Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Jeremiah · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
THe sin of Iudah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a Diamond, and graven upon the Table of your heart. It is a fond conjecture of Euseb. Vers. 1.Caesar, that this was spoken of Iudas the Traitour, and touching the sin of the Jews in crucifying Christ; for it is plainly spoken of the sin of Idolatry, in turning of them therefrom, and therefore no blotting of it out by forgivenesse, but it must needs remain for ever conspicuous to the eyes of the omniscient God, that seeth the heart provoking him to take revenge: The meaning is according to Calvin, that they were most obstinately set upon this sin, neither could the love and corrupt affection, that was, and had long been in them to false gods be any more expunged, then the graving that is made upon hard stone with iron pens or Diamonds points. And the table of stone, whereupon this sin was thus written, was their heart, in which it had made a most deep impression, and was not as a writing with ink, which may easily be done out again; whereby he intimateth, that when in Iosiah his time they were outwardly reclaimed from idolatry, it stuck still in their hearts, and upon the change of their King to an Idolater soon appeared again in their practice; wherefore as before he had set forth their incorrigibility by likening them to the Ethiopian, Chap. 13. 23. so now by a similitude taken from ingraving deeply in stone he further setteth forth the same. And least they should say, How knowest thou what is ingraven in our heart? he addeth, and upon the horns of their Altars, as if he had said, that it is so is apparent by the Altars by you set up to Baal and your sacrifices openly made upon them, and the bloud put upon the horns of these Altars, the stain of which any man might easily see. For when sacrifices were offered upon the Altar of the Lord, some of the bloud was taken and put upon the horns thereof, Exod. 29. 12. Levit. 8. 15. 16. 18. and I doubt not, but in making their Idolatrous sacrifices upon Altars set up to idols they did likewise. Some think that their sin is said here to be written, because the names of their idols or their own names were graven thereupon, but this is only conjecturall, the other certain. Vulgar Latine, for the point of a Diamond hath ungue adamantino, but the word foreign rendred unguis, is a instrument, wherewith it is ingraven in stone by scraping therewith as birds by their nailes or talons. From hence we may note, that the sin, wherein any man Note. liveth, and is resolutely bent to go on therein, is ingraven in his heart and conscience, and so remains till the day of judgement, at what time it shall as plainly appear to his condemnation, as letters ingraven in stone with the point of a Diamond, that all men may take heed of setting their hearts upon sin.
Whilst their Children remember their Altars, that is, they go one generation after generation to sacrifice upon these Altars and in groves, their sin remains written, as hath been said, for a testimony against them, and they shall be Vers. 2.accordingly judged. For it is the manner of such as are blindly lead on in a false Religion, carefully to bring up their children in doing as they have done, charging them most streightly herewith, and not to yield therefrom to their dying day.
O my mountain in the field, I will give, &c. the vulgar Latine, sacrificing in the fields, but contrary to the Hebrew in which is no word signifying to sacrifice, Vers. 3.but my mountain. Calvin (O montanous place,) I will give in the field, thy substance, &c. and this reading the words will best bear, the meaning being, although thou gloriest and bearest thy self upon mount Zion, where my Temple standeth, and in other hils, where thou hast set up Altars to idols, yet thou shalt fall by the sword of the enemy; and thy treasure hid in caves in the fields shall come into thy enemies hands, as spoils.
For ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever. Because this is spoken of Iudea lying desolate seventie years, whereas they would not Vers. 4.let it rest every seventh year according to the Law, it may be doubted, how Gods wrath could be said this way to burn for ever. Ierom to cut off this doubt referreth it to the time of Jerusalems destruction by the Romans, & I see Hieron. Raban.not but that this threatning may be extended to that also, the Babylonish captivity being first meant, which should be for a determinate number of years, and then that farre longer lasting desolation, yea even for ever. For although the Jews shall be so in time converted, yet they shall not dwell again in that Land, neither shall it come to its former fertility for ever; but as now by the report of travellers it is as a barren wildernesse for many miles about Jerusalem, so it shall continue a spectacle of Gods judgement somewhat like Sodom and Gomorrah to the worlds end; or for ever till a double recompence paid her for all her sinnes, as Chap. 16. 18. the like threatning was made before in Isaiah.
Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm. This is spoken in respect of the confidence that they had in the Egyptians help, often complained Vers. 5.of, for they are expresly said to be flesh and not Spirit, Isa. 31. that is, very weaknesse. But it is universally true, To trust in any man, or our selves, or any strength that we can make by horses, munitions or arms, is to be accursed: because such depart in their hearts from the Lord, as in the next words. They may say, that they love and honour the Lord still indeed, but he that knoweth the heart giveth sentence to the contrary. And this is here added by the Prophet to the threatning before going, because whatsoever judgements were denounced, they were not moved by them so long as they had other strength to trust unto.
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For this sheweth who it is that trusteth in him, not every one that thinketh he doth Vers. 7.so, but when triall cometh doth indeed by hope depend upon him, which is the case of a very few. And to deterre from trusting in man and to encourage to trust in God, the first is compared to an heath, a Land of drought and saltnesse, most barren; but the second to a tree planted by the waters, &c. Psal. 1.
The heart is deceitfull above all things, desperatly wicked, who can know it? Having pronounced the man accursed that trusteth in man, &c. now because he Vers. 9.knew, that the wicked Jews would elude this by imagining, that they were not guilty of the sinne so severely censured, for they trusted in God and their hearts were not gone from him, as Jeremy objected, although they expected help from the Egyptians: In opposing this he saith, that mans heart is deceitfull, neither can man know it, yea it may lie hid from a mans self, being also mistaken in it, but God knoweth the heart and reins, and will give to every one according to his works, neither shall his fair shewes benefit him, or hide Vers. 10.his naughty heart from Gods sight. A thing to be thought upon by all hypocrites, to make them, if possible, to turn sincere.
As the Partridge sitteth on egs and hatcheth them not, so he that gathereth riches not justly. It is written of the Partridge, that she gathereth to her at sitting time Vers. 10.other Partridges egges, which being brought forth, when they hear the voice of their own damme, and by an instinct of nature know it, leaving her that sat upon them, they flee away to their own dams and leave her: so Ambros. Hieronym. Albertus, and according to this exposition the Caldee, Paraphrast Ambros. Hexam. 6. lib c. 3. epist. 48. Hieron. Albert. Caluin.hath it, the Partridge gathereth egges which she layed not; so likewise Hebr. Calvin excepteth against this, as an invention of the Rabbins, and not written of either by Aristotle or Pliny, but that these birds are so salacious both the he and she, that he being impatient of her absence during the time of sitting upon her egges, breaketh them wheresoever he finds them with his bill or claw, and she although she hides as many of them as she can, yet during the time of her laying, keepes so little out of his company, that some of them come from her in his presence, which he breaketh, and so never hatcheth them. But forsomuch as the words in Hebrews are, she gathereth egs she brought not forth, the first exposition is to be preferred: neither doth the history want attestatours, and this doth not so well agree, because he saith not, the partridge sitteth on eggs, but gathereth them, which most aptly agreeth to that for which this similitude is brought of a man gathering riches hy unjust means, that they leave him: whereas if it be taken the other way for sitting and not hatching, it neither agreeth to the History brought from Aristotle, seeing she sitteth not upon the egges that are broken by the he, not to the present case of one unjustly gathering riches that depart from him in the midst of his dayes, these egges are presently broken and come to nothing. Some others make another relation, that the Partridge seeing the Fowler nigh her nest, cometh neer Basil. following Aristotle. Pliny. Eliauus. Theod. Isidor.unto him, and goeth upon the ground and fleeth not, feigning her self unable, whereby she provokes him to follow her, but having drawn him far off from her nest, she fleeth away and so he is deceived. But this agreeth nothing to the present purpose. Theodoret, and Isidor upon another property of a Partridge, which one bringeth up tame, that by the cry thereof other Partridges may be called together, and then he takes them in his net, understand Nebuchadnezzar to be hereby set forth, who gat abundance of goods unjustly, and then lost all again, being driven from amongst men, and becoming foolish as a bruit beast. But this agreeth worst of all, because not the calling together of other Partridges, but gathering egges is here spoken of. I rest therefore in the first, it is a description of the case of the rich Jews, who in their fruitfull Land gathered abundance of wealth by hook and crook, and herein thought themselves happy and surely seated in their own habitation against all enemies, but the event proved contrary, in the midst of their dayes, whilst they were thus secure and blessing themselves, the Caldees came and all their riches went away and they perished like a foolish people. And it may particularly Jer. 4. 22.be understood of King Jechoniah who then reigned, as may further appear Chap. 22. where his Father is said to have executed justice and prospered, but he contrariwise being intent to gather riches, is threatned that he should die like an asse. And it is a judgement generally to be feared by all, that gather Note. riches unjustly, for they have wings, wherewith to slee away; and such Prov. 23. 5.a rich man is as he, Luke 12. that when he was delighting himself in his abundant fruits, heard a voice saying, Thou fool this night will they fetch away thy Soul from thee, &c.
A glorious Throne on high from the beginning, the place of our Sanctuary. Vers. 11.Having pronounced them blessed, that trust in God, vers. 8. 9. as them cursed, that trust in man, vers. 6. 7. and fools that look at riches unjustly gotten, vers. 10. now he addeth somewhat to erect our minds to God and to make us trust in him. As if he had said, God hath a glorious Throne in heaven, whereupon he sitteth and ruleth over all things, a representation whereof is our sanctuary, before which we worship, therefore let us put our whole trust in him. All that do not, but forsake him, shall be ashamed, vers. 12. but let us, as they that trust in him alone, pray, Heal me (O Lord) and I shall be healed, &c. vers. 13. Thus also Jerom, Theodor. Raban. Isidor. Others refer it to the words immediatly Hieron. Theod.going before, as spoken to terrifie such as gather riches by injustice and wrong, as Vatabl. Cald. Some expound it as a sentence by it self comforting Vatabl.the faithfull by propounding unto them the heavenly glory to come figured out by the Sanctuary, as Lyra, Th. Aqui. Dionys. Some lastly take these Lyra.words, as spoken to shew how worthily the Jews should be destroyed, because that having so glorious a God dwelling amongst them, they so basely forsook him to serve idols, as Calvin: and to this I subscribe, as best agreeing Calvin.both to the words before going and following: to the words before, there is and alwayes hath been a just Judge, by whose just doom it must needs be, that unjust gatherers of riches shal lose them again and perish: to the words following, this Throne being represented in Judea, and so gracing it above other Lands, giving therefore occasion to Israel of confidence in him that sitteth thereupon, will therefore be revenged upon the Jews because that bearing themselves upon this priviledge they are secure in their sinning so fowlly against God by forsaking him, the Fountain of living water, as was also complained before, Chap. 2. 13. The Rabbins, as Calvin further noteth, because it is said, a Throne from the beginning and our Sanctuary, say that Heaven, where Gods Throne is, was before the Creation, and the Sanctuary likewise: but it is not said before the beginning, but the place of our Sanctuary is the Throne of glory on High from the beginning, that is, from the beginning in Gods eternall Counsell determined to be a most glorious and High Throne, although set up in time.
I have not hastened from being a Pastor after thee, vers. 15. having shewed how Vers. 16.scornfully the Jews said to all his threatnings in the name of the Lord, Where is his word? Let it come, as if Jeremy had spoken so of his own head, and therefore they feared not what he said, now he appealeth against this to God, saying, I have not hastened, the word foreign here used, as Calvin noteth, signifieth Calvin.either to hasten, or to delay, or to abominate, and therefore is by expositours taken diversly, but he preferreth hastening, as if it were meant, that he did not rashly take upon him the Pastorall office, wherein he was set, for which exposition also the next word, (nor desired) maketh. But because it is not said, to, but, from a Pastour, the last exposition seemeth to be best, I abhor not from it, although I foresaw many sufferings to come, when I should be a Pastor or Prophet to go with all thy words unto them; thus also Jerom, Rabanus, Hieron. Raban.Lyra, Tho. Aquin. And being thus taken the next words may well agree, neither have I desired the wofull day, that is, as I abhorred not, nor shrunk from this office being called out after thee, so I took no pleasure to soretell of the miserable time to come, for which I am so much spited: wherefore he prayeth that the Lord would not be a terrour to him in letting him perish by his enemies Vers. 18. Vers. 19.hands, but that he would be a terrour to them and reward them double, of which phrase before, also of his praying for revenge.
Here, and beginning vers. 20. is another prophecie against the Jews for breaking the Sabbath day by carrying burthens and working. About which if it be demanded, why the Lord should be so strict about this, being but an externall ceremony, and sometime slighted by him, as Isa. 1. 13. and since under the Gospel condemned Gal. 4. 10. Col. 2. 16? It is answered by Calvin, first, Calvin.because it was an easie precept to cease from labour one day in seven, and therefore they that would not herein obey were worthy of all severity, as Adam for eating the forbidden fruit, Secondly, Because the Sabbath was a sign of Exod. 31. Ezek. 20. 22.Gods people by him peculiarly chosen, and therefore not to rest now was a grosse neglect of upholding the memoriall of the greatest priviledge that ever was bestowed upon mortall men. 3. Because the Lord would by their keeping of a rest now from servile works, draw them to a rest from the servile works of sin, as he rested from the works of Creation; unto which a fourth may be added, that it might alwayes be remembred, that the whole World was created by God, That we might acknowledge his infinite Power and Wisdom herein appearing, till a greater work wrought by the Son of God, that is, the work of our Redemption, betwixt whose resting from which, and the Fathers from Creating, some comparison is made, Heb. 4. 9. 10. Lastly by keeping the Sabbath, as wherein all Religious duties were done, all the exercise of Religion is meant, which if it had been purely upheld, both Princes, Nobles, Priests and Commons should have flourished for ever, as verse 2.