Jeremiah 1:10 Komentář

In this chapter we have, I. The general inscription or title of this book, with the time of the continuance of Jeremiah's public ministry (Jer 1:1-3). II. The call of Jeremiah to the prophetic office, his modest objection against it answered, and an ample commission given him for the execution of it (Jer 1:4-10). III. The visions of an almond-rod and a seething-pot, signifying the approaching ruin of Judah and Jerusalem by the Chaldeans (Jer 1:11-16). IV. Encouragement given to the prophet to go on undauntedly in his work, in an assurance of God's presence with him (Jer 1:17-19). Thus is he set to work by one that will be sure to bear him out.

This chapter contains the title or inscription of the book; the call of the prophet to his office, and the encouragement he had to enter upon it. In the inscription the prophet is described by his name, by his descent, by the place of his birth, and the time of his prophesying, Jer 1:1, the appointment and ordination of him to his office, which was very early, and the signification of it to him, are in Jer 1:4, his excuse, on account of his childhood and weakness, Jer 1:6, the encouragement given him, notwithstanding this, from the mission and command he had from the Lord, and the promise of his presence with him, Jer 1:7, and not only is he encouraged by words, but also by signs; by the Lord's touching his mouth with his hand, as a symbol of putting his words into his mouth, and setting him over nations and kingdoms, to publish in a prophetic way their destruction, Jer 1:9, and by a vision of an almond tree, signifying the quick and hasty performance of the word of the Lord by him, Jer 1:11, and by another vision of a seething pot northwards, intimating the coming of the Chaldeans from the north against Jerusalem, and their taking it, and carrying the Jews captive because of their wickedness, which was a principal part of the message he was sent with, Jer 1:13 and the chapter is concluded with an exhortation to him to take heart, and be of good courage, and not be dismayed; since he was made a defenced city, an iron pillar, and brasen wall, against the whole land of Judea, its kings, princes, priests, and people; who, though they should fight against him, should not prevail, because God was with him, Jer 1:17.

See, I have this day set thee over the nations, and over the kingdoms,.... Not as a prince, but as a prophet over them, to prophesy things concerning them, whether good or evil, which should certainly come to pass as he predicted: to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down; that is, to foretell that such a kingdom and nation should be rooted out, as a tree or plant that is plucked up by the roots; and that such an one should be pulled, and thrown down, and destroyed, as a building is. The whole may be understood of the destruction of the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar, of their temple, city, and nation; though the Targum and Jarchi interpret all this of the Gentiles only, and the following, to build, and to plant, of the house of Israel; which may be applied to the building of the temple, and the planting of the Jews in their own land, after their return from captivity, which Jeremiah prophesied of. These last words are not in the Arabic version.

Isaiah, again, beheld the glory of the seraphim, and after him Jeremiah, who was entrusted with great power against nations and kings. The one heard the divine voice and was cleansed by a live coal for his prophetic office, and the other was known before his formation and sanctified before his birth. Paul, also, while yet a persecutor, who became the great herald of the truth and teacher of the Gentiles in faith, was surrounded by a light and acknowledged him whom he was persecuting, and was entrusted with his great ministry and filled every ear and mind with the gospel.

It is important to observe here that two joys succeed four sorrows. The good cannot be built up unless the evil is destroyed, nor can the best be planted unless the worst is eradicated. For “every plant that the heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted,” and every building that does not have its foundation on rock but was built on sand is undermined and destroyed by the word of God. But that which Jesus will consume by the breath of his mouth and destroy by the coming of his presence, indeed, all sacrilege and perverse doctrine, he will annihilate forever. Furthermore, he will depose and scatter all who elevate themselves against the knowledge of God, trusting instead in their own wisdom, which is foolishness to God, so that the lower dwellings may be prepared for them and that those who are conformed to the truth of the church, having previously been destroyed and plucked up, might be planted and established in the higher places, such that what the apostle said will be fulfilled: “You are God’s edifice, God’s field.” Many people understand this passage to refer to the person of Christ. For the name Jeremiah means “the heights of the Lord,” the Lord who destroyed the kingdoms of the devil, who had shown them to him on a high mountain, and destroyed the adversarial powers as well, canceling the bond of errors on the cross. It is also said in the Psalms concerning these things, after the figurative truth of history: “Why do nations murmur and the people meditate in vain? The kings of the earth stand by and the princes convene as one.” The church of God is planted and built for those who were plucked up, destroyed, dragged down and lost. But about the person of Jeremiah, there is no doubt, for we read subsequently that he took a chalice full of wine and all the nations were commanded to drink.

(Verse 10) Behold, I have appointed you today over nations and over kingdoms, to uproot and to destroy, and to scatter, and to demolish, and to build, and to plant. This addition that we have made from Hebrew, 'and to scatter,' is not found in the Septuagint. And it must be considered that two joys follow four sorrows. For good things cannot be built unless evil things are destroyed: and the best things cannot be planted unless the worst things are uprooted. For every plantation that the heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted, and any building that does not have its foundation on the rock but is constructed on sand will be dug up and destroyed by the word of God. But that which Jesus will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the coming of His presence, namely all sacrilegious and perverse doctrine, He will utterly destroy forever. Moreover, He will dissipate and overthrow those things that are exalted against the knowledge of God and rely on their own wisdom, which is foolishness before God, so that humble things may be built up and in place of the high things that have been destroyed and uprooted, new things may be constructed and planted that are in accordance with the teachings of the Church. And let that which the Apostle says be fulfilled, 'You are God's building, you are God's field' (2 Corinthians 3:9). Here they understand this place as being above the person of Christ: for Jeremiah interprets high of the Lord, who destroyed the kingdoms of the devil, which he had shown to him on a high mountain: he will destroy the opposing powers, wiping out the handwriting of errors on the cross. Concerning which, in the Psalm, after the truth of the stories, he speaks tropically: Why do the nations rage, and the people meditate on vain things? The kings of the earth stand up, and the princes gather together in one (Psalm 2:1-2). For these things having been uprooted, destroyed, and lost, and having been dragged down into the depths, the Church of God is built and planted. However, there is no doubt concerning the person of Jeremiah. For we read in the following (Ad. cap. XXV) that he should take a cup full of pure wine in his hand; and he is ordered to offer it to all the nations around.

For unless there were some who were destroyed to be rebuilt, Jeremiah would not have written, “See, I have this day set you to throw down and to build.” - "Expositions of the Psalms 89.3"

But you should know that we must work twice as hard to drive out vice as we do to acquire virtue. And this is not simply our own opinion, but we were instructed by the opinion of the One who alone knows the strength and the method of his work: “See,” he says, “I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” He points out that four things are required for getting rid of poisonous elements: to root up, to pull down, to waste and to destroy. But in order to do good and acquire righteousness, all that is required is to build and to plant. It is perfectly evident that it is a harder thing to tear up and eradicate the ingrained passions of body and soul than to introduce and plant spiritual virtues.

(Jer 1:1-3, probably prefixed by Jeremiah, when he collected his prophecies and gave them to his countrymen to take with them to Babylon [MICHAELIS]) Anathoth--a town in Benjamin, twenty stadia, that is, two or three miles north of Jerusalem; now Anata (compare Isa 10:30, and the context, Isa 10:28-32). One of the four cities allotted to the Kohathites in Benjamin (Jos 21:18). Compare Kg1 2:26-27; a stigma was cast thenceforth on the whole sacerdotal family resident there; this may be alluded to in the words here, "the priests . . . in Anathoth." God chooses "the weak, base, and despised things . . . to confound the mighty."

set thee over--literally, "appointed thee to the oversight." He was to have his eye upon the nations, and to predict their destruction, or restoration, according as their conduct was bad or good. Prophets are said to do that which they foretell shall be done; for their word is God's word; and His word is His instrument whereby He doeth all things (Gen 1:3; Psa 33:6, Psa 33:9). Word and deed are one thing with Him. What His prophet saith is as certain as if it were done. The prophet's own consciousness was absorbed into that of God; so closely united to God did he feel himself, that Jehovah's words and deeds are described as his. In Jer 31:28, God is said to do what Jeremiah here is represented as doing (compare Jer 18:7; Kg1 19:17; Eze 43:3). root out-- (Mat 15:13). pull down--change of metaphor to architecture (Co2 10:4). There is a play on the similar sounds, lintbosh, linthotz, in the Hebrew for "root out . . . pull down." build . . . plant--restore upon their repenting. His predictions were to be chiefly, and in the first instance, denunciatory; therefore the destruction of the nations is put first, and with a greater variety of terms than their restoration.