The public nature of Jeremiah as a prophet and observation of in  Judean society

Get Complete Project Material File(s) Now! »

CHAPTER 4: IN JEREMIAH

Introduction to the term

The root , which we have already referred to on a number of occasions in our Jeremiah study, is well attested in the Ancient Near East and is the twelfth most frequently used verb in the OT, appearing almost always in the qal²⁵⁴ and hifil stems.²⁵⁵ There are one hundred and eleven uses of in Jeremiah²⁵⁶ – certainly making it too large a project to do exhaustive analysis here, but nonetheless, because it is used in Jeremiah more than any other OT book, and is crucial moral vocabulary, it merits some discussion as to its nuance of meaning. We shall see its importance for our pursuit of genuine knowledge of Yahweh within the Jeremiah corpus, especially 23:14,22 and 15:7 where prophetic veracity is a concern. Also, from , which is surely always implied, is a common theme (18:8,11; 23:14; 25:5; 26:3; 35:15; 36:3,7; 44:5), and in most of these occurrences the of the people is what is ( ) . Although the term can have a variety of meanings depending on its context and usage (e.g. turn, return, go back and forth, etc.), the general tenure of in the OT, and certainly in Jeremiah, is repentance. TWOT states that ‘all … expressions of man’s penitential activity … are subsumed and summarized by this one verb …’²⁵⁷ and ‘For better than any other verb it combines in itself the two requirements of repentance: to turn from evil and to turn to good’.²⁵⁸ J.A. Soggin states in TLOT, ‘especially that the central meaning of the turning is that it connotes movement in a particular opposite direction – and without evidence that this is indeed happening, one will arrive again at the initial point of departure’.²⁵⁹ Joseph P. Healey puts it this way in ABD,
The idea of walking in the way of the Lord is a common metaphor in the Hebrew Bible (Ps.1:1). And in a variety of contexts the way of Israel is contrasted with the way of Canaan, the way of the Lord with the way of evildoers, the way of the righteous with the way of sinners. Israel’s religious calendar, too, is built on the core of pilgrim feasts:
Passover, Booths, and Pentecost all have pilgrim contexts. It is this notion of walking and journeying, then, that illumines the meaning of … The relationship with Yahweh is envisioned as an ongoing journey requiring constant attention and vigilance and a sense of purpose.²⁶⁰
Holladay notes that is used one hundred and sixty four times in a covenantal context in the OT.²⁶¹ The majority of these occurrences are in the prophets (one hundred and thirteen times), with Jeremiah leading the way (forty-eight times).²⁶² The abundant use of in Jeremiah contrasted with, for instance First Isaiah’s minimal use of the root (only six times), is suggestive of the urgent plea, and for that matter, the opportunity to respond to God that Jeremiah gives. TWOT understands the contrast this way Thus, we encounter the interesting phenomenon of two prophets back to back in the canon, the first virtually silent on the subject and the second quite vocal. Perhaps the paucity of references in Isaiah is the prophet’s way of saying the die has already been cast [ is referred to here in a quote from Is.6:10] … a point of no return has been reached.²⁶³
Contrary to this observation, it seems best to understand that Isaiah is not removing the opportunity for repentance because of minimal use of , for that would appear to contradict an important function of a prophet; but rather, it is more likely that such a us of  as in Isa.6:10 is designed for rhetorical purposes. That is, Isaiah, as is so often the case with Jeremiah, is finding ways to initiate a like response from the people through rhetoric, or any other variety of means. Stating ‘a point of no return has been reached’ by Isa.6, the very chapter in which the prophet receives his call, is eliminating a primary, if not the primary, function of why a prophet receives such a call from Yahweh.
If this is at all right, that even Isaiah who employs so rarely is nonetheless interested in proper responses to God, then how much more so Jeremiah, who employs the term so readily? It may be that prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah reach points of no return in allowing for human repentance to change the mind of Yahweh, but such a view should not be adopted prematurely. One aspect of the root in Jeremiah is that there appears to be room for the openness of God – that is, Yahweh gives ample opportunity for genuine repentance which can cause him to change a course of action. This we shall see when we investigate the incident at the potter’s house in 18:1-12. But first, we look at other usages of in the book of Jeremiah, a significant and key term of moral and religious transformation intergal to Jeremiah’s presentation of knowledge of Yahweh.

in Jer.3:1-4:4

We may gain some insight into the importance of the term in the Jeremiah tradition by evaluating early and sustained usages in the book. According to J.G. McConville ‘Jer.3:1-4:4 … features the most sustained thinking about repentance ( ) in the book’.It is therefore a worthy place for paradigmatic analysis of  in Jeremiah Its longer section extends from 2:1 (following the call of Jeremiah in ch.1) and can be organized into Israel’s apostasy (ch.2), the beginning of the call to repentance (ch.3), and a culminating call to repentance (4:1-4).
We begin with a brief survey and paraphrase of ch.2 so as to lead us into the call to repentance which takes greater shape in ch.3. Analyses in standard commentaries suggest that ch.2 is in the form of a covenant lawsuit where Israel is being arraigned by Yahweh (e.g. Jones and Thompson). Thompson notes that the opening call to Jerusalem in ch.2 indicates Jeremiah’s obedience to his call and commission in ch.1.²⁶⁵ Jones sees in 2:1 that Jeremiah begins at the beginning, with the divine election of Israel.²⁶⁶ Jeremiah’s charge against Judah in ch.2 is like that of a suzerain indicting the vassal for rebellion. Judah’s present apostasy in ch.2 is brought into full focus in light of reminders of a past loyalty (vv.1-3). Jeremiah is to speak in the ears of Jerusalem of their one time and their general pursuit of Yahweh in their earliest days together (v.2). With zeal Yahweh would respond to those who would trouble his people (v.3). Israel enjoyed a privileged relationship and special protection during the devotion of her youth.
Yahweh defends himself in vv.4-5 that if the relationship went bad, it did so because of the offenses of the fathers. Particularly, the fathers have failed to remember the early days that Yahweh has not failed to remember in vv.1-3 (v.6). Although Yahweh had done Israel right, Israel had done him wrong (v.7). Idolatry is the specific apostasy, characterized in such terms as ‘walking after wind ( )’ (v.5), ‘defiled by abomination’ (v.7), ‘Baal’ (v.8), and ‘walking after things that did not profit’ (v.8).
In v.9 Yahweh pronounces a with present and future generations, as if he will make up for the contention of past generations. This appalling action of forsaking Yahweh is something that even other nations have not done with their gods (vv.10-11a), gods that have no reality while Yahweh himself is the ‘glory’ ( ) of his people (v.11b). So appalling is the action, that the heavens themselves enter into the dismay (v.12).²⁶⁷ Two evils have been committed by the people (v.13). They are inter-related; for on the one hand they have left that which is obviously there and produces life – Yahweh himself, whose presence is captured in the language of ‘fountain of living waters’. On the other hand, and that which is the second evil, they hew out for themselves ( ) (v.13) broken cisterns, in a sense, physically exerting themselves to complete a product that not only fails to produce ‘living waters’, but cannot even ‘hold water’ (v.13). It is another attack on idolatry, particularly the kind that fashions its own graven images (cf.10:3-4).
In the next unit (vv.14-19) Israel is compared to a slave (v.14), the prey of a lion (vv.14-15), and is the object of ridicule to foreign nations (v.16). Indeed, Israel has forsaken the of Yahweh (v.17), either to be on the of exile, specifically to Egypt and Assyria, or better yet, to have been in alliance with the powers of Egypt and Assyria (v.18). The stinging questions asked in v.18 continues the drinking of water analogy begun in v.13. Their rhetorical force is a wake-up call, equivalent to something like ‘where did you get off the right road to take such a detour on a wrong and dangerous road’?
Yahweh had long ago given Israel liberty, but Israel turned it into an opportunity for idolatry, and even denied defilement (vv.20-25).²⁶⁸ Yahweh strikes at the shamefulness of the deed (v.26). He knows that when Israel has their back to the wall (lit. ‘in the time of evil’), they will call upon him to save them (v.27). That is, the reality of action comes through Yahweh. Yahweh’s response is basically, ‘you have your numerous gods; if there is any reality to them, let them save you’ (v.28).
Yahweh’s of v.9 is now counter-acted by the people’s with Yahweh (v.29). They contend with Yahweh in that they ‘accept no chastening’ (v.30). If he disciplines hard the people will not listen (v.30), if he refers to his past track record the people still will not listen (v.31), and if he reminds them of the earliest betrothals (v.32) as in v.2, the people still forget him.
Breaking from the of Yahweh in vv.17-18 appears again in v.33 where Israel is as an adulterer in their idolatry. They are worse than the women of adultery²⁶⁹ to whom they have become teachers of an even worse . The idolatrous cult of Israel is coupled with judicial bloodshed²⁷⁰ of the innocent and a not guilty plea (v.35). The result shall be exile with great lamentation (vv.36-37).

Chapter 1 Introduction
I. Research problem statement, purpose, and method
II. A survey of literature on OT theology in general and the  moral theology of Jeremiah in particular
III. Importance of knowing God in Jeremiah
IV. State of the study of the book of Jeremiah
V. The book of Jeremiah as a whole
Chapter 2 A Profile of ??? in Jeremiah
I. Introduction to the term
II. ??? in relationship to Yahweh
III. ??? of Yahweh as an ideal
IV. Yahweh as the direct object of
V. Summary
Chapter 3 A Profile of ??? and ?? in Jeremiah
I. Introduction to the term ???
II. The public nature of Jeremiah as a prophet and observation of ??? in  Judean society
III. Inclusion of ?? in exploration of ??? in Jeremiah
IV. Relating ??? and ?? to ??? in Jeremiah
Chapter 4 A Profile of ??? in Jeremiah
I. Introduction to the term ???
II. ??? in Jer.3:1-4:4
III. ??? in Jer.18:1-12
IV. Summary
Chapter 5 The Drought (14:1-15:9)
I. Irony in Jer.14:1-15:9
II. Interpretive options and counter-liturgy
III. Structure of Jer.14:1-15:9
IV. Exposition of Jer.14:1-15:9
V. Summary
Chapter 6 Messages to the Judean Kings (21:1-23:8)
I. Introduction to the kingly cycle, the address to Zedekiah, and a test of Jeremiah’s prophetic veracity
II. The meaning of ??? in Jer.20:7
III. Jeremiah continues in his prophetic stance
IV. Indictments against anonymous Judean kings (21:11-22:9)
V. Oracles against specific Davidic kings (22:10-22:30)
VI. Jeremiah’s challenge to ‘know’ Yahweh in his address to Jehoiakim  (22:13-19)
VII. Textual discussion and exegesis of vv.15-16
VIII. 22:17-19
IX. Further lament (22:20-23)
X. Oracle against Jehoiachin (22:24-30)
XI. Shepherds of Israel and the Davidic hope (23:1-8)
Chapter 7 Messages to the Prophets (23:9-40)
I. Introduction and structure of Jer.23:9-40
II. General Indictments against prophets and priests (Yahweh being mis-  represented by lack of ‘holy words’ [vv.9-12])
III. Samaria and Jerusalem prophets indicted (prophets and ??? [vv.13-15])
IV. Yahweh’s warnings against the prophets (prophets and the council of Yahweh [vv.16-18])
V. Judgment fragment (poetic element and the council of Yahweh [vv.19-20])
VI. Yahweh’s rejection of the prophets (the council and need for ??? [vv.21- 22])
VII. Yahweh’s comprehensive knowledge of the prophets (Yahweh is against these prophets [vv.23-32])
VIII. Appendix concerning ??? (a surprising word of abandonment [vv.33-40])
Chapter 8 Message at the Temple (chs.7&26)
I. Structure of the temple sermon (Jer.7)
II. What makes the temple Yahweh’s temple?
III. Yahweh dwelling in the temple as divine response
IV. Human response which initiates divine response
V. The temple sermon in Jer.26
VI. Summary
Chapter 9 Messages Concerning the Yoke of Babylon (chs.27-29)
I. Introducing the cycle of Jer.27-29
II. Jer.27 in LXX and MT
III. Outline of Jer.28
IV. Exposition of Jer.28
V. Interpretations by Buber, Von Rad, Zimmerli, and Childs
VI. Furthering the discussion on Jer.28
VII. Exposition of Jer.29
Chapter 10 Conclusions and Wider Reflections
I. Conclusions
II. Wider Reflections
Select Bibliography
GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT
‘KNOWING THE LORD’: MORAL THEOLOGY IN THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH