John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 23:33

"And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of Jehovah? then shalt thou say unto them, What burden! I will cast you off, saith Jehovah." — Jeremiah 23:33 (ASV)

It appears sufficiently clear from this passage that the stubborn resistance of the Jews was so great that they sought from every direction some excuse for their unresponsiveness, as if they could despise God without punishment when they rejected His word.

For the devil by his cunning fascinates the reprobate when he makes God’s word either hateful or contemptible; and whenever he can provoke their minds, so that they do not hear God’s word except with disdain and bitterness, he fully achieves his goal.

The Jews, then, were led into such a state of mind that they regarded God’s word with hatred, and they were thus alienated from all teachableness and from all concern for religion. In short, the prophets, as is well known, everywhere use the word משא, mesha, which means a burden.

Now, "burden" refers to a prophecy, which terrifies those who despise God by threatening them with vengeance. Since, then, their minds were provoked, out of hatred they called the word of God a burden, and used it as a common saying, “It is a burden, a burden.” They should have been moved by God’s threats and have trembled on hearing that He was angry with them.

The word "burden," then, should have humbled them; but, on the contrary, they became provoked, first, through arrogance, then through an unconquerable stubbornness, and thirdly, they flared into rage. Thus we see how the expression arose that the prophets called their prophecies burdens. God now severely condemns this fury, because they did not hesitate to openly show their insolence in this way.

It was surely a most shameful thing that the word of God should be called this in disdain and contempt, in the public ways and streets. For in this way they acted disdainfully and insolently against God, as it was as if they treated His word with open contempt. It was then no wonder that He rebuked this fury with such vehemence, by saying, But if this people ask thee, What is the burden of Jehovah?

This way of asking was entirely mocking, when they said to Jeremiah and to other servants of God, “What is the burden?” that is, “What do you bring to us, what trouble is to come upon us?” In this way, they not only spoke contemptuously of God’s word, but, as if this wickedness were not enough, they became, as I have said, irritated and provoked. If, then, they ask thee, What is the burden? And He speaks not only of the common people, but also of the prophets and priests themselves.

From this we learn how great a contempt for God then prevailed, so that there was no integrity in either the priestly or the prophetic order. It is indeed astonishing with what shamelessness they dared to claim to be God’s servants, while they spoke with such insolence!

But the same thing happens in the world today; for we see that the ministers of Satan hold the world under their power in no other way than by luring the minds of the ungodly. At the same time, they cause God’s word to be hated and say that it brings not only troubles but also torments.

Since, then, these unprincipled men, who foster hatred and disdain for the true doctrine, occupy pulpits, we should not be surprised that the same evil prevailed in the ancient Church.

It follows: If a prophet or a priest ask thee, What is the burden of Jehovah? thou shalt say to them, What burden? I will forsake thee, saith Jehovah. This was a most severe threat, but it has not been well considered and correctly understood, for interpreters have overlooked the implied contrast between God's presence and His absence.

Nothing could have been more acceptable to the Jews than God’s silence. And yet in no other way does He more clearly show that He is a Father to us, caring for our salvation, than by intimately addressing us. Whenever, then, the prophetic word is announced, we have sure and clear evidence of God’s presence, as if He wished to be connected with us.

But when the ungodly not only reject such a remarkable benefit, but also furiously repel, as much as they can, such a favor, they desire and seek God’s absence. Therefore God says, “You cannot bear My word, by which symbol I show that I am present with you; I will forsake you;” that is, “I will no longer endure this indignity, but I will depart from you; there will be no prophecy from now on.”

At first glance, this was not considered grievous to the Jews; for as I have said, the ungodly desire nothing more than for God to be silent. They thought that they had gained their greatest happiness when, with consciences lulled to sleep, they indulged themselves in their filth. It was then their main wish that God should depart from them. But yet there was nothing more to be feared.

The Prophet then shows here that they were extremely infatuated and completely fascinated by the devil, for they could desire nothing more dreadful than for God to depart from them. It is as though He had said, “My word is tiresome to you, and I, in turn, will now avenge Myself, for I am tired of being patient with you, when I see that you cannot be healed by any means. And as I have until now been diligent in instructing you, and have found you unteachable, I will now, in turn, leave you.”