John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 5:1

"Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth justly, that seeketh truth; and I will pardon her." — Jeremiah 5:1 (ASV)

In this verse, as in those which follow, God shows that he was not too rigid or too severe in denouncing utter ruin on his people, because their wickedness was wholly incurable, and no other way of treating them could be found. We, indeed, know that it is often testified in Scripture that God is patient and waits until sinners repent.

Since then God everywhere extols his kindness and promises to be merciful even to the worst if they repent, and since he of his own accord anticipates sinners, it may appear strange that he rises with so much severity against his own Church. But we know how stubborn the ungodly are; therefore they do not hesitate to protest to God and willfully accuse him, as if he treated them cruelly.

It is for this reason, then, that God now shows that he was not, as it were, at liberty to forgive the people. "Even if I would," he says, "I could not." He speaks, indeed, in human terms; but in this way, as I have said, he shows that he tried all measures before he resorted to extreme severity, but that there was no remedy, because of the desperate wickedness of the people. This is what the words fully express.

Go round, he says, through the streets of Jerusalem, and see, please, and know; inquire through all the crossroads. Jeremiah might have said in one sentence, "If one man is found in the city, I am ready to forgive." But God here permits the whole world to inquire diligently and carefully what was the state of the holy city, which always gloried in that title.

But he now, as also in the next verse, speaks of Jerusalem. He had also spoken of the neighboring cities; but as the holiness of the whole land seemed then to have its seat and dwelling place in Jerusalem, God here addresses that city, which still retained some appearance of holiness and excelled other cities.

He then says, Inquire, see, know, look, whether there is a man, etc. He allows all people here to form a judgment, as if he had said, "Let all be present, since the Jews seek to stir up animosity against me and complain of too much severity, as if I treated them inhumanly. Let all who wish come as judges; let them inquire, ask, make a thorough search. When it is discovered that there is not even one just man in it, what else can be done but for the city to be destroyed? For what can be done with those who are abandoned and irredeemable, except for me to execute my judgment on them?"

We now understand the Prophet’s purpose; for he intended here to shut the mouths of the Jews and to expose their slanders, so that they might not protest loudly against God or blame His judgment, as if it exceeded the limits of moderation. He also shows that, though God was inclined to pardon, there was still no room for pardon, and that His mercy was excluded by their untamable stubbornness, since there was not one man in Jerusalem who had any regard for uprightness.

Here, however, a question arises: Why does Jeremiah say that no good man could be found, since he himself was at Jerusalem, and his friend Baruch, and some others, an account of whom we shall find later? There were then in the city some true servants of God, and some still remained who had true religion, though the number was small. It appears then that the language is hyperbolic.

But we must note that the Prophet here speaks of the people, excluding the faithful. To make this clearer, we must remember a passage in Isaiah chapter 8:

Seal the law and bind the testimony for my disciples,
(Isaiah 8:16)

Here it appears that God saw that he sent his Prophet in vain, and that his labors were in vain among a people completely irredeemable. Hence he says, Bind the testimony and seal the law among the disciples.

We see that God gathered together, as it were, the few in whom any seed of true religion remained, indeed, in whose hearts any religion was found. They were not then numbered with the people. So now Jeremiah did not consider Baruch and a few others as forming a part of that reprobate people; and he speaks, as has been stated, of the community in general, for there were some separated from the rest, not only by the secret counsel of God, but according to the judgment that had been pronounced. He therefore truly declares that there was not one just man.

We should also consider with whom he was then contending. On one side were the king and his counselors, who, puffed up by the promises which they perverted, did not think it possible that the throne of David would fall.

This is my rest forever — As long as the sun and moon shall be, they shall be my witnesses in heaven, that thy seed shall never fail. (Psalms 132:14; Psalms 89:37, 38)

With such words they were armed. But as hypocrites falsely claim God’s promises, so these unprincipled men boasted that God was on their side. Jeremiah also had to fight with another party, as we shall see later: that is, with a host of false prophets, for there was a greater number of them, as is always found in the world.

The whole priestly order was corrupt and openly carrying on war with God; and the people were nothing better. So he says that there was not one man among them who sought to appease God’s wrath.

To seek judgment is the same as to strive for uprightness: for the word משפט, meshephet, means rectitude, equity, or the rule of acting justly. He says then that there was no one who practiced what was just, and no one who sought the truth.

Truth, as in a following verse, is to be understood as integrity or honesty; as if he had said that all were given to falsehoods, frauds, and deceptions. It was therefore impossible that God should have been propitious to the city; for the relative ה after ל, being feminine, can only apply to Jerusalem. God then says that he would be merciful to it if a just man could be found among the king’s counselors, or among the priests, or among the prophets; but they had all united in opposition to everything just and right.