Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations Volume 2 John Calvin
JEREMIAH AND LAMENTATIONS
of the faithful, who willingly offer themselves and prepare their hearts. But opposed to this view is the whole context. It hence appears that it was very far from the Prophet's design to represent God as commending the obedience of the godly; but, on the contrary, he exclaims with wonder, as Isaiah does when he says, ``Who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?'' (Isaiah 53:1)
He surely does not set forth the obedience of the faithful in receiving promptly and gladly the Gospel; but, on the contrary, (as though something monstrous terrified him) that the world would not believe the Gospel, when yet it offered to them salvation and eternal life. So also in this place, Who is he? etc. For what could have been more desirable than that God should at length, by outstretched arms, gather the Jews to himself? ''I wish you to draw nigh, ye have been for a time, as it were, banished from me, I had driven you to distant lands; but I am now ready to gather you.'' As, then, God so sweetly and kindly allured them to himself, it was doubtless a most abominable and monstrous ingratitude for them to reject the offer and to turn their backs as it were on God, who so kindly invited them. As, then, the Prophet is here only condemning such insensibility and perverse wickedness in the Jews, there is no reason why we should be in quest of a proof in favor of free-will. 243
We may add, that David uses the same verb in Psalm 119:73, 125, when he says, ``Cause thy servant to approach thee, that he may learn thy commandments.'' 244
Some render the words, ``Be a surety for thy servant,'' etc.; for the verb: {,}ערב which is here, is found there also. Therefore the passage might be aptly turned against the Papists, who hold that it is in the power of man to form his own heart.
But David testifies that this is peculiarly the office and work of God; for by asking this from him he doubtless confesses that it was not in his own power. It afterwards follows, ---
Jeremiah 30:22
22. And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
22. Et eritis mihi in populum, et ego ero vobis in Deum (Quod postea confirmat primo versu capitis, 31, cum dicit, In tempore illo, dicit Jehova, Ero in Deum cunctis cognationibus Israel, et ipsi erunt mihi in populum)
243The Vulg. favors the meaning advocated by Calvin, "For who is this (iste) that will apply his heart to draw nigh to me, saith the Lord?" The Sept. is nearly the same, "For who is this ({οὕτος}) who has given his heart to tuae to me, saith the Lord?'' The Syr. is, ``For I will turn his heart to me, saith the Lord.''
The Targ. is as follows, ``For who is this who will in his heart come to my worship, saith the Lord?'' Many explanations have been given which are wholly inadmissible, having nothing in the context to support them, such as the application of these words to our Savior. They are evidently connected with the previous clause, being joined with it by ``for:'' they in a manner explain and qualify that clause, and may be deemed parenthetic, for the former clause and that which follows these words, are connected together, --- And I will bring him nigh that he may come near to me, (For who is he who pledges his heart To come near to me, saith Jehovah!) 22. And ye shall be to me a people, And I will be to you a God. By ``him'' we are to understand ``Jacob,'' the subject of the whole passage, and not the ``governor,'' who was to come from ``the midst of him,'' i.e., Jacob, a name by which the whole nation is here called. The promise is to bring Jacob, or the people, nigh; and then to shew that this is alone God's work, the words in the parenthesis are introduced, and by a question, which implies the negative in the strongest manner, as though he had said, ``This work, to bring you nigh, is mine alone, for no one among you pledges or engages his heart to come near to me.'' Both the Sept. and the Targ. render ``him'' in the first line in the plural number, ``them,'' i.e., the people. And the Syr., though the form of the expression is changed, yet gives the meaning of the words within the parenthesis, for the work of turning the heart is ascribed to the Lord. --- Ed.
244There is a mistake as to this reference, for the word is only found in Psalm 119:122. — Ed.