John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 6:30

"Refuse silver shall men them, because Jehovah hath rejected them." — Jeremiah 6:30 (ASV)

Jeremiah concludes his subject by saying that if the Jews had been cast a hundred times into the furnace, they would not be improved, as they would never become softened because of their hopeless obstinacy. He uses the word "silver" as a concession, for they were not worthy of that name, and we have already seen that there was nothing soft or tender in them.

But the prophets often conceded some things to hypocrites, yet not without some appearance of a taunt, as seems to be the case here. The Jews wished to be regarded as silver and to appear as such: “Let them then be silver,” that is, “Let them claim the name, by boasting of themselves as the holy seed of Abraham; but they are a reprobate silver;” according to what we call Faux or faux argent, which, however, is neither silver nor gold. But the words are used not in their strict meaning, and we afterwards show that what we have called such is not silver.

So also the Prophet says, “They are silver in their own esteem and take pride in the title: but they are a reprobate silver.” Why is this so? For Jehovah has rejected them.

He shows that it belongs to God to pronounce judgment on people, and that they gain nothing by their vain flatteries and by securing some esteem in the world, for God alone is the true judge. The Prophet then shows that the Jews were a reprobate silver, so that they might know that they gloried in vain while they boasted that they were God’s people and heritage.