CHAPTER 15
. THE
WORTHLESSNESS OF THE VINE
AS WOOD ESPECIALLY
WHEN BURNT,
IS THE IMAGE
OF THE WORTHLESSNESS AND
GUILT OF THE JEWS,
WHO SHALL
PASS FROM ONE
FIRE TO ANOTHER.
This chapter represents, in the
way of a brief introduction, what the sixteenth chapter details
minutely.
2, 3. What has the vine-wood
to make it pre-eminent above other forest-wood? Nothing. Nay,
the reverse. Other trees yield useful timber, but vine-wood is soft,
brittle, crooked, and seldom large; not so much as a "pin"
(the large wooden peg used inside houses in the East to hang
household articles on, ) can be made of it. Its sole excellency is that it
should bear fruit; when it does not bear fruit, it is not only not
better, but inferior to other trees: so if God's people lose their
distinctive excellency by not bearing fruits of righteousness, they
are more unprofitable than the worldly (), for they are the vine; the sole end of their being is to
bear fruit to His glory (Psalms 80:8;
Psalms 80:9; Isaiah 5:1;
Jeremiah 2:21; Hosea 10:1;
Matthew 21:33). In all respects,
except in their being planted by God, the Jews were inferior to other
nations, as Egypt, Babylon, &c., for example, in antiquity,
extent of territory, resources, military power, attainments in arts
and sciences.
or than a
branch—rather, in apposition with "the vine tree."
Omit "or than." What superiority has the vine if
it be but a branch among the trees of the forest, that is, if, as
having no fruit, it lies cut down among other woods of trees?
4. cast into . . . fire— ().
both the ends—the north
kingdom having been already overturned by Assyria under
Tiglath-pileser; the south being pressed on by Egypt ().
midst of it is burned—rather,
"is on flame"; namely, Jerusalem, which had now caught the
flame by the attack of Nebuchadnezzar.
Is it meet for any work—"it,"
that is, the scorched part still remaining.
5. If useless before, much more
so when almost wholly burnt.
7. And I will set my face against
them—(See on ).
from one fire . . .
another—(Compare Isaiah 24:18).
"Fire" means here every kind of calamity (Isaiah 24:18). The Jewish fugitives shall escape from the ruin of
Jerusalem, only to fall into some other calamity.
8. trespass—rather, "they
have perversely fallen into perverse rebellion." The Jews were
not merely sinners as the other nations, but revolters
and apostates. It is one thing to neglect what we know not,
but quite another thing to despise what we profess to worship
[JEROME], as the Jews did
towards God and the law.
CHAPTER 15
. THE WORTHLESSNESS OF THE VINE AS WOOD ESPECIALLY WHEN BURNT, IS THE IMAGE OF THE WORTHLESSNESS AND GUILT OF THE JEWS, WHO SHALL PASS FROM ONE FIRE TO ANOTHER.
This chapter represents, in the way of a brief introduction, what the sixteenth chapter details minutely.
2, 3. What has the vine-wood to make it pre-eminent above other forest-wood? Nothing. Nay, the reverse. Other trees yield useful timber, but vine-wood is soft, brittle, crooked, and seldom large; not so much as a "pin" (the large wooden peg used inside houses in the East to hang household articles on, ) can be made of it. Its sole excellency is that it should bear fruit; when it does not bear fruit, it is not only not better, but inferior to other trees: so if God's people lose their distinctive excellency by not bearing fruits of righteousness, they are more unprofitable than the worldly (), for they are the vine; the sole end of their being is to bear fruit to His glory (Psalms 80:8; Psalms 80:9; Isaiah 5:1; Jeremiah 2:21; Hosea 10:1; Matthew 21:33). In all respects, except in their being planted by God, the Jews were inferior to other nations, as Egypt, Babylon, &c., for example, in antiquity, extent of territory, resources, military power, attainments in arts and sciences.
or than a branch—rather, in apposition with "the vine tree." Omit "or than." What superiority has the vine if it be but a branch among the trees of the forest, that is, if, as having no fruit, it lies cut down among other woods of trees?
4. cast into . . . fire— ().
both the ends—the north kingdom having been already overturned by Assyria under Tiglath-pileser; the south being pressed on by Egypt ().
midst of it is burned—rather, "is on flame"; namely, Jerusalem, which had now caught the flame by the attack of Nebuchadnezzar.
Is it meet for any work—"it," that is, the scorched part still remaining.
5. If useless before, much more so when almost wholly burnt.
6. So will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as being utterly unprofitable (Matthew 21:33-41; Matthew 25:30; Mark 11:12-14; Luke 13:6-9) in answering God's design that they should be witnesses for Jehovah before the heathen (Matthew 3:10; Matthew 5:13).
7. And I will set my face against them—(See on ).
from one fire . . . another—(Compare Isaiah 24:18). "Fire" means here every kind of calamity (Isaiah 24:18). The Jewish fugitives shall escape from the ruin of Jerusalem, only to fall into some other calamity.
8. trespass—rather, "they have perversely fallen into perverse rebellion." The Jews were not merely sinners as the other nations, but revolters and apostates. It is one thing to neglect what we know not, but quite another thing to despise what we profess to worship [JEROME], as the Jews did towards God and the law.