Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Jeremiah · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
THey say, If a man putteth away his wife, and she becomes another mans, &c. Vers. 1.Having threatned them with Gods judgements for their Idolatry, now he seeketh to move them to repentance, by shewing that notwithstanding that their foul sinne, he would be ready to do by the Church of the Jews, his wife, as no man (themselves being Judges) would do by his. For he would receive her to grace and favour again: For (they say) Hebrew is foreign dicendo, which sheweth it to cohere with Chap. 2. 37. therefore it is rather to be referred to the Lord threatning them, and now saying or telling how they might under his protection be safe from their enemies, Egyptians and Assyrians: So Vatablus and Hebraei, Hieron. Vulgò dicitur; some supplying the word dicitur, dicendo dicitur, and this is most followed, and therefore I have expounded it accordingly.
In the wayes thou sattest for them, as the Arabian in the wildernesse. That is, Vers. 2.Thou waitedst for an opportunity to idolize, as a thief, for such were the Arabians lurking in the wilderness, lurking for a prey, which shewed them that were not only by seducement carried away, but made Idolatry their trade, as if having gotten more gods to protect them, they had gained a great booty, and should now be more safe and secure.
Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain, Vers. 3.and thou hast had an whores forehead. That is, Thou hast been judged according to the threatning Deut. 28. That the heavens should be as iron, &c. wherein Lyra saith, he hath reference to the great drought of idolatrous Ahabs time, Lyra. Calv.Calvin to some great judgement of drought not mentioned, both yet agreeing in this, that it is spoken in way of aggravating the Idolatry of Judah more, who (notwithstanding this, of which they could not but be sensible that it came for Idolatry, and persecuting the servants of God, who opposed this foul sin) went on still impudently like a brazen faced harlot, who is daunted or made to blush for shame by nothing that can be done unto her. And he speaks of the later rain in particular, because it was for them most necessary, being a rain that commonly came a little before harvest to make the corn in better case against the time of reaping, which otherwise in that hot countrey would have been more dry and husky and unprofitable.
Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, thou art my father, &c. Vulg. Ergo Vers. 24.amodo voca me (pater mi) therefore from hence forth call me father, Hebr. Callest thou me not from this time my father? That is, wilt thou not be moved by so great judgements to return again unto me, as thy only God and father? And the leader of thy youth, that is, thy husband in time of youth, when love betwixt man and wife, and desire of either to other is greatest. It is the voice of a most kinde husband to his most unkinde wife, that would fain have her reconcile her self to him again.
Will he reserve his anger for ever? These are the words of the Prophet to Vers. 5.move her the more to say, as she is bidden vers. 4. thou hast not to do with an unplacable God, if there were in thee but a relenting heart, his anger against thee would soon be gone: Thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest, that is, although thou hast done all the evil that thou couldest, yet God is placable, if now thou wilt return, Hebr. and Vulg. And thou couldst, that is, saith Lyra, by Gods permission, or rather, and thou couldst finde in thy heart to do so against me thy most loving husband, all this notwithstanding I am ready to receive thee. And this is enough to make the heart of any Note. sinner to melt, that God is so loving and ready to be reconciled, and neither harden himself against him, as no woman will do that hath been notorious against her husband being so kinde, nor despair of grace, as Cain did.
From vers. 6. to 12. he compareth Israel and Judah, that is, the two Kingdoms Vers. 6.together, one of which, that is, Israel was already divorced for her Idolatry, when she was delivered into the hands of the King of Assyria in Hezekiah his time; then the other, that is, Judah, feigned a turning to the Lord from Idols when Hezekiah brake them all down, but the people turned not truly, for which it is said, That Israel was more justified then Judah. To Note. make a shew of zeal and piety, but not to be zealous against evil indeed, is worse then to be openly wicked.
Proclaim these words towards the north. Having hitherto shewed the greatness Vers. 12.of the sinne of the Kingdom of Judah, condemning her more then Israel, because she would not take warning by the judgements already come upon Israel, now he is bidden to cry aloud towards that Countrey, into which Israel was carried captive, viz. Assyria, which lay north, although they were carried more eastward into Persia, yet the north must be lookt at, as the Countrey that carried them. Now towards them must he cry, not that they could hear him, but that the men of Judah might hear and be further moved to repentance, and in time this Prophecie might be brought to their hearing, and they might also be stirred up hereby. Return, and I will not cause mine Hieronym.anger to fall upon you, Jerom, Non firmabo iram meam in vos, I will not settle mine anger upon you, which is indeed the very meaning. For his anger had already come upon them to the uttermost, but if they would yet turn, it should not continue, he would not go on to presse them herewith for ever, as the next words plainly shew.
Only acknowledge thine iniquity, &c. and that thou hast scattered thy wayes to Vers. 13.strangers, &c. Hebr. Only know, that is, consider the foulness of it, and justifie not thy self, but confesse it and turn therefrom, as v. 14. By her scattering of her waies to strangers, he meaneth after the manner of harlots, that go sometime to one place and sometime to another to allure to their whorish love, not a few, but somany as they can, so that Judah had sought to increase her superstitions and idolatries, taking for gods those that she could find in any Countrey. And hereby she must know that her sin was yet more aggravated, that she had not obeyed the voice of the Lord, having his word to instruct and urge her to worship and serve him only, she wandred thus notwithstanding.
Turn, ye rebellious children, for the Lord is your husband. To turn he exhorted Vers. 14.them vers. 12. now he repeats the same again, that his kindenesse might yet more appear more then of any other husband in the world, after a divorce, and his wife being married to another man. But he inforceth his exhortation here by a new argument: some render the word, Hath ruled over thee; some, Thou hast been irksome to the Lord, as Calvin sheweth, but it is Calvin.best rendred, Thy husband] hath ruled over thee, as a loving husband. And I will take you one of a City, and two of a family, and bring you to Zion. That is, if ye turn, although but one or two amongst a great many, all the rest hardening their hearts by unbelief. And in saying so he prophesieth of that which came to passe under the Gospel, there were but a very few in comparison of that whole Nation that were converted. Yet here is incouragement to Note. a few turning, if but one or two in a City or Town, they shall be accepted of neverthelesse, according to that, Fear not little flock, it is your Fathers will to give you the Kingdom, Joh. 10. 28. And it is still so at this day, they are very few amongst a multitude that be true converts in any Town or City, although all professe the Christian Religion, the most serving still either the Idol of profit by covetousness, or of pleasure by sensual living, or trusting to lamps without oil, or by itching ears turned away from hearing lawful Preachers, to ignorant and impudent phantasticks. And I will bring you to Zion, that is, to the Congregation of the faithfull, which is called Zion, Heb. 12. 22. And I will give you Pastors] These were the Apostles and apostolick men sent out to preach the Gospel.
They shall say no more, The Ark of the Covenant, &c. This is a Prophecie of Vers. 15.the abolition of the legal service, which was before the Ark, standing in divers rites prescribed under the Law, but under the Gospel there is no more the Ark, which was of old made for divine Worship, neither shall any other be made in stead thereof, which is intimated in these words, And it shall not be done any more, that is, according to that which was done under the Law by adoring God towards any place, as most holy, by offering Incense or Sacrifice, Joh. 4. 23.or by Priests clad in garments made of purpose, but the worshipping of God now shall be only in spirit and in truth, resort being made to places dedicated to Gods worship, not for any holiness in them more then in others, to make our service the more acceptable to God, but only in respect of their separation for orders sake, and to avoid confusion, from prophane or common use, to an holy, of the faithfuls coming together there about the duties of piety. So that neither can the practice of the Formalists of late in adoring towards Note. the Lords-Table, or of injoining peculiar garments in the publick Ministration be justified: or of the Separatists that will have meetings rather in private houses to publick worship, then in such as have been anciently set apart for this end and purpose. And by this we see a just cause not only of our separating from the Church of Rome, by a Reformation in Doctrine, but even in outward Rites and Ceremonies; and also, why a further Reformation hath been of late made by abolishing the Rites prescribed in the Book of Common-Praier, although I will not say so touching the Praiers themselves, leaving every Minister to the immediate guidance of the Spirit in his publick praiers, and not tying the most unable to some forms that may be without all exceptions. And Calvin himself in stead of justifying this, condemneth it, and yields divers solid reasons against it.
At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all nations Vers. 17.shall be gathered unto it, &c. That is, the Church set forth under the name of Jerusalem, shall be called The Kingdom of heaven, or of God, as it is oftentimes by our Lord, and people of all Countries shall be converted to the faith, and so made one though farre distant in place with the Church, which was first gathered at Jerusalem, bearing therefore the name of that City, and being as See the like Isa. 2.it were the mother of the rest.
At that day the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they Vers. 18.shall come together from the north into the Land, &c. Hitherto all things are plain, and evidently shewed to pertain to the time of the Gospel, but how doth this agree? Nay is it not rather necessarily to be understood of the time of their return from the Babylonish Captivity? Calvin indeed understands Calv.both this and vers. 16, 17. so, as if he had said, when upon their humiliation and conversion from Idolatry the house of Judah and Israel should be brought home again, they of Judah should not boast of the Ark being amongst them any more, as challenging to themselves a preeminence for it over them of Israel, as formerly they had done, being alwaies full of enmity and quarrels one against another, till the time of their carrying away into Captivity, but all jointly should call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, joining their forces together to build and make that City glorious again, as the seat of the great King of the whole world. And the Nations, that is, the ten Tribes should be gathered to it, there to serve the Lord again, as before their division into two Kingdoms, the ten Tribes being called here all Nations, because so many in comparison of the Nation of the Jews. Then they shall come out of the north, whither soever they have been by their northern enemies carried away, lovingly together to their own countrey as one people, and never be unkindely divided any more, as they had been. Thus also saith Lyra; some Hebrews Lyra.expound it, saying, That it was accordingly fulfilled at their return so famous under Cyrus King of Persia, when they had no Ark of the Covenant any more. But R. Solomon of that which shall be done at the coming of the R. Solomon.Messiah, whom they still so obstinately expect. But he confuteth that exposition of those Hebrews, 1. Because Jerusalem could never have so glorious a name as the throne of the Lord given unto her after their return, forsomuch as she was sometime under the Persian, sometime the Grecian, sometime the Egyptian and Syrian, and sometime the Roman, and never grew up to a free Kingdom any more, or if it did in Prince Alexanders daies, who intituled himself King, when he was Prince and High-Priest, it was but for a short time, and so troublesome and declining from the first time that he began to do so (as I have shewed in my Continuation of the sacred History) that it is not worthy for this of so high a name. 2. Because it is said, All Nations shall come unto her, which was not then fulfilled, and that expounding of all Nations, of the ten Tribes, is no way justifiable, forsomuch as not they, but Heathen Nations, which never knew God before, are every where meant thereby. Neither doth it help, which Calvin bringeth for further confirmation, That by all Nations the ten Tribes are meant, because it is said, And they shall no more walk after the imagination of their evil hearts; which cannot well be understood of the Gentiles, for they alwaies did so, but of Israel who was at the first better taught, but for a time had so degenerated, but now should do so no more. For it is spoken both of Jews, Israelites and Gentiles altogether, it being meant that after the receiving of the Christian faith, they should degenerate no more into heathenish Idolatry, but that amongst them the true faith should be upheld, though not alwayes apparently, to the worlds end; for all Nations shall never be broken off after their insertion into the true Olive, as the natural branches, the Jews, for their infidelity were. And from this clause it is evinced, that the ten Tribes are not meant by all Nations, except some elect ones of them imbracing the faith of Christ, because they that returned from Captivity after that, walked more abominably in respect of all other wickedness, except Idolatry, then before, especially of their malice against Christ and his Ministers, for which they were by the Romans most terribly wasted, afflicted and destroyed so as they never were before, from the time of their Land lying desolate, being never permitted to inhabit it, or to build their City Jerusalem any more; but if any lived there since, they lived but as vassals and slaves to the Turk. And to understand by all Nations the ten Tribes, is nothing agreeable to that which was said before of them, Two of a tribe and one of a city, for how could he in speaking of so few call them all Nations, by a name implying innumerable multitudes? Neither indeed did the ten Tribes then come to Jerusalem, but they of Judah and Benjamin only besides Levites, unlesse some haply of other Tribes living mixt amongst them, since the dayes of Hezekiah and Josiah for pieties sake, were at the time of Judahs Captivity carried away together, and so at the time of liberty returned together. But this being enough, if not to the expence of overmany words too much confuted, let us see if the expounding of it as fulfilled under the Gospel, may be justified, how did Judah then walk with Israel to Jerusalem? or the Land given to their fathers? Lyra answereth well, This Lyra.was done when some of the Kingdom of Judah, as Paul of the Tribe of Benjamin, and other Apostles of the Tribe of Judah, going forth to preach the Gospel amongst the Heathen, met with some of Israel, though but rarely, who hearkned to their teaching, who were by their conversion taken as companions with them into the promised Land of everlasting blessedness, being called the Land promised to their fathers, because that of Canaan was a type thereof. And to this in the substance of it agree they that are for the return out of Captivity, as literally meant; but they consent, that all this is spiritually to be applied to the time of the Gospel, both Theodoret, Hugo, Thomas and Calvin.
But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a goodly heritage Vers. 19.of the hosts of the Nations? He had said before vers. 17. that all Nations should be gathered together to Jerusalem, which should then by them all be accounted the Throne or Kingdom of the Lord, and vers. 18. he saith, That Judah together with Israel should walk to the promised Land, that is, be also converted to the faith of Christ, and so become members of the Church militant here, and afterwards of the Church triumphant in heaven; for the Church both militant and triumphant is set forth by the name Jerusalem, because from thence they went out that preached the Gospel, and there a Church was first gathered. Now he demands by way of admiration, how this should be, that a people so rebellious, and for their rebellion cast off, should thus be dealt withall as children, to have so goodly an inheritance: and he cals it, The pleasant heritage of the nations hosts, because the Nation of the Jews rejecting the Lords gracious offer at the first to bring them into this inheritance, when the Gentiles joyfully accepted of the offer. And well may the Gentiles be set forth by this name, The hosts of the Nations, for their great multitudes, and to denote the condition of Christians, they are a Militia Revel. 7.fighting against sinne, the world, flesh and devil, Ephes. 6. 12. and the Kingdom of Christ their inheritance, because the Nation of the Jews generally refusing it, the Gentiles thankfully took it. Others bring other Expositions, Theodor. Septuagint. Theod. Hieronym.By hosts of the Nations understanding the Angels Guardians of the Nations, but most improbably. Some, Of the mighty God of the Gentiles, who is the Lord of hosts. Some, Of the fortitude of the most strong one of the Gentiles; but herein they go from the signification of the words; wherefore rejecting all other Expositions, I rest in this, and herein I differ not from Jerom, expounding this heritage of the Church, as I have done, calling it the Land of the Church made glorious by the great multitudes of believers. And I said, Thou shalt call me, my Father; That is, I have devised a way, how that which I have spoken of, seeming in mans reason impossible to be done, shall be effected, thou also shalt be converted and acknowledge me, that is, Christ, thy Father, as it is said of me, Isa. 9. 6. The mighty God, the everlasting Father, whereby he giveth us to understand, That the Nation of the Jews shall be converted, and not ever continue in their infidelity, as the Apostle expounds Prophecies of them, Rom. 11.
As a wife that treacherously departeth from her husband. Here the Lord reneweth Vers. 20.his aggravation of their sins, according to vers. 1. that his mercy might be the more magnified, when he should receive so treacherous a wife again.
A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping, supplications of the children Vers. 21.of Israel. Here the Lord leaveth complaining any further of the Jews, and looking upon them as coming to him by faith and repentance, breaks out into these words, A voice heard in the high places] So that these words are a Prophecie of the sorrow, wherewith they shall be taken, when once their eyes shall be opened to see that Jesus whom they despised and persecuted, and continued so long in malice against, is the Christ, as is also further set forth Zech. 12. 9. something like to which was done by those Jews that were first converted by Peter: Thus also Junius, understanding by this voice of weeping Act. 2. 37. Jumus.supplication, their uttering of the words following vers. 21, 22, &c. And this plainly appears to be the sense, from their saying, We come to thee, for thou art the Lord our God. And their lifting up of their voice upon the high places is spoken of in reference to their Land, wherein were many high places, hils and mountains, which were abused to Idolatry; now to shew that they should repent of these abominations, it is thus spoken, as if he had said, the voice of them that in times past worshipped in these places contrary to Gods expresse commandment, lamenting their former sins. Thus also Jerom rendring it, A Hierouym.voice of weeping supplication, because they have perverted their wayes, taking this for the cause of their weeping, as it is in all that be godly-sorrowfull, and the Hebrew will bear it, for foreign signifies most properly, because, and to Jerom consenteth Theodoret, Rabanus, Hugo. And these words, A voice is heard] shew Note. Gods readiness to hear penitent sinners so soon as they begin to turn to him, even before they speak, as the father of the Prodigal met him returning home unto him, and imbraced him before he spake. Calvin expounds it of that Calv.which was then done, the Israelites weeping and crying when they were by the Assyrians taken and carried away captive, as if this were propounded to the Jews to move them to repentance. Lyra understands it of the Jews in so Lyra.extream misery by the Romans when they were destroyed together with their City in that stupendious manner. Some, of the Jews carried into Babylon, but all farre wide from the meaning, because the argument now in hand from ver. 17, 18, &c. is manifestly of things to be done under the Gospel, as may appear to any intelligent Reader by the premisses. The Septuagint for these words, A voice was heard in the high places, hath these, A voice heard in labiis, lips, as if it were meant, sounding aloud by the opening of their lips, and this the Hebrew foreign will bear, if the prick above foreign be put in the left horn, but above the right, as we now have it, High places are signified by the same word.
Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal, &c. Here the Lord sheweth Vers. 22.by what means they should be converted under the Gospel. Christ should come promising to heal the sores and sicknesses of their souls, that is, their sins, as he did Luk. 4. 18. Matth. 11. 28. and where he sets forth himself as a Physician, saying, The whole needs not the Physician but the sick. For hereupon great multitudes followed, and he healed their sicknesses bodily, and many of them withall had their souls healed by being converted; and many more when his Apostles after his departure preached with such success, that at one Sermon three thousand were converted, then the voice was heard here prophesied of, We come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God, &c. To the end of the Chapter. For then the converted amongst the Jews spake to this effect, and confessed their sins, as here followeth, beginning at John Baptists preaching, Matth. 3. where it is said, They came to Johns Baptism confessing their sins; and Act. 17. many more did the like, and when the time before-spoken of, their re-insertion into the true Olive shall come, such confessions shall be more generally and notably made by the whole Nation. And hereunto agreeth Jerom, although others be for times long before at their return from the Captivity of Babylon.