Author: Administrador

It was for all intents and purposes the end of the world. At least that is what it must have felt like. It was the end of life as it was known in Jerusalem, in Judah, in all that was left of David’s monarchy. Verses 2 and 3 are omitted from the lectionary, perhaps because … Continue reading “Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 Commentary by Wil Gafney”

Jeremiah’s words here astonish, and yet they fulfill what he has proclaimed. Jeremiah raised the specter of the Shiloh Temple in 7:12, 14 and 26:6, 9 for those who somehow feel God’s temple will protect them from foreign invasion. Even today this temple continues to be in utter ruins. Jeremiah had warned the people repeatedly … Continue reading “Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 Commentary by Garrett Galvin”

The truncated text of the lectionary selection distorts the message of the Jeremiah 29. The dissonance of the injunctions to build a life in Babylon and to seek its welfare is muted, if not actually removed. The resulting distortion can easily sentimentalize the text into a generalized word of optimism for difficult times. Jeremiah 29:2-3 … Continue reading “Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 Commentary by Richard W. Nysse”

My work on this text was interrupted by a telephone call from a Jewish friend. When I told him I was dealing with the encounter between Jeremiah and Hananiah, he immediately launched into a narrative telling of his role in a play produced at a summer Hebrew camp. He had taken the part of the … Continue reading “Jeremiah 28:5-9 Commentary by James Limburg”

Which way is up? The answer to that question would appear obvious, but not so if one is underwater inside a capsized vessel. I still recall watching the 1972 movie, “The Poseidon Adventure” as a kid. In particular, I remember the horror I felt watching the scene where the majority of the passengers, rather than … Continue reading “Jeremiah 28:5-9 Commentary by Bo Lim”

The scathing scolding present in Jeremiah 23 suggests that false prophets had become an insidious problem. The rebuke is palpable even for those of us who hear these words over two-and-a-half millennia later. Curiously, just when Jeremiah’s poetic rant is in high gear, there is a change in tone as well as form. This pivotal … Continue reading “Jeremiah 23:23-29 Commentary by Shauna Hannan”

God is nearby, not far off. Read and heard in isolation that affirmation can evoke multiple responses, many of which might evade the sting of Jeremiah’s challenge to readers and hearers, both ancient and current. In Jeremiah 23, the nearness of God is not a comfort. God is so near that there are no secret … Continue reading “Jeremiah 23:23-29 Commentary by Richard W. Nysse”

If there is any doubt that the preacher’s job is a difficult one, one need not look further than the book of Jeremiah. While scripture tells us almost nothing about the lives of the prophets, this book gives the reader a vivid picture not only of the prophet’s message, but of his life as well. … Continue reading “Jeremiah 23:23-29 Commentary by Alphonetta Wines”

The passage opens with an ominous tone: Woe! The voice is that of the prophet Jeremiah however the words are Yahweh’s. The spotlight of judgment is focused on “the shepherds.” While actual shepherds were among the poor and lowly in ancient Near Eastern societies, “shepherd” was also a term used to refer to a king. … Continue reading “Jeremiah 23:1-6 Commentary by Elna K. Solvang”

Words one does not want to hear from God: “You have not attended to them. So I will attend to you” (Jeremiah 23:2). It really does not matter much what the “them” refers to—the threat is clear without the historical context—but the language of the text makes things worse: these are “my people,” “my flock,” … Continue reading “Jeremiah 23:1-6 Commentary by Fred Gaiser”