2. Authorship & Date of
Composition
✦ One of few OT books to speak about its writing
✦ began recording in 605 b.c. (after 20 years of
prophesying) – see 36:1–3
✦ Baruch (36:4)
✦ original destroyed, but second copy made
(36:32)
✦ note 51:64
3. Issues in Interpretation
1. No clear chronological patterns
2. Duplications – oracles separated from report of
events (cf. 7 & 26; 25 & 36)
3. Greek text varies from Hebrew
4. Relationship between poetic and prose sections
5. Qumran
✦ discovered first in 1947
✦ some 800 fragments
✦ some significant finds:
✦ complete Isaiah scroll
✦ Habakkuk Commentary
✦ Psalm Scroll (41 canonical psalms)
✦ fragments of all OT books except Esther
✦ copied 5th century B.C. to 1st century A.D.
6. Contribution of Qumran
1. Picture of the Hebrew text nearly 1,000 years older than was
previously available
2. Readings that were unknown help us to better understand
many details in the biblical text.
3. Provide a good overview of the text in the Second Temple
period.
4. Demonstrate remarkable accuracy of OT texts copied and
preserved.
5. The reliability of ancient translations, especially the
Septuagint, is strengthened.
7. Witness to the Order of the Text
✦ 4QJera and 4QJerc have a text similar to the
Masoretic Text (the traditional Hebrew text)
✦ 4QJerb shows shortness and arrangement of
LXX, witnessing to a Hebrew text used by the
translators of the LXX
8. Influence of Deuteronomy
5For if you truly amend your
18 He executes justice for the
ways and your deeds, if you
orphan and the widow, and
truly practice justice between a
shows His love for the alien by
man and his neighbor,
giving him food and clothing. 6 if you do not oppress the alien,
19 So show your love for the
the orphan, or the widow, and
alien, for you were aliens in the
do not shed innocent blood in
land of Egypt.
20 You shall fear the LORD this place, nor walk after other
gods to your own ruin, 7 then I
your God; you shall serve Him
will let you dwell in this place,
and cling to Him, and you shall
in the land that I gave to your
swear by His name.
fathers forever and ever.
Deu 10:18–20
Jer 7:5-7
9. Influence of Deuteronomy
4 Circumcise yourselves to the
LORD And remove the
16 So circumcise your heart, and foreskins of your heart, Men of
stiffen your neck no longer. Judah and inhabitants of
Deu 10:16 Jerusalem, Or else My wrath
will go forth like fire And burn
with none to quench it, Because
of the evil of your deeds.
Jer 4:4
10. Influence of Deuteronomy
9 You shall not worship them
or serve them; for I, the LORD
your God, am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the 9 Will you steal, murder, and
fathers on the children, and on
commit adultery and swear
the third and the fourth
falsely, and offer sacrifices to
generations of those who hate
Baal and walk after other gods
Me, 17 You shall not murder. 18
that you have not known,
You shall not commit adultery.
19 You shall not steal. 20 You Jer 7:9
shall not bear false witness
against your neighbor.
Deu 5:9, 17-20
11. Deuteronomistic Theology
1. necessity of obeying law, punishment for
disobedience, internalization of law (cf. Jer
15:16; Deut 6:6)
2. necessity of wholeheartedly seeking God (Jer
29:13; Deut 4:29)
3. God as warrior (Jer 21:5; Deut 3:22)
12. Working Outline
1. Introduction (1)
2. Prophecies of Doom against Judah, Jerusalem, and
the Nations (2–25)
3. Prophecies of Salvation for Israel and Judah (26–35)
4. Baruch’s Narrative of the Suffering of Jeremiah (36–
45)
5. Prophecies of Doom against the Nations (46–51)
6. Conclusion (52)
13. The New Covenant
✦ internal torah
✦ forgiveness of sin
✦ all Israel knows Yahweh
