Digital Logos Edition
The book of Jeremiah occupies a prominent place in the Old Testament canon at least on three counts: (1) its massive size (the second longest book in the Bible and the longest prophetic book); (2) the complexity of its content and message; and (3) the towering prophetic figure behind the book that stands shoulder to shoulder with other great prophets such as Isaiah and Ezekiel.
Alex Varughese's verse-by-verse commentary observes the theological expressions of God’s sovereignty over Judah and the nations in the world found in Jeremiah 1–25.
“The hope expressed in this text is what the church found fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, the embodiment of God’s righteousness. God continues to gather his lost and scattered sheep with the promise of newness of life and of the possibility for righteous living through Jesus ‘the good shepherd’ who laid down his life for the sheep (John 10:1–18).” (Page 284)
“That world takes pride in its military superiority, economic prosperity, and the scientific and technological advances. In that world, living on God’s terms is not an option, because it means renunciation of self-sufficiency and self-directed ways of life.” (Page 225)
“God acts in judgment not because of some predetermined plans on the part of God but precisely because of failed human leadership. It is clear in this text that God holds the leadership accountable for their mistreatment and mismanagement of his flock.” (Pages 283–284)
Alex Varughese is professor of biblical literature at Mount Vernon Nazarene University and has been a member of the Department of Religion at MVNU since 1982. Previous to his current position, he served as a professor in the religion department at Eastern Nazarene College. He is an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene and holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Kerala, India. He received his M.A. in religion from Olivet Nazarene University and M.Div. from Nazarene Theological Seminary. He also holds M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in biblical studies from Drew University. He is currently serving as the Managing Editor for The Centennial Initiative Textbook project for the Church of the Nazarene.