John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 36:8

"And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of Jehovah in Jehovah`s house." — Jeremiah 36:8 (ASV)

Here Baruch's promptness is commended, for he did not disobey God’s Prophet but willingly undertook the office assigned to him. His office, as we have said, was not without danger. Since his message was by no means popular, but on the contrary very unpleasant, therefore Baruch's devotion is evident.

He made no refusal, for he knew that this burden was laid on him for a purpose. Jeremiah then says that he did as he had been commanded, and read in the Temple the words of Jehovah. He calls them a little later the words of Jeremiah, but the same thing is meant; for just as God is, so to speak, represented by His ministers, so He often transfers to them what belongs uniquely to Himself (Romans 2:16; Romans 16:25; 2 Timothy 2:8).

That is called the doctrine of Jeremiah, which yet, properly speaking, has no other author than God. Thus, Paul called the Gospel, of which he was the preacher and witness, his Gospel; and yet he himself had not devised the Gospel, but had received it from Christ and faithfully delivered it as from His hand.

We should, therefore, notice this mode of speaking, which occurs everywhere in Scripture—the same thing is ascribed to God and to His servants. Thus, we find what may seem strange—the Apostles are said to forgive sins; they are spoken of as bringing salvation. But the reason is that they were ministers of God’s grace and exhorted men in Christ’s name to be reconciled to God. They then absolved because they were witnesses of absolution. So also, the words which God dictated to His servant were called the words of Jeremiah; yet, properly speaking, they were not the words of a man, for they did not originate from a mortal man, but from the only true God.