Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 7:21-28

"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Add your burnt-offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat ye flesh. For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices: but this thing I commanded them, saying, Hearken unto my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; and walk ye in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in [their own] counsels [and] in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day, I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff: they did worse than their fathers. And thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee. And thou shalt say unto them, This is the nation that hath not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah their God, nor received instruction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth." — Jeremiah 7:21-28 (ASV)

1. First, the prophet sets aside their confidence in sacrifices. He reveals God’s perspective with the words, add burnt offerings to your sacrifices. It is as if he were saying, “Just as the greater part of your sacrifices is for your own use, so you should eat the entirety of the burnt offerings yourselves, for I take no pleasure in the eating of flesh.” As the Psalm says, Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? (Psalms 49:13).

   He gives the reason for this with the words, for I did not speak. The Lord did not desire this for His own sake, but so that through it He might draw them away from idolatry. For this reason, before the worship of the calf (Exodus 32:1–8), no commandments were given concerning sacrifices. Sacrifice and oblation you have not desired, but ears have you made for me. Holocaust and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, ‘Behold, I come’ (Psalms 39:6–7).

Second, he rebukes them for their disobedient conduct.

He does this first by showing their guilt, and second by threatening punishment, at cut off your hair (Jeremiah 7:29).

Concerning their guilt, he first proves their disobedience as if by induction. He shows they are disobedient to the Law by drawing their attention to its commandments: but this thing did I command. This was commanded from the beginning, as if it were the primary intention. He continues, Hear my voice, which concerns the moral precepts, and adds the promise, You shall be for me a people, and I will be a God for you (Ezekiel 36:28).

He then notes their contempt for the commandment: but they did not listen . . . they went backward, always adding more sin afterward. As Isaiah says, All have turned aside to their own way, each one to his greed, from the greatest to the least (Isaiah 56:11).

He also shows that they were disobedient to the prophets who came before them: and I sent all my servants the prophets to you. As it is written, The Lord has testified against Israel and against Judah by the hand of all his prophets and seers, saying: turn back from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my sacred rites, according to the Law which I commanded your fathers, and as I have sent word to you by the hand of my servants the prophets. They did not listen, but stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who did not wish to obey the Lord their God (2 Kings 17:13–14).

He even predicts that they will not obey him: And you shall speak . . . but they will not listen. This is because the house of Israel does not wish to hear you, because they do not wish to hear me; indeed, the whole house of Israel has a hard forehead and an obstinate heart (Ezekiel 3:7). And again, I have called, but you have not answered; I have spoken, but you did not listen, but you have done evil in my sight, and have chosen what I did not want (Isaiah 65:12).

Second, he draws the conclusion, which begins with the words, you will say to them. This is because, as it says above, in vain have I struck your children; they have not received correction (Jeremiah 2:30). This refers to the loss of faithfulness. This can be understood as faithfulness to the Lord, for with the heart we believe unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10). Alternatively, it can mean fidelity to one’s neighbor, as in, A faithful man who shall find? (Proverbs 20:6).