Chapter 11
Lecture 1
11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root.
352 . And there shall come forth a rod out of the root . The destruction of their adversary having been set out, the restoration of the people, who had been divided into the two tribes and the ten tribes, is promised. And this is divided into two parts.
In the first part, the restorer is described,
in the second, the restoration is promised: and it shall come to pass in that day (Isa 11:11).
Now this chapter is interpreted in three ways.
For Jerome and all our saints interpret it as concerning the restoration made through Christ and concerning Christ, so that it was spoken figuratively;
some teachers interpret it as concerning Ezechias or Josias, similarly taking the passage figuratively;
the Jews interpret it as concerning their messiah, whom they await, wishing to understand all of it literally.
But this last interpretation is foolish and fabulous;
the second is tortured;
but the first is straightforwardly true, and therefore, following this first interpretation, we shall touch on the others indirectly.
The first part therefore is divided into three:
in the first, Christ the restorer is described as to his nativity;
in the second, as to his sanctity: and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him (Isa 11:2);
in the third, as to his dignity: in that day the root of Jesse (Isa 11:10).
353 . Concerning the first, he touches on two things;
the procession of his mother from the royal line or lineage: and there shall come forth a rod , a rod to which no shrubbery adhered, out of the root of Jesse : literally, from the lineage of Jesse, who was the father of David: a star shall rise out of Jacob and a rod shall spring up from Israel (Num 24:17);
as to the procession of the son from the virgin mother, and a flower , Christ: I am the flower of the field, and the lily of the valleys (Song 2:1), shall rise up , for he that comes from heaven is above all (John 3:31); hence, below: behold the Lord will ascend upon a swift cloud, and will enter into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt shall be moved (Isa 19:1).
354 . Out of the root of Jesse : I will raise up to David a just branch: and a king shall reign, and shall be wise: and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth (Jer 23:5). Where he ought to say, out of the rod , he says, out of the root , in order to exclude two heresies:
one of which said that Christ did not have true flesh;
another which said that Christ had true flesh but that it was not propagated from Adam and from his ancestors and others, but was created by God in the Blessed Virgin; or that it came from our first parents separately like a kind of light, never infected by the contagion of original sin.
This heresy is wholly excluded by this where he said to rise up from the parents of the Virgin, like a flower from a root. The Jews say that the flower and the rod refer to the Christ; and he is called a rod because of his power and his scourging of the wicked, and a flower because of his honesty and consolation of the good. Jerome says that it is from this verse that what is said in Matthew 2:23 is taken: he shall be called a Nazarene , which means flowery. Those who explain this chapter as concerning Josias and Ezechias explain this similarly, and they say that Josias and Ezechias are said to descend from Jesse and not from their nearer ancestors because to David was made the promise of the confirmation of the kingdom in his sons.
355 . It is to be noted on the words, and there shall come forth a rod , that the Virgin is called a rod:
first, consoling in tribulations: but lift you up your rod, and stretch forth your hand over the sea, and divide it: that the children of Israel may go through the midst of the sea on dry ground (Exod 14:16);
second, bearing fruit: Moses found that the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, was budded: and that the buds swelling it hid bloomed blossoms (Num 17:8);
third, satisfying: and when Moses had lifted up the rod, striking the rock twice , there came forth water in great abundance, so that the people and their cattle drank (Num 20:11);
fourth, scourging: a star shall rise out of Jacob and a rod shall spring up from Israel: and shall strike the chiefs of Moab (Num 24:17);
fifth, watching: I see a rod watching (Jer 1:11).
356 . Note on the words, and a flower out of his root , that Christ is called a flower:
first, because of the purity of Mary: behold you are fair, O my love (Song 1:14); behold you are fair, my beloved (Song 1:15); and below this: I am the flower of the field, and the lily of the valleys (Song 2:1);
second, because of the ease of injury by the wind: he shall be blasted as a vine when its grapes are in the first flower (Job 15:33);
third, because of sweetness of smell: send forth flowers, as the lily, and yield a smell (Sir 39:19);
fourth, because of comeliness of beauty: and as the rainbow giving light in bright clouds, and as the flower of roses in the days of the spring (Sir 50:8);
fifth, because of certitude of fruit: as the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odor: and my flowers are the fruit of honor and riches (Sir 24:23).
Lecture 2
11:2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness.
11:3 And the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him. He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears.
11:4 But he shall judge the poor with justice, and shall reprove with equity the meek of the earth: and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
11:5 And justice shall be the girdle of his loins: and faith the girdle of his reins.
11:6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb: and the leopard shall lie down with the kid: the calf and the lion, and the sheep shall abide together, and a little child shall lead them.
11:7 The calf and the bear shall feed: their young ones shall rest together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
11:8 And the child sucking at the breast shall play on the hole of the asp: and the weaned child shall thrust his hand into the den of the basilisk.
11:9 They shall not hurt, nor shall they kill in all my holy mountain, for the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the covering waters of the sea.
11:10 In that day the root of Jesse, who stands for a sign of the peoples, him the Gentiles shall beseech, and his sepulcher shall be glorious.
11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand the second time to possess the remnant of his people, which shall be left from the Assyrians, and from Egypt, and from Phetros, and from Ethiopia, and from Elam, and from Sennaar, and from Emath, and from the islands of the sea.
11:12 And he shall set up a sign unto the nations, and shall assemble the fugitives of Israel, and shall gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.
11:13 And the envy of Ephraim shall be taken away, and the enemies of Judah shall perish: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not fight against Ephraim.
11:14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines by the sea, they together shall spoil the children of the east: Edom, and Moab, the precept of their hand, and the children of Ammon shall be obedient.
11:15 And the Lord shall lay waste the tongue of the sea of Egypt, and shall lift up his hand over the river in the strength of his spirit: and he shall strike it in the seven streams, so that men may pass through it in their shoes.
11:16 And there shall be a highway for the remnant of my people, which shall be left from the Assyrians: as there was for Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
357 . And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him . Here he describes him as to his sanctity, as to three things:
first, as to habits of necessity;
second, as to rectitude of works: he shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes (Isa 11:3);
third, as to the effect of this rectitude: the wolf shall dwell with the lamb (Isa 11:6).
His perfection as to gratuitous habits is shown in three things.
First, as to their rest: shall rest , for grace was not increased in him: a woman shall compass a man (Jer 31:22); nor was it interrupted by fault: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth (1 Pet 2:22); nor was it troubled by the battle of the flesh, for it was without the original fault: let it expect light, and not see it, nor the rising of the dawning of the day (Job 3:9); he upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining upon him, he it is that baptizes (John 1:33).
358 . As to multitude in all the gifts: the spirit of wisdom . For although all the gifts of sanctifying grace are infused at the same time, nevertheless, no one else has perfect use of them all, because of which, concerning all these, it is now said: there was not found the like to him (Sir 44:20); nor again all gratuitous graces: to one indeed, by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom: and to another, the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit (1 Cor 12:8–9). But Christ had all of these perfectly, for God doth not give the Spirit by measure (John 3:34).
359 . As to fullness, for he was perfect in every grace, which is noted where it says, the spirit of the fear of the Lord filled him : we saw him full of grace (John 1:14). Concerning all these things: in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead corporeally (Col 2:9).
360 . To understand these things which are said here it necessary to see five things concerning these gifts:
first, how they differ from the virtues, the beatitudes, and the fruits;
second, their number;
third, their order;
fourth, how they exist in Christ;
fifth, in what manner they are attributed to the Holy Spirit.
361 . Concerning the first, it is to be known that, as Gregory says, the gifts are given to assist the virtues, by which the powers of the soul are perfected for acts that are proportionate according to a human manner, as faith, which makes us to see in a glass and obscurity. Now there is a twofold defect of virtue: one accidental, from the indisposition of the one who has the habit, from which the virtue remains imperfect in the subject, and this defect is removed through the increase of the virtue; the other defect is essential on the part of the habit itself, as faith is continually imperfect according to its disposition, because it is obscure, and this defect is removed through a higher habit, which is called a gift, for as it exceeds the manner of human operation, it is given by God: as the gift of understanding, which in some manner makes things of faith to be seen clearly and distinctly. An operation, however, proceeding from a virtue perfected by a gift is called a beatitude, which is nothing other than operation according to perfect virtue, as the Philosopher says, as is said in Matthew 5:8: blessed are the clean of heart: they shall see God . But delight necessarily follows such operation, for delight is the unhindered operation of a proper habit, as the Philosopher says; and according to this, it is called a fruit; hence Ambrose on the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22), says that they are called fruits in as much as they renew minds with sincere delight.
362 . Concerning the second, it is to be known that the number of the gifts can be understood in three ways, because gifts are perfected either through retreat from evil, and thus is fear; or through approach to good, and thus either according to the contemplative life or according to the active life: if according to the contemplative, either according to the end of contemplation, and thus is wisdom, which concerns the highest causes; or according the means to the end, and thus is understanding, as of created spiritual substances and of what pertains to them. If according to the active life, either as to those things to which all are held, and thus the executive gift is piety, which is benevolence to those who are joined by faith or the image of God, and the directing gift is knowledge; or of those things to which not all are held, and the executive gift is fortitude, as it exposes itself to difficulties, and the directing gift is counsel.
363 . From this the response to the third is now evident, because the gifts are ordered first in as far as they are perfections, and this order is considered according to the emanation of the gifts from the giver, and not in as far as they are received. Again it is evident that wisdom directs understanding, because the wise man sets things in order, and, through first things, someone is regulated in secondary things, as metaphysics regulates the other sciences, counsel regulates fortitude, knowledge regulates piety, fear regulates in all, because it directs to approach the good and in retreat from evil.
364 . Concerning the fourth, it is to be known that Christ had these gifts according to their most excellent uses, according to which they are had in heaven. For he did not have servile fear as if he feared punishment or filial fear as if he feared to sin but the chaste fear which belongs to reverence: he was heard for his reverence (Heb 5:7). And it is similarly evident concerning the other gifts. However, it is said especially that the spirit of fear filled him lest, from the greatness of his gifts, he be thought to be proud, like the first angel, about whom it is said in Ezekiel 28:16: by the multitude of your wisdom or merchandise, your inner parts were filled with iniquity ; or because he came to save through humility; or because he wished to be imitated in this: learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart (Matt 11:29).
365 Concerning the fifth, it is to be known that if these gifts are considered according to their own natures, as knowledge in as much as it is knowledge, then some of them are appropriated to the Son, which pertain to the perfection of the intellect, some to Holy Spirit, which pertain to the perfection of the affections, although all of them together are gifts of the entire Trinity. If, however, they are considered in as much as they have the nature of a gift, they are thus all attributed to the Holy Spirit, who is the first gift in whom all gifts are given. Similarly too if they are considered as to the principle of motion of such gifts, which is love: for the goodness of God , as Dionysius says, is diffusive of all things which are received in creatures from God, which are appropriated to the Holy Spirit . Others, however, refer this to the holiness of Josias and Ezechias; the Jews refer it to the antichrist.
366 . He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes . Here he shows his holiness as to rectitude of works, and especially in judging, because this is the work of a king. Hence he shows three things:
first, his shrewdness in discerning;
second, his justice in executing: but he shall judge ;
third, his constancy in persevering, and justice shall be (Isa 11:5).
Therefore he says, as to the first, he shall not judge according to the sight of the outward eyes , nor according to the hearing of the outward ears , as if to those who say in Matthew 22:16, master, we know that you are a true speaker . Because he needed not that any should give testimony of man: for he knew what was in man (John 2:25). And this cannot be explained as of a mere man, as is said in 1 Samuel 16:7: man sees those things that appear, but the Lord beholds the heart . And therefore they said separately, now we know that you know all things (John 16:30). Nevertheless, others explain this in a tortured way as concerning the just kings, for they did not judge things that appear at first glance according to flatteries, but diligently sought the truth of the case.
367 . But he shall judge . Here his justice in executing is shown.
And first, as to the good, in distributing their rights: he shall judge , in the day of judgment and even now: the Father has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22); the Poor , about whom it says in Matthew 5:3: blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven .
Second, as to the wicked, and first, as to the members: he shall strike the earth , that is, the earthly, with the rod of his mouth : go, you cursed, into everlasting fire (Matt 25:41); woe to you, scribes and Pharisees (Matt 23:13); as to the head: with the breath of his lips , that is, his indignation expressed with words; he shall slay the wicked , that is, the antichrist: the man of sin will be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and is lifted up above all that is called God or that is worshipped (2 Thess 2:3–4); or the devil: now is the judgment of the world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out (John 12:31). And all this can be explained literally of the just kings, and who slew the impious with their precepts.
368 . And justice shall be . Here his constancy in persevering is set out: and justice , which he shall observe in his judgments, shall be the girdle of his loins , that is, the sword with which he shall fight, and faith , confidence from God by which he will prevail; and this can be applied to Christ and to the just kings. Or the girdle of his loins which strongly adheres to man, and girdles the whole man on all sides. Or justice , in the equity of the deed, faith , faithfulness in the mode of doing: stand, having your loins girt about (Eph 6:14); or justice , the just; faith , the faithful; and thus these words are only referred to Christ: as the girdle sticks close to the loins of a man, so have I brought close to me all the house of Israel (Jer 13:11). From this Jerome argues against the Hebrews that all these things cannot be understood literally.
369 . The wolf shall dwell . Here the effect of his rectitude is set out, which is in the multitude of peace, which he shows as to two things:
first, as to the meekness of the great,
second, as to the security of the lowly: and the sucking child (Isa 11:8).
The meekness of the great is shown as to three things:
first, as to dwelling: the rapacious wolf with the innocent lamb , and on the contrary, for the wolf will follow the lamb’s innocence; the crafty leopard with the simple kid ; the calf , a kind of animal that is strong, and the lion , a kind of animal that is strong and fierce; the sheep , a kind of animal that is weak, together they will all be in unity, where there is neither Gentile nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian nor Scythian, bond nor free. But Christ is all and in all (Col 3:11). This is signified in Noah’s ark, where there were all animals of each kind (Gen 7:1–3).
370 . Second, as to government: a little child : Peter the fisherman. Above: behold I and my children (Isa 8:18); the foolish things of the world has God chosen, that he may confound the wise and the contemptible things that he may confound the strong (1 Cor 1:27); shall lead , that is, he shall lead them to the kingdom, like a general.
371 . Third, as to eating, in two ways:
as to conformity of food: the calf , who eats grass and is a clean animal, the bear , who tears meat and is not a clean animal, shall feed together, on the same food of the Word of God; their young ones , that is, their families, together , that is, in conformity, shall rest to eat, or the food of the sacraments: they ate the same spiritual food (1 Cor 10:3).
Second, as to humility of food, the lion , the king, like the ox , the rustic, straw , rough doctrine, or, literally, abstinence from food: shall the rhinoceros be willing to serve you, or will he stay at your crib? (Job 39:9).
But this seems to be more expressly preserved in religion, where men of different ages and conditions live with one mind, that is, in conformity: who makes men of one mind to dwell in a house (Ps 67:7[68:6]). Others say that this was fulfilled in the time of the good kings, when the great lived in peace with the lowly. The Jews say all these things are to happen literally in the times of the antichrist.
372 . And the sucking child shall play . Here he shows the security of the young, and he sets out three things:
their confidence, where against horror he sets out joy: on the other hole of the asp , that is, on the trials which the devil or a tyrant will send, and immediately, because he has begun to be nourished by the milk of the doctrine of faith: and not only so: but we glory also in tribulation, knowing that tribulation works patience (Rom 5:3); or in converting the wicked: he that hears, let him say: come (Rev 22:17). Against flight, which is indicative of fear, he sets out the daring of invasion; the weaned child , now eating solid food, shall do more, for he shall thrust his hand into the den of the basilisk , that is, the devil, who is king over all the children of pride (Job 41:25); for he will confidently expose himself to the persecutions of tyrants, as did many martyrs: he exults boldly, he goes forward to meet armed men (Job 39:21); or this refers to preachers, who thrust the hand of preaching for the conversion of sinners; or at the breasts , of newness and delight, for the newly converted rejoice at this.
373 . Second, he sets out inability to hurt them: they shall not hurt ; in my holy mountain , that is, the Church, except the willing: behold, I have given you power (Luke 10:19); and these signs shall follow them that believe: they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents: and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them (Mark 16:17–18).
374 . Third, he sets out the cause of both: for the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord : their sound has gone forth into all the earth (Ps 18:5[19:4]); I, wisdom, have poured out rivers (Sir 24:40).
The Jews explain all of this literally. Others say that it signifies that, in the times of the good kings, all the young boldly committed themselves to those who were previously plunderers and cruel men.
375 . In that day . Here he places the dignity of the restorer. For a sign , the sign of the cross; those who take up this sign will be saved: I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself (John 12:32); below: behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and will set up my sign to the people ; him the Gentiles shall beseech (Isa 49:22). All kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall serve him (Ps 71[72]:11). His sepulcher shall be glorious : it shall be venerated by all; hence it is signified by the sepulcher which he built in Modin for an everlasting monument, that it might be seen by all passing by (1 Macc 13:25–30). Others explain this as concerning Josias, for he was buried in the sepulchers of the kings.
376 . And it shall come to pass in that day . In this part he promises the restoration of the people as to three things:
first, as to their liberation;
second, as to the condition of the liberated, where it says, and the envy of Ephraim shall be taken away (Isa 11:13);
third, as to the preparation of their liberation, where it says, and the Lord shall lay waste (Isa 11:15).
Concerning the first, he does two things:
first, he promises their liberation;
second, he describes the manner of their liberation: and the Lord shall set up a sign (Isa 11:12).
Some explain this as concerning the liberation from captivity in Babylon, when the Lord took possession of them, snatching them out of slavery in Babylon; and it is called second in relation to the first liberation, by which he led them out of slavery in Egypt: for when Nabuchodonosor was ravaging them, different nations led them into captivity and slavery, and, many of them having been killed, those remaining were congregated by the command of king Cyrus, as we read in Ezra 1. But this is better explained as concerning the liberation accomplished by Christ: for thus it agrees with what precedes it.
377 . In that day , namely, when he shall stand as a sign of the peoples, the Lord shall set his hand the second time , through the apostles, for he himself preached the first time; the remnant , for a remnant shall be saved: in which is noted the holiness of the Jewish converts, and the multitude of the gentiles, about which, it says in Micah 7:1: I am become as one that gleans in autumn the grapes of the vintage . Phetros is a region which has its name from one of the sons of Abraham; Elam , a city of Persia; Emath , Antioch; Sennar , a place in Chaldea (Jer 30). Or, the second time , in the second coming, when the hearts of children will be turned to their fathers by the preaching of Elias (Mal 4:6). Blindness in part has happened in Israel (Rom 11:25).
378 . And he shall set up . Here he places the manner of liberation, as to the first explanation: a sign , that is, the edict of king Cyrus; the fugitives of Israel , literally, those who went to Ezechias in Jerusalem, and joined themselves to the two tribes, and were captured with them and liberated with them. Or the sign of the Cross, as to the second explanation; he shall assemble the fugitives : to you it behooved us first to speak the word of God: but because you reject it . . . behold we turn to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46). Or the sign of some miracle by which they will be converted to the preaching of Elias, below: behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and will set up my sign to the people (Isa 49:22); you shall proclaim (Ezek 34).
379 . And the envy of Ephraim shall be taken away . Here the condition of the liberated is shown,
and first, as to concord, in contrast to the hatred which had existed between Ephraim and Judah: and the envy of Ephraim shall be taken away , that is, their hatred; this was fulfilled in the return from captivity, according to the first explanation; or as to the unity of faith, according to the second; or it will be fulfilled in the future, as to the third explanation. Of this concord: the house of Judah shall go to the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land which I gave to your fathers (Jer 3:18).
380 . Second, as to power in the subjugation of enemies, either that which occurred literally in the time of the Maccabees, as to the first explanation; or through the preaching of the apostles, as to the second; or as to the prosperity which the Lord will also give them in the future. They shall fly , as if to say, they shall fall quickly, upon the shoulders of the Philistines , to scourge them, by the sea , because they are near the sea, and this as to the first and third explanation; together , with those already conquered, they shall spoil the children of the east , the Assyrians: this is not said to have happened in the time of the Maccabees; or they shall spoil by the sea , because the Philistines abounded in ships. Edom, and Moab , who at first were enemies, shall fulfill the precept of their hand , not expecting the other to act according to the command: in which is noted their great exaltation; and the children of Ammon : all these were great adversaries, below: behold these shall come from afar (Isa 49:12). Or, they shall fly , because of their desire to preach, by the sea , for the apostles reached many nations by ship through the sea. Or by the nations which he names he understands all nations, below: who are these, that fly as clouds? (Isa 60:8); the precept of their hand , for they taught by word and example.
381 . And the Lord shall lay waste . Here the preparation of their liberation is set out. And concerning this two things are set out:
first, the preparation,
second, the attainment of the benefit: and there shall be a highway (Isa 11:16).
And the preparation is promised according to the likeness of the twofold benefit which was shown to their fathers who came out of Egypt:
first, in the parting of the sea, which we read about in Exodus 14, and as to this, he says, the tongue of the sea ; and it is called the tongue of the sea because, as the Master says in the Histories, when the sons of Israel came out of Egypt, the sea was not parted from one shore, but like a tongue of land which surrounded a mountain. The tongue of the sea , that is, the middle of the sea, in the manner of Hebrew speech, which calls anything that is in the middle the tongue, because the tongue is in the middle of the mouth. This indeed never happened literally; but it signifies the removal of all impediments that detained them, as to the first explanation; or the tongue of the sea refers to Egypt, whose shore the sea licks. But as to the second explanation, the Lord shall lay waste the tongue of the sea of Egypt , that is, the tongue by which they praised idols.
382 . The second benefit was in the parting of the Jordan, which we read about in Joshua 4; and as to this, he says: he shall lift up his hand , that is, his power, over the river , as to the first explanation; and this is metaphorical speech, so that by the division of the sea and the river the removal of all impediments is understood; as to the second explanation, it literally signifies a river : the Nile, which was divided into seven streams by Alexander, who was the preparation for the Romans; and it was broadened so much that, with the water passing through streams and channels, it could be forded in shoes by the apostles, about whom Ephesians 6:15 says, your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace . Or by the river is signified the kingdom of Egypt, which was divided by the Romans into many senates. In the strength of his spirit , the army of Alexander, or of the Romans; or the spirit , that is, the wind, like what is said in Exodus 14:21: by a strong and burning wind blowing all the night .
383 . And there shall be a highway . Here the benefit is set out, and it is already evident from what has been said; as there was : renew your signs, and work new miracles. Glorify your hand, and your right arm. Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath (Sir 36:6–8).