John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 26:7-8

"And the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Jehovah. And it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Jehovah had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold on him, saying, Thou shalt surely die." — Jeremiah 26:7-8 (ASV)

Here the Prophet recounts what happened to him after he had declared God’s message and faithfully warned the people by adding threats, as God had commanded him. He says first that he was heard; however, this should not be taken as a commendation, as if the priests and prophets patiently heard what he taught, for they had no teachable spirit in them, nor did they come prepared to learn. Instead, they had long indulged in their perversity, so that Jeremiah had become an avowed enemy to them, and they also audaciously opposed all his threats.

Although they were not ashamed to reject what the Prophet said, they still observed a certain formality, as is usual with hypocrites. For they are, as the saying goes, more exact than necessary in formal matters, while neglecting what is truly important. Thus, we may observe that the priests and prophets deserved no praise for restraining themselves, as if they were deferring their judgment until the case was known. However, because all the people were present, they showed themselves moderate for a time. Yet it was a prevailing moderation, for their hearts were full of impiety and contempt of God, as indeed became manifest.

But it must be observed that he says the priests and prophets listened. Regarding the priests, it is no wonder that he refers to them as such, even though they were wicked in every way, for it was an inherited honor. But it is strange that he mentions the prophets. At the same time, we must understand that Jeremiah also uses this title for those who boasted that they were sent from above.

In the twenty-third chapter he reproves them at length, and in many other places he condemns their impudence in falsely assuming God's authority. He therefore allowed them an honorable title but esteemed it as nothing. This is similar to what we can do today: we can, without harm, call by way of ridicule those prelates, bishops, or pastors who, under the Papacy, seek to be considered as such, provided that we simultaneously strip them of their masks.

But these men cling to the title and thereby seek to suppress God's truth, as if being called a bishop carried more weight than if an angel were to come down from heaven.

And yet, if an angel were to descend from heaven, we ought to count him as a devil if he presented such filthy and detestable blasphemies, such as we see polluting the world today through these unprincipled men.

This passage, then, and similar ones, ought to be kept in mind, for they show that titles are not sufficient unless those who bear them truly show themselves to be what their calling signifies.

Thus, Jeremiah was called a Prophet, and those impostors were also called prophets whose sole purpose was to corrupt and pervert the doctrine of the Law; but they were so called in the estimation of the people.

Meanwhile, it is necessary to distinguish wisely between prophets or teachers, as the Apostle also reminds us: we ought to inquire whether their spirit is from God or not (1 John 4:1).

Finally, he says that he was condemned by the priests, the prophets, and all the people; at the same time, he also stated that he had spoken all that the Lord had commanded him. In this way, he briefly exposed the injustice of those who condemned him, for they had no regard for what was right, as we will soon see. But since they had brought with them a preconceived hatred, they spewed out what they could no longer contain.