Глава XVI

Jer. 16:1. And you won't understand. It is truly worthy of surprise why he commands not to take (a wife)? In order not to give birth (to children) in case of misfortune. Look how young the prophet was; and this in order that they might be assured of the calamities that awaited them. There was no one who, seeing the prophet not marrying, and knowing the reason for this, would not believe. After all, he says, people need to be prepared for the coming disasters and not burden themselves with a wife and children. Jer. 16:3. For this is what the Lord says. It is not said about sons and daughters (only), but also about fathers and mothers who gave birth to (them). That’s why he convinces people not to get married. He often says the same thing and it doesn’t reach the ears; Leaving them without burial does not affect them; They are especially saddened by hunger, heavy death, murder, great shame - to lie without burial, without arousing (in anyone) compassion, and in addition - to become food for animals. Who didn't it work on? Jer. 16:5. This is what the Lord says: “Thou shalt not go into their feasting house, neither let thou go weeping, nor let thou weep for them, for thou hast taken away my peace from these people,” saith the Lord, and so forth. In ancient times they made cuts (on the body); The devil at first tried to bring God’s work to extreme disgrace. Having seduced the mind, it disfigures the beauty of the body itself. Look what cunning methods he comes up with: the first is voluptuousness: blush, rubbing and the like; then - sorrows, consisting of tormenting oneself; both have a sympathetic (spiritual) disposition - there is fornication, there is sorrow; the third (method) is the festival of Rhea, at which it makes (people) pampered and cruel. And he not only tries to bring him 124 into a state of ugliness, but also to destroy the very ability to have offspring. There was nothing he tried so hard as to destroy our race and accuse God as having created something superfluous. Then he (invented) fornication so that children would perish. That is, do not go to their meeting. A feast house refers to a friendly gathering, which (consists) in a feast and (occurs) in times of sorrow to console the mourners. Jer. 16:12. And you do worse than your fathers. You should have been afraid of falling into the same sins, but you did the opposite, because you did worse than your fathers. But how can it not be contrary to reason that they, while sinning, did not suffer anything, but we are punished? Not at all; and they will be punished, but not now, but you now, since you (turned out to be) worse than them, without taking advantage of long-suffering. Just as one person, if someone sins and God does not punish him, should therefore not become more careless, so it is with regard to other sins. He sinned and was not punished - do not be negligent, as if he does not have to bear punishment. If God did not do the same with everyone, we would all perish very soon. He showed him long-suffering, calling him to repentance, and making you better. Jer. 16:13. And I will reject you. Speaks of the cruelty of alien gods. They do not show mercy to those who serve them. They dishonored me, and I showed mercy, so that you can see by comparison who I am and who they are. If anyone examines punishments, (he will find) that long-suffering is no less beneficial to the prudent. Why does it indicate happy events? Not in order to relax them, but to make them believe in the saddest ones. Especially (indicates) return, so that they have faith in removal. Jer. 16:15. But the Lord lives, as we know. Why was this added? For identification. If he could give it to those after forty years, then even more so to you: after all, (this) could lead them to despair. Jer. 16:16. Behold, I will send out many fishermen, says the Lord, and they will catch them: therefore I will send out many fishermen and will catch them (v. 16). He talks about the Babylonians, that is, about Nebuchadnezzar and his soldiers. Give it to the fishermen and hunters, that is, after finding them, they will punish those hiding. Therefore he says: And they will catch them on every mountain, and on every hill, and from the caves of stone. After all, he who knows the secret can betray those who are hiding, especially when there are many hunters. Some attribute this to the apostles, which I do not oppose; Meanwhile, let's stick to history. When God betrays, no one will protect. What has been said can frighten many, especially if we do not expect to be punished, relying on God’s love for mankind. And he speaks of greater (iniquities), but Isaiah says that he has received his greater sins from the hand of the Lord (Isaiah 40:2). So that you do not consider what was said as a threat, he (the prophet) testifies that this happened. What then? Do people punish according to the importance of their sins, and God - beyond this? No, what (means)? If you sin twice, you will receive punishment twice. Or he calls them severe because they will not only be deprived of benefits, but will also be subjected to countless disasters. And we will have a special punishment: deprivation of the kingdom and torment in Gehenna; each of these evils is great and serious in itself. Jer. 16:19. The Gentiles are coming to you. The Jews, having pious fathers, strayed into wickedness, but these are the opposite. The prophet says this, accusing those and showing what benefit their punishment will have for others, and at the same time exciting the Jews. Those who are near will dishonor You, and those who are far away will come to You. Jer. 16:20. Food will create. How can something that is made be God?