John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 22:1-3

"Thus said Jehovah: Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, And say, Hear the word of Jehovah, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates. Thus saith Jehovah: Execute ye justice and righteousness, and deliver him that is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence, to the sojourner, the fatherless, nor the widow; neither shed innocent blood in this place." — Jeremiah 22:1-3 (ASV)

The Prophet is again commanded to reprove the king and his counselors; but the exhortation is at the same time extended to the whole people. It was necessary to begin with the head, so that the common people might know that it was not a matter to be trifled with, as God would not spare—no, not even the king himself and his courtiers. A greater terror seized the common people when they saw the highest laid prostrate.

So that what is taught here might then penetrate more effectually into the hearts of all, the Prophet is commanded to address the king himself and his courtiers; he is afterwards commanded to include also the whole body of the people. And from this it appears that there was some hope of favor still remaining, provided the king and the whole people received the admonitions of the Prophet; if their repentance and conversion were sincere, God was still ready to forgive them.

We must at the same time observe, as I have already said, that they could not escape the calamity that was near. But exile would have been much milder, and also their return would have been more certain; they would have found in various ways that they had not been rejected by God, though chastised for a time.

Therefore, when we say that a hope of pardon was set before them, this is not to be understood as meaning they could avert the destruction of the city. For it had once and for all been determined by God to drive the people into a temporary exile and also to put an end for a time to their sacrifices. This dreadful desolation was to be a proof that the people had been extremely ungrateful to God, and especially that their obstinacy could not be endured, as they had so long despised the Prophets and the commands of God.

However, the hope of mitigation of their punishment was given them, provided they were touched by a right feeling, so as to endeavor to return into favor with God. But as Jeremiah achieved nothing by so many admonitions, they were made more inexcusable.

We now see the purpose of what is said here: namely, that the Jews, having been so often found guilty, might cease to complain that they suffered anything undeservedly. For they had been often admonished, indeed, almost in countless instances, and God had offered mercy, provided they were reclaimable. I come now to the words—

Thus saith Jehovah, Go down to the house of the king. We see that the Prophet was endowed with such great courage that the dignity of the king’s name did not daunt him from performing what he was commanded. We have seen similar instances elsewhere; but whenever such cases occur, they deserve to be noticed.

1. First, the servants of God should boldly discharge their office, and not flatter the great and the rich, nor diminish any of their own authority when they encounter dignity and greatness.
2. Secondly, let those who seem to be more prominent than others learn that whatever eminence they may possess cannot avail them, but that they should submit to prophetic instruction.

We have previously seen that the Prophet was sent to reprove and rebuke even the highest, and to show no partiality (Jeremiah 1:10). So now, here he shows that he had, as it were, the whole world under his feet, for in executing his office, he reproved the king himself and all his princes.

But he speaks of the king as sitting on the throne of David; not, as I have already said, for the sake of honor, but for the purpose of enhancing his guilt, for he occupied a sacred throne of which he was wholly unworthy. For though God is said to sit in the midst of the gods, because by him kings rule, yet we know that the throne of David was more prominent than any other. It was a priestly kingdom and a type of that celestial kingdom which was afterwards fully revealed in Christ.

Since, then, the kings of Judah, the descendants of David, were types of Christ, their impiety was less tolerable when, unmindful of their calling, they had departed from the piety of their father David and become completely degenerated. So the Prophet, by mentioning the house of Israel and the house of Jacob, no doubt condemned the Jews because they had become unlike the holy patriarch.

We now, then, understand the purpose of the Prophet when he says, Hear the word of Jehovah, thou king of Judah, who sittest on the throne of David.

But so that his reproof might have its just weight, the Prophet carefully shows that he brought nothing but what had been entrusted to him from above. This is the reason why he repeats, thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah, Go down, speak, and say. From the king he comes to the courtiers, and from them to the whole people.

Thou, he says, and thy servants. By the king’s servants the Scripture means all those ministers who were his counselors, who were appointed to administer justice, and who exercised authority. But we must notice that at last he addresses the whole people.

From this we see that what he taught belonged in common to all, though he began with the king and his counselors, so that the common people might not think that they would be unpunished if they despised the doctrine to which even kings were to submit.

He says, first, Do judgment and justice. This belonged especially to the king and his judges and governors, for private individuals, we know, had no power to protect their property. For though every one should resist wrongs and evil doings, yet this was the special duty of the judges whom God had armed with the sword for this purpose.

To do judgment means to render to everyone their due. But when the two words, judgment and justice, are connected together, by justice we are to understand equity, so that everyone has their own right; and by judgment is to be understood the execution of due punishment. For it is not enough for the judge to decide what is right, unless he restrains the wicked when they audaciously resist.

To do judgment, then, is to defend the weak and the innocent, as it were, with an armed hand.

He then adds, Rescue the spoiled from the hand of the oppressor. He repeats what we observed in the last chapter. Here, under one heading, he includes the duty of judges: that they are always to oppose what is wrong and to check the audacity of the wicked, for the wicked can never be induced willingly to conduct themselves with moderation and quietness.

Since, then, they are to be restrained by force, he says, Rescue the spoiled from the hand of the oppressor. Of the word גזול, gesul, we have spoken before. But by this form of speaking God intimates that it is not enough for the judge to abstain from tyranny and cruelty, and not to stimulate the wicked nor favor them, unless he also acknowledges that he has been appointed by God for this end: to rescue the spoiled from the hand of the oppressor, and not to hesitate to face hatred and danger in the discharge of his office.

The Prophet now adds other things which he had not mentioned in the preceding chapter: Defraud not, he says, the stranger and the orphan and the widow. It is often said in Scripture that it is not right to defraud anyone, for God would protect all from wrong—not only strangers, orphans, and widows.

But as orphans have no knowledge or wisdom, they are exposed, as it were, to plunder; and widows also, because they are helpless in themselves; and strangers, because they have no friends to undertake their cause. Therefore, God, in a special manner, requires that regard be shown to strangers, orphans, and widows.

There is also another reason: when their right is given to strangers, orphans, and widows, equity no doubt shines forth more conspicuously. When anyone brings friends with him and employs them in the defense of his cause, the judge is thereby influenced. He who is a native will have his relations and neighbors to support his cause; and he who is rich and possesses power will also influence the judge, so that he dare not do anything notoriously wrong. But when the stranger, or the orphan, or the widow comes before the judge, he can oppress them all with impunity.

Therefore, if he judges rightly, it is no doubt a conspicuous proof of his integrity and uprightness. This, then, is the reason why God everywhere enumerates these cases when he speaks of right and equitable judgments. He further adds, Exercise no violence, nor shed innocent blood in this place. These things also were matters belonging to the judges.

But it was a horribly monstrous thing for the throne of David to have been so defiled as to have become, as it were, a den of robbers. Wherever there is any pretense to justice, there ought to be some fear or shame. But as we have said, that tribunal was in a special manner sacred to God.

Since, then, the king and his counselors had become like robbers, and occupied the throne of David in such a way that all impiety prevailed, and they did not hesitate to plunder on every side, as though they lived in a house of plunder—this was, as I have said, a sad and shameful spectacle.

But we should more carefully notice this passage, so that we may learn to strengthen ourselves against bad examples, lest the impiety of men should overturn our faith. When we see things in God’s Church in such disorder that those who glory in the name of God have become like robbers, we must beware lest we become, on this account, alienated from true religion.

We must, indeed, detest such monsters, but we must take care lest God’s word, through men’s wickedness, should lose its value in our esteem. We should, then, remember the admonition of Christ, to hear the Scribes and Pharisees who sat in Moses’ seat (Matthew 23:2).

Thus it behooved the Jews to venerate that royal throne, on which God had inscribed certain marks of his glory. Though they saw that it was polluted by the crimes and evil deeds of men, yet they should have retained some regard for it on account of that expression, This is my rest for ever.

But we still see that the king was sharply and severely reproved, as he deserved. Therefore, the Pope at the present day most foolishly seeks to exempt himself from all reproof because he occupies the apostolic throne. If we were to grant what is claimed (though that is frivolous and childish)—that the Roman throne is apostolic (which I think has never been occupied by Peter)—surely the throne of David was much more venerable than the chair of Peter? And yet the descendants of David who succeeded him, being types and representatives of Christ, were not on that account, as we here see, exempt from reproof.

It might, however, be asked why the Prophet said that he was sent to the whole people, when his doctrine was addressed only to the king and the public judges, for it did not belong to the people or to private individuals. But I have said already that it was easy for the common people to gather how God’s judgment should have been dreaded, for they had heard that punishment was denounced even on the house of David, which was still considered sacred.

When, therefore, they saw that those were summoned before God’s tribunal who were, in a manner, not subject to laws, what were they to think but that every one of them should have thought of himself, and examined his own life? For they must eventually be called to give an account, since the king himself and his counselors had been summoned to do so.