John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 26:13

"Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of Jehovah your God; and Jehovah will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you." — Jeremiah 26:13 (ASV)

He not only confirms here what he had taught, but also rebukes the hardness and obstinate wickedness of the priests and prophets. For though he addressed the princes and the people, he undoubtedly also intended to rebuke more sharply those ungodly men who set themselves up against God. At the same time, his discourse referred to them all when he said, “How have I sinned? I have endeavored to promote your safety; must I therefore die?”

Therefore, we see that the Prophet not only confirmed what he had said but also accused his adversaries of ingratitude. For nothing could have been kinder, and nothing should have been more welcome, than to be called to repent so that they might receive mercy from God: “What was the object of my doctrine? Even that ye might repent; and what does repentance bring? Even salvation, for God is ready to forgive you. Now ye cannot bear to hear that God would be merciful to you. What madness is this?” Thus, we now see the Prophet's design.

This passage deserves careful attention, for God will render to all the ungodly their own reward. This is not only because they harden themselves against every instruction, but also because they are obvious and, so to speak, sworn enemies to their own salvation, as they refuse the necessary remedy and do not allow themselves to be restored to the right way, so that they may be forgiven.

Therefore, what he now says is very weighty: that no fault could be found in his doctrine, except that it proved galling to the wicked, but that they could still obtain peace, provided they sought reconciliation with God.

He adds, Hear ye the voice of Jehovah, in order to show that he required nothing new from the people, that he imposed on them no hard yoke, but only called them to the duty of obeying the Law. And he adds to this, your God, in order to take away from them every excuse, so that they could not object and say that what Jeremiah alleged was unknown to them. Here, then, he triumphantly declares that he had taught them nothing that was alien to the Law, and that the Jews were inexcusable, who professed Jehovah to be their God and yet did not listen to his voice, which should have been familiar to them.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that since you have not only called us once to the hope of an eternal inheritance, but you continually invite us to repentance, while, through our continual sins, we do not cease to depart from you—O grant that we may not reject your voice with deaf ears, but be pliable and submissive to you, and that we may also so accustom ourselves to bear the yoke that, through our whole life, we may prove that we are of your sheep, and that Christ, your only-begotten Son, whom you have set over us, is indeed our Shepherd, until we are gathered into that kingdom which he has obtained for us by his own blood. — Amen.