Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 32:26-40

"Then came the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah, saying, Behold, I am Jehovah, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me? Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it: and the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set this city on fire, and burn it, with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink-offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger. For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only that which was evil in my sight from their youth; for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith Jehovah. For this city hath been to me a provocation of mine anger and of my wrath from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face, because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: and though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction. But they set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it. And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through [the fire] unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. And now therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: Behold, I will gather them out of all the countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my wrath, and in great indignation; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them, to do them good; and I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from me." — Jeremiah 32:26-40 (ASV)

^32:41a And I will rejoice over them when I do them good.

1. Here is the Lord’s response.

1. He presents His power: shall any word be difficult for me? Why did Sarah your wife laugh saying, ‘Shall I, who am an old woman, truly bear a son?’ Is anything difficult for God? (Genesis 18:14).
2. He shows that the punishment, stemming from such power, was justly inflicted when He predicts it: therefore, thus says the Lord. As stated above: the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah shall be like the place Tophet, unclean (Jeremiah 19:13). He then details their guilt:
   • By showing their persistence in sin: for the children have continually done evil in my eyes from their youth, when they went forth from Egypt. As stated above: we have sinned—we and our fathers—from our youth until this day (Jeremiah 3:25).
   • By showing the universality of their sin: for this city has been for me a provocation, and an indignation from the day they built it (1 Chronicles 11).
   • Because of the wickedness. From the sole of the foot to the top of the head there is no soundness in him (Isaiah 1:6). As stated above: I have set my face against this city for evil and not for good, says the Lord (Jeremiah 21:10).
   • By showing the gravity of their sin concerning their contempt for God: and they turned their backs to me, through disobedience, like those who scornfully reject another. They have turned their shoulder and gone away; they have made their ears heavy, lest they should hear (Zechariah 7:11).
   • Concerning the sacrilege of defiling the temple: and they put idols. As stated above: why is it that my beloved has done much wickedness in my house? (Jeremiah 11:15).
   • And concerning sacrilege combined with murder: and they built the high places. They have sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons (Psalms 105:37).
3. He promises mercy.
   1. He first addresses their desperation: and now, because of all these things, thus says the Lord. This means, “Because I am powerful in all things; just as I have punished them mightily, so I will deliver them mightily.” You say, in despair, that it shall be given over. As stated above: those who are for the sword, to the sword, and those who are for famine, to famine, and those who are for captivity, to captivity (Jeremiah 15:2).
   2. He gives the promise: behold, I shall gather you.
      1. He promises to call them back. I shall gather. I shall surely take you from the nations, and gather you from every land, and lead you to your own land (Ezekiel 36:24). He also promises security to those who are called back: and I shall make them to dwell confidently. As stated above: in those days Judah will be saved, and Israel shall dwell confidently (Jeremiah 23:6).
      2. He promises prosperity to those who return, concerning both spiritual and temporal goods (the latter at and I shall plant them in this land, Jeremiah 32:41).

         Concerning spiritual goods, there are three points:

         1. He promises sanctity (that is, obedience to God): and they shall be for me a people. They shall be his people and God himself with them shall be their God (Revelation 21:3). He also promises harmony with their neighbors: and I shall give them one heart. And the multitude of believers was of one heart, and one mind (Acts 4:32).
         2. He promises firmness of sanctity: and I shall make an eternal covenant with them, and I shall not cease to do them good, which concerns the fruit of sanctity of which He had spoken; and fear, which concerns the gift of sanctity. I will make with you an eternal covenant, the faithful mercies of David (Isaiah 55:3).
         3. He promises acceptance of their sanctity: and I shall rejoice, meaning, I will accept their good works. The Lord shall rejoice in his works (Psalms 103:31).

^32:41b And I will plant them in this land in truth, with all my heart, and with all my soul.

2. Here, He promises temporal goods:

1. A secure dwelling in their native land: I shall plant, so that they may not easily be uprooted; in truth, meaning genuinely; heart, concerning thought; and soul, concerning will. As stated above: I shall build them up, and not pull them down; I shall plant them, and not root them up (Jeremiah 24:6).
2. He confirms this by way of comparison: for thus says the Lord: as I brought all this great evil upon this people, so shall I bring upon them all the good. He who brought evil upon you, he shall snatch you out of the hands of your enemies .
3. A free possession of property, speaking of their complete ownership: and the fields shall be owned. They shall possess it forever; they shall dwell in it from generation to generation (Isaiah 34:17).
4. The freedom to make contracts: fields shall be bought for money. When the Lord turned the captivity of Zion, we became like those who are consoled (Psalms 125:1).

Chapter 33