Commentary on Jeremiah 1 part 1/5

'Who dwelt in Anathoth.' Anathoth is five myriads from Jerusalem.

'I know you.' According to the terms of foreknowledge.

'To uproot.' To uproot wickedness.

'A rod of nut-wood [i.e., almond].' These things come after an interval, when he says:

'And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:'

for it was not in unbroken sequence, but he was enabling [the hearer] to grasp together what was said.

For this wood is hard, and heavy, and apt to strike.

For what reason did they see these things? Because the realities and the visions were more vivid, and struck the hearer the more.

For the rod is a symbol of a blow.

The account is that the almond is productive of wakefulness;

and also the wood is easily broken, and it signifies the more moderate wrath;

inasmuch as God is watchful over those who sin, yet punishes more moderately.

'From the face of the North.' He says this on account of the Babylonian.

For Babylon lies more to the north in relation to Jerusalem.

But according to the deeper sense, the devil is understood under the figure of the harsh North wind.

'A cauldron set on the fire.' According to the letter, this signifies Jerusalem and the rulers within it;

but according to the spiritual interpretation, it signifies the conscience testing itself.

'And gird yourself.' That is, be manly, and go forth with confidence.

But according to the deeper sense, the man of sound mind girds his loins.

For they say that the seed of generation resides in the loins.

For it is said concerning Levi:

'For he was still in the loins of your father.'

'Do not fear, for I am with you.' Having hedged him about with angelic powers.

'I remembered the mercy of your youth' — addressed to the Savior Christ. 'Israel is holy to the Lord';

the true Israel is the mind that sees God, whom God also beholds with pleasure, as a kind of firstfruits of the harvest.

'Israel,' then, is used sometimes for the people of the Jews, sometimes for those of keener spiritual insight, and also for the patriarch himself, and for Christ, who according to the flesh is from Israel.

'According to mercy,' he says, 'and love I anointed you as a prophet;'

for the gifts of grace do not come from one's own good deeds.

'And they went after vain things.' That is, idols and the ways of wickedness.

'Unto Carmel.' This is a mountain of Palestine.

It is interpreted to mean 'knowledge of circumcision';

through which we cut off the good things from the base.

'Pass over unto the islands of Chittim.' Some say these are the Cypriots, others the nations of the Indians.

Kedar is a descendant of Ishmael;

and by this name the nations of the Saracens are signified.

It is interpreted to mean 'darkening';

and they also say that 'earthen' — that is, of clay — is signified by the name Kedar.

'Upon him lions roared.' The lions, according to the literal text, are the Babylonians; but according to the deeper sense, savage demons.

'Because it is not inhabited' — because it has no good inhabitants.

'To drink the water of Geon.' Geon is the Nile; and the water is that of the Egyptians — their polytheistic error.

'To drink the water of the rivers.' The rivers of the Assyrians are the manifold forms of wickedness; and in both cases it is possible to understand both senses.

'For from of old you broke your yoke.' For from the beginning she was stiff-necked, ever resisting the Holy Spirit;

and by 'yoke' he means the giving of the Law.

'There I will pour myself out in my fornication.' For wickedness, once it has taken a beginning, pours itself out without limit.

'How were you turned to bitterness?' For evils exist not by nature, but by deviation from what is natural;

the 'alien vine' is the one that, by its own choice, has estranged itself from God.

'How can you say, I have not been defiled?' It belongs to the utmost recklessness for the sinner to deny his sin.

'Behold your ways in the burial-ground.' The 'burial-ground' is the tomb;

either, then, they were doing in the tombs certain things pleasing to demons, or it means that they themselves were whitewashed tombs.

pursuing falsehood under the pretense of truth.

'Late her voice howled; she widened her ways over the waters of the desert.' Female dogs howl, provoking the males to mating; this, then, he says, she has suffered in the darkness of the soul, provoking the unclean demons.

'She widened her ways beneath the waters of the desert.'

they were filled with the operations of unclean spirits.

having given herself up by her own choice.

For no one can heal one who is unwilling to be treated.

'In her humiliation they will find her.' Because she was devoted to them.

'I shall play the man.' That is: I am sufficient for my own help; I have no need of God. Or he means this: that in regard to that concerning which she was being admonished, she hardened herself into disobedience.

'Have I become a wilderness to Israel?' Have I not, he says, given them all things needful for life and benefit?

'What good thing will you still contrive in your ways, to seek love?' A soul that departs from the true God, unable to bear being without a god, procures for itself gods that do not exist, thereby procuring for itself a spurious consolation.

'Not so, then,' he says — that is, it is not possible for the soul to find consolation from the falsely-named gods.

'I did not find them in hiding-places, but under every oak.' Not even in secret, he says, but on a height — that is, they sin openly.

'And you said, I am innocent.' Though it is necessary to confess one's sins, are you shameless in denying them? 'Behold, I bring you to judgment, because you say, I have not sinned.' If through another prophet he commands that sins be declared, so that one may be justified — for one dissolves the offense through confession — then absurd again is the one who says:

'I am innocent; let his wrath turn away from me;'

for he adds, 'Behold, I bring you to judgment, because you say, I have not sinned;'

in every case the one who has offended must heal his sin through confession.

'Because you scorned to retrace your ways.' You held this in such contempt, and did evil so fearlessly, that you even added other sins to those already committed.

'Your hands upon your head.' This is a gesture of mourning.

'And you played the harlot with many shepherds.' He means either false teachers, or also the unclean demons.

'Did you not call me house, and father, and prince?' Even if you, he says, did not call upon me as the shelter, the father, and the prince of your virginity, yet I will not allow the evils to continue — saving you either by grace, or by chastisement.

'And I said, after she had committed all these acts of fornication, Return to me;'

"and she did not return." He calls her "faithless" [ἀσύνθετος] — inconsistent with herself and discordant, because, while honoring God with her lips, she was lying in her heart; or [he calls faithless] the one who dissolved her covenants with God, or also the unstable one, who does not abide by the same things.

"I dissolved the just claims I held against her, handing her over to the Babylonians."

"Go, and read these words toward the North." Because their hearts had grown cold, and did not have spiritual warmth;

for the North is a cold wind.

"And I will not fix my face against us." I will not persist in wrath against us.

"And I will take you, one from a city, and two from a clan." Man is composed of two things, of soul and body;

so whenever he preserves the property of the soul, and has not become entirely flesh, the "one" is understood as "two";

but when, having turned aside completely to evils, he becomes wholly fleshly, he is rightly called "one."

He says, then, "Both those who have sinned wholly, and those who have not yet suffered this, I call through grace unto salvation;"

One from a city was called: Paul, from the tribe of Benjamin; and two from a clan: the apostles who were called in pairs.

"And I will bring you into Zion." Into Zion, the Church.

"I will give you shepherds." The leaders of the Churches.

"They shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord." Because the Holy Spirit rests in the Church;

and in these words he also hints at the Jerusalem above.

"I will set you among sons." Either he has promised the prophet adoption as a son [otherwise

it is reported], or also to the whole people that is being saved.

"Sons, return, turning back." [Addressed to] those who are about to turn to repentance.

"Truly the hills were for a lie." The divinations practiced on the mountains, or also the weight of sin.

"Their sheep." Sheep: those things toward which they were inwardly attached.

"We lay down in our shame." By "lying down" he means "rest";

for, he says, though we thought we were resting in the works of sin, we were being filled with shame.

"If Israel does not return." If he does not repent with his whole heart.

He does not command them to swear, but if indeed someone does swear, he wishes that they not make idols the objects of their oaths.

And he joins "As the Lord lives" to the oath, so that, in swearing, they might at the same time both glorify and give thanks.

For one must not utter the name of God unjustly or without discernment.

For good conduct also becomes for others a cause of salvation.

"Be circumcised to your God." For he wishes wickedness, not the flesh, to be circumcised.

He foretells the evangelical proclamation.

"Let us enter the walled cities." Into the Churches, against which the gates of Hades shall not prevail.

"Flee into Zion." Flee into Zion, into the catholic Church;

for indeed all the Churches are, in fact, one;

or also into the pious commonwealth.

"A lion has gone up from his lair." Figuratively it signifies the coming of the devil;

but according to the historical sense, of the Babylonian.

"The priests shall be astonished." At the unexpected calamities.

"And the prophets shall be amazed." The false prophets.

"A spirit of wandering is in the wilderness." By the attack of the Babylonians, or the Romans, or by that of the consummation, those who had previously gone astray — whether Jews or the rest of mankind — will, through their own desolation, come to know their former error.

"A spirit of fullness shall come to me." Since a spirit of wandering had led the desolate souls astray, he promises to give the Holy Spirit, which turns souls, filling His Churches.

"How long shall they exist?" For indeed those who reason about vain things also labor to find what is sought.

"For the voice of one going up from Dan shall come to me." Of one who announces that the capture will happen from Dan even to Beersheba, at the hands of the Babylonians, or the Romans.

Now Dan is beyond the Jordan, and Samaria is the mountain of Ephraim.

And some say that the adversary will also come from the tribe of Dan.

"My skins have been torn apart, my tents have been afflicted." Figuratively he means the soul, and the nourishing powers of the soul;

and the prophet's own inward parts are also troubled out of compassion.

The tent — or the temple — has been afflicted; or also, at the end, the whole earth, which we inhabit as a tent, being sojourners.

Again, either he speaks of the temple, or of the coverings of wickedness, since all things will be made manifest at the end.

"How long shall I see men fleeing, hearing the sound of trumpets?" Of the Babylonians, or the Romans, or also, at the end, of the diabolical proclamation.

He speaks either of the sensible enemies, or also of those who are unable to withstand the devil.

Either of the enemies, or also of the strange teachings.

"And [I looked] to heaven, and its lights were not there." He foretells the darkness that occurred at the cross, or also the removal of the luminaries at the end.

Either it signifies that no one does what is righteous, or also that the earth is reduced to nothing on account of the apostasy.

"I saw the mountains, and behold, they were trembling." He speaks either of the things that happened at the cross, when the rocks were split, or of the things concerning the universal consummation, or of the opposing powers being shaken, when Christ was loosing the prison of Hades.

"I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of heaven were terrified." He speaks of the universal consummation, which also happened at the flood, on account of sin.

Either the sensible things when darkness comes to be, or also the holy powers, shuddering at the complete apostasy of mankind.

"I saw, and behold, Carmel was desolate." "Carmel" is interpreted "knowledge of circumcision."

Therefore, he says, when apostasy occurs, they no longer recognize how to cut off base things.

You may also understand these things with reference to the attack of the Babylonians, or also of the Romans.

"From the sound of the horseman, and of the drawn bow." Either of the sensible [horseman and bow], or it also signifies the unceasing battle with the invisible enemies.

"They entered into the caves." Into their robber-like ways, having apostatized from God.

And the cave, being self-hollowed, also signifies the self-determination of the soul.

"And they hid in the groves." Into dark deeds.

"And they went up upon the rocks." Into fruitless and irregular pursuits;

but take these things also literally, according to the historical account.

Having sketched out the consummation, he added this.

"If you clothe yourself with scarlet." The animal-sacrifices prescribed by the Law.

By the ark, and the lampstand, and the rest, he signifies piety accompanied by hypocrisy.

"They are seeking your soul." The invisible demons, who are unable to defend [you].

And these, while themselves pretending to love, plot against the very soul of those they pretend to love.

"Over those who have been slain." [Meaning] those slain physically, or also those who have lost their very soul through apostasy.

"If there is one who does judgment, and seeks faithfulness." He speaks to the saints who have been left behind, [saying] that because those on earth did not keep their faith in Christ, the end will overtake them;

It also signifies the rarity of the holy ones among those of the captivity.

"As the Lord lives," they say; therefore they do not swear falsely. "By me," he says, "and no longer by the idols, the falsely named gods, do they swear."

But they denied the faith in Christ.

For this reason the Jews were taken captive by the Romans — no longer practicing idolatry, but having denied their own Savior.

"Lord, your eyes are upon faith." Either because God seeks faith, or because he judges faithfully and truly, or because what he says he brings into deed.

"They are poor." Not having perfect knowledge.

"Therefore a lion from the forest struck them." The sensible enemy, or also the intelligible enemy, on account of his strength and savagery.

"And a wolf destroyed them even unto their houses." The sensible houses —

but as to its deeper meaning, the houses of the soul.

For those who depart from the character of piety are hunted down by the beasts just spoken of.

Those who have rejected the good shepherd, the wolf seizes — either the manifold onslaught of enemies, or also many-formed wickedness.

"For which of these shall I be merciful to you? Which sin shall I forgive, and which not? I fed them to the full, and they committed adultery." For it was he himself who fed them in the wilderness before the flesh — before he became man — and after the flesh, through his words, through wonders, and through the five loaves and the seven loaves.

"Leave her props behind." Abandon the hope of repentance —

abandon the prophets, at the onslaught of the Babylonians —

abandon the apostles, at [the onslaught] of the Romans.

"My words in your mouth are fire." Consuming those who fail to heed them.

"A nation whose speech you will not understand." Because it is of a foreign tongue.

"And they will devour the harvest, and your sons." They will treat them with insatiable slaughter [alternative reading: ...

"Him who gives us the early rain." The sensible rain for the sake of the fruits, and the intelligible rain in the Old and New Testament.

"Your sins have turned away the good things." They turned away the good things, so that the evil things might be brought upon [you].

"For impious men were found among my people." The false prophets, the false apostles, the heresiarchs — the unclean demons confirmed the sayings of the false prophets.

"Be strong, sons of Benjamin." The Benjaminites are recorded as being ambidextrous.

He therefore calls to spiritual warfare those who are able to fight with the weapons of righteousness, of the right hand and of the left.

Such was Paul, of the tribe of Benjamin.

"And in Tekoa." Do not be envious, he says, but you who are able to fight, set your neighbors right.

"And your height shall be taken away." The temple, the worship of the Law.

Or also the spiritual adornment of the soul.

"Shepherds shall come against her." The enemies — rulers perceived by sense, or also perceived by the mind.

"And each shall shepherd with his own hand." Not with the hand of God, but each according to his own operations.

"Woe to us." Those left behind in the captivity — and the sinners at the consummation [of the age] — will utter this cry.

"For the day has declined." He calls the present life "day," and the conduct lived within it "shadow."

"Arise, and let us go up against her by night." [From] Chrysostom.

[From] Olympiodorus.] By "night" and "midday" he means that the time of the enemies' onslaught makes no difference [i.e., it may come at any hour].

"As a cistern keeps its water cool, so she keeps her wickedness cool." For because of lawlessness the love of many will grow cold.

For they were not fervent in spirit, nor were they serving the Lord.

"You shall be chastened with toil and the scourge." Since you were not persuaded by word, be persuaded through the scourge, lest my soul turn away from you.

"the remnant of Israel." Those who could not be healed even by the scourge.

"Behold, their ears are uncircumcised." They do not turn away from unprofitable things heard.

Note what kind of circumcision God seeks.

"Saying, Peace, peace." By promising them peace, they did not allow them to feel the scourges.

"And they did not know their disgrace." For those who are chastened neither by word nor by scourge remain in their fall.

"and in the time of their visitation they shall perish." Even if I recall them, he says, from the enemies perceived by the senses, and visit them, [yet if they continue] persisting [in sin — alternative reading: ...

...persisting] in their sins, they will be handed over to eternal punishment.

"Stand upon the ways." Stand upon the ways, and behold both the way of life and the way of death —

and "way" is also the name given to each person's manner of life.

"The paths of the Lord" are his commandments.

"Hear the sound of the trumpet." Those who proclaimed the prophetic word, or also the word of the gospel.

"Trumpet" [means] teaching.

"Behold, a people comes from the north." [The people] of the Babylonian, or also of the adversary.

"They shall hold bow and spear." The bow for those who are far off, the spear for those who are near.

For those who draw near they strike with deeds, but those far off they strike with words.

"Do not go out into the field." Beyond the historical sense, understand "field" as worldly affairs.

"And do not walk in the roads." The many roads of wickedness —

for there is [only] one way, and that is the Lord himself.

"For the sword of the enemies dwells round about." [That is] death-bearing sin; for the impious walk about on every side.

"Bronze and iron." Bronze and iron do not mingle with one another, having no love [affinity] between them.

"The bellows have failed because of the fire." [This signifies] the teaching word, or also the chastening scourge.

"The lead has failed." Lead, when mixed with the silver, purifies the silver's impurity —

this, then, he says, means that every purifying method was applied to them, and they were not purified.

"Hear the word of the Lord, all Judah." Beyond the historical sense, it is fitting to understand that "Judah" is every soul that draws near to piety.

For "Judah" is interpreted [to mean] "one who confesses."

"And you burn incense to Baal." They called every idol "Baal."

But "Baal" is interpreted [to mean] "the higher evils."

And the head of sin is idolatry.

"Is my house a den of robbers?" The den is without a door, and lies open to everyone for entry.

He therefore reproaches them, as entering into the holy things indiscriminately.

"All the seed of Ephraim." The royal tribe, ruling over the twelve tribes.

"Their sons gather wood." They sin each according to his capacity.

"They kindle fire." Sin has been named "fire" in many places of Scripture.

For this reason it becomes for sinners the cause of eternal fire.

To make chabonas. They perform foreign rites.

He calls them ‘chabonas’, certain cakes.

And eat flesh. ‘You yourselves,’ he says, ‘eat it’—

By day and at dawn. This signifies the unceasing character of the prophetic exhortation.

Faith has failed from their mouth. He accuses them of faithlessness, or also of lying speech.

At that time they shall open [the tombs]. Josiah the pious king did this, burning the remains of those who had practiced idolatry.

And they were mastered by their own choice. For man is self-determining.

There is no man who repents. ‘Do not say,’ he means, ‘There is no repentance’—for there is.

Like a horse drenched in sweat in its neighing. A horse on a long road [variant: ‘

…on a long journey’] runs and neighs, signifying its weariness;

and the horse, indeed, pauses from its running, but these do so unceasingly [variant: ‘

…without turning back’] work wickedness. And the stork in the sky knew its season. Aquila, for his part, rendered it ‘the heron’;

but the asida is an Indian species of bird.

The turtledove and the swallow, sparrows of the field, kept their appointed times.

The false reed of the scribes has become vain. ‘The reed,’ he says—that is, the lot of the scribes, which they received by lot for teaching—has become vain, because they pursued a private wisdom of their own, and misinterpreted the divine ordinances.

What wisdom is in them? What wisdom indeed is in them? For there is no wisdom at all in such men.

but only an abundance of wickedness, ending [variant: ‘

…a grape on the vines’]. For he gave over the vineyard to other husbandmen.

And why do we sit still? For they were not cultivating the things pertaining to God.

And what greater security could there be, than when God, who provides security to all in all things, forsakes [them]? Though it were fitting to say, ‘Let us take refuge in God,’ they still lie prostrate below.

He who has dominion over nature, and renders the trees useless, will he not much more [render useless] the walls? ‘Let us enter into the fortified cities.’ According to the historical sense, they later fled into Egypt;

but according to the [spiritual] meaning, he exhorts them to flee into the Churches.

And let us be cast down there. According to [the verse]:

‘I have chosen to be cast aside in the house of God.’

We were gathered together for peace, and there was no good. ‘We supposed,’ he says, ‘that we were being reconciled to God through the Law,’ and, not having understood its power, we did not find good things.

For behold, I send forth serpents against you. [Meaning] the enemies—either sensible, or also intelligible.

Against which there is no charm, and they shall bite. For since those who are bitten feign piety, and are not persuaded by exhortation, supposing themselves to be pious;

…thus bitter are the nets of cunning.

With the pain of your perplexed heart. For it is not possible not to be stung by conscience.

The summer has passed, the harvest has gone by. ‘In the season of fair weather,’ he says, ‘when it was the time for repentance, we did not repent.’

Is there no balm in Gilead? Mount Gilead has many cedars, from which resin is produced for [treating] many ailments.

But the city of Gilead, being a city by the Jordan, was fashioning idols;

…therefore they had no prophets to heal them, because they sinned in this manner.

Why has no healing arisen for the daughter of my people? The wounds are deep.

Why then, he asks, though they had those who could heal, did they not bring about healing? That is, did they not close up their wounds, did they not let them form a scar? [Chapter]

Who will give water to my head? The prophet asks to receive water upon his head, that fountains of tears might arise for him, and that he might fittingly weep for those wounded by sin;

and their transgressions are enumerated—transgressions that occurred in the prophet's own time, but which they also dared to commit against the Master Christ.

And he speaks also against hatred of the brethren, and against those who practice usury;

and he also foretells the complete desolation of Jerusalem.

Of the daughter of my people: [meaning] the congregation of the Jews.

And they bent their tongue like a bow. Not slackening even a little, but sinning unremittingly through the tongue—just as, indeed, they also drenched the Savior with reproaches.

He shall mock. He trips [his neighbor] up by deceit.

They did not hear the voice of existence. They were unwilling to hear the voice of the Lord, which grants to them existence forever, that is, immortality.

From the birds of the sky even unto the cattle. ‘Both those who are lofty in virtue,’ he says, ‘and those who are beast-like, turned aside to evil;’

and it also signifies the complete desolation of the place.

It has been set ablaze like a desert, because it is not traveled through. ‘Because,’ he says, ‘it has no one journeying on the ways of the Lord, it has become a desert.’

And I will send the sword against them. [Meaning] severe vengeance.

And send to the wise women. [Meaning] the Churches, or the souls of the saints, whom he calls ‘wise’;

for these lament those slain by sin, as Paul says:

‘And I shall mourn many of those who sinned beforehand, and have not repented.’

Let your eyes bring down tears. [Meaning] the tear of repentance.

We have forsaken the land. [Meaning] the knowledge of piety.

And we have cast away our dwellings. We ourselves have become the cause of our own captivity.

For death has come up through your windows. In general, [this refers to] the teachers who suppose they interpret hidden things;

for windows make manifest the things within each person, through the sense-organs;

and this perhaps happened, according to the historical sense, through the enemies;

the windows are the devisings of error.

Let him boast to understand and to know [me]. The passage exhorts us to boast in nothing except in understanding and knowing the Lord, and [in knowing] that the will of God is mercy, and judgment, and righteousness.

The Egyptians are called ‘Barbarians’ by the divine Scripture.

And the Idumeans, who are also called Edomites, [are called] fornicators and profane, as being descended from Esau;

but the Moabites and Ammonites, on account of their conduct, are commanded not to enter into the assembly of God.

Therefore he characterized the conduct of the Jews by means of these nations, calling them by these very names.

And upon everyone who shaves the corners of his hair. [Meaning] those who beautify [only] outward appearance.

He speaks of those who have the outward form of piety, but have denied its power.

And do not fear the signs of heaven, because— ‘Seeing,’ he says, ‘the cyclical revolutions of the sun, the waning and waxing of the moon, the relation and distance of the stars, their appearing and disappearing according to season, and their harmonious motion, do not fear these things as gods, but [fear] him who made them.’

He who has set the world upright by his wisdom. [Meaning] in the Son;

for in him all things were created.

Every man has become foolish, devoid of knowledge; he has been put to shame,

…because he has cast false [idols]. He who does not possess the knowledge of this theology is foolish.

in the time of their visitation they shall perish. When God visits the earth—evidently at the coming of Christ.

He gathered from outside his indwelling substance. O knowledge of God, that dwells in the elect: from his wonders, and from his works, your reality is apprehended.

And the Church too was gathered from outside, that is, from the nations.

And they laid his place waste. Not allowing it to be nourished in the faith and in good teachings;

either utterly destroying it, or compelling it to worship idols.

Cursed is the man who will not hear the words. God utters the curse, but it is those who transgress the divine laws who draw the calamities upon themselves.

to give them a land flowing with milk and honey. According to the historical sense, Palestine;

but according to the spiritual sense, the Church;

which gives milk to drink to those newly planted, but honey to those able to taste the more perfect teachings.

And I answered and said, So be it, Lord. The prophet foresees the day of the Savior's manifestation, in which these things are given to the faithful; and praying that it come, he says, So be it, Lord.

A conspiracy was found among the men of Judah. A concord of all unto evil.

"What is the beloved?" — instead of, "How [beautiful] is the beloved!" "A fair olive tree, shady in form" — when he chose the patriarchs and planted her.

At the sound of her circumcision fire was kindled upon her; great is the affliction upon you. When, he says, the Synagogue ought to have been well tended, then she made herself worthy of fire;

for she ought to have been well tended at the coming of Christ.

Lord, make known to me, and I shall know. He asks to receive a divine revelation, both concerning the things that pertain to himself, and concerning those that pertain to the Master Christ.

But I was like a guileless lamb. For, according to Isaiah, the Lord was led as a sheep to the slaughter.

"For he will not strive," it says, "nor cry out, nor will his voice be heard outside." "Let us put in wood." As applied to the prophet, some deadly herb, that by eating it he might be caused to suffer;

but by the precious cross they fastened the bread of life [to it].

And let us blot him out from the land of the living, and his name shall no more be remembered. See how they wish to make him even nameless, wanting there to be no memory of him whatsoever.