Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 33

1. Here, he offers consolation especially to the two tribes, and particularly with regard to Jerusalem, where the seat of the kingdom and the priesthood was. Regarding this, there are two points.

   • First, he gives the title of the prophecy, in which he speaks of the prophet's imprisonment: while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, by Zedekiah.

   • Second, regarding the preceding vision, which came second, he speaks of the authority of the One who promises: Thus says the LORD, who will do it, like a craftsman preparing his material; He will form it, by bringing it to its full form; and prepare it, by directing it toward its end. The LORD is His name, because He alone is the Lord of all. For Your name is the LORD; You alone are the Most High over all the earth (Psalms 82:19).

     He then speaks of the firmness and greatness of the promise: Call to me, praying for the people, and I will hear you. This does not mean that I will not bring disaster upon you, but that after the disaster has come, I will free you. Therefore, this is not contrary to what was said before: Therefore, you shall not pray for this people, nor lift up praise or prayer for them, and do not stand against Me, for I will not hear you (Jeremiah 7:16).

     The promise is of something that cannot be grasped by human reasoning: For he knows not. From that time, I have made you hear new things, and things that are kept which you did not know (Isaiah 48:6).

Next, he gives the word of the prophecy, which has two parts:

• First, the promise to the people is made.

• Second, the promise to the kingdom and the priesthood, beginning at Behold, the days are coming (Jeremiah 33:14).

Regarding the first part, the promise to the people, there are three points.

• First, he promises the healing of the wound that has been inflicted.

• Second, he promises joyfulness of heart, beginning at Thus says the LORD: There shall yet be heard in this place (Jeremiah 33:10).

• Third, he promises the tranquility of peace, beginning at Thus says the LORD of hosts (Jeremiah 33:12).

Regarding the first of these points, the healing of the wound, there are three further points.

• First, he addresses the wound that has been inflicted: For thus says the LORD. This concerns the destruction of the buildings: to the houses. The Lord has thrown down and has not spared all that was beautiful in Jacob; He has destroyed in His fury the strongholds of the virgin of Judah and has cast them to the ground (Lamentations 2:2).

  It also concerns the slaughter of men: and to the sword of those that come to the aid of Jerusalem, whether from the Gentiles or from the kingdom of the two tribes. The houses were to fill them with the bodies of men killed when, drawing confidence from these reinforcements, they resisted the enemy. This happened when I hid My face, that is, when I withdrew My protection. The nations shall know that the house of Israel was taken captive for its sins, because it abandoned Me, and I hid My face from them (Ezekiel 39:23).

• Second, he promises the benefit of healing. In general: Behold, I will close their wound. As stated above: I will cover up your scar and heal you of your wounds (Jeremiah 30:17). And particularly regarding the hearing of prayer: and I will reveal to them—by fulfilling what was intended—the prayer, because they had asked Me for mutual peace and true religion. Let there be peace and truth in my days (Isaiah 39:8).

  This healing includes their restoration to their native land: and I will bring back. As stated above: I will reverse the captivity of the tents of Jacob and have mercy on his houses (Jeremiah 30:18).

  It also includes the remission of sin. This involves, first, the cleansing of their guilt: and I will cleanse them. You shall be cleansed from all your iniquities, and I will cleanse you from all your idols (Ezekiel 36:25). Second, it involves their absolution from punishment: and I will forgive all their iniquities. Who forgives all their iniquities and heals all their infirmities (Psalms 102:3).

• Third, he speaks of the fruit of this liberation. First, with regard to the divine glory: and it shall be to Me as a name. As stated above: I will rejoice over them when I do them good (Jeremiah 32:41). I have formed this people for Myself; they shall tell My praise (Isaiah 43:21).

  Second, with regard to the joy of their friends: and a gladness before all the nations of the earth. Mount Zion is established with the joy of the whole earth, on the side of the north, the city of the great King (Psalms 47:3).

  Third, with regard to the distress of those who envy them: and they shall fear. Let the envious peoples see and be put to shame, and let fire devour Your enemies (Isaiah 26:11).

Here, he promises their happiness:

1. Temporal joy: the voice of joy. As mentioned previously: I will destroy from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstone and the light of the lamp (Jeremiah 25:10).
2. Spiritual joy expressed with divine praises: the voice of those who say: give thanks to the LORD. Joy and gladness shall be found in her, thanksgiving, and the voice of praise (Isaiah 51:3). Alleluia shall be sung throughout all her streets . This joy is also expressed with offerings: and of those that bring their vows into the house of the LORD. They shall worship him with sacrifices and gifts, and they shall swear vows to the Lord, and fulfill them (Isaiah 19:21).
3. He gives the reason: for I will bring back the captivity of the land. Renew our days as from the beginning (Lamentations 5:21).

1. Here, he promises them the tranquility of peace, which he signifies by their dwelling securely in their own land: the flocks pass under the hand of him that numbers them. It is as though he were saying, “They will have such great security that they will be able to freely number their sheep.” In the most fertile meadows I shall feed them, and their pastures shall be on the highest mountains of Israel (Ezekiel 34:14).

1. This provides consolation regarding the kingdom and the priesthood.

   1. The restoration of both is promised.

      1. The restoration of the kingdom is promised. This has three aspects:

         1. He indicates the appropriateness of the time: behold, the days are coming—the days of grace—that I shall stir up, meaning, I will fulfill, the good word which I promised concerning the restoration of the kingdom. And the children of Judah shall be gathered, and the children of Israel likewise, and they shall appoint for themselves one head, and he shall go up from the land (Hosea 1:11). This was fulfilled in Christ.

         2. The nature of the kingdom is described with regard to the nobility of its ruler: in those days, I will make to spring forth for David the shoot of justice, who is Christ, justice itself. A rod shall go forth from Jesse, and a flower shall come up from his root (Isaiah 11:1).

            And he shall execute judgment—in his first coming on behalf of the world, and in his second coming to the world. He shall execute justice by teaching in word, fulfilling it in himself by deed, and in others by the gift of grace. I have done judgment and justice (Psalms 118:121).

            It is also described with regard to the usefulness of the ruler for the salvation of the people: in those days shall Judah be saved, referring to those who believed in his first coming and will believe in his second. I shall save them by the Lord their God (Hosea 1:7). This includes the security of peace: and Israel shall dwell confidently. My people shall dwell in the beauty of peace, and the tabernacles of confidence, and in abundant rest (Isaiah 32:18). It also includes the confession of the true faith: and this is the name . . . the LORD our just one. Just are you, O Lord, and righteous is your judgment (Psalms 118:137).

         3. He speaks of the duration of the kingdom: for thus says the LORD: there shall not perish from David a man, meaning Christ and his kingdom. His power is an everlasting power, which shall not be taken away, and his a kingdom which shall not be destroyed (Daniel 7:14).

      2. The restoration of the priesthood is promised, as stated in the verse, and of the priests and Levites there shall not perish a man (Jeremiah 33:18).

   2. The confirmation of the promise is given, beginning at and the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 33:19).

1. Here, the author speaks of the restoration of the priesthood. Just as the kingdom is restored in Christ and in his members, so also is the priesthood. For inasmuch as he is a king, he is also a priest: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Psalms 110:4). And he made his members kings and priests: You have made us a kingdom and priests for our God (Revelation 5:10). He offered himself as an offering to God, as a pleasing fragrance (Ephesians 5:2). He also makes his members offer spiritual sacrifices to God. The priests and the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept the ceremonies of my sanctuary when the children of Israel wandered from me, shall draw near to me to minister to me, and they shall stand before me to offer me fat and blood, says the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 44:15).