John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 20:8-9

"For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, Violence and destruction! because the word of Jehovah is made a reproach unto me, and a derision, all the day. And if I say, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I cannot [contain]." — Jeremiah 20:8-9 (ASV)

The Prophet says here that he found no fruit from his labors. On the contrary, he saw that all his efforts and endeavors had an opposite effect, for they exasperated all the Jews, inflamed their rage, and drove them into greater licentiousness in sinning. Therefore, he says that he intended to give up the office assigned to him, but by a secret impulse, he was compelled to persevere, and thus he was not free to stop the course he had begun.

But the verse is variously explained. From the time I spoke, I cried violence aloud and proclaimed devastation. Thus some take the words, as if Jeremiah said that since he began to teach he uttered complaints, for he saw that he was violently attacked and was exposed to all kinds of wrongs. But this view appears to me too cold.

Others come nearer to the truth who consider him as saying that he had not ceased to cry out against outrages and plunders when he saw that all kinds of wickedness prevailed among the people. It is as if he had said, “I could not mildly and peaceably teach them, for their disposition and temperament prevented me. Instead, their wickedness compelled me to treat them with severity, as all God’s servants should wisely consider what the state of the Church requires.” If indeed we should cry aloud in tranquil times, it would be foolish affectation. This is what is done by many who, without thought and without any reason, always make a great cry. But when we see Satan reigning, we should not then hold back or act as if in a truce; since it is an open war, it is necessary to cry aloud.

Those who take this view, then, understand that Jeremiah cried aloud because he saw that the people were rebellious and also saw that things were so bad that they could not be restored to a right state without the greatest sharpness and vehemence.

But I rather think that the Prophet had another kind of trial: that he brought down God's greater vengeance by his cries, as if he had said, “To what purpose should I furnish God with weapons by my preaching, since I do nothing but increase His wrath, which will eventually fulminate and consume the whole land together with the people?” He then says that he cried violence and devastation aloud, for impiety itself is a kind of hostile violence by which God is provoked. The meaning is that the Prophet saw no other fruit from his labor but that men were made more insolent, and from being thieves became robbers, and from being disdainful became ruffians, so that they increasingly kindled God’s wrath and more fully abandoned themselves. This was indeed a most severe and dangerous trial; it is therefore no wonder that the Prophet says it occurred to him to turn aside from his office as a teacher.

Now, this passage is especially worthy of note, for not only teachers are influenced by this feeling, but all the godly without exception. For when we see that men are, as it were, made worse through God’s word, we begin to doubt whether it is advisable to bury every remembrance of God and to extinguish his word, rather than to increase the licentiousness of men, who are already inclined enough to commit sin.

Indeed, we see today that the doctrine of the Gospel does not restore all to obedience. Instead, many give themselves a more unbridled license, as if the yoke of discipline were completely removed. There was some fear under the Papacy; there was some sort of obedience and subjection. And now, what is the liberty of the Gospel to many but brute license, so that they sin with impunity and confound heaven and earth?

There are also others who, observing so many controversies, under that pretext throw aside every concern for religion and all attention to it. There are some fanatics who allow themselves to doubt and even to deny the existence of God. Since, then, we see that the effect of the truth is not such as might be wished, those who are otherwise firm must inevitably be shaken or made to totter.

Therefore, this passage is all the more noteworthy, for Jeremiah confesses that he was greatly troubled when he saw that the word of God was an object of derision, and therefore he wished to withdraw from the course of his calling. Let us know that whenever such a thought comes into our minds, we must manfully resist it. Therefore, the two things mentioned here should be connected: for when he said, I will no more mention him, nor speak in his name, he added, but the word of God was like a burning fire.

Thus we see how God restrained his servant, so that he would not fall headlong or succumb to his temptation; for he would have been suddenly drawn, as it were, into a deep gulf if he had not been preserved by God. Therefore, whenever temptations of this kind present themselves to us, let us pray to God to restrain and support us; or if we have already fallen, let us pray for him to raise us up and strengthen us by his Spirit.

But the way is shown by which God aided his servant: The word of God became as a burning fire in his heart; and it was also closed up in his bones, so that he was led by an ardent zeal and could not restrain himself but had to continue in the course of his office.

He concludes by saying that he was wearied, or could hardly contain himself, with forbearing; as if he had said that it was not in his power to abstain from teaching what God commanded. For a burning ardor forced him to go on; and yet he certainly had in view those despisers with whom he had to deal.

It is the same then as if he had said that he had discovered what it was to have the whole world against him, but that God prevailed. Now this was said because profane men take the opportunity to be complacent and indifferent when they imagine that Prophets and teachers are unfeeling men: “Oh, what do we care about fanatics, who do not have common feelings? And it is no wonder, since they are dull and unfeeling, that they are so angry and violent, disregard all others, and feel nothing human.”

Since, then, they imagine that men are like sticks when they speak of God’s servants as being without discernment, the Prophet seems to say, “Surely you are deceived, for I am not so made of iron that I am not influenced by strong and many feelings. Indeed, I have learned and I know how great my weakness is, nor do I conceal that I am subject to fear, to sorrow, and to other passions; but God has prevailed. There is then no reason for you to think that I speak so boldly because I feel nothing human. I have done so after a hard struggle, after all those things came into my mind which are calculated to weaken the courage of my heart. Yet God stretched out his hand to me, and not only so, but I was compelled, so that I would not claim anything for myself or boast of my heroic courage.”

“I did not prevail,” he says, “but when I submitted myself to God and desired to give up my calling, I was compelled, and God dealt powerfully with me, for his word became as a burning fire in my heart, so that finally, through the strong influence of the Spirit, I was compelled to proceed in carrying out my office.”

Therefore I said, I will mention him no more, nor speak in his name; not that the Prophet wished himself or others to forget God, but because he thought that he lost all his labor and made a stir in vain, since he cried aloud without any good result. Not only so, but he increasingly exasperated the wicked; as an ulcer, the more it is pressed, the more putrid matter it releases, so the impiety of the people was more and more discovered when the Prophet reproved sins which were previously hidden.

Let us then learn now by the example of the Prophet that whenever Satan or our flesh raises an objection and says that we should stop preaching heavenly truth because it does not produce its proper and legitimate fruits, it is nevertheless a pleasing aroma before God, even if fatal to the ungodly. Even though the truth of the Gospel proves to be the savor of death to many, yet our labor is not worthless on that account before God. For we know that we offer to God an acceptable sacrifice; and though our labor may be useless regarding men, it is yet fruitful for the glory of God. And while we are the odor of death unto death to those who perish, yet to God, even in this respect, our labor is acceptable (2 Corinthians 2:16).

Let us also be careful not to withdraw ourselves from God. Even when many things happen to hinder our course, let us overcome them by the power of the Spirit. At the same time, let us fear that through our laziness we might bury the ardor of which the Prophet speaks.

We see what happened to Jonah. He had fallen so far as to forsake his office entirely, by extinguishing, as much as he could, God’s commission. And when he became a fugitive, he thought himself beyond danger, as if he were removed from God’s presence (Jonah 1:3). God indeed saw him, but yet his word was not in him as a burning fire.

Since then such a great man through his own laziness extinguished, as far as he could, the light of the Holy Spirit, how much more should we fear that the same thing might happen to us? Let us then stir up the sparks of this fervor until it inflames us, so that we may faithfully devote ourselves completely to the service of God. And if at any time we become lazy, let us rouse ourselves, and may the power of the Holy Spirit be so revived that we may pursue the course of our office to the end and never stand still, but assail even the whole world, knowing that God commands us and requires from us what others disapprove and condemn.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as today a greater and more vile impiety is breaking forth than in any previous age, and Your sacred truth is treated with derision by many minions of Satan—O grant that we may nevertheless constantly persevere in it, and not hesitate to oppose the fury of all the ungodly. Relying on the power of Your Spirit, may we contend with them until that truth, which You once proclaimed by Your Prophets and finally by Your only-begotten Son, and which was sealed by his blood, may attain its full authority. So that as it proves to many the savor of eternal death, it may also be a pledge to us of eternal salvation, until we are gathered into Your kingdom at the coming of Your same Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.