Commentaria in Isaiam
Prince of Peace. This is a name of Christ even by the consent of the Rabbis; whence his type was Solomon, that is, the peaceful king. The reason of the name is, first, that Christ gave peace to the world, and in dying bequeathed it by his testament, saying: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you,” John 14:27. Secondly, because Christ by his death broke down the middle wall that was between God and men, and reconciled man to God, the highest to the lowest, Ephesians 2:18; Romans 5:10. So St. Jerome, Rupert and Haymo. Wherefore St. Leo says piously and forcibly, sermon 6 On the Nativity: “The birthday of the Lord is the birthday of peace: let each of the faithful therefore offer to the Father of the peacemakers the concord of children.”
Thirdly, because he has made our borders peace for ever, both here and in heaven, Psalm 147:14. So St. Bernard.
Fourthly, because he is the author and giver of the interior peace which the consciences of the just enjoy. If, then, your conscience, on account of sins or scruples, distresses and torments you, go to the Prince of Peace, call upon him, seek his grace; he will make your mind serene.
Fifthly, because he himself is on every side rich and fortunate, the richest of the rich and the happiest of the happy, who enriches and blesses his own with heavenly and eternal goods. For it is the custom of the Hebrews to signify by the name of peace every good, all wealth, all prosperity and plenty. So Ludovicus Molina, part 1, question 27, article 1, disputation 2.
7. His empire shall be multiplied. He had said that the child to be born would be Prince of Peace: now he adds the reason of what was said, that there will be no end, no bounds, to the multiplying of his empire and peace: for “he shall rule from sea to sea, and all kings of the earth shall adore him,” Psalm 71, whereas before the Jews alone worshipped God, and from him awaited the Messias.
In the Hebrew it is lemarbeh, that is, “shall be multiplied,” where, contrary to rule, the mem in the middle is closed, or square, whereas it should be round and open; by which some think the perpetual virginity of the Mother of God, or mother of this child prince, is signified, as the same was signified by the closed gate, Ezechiel 44:2. Others think that by the square mem is signified that Christ’s empire was to be extended to the four quarters of the world. A third group take the square mem arithmetically, to signify six hundred years, which they think flowed from this prophecy to the birth of Christ. So R. Hammay in the book Sanhedrin, Finus Against the Hebrews, book 2, chapter 7, and Galatinus, book 7, chapter 13. But they err; for more than seven hundred flowed. I refer these things to the inventions of the Massoretes and Cabalists and to Jewish symbols. For we see many such things done by them everywhere in the Hebrew text.
And of peace there shall be no end. Neither the empire nor this peace is to be understood otherwise than as spiritual, which lies in the tranquillity of the mind and the inward consolation of souls. Whence Romans 14:17 says the kingdom of God is justice, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. This kingdom we ask daily to come to us, Luke 11:2; for we do not ask to be snatched immediately into heaven, but that the kingdom of the devil and of sin be overthrown, and in its place the kingdom of Christ succeed, and he reign by grace in our heart and in the heart of every man. Wherefore Christ affirmed that this kingdom is within us, Luke 17:21. Of this peace in the minds of the just there is no end, as St. Basil and Cyril teach, and best St. Chrysostom, in his homily on this place, where he explains this peace in four ways: for first, he says, Christ taught us to subject the flesh to the spirit; and when this is done, wars cease in the soul, and it enjoys peace. Secondly, because when we were enemies he reconciled us to the Father. Thirdly, because he joined Jews and Gentiles by the bond of peace. Fourthly, because to those whom he joined he also grants the grace of perseverance, that they may enjoy lasting peace: and of this empire and peace there will be no end, because Christ works to this day with the Father, and will work until the end of the world, when glorious peace will begin, to last for ever.
You will say: The Church and the faithful are continually engaged in wars, and contend with unbelievers and heretics, with the demon, the flesh and the world. I answer:
This peace of the Church and of the faithful soul in this life is placed not in the defeat of enemies, but in a continual struggle with them, and victory, which often consists in patience and in constant endurance of adversities and bearing of temptations, rather than in their exclusion and rout, as St. Cyprian and Tertullian teach in their books On Patience.
Upon the throne of David. This throne likewise of Christ and his kingdom is not so much earthly as spiritual, in which Christ reigns in the Church through his vicar the Roman Pontiff, as Epiphanius teaches, Heresy 29, and others. The Angel had regard to this place of Isaias, Luke 1:32, when he says: “The Lord God shall give unto him the seat of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Note: The kingdom of Christ is called the seat or throne of David: first, because his spiritual kingdom was figured by the bodily kingdom of David; secondly, because this kingdom of the Messias, as of his son, was promised to David under the type of his own kingdom. So also Christ is said to be about to reign in the house of Jacob, Luke 1:32, not a temporal one but a spiritual one, that is, in the Church or faithful people, who once were the people of Israel, or sons of Jacob. Similar is Romans 9:6. The throne of David, then, and the house or family of Jacob, is the kingdom of Christ, namely the Church. Note secondly: This throne and kingdom God the Father gave to Christ as in first act, in the incarnation; but in second act it began when Christ preached and converted men; it was advanced and spread by the Apostles, was perfected after Christ’s resurrection and ascension into heaven; and will be consummated and glorious after the general judgment. Note thirdly: Christ obtained this kingdom by a threefold title: first, by the title of the hypostatic union and of inheritance; secondly, by the title of redemption; for since he bought us with his blood, he is more absolutely our Lord than a master is lord of a slave he has purchased; thirdly, by the title of merit, Philippians 2:9: “For which cause God also hath exalted him, etc., that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.”
And upon his kingdom (of David his father) he shall sit. That is, he shall reign in his kingdom, shall rule his kingdom as king. Secondly, “shall sit” means shall abide, and shall be king in this kingdom without ceasing. So Chrysostom.
To establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, that is, with just judgment. It is a hendiadys; so it is said: I have done judgment and justice, that is, I have done what is equitable and just: take justice here not as particular and strict, but as general, which is the sum of all virtues, and is the very holiness and rectitude of the whole man, by which a man renders what he owes to God, to his neighbor and to himself: for justice is the virtue which renders to each his right.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. It is an epiphonema upon all that went before. “Zeal” is the zealous love of which the Apostle speaks, Titus 2:14; as if to say: That vast and singular love of Christ for the Church, and his vast indignation against its enemies, says Cyril, will do this, namely wrest the prey taken by the enemy with tumult, burn the garments stained with blood, take the sceptre upon his shoulders, and, as Wonderful, Counsellor, God, Mighty, etc., provide for the salvation of his people and defend it from all hostile force and snares. This, then, has regard to the whole mystery of the incarnation of the Word, which went before.
Note: “Zeal,” or jealousy, is a feeling of the mind arising from this, that one fears lest what he would wish for himself alone be taken by another; its source is love and affection; for no one is jealous of what he would wish to be without, but of what he desires and seeks: hence zeal is often taken for love. The inseparable companion of zeal is emulation toward a rival, and contention with him: because the irascible faculty always helps the effort of the appetitive or concupiscible part: for this reason “zeal” is sometimes taken for indignation and contention: whence Paul also, Romans 13:13, joined zeal to contention, saying: “Not in contention and envy.” For contention is always an effect of emulation. So then the Son of God first loved the human race vehemently, and therefore took it ill that it had come into the power of the devil: moved by this zeal and emulation he willed to become incarnate, and in the flesh he assumed conquered and overcame the devil, his rival, in battle. Hence the redemption of Christ is often in Scripture ascribed to his zeal, as to its source. Wherefore St. Anselm wrote a book with the title: Why God Became Man?
He answers with these words of Isaias:
“The zeal of the Lord of hosts hath done this.”