Глава VII

Jer. 7:2. Hear the word of the Lord, all Judea. Although they fall irreparably, they suffer incurably and there is no consolation in disasters. Why is he again sending a doctor who will only increase the punishment for them and destroy all forgiveness? He who has heard it many times and remains incorrigible in the continuity of advice and admonition has the greatest (for himself) conviction. Jer. 7:3. Correct your paths and your endeavors. That is, (correct) your actions and what you did because of idolatry - this is exactly what (the word of beginning) means. This speaks of the prophets who announced captivity. And some of the false prophets inspired them to be bold, saying that you will not tolerate anything bad. If God is angry because of you, he will not dare to hand over the church to the enemies. Therefore, he commanded the prophet to stand at the gate and say this. Jer. 7:4. Do not rely on yourself because of all the lying words, because the oars will not use you, saying: the church of the Lord, the church of the Lord is. Scary words. Having said that you commit fornication by serving idols, and, after listing the iniquities (which they committed), that after that you entered the church, say: food is a den. This seemed to them the most important. Although they lived on it (αὐτήν 73), however, by divine judgment they were cast out. This thought harmed them a lot, as Christ, and especially John, tells them: do not begin to say: father of the imams of Abraham (Matthew 3:9). So don’t say here: the church of the Lord. If He needs a house, you rightly think that I would not overthrow the houses. And if no place is needed for Me, if I am completely inconceivable, if heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool, then the (indicated) thought is especially inappropriate. If I have established heaven with My own hand, what kind of house will you build for Me? Don't believe false words. Jer. 7:5. If only you could correct it. To those for whom the forger forges silver in vain (Jer. 6:29), you say again: Will you mend it? Those who are angry have the custom of saying this: this boy shows no promise, it is impossible to make him useful; however, we will advise him to become useful, we will do everything and persuade him. This is a matter of anger and irritation, and this is a matter of care and conviction. If you have not suffered any harm from it, do not consider evil to be natural. So that you don’t say this, he adds: if you correct the ways. Jer. 7:5. And creatively create judgment in the midst of the husband and in the midst of his sincereness. That is, do not judge unfairly. What are you saying? Are those who deal with each other foreigners? (No) not of any other origin; (he is) neighbor (yours); you offend yourself; you stand up to offend your brother, to harm your partner; if nothing else, then let it touch you that brother is suing brother. Jer. 7:6. You shall not do violence to the stranger, the sire, or the widow. Were (special) commands about this really necessary? Is nature not enough to teach this? Don't you see words that arouse compassion? Who is so foolish as to be cruel to a stranger? Who is so insensitive as not to feel sorry for a wife who has lost her husband? Who is so inhuman as not to feel compassion for someone who has lost his father? I, he says, did not say: have mercy, but do not commit violence. I couldn’t have prevented you, but I offered you the very exercise in philanthropy. Jer. 7:6. And you will not follow the alien gods to evil. It’s always nice what has become familiar; therefore, if you do not serve as God, render veneration as if it had become customary. Do you see greater ease here too? And not only is it able to turn us away from leaving the One and familiar, and giving ourselves over to the strange and alien, but also that punishment follows on our heels. Why did I put the words here: to harm you? So that no one thinks that for his own sake he is leading them away from error: for your sake, I don’t want you to do this. Jer. 7:7. And I will house you in this place. So, to settle people, we need not walls, not warriors, not weapons, but the help of God. Jer. 7:7. In the land your father gave you. Why did I mention fathers? All people usually hold fast to what they received from their fathers, as a result of which this land was especially dear; and this served as a great condemnation for the Jews if they loved (their) land as their fatherland, and avoided the God of their fathers. Jer. 7:8. If you rely on lying words, they will no longer benefit you. This is the cause of all evil: self-reliance. Cursed is the man who trusts in man (Jer. 17:5). Nothing separates you from God more than not assimilating everything to Him. Therefore, a person who can achieve abundance in many ways is constantly tied to heaven, as if by some necessity, arousing a constant need to remember the Lord. The farmer and the sailor, as a result of the occupation itself, have constant mindfulness; everyone, enlightened (by the events of life), involuntarily looks at the sky. Jer. 7:10. And come and stand before me. It is great shamelessness to stand before the Judge who sees all this after having committed (iniquities) - they come to His church in a holy place. That is, they made a covenant with Me. Everywhere judges them on the basis of their promises. Jer. 7:11. Eating a den of thieves? Why does he say this? Wasn't it built for prayer? Is it for theft, is it for adultery, is it for uncleanness? As Christ says: My church will be called a church of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers (Matthew 21:18), so it is here, because they swore and made a covenant during the theft. Do not think that I, without exposing iniquities, participate in them with you and assist you in iniquities; that is, do you not consider Me the leader of robbers? Jer. 7:11. And behold, I saw, says the Lord. That is, your service to idols is not hidden from Me; and called them robbers for their greed. Jer. 7:12. For this reason, go to the place Shiloh (εἰς τὸν τόπον Σιλ ώ μ), where my name was made known from the beginning. Just as I did not spare that (place), so did I not spare the church. Although it was the most ancient, they did not benefit from it, being unworthy of God. Jer. 7:13. And now, after all, you have done all these works. He speaks of many evils: neither what (happened) to the place in Shiloh, nor the teaching will bring them any benefit, he says. Look with what care I took them away from evil. Jer. 7:16. You don’t pray for these people. This is said not to make the person praying stop praying, but to frighten those who pray. As he said to Moses: leave me (Ex. 32:10), so that he does not leave Him, so (he says) to this one: do not pray, so that when they hear, they will be horrified and do not place their hopes in another. If I didn’t want this, I wouldn’t have indicated the reasons, almost making excuses for them. Jer. 7:16. And do not ask the hedgehog to be pardoned. The prophet grieved (ἔπαθέ τι) when he heard about the destruction of the church. Then, convincing them, he leads: Jer. 7:17. Food, don’t you see what these people are doing in the cities of Judah? Tell me why don't you hear? It is common for someone who is angry not to give reasons, but for those who want to heal and help, they tend to indicate the reason so that they can try to eliminate it. Or don't you see what they are doing? After all, near and not far away they committed deeds of wickedness. Jer. 7:18. Their sons gather wood and make unleavened bread. Do you see the effort? Do you see the wickedness committed with zeal? What is unleavened bread (χαυῶνας)? Flatbreads, breads. He pointed out that everyone is inclined towards evil. What is said: “they rub the dough”, knead (φύρουσιν) is also expressed in Hebrew. Let them create unleavened bread, that is, large loaves, because (read in the translation of the 70) the word: “havonas” (unleavened bread) is Hebrew; it means: bread made by measure in the so-called one modi; and calls the zodiac circle the heavenly army. Jer. 7:18. And poured out drink offerings to a strange god. And poverty does not prevent sacrifice. Jer. 7:18. And their wives knead flour. They have no sheep, and yet they commit wickedness with what they have. Jer. 7:18. To the heavenly army. Here he talks about the stars. Why does he call it the heavenly army? Shows that the dignity of power does not belong to them, but there is another king. What (does it mean) when he talks about the queen of heaven? Here he speaks according to the thoughts of those to whom this name belongs. Jer. 7:19. Do these anger me, says the Lord: food not for themselves? Do I suffer any calamity? They themselves, he says, in order to shame themselves, since the one who causes dishonor causes harm to himself, and when the one being insulted does not suffer (through this) anything bad, then the one who does not achieve anything (through this) will refrain from insulting. Jer. 7:20. For this reason the Lord speaks thus. Everywhere (it is added): the Lord says to make the word (of the prophet) reliable, so that meekness does not plunge them into carelessness. Jer. 7:20. Behold my anger and rage are pouring out. Tell me why (pour) on this? Firstly, because it had to become useless, and secondly, in order to show the great power of anger. If man is exterminated and the church is destroyed, then even less should the dumb be spared. Jer. 7:22. Like no verbs, and no commandments to them. What he does not command for a special purpose, he does not call it his advice, as if he says: food will delight the death of the sinner, for (ώς) he has turned and lived (Ezek. 18:28), and yet, according to His will, is punished. Jer. 7:24. And you didn’t hear me. This is a great reward: and no one heard me. Jer. 7:27. And speak this word to them (τὸν λ ό γον τοῦτον) and they will not hear. Jer. 7:29. Trim your head and receive it. This is said to the prophet and serves as a symbol of sadness. Since they turned out to be insensitive to their own misfortunes, he commands him to cry and be sad. We do this also in relation to the violent ones out of compassion for them. Jer. 7:29. And accept the lamentation in your mouth. He says well: not in his soul, since he had this (last) and was distressed; do it, he says, openly. Jer. 7:29. And from this generation this creation is born... (Rejected) not just everyone, but (the generation) who creates this. It is absolutely worthy of weeping and tears if one turns out to be unfit before God, because where will he finally be fit? Jer. 7:30. Thou hast done the least in My sight. Not secretly, not hiding. And how could he hide from the watchful eye? What does “before Me” (ἐνώπιόν μου) mean? In My church. Jer. 7:30. Having placed your abominations in the house where my name is called to eat, let them defile it. Do you see the fury, do you see the madness? They did everything not secretly, but openly, boldly insulting the glory of God, just as if someone, having expelled the king, brought the tyrant into the royal palace. How then do you say: the church of the Lord, the church of the Lord? How will the offended person stand up for you? How will someone who is insulted save you? He will be your bitter accuser. Jer. 7:27. And you call upon them, and they do not answer you. You will call, that is, you will turn them to repentance and their words will have no benefit. Jer. 7:31. And created the church of Tafefu. That is, the altar of Pluto is like constantly falling into death in order to live long. Tapheth calls the olive grove in a certain church in the valley of the son of Hinnom the treasure. Pay attention to the places: we did not go to deserted ones, but to those lying in the most pleasant area, near the city. Jer. 7:31. Let their sons burn, which I did not command them to do. So that no one says that you... made sacrifices. And he did not command them to shed innocent blood; did not make (this) a hint; and did not want them to simply make sacrifices; but they burned themselves. Let not the fear of God hold you back; the law of nature did not interfere; so furious. Where it was necessary to honor the demons, they did not pay attention to nature; and when it was necessary to serve God, they also spared the sheep. Who wouldn't be saddened by this sight? It seems scary to us to listen to. We are still surprised, tell me, why destruction, why captivity? But would it be good for those who lived like this to live? Jer. 7:32. For this reason the days are coming, says the Lord, and they will not say to anyone: the church of Tapheth. Do you want to kill, he says? I will do this according to the law of war. It is better for sons to die this way than at the hands of their fathers. Jer. 7:32. And they will be buried in Tafef, there is no place for it. Where previously, considering the place sacred, the dead were not allowed near, many dead will be piled up there. And this speaks as if the foreign people carried out a great massacre there. Therefore he adds: Jer. 7:33. And the corpses of these people will be food for the birds of the air. Since they will not even be worthy of burial, which indicates a special misfortune. Of course, the land that God gave to the fathers; see art. 7th.