Jeremy, the Epistle of
Title and Format
Despite its name, the Epistle of Jeremy is not truly a letter but rather a passionate polemic against idolatry, written in the form of a prophetic warning. It is presented as a copy of a letter that Jeremiah supposedly sent to the Jewish captives being led to Babylon, warning them not to worship the gods of their captors. The idea of attributing it to Jeremiah was likely inspired by the genuine letter that Jeremiah sent to the Babylonian exiles recorded in Jeremiah 29:1-23. The work consists of a series of arguments demonstrating the powerlessness and absurdity of pagan idols.
Position in the Canon
The Epistle of Jeremy occupies an ambiguous canonical position. In Greek manuscripts of the Septuagint, it follows the book of Lamentations as an independent work. In the Latin Vulgate and most modern editions of the Apocrypha, it is attached to the book of Baruch as its sixth chapter, though it has no real connection to that book. It was recognized as canonical by some early Church Fathers and by the Council of Laodicea (360 AD). Protestant traditions include it among the Apocrypha, while the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches accept it as deuterocanonical Scripture.
Content and Argument
The author systematically mocks the helplessness of pagan idols through a series of vivid observations. The idols are made of wood covered with gold and silver, yet they cannot save themselves from rust and moths. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Their faces grow black from the smoke of the temple. Bats, swallows, and cats sit on them without consequence. Priests steal their gold ornaments. They cannot answer prayer, rescue the oppressed, or show mercy to widows and orphans. The refrain that runs throughout the work is a variation on: "How then can one think or say that they are gods?" This rhetorical strategy echoes similar polemics in canonical Scripture.
Parallels with Canonical Scripture
The Epistle of Jeremy draws heavily on several canonical passages that mock idolatry. Isaiah 44:9-20 provides the most detailed Old Testament satire of idol-making, describing the craftsman who uses part of a tree for fuel and carves the rest into a god. Jeremiah 10:3-9 similarly describes idols as scarecrows in a cucumber field that cannot speak or walk. Psalm 115:4-8 and Psalm 135:15-18 declare that idols have mouths but cannot speak, eyes but cannot see, ears but cannot hear. The Wisdom of Solomon 13:10-19 and 15:13-17 offer comparable critiques. The Epistle of Jeremy expands and elaborates these themes into a sustained argument.
Authorship and Date
Virtually all scholars agree that the work was not written by the historical prophet Jeremiah. The Greek is idiomatic and shows no clear signs of translation from a Hebrew original, though some have proposed a Semitic source. The rhetorical style and vocabulary suggest composition in the Hellenistic period, probably during the second or third century BC. A Greek fragment of the text found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (7Q2) dates to approximately 100 BC, providing a firm date before which the work must have been composed.
Purpose and Relevance
The Epistle was written to strengthen Jewish identity and faith in a pagan environment. Jews living in the Diaspora were constantly surrounded by the impressive temples, rituals, and processions of Greco-Roman religion. The work served as a reminder that no matter how imposing pagan worship might appear, the gods represented by those idols were nothing. Its message resonates with the consistent biblical testimony that the LORD alone is God, and all other objects of worship are the work of human hands.
Biblical Context
The Epistle of Jeremy is not part of the Protestant biblical canon but is included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles as Baruch chapter 6. It draws on canonical anti-idolatry passages including Isaiah 44:9-20, Jeremiah 10:3-9, Psalm 115:4-8, and Psalm 135:15-18. The concept of a letter to the exiles echoes Jeremiah 29:1-23. Its themes connect to the broader biblical witness against idolatry found from Exodus 20:3-4 through Revelation 9:20.
Theological Significance
The Epistle of Jeremy reinforces one of Scripture's most persistent themes: the utter futility of idol worship and the exclusive sovereignty of the living God. While it lacks the theological depth of Isaiah's anti-idolatry polemic, it provides a sustained, accessible argument that would have been valuable for ordinary Jews facing the daily temptation of pagan worship. Its message remains relevant wherever the church confronts cultural pressures to compromise exclusive devotion to God.
Historical Background
The work reflects the challenges faced by Jewish communities in the Hellenistic Diaspora, where Greek religion and culture permeated daily life. Archaeological discoveries from cities like Alexandria, Antioch, and Ephesus reveal the pervasive presence of temples, idol processions, and religious festivals that formed the backdrop of this writing. A Greek fragment found in Qumran Cave 7 (7Q2) confirms that the work was in circulation by the late second or early first century BC. The Council of Laodicea (360 AD) included the Epistle of Jeremy in its canonical list, while Jerome expressed doubts about its authenticity.