Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Jeremiah · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
VVOe to the Pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my Pasture. After Vers. 1.Prophecies against three wicked Kings, Chap. 22. now he prophesieth for the comfort of the faithfull, of more joyfull and blessed times to come, when the sheep, which had been under such evill Pastors to their ruine, should have better Pastors set over them, being first gathered from all places, where through the fault of these evill Pastors, they had been scattered and suffered much misery. And it was necessary, that this consolation should follow immediately after the former threatning, lest the faith of the Elect should be shaken, when they heard Coniah their King of the line of David so threatned, not only in respect of himself, but also of his posterity. For none of his line should ever sit upon the Throne of David again, where was the promise made, and so fully set forth Psalme 89. that Davids line should never sa…l, but that his Kingdome should in his posterity be everlasting? To satisfie this doubt here, v. 5. he saith, The Lord shall raise up to David a righteous branch, that shall reign i… righteousness. But before he comes to this, he cries, Woe to the wicked Pastors, or Kings before threatned Chap. 22. and Zedekiah spoken of Chap. 21. although out of his due place: Thus also Theodoret and Dionysius; but Ierom saith, that Theod. Dionys. Hieron. Raban.because the Kings were desperately evill, and the Prophet had accordingly spoken to them before, he now bends his speech to the Governours of the Church, the Priests and Prophets that fed them with teaching and Counsel; and after him, Rabanus, Hugo, Thomas Aquinas, Calvin. But they understand not Eclesiasticks alone, but both Kings and Rulers, and Priests also, which is best, seeing both sorts were before spoken against, as we may see Chap, 5. 31. Chap. 20. 1. and 21. 1. two of them come as Counsellors of the King. And it is ordinary to call Kings Pastors, aswell as Eclesiasticks; as David is said to be a Shepheard over his people of Israel; and in Ahabs time, when Micaiah foresaw the fall of Ahab at Ramoth Gilead, he sets it forth by the similitude of a people scattered and without a Shepheard: See also Chap. 22. 22. Woe to the Shepheards then that scatter my sheep; is as much as if he had said to the Kings, Rulers, Priests, and Prophets, who by their evill teaching, counsell, and example cause them to sin so greatly, that I am enforced to bring this terrible judgment of the Caldees upon them, by whom they shall be carried and driven away and dispersed into all Countreys, living lives most miserable. And he calls the people, although most wicked, and so severely judged by him, the sheep of his Pasture, because of the Cove…ant made with their Fathers; for which his compassion was moved towards them even when he brought his severest judgements upon them; for which he calleth them his strange work. Isa. 28. 21.
Against the Pastors that feed my people. It is strange that he should say, that feed my people, and yet chargeth them with scattering them, and not visiting Vers. 2.them; but he speaketh of their place and office, which was to feed them with wholsome food of good teaching and Laws; but they contrariwise fed them with their own imaginations, whereby they were destroyed. They visited them not for good then, that they might have comfort hereof, but terror, which was all one with not visiting them.
And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all Countreys, whither I have Vers. 3.driven them. This is by some Hebrews expounded of their being brought again out of Babylon, when they had faithfull Pastors, Zerubbakel, Jeshua, Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai and Zachariah, of which Isaiah speaking, Chap. 1. 25. saith, I will restore Judges and Counsellors as at the beginning. But this cannot stand, because they were not then gathered cut of all lands; and if their return then were meant, who was the righteous branch spoken of verse 5. that should reign? for Zerubbabel could not be he, because he never reigned as David, neither was Judah and Israel both safe then, as verse 6. for Judah onelyonly returned, and they dwelt not safely or securely then, as is also promised, but they were put in fear by their enemies, and hindred in building the Temple and Walls of the City, as appeareth in Ezra and Nehemiah: neither doth the title of the branch, being further called Iehovah …sidkenu, the Lord our righteousness, agree to any meer man; for which other Rabins of ancient expound it of the Messiah, and so do all ours generally. Neither doth that which followeth verse 7. of the famousness of this deliverance in comparison of that out of Egypt agree to that, as I have shewed before upon the like passage, Chap. 16. 14, 15. where Ieremiah first prophesied of this deliverance more obscurely, here more plainly. And it is to be noted, that he saith, I will gather the remnant of my flock, whereby he meaneth not all the Jews, but a few Elect ones of them; as Isa. 1. 9. and Chap 10. 22. it was said before, that a remnant of them only should be saved, Rom. 11. 5. For whilst Christ lived here in the flesh, a few only beleeved, the rest were hardened. Although there be some that by this remnant understand the Gentiles of all lands; but they are plainly in an errour, as appears both by the Text, wherein nothing is spoken of the Gentiles, but Jews only; and from the other parallel places alledged. And it is said expresly Acts 2. that there were at the Feast of Pentecost some of all Nations under heaven, Jews and Proselytes, that heard the Apostles speaking in strange tongues, and were astonyed at it, and converted; and Iames 1. 1. it is said to the twelve Tribes that are scattered abroad; but the next words of their encreasing and being fruitfull, are spoken of the encrease of the Church of the faithfull by the accession of the Gentiles, who are often spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah, as the children brought forth to the Jewish Church. Isa. 49. 18. and 60. 4. and will bring them to their folds; that is, unite them in the true faith of Christ, who were before scattered not only into divers Countries, but carried away, and divided amongst themselves by divers errours.Vers. 4.
And I will set up shepheards over them. That is, the Apostles and other Preachers at the first going out of the Gospel, who aimed at nothing else, but the converting and saving of souls; And they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed or lacking. That is, these Pastors shall be of invincible courage against all adverse powers, although they be persecuted, standing to the faith of Christ unto the death; and although some of them be cut off by persecution, yet there shall be no want, but others shall immediately be raised up; and so it shall be with Christian people, the spirit of courage and resolution, which shall be in their Pastors, shall enter into them also, and when some are cut off, others more shall stand up; according Sanguins Martyrum semen Ecclesiae.to which it was observed, that The bloud of the Martyrs was the seed of the Church. Of Preachers then called Pastors, see Eph. 4. 12. 1 Peter 5. 1. and Peter accordingly is bidden, Feed my sheep, feed my lambs, Joh. 21. Of their courage in standing to the truth; see Acts 7. & Ch. 4. 12. & 21. and more abundantly in Eclesiastical History.Vers. 5.
I will raise up to David a righteous branch. Of Christ thus called; see before Isa. 11. 1. c. 4. 2. And after, Ier. 33. 15. Zech. 3. 8. c. 6. 12 Hebr. it is foreign, of the reason of which name see the places before quoted, and also of his reigning and executing Justice and judgement everlastingly.
This is his name; the Lord our righteousness; for he is made of God unto us Vers. 6.Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption, 1 Cor. 1. 30. And he was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God through him, 2 Cor. 5. 20. And then is he our righteousness, when we by faith rest upon his righteousness only, and in no part upon our own, according to the example of the Apostle, Phil. 3. 7, 8. And yet cast not away the care of righteous living, but endeavour to find in our selves the power of his Resurrection in rising up to newness Rom. 6.of life, and after a conformity to his death, in patient suffering for righteousness sake, as he did, as it followeth v. 10. Rom 8. 16.Vers. 9.
My heart within me is broken, because of the Prophets. That is, because the false Prophets by their flatteries and promising peace, made the people to harden themselves in their sins; so that he foresaw that the terrible words which he had spoken against them should be made good, and they should by no means escape most horrible destruction, as the next words do shew, Because of the Lord, and Note. the words of his holiness. And if Gods threatnings against sinners make so holy a man as Ieremy so terribly afraid, how shall sinful and wicked men be able to bear it, when such & greater judgments without end come to be executed upon them?
For Adulteries the land mourneth, and for Oathes. Here he mentioneth the foul Vers. 10.sins in particular, that reigned amongst them, two being named, and the rest understood. The word rendred Oathes is foreign signifying to swear; but because swearing is never without cursing expressed or understood, some render it cursing, or forswearing; take it every of these wayes, and so we shall best attain the Calvin.true and full meaning, With such horrible sins did that land abound, for which it is said the land mourned by a prosopopeia, to make the Jews ashamed, and specially the false Prophets, to whom he chiefly speaketh, verse 9. and chargeth them again by name with Adultery, verse 14. both Prophets and Priests. For, shall the dumb and dead creature be affected with sorrow, and men, yea Teachers who provoke to so great a judgement, be without all sense of sorrow; whereas he addeth, Their course is evill, and their force is not right; He meaneth not, of the pleasant places, said before to be dried up: but of the foresaid wicked Prophets, he meaneth that they studied and bent all their forces to do wickedly, and to incourage others both by Doctrine and Life to do likewise.
Even in my house I have found their wickedness, saith the Lord. Here he chargeth Vers. 10.the Prophets and Priests not only with prophaneness in the course of their lives, when they were out of Gods house, doing not as persons sanctified, but common notorious evill worldlings; but also with sin in Gods own house in unfaithfully executing their office there, either as Hophni and Phineas the wicked sons of Ely, who robbed Gods Sacrifices, and committed Adultery with women 2 Sam. 2.that came thither, or corrupting the Doctrine of the Law by teaching so, opposing the teaching of true Prophets so, as that they hardned the people in their wickedness to their utter undoing. And this is by Calvin not amiss applyed against the Pope and his Bishops, who they say cannot erre as they are Ecclesiasticall Note. persons, although in their lives they be wicked as other men are; no Doctrine yet that comes from them in the house of God can be corrupt, because the spirit is there always with them, according to promise to lead them into all truth. For if the high Priest, and Priests under the Law, who were by God himself set up, had not this infallibility; who but fools will beleeve, that the Pope now hath, that was never made high-Priest of God, but by his own ambition and arrogancy?
I have s…en also in the Prophets of Ierusalem an horrible thing. Here to aggravate the sins of their Prophets, he saith verse 13. I have seen folly in the Prophets Vers. 14.of Samaria; but coming to speak of the Prophets of Jerusalem: [I have seen an horrible thing.] Samaria was the Chief City of the ten Tribes, where they constantly in one Kings time after another, worshipped Baal, or at the least the golden Calves that Ieroboam had set up, and after many judgements brought upon them for this and their other sins, they were delivered into the hands of Salmanasor King of Assyria, 2 Kings 17. Jerusalem was the chief City of the Kingdome of Judah, where the Temple stood, and the true God had Sacrifices offered unto him, where also the high-Priest, and other Priests lived continually to guide them aright. Yet even here the Prophets and Priests did more abominably, neither took warning by the sufferings of Israel; for which they might justly fear greater judgements to come upon them, as they were threatned. Then in shewing wherein they did more abominably, he saith, They committed Adultery, and went about with Lies, and strengthen the hands of evill doers, that they turn not;] being for this in Gods account as Sodom and Gomorah. Vulg. Lat. for an horrible thing] hath the similitude of those that commit Adultery. Whereupon Ierom, and others after him understand hereby Idolatry, which is like Adultery, and therefore commonly set forth by this name, as if nothing else were meant, but Hieron.that they did, as the Idolatrous Prophets of Samaria. But the Hebrew signifieth an horrible thing, as all confess; and if it be thus expounded, we shall come short of the full sense of the Prophet, whose drift is not to shew, that the Prophets of Jerusalem were onelyonly like to those of Samaria, but much worse, for which he doth use a word setting forth an hairy horrid form wherein Devils sometimes appeared; hereby intimating them to be as Devils in the shape of men, transformed into Angels of light, because that coming in the name of the Lord, and as sent and instructed by him by dreams and visions, as is expressed verse 17. 25. 31. they vented their own lying imaginations. And whosoever Note. presseth to the people corrupt and false Doctrine, under the name of the truth of God, doth likewise act the part of that horrid Fiend, and shall be proceeded against as a Devill, as Iudas was afterwards for his Treachery called: For the next word it is not, They commit Adultery; but Hebr. [Adultery.] I have seen an horrible thing, Adultery, and walking with a Lie; where Adultery is properly to be understood, and not mystically only, that which is Idolatry, according to v. 10. and Chap. 29. 23. where two false Prophets were executed by roasting with fire for Adultery with other mens Wives. For their lying, it was by saying, Thus saith the Lord, when the Lord never said so, but the contrary; for under this pretence, they speaking peace to the wicked, made them confident of safety, although they went on in their sins, and so their hearts were hardned against turning therefrom. Of the Jews, being likned to Sodom and Gomorrah, see before Isa. 1. 10. 3. 9. For their gross sins, here they are thus set forth, both for their sins, and the terrible destruction that should come upon them therefore, saith Calvin; but that their like destruction is not meant, appeareth Isa. 1 9. because none of Sodom were saved, but of the Jews a remnant.Calvin.
From the Prophets of Jerusalem prophaneness is gone out into all the land. Heb. pollution or hypocrisie: whilst by their evill example, and speaking peace to the Vers. 15.wicked, they incourage them to go on in their sins. Of their being sed with wormwood or bitterness it hath been spoken before; bitter and killing sufferings being here meant.
Who hath stood in the Counsell of the Lord? Because these false Prophets said, Thus saith the Lord: he here asketh, Which of them had stood in his counsell, Vers. 18.as if he had said, not one; for that which they said came not from the Lord, but from themselves in deep dissimulation.Vers. 20.
In the latter dayes ye shall consider it perfectly. Having threatned his judgements coming in an impetuous manner, like a whirl-winde, which none can resist, verse 19. Now he addeth, that although now they would not know or believe it, they should hereafter to their smart, when these judgments should be executed, and there should be no more place for repentance to escape them, as now there was, according to the common Proverb, Serò sapiunt Phryges, Fools are wise too late, Heb. They shall be made often to understand knowledge in is. That is, in this threatning, which now they so much slighted, and had no knowledge in, nor would, but in their sufferings they should often think what sots they had been, that before would take no warning; and this is the case of Note. all the wicked, now they are fools, and neither understand, nor will understand in what danger of Gods wrath they are; but they shall understand, when they come to feel the smart thereof, and shall never be delivered out of their miseries.
But if thy had stood in my Counsell, and caused my people to hear my words, Vers. 22.they should have turned them, &c. Here the Lord works further upon that which was said verse 18. proving that none of these Prophets stood in his Counsell, because if they had, they would have applyed themselves to speak so, as to turn the people from their sins, that they might have escaped his judgements. For whosoever is a true Prophet of God, bends himself altogether in teaching his Note. Word, to expound and to speak so upon it, as that his Hearers may hereby be converted; therefore if any contrariwise teach liberty to sin, or vanisheth away in his teaching in vain speculations, or soareth aloft in high strains of eloquence, or broaching errour, he is not one that stands in Gods Counsell, but rather like the false Prophets here taxed and threatned.
Am I a God near at hand, and not afar off? Here he meeteth with an opinion Vers. 23.that might be in these wicked Prophets, that although they pretended revelations from God, which they never had, yet he should not know it, because he he was afar off in heaven above, and could not see or know it: against this he saith thus, meaning, that he could as well see from the highest heavens into the very thoughts of their hearts, as if he were nearest unto them, or within them: Vers. 24.whereof he rendreth a reason, verse 24. saying, I fill heaven and earth; as is further set forth Psalme 139. That is, I am alwayes so in one place, as well as in another, and do so see things cunningly hidden by men, as manifestly and openly acted, as that no plot or device of the most subtle can be hid from me. For the Translation of Sept. I am a God near, and not afar off; although expounded by Jerom in respect of time; as if the meaning were, I know things now, and that shall shortly be done; and not things done long agoe only; it is neither to the purpose here, nor a true, but a Translation contrary to the Hebr. verity.
What is the Chaff to the Wheat. Having taxed the false Prophets, verse 25, Vers. 28.26, 27. for coming with their dreams to make the people to forget the Lord; in this Verse he chargeth them, when they publish their own dreams, to publish them as dreams, and not as the Word of the Lord; but whosoever he be that comes pretending the Word of the Lord, let him do it truly, that is, speak no other words than those that come from his mouth. And hereof he yields a reason in these words; What is the Chaff to the Wheat? meaning, that whatsoever else is brought by any man, although it be pretended to be a Revelation in a dream from God, it is but as Chaff, light and without substance or worth, being by any blast of winde coming from God, made to appear to be such: as when contrary to such dreams of peace and prosperity, misery and destruction cometh; or when Christ cometh with his Fan in his hand, by his divine Doctrine blowing away all such vanities, and finally burning all that teach and embrace them with unquenchable Luk. 3.fire. And hereby we may know what is a dream of a false Teacher, and not the Word of God, although it be pretended: If it be without true Note. ground in the Word, or if it tendeth to draw men to any thing contrary to it, or to make them secure in their sins, see Deut. 13. Isa. 8. 20. Gal. 1. 8. Wherefore the Invocation of Saints departed, adoration of Images, the Doctrine of Purgatory, and prayers for the dead, and of the necessity of Priests leading a Note. single life, taught amongst the Papists, but founded upon Revelations and feigned miracles, are undoubtedly Chaff, Hey, and Stubble that shall be burnt, when the day of triall cometh: See 1 Cor. 3. 11.
Is not my Word like a Fire, or an Hammer that breaketh the Rocks in pieces? Having compared the Word of God to Wheat, verse 28. now he compares it Vers. 29.to a Fire, and an Hammer. It is as Wheat to them that hear, believe and obey it, to feed and strengthen them to eternall life; whilst the seduced by lying imaginations to hold errours, or to please themselves in their sinfull doings, are fed with Ch. 15, 16.Chaff or Husks with the Prodigall Luke 15. and so are hunger starved. And the very Word, which is so precious to the godly, is as a Fire or Hammer breaking Rocks to the wicked; because, as is herein threatned, the Fire of Gods anger, smoaking, as it were, against them in his Word, shall one day break out into an hot burning Flame; and although the threatnings thereof seem now unto them to be but as an empty sound beating the aire, yet they shall prove an huge and most strong Hammer breaking them in pieces who have hardned their hearts like a Rock; as a bar of Iron breaks a Potters Vessell all to pieces, so as that it cannot be made up again. The Word of God indeed, as Calvin noteth, is also a Psal. 2.Fire to them that obey it, as Ch. 20. 4. and an Hammer, to purge out corruption, Calvin.when the Spirit accompanying it inflames their hearts with the love of God, and the hatred of sin, and to break their hearts with godly sorrow for their sins. But it is not a Fire to them, as to the wicked, neither shal ever be. Therefore serve the Lord with fear, &c. Kiss the son lest he be angry, and so yee perish, &c. Psal. 2. 11, 12.
That steal my Word every one from his neighbour, or fellow. Here the Lord Vers. 30.further describeth a false Prophet; he is such an one as in secret compacteth with others what he will tell, as a Revelation from God, and so by mutuall consent he beginneth to utter it, then another, and another likewise comes with the same, saying, Thus saith the Lord; as the first man did, when as indeed he stole his Prophecie from him his fellow Pseudo-Propheta. Verse 31. he describeth the same further by this, That use their tongues, saying, He saith. Some render it, Vers. 31.That smooth their tongues, expounding it of Flattery; some by tollunt, they lift them up: Expounding it by speaking magnifically of themselves, as the undoubted true Prophets of the Lord. And hence some note three sorts of false Prophets. 1. Such as steal somwhat out of other mens writings. 2. That apply themselves to speak in high straines of Eloquence, or so as that they may be accounted learned. 3. That speak flatteringly: as Lyra, Dionys. Vatabl. Isidor. But the word used is foreign, which is, to take; and then the sense is, taking their their tongues as the instruments of their lying speeches, to say He saith;] when as in their hearts they know, that the Lord never said so, but the contrary. This part of the false Prophets then is now notoriously acted over again, or hath been by Fryers and Priests of the Church of Rome, who likewise by compact…ng together, have one seconded another, to make the people believe all their inventions introduced in matter of Religion to have come from God, whereby they have bred in them such a blinde faith, and venerable opininion of their lying Legends, that they think it a deadly sin once to question any of them. Their stealing from their fellows spoken of verse 30. is by some under…tood, from the true Prophets of God, of whom they took somewhat to credit their false Prophesying the more; but it is not likely that he would ever have called them their fellowes, if he had meant them; wherefore the first is best, that they stole from one another, as they compacted together: Thus also Calvin.
When they shall say unto thee, What is the burthen of the Lord? From hence to Vers. 33.the end of this Chapter is shewed, how both People, Priests and Prophets, derided the true Prophets of the Lord for saying, The burthen of the Lord; for this was common with Isaiah, Chap. 13. 15. 22, 23. and some other Prophets when they threatned judgements. And their sin in saying so lay in this, that they asked, What is the burthen of the Lord? in contempt and hatred against those Prophets, that came with this saying, as if they had said, Speak these words as much as ye will, but know that when ye speak them, ye are but unwelcome Messengers to us, ye shall reap nothing but enmity at our hands for so speaking, or to that effect. For we love to hear such a… come unto us speaking comfortable things; neither do we indeed regard what ye say in this kinde, because it hath been the manner of such as thou art thus to terrifie us many years agoe, as Isaiah did; but we thank God, we feel not yet any such burthen as ye threaten, and we hope never shall. But against them that thus despised and mocked at the Prophets, he threatneth this burthen to come upon them, that he would forsake Vers. 34. Vers. 35. Vers. 36.them; and lest this should be slighted, he addeth, I will punish that man and his house, that is, every one that saith so. And lest this also should be slighted, he addeth, Every ones word shall be his burthen; that is, that dares to speak thus, it shall be counted an intollerable sin in him, the burthen whereof he shall never be able bear, but sink and be crushed to death under it. And finally, that they might not think, that the Lord would haply make some sew examples of his judgments for speaking thus contemptuously contrary to his command, and that the Nation should still escape, and continue in prosperity, he concludeth, saying,
I will utterly forget and forsake you, and your Nation, and cast you out of my Vers 39.presence.
And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you. Whereby he sheweth their Vers 40.utter destruction to come upon them and their City, they being left to the will of their enemies to be slain, and captived, and their City burnt. Wh…re we may see, Note. that it is not a small judgement for the Lord to forsake any people for the contempt of his Prophets, leaving them destitute of light and means of grace, but the greatest punishment that can befall mortail men; for if he thus forsakes a Nation, woe unto it, for together all blessing and good forsakes it, and all evill and misery to utter ruine cometh instead thereof. Whereof he saith, I will bring everlasting reproach. Whereas this judgement continued but seventy years, it hath been resolved before Ch, 18. 10. and Chap. 25. 9 11. will resolve it more clearly.
Whereas they are directed to ask, What is the Word of the Lord? not the Vers. 37, 38.burthen. The meaning is, that they should thus enquire with an heart desirous to learn, beleeve and obey. For when a people is thus affected, the Lord will Note. dwell amongst them with his Word and Blessing, otherwise he forsakes them.