Глава XII

Jer. 12:1. Thou art righteous, Lord. The confusion is general. It is not the essence of the matter that confuses, but the method (of its understanding); says: We know that You are just; I just don’t find an image of righteousness. (This is similar to) as if someone, seeing a house builder destroying a house, said: I know that you are a house builder, but I do not see the way to build a house. That's why I'm telling you. (And after a few words). No one will recognize You as unrighteous; no one will condemn me as an unreasonable seeker. Jer. 12:1. I am answering you. That is, I know that You are righteous from the judgments that You taught me. I am justifying what I asked you for. Jer. 12:1. Either way, I will speak to you about fate. On the contrary, he says, I will argue with You, O Master, hastening the punishment of the wicked. Jer. 12:1. What if the path of the wicked is sung? All this speaks of those who remain in sins. But then I was sad about them, but now I’m not. This is what David says, and so does Job; but look, when? When the mind was confused. Thus, what comes from a confused mind should not be taken as an instructive saying. After all, this one, when he was reviled by friends, and this one, when he suffered disasters from those who were prosperous, and David, when he was in great despondency, says: I said in my frenzy: I am rejected from before your eyes (Ps. 30:23). But I cried in my frenzy: every man is a lie (Ps. 115:2). And again: I have died in my abundance: I will not move forever (Ps. 29:7). Thus, the thoughts of the suffering do not restrain themselves from punishing their enemies, but also accelerate it. And again: what if the path of the wicked is sung? However, this was promised to the righteous, when in another place he speaks of the righteous: and whatever he does will prosper (Ps. 1:3). Why the way of the wicked? Here he wants to know the reason. All the perpetrators of iniquity have been destroyed. What especially excites bewilderment is that everyone suffers the same thing, including the Jews; but not like that, but with malice, when they say: everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord and is well pleased with them (Mal. 2:17). Do you see that if a righteous person does not tolerate suffering, then, seeing another person suffering, he becomes depressed, as if he himself was experiencing suffering? I wondered about this. Talk about the wicked among the people; knowing the plan against himself, he prays for them, hastening their punishment. Jer. 12:2. You planted them and took root. You hear everyone and their prayers immediately, but you do not inflict punishment. The labors of men are not the essence, says David, and men will not receive wounds (Ps. 73:5). Otherwise - Job: why the wicked will come to life, but they promised wealth (Job 21:7). Why this was is worth exploring here. At the present time (this) is natural, since it is known that there will be a resurrection. And then what consolation was there when the wicked prospered? And everyone says the same. Why does one say: I saw the wicked exalting himself and standing tall like the cedars of Lebanon: and he passed by and behold (Ps. 37:35). On the contrary (here) he says: you planted them and took root, and Job: their beef is not spewed out (Job 21:10). How did you walk past and not see? This also happened: it speaks of his sudden death, because they were especially easily destroyed by God, not little by little, like the Assyrian (army). So I quickly turned around and didn’t find him. Jer. 12:3. And you, Lord, having understood me, have tempted my heart. If someone calls God as a witness of his virtue, then what can be equivalent to this? Thus, the bewilderment is twofold: both on the one hand, that they are prospering, and on the other hand, that these are subject to misfortune; if there were only one side: the good one would be subjected to misfortune, then bewilderment would arise, but now what can be said from the opposite side? It’s better (to say) - you shouldn’t be embarrassed. It doesn’t just happen, it doesn’t happen by chance to anyone, because it wouldn’t happen that way. But let us express why the wicked have prospered since ancient times; It seems to me (this is so that) virtue would not be (a matter of) necessity, or so that sinners would recognize the power of God, as the sun shines on the evil and the good, and rains on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45). Jer. 12:3. Purify them on the day of their slaughter. Do you see that he wants the simultaneous extermination of everyone? Murderous, he says, intent; no it won't. When he heard from God, when it was forbidden to pray for them, then he, he says, sees it and waits for time. Jer. 12:4. How long will the earth cry and all the grass of the village will dry up? Great is the corruption; also touched the ground. You see where the hunger comes from. Jer. 12:4. From the malice of the living. Why is she (ἐκεῖνα 106) always cursed? For their sake it came into being, and for their sake it will therefore be destroyed. Jer. 12:5. Your nose flows and relaxes you, somehow. Great ambiguity. Aquila, another translator, says: “they will run together (σονδραμεῖται); you ran and got tired.” What it says is the following. I saw how he hurries and hurries, without waiting for a certain time. Look how he reproaches him: he hasn’t suffered anything yet, and yet you say this; you're so indignant. What will you do in case of great (dangers)? If he couldn’t run on foot, then how can he run with horsemen? How will you endure great (labor)? And again: if you have not endured your own, then how can you endure your enemies; here they are crowding you, what will you do when you see something extraordinary? And again, differently: this house-building of mine confuses you; what then, when you learn (deeds) unspeakable? Jer. 12:6. Please also your brothers. And these were rejected by you. How your brothers called after you! Without your knowledge, he says, they will talk a lot about you and, what’s terrible, they will say bad things about you. You see how a prophet is prepared, how he learns wisdom, how courage is aroused in him by deed and word. Jer. 12:5. How do you prepare for the horses and peace in the land 107? Some understood these words as addressed to the people, that is, if you, competing with your neighbors, could not resist the foot soldiers, then what will you do if you are persecuted by horsemen? I do not think, however, to defend this understanding. Since the prophet, having learned about their malice towards himself, threatened them, hastening their punishment, he says: knowing their plan against you, you hasten to defeat them, being in peace and not being persecuted by enemies. And what will they do when attacked by enemies, when they will not have time to escape, since they will attack them faster than horses? Jer. 12:5. You trusted, what will you do in the noise of the Jordan? That is, you know that you will not tolerate anything. What will they do when they see the enemy rushing towards them like a river? How do you wish disasters on them, as if you had suffered terrible (suffering) from them? And this, that is, you ask for misfortune for them, having learned about the plan against you. He calls his father's brothers and relatives his fellow tribesmen, that is, Israelis. Jer. 12:6. Gathered together: do not believe them, as they say (ὄτι λαλοῦσιν 108 good for you. He says the following: I am not careless about your safety; I want you not to believe them in anything, but I want you to change them for the better through patience. Jer. 12:6. They gathered behind you: do not believe them. Many, probably from the twelve tribes that had already been captured, fought alongside the enemies. Therefore, do not believe them when they tell you good things. Such was Rampsak, who spoke in Hebrew, blasphemed God and gave them advice, as if caring (for them). Jer. 12:7. If I leave my house, I will leave my property. Know that I have determined their complete ruin due to the corruption of their morals. Jer. 12:7. Give my beloved soul into your hands. What are you saying? Nothing love? Nothing friendship? And yet he did not give, but says that he gave, in order not to give, if anyone has reason, if he pays attention. The fear of punishment could not convert them like the significant (σύμβολα) words of divine wisdom. My house, my property, my beloved soul: during punishment it reminds them of the former, wanting to persuade them. He speaks of the former things in order to expose them more strongly; great is the self-will of those who forsake Him. And he didn’t say: why are you leaving? But they do what was worse and more terrible - what I myself abandoned. I will leave my property. Just as a person who has to receive an inheritance, which represents a lot of trouble, decides to leave it, so does God. Perhaps he expresses a desire here. Jer. 12:8. May my property be like a lion in an oak grove. So, he says, he cried out to me. Who would want to receive such an inheritance? In words: like in an oak forest indicates great wildness. Jer. 12:8. He gave his voice against me: for this reason he hated him. Do you see the beginnings of anger and enmity among us? Jer. 12:9. Isn’t the genin’s den my property? Some explained it this way. Since, they say, the hyena is an unclean animal, I wanted to say that they filled My house with uncleanness. And according to the Hebrew text it means: “like a bird with multi-colored feathers My heritage has become mine,” that is, he enters the church, showing various wickedness. It shows uncleanness and savagery to Me, the inheritor; let it be for people, what about me? Who would want to inherit this? It also points to external evil, because there were many caves around, not only a refuge for people, but also unclean animals, the most cruel, living in darkness. Jer. 12:9. Go, gather all the animals. Why don’t you destroy it yourself, but give it to others, that is, call the animals? So that you know that, when He wants, He also calls other nations, because everyone is subordinate to Him, otherwise, so that the gravest punishment would occur, many miracles would happen and they would be witnesses of what is happening to them. Jer. 12:10 . The shepherd has spoiled my grapes. Look how he imitates a person who wants to punish, and who grieves about the punishment, and who tries to find in something at least a small justification for those who are being punished. Shepherds of many. Why, foreseeing this, did you not destroy them? Why did you appoint such shepherds? But I said - listen not to them, but to My law. Why didn’t You appoint wonderful teachers and the flock would not perish? So that they learn, when people are angry, not to listen to them. What grace they have! Isn't there a law? Were there no prophets? Have I left you helpless? I didn't want people to be kind out of necessity. (And after a few words). Desecrate a part of me. Everywhere he accuses shepherds and leaders, (but) does not free others. How? Are these dumb sheep? Couldn't they elevate themselves? Wasn't there Jeremiah? Jer. 12:11 . It is for my sake that the whole earth has been devastated by ruin. What does it mean: for my sake? For my sake, the prophet. Had he not come and spoken to them, they would have had no sin (John 15:22). Jer. 12:12 . On every desert path. That is, for wickedness towards Me, because, hearing about misfortunes, they did not change. Here he talks about captivity and war. Look: even such a threat did not make some better. Jer. 12:13 . Sow the wheat and eat the thorns. Since I planted grapes and brought sorrow (Jer. 2:21), I sowed good seed and (it) brought the opposite (to this), so do you, so that you know what a loss to the farmer, what sorrow, when you do one thing instead of the other. It's worse than hunger. Jer. 12:13 . Their wealth (οἱ κλῆροι) will not be useful to them. Some say that these words speak of the clergy (τούς κλήρους) 109 of the church, with which I agree. Tell me, what benefit do those who live unworthily bring to us? Will there be more condemnation? Let’s try to find out what a clear is and where this name comes from. Maybe we’ll get some benefit from this name. However, it is also a great shame not to know the name we bear; for it was not by any lot that we became an inheritance (ἐκληρώθημεν). The lot is a wordless object (πρ ᾶ γμα ἄλογον). Why is it called clergy and not just here? Perhaps someone thinks that this name is new, but at the beginning he received the lot of the service of sowing (Acts 1:17) and of the apostleship, and from election by lot, I think, the first was named (so). Or, just as at the Olympic Games it is determined by lot who has this opponent and who has another, so here; in this sense a canon or clergyman should be called a clergyman. To each, he says, as God has determined; each one, as the Lord indicated by lot, so let him walk. So, he was chosen by lot. (And after a few words). Why was this name given? It was not in vain that he said that he had accepted the lot of service. Since election by lot does not occur from one’s own intention, but depends on the power of another, then the one chosen by lot must preserve the place for which he was elected, and not prepare for himself, because this will not be a lot, and not run away from what he has received (the lot). If the decision belongs to the lot, then how much more to God when He indicates by the lot. But that lot has no reason, and this one is not like that; it is also necessary for the actor (τόν ποιοῦντα) 110 to act impartially, because this is the lot; not whom he wants, but whom he gives grace. While the apostles did not have the Spirit, they entrusted affairs to the lot, and then to the people (τῷ πλήθει) and their grace. Drawing lots is a carefree matter; he does not allow those who are offended (on whom the lot will not fall) to grieve. The lot does not know kinship, love and enmity. Since from the many present it is impossible to be all those indicated by lot, then naturally we choose not many from the many. Jer. 12:13 . Be ashamed of your boasting. Let us be ashamed before God, and not before men. What does it mean: from your praise? Or: be ashamed of what you boast about, since people often boast about what they need to hide from, or: remembering your boasting, you will be ashamed: what were you once and what are you now? From reproach, from those who reproach you, not from the reproach of God. Great medicine is to know shame; blushing (from shame) is no small condition for salvation. If you destroy shame, you destroy all hope of salvation. I know that (ego feeling) often had the same power as punishment. It is not in vain that God put it into our nature. He invested it in order to constantly excite us so that we would be ashamed not of people (only), but also of our conscience. Often, when there is no punishment for sin, shame alone (produces) that repentance occurs. Jer. 12:14 . For this is what the Lord says about all the wicked neighbors. Here he speaks of the Arabians, because they experienced many disasters, among which they spent the first forty years in the desert. That’s why he didn’t allow people to mix with peoples, and that’s why he set up laws that prohibit mixing with neighbors, stronger than the walls. Jer. 12:14 . I will pluck them out immediately. Makes them a great threat so that they too become better; threatens prisoners too. Look how they were corrected through what happened to them; at the same time, it also gives them a reason to justify themselves as those who do not know. Just as you were the cause of destruction for them, so (they) will be the cause of salvation for you. It is a great shame for the Jews if they learn from their neighbors. See how he makes them his own. Did His salvation extend to one people? Do you want to be completely friends and like-minded people? Therefore, for the good, and not against the salvation of those who agree. Therefore, this is why we need to become better. Read in Slav. B. yours does not have a corresponding one in the text of Patrology, as well as in the ancient Greek texts. This is how it reads. ancient Vatican. sp. instead of λαλήσουσιν they will use the verb (Slav. B.), what is the reading of Sinai and Alex. sp. The Greek word κλῆρος means: lot, inheritance and clergy. Acting, of course, when deciding by lot.