Commentary on Jeremiah (In Jeremiam)

Here he descends specifically to certain false prophets: and first to a certain one who was foretelling to those left in Jerusalem; second to certain ones who were prophesying to the captives in Babylon, chapter 29: "and these are the words of the book which Jeremiah the prophet sent." Concerning the first, two things. First the false consolation of the false prophet is set forth; second the refutation of the falsehood through Jeremiah, at "and the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah." Concerning the first, two things. First is set forth the false consolation which the false prophet made by word; second that which he made by deed, at "and Hananiah the prophet took the chain from the neck of Jeremiah." Concerning the first, two things. First the false consolation is set forth; second Jeremiah's response, at "and Jeremiah said," etc. Concerning the first, two things. First he sets down the title of the false prophecy, in which is designated the time: "in the fourth year"; the prophet: "Hananiah the prophet," by repute; the place: "in the house of the Lord." Above, 23: "in my house I have found their evil, says the Lord." Second he sets down the false word of consolation: "thus says the Lord": and first he promises liberty: "I have broken, I have destroyed": on account of the certainty it is said in the past tense: the dominion, which indeed was to be broken, but not then. Isaiah 10: "the yoke shall rot away because of the oil." Second he foretells the nearness of the fulfillment: "yet two years of days," lest they be believed to be years of years, as that word of Ezekiel 4: "a day for a year, a day, I say, for a year I have given you." And first as to the bringing back of the vessels: "and I will cause to be brought back to this place all the vessels of the Lord," concerning whose capture, Lamentations 1: "the enemy has put out his hand upon all her desirable things," etc. Second as to the liberation of its princes, and of Jechoniah, against what was said above in the preceding chapter. Above, 22: "land, land, land, hear the word of the Lord."

Here is set down Jeremiah's response, and first he shows his own affection, wishing that what he himself was saying might be fulfilled: amen, that is, let it be so. Micah 2: would that I were not a man having the spirit, and were rather speaking a lie. Nor does it stand in the way that he knew the Lord willed the contrary, because this wish is to be understood under a condition, namely, if God should will it; and because in this he conforms his own will to the divine, in that he wills what God wills to be. Second, lest he seem to consent to falsehood, he sets forth a sign of truth: nevertheless, hear. And this sign is taken from Deut. 18: that which that prophet has foretold in the name of the Lord, and it has not come to pass, this the Lord has not spoken. But he himself seems to argue from the contrary sense, and it seems that it does not hold, because it is a destruction of the antecedent; and for this reason the contrary is held in Deut. 13: if there should arise in your midst a prophet, or one who says he has seen a dream, and he has foretold a sign and a portent, and what he has spoken has come to pass, and he has said to you: let us go and follow strange gods whom you do not know, and let us serve them — you shall not hear the words of that prophet, or of that dreamer, et cetera. And it must be said that the argument is effective for showing his falsity; and this he himself intends.

Here he confirms his prophecy by a deed: and concerning this there are three things. First, he sets down the likeness of the deed: he took and broke, as a sign of the breaking of the empire of Babylon. Second, he explains the likeness: and Hananiah said. This was to happen long afterward. Below, 30: I will break his yoke from your neck, and I will burst his bonds. Third, the humility of Jeremiah is pointed out, because he patiently and willingly endured it and went away. Psalm 37: I have become like a man who does not hear, and who has no rebukes in his mouth.

Here is set down the disproof of the falsehood. And first he excludes the false consolation, by the likeness of the deed: "thou hast broken" — thou, Hananiah; and "thou shalt make" — thou, Jeremiah — as a sign of the increasing of the punishment. Job 6: they who fear the frost, snow shall rush upon them. And the exposition of the likeness: "for thus saith the Lord"; as if he were to say: the yoke of servitude shall be harder than it was foreshown to be. Eccl. 28: the yoke of it is a yoke of iron, and the bond of it is a bond of bronze. Secondly is set down the threat against the prophesier himself: and first is set down the repression of the fault: "and Jeremiah said (...) he hath not sent thee." Isa. 24: we have made a lie our hope, and by a lie we are protected. Secondly is set down the threat of punishment: "therefore I will send thee away"; that is, I will take thee away by death. Psalm. 18: not so the wicked, not so; but as the dust which the wind driveth from the face of the earth. Thirdly is set down the fulfillment of the prophecy: "and he died in the seventh month": whence he survived no more than two months. 1 Thess. 5: when they shall say, peace and security; then sudden destruction shall come upon them, as pain upon her that is with child, and they shall not escape.