Exegetical Analysis of Jeremiah

Introduction

Prophets come from all walks of life, some seem to have wide variety of life and deep acquaintance with various aspects of live and works in Israel: there were shepherds, fruit collectors and wine dressers, priests, scribes, etc.,

Etymology

Prophet (Prophetes Greek word) may give 3 different meanings:

1.      Before hand- one who foretells the future

2.      On behalf of - one who speaks in the name of God

3.      In front of - one who stands in front of the people representing god

Religiously they were 'spokes men,' politically some were nominated by kings, socially those who interpreted the times those who explained science and philosophers too. But all of them did an oral ministry.

The word Nabi is used in the Hebrew Bible in two ways to indicate three sets of people: prophets, false prophets and other prophets.

Ø  Nb (Arabian Root) means to bubble out referring to the ecstatic prophets. Ezek 37: 10 uses as Hitnabbi which means to prophesy; in 1Sam 18:10 the term used means to enter into ecstasy.

Ø  Nabu (Akkadian word) means “Calling”. The Hebrew word Nb is passive in form, meaning one who has been called. To support this theory we have plenty of call narratives in the Bible, Ezek 1-3, Amos 7-13, Isa 6, Jer 1:4-10, Isa 40:38 - among all these narratives Jeremiah’s call narrative seems to be more unique.

Ø  There are other words also that denote prophets Roeh (Seer - used in North Israel), Hazah (Visionary - used in Southern Israel), Hoem -Dreamer, Ish ha Elohim - man of God, Hebel Nabiim - Band of prophets (1 Sam 10: 10), Bene Nabiim - Sons of Prophets (1 kgs 6:21). Sons of Prophets does not mean any of physical relationship but of a bond of living together. There were times when the senior prophets who choosing their disciples, but we see also some prophets who do not belong to this guild or band but getting the direct commission from God (Amos 7: 14-15, Jer 1: 4-10, Ezek 2:1-10).

Prophets were men of God, called for a particular mission

            Prophets were chosen and equipped by God to read and interpret the event and signs of the times. They perceived things from the perspectives of God to declare them to the people on behalf of God through their lives and words. The phenomenon of prophecy in the Israelite religion is unique. The prophetic personages of Israel have various special features: they read the present and look into the future. They admonish the kings, confront those in the authority and the false prophets challenge the rich & the powerful and speak for the poor and the oppressed. They tend to discern the plan of God for the people of God in the national and international arena.

            Right understanding of the prophets will enable us to interpret the social situation in a right perspective. The prophets teach how to read the signs of the times. The NT perceives the prophesies of the prophets as the fulfillment of the OT and understand Jesus as the prophet who is to come as told in Deut 18:15 “the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you from your brethren… him you shall heed” . The original duty of the prophets is mediation and interpretation of the “divine mind and will’ for the people. Only prerequisite was the divine inspiration. Prophets came from all walks of life.

            A prophet is the one who has been called by God to mediate between God and people and deliver the message of God in oracular form and the message should be community oriented. They were never been reluctant to pick up the moral tone of the leaders of Israel to condemn their deep insensitivity to evil and injustice. 

Social and historical context of Jeremiah

            The period of Jeremiah is the period of political transition. The life and preaching career of Jeremiah fall with in the context of the year’s 627-587B.C.E and little later. This period could be divided in to five sections

1)      Divided kingdom up to the period of Josiah

2)      The period of Josiah and reform (640 -609BCE)

3)      From the death of Josiah right up to 597 BCE)

4)      Time between the exiles (597-587 BCE)

5)      After 587 BCE).

The Message of the book of Jeremiah

            Jeremiah’s message and theology comes from concrete life situations. His theology deals with the idea of conversion. His message can be approached from two perspectives i) his message for the immediate audience ii) his message to the future generation.

(a) ‘God’ in the preaching of Jeremiah

      the omnipotence of Yahweh is well stated in some of his metaphors. Ex: Yahweh is the ‘foundation of living waters’ (2:13)

      Potter, it is he who directs the history of Israel right from her election (18:1-12)

      Jeremiah too amidst his strong words of doom has some warm imageries of God just like deuteron-Isaiah (2:1): Yahweh as husband (2:2) father (3:19) some of the deep theological Hebrew loyal (hesed) he had loved Israel with an everlasting love and despite Israel’s disloyalty he prolonged his love for her (31:3)

(b) Israel, the Nation and the individual

            Jeremiah always recognized the election of Israel and appreciated her with metaphors. He compares both the kingdoms Judah and northern Israel to two families (Bahar) (33:24) further Israel is the first fruits of the land( 2:3) a choice vine (2:21) the beloved(11:15, 12:7) Yahweh’s own heritage (12:7-9) . Jeremiah introduces the individual or personal responsibility in the realms of redemption and restoration (18; 31:31-33)

(c) Sin and Repentance

            Jeremiah’s central message evolved around the theme of sin and repentance. He brings variety of imageries like guilt or iniquity, rebellion, sin evil. The sins of Israel falls into two major categories: i) worship of false gods ii) a serious degradation in personal and social morality. Jeremiah used the nuance of the verb to ‘return’ (sub) when Jeremiah found that even after his constant persistence that the people do not seem to repent nor renounce their evil ways he declares them, that it is not the magnanimity of Yahweh fall short in forgiving the sins of the people, rather it is the stubbornness of their heart. (3:22; 14:7-10; 19-22)

(d) Future Hope

             Jeremiah’s message does not stop with the pronouncements of the severe divine judgment but transcends to a bright future where the purified Israel ‘will enjoy the fruits of the new covenant’ 31:31. The law (Torah) will be written on their hearts and they will have renewed relationship & worship of Yahweh. A new hope is injected into the hearts of the people in terms ‘messianic promises’. Jeremiah was sure that Yahweh will raise a righteous branch for David’ who would deal wisely and perform justice and righteousness in the land (23:5-6 33:15-16)

(e)The idea of Covenant

            Jeremiah was not so shy. This is exactly what he wanted to put across to the exiles. Already in (5:20-25, 14:22, 17:1, and 18:13-15), he emphasized that the people’s evil ways stand directly against God’s desire to help them and free them. As (17:1) puts it, their sin was written in stone on their hearts and they absolutely could not respond to God’s covenantal offer. God will not only drop his people altogether he will fashion an even better relationship with them. The hoped for change would be so great that the teachers and priests and wise who labored so hard to pass on the traditions and the faith would not even are needed. For Israel would know God so intimately and so well from personal experience that they would not have to be taught who this Yahweh was. And the beginning as real experience is the coming forgiveness and mercy as God in restoring the people Israel to their Land. The covenant on Sinai revealed by a God of great compassion and mercy, it was conditioned on the people’s ability to obey the law. Jeremiah foresees the covenant that is totally free gift of union which was born from Jeremiah’s own suffering and uncertainty about God’s presence during his ministry.

The Call Narrative

The event of call has a greater value in the life of any prophet. This call not only an vocation for a new form of life, this also becomes an identity, a strengthening factor, an assurance, a proof for the mission intended. At times the call event becomes a source of proof to prove to others that he is really called, for the prophets like Jeremiah call narrative is more than a mere call story, he was not only assured of a divine commission, but also his call assures of the everlasting guidance of the providential presence.

Types of Call narratives in the Bible

This illuminates directly prophets' understanding of their own personal to be a prophet.

Encounter Experience: this is connected with a mission, identified by the characteristics of the personal motif and is subordinated to the divine message, which is reported as a dialogue between God and the prophet. In this type, the call reports a very personal encounter between and prophet, in which the 'called' individual could express reluctance and even opposition to the call but was appeased with a sign or word of assurance from God. The call narrative of Moses (Ex 3:1-4:17), Gideon (Judges 6:11b-17), Saul (lSam 10:1-16) and Jeremiah (1:4-10) represent the same type of account.

Vision Experience: This literary variant of prophetic call narrative employs a vision, followed by a word of God and one who is called I ready and willing to accomplish the mission. Like the serving spirit, the person is prepared to do the will of the King, who comes in maj esty (Ps 103: 20-21). He becomes part and parcel of God's plan and his work. The call narrative of prophet Isaiah (Isa 6:1-10), Ezekiel (Ezk 1: 3-3:15), and Micaiah son of Imla (Kings 22:19-22) are the most impressive examples of this second type.

Dimensions of Biblical Prophetical call

A) Vertical Dimension of the prophetic Call

This has a limited feature of the prophetic traditions. The vertical dimension of the call narrative show the mystery character of the call. (They receive an immense experience from the divine realm. The God Experience). The prophet reports what he has experienced. Characteristic of such a presentation varies from one of the other. This mystery dimension of prophetic call gave prophets supreme confidence and courage in the authenticity of their prophetic roles.

B) Horizontal Dimension

Each prophet was called within a very particular Sitz-im-leben, to a particular social, political and economical setting. Here the prophets were themselves as the messengers or agents of the divine council, commissioned or deputed by God. So they emerged due to the inevitable need of the society political, social and economical condition. Prophets were heralds whose actions were substantially affected by political as well as social and economic Sitz-im-leben have a vital role into formation of prophets.

Literary Form of Call Narrative - Elements of the Biblical call Narratives

Most of the scripture scholars agree the division made by Noman C. Habel.

1. Divine confrontation,

2. Commission,

3. Objection,

4. Reassurance,

5. Sign.

1. The Divine Confrontation

The choice and the revelation of God to man is shown in 1 :5. This involves a forming God like that of Gen 2:7, one who knows Gen 18: 19, Ams 3:2 and a sanctifier Ex 19:4. The style also resembles the pattern of the vocation pattern of Moses (Deut 18: 18).
2. The Commission

“A prophet to the nations” (1: 13). Usual verbs of commission would be “to end or to walk,” but Jeremiah's mission is articulated through six active verbs: to pluck (1:10, 12:14), “to break down” (1:10), “to destroy”, (1:10, 12:17), “to overthrow”, (1:10), “to build”, (1:10, 2:21,
12:21,32,41). They show both the negative and the positive aspects of his mission.

3. Objection

It is a realization of his total insufficiency, inability, inadequacy, limitation, incapacity and his weakness. This sets the theme of God's creative grace in bold relief as well as stressing the divine initiative in all the call narratives, like that of Moses (Ex 3: 11, 13-15, 4: 1, 10, 13) and Gideon (Judg 6: 1-10). Jeremiah puts forward his youthfulness and inexperience in the ministry and disability in speech as reasons of objections.!

4. Reassurance

This empowers the prophets to execute the mission entrusted to them. God gives encouragement to weak humble beings that have been chosen as his mediators. God promises constant protection, encouragement and His abiding presence to them. The same assurance is found in Ex 3: 12 in the case of Moses and Gideon (Judge 6:16).

5. Sign

It is a public credential of the prophetic commission and restates the mission as well. In Jeremiah's call- narrative; though the technical term of sign is absent, the symbolic act of God extending the hand and touching the prophet’s mouth arid putting His words into it (1:9) serves the same function.  

Call Narrative of Jeremiah

Time: The narrative comes from the time of exile, claiming that the catastrophe of 587 BC. is presupposed in its substance. But it is equally possible that the call narrative stems from the time of the scroll compiled in 605 BC (Jer 36). In that initial compilation of oracles, it would have been appropriate to preface the collection with an account with an account of the call and to establish the nature of the message (Jer 1: 10)

Literary structure pattern

A short period of monarchy (The reign of Saul, David, Solomon) in the history of Israel and it in fact gave rise to a new literary category or literary structure, (Gattung) known as the account of call (means a common scheme among all the call narratives). There is a strong similarity between the call of Jeremiah and the call stories of the other prophets, notably Isaiah and Ezekiel and these ill turn, resembles the call of early heroes such as Moses and Gideon. They share a common pattern. Especially in the call narrative of Jeremiah we can have a be beautiful structure which as follows:

Vocation realization (v 4), Relationship Realized (v 5), The Prophetic Objection (v 6), The Assurance (v 7-9), The purpose of his call (v 10).

The facts emphasized

Ø  Jeremiah had a strong sense of his predestination to his task. No other prophet felt so strong as sense of divine urgency to prophesy; this appears especially in the passages known as the 'Confession' of Jeremiah.

Ø  Jeremiah was not, like Isaiah (6:8), immediately willing to respond to God's call. He protested that he was not eloquent.

Ø  Jeremiah was conscious at the outset of being sent to the nations (verse 4) and of being set over nations and kingdoms (verse 10); he was not merely a prophet of Israel.

Ø  His mission was to include both the negative task of destroying and overthrowing, plucking up and breaking down, and the positive task of building and planting (verse 10).

Exegetical Analysis

Vocation realization (v 4)

It begins with an autobiographical inscription. The call narrative of Jeremiah was put in the dialogical form. The words “come to me” does not go well with the Hebrew statement which could mean as "it was with me," (Mic 1:1, Joel 1:1, Ezek 27: 1). The word travels from God to man. It authenticates the prophet. The introductory formula was followed by his own personal experience with God. Any prophet is nourished by recalling his vocation narrative. Here Jeremiah revisits his call to strengthen himself.

Relationship Realized (v 5)

Thus realization is understood in two levels which are further divided:

Ø  The time element involves, "before, now and after," God forms his prophet in the past to work out in the future whom he knows through and through. The providence of God surpasses the womb. God appoints the prophet for the future mission.

Ø  The notion of person: This pictures the personal relationship between God and the prophet. This relationship is explained in the maternal way. God explains to him about his birth.

1.      Womb: the Hebrew word for womb is Rehem which also means compassion or passionate love. "I formed you in the womb" means more than just simple formation. The divine love surpasses the womb. His compassionate love towards His people starts even before one is formed in the womb. The very life and the growth of life in the womb is by the grace of God. The miracle or the beauty of the childbirth is a gift, the gift from the passionate Lord.

2.      “I formed you”: the Hebrew word for this formation is Yadsar, basically means ‘to design or to form. The word for ‘to create’ is ‘Barah’. In the call narrative of Jeremiah Yadsar is used rather than Barah. This shows the divine knowledge of one's calling; This is to indicate the conscious will of God to choose and form His prophet. This is to indicate that Jeremiah’s vocation is not of chance but of a careful choice. The book of Jeremiah presents the concept of womb, very high and low, in the context of vocation. Jeremiah praises the divine formation of himself in the womb, but when he feels lonely and frustrated he curses the womb (20: 15ft). The naked truth is that life outside the womb is not as secured as that of the life inside. Though sometimes he seems to have doubted his call his revisit over his call seems to have strengthened him. But most of all he was nourished by the divine assurance.

3.      “I know you”: The Hebrew word for this phrase is Yada. From the perspective of the Bible knowing does not just knowing all names or some qualities of a person. It means knowing through and through. This verse confirms Jeremiah that God
knows his entire self, the full and the weak self of Jeremiah. This is to indicate to
Jeremiah and to his opponents of his divine mission and divine presence with him.

4.      “I consecrated you”: Through this act God reminds him that God is not only the author of life but also the sustainer and the sanctifier of it. He proves to Jeremiah that he has to be sanctified, be consecrated for the mission. The Hebrew noun Qodes means to set apart. Jeremiah was set apart for his mission. A committed mission needs a proper realization of one's vocation. Jeremiah was explained clearly of his holy choice.

5.      “I appoint you a prophet to the nations”: The universal salvific plan of God was revealed to Jeremiah. It reminds the fact that a prophet is not only for a particular
clan or people, rather one should never forget his role in any situation. For this, universal mission God promises His divine assurance. This appointment also goes
with its own rights and duties which we will be seeing in v 10.

The Prophetic Objection (v 6)

In any call narrative objections are common. “I do not know to speak,” “I am only a youth”. Problem in speech does not mean the dumbness, rather his inability to face people. Jeremiah knew his weakness and the demands of the divine mission, so he came out with his complaints. But God proved to him of His divine assurance. Knowing one's own limitation is the beginning of God's providence. Jeremiah knew himself well but God knew him better.

The Assurance (v 7-9)

This can be explained in the following form: Twofold assurance of God, through His word and by His deed.

Vv7-8 - verbal assurance

V 9- symbolic acts as an assurance.

Verse 7

It was easy for God to fill Jeremiah's empty pot, because he has poured out himself before God. God even instructs Jeremiah what to do and what not to do. This vocation cannot be called as an invitation to Jeremiah. As for some scholars, it seems more of a command, by which God instructs Jeremiah that it was not his mission rather God's mission, so the divine assurance was given in very strong terms.

Verse 8

The divine assurance is the grace actualization. “Deliver you from sudden danger”. Fear not” assures him that it is God who stands and fights for him to assure him of the divine providence. "Of them" may indicate the multiplicity of the opposition against Jeremiah. Among all of them the provident presence of God will be the source of strength to Jeremiah. The assurance makes him to be confident of the fact that this is Emmanuel.

Verse 9

There is an anthropological gesture from God. Can it be a symbolic assurance? Because the term assurance is repeated once again in v .18 (a similar assurance can be seen in Deut 18: 18 with regard to Moses). “The touch” conveys the message that from then onwards the mind of Jeremiah and God are as one. Touch also stands of Jeremiah or Jeremiah as the mouthpiece of God. Ultimately the touch indicates that God is directly involved in the vocation of Jeremiah.

The purpose of the call of Jeremiah (v 10)

The purpose is revealed to Jeremiah here. God gives to those who give more. His mission was explained to him here. With the mission explained among which there are four negative verbs calling forth for the conversion and return and two positive verbs which strengthens the suffering. This is indeed reflected in the life of Jeremiah, he has really lived out his vocation, because of which he has to be opposed by his own brothers’ outburst of suffering. 20:4 may be an ample of his rejection. But the destiny of the prophecy and the destiny of the prophet are one and the Same in Jeremiah.

Theology of the Call

The call narratives emphasizes that God personally called prophets; their task was quite comprehensive in character and the mission comes directly from God and not of human origin. No one could assume for himself the prophetic office. The one who is called surrenders to the God who has called; this is more of God Experience, which leads one to correct certain task, rooted in religious, political, cultural, economical and social traditions. God takes the initiative to call certain individual; no man can merit it by his talents. These we can say as, each call narrative reflect the particular spirituality of each prophet. A call or a vocation is not doing what one thinks God Wants of a person. It is doing that which God wants of a person, the task that God entrusts to the particular person.

Commission or Call

The public nature of Jer 1: 4-10 is readily acknowledged by exegetes, but a different explanation is offered by Reventlow. In a very comprehensive analysis of these verses he interprets them as representing the ordination ritual for a person becoming a cult prophet. It is an attractive thesis, confirming the view expressed here that 4-10 afford no insights into Jeremiah's personality or outlook, but lacks substantiation from other sources for the existence of such an ordination process in the temple cult. The temple is an important matrix for the construction and maintenance of the Jeremiah tradition, but it does not follow from such a setting of the book that Jeremiah was cult official. The story is better read as an account of his commissioning to a specific task being a prophet to the nations. Being a prophet may be a byproduct of obeying such commissions or a perspective, introduced into the stories by the editors, but a 'call' does not make a prophet. What makes a prophet is the possession and delivery of the word at the divine command. The distinction between a commission and a 'call' may be regarded as rather subtle, but a commission is very specific task.

The fact

Any call from God is for the special purpose at times the prophets' vocation is to cry out-to God, to the air, to any open heart; they cry out on behalf of God and on behalf of the poor because no one is listening except God. There have always been three kinds of prophets: Individual chosen, sent and compelled to speak when we see the look at the scripture we can easily turn out this fact. It all shows to us that they lived for word of God, each prophet becomes the message. They embody the word that is to be spoken to this people, at this time, in this place. Their very presence becomes a message in itself. (Cf Isa 6:1-13, Ezk J.-3). The experience of vocation as it is described here has parallels to other prophetic experiences (Samuel). The vocation story of Jeremiah cannot be undermined in any way. His call always forces him to go forward, to accomplish the task of God. The actual difference between the three fundamental narratives in prophetic books (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel), the narrative may be taken as reflecting genuine religious experience, but it all because of the individual experience of the prophet with God. This can be seen more as the product of theological reflection, than of autobiographical recollection. Further we can say this as the prophetic spirituality:

Ø  The prophetic books do not provide any detailed account of Vocation (Joel, Obadiah, Micah).

Ø  It is a distinctive feature of Jeremiah's call narrative (in contrast to those of Isaiah and Ezekiel).

It established the authority of the prophet: he was not simply declaring his own opinions but was declaring the divine word, in both its destructive and constructive dimensions. The call narrative establishes the authenticity of Jeremiah's oracles, in contrast to those of the false prophets, who are so frequently denounced in the prophetic ministry.

In what way the call of Jeremiah is significant? – Answer is found above but scattered.

What is the relationship of call of Jeremiah and his 40 long years of prophetic ministry?

Make the reflection personal to your own self

What does the call mean for you today? – Jeremiah is a celibate and we too are celibates, Jeremiah was opposed by his own people, Jesus was opposed by his own and we too will receive the same treatment. Still carry on the mission of God.

 Fr. Albert Leo, CPPS

Precious Blood Missionaries