Commentary on Jeremiah Volume 1 John Calvin (continued)
JOHN CALVIN
expression he amplifies their guilt: for though {,}פשעpesho, does not mean simply to offend, but to act wickedly; yet to fall away from God is a baser and a more atrocious sin. We hence learn, that such was the wickedness of the Jews, that it could not be corrected by common means or moderate punishment. He afterwards adds
Jeremiah 5:7
7. How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses.
7. Quomodo super hoc parcam tibi (hoc est, parcerem, nam debet resolvi futurum tempus in modum potentialem, quomodo, inquit, parcerem tibi super hoc?) Filii tui dereliquerunt me, et jurarunt in non Deo: ego autem saturavi eos, et scortati sunt (tamen scortati sunt;) et domus meretricis congregaverunt se (vel, in domum meretricis, ita subaudienda erit litera {}בservilis.)
There is here what rhetoricians call a conference: for God seems here to seek the judgment of the adverse party, with whom he contends, on the cause between them, though it was sufficiently clear; and this is a proof of confidence. When advocates wish to shew that there is nothing doubtful or obscure, they thus deliberate with the opposite party, --- ``Why, I will propose the matter privately to yourself; have you anything to say? Even if you were at liberty to determine the question, would not reason compel you to pronounce such a judgment as this?'' So now God shews that he was constrained, as it were, by necessity to inflict on the Jews a most severe punishment, and intimates that he was not, as it were, at liberty to do otherwise.
I am, ``he says, ``the judge of the world, is it possible that they can escape unpunished, who thus openly provoke me? Should I not expose to ridicule my glory? and should I not also divest myself of my own power? I should cease to be what I am, and in a manner deny myself, were I not to punish a people so wicked and irreclaimable.'' We now perceive the Prophet's meaning.
Some consider {,}וvau, to be understood, and take {,}איai, for {,}איןain, and read thus, ``I will not spare thee for this.'' But as there is no reason to make any change, and many agree in the view that has been given, I prefer to follow what has been most commonly received. The meaning of {,}איai, in Hebrew is ``where;'' but it also means ``how: ``and here it is to be understood, not of place, but of manner, ``How could I for this be propitious to you?''
We see how God, as it were, deliberates with the opposite party, and even appeals to them for judgment, ``Say now, were I to allow you so much liberty and power as to decide the question, could I, who am the judge of the world, spare you who are guilty of such vices?''
Thy sons have forsaken me This was the first sin: and when God complained that he was forsaken, he intimated that the people had willfully, and from deliberate wickedness, cast off the yoke; for the same thing could not have been said of heaother word means apostasies, defections from God, rendered by the Septuagint, ``{ἀποστρόφαις} --- turnings away, ``and so by the Vulgate and the Targum. They were defections to various forms of idolatry. Their idols increased in number. The Septuagint render the last sentence thus, ``They have become strong ({ἴσχυσας}) in their turnings away.'' The Vulgate and the Targum are the same. The Verb means{}עצםan increase in quality or in quantity. But both verbs may be rendered here as transitives, ---
Because they have multiplied their transgressions, They have strengthened (or increased) their apostasies. --- Ed.