The document provides an introduction to the book of Jeremiah and the prophet Jeremiah. It discusses the context, timeline, and key events of Jeremiah's ministry. Jeremiah prophesied during a period of political instability in Judah, witnessing the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. As a centralist prophet, Jeremiah received his call directly from God and faithfully delivered messages of judgment, though he also offered a message of hope if the people returned to God. The document examines Jeremiah's life and theology through analysis of passages in the book of Jeremiah.

1. Jeremiah (11-20)
The Weeping Prophet
Introduction to the Old Testament 2
Dr. Vanessa Ward
United Theological Seminary
By Natasha Harrell and Angeline Lee

2. An Introduction To Jeremiah
•
By word count the Book of Jeremiah is the
largest of the prophetic books of the Old
Testament. Because of its size, this book was
placed at the head of the Major Prophets in
some ancient lists and manuscripts.[1]
•
Later tradition identifies Jeremiah as the author
of the book of Lamentations. [2]
•
Jeremiah’s ministry extended more than forty
years, encompassing much of the reigns of the
last five kings of Judah. He was a contemporary
of the prophets Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk,
and Ezekiel. Jeremiah’s ministry beginning with
his call in 627 b.c. extending beyond the fall of
Jerusalem in 586 b.c. [3]
•
Because his ministry is one of the most
thoroughly documented in the Old Testament,
Jeremiah is one of the best known of the
prophets. [4]

3. An Introduction To Jeremiah
•
Jeremiah is known as “The Weeping Prophet.”
This man suffered as no other Biblical character
save the Son of God himself. [5] Some scholars
have documented aspects of Jeremiah’s public
ministry themed as that of “agony” with three
distinct aspects of his personal suffering being:[6]
– Ministerial: Jeremiah experienced the
agony of his message of judgment. He saw
clearly in vision the total destruction of the
land he loved. He saw the suffering of men,
women and children. Emotionally he was
drained each time he shared those dire
visions with his audience (13:17). The
people he loved—the people he knew were
standing on the brink of national destruction
—refused to listen. The men of his own
hometown plotted his demise (11:19, 21).

4. An Introduction To Jeremiah
– Psychological: Jeremiah’s personal
loneliness intensified his agony. If ever a
man needed a sympathetic spouse, this
prophet surely did. Yet God ordered him not
to marry (16:2). For the same reason God
prohibited Jeremiah from attending social
gatherings, whether feasts or funerals (16:5–
9). This prophet was to be a “loner” and
through his loneliness he would preach a
sermon.
– Physical: Jeremiah’s agony had physical as
well as psychological dimensions. The chief
officer of the Temple had him seized,
flogged and put in the public stocks
overnight (20:1). During the last days of
Jerusalem, Jeremiah was arrested on the
charge of treason. Again he was beaten,
then was thrown into a subterranean
dungeon where he nearly died (37:11).

5. Historical Contextual Analysis
A Timeline Perspective…
Historical Background of the Book. As predicted by the prophet Nahum, the Assyrian capital city of
Nineveh had fallen to the expanding Babylonian empire around 612 B.C. During this time, King Josiah
finished his reign in Judah around 609 B.C. (2 Kings 22). He was initially replaced in rapid succession first by
Jehoahaz and then by Jehoiakim who ruled from 609 B.C. to about 602 B.C. During his reign, the Babylonians
first invaded Judah in 606 B.C. and carried some Jews into captivity. Very shortly, Jehoiakim would rebel
against the Babylonians and be replaced by Jehoiachin around 598 B.C. In turn, Jehoiachin rebelled, the
Babylonians again invaded the land, confiscated most of the treasures from the temple, carried most of the
Jews into captivity in Babylonian territory, and installed Zedekiah as King. After about 10 years, Zedekiah also
rebelled which resulted in the third deportation of Jews, an 18 month siege of Jerusalem, and the destruction
of the city in 586 B.C. (2 Kings 25). Solomon's temple, which had existed for about 360 years, was destroyed
along with the city. [7]

6. Historical Contextual Analysis
Additional Points…
– Chapters 2–25 form the first major division
of the book. These chapters are mainly pre605 b.c.[8] Jeremiah had been preaching for
twenty-three years before he was instructed
to record his sermons on a scroll. The
prophet dictated his messages to the scribe
Baruch.
– This first edition of the Book of Jeremiah
was destroyed in 604 b.c. by the tyrant King
Jehoiakim. God, however, commissioned
Jeremiah to produce another scroll. This
second edition of the book contained all the
words of the first scroll and “many similar
words” as well (36:32). A third edition of the
book must have been produced by Baruch
about 560 b.c in Egypt after the death of
Jeremiah.[9]
– The historical Jeremiah was deeply in the
politics of his day and paid a high price for it
by way of ridicule, rejection, persecution,
imprisonment, and exile. At the same time,
the literary character of Jeremiah personifies
the sufferings of the inhabitants of Judah
and Jerusalem during the final years of the
Davidic monarch” [10]

7. Literary Analysis
•
The book of Jeremiah has been recognized as
“an anthology of anthologies,” a compilation of
various collections of Jeremiah’s oracles and
pronouncements as well as biographical and
autobiographical accounts of his life and ministry
with prose and poetic forms juxtaposed
throughout the book.[11]
•
The first half of the book, which includes
Chapters 11-20, is comprised primarily of oracles
against Judah and Jerusalem and dates primarily
from the reign of Jehoiakim.[12]
•
There is clear evidence throughout the book of
Jeremiah of edits made under the Deuteronomic
school of writers.[13]

8. Literary Analysis
•
The arrangement of materials in the Book of
Jeremiah has been called the most confused in
the Old Testament. The material contained in the
book has large portions presented in
chronological order, however, there are inserted
chapters that jump forward or backward in time
lending exegetes to believe that Jeremiah (for
those who subscribe to the ‘historical Jeremiah’
perspective) or his editor Baruch must have at
times grouped material according to a topical
rather than a chronological purpose.[14]
•
Clustered in the first major section of the book
are the “Confessions” of Jeremiah which are
specifically found in passages 11:18-12:6, 15:1021, 17:4-18; 18:18-23, and 20:7-18.[15]
– “Confessions” are variations of the lament
genre found principally in the Psalms and in
the Book of Job. Laments which are
“appeals for divine help in distress and are
subdivided into two principal categories of
Individual Laments and Communal Laments.
[16]

9. Literary Analysis
•
It is also key to note that until the late twentieth
century, a majority of scholars used the many
narrative and historical details in the book to
construct a biography of the ‘historical Jeremiah.’
More recently many have concluded that while
biography is one purpose of the book, the
prophet is more a literary character in the book
than an actual historical person.”[17]

10. Jeremiah: Peripheral or
Centralist Prophet?
Jeremiah was a Centralist Prophet because from
before his birth he was called by Yahweh to be
the one to go the nations of Judah and
Jerusalem. He was not appointed to intercede for
them but to declare Yahweh’s word against their
actions towards Yahweh.
Centralist Prophet Definition: “They apparently played no role in
the cult and did not act as intercessors, but they did have
governmental functions” [18]

11. Jeremiah: Peripheral or
Centralist Prophet?
•
•
•
•
Jeremiah: NO CULT
Jeremiah was called by Yahweh before his birth as
“prophet to the nations” [19]
Deeply involved in the politics of his day[20]
Understood his purpose was to be Yahweh’s
shepherd/servant to the Nations of Judah and
Jerusalem
Biblical References
•
•
•
“It was the Lord who made it known to me and I knew.”
(Jer. 11.18)
“Your words were found and I ate them, and your
words became to me joy and delight of my heart; for I
am called by your name, O, Lord of hosts.” (Jer.
15.16)
“But I have not run away from being shepherd in your
service…” (Jer. 17.16)

12. Jeremiah: Peripheral or
Centralist Prophet?
•
•
Jeremiah: Was Not An Intercessor
Jeremiah was instructed by God not to speak nor to
pray on behalf of the Nations he was instructed to
go to the where the Kings entered and declare
Yahweh’s prophetic word
Biblical References
•
•
•
“As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a
cry or prayer on their behalf, for I will not listen when
they call to me in their time of trouble. (Jer. 11.14)
“The Lord said to me: Do not pray for the welfare of
this people .” (Jer. 14.11)
“ For thus says the Lord: Do not enter into the house
of mourning, or go to lament, or bemoan them: for I
have taken away my peace from this people, says
the Lord, my steadfast love and mercy.” (Jer.16.5)

13. Jeremiah: Peripheral or
Centralist Prophet?
Biblical References (continued)
•
•
“..proclaim all this in the cities of Judah, an in the
streets of Jerusalem..(Jer. 11.3), Go and stand at
the peoples gate, by which the Kings of Judah
enter and by which they go out, and in all the
gates of Jerusalem,…(Jer. 17.19)
Other biblical references of Jeremiah being called
to the city gated can be found in Jer. 18.1-4 and
19.1-3
Text references
•
•
Jeremiah was an eye witness to the proceedings
of the divine council[21]
The prophet was instructed to stand at the
entrance of the Temple and there to announce
Yahweh’s conditions…[22]

14. Jeremiah’ s Theological
Message
•
The meaning found in Jeremiah serves to remind,
restore, and reward the nations-if the people of the
nation turn back to Yahweh. A message of hope.
Biblical Reference
•
•
“At one moment I may declare concerning a nation
or kingdom…but if that nation…turns from its evil, I
will change my mind about the disaster that I
intended to bring it.
Jeremiah presents a reminder for the life and
death circumstances that have come against the
nations. Within his elaborate illustration of pain
and endurance to the calling he created a
paralleling theological message that speaks to the
need for the relationship with respect to the
covenant to be restored between God and the
people. [23]

15. Jeremiah’ s Theological
Message
Biblical reference (continued)
•
He illustrates how he was covered and rewarded
by Yahweh’s protection because of his relentless
faithfulness to Yahweh’s prophecy.
Text Reference
•
However, the prophet continued to maintain that
Yahweh would not entirely abandon his people.[24]

16. Jeremiah’ s Theological
Message
•
The meaning found in Jeremiah serves to remind,
restore, and reward the nations-if the people of the
nation turn back to Yahweh. A message of hope.
Biblical reference
•
•
“At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or
kingdom…but if that nation…turns from its evil, I will
change my mind about the disaster that I intended to
bring it.
Jeremiah presents a reminder for the life and death
circumstances that have come against the nations.
Within his elaborate illustration of pain and endurance
to the calling he created a paralleling theological
message that speaks to the need for the relationship
with respect to the covenant to be restored between
God and the people. [25]

17. Jeremiah’ s Theological
Message
•
He illustrates how he was covered and rewarded
by Yahweh’s protection because of his relentless
faithfulness to Yahweh’s prophecy.
Text Reference
•
However, the prophet continued to maintain that
Yahweh would not entirely abandon his people.[26]

18. References
[1] Smith, J. E. (1992). The Major Prophets. Old Testament Survey Series (Je). Joplin,
MO: College Press.
[2] Coogan, Michael David (2011). The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary
Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures, 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press.
[3] Smith
[4] Myers, A. C. (1987). The Eerdmans Bible dictionary (566). Grand Rapids, MI:
Eerdmans.
[5] Smith
[6] Ibid
[7] http://www.biblequestions.org/archives/bqar419.htm
[8] Smith
[9] Ibid
[10] Coogan
[11] Myers
[12] Ibid
[13] Ibid
[13] Coogan
[14] Smith
[15] Coogan
[16] Ibid
[17] Ibid
[18] Wilson, Robert R. "Early Israelite prophecy." Interpretation 32, no. 1 (January 1, 1978):
3-16. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed February 10,
2014). Pg. 14
[19] Coogan, 369
[20] Ibid.368
[21] Ibid.371
[22] Ibid.373
[23] Ibid.374
[24] Ibid.373
[25] Ibid.374
[26] Ibid.373