Commentary on Jeremiah (In Jeremiam)

Here is set down the final and decisive rejection of the prophet's prayer for the people: and first the rejection of the prayer is set down; second the obstinacy of the people is shown, which is the cause of this, chapter 17: "the sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with the point of a diamond." Concerning the first, two things. First he forbids the prophet to pray for the people; second he commands that he avoid their fellowship, as though excommunicating them, chapter 16: "And the word of the Lord came to me, saying." Concerning the first, two things. First is set down the rejection of the prophet's prayer, praying for the people; second, as though despairing of the people's salvation, he pours out a prayer for himself, there: "Woe is me, my mother." Concerning the first, two things. First the prayer is rejected; second the reason for the rejection is set down: "for who will have pity on you, Jerusalem?" Concerning the first, two things. First is set down the rejection of the prayer: "If Moses and Samuel should stand" — who were effective in praying, because they were solicitous for the people and interceded for enemies. Concerning Moses this is found Exod. 22; concerning Samuel, 1 Kings 12. Soul: affection; as if he were to say: it is not from a defect in the one praying that the prayer is not heard, but from a defect in the people for whom it is prayed. Ezekiel 14: "and if these three men should be in the midst of it, Noah, Daniel, and Job, they in their justice shall deliver their own souls." And further on (in the same place): "and if there be three men in the midst of it, they shall not deliver sons, nor daughters; but they alone shall be delivered." Second, the rejection of the nation for which he was praying, and first as to the term from which: "cast out" — show them to be cast out — "from the face," that they may not see me, and not be defended by my presence. Genesis 4: "behold, you cast me out this day from the face of the earth, and from your face I shall be hidden, etc." Second, as to the term to which, setting forth a fourfold danger: "and if they say to you, where shall we go forth? You shall say to them (...): he that is for death, to death, of the pestilence" — as if he were to say: different people shall be subject to these different punishments. Ezekiel 5: "a third part of you shall die by pestilence, and shall be consumed with famine in your midst; and a third part of you shall fall by the sword round about you; and a third part of you I will scatter into every wind, and I will draw out the sword after them." And he excludes the remedy of consolation, of burial, against the dead: "and I will visit four kinds" — the ones mentioned, namely death, the sword, famine, and captivity. "And I will add dogs besides." Above, 7: "the carcasses of this people shall be food for the birds of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and there shall be none to drive them away." And mercy as regards the captives: "and I will give them over to fervor," that is, to burning hatred, on account of Manasseh, who did many evil things, 4 Kings 21. Whence in the same book, 23: "nevertheless the Lord did not turn away from the wrath of his great fury, with which his fury was kindled against Judah, because of the provocations by which Manasseh had provoked him." Now the people is punished for the sins of the king, both because an evil man is permitted to reign on account of the sins of the people — Job 34: "who makes a hypocrite to reign because of the sins of the people" — and because the people follows the sins of the king — Ecclesiasticus 10: "as is the ruler of the city, such also are they that dwell in it." Proverbs 29: "a prince who gladly hears words of falsehood, has all his servants wicked."

Here the reason for the rejection is assigned: and first a question of wonder is posed; and first the mercy of a judge is excluded: who will have mercy? Second, the satisfaction of someone sympathizing: or who will be grieved? Third, the prayer of some mediator: or who will go to entreat? Because God has rejected you, and you are in so many sins. Hosea 1: call his name "Without mercy": for I will not add further to have mercy on the house of Israel; but with forgetfulness I will forget them. Second, he assigns the reason for the rejection: and first from ingratitude, positing the fault: you have forsaken. Isaiah 1: they have forsaken the Lord, they have blasphemed the Holy One of Israel, they have gone away backward. And the punishment: and I will stretch out my hand over you. Isaiah 9: in all these things his fury is not turned away; but his hand is still stretched out. Second, from obstinacy: and first because they are not bent by prayers, positing the fault, I have labored entreating; as if to say: so often have I asked that you might be converted; as if to say: I would have labored, if it had been possible. Isaiah 43: you have made me serve in your sins, you have given me toil in your iniquities. And the punishment: and I will scatter them with a winnowing fan — the army of the Chaldeans — like chaff from the threshing floor, in the gates of the land, that is, even to the ends of the earth: for a gate is the outermost part of a house, or of a city. Luke 3: whose winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will cleanse his threshing floor, and gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. Second, because they are not corrected by scourges: and first he posits their hardness, positing the scourges in general: I have killed and I have destroyed, by taking captive. Above, 2: in vain have I struck your sons; they have not received discipline. And in particular as to the women, who are more pitiable and tearful in the loss of their husbands: her widows are multiplied to me above the sand, hyperbolically: as if to say, innumerable. Isaiah 9: he will not have mercy on his orphans and widows. And in the loss of an only son: and I have brought a spoiler, the killer of the son, at noonday, in which is the power of enemies, who fight not by ambush but openly; suddenly, in which is the powerlessness to resist, because they did not take precaution. Isaiah 30: suddenly, while it is not hoped for, his destruction shall come, et cetera. And also as to the death of several sons at once, positing the death of offspring: she is weakened, bereaved of sons, who are the strength of the mother. 1 Kings 2: until the barren has borne many, and she who had many sons has been weakened. And the sorrow of the mother: her soul has failed, on account of the stupor of the mind. Her sun has set, of joy, on account of the grief of sorrow, which makes the heart dark; she is confounded, inwardly; she has blushed, outwardly, that in which she gloried failing. Amos 8: the sun shall set at midday, and I will make the earth grow dark in the day of light. Second, he threatens punishment also to the remnant, that is, to those left from the aforesaid scourges. Deuteronomy 28: the Lord will give you up falling before your enemies; you shall go out against them by one way, and he shall flee by seven, and you shall be scattered through all the kingdoms of the earth.

Here the prophet, as though despairing of the people, prays for himself. And first his complaint is set forth, setting out the discord of his adversaries: "woe is me"; that is, this threatens because of the fact that I was born. "Of strife" (Rixae), that is, one on account of whom there is strife, because I foretell vices and evils; "of discord," with some attacking me and others defending me. This too was fulfilled in Christ. Job 10: "Why didst thou bring me forth from the womb? Would that I had been consumed, that no eye might have seen me." He excludes the cause of discord which is most wont to arise from dealings: "I have not lent upon usury." "All curse [me]." Ps. 108: "They will curse, and thou wilt bless. Let them that rise up against me be confounded, but let thy servant rejoice."

Secondly the Lord's consolation is set forth: "saith the Lord." And first as to his own well-being, in the advancement of himself and of his own in good things: "if not the remnant" — that is, those who cling to you (for he did not have sons, as below in 16) — "for good" — they shall be. This is an aposiopesis; what is to be supplied is: "let it not be believed of me." And as to deliverance from evils: "if I have not met" — ready for help. 2 Cor. 1: "Blessed be God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who comforteth us in all our tribulation."

Secondly, as to the affliction of his adversaries, threatening an implacable enemy. And first he excludes the concord of enemies, because they wished to be in concord with the prophet: "Shall the people of the Jews" — who are "iron" on account of hardness, and "brass" on account of impatience — "be joined in league with iron from the north," that is, with the Chaldeans? As if he should say, no. Above, 6: "Brass and iron, they are all corrupted. The bellows hath failed in the fire, the lead is consumed." Or: you are iron, preaching hard things to them who are iron and brass; you cannot be joined with them. John 15: "Wonder not if the world hate you: know ye that it hated me before you."

Secondly he excludes confidence in confederation, both from gifts: "Thy riches and thy treasures I will give up to spoil, freely" — as if he should say, they will profit you nothing — "in all," that is, for all. Nahum 2: "Take ye the spoil of the silver, take the spoil of the gold: for there is no end of the riches of all the precious vessels." And also from entreaties: "and I will bring" — as if he should say: you will not be able to beg them, because they will not understand. Isa. 6: "He shall lift up a sign to the nations afar off, and shall hiss unto him from the ends of the earth." Thirdly he assigns the cause: "for a fire is kindled." Deut. 32: "A fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burn even to the lowest hell, and shall devour the earth with its increase, and shall burn the foundations of the mountains."

Here is set forth the prophet's petition: and first his own prayer is set forth; second, the Lord's response, there, "Therefore, thus says the Lord." Concerning the first, three things. First he sets forth the solace of divine consolation, putting forth the divine knowledge, "You know" — what I suffer, and what I have done. "Remember," through the effect of mercy. Lam. 3: Remember my poverty and my transgression, the wormwood and the gall. He asks for consolation, "and visit me," by consoling. Job 10: Your visitation has preserved my spirit. And he excludes delay: "do not, in power." Ecclus. 5: for the Most High is a patient repayer. Second, he alleges merit, putting forth the reproach which he patiently endured for God, setting down the injury inflicted upon him; "know" — show by the effect that you know — "for your sake," while, obedient to your commands, I was announcing harsh things to the people. Ps. 68: For I have borne reproach for your sake, confusion has covered my face. And the spiritual joy of one who suffers: "they were found," as though fulfilled in deed, "and I ate," delighted in them. Ps. 118: How sweet are your words to my palate! Above honey to my mouth. Setting down also the cause: "for your name has been invoked upon me," namely, in that I am called the prophet of the Lord. Above, 14: Your name has been invoked upon us. He also sets forth the fellowship which he prudently avoided, setting down his solitude: "I did not sit in the assembly of those who jest," much less of the wicked, lest I lay aside the gravity of my heart, and so that I might devote myself to your commands. Tob. 3: I have never mingled myself with those who jest, nor made myself a participant with those who walk in levity. Setting down his interior exaltation: "and I gloried because of your hand," the hand that corrects. 2 Cor. 12: I will gladly glory in my infirmities. Or, the hand that consoles with spiritual gifts. Setting down also the reason for his solitude: "I sat alone, because you have filled me with threatening," as if to say: I was so oppressed with bitterness that I had no leisure to jest. Lam. 3: He has filled me with bitterness. Third, he marvels at the sting of the inflicted pain, setting down the pain: "why has my pain become perpetual?" As if to say: how is it that, after so many prayers, after so many merits, the tribulation does not withdraw? Below, 30: Your fracture is incurable, your wound most grievous. According to the Jews, he speaks in the person of Jerusalem. And he adds a consolation: "it has become to me like the lie of unfaithful waters"; as if to say: in this, nevertheless, I shall be consoled, that such straits will soon pass away, like unfaithful waters that are gathered from the rains. Ps. 68: The waters have come in even unto my soul. Or he says this because of the deceit of his adversaries.

Here is set down the response of the Lord who hears him. And first he promises advancement among the blessed, as to rightness of life: "if you turn back" — others to me from sins — "I will turn you back" — from anguish — "you shall stand" — through rightness of life, or the eminence of contemplation. 3 Kings 17: the Lord lives, in whose sight I stand. James, last: he who causes a sinner to be turned back from the error of his way shall free his soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins. And as to the authority of preaching: "and if you separate the precious from the vile" — namely, distinguishing evil works from good — "my mouth," because I will speak through you. Matthew 10: for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in us. Secondly, as to liberation from evils: and first from the evils of guilt: "they themselves shall turn back to you"; as if he were to say: they will imitate you, and not you them. 1 Corinthians 4: I beg you, be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ. Secondly, from the evils of punishment: and first he promises strength: "and I will give you to this people as a strong wall of brass." Above, 1: I have made you a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass over all the land, to the kings of Judah, and its princes, and the priests, and the people of the land; and they shall fight against you, and shall not prevail: because I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you. Secondly he promises defense: "and they shall fight." Psalm 22: for if I shall walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, because you are with me. Thirdly he promises deliverance: "and I will deliver." Isaiah 43: fear not, because I have redeemed you, and have called you by your name. It should be noted, that the saints glory in the good of virtue. In the suffering of tribulations. Romans 5: and not only so, but we also glory in tribulations. In the company of neighbors. 2 Corinthians 7: great is my confidence in you, great is my glorying on your behalf. In purity of conscience. 2 Corinthians 1: this is our glory, the testimony of our conscience. Likewise the saints glory in God: in the divine love shown through the passion. Galatians, last: far be it from me to glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. In divine knowledge. Above, 9: in this let him glory who glories, to know and understand me. In divine imitation. Ecclesiasticus 23: it is a great glory to follow the Lord; for length of days shall be received from him.