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I Sat Alone: Jeremiah Among the Prophets
The prophet Jeremiah is among the most complex and intriguing characters in the Bible. This study of the prophet focuses on the major biographical episodes in the prophet's book and their interpretation. An overview of prophecy and the prophets of the Hebrew Bible sets the backdrop for this fascinating character. Setting the historical background of the prophet, Avioz then explores Jeremiah's prophetic call. The temple sermon is then parsed to provide insight into how it fits the outlook of the prophet. The resultant trial is considered along with an exploration of the aim of the narrative. Jeremiah's famous complaints receive individual attention. Those with whom Jeremiah interacts, the kings of Judah and the false prophets, are assessed in contrast with the prophet. The fall of the kingdom of Judah and the tragic Gedaliah episode round out the historical material. Avioz concludes his study with a consideration of Jeremiah's legacy down to the present day.
94 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2009
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January 23, 2016
If this book has any fault, it is its brevity (under 100 pages); it really is a book for a general reader, yet most general readers unaware of the perennial arguments that surround the book of Jeremiah (particularly about the nature and stages of its composition) will not understand the nature or force of some of Avioz's key claims. And scholars will be dissatisfied with the brevity. So there you have it...a good book destined to be disliked by many readers.
I suppose the most innovative feature of Avioz's work is his insistence on the connection between Jeremiah and the "Suffering Servant" of Isaiah 40-53. To be clear, Avioz's assumptions about the compositional process of these prophetic books leads him to argue that the author of Isaiah 40-53 is echoing Jeremiah rather than Jeremiah echoing Isaiah 40-53 (a key difference between a canonical and an historical reading of these texts).
Overall, this book represents a coherent presentation of the life of the prophet Jeremiah coordinated with the production of the book...if you accept all of Avioz's assumptions. I give him high marks for being consistent in his presentation and following through faithfully on the implications of his assumptions about the prophet's role and the book's history. The book doesn't fare so well, though, for me, in the category of DEFENDING this particular view. I, for one, perceived it as a "missing piece," something that would have indeed strengthened the book. And Avioz's perspectives and critiques of OTHER positions surely would have been incisive and worth reading.
I suppose the most innovative feature of Avioz's work is his insistence on the connection between Jeremiah and the "Suffering Servant" of Isaiah 40-53. To be clear, Avioz's assumptions about the compositional process of these prophetic books leads him to argue that the author of Isaiah 40-53 is echoing Jeremiah rather than Jeremiah echoing Isaiah 40-53 (a key difference between a canonical and an historical reading of these texts).
Overall, this book represents a coherent presentation of the life of the prophet Jeremiah coordinated with the production of the book...if you accept all of Avioz's assumptions. I give him high marks for being consistent in his presentation and following through faithfully on the implications of his assumptions about the prophet's role and the book's history. The book doesn't fare so well, though, for me, in the category of DEFENDING this particular view. I, for one, perceived it as a "missing piece," something that would have indeed strengthened the book. And Avioz's perspectives and critiques of OTHER positions surely would have been incisive and worth reading.
Displaying 1 of 1 review