_Midst. The obstinate Jews shall be destroyed. They became their own enemies. (Calmet) --- The Zealots committed the greatest excesses during the siege. (Josephus, Jewish Wars v. 1.) --- Tacitus also refers to these transactions, having written thirty volumes on the Cæsars, from Augustus to Domitian... [ Continue Reading ]
I will gather, &c. This seems to be a prophecy of what was done by Antiochus, (Challoner) or of the last siege, (Worthington) by the Romans. (St. Jerome; Theodoret; Eusebius, Dem. vi. 18.) (Calmet) --- Vespasian collected numerous forces. (Josephus, Jewish Wars iii. 1.) --- Titus had six legions and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall. Septuagint, "will stand in battle array among," &c. ( Greek: parataxetai en) though he will one day punish the victorious Romans. (Haydock) --- Now he fought with them as [the] Hebrew may signify. (Calmet) --- Various prodigies made this clear: (Josephus, Jewish Wars vii. 12, 16.) so that Ti... [ Continue Reading ]
_Olives. Here the tenth legion was stationed, (Josephus, Jewish Wars vi. 3.) on the spot where Christ had denounced this judgment, and ascended into heaven, Luke xix 41., and Acts i. 12. --- South. We cannot shew the literal accomplishment. If it regard the latter times, this must be hidden. But it... [ Continue Reading ]
Flee. Whle the siege was forming many escaped, according to Josephus. Hebrew, Septuagint, &c., "The vale of my mountain shall be filled up, for," &c. (Calmet) --- Yet Protestants agree with us. (Haydock) --- Those should be "my." (Ribera) (Menochius) --- The next. Protestants and Septuagint, "reach... [ Continue Reading ]
_No light; viz., in that dismal time of the persecution of Antiochus, when it was neither day nor night, (ver. 7.) because they neither had the comfortable light of the day, nor the repose of the night. (Challoner) --- Darkness denotes distress. The citizens shall be in despair, Matthew xxiv. 29., a... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the time of the evening there shall be light. An unexpected light shall arise by the means of the Machabees, when things shall seem to be at the worst. (Challoner) --- At one period of the last siege, it was dubious what would be the event, particularly (Calmet) when Titus was separated from alm... [ Continue Reading ]
_Living waters; viz., the gospel of Christ. (Challoner) --- Last: Mediterranean. (Haydock) --- The prophet now turns to the figurative Jerusalem. The earthly city was not well supplied with water. (Calmet) --- It was in the most dry and barren part of the country. (St. Jerome in Isaias xlix.) --- As... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER XIV. _ One Lord. The apostles justly gave this title to Christ, John xiii. 14. He is possessed of all power, Matthew xxviii. 18., and Philippians ii. 10. Pastors are all subject to him. (Calmet) --- The Pope styles himself, "servant of the servants of God," since St. Gregory's time. (Haydoc... [ Continue Reading ]
_Return. This in some measure was verified by means of the Machabees; but is rather to be taken in a spiritual sense, as relating to the propagation of the Church and kingdom of Christ, the true Jerusalem, which alone shall never fall under the anathema of destruction, or God's curse. (Challoner) --... [ Continue Reading ]
_Anathema. It shall not be sentenced to utter ruin. The Church may suffer losses, but cannot perish. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Consume. Such judgments as these have often fallen upon the persecutors of God's Church, as appears by many instances in history. (Challoner) --- This has partly been verified in persecuting emperors, (St. Jerome) and in others, and will befall the wicked when the day of judgment shall draw near. ... [ Continue Reading ]
_Them. The Church shall be alarmed at these wars, seeing enemies on all sides. But those days shall be shortened, Matthew xxiv. 21. --- Hand. Christians shall assist each other; or rather the nearest relations will persecute them, Matthew x. 21, 36. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Even Juda, &c. The carnal Jews, and other false brothers, shall join in persecuting the Church. (Challoner) --- The Jews shewed themselves the most virulent, 2 Corinthians xi. 24., and Acts viii., &c. They insisted on the death of St. Polycarp. --- Riches. Converts shewed their generosity so much,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall be like this destruction. That is, the beasts shall be destroyed as well as the men; the common soldiers as well as their leaders. (Challoner) --- History does not specify the death of cattle, (Calmet) though in plagues this would inevitably follow; and the pagans complained that they were be... [ Continue Reading ]
Left. That is, many of them that persecuted the Church shall be converted to its faith and communion, (Challoner) particularly after Constantine. (Calmet) --- Tabernacles. This feast was kept by the Jews, in memory of their sojourning forty years in the desert, in their way to the land of promise. A... [ Continue Reading ]
_There. Septuagint, "these shall also be added to them" who perish. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sin, or punishment. Formerly various nations were excluded from the religion or assemblies of Israel, Leviticus xxii. 25., and Deuteronomy xxiii. 1. Now all are invited and compelled to enter the Church, so that they can have no excuse, Luke xiv. 24. (Calmet) --- Those rejected by the Jews might st... [ Continue Reading ]
Bridle. The golden ornaments of the bridle, &c., shall be turned into offerings in the house of God. And there shall be an abundance of cauldrons and phials for the sacrifices of the temple; by which is meant, under a figure, the great resort there shall be to the temple, that is, to the Church of C... [ Continue Reading ]
_Merchant; or, as some render it, the Chanaanite shall be no more, &c., that is, the profane and unbelievers shall have no title to be in the house of the Lord; or, there shall be no occasion for buyers or sellers of oxen, or sheep, or doves, in the house of God, such as Jesus Christ cast out of the... [ Continue Reading ]