Jeremiah 1:4-19

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• Reading the Text:
  • NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
  • The Bible Gateway: NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
  • The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Hebrew text with concordance, commentaries.
  • The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.
• Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
  • "The Prophet and Reformer," Comparative World Scriptures from United Communities of Spirit.
  • Chapter III, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians, Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110). (Longer version only - 4th cent interpolation.)
  • V.XV.3, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
  • I.7, Paedagogus, Clement of Alexandria (c 200)
  • Chapter XXVI, On the Soul, Tertullian (c. 210)
  • Chapter XXII, Against Praxeas,  Tertullian (c. 213)
  • II.VIII.3, III.III.5, First Principles (De Principiis), Origen. (c.225)
  • VI.IX, The Refutation of all Heresies (Philosophumena), Hippolytus of Rome. (c. 225)
  • IV.I, Against Celsus, Origen (c. 246)
  • On the Lapsed -- Cyprian of Carthage (c. 251)
  • From the Preface to the Commentary on Jeremiah, by Jerome (391-406).
  • Rashi's Commentary, c. 1075. chabad.org.
  • From the Geneva Notes.
    • "Considering the great judgments of God which according to his threatening would come on the world, he was moved with a certain compassion on the one hand to pity them that would thus perish, and on the other hand by the infirmity of man's nature, knowing how hard a thing it was to enterprise such a charge."
  • From Matthew Henry's Commentary.
    • "God's message should be delivered in his own words. Whatever wordly wise men or politicians may think, the safety of kingdoms is decided according to the purpose and word of God."
  • From Wesley's Notes.
    • "Metaphors taken from architects and gardeners: either the former words relate to the enemies of God, and the latter to his friends; or rather to both conditionally: if they repent, he will build them up, he will increase their families, and settle them in the land; if they do not, he will root them up, and pull them down."
  • From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
    • "Prophets are said to do that which they foretell shall be done; for their word is God's word; and His word is His instrument whereby He doeth all things (Ge 1:3; Ps 33:6, 9). Word and deed are one thing with Him. What His prophet saith is as certain as if it were done. The prophet's own consciousness was absorbed into that of God; so closely united to God did he feel himself, that Jehovah's words and deeds are described as his."
• Contemporary Commentary, Studies and Exegesis:
  • Commentary, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Anathea Portier-Young, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2010.
    • "God's words in Jeremiah's mouth are powerful, dangerous, and life-giving. They destroy what must be destroyed, dealing death to death. They plant the seeds and build up the structures of life."
  • Jeremiah 1:4-10, Proper/Epiphany 4C, Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
  • Jeremiah 1:4-10, Studies on Old Testament texts from Series C, Ralph W. Klein, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
  • Jeremiah 1:4-10, Proper 21C, Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
  • Jeremiah 1:4-10, Commentary, Background, Insights from Literary Structure, Theological Message, Ways to Present the Text. Anna Grant-Henderson, Uniting Church in Australia.
    • "The clear message from God is emphasised by the use of the strong and frequent verbs in v.5 - I formed you, I knew you, I set you apart, I appointed you."
  • Jeremiah 1:4-10, The Old Testament Readings: Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church, Melbourne, Australia.
    • "We can’t help but note the similarities between Jeremiah’s experience and Luke’s story of Jesus’ reception in his hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4:21-30)."
  • "The Call of Jeremiah: Human Struggle with Divine Summons," The Journey with Jesus: Notes to Myself, Daniel B. Clendenin, Journey with Jesus Foundation, 2007.
    • "Imagine that the promises of God in Jeremiah 1:4–10 are spoken directly to you."
  • Commentary, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Karen Jackson-Weaver, The African American Lectionary, 2008.
    • "Like Jeremiah, we must be courageous and ensure that we invest in the future—our young people."
  • "The Embodied Word," Pilgrim Preaching, Keeping company with biblical texts and the people who hear and preach them, a weblog for preaching, by Mary Hinkle, Luther Seminary.
    • "Putting our bodies where our hearts are is more than the old 'ministry of presence.' It is offering a physical, visual account of the hope that is in us."
  • 4 Epiphany, Year C: Jeremiah 1:4-10, Biblische Ausbildung, Dr. Stephen L. Cook, Virginia Theological Seminary. Part 2.
    • "Read the book of Jeremiah not to become like Jeremiah in his anguish, but to see in him an interpretation of God's interrelations with God's people."
  • Jeremiah 1:4-10, The Old Testament Readings: Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Howard Wallace Audrey Schindler, Morag Logan, Paul Tonson, Lorraine Parkinson, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church, Melbourne, Australia.
    • "Jeremiah’s call was to pull down those things which did not lead to life as well as to build up those which did, and much of what belonged to what depended on the social and historical circumstances of the time."
  • Kairos Co-Motion Lectionary Dialogue, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Wesley White. Progressive Christian perspective, 2007.
    • "We know what needs to be changed, now we just need to begin the formation of a change process in the wombs of our lives."
  • Expository Essay, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Dr. William R. Long. Part 2.
    • "This call or commissioning narrative of Jeremiah leaps off the page to us with its passion and insight, but the three points I will note are these: (1) Jeremiah--The Messenger to the Nations; (2) Jeremiah--Age is No Obstacle for God; (3) Jeremiah--Doing the Work of God."
  • "Prophet to the Nations," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources.
    • "We must carry a good-news message to those who believe and a bad-news one to those who don't. All believers are called to this end and we fulfill it in a myriad of ways."
  • "The Call," Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Lectionary Resource for Catholics.
    • "Jeremiah preached before and during the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon. According to tradition, he was exiled to Egypt and died as a martyr."
  • Blogging toward Sunday, Jo Bailey Wells, Theolog: The Blog of The Christian Century, 2007.
    • "It’s easy to see why we resist. The transition is from harmless religion to scary religion. Harmless religion baptizes our blessings and confirms our comforts."
  • Lectionary Commentary, Jeremiah 1:4-10, 12th Sunday After Pentecost, (Year C), Dennis Bratcher, Christian Resource Institute.
    • "I have heard it said that it takes a lot of faith in the future to plant an acorn. Few people who plant acorns will ever see the mature oak that it produces. Much of what we do in ministry, or simply in being Christian does not have immediate, short-range results."
• Articles & Background:
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  • Balentine, Samuel E., "The Prophet as Intercessor: A Reassessment," Journal of Biblical Literature, 1984.
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      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Childress, Kyle, "Expect a Call," The Christian Century, 2007.
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  • Duke, William H., Jr., "Between Text and Sermon: Jeremiah 1:4-18," Interpretation, 2005.
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      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
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  • Gateley, Edwina, "The Gifts and Challenges of Parenting," The Living Pulpit, 2003.
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  • Gilula, M., "An Egyptian Parallel to Jeremiah 1:4-5," Vetus Testamentum, 1967.
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  • Gustafson, James M., "On Being Called: Ordination Sermon for Christopher Myers," Journal for Preachers, 1997.
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  • Holladay, William L., "The Background of Jeremiah's Self-Understanding: Moses, Samuel and Psalm 22," Journal of Biblical Literature, 1964.
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  • Howard, Robert R., "Word of Grief, Word of Hope," Journal for Preachers, 2008. Sermon.
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  • Lessing, Reed, "Homiletical Helps on LW Series B - Epistles," Concordia Journal, 2007. (Section on this text begins on p. 429.)
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  • Lewin, Ellen Davis, "Arguing for Authority: A Rhetorical Study of Jeremiah 1:4-19 and 20:7-18," Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 1985.
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  • Mehl, Lyn, "The Call to Prophetic Ministry: Reflections on Jeremiah 1:4-10," Currents in Theology and Mission, 1981.
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  • O'Connor, Kathleen M., "The Prophet Jeremiah and Exclusive Loyalty to God," Interpretation, 2005.
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  • Overholt, Thomas W., "Some Reflections on the Date of Jeremiah's Call," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 1971.
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  • Sappenfield, William J., "Known Beyond the Borders: Reflections on the Lectionary Readings for January," The Living Pulpit, 2007.
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  • Schart, Aaron, "The Book of Jeremiah and the Visions of Amos," Review and Expositor, 2004.  (See also Jeremiah, issue focus of Review and Expositor, 2004.)
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  • Sharp, Carolyn J., "The Call of Jeremiah and Diaspora Politics," Journal of Biblical Literature, 2000.
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  • Strawn, Brent A., "Jeremiah's In/Effective Plea: Another Look at N'R in Jeremiah 1.6," Vetus Testamentum, 2005.
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  • Thompson, Philip E., "Jeremiah 1:1-10, Between Text & Sermon," Interpretation, 2008.
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  • Vischer, Wilhelm, translated by Suzanne de Dietrich, "The Vocation of the Prophet to the Nations," Interpretation, 1955.
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  • Whitley, C.F., "The Date of Jeremiah's Call," Vetus Testamentum, 1964.
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  • Wittenberg, Gunther, "'...To Build and to Plant' (Jer. 1:10) The Message of Jeremiah as a Source of Hope for the Exilic Community and Its Relevance for Community Building in South Africa," Journal of Theology for Southern Africa, 2002.
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  • Youngblood, Ronald F., "The Call of Jeremiah," Criswell Theological Review, 1990.
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• Sermons:
  • "What's My Life?" the R3v. Dr. Kim Buchanan, Day 1, 2004.
  • "Reluctant to Talk," Pastor Edward F. Marquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington.
  • "Jeremiah," from an Old Testament Sermon Series, Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington - Sermons from Seattle.
• Reviews:
• With Children:
  • "The Calling of Jeremiah," children's study, puzzles, coloring sheet, etc. Higher Praise Christian Center.
• Drama:
  • "Trust in a Trunk," Ryne Mimbs, dramatix.
• Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
  • Clip Art, Jeremiah 1:5, Fr. Richard Lonsdale, Resources for Catholic Educators.
• Hymns and Music:
• Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
  • Jeremiah
• Movies/Scenes listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
  • Call (see especially Oh, God!)
• Study Links and Resources for the Book of Jeremiah