Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 36:22-25

"Now the king was sitting in the winter-house in the ninth month: and [there was a fire in] the brazier burning before him. And it came to pass, when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, that [the king] cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. And they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words. Moreover Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll; but he would not hear them." — Jeremiah 36:22-25 (ASV)

This section describes the destruction of the scroll, and regarding this, there are two points to consider:

1. The destruction of the scroll itself.
2. The persecution of its authors, as seen in the verse, and the king commanded Jerahmeel (Jeremiah 36:26).

Concerning the first point—the destruction of the scroll—there are three things to note:

1. The setting for the destruction is described: in the winter-house, there was set before him a brazier filled with coals. Because of his luxurious habits, he had separate houses for winter and summer, as the prophet Amos mentions: I shall strike the winter house with the summer house, and the ivory houses shall perish, and many houses shall be destroyed (Amos 3:15).
2. The act of destruction is described: and when Jehudi had read three columns—that is, small pages—the king cut it with the knife, the kind with which a quill is prepared. This reflects the attitude described in Isaiah: Take the way from me, turn the path from me, let the Holy One of Israel cease from before us (Isaiah 30:11). And so they did what they should not have done, and also failed to do what they should have. Their reaction is recorded: And the king and all his servants were not afraid, which stands in stark contrast to the example of Josiah, of whom it is written, When the king had heard the words of the book of the Law, he rent his garments (2 Kings 22:11).
3. The objection of the princes is mentioned: Moreover, Elnathan, and Delaiah, and Gemariah had urged the king. Something similar is found in 2 Samuel 24:4, where the word of the king prevailed over the words of Joab, and his princes.