John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 20:7

"O Jehovah, thou hast persuaded me, and I was persuaded; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am become a laughing-stock all the day, every one mocketh me." — Jeremiah 20:7 (ASV)

Some think that these words were not spoken through the prophetic Spirit, but that Jeremiah had uttered them inconsiderately through the influence of a hasty impulse, as even the most eminent are sometimes carried away by a hasty temper. They then suppose the Prophet, being overcome by a temptation of this kind, made this complaint to God: “What! Lord, I have followed you as a leader, but you have promised me what I do not find. I seem, then, to myself to be deceived.” Others give an even harsher explanation—that the Prophet had been deceived, according to what is said elsewhere,

“I the Lord have deceived that Prophet.” (Ezekiel 14:9).

But there is no doubt that his language is ironical when he says that he was deceived. He assumes the character of his enemies, who boasted that he presumptuously prophesied of the calamity and ruin of the city, as no such thing would take place. The Prophet here declares that God was the author of his doctrine, and that nothing could be alleged against him which would not be against God himself; as if he had said that the Jews contended in vain, under the notion that they contended with a mortal man, for they openly carried on war with God and, like the giants, furiously assailed heaven itself.

He then says that he was deceived, not that he thought so, for he was fully satisfied concerning himself; nor had he only the Spirit of God as a witness to his calling, but also possessed in his heart a firm conviction of the truth he delivered. But as I have already said, he relates the words of those who, by opposing his teaching, denied that he was God’s servant and gave him no credit, as if he were only an impostor.

But this mode of speaking is much more striking than if he had said in plain terms, “Lord, I am not deceived, for I have only obeyed your command and have received from you whatever I have made public. Nor have I presumptuously obtruded myself or adulterated the truth of which you have made me the herald. I have, then, faithfully discharged my office.” If the Prophet had spoken thus, there would have been much less force in his words than by exposing, as he does here, the blasphemies of those who dared to accuse God and make him guilty by arraigning his servant as a false prophet.

We now understand, then, why he spoke ironically and freely expostulated with God because he had been deceived by him; it was so that the Jews might know that they vomited forth reproaches, not against a mortal man, but against God himself, who would become the avenger of so great an insult.

If anyone were to ask whether it befitted the Prophet to make God thus his associate, the answer would be this—that his cause was so connected with God’s cause that the union was inseparable. For Jeremiah speaks not here as a private individual, much less as one of the common people; but as he knew that his calling was approved by God, he did not hesitate to connect God with himself, so that the reproach might belong to both.

God, indeed, could not be separated from his own truth, for nothing would be left to him if he were regarded as apart from his word. Hence, every idea that people form of God in their minds is a mere fiction when they neglect that mirror in which he has made himself known. Furthermore, we ought to know that whatever power, majesty, and glory there is in God so shines forth in his word that he does not appear as God unless his word remains safe and uncorrupted.

Since, then, the Prophet had been furnished with a sure commission, it is no wonder that he so boldly derides his enemies and says that God was a deceiver if he had been deceived. To the same purpose is what Paul says,

“If an angel come down from heaven and teach you another Gospel, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8).

Certainly, Paul was inferior to the angels, and we know that he was not so presumptuous as to draw down angels from heaven and to make them subservient to himself; no, by no means. But he did not regard what they might be; for as he had the truth of the Gospel, of which he was the herald, sealed in his heart, he did not hesitate to raise that word above all angels. So now Jeremiah says that God was a deceiver if he was deceived. How so? Because God would deny himself if he destroyed the truth of his word.

We now perceive, then, that the Prophet did not exceed what was right when he dared to elevate himself so as to become in a manner the associate of God, that is, concerning the truth of which God was the author and he the minister.

But from this passage a useful doctrine may be gathered. All who go forth to teach ought to be so sure of their calling that they do not hesitate to appeal to God’s tribunal whenever any dispute arises. It is indeed true that even the best servants of God may in some things be mistaken or be doubtful in their judgment; but concerning their calling and doctrine, there ought to be that certainty which Jeremiah exhibits to us here by his own example.

He afterwards adds, Thou hast constrained me. By saying that he had been deceived, he meant this—“O God, if I am an impostor, you have made me so; if I have deceived, you have led me; for I have derived from you all that I have. Hence it follows that you are at fault, and less excusable than I am, if there is anything wrong in me.”

Afterwards, as I have said, he enlarges on this—that God constrained him. For he had not coveted the prophetic office, but being constrained, undertook it, as he could not have rejected or cast off the burden laid on him.

He then expresses two things. First, that he had brought no fancies of his own, nor invented anything of what he had said, but had been the instrument of God’s Spirit and delivered what he had received, as from hand to hand. Second, he adds that if he had his free choice, he would not have undertaken the prophetic office, for he had been drawn, as it were, by constraint to obey God in this respect. We now perceive, then, the meaning of Jeremiah.

If anyone were to ask whether it could be considered commendable in the Prophet to undertake his office so constrainedly, the plain answer is this—that a general rule is not laid down here, as if it were necessary for all to be thus unwillingly drawn. But though Jeremiah might not have been faultless in this respect, yet he might have justly testified this before men. And we have seen at the beginning that when God appointed him a teacher to his Church, he refused the honor as far as he could,

“Ah! Lord,” he said, “I know not how to speak.”
(Jeremiah 1:6)

He then says that he was a scorn continually, and was derided by all. The Prophet, no doubt, tried here to find out whether any portion of the people was still reclaimable; for to hear that God was charged with falsehood, and that the Prophet’s office was rendered void by the willfulness and audacity of men, was much calculated to rouse their minds.

When, therefore, they heard this, they must surely have been terrified if they had a particle of true religion or of right knowledge. Hence the Prophet wished to make the trial, whether there were any remaining who were capable of being reclaimed. But his object also was to show that their wickedness was inexpiable if they continued wickedly and proudly to oppose his doctrine.

And we ought carefully to notice this; for this passage has not only been written so that we may be instructed in the fear of God, but the Holy Spirit continually proclaims against all despisers and openly accuses them that they offer to God the atrocious insult of charging him with falsehood and deception. Let us know, then, that a dreadful judgment is here denounced on all those profane men who despise God’s word and treat it with derision; for the Holy Spirit by the mouth of Jeremiah openly proclaims, as I have said, before God’s tribunal, that God is made by them a liar.