On Jeremiah (Homilies 12-20) On And you shall say to this people: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Every wineskin will be filled with wine up

 Therefore He here named the punishments unmixed wine, which they drink who are worthy of unmixed wine, that is, of unmixed punishment. But there are a

 to have the preeminence of a more honorable name than the people, God spares him so that he might not be punished when he sins. But the things written

 that God, sparing many, does not spare one. I will also take the example of a physician, showing that in sparing the whole body he does not spare one

 Then after this he commands them not to be lifted up, and teaches what must be done. What then is it to hear and what is it to give ear, let us unders

 does darkness not happen? Work while the light is in you. <The light is in you>, if you have in you the one who said: I am the light of the world

 glory to God those who do things contrary to the glory of God through their sins. 12.12 “Give glory to the Lord our God before it grows dark, before y

 the prophets, lest we fall under the prophecy that says: but if you do not listen secretly, your soul will weep because of insolence. As many of you

 to cast a vote against the one who has sinned, each of the onlookers does not spare, does not look sad, does not pity, does not return to intercede fo

 What follows also fits: You have turned me away, says the Lord, you will go backward. Because you have turned away from the Son of God, and because

 but not of pains that bring health to those being treated. 14.2 That people, therefore, was sick various diseases were among the people who were call

 spiritual riches, but they turned away from what was being said and did not present themselves receptive so that they might be indebted for this reas

 how often I wanted to gather your children together» and what follows. And these things are also clearly spoken by the Savior in the passage, “Woe is

 of the double-minded is judged. If you bear the image of the heavenly one having put off the image of the earthly one, you are not earth condemnin

 of their affliction, he says, that is against the enemy, I stood by you on their behalf. And who is the enemy but our adversary the devil, who affli

 to a land which he did not know. For a fire is kindled from my wrath, it will be burned against you. After this, <ὁ> he who prayed above completes t

 In the present case, it was necessary † for such a thing to happen in the church of God. The one who was condemned has been condemned, so-and-so † whi

 becomes inimitable, so that I become so great that no one is like me in character, in speech, in deeds, in wisdom, then I am able to say, because I al

 a limb, the physician tries to make a restoration of the dislocated part. When someone is outside his fatherland, whether justly or unjustly, and rece

 my Savior and Lord is about to stand before the Father, being judged with all of us men. And he is judged with all men. I say: he is judged, he himsel

 my dispensation did this and that, and for your salvation I endured. When the Savior says these things, what shall we do? For he is about to be judged

 uncleanness.” Having put these things to death, “he does not rely on the flesh of his own arm.” “Cursed is he who has his hope in man.” And at the sam

 to take the souls that are on the hills, those not lying below? And see if the prophet did not cry out mystically saying these things and presenting t

 my ‘Soul, you have good things laid up for many years rest, eat, drink, be merry.’” You see the one below the mountains, the one below the hills, th

 what awaits us, must be understood. If, then, we depart this life having sins, but also having virtues, will we be saved on account of the virtues, bu

 that the gentiles who sin receive their sins simply, but we receive our offenses doubly. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge

 it is written with an iron pen, with a diamond point, engraved upon the breast of the heart ” but again, the word 'their' does not follow in that case

 simpler than the believers. “The partridge called,” therefore, “it gathered what it did not hatch, making its wealth not with judgment.” The partridge

 your names are written in the heavens”. Therefore one must rejoice, if one becomes such a person, so that his name may be inscribed in the heavens. Bu

 for “there shall be trouble in Jacob, nor shall toil be seen in Israel.” There is no labor for one following Jesus the very act of following removes

 has ascended far above the earthen vessels. Below are the earthen vessels, and the nature that administers the earthen vessels, condescending to the t

 into the potter's house and he recounts what he saw, saying: and behold, he was doing a work with his hands, and the vessel which he was making in th

 to be planted,” a whole nation and since this <the> nation being built up and planted has a good promise, but is able to sin, he says after speaking

 Christ, the mystery of the church, the one who comes to the synagogue and does not bear fruit. 18.6 At last I will speak against a nation or even aga

 speaking to the child in a childish way, or that I may speak more emphatically, in an infantile way, that you have borne with the manners of your son

 of the Lord saying through the prophet: And the Lord spoke to them. And to <us> now the Lord says through the scriptures, Let each one turn from hi

 Jews but since they did not thirst for Christ and the Holy Spirit, they cannot drink even from God. Those from the heresies seemed to have thirsted f

 Immer, and that he was a priest, and what rank he held among the people, that he was appointed leader of the house of the Lord at the time when Jeremi

 God will do it». And such a high priest is superficially beautiful and a whitewashed wall, full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness on the ins

 of the disciples, as they were asking him, Where do you want us to prepare the Passover for you?, he said, As you are going, a man will meet you ca

 the sons of Jerusalem have departed and the city has been destroyed. But if you examine the matter and see the city not as stones, but as people, you

 burning in my bones, and I am weary on all sides and cannot bear it, because I heard the reproach of many gathering together round about,” and “saying

 For not only the adulterer is liable to the gehenna of fire, but also the one who says to his brother, fool. But if the one who says to his brothe

 you should think that his repentance has some kinship with the repentance of those who repent. For just as his word was something exceptional, his ang

 to the people, he hears God saying according to the scriptures: Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people? And he, it says, answered: Behol

 And I have insults as wood, I have drunkennesses as wood, thefts as wood, and I have built upon my structure ten thousand other pieces of wood. Do you

 to despise», see if it is not truly for this reason, since they did not think they were deceived, they stored up for themselves «wrath in the day of w

 a laughingstock, all the day I was derided”? What am I saying, Jeremiah? and my Jesus was mocked for it says, “the Pharisees, who were lovers of mone

 the unrighteous man “for it will be,” he says, “when you call upon me, I will not listen to you.” There, then, the unrighteous and it is clear that

 to discipline the body with fasts and to enslave it» «by abstaining from such foods,» and in every way «by the spirit to put to death the deeds of the

 in my bones, and I am exhausted on all sides and cannot bear it.” I fear lest such a thing is what is reserved for us, becoming a fire, as happened in

 let us all, his friends, conspire against him watch his intention, and he will be deceived.” They wanted to deceive him with another deadly deception

 let him examine. Nevertheless, what awaits us are tormentors and one who examines hearts and reins for our sins from which sins if we are not quickly

what awaits us, must be understood. If, then, we depart this life having sins, but also having virtues, will we be saved on account of the virtues, but be released concerning the sins committed in knowledge? or will we be punished on account of the sins, and in no way receive a reward for the virtues? But neither the one, I mean to receive the worse things but not to receive the better, is in accordance with God's justice, nor the other, I mean to receive the better things but not to receive the worse, is in accordance with God's justice, who wishes to purify and cut out wickedness. For let us say you have built, after the foundation of Christ Jesus which you have been taught, not only "gold and silver and precious stone"—if indeed you have gold, and much gold or a little; let us say you have silver, a precious stone, but I say not only these, but let us say you also have "wood and hay and straw"—what do you want to happen to you after the departure? Whether to enter into the holy places with your wood and with your hay and your straw, so that you may defile the kingdom of God? But again do you want to remain in the fire because of the hay, because of the wood, because of the straw and to receive nothing for the gold and silver and precious stone? Neither is this reasonable. 16.6 What then? First it follows to receive for the wood the fire that consumes [the fire] the wood and the hay and the straw; for our God is said in his essence to be a consuming fire to those who are able to understand. And the prophet was silent about what it consumes, saying: "our God is a consuming fire," but he has left it for us to understand. Because he said: "God is a consuming fire," there is something that is consumed. What then is it that is consumed? For he does not consume that which is in his image and likeness, he does not consume his own creation, but the hay that was built upon it, the wood that was built upon it, the straw that was built upon it. The passage was very difficult to explain. There were promises, and after the promises he says: "and I will first repay their iniquities double." The word "first" is necessarily added; for first the things of iniquity are repaid, then the things of righteousness, for God does not repay in the reverse. If he first repaid the good things, so that we might receive the good things, but now he repays the bad things, the good things would have to cease, so that we might receive the bad things. <But first we will receive the bad things, and after these the good things,> so that the punishment of those who have suffered may come to an end through the destruction of the bad things, so that after these things he may repay the good things. Therefore you will find in the sacred scriptures God saying first the things that seem to be gloomier and after these the better things. "I will kill and I will make to live; I will strike, and I will heal." "He causes pain and again he restores; he struck, and his hands healed." Upon these things, it is possible for the one who understands and is <piously> disposed toward the things being said to say: "Lord, who will sojourn in your tabernacle? Or who will dwell in your holy mountain? He who walks blameless and works righteousness, who speaks truth in his heart; who did not deal deceitfully with his tongue, and did not do evil to his neighbor, and did not take up a reproach against those nearest him." (But we reproach even those who repent and turn back, when the scripture says: "Do not reproach a man who turns away from sin.") "he did not take up a reproach against those nearest him; a wicked person is despised in his sight, but he glorifies those who fear the Lord." Therefore, all of us who have the material for that fire will first receive our sins. 16.7 But one of the hearers will say: Explain also <the word> "double"; for let it be that I receive my sins first, so that when I have received my sins, after this what was said by the apostle may be fulfilled: "if anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but so as through fire"—why indeed do I receive my sins "double"? But it must be said that "the servant who knew his master's will and did not do it according to his will, will be beaten" not a few but "many." It is fitting then for those from

τί ἡμᾶς περιμένει, κατανοητέον. Ἆρα ἐὰν ἐξέλθωμεν τὸν βίον ἔχοντες ἁμαρτήματα, ἔχοντες δὲ καὶ ἀνδραγαθήματα, σωθησόμεθα μὲν διὰ τὰ ἀνδραγαθήματα, ἀπο λυθησόμεθα δὲ περὶ τῶν ἐν γνώσει ἡμαρτημένων; ἢ κολασθησό μεθα μὲν διὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, οὐδαμοῦ δὲ μισθὸν ληψόμεθα τῶν ἀνδραγαθημάτων; ἀλλ' οὔτε τὸ ἕτερον, λέγω δὲ τὸ ἀπολαβεῖν τὰ χείρονα μὴ ἀπολαβεῖν δὲ τὰ κρείττονα, κατὰ δίκαιόν ἐστι τὸν θεόν, οὔτε τὸ ἕτερον, λέγω δὲ τὸ ἀπολαβεῖν τὰ κρείττονα μὴ ἀπολαβεῖν δὲ τὰ χείρονα, κατὰ δίκαιόν ἐστι τὸν θεόν, καθαίρειν βουλόμενον καὶ ἐκκόπτειν τὴν κακίαν. ἔστω γάρ σε ᾠκοδομηκέναι, μετὰ τὸν θεμέλιον Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ὃν δεδίδαξαι, οὐ μόνον «χρυσὸν καὶ ἄργυρον καὶ λίθον τίμιον»-εἴγε ἔχεις χρυσὸν καὶ πολὺν χρυσὸν ἢ ὀλίγον· ἔστω σε ἔχειν ἄργυρον, λίθον τίμιον, οὐ μόνα δέ φημι ταῦτα, ἀλλ' ἔστω σε ἔχειν καὶ «ξύλα καὶ χόρτον καὶ καλάμην»-τί βούλει σοι γενέσθαι μετὰ τὴν ἔξοδον; πότερόν ποτε εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὰ ἅγια μετὰ τοῦ ξύλου σου καὶ μετὰ τοῦ χόρτου σου καὶ τῆς καλά μης, ἵνα μιάνῃς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ; ἀλλὰ πάλιν ἀπομεῖναι θέλεις διὰ τὸν χόρτον, διὰ τὰ ξύλα, διὰ τὴν καλάμην ἐν τῷ πυρὶ καὶ μηδὲν ἀ<πο>λαβεῖν ὑπὲρ τοῦ χρυσοῦ καὶ ἀργύρου καὶ λίθου τιμίου; οὐδὲ τοῦτο εὔλογον. 16.6 τί οὖν; πρῶτον ἀκολουθεῖ ἀπολαβεῖν διὰ τὰ ξύλα τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἀναλίσκον [τὸ πῦρ] τὰ ξύλα καὶ τὸν χόρτον καὶ τὴν καλάμην· ὁ θεὸς γὰρ ἡμῶν τῇ οὐσίᾳ λέγεται τοῖς συνιέναι δυνα μένοις πῦρ εἶναι καταναλίσκον. καὶ ἐσιώπησε μὲν τὸ τί καταναλίσκον ὁ προφήτης λέγων· «ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν πῦρ καταναλίσκον», ἡμῖν δὲ κατα λέλοιπε νοεῖν. ὅτι εἶπεν· «ὁ θεὸς πῦρ ἐστι καταναλίσκον», ἔστι τι τὸ καταναλισκόμενον. τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ καταναλισκόμενον; οὐ γὰρ τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν ἀναλίσκει, οὐ τὸ ἴδιον κτίσμα κα ταναλίσκει, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐποικοδομηθέντα χόρτον, τὰ ἐποικοδομηθέντα ξύλα, τὴν ἐποικοδομηθεῖσαν καλάμην. Ὁ τόπος ἦν δυσδιήγητος σφόδρα. ἐπαγγελίαι ἦσαν, καὶ μετὰ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας λέγει· «καὶ ἀνταποδώσω πρῶτον διπλᾶς τὰς ἀδικίας αὐτῶν». ἀναγκαίως πρόσκειται τὸ «πρῶτον»· πρῶτον γὰρ τὰ τῆς ἀδικίας, εἶτα τὰ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἀποδίδοται, οὐ γὰρ ἀνάπαλιν ὁ θεὸς ἀνταποδίδωσιν. εἰ πρῶτον ἀπεδίδου τὰ ἀγαθά, ἵνα ἀπολάβωμεν τὰ ἀγαθά, νῦν δὲ ἀποδίδωσι τὰ κακά, ἔδει λῆξαι τὰ ἀγαθά, ἵνα ἀπολάβωμεν τὰ κακά. <ἀλλὰ πρῶτον ἀποληψόμεθα τὰ κακά, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα τὰ ἀγαθά,> ἵνα τέλος λάβῃ διὰ τοῦ ἀφανισμοῦ τῶν κακῶν τὰ τῆς κολάσεως τῶν παθόντων, ἵνα μετὰ ταῦτα ἀποδῷ τὰ ἀγαθά. διὸ εὑρήσεις ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς γραφαῖς τὸν θεὸν λέγοντα πρῶτον τὰ δοκοῦντα εἶναι σκυθρω πότερα καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα τὰ κρείττονα. «ἐγὼ ἀποκτενῶ καὶ ζῆν ποιήσω· πατάξω, κἀγὼ ἰάσομαι». «αὐτὸς ἀλγεῖν ποιεῖ καὶ πάλιν ἀποκαθίστησιν· ἔπαισε, καὶ αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ ἰάσαντο». ἐπὶ τούτοις ἔστι τὸν νοοῦντα καὶ <εὐσεβῶς> διακείμενον πρὸς τὰ λεγόμενα εἰπεῖν· «κύριε, τίς παροικήσει ἐν τῷ σκηνώματί σου; ἢ τίς κατασκηνώσει ἐν ὄρει ἁγίῳ σου; πορευό μενος ἄμωμος καὶ ἐργαζόμενος δικαιοσύνην, λαλῶν ἀλήθειαν ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ· ὃς οὐκ ἐδόλωσεν ἐν γλώσσῃ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησε τῷ πλη σίον αὐτοῦ κακόν, καὶ ὀνειδισμὸν οὐκ ἔλαβεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἔγγιστα αὐτοῦ». (ἡμεῖς δὲ ὀνειδίζομεν καὶ τοὺς μετανοοῦντας καὶ ἐπιστρέφοντας, λε γούσης τῆς γραφῆς· «μὴ ὀνείδιζε ἄνθρωπον ἀποστρέφοντα ἀπὸ ἁμαρ τίας».) «ὀνειδισμὸν οὐκ ἔλαβεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἔγγιστα αὐτοῦ· ἐξουδένωται ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ πονηρευόμενος, τοὺς δὲ φοβουμένους κύριον δοξάζει». πάντες οὖν οἱ ἔχοντες ὕλην ἐκείνου τοῦ πυρὸς πρῶτον ἀποληψόμεθα τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἡμῶν. 16.7 Ἀλλ' ἐρεῖ τις τῶν ἀκουόντων· διήγησαι καὶ <τὸ> «διπλᾶς»· ἔστω γὰρ ἀπολαμβάνειν με τὰς ἁμαρτίας πρῶτον, ἵνα ἐπὰν <ἀπο>λάβω τὰς ἁμαρτίας, μετὰ τοῦτο πληρωθῇ τὸ παρὰ τῷ ἀποστόλῳ εἰρημένον· «εἴ τινος τὸ ἔργον κατακαήσεται, ζημιωθήσεται, αὐτὸς δὲ σωθήσεται, οὕτως δὲ ὡς διὰ πυρός»-τί δήποτε «διπλᾶς» ἀπολαμβάνω τὰς ἁμαρτίας; ἀλλὰ λεκτέον ὅτι «δοῦλος ὁ εἰδὼς τὸ θέλημα τοῦ κυρίου καὶ μὴ ποιήσας κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ, δαρήσεται» οὐκ ὀλίγας ἀλλὰ «πολλάς». ἄξιον οὖν ἐστι τοὺς μὲν ἀπὸ