John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 25:15

"For thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto me: take this cup of the wine of wrath at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it." — Jeremiah 25:15 (ASV)

Jeremiah now explains in more detail what might have seemed obscure because of its brevity. He had spoken of all nations, but his discourse was abrupt, for he had not yet openly told us that he had been sent by God as a herald to summon all kings and nations before His tribunal and to declare what was to come. Since the Prophet had referred to nothing of this kind, his discourse was ambiguous. But he now declares that a cup from God’s hand had been delivered to him, which he was to give to all nations to drink. Therefore, we see that there is nothing new here, but that the Prophet is, so to speak, the interpreter of his previous prophecy, which was briefly stated.

Moreover, so that what he said might have more weight, he recounts a vision: Thus said Jehovah the God of Israel to me, Take the cup of the wine of this fury from my hand. We have said in other places that the fulfillment of prophetic truth was, not without reason, emphasized, and that the servants of God were so armed, as though the execution of all that they asserted was ready at hand.

They were said to demolish cities and overthrow kingdoms for this very reason: because such was the apathy of men that they did not believe God, unless they were made to see the event, so to speak, before their eyes. But as this subject has been discussed more fully elsewhere, I will only briefly touch upon it here.

He then says that a cup had been delivered to him by God’s hand. By these words, he suggests that he did not come forward of his own accord to terrify the Jews and other nations, but that he faithfully proclaimed what had been committed to him. He also implies that God spoke nothing now but what He intended soon to carry out; and this is what is to be understood by the word cup.

He calls it the cup of the wine of fury, or of wrath. This metaphor often occurs in the prophets, but in a different sense. For God is sometimes said to intoxicate men when He stupefies them, driving them at one time to madness and at another time depriving them of common sense and understanding, so that they become like beasts. But He is also said to intoxicate them when, by external calamities, He fills them with consternation.

So the Prophet now calls calamity the cup of wrath—that calamity which, like fire, was to inflame the minds of all those who received no benefit from punishments.

Indeed, madness means nothing other than the despair of those who perceive God’s hand stretched out against them, and thus rage and clamor, and curse heaven and earth, themselves, and God. This is what we are to understand by wrath. He compares this wrath to wine because those who are thus struck by God’s hand are, so to speak, carried away beyond themselves. They do not repent, nor do they think of their sins with calmness of mind, but instead abandon themselves to a furious rage. Thus, we now understand why the Prophet says that the cup of the wine of wrath had been given to him.

Then he adds, And make all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. Here, again, he confirms what I recently mentioned: that his office extended further than to teach in the midst of the Church, for he had also been chosen to proclaim as a herald God’s judgments on all nations.

Indeed, he was sent to the Jews differently than to heathen nations. For he was set over them as a teacher for their salvation—provided they were not beyond redemption—whereas he was sent to the heathen nations expressly to threaten them with what was near at hand. He was, however, sent to both the Jews and to all other nations, as he will later show more clearly in due course.

We now see the purpose and aim of what is said here. To add authority to his previous prophecy, Jeremiah:

1. First, presents the vision which had been shown to him.
2. Second, testifies that he brought nothing of his own, but only obeyed God and faithfully performed His commands.
3. Thirdly, indicates that he was not only appointed a teacher in the Church of God, but was also a witness of His vengeance on all nations.