Tree. All shall be peace and concord. (Haydock) --- They shall communicate to each other spiritual goods, abounding in the Church. (Menochius) CHAPTER III. Again. He had been with Jesus, chap. iii. (Calmet) A candlestick, &c. The temple of God that was then in building; and in a more sublime sense, the Church of Christ. (Challoner) --- Some, with the Jews, apply this to the synagogue: but most explain it of the Church, the lamp denoting Christ, and the seven lights all his pastors; the two olives, Enoch and Elias, Apocalypse xi. (Worthington) --- The angel explains the latter of Jesus and Zorobabel, ver. 14. The lights are the same with the angels, (ver. 10) and eyes, (chap. iii. 9.) subservient to these great men. Perhaps no candlestick of this description ever existed, though it alludes to that of Moses in some respects, Exodus xxxvii. (Calmet) --- Lamp. Hebrew gullah, (Haydock) a round vessel for oil. (Menochius) --- It was filled from the two olive-trees, and supplied the seven lights by tubes. (Haydock) Are? Thou art a prophet, and art thou ignorant? (Menochius) To Zorobabel. This vision was in favour of Zorobabel, to assure him of success in the building of the temple, which he had begun, signified by the candlestick; the lamp of which, without any other industry, was supplied with oil dropping from the two olive-trees, and distributed by the seven funnels or pipes, to maintain the seven lights. (Challoner) --- Zorobabel might thus be comforted with the assurance that God would protect his Church. (Worthington) --- Spirit, represented by the eyes. The Messias would receive the fulness of this spirit, Isaias xi. 2. (Calmet) Great mountain. So he calls the opposition made by the enemies of God's people; which, nevertheless, without any army or might on their side, was quashed by divine Providence. (Challoner) --- It may also mean Sion covered with ruins. --- Chief; either the first or the last stone. (Calmet) --- Equal grace. Shall add grace to grace, or beauty to beauty. (Challoner) --- He shall greatly adorn it. Hebrew, "when they shall lift it (the stone) up, they will exclaim: Let it be agreeable and loved." (Calmet) --- Protestants, "He shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shouting, crying: Grace, grace unto it." The people filled the air with their cries, when the temple was founded fourteen years before. (Haydock) --- This second attempt shall be more successful. The temple was finished in four years, 1 Esdras v. 16., and vi. 16. (Calmet) CHAPTER IV. Little days. That is, these small and feeble beginnings of the temple of God. (Challoner) --- Ye of little faith shall rejoice when you shall behold Zorobabel surmounting all difficulties. (Calmet) --- Plummet. Literally, "the stone of tin." He means the builder's plummet, which Zorobabel shall hold in his hand for the finishing the building. (Challoner) --- The Hebrew style all weights stones, Deuteronomy xxv. 13. (Calmet) --- Eyes. The providence of God, that oversees and orders all things; (Challoner) or the assistance of the seven chief angels, Tobias xii. 15., and Apocalypse i. 4. (Calmet) Branches: the divine and human nature in Christ. (Worthington) --- They are the same with the two trees, ver. 11. (Calmet) Two sons of oil. That is, the two anointed ones of the Lord; viz., Jesus, the high priest, and Zorobabel, the prince. (Challoner) --- The Hebrews have hot many adjectives. Thus they say, the son of perdition, for the lost son. Septuagint, "sons of fatness." Aquila and Theodotion, "of splendour;" two illustrious personages. (Haydock) --- One was head in religious, the other in civil matters. (Calmet) --- Both were appointed by God, and co-operated for the welfare of the people, as the church and state ought to act for the common good, and assist each other. (Haydock) --- Jesus and Zorobabel were to repair the damage done by the Chaldeans. They were assisted by the seven administering spirits, Hebrews i. 14. (Calmet) Eyes of the soul. (Menochius) --- Volume. That is, a parchment, according to the form of the ancient books, which, from begin rolled up, were called volumes. (Challoner) --- Such are still used in the synagogues. They were usually written only on one side. (Calmet) --- Septuagint have read e at the end of megilla, and render "a scythe," (Haydock) indicating chastisement. Aquila and Theodoret have Diphtherea, and Symmachus Kephalis. (St. Jerome) --- The latter denotes the roller (Haydock) to which the parchment was sewed. (Menochius) --- The former signifies a book written on vellum, particularly that in which the poets say Jupiter marks the sins and punishments of mankind. The prophet saw a volume of this nature. (Calmet) --- The sins of the people, and the punishment designed for them, were described. It appeared flying, to shew that the decree came from heaven. (St. Chrysostom; Il. xxvii. ad pop.) (Worthington) Cubits, alluding to Judea, which was twice as long as it was broad. (Menochius) --- Many explain this vision and that of the woman, (ver. 7) of the Jews, (Calmet) after St. Jerome. (Haydock) --- But is seems rather to denote the Chaldeans, whose sentence had been long pronounced, and who were punished by the Persians, and by the Greeks, as by two women. If we understand the Jews, their iniquity was chastised by the Assyrians and Chaldeans. (Calmet) In like. Protestants, "shall cut off as on that side standing to it." (Haydock) Thief. Nabuchodonosor is often so styled. (St. Jerome iv. 7.) This title comprises all the injuries done to man, as he that sweareth falsely refers to those where God's honour is concerned (Calmet) more immediately. (Haydock) Vessel. Hebrew epha. (Calmet) --- Eye. This is what they fix their eye upon, or this is a resemblance and figure of them, viz., of sinners. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "resemblance." (Haydock) --- This is their picture. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "wickedness;" aunom. (Haydock) --- U is often mistaken for i. (St. Jerome) Yet here the Septuagint seems equally intelligible, ver. 8. (Haydock) Talent, or weight, (Haydock) called a stone, ver. 8. --- Vessel, like the idol Canopus. He cast. Hebrew (Calmet) according to Theodotion, (St. Jerome) "She cast herself into the epha," &c. (Haydock) Women. They often represent nations; and here the Jews understand the Medes and Greeks, who punished the Chaldeans. St. Jerome rather thinks that the Assyrians and Chaldeans are meant, carrying away Israel and Juda. Yet the former supposition seems preferable, as the woman in the vessel signified the wickedness of Babylon. --- Kite. Moderns have, "stork:" the true sense is uncertain. (Calmet) --- The Jews became blind and hardened on account of their avarice and perjuries. (Worthington) the land of Sennaar, where Babel or Babylon was built; (Genesis ix.) where note that Babylon, in holy writ, is often taken for the city of the devil, (that is, for the whole congregation of the wicked) as Jerusalem is taken for the city and people of God. (Challoner) --- Antichrist will begin his reign at Babylon. (Worthington) --- Yet this is not clear. (Haydock) --- The Chaldeans are driven from the countries which they had seized, and confined to their own territory, by the Persians and Greeks; or, if we explain it of the Jews, many of them remained at Babylon, and did not return to defile their own country. Only those whose hearts were touched by God returned, 1 Esdras i. 5. (Calmet) --- Sennaar means "excussion." The Jews have been driven by the Chaldeans and Romans into all parts. (Menochius)