Click *H for Haydock Commentary. *Footnote for footnote etc.
Click any word in Latin Greek or Hebrew to activate the parser. Then click on the display to expand the parser.
*H At this my heart trembleth, and is moved out of its place.
Ver. 1. This thunder, the effects of which are so terrible, that it is often styled the voice of God. C. Ps. xxviii. M. — The consideration of rewards (C. xxxvi. 33.) stimulates the good, while thunder strikes the heart with terror. W.
*H He beholdeth under all the heavens, and his light is upon the ends of the earth.
Ver. 3. Earth. Lightning appears from the east to the west. Mat. xxiv. 27.
*H After it a noise shall roar, he shall thunder with the voice of his majesty, and shall not be found out, when his voice shall be heard.
Ver. 4. After. Light travels faster than sound, (H.) though thunder and lightning are produced at the same instant. C. — Found out. Philosophers can only propose their conjectures on the cause of thunder. This sense is confirmed by the Greek, Chal. &c. Heb. may be, "he delays not;" C. — Prot. "he will not stay them;" (H.) rain commonly falling soon after thunder. As the latter is occasioned by the collision of clouds, when they come to a certain distance from the earth, the heat causes them to dissolve into showers, which augment at each crack. C. — Sept. "For he has done great things, which we have not understood." This is connected with C. xxxvi. 24. Then we read, (v. 7.) "that man may know his own weakness." All the intermediate verses have been supplied by Origen from Theodotion, or others. H.
*H He sealeth up the hand of all men, that every one may know his works.
Ver. 7. He sealed up, &c. When he sends those showers of his strength; that is, those storms of rain, he seals up; that is, he shuts up the hands of men from their usual work abroad, and confines them within doors, to consider his works; or to forecast their works; that is, what they themselves are to do. Ch. — We are all the servants of God. He marks us in the hand, as such. Isai. xliv. 5. Ezec. ix. 6. Apoc. xiii. 6. The Romans marked soldiers with a hot iron in the hands. Veget. i. 8. — The abettors of chiromancy have hence vainly pretended that they can discover each person's future in the lineaments of his hands. C.
*H Then the beast shall go into his covert, and shall abide in his den.
Ver. 8. Den. Foreseeing the tempest and retreating for shelter.
*H Out of the inner parts shall a tempest come, and cold out of the north.
Ver. 9. Parts. The south, (C. ix. 9.) whence storms commonly came in that country, (C.) from the sea or desert of Idumea. H. Ps. lxxvii. 26. Zac. ix. 14. Isai. xxi. 1. — North wind or pole. W. — Yet the south seems to be designated; (v. 17. and C. xxxviii. 32.) though cold comes from the north, in Idumea as well as here. C. — Mezarim, is rendered by Prot. "north." Marg. "scattering winds." Sept. ακρωτηριων, "summits" of mountains.
*H When God bloweth there cometh frost, and again the waters are poured out abundantly.
Ver. 10. Abundantly. He causes it to freeze or rain at pleasure. H. Ps. cxlvii. 17. M.
*H Corn desireth clouds, and the clouds spread their light:
Ver. 11. Corn requires rain. H. — Light. As they are transparent, they do not hinder the sun from appearing. Heb. "the brightness of the sky disperses the clouds, and the clouds shed their light" in the rainbow, (v. 15. Grot.) or lightning. Jun. C. M. — Prot. "Also by watering, he wearieth the thick cloud, he scattereth his bright cloud, (12) and it is turned round about by his counsels, that they may do whatsoever," &c. God prohibits or gives rain. H. — Nothing is left to chance. C. — He directeth the clouds as a master does his ship. W.
*H Whether in one tribe, or in his own land, or in what place soever of his mercy he shall command them to be found.
Ver. 13. Tribe. Heb. also, "for correction." H. Amos iv. 7. — Land of promise. Ps. lxvii. 10.
*H Dost thou know when God commanded the rains, to shew his light of his clouds?
Ver. 15. Light: the rain-bow, according to the best interpreters; or the lightning. C.
*H Knowest thou the great paths of the clouds, and the perfect knowledges?
Ver. 16. Paths. Heb. "the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of Him whose knowledge is perfect?" C. xxxvi. 4. Dost thou know what suspends the heavy clouds in the air? C.
*H Are not thy garments hot, when the south wind blows upon the earth?
Ver. 17. Are. Heb. "How thy," &c. It is also beyond thy comprehension, why thou shouldst be too hot when the south winds blows (H.) moderately, though tempests generally proceed from the same quarter, v. 9. If thou art in the dark respecting these things, which thou feelest, how canst thou pretend to fathom and condemn the counsels of God? C. — Job was far from doing either. His friends rather undertook to explain God's reasons for punishing thus his servants, which Job acknowledged was to him a mystery, (H.) till God had enlightened him. C. xxii. 3. Houbigant.
*H Thou perhaps hast made the heavens with him, which are most strong, as if they were of molten brass.
Ver. 18. Brass. Heb. "Hast thou with him stretched out (or beaten, as brass, tarkiang; which word Moses uses for the firmament) the heavens, which are as solid (Chal. and like) a molten looking-glass?" which was formerly made of metal. Ex. xxxviii. 8. The Hebrews looked upon the sky as a sheet of brass; and the poets speak of the brazen heaven. Pindar. Nem. vi. Iliad Α .
* Summa
*S Part 4, Ques 39, Article 5
[III, Q. 39, Art. 5]
Whether the Heavens Should Have Been Opened Unto Christ at His Baptism?
Objection 1: It would seem that the heavens should not have been opened unto Christ at His baptism. For the heavens should be opened unto one who needs to enter heaven, by reason of his being out of heaven. But Christ was always in heaven, according to John 3:13: "The Son of Man who is in heaven." Therefore it seems that the heavens should not have been opened unto Him.
Obj. 2: Further, the opening of the heavens is understood either in a corporal or in a spiritual sense. But it cannot be understood in a corporal sense: because the heavenly bodies are impassible and indissoluble, according to Job 37:18: "Thou perhaps hast made the heavens with Him, which are most strong, as if they were of molten brass." In like manner neither can it be understood in a spiritual sense, because the heavens were not previously closed to the eyes of the Son of God. Therefore it seems unbecoming to say that when Christ was baptized "the heavens were opened."
Obj. 3: Further, heaven was opened to the faithful through Christ's Passion, according to Heb. 10:19: "We have [Vulg.: 'Having'] a confidence in the entering into the holies by the blood of Christ." Wherefore not even those who were baptized with Christ's baptism, and died before His Passion, could enter heaven. Therefore the heavens should have been opened when Christ was suffering rather than when He was baptized.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Luke 3:21): "Jesus being baptized and praying, heaven was opened."
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 1; Q. 38, A. 1), Christ wished to be baptized in order to consecrate the baptism wherewith we were to be baptized. And therefore it behooved those things to be shown forth which belong to the efficacy of our baptism: concerning which efficacy three points are to be considered. First, the principal power from which it is derived; and this, indeed, is a heavenly power. For which reason, when Christ was baptized, heaven was opened, to show that in future the heavenly power would sanctify baptism.
Secondly, the faith of the Church and of the person baptized conduces to the efficacy of baptism: wherefore those who are baptized make a profession of faith, and baptism is called the "sacrament of faith." Now by faith we gaze on heavenly things, which surpass the senses and human reason. And in order to signify this, the heavens were opened when Christ was baptized.
Thirdly, because the entrance to the heavenly kingdom was opened to us by the baptism of Christ in a special manner, which entrance had been closed to the first man through sin. Hence, when Christ was baptized, the heavens were opened, to show that the way to heaven is open to the baptized.
Now after baptism man needs to pray continually, in order to enter heaven: for though sins are remitted through baptism, there still remain the fomes of sin assailing us from within, and the world and the devils assailing us from without. And therefore it is said pointedly (Luke 3:21) that "Jesus being baptized and praying, heaven was opened": because, to wit, the faithful after baptism stand in need of prayer. Or else, that we may be led to understand that the very fact that through baptism heaven is opened to believers is in virtue of the prayer of Christ. Hence it is said pointedly (Matt. 3:16) that "heaven was opened to Him"--that is, "to all for His sake." Thus, for example, the Emperor might say to one asking a favor for another: "Behold, I grant this favor, not to him, but to thee"--that is, "to him for thy sake," as Chrysostom says (Hom. iv in Matth. [*From the supposititious Opus Imperfectum]).
Reply Obj. 1: According to Chrysostom (Hom. iv in Matth.; from the supposititious Opus Imperfectum), as Christ was baptized for man's sake, though He needed no baptism for His own sake, so the heavens were opened unto Him as man, whereas in respect of His Divine Nature He was ever in heaven.
Reply Obj. 2: As Jerome says on Matt. 3:16, 17, the heavens were opened to Christ when He was baptized, not by an unfolding of the elements, but by a spiritual vision: thus does Ezechiel relate the opening of the heavens at the beginning of his book. And Chrysostom proves this (Hom. iv in Matth.; from the supposititious Opus Imperfectum) by saying that "if the creature"--namely, heaven--"had been sundered he would not have said, 'were opened to Him,' since what is opened in a corporeal sense is open to all." Hence it is said expressly (Mk. 1:10) that Jesus "forthwith coming up out of the water, saw the heavens opened"; as though the opening of the heavens were to be considered as seen by Christ. Some, indeed, refer this to the corporeal vision, and say that such a brilliant light shone round about Christ when He was baptized, that the heavens seemed to be opened. It can also be referred to the imaginary vision, in which manner Ezechiel saw the heavens opened: since such a vision was formed in Christ's imagination by the Divine power and by His rational will, so as to signify that the entrance to heaven is opened to men through baptism. Lastly, it can be referred to intellectual vision: forasmuch as Christ, when He had sanctified baptism, saw that heaven was opened to men: nevertheless He had seen before that this would be accomplished.
Reply Obj. 3: Christ's Passion is the common cause of the opening of heaven to men. But it behooves this cause to be applied to each one, in order that he enter heaven. And this is effected by baptism, according to Rom. 6:3: "All we who are baptized in Christ Jesus are baptized in His death." Wherefore mention is made of the opening of the heavens at His baptism rather than at His Passion.
Or, as Chrysostom says (Hom. iv in Matth.; from the supposititious Opus Imperfectum): "When Christ was baptized, the heavens were merely opened: but after He had vanquished the tyrant by the cross; since gates were no longer needed for a heaven which thenceforth would be never closed, the angels said, not 'open the gates,' but 'Take them away.'" Thus Chrysostom gives us to understand that the obstacles which had hitherto hindered the souls of the departed from entering into heaven were entirely removed by the Passion: but at Christ's baptism they were opened, as though the way had been shown by which men were to enter into heaven. _______________________
SIXTH
*H Shew us what we may say to him: or we are wrapped up in darkness.
Ver. 19. Darkness. Thou who art so learned, give us some information, what we may blame in the works of God. Cutting irony! C.
*H Who shall tell him the things I speak? even if a man shall speak, he shall be swallowed up.
Ver. 20. He shall be swallowed up. All that man can say, when he speaks of God, is so little and inconsiderable in comparison with the subject, that man is lost, and as it were swallowed up in so immense an ocean. Ch. — The man who should dare to mention what I could reprehend in God's works, would soon be overwhelmed with majesty. C. — Alphonsus IX. king of Leon, (A.D. 1252) surnamed "the wise and the astronomer," said "he could have given some good advice respecting the motions of the stars, if he had been consulted by God;" meaning to ridicule some vain systems of philosophers, then in vogue. Dict. 1774. H.
*H But now they see not the light: the air on a sudden shall be thickened into clouds, and the wind shall pass and drive them away.
Ver. 21. Light; being hindered by the clouds, and dazzled when they are removed. Yet we presume to judge of the secrets of Providence! C. — Away. As there is a constant vicissitude of these things, so there is of happiness and misery. M. — Sept. "For the light is not seen by all. It is refulgent in beauties, as that which comes thence upon the clouds." If, therefore, this light does not pervade all places, why should we wonder that all do not understand the ways of God? H.
*H Cold cometh out of the north, and to God praise with fear.
Ver. 22. Gold. Sept. "from the north, gold-coloured clouds. Above these, great is the praise and honour of the Almighty." H. — When the wind blows, the clouds are dispersed, and the sky appears serene. Each country has its peculiar advantages. In the north, Ophir, &c. may boast of gold: but what ought to be most conspicuous in the praises given to God, is an humble fear. Pindar begins his Olympic Odes somewhat in the same style. C. — "Water is excellent, and gold...But if, dear heart, thou wilt sing of games, regard no other star...as brighter than the sun...nor shall we celebrate any game more excellent than that of Olympia." H. — God disposes of all things as he pleases. He makes the golden day succeed a tempest. But it is our duty to praise him with awe, whatever he may ordain. This is the epilogue. Pineda. — Man must praise God with fear, as he cannot do it sufficiently. W.
*H We cannot find him worthily: he is great in strength, and in judgment, and in justice, and he is ineffable.
Ver. 23. Worthily. Heb. "the Almighty, we cannot find him out," (H.) or comprehend his nature or mysteries. C.
*H Therefore men shall fear him, and all that seem to themselves to be wise, shall not dare to behold him.
Ver. 24. Fear him, and receive with respect whatever he shall appoint. H. — And all. Heb. "he fears not any that are wise of heart." He knows that the most intelligent (C.) must confess their ignorance, when they attempt to examine his divine nature. Simonides being desired by Hiero to express his sentiments on this subject, always requested more time to consider of it. Quia, inquit, res videtur mihi tanto obscurior, quanto diutius eam considero. Cicero, Nat. i. 60. Selectæ e Prof. i. 3. — "With thee (says S. Aug. Conf. i. 6.) stand the causes of all instable things," &c. H. — Those who are really wise, will therefore adore God's judgments in silence, while the presumptuous will be forced to yield. This is the excellent conclusion of all that had been said. Pineda. — The sentence is beautiful, but ill-applied (H.) to Job. Philip. See Prov. iii. 7. H. — He convinced the other three with sound arguments, "and this last and most arrogant disputant with silence." W.