Commentary on the prophet Haggai

“Interpretations on the Prophet Haggai” (2 chapters) was written by Bl. Jerome of Stridon in 393. He used a certain method when creating commentaries. First the translation is given from the Hebrew and from the LXX (except where the text is exactly the same), followed by an explanation of the literal meaning based on the Hebrew text, and a discussion of the differences between it and the Greek translation from Origen's Hexaplos. Blzh. Jerome gives a spiritual-typological interpretation in relation to Christ and the Church, based on the Septuagint. For example, he writes that the Church was created by Christ and founded by the apostles: “The Lord Savior sent the Apostles, saying: Going and teaching all nations (Matthew 28:19), and out of many who were called, the chosen few built the Church of the first [Christians].” The author does not make a significant distinction between bishops and presbyters: “And so that it does not seem that he says this by chance, in the epistle to Titus, [one can see] the same precaution is observed regarding those who have been ordained presbyters (by which, according to the Apostle, should be understood bishops).” For election to the priesthood, not only the support of the church people is necessary, but also the “determination of God”: “But often, by the determination of God and by the voice of the people, simple people are elected to the priesthood.” *The title of the work in Latin is Commentarius in Aggaeum prophetam. In the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia, son of Hystaspes, the seventieth year was completed from the destruction of the church, about which Jeremiah had prophesied (Jer. 25:12); The prophet Zechariah also serves as a witness, who, having prefaced his vision with a title [speaking] about the second year of the same king, the eleventh month of Sabat, the twenty-fourth day, added: Lord of armies, until you have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities with which you have been angry for the seventieth year (Zechariah 1:7,12). For his part, Ezra, having built only the altar and laid the foundations for the church, relates the prohibition of work to the written command of King Artaxerxes: Then the work on building the house of God was interrupted and stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians (1 Ezra 4:24). And immediately then he adds: And then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Addo prophesied, prophesying in the name of the Lord of Israel to the Jews who were in Judea and Jerusalem. Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Joshua the son of Jozedek arose and began to build the church of God in Jerusalem, and with them the prophets of God who supported them (1 Ezra 5:1,2). At this time, the seventh king after Romulus reigned among the Romans for the twenty-seventh year, Tarquinius the Proud, who eight years later was expelled from Rome by Brutus; and then for four hundred and sixty-four years until the time of Julius Caesar, the republic was governed by consuls. Paul and Eustochius! We said this so that you would know from the very introduction when Haggai the prophet prophesied. By the way, we should pay attention to the fact that, according to the literal meaning, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were men of such a great spirit that, contrary to the decree of King Artaxerxes, in spite of the Samaritans and the surrounding tribes who prevented the construction, they ordered the construction of the church; and Zerubbabel and Joshua the son of Jozedek, and the people who were with them, had no less faith, so that they preferred to obey the commandments of the prophets rather than the prohibition of the royal power.