Thomas Aquinas Commentary Isaiah 45

1. Thus says the Lord to my anointed. After strengthening them to firmly expect the divine promises, in this section, he begins to describe those promises for their consolation. This is divided into two parts:

1. He promises deliverance from evils.
2. He promises salvation that brings good things: thus says the Lord: keep judgment (Isaiah 56).

The first of these is divided in two:

1. He promises them the benefit of deliverance.
2. He excludes every obstacle to deliverance: thus says the Lord: what is this bill of the divorce (Isaiah 50).

The first of these is divided into three:

1. He foreshadows their liberator.
2. He foretells the destruction of those who capture and detain them: Bel (Isaiah 46).
3. He promises the liberation of the Jews: hear these things, O house of Jacob (Isaiah 48).

The first of these is divided in two:

1. He foretells the liberator.
2. He shows the resulting benefit: thus says the Lord the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 45:11).

The first of these is divided into three:

1. He foretells the power of the liberator.
2. He describes his birth: drop down dew, you heavens (Isaiah 45:8).
3. He refutes the opposition of unbelievers, where it says, woe to him that contradicts (Isaiah 45:9).

2. Regarding the first point, he does two things.

First, he presents the height of power to which the liberator was exalted, which counters three things that allow one to escape a king’s grasp.

• Due to their numbers. Regarding this, he says: my anointed, that is, my king—not because of his anointing, but because of his royal dignity, since their kings were anointed; whose right hand I have taken hold of, as the helper of his works, to subdue the various nations. The Lord shall cause your enemies (Deuteronomy 28:7).
• Due to their strength. Regarding this, he says: I will go before you, preparing the place for your victory by sending terror of you among your adversaries; the great ones, who are powerful above others, like the Babylonians; the gates of brass, the most powerful cities. He has broken gates of brass, and burst iron bars (Psalms 107:16).
• Due to their concealment. Regarding this, he says: and I will give you hidden treasures, belonging to the various kings whose cities he took. He discovers deep things out of darkness (Job 12:22).

3. Second, he presents the fruit of this benefit, first in Cyrus himself, and second, in others: that they may know who are from the rising of the sun (Isaiah 45:6).

Regarding the first part, he does two things.

1. He presents the fruit of power sought by God in Cyrus, namely, knowledge of Him: that you may know that I am the Lord. He calls those things that are not (Romans 4:17). He also presents the fruit of the liberation of His people: for the sake of my servant Jacob, meaning, that you should free him from captivity. Who knows whether you are not therefore come to the kingdom (Esther 4:14).
2. He shows that this benefit is partially thwarted by Cyrus himself: I have even called you by your name, foretelling your name. I have made you like other holy men in this, whose names were previously foretold by the Lord. You have not known me, to be the only true God, as you remain in idolatry. I girded you with strength. I called, and you refused (Proverbs 1:24).

4. That they may know. Here he shows the fruit in others.

First, he shows that in others God seeks the fruit of knowledge of Him: who are from the rising of the sun, that is, living throughout the entire world. This was fulfilled when, in his letters, Cyrus wrote the praise of God everywhere; or because everyone praised God together upon seeing the liberation of the Jews. And let them know that the Lord is your name: you alone are the most High over all the earth (Psalms 83:18).

Second, he presents the proof of his divinity, which can be known from the fact that he can afflict and deliver: I am the Lord, etc. I form the light, meaning the day or consolation; I create evil, meaning punishment. Is thereEst. Vg.: erit. DR: “shall there be.” evil in a city, which the Lord has not done? (Amos 3:6); the Lord made all things double, one against another .

5. Drop down dew. Here he describes the birth of Cyrus using the metaphor of the fruit of a tree, for whose generation the moisture of the earth and rain and dew from heaven are required. So in the birth of Cyrus, divine mercy, intending to free God’s people through him, coincides with lower nature, which is signified. Thus he does three things:

• He describes his springing up: drop down.
• He describes the fruit of his birth: and let justice spring up.
• He describes the first principle of his birth: I the Lord.

Let the clouds rain the just, can be taken as neuter ("that which is just") or masculine ("the just man").I.e., “the just” could refer to either that which is just or the just man. Alternatively, by heaven and the clouds are signified the prophets and the other just ones who, by foretelling him and begging God for him with tears, in a way, rained him down: he shall come down like rain (Psalms 72:6).

6. Woe to him that contradicts. Here he refutes the opposition of unbelievers.

First, he uses the metaphor of a craftsman who fashions clay. For just as clay does not contradict the one who fashions it, so the Jews ought not to contradict God by not believing that someone could arise who would conquer the Babylonians. The text mentions earthen pots or samia, which are earthen vessels, so-called because this art was invented in Samos. Your work is without hands, as if to say, “without the proper working of hands,” or as jugs have handles. This is similar to what is said elsewhere: as if the clay should think against the potter (Isaiah 29:16); shall the thing formed say to him that formed it: why have you made me thus? (Romans 9:20).

Second, he uses the metaphor of a father who begets: woe to him that says to his father. It is as if to say: I am a father begetting Cyrus and like a mother conceiving him in my intention, and therefore you ought not to contradict me in this, just as you ought not to contradict the mother who gave birth to you. This is similar to what is said later: Shall not I that make others to bring forth children, myself bring forth, says the Lord? Shall I, that give generation to others, be barren? (Isaiah 66:9).

Alternatively, he speaks against those diviners who foretold that many bad things would come from the birth of Cyrus, saying it would have been better if he had not been born; or against those of the Jews who were saying: why should we beget children to be born in captivity?

7. Thus says the Lord. Here he presents the benefit of the liberator, first, regarding the liberation of the Jews, and second, regarding the conversion of the Gentiles: for thus says the Lord (Isaiah 45:18).

Concerning the first point, he does three things.

First, he shows his authority to foretell future things: his, namely Cyrus’s, maker (plastes); concerning my children, the Jews, who are to be liberated, or whatever others I will to be born, and not the idols. This is similar to what is said before: Should not the people seek of their God? (Isaiah 8:19). But the Gloss reads this ironically.

8. Second, he foretells their liberation, showing the power of Him who promises it: I made the earth; all their, namely, the heavens’, host, I have commanded, fixing for each its office and nature, as stated before: who brings out their host by number (Isaiah 40:26). He also shows the direction of its execution: I have raised him, Cyrus, to a position of worthiness, using the past tense for the future, to carry out justice concerning the Chaldeans. In all your ways think on him, and he will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:6). And he promises the liberation: he, namely, Cyrus, shall build, by promising and paying the expenses for building. As it says later: you were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed, without money (Isaiah 52:3).

9. Third, where it says, thus says the Lord, he promises the exaltation of the liberated people in three ways.

First, regarding the allegiance of foreigners, he describes their adherence: the labor of Egypt, meaning their riches, and they themselves, as many had followed them. Ten men of all languages of the Gentiles shall take hold (Zechariah 8:23). Or he says this of those who adhered to Christ; their labor in idolatry will cease, their earthly business. He also describes the subjection of these adherents: they shall walk after you, subject to you, with hands bound with manacles, that is, chains for binding hands. This is as if to say: they will be so humiliated before you, like those who are bound in such a manner; or they will be bound with the chains of the precepts of Christ. As it says later: they shall come bowing down to you (Isaiah 60:14). He then presents the confession of truth: only in you, they will say. Hidden, not visible like our gods; the savior, not weak. He made darkness his covert (Psalms 18:11).

Second, he shows their exaltation through the shame of their enemies: they are all confounded. The nations shall see, and shall be confounded at all their strength (Micah 7:16).

Third, he shows their exaltation through the everlasting salvation of the Jews: Israel is saved for ever, unless he should sin; or this refers to the spiritual Israel. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in the midst of you, you shall fear evil no more (Zephaniah 3:15).

10. For thus says the Lord. Here he presents the other benefit regarding the conversion of the Gentiles. Concerning this, he does three things.

First, he introduces five reasons leading to conversion.

• The first is taken from the creation of things: God himself that formed the earth. Who made heaven and earth (Psalms 146:6).
• The second is from his love for humanity, for he gave them the earth as a dwelling place: he did not create it in vain. The heaven of heaven is the Lord’s: but the earth he has given to the children of men (Psalms 115:16).
• The third is from the manifestation of foretold truth: I have not spoken in secret. This is as if to say that the things natural reason prescribes are to be done, or it refers to the preaching of the Christian faith: I have spoken openly to the world (John 18:20).
• The fourth is from the benefit of his precepts: I have not said to the seed of Jacob: seek me in vain. In keeping them there is a great reward (Psalms 19:11).
• The fifth is from the equity of his precepts: I am the Lord that speak justice, as it says later: I, that speak justice (Isaiah 63:1).

11. Second, where it says, assemble yourselves, he commands the Jews to call the Gentiles, reminding them of their salvation: assemble yourselves, as though to hear my precept, you that are saved, liberated from captivity to the Gentiles. As it says later: I will send of them that shall be saved, to the Gentiles (Isaiah 66:19). He also presents the necessity of this calling, namely, the error of the Gentiles: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven work. You shall see in Babylon gods of gold, and of silver, and of stone, and of wood borne upon shoulders, causing fear to the Gentiles .

He commands the declaration of his praise: tell, in which he commands the office; consult together, on how you ought to convert others. Declare his glory among the Gentiles (Psalms 96:3). Who has declared, in which he teaches them the proof of his divinity for converting others, namely from his foreknowledge of future things. And he presents the reasoning and the conclusion, where it says, have not I, therefore, etc. He declares the things that are past, and the things that are to come .

12. Third, he invites the Gentiles to conversion.

First, the invitation is presented: be converted. Be convertedConvertimini. DR: “turn.” to me (Zechariah 1:3).

Second, he foretells their conversion, presenting the sign of adoration: I have sworn by myself, for I have nothing greater by which I might swear (Hebrews 6:13). It shall not return without effect, as it says later: so shall my word be, which shall go forth from my mouth: it shall not return to me void (Isaiah 55:11). Every knee shall be bowed to me by Christians, for this is the manner of adoring the Redeemer, according to John of Damascus.L. De fide orthodoxa 4.12 (PG 94, 1133). In the name of Jesus every knee should bow (Philippians 2:10). He also presents the sign of swearing: every tongue shall swear, for everyone swears by his god. All they shall be praised that swear by him (Psalms 63:11). He also presents the sign of true confession: therefore shall he say: in the Lord, that is, in the person of the Lord, are my, namely, God’s, justices and empire. To him be glory and empire (Revelation 1:6). Or, my, namely, the Church’s, justices, the figures of the law of the Jews.

Third, he foretells the confusion of the unbelievers: they shall come to him, as if to be judged, who will not come as believers on the day of judgment.

Fourth, he foretells the salvation of the believers: in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel, not only according to the flesh, but according to faith, be justified. Let them that rise up against me be confounded (Psalms 109:28).

13. Mystically, drop down dew (Isaiah 45:8) concerns the birth of Christ. Here, the author presents three things: the principle of the birth, the birth of the infant, and the fruit of the birth. The principle is threefold.

1. First, heaven dropping down dew is the effective principle, namely, the operation of the three persons, which is why the plural you heavens is used: the Father, in sending the Son (but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent his Son, Galatians 4:4); the Son, in taking on flesh (he humbled himself, Philippians 2:8); and the Holy Spirit, in bringing about his conception (that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 1:20).
2. The second principle is the clouds raining, which is the preparative principle. This refers to the office of the angel who announces the birth (the clouds spread their light, Job 37:11–12); the prophecy of the prophets (Luke 1:11, 26; dark waters in the clouds of the air, Psalms 18:11; which he had promised before, by his prophets, Romans 1:2); and the desire of the just (who makes the clouds your chariot, Psalms 104:3; presently the Lord, whom you seek, and the angel of the testament, whom you desire, shall come to his temple, Malachi 3:1).
3. The third principle is the earth budding forth, which is the receptive principle. This refers to the Blessed Virgin, of whom it is said in Psalm 85:12: our earth shall yield her fruit. Her affections are opened to find the privilege of grace: fear not, Mary (Luke 1:30); many daughters have gathered together riches: you have surpassed them all (Proverbs 31:29). Her intellect is opened to believe the word of the angel: blessed are you that have believed (Luke 1:45). Her womb is opened to conceive the Son of God: behold you shall conceive in your womb and shall bring forth a son (Luke 1:31).

14. But his birth is compared to the dew, the rain, and the bud, because Christ is the dew for refreshing (as stated before: as a cloud of dew in the day of harvest, Isaiah 18:4); the rain for making fertile (he shall come down like rain, Psalms 72:6; and later: as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, Isaiah 55:10); and the bud for bearing fruit (I will raise up to David a just branch, Jeremiah 23:5).

15. The fruit is justice, which is born with him in three ways:

• That which he fulfilled in his works: so it becomes us to fulfill all justice (Matthew 3:15).
• That which he taught in his words, as stated later: I, that speak justice (Isaiah 63:1).
• That which he gave as a gift: he is made unto us wisdom and justice (1 Corinthians 1:30).