John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 11:1-5

"The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and say thou unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man that heareth not the words of this covenant, which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God; that I may establish the oath which I sware unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then answered I, and said, Amen, O Jehovah." — Jeremiah 11:1-5 (ASV)

Here the Prophet teaches us that the Jews, though they continued to profess God’s holy name, were yet completely unfaithful and had departed entirely from the Law.

The meaning of this discourse is that the Jews gloried in the name of God, and yet were violators of His covenant, for they had broken their faith pledged to God and completely cast aside the doctrine of the Law.

The Jews, no doubt, were often greatly exasperated with Jeremiah, as if he were pleading his own cause. It was therefore necessary to show them their departure from the Law, so that they might be assured that their dispute was not with Jeremiah but with Moses, and with God Himself, the author of the Law. They were undoubtedly exasperated with his doctrine, but Jeremiah could not spare them when he saw that they were so perverse.

We may understand this better by an example. Though the Papists today openly repudiate everything cited from the Law, and the Prophets, and the Gospel, yet they are deceptive on this point, and even affirm that they receive whatever proceeds from God.

As they then use evasions and do so shamelessly, one who seeks to restore the pure worship of God and true religion may deal with them in the same way. For instance, when any of God’s servants meets the Papists, he may address them thus: “Let the dispute not be between us individually now, but hear what God commanded formerly by Moses, and what He has more fully confirmed by His Prophets, and at last by His only-begotten Son and His Apostles; so that it is not right to do anything any longer against His Word. Now then, pay attention to the Law and the Prophets.”

We now understand what God’s design was in commanding His servant Jeremiah to speak these words. For, unless we properly consider the unfaithfulness of that people, we will be surprised that the word 'covenant' is so often mentioned, and it will appear meaningless to us. But the Prophet, as I have said, when he saw that the Jews made evasions through their quibbles, could not deal with them in any other way than by showing that they had violated God’s covenant and had thus become apostates, having completely departed from the Law. And he says that this was commanded them by God; nor is there any doubt that God not only suggested this to His servant, but also dictated to him the way and manner of speaking.

Jeremiah then rightly begins by saying that this word was given to him. By using the plural number in the second verse, he no doubt shows that he had a few assistants remaining, whom God addressed along with him, so that they might unite in delivering His message.

For though there were very few good men, yet Jeremiah was not entirely deprived of colleagues who agreed with and confirmed his doctrine. Baruch was one of them, and there were a few like him. These, then, God addresses in the second verse, when He says, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and say ye to the men of Judah and to the citizens of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah indeed knew, as did those who were with him, that they brought forward nothing but what was in the Law. But however conscious they were of their own sincerity, and could testify before God and His angels that they drew nothing from puddles but from a pure fountain, yet God intended to strengthen them against the stubbornness of the people. For they had this objection ready at hand: “You indeed boast that whatever you please to bring forward is the Word of God; but this we deny.”

Since the prophets then had to undergo such a conflict, it seemed good to God to strengthen their hands, so that they might first be assured themselves, and then become fit and bold witnesses of His truth to others, having good authority, as it was derived from the Law itself, and not from the schemes of men.

And we see to whom God intended this to be proclaimed: even to the men of Judah and to the citizens of Jerusalem. The ten tribes, as has appeared elsewhere, had now been driven into exile. Here was the flower, so to speak, of the chosen people; and having survived so many calamities, they thought that they had been preserved by Divine power because religion and God’s worship prevailed among them. Thus they were intoxicated with false notions and self-flattery. Hence the Prophet, and those who were with him, are expressly commanded to declare what we will notice later to the citizens of Jerusalem and to the inhabitants of the land who remained, and who thought that they were the chosen of God and would remain safe, even if all others were to perish.

The Prophet afterwards shows more clearly that the command was especially given to him, for he uses the singular number, Thou shalt say to them. Nor is it inconsistent that at first he included others with himself, for God might have united the approval of the few who desired the restoration of pure religion among the people, while Jeremiah, who was superior to the rest, still played the main role.

There is no doubt that others were anxious to confirm his doctrine by their agreement. But there was no rivalry among them; and though he excelled them, he yet willingly admitted into association with himself all those whom he found to be united with him in such a good and holy cause. God then, in the previous verse, spoke of them collectively, for He wished all His servants to add their testimony to that of His Prophet; but now He addresses the Prophet alone, for his authority was greater.

It follows, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, cursed the man who does not hearken to the words of this covenant. Whenever the word 'covenant' is mentioned, Jeremiah no doubt cuts off every pretext for all those evasions to which the Jews, according to what we have said, resorted. For they never willingly allowed that they took away anything from the Law, though they still despised Jeremiah, who was its true and faithful interpreter, who had mixed nothing of his own with it, but only applied what had been taught by Moses to the situation of the people at that time.

An implied contrast is then to be understood between the word 'covenant' and the doctrine of Jeremiah; not that there was any difference or opposition, or that Jeremiah had anything apart from the Law, but that he shaped his discourse to suit the situation of the people.

And there is a kind of concession, as if he had said, “I do not now demand to be heard by you, but hear only the Law itself. I have until now brought forward nothing but what God has commanded, and I have taught nothing inconsistent with Moses; there has been nothing additional in my doctrine. But as I cannot convince you of this, I now cease speaking to you; Moses himself speaks; hear him.”

By adding the pronoun demonstrative, “Hear ye the words of this covenant,” it is as if he had openly shown it to them as with his finger, so that there was no room for any doubt.

He then upbraided them by pointing out the covenant, as if he had said, “What good does it do you to feign and to pretend that what we say is ambiguous, and to hold it as uncertain whether or not we are the servants of God? Whether we speak by His Spirit? Whether He Himself has sent us? The thing is clear; this is the covenant.” We now perceive the force of this pronoun.

But in referring to the curse, his purpose, no doubt, was to overcome the stubbornness of the people. Had the Jews been teachable and submissive, God would have used a milder tone and attracted them by words of kindness and love. But as He had to deal with perverse minds, He was forced to address them in this manner, in order to strike them with terror, make them more attentive, and also to make them hear with more reverence, as they usually treated with contempt what He had spoken before.

We therefore see why he began with mentioning a curse. God followed another order in the Law; for He first introduced the rule of life, and also added promises to make the people willing to obey; and then He added the curses. But Jeremiah here begins by saying, Cursed are all those who hear not the words of this covenant. Why was this done?

It was because he had already discovered the hardness and the obstinate wickedness of the people. He then does not set forth a simple doctrine, but above all else he sets before them the curse of God, as if he had said, “It is very strange that you have not until now been moved, since God’s curse has been so often denounced against you. Since then you are so stupid, before I begin to speak of God’s commands, His curse shall be mentioned to awaken your sluggishness.”

But we learn from the Prophet’s words that he alluded to the form prescribed in the Law. For after Moses recited all the precepts, he added, “Cursed is every one who turns aside to foreign gods;” and he commanded the people to respond, Amen. And, “Cursed is every one who curses father and mother;” and he commanded them to respond, Amen. And after having narrated all the precepts, he added, “Cursed is every one who fulfils not all the words of this law;” and the people responded, Amen (Deuteronomy 27:15, 16, 26). Jeremiah now adopts the same form when he says,

“Declare then to the people that they are all accursed who do not obey My precepts;”

And then the Prophet adds, I answered and said, Amen, O Jehovah. But it must be observed that the Prophet here speaks for the whole people, as before;

as if he had said, “I subscribe to God’s judgment, even though you should all be objectors, as you really are. Though then you think that you can escape from God’s hand, as though it were easy to elude the curse which is pronounced in His Law, yet I subscribe with my own name, and answer before God, Amen, O Jehovah.”

But we must also notice the other words: Cursed, He says, is every one who hears not the words of this covenant. To 'hear,' in this place and in many other places, means to obey. He then speaks of the words or of the covenant itself, for the expression may be taken in either sense, as God had made a covenant with the Jews and at the same time expressed words. I am inclined to consider the covenant itself as intended.

God then says that He had made a covenant with them. There is yet a fuller explanation: The words which I commanded your fathers, He says, in the day when I brought them up from the land of Egypt. God shows here by a detail concerning the time how inexcusable the Jews were, for He says that He gave the Law to their fathers at the very time when they were rescued from death.

They were drawn out of the grave, so to speak, when God made a passage for them through the Red Sea. That redemption ought to have made such a deep impression as to convince them completely to devote themselves to God; yes, the memory of such a benefit should have been deeply fixed in their hearts.

We therefore see how aggravated the sin of ingratitude is here; for the Law was given to the Israelites when they had before their eyes the many deaths to which they had been exposed, and from which the Lord had miraculously delivered them.

For the same reason, He also mentions their miserable state as an iron furnace, according to what we find in Exodus 3 and in many other places. He then compares their Egyptian bondage to a furnace, for the Jews were then like wood and straw in a burning furnace. And He calls the furnace iron, as it could melt and reduce to nothing things harder than wood, even gold or silver or any other metal.

In short, the deplorable state of the people is described here; and the Prophet, by the comparison, magnifies the favor shown to them—that God, beyond all hope, had delivered them from death. Since then the authority of the Law was sanctioned by so great a benefit, it became evident how great the impiety of the people was, and how unbecoming and wicked their ingratitude was, for they did not willingly allow God’s yoke to be laid on them.

He says that God commanded these things. This expression, as I have said, is to be applied to the words of the Law, and not to the covenant. But the Prophet speaks interchangeably, now of the covenant, then of the things it contains, that is, of all the precepts it includes.

In other words, he expresses how inexcusable the sin of the people was, for God, in essence, required nothing else from them but to hear His voice. And what can be more just than that those who have been redeemed should obey the voice of their deliverer? And what could have been more detestable and monstrous than for the Israelites to refuse what God had a right to demand?

We now therefore perceive the Prophet's design in saying that God commanded this only to His redeemed people, even to hear His voice, and to do what He commanded.

He further adds a promise, which ought to have softened their stony hearts: Ye shall be, He says, to Me a people, and I will be to you a God. God might have positively required of the Jews what is implanted in everyone by nature; for those who have never been taught acknowledge that God ought to be worshipped, and the right way of worshipping Him is when we obey His precepts.

God then might have thus commanded them according to His supreme authority. The commands of kings, as it is said, are brief, for they contain no soothing expressions, nor do they reason, nor employ any persuasive language. How much greater is the authority of God, who can indicate by a nod what He pleases and what He demands?

But as if He descended from His high station, He seeks by promises to attach people to Himself, so that they may willingly obey Him. Thus God recommends His Law by manifesting His favor, and does not merely assert His own authority. Since God then so kindly addresses His people and promises so great a reward for obedience, how base and abominable is the stubbornness of men when they repudiate His Law.

Hence the Prophet shows here more clearly why he began by saying, Cursed is every one who obeys not, etc.; for kindness had achieved nothing. Friendly and tender words, the paternal invitation of God, produced no effect; as if he had said, “God could not, undoubtedly, have treated you more gently and kindly than by reminding you in a paternal manner of your duty, and by adding promises sufficient to soften even the hardest hearts. But as this has been done without effect, what now remains for God to do but to thunder and announce only His curses?”

We now understand what the Prophet had in view. But it may be objected here that all this was useless and without any benefit, for the Jews could not have undertaken the yoke of the Law until it was inscribed on their hearts. To this I answer that they were reminded of this very thing here at the same time. For though the teaching of the letter could do nothing but condemn the people, and hence it is said by Paul to be what brings death (2 Corinthians 3:6), yet the faithful knew that the Spirit of regeneration would not be denied them if they sought it from God.

Then, in the first place, it was their fault that the Law was not inscribed on their hearts; and, in the second place, a free promise of forgiveness was added. For why were those sacrifices and expiations under the Law, and so many ceremonies which related to their reconciliation to God, except so that the people might be assured that God would be gracious and reconcilable to them, though they could not satisfy the Law?

This teaching then was not useless for the faithful; for God, when He required from the Israelites what they ought to have done, was at the time ready to inscribe the Law on their hearts and also to forgive their sins. But when through obstinate wickedness they rejected the whole Law, the Prophet justly declares here that the curse of God was on them, because they basely rejected God’s promises, by which He testified His paternal kindness towards them.

He adds, That I may establish the oath which I have sworn to your fathers, to give them a land abounding in milk and honey, according to what it is at this day. Here He does not refer to the main part of their happiness; but only the land of Canaan is mentioned as the pledge or the guarantee of God’s favor, for His promise related to something much higher than to the land of Canaan.

God had indeed promised this as an inheritance to the Israelites. But when He says that He would be their God and they His people, the promise of eternal life and of heavenly glory is included, according to what is said elsewhere, that He is not the God of the dead but of the living (Matthew 22:31). And we must always bear in mind what is said by the Prophet Habakkuk,

“Thou art our God, we shall not die” (Habakkuk 1:12).

God then promised to the Israelites something far greater than the possession of the land when He said that He would be their God. But that land was a symbol, a guarantee, and a pledge of His paternal favor. All these things agree well together.

And what the Prophet adds is to the same purpose: that God had formerly sworn to their fathers that He would give them that land by an hereditary right, and this promise had been fulfilled to their posterity.

If anyone were to focus on this only—that God’s favor was seen in the land of Canaan because they had obtained it through the expulsion of the heathens by God’s kindness—the view would be cold, and the Prophet would greatly diminish that promise which far exceeds all that man can conceive.

Hence, as I have said, in speaking of the land of Canaan, he undoubtedly accommodates himself to the understanding of a common and ignorant people, and mentions the guarantee and the pledge, that they might see with their own eyes, exhibited to them even in this world and in this frail life, some evidence of that favor which far surpasses all that can be desired in the world.

Now, when He says, That I may establish the oath which I have sworn to your fathers, God undoubtedly shows that though the Jews should obey Him, they had not yet deserved by their obedience the inheritance promised before they were born. God then here proves that it was through His gratuitous kindness that they became heirs of the land.

How so? Because they were not created when God swore to Abraham that He would give that land to him and to his posterity. As the promise had then been given long before, it follows that it could not be ascribed to the merits of the people that they had at last in due time obtained the land.

As to the oath, God by referring to it praises His favor; for He not only promised the land for a heritage to the children of Abraham, but He also added an oath, so that the covenant might appear more sure.

But the Prophet at the same time intimates that they, if ungrateful to God, might justly be deprived of the promised inheritance; as if he had said, “There is no reason for you to argue with God, as if He defrauded you, if He were to cast you out of the land; for God Himself does not disinherit you, but your own wickedness does. And you are now unworthy, for God does not regard you as His children.”

While the Prophet then removes every reason for boasting, so that the Jews might not think that they possessed the land as a reward for their merits, he also reminds them that they might justly be deprived of their land on account of their own fault, as they did not render to God the service they owed to Him. Hence He says, that I might establish the oath which I have sworn to your fathers.

A land, He says, flowing with milk and honey: this way of speaking was often adopted by Moses (Exodus 3:8, 3:17; Exodus 13:5; Exodus 33:3; Leviticus 20:24). The land was no doubt very fertile from the beginning, but it is probable that it became more fruitful after the people entered it, for it was renewed in a way. And it was God’s design to show in a visible manner how great the efficacy of His covenant was. It was not then without reason that Moses said so often that it was a land flowing with milk and honey.

He afterwards adds, According as it is at this day. He brings forward witnesses, as if he had said, “God has dealt faithfully with you, for He has kept the faith pledged to your fathers and has fulfilled His oath.

But now since you have polluted this land, and the memory of God’s favor is, so to speak, buried among you, and you even tread His Law under your feet—since then such great impiety turns His blessing away from you, what remains for Him to do but to drive you away into exile?”

We therefore see that an implied threat is to be understood here, when he says that God had performed what He had promised to the fathers, and promised with this condition—that they were to obey His commands.

We have already spoken of the Prophet’s answer. When he answered, Amen, he did not wait for what the people would say, for the greater part undoubtedly made an uproar and sought to find evasions with God. So great was their shameless boldness that they often rose up insolently against the Prophets. Then as he knew that they were so stubborn, he subscribed to the curse in his own name.