Thomas Aquinas Commentary Isaiah 35

The land that was desolate and impassable will be glad. In this section, the prophet describes the prosperity that will result for the Jews from the destruction of their enemies. This is divided into two parts:

• First, a consoling promise is presented.
• Second, a strengthening exhortation: strengthen the feeble hands (Isaiah 35:3).

Regarding the first part, he does three things.

First, he describes the cheerfulness of the people, comparing it to a flowering meadow. A meadow is said to “laugh” because it is beautiful when in bloom. Thus, he says, the land that was desolate—that is, the land of the Jews, previously laid waste by the Assyrians—will be joyful. Metonymically, this refers to the people themselves, who will be like the lily, which is the most beautiful and long-lasting flower: send forth flowers, as the lily . The lily also has beauty in its bud, so he says, it shall bud forth. This is like the proverb, the just shall spring up as a green leaf (Proverbs 11:28), for just as the bud comes from the flower, so outward cheerfulness comes from the joy of the heart.

Second, he promises the fertility of the land: the glory of Lebanon. This means that the fertility of various things, which is the glory of places like Lebanon, will be found in the promised land: his glory shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as that of Lebanon (Hosea 14:7).

Third, he emphasizes the nearness of both these events: they themselves shall see. This means it will not be postponed to the time of their children, as stated previously: his eyes shall see the king in his beauty (Isaiah 33:17).

Strengthen the feeble hands. Here a strengthening exhortation is presented, and regarding this, he does three things.

First, he presents the command to fulfill the office of exhortation: strengthen the hands, which are weak for working, and confirm the trembling knees, which are weak for support. As it says, lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees (Hebrews 12:12).

Second, the strengthening message itself is given: say to the fainthearted, which is like saying, fear not, little flock (Luke 12:32).

Third, the reason for this strengthening is given. First, it concerns the removal of evils. This includes liberation from their enemies: behold your God will bring the revenge of recompense, for he will revenge the blood of his servants (Deuteronomy 32:43). It also includes the healing of their weaknesses: then shall the eyes of the blind be opened.

These expressions are metaphorical if they refer to the time after the destruction of the Assyrians, in which case they are understood as spiritual ills, as mentioned before. Alternatively, they can be understood literally if they refer to the coming of Christ, as it says in Matthew 11:5: the blind see, the lame walk.

Second, regarding the gathering of good things, he mentions four points.

First, regarding the abundance of water: for waters are broken out... in the desert. Metaphorically, this refers to consolations. It could also mean that it will rain so much that there will be great fertility: he has turned a wilderness into pools of waters (Psalms 106:34 (107:35)).

Second, regarding the beauty of the fields: in the dens where dragons dwelt before. This means the land, which was formerly a desert where such animals lived, will be cultivated. It will have the greenness of the reed and the bulrush, which grow in green places: he sleeps under the shadow, in the covert of the reed (Job 40:16).

Third, regarding the restoration of the roads, he describes the holiness of the way: and a path... shall be there in the land of Judah. The unclean will not travel on it. This refers to the gentile, as before, or mystically, it concerns the Church militant or triumphant: there shall not enter into it any thing defiled (Revelation 21:27).

He also describes the straightness of the way: and this shall be to you a straight way, so that fools shall not err in it. This means that however simple people may be, they will not err, because of the great number of people traveling on it: I will bring them from the north country (Jeremiah 31:8). He also describes the security of the way: no lion shall be there, as stated previously: they shall not hurt, nor shall they kill in all my holy mountain (Isaiah 11:19). And he describes the frequent use of these ways: and the redeemed—those redeemed from the preceding dangers—will walk there: for behold your children come, whom you sent away scattered .

Fourth, he promises them joy of heart: everlasting joy, as stated before: he shall wipe away tears from every face (Isaiah 25:8). The condition of the joy of the saints in heaven is also shown. It is everlasting; it is full, for they shall obtain it; and it is pure, for sorrow and mourning shall flee away. As it is written, and God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of the saints: and neither mourning, nor crying, nor any sorrow shall be any more (Revelation 21:4).

The saints are compared to lilies for several reasons:

• Because of the height of its stem, which shows constancy in troubles: as the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters (Song of Solomon 2:2).
• Because of the sweetness of its scent, which shows a good reputation: send forth flowers, as the lily, and yield a smell, and bring forth leaves in grace .
• Because of the greenness of its vitality, which shows virtue of mind: as the lilies that are on the brink of the water .
• Because of its clustered growth, which shows the charity of the saints: your belly is like a heap of wheat, set about with lilies (Song of Solomon 7:2).

Christ clothes these lilies:

• With the gifts of the virtues: consider the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:28).
• He gathers them for their eternal reward: my beloved is gone down into his garden, to the bed of aromatic spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies (Song of Solomon 6:1).
• He rests in them, for He is pleased with them: I to my beloved, and my beloved to me, who feeds among the lilies (Song of Solomon 6:2).
• Therefore, He Himself is a lily: I am the flower of the field, and the lily of the valleys (Song of Solomon 2:1).