Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 29

1. Here, he refutes the false consolations of the prophets who were consoling the captives in Babylonia.

1. He refutes their false consolations.
2. He denounces the false consolers themselves, at thus says the Lord (Jeremiah 29:21).

Regarding the first point, there are two parts.

First, he gives the title of the prophecy, in which he identifies three things.

Namely, the manner of the prophecy is that it is in the form of a letter: the words of the book, that is, of the letter. Now, therefore, go in and write upon a box, and note it diligently in a book, and it shall be on the last days as a testimony forever (Isaiah 30:8).

The time of the prophecy: after Jekoniah had gone forth; as in 2 Kings 24.Jekoniah, king of Judah, went forth (egressus) to the king of Babylon . . . and the king of Babylon received him in the eighth year of his reign. . . . And he carried away Jekoniah and the king’s mother and the king’s wives and his eunuchs into Babylon; and the judges of the land he carried into captivity from Jerusalem into Babylon. And all the strong men, seven thousand, and the artificers and a thousand smiths, all that were valiant men and fit for war: the king of Babylon also led them captives into Babylon (2 Kings 24:12, 15–16). Behold, the sovereign Lord of hosts shall take away from Jerusalem and from Judah, the valiant and the strong, every strength of bread, and every strength of water; and the strong man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet (Isaiah 3:1–2).

And the messenger of the prophecy: by the hand of Elasah, the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah, the son of Hilkiah, whom he sent to make peace with the Chaldeans, who were terrified by the death of the false comforter Hananiah and by the threat of Jeremiah. When the wicked man is scourged, the fool shall be wiser (Proverbs 19:25).

Second, he gives the content of the prophecy: thus says the Lord. Regarding this, there are two parts.

First, he gives them good and advantageous advice, that they should attend to the necessities of life: build houses, which they were neglecting to do, believing they would return quickly according to the promises of the false prophets. They have sown fields, and planted vineyards, and made the fruit of birth (Psalms 106:37).Heb. וַ֝יַּעֲשׂ֗וּ פְּרִ֣י תְבֽוּאָה: and they yield the fruit of increase.

Also, they should attend to the raising of families: take wives. Increase and multiply, and fill the earth (Genesis 1:22).

And they should attend to matters pertaining to the tranquility of peace: and seek peace. Pray for the life of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and for the life of Balthasar his son . I ask first of all that prayers, supplications and thanksgivings be made for all men, for all kings, and for all who are established on high, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life, in all piety and chastity (1 Timothy 2:1–2).

Second, he refutes their false and useless counsel: for thus says the Lord.

1. He refutes the vain confidence they had conceived from the prophets’ promises.
2. He rejects their foolish repentance, at for thus says the Lord (Jeremiah 29:16).

Regarding the first point, there are three parts.

First, he refutes the utterance of the prophets who were promising a swift liberation: do not let your prophets deceive you, who speak to you in the name of the Lord, and diviners, who provide the responses of demons. Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and see nothing (Ezekiel 13:3).

Second, he speaks of the time of liberation. Regarding consolation, he says: for thus says the Lord, I shall visit you, meaning when I console you and afflict the enemy. As it says above: when the seventy years shall be accomplished, I shall visit upon the king of Babylon and upon that people, says the Lord, their iniquity (Jeremiah 25:12). And regarding their restoration to their native land: and stir up—meaning, I will fulfill. Stir up the prophecies, which the former prophets spoke in your name .

Third, he gives the manner of their liberation.

First, he promises they will enjoy their original state of prosperity regarding the tranquility of peace: for I know, as no other knows. The things which are of God no one knows except the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11). Eye has not seen, apart from you, what you have prepared for those who wait for you (Isaiah 64:4). This includes thoughts of peace, which I am preparing for you; an end to captivity; and endurance for hardships, so that you may bear them more easily. They speak peace with their neighbor, but evil is in their hearts (Psalms 27:3).

And regarding the hearing of prayer: you shall call with your mouth; and you shall go with your mind; you shall worship with your body. Or, you shall go to the temple. At the sound of your cry, as soon as he shall hear it, he shall answer you (Isaiah 30:19). Another text has: you shall call upon me, and you shall live; and you shall pray to me, and I will hear you. The meaning is plain.

And regarding the help of divine protection: you shall seek by desire and prayers, and you shall find me ready to help. It is as though he were saying, “I offer myself.” He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and I will reveal myself to him (John 14:21). Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near (Isaiah 55:6).

Second, he promises them their native land: and I shall bring back. I shall surely take you from the nations, and I shall gather you from all the lands, and I shall lead you to your own land (Ezekiel 36:24).

For you said—it is as though he were saying, “It was not necessary to write to you, because you trusted in false prophets.”

1. Here, the prophet excludes false repentance. Those in captivity might have come to regret surrendering when they saw others still remaining in Jerusalem. Therefore, those who remained are threatened with the severe punishment of death. As it says above: he who shall dwell in this city shall die by the sword, and the famine, and the plague; but he who shall go out and flee over to the Chaldeans, who besiege you, shall live (Jeremiah 21:9). And regarding their affliction: I shall make... This means they will find no favor with Me, nor with their captors, just as bad figs do not please those who gather them. As it says above: as the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, because they are bad, thus says the Lord: so shall I make Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and his princes, and the remnant of Jerusalem, who remain in this city, and who dwell in the land of Egypt (Jeremiah 24:8).

   He gives the reason: because they did not listen. Specifically, they did not listen to the command to surrender to Nebuchadnezzar and cease from their sins. As it says above: rising early, I warned them, and said: listen to my voice. But they did not listen, nor did they incline their ear, but turned away, each one in the depravity of his own evil heart (Jeremiah 11:7–8).

   Next, he introduces the intended conclusion: therefore, listen to the word of the Lord, so that you will not suffer punishment, seeing that you have obeyed Me in this. Hear, O sons, the discipline of your father (Proverbs 4:1).

Here, the prophet condemns the false prophets themselves. This condemnation is directed first against certain advocates of falsehood, and second, against a certain attacker of the truth, in the passage beginning and to Shemaiah (Jeremiah 29:24).

Regarding the first group, the advocates of falsehood, there are three points:

• He threatens a punishment.
• He rebukes their fault, in the verse because they committed folly in Israel (Jeremiah 29:23).
• He demonstrates the justice of their judgment with the words I am judge, and witness (Jeremiah 29:23).

Regarding the punishment mentioned first, there are three aspects:

• Their descent into guilt is described: “I will give them over,” so that God may have an occasion to punish those whom He had in His power from the beginning. The Lord has given me into a hand from which I will not be able to flee (Lamentations 1:14).
• The infliction of the punishment: “and he will strike.” As it says below: your breach is incurable, your wound very grievous (Jeremiah 30:12).
• The resultant curse: “and from them a curse will be taken up.”

Now, Jewish commentators say that these are the two elders of whom Daniel 13 speaks. From this, they wish to show that the other story is fictitious.In the Jewish canon, the book of Daniel ends with chapter 12; in the Catholic canon, two other chapters, which are thought to be of later composition, are included. For in that account, the elders are said to have been killed by the people, but here, by Nebuchadnezzar.

Furthermore, in that story, they are said to have been stoned, but here, they were burned with fire.

Regarding the first point of contradiction, it can be said that both may be true. It is possible that Nebuchadnezzar ordered the execution by his authority, and the people then carried out that sentence.

Regarding the second point, it should be said that any severe punishment can be metaphorically called “fire” because of the pain it causes. This metaphor is especially fitting here because of its connection to the sin of adultery. All adulterers are like an oven heated by the baker (Hosea 7:4). It is a fire that devours to destruction, and uproots everything that sprouts (Job 31:12).

v.23a

Here, he speaks of their guilt:

1. Adultery: folly, that is, a foolish thing; and adultery. Thus you would do to the daughters of Israel, and they for fear would speak with you (Daniel 13:57). As it says above: each one neighing at the wife of his neighbor (Jeremiah 5:8).
2. The lie: and they spoke a word in my name falsely, for they were saying that liberation was near and that the Christ was to be born from them, so that they might in this way deceive the women into committing adultery. As it says above: I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied (Jeremiah 23:21).

v.23b

Here, he speaks of the justice of the judgment: judge, to inflict punishment; witness, to convict of guilt—because by divine assent, they were miraculously discovered. The Lord stirred up the spirit of a young boy, whose name was Daniel (Daniel 13:45).

Here, the prophet speaks out against an attacker of the truth. This attacker, a false prophet who promised the people that liberation was near, was angry with Jeremiah because of the letter he had sent to Babylon. In response, he wrote a letter to the high priest in Jerusalem against Jeremiah.

Regarding this, there are two points:

1. The attack against the truth is described.
2. The threat against the attacker is given, starting at Jeremiah 29:30: and the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.

Regarding the first point, there are two parts:

1. The meaning of the false prophet's letter is given. It begins with the incomplete statement, because you sent. This is as if to say, “Surely you will not allow this,” because he will continue after inserting other remarks. In the letter, he makes three points:
   1. He recalls the example of his predecessor: the Lord has made you a priest in the place of Jehoiada, who killed the false prophets, implying that you should do the same to Jeremiah, the false prophet (2 Kings 11:18).
   2. He reminds him of his duty: that you may be the ruler in the house of the Lord over every madman who, seized by an unclean spirit, wrongfully takes on the role of a prophet. For it was the priest's duty to discern between spirits: Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).
   3. He also offers a criticism: for concerning this, he has sent to us in Babylon. This is because Jeremiah preaches what is considered “evil,” rather than good news, as the Scriptures say: They have hated the one who rebuked in the gate, and have abhorred the one who speaks perfectly (Amos 5:10), and, I hate him, because he does not prophesy good to me, but evil, Micah, the son of Imla (1 Kings 22:8).
2. It is shown how the prophet became aware of this: Zephaniah the priest, therefore, read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. This was done in order to rebuke him, as it says earlier: the word of the Lord has become a reproach to me, and a derision all the day (Jeremiah 20:8).