John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 16:18

"And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable things, and have filled mine inheritance with their abominations." — Jeremiah 16:18 (ASV)

Jeremiah introduces nothing new here but continues with the subject we observed in the previous verse—that God would not deal so severely with the Jews because extreme harshness was pleasing to Him, or because He had forgotten His own nature or the covenant He had made with Abraham, but because the Jews had become extremely stubborn in their wickedness. So, just as he had said that the eyes of God were on all their ways, he now adds that He would recompense them as they deserved.

But every word ought to be considered: He says ראשונה (rashunah), which I translate as “From the beginning.” Some translate it more obscurely as “at first”—meaning, I will first recompense them. The word means “formerly” and refers to time. The Prophet then, I have no doubt, means what I have already mentioned—that God would punish the fathers and their children, and would thus gather their old iniquities into one mass. We have quoted from the Law that God would repay into the laps of children the sins of their fathers; and we have also quoted that declaration of Christ:

“Upon you shall come all the righteous blood from Abel to Zechariah, the son of Barachiah” (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51).

The Prophet now repeats the same thing—that God, in allotting their reward to the Jews, would, as it were, collect together all the iniquities that had been, as it were, long buried, so that He would include the fathers and their children in one bundle, and gather together all their sins, in order that He might consume them, as it were, in one heap. This is how I explain the term “From the beginning.”

He then adds, The double of their iniquities and their sins. The Prophet does not mean that there would be an excess of severity, as though God would not rightly consider what people deserved; but “double” signifies a just and complete measure, according to what is said in Isaiah 40:2: “The LORD has recompensed double for all her sins;” that is, sufficiently and more (satis superque), as the Latins say.

There God assumes the character of a father and, according to His great kindness, says that the Jews had been more than sufficiently punished. So also in this place, in speaking of punishment, He calls that double, not what would exceed the limits of justice, but because God would show Himself differently to them than He had done before, when He patiently bore with them; as though He had said, “I will punish them to the utmost, for there will be no remission, no leniency, no mercy.”

We therefore see that what is intended here is only extreme harshness, which yet was just and right; for had God punished a hundred times more severely even those who seemed to have sinned lightly, His justice could not have been questioned as though He had acted cruelly.

Since the Jews, then, had sinned in so many ways, for so long a time, and so grievously, God could not have been thought too severe when He rendered to them their reward; and He calls it double because He omitted nothing in order to carry it to the utmost severity. Probably He also alludes to the enemies as being ministers of His vengeance, whose cruelty would be more atrocious than the Jews thought, who imagined some slight remedies for slight sins, as we say, Il n’y faudra plus retourner, or, tote outre.

He mentions sins and iniquities, for Jeremiah had introduced them before as speaking thus: “What is our iniquity? And what is our sin?” Though they could not wholly exculpate themselves, they yet continued to offer some pretenses, so that they might not appear to be entirely wicked. But here God declares that they were wholly wicked and ungodly; and He adds a confirmation: that they had polluted the land with the carcasses of their abominations. The Prophet mentions a particular thing, because if he had spoken generally, the Jews would have raised an outcry and said that they were not conscious of being so wicked.

So that he might bring the matter home to them, he shows, as it were by pointing a finger, that their sin was by no means excusable, because they had polluted the land of God with their superstitions. They have polluted, He says, My land. He emphasizes their crime by saying that they polluted the holy land. Indeed, the earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness (Psalms 24:1). Hence it might be justly said of the whole world that the land of God is polluted when people act ungodly upon it. But here God distinguishes Canaan from other countries because it was, as it were, dedicated to His name. Since God, then, had set apart that land for Himself, so that He might be worshipped there, He says they have polluted My land.

And He adds, With the carcasses of their abominations. It is probable that He calls their sacrifices carcasses. For though in appearance their superstitions bore a likeness to the true and lawful worship of God, yet we know that the sacrifices which God had commanded were seasoned by His word as with salt; they were therefore of a good aroma and fragrance before God. As for the sacrifices offered to idols, they were fetid carcasses; they were mere rottenness, yet the ceremony was entirely alike. But God does not regard the external form, for obedience is better before Him than all sacrifices (1 Samuel 15:22). We therefore see that a contrast is to be understood between the carcasses and the sweet aroma which lawful sacrifices possessed. For just as sacrifices, rightly offered according to the rule of the Law, pleased God and were said to be of a sweet savor, so the victims superstitiously offered, having no command of God in their favor, were called filthy carcasses.

And He says further, With their defilements they have filled My inheritance. The land of Canaan is called the inheritance of God in the same sense in which the land was previously called His land. But in this second clause, something more is expressed, as is the usual manner of Scripture to amplify.

It was indeed a grievous thing that the land dedicated to God should be polluted; but when He says, This is My inheritance, that is, the land which I have chosen to dwell in with My people, that it might be to Me, as it were, a kind of earthly habitation, and that this land was filled with defilements, it was a thing altogether intolerable.

We now see then that the Jews were so restrained and checked that they attempted in vain to escape, or thought to gain anything by evasions, for their impiety was intolerable and deserved to be most severely punished by God. I will not proceed further, for this begins a new discourse.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as You have not given to Your servants a small corner only of the earth to dwell in, but have designed to extend Your kingdom to the farthest borders of the earth, and to dwell with us, wherever we may be, by Your only-begotten Son—O grant, that we may offer ourselves as sacrifices to You, and also labor to regulate our lives according to Your word that Your name may be glorified in and by us, until we at last become partakers of that celestial and eternal glory, which has been provided for us by Christ our Lord. Amen.