John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 23:28

"The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? saith Jehovah." — Jeremiah 23:28 (ASV)

We ought also to read this verse attentively, for doubtless it contains a doctrine especially useful. I have already said that the faith of many might have failed upon seeing a conflict in the Temple of God, not only among the common people, but also among the prophets of God.

God did not appear from heaven, nor did He send His angels, but chose to be heard through men. Those who came to the Temple expected the prophets to teach them. There, the ministers of Satan appeared, who corrupted and perverted all things. There were a few who sincerely declared the truth of God and faithfully explained what God commanded.

What could miserable men do in this case, who were willing to obey and possessed a teachable spirit? Consequently, many threw aside every concern for religion and gave themselves up to despair: “What does all this mean? Why are there so many discords, so many disputes, so many contentions, so many invectives?

Where can we now turn? It is better not to care for anything anymore.” Thus, many took the opportunity to indulge their indifference, choosing not to weary themselves anymore, nor to seek what God was, what His will was, whether there was salvation for them, or whether there was any hope, rather than to entangle themselves in troublesome and thorny disputes.

Such a temptation existed in the time of Jeremiah. He, therefore, applied in due time a suitable remedy and said, The Prophet, who has a dream, that is, with whom is a dream, he will relate a dream; and then, The Prophet with whom is my word, he will speak my word; as though God had said that it was an extremely wicked thing to obstruct the way of truth by falsehood.

But this is what usually happens, as I have already said. For where Satan has his agents, an obstacle seems to be in our way which prevents us from proceeding in the course of true religion.

For when those who are right-minded, as we have said, see the prophets themselves contending, disputing, and quarreling, they stand still; indeed, they go backward. Now God shows that this is extremely unreasonable.

Then the meaning is, as though He had said, “Let not the false prophets by their fallacies impede the course of God’s servants, so that they do not proceed, and so that His word is not reverently heard.”

Unless we attend to what the Prophet had in view, the passage will appear meaningless. It has often been quoted, but this particular aspect has not always been observed.

We ought, therefore, always to consider why something is said. This verse depends on what has gone before; and God here answers a question which might have been raised: “What then must we do, for falsehoods conflict with truth?”

God answers that His word ought not to be prejudiced by this circumstance, as though He had said, “Let nothing prevent My Prophets from teaching; I bid them to be heard.” We therefore conclude that those do wrong to God who allege the controversies by which religion is torn and, as it were, lacerated, and think that they thus obtain a license to indulge their impiety.

For it is not a valid excuse for them that Satan and his ministers labor to discredit the authority of God and His servants.

Though these false prophets insinuate themselves, though they may set themselves up against the true and faithful servants of God, yet let dreams (that is, prophetic revelations) retain their weight, and let him with whom is God’s word, speak the word of God, so that it may be heard. This clause refers to the hearers; they were not to desist from rendering obedience to the Law, however much Satan might strive to subvert their faith by attempting to destroy its unity.

Afterwards, it follows, What is the chaff to the wheat? This addition was also entirely necessary, for many might have again objected, saying that they had no sufficient judgment to distinguish between the true and false prophets.

God here gives the answer: to one who made a careful examination, the difference between true and false doctrine was as clear as that between wheat and chaff. And by this comparison He shows how foolishly and absurdly many detract from the authority of the Law on this pretense, that there are many who falsely interpret it.

For when anyone rejects the wheat because it is covered with chaff, does he not deserve to perish from hunger? And who will pity him who says that he has indeed wheat on his floor, but that it is mixed with chaff, and therefore not fit for food? Why then, you foolish man, do you not separate the chaff from the wheat?

But you choose to perish from want, rather than to cleanse the wheat that you may have it for your food. So also in the Temple, the wheat is often mixed with the chaff; the pure truth of God is often defiled with many glosses and vain figments. And yet, unless it is our own fault, we will be able to distinguish between the wheat and the chaff.

But if we are negligent and think that it is a sufficient excuse for despising the word of God that Satan brings in his fallacies, we will perish in our sloth, like him who neglects to cleanse his wheat that he might turn it to bread. But the time will not allow me to say more.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as You are graciously pleased daily to set before us Your sure and certain will, we may open our eyes and ears, and raise all our thoughts to that which not only reveals to us what is right, but also confirms us in a sound mind, so that we may go on in the course of true religion and never turn aside, whatever Satan and his ministers may devise against us; but that we may stand firm and persevere, until having finished our warfare, we will at length come to that blessed rest which has been prepared for us in heaven by Jesus Christ our Lord. — Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

We saw yesterday that though the false prophets corrupted the true doctrine, yet the prophetic office remained in its honor without any loss to its authority. Hence Jeremiah said that all their fallacies ought not to be a hindrance to the faithful, so as to prevent them from proceeding in the course of their calling, and that no one should object and say that in so confused a state of things he could not know what to avoid and what to follow. He said that the difference between wheat and chaff was easily perceived, provided men were not willfully blind. He now adds—