Prologue of St. Thomas

Habakkuk 2:2–3

Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables: that he who reads it may run through it. For as yet the vision is far off, but it shall appear at the end.

1. From these words, we can understand three things about the book of the prophet Isaiah, which we have at hand: the author, the manner, and the subject matter.

Regarding the first, three things are set out, namely: the author, the author’s minister, and the minister’s office or gift.

The author is shown in the authority of the speaker; hence it says, and the Lord answered me, and said, write the vision. For the author of Holy Scripture is the Holy Spirit, as it says below: now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit (Isa 48:16); for prophecy never came by the will of man, but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet 1:21); for it is the Spirit who speaks mysteries (1 Cor 14:2).

The minister is shown in the act of writing, for he says, write. The tongue of the prophet was an organ of the Holy Spirit, as is said in Psalm 44:2[45:1]: my tongue is the pen of a scribe who writes swiftly; and: what then is Apollo and what is Paul? The ministers of him whom you have believed (1 Cor 3:4).

The office of the minister is shown in the privilege of the vision, for it says, the vision, as it says in 1 Samuel 9:9: for he who is now called a prophet, in time past was called a seer; and in Numbers 12:6: if there be among you a prophet of the Lord, I will appear to him in a vision, or I will speak to him in a dream. Thus, therefore, the author is clear.

2. The manner is shown in what follows, and make it plain. For this prophet’s manner of writing is plain and open. Hence, as is said in the Prologue [of Jerome], he seems to be not prophesying about the future, but rather composing an account of past events.

In regard to the manner of writing, three things are set out: namely, the explanation of the vision, the reason for the explanation, and the benefit that follows.

The first is shown where it is said, make it plain. He makes plain what he has seen, or the vision, in three ways:

first, through the use of similitudes;

second, through the expression of thought;

third, through the beauty of his words.

And in these three ways this prophet surpasses the other prophets.

For he sets out beautiful and courtly similitudes, which indeed are necessary for us, because of the connaturality of sense to reason: for it is natural for our reason to receive from sensible objects; hence, it more clearly grasps things whose likenesses it sees by the senses. Hence Dionysius in his second Letter to Titus shows this, namely, that sensible figures are necessary in the Scriptures: all those who hear plain things, weave in themselves a certain figure, which conducts them to an understanding of theology, (Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, Letter 9.1 (PG 3, 1107B).) and: I have used similitudes by the hands of the prophets (Hos 12:10).

Isaiah also excels in the expression of thought, so that he seems to compose not a prophecy, but a Gospel, as is said in the Helmeted Prologue. (The “Prologus Galeatus”: St. Jerome’s Preface to Samuel and Kings. However, these words appear in Letter 53.8 (PL 22, 547; CSEL 45, 460); cf. also the Prologue to Isaiah, below.) Thus it is said to him below: lift up your voice, fear not. Say to the cities of Judah (Isa 40:9).

He also excels in beauty of words as a man of noble and urbane eloquence, as Jerome says in the Prologue; the tongue of the wise adorns knowledge (Prov 15:2).

3. After this the reason for this explanation is touched on, when it says, upon tables. For there are the tables of the law, there are tables of a stony heart, and there are tables of a soft and fleshly heart: you are our epistle . . . written not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of the heart (2 Cor 3:2–3).

The first tables of the law were written by the finger of God, as is said in Exodus 31:18, and therefore Scripture is profound and obscure and filled with many mysteries. Thus it was necessary for plain prophecy to be written upon these tables by the finger of man to explain them, as it says below: take a large book, and write in it with a man’s pen (Isa 8:1).

But it was necessary to write plainly on the second tables, the stony hearts, in order to confound them: well has Isaiah prophesied of you, saying: this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me (Matt 15:7–8).

But it was necessary to write on the third tables, the fleshly hearts, in order to instruct them: mark in the book of God distinctly and plainly to be understood, and it continues: and they understood when it was read (Neh 8:8).

4. The benefit of the explanation, however, is shown in that which follows: that he may run through it. For to run through is to come to the end quickly by running.

The end, however, is threefold: the end of the law, the end of the commandment, and the end of life.

The end of the law is Christ, unto justice for everyone who believes (Rom 10:4);

the end of the commandment is charity (1 Tim 1:5);

the end of life is death: he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved (Matt 24:13).

Therefore it says, that he who reads it may run through it, as if to say: that he who reads it without the impediment of doubt may run through, believing in Christ, and believing may love, and in love may persevere.

5. The subject matter is touched upon in what follows: for as yet the vision is far off; and the subject matter of this book is principally the appearance of the Son of God: hence in the Church it is read during the season of Advent. Now there are three appearances of the Son of God.

The first is that in which, made man, he appeared in the flesh: the goodness and humanity of God our Savior appeared (Titus 3:4).

The second is that in which he appeared by faith, believed by the world: the grace of God our Savior has appeared (Titus 2:11–12).

The third is that in which he will appear by sight in glorification: we know that when he shall appear we shall be like to him (1 John 3:2).

And these appearances are the subject matter of this book. Thus in the Prologue it is said that all his concern is for the coming of Christ and the calling of the gentiles.

6. But certainly the one who afterwards was thus seen was still far off in Isaiah’s own time.

Indeed he was far off because he was exalted in equality of majesty: every one beholds from afar: behold, God is great, exceeding our knowledge (Job 36:25–26).

He was also far off because he was hidden in the Father’s preordination: what is the dispensation of the mystery which has been hidden from eternity in God (Eph 3:9).

He was also far off because he was delayed in the expectation of the fathers: all these died according to faith, not having received the promises but beholding them from afar (Heb 11:13).

7. But certainly what was then far off has come near,

because what was exalted has been made the lowest. For the Word was made flesh (John 1:14).

What was hidden has been made public, because the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him (John 1:18).

What was delayed has begun even now to be possessed by the saints in glory: come, you blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matt 25:34).

8. Thus, therefore, he was able to say, the vision that is as yet far off shall appear at the end.

For the first appearance was at the end of the law, for when the fullness of the time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law (Gal 4:4).

The second appearance, however, was at the end of idolatry, as it says below: behold, the Lord will ascend upon a swift cloud, and will enter into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence (Isa 19:1).

The third will be at the end of all misery, for God shall wipe away [all tears] from the eyes of the saints, and there will no longer be mourning nor suffering, and neither shall there be any sorrow, for the former things have passed away (Rev 21:4). (Cf. Breviarum S.O.P., Responsory for the Common of Martyrs, “Absterget Deus.”)

And these are the last things about which it is said of Isaiah: with a great spirit he saw the last things, and comforted the mourners in Zion unto eternity, and he showed the future and hidden things before they came to pass (Sir 48:24–25).