have been slain. A If you conduct the account to the martyrs, you will understand that they have ceased from the exit of this age, that is to say, they have been perfected.
V. 16. "The crown has fallen." The Jews indeed say this is because of the law; the Church, however, because of those who mock the mystery of the cross.
V. 17. "Therefore they have been darkened." For the desolation of the land provided darkness for us out of despondency, since wild beasts, which delight in solitude, abounded in it; but in respect to You, it is not a desert, Who are present everywhere and see all things.
"Foxes." Those powerful in craftiness, bitter followers of heresies. B
V. 19. "But You, O Lord, remain forever." That is, You will restore us to Yourself at some time, since You are eternal.
V. 20. "Why to victory?" Why are You silent, so that we are defeated?
"You will abandon." Producing abandonment.
"Convert us." Because we are cast away on account of the multitude of sins, the prophet asks for propitiation, through which conversion to the Lord eagerly takes place.
"And renew our days." Just as by Your foreknowledge You have ordained the salvation of man.
FRAGMENTS ON THE BOOK OF BARUCH
CHAPTER I
V. 1. "Son of Chelcias." He mentions the ancestors of Baruch, perhaps as worthy of honor. C
V. 2. "In time." He did not say "in the year," but "in time," as if to say, "during those times"; for the city was not captured in the fifth or ninth year of the reign of Zedekiah, but in the eleventh.
V. 3. "To the ears of Jechonias." Nabuchodonosor had previously led him away to Babylon. This same Jechonias was the son of Joachim, and he was also called Eliakim, being a man of two names.
"And in the ears of all the people." For that which is "those who had come together for the hearing."
V. 10. "And offer upon the altar." Even if the temple had been razed to the ground, nevertheless they sacrificed in that place; for it was not permitted to perform sacrifices D elsewhere than in Jerusalem.
V. 11. "And pray for the life of Nabuchodonosor." It was God who had commanded them to pray for the peace of the Babylonians, that they themselves might also live in quiet.
"That their days may be." That they might be long-lived, or, that they might lead their lives according to piety.
V. 14. "In the day of a feast." For they had certain established times for feast days.
V. 15. "And you shall say, 'To the Lord our God.'" According to that of
the righteous word, and God punished, and we are in shame today, being in captivity justly. A
V. 19. "And we wandered." We offered pretexts, inventing causes.
CAP. II
V. 11. "And You made for Yourself a name." By the miracles You have continually performed; for God does not cease from working wonders for the prophet and all the saints, but is always wondrous among them. Unless He shows signs, He is not wondered at.
V. 18. "But the soul." They who carry heavy burdens, being weak, stoop. The soul, therefore, he says, which is oppressed by iniquities and has a magnitude of sorrow, being stooped and weak, makes confession. "And the eyes that fail." Either in a sensory way on account of calamities, or even obscured by contemplation of the mind.
V. 24. "That the bones of our kings might be brought out." As a sign of the future judgment, their bones were subjected to many things after death.
CAP. III
V. 3. "For You sit forever." You, he says, are eternal and a ruler; but we are mortal and fleeting.
V. 4. "O Lord Almighty, hear now the prayer of the dead." Of the dead, he says, of those against whom sentence has been passed on account of sin. These words clearly demonstrate the immortality of the soul.
V. 5. "But remember." Use, he says, the accustomed power of miracles; and as You brought us out of Egypt, thus deliver [us] from Babylon. "For we are called Your people." C
V. 8. "Behold, we are today in our captivity." We have, he says, judged ourselves and blamed ourselves, because it has come upon us worthily on account of the works of our fathers.
V. 9. "Hear, Israel." From here Baruch begins to prophesy; for all the preceding words are of the captives who had sent the epistle from Babylon, uttered in the form of a confession.
V. 11. "You have grown old." The commandment of life is prudence. "You were reckoned." With those who lack the knowledge of God. With those who are still held by death. D
V. 12. "You have forsaken." Our Lord Jesus Christ. You, he says, were the author to yourself of these present evils. For since you ought to have followed as a guide the law which the fountain of wisdom has presented, you have followed vain thoughts.
V. 13. "In the way of God." The Lord says: "I am the way." He, therefore, who walks according to the imitation of Him walks in His way.
V. 14. "Learn where is prudence." Since you have become stuck to the letter, learn that prudence is in the Holy Spirit. "Where is strength." Now, therefore, since you did not first—
A seek, ask, and you shall know who is the bestower of these good things.
"Where is prudence?" That which is against sin.
"Where is long life?" For discerning the good from the bad.
"Where is light?" In the Lord, clearly. For he who believes in me, he says, shall never die forever. For the Lord says: "I am the light of the world," and the Apostle says: "He is our peace."
"Who has found its place?" Because the judgments of God are inscrutable, and his ways are past finding out.
"And who has entered into its treasuries?" Who has grasped the judgments of God?
"Where are the princes of the nations?" The wise men of this age, who have also enslaved men who live like beasts. B
"Who toy with the birds of the heaven?" Those who observe auguries. And because their wisdom is earthly, natural, and demonic.
"And the silver." For all their wisdom is in greed.
"That they fashion the silver." Those who acquire silver for themselves through various means.
"And there is no discovery of their works." Because they are participants in darkness.
"And others have arisen." Those to whom the law was entrusted, and they too did not keep it; these are the ones who have risen in place of the wise men who were in the idolatrous cult.
"Younger ones have seen the light." Those who are not dragged down by the works of the flesh have seen the light, that is, the knowledge of God.
"And they have dwelt upon the earth." In the teachings of the legislation.
"They did not know the way of knowledge." As the Lord says: "If you believed Moses, you would believe me."
"Nor did they understand." The multiform teaching. C
"Nor did they take hold of it." As the evangelist John says: "He came unto his own, and his own did not receive him." Understand: the sons of the legislators.
"They have been made far from their way." For those who pursued the law of righteousness did not arrive at the law.
"Nor was it heard." They were judged to be equal to these Gentiles who did not hear the law, they who followed only the letter of the law. For seeing, they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear.
"Neither the sons of Agar." The descendants of the Old Testament, D concerning whom the Apostle says in agreement:
A For not knowing the justice of God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted themselves to the justice of God.
"Negotiators of Meran." He calls them negotiators, as being unskilled in agriculture. For, having been appointed vinedressers, instead of grapes they harvested thorns. Meran and Theman are barbarian nations, to which those who are drawn along by the vanity of this life pay their trade, that is, toward beastly customs.
"And the mythologizers." Those who, instead of the commandment and the judgments of God, imagined ablutions of cups and pots. Moreover, rejecting judgment, and mercy, and faith, they tithed mint and rue.
"And the inquirers." Those who were indeed inquiring, but did not know how to conduct the inquiry prudently.
"But they have not known the way of wisdom." Understand, the Lord.
"Neither have they remembered her paths." The modes of doctrine.
V. 24. "O Israel, how great is the house of God." The Church, and the reasoning of the mystery. Because now we know in part, and the perfect knowledge is not yet. He calls piety a "place," and "broad" because of the increment which always happens for the better.
"The place of possession." Because it contains the mysteries of the heavenly King.
V. 26. "There were the giants." He speaks of the demons, who from the beginning were numbered together with the angels, but through their own thoughtlessness were cast down from the heavenly arches. They are called "renowned" because it had been foretold concerning them; and because of their stature, they are "great," as being haughty.
"Knowing war." For being unworthy of the peace of Christ, they exercised war, both the demons and the heretics.
V. 29. "Who hath ascended into heaven?" As it is written: Not that we loved God, but that he loved us; and having loved us, he bowed the heavens and descended.
V. 30. "Who hath passed over?" The Lord, who said: Be confident, I have overcome the world. For He alone passed over sin. But that phrase, "He found her," is as if to say: He showed us how to find her.
"And shall bring her." Because wisdom surpasses every price; but in a mystical sense, faith is the elect gold, by which we know the Son.
"There is none that knoweth her way." For if anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
"Her path." The doctrines, the prophecies.
V. 32. "But he that knoweth all things." For the Father alone knoweth the Son.
"He hath found her." He revealed Him also to us through the wise mystery of the incarnation.
"He that prepared." Literally, that through...
the Word made flesh all things were created. But regarding the spiritual meaning, "earth" is the knowledge of piety.
"He filled." The Lord called both the good and the wicked to the wedding feast; but by "beasts" He designates those who were previously compared to foolish animals.
"The stars." The apostles, to whom He said, "You are the light of the world."
"He called them." They rejoiced, shining forth in the gifts bestowed upon them.
"This is our God." Those who promptly obeyed the apostolic calling, and who desire to depart and be with Christ, preferring nothing to the keeping of His commandments. The One who for our sake became man, the Word who came from the Father, appeared on earth and lived among men. B
"And gave it." For all spiritual discipline that leads to heaven is perfected by Him.
"After this He appeared on earth." For indeed, one and the same mystery shone forth in order: legally, prophetically, evangelically.
CHAPTER IV
"This is the book." The manifold knowledge of the mystery through the Gospels, which will also endure for eternity.
"Walk." For He Himself calls, saying: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest."
"We are blessed." He urges those from Israel to snatch the grace, since it was also necessary that the word of God be announced to them first. The spiritual Israel says these things, to whom the Savior said: "But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear."
"Take courage, my people." O Israel, mentioned by me.
"You have been sold." For even if, because of sin, the devil held the record of debt against us, yet Christ redeemed us with His own blood.
"You have forgotten." Because, nourished by the divine Word as rational beings, we have fallen into irrationality.
"Hear, O you neighbors of Zion." He calls the neighbors to witness the mourning, making them more cautious by the example. The discourse seems addressed to the subject cities. C
"Let no one rejoice over me, a widow." She calls herself a widow as one orphaned of divine care, left solitary; that is, currently alone. Or if not this, [it is] because she alone possessed the holy temple. Or as one left alone by the Assyrians, without children. "For even if the Lord surely chastised me, yet He did not deliver me to death." But the Synagogue was strictly called a widow then, when, having acted insolently toward her bridegroom Christ, she was forsaken. D
V. 14. "Let the neighbors of Sion come." The vain opinions of the sojourn of this age. A
V. 15. "For He brought a nation upon them." God removed our iniquities from us, but we drew them unto ourselves, and through them we are punished; yet it is said that He himself brings them, because nothing happens without the permission of God.
"A perverse nation." First the Babylonian, and lastly the Roman. This can also be understood of those who teach false doctrine through sophistical deception.
V. 17. "But what can I do for you?" Since without the mercies of God it is impossible for a soul to be saved.
V. 18. "He will deliver you." He exhorts them to that instruction which is acquired through scourges.
V. 19. "For I have been left alone." In the absence of God. And if the saints say these things, they say them by claiming for themselves what belongs to sinners; or, if it is the Synagogue of the Jews, when it heard because of the injury offered to Christ: "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matt. XXIII, 38). But if it is the city, it is because of the desolation of its inhabitants.
V. 20. "I have put off the robe of peace." The splendor which it possessed while living in peace with God. B
"A sackcloth of my prayer." Mourning for your sins, and beseeching God.
V. 22. "And it came to me." He foresees the redemption that is to be through Christ the Savior, and predicts it.
V. 24. "Which shall come." For the redemption wrought through Christ rendered our race more glorious than it was when first created.
"And you shall see his destruction." Which was brought upon the devil through the precious cross.
"And upon their necks." For behold, He says: "I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy" (Luc. X, 19). C
V. 26. "My delicate ones." Those who were once created delicate and soft have walked in uneven and rough paths.
V. 30. "Be of good cheer, Jerusalem." God the Word, who became incarnate for us, who deigned to call the Church His own bride.
V. 31. "Wretched are they who harassed you." Demons, [and] heretics who at various times have persecuted the Church.
V. 32. "Wretched are the cities." The strongholds of evils, the machinations of the demons. D
V. 33. "Thus shall she be grieved." Idolatry and the Synagogue of the Jews.
V. 34. "And I will take away from her." From the Synagogue that persecuted the Church, and from the manifold incursion of evils.
V. 35. "For fire shall come." As if to say, until she has returned; therefore he also said, "for a long time."
[FRAGMENTA IN LIBRUM BARUCH]
«Circumspice.» Toward the Sun of justice, our Lord Jesus Christ. A
CAP. V.
V. 1. «Exue te, Jerusalem.» The old man with his desires. «Et indue te.» As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. V. 2. «Circumda.» These are the teachings of the Old and New Testament. Otherwise, the practical and the theoretical virtue. «Impone mitram.» The Cross of Christ, imprinted on the forehead of the believers. Or even the Lord Himself; for Christ is the head of the Church. V. 4. «Vocabitur enim nomen tuum.» The marks of the new Jerusalem. He added, "of justice." For because there is a peace of sinners, according to David, therefore the Savior also says, "My peace I give to you," so that the onslaught of the enemies can no longer tear apart the peace B which is from justice, nor overthrow the honor of piety. Otherwise: Because Christ is our peace, and He Himself is our justice and glory, and He Himself is the pattern and rule of our life to be lived piously, therefore we are also named after Him. V. 5. «Exsurge, Jerusalem, et sta in excelsi.» In a lofty mode of life, in the evangelical preaching. V. 6. «Exierunt enim.» To go on foot pertains to mourning, as David shows, fleeing from Absalom. Indeed, those who served demons and were led by their various desires C were performing deeds worthy of mourning. V. 6. «Sicut filios regni.» Borne up by holy angels, and conducted through faith in Christ into the kingdom of heaven. V. 7. «Constituit... humiliare omnem montem excelsum.» Every height exalting itself against the knowledge of God. «Et rupes perennes.» The demons, who wage war against us from the beginning of the age. «Et valles implere.» That those whom false Christs divided may come into union. Otherwise: that souls formerly hollow and earthly be filled with good works, the stumbling-blocks being removed.
FRAGMENTS ON THE LETTER OF JEREMIAH
D«Exemplum epistolæ.» Instructed by the Spirit, the prophet, knowing that they were to become captives, is commanded by God even before the captivity to write the letter, so that when they were already captives, they might have it as an aid, lest, being deceived, they should worship the idols of the Babylonians.