John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 10:23

"O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." — Jeremiah 10:23 (ASV)

The Jews limit this to Sennacherib, who had, according to his own will, at one time resolved to attack the Ammonites, at another the Moabites, and to reduce them under his own power, but had been induced by a sudden impulse to go to Judea. But this is a trivial interpretation. The Prophet, I have no doubt, referred to the Jews, who had for a long time been accustomed to dismiss every fear, as if they could best ensure the public good through their own counsel. For we know that whenever any danger was apprehended from the Assyrians, they usually fled for aid to Egypt or to Chaldea.

Thus, then, they provided for themselves, so that they thought that they were taking good care of their affairs while they resorted to this or that measure. And then, when the prophets proclaimed God's vengeance against them, they usually considered only their current situation, as if God could not, in one instant, vibrate His lightning from the rising to the setting sun.

Since, then, this sense of security produced sluggishness and stubbornness, the Prophet in this passage rightly exclaims, I know, Jehovah, that his way is not in man’s power; nor is it in the power of a person walking to direct his steps.

We now understand what the Prophet intended; and this must always be remembered—that if we wish to read what has been written profitably, we must consider the meaning intended by the Holy Spirit, and then the purpose for which He has spoken. When we understand these things, it is then easy to apply them to other matters. But whoever does not consider the intended purpose will always wander here and there, and though he may say many things, he still does not grasp the main point.

But we must observe that the Prophet, as he had done before, spoke as if he had God alone as his witness, for he saw that his own people were so hardened that he addressed his words to them in vain. He therefore turned to God, which was a proof that he despaired of the people's attitude, as if he had said, “I will have nothing more to do with this perverse people; for I have already discovered from my experience that their perverseness is untamable. I am now therefore compelled, O Lord, to address You as if I were alone in the world.” This is why he spoke to God Himself.

We will defer the rest until tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as we are similarly so sluggish today that we are not moved by Your threatenings, nor do the kind and friendly warnings by which You invite us to Yourself prevail with us—O grant that we may at last learn to pay attention to the truth, in whatever form You set it before us, and that we may be teachable and obedient when You only invite us. And grant that if we become hardened, we may also be touched by Your threatenings, and not test Your patience, but allow ourselves to be brought under Your yoke, and so submit to You, that You may rule over us throughout our whole life and show to us Your paternal love, so that, after having faithfully served You in this world, we may come at last into that blessed rest which is prepared for us in heaven by Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

We stated yesterday why the Prophet exclaimed that man’s way is not in his own power; for since the sentence is introduced abruptly, it is made to mean different things. But I have briefly shown that the Prophet condemns the false sense of security of his own people, because they thought that they were beyond the reach of danger, since they hoped for help from neighboring nations allied with them, or because they supposed that they had sufficient help and protection in their own resources. Therefore, the Prophet derides this foolish confidence and says that his way is not in the power of man, and that it is not in the power of man while walking to direct his steps.

It must be further noticed that he is not discussing plans here, but that even though men wisely guide their affairs, the Prophet denies that the outcome is in their own hands or at their own will. And therefore he expressly speaks of a man walking. He concedes that men walk, but he still intimates that they cannot move a foot unless they receive strength from God. We now, then, understand what the Prophet intended.

From this we may gather a general truth—that men greatly deceive themselves when they think that fortune or the outcome of events is in their own hands. For though they may plan most wisely, yet things will turn out unsuccessfully unless God blesses their plans. And this is what we should carefully note, because we see how presumptuously men promise themselves this and that; and this presumption can hardly be stopped as long as men claim for themselves what belongs uniquely to God alone.

There are many warnings given in Scripture to check this rashness; but almost all people proceed in their own course and cannot be persuaded to allow themselves to be ruled by God. James condemns this madness when he says that men decide what they will do for a long time: the merchant determines on a long voyage, not only for three or four months, but for many years; another undertakes war; another ventures to undertake this or that business; in short, there is no end to such instances.

The Holy Spirit has, through this one passage, checked the boldness of those who claim more for themselves than they should; but most people, as I have already said, think that the outcome is in their own power. For this reason, Solomon says that man deliberates, but it is God who governs the tongue.

He had said in the former clause that it is man who sets his ways in order; but he said this ironically, as this is what most people believe. For when they undertake anything, they are not so concerned about the outcome, but they always promise themselves more than they have a right to expect.

Men, he says, set in order or arrange their ways, but God governs the tongue; that is, they cannot speak a word unless the Lord loosens the bridle of their tongues. And yet we know that men say many things in vain, for they are never accomplished. Since, then, the voice itself is not in man's power but depends on the will of God, what should we think of the outcome?

We now, then, see the truth that can be learned from this passage—that men deceive themselves when they dare to undertake this or that business and promise themselves a happy outcome. But we must further observe that not only are outcomes at God's disposal, but plans also; for God directs the hearts and minds of men as it seems good to Him. But all things are not said in every passage. The Prophet does not here openly speak of what men can do, but grants this to them—that they plan, that they decide; yet he teaches us that the execution is not in their own power.

Some foolishly infer from this passage that something belongs to man, that he possesses some power of free will. Indeed, there seems to be something plausible here at first glance. Jeremiah says that his way is not in man’s power, and that it is not in the power of him who walks to direct his steps; he then, it is said, has left something to man: he walks. It therefore follows that free will is not reduced to nothing, but that a defect is proven, for man by himself has no sufficient power unless he is helped from above.

These are only childish trivialities; for, as we have said, the Prophet does not show here what the powers of free will are, nor what power man has to deliberate, but he takes this as granted. Yet the children of this world, though they consider themselves very perceptive in all things, and make their own plans, and rely on their own resources, are still deceived, because God can in one moment scatter all their hopes, as the outcomes of things are wholly in His power.

It is therefore by way of concession that he says that man walks, according to what Paul says in Romans 9:16, though in that passage Paul ascends higher; yet in saying that it is not of him who wills nor of him who runs, he seems to concede to men the power of willing and running.

But a type of irony is to be understood here; for we know that men can never be stripped of that vain and deceptive conceit which fills them when they think that they can obtain righteousness by their own strength. They dare not, indeed, actually to boast that they are the authors of their own salvation, and that righteousness is within their own power, but they wish to be associates with God.

Though they admit Him as a partner, they still wish to divide with Him. This is the folly which Paul ridicules; and he says that it is not of him who wills, or of him who runs, but of God only who shows mercy; that is, that man’s salvation is alone from the mercy of God, and that it is not from the toil and running of man.

When the Pelagians sought by this quibble to evade Paul's statement, It is not of him who wills and runs, deducing from this that man has some liberty to will and to run, Augustine said wisely, “If it is so, then, on the other hand, we may infer that it is not of God who shows mercy, but of him who wills and runs.” How so?

If men cooperate by half with God, and if there is a joining of human power with the grace and help of the Holy Spirit, and if this statement, It is not of him who wills, or of him who runs, is true according to the meaning given to it, then we may also say that it is not only of God who shows mercy, but also of him who wills and runs.

Why? Because God's mercy is not sufficient if it needs to be helped by man’s power. But this is extremely absurd, and there is no one who does not hate the thought that man’s salvation is not from God’s mercy, but from their own willing and running. It then follows that all human power, and all human efforts, are wholly excluded by these words of Paul.

Now, the Prophet does not speak of eternal salvation, but only of the actions of the present life. Since, then, the Israelites thought that they had sufficient protection in their own wisdom, in their own power, in their own numbers, and also in their alliances with other nations, the Prophet says that they were deceived, for they arrogated to themselves the ruling power, which belongs to God alone.

For what men commonly call fortune is nothing other than God’s providence. Since, then, God by His hidden counsel governs the affairs of men, it follows that all outcomes, prosperous or adverse, are at His will. Whatever, then, men may plan, determine, and attempt, they still can execute nothing, for God gives such an outcome as He pleases.

We now see what the Prophet is speaking about, and also see that he does not touch on the powers of free will; for he does not refer here to man’s will, but only shows that after men have arranged their affairs in the best manner, all their plans, strivings, and efforts come to nothing, and that God disappoints their confidence because they dare rashly to promise themselves more than what is right.