THEOSISJerome of Stridon
The Hebrew term massa, translated by Aquila as "burden" or "heaviness," is interpreted by Simmachus, the Seventy, and Theodotion as "acceptance." In instances where the Lord presents severe challenges, characterized by toil and difficulty, the term signifies "heaviness." Conversely, when the Lord offers promises of goodness or provides hope after pronouncing threats, the texts refer to it as a "vision," or at least as "the word of the Lord." From this distinction in the titles of the prophecies—whether they be "heaviness" or "vision"—it becomes apparent which type of prophecy is being conveyed.
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Throughout the prophetic tradition, messages of sorrow were often directed toward a sinful populace, with warnings of impending judgment intended to draw them to repentance. However, because the merciful Lord often postponed judgment, the people, led astray by the deceit of false prophets, became complacent, assuming the Lord's threats would not come to pass. They mockingly responded to the prophets, saying, "Once again, this one perceives the burden and heaviness of the Lord"! Consequently, prophecy was no longer regarded as a vision but was treated as a joke, a source of derision known as a burden.
In response, the Lord instructed that, if either the prophet or the priest were to inquire of Jeremiah regarding the nature of the weight or burden from the Lord, his reply should be, "You are the weight and you are the burden, for I will raise you up and cast you down, shatter you, and annihilate you." Should anyone—prophets, priests, or people—dare to label the prophetic vision as a burden from the Lord, the Lord declared He would visit judgment upon that individual and their household, leading to their eternal destruction. Each person is to communicate to their neighbor what the Lord has stated, avoiding complaints like "What is the burden of the Lord?" The burden of the Lord must not be spoken lightly, for each individual's words and deeds will be weighed as burdens, as it is recorded: "By thy mouth thou shalt be justified, and by thy mouth thou shalt be condemned."