With what conscience can the overseer of souls avail himself among other people of his pastoral dignity, while engaged himself in the earthly cares that it was his duty to reprehend in others? And this indeed is what the Lord, in the wrath of just retribution, menaced through the prophet, saying, “And there shall be like people, like priest.” For the priest is as the people when one who bears a spiritual office acts as do others who are still under judgment with regard to their carnal pursuits. And this indeed the prophet Jeremiah, in the great sorrow of his charity, deplores under the image of the destruction of the temple, saying, “How is the gold become dim! The most excellent color is changed; the stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.” For what is expressed by gold, which surpasses all other metals, but the excellence of holiness? What by the most excellent color but the reverence that is about religion, to all people lovely? What are signified by the stones of the sanctuary but persons in sacred orders? What is figured under the name of streets but the latitude of this present life? For, because in Greek speech the word for latitude is platos, streets (plateoe) have been so called from their breadth, or latitude. But the Truth in person says, “Broad and spacious is the way that leads to destruction.” Gold, therefore, becomes dim when a life of holiness is polluted by earthly doings; the most excellent color is changed when the previous reputation of persons who were believed to be living religiously is diminished. For, when anyone after a habit of holiness mixes himself up with earthly doings, it is as though his color were changed, and the reverence that surrounded him grew pale and disregarded before the eyes of people. The stones of the sanctuary also are poured out into the streets, when those who, for the ornament of the church, should have been free to penetrate internal mysteries as it were in the secret places of the tabernacle seek out the broadways of secular causes outside. For indeed to this end they were made stones of the sanctuary that they might appear in the vestment of the high priest within the Holy of Holies. But when ministers of religion exact not the Redeemer’s honor from those that are under them by the merit of their life, they are not stones of the sanctuary in the ornament of the pontiff. And truly these stones of the sanctuary lie scattered through the streets when persons in sacred orders, given up to the latitude of their own pleasures, cleave to earthly businesses. And it is to be observed that they are said to be scattered, not in the streets but at the head of the streets; because, even when they are engaged in earthly matters, they desire to appear at the top so as to occupy the broad ways in their enjoyment of delight, and yet to be at the top of the streets in the dignity of holiness.
Here the misery of the siege is principally lamented, which is considered in two ways. In the first way the misery of the people is bewailed, in the second way the joy of those deriding is laid bare. As said in Verse 21: "Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, dweller in the land of Uz; but to you also the cup shall pass; you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare."
As to the misery of the people there are two further notions. First the affliction of the people themselves is bewailed, second their lack of power to resist. As said in Verse 17: "Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save."
The first notion (the people's affliction bewailed) has two more ideas. in the first idea is bewailed the misery of people in general, and this idea is followed out twofold. As said in Verse 3: "Even the jackals give the breast and suckle their young, but 'the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness."
As to the misery of people in general there are two ideas. First is expressed a metaphor, second, it is explained. As there in Verse 2: "The precious sons of Zion, worth their weight in fine gold, how they are reckoned as earthen pots, the work of a potter's hands!" Since, there were eminent Jews in certain tribes with subtle knowledge of the divine. As Psalm (l47):20: "He has not dwelt thus with any other nation; they do not know his ordinances. Praise the Lord!" Thus is said in Verse 1: "How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed!" And as Proverbs: 20:15 says: "There is gold, and abundance of costly stones; but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel." Again: "How the gold has grown dim". Namely, by the shame of infidelity. As Isaiah 5:13 states: "Therefore my people go into exile for want of knowledge."
Secondly, 'some persons were eminent in the beauty of their honesty. As Sirach 44:6 states: "rich men furnished with resources, living peaceably in their habitation". Thus is said in Verse 1: "how the pure gold is changed!" That is, as if it is changed like to a blackness of sin, and sadness. As 2 Maccabees 3:16 says: "for his face and the change in his color disclosed the anguish of his soul."
Thirdly, some persons were eminent in the cult of their religion. As Verse 1 concludes: "The holy stones lie scattered at the head of every street." That is, the precious sons of different tribes, or nations. As I Maccabees: 4:43 states: "And they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place."
[AD 604] Gregory the Dialogist on Lamentations 4:1