Commentaria in Isaiam
Thirdly, then, and genuinely, “breath” here is the same as spirit, namely the soul. For to say “giving breath to the people that is upon it” is the same as “and spirit to them that tread therein.” So St. Cyril, Hugh and Dionysius.
6. I THE LORD HAVE CALLED THEE IN JUSTICE,—that is, unto justice. He speaks of Christ, as will be plain from what follows. Wrongly, then, Hugh takes this of Cyrus in this sense, as if to say: Cyrus was called by God “in justice,” namely to punish the Chaldeans justly; and “for a covenant,” to free the Jews. Moreover “in justice” means endowed with justice, and the highest justice, or “to justice,” as the Septuagint translate, as if to say: I raised thee up, O Christ, for this, that thou shouldst raise up and restore justice fallen in an impious and unjust earth, and that thou, the just one, shouldst justify and sanctify others. Whence it follows: “And I have given thee to be a covenant,” etc. So commonly the Interpreters. This sense is genuine.
Secondly, “in justice,” that is, that my justice and fidelity may appear to the whole world, by which, as I promised thee, Christ, to the Patriarchs, so I have in fact shown it, say St. Thomas and Adam.
Thirdly, “in justice,” that is, by the goodness with which I am endowed I raised thee up, and made thee to be born on earth. So Forerius.
AND TAKEN THEE BY THE HAND (that is, I have favored, sustained, led thee through all hard things) AND PRESERVED THEE—unharmed among enemies, among so many dangers, indeed in death, that thou shouldst not remain in it, but soon, as victor over death, shouldst rise again, and by it preserve and free very many from eternal death.
AND I HAVE GIVEN THEE TO BE A COVENANT OF THE PEOPLE, FOR A LIGHT OF THE GENTILES.—Christ was given to the people of God, that is, the Jews, “for a covenant,” because he was promised to them. Whence the Complutensian Septuagint translate, I have given thee for a covenant of the race of Israel; but to the Gentiles he was given “for a light,” because he was not promised to them. Like this is chapter 49, verse 6. This is what Simeon sings: “Salvation,” that is, the Savior Christ, given as “a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel,” Luke 2:32.
Moreover, Christ was given to the Jews “for a covenant,” that is, to fulfil the pact and promise of God to send the Messias. Again, “for a covenant,” that is, as Forerius says, for reconciliation, namely to reconcile the Jews, and thence all the Gentiles, to God, and to establish between them and God a new covenant, namely the New Testament, and that a most delightful one, to be founded concerning the eternal inheritance to be given to the faithful who obey him and his Gospel.
Wherefore by the people of Israel all the faithful can be understood, Gentiles as well as Jews; for these are the spiritual Israel, and the race, that is, the sons of God. For to all these Christ instituted this new covenant and testament, so that nearly the same thing is said by “I have given thee for a covenant of the people” as by “I have given thee for a light of the Gentiles,” namely that thou shouldst enlighten all the Gentiles, and teach the true faith of God, religion, and the way to eternal salvation and beatitude. For this is the sum, aim and end of the whole New Testament.
Moreover these things, concerning the blind, the bound, etc., are to be taken spiritually rather than bodily; for he explains “and I have given thee for a light of the Gentiles,” namely that thou shouldst open to the Gentiles, blinded by the darkness of unbelief and ignorance, the eyes of the mind, that they might see and know God and Christ.
This is what Zachary sings: “To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,” Luke 1:79. For unbelief and sin are darkness and the shadow of death; they are also the prison and the chains with which sinners, wretchedly bound, are held by the devil. This is what he says: “That thou mightest bring forth the prisoner out of prison,” that is, out of the prison in which he is shut.
8. I THE LORD, THIS IS MY NAME.—In Hebrew: I Jehovah, this is my name. “Jehovah” is the proper name of God, the same as “I am who am.”
Here, therefore, God, having first recounted the benefits and miracles which he formerly promised and performed to Abraham and his descendants; secondly, having foretold those which he was lately to perform for the whole world through Christ, the son of Abraham, which two (as seals of his divinity and invincible arguments, proposed in the preceding chapter), as if victory had been won in the judgment over the idols and idolaters, no one contradicting, joyfully ascribes to himself the glory of the Godhead and the name of God, Jehovah, not about to permit that this glory and this name be given to another. So Forerius. This is what he adds: “The things that were first,” etc.
I WILL NOT GIVE MY GLORY TO ANOTHER (he does not say, to any one, so as not to exclude the Son; for to him the Father communicated his glory, as he himself says, John 17:1: but “to another,” namely to one who is of another essence and nature, for example idols; whence, explaining, he adds): NOR MY PRAISE TO GRAVEN THINGS.—So St. Jerome. See St. Bernard, sermon 13 on the Canticle, in which he teaches throughout that glory belongs to God alone, where among other things he says: “My glory I will not give to another. What then wilt thou give us, Lord, what wilt thou give us? Peace, he says, I give you; peace I leave you.
It is enough for me: gladly I receive what thou leavest, and I leave what thou keepest; so it pleases me, so I doubt not it is to my interest. I utterly renounce glory, lest perhaps, if I usurp what is not granted, I deservedly lose also what is offered. Peace I want, peace I desire, and nothing more. To whom peace does not suffice, thou dost not suffice. For thou art our peace, etc. To thee, Lord, to thee let thy glory remain unviolated. It goes well with me, if I shall have peace.”
9. THE THINGS THAT WERE FIRST, BEHOLD THEY ARE COME: AND NEW THINGS DO I DECLARE, BEFORE THEY SPRING FORTH.—This is the conclusion of the dispute with the idols and idolaters, as if to say: What I formerly promised to Abraham, Moses and the other Prophets, and foretold through them, has now come to pass; whence you may conjecture that what I preach and announce through Isaias and the other Prophets, as my Evangelists, concerning Christ the son of Abraham, and his glory, Gospel, testament, the calling of the Gentiles, etc., will likewise come to pass, and that I shall bring it about that it comes to pass. What remains, then, but that, leaving the idols, you worship me alone as God, and believe in my Christ when he shall come, and submit yourselves? So Forerius and Sanchez. Wherefore, as after the victory and triumph of God, the Prophet bursts forth into a song of triumph for him, and at the same time into praise and thanksgiving, because through Christ he has now destined salvation and such great benefits for the world, saying:
10. SING TO THE LORD A NEW SONG,—as if to say: New benefits, unheard of for ages, I announce to you through Christ, O Gentiles! namely deliverance from the yoke of sin and the devil, remission of crimes, reconciliation with God, grace and everlasting glory: it is fitting, therefore, that you sing with me from the depth of your heart a new and most joyful song.
HIS PRAISE (supply: let it be heard, celebrated and sung) FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.—The Septuagint translate: His principality is glorified, and his name from the summit of the earth. So St. Jerome reads, though the Roman Bibles of Caraffa read: His principality; glorify his name from the summit of the earth.
YOU THAT GO DOWN TO THE SEA (repeat by zeugma “Sing to the Lord,” which went before. Sailors and islanders are called those who go down to the sea; these are said to go down, because the land, especially on the shore, is higher than the sea). AND ALL THAT ARE IN IT (that is, in the sea, namely, as follows) THE ISLANDS.—For these fill the sea, as cities and villages fill the land; not the whole of it, but as a gem in a ring fills its bezel, and so the ring is said to be filled; for this in Hebrew is called melo, as here in the Hebrew, that is, fullness. So Sanchez.
Moreover the islands praise God with a mute voice, as do all inanimate creatures. Again, they praise God through their inhabitants; whence “islands” can be taken for islanders, so that what follows, “and the inhabitants thereof,” is an explanation, signifying their inhabitants.
Secondly, for “the fullness thereof,” the Septuagint translate, those sailing on it, as if to say: You who fill the sea with your ships and merchandise.
Thirdly, “the fullness of the sea” can be taken simply for the full and vast sea itself, with its fishes, pearls and other things it contains. For so inanimate things are invited to the praise of God by the Psalmist, Psalm 148, and by the three children, Daniel 3.