Isaiah
Verse 1. Presence, as at Sinai. Exodus 19:16. Judges 5:4. Judas continues to pray. Calmet.—The faithful sigh for Christ’s coming. Bible.—All good people desired it most fervently. Worthington.
EXPLANATIONS
Isaiah 64
Historical chapter commentary
Isaiah
Verse 2. They. Septuagint “As wax melts before the fire, so also fire will burn the adversaries, and thy,” and so forth Bible.—Burn. Sparks of fire seem to proceed from it.
Isaiah
Verse 3. Bear. Exodus 20:18. Hebrew “expect.” Judas appeared victorious, when the nation was prostrate.
Isaiah
Verse 4. Thee. Never was deliverance more unexpected or miraculous. Saint Paul quotes this passage, to shew the wisdom manifested in the incarnation. 1 Corinthians 2:9. It is commonly applied to the glory of heaven.
Isaiah
Verse 5. Thee. The little band of Judas was sincerely attached to the Lord. 2 Maccabees 1:3.—Sinned. This excited thy anger. Yet thou wilt shew mercy. Sin is often put for punishment. Calmet.—Vau means also, “for, and, yet.” Prot. “for we have sinned.” But we follow Saint Jerome and the Vulg. Worthington.
Isaiah
Verse 6. Unclean: leper. Grot. Leviticus 13:45.—Justices. That is, the works by which we pretended to make ourselves just. This is spoken particularly of the sacrifices, sacraments, and ceremonies of the Jews, after the death of Christ, and the promulgation of the new law. Challoner.—The justice which is under the law is stated uncleanness, when compared with evangelical purity. Philippians 3:8.—“If any one after the gospel … would observe the ceremonies of the law, let him hear the people confessing that all that justice is compared to a most filthy rag.” Saint Jerome—The good works which are done by grace, and not by man alone, cannot be said to be of this description. They constitute the internal glory of man, and God will one day crown these his gifts. Of ourselves indeed we can do nothing, and the works of the Mosaic law will not avail, as Saint Paul inculcates; but those works, point out the saint, which are preformed by charity with faith in Christ. This justice is not imputed only, but real; and shews where true faith exists, according to Saint James. Thus the apostles explain each other. Bible.—Woman. Septuagint “of one sitting down;” like Rachel. Genesis 31:35. Sym. “lying-in.” Aq. “of proofs.” Grot. “like a plaster on a sore, which is thrown away.” Such were Alcimus, and so forth Calmet.—To practise ( Bible.) the Jewish rites would now be sinful. Menochius.
Isaiah
Verse 7. Of thee; to remove thy indignation, like Moses, Jeremias, (7:15.) and so forth See Ezekiel 13:5.
Isaiah
Verse 10. Desolate, under Antiochus Epiphanes. 1 Maccabees 1:31 and 4:38. Calmet.