Jeremia 23:12 Kommentar

In this chapter the prophet, in God's name, is dealing his reproofs and threatenings, I. Among the careless princes, or pastors of the people (Jer 23:1, Jer 23:2), yet promising to take care of the flock, which they had been wanting in their duty to (Jer 23:3-8). II. Among the wicked prophets and priests, whose bad character is here given at large in divers instances, especially their imposing upon the people with their pretended inspirations, at which the prophet is astonished, and for which they must expect to be punished (v. 9-32). III. Among the profane people, who ridiculed God's prophets and bantered them (Jer 23:33-40). When all have thus corrupted their way they must all expect to be told faithfully of it.

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 23 This chapter contains threatenings to the Jewish governors, and to their priests and prophets, on account of their manifold sins; intermixed with gracious promises to the Lord's people, and particularly with a famous promise of the Messiah. The pastors or governors of Israel are charged with scattering and driving away the Lord's flock, for which they are threatened, Jer 23:1; and a promise is made of the gathering of the remnant of them, and of setting up other shepherds over them, under whom they should increase, and be comfortable, Jer 23:3; particularly the Messiah is promised; as David's righteous Branch; as a prosperous and righteous King; as the author of righteousness to his people, under whom they should have salvation and safety, Jer 23:5; so that in comparison of this salvation, the deliverance out of Egypt should not be spoken of, Jer 23:7; and then follows a sad complaint of the priests and prophets; of their profaneness, their adultery, swearing, lying, hypocrisy, and deception of the people; for all which they are severely threatened, Jer 23:9; wherefore the people are exhorted not to hearken to them, promising them peace and safety; whereas, by attending to the word of God, it might easily be seen that a storm of wrath was gone forth, and was ready to break, and would fall upon the head of the wicked, to the executing of the thoughts and purposes of God's heart, Jer 23:16; and the Lord declares he had not sent these prophets, as might be known from their not turning the people from their evil ways, Jer 23:21; whose conduct and behaviour could not be hid from the sight of the Lord, nor their prophecies from his ears, which were no other than dreams, and the deceits of their own hearts; and there was as great a difference between them and the word of the Lord, as between chaff and wheat; seeing his word in his hand is of great virtue and efficacy, whereas there was none in theirs, Jer 23:23; wherefore the Lord declares himself to be against these prophets, for stealing his word from their neighbour; for making use of his name, when they were not sent by him; and for causing the people to err by their lies, Jer 23:30; and both people, priest, and prophet, are severely threatened for jeering and scoffing at the word of the Lord, calling it the burden of the Lord; which phrase they are forbid to use in a sneering way; and should they persist in it, they are told that God would forsake and forget them, and cast them out, and everlastingly punish them, Jer 23:39.

Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness,.... Their course of life may fitly be compared, and in the issue will prove to be like to a man's walking in a dark night without any lamp or lantern to light him, and in a slippery way, scarce able to stand upon his legs, and cannot see to pick his way, nor where to step next, which is very uncomfortable and dangerous; such are blind leaders of the blind, and both in danger of slipping and falling into a ditch, Mat 15:14; they shall be driven on, and fall therein; hurried on by Satan, and their own lusts, in their sinful ways to their ruin; or forced on into captivity and destruction; their enemies and the just judgments of God pursuing them, like a man pursued by others in a dark and slippery way; who cannot stand to feel his way, but is obliged to go on, though he can scarce keep upon his legs, and knows not where to set his foot next; see Psa 35:6; for I will bring evil upon them: the evil of punishment, which is from the Lord; as sword, famine, pestilence, or captivity: even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord: the precise and exact time appointed by the Lord to visit them in a way of judgment for their iniquities; which was a set time that would certainly come, and they could not escape; and which may not only respect the time of the Babylonish captivity, but the destruction of the Jews by the Romans, which was the time of their visitation, Luk 19:44.

As children of light and truth, flee from division and wicked doctrines. Where the shepherd is, there you follow as sheep. For there are many wolves that appear trustworthy, who, by means of a pernicious pleasure, carry captive those that are running toward God, but they shall have no place in your unity. So, as children of light and truth, avoid the dividing your unity and the wicked doctrine of the heretics, from whom “a defiling influence has gone forth into all the earth.”

(Vers. 11, 12.) For the prophet and the priest have become polluted, and in my house I have found their evils," says the Lord. "Therefore, their way will be like a slippery path in the darkness. They will be pushed and fall in it, for I will bring upon them the year of their visitation," says the Lord. "When evils are found in the Church of God, especially in its leaders, let us know that the prophecy and the priesthood have become polluted. In my house I have found their evils," says the Lord. But the house of Christ is the Church, of which the Apostle writes to Timothy: That you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. III, 15). In the prophet, receive a teacher; in the priest, the dignity of the ministry. If they consent with a perverse mind, their way will be slippery and dark; and they will not have the Lord speaking to them: I am the light of the world; he who believes in me shall not remain in darkness (John XII, 46). Where the Saint says, fleeing all darkness: Signet is upon us the light of your face, O Lord; you have given joy in my heart. But when they are in darkness and on a slippery path, namely the path of heresy, they will be driven to every movement and will fall. And the Lord brings evils upon them, not because evils are theirs, so that the Lord may bring evils, but evils are for those who endure punishment. Otherwise, the same things are both evil and good. Evil, according to those who are tormented; good, according to those who are corrected. And this must be noted, that the year of the Lord's visitation, the correction of sinners is called and the torment, according to that which is written: I will visit their iniquities with a rod, and their sins with stripes: but my mercy I will not scatter away from him (Psalm 88:33-34).

Let their way become dark and slippery, and let the angel of the Lord pursue them. He demanded that the situation of sinners be wholly arduous, so that their way, which seems to them clear and firm as they linger pleasurably on it, may become dark and slippery so that they cannot stand on it any longer. As the prophet Jeremiah says, “Therefore their way has become slippery in the dark. They shall be thrown down and fall on it.” But if they decide to linger further in their evil ways, he asks that the Lord’s power pursue them, so that he may not cause them to cling to their sins as they hasten to aspire after their own destruction. What a blessed proliferation of so many obstacles! How vehement is the prayer in this verse that the most salutary opposition is afforded them!

THE WICKED RULERS TO BE SUPERSEDED BY THE KING, WHO SHOULD REIGN OVER THE AGAIN UNITED PEOPLES, ISRAEL AND JUDAH. (Jer. 23:1-40) pastors--Shallum, Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah (Eze 34:2).

slippery ways in . . . darkness--Their "way" is their false doctrine which proves fatal to them (Jer 13:16; Psa 35:6; Pro 4:19). I will bring evil . . . visitation--still more calamities than those already inflicted. See on Jer 11:23; "visitation," namely, in wrath.