THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Listen closely, O unfaithful one, to the message of the Lord. The Sovereign Lord declares that due to the reckless squandering of your wealth and the public exposure of your disgrace through your unfaithfulness to your lovers and through your worship of abominable idols, even in the lives of your children whom you have sacrificed, I will gather all your paramours, those you have courted and those whom you have rejected. I will bring them together from all around, and they will witness your shame as your sins are laid bare before them. I will judge you with the severity prescribed for unfaithfulness and for those who take life unjustly.
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My wrath will rise against you, and I will deliver you into their hands, where they will dismantle the structures of your debauchery and strip you of your finery, leaving you weary and full of disgrace. A multitude will surround you; they will hurl stones at you and strike you down with their swords. Your homes will be set ablaze, and retribution will be exacted upon you in the sight of countless witnesses, freeing you from your immoral ways, and you will no longer offer any form of tribute. My anger will be pacified, and my jealousy will depart; I will rest, no longer troubled because you have forgotten the days of your youth and have distressed Me with all your actions. Thus I will turn your deeds back upon you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and I will not act towards you according to your wicked conduct in all your detestable practices.
If we consider the historical context, understand that your past transgressions carry weight. Pay heed, O unfaithful one, to what you have done and what shall come upon you. You have wasted the gifts I bestowed upon you, paying off your lovers rather than receiving from them and sacrificing your children to idols, rendering yourself not only an unfaithful partner but a killer. Therefore, I will call forth all your lovers, those with whom you have shared intimacy and those you have shunned, and I will expose you accordingly, that all may see your disgrace and your indecency, the very sites of your former passions.
The metaphor of the unfaithful woman and the murderer applies to Jerusalem, illustrating how the nations will gather against it for its idolatry, worshipping false gods and misusing the gifts I have given. The temple dedicated to Baal will face destruction, and the altars throughout the city will be consumed by fire, leaving no remnant. As people commonly throw stones at an unfaithful woman to exact justice, so will Jerusalem be left desolate before neighboring cities and nations. This is so that it may abandon its unfaithfulness and cease to pay its lovers, that my wrath may subside, and I may not be provoked by that which I have ceased to love.
Thus, the enormity of your offenses is clear, showing that I allow you to experience the consequences of your sins. My jealousy will leave you, and I will remain at rest, having turned aside from anger, treating you as a stranger, since you have strayed from Me and have been surrendered to eternal adversaries. However, if this is the fate that befalls Jerusalem due to its infidelity to demonic powers, consider what will come in light of the death of the Son of God. You have forgotten the kindness I showed you, and have grieved Me—one whom you should have endeavored to honor through good deeds. Therefore, I will return your actions back upon your own head.
Even as I bring ruin upon you, O unfaithful one, my displeasure shall be less than you deserve, that my mercy may shine forth, demonstrating that your sins far exceed the consequences. Spiritually, every soul receives divine gifts from God, as illustrated in the parables of the talents. The discernment of your disgrace will occur at the day of judgment or in moments of repentance, illuminated by God’s light; for the Almighty sees all that is hidden, as the Gospel attests: the Father, Who sees in secret. In time, all that is concealed will come to light, and when the hour of reckoning arrives, the words of the prophets will echo: the time for judgment has come, and your secrets will be revealed.
In the day when God’s judgment is enacted in secret, those who previously were drawn to your wickedness will witness your exposure. God’s vengeful fury against an unfaithful spouse cannot be appeased by any form of payment. The life of your children can be understood as the good thoughts bestowed upon humanity by God, which are stifled when you indulge in sinful actions. It is for Jerusalem’s benefit that its indulgences should be eradicated, eliminating the source of its transgressions. When this is fulfilled, the giving of gifts will cease, and my anger will dissipate, leaving no further concerns over your fidelity, as perceived by those who understand these words rightly.
Conversely, some may interpret this as a reflection of God’s immense wrath, suggesting that He has become indifferent to the unfaithful. However, the disbelievers who reject the truths of the faith misinterpret my sentiments; for it is my command to avoid bringing grief to the Holy Spirit, which signifies our salvation. Though they may argue against it, let all of this stand in defense of the truth I impart.