Baruch 3 Commentary

“Behold, we are yet this day in our captivity, where thou hast scattered us, for a reproach and a curse, and to be subject to payments, according to all the iniquities of our fathers, which departed from the Lord our God.”

Offence. Greek, “debt.” Parents might sell their children, Matthew xviii. 25. God threatens his rebellious people, that they shall be forced to borrow, Deuteronomy xxviii. 44. (Calmet)

“Hear, Israel, the commandments of life: give ear to understand wisdom.”

Hear. God replies. (Haydock) — The Church has long read this has holy scripture, on the eves of Easter and Pentecost. (Worthington) — This second part contains an instruction respecting true wisdom; which is to be found in God alone, (Calmet) and in the people to whom he is pleased to communicate it. (Haydock)

“That thou art counted with them that go down into the grave?”

Grown. Houbigant, “growing.” Five years had not elapsed: (Cappellus) yet they knew their captivity would be long. — Dead. Some might yield to idolatry, Daniel iii. 7, 12. (Haydock) — They were in a manner buried, (Psalm lxxxvii. 5.) and forced to dwell among people where they were exposed to many defilements, as if they had been near a dead body, Leviticus xi. 25.

“For if thou hadst walked in the way of God, thou shouldest have dwelled in peace for ever.”

Peace. There is none for the wicked; but only for the observers of the law. — For ever. Many read, “upon the land,” conformably to the Greek.

“Who hath found out her place? or who hath come into her treasures?”

Treasures? How few are truly wise and virtuous! The great men of the world have missed their aim. Israel has received the law. Yet where is the fruit of it? This is developed in the sequel.

“Where are the princes of the heathen become, and such as ruled the beasts upon the earth;”

Nations of Assyria? &c. They esteemed themselves as lords of nature, and delighted in hunting. The beasts and birds are subject to them, Genesis i. 26., Jeremias xxvii. 6., and Daniel ii. 38. (Calmet)

“For they that wrought in silver, and were so careful, and whose works are unsearchable,”

Unsearchable? Shall they not find the fruit of their works? (Worthington)

“Young men have seen light, and dwelt upon the earth: but the way of knowledge have they not known,”

Men; heirs of those conquerors, and equally in the dark. (Calmet)

“It hath not been heard of in Chanaan, neither hath it been seen in Theman.”

Theman, the capital city of Edom. (Challoner) — Eliphaz was king, Jeremias xlix. 7. — The Phœnicians, so famous for industry, had no idea of true wisdom, no more than the Ismaelites, &c. (Calmet)

“The Agarenes that seek wisdom upon earth, the merchants of Meran and of Theman, the authors of fables, and searchers out of understanding; none of these have known the way of wisdom, or remember her paths.”

Agar, the mother of the Ismaelites. (Challoner) — Merrha, probably in Arabia. — Fables. This may be a reproach, or a commendation. Those nations delighted in enigmatical and sententious discourses, 3 Kings x. 1. (Calmet) — Instructors of mankind deserve praise, not those who devise false gods for lucre. (St. Augustine, City of God vi. 5., &c.) (Worthington)

“O Israel, how great is the house of God! and how large is the place of his possession!”

Possession. All the world belongs to him: yet how few partake of his wisdom!

“There were the giants famous from the beginning, that were of so great stature, and so expert in war.”

Giants, before and after the deluge, Genesis vi. Noe[Noah] and Israel were preferred before them.

“Who hath gone up into heaven, and taken her, and brought her down from the clouds?”

Clouds? No human industry can procure this blessing. God alone is the dispenser of it, Deuteronomy xxx. 12. (Calmet) — His grace makes the discovery easy, Matthew xi. 30. (Worthington)

“But he that knoweth all things knoweth her, and hath found her out with his understanding: he that prepared the earth for evermore hath filled it with fourfooted beasts:”

Evermore. Literally, “in the eternal time,” or so long ago; (Haydock) designed to continue, while kingdoms shall change, Ecclesiastes i. 4.

“He that sendeth forth light, and it goeth, calleth it again, and it obeyeth him with fear.”

Trembling. The sun stops, goes back, or withdraws its light, at his command, Josue x. 12., and 4 Kings xx. 9., Matthew xxvii. 45., and Job xxxvi. 30.

“The stars shined in their watches, and rejoiced: when he calleth them, they say, Here we be; and so with cheerfulness they shewed light unto him that made them.”

Watches. They are like his soldiers, Judges v. 20., and Ecclesiasticus xliii. 12. (Calmet)

Earth, &c., by the mystery of the incarnation, by means of which the son of God came visibly amongst us, and conversed with men. The prophets often speak of things to come as if they were past, to express the certainty of the event of the things foretold. (Challoner) (Calmet) — Most of the Fathers prove Christ’s divinity from this text. (Worthington) See Tertullian, contra Prax. 6.; St. Cyprian, contra Jud. ii. 5.; Eusebius, Dem. vi. 19. — If we explain it of wisdom, it comes to the same purpose, as Christ is the wisdom of God, 1 Corinthians i. 30. Compare Proverbs viii. 30., Ecclesiasticus xxiv. 12., and Wisdom ix. 10., which no one ever suspected to be interpolated. (Calmet) (Preface)