Victory And The Spirit

Et erit in die illa: quaeram conterere omnes gentes quae veniunt contra Jerusalem. Et effundam super domum David et super habitores Jerusalem spiritum gratiae et precum. LXX: Et erit in die illa: quaeram auferre omnes gentes quae veniunt contra Jerusalem, et effundam super domum David: et super habitores Jerusalem spiritum gratiae et misericordiae In die illo quando proteget Dominus habitatores Jerusalem, quaeret Dominus conterere omnes gentes, quae veniunt contra Jerusalem. Conteret autem non in perditionem, sed emendationem, ut adversum Jerusalem militare desistant, et esse incipiant de Jerusalem. Si enim de nihilo creavit omnia, non idcirco, fecit ut perderet quae creavit; sed ut illius misericordia quae creata sunt salvarentur. Unde et in Sapinetia, quae Salomonis inscribitur, si cui tamen placet librum recipere, scriptum reperimus: Creavit ut essent omnia, et salutares generationes mundi: et non erit eis venenum mortiferum. Sicut enim venit Dominus ut quaereret quod perierat, et salvavit humanum genus: sic et gentes in eo perdidit, quod gentes erant adversariae. Denique sequitur: Effundam super domum David et super habitatores Jerusalem spiritum gratiae et misericordiae. De hac gratia scribit et Paulus: Charitas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum, qui datus est nobis. Et in superadicto volumine continetur: Quae in coelo sunt, quis investigabit? nisi quod tu dedisti sapientiam, et Spiritum sanctum tuum misisti de excelsis: et sic correctae sunt semitae eorum qui versantur in terra: et quae tibi placent, eruditi sunt homines. Et in Isaia loquitur Deus: Dedi spiritum meum super te. Et rursum de eodem Scriptura commemorat: Dedi spiritum meum super eum. Verbum autem effusionis, sensum largitatis ostendit: sicut manifestum est in eo quod diximus: Charitas Dei diffusa est in cordibus vestris. Et in alio loco ex persona Dei: Effundam de spiritu meo super omnem carnem. Qui sit autem spiritus gratiae, idem Apostolus loquitur ad Hebraeos: Quanto magis putatis deteriora mereri supplicia eum qui Filium Dei conculcaverit, et sanguinem testamenti pollutum duxerit, in quo sanctificatus est, et spiritui gratiae contumeliam fecerit. Unde et Spiritus Sancti diversae gratiae esse dicuntur. Et salutatio Apostolis: Gratia vobis et pax multiplicetur: ut postquam nobis peccata donaverit, tunc pax per misericordiam consequatur. Hac Judaei ex parte jam facta, et plenius in consummatione mundi futura commemorant. Nos autem post adventum Christi quotidie impleri intelligimus et probamus. Sanctus Hieronymous, Commentariorum In Zachariam Prophetam, Liber II, Cap XII Source: Migne PL 25.1513b-1514b

'And it shall be on that day that I shall seek to crush all the peoples which come against Jerusalem. And I shall pour out on the house of David and on the dwellers in Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayers.' The Septuagint reads: ' And it shall be on that day, that I shall seek to bear away all the peoples who come against Jerusalem, and I shall pour out on the house of David and on the dwellers in Jerusalem a spirit of grace and mercy. 1 On that day when the Lord protects the dwellers in Jerusalem, the Lord shall seek to crush all the peoples, who come against Jerusalem. Yet He shall crush not to ruin but to improve, that they desist warring against Jerusalem, and these things shall begin from Jerusalem. If indeed He created all things from nothing, He did not do so that he might destroy that which He had created, but that by His mercy those things which have been created might by saved. Whence in the book of Wisdom, which Solomon wrote, if it pleases one to receive this work, we find it written: 'He created all things that they might be, and salutary are the creative forces of the world, and there is no poison of death in them.' 2 So indeed the Lord came that He might seek what would perish and He saved the human race. So in that way He destroys the Gentiles, the peoples who were hostile. And then it follows: 'And I shall pour out of the house of David and on the dwellers of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and mercy.' Concerning which grace Paul writes: 'The love of God is diffused in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which is given to us.' 3 And in the aforementioned work it is said: 'Who shall discover the things in the heavens unless you give wisdom, and the Holy Spirit you send from on high, and so correct their paths which wind about on the earth, and the things which please you are learned by men?' 4 And in Isaiah God says, 'I have bestowed my spirit upon you.' 5 And again in the same book it is written, 'I have bestowed my spirit upon him.' 6 The word poured out, proclaims the sense of bounty, as is manifest when it is said: 'The love of God is diffused in your hearts.' And in other place, in the person of God: 'I shall pour out my spirit on all flesh.' 7 He who is the spirit of grace, which the Apostle spoke of in Hebrews: 'How much worse the punishment do you think will be deserved by him who has spurned the Son of God, and profaned the blood of the covenant by which He was sanctified, and outraged the spirit of grace?' 8 Whence the graces of the Holy Spirit are said to be many. And the greeting of the Apostle is: 'Grace to you and peace multiplied,' 9 which after sin He gives to us, whence peace follows on mercy. Now here in part it is done for the Jews, and more fully until the end of the world shall it be recalled. For we indeed after the coming of Christ every day shall understand and approve it to be fulfilled. Saint Jerome, Commentary on The Prophet Zechariah, Book 2, Chap 12 1 Zech 12.9-10 2 Wisdom 1.14 3 Rom 5.5 4 Wis 9.16 5 Isaiah 42.1 6 Isaiah 42.1 7 Joel 2.29 8 Heb 10.29 9 1 Tim 1.1