Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 7:1-15

"The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, Stand in the gate of Jehovah`s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of Jehovah, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship Jehovah. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, are these. For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute justice between a man and his neighbor; if ye oppress not the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your own hurt: then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, from of old even for evermore. Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods that ye have not known, and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered; that ye may do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, saith Jehovah. But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. And now, because ye have done all these works, saith Jehovah, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not: therefore will I do unto the house which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim." — Jeremiah 7:1-15 (ASV)

1. Here, the prophet excludes the third means of assistance on which the people might have relied: the practice of their religion. He addresses this in three areas:

1. Regarding the sanctity of the temple.
2. Regarding the devotion of prayer, as seen in the verse, therefore, you shall not pray for this people (Jeremiah 7:16).
3. Regarding the offering of sacrifices, as seen in the verse, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel (Jeremiah 7:21).

Regarding the first point on the sanctity of the temple, the prophet makes two arguments:

1. First, he speaks as if offering sound advice in good faith: stand in the gate. This was so that they might at least be forced to listen because of the sanctity of the place; it is as if he were saying, “They refuse to listen elsewhere.”

   He commands them: Make your ways—that is, your actions—good, and your inclinations—your thoughts, by which you decide what to do. Prepare the way, make straight the paths of our God in the wilderness (Isaiah 40:3).

   Then he speaks of the fruit of obedience: and I will dwell. Behold the dwelling place of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them (Revelation 21:3).

   Finally, he refutes their vain hope: trust not in lying words. He does this since they were saying that, because of the temple's sanctity, they could avoid all punishment without amending their lives. They would repeat, “The temple of the Lord is holy; the temple of the Lord is precious; the temple of the Lord is revered by all.” But God has not chosen a people because of the place, but a place because of the people .

2. Second, he returns to his purpose and explains it, which he does in two parts.

   1. First, regarding the earlier part of the command, he shows what is meant by making one’s ways good, and he lays out the steps in order of action. He starts with their internal state: for if you truly amend, as if you were determining or directing in your mind and setting straight in thought your inclinations.

      Next, regarding doing good to a neighbor: if you carry out judgment.

      Then, in relation to God: nor walk after strange gods.

      He again reminds them of the fruit of his counsel: I will dwell with you, if you will desire it and listen. Lord, who shall dwell in your tabernacle, or who shall rest on your holy mountain? He who walks without stain, and does justice (Psalms 15:1–2).

   2. Second, he explains the latter part of his argument, which also has two sections.

      1. First, he exposes their false confidence and attributes this defect to their guilt: behold, you trust in lying words. He says this because they believe they can commit the following sins with impunity:

         • to steal, a sin against a neighbor’s property;
         • to kill, a sin against his person;
         • to commit adultery, a sin that is partly against his property and partly against his person;
         • to swear falsely, which is a sin against God.

         As Isaiah says, We have set a lie as our hope, and by a lie are we protected (Isaiah 28:15).

         He also addresses their external show of religion, which contradicts a sufficient amendment of life: you have come, and stood before me in this house. They acted as if believing that merely entering the temple would suffice. Perhaps they were deceived by Solomon’s prayer, which is recorded in 2 Chronicles 6 and 1 Kings 8. The prophet, however, understands that one must enter the house of the Lord only after completely amending one’s conduct, not with the false confidence that says, Because we have done all these abominations without His intervention.

      2. Second, he refutes their false confidence.

         1. First, he refutes it with an argument, showing that their external religion is an insufficient amendment for their sins: has not, then, this house become a den of thieves? It is as if he were saying, “If you enter my house unpurified, you make it a den of thieves.” My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves (Matthew 21:13). And he shows their obvious guilt: I, even I—who am particularly present and see all things everywhere—have seen your sins. All the ways of men lay open to his eyes; the Lord is a weigher of spirits (Proverbs 16:2).

         2. Second, he refutes it by example. This refutation also has two parts.

            1. First, he gives the example of Shiloh, where the tabernacle had previously been set up: go to my place in Shiloh. And he rejected the tabernacle of Shiloh, his tabernacle, where he dwelled among men (Psalms 78:60).

            2. Second, he applies this example to the current situation, assuming a similar fault: and now, because you have done all these things, says the Lord, though I have spoken to you rising early. The commentator explains “rising early” as being like a diligent man who gets up very early to complete his work, or as a time suitable for contemplation and receiving wisdom, since the body is then at rest. The Lord continues, I called. For I called and you refused, I implored and there was none who would look (Proverbs 1:24).

               From this, the prophet deduces a similar punishment—the destruction of the place: I shall do to this house. As it says later, I shall make this house like Shiloh, and this city a curse to all the nations (Jeremiah 26:6).

               And regarding the captivity of the people, he says: I shall drive you from before my face. As it says later, you have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and have not visited them (Jeremiah 23:2).