John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 26:11

"Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy of death; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears." — Jeremiah 26:11 (ASV)

We therefore conclude that the people, in agreeing to the sentence of the priests and prophets, had not acted according to their own judgment, but that everyone, regardless of rank, condemned Jeremiah out of a violent feeling. As the priests and prophets also directed their speech to the people, it is clear that they were guided by them, so that they gave their consent thoughtlessly and without consideration. For it often happens in a mob that the people exclaim, “Be it so, be it so; amen, amen.”

Jeremiah has indeed said that he was condemned by all the people. But it must be observed that the people are like the sea, which in itself is calm and tranquil. As soon as any wind arises, however, a great commotion occurs, and waves dash against one another. So it is also with the people, who, without being stirred up, are quiet and peaceable; but a rebellion is easily started when someone incites those who are thoughtless and fickle, and who, to use the same simile, are fluid like water. This, then, is what Jeremiah now implies.

But another thing is to be noticed: that the common people allow themselves to be pulled in all directions, but they can also be easily restored to a right mind, as has been said. “When they see,” says Virgil, “a man remarkable for piety and good works, they become silent and attend with listening ears.” He there describes (Aeneid, 1) a popular commotion, which he compares to a tempest. He rightly speaks of a tempest, but he added this simile according to common usage.

The Prophet now sets the same thing before us. The priests and prophets, who thought that they alone could boast of their power and speak with authority, in a way compelled the people to give apparent consent. Now that the king’s counselors were present, the people became, as it were, mute. The priests perceived this, and we shall see by the outcome that what the same poet (Virgil) mentions took place: “By his words he rules their hearts and softens their breasts.”

For it became easy for the king’s counselors, even with a single word, to calm this foolish violence of the people. Indeed, we shall soon see that they unhesitatingly said, “There is no sentence of death for this man.” It is therefore evident how easily ignorant people can be made to contradict themselves. This, however, is to be attributed to their fickleness. And what I have said should also be noted: that there was no real consent, because no judgment was exercised. The authority of the priests overpowered them, and then they slavishly agreed to what they saw pleased their leaders, like a donkey that nods its ears.

Now, when the subject is carefully considered, it appears that the priests and the prophets alone declared, both to the leaders and to all the people, that Jeremiah deserved death because he had prophesied against the city. We have said that they relied on those promises—which they absurdly applied to confirm their own impiety—namely, that God had chosen that city so that He might be worshipped there.

This was a false principle. And from where did their error proceed? It proceeded not from mere ignorance, but rather from presumption. For hypocrites are never deceived, except when they are determined not to obey God and, as much as they can, to reject His judgments. Therefore, when they are carried away by a perverse and wicked impulse, they always find some plausible pretext. But it is nothing but a disguise, as we clearly see from this account.