He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 6. Heart, and so forth By bringing over the Jews to the faith of Christ, he shall reconcile them to their fathers, that is the patriarchs and prophets, whose hearts for many ages have been turned away from them, because of their refusing to believe in Christ. Calmet.—The antipathy of Jews and Gentiles shall cease. Both shall enter the Church of Christ. Isaiah 11:13. The Baptist strove to ameliorate the manners of the people, and to bring all to Christ, who reconciles all seeming contradictions in the Scriptures. He came to put an end to all dissensions. Calmet.—Yet the wicked will still have war. Matthew 10:35. Bible.—Christ will convert those Jews at last, (Romans 11:26. Calmet.) who have not yet opened their eyes. Their fathers, the apostles and first converts, have long ago shewn them the example. Bible.—Anathema. In the Hebrew, cherem, that is, utter destruction. Challoner.—Septuagint “entirely,” ( Calmet.) or “suddenly;” αρδην. Saint Jerome Deuteronomy 7:26.—This passage intimates that the ruin of Jerusalem is threatened. If people should be converted, would that stop the general conflagration? Calmet.—Some of our crafty adversaries have inferred from the above explanation of anathema, that the Church means heretics to be destroyed: but her kingdom is not of this world: she speaks only of the soul, and exercises a spiritual power. Bible.
1 MACHABEES
THE FIRST BOOK OF MACHABEES