Geremia 24:4 Commento

In the close of the foregoing chapter we had a general prediction of the utter ruin of Jerusalem, that it should be forsaken and forgotten, which, whatever effect it had upon others, we have reason to think made the prophet himself very melancholy. Now, in this chapter, God encourages him, by showing him that, though the desolation seemed to be universal, yet all were not equally involved in it, but God knew how to distinguish, how to separate, between the precious and the vile. Some had gone into captivity already with Jeconiah; over them Jeremiah lamented, but God tells him that it should turn to their good. Others yet remained hardened in their sins, against whom Jeremiah had a just indignation; but those, God tells him, should go into captivity, and it should prove to their hurt. To inform the prophet of this, and affect him with it, here is, I. A vision of two baskets of figs, one very good and the other very bad (Jer 24:1-3). II. The explication of this vision, applying the good figs to those that were already sent into captivity for their good (Jer 24:4-7), the bad figs to those that should hereafter be sent into captivity for their hurt (Jer 24:8-10).

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 24 This chapter contains a vision of two baskets of figs, representing the Jews both in captivity, and at Jerusalem. The vision is declared, Jer 24:1; where both time and place are pointed at, in which the vision was seen, and the nature of the figs described, and what passed between the Lord and the prophet concerning them. The explication of the vision begins, Jer 24:4; and continues to the end of the chapter. The good figs were an emblem of the good people that were carried captive with Jeconiah into Babylon, which the Lord says was for their good; and he promises to own them, and set his eyes upon them for good, and that they should return to their own land, and have a heart to know him as their God, and return unto him, Jer 24:5; the bad figs signify the people that were with Zedekiah at Jerusalem, and those that were in Egypt, who are threatened to be carried captive into all lands, and there live under the greatest reproach and disgrace; or be destroyed in their own land by the sword, famine, or pestilence, Jer 24:8.

Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying. As follows; where an explanation is given of the above vision, to which this is a transition. Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying. As follows; where an explanation is given of the above vision, to which this is a transition. Jeremiah 24:5 jer 24:5 jer 24:5 jer 24:5Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel,.... Of all the tribes of Israel; of the ten tribes that had been carried captive long ago by the king of Assyria; and of the other two tribes, part of whom were in Babylon, and the other in Judea, who were not wholly cut off by the Lord; but he still had a regard for them; and therefore introduces what he was about to say in this manner: like those good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah; that they are good men, and like those good rigs, even those that were; and though they are carried captive: or, "I will know them" (d); take notice of them; show an affectionate love to them, and care of them; make himself known unto them, and own them for his, in the furnace of affliction: whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good; or "for good things", as the Septuagint and other versions; for their temporal good; some were raised to great honours, as Daniel, and his associates; others got and possessed estates in Babylon, and some returned with favours and riches: and this was also for their spiritual good; to bring them to a sense of their sins, to repentance for them, and acknowledgment of them; and particularly to cure them of idolatry, which it effectually did; so the Lord makes all "things to work together for good", to them that love him, Rom 8:28; and it may be observed, that though the Chaldeans carried the Jews captive out of their own land, and the city of Jerusalem, meant by "this place", into the land of Babylon, yet they were only instruments; it was the Lord's doing; he sent them thither. Jarchi connects the phrase "for good" with the word "acknowledge", supposing a transposition of the words, thus, "I will acknowledge them for good". (d) "cognoscam", V. L. Gataker.

(Chapter XXIV. - Verse 1ff.) The Lord showed me, and behold, two baskets (or baskets) full of figs, placed before the temple of the Lord. After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes, the craftsmen, and the captives from Jerusalem to Babylon. One basket had very good figs, like the figs that ripen early, and the other basket had very bad figs, which could not be eaten because they were bad. And the Lord said to me: What do you see, Jeremiah? And I said: I see good figs, very good; and bad figs, very bad, which cannot be eaten, because they are bad. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Thus says the Lord God of Israel: As these good figs, so will I know the captivity of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, for good. And I will set my eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them back to this land, and I will build them up, and not tear them down: and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return to me with their whole heart. And as the fig tree, which cannot be eaten, because it is bad: thus saith the Lord, so will I give (or hand over) Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the remnant of Jerusalem, that remain in this city, and that dwell in the land of Egypt. And I will give them for vexation, affliction (or dispersion) to all the kingdoms of the earth as a reproach, and as a parable, and as a proverb, and as a curse in all places where I have driven them. And I will send upon them the sword, and famine, and the pestilence, until they are consumed from the land that I gave to them and their fathers. The two baskets, or baskets of good and evil (or of good things and evil things), are interpreted in the Law and in the Gospel; the Synagogue and the Church; the Jewish people and the Christians; Gehenna and the Kingdom of Heaven, of which one pertains to the punishment of sins, and the other to the dwelling place of the Saints. But we, knowing according to the Apostle Paul (Rom. VII) that the law is good and holy, and the commandment is good and holy, and that the God of both Testaments is one, or rather let us refer to those who believed and did not believe in the coming of the Lord Savior, who, instigated by the Scribes and priests, cried out, saying: Crucify, crucify such a one (Luc. XXIII, 21), let them be baskets of bad figs; but those who believed after his ascension, let them be referred to as good figs and the best basket and basket. But let us follow a simple and true history, which Jechoniah, who had surrendered himself to the counsel and command of Jeremiah and God, had called the basket of good figs, to whom the Lord also promises prosperity. But of Zedekiah, who went against the advice of God, he was captured, his eyes were blinded, and he was led to Babylon, where he died (2 Kings 25). However, God showed favor to those who obeyed His command and brought them back to their land. He built and did not destroy, planted and did not uproot, and gave them a heart to know Him, so that they would be His people and He would be their God. Even in captivity, God looked upon them and allowed them to work the land, build houses, and plant gardens in the region of Babylon. Daniel, through the signs and miracles, became a ruler suddenly from being a captive (Daniel 5), and the three young men were gloriously delivered from the fiery furnace (Daniel 3). And after seventy years, under Zerubbabel, Joshua the high priest, Ezra, and Nehemiah, a great number of people returned to Jerusalem, which is recorded in the book of Ezra (Ezra 2). It should also be noted that this vision was given to the prophet during the time of Zedekiah, after Jehoiachin was taken into exile. For he did not mention captivity, since he had willingly surrendered himself. However, we should understand the blacksmiths and the enclosers, or the interpreters and teachers of the law, or the craftsmen and enclosers of gold and gems, which art is most precious among barbarian nations. They were interpreted for the jailers as referring to the seventy who were bound, in order to signify the evil of their captivity; and they added something of their own, the wealthy, which is not found in the Hebrew. Moreover, he compares a basket which had good figs, and very good ones, the figs of the first season, which in Greek are called πρώἳμα, namely, those of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses, and Aaron, and Job, and the other holy men, concerning whom one of the twelve Prophets speaks: I found Israel as grapes in the wilderness, and as figs in the fig tree's first season I found your fathers. And we are also called sons of Abraham. And on the contrary, it is said to the Jews: If your father were Abraham, you would do his works (John 8:39). However, these nets, which had good and bad figs, were not outside and outside the Church, but in front of the temple of the Lord, because all of that knowledge is open: nor do these figs outside have such bitterness, as those which have been changed after the confession of faith through transgression. They lack the sweetness of a good fig, which are not in the presence of the temple of God: such were the worldly philosophers, who, though they seemed more to praise than to follow the virtues, recognized the natural good and intelligence of the Creator: how great is the sweetness of the figs that are in the temple of God, of which the Prophets and Apostles were, of whom one fig spoke: I have given you milk, not solid food (I Cor. III, 2). And: My little children, of whom I am in travail again until Christ be formed in you (Galat. IV, 19). Where it is said that in the sight of the temple of God, the good figs were very good; and the bad figs were very bad. And so that we do not think that our interpretation is incorrect, Scripture itself explains. Just as it says, these figs are good: so I will acknowledge the transmigration of Judah, which I sent from this place to the land of the Chaldeans for good: signifying Jeconiah and the princes who were taken captive with him. And, on the contrary, concerning the basket that had the bad figs; and just as the figs, it says, which cannot be eaten because they are bad: so I will give Zedekiah the king of Judah and his princes, and those who fled to Egypt, and those who remained in this city, into vexation and affliction for all the kingdoms of the earth (Jeremiah 42), when they were also taken captive in Egypt, and Nebuchadnezzar set his throne in Tahpanhes, and the Lord sent against them the sword, famine, and pestilence until they were consumed from the land that he gave to their fathers. But what he said about the good figs: I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord, is similar to the Apostle's: It is God who works in you both to will and to do (Philippians 2:13), so that not only our actions, but also our desires rely on the help of God. In this passage, the allegorical interpreter goes astray, always wanting to give a historical meaning to the truth, referring to those captured and taken to Chaldea from the heavenly Jerusalem, and then returning to their original place, like Jeremiah and the other holy prophets; but he says that the others who were sinners will die in this land and in the valley of tears. I placed the entire vision here without any cutting, so as not to divide the meaning in the explanation.

THE RESTORATION OF THE CAPTIVES IN BABYLON AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE REFRACTORY PARTY IN JUDEA AND IN EGYPT, REPRESENTED UNDER THE TYPE OF A BASKET OF GOOD, AND ONE OF BAD, FIGS. (Jer 24:1-10) Lord showed me-- Amo 7:1, Amo 7:4, Amo 7:7; Amo 8:1, contains the same formula, with the addition of "thus" prefixed. carried . . . captive Jeconiah-- (Jer 22:24; Kg2 24:12, &c.; Ch2 36:10). carpenters, &c.--One thousand artisans were carried to Babylon, both to work for the king there, and to deprive Jerusalem of their services in the event of a future siege (Kg2 24:16).

The interpretation of the symbol. Jer 24:5. Like the good figs, the Lord will look on the captives in Chaldea for good ("for good" belongs to the verb "look on them"). The point of resemblance is: as one looks with pleasure on good figs, takes them and keeps them, so will I bestow my favour on Judah's captives. Looking on them for good is explained, Jer 24:6 : the Lord will set His eye on them, bring them back into their land and build them up again. With "build them," etc., cf. Jer 1:10. The building and planting of the captives is not to consist solely in the restoration of their former civil well-being, but will be a spiritual regeneration of the people. God will give them a heart to know Him as their God, so that they may be in truth His people, and He their God. "For they will return," not: when they return (Ew., Hitz.). The turning to the Lord cannot be regarded as the condition of their receiving favour, because God will give them a heart to know Him; it is the working of the knowledge of the Lord put in their hearts. And this is adduced to certify the idea that they will then be really the Lord's people.