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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 28:15

Verse 15 There would not have been weight enough in the plain teaching of Jeremiah had he not confronted his adversary, as the case is at this day with us; when insolent and unprincipled men rise up and dare to vomit forth their blasphemies, by which they darken and degrade the doctrines of true religion, we are under the necessity to contend with them, otherwise what we teach would be ineffectual; for the minds of many, I mean the simple, are in suspense and fluctuate when they see a great... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 28:16

Verse 16 Here is added the punishment which confirmed the prophecy of Jeremiah; for it was God’s purpose to have regard to the ignorance of many who would have otherwise stumbled, or made their ignorance a pretext, for they could not determine which of the two had been sent by God, Hananiah or Jeremiah. It was then God’s design, in his paternal indulgence, to stretch forth his hand to them, and also in an especial manner to render inexcusable the unbelieving who had already given themselves up,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 28:1-17

The story of Hananiah the prophet. Hananiah, priest and professional prophet, now presents himself as the rival and opponent of Jeremiah. A rude and shallow man, he probably thrusts himself forward unasked, as the representative of the popular prophets of smooth things whom it is the true prophet's painful duty to refute and rebuke. His own conduct and Jeremiah's behavior to him are both clearly brought before us in this chapter. I. THE CONDUCT OF HAVANIAH . 1. He utters a ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 28:1-17

How to answer those who oppose the truth. Where the light is there will be the deepest shadow; the truth is ever sharply defined against falsehood. Just when it was most important that the will of God and the real position of Israel should be ascertained, there were many striving to deceive and misrepresent. The behavior of Jeremiah on this occasion was twofold. I. ACCORDING TO HUMAN KNOWLEDGE AND JUDGMENT . 1. With moderation . "Amen: the Lord do so." Under such... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 28:1-17

A false prophet and his fate. I. HANANIAH 'S PRESUMPTION . Note his direct challenge to the true prophet . He seeks out Jeremiah in the house of Jehovah, "in the presence of the priests and of all the people." A prophet was, of course, bound to make his utterances in public, but Hananiah waited his chance until he found an opportunity of bearding the hated Jeremiah in as open a way as possible. He speaks explicitly in the Name of Jehovah . He is not afraid to take the great... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 28:12-17

No long time after this the prophet is commissioned to tell the bitter truth more fully than he had done before, and to warn Hananiah of his coming punishment. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 28:13

The yokes of wood ; rather, a yoke of wood . The word rendered in the Authorized Version" yokes" means properly "poles," two of which, with the "bands," composed a "yoke" (see on Jeremiah 27:2 ). But thou shalt make ; rather, but thou hast made. The sense in which Hananiah is said to have made "a yoke of iron" (we should render in the singular) comes out in Jeremiah 28:14 . The point is that there was a certain justification for Hananiah's violent act, but not that which he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 28:13-14

Yokes of iron. Hananiah broke the wooden yoke which Jeremiah wore in token of the approaching servitude of the Jews. In return he was told that the real yoke of Babylon would be much more severe—a yoke of iron. I. FACTS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OPINIONS . If the rule of Babylon really would be as a yoke of iron, what was the use of circulating milder views of the future? We are too much inclined to judge of ideas by their fitness for our own previous notions, instead of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 28:14

The beasts of the field (see on Jeremiah 27:6 ). read more

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