Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Read Chapter 9
Bede
AD 735
Isaiah said, “His government will be increased, and there will be no end to peace upon the throne of David and his kingdom, to confirm and strengthen it in right judgment and justice.”
He did not say “to acquire the glory of worldly riches” or “to have victory over many peoples and cities” or “to conquer the powerful,” but “to confirm it in right judgment and justice.”
For it is through this that the church is strengthened and the kingdom of Christ is extended both within each of the faithful and throughout the entire world. - "Exposition of the Gospel of Luke 1.1.33"
Solomon gave the name “parables” or “metaphors” to this book [Proverbs] because he wanted us to understand it profoundly, not just according to the literal sense. He prefigures the Lord in this respect, who would speak to the crowds through parables. For just as Solomon’s own name and peaceful reign foretold the enduring kingdom of Christ and of the church, concerning which it is written “his government will be increased, and there will be no end to peace upon the throne of David and his kingdom,” so also did his construction and dedication of the temple artfully refer to the building of holy church, which will be dedicated for all eternity at the resurrection. The testimony of the crowds of people who greeted Christ with palm branches and praises at his entry into Jerusalem also declares him to be the son of David and the spiritual king of Israel. - "Three Books on the Proverbs of Solomon 1.1"
In this verse, Solomon signifies the everlasting light by “length of days,” the survival of death by “years of life” and the state of happiness to be discovered by “growth in peace.” Isaiah refers to the same reality when he says, “His government will be increased, and there will be no end to peace.” For when the people of God are obedient to God’s law, both historically and at the present time, they are enabled to live for a long time in the repose of peace. - "Three Books on the Proverbs of Solomon 1.3"
What does the spiritual house or temple that King Solomon made for the Lord in Jerusalem signify? Solomon himself, whose name means “peaceful,” is a fitting symbol of the one about whom the prophet sang, “His government will be increased, and there will be no end to peace.” [This is] the same one concerning whom the apostle also wrote to the church of the Gentiles, “and he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”
That it took Solomon seven years to build the temple, which he completed and dedicated in the eighth year, was a sign that for seven years, or the entire span of the present age, the Lord would build the church as a heavenly dwelling for the gathered faithful. In the future life, however, when he appears in the glory of the resurrection, he will complete and perfect the church and raise it forevermore to the joy of life immortal in the vision of his beauty. Our resurrecti...
It is beyond doubt that Solomon, whose name means “peaceful,” both by his name itself as well as by the most peaceful kingdom he established, signifies the one about whom Isaiah said, “His government will be increased, and there will be no end to peace.” Hiram, on the other hand, whose name in Latin means “living gloriously,” expresses figuratively the glorious believers from the Gentiles, along with their life and faith. Indeed, no one denies that Hiram, inasmuch as he was a king who assisted Solomon with his royal power in building the house of the Lord, prefigures those lords of earthly realities who would be converted to the faith. By [their] noble assistance the church would be supported, increased and strengthened against schismatic heretics and pagans, even more often than by its principal decrees. Solomon, therefore, sought Hiram’s help in the work of the temple because the Lord, when he came in the flesh and made plans to build the church as his own beloved home, clearly chose...
This voice of repentance is that of the Jewish people and of all who found in Christ access to the salvation for which they were searching. I now know with certainty that you are the one concerning whom it was said “his government will be increased and there will be no end to peace” and that you govern the kingdom in which the pure of heart will see God with unceasing happiness. I beg you, therefore, to strengthen and increase the faith that you imparted to me through the bestowal of your sacraments and heavenly gifts. Thus, having received the pledge of the Spirit, may I remain confident that you will forevermore preserve from destruction the generation of works which were begotten by my heart after the washing of my body and that you will never remove my name from the heavenly home which you deigned to grant to my fathers who, through the law, faithfully and devoutly awaited your coming. - "Four Books on 1 Samuel 4.24"
All these things, as the apostle teaches, “were done as an example for us” and were written down for us, and so we must scrutinize them carefully for their spiritual meaning. King Solomon, whose name means “peaceful,” typologically designates our Redeemer himself, of whom Isaiah says, “His sovereignty will be increased, and there will be no end of peace.” The temple that he built is his catholic church, which he gathers into the one structure of his faith and charity from all the believers throughout the world, as it were from living stones. - "Homilies on the Gospels 2.24"
And, indeed, just as in his divinity the Mediator between God and human beings foresaw the mother of whom he willed to be born when he should so will, so also in his humanity he chose the time that he wished for his nativity. Moreover, he himself granted that that [time] should be such as he willed, namely, that in a calm among the storm of wars a singular tranquility of unusual peace should cover the whole world.
… He chose a time of utmost peace as the time when he would be born because this was the reason for his being born in the world, that he might lead the human race back to the gifts of heavenly peace.… Our Lord was born in a time of peace, so that even by the circumstance of the time he might teach that he was the very one of whom the prophecy sent before [him] spoke: “His sovereignty will be multiplied, and there will be no end of peace.” …
The very author of peace and the Maker of time sent before him a time of peace, and thus when he appeared in the flesh he opened an appro...
When Israel had been saved through the apostles, all the world flocked to the threshold of truth and of the peacemaker Solomon, of whom it was said, “His dominion will be increased and there will be no end of peace.” For he [Christ] is “the stone broken off from the mountain,” and in his earthly reign of faith, as he falls upon his enemy, he alone possesses a peaceful dominion throughout the earth. - "Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 3"
Surely the coming of God in the flesh could not remain hidden from humanity, since the prophet had openly said about him, as though to the whole human race: “behold your God,” and “this is your God,” and again “the mighty God, Father of the coming world, Prince of peace,” and “of his kingdom there will be no end.” Once God had come, however, did his coming remain hidden from those who openly confessed? Was Peter ignorant of the advent of God when he said, “You are Christ, the Son of the living God”? Did Martha not know the one in whom she believed or the meaning of what she was saying when she declared, “Lord, I believe that you are Christ, the Son of the living God who has come into the world”? Finally, was not everyone who asked him to heal diseases or to replace lost limbs or to raise the dead petitioning God’s omnipotence rather than humanity’s weakness? - "On the Incarnation of the Lord Against Nestorius 7.10"
Listen to how Isaiah predicted this long beforehand when he said, “and his name shall be called Messenger of Great Counsel, Wonderful Counselor, God the Strong, the Mighty One, the Prince of peace, Father of the world to come.”
No one could say this of a mere man, as is obvious even to those who are very eager to show how stubborn they can be. No man from the beginning of time has been called God the Mighty or Father of the world to come or the Prince of peace. For Isaiah said, “There is no end of his peace.” And what did happen makes it clear that this peace has spread over the whole earth and sea, over the world where people dwell and where no one lives, over mountains, woodlands and hills, starting from that day on which he was going to leave his disciples and said to them, “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.”
Why did Christ speak in this way? Because the peace which comes from a human being is easily destroyed and subject to many changes. But Christ’s ...
