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Commentary on Jeremiah 18 verses 1–10
1 ¶ The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
10 If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
The prophet is here sent to the potter's house (he knew where to find it), not to preach a sermon as before to the gates of Jerusalem, but to prepare a sermon, or rather to receive it ready prepared. Those needed not to study their sermons that had them, as he had this, by immediate inspiration. "Go to the potter's house, and observe how he manages his work, and there I will cause thee, by silent whispers, to hear my words. There thou shalt receive a message, to be delivered to the people." Note, Those that would know God's mind must observe his appointments, and attend where they may hear his words. The prophet was never disobedient to the heavenly vision, and therefore went to the potter's house (Jer 18:3) and took notice how he wrought his work upon the wheels, just as he pleased, with a great deal of ease, and in a little time. And (Jer 18:4) when a lump of clay that he designed to form into one shape either proved too stiff, or had a stone in it, or some way or other came to be marred in his hand, he presently turned it into another shape; if it will not serve for a vessel of honour, it will serve for a vessel of dishonour, just as seems good to the potter. It is probable that Jeremiah knew well enough how the potter wrought his work, and how easily he threw it into what form he pleased; but he must go and observe it now, that, having the idea of it fresh in his mind, he might the more readily and distinctly apprehend that truth which God designed thereby to represent to him, and might the more intelligently explain it to the people. God used similitudes by his servants the prophets (Hos 12:10), and it was requisite that they should themselves understand the similitudes they used. Ministers will make a good use of their converse with the business and affairs of this life if they learn thereby to speak more plainly and familiarly to people about the things of God, and to expound scripture comparisons. For they ought to make all their knowledge some way or other serviceable to their profession.
Now let us see what the message is which Jeremiah receives, and is entrusted with the delivery of, at the potter's house. While he looks carefully upon the potter's work, God darts into his mind these two great truths, which he must preach to the house of Israel: -
I. That God has both an incontestable authority and an irresistible ability to form and fashion kingdoms and nations as he pleases, so as to serve his own purposes: "Cannot I do with you as this potter, saith the Lord? Jer 18:6. Have not I as absolute a power over you in respect both of might and of right?" Nay, God has a clearer title to a dominion over us than the potter has over the clay; for the potter only gives it its form, whereas we have both matter and form from God. As the clay is in the potter's hand to be moulded and shaped as he pleases, so are you in my hand. This intimates, 1. That God has an incontestable sovereignty over us, is not debtor to us, may dispose of us as he thinks fit, and is not accountable to us, and that it would be as absurd for us to dispute this as for the clay to quarrel with the potter. 2. That it is a very easy thing with God to make what use he pleases of us and what changes he pleases with us, and that we cannot resist him. One turn of the hand, one turn of the wheel, quite alters the shape of the clay, makes it a vessel, unmakes it, new-makes it. Thus are our times in God's hand, and not in our own, and it is in vain for us to strive with him. It is spoken here of nations; the most politic, the most potent, are what God is pleased to make them, and no other. See this explained by Job (Job 12:23), He increaseth the nations and destroyeth them; he enlargeth the nations and straiteneth them again. See Psa 107:33 etc., and compare Job 34:29. All nations before God are as the drop of the bucket, soon wiped away, or the small dust of the balance, soon blown away (Isa 40:15), and therefore, no doubt, as easily managed as the clay by the potter. 3. That God will not be a loser by any in his glory, at long run, but, if he be not glorified by them, he will be glorified upon them. If the potter's vessel be marred for one use, it shall serve for another; those that will not be monuments of mercy shall be monuments of justice. The Lord has made all things for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil, Pro 16:4. God formed us out of the clay (Job 33:6), nay, and we are still as clay in his hands (Isa 64:8); and has not he the same power over us that the potter has over the clay? (Rom 9:21), and are not we bound to submit, as the clay to the potter's wisdom and will? Isa 29:15, Isa 29:16; Isa 45:9.
II. That, in the exercise of this authority and ability, he always goes by fixed rules of equity and goodness. He dispenses favours indeed in a way of sovereignty, but never punishes by arbitrary power. High is his right hand, yet he rules not with a high hand, but, as it follows there, Justice and judgment are the habitation of his throne, Psa 89:13, Psa 89:14. God asserts his despotic power, and tells us what he might do, but at the same time assures us that he will act as a righteous and merciful Judge. 1. When God is coming against us in ways of judgment we may be sure that it is for our sins, which shall appear by this, that national repentance will stop the progress of the judgments (Jer 18:7, Jer 18:8): If God speak concerning a nation to pluck up its fences that secure it, and so lay it open, its fruit-trees that adorn and enrich it, and so leave it desolate - to pull down its fortifications, that the enemy may have liberty to enter in, its habitations, that the inhabitants may be under a necessity of going out, and so destroy it as either a vineyard or a city is destroyed - in this case, if that nation take the alarm, repent of their sins and reform their lives, turn every one from his evil way and return to God, God will graciously accept them, will not proceed in his controversy, will return in mercy to them, and, though he cannot change his mind, he will change his way, so that it may be said, He repents him of the evil he said he would do to them. Thus often in the time of the Judges, when the oppressed people were penitent people, still God raised them up saviours; and, when they turned to God, their affairs immediately took a new turn. It was Nineveh's case, and we wish it had oftener been Jerusalem's; see Ch2 7:14. It is an undoubted truth that a sincere conversion from the evil of sin will be an effectual prevention of the evil of punishment; and God can as easily raise up a penitent people from their ruins as the potter can make anew the vessel of clay when it was marred in his hand. 2. When God is coming towards us in ways of mercy, if any stop be given to the progress of that mercy, it is nothing but sin that gives it (Jer 18:9, Jer 18:10): If God speak concerning a nation to build and to plant it, to advance and establish all the true interests of it, it is his husbandly and his building (Co1 3:9), and, if he speak in favour of it, it is done, it is increased, it is enriched, it is enlarged, its trade flourishes, its government is settled in good hands, and all its affairs prosper and its enterprises succeed. but if this nation, which God is thus loading with benefits, do evil in his sight and obey not his voice, - if it lose its virtue, and become debauched and profane, - if religion grow into contempt, and vice to get to be fashionable, and so be kept in countenance and reputation, and there be a general decay of serious godliness among them, - then God will turn his hand against them, will pluck up what he was planting, and pull down what he was building (Jer 45:4); the good work that was in the doing shall stand still and be let fall, and what favours were further designed shall be withheld; and this is called his repenting of the good wherewith he said he would benefit them, as he changed his purpose concerning Eli's house (Sa1 2:30) and hurried Israel back into the wilderness when he had brought them within sight of Canaan. Note, Sin is the great mischief-maker between God and a people; it forfeits the benefit of his promises and spoils the success of their prayers. It defeats his kind intentions concerning them (Hos 7:1) and baffles their pleasing expectations from him. It ruins their comforts, prolongs their grievances, brings them into straits, and retards their deliverances, Isa 59:1, Isa 59:2.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–10. Public domain.
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Methodius of OlympusAD 311
ON THE RESURRECTION 1:6-7
The prophet Jeremiah addresses the Jews in these words: “And I went down to the potter’s house. Behold, he made a work on the stones. The vessel that he made in his hands was broken. Again he made another vessel, as it pleased him to make it. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Cannot I do to you as this potter, O house of Israel? Behold, you are like the clay of the potter in my hands.’ ” For I call your attention to this, that, as I said, after human transgression the great Hand was not content to leave as a trophy of victory its own work, debased by the evil one, who wickedly injured it from motives of envy, but moistened and reduced it to clay, as a potter breaks up a vessel, that by the remodeling of it all the blemishes and bruises in it may disappear, and it may be made afresh faultless and pleasing.
John ChrysostomAD 407
INSTRUCTIONS TO CATECHUMENS 1:4
When, therefore, God speaks of an irremediable calamity, he does not say vessels of the potter, but an earthen vessel. When, for instance, he wished to teach the prophet and the Jews that he delivered up the city to an irremediable calamity, he bade him take an earthen wine vessel, and crush it before all the people and say, “Thus shall this city be destroyed, be broken in pieces.” But when he wishes to hold out good hopes to them, he brings the prophet to a pottery and does not show him an earthen vessel but shows him a vessel of clay, which was in the hands of the potter, falling to the ground. He brings him to saying, “If this potter has taken up and remodeled his vessel that has fallen, shall I not much rather be able to restore you when you have fallen?” It is possible therefore for God not only to restore those who are made of clay, through the washing of regeneration, but also to bring back again to their original state, on their careful repentance, those who have received the power of the Spirit and have fallen from grace into ruin.
John ChrysostomAD 407
AGAINST THE ANOMOEANS 2:35-36
What do you mean, Paul? Am I to be subject to God in the same way the clay is to the potter? Yes, Paul says. For the distance between God and man is as great as the distance between the potter and the clay. Rather the distance is not merely as great but much greater. The potter and the clay are of one and the same substance. It is just as Job said: “I admit it as for those who dwell in houses of clay, because we are ourselves formed from the same clay.” If a man seems more beautiful to look upon than clay, this difference was not produced by a change of nature but by the wisdom of the craftsman. Why? Because you are no different from the clay. If you refuse to believe this, let the coffins and the cremation urn convince you. And you will know that this is the truth if you have gone to visit the tombs of your ancestors. Therefore, there is no difference between the clay and the potter.
Tyrannius RufinusAD 411
COMMENTARY ON THE APOSTLES’ CREED 29
By his passion, therefore, Christ made perfect that human flesh that had been brought down to death by the first man’s sin and restored it by the power of his resurrection. Sitting on God’s right hand, he placed it in the highest heavens. In view of this, the apostle says, “Who has raised us up together and has made us sit together in the heavenly places.” It was he, you see, who was the potter mentioned by the prophet Jeremiah: “The vessel that had fallen from his hand and was broken, he again raised up with his hands and formed anew, as it seemed good in his eyes.” So it seemed good to him to raise the mortal and corruptible body he had assumed from the rocky tomb, and, rendering it immortal and incorruptible, to place it no longer in an earthly environment but in heaven at his Father’s right hand.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Chapter XVIII — Verses 1 and following) The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there you shall hear my words. So I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he was working on a wheel (or stones). And the vessel that he was making of clay with his hands was spoiled in his hands; so he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to him to do. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Can I not do with you, house of Israel, as this potter does? (Vulgate: Can I not, according to the Hebrew?) The Lord says, behold, as clay in the hand of a potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. Suddenly (or at the highest point), I will speak against a nation and against a kingdom, to uproot (or remove) and to destroy, and to utterly destroy it. If that nation turns away from the evil that I have spoken against it, I will relent and not carry out the harm that I planned to do to it. And suddenly (or at the highest point), I will speak about a nation and a kingdom, to build and to plant it. If he does evil in my eyes, so that he does not hear my voice, I will repent of the good that I have spoken to do to him. It is through all the senses that one arrives at the judgment and understanding of the mind, through hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, but it is retained more by the mind, which is seen by the eyes. Hence, the Prophet is commanded to go to the house of the potter and there to hear the commandments of the Lord. And when, he says, I had gone and descended into the house of the potter, he himself was working on the wheel, which, enticed by the ambiguity of the seventy-word, the stones were moved. For by Abanim, that is, the wheel of the potter, is meant the quality and diversity of the place and the pronunciation, and the instrument, that is, the wheel of the potter, and the stones. And when, he said, I saw a vessel being made of clay, suddenly it was dissipated, by the providence of God acting, so that the hand of the craftsman, while unaware, would shape a parable by its own mistake. And that potter, who had lost the vessel made of clay, with the wheel spinning, made another for himself as he saw fit. And immediately the Lord said to the Prophet: If the potter, he said, has the power to make again from the same clay what had been dissipated: I, in you, who as far as is possible in you, seem to have perished, will I not be able to do this? And in order to signify free will, he says that he both announces evil to a nation and kingdom, or to that one, and again good things: yet not that this will actually happen that he himself has predicted; but rather the opposite will occur, so that good things happen to evil people if they have repented, and bad things happen to good people if they have turned to sin after making promises. And we say this, not because God is unaware that this or that nation or kingdom will come into existence, but because he allows a person to follow their own will, so that they may receive rewards or punishments according to their own choice and their own merit. Not immediately will everything that happens be the accomplishment of man, but of his grace who has bestowed all things: so that the freedom of choice must be reserved, in such a way that the grace of the bestower excels in all things, according to that prophetic saying: Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain that build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, he watches in vain who guards it (Psalm 126:1-2). For it is not of the one who wills, nor of the one who runs, but of God who shows mercy (Romans 9).
JeromeAD 420
SIX BOOKS ON JEREMIAH 4:2.4-7
Whatever is discerned by the eyes arrives to the judgment and understanding of the soul through every other sense, through hearing, smelling, tasting and touching, but is retained even more so by the mind. Thus, the prophet was commanded to go to the potter’s house and there to hear the instructions of the Lord. “When,” he says, “I arose and went down to the potter’s house, he was making something on the wheel,” which the Seventy translated with the ambiguous and misleading word “stones,” for abanim and organum, both meaning “potter’s wheel,” are sometimes called stones, depending on the region and local dialect. “When,” he continues, “I discerned that the vessel that he was making out of clay suddenly fell apart,” this occurred by the providential agency of God, that the artisan’s hand, unwittingly, would create a parable by its mistake. Then the potter who had destroyed his clay vessel on the turning wheel made of it something else, as seemed to him the thing to do. And immediately the Lord said to the prophet, “If this potter has such power that he can remake something out of the same clay that disintegrated, am I not able to do the same for you who seem to have perished?” Moreover, that he might signify thereby the freedom of the will, the Lord said that he would announce punishments and rewards to the nations and to this king or that king. It was not that these events that he had predicted were to happen, but rather that good may be brought out of evil if they repented, or evil brought out of good if, after their resolutions, they returned to sin. Our point here is not that God was ignorant of what the nations and kings would do, but rather that he had endowed the human person with his own will, so that he would receive either a reward or a punishment on the basis of his own merit. Yet, what happens is not entirely dependent on a person, but also the grace that God has bestowed on all, for the freedom of the will must be restrained so that the grace of the Giver would excel in all things, according to the prophecy: “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor for nothing; unless the Lord keeps the city, do the guards watch over it in vain.” For “it is not of the one who wills or of the one who runs, but of the God who has mercy.”
Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
ON JEREMIAH 4:18.7-8
Do not despair of salvation, God is saying. Even if I condemn a nation and threaten ultimate punishment, if I see their repentance, I extend mercy instead of inflicting punishment. If I promise an abundance of blessings, but they scorn me and embrace wickedness, I shall not fulfill the promise of blessings. Knowing this, then, do not despair of better things, but apply repentance and reap salvation.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 18:5 serves as a pivotal transitional verse, marking the direct commencement of a profound divine revelation to the prophet Jeremiah. It signals to the audience that the subsequent discourse is not merely human insight or observation but an authoritative, direct utterance from the sovereign God of Israel. This concise declaration acts as a crucial narrative hinge, setting the stage for the powerful and iconic parable of the potter and the clay that immediately follows, which underscores God's absolute sovereignty over nations and individuals, and His prerogative to shape, reshape, or even destroy according to His righteous will and redemptive purposes.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 18:5 primarily employs the Prophetic Formula and Divine Address. The phrase "Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying," is a quintessential prophetic formula used ubiquitously throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Ezekiel 1:3, Hosea 1:1, Jonah 1:1) to authenticate the message as originating directly from God, rather than from human wisdom, speculation, or political agenda. This device lends immense Authority to the subsequent message, ensuring the audience understands that what follows carries the full weight of divine decree and is therefore binding. It also skillfully creates Anticipation, signaling to the reader or listener that a significant, divinely-sourced revelation is imminent, thereby demanding their full attention and serious consideration. The direct Divine Address ("came to me, saying") further underscores the personal and intimate nature of God's communication with His chosen servant, Jeremiah, highlighting his unique role as a direct conduit for God's sovereign will and truth to His people.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 18:5 is a foundational statement about the very nature of divine revelation and God's active, intentional engagement with His creation. It asserts unequivocally that God is not a silent, distant, or indifferent deity but one who speaks directly, purposefully, and authoritatively to humanity through His chosen instruments, the prophets. This verse underscores the absolute necessity and critical role of prophets in the Old Testament economy as the primary means by which God communicated His covenant demands, warnings, promises, and ultimate purposes to His people. The "word of the LORD" is portrayed as dynamic, living, and effective, not merely informative, setting the stage for the powerful demonstration of God's absolute sovereignty over nations and individuals, as vividly illustrated in the subsequent potter analogy. This direct divine communication is the bedrock upon which all subsequent prophetic ministry, theological understanding, and the very possibility of a relationship with God rests.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 18:5, though remarkably brief, carries profound and enduring implications for our understanding of God's character and our appropriate posture towards His revelation. It serves as a powerful reminder that God is a speaking God, one who initiates communication, desires to make His will known, and actively engages with His creation. For Jeremiah, this meant a direct, often audible, word, but for believers today, God's authoritative "word" is primarily and definitively found in the Holy Scriptures, which are "God-breathed" and utterly trustworthy (2 Timothy 3:16). This verse challenges us to cultivate a posture of attentive listening, humble submission, and earnest seeking of God's revealed truth. Just as Jeremiah's message carried undeniable divine authority, so too does the Bible, demanding our careful study, unwavering belief, and diligent obedience. Recognizing that the same God who spoke to Jeremiah still speaks through His written Word encourages us to seek His guidance in all areas of life, trusting that His instructions are for our ultimate good and His supreme glory. It also reminds us that the God who spoke to Jeremiah is the same God who is actively involved in shaping our lives and the world around us, inviting us to discern His ongoing work and respond faithfully with our lives.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the phrase "the word of the LORD came to me" in the Old Testament?
Answer: This phrase is a common and highly significant prophetic formula used repeatedly throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Ezekiel 1:3, Jonah 1:1, Zechariah 1:1). Its significance is multi-faceted and crucial for understanding biblical prophecy:
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 18:5, proclaiming "Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying," finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament prophets received the "word of the LORD" in spoken, visionary, or written forms, God's final, complete, and embodied revelation is found in His Son. As John 1:1 majestically declares, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," identifying Jesus as the eternal Logos, the very expression, communication, and essence of God Himself. The book of Hebrews 1:1-2 powerfully articulates this culmination: "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son." Thus, the fragmented, progressive, and often indirect revelations given to prophets like Jeremiah culminate in Christ, who is not merely a messenger of God's word but the living Word incarnate (John 1:14). All of God's purposes, His sovereignty, His redemptive plan, and His ultimate will, which Jeremiah's "word of the LORD" began to unfold, are perfectly and finally revealed, accomplished, and embodied in Jesus, the ultimate and perfect expression of God's character and the exact image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15).