THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Thus declares the Lord: Do not enter the house where they feast; do not go in to mourn for them or offer consolation, for I have removed My peace from this people, along with My compassion and remorse. Both great and small shall perish in this land, and they will not receive burial rites, neither will they lament for themselves, nor will they shave their heads in honor of their losses. They will not share bread or partake in the mourning rituals for the deceased to offer comfort, nor will they provide drink to console grieving parents. You are not to enter the house of feasting to sit with them, to partake in their eating and drinking. The apostle instructs that one should not even share a meal with those who have turned away from God (1 Cor. 5).
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Furthermore, you shall not share rejoicing with them (2 Jn. 1:10). The Saviour also instructed His disciples to not greet anyone along the way (Luke 10:4). For this reason, Elisha was advised not to greet Elisha who was on his way to heal the boy of Giesias (4 Sam. 4:29). There exists a tradition of providing food for those in mourning and holding feasts, known in Greek as περίδειπνα, while among the common folk it is called parentalia, as these gatherings honor deceased relatives. Moreover, the Holy Scriptures instruct us to provide drink to those who are grieving (Proverbs 31:6), in order to help them forget their sorrow. Thus, the prophet is commanded not to console anyone among the people, nor engage in the feasts of those who oppose God, nor participate in the customary rituals for the deceased. There is a distinction between dying according to the natural order and dying as decreed by God. The Lord states that He has taken peace from this people; they are unworthy of mercy; no age will be spared, as both the young and the old will face death, and be left without burial. They shall not experience torment, nor will they shave their heads for their loss. It was the custom of the ancients, and still practiced by some Jews today, to show sorrow through gestures such as rubbing their hands or cutting their hair, as Job was known to do (Job 1; Job 22). Therefore, the prophet is instructed not to break bread with them, not to comfort the dead, not to provide drink, nor to enter into the houses of festivity, nor to associate with those awaiting God's judgment. If this instruction is given concerning those in mourning, what then of the heretics, whose words spread like a malignancy and continually conduct funerals within the church for the ones they deceive?