Jeremiah
Verse 1. Pastors. Successors of Josias ( Calmet.) and false prophets. Menochius.
EXPLANATIONS
Jeremiah 23
Historical chapter commentary
Jeremiah
Verse 3. Multiplied. The prophets subjoin tidings of peace to such as might cause affliction. Theodoret.
Jeremiah
Verse 4–5. Pastors; Zorobabel, and so forth as figures of Christ, and of the pastors of his Church.—No more, as much as formerly. So many expressions must be understood.—Branch. Septuagint “orient.”—Reign. Zorobabel was not chief governor, ( Calmet.) though at the head of his tribe. Bible.—The kingdom of Christ was not of this world. John 18:36. Calmet.—He alone imparts justice to others. Worthington.
Jeremiah
Verse 6. Saved: less disturbed. The world shall be redeemed. Lu. 2:14. Ephesians 2:14.—Just. Hebrew “Justice,” by whom we are made just. He is the true God. Colossians 2:9. 14. No man could bear this title: and Grotius insidiously attempts to apply it to the Jews, though the Chal. and so forth clearly speak of the Messias. He must be read with great caution. Calmet.—Septuagint “This is his name, which the Lord will call him, Josedech. In the prophets. 9. My,” and so forth Bible.—Josedech means “the Lord justice.” Calmet.—Sym. “Lord, justify us.”
Jeremiah
Verse 8. Land. The deliverance from Egypt and Babylon were emblems of man’s redemption, which was accomplished by far greater miracles.
Jeremiah
Verse 9. Prophets of falsehood. He directs his discourse to them, and afterwards to the priests, being filled with amazement at their impending ruin.
Jeremiah
Verse 10. Adulterers; impostors or idolaters.—Cursing of the Lord, or the abuse of his sacred name. Calmet.—Unlike. Hebrew “not right.” Bible.
Jeremiah
Verse 11. Defiled. Hebrew “hypocrites.” My priests retain the appearance of religion, to join with impostors in deluding the people.
Jeremiah
Verse 14. Jerusalem. These were far worse, as they pretended to be inspired by God, whereas those of Samaria publicly adhered to Baal; so that the people must have been foolish to have been deceived by them. Calmet.
Jeremiah
Verse 15. Gall, or something mortally bitter. Calmet. 9:15. Bible.
Jeremiah
Verse 16. Own. To rely on private judgment, and not on the Church, is a mark of falsehood. Worthington.
Jeremiah
Verse 17. Blaspheme. Hebrew “despise;” or Septuagint “reject disdainfully the word of the Lord, you,” and so forth Calmet. 6:14 and 8:11.
Jeremiah
Verse 18. Counsel. Hebrew “secret.” Which of you is acquainted with his designs? I will inform you, that your perdition is at hand. verse 20. Calmet.
Jeremiah
Verse 21. Not send. The want of mission proves a prophet or preacher to be false. Worthington.
Jeremiah
Verse 22. I should. Some copies read avertissent, “they would have turned,” conformably with the Hebrew and so forth and we should suspect that this was a mistake of the transcriber, if S. Jerom did not agree with the Vulg. in his commentary, ( Calmet.) though not in express terms: ( Bible.) “I also should not have abandoned them to impurity … Let us behold how heretics, having once given way to despair, … seek the gratification of their sensual appetite.” Saint Jerome
Jeremiah
Verse 23. Off? Can you so easily penetrate my designs, or escape my fury? Am I like your idols of yesterday? Septuagint and Theodot. “I am a God at hand,” and so forth which agrees with the sequel. Calmet.
Jeremiah
Verse 27. Dreams, as if God had favoured them with his revelations. Bible.—Fathers; the false prophets of Baal, whom these imitate.
Jeremiah
Verse 28. Dream, to those who are really sent by God, ( Calmet.) and recognized. 1 Corinthians 14:29. Bible.
Jeremiah
Verse 29. Pieces? True prophets will have a zeal fo the conversion of souls. Calmet. 20:9. Hebrews 4:12.
Jeremiah
Verse 30. Neighbour, causing those whom I have sent to be disregarded.
Jeremiah
Verse 31. Use. Hebrew also, “sharpen, or render smooth,” and insinuating. Psalms 49:16. Calmet.
Jeremiah
Verse 32. Wonders. Prot. “lightness.” Septuagint “frauds,” or pretended miracles. Bible.—False prophets cannot work true miracles: but it is more difficult to distinguish these than the former mark of being lawfully sent. verse 21. Worthington.
Jeremiah
Verse 33. Burden, Massa, ( Bible.) denotes a weight, or sometimes a prediction. Calmet.
Jeremiah
Verse 34. Burden of the Lord. This expression is here rejected and disallowed, at least for those times: because it was then used in mockery and contempt by the false prophets, and unbelieving people, who ridiculed the repeated threats of Jeremias under the name of his burdens. Challoner.
Jeremiah
Verse 35. Answered. I will make you alter your language by chastisements.
Jeremiah
Verse 39. Take. Hebrew of the Masorets, ( Calmet.) “I, even I, will utterly forget (Prot. Bible.) or abandon you.” Chal. But the sense of the Septuagint and Vulg. seems preferable. Calmet.