Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 2:21-28

"Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine unto me? For though thou wash thee with lye, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord Jehovah. How canst thou say, I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: [thou art] a swift dromedary traversing her ways; a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her. Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, It is in vain; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go. As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets; who say to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us. But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah." — Jeremiah 2:21-28 (ASV)

1. Here, he removes their excuses.

   1. They might bring up the neglect of the farmer. Against this, he says, I have planted you as my chosen vine from chosen ancestors. A vineyard was made for my beloved, on a hill fertile with oil (Isaiah 5:1).

   2. They might deny their guilt, as in, if you were to wash (Jeremiah 2:22).

      He convicts them first of their guilt against God, and second, of their offense against their neighbor, when he says, why do you strive to show your way good? (Jeremiah 2:33).

      Concerning the first point—their guilt against God—there are two further points.

      1. He convicts them of guilt by showing them the impossibility of denying it. He shows this with the example of With natron—a substance like salt that is hardened by the sun and used for washing dirt—and berith, which is a plant used for cleaning filth. It is an expression, as if to say, “All the water of a river could not make you clean.” In other words, no excuse or cleansing from guilt is possible for you. A generation which seems clean to itself, yet is not washed from its filthiness (Proverbs 30:12).

         How do you say, ‘I am not polluted’? Who is able to say that my heart is clean, I am pure from sin? (Proverbs 20:9).

         He considers the excuse of their guilt by presenting two circumstances.

         1. The place: consider the roads—that is, the works—in the valley of the sons of Hinnom, where they worshiped idols. This place is watered by the springs of Siloam, and according to the Gloss, there was also a temple of Baal there.Glossa Ordinaria, at Jeremiah 7:31; Jerome, In Hieremiam prophetam libri vi 1.29 (PL 24:679 [705]). As it says later: direct your heart to the straight way upon which you have walked (Jeremiah 31:21).

         2. The manner of the sin is also set forth.

            • Regarding their eagerness to sin: a light runner, as though equipped for sinning. Their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood (Proverbs 1:16).

            • Regarding the fervor of their lust: as a wild ass . . . in his desire—for mating—he has snuffed the air, by which he perceives the scent of the female, the object of his love. As it says below: the wild asses stood upon the rocks; they snuffed up the wind like dragons (Jeremiah 14:6).

            • Regarding their strong attachment: none shall turn her, by moving her away.

            • Regarding their readiness to sin: all who seek her. It is as though he were speaking of a prostitute, who shows herself to her lovers even during her menstruation. You have spread your legs to everyone that passed by, and you have multiplied all your fornications (Ezekiel 16:25).

      2. He convicts them of their hardness of mind.

         1. They are not recalled by warnings.

            Concerning this point, there are three aspects.

            1. He gives the warning: keep back. It is as though he were saying, “Cease from the sins for which you will be led barefoot and thirsty into captivity.” As it says in Isaiah: as my servant Isaiah has walked naked and without shoes, so the king of Assyria will threatenHeb. יִנְהַ֣ג: shall lead away. The Vulgate’s translation of יִנְהַ֣ג as minabit(ur) destroys the action of the sentence. The Septuagint correctly renders this verb as ἄξει. the captivity of Egypt, and the exile of Ethiopia, the young men and the old, naked and barefoot, with uncovered buttocks to the shame of Egypt (Isaiah 20:3).

            2. He shows the rebellion of the people: and you have said, ‘I have despaired, I have done wickedly.’ They have gone after Others, meaning idols. As it says later: we have no hope, we shall go after our own thoughts, and each one of us will do according to the perversity of his own wicked heart (Jeremiah 18:12).

            3. He threatens them with shame.

               1. He sets forth an example of shame: As the thief is confounded when he is caught, so are they of the house of Israel confounded, meaning, caught and shamed in their punishments.

                  They are found Saying to the wood—to a wooden idol—‘You are my father’—my god. Let all those who worship graven images be ashamed, who glory in their idols (Psalms 97:7). Let them be confounded by their idols (Isaiah 1:29).

               2. He lays out the order in which their shame will come.

                  • He first discusses the loss of divine assistance: they have turned their backs, as though disobedient. They have turned their back and gone away, they have made their ears heavy lest they hear the Law (Zechariah 7:11). But In the time of their affliction, they will say, In their tribulation they shall rise early to me. Come let us return to the Lord (Hosea 6:1).

                  • Second, he discusses the uselessness of their idolatry: Where are the gods? Where are their gods, in which they had placed their confidence? (Deuteronomy 32:37).

                  • Third, the multitude of their idols: according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah. The land is filled with horses, and his innumerable chariots of war (Isaiah 2:8).

         2. They are not corrected by afflictions, as it says, why do you wish to contend with me in judgment? (Jeremiah 2:29).

         3. They are not turned by kind deeds, where it says, see the word of the LORD (Jeremiah 2:31).