THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
Consider the act of the shaving... For that which originates from Him, He effortlessly changes into whatever He desires.
Jeremiah 18:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
Cannot I do with you, as this potter, O house of Israel, saith the Lord? behold as clay is in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.
הֲכַיּוֹצֵ֨ר הַזֶּ֜ה לֹא־אוּכַ֨ל לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לָכֶ֛ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה כַחֹ֙מֶר֙ בְּיַ֣ד הַיּוֹצֵ֔ר כֵּן־אַתֶּ֥ם בְּיָדִ֖י בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Ephraem the Syrian
Just as a potter shapes clay into a vessel according to his wishes, so too can God effortlessly transform circumstances, bringing hope from despair and joy from sorrow.
Theodoret of Cyrus
Food resembles a stingy person, thus declares the Lord: "I cannot shape you, O house of Israel." Just as a miser wields the chisel in his hand, so you, the house of Israel, are in My grasp. A miser can manipulate the clay to appear as he desires; likewise, it is within My power to both execute judgment and offer salvation, to bring hardship upon the affluent, and to restore prosperity to the destitute. This truth is clear from the words that follow.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Isa 64:8And now, O Lord, thou art our father, and we are clay: and thou art our maker, and we all are the works of thy hands.
- Rom 9:20O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it: Why hast thou made me thus?
- Rom 9:21Or hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump, to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour?
- Isa 45:9Woe to him that gainsayeth his maker, a sherd of the earthen pots: shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it: What art thou making, and thy work is without hands?
- Jer 18:4And the vessel was broken which he was making of clay with his hands: and turning he made another vessel, as it seemed good in his eyes to make it.
- Matt 20:15Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Is thy eye evil, because I am good?
- Dan 4:23But whereas he commanded, that the stump of the roots thereof, that is, of the tree, should be left: thy kingdom shall remain to thee, after thou shalt have known that power is from heaven.
- Rom 11:34For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor?