Priests And People And Punishment

Secundum multitudinem eorum, sic peccaverunt mihi: gloriam eorum in ignominiam commutabo, peccata populi mei comedent, et ad iniquitatem eorum sublevabunt animas eorum, et erit sicut populus, sic sacerdos, et visitabo super eum vias eius, et cogitationes illius reddam ei. LXX: Secundum multitudinem eorum, sic peccaverunt mihi, gloriam eorum in ignominiam ponam: peccata populi mei comedent, et in iniquitatibus eorum accipient alii animas eorum, et erit sicut populus, sic et sacerdos, et ulciscar super eum vias eius, et cogitationes illius reddam ei. Quot homines habuit Israel, tot aras exstruxit daemonibus, in quorum victimis peccavit mihi. Propterea gloriam eorum, in qua gloriabantur sibi, et Deo idola praeferabant, in ignominiam commutabo, ut et sacerdotes capiantur et populi. Siquidem sacerdotes peccata populi mei comedunt, de quibus scriptum est: Qui devorant plebem meam, sicut escam panis. Et idcirco peccata populi mei comedunt, consentientes sceleribus delinquentium: quia cum eos peccare perspexerint, non solum non arguunt, sed laudant atque sustollunt, et beatos praedicant. De quibus et Isaias loquitur: Populus meus, qui beatos vos dicunt, seducunt vos, et semitas pedum vestrorum supplantant. De his et per Psalmistam clamat: Quoniam laudatur peccator in desideriis animae suae, et iniquus benedicitur. Unde aequaliter populus et sacerdos indignantis Dei sententiam sustinebunt; quia non solum opera eorum visitabit, quae appellantur viae, in quibus ingrediuntur; sed et cogitationes, quibus ut talia facerent, tractaverunt. Non solum enim opus, sed et cogitatio mali operis poenas luet. De haereticis facilis intelligentia est, quod quanto plures fuerint, tanto magis delinquunt Deo, et glorientur in populis: et idcirco decipiant infelices, ut peccata populi comedant, et per dulces sermones devorent domus viduarum. Cum enim viderint aliquos delinquentes aiunt: Nihil aliud quaerit Deus nisi fidei veritatem, quam si custodieritis, non curat quid agatis. Haec enim dicentes, in iniquitatibus eorum sublevant animas eorum, ut non solum non agant poenitentiam, nec humilientur; sed gaudeant in sceleribus suis, et erecta cervice gradiantur. Unde et populus et sacerdos, et hi qui docti sunt, et hi qui docuerunt, pari iudicio constringentur. Sanctus Hieronymus, Commentariorum In Osee Prophetam, Liber I Cap IV Source: Migne PL 25.848d-849c

According to their multitude, so they sinned against me. I shall change their glory into shame. They feed on the sin of my people, and in their wickedness they lift up their souls, and it shall be like people, like priest. I shall punish them for their ways, and requite them for their thoughts. The Septuagint has: According to the multitude of them, so they sinned against me. I shall turn their glory into shame. They ate the sins of my people, and in their wickedness received their souls, and it shall be like people, like priest. I shall be revenged on their ways, and requite them for their thoughts.' 1 As many as Israel had men, so as many were the altars they raised up to demons, with the victims of which they sinned against me. Because of which their glory in which they glory among themselves, and prefer idols to God, I shall change to disgrace, so that both the priests and the people shall be seized. Certainly the priests eat the sins of my people, concerning which it is written: 'They who devour my people like food of bread.' 2 And therefore they eat the sins of my people by consenting to the crimes of the delinquent, because they see them sin and they do not dispute with them, but they praise them and they lift them up, and they declare them happy. Concerning which Isaiah says: 'My people, they who call you blessed, they deceive you, and they confuse the paths of your feet.' 3 Concerning these things the Psalmist cries out: 'Because the sinner is praised in the desires of his own soul, and the wicked man is blessed.' 4 Both people and priest alike shall suffer the sentence of God, because not only their works shall I punish, which are called 'ways', but even their thoughts they have employed, by which they might do such things. Not only the work but even the thought of evil shall receive its punishment. This is readily understood of heretics, that the more there are, so much the more they err against God, and they receive glory among the peoples, and therefore they deceive the unfortunate, that they may eat the sins of the people, and with sweet words they devour the houses of widows. 5 For when they see others erring they say: 'God seeks nothing but the truth of faith, which if you shall guard, you should not care about what you do.' Saying these things they raise up their souls in wickedness, that not only do they not do penance or seek to be humble, but they rejoice in their crimes, and they walk with heads held high. Whence both the people and the priest, those who are taught and those who teach, shall be bound with the same judgement. Saint Jerome, Commentary on Hosea, Book 1, Chap 4 1 Hosea 4.7-9 2 Ps 13.4, 52.5 3 Isaiah 3.12 4 Ps 9.24 5 Lk 20.47