Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 23:11-15

"for both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith Jehovah. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith Jehovah. And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. In the prophets of Jerusalem also I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies; and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, so that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them become unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is ungodliness gone forth into all the land." — Jeremiah 23:11-15 (ASV)

Here, he notes the wickedness of the prophets as the cause of the wickedness of the people:

1. First, in general, he speaks of their guilt: the prophet and the priest are defiled, by various crimes, in My house—the temple, or among the people. As it says above: Why is it that My beloved has done much wickedness in My house? (Jeremiah 11:15).

   He then adds the punishment: therefore, their way will be like a slippery place, meaning they will fall in their sins as if on such a road. Let their paths become dark and slippery (Psalms 34:6). And when he explains it: for I will bring evil (that is, punishments). As it says above: I will bring this evil upon the men of Anathoth, the year of their visitation (Jeremiah 11:23).

2. Second, in particular:

   1. First, he speaks of their guilt with regard to the prophets of the ten tribes: and in the prophets of Samaria I have seen foolishness, because they worshiped their idols on the high places, like those whom Elijah killed (1 Kings 18). The prophet who teaches falsehood is himself the tail (Isaiah 9:15).

      And concerning the prophets of the two tribes: and in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen the likeness, because they indirectly incited the people to idolatry when they deceitfully promised prosperity to idolaters. They have profaned Me among My people for a handful of barley and a piece of bread, to kill souls that should not die and to give life to souls that should not live (Ezekiel 13:19).

   2. Second, he speaks of the divine wrath: they have all become to Me like Sodom—namely, the prophets, whom I hold in such abhorrence—and its inhabitants, those of Jerusalem. Hear the word of the LORD, you princes of Sodom; listen with your ears to the law of our God, O people of Gomorrah (Isaiah 1:10).

   3. Third, he threatens punishment: therefore, thus says the LORD: behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink gall. As it says above: behold, I will feed them with wormwood and give them water of gall to drink (Jeremiah 9:15). And he gives the reason why he threatens the prophets in particular: for defilement has gone out from the prophets of Jerusalem into all the land. Iniquity came from Babylon, from the elder judges who seemed to rule the people (Daniel 13:5).