Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Jeremiah
Book: Jeremiah
Chapter: 3
Overview:
Exhortations to
Repentance.
(1-5) Judah more guilty than
Israel.
(6-11) But
Pardon is promised.
(12-20) The children of
Israel express their sorrow and
Repentance.
(21-25)
1-5 In
Repentance, it is good to think upon the sins of which
we have been guilty, and the places and companies where they
have been committed. How gently the
Lord had corrected them! In
receiving penitents, he is
God, and not
Man. Whatever thou hast
said or done hitherto, wilt thou not from this time apply to me?
Will not this
Grace of
God overcome thee? Now
Pardon is
proclaimed, wilt thou not take the benefit? They will
Hope to
find in him the tender compassions of a
Father towards a
returning prodigal. They will come to him as the Guide of their
youth: youth needs a guide. Repenting sinners may encourage
themselves that
God will not keep his
Anger to the
End. All
God's mercies, in every
Age, suggest encouragement; and what can
be
So desirable for the young, as to have the
Lord for their
Father, and the Guide of their youth? Let parents daily direct
their children earnestly to seek this blessing.
6-11 If we
Mark the crimes of those who break off from a
religious profession, and the consequences, we see abundant
reason to shun evil ways. It is dreadful to be proved more
criminal than those who have actually perished in their sins;
yet it will be small comfort in
Everlasting Punishment, for them
to know that others were viler than they.
12-20 See
God's readiness to
Pardon Sin, and the blessings
reserved for
Gospel times. These words were proclaimed toward
the north; to
Israel, the ten tribes,
Captive in
Assyria. They
are directed how to return. If we confess our sins, the
Lord is
Faithful and just to forgive them. These promises are fully to
come to pass in the bringing back the Jews in after-ages.
God
will graciously receive those that return to him; and
By his
Grace, he takes them out from among the
Rest. The
Ark of the
Covenant was not found after the
Captivity. The whole of that
Dispensation was to be done away, which took place after the
multitude of believers had been greatly increased
By the
Conversion of the
Gentiles, and of the Israelites scattered
among them. A happy state of the
Church is foretold. He can
teach all to
Call him
Father; but without thorough change of
Heart and
Life,
No Man can be a
Child of
God, and we have
No
security for not departing from Him.
21-25 Sin is turning aside to crooked ways. And forgetting the
Lord our
God is at the bottom of all
Sin.
By Sin we bring
ourselves into trouble. The promise to those that return is,
God
will heal their backslidings,
By his pardoning
Mercy, his
quieting peace, and his renewing
Grace. They come devoting
themselves to
God. They come disclaiming all expectations of
relief and succour from any but the
Lord. Therefore they come
depending upon him only. He is the
Lord, and he only can save.
It points out the great
Salvation from
Sin Jesus Christ wrought
out for us. They come justifying
God in their troubles, and
judging themselves for their sins. True penitents learn to
Call
Sin shame, even the
Sin they have been most pleased with. True
penitents learn to
Call Sin Death and ruin, and to charge upon
it all they suffer. While men harden themselves in
Sin, contempt
and misery are their portion: for he that covereth his sins
shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsaketh them,
shall find
Mercy.