And I will scatter them every man from his brother, and fathers and sons in like manner, saith the Lord: I will not spare, and I will not pardon: nor will I have mercy, but to destroy them.
וְנִפַּצְתִּים֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֜יו וְהָאָב֧וֹת וְהַבָּנִ֛ים יַחְדָּ֖ו נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה לֹֽא־אֶחְמ֧וֹל וְלֹֽא־אָח֛וּס וְלֹ֥א אֲרַחֵ֖ם מֵהַשְׁחִיתָֽם׃
4 Church Fathers comment on this verse
I will bring them to ruin, along with their ancestors. I will not desire them, nor will I show them mercy. While it is common for us to feel compassion for those who suffer after their punishment, He declares, I will not. Although the affliction may be severe when the elders face their end, this will not sway Me, who loves humanity.
The Lord God of Israel declares that every fur will overflow with wine. This is a parable that the Lord inspired Jeremiah to convey to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, illustrating the disasters that would befall them in the last days as messengers announce the impending assault by the Babylonians. Fear and dread will engulf them, causing them to act irrationally, losing their composure, and unable to stand firm or find a means of escape. In their madness, they will spin around in confusion, separating from one another. This metaphorical wine represents the anguish the Jews will endure at the hands of their adversaries after they have spurned the wisdom of God, who beckoned them to partake in the cup of reverence for the Lord.
The reality of these warnings was manifested through God’s truth during the day of judgment, as is vividly recounted in various passages within the books of Kings. Jeremiah, a steadfast witness, articulates in his lamentations the sights he witnessed and the experiences he endured.
You are to convey this message to the people, saying, Thus declares the Lord God of Israel, Every jar shall be filled with wine, and they will ask you, ‘Are you unaware that every jar is filled with wine?’ You will then respond to them, Thus says the Lord, Look, I will fill with inebriation all the residents of this land, including the kings descended from David on his throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; I will scatter them, husband from brother, fathers from sons, declares the Lord; I will not show pity, nor relent, nor offer mercy, lest I bring destruction upon them. The Hebrew term nebel was initially translated by Aquila as stklanok, while Simmachus used the same term nebel, the Seventy rendered it as fur, and Theodotion called it a vessel.
All of these are filled not with oil, water, honey, milk, or any other liquid, but solely with wine and drink, illustrating that we are fragile vessels, as stated by the Apostle: we have this treasure in earthen vessels (2 Cor. 4:7). It cannot be said that the Scripture is not realized in us: I do not perform good in my flesh, and furthermore: I do not desire to do good but rather to avoid evil, and I am a wretched man: who will rescue me from this body of death (Rom. 7:13), (Rom. 7:19), (Rom. 7:24)? This inebriation, which causes us to forget God’s commandments, signifies that all human nature is filled with vices and sins, according to the prophet’s words: no living person will be justified before You (Ps. 142:2), not when compared to God (as both ancient and modern heretics and their defenders contend), but rather in relation to His understanding: as man observes the exterior, yet God perceives the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). What might seem clean to us at times appears impure in His sight—not only the common folk and the lowest of society but also the rulers of the Church from the lineage of David, who boldly raise their heads and flaunt their stature while occupying His throne. The priests, a secondary rank in ecclesiastical hierarchy, and the prophets who claim to understand the Scriptures, along with all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, are all ensnared by various sins. When intoxicated, they fracture their unity, causing divisions among families, fathers and sons alike, engaging in heretical practices, fostering animosity among themselves in the name of Christ, and rebelling against their mother—the Church that gave them life. Thus, He declares, I will not have compassion, but will harbor eternal hatred for them; I will not spare, relent, or absolve them, not on account of the harshness of the decree but due to the righteousness of the judgment. For those who have destroyed My people will find their own ruin everlasting. This can also be understood in a straightforward historical context—indicating that kings, priests, and prophets, along with all citizens of Jerusalem, would become intoxicated with the wine of Babylon, leading them into the trials of captivity.
And I will disperse them, the man and his brother, along with their fathers and their sons, declares the Lord. To emphasize the unchanging nature of His wrath, He proclaimed, I will not withhold, nor will I show compassion, lest their destruction be complete. For this reason, He termed the punishment 'intoxication'; for in enduring overwhelming trials, they resembled those in a profound slumber, unable to shed tears due to the depth of their anguish.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS