The Broken Covenant 1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying:
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 According to the recorded coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, His sojourn came about bodily in a certain universal way, shining upon the whole world, when "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." For "there was the true Light which enlightens every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world knew Him not.
Jerome · AD 420 (Chapter 11, verse 1) The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying. It is not indeed stated in the title under which time, or under which king, and in which year of his, this prophecy was made: but we understand that either this is to be connected with the previous prophecy and time, or certainly after some interval of time the word of the Lord was made to the Prophet in…
2 Hear the words of this covenant, and speak them to the man of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 What then are we also to hear? "Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem." We are men of Judah because of Christ; for it is plain that our Lord "has arisen out of Judah," and if I establish, according to Scripture, that the name of Judah refers to Christ, then the men of Judah will not be the Jews who disbelieve in Chris…
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 2) Hear the words of this covenant (or testament), and speak to the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. However, it should be noted that the word Berith, in Aquila and Symmachus, is always translated as pact, while in the Septuagint and Theodotion it is translated as testament. Specifically, it now refers to Jerusalem and the men of the tribe of Judah.
3 And say to them: Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Cursed is the man who does not hear the words of this covenant,
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 "Hear," then, "the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Cursed is the man who will not hear the words of the covenant which I commanded your fathers." Who most of all hears "the words of the covenant which God commanded the fathers"?
4 which I commanded your fathers on the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying: Obey my voice and do them, according to all that I command you; and you will be a people to me, and I will be God to you —
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 "In the day," He says, "when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace." Us too God has led out "of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace," especially according to him who has understood what is written in the Revelation of John, that the place "where their Lord was crucified is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt." For if it "is called spiritually…
Jerome · AD 420 (Ver. 4.) Cursed is the man who does not listen to the words of this covenant that I commanded your fathers on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying: Listen to my voice, and do all that I command you, and you shall be my people, and I will be your Lord (or God).
5 in order to raise up the oath I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. And I answered and said: Amen, LORD.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 What then does God promise me? "You shall be to me a people, and I will be to you a God." He is not the God of all, but only of those to whom He grants Himself, just as He granted Himself to that patriarch to whom He said, "I am your God," and again to another, "I will be your God," and concerning others, "I will be their God." When, then, do we attain—I speak of each individua…
John Chrysostom · AD 407 This was the reason why He sent not Jeremiah only into Egypt, but also Ezekiel into Babylon, and they did not refuse to go. For when they found their Master love the people exceedingly, they continued themselves to do so likewise. Much as if a right-minded servant were to take compassion upon an intractable son when he saw his father grieving and lamenting about him.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 5.) In order to fulfill the oath that I swore to your fathers, I will give them a land flowing with milk and honey, just as it is on this day. The fathers seem to receive, as the sons receive; and the promise to Abraham is fulfilled in his descendants.
6 And the LORD said to me: Call all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: Hear the words of this covenant and do them.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 "And the Lord said to me: Read these words in the cities of Judah and outside Jerusalem." And to those outside we read the words of God, calling them to salvation. "Hear the words of this covenant and do them."
Jerome · AD 420 (Version 6.) And the Lord said to me, proclaim (or read) all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: Listen to the words of this covenant and do them. The most merciful God often predicts the future, so that the hard heart may be softened to believe.
7 For I earnestly testified to your fathers on the day I brought them up from the land of Egypt, and until this day, rising early and testifying, saying: Obey my voice.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verses 7, 8.) For I solemnly warned your fathers on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, warning them persistently, even to this day, saying, 'Obey my voice.' Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart.
8 But they did not hear and did not incline their ear, and they walked each in the stubbornness of his evil heart. So I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded to do and they did not do.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 When he was giving the law, he added this to the law, for he said, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the things written in the book of the law, to do them," and he also promises there and again here how he will deem worthy of all care those who keep the divine commandments.
9 And the LORD said to me: A conspiracy has been found among the man of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 "And they did not do them. And the Lord said to me: A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem." Are we going to repent over the sins spoken of concerning the men of Judah, knowing that we are men of Judah because of Christ who was prophesied and spoken of?
Jerome · AD 420 (Vers. 9, 10) And the Lord said to me: A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem have turned back to the iniquities of their former fathers, who refused to listen to my words. And so they went after foreign gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant, which I made with their fathers.
10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words; and they have gone after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant, which I cut with their fathers.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 "A conspiracy," then, "has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned back to the injustices of their fathers of former times." "They have turned back to the injustices"—of whom? He does not say simply "of the fathers." What is the addition?
11 Therefore thus says the LORD: See, I am bringing on them evil they will not be able to go out from; and they will cry out to me, and I will not hear them.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 Though God justly does not hear those who do not hear him, the demons will be unable to save the just in those who burn incense to them, whenever the time of troubles arrives. Thus, whenever God does not listen, it is dangerous to seek help from demons.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 11, 12.) Therefore, thus says the Lord: Behold, I am bringing upon them evil from which they cannot escape. They will cry out to me, but I will not listen to them. And the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer libations, but they will not save them in their time of distress.
12 And the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense — but they will not save them at all in the time of their evil.
13 For as the number of your cities are your gods, Judah; and as the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set altars to the Shame, altars to burn incense to Baal.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 13) For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah, and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars of confusion to burn incense to Baal.
14 And you — do not pray for this people, and do not lift up for them a ringing cry or a prayer, for I will not hear at the time they call to me for their evil.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "How then do they not obtain all things?" Because many are causes of their failing. For either they often ask things inexpedient.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 14.) So you, do not pray for this people, and do not take on praise and prayer for them: for I will not listen to their cry to me, in the time of their affliction. It is commanded to Jeremiah, not to intercede for them to the Lord, for their sentence is already accomplished: lest his prayer appear weak, and not be heard because of their own wickedness.
15 What is my beloved doing in my house, her working of the schemes, the many? And holy flesh passes from you. When your evil comes, then you exult.
Jerome · AD 420 (Vers. 15, 16.) What is it that my beloved has done many wicked deeds in my house? Will the holy flesh take away your malice, in which you have boasted? The Lord called your name a fruitful, beautiful, and pleasant olive tree, but when the great fire of his voice blazed in it, its branches were consumed.
16 A green olive tree, beautiful with shapely fruit, the LORD called your name. At the sound of a great roar he set fire to it, and its branches were broken.
Cyril of Alexandria · AD 444 It is probable, therefore, that Jesus compares the synagogue of the Jews with a fig tree, for the sacred Scripture also compares them with various plants: the vine, for instance, and the olive, and even a forest. … Jeremiah says, "The Lord called you a beautiful olive tree, well shaded in appearance. At its pruning time, a fire was kindled in it. Great tribulation came to it.
17 And the LORD of hosts, who planted you, has spoken evil against you, for the evil of the house of Israel and the house of Judah, which they did to themselves to provoke me, burning incense to Baal.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 17.) And the Lord of hosts, who planted you, spoke evil against you, for the evils of the house of Israel and the house of Judah, who have made themselves a provocation to me by pouring out offerings to the Baals. The Lord your God called you a fruitful and beautiful olive tree, and planted you.
A Plot against Jeremiah 18 And the LORD made it known to me, and I knew. Then you showed me their deeds.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 If there are oracles of God in the Law and the Prophets, in the Gospels and the Apostles, then whoever is being made a disciple by the oracles of God will need to inscribe God as his teacher; for "he who teaches man knowledge" is God, as it is also written in the Psalms.
Cyril of Jerusalem · AD 386 Listen to Jeremiah and be convinced: "I was as a meek lamb that is carried to be a victim. Did I not know it?" (Read it thus as a question, as I have put it. For he who said, "You know that after two days the Passover shall be here, and the Son of man will be delivered up to be crucified," did he not know?) "I was a meek lamb that is carried to be a victim.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 18) But you, Lord, have shown me and I have known: you have revealed to me their desires. This is the consensus of all the churches, that under the person of Jeremiah, these things may be understood to be said by Christ, that the Father has shown him how he ought to speak, and has revealed to him the intentions of the Jews.
19 And I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter, and I did not know that against me they had devised devices: Let us destroy the tree with its bread, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, and his name will be remembered no more.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 These are the prophet's words. Then let us see what the Savior says in the prophet: "I, like an innocent lamb led to be sacrificed, did not know.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 19) I, like a gentle lamb being led to the sacrifice, did not know that they were plotting against me. Let us cast wood into his bread, and let us wipe him from the land of the living, so that his name may be remembered no more.
Philoxenus of Mabbug · AD 523 And hearken unto the prophet who also proclaimed our Lord with his simple teaching, and who likened Him unto a lamb and a sheep, the most innocent of all animals: "Like a lamb was He led to the slaughter, and like a sheep before the shearer He was silent." The lion and the wolf and bear are crafty, together with the other wild beasts, because craftiness was mingled with their e…
20 But the LORD of hosts judges righteously, testing kidneys and heart. Let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have revealed my case.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 "Lord of the powers, who judge righteous things, who test the reins and hearts, may I see the vengeance from you upon them." Prophetically he prays these things, to see the vengeance from God upon them; for "Jerusalem is encircled by armies, and its desolation has drawn near," and it has been said to her, "Behold, your house is left to you." "May I see," then, "the vengeance fr…
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 There was a reason that God allowed the prophet to be tested by troubles. Since Jeremiah had often tried to offer intercession for the transgressors—in his desire to convince Jeremiah that God was not compassionate but the harsh treasury of goodness—he allowed the rebellion to occur.
Bede · AD 735 Hence they rightly believed and confessed that as God he knew all things and that as the Son of God He had come from God. It is a clear indication of divinity to know the secret things of another's thoughts, as Solomon affirmed when he said in supplication to God, "For you alone know the hearts of all the children of human beings." Hence, Jeremiah too said, "You, O Lord of Saba…
21 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your soul, saying: Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, and you will not die by our hand —
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 "Therefore thus says the Lord against the men of Anathoth who seek my life, who say: You shall not prophesy in the name of the Lord, and if you do, you shall die in our hands. Behold, I will visit upon them: their young men shall die by the sword, and their sons and their daughters shall perish by famine.
Ephrem the Syrian · AD 373 For Anathoth did not receive Jeremiah, or the Tishbites Elijah, or Abelmeholah Elisha, or Ramah Samuel, or the synagogue Moses, or Israel our Lord Jesus in Nazareth.
Jerome · AD 420 (v. 21 onward) Therefore, thus says the Lord to the men of Anathoth who seek your life and say: Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand. Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will visit them. The young men shall die by the sword; their sons and daughters shall die by famine, and there shall be no remnant of them.
22 therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: See, I am attending to them. The young men will die by the sword; their sons and their daughters will die by famine.
23 And there will be no remnant for them, for I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth, the year of their attending.