Commentary on the prophet Jeremiah

Preserved from the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom on the book of the prophet Jeremiah Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 It must be said what a prophecy is, when it began, when it stopped, why it ended, and what benefits can be derived from it in life. To prophesy means to speak or figuratively (τυπικῶς) depict the past, present and future. This is a word or action that pre-depicts events before they become known, since the action is also depicted through the action. The images of the future were: a copper serpent, a lamb in Egypt, Isaac brought (to be slaughtered). These are prophetic actions that do not have a (other) purpose, like Ezekiel’s exit through the (hole) in the wall (Ezek. 12:5), which has a (special) purpose. The images must be such that they are useful for those who lived then, such as the serpent and the lamb. The prophets predict not only when they are asked, as was the case among other nations, but for the most part on their own initiative; and among these peoples (soothsayers) were also called prophets. That’s why Paul says: “Now a man spoke to them as a prophet” (Titus 1:12). The Egyptians also called the priests prophets. In general, of the prophecies, one is spiritual (from the Spirit), another is diabolical, the middle between them is natural (φυσική) or artificial, and the fourth is general (κοινή) and folk. Primarily the saints are made partakers of spiritual prophecy, and according to God’s dispensation, such as Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, Balaam and Caiaphas. Diabolical (prophecy) occurs only among the servants of this (power); such are the fortunetellers by flour, the Pythia by olives, the Dido priestess by oak leaves, (others) by the entrails of animals, by the flight and cry of birds, by signs and sneezes, by noise, thunder, hands, mice, swallows, by ringing and noise in the ears, by trembling of the body, by means of pebbles, rods and thresholds ( φλοιῶν), the dead, wombs, names, stars, bowls, and other countless ways. The same is true (prediction) through dreams, but for us it is through inspiration (διὰ κατοχῆς). Their foreshadowing is not due to virtue, as with us, but through some kind of cunning; those prophesy about wealth, illness, wars, meaning not virtue, but vice; and with us (the future is predicted) for the correction of morals and changes for the better. Those must be fulfilled (in practice), but these - not always. What is the use of a prediction made for the good of the soul if what was predicted is exactly fulfilled, without allowing any change on our part? God, predicting, also indicates a way to get rid of disasters if we want to repent. This is the benefit of prophecy. If (people) remain without any change (for the better), then it is fulfilled. Those, in some cases appearing to agree with the events, turned out to be mostly erroneous. Those (in addition) require (special) tools, places, times and money. And God is free from this. Such are the divine and diabolical prophecies. Natural (premonition) is characteristic of the dumb, swallows anticipate the onset of spring, cranes - autumn, ants - winter; nature has given the same feeling to hedgehogs and halcyons. Artificial prophecy - among doctors, advisers and helmsmen. Some predict diseases, others predict their cessation; some are changes in the winds, others, through considerations, are future changes (in human societies). There is a general and popular knowledge of the future, which is that winter is coming in three months, since everyone knows the annual changes in advance. Therefore, there is nothing great in the fact that demons have foreknowledge of the future, when ants also foresee annual changes and there are people who are able to predict the future, although not in such a way as to know absolutely or everything. When the devil predicted that (man) would know good and evil, that’s what happened, and when Balaam said: “Set up harlots, and through them Israel will be betrayed,” 3 that’s what happened. This is fortune-telling, or better yet, predictions that do not represent anything incredible, just like Christ’s prophecies that “the Gospel will be preached” (Matthew 24:14), “not to leave one stone upon another” (Matthew 24:2). And a little further 4. They say about blessed Jeremiah that his (book) should be read before others (prophets), as it is clearer. And it is not surprising that some of the prophets are unclear, while others are clearer, when in one and the same book of divine Scripture there is something unclear and something clear, when in the work of one writer one thing is stated one way and another another, as we see in the Psalms, the Apostolic Epistles and the words of the Lord. In general, ambiguity comes either from the nature of objects unusual for hearing, such as the construction of the tabernacle and the preparation of the church in Ezekiel, or from listeners who do not have the proper understanding. Therefore, he spoke in parables, as being deliberately unclear (Luke 8:10). And a little further. The ambiguity also comes from the nature of the speaker, who has an inclination towards such a presentation. And to the prophets the Spirit inspired only thoughts, and not words, then they expressed (these thoughts) in their characteristic form of speech, because he did not use them as motionless (creatures), like demons with their suggestions. He wanted people to understand what they were saying and to say it with their minds. “The Lord will not do anything unless he reveals it to his servant as a prophet” (Amos 3:7). Although the preface given below does not belong to Chrysostom, as the style shows and scientists believe, nevertheless it is given along with the works of the saint, as found with them in ancient codes. Note Publishers of Patrology. Halcyone (ἁ λκυών) a seabird that foretells silence in the sea. The idea expressed in these words is indicated in Num. 31:16; Open 2 and many others The preface set forth here was probably printed in the Patrology of Min not in full, but with abbreviations, as a result of which, probably, there was a rather unexpected transition from the advice of Balaam to the prophecies of the Savior.