Jeremiah 1–25: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition

Varughese's commentary on Jeremiah 1-25 is indeed a great help in understanding Jeremiah. He is quick to point out Jeremiah's theological perspective. Jeremiah frequently posed options to the people of Jerusalem: (1) Keep going the way you are going and go into exile in Babylon. (2) Change your ways, renew your adherence to covenant relationship to Yahweh and avoid exile in Babylon. For these options to have any integrity, the outcome of this choice (what the people of the city will actually do) is an open question even to God. Varughese is correct on that point. There is no need for a commentator to try to explain Jeremiah's thinking while trying to be sensitive to modern theological assumptions. Varughese does not take the contemporary theology bait.... .... except in the area of divine sovereignty. He seems to believe Jeremiah thought God, in his sovereignty, always has his way. That definition of sovereignty is definitely foreign to Jeremiah. Most of the time, God does not have his way. I found myself scratching my head the several times Varughese talked about God's sovereignty. It seemed to contradict other positions Varughese took in the commentary. Well, who ever agrees with everything a commentator says? I am thinking that, since volume 2 (Jeremiah 26-52) is co-authored, perhaps the second author had some influence on the first volume. All that being said, I wholeheartedly recommend Varughese's commentary on Jeremiah 1-25.