THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Thus declares the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel: Look, I will bring an end in this place, in your presence and during your days, to the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. When you convey all these words to the people, they will question you, saying, Why has the Lord pronounced such great adversities against us? What is our wrongdoing, and what sin have we committed before our God? You shall respond by saying, Your ancestors abandoned Me, declares the Lord, and pursued foreign deities, served them, worshipped them, and turned away from Me, failing to observe My law. Yet you have acted more wickedly than your ancestors.
Read more (235 words)
When the Church goes astray, all joy and gladness depart from it, as the Apostle instructs: Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice (Philippians 4:4), and the essence of the bridegroom and the essence of the bride is highlighted in the scripture: The one who has the bride is the bridegroom (John 3:29). However, if the people inquire why they endure such trials and seek to understand the reasons for their misfortunes, you shall tell them, Your forefathers have turned away from Me, declares the Lord, as have those in authority within the churches, who have followed the gods of outsiders, whose deity is their appetites, wealth, indulgence, and vanity. They have served these idols, for one who is overcome by another becomes a servant to that one. They have worshipped these idols, for every individual adores what they treasure. They abandoned Me and did not adhere to My law. The responsibility of the priests is not merely to instruct in the law but also to embody it, teaching the people and the flock entrusted to them through their actions, rather than merely through words. To address any claims that the judgment is inequitable—suggesting that the fathers consumed sour grapes, and the children bore the repercussions (Ezekiel 18:2)—He further states: But you have exceeded your predecessors in iniquity, and upon those who have sinned even more gravely, a fitting punishment is decreed.