Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 1:4-10

"Now the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am a child. But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child; for to whomsoever I shall send thee thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid because of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith Jehovah. Then Jehovah put forth his hand, and touched my mouth; and Jehovah said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth: see, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant." — Jeremiah 1:4-10 (ASV)

1. Here begins the discourse of the book itself. First, the office of prophet is enjoined upon Jeremiah. Second, a prophecy is given to the now-appointed prophet, beginning at and the word of the Lord came to me (Jeremiah 2:1).

The first part is divided into two. First, the office is enjoined. Second, the manner of its execution is shown, as it says, you, therefore, gird up your loins (Jeremiah 1:17).

The first of these points is divided into two. First, he is established in the prophetic office. Second, the subject matter of the prophecy is delineated to him, as it says, and the word of the Lord came to me (Jeremiah 1:11).

The first of these points is again divided into two. First, the preparation of the prophet is related. Second, the conferral of the prophetic gift, as it says, and the Lord put forth his hand (Jeremiah 1:9).

The first of these points is divided into three. First is the preparation on the part of the Lord. Second is the prophet’s objection, where he says, and I said: Ah, Lord God! (Jeremiah 1:6). Third is the refutation of the objection, at and the Lord said to me (Jeremiah 1:7).

Concerning the first part, three things are to be said.

1. The preparation of the prophet is described: the word of the Lord came to me, either externally through a subordinate creature or internally through inspiration. I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me (Psalms 85:8). I formed you: within formative nature itself, God makes a form, as the first cause acts within a second cause: You have clothed me with skin and flesh (Job 10:11). I knew you—with a knowledge of approval. The Lord has called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother he has been mindful of my name (Isaiah 49:1).
2. His privileged sanctification is mentioned: and before you came forth. They have mistreated him, who from his mother’s womb was consecrated a prophet .
3. The predetermination of his office is noted. And I ordained you a prophet—that is, in my disposition. I have given you as a light to the Gentiles, that you might be my salvation even to the farthest part of the earth (Isaiah 49:6).

Concerning his sanctification in the womb, let us examine four things.

1. The time. It seems that sanctification of this type is possible before the infusion of the soul, as it says in the Gloss of Ambrose on Luke 1: the spirit of life was not yet within him, and the spirit of grace was already present in him. Furthermore, it says here: before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. This is understood to be speaking of spiritual knowledge, which is approbation. Therefore, he had grace before his formation. On the other hand, it seems he did not have it before he was born from the womb, because Augustine says, “no one can be reborn unless he has already been born.”Ita qui natus non fuerit renasci non potest (Augustine, De peccatorum meritis 2.27 [CSEL 28:863; PL 42:551]). No one has grace unless he has been reborn, because he becomes a son of God through grace; therefore, he does not have the grace of sanctification either.
2. To this, it must be said that the sanctification we are speaking of occurs through grace, whose subject is the soul, and therefore it cannot exist before the infusion of the soul. But here it happens by a special privilege after the infusion of the soul, yet before he is born from the womb. In response to the first point, it must be said that here the “spirit of life” is externally called air, which is freely breathed. Alternatively, the spiritSpiritus originally denoted breathing, while anima referred to the air that is breathed. of life is said to be within when one notes if breath is drawn. In response to the other point, it must be said that what is understood by a notion of approbation is said in reference to predestination to grace, not to present justice. As for the final point, it must be said that by general law, no one is able to be reborn by the regeneration that comes through the sacraments before he is born, because he is not yet able to be subject to the operations of the ministers of the Church, through whom grace of this sort is dispensed. But God does not bind His power to the sacraments, and therefore He is able to sanctify someone in the womb by a special privilege.
3. Second, we ask: to whom is this sanctification appropriate? It seems that it is appropriate for Christ, of whom it is said in the gloss that before He came forth from the womb He was sanctified in the belly.Glossa Interlinearis, at Song of Songs 1:15. On the contrary, however, to sanctify is to make holy what was unholy. But Christ was never unholy; therefore, it could not apply to Him. Also, it seems that it is appropriate for inanimate objects, according to what is said in Psalm 46:4, the Most High has sanctified his own tabernacle. Yet on the contrary, things of this sort are not capable of receiving grace. In response to the first point, it must be said that something is said to be unholy in two ways: either privatively, which requires the existence of the subject, and this would not be fitting for Christ; or negatively, and in this sense, it is fitting for Christ to pass from unholy to holy, because before He was man, He was not holy with regard to created holiness. To the other point, it must be said that in one way something is called holy when it is dedicated to divine worship, and in this way animate and inanimate things can be sanctified. Sometimes, however, “holy” is used to mean faithful, or free from sin, or from the carnal act. Such sanctification comes through grace and is only possible in human beings. But since all sanctification should be oriented toward that most holy conception of the Son of God, it was fitting that the mother in whose womb that celebrated conception took place had been sanctified. John the Baptist also, while still in the womb, pointed to another who was still in the womb. Jeremiah, too, among others, expressly treated the manner of that most holy conception later: the Lord has created a new thing upon the earth: A woman shall compass a man (Jeremiah 31:22).
4. Third, we ask about the effect of sanctification. It is to be understood that sanctification is directed against the uncleanness of original sin. In original sin, one must consider the state of guilt, which involves the loss of the vision of God and arises from the lack of original justice. Sanctification totally removes this guilt as it pertains to the impediment of the person, even though the price has not yet been paid by which the impediment of nature would be removed. One must also consider the tinder for sin, so to speak, which is the inclination to every evil. This indeed remains as an obstructed condition, not inclining toward that to which it is ordered. While in some it might incline toward venial sin, though not to mortal sin, in the blessed Virgin, her inclination was toward neither of these.
5. Fourth, we must ask about the comparison between sanctifying grace and sacramental grace. It must be said that in a general manner, sanctifying grace prevails, because the inclination to mortal sin remains after one receives sacramental grace. But in a certain respect, sacramental grace prevails with regard to the indelible mark it makes on the soul and other such things.

And I said (Jeremiah 1:6). Here, the prophet raises an objection.

• First, he expresses his astonishment: Ah, because of the defects of his life; ah, because of his lack of knowledge; ah, because of his lack of eloquence. And I said: Ah, ah, ah, O Lord God (Ezekiel 4:14).
• Second, he gives the reason for his astonishment, mentioning his lack of eloquence—behold, I cannot speak; I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since you have spoken to your servant (Exodus 4:10)—and the fact of his youth, for I am a child. Therefore, his age is not appropriate for the office of preaching. I hoped that length of days would speak, and the multitude of years would teach wisdom (Job 32:7). You that are elder, speak, for it is fitting for you .

For this reason, he refuses the office of preaching, to which Isaiah offered himself (Isaiah 6:8). Gregory shows this in the Gloss: some laudably seek the office of preaching, others are laudably forced into it. Because out of the love he bore for God, he feared the loss of contemplation; yet, through love for his neighbor, he also desired his neighbor's salvation. However, he did not offer himself before he was cleansed, nor did he stubbornly refuse.

And the Lord said (Jeremiah 1:7). Here, God refutes this objection. And because Jeremiah mentioned his youthfulness, God promises three things against the defects of young men.

• Children are inconstant, and against this, God promises constancy: Do not say, ‘I am a child,’ for you shall go to all that I shall send you. The way of a man is not his own, nor is it in a man to walk and direct his steps (Jeremiah 10:23). In all your ways think on him, and he will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:6).
• Children lack eloquence, and against this, God promises eloquence: and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Wisdom has opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of infants eloquent .
• Children are timid, and against this, God promises courage: Do not be afraid of their face, for I am with you to deliver you. This is not because you will be without difficulties, but because you will bear them all with patience. I will fear no evil, for you are with me (Psalms 23:4).

And the Lord put forth his hand (Jeremiah 1:9). Here, God confers the gift of prophecy in the manner of a sacrament.

• First is an action—the Lord put forth his hand—in an imaginative vision, so the boy would not be terrified by seeing human limbs. This signifies the generosity of God’s goodness. When you open your hand, they shall all be filled with good (Psalms 104:28). He is not, however, cleansed beforehand with a burning coal as Isaiah was, because he lacked sin on account of his youth and sanctification.
• Second are the words, and said to me. These contain three things:
  1. It expresses the gift: Behold I have put my words in your mouth. The Lord gave the word to them that preach good tidings with great power (Psalms 68:11).
  2. It shows his station: See, I have this day set you over nations, different ones to which he preached, as a mediator between them and God. Behold, I have appointed you the God of Pharaoh (Exodus 7:1). You have made me the head of the Gentiles (Psalms 18:43).
  3. It explains his duty: to root up evil things with regard to their root; to pull down, with regard to the schemes of a wicked government; to waste, the alliances of evil men; to destroy, the defenses of evil; to build good things with regard to right order; and to plant, with regard to the root. For they do not lack external fortifications such as a fence. He was consecrated a prophet, to root out, and to afflict, and to destroy, and likewise to build and to plant .