Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Isaiah 3:3

Western Saints

Jerome

The leader is in charge of fifty. Συνεκδοχικῶς means 'comparatively-speaking' or 'in relation to the whole'. Just as centurions are called who are in charge of a hundred soldiers, and chiliarchs who are in charge of a thousand, whom we call tribunes because they preside over a tribe, so in the Israelite army there were quinquagenarii who were in charge of fifty soldiers. Hence we also call them decanos, who are in charge of ten men. …

Commentary on Isaiah ↗

Thomas Aquinas

101. Some princes are useful for the government of the people, or for dealing with doubtful affairs, and as to this he says, and the counsellor; or for constructing buildings: the architect, which comes from archos, which means "prince," and techne, which means "art," especially mechanical art. The architect is said to be the principal artist, who directs the other artists to introduce the form and prepare the matter, according to the consideration of the end, which he has knowledge of in use or reason. 102. …

Commentary on Isaiah ↗