Deliverance for Jerusalem 1 Awake, awake, put on your strength, Zion! Put on the garments of your beauty, Jerusalem, the holy city — for no longer will the uncircumcised and the unclean come into you.
Jerome · AD 420 (Chapter 52, Verse 1) Arise, arise, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your garments of glory, O Jerusalem, holy city; for the uncircumcised and the unclean will no longer pass through you. (Verse 1 according to the Septuagint) Rise up, rise up, O Zion; put on your strength, O Zion, and put on your glory, O Jerusalem, holy city.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 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…
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Arise, arise. Here he excludes the third impediment to their liberation, which could be doubted from their poverty of goods, promising them gratuitous liberation. And this is divided into two parts: for first, he foretells the liberation of the Jews from the Babylonians; second, the liberation of the gentiles from their sins: behold my servant shall understand (Isa 52:13).
2 Shake yourself from the dust; arise, be seated, Jerusalem. Loose the bonds of your neck, captive daughter of Zion.
Methodius of Olympus · AD 311 The creation, then, after being restored to a better and more fitting state, remains, rejoicing and exulting over the children of God at the resurrection.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 2, 3.) Shake off the dust; arise, Jerusalem! Loose the bonds of your neck, captive daughter Zion. For thus says the Lord: You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money. LXX: Shake off the dust; arise, Jerusalem! Loose the bonds of your neck, captive daughter Zion.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, he promises liberation from the baseness of her inhabitants, for some of the poor of the land were left behind, as it says in 2 Kings 25:12 and Jeremiah 52:16; shake yourself from the dust, of baseness, arise, resisting your adversaries, and then next, sit, at rest: he raises up the needy from the dust (1 Sam 2:8).
3 For thus says the LORD: For nothing you were sold, and not with silver will you be redeemed.
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 No one is sufficient to redeem himself, unless he comes who turns away the captivity of the people, not with ransoms or with gifts, as it is written in Isaiah, but in his own blood.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Let us all flee to Christ. Against sin let us appeal to God, the giver of freedom. Let us request to have ourselves put up for sale that we may be redeemed by his blood. For the Lord says, "You were sold for nothing, and without money you shall be redeemed." That is, without payment, without your payment, because by mine.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Third, he promises liberation from detention by her captors, foretelling the benefit of liberation: loose the bonds, that is, come forth from captivity: I have broken the chains of your necks (Lev 26:13).
4 For thus says the Lord GOD: To Egypt my people went down at first, to sojourn there; and Assyria oppressed them for nothing.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 4 and following) Because thus says the Lord God: My people went down into Egypt at the beginning, to dwell there as strangers: and Assur without any cause has oppressed them. And now what have I here, says the Lord? For my people have been taken away for nothing: their rulers have acted unjustly, says the Lord, and my name is constantly blasphemed all day long.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 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?
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 For thus says the Lord. Here he assigns two causes of their liberation, namely, the calumny of the people and the blasphemy of God.
5 And now, what have I here — the utterance of the LORD — that my people has been taken for nothing? Those who rule them howl — the utterance of the LORD — and continually, all the day, my name is reviled.
Romans · AD 56 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of…
Cyril of Jerusalem · AD 386 The name of God is in its nature holy, whether we say so or not; but since it is sometimes profaned among sinners, according to the words, "Through you my name is continually blasphemed among the Gentiles," we pray that in us God's name may be hallowed; not that it comes to be holy from our being holy but because it becomes holy in us, when we are made holy and do things worthy…
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, he pronounces the sentence: for my people is taken away, from their own land; they that rule over them, who have usurped dominion to themselves, namely, the Chaldeans; and, because, my name is continually blasphemed, as though I could not free my people: I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the Gentiles (Ezek 36:23).
6 Therefore my people will know my name; therefore in that day they will know that I am he who speaks — here I am.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 That is, he extended his hands to a people who did not believe and contradicted: not seeking an ambassador or messenger, but desiring to save his own people, the Lord himself: 'I, who spoke, behold I am here,' he said. And so, openly, I appear to those who do not seek me, and I am visible to those who do not ask me.
Jerome · AD 420 [Christ] was not speaking as a teacher but as the Lord. He was not speaking in reference to a greater authority, but he was teaching that which was his very own. Particularly, he was speaking in this manner because he who had spoken by the prophets was speaking now in person. "It is I who have foretold it, Here I am!"
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Therefore my people shall know my name in that day, of liberation, for I myself that spoke, promising, I am here, to fulfill my promise: afterwards he was seen upon earth, and conversed with men (Bar 3:38); God, who, at sundry times and in diverse manners, spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all, in these days, has spoken to us by his Son (Heb 1:1–2) if…
7 How comely upon the mountains are the feet of the herald of good news, making peace heard, heralding good, making salvation heard, saying to Zion, Your God reigns!
Romans · AD 56 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Jerome · AD 420 (Verses 7, 8.) How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good news, who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.' The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 How beautiful. Here he proclaims joy to the liberated. And first, he describes their joy as to the reception of messengers, who, coming from Chaldea, announced it to them: beautiful, for it was beautiful and pleasant to the people to hear them announcing such things; upon the mountains, so that many would hear them; that preaches, publicly, peace, restored by Cyrus, good, of pr…
8 The voice of your watchmen — they have lifted the voice; together they sing for joy, for eye to eye they see the LORD returning to Zion.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, he describes their joy as to the inspection of their watchmen who saw them returning from there, setting out the voice of exultation, the voice, of joy will resound: with one accord lifted up their voice to God (Acts 4:24); and the reason for their joy: for they shall see eye to eye, as if to say, they shall see the captives coming with their own eyes, above: your eyes…
9 Break out, sing for joy together, ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 9, 10.) Rejoice and praise together, O deserted Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has prepared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Cyril of Alexandria · AD 444 Israel was destroyed in the war with the Romans, so that very few survived to remain, and the holy city was deserted. But its desert places will rejoice, so it says. For the houses were mournful and filled with dejection for not having inhabitants. But they rejoice as if they have many living there.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Third, as to the arrival of the captives: rejoice, above: the land that was desolate shall be glad, and the wilderness shall rejoice (Isa 35:1).
10 The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 The God of the universe will show his power, he says, to all the nations—for he gives to his power the name "arm"—and all people will know the Provider of salvation.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The Lord has prepared. Here he describes the order of liberation. And first, he sets out the manifest help of God: his holy arm, namely, his power, which all were able to perceive in this deed: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God (Ps 97[98]:3).
11 Turn aside, turn aside, go out from there; touch nothing unclean. Go out from her midst; purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.
2 Corinthians · AD 56 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?
Jerome · AD 420 (Vers. 11-12.) Step back, step back, go out from there, do not touch the impure: go out from its midst, you who carry the vessels of the Lord. For you will not go out in tumult, nor will you hurry in flight. For the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will gather you together.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, he enjoins the captives to flee: depart, namely, from Babylonia; touch no unclean thing, do not live among these unclean people: go out from her, my people (Rev 18:4).
12 For you will not go out in haste, and you will not go by flight — for the LORD goes before you, and the God of Israel is your rear guard.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Third, he shows the manner of their flight, as to purity: be clean, you priests; as to security: for you shall not go out in a tumult, namely, of war, as you did from Egypt: he brought forth his people (Ps 104[105]:43); as to their leader: for the Lord will go before you, as a leader, and the God of Israel will gather you together, as a shepherd: for I will take you from among…
The Servant Exalted 13 See, my servant will act wisely; he will be high and lifted up and very lofty.
Ephrem the Syrian · AD 373 "Behold, my servant shall be wise," that is, shall be illustrious; these words certainly concern our Lord. Indeed, he was called a servant by his Father, because, in the first place, he was sent by his Father in order to fulfill his will in procuring salvation for all humankind, and in the second place, because he assumed the aspect of a servant.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 13.) Behold, my servant shall understand, he shall be exalted and extolled, and shall be very high. LXX: Behold, my servant shall understand, and he shall be exalted, and shall be very glorious.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Behold my servant shall understand. Here he foretells the liberation of the gentiles from slavery to sin, carried out by the Son of God.
14 Just as many were appalled at you — so marred was his appearance beyond a man, and his form beyond the sons of humankind —
Tertullian · AD 220 Similarly the Father addressed the Son, "Even as many will be astounded at you, so your appearance will be without glory from people." For though, as David has it, he is timely in beauty even above the children of human beings, yet this is in that allegorical state of spiritual grace, when he girds himself with the sword of the Word, which is in truth his very own form and come…
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 14.) As many were astonished at him; so his appearance was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. LXX: Just as many were astonished at you, so your appearance will be marvelous among people, and your glory among the children of men.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And as to the ignominy of his passion: for as many have been astonished at you, by your example, miracles and teachings: and all the multitudes were amazed (Matt 12:23) at his teaching and the miracles which he did, so shall his visage be inglorious, in suffering, and his form, his appearance or beauty: I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people…
15 so he will startle many nations; kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what had not been recounted to them they have seen, and what they had not heard they have understood.
Romans · AD 56 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 The Word, joined to human flesh, came forth from the virgin womb and has now strode forth like a giant and has run his course, and his exit was from the highest heaven and his return to the height of heaven. Now he has been exalted and honored, and many nations now marvel at him, and the kings stop their mouths because they have passed the cruelest laws against Christians.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, he foretells liberation as to the remission of sins: he shall sprinkle, with the sprinkling of his blood (1 Pet 1:2), and the water of baptism: having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with clean water (Heb 10:22); as to the veneration of him: kings shall shut their mouth at him, silent, to listen, not presuming to discuss his secrets: t…