John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 38:14

"Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of Jehovah: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me." — Jeremiah 38:14 (ASV)

Another narrative is added here: King Zedekiah again sent for Jeremiah to come to him in the Temple—that is, in the court of the Temple. For it was not lawful for the king to enter the Sanctuary, and the court is often called the Temple.

As is well known, there were many entrances. The largest gate was towards the east, but there were gates on the other sides. The court also had several parts, separated from each other.

Then Zedekiah, so that he might speak privately with Jeremiah, came to the third entrance of the court. There, he asked the Prophet to faithfully explain to him what he had received from God.

There is no doubt that Zedekiah, in the course of time, developed a higher regard for Jeremiah as God’s faithful servant. Yet, as we have said, he was not really attentive to the Prophet's teaching. Hence, the king's mind was in a dubious state, like those hypocrites who, having some seed of God’s fear remaining in them, fluctuate, continually change, and have nothing solid or fixed.

Indeed, they dare not despise either God or His servants; moreover, they acknowledge that they are under God’s authority and that His word is not fleeting. Yet they make evasions as much as they can and seek, as it were, to change the nature of God. Such was the character of Zedekiah.

For he was not one of those who grossly and openly despise God, as we see today, the world being full of Epicureans who regard religion as a fable. Such, then, was not Zedekiah; but he retained some fear of God. Indeed, he even showed regard for the Prophet, and yet he was unwilling to submit to God and to follow the Prophet's counsels.

He was, therefore, suspended, as it were, between two opinions.

But it is probable that he held onto some hope because he had saved Jeremiah's life. He might, then, have thought that God was pacified, or that He would remit His severity to some degree, as hypocrites always flatter themselves. For if they do the least thing, they think that they merit some favor—I know not what—at God’s hand.

Hence Zedekiah, when he had relieved the holy Prophet and fed him during the greatest scarcity, thought that this service was acceptable to God; and it was in part acceptable, but he was mistaken in thinking this to be a kind of expiation. This, then, is why he sent for the Prophet: he expected some favorable answer—that God’s wrath was pacified, or at least mitigated.

But we must defer the rest until tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, omnipotent God, that since the life of Your servants ought to be considered precious by us, each of us, according to his ability, may strive to do his part in this respect, and, in the meantime, so cultivate mutual love as to assist one another in time of necessity; and that we may also be so concerned for Your servants as to consecrate all our efforts, all our labors, and all our services to You, and strive thus to please You, so that all our actions may be directed to this end, until, having at last finished the course of our present warfare, we shall come to that rest in Your celestial kingdom, which has been procured for us by the blood of Your only-begotten Son. Amen.