Глава 31

Having again mixed the sad with the joyful, the Prophet reveals the reason for this. Jer.31:2. This is what the Lord said: I found warmth in the desert with those who were bent by the sword. who walked in the sayings of Israel. Instead of the word: “warmth” in Syriac and Hebrew it is read: generosity. The meaning of the Hellenic word has some affinity with this; for he who has a very warm heart softens to the point of mercy. The Prophet calls Babylon a “desert,” and makes it known that the Lord had mercy on those who enslaved there. According to the Syriac translation, the following is also true. Jer.31:3. I have loved you with eternal love: for this reason I have drawn you into generosity. It was not your character, says God, that became the cause of your salvation, but My mercy. He predicts that they will again rejoice with tympanums and other instruments, take care of gardening, and celebrate divine holidays. It also predicts the joining of the knees. Jer.31:6. For this is the day of the call of those who answer in the mountains of Ephraim: Arise, and let us ascend “to Zion to the Lord our God.” Those same ones who previously served the young women will be justified in their previous sins, will flow to Zion, and worship the God of all. They are commanded to sing songs to God with joy and to magnify themselves over neighboring nations; for this is what the words mean: Shout to the “chief of tongues,” and through this proclaim God’s help. God will also tell you about the time of return. For he says: Jer.31:8. I will gather them from the ends of the earth on a holiday chamfer. The word: facek is translated into the Hellenic language by the word: Easter. And signifying the multitude of those gathered, the Prophet says: among them is the lame and the blind, pregnant and giving birth, with one accord is the great church 16; because in crowded cities you can find all these things. God reminds us of the crying during the captivity, and predicts the joy of the return of consolation during the journey. For he says: Jer.31:9. I will lead you with consolation, leading through the streams of water along the right path, and they will not go astray along it. And showing the reason for this concern for them, he added: “For Az was the Father of Israel, and Ephraim was Mi’s firstborn. “Ephraim” does not call the son of Joseph, but the ten tribes; among them the firstborn was Reuben, and the second was Simeon; The ten tribes were called Ephraim, because the royal capital was built in Ephraim's lot. Just as now we are all called Romans from the main city of the Romans, so then the ten tribes received the name from Ephraim. God commands that this should be proclaimed to the pagan nations, and that the return of the people of God should be announced to everyone. But the proclamation was not verbal, although everyone heard it, because deeds cried out louder than words. God also promises the fertility of the earth, the fertility of livestock, and spiritual joy. And this: (Jer.31:14). “I will give drink to the souls of the priests of the sons of Levi” means: I will fill them with all good things. This is clear from the following words: “And my people will be satisfied with my blessings,” says the Lord. (Jer.31:15). “This is the Lord’s speech: a voice was heard in Rama, quickly crying and sobbing and crying: Rachel wept for her children, and did not want to be comforted for her children, as if they were not.” The city of Rama was in the tribe of Benjamin, and Rachel’s tomb “was in the hippodrome of Khafrath, before she came to Ephrath” (Gen. 48:7). This prophecy came to fulfillment under Herod the first; for he beat the infants, hoping to put to death with them the born Savior. The Prophet gave this place among the vow of the bestowal of blessings, teaching here that the true good and the main thing of our salvation is the birth in the flesh of our Lord and Savior, because of which infants also suffered this unrighteous beating. (Jer.31:16). This is what the Lord says: “Let your voice rest from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is reward for your deeds,” says the Lord, “and their sons will return to their mountains.” And explaining for what deeds he promises “bribes,” he points him to repentance in Babylon. Jer.31:18. Hearing and hearing Ephraim weeping. He opens it, and what words Ephraim spoke: You, Lord, punished me, and you were not punished: like a calf, you did not learn.” The Prophet also said above: “You beat them, and without being hurt, you crushed them, and did not want to accept punishment” (Jer. 5:3). And the Prophet Hosea says: “Ephraim is a learned youth, who loves debate” (Hos. 10:11), that is, he will contradict and not accept the yoke of the law; and one more thing: Ephraim became like a youth “with a goad” (Hosea 4:16). The prophet also adds what Ephraim said when he implored the Lord. “Convert me, and I will be converted, for You are the Lord my God.” If You do not please, I will not get rid of slavery. Jer.31:19. After my captivity, repent, and after my understanding, I struck the thighs, “and they groaned in the day of shame.” After experiencing disasters, he came to the consciousness of sin. Blessed David also says this: “Before we even humble ourselves, we have sinned; For this reason I have kept Your word” (Ps. 119:67); and again: “It is good for me, for you have humbled me”; “For I may learn by Thy justification” (Jer. 31:21). And beating one’s thighs is typical of those who are sick and repentant. I was ashamed and yielded to “You, as those who have reproached my youth.” For long ago and from the beginning I continued to transgress Your commandments. But the Lord shows his love for mankind and says: “(Jer.31:20). Ephraim is my dear son, nourished as a child,” that is, tender and pleasant. If you remain in this disposition, says God, and remember My care for you; then you will enjoy the benefits. And in the next words lies the promise. “Because My words are in him, I will remember them in remembrance.” because he repents and remembers My commandments; then he will be worthy of My providence for him. For God says: “For this sake” I will visit him, “I will have mercy on him.” Then he advises to use the medicine of repentance. Jer.31:21. Set yourself Sionim. The Syrian interpreter translated the word: “Sionim”: signs, as if giving the following meaning: it should signify what fruits you have reaped from iniquity, and what benefits repentance has brought you. Therefore, God advises us to impose voluntary punishment on ourselves. “Create” for yourself “torment, direct your heart to your shoulders”; that is, put the burden of repentance on yourself, remain in what you have chosen so well for yourself; for this is what God added: “On the path you walked.” Then he commands Israel to return and go to their cities, but not to leave crying, and says: “Turn back to your cities weeping.” Such weeping is not contrary to joy; because, even while enjoying blessings, we need to remember our sins and cry about them. Jer.31:22. How long do you turn away, you desecrated daughter? as if created you “Lord” for salvation “for a new planting”: for salvation “men will come to pass.” Here he clearly indicated the reason for the return; for he foretells that there will be a new planting through him. And this planting was brought to the universe by the Apostles who descended from her, which is clearly stated in this prophetic word: “men will live in salvation.” For the Apostles, having gone around all nations, brought them salvation in the knowledge of God. Then again God foretells the good things that they will enjoy upon their return, and the joy that will happen upon this. And this: (Jer.31:27). “all” to the house of “Israel” and to the house of Judah, “the seed of men, and the seed of beasts,” means a multitude. says God, “they do not tell anyone: the fathers are sour, but the children’s teeth are set on edge.” (Jer.31:30). “But everyone will die by his sin, and whoever eats sour water will have his teeth set to stone.” The Lord expressed this even more clearly through the lips of the godly Ezekiel, and we gave a detailed interpretation of this. The meaning of what has been said is this: just as it is impossible to eat unripe berries, and the eater’s teeth not feel set on edge, so it is impossible, when the fathers have sinned, to punish the children. And in confirmation of what has been said, God adds the following. Jer.31:31. Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” (Jer.31:32). “Not according to the covenant that their father commanded, on the same day that I took them by the hand, I brought them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not remain in My covenant, and I was heedless of them, says the Lord.” It is so impossible, God says, to punish children for the sins of their fathers, that I promise the greatest good to children whose fathers have sinned. And at the same time He revealed to us many prophecies: first, that there is one lawgiver of both covenants; then, that the former covenant was not completed; and moreover, that the only begotten Word of God became the giver of gospel blessings, and It also freed Israel from Egyptian slavery; It, talking with Moses, said: “I am He” (Ex. 3:14). And this is sufficient not only to expose Jewish lawlessness, but also to expose heretical blasphemy. Jer.31:33. For this is the covenant I will bequeath to the house of Israel." and to the house of Judah, “from these days, saith the Lord: I have given My laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they will be Me for a people.” God actually showed us this; for, having raised the sacred Apostles to the mountain, he gave them not on stone tablets, but wrote divine laws on their hearts, and offered them blessings as a reward to the workers of virtue. Jer.31:34. And let him not teach" to whom “every one his neighbor, and every one his brother, saying: Know the Lord: for thou shalt know Me from the least of them, even unto the greatest of them.” The fulfillment of these words will follow in the future life, because in it we will no longer need mutual teaching, when things themselves will be clearly revealed, the action of passions will cease, bodies will become incorruptible, and souls will become unchangeable. It is customary for Holy Scripture to combine many prophecies together; for, speaking of captivity, he also speaks of return. And the Lord in the Holy Gospel, speaking about Jerusalem, speaks at the same time about the end of the World. “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will not remember their sins to anyone.” This bestows the grace of all-holy baptism: for, having left past sins, he no longer remembers them. After this, showing that He is the creator of the sun, moon and stars, and that He commanded that one should make the day and the other illuminate the night, and that by His own wave the sea was agitated and came into silence, he added: Jer.31:37. If these laws remain silent before My presence, says the Lord, then “the race of Israel shall cease to be a tongue before Me all the days.” To this we must apply what was said by the Prophet Isaiah: “Even if the number of the children of Israel is like the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved” (Rom. 9:27); because both prophecies are true; “Not all that exist are of Israel, these are Israel” (Rom. 9:6), but those who believed in God and accepted the saving message, from whom and through whom the Church was formed in the whole universe. (Jer.31:35). This is what the Lord says: “If the heavens are exalted on high, and if the earth is humbled below, I will build the house of Israel,” says the Lord. Just as it is impossible for the sky to become higher and the earth lower, so it is also impossible for Israel to be completely rejected. Jer.31:38. Behold, the days are coming, says: “The Lord, and the city of the Lord will be built from Anameel, even to the gates of coal.” The Syriac translator says: from the pillar of the corner of Anameel 17. who already “dimensions against him up to” the hill “Gariv”. Retells the names of places around the city. “And the surrounding area will be surrounded by chosen stones,” that is, it will be surrounded by large and hard stones. (Jer.31:40). “And all the valley” of Pegarim and to Spodia, “and all Assarimoth, even to the stream of Cedar, even to the corner of the eastern horse gate, the sanctification of the Lord. Spodia" refers to the place where sacrificial ashes were thrown, and "Thagarim" refers to the place where rams were slaughtered. Having spoken above about the surroundings of the city, in these words he showed what surrounded the divine church. “And no one will be plucked out and consumed until forever.” The doubt that these words lead to was resolved by the Prophet in what was said above: “Finally, I will bring a river upon the tongue and upon the kingdom, that I may build and plant, and if that tongue be converted, it will do evil, and I will not bring upon it the good that is spoken of” (Jer. 18:9,10). These words are read by blessed Theodoret not according to the translation of the seventy. According to the Slavic translation: “from the pillar of Anameil.”