Jeremiah 23:32Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

There exists another category of false prophets who utter pleasing messages solely to satisfy their listeners, claiming that no harm will befall them, as stated in Jeremiah 23:17. They validate their statements in the name of the Lord, adhering to the practices of deceivers. These individuals resemble those Jeremiah spoke of, who blend their deceptive visions with genuine spiritual matters, leading the people astray with their fabrications and deceptions. Among such figures were Ananias, Ahab, Zedekiah, and Samuel the Elamite during Jeremiah’s time.

A falsehood consistently mimics the truth, and without some degree of credibility, it would fail to mislead the naive. Just as the ancient prophets falsely declared, "Thus saith the Lord," and proclaimed, "I have seen the Lord," and "the word of the Lord which came to this or that," so too do heretics exploit the testimonies found in both the Old and New Testaments. They appropriate the words of the Savior from the prophets, apostles, and evangelists, using their own tongues to spread the toxic falsehoods of their hearts.