Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 20:7-13

"O Jehovah, thou hast persuaded me, and I was persuaded; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am become a laughing-stock all the day, every one mocketh me. For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, Violence and destruction! because the word of Jehovah is made a reproach unto me, and a derision, all the day. And if I say, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I cannot [contain]. For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, [say] all my familiar friends, they that watch for my fall; peradventure he will be persuaded, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him. But Jehovah is with me as a mighty one [and] a terrible: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail; they shall be utterly put to shame, because they have not dealt wisely, even with an everlasting dishonor which shall never be forgotten. But, O Jehovah of hosts, that triest the righteous, that seest the heart and the mind, let me see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I revealed my cause. Sing unto Jehovah, praise ye Jehovah; for he hath delivered the soul of the needy from the hand of evil-doers." — Jeremiah 20:7-13 (ASV)

Here the prophet's complaint is presented, which has two parts:

1. He laments the duty that has been assigned to him.
2. He laments his birth.

Regarding the first point—his lament over his duty—there are two aspects:

1. He grieves over the office assigned to him because of the resulting ridicule.
2. He grieves because of the persecution he endures, as seen in the verse, for I heard the reproaches of many (Jeremiah 20:10).

Concerning the ridicule, there are three points to consider:

1. He reveals the nature of the command by complaining, you have deceived me. He means that he found an occasion for feeling deceived by God's words, because he believed he would prophesy against the nations and not against the Jews, from whom he suffers persecution. However, he does not wish to accuse God of the crime of deception, because then he would be blaspheming.

   He continues, You prevailed, meaning God overcame him in imposing this duty when he resisted, as described previously in chapter 1. This was chiefly because he did not see the fruit of his own preaching, as Isaiah says, I have labored in vain, I have wasted my strength vainly and without cause (Isaiah 49:4).

2. He describes the outcome of his preaching when he speaks of their ridicule: I have become a laughingstock... everyone mocks me, showing their contempt by wrinkling their noses. This echoes Lamentations: I have become a laughingstock to my entire people, their song all the day long (Lamentations 3:14).

   He gives the reason for this mockery by explaining the substance of his preaching, in which he openly rebuked their faults and threatened punishments: for I am speaking now this long time, crying out against iniquity, and I often proclaim destruction. This destruction, however, had not yet arrived. As Isaiah says, To them which rejoice upon a wall of baked bricks, tell their stripes (Isaiah 16:7). The result was further disgrace: and the word of the Lord has become a reproach to me, that is, a cause of reproach. This is similar to when Festus said to Paul: much learning has made you mad (Acts 26:24).

3. He resolves to revoke the duty that was assigned to him, beginning with, and I said.

   First, he rejects the duty: I will not make mention of him, meaning, "I will resolve not to speak to the people anymore." He did not wish to cast his pearls before swine, as the Lord taught, Do not give what is holy to the dogs (Matthew 7:6).

   Then, he takes up the duty he had cast off: but his word was in my heart as a burning fire. The author explains that the more one refrains from speaking God's words externally, the more one feels the internal fire of love. This is like the psalmist's experience: My heart grew hot within me, and in my meditation a fire will burn (Psalms 38:4). The prophet continues, shut up in my bones, which means in the innermost part of his mind. He says, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay, meaning he failed in his purpose and was unable to bear the fire within. This brings him to the persecution: for I heard the reproaches of many (Jeremiah 20:10).

Concerning the persecution he endures for his duty, there are four points:

1. The persecution from his adversaries is described. He speaks of the multitude of his persecutors—of many—whom he is not able to resist. He says, Persecute, which points to their conspiracy against him. He even mentions their former familiarity: from all men who were at peace with me, which highlights the imminent danger. This is similar to Obadiah's prophecy: All the men of your confederacy have mocked you; the men of your peace have prevailed against you (Obadiah 1:7).

2. The prophet finds comfort in divine assistance: but the Lord is with me, to defend him. As Isaiah says, The Lord God is my help, and therefore I am not ashamed (Isaiah 50:7). Regarding his persecutors, he declares: therefore, those who persecute me shall fall, precisely because they persecute him. This is like the prophecy, Boys shall faint and labor, and young men shall fall from weakness (Isaiah 40:30).

   He continues, They shall be greatly ashamed, because they have spoken reproachfully. This is for they have not understood—that is, they did not wish to understand—the reproach of eternal damnation or of the coming captivity. The psalmist prays similarly: Let them be confounded and afraid, who seek my soul, that they may take it away (Psalms 39:15).

3. A petition is offered in which he longs for kindness and commends justice. He calls God a tester—that is, one who proves, or an investigator and examiner—of knowledge. He is the one who sees the reins, referring to the emotions, and hearts, referring to the thoughts. This refers back to an earlier passage: I the Lord examine the heart, and test the reins; it is I who give to each one according to his way (Jeremiah 17:10).

   He then seeks vengeance: let me see, I pray, my vengeance upon them. He gives the reason: for to you have I revealed my cause. This does not mean he is revealing it to one who is ignorant, but that he is entrusting his entire cause to God, as stated earlier: for to you have I revealed my cause (Jeremiah 11:20).

4. His thanksgiving is offered: sing to the Lord. This is because, as the psalm says, He has freed the poor from the powerful, the poor man who had no helper (Psalms 71:12).