THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
They will wage war against you. What you allow is more detrimental to those who engage in it than the harm that comes to you from anything unworthy.
Jeremiah 1:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
And they shall fight against them, and shall not prevail: for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.
וְנִלְחֲמ֥וּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ וְלֹא־י֣וּכְלוּ לָ֑ךְ כִּֽי־אִתְּךָ֥ אֲנִ֛י נְאֻם־יְהוָ֖ה לְהַצִּילֶֽךָ׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Jerome of Stridon
The divine word explains the reason for the prophet's assurance. The Lord declares that He will provide for you today, in this life, as a majestic city, not merely as an individual house or a solitary tower, but as an entire city that, positioned upon a mountain, cannot be concealed. It is noted: glorious things have been spoken of you, O city of God (Psalm 86:3), and: I am a fortified city, a battleground (Isaiah 27:3). He describes Himself as a pillar, which the Apostle refers to as a pillar and foundation of truth (1 Timothy 3:15). Thus, Peter and John, recognized as pillars within the church, extended their right hands to Paul and Barnabas as a sign of fellowship.
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Additionally, the Lord mentions a wall of bronze, impervious to rust and resistant to decay, which grows stronger with age. You shall stand firm against kings, rulers, and people from all corners of the earth; you shall stand against those who are wise in earthly matters yet remain ignorant of heavenly truths, bearing only the likeness of the dust and not the divine image. They will contend against you, yet they will not succeed. Why is this? What accounts for such strength that kings, rulers, priests, and nations cannot triumph over one? It is because, the Lord assures, I am with you to save you. Even if the kings of Judah—representing acknowledgment—and their rulers, priests, as well as the bishops, presbyters, deacons, and the common throng, choose to rise against the holy individual, let him remain steadfast in his faith and relinquish fear, for with God’s aid, he will emerge victorious.
Theodoret of Cyrus
However, He does not assure him of tranquility and ease but rather of challenges and triumph; for He declares, ‘I am with you, for I am with you, that I may deliver you, saith the Lord.’ The same assurance was extended to the Church, as He proclaimed to the blessed Peter, ‘Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it’ (Matt. 16:18). In this declaration, He did not state that they would not prevail, but rather that, after prevailing, they would not ultimately conquer; for victory is achieved through those who resist.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Josh 1:9Behold I command thee, take courage, and be strong. Fear not, and be not dismayed: because the Lord thy God is with thee in all things whatsoever thou shalt go to.
- Jer 1:8Be not afraid at their presence: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.
- Jer 20:11But the Lord is with me as a strong warrior: therefore they that persecute me shall fall, and shall be weak: they shall be greatly confounded, because they have not understood the everlasting reproach, which never shall be effaced.
- Ps 129 (128):2
- Jer 29:25Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: Because thou hast sent letters in thy name to all the people that are in Jerusalem, and to Sophonias the son of Maasias the priest, and to all the priests, saying:
- Jer 29:32Therefore thus saith the Lord: behold I will visit upon Semeias the Nehelamite, and upon his seed: he shall not have a man to sit in the midst of this people, and he shall not see the good that I will do to my people, saith the Lord: because he hath spoken treason against the Lord.
- Jer 26:11And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes, and to all the people, saying: The judgment of death is for this man: because he hath prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.
- Jer 26:24So the hand of Ahicam the son of Saphan was with Jeremiah, that he should not be delivered into the hands of the people, to put him to death.