John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 19:14-15

"Then came Jeremiah from Topheth, whither Jehovah had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of Jehovah`s house, and said to all the people: Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all its towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it; because they have made their neck stiff, that they may not hear my words." — Jeremiah 19:14-15 (ASV)

Jeremiah had been led to the very place when he foretold the punishment, which was near at hand, on account of the superstitions of Tophet or of the valley of Hinnom. So that his doctrine might be more effective, God intended that he should preach before the very altar and in the very valley, then well known for ungodly and false modes of worship.

He says now that he went to the Temple and delivered there the same message. From this we learn how great the stupidity and indifference of the people must have been, for the repetition of the prophecy was not unnecessary. Indeed, because God knew that the Jews were extremely slow and reluctant, He caused them to be warned twice by His servant, and in two different places.

Jeremiah, it is said, returned from Tophet, where God had sent him to prophesy; these latter words were added so that we may not suppose that he preached in the valley of Hinnom without reason. God then commanded Jeremiah to denounce their own destruction to the Jews there, as it were in the very place.

And he stood, it is added, in the court of Jehovah’s house. As it was not lawful for the people to enter the Temple, they usually assembled in the court, which was a part of the Temple. Then Jeremiah stood there, for he had to speak not to a few, or in a corner, but to the whole people, and to make them witnesses of his prophecy.

But we read nothing new here; for, as has been stated, he was commanded to declare the same thing twice—the approaching calamity. He was commanded to do so because the Jews were so hardened that they could not easily be moved.

It is not surprising that he connects other cities with Jerusalem; he thereby indicates that the whole land was guilty before God, and that therefore desolation was near for all the towns and cities. It was as if he had said, “God will not spare Jerusalem, though it has been His sanctuary until now; but as lesser cities are not innocent, they shall also feel the hand of God together with Jerusalem.”

The reason is added: Because they have hardened their neck. He again confirms what we have previously observed—that they had fallen not through ignorance, but through perversity, for they had learned with sufficient clearness from the law what was right, and they had also been often warned by the prophets. Thus their wickedness and their untamable spirit appeared, for they had heard the sound doctrine of the law and had many to warn them.

Now this passage teaches us that there is no pardon left for us when we, as it were, deliberately reject the yoke of God. And this should be carefully noted, for we see how difficult it is to subdue people, even when they confess that the word of God is what they hear.

Since, then, there is in all humankind an innate perversity, so that hardly one in a hundred allows themselves to be ruled by God’s word, we must seriously consider what is said here—that those who harden their neck are unworthy of mercy.

Thus it is said in Psalm 95:8:

Harden not your hearts like your fathers.

And a clearer definition follows: That they might not hear my words. Although there is hardness in all mortals, yet when the doctrine of salvation is made known and not received, then greater impiety and pride show themselves; for in that case, people hear God speaking and yet rob Him of His authority.

It then follows that the more clearly God makes known His truth, the less ground for excuse there is; for then especially the impiety of people comes to light, and their disdain seems impossible to subdue.