And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The Lord's message was delivered to him, stating that this marks the start of the account, although not the inception of prophecy. In a time when all had descended into evil and there were no prophets remaining, the Lord desired to send a virtuous individual to alter the hearts of the people, steering them away from their wickedness through his teachings.
Prior to forming you in the womb, I recognized you, signifying that you were deserving of the prophetic office for the people of Judah. Furthermore, before your birth, I set you apart, indicating that I appointed you to be a prophet to the Gentiles.
Jeremiah is consecrated in the womb, not in the manner that heresy claims, implying he existed prior to conception, but rather because the Lord foresaw him, for whom what has yet to happen is already realized, in accordance with the apostle's statement: “to him that calleth not that which is as it is” (Romans 4:17). That he is consecrated in the womb must be understood in light of the Apostle’s words: “When God, having chosen me from my mother's womb, called me by His grace to manifest His Son in me, that I might preach the gospel of Him to the Gentiles” (Galatians 1:15). Similarly, John the Baptist is consecrated within the womb, filled with the Holy Spirit, and even moves and speaks through his mother’s voice (Luke 1).
When it is said, “He hath made thee a prophet among the nations,” it refers to what we will later find in the prophet's own book, indicating that his prophecies extended beyond Jerusalem to various surrounding nations. Some interpret this passage concerning the Savior, who is rightfully deemed a prophet of the nations, calling all peoples through the apostles. Indeed, before He was formed in the Virgin’s womb and before His birth, He was sanctified within, given to the Father, for He eternally abides in the Father, and the Father eternally abides in Him.
The choice was not made contrary to justice, as knowledge came first. God is aware and then consecrates, for He comprehends all events before they exist. The term 'sanctified' is used rather than 'separated.' Additionally, it highlights the purpose for which Jeremiah was selected: 'I will make thee a prophet in tongues;' for He proclaims what is to come, not solely to the Jews, but to other peoples as well.
The son of Helkiah the priest was selected and designated for the prophetic role, similar to Samuel, even before his birth. The Lord proclaimed, “Before I formed thee in the womb I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee: I made thee a prophet unto the nations.” His ministry extended for 42 years, from 627 to 585 B.C.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS