To what purpose comes there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.
All Commentaries on Jeremiah 6:20 Go To Jeremiah 6
Athanasius the Apostolic
AD 373
Actions not done lawfully and piously are not of advantage, though they may be reputed to be so, but they rather argue hypocrisy in those who venture on them. Therefore, although such persons feign to offer sacrifices, yet they hear from the Father, “Your whole burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices do not please me. Although you bring fine flour, it is vanity. Incense also is an abomination to me.” … And by Jeremiah, since they were very bold, he threatens, “Gather together your whole burnt offerings with your sacrifices, and eat flesh. For I spoke not to your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” For they did not act as was right, neither was their zeal according to law. But they rather sought their own pleasure in such days, as the prophet accuses them, beating down their bond servants and gathering themselves together for fights and quarrels. They struck the lowly with the fist and did all things that tended to their own gratification. For this cause, they continue without a feast until the end, although they make a display now of eating flesh, out of place and out of season. For, instead of the legally appointed lamb, they have learned to sacrifice to Baal. Instead of the true unleavened bread, “they collect the wood, and their fathers kindle the fire, and their wives prepare the dough, that they may make cakes to the host of heaven. And they pour out libations to strange gods, that they may provoke me to anger, says the Lord.” They have the just reward of such devices, since, although they pretend to keep the Passover, yet joy and gladness is taken from their mouth, as Jeremiah said: “There has been taken away from the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the voice of those who are glad, and the voice of those who rejoice, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.”
