Commentary on Jeremiah Volume 1 John Calvin (continued)
COMMENTARY ON JEREMIAH
would be made partakers of the mercy which the Jews had before enjoyed.
Then follows the common form of swearing, Live does Jehovah So the Scripture speaks everywhere; and by these words men do not merely testify that they swear by the life of God, but they also ascribe eternity to him, as though it was said, ``God alone exists:'' for no life is anywhere to be found but in God. Men, indeed, and brute animals, and even trees, are said to live; but in trees there is only vigor without the senses, in brutes the senses without reason and understanding; but in men the life is light; yet they live not by or of themselves, but they derive life from God, according to what we see on the earth, on which light shines; but we know that there is really no light where we dwell but what descends and is conveyed to us by the rays of the sun.
In the same manner it may be said that life dwells in men, being conveyed to them by the hidden power of God. Nor do angels, properly speaking, live of themselves.
We hence see the meaning of the words, Live does Jehovah The eternity of God is hereby set forth; he is also owned as the Judge of the world; and further, whatever he claims for himself, men thus testify that it is justly and by right his due.
It afterwards follows, As they taught my people to swear by Baal The corruptions of heathens had greatly prevailed among the chosen people; and the greater part, when they saw that the nations prospered, had cast aside every care for true worship and sincere religion. As then the Jews had been so much given to the superstitions of the heathens, the Prophet says, speaking in God's name, --- ``If the Gentiles, who have hitherto taught my people to swear by Baal, who have drawn them away to their own idolatries and fictitious and false forms of worship, begin now to swear by my name, faithfully to worship me alone, they shall be built in the midst of my people.'' The metaphor of building is very common; but in this place God intimates no more than that the Gentiles would become a part of his flock, when they cast away their superstitions, and embraced the pure worship prescribed in the law. Nor is this to be applied to any particular place, as some have frigidly explained it, but ``in the midst of the people,'' is the same as though he had said, --- ``I will count those nations my people, as a part of my Church,'' according to what is said in the Psalms, --- that though the Tyrians and Sidonians, and Egyptians, and others who had been hostile nations, were born here and there, yet they would boast that they were all born at Jerusalem when God owned them as members of his own people.
(Psalm 138:3, 4) 326 It follows ---
Jeremiah 12:17
17. But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the LORD.
17. Quod si non audierint, tunc evellam (copula etiam hic accipitur pro adverbio temporis) gentem illam, evellendo et perdendo, dicit Jehova.
As he had shewn that there was a sure hope of salvation to his own people, when 326The verb {,{למדto learn, in this verse, has evidently two meanings, as ``learn'' has in old English. In the first instance, --- ``If they will learn the ways of my people,'' it means what is commonly understood by the term; but, in the second instance, ---
they have learned my people,'' it signifies to teach Jeremiah Though in English the word is not now used in this sense, yet in Welsh the word still continues to have this double meaning; and the same word, ``dysgu,'' is used in these two clauses, according to what is done in Hebrew. There is here a clear instance of {}וbeing rendered ``then,'' and it cannot be rendered othersise, --- ``If learning they will learn, etc., then shall they be built up,'' etc. In the first clause there is also a striking correspondence between the Welsh and the ,{}אם--- ``Os gan ddysgu y dysgant.'' --- Ed