John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 3:16

"And it shall come to pass, when ye are multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith Jehovah, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of Jehovah; neither shall it come to mind; neither shall they remember it; neither shall they miss it; neither shall it be made any more." — Jeremiah 3:16 (ASV)

Interpreters have perverted this verse, for none of them have understood the Prophet's purpose. The Jews, for the most part, have offered strained and far-fetched interpretations—that they would no longer bring the Ark of the Covenant out to battles, as no enemy would invade their land.

They think, therefore, that a peaceful state is promised to the people, as they would be constrained by no hostile force to carry the Ark of the Covenant here and there. But we clearly see that the words mean no such thing; it is, therefore, an interpretation entirely unrelated to the subject.

Others say that what is said must be applied to the time of the Messiah, and not even any of the Jews deny this, for it afterwards follows that the Israelites would return with the tribe of Judah. This had not yet been fulfilled; it therefore follows that the Prophet here predicts the kingdom of Christ.

But the Jews, while allowing this, do not understand that anything is said about the abrogation of legal ceremonies. Yet it has been thought by almost all Christians that the Prophet here teaches us that when Christ would come, an end would be put to all the shadows of the law, so that there would be no longer any Ark of the Covenant, as the fullness of the Godhead would dwell in Christ.

This indeed is a view which seems plausible, but the Prophet's meaning, as I think, is entirely different. For he refers here to that divorce or division which had existed for a long time between the kingdom of Judah and the kingdom of Israel.

Although the kingdom of Israel—in terms of its population, largeness of territory, and wealth—was more flourishing and prosperous than the kingdom of Judah, yet these advantages remained for the Jews: they had a Temple built according to God’s command, its place had been chosen by God, and they had the Ark of the Covenant as a symbol of God’s presence.

Hence, there was contention between the kingdom of Judah and the ten tribes. The Israelites were elated because of their numbers, their riches, and other temporal advantages, while the Jews gloried in their Temple and the Ark of the Covenant.

And what, then, does the Prophet say? He declares that such would be the concord between the Israelites and the Jews that the Jews would no longer say, "The Ark of the Covenant," "The Temple of God;" for God would be present with them all. The Prophet proceeds to confirm more fully what I have just said; it is therefore necessary to consider the two following verses. He then says—