that he may preach both this mystery, namely of the Trinity as well as of the incarnation: and announce it not so much to the Jews, as being to be blinded and reprobated, as to the Gentiles, that is, Christians. Hence he adds:
VII. Ver. 6. “And one of the Seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a live coal, which he had taken with the tongs off the altar. And he touched my mouth, and said: Behold, this hath touched thy lips, and thy iniquities shall be taken away, and thy sin shall be cleansed. And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send? and who shall go for us? And I said: Lo, here am I, send me. And he said: Go, and thou shalt say to this people, etc.” The burning Seraphim represent God, who is a consuming fire, and uncreated and immense love and ardor, which he most manifested in the incarnation of the Word. Again, they signify that Isaias, and every preacher, must be pure from the stain of sin, and burn with charity, and in word and life breathe forth fires and flames of divine love, with which to warm and kindle the chilled hearts of sinners.
VIII. Chap. vii, ver. 14. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel. He shall eat butter and honey, that he may know to refuse the evil, and to choose the good.” This virgin bearing, and her son Emmanuel, that is, God with us, are a sign and hieroglyph of divine help and redemption, both of the Jews from the threats of Rasin and Phacee, and of the human race from the hand and power of the devil, of sin and of hell. Emmanuel eats butter and honey, because on these infantile foods he will feed as an infant, and will grow and come to the age at which infants are wont to know and discern good from evil: and because he will be wholly gentle and sweet, as if he were of butter and honey.
IX. Ver. 18. “The Lord shall hiss for the fly, that is in the utmost parts of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee, that is in the land of Assur, and they shall come, and shall rest, etc., in all the bushes of Juda.” The fly is a symbol of the Egyptians, on account of their multitude, impudence, noise and empty boasting; the bee of the Assyrians, on account of their sting, that is, harms and slaughters, and the variegation of their garments and minds: for God summoned both with a hiss, like bees and flies, to feed upon the fields of Juda.
X. Ver. 20. “In that day the Lord with a sharp razor in them that are beyond the river, with the king of the Assyrians, will shave the head and the hairs of the feet, and the whole beard.” The barber here is a hieroglyph of God, who by the Assyrians as by a razor shaved the beard and the hairs of the feet, that is, the princes and commoners of the Jews.
XI. Chap. viii, ver. 1. “Take thee a great book, and write in it with a man’s pen: Take away the spoils quickly, make haste to take the prey. And I took unto me faithful witnesses, Urias the priest, and Zacharias the son of Barachias: and I went to the prophetess, and she conceived, and bore a son. And the Lord said to me: Call his name, Make haste to take away the spoils: Make haste to take the prey.” This prophetess is a hieroglyph of the Blessed Virgin, who bore Christ, whose name is swift despoiler, hasty plunderer: because Christ in a short time despoiled death and hell, and carried off from it a great prey. Moreover Isaias is commanded to write this in a book, with Urias and Zacharias as witnesses, that the Jews and Gentiles may know that it will certainly come to pass; and when it has been done, may recognize that this prophecy of Isaias concerning Christ was true, and was fulfilled in Christ.
XII. Ver. 6. “Forasmuch as this people hath cast away the waters of Siloe, that run with silence,” that is, the royal stock of David, namely king Achaz, “and have rather taken Rasin and the son of Romelia: therefore behold the Lord will bring upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, the king of the Assyrians, etc., and he shall pass through Juda, overflowing, and going over, shall reach even to the neck. And the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land (Juda, in which as king of Israel thou art to be born), O Emmanuel.” The waters of Siloe that run with silence are a symbol of the kingdom and stock of David, on account of its humility, modesty, piety, and because from it was born Christ, the most gentle and modest king; he who casts him away will fall into the strong waters of the river, that is, into the violent and cruel hands of the king of the Assyrians, that is, of Lucifer.
XIII. Ver. 13. “Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be a sanctification to you; but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence to the two houses of Israel, for a snare and a ruin to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,” as if to say: God will be to his believers and faithful, who fear and worship him, a sanctification, and a holy defence and protection; but to the unbelieving and impious Jews he will be as a rock of scandal, against which they dash and fall; and as a snare, by which they are taken.
XIV. Ver. 18. “Behold I and my children, whom the Lord hath given me for a sign, and for a wonder in Israel.” Isaias and Christ, and their disciples, that is, the Prophets and Apostles and their followers, were a wonder of doctrine and life to Israel, and to the whole world. For they preached in word and life that the poor, the humble, the patient, the Martyrs, etc. are blessed, who seem to the world to be paradoxes and wonders.