Jeremiah 22:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Toward the conclusion of this prophecy, he addresses Jehoiakim’s son, Joachin, king of Jerusalem, also known as Jehoiachin. He, along with his mother, princes, artisans, and many noblemen, was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar and transported to Chaldea, where he perished. It is said that although Jechoniah is likened to a ring that firmly rests on a finger, it shall still be removed and given to the king of Babylon, where he will die along with his mother and companions, never to see the cherished land of Judah again. Grunnius, who opened his mouth to gossip against the holy men and taught himself to speak lies, translated a work of Sextus Pythagoreanus, a very pagan individual, dividing it into two volumes and had the audacity to publish them under the name of the holy martyr Xystus, Bishop of Rome. These volumes do not mention Christ, the Holy Spirit, or God the Father, nor do they speak of the patriarchs, prophets, or apostles. This book, widely read, notably among those who preach impassibility and blamelessness, has been revealed as The Finger. Just as the Lord declares that He will cast Jechoniah away from His hand, I urge the reader to discard this worthless book; if he chooses, let him treat it like any other philosophical text rather than an ecclesiastical one. In my writings, where various interpretations are discussed, I tend to phrase it as ‘some assert this, others believe that, some understand thus.’ As a result, Grunnius himself, along with many of his followers and Iovinianus years later, have slandered and misrepresented me, claiming that I attribute my own views to others when I honestly strive to avoid offending anyone by naming them. Since my sincere intentions have led to defamation, I now address both the deceased and the living who seek to revive the heresy of the former, stating that Origen applied this verse to Christ, indicating that He was taken from the hand of God the Father, akin to a ring, and sent into captivity, descending into sorrow, and delivered to the cross; His mother—undoubtedly the synagogue—also faced captivity and dislocation. He who conveys these truths does not hesitate to interpret the Lord’s glory with the words, ‘Earth, earth, earth! Hear the word of the Lord.’ Thus says the Lord: 'Record this man as an abomination, or barren,' and so forth. He documents this to ensure that his disciples would not dare to refute it.