Thomas Aquinas Commentary Isaiah 57

The just perishes. Here the prophet shows the difference between those who obey God’s counsels and those who do not, concerning deliverance from dangers.

First, he assigns the difference.

Second, he presents the confirmation of each part: but he that puts his trust in me (Isaiah 57:13).

Concerning the first part, he does two things:

1. He promises rest from dangers to the just.

2. He removes the hope of deliverance from the wicked: but draw near hither (Isaiah 57:3).

Concerning the first point, he does two things.

1. He describes the tribulation of the just, because they are killed without anyone taking notice: men of mercy are taken away from the present life, and they are taken captive from their land as if they were not just. This is from before the face of evil, that is, from the presence of the wicked: Why look you upon the scorners,Contemptores. Vg.: iniqua agentes. DR: “them that do unjust things.” and hold your peace when the wicked devours the man that is more just than himself? (Habakkuk 1:13). Or, from before the face of evil means so that they are not turned to evil: he was taken away, lest wickedness should alter his understanding .

2. He promises them rest: let peace come, let him rest in his bed, that is, he will be secure in his own home, or in the repose of his own heart: you shall know that your tabernacle is in peace (Job 5:24).

But draw near hither. Here he removes the hope of deliverance from the unjust.

First, he charges them with their sin.

Second, he removes their confidence in deliverance: I will declare your justice (Isaiah 57:12).

Concerning the first part, he does two things:

1. He charges them with the perversity of their sin.

2. He charges them with their obstinacy in sin: you have labored in the multitude of your ways (Isaiah 57:10).

Concerning the first of these, he does two things.

1. He accuses them of blasphemy, describing their custom of sin, in that they imitate their fathers in this: you sons of the sorceress, who practiced divination against my commandment; the seed of the adulterer, in that they abandoned me and clung to idols: judge your mother, judge her (Hosea 2:2). He also describes the type of sin: Upon whom have you jested? This is as if to say: at God, blaspheming Him, as in the verse: Whom have you reproached? (Isaiah 37:23).

Second, he accuses them of idolatry.

1. First, he describes the custom: are not you wicked children, as stated before: woe to the sinful nation, a wicked people, ungracious children (Isaiah 1:4).

2. Second, he describes the type of sin: who seek your comfort in idols.

He adds to the gravity of their sin of idolatry in three ways:

1. From the variety of places.

2. From the violation of the divine covenant: you have discovered yourself near me (Isaiah 57:8).

3. From their eagerness to sin: you have loved their bed (Isaiah 57:8).

Now, the variety of places in which they sacrificed is shown in three ways:

1. Regarding pleasant places.

2. Regarding lofty places: upon a high and lofty mountain (Isaiah 57:7).

3. Regarding familiar places: and behind the door (Isaiah 57:8).

Concerning the first, he does four things.

1. He describes the pleasantness of the places, either from the shade of trees, who seek your comfort in idols under every green tree (compare to Jeremiah 2:20: for on every high hill, and under every green tree you did prostitute yourself), or from the abundance of waters: sacrificing children in the torrents, that is, sacrificing your own children: you have taken your sons, and your daughters, whom you have borne to me: and have sacrificed the same to them to be devoured (Ezekiel 16:20); they shed innocent blood (Psalms 106:38).

2. He describes their love of sin: in the parts of the torrent is your portion, as if to say: you have considered this to be your lot. Let none of us go without his part in luxury: let us everywhere leave tokens of joy: for this is our portion, and this our lot .

3. He describes their offering of sacrifice: and you have poured out libations, referring to liquids, and you have offered sacrifice, referring to dry goods, as stated before: you shall be confoundedConfundimini. Vg.: confundentur. DR: “they shall be confounded.” for [your] idols (Isaiah 1:29).

4. He describes the just anger of God: Shall I not be angry at these things? Shall I not visit for these things, says the Lord? (Jeremiah 5:9).

Upon a high and lofty mountain. Here he describes the lofty places in which they sacrificed. He says, your bed, using the analogy of a prostitute who prostitutes herself to lovers: they made them statues (2 Kings 17:10) and committed fornication with them.

And behind the door. Here he describes familiar places, for they would place idols next to the entrance of their houses, so that they could better keep them in mind: he brought me in the vision of God into Jerusalem, near the inner gate, that looked toward the north, where was set the idol of jealousy to provoke to jealousy (Ezekiel 8:3).

For you have discovered yourself near me. Here he adds to the gravity of their sin from their violation of the divine covenant, by which they were joined to God like a bride. He says this using the analogy of an adulteress, who makes her bed larger to receive an adulterer alongside her husband, and makes an agreement to marry him after sending her husband away. This signifies that they worshipped idols in the temple: you were as an adulteress, that brings in strangers over her husband (Ezekiel 16:32).

You have loved their bed. Here he adds to the gravity of their sin from their eagerness to sin.

First, as to their inclination to sin: with open hand, that is, without any restraint: you had a harlot’s forehead, you would not blush (Jeremiah 3:3); you were not yet satisfied (Ezekiel 16:28).

Second, as to their eagerness to please, because they adorned themselves: and you have adorned yourself for the king with ointment, and have multiplied your perfumes, that is, using my incense for worshipping them: I have perfumed your bed with incense (Proverbs 7:17).

Third, as to their eagerness to invite: you have sent your messengers far off, for they brought in various idols even from distant lands, and thus you were debased even to hell, that is, to the depths of sin: she doted upon them (Ezekiel 23:16).

You have been wearied in the multitude of your ways. Here he shows their obstinacy in sin.

1. First, because they were not turned back by the toil of sin: you have been wearied in the multitude of your ways, that is, in the diverse worship of idols: we wearied ourselves in the way of iniquity and destruction .

2. Second, because they were not turned back by temporal prosperity: you have found life of your hand, that is, you had at hand what you needed to live, and therefore you have not asked me, but have been solicitous for your riches and afraid of your idols, having forgotten me: they spend their days in wealth, and in a moment they go down to hell (Job 21:13).

3. Third, because you were not turned back by God’s patience: nor thought on me in your heart; for I am silent, overlooking your sins, waiting for you, to show you mercy: you overlook the sins of men for the sake of repentance , as stated before: I have always held my peace, I have kept silence (Isaiah 42:14).

I will declare your justice, which you practice, or which you ought to receive. Your works—idols—and the works of those who trust in idols shall not profit them. Your companies, gathered from various nations: let them arise and help you, and protect you in your distress (Deuteronomy 32:38).

But he that puts his trust in me. Here he confirms the difference between the just and the unjust.

First, regarding the just.

Second, regarding the unjust: but the wicked are like the raging sea (Isaiah 57:20).

He confirms the deliverance of the good from dangers in three ways.

First, from divine gentleness, promising deliverance regarding the restoration of their homeland, the promised land: but the meek shall inherit the land (Psalms 37:11). And regarding the clearing of their path: and I will say, namely, to the princes of the Medes, make a way, freeing them; give free passage, giving them liberty to return to their land; turn out of the path, so that you will not hinder us; take away the stumbling blocks, so that others will not do so either . Who dwells in the high and holy place: but you dwell in the holy place, the praise of Israel (Psalms 22:3). And regarding divine love: and with a contrite and humble spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not despise (Psalms 51:17).

Second, he gives the reason, which is the purification from sin, by promising forgiveness: for I will not contend for ever (compare to Psalm 103:9: he will not always be angry: nor will he threaten for ever). He adds the reason, describing the justice fulfilled in punishment: for the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry, and I struck him: I hid my face, so that I would not give help, and he went away wandering, like a sheep without a shepherd: shall he reprove you for fear, and come with you into judgment, and not for your manifold wickedness and your infinite iniquities? (Job 22:4–5). And he promises mercy in saving them: I saw his ways, with eyes of mercy, and restored comforts to him, referring to the princes, and to them that mourn for him, referring to the people. Or to him refers to the Jews, or to the foreigners joined with them, or to the land and its inhabitants: who forgives all your iniquities: who heals all your diseases (Psalms 103:3).

Third, he confirms their deliverance by the predictions of the prophets: I created, as if restoring them from nothing, the fruit of the lips of the prophets who foretold these things. Peace to him that is far off, who are dispersed in captivity: and coming, he preached peace to them that were nigh: and to them that were afar off (Ephesians 2:17).Pacem his qui prope et his qui longe. Vg.: pacem vobis, qui longe fuistis, et pacem iis, qui prope. DR: “peace to you that were afar off: and peace to them that were nigh.”

But the wicked are like the raging sea. Here he confirms what he had said about the wicked through a certain analogy.

First, he presents the analogy itself: raging, that is, always churning, and its waves cast up dirt and mire to the shore, where they create mire and are trampled: he shall make the deep sea to boil like a pot (Job 41:22).

Then he draws a conclusion: There is no peace for the wicked, that is, for them to be saved, as stated before in Isaiah 48:22.

Regarding the words, the just perishes, and no man lays it to heart (Isaiah 57:1), note that in the passion of Christ, a person ought to take to heart:

1. Love, so as to love Him in return: put me as a seal upon your heart (Song of Solomon 8:6).

2. Bitterness, so as to sympathize with Him: remember my poverty, and transgression, the wormwood and the gall (Lamentations 3:19).

3. Fortitude, so as to suffer bravely: for think diligently upon him that endured for youVg. omits “for you.” such opposition from sinners against himself that you be not wearied, fainting in your minds (Hebrews 12:3).

4. Its benefit, so as to give thanks: I will go up into the palm tree, and will take hold of the fruit thereof (Song of Solomon 7:8).