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9:24
Cornelius a Lapide
Namely, that Christ may be consecrated by the Holy Spirit to be a most holy Priest, King, Prophet, Teacher, Legislator, and Redeemer of the world. The Hebrews, as we shall presently observe, render the passage thus; and that the Sanctity of Sanctities, or the Sanctum Sanctorum, or the Sanctuary of Sanctuaries, be anointed, who is no other than the Messias who is the sanctified of the sons of David,’ says R. Barnahaman, (see Finns, Book v., Flagelli, chap, v.) And R. Moses Germdensis says, ' The Messiah is called the Sanctuary of Sanctuaries because in him, according to the humanity, were to reside all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God, and He himself was to be anointed above every creature with the oil of grace, and divine favor (beneplaciti) . Hence deservedly is he called in Hebrew Messias ; in Greek, Christus ; in Latin, Unctus.' So again the same writer, in Galatin, book iv., chap, xviii. Hence Aquila renders the passage thus : ' to anoint the Sanctified of Sanctifiers ;' the Syriac version, 'seventy weeks shall rest upon thy people to perfect the vision, and the prophets, and Christ, the Sanctum Sanctorum.' ^^"here the word Sanctum is not an adjective but a substantive, i. e., who is the Sanctum or the Sancta Sanctorum. Whence both Arabic versions render it thus : ' Christ, who is the Purity of Purities, or the Sanctity of Sanctities' " " Observe. The nature (ratio) of sanctity consists in the adequation and conformity of a man's will and works to that eternal law which is in the mind of God ; for he is holy, that is, just and perfect, who conforms his life to this law. Hence holiness is unblemished purity, says St. Dionysius, in chap, xii., on the Divine Name. It is likewise love and conjunction with God ; for the more a person recalls his mind from things earthly and impure, and lifts it up to God, the more holy is he. Now Christ, as God, is uncreated, immense, and essential sanctity itself: as man, he is most holy, not only by grace infused into his soul ; in which respect he far surpasses and transcends all angels and holy men ; but also by the grace of the hypostatical union, through which there dwells bodily in the humanity of Christ a foulness as well of divinity, as of holiness ; which is a wonderful and incomprehensible sanctification, as constituting the fountain of expiation and sanctification from God to the human race. ' Of his fullness have all we received/ and that which remains is sufficient for washing away the sins of a thousand worlds, and sanctifying an infinite number of souls. Hence from eternity were we predestinated in Christ, to he holy and without spot in the sight of God, Eph. i. The holiness of Christ therefore is the efficient, meritorious, archetypal, and final cause of all the holiness of men. For all our sanctity ought to be conformable to the sanctity of Christ as its exemplar, and to be directed to his glory as its end : so that in all who are redeemed and sanctified by him, he may be honored, praised, and glorified to eternity. Moreover, with this grace of union he was anointed, i. e., sanctified and consecrated at the incarnation ; and with the same was he anointed publicly, that is, declared and promulgated to the whole world, in his baptism. Hence we all owe to Christ the highest reverence, gratitude, love, obedience, imitation, and obsequiousness.'^
Nicholas of Lyra
" That is Christ, who in his humanity is anointed with the oil of grace above his fellows."
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