And thou shalt break the bottle in the sight of the men that shall go with thee.
וְשָׁבַרְתָּ֖ הַבַּקְבֻּ֑ק לְעֵינֵי֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַהֹלְכִ֖ים אוֹתָֽךְ׃
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The prophet shattered this jug in the valley of Tophet, declaring that this was a reflection of how the inhabitants of Babylon would be shattered. He then echoed this proclamation in the temple courtyard. Jeremiah followed the practice of other prophets, striving to engrave the prophecy firmly in the hearts of the people, so that they could see with their eyes and hear his message with their ears.
And shatter the jar in the sight of those who accompany you. Then you shall declare to them, Thus says the Lord of Hosts, So will I shatter this people and this city, as a potter's vessel is shattered, incapable of being mended. This clearly refers not to the Babylonian exile but to the Roman subjugation. For following the Babylonian captivity, the city was restored, and the people returned to Judah, regaining their former flourishing state. However, the destruction under Vespasian and Titus, and later Hadrian, left Jerusalem in ruins until the end of time.
Despite the Jews' belief that Jerusalem will be rebuilt with gold and precious stones, along with the restoration of sacrifices, priesthood, and the union of the saints in the Lord's kingdom, we may not share this view yet cannot dismiss it, as it has been expressed by many within the church and by martyrs. Let everyone hold their own understanding and submit to God's judgment. Just as a molded clay jar, once shattered, cannot be restored to its original form, so too will the people of Judah and Jerusalem, when destroyed, not regain their former condition. Ultimately, the very name of the city has been forgotten, and from Elias Hadrian it has been renamed Elijah, losing its previous identity along with its inhabitants, a testament to the fall of their pride. The names of the Holy Cross and Resurrection signify not a city but a location, reflecting not the glory of former wealth, which led to Jerusalem's downfall, but the splendor of the holy place—like our humble Bethlehem, which, though lacking gold and jewels, is the birthplace of the Bread of Life.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS