The verse "Whereby they are known not to be gods: therefore fear them not" from the Letter of Jeremiah (also known as the Epistle of Jeremiah) 6:16 is a straightforward rejection of idolatry. Let's break it down:
"Whereby they are known not to be gods": This refers to the characteristics and properties of idols that demonstrate their lack of divine power or nature. The letter throughout its verses often lists the defects of idol worship and idol manufacture. For example, they are created by human hands, must be carried, cannot protect themselves, and are dressed in perishable clothes. The idols' inability to act, speak, or even care for themselves proves they are not living, powerful deities.
"therefore fear them not": This is the conclusion drawn from the idols' demonstrable lack of divinity. If these idols are not gods, then there is no reason to worship them, appease them, or fear their supposed wrath or power. They are inert objects, nothing more.
In essence, the verse is arguing against idolatry by stating that the objects of worship are clearly not divine, so there is no logical reason to fear or revere them.
The Letter of Jeremiah as a whole is a satirical and polemical attack on the practice of idol worship. It aims to persuade the Jewish exiles in Babylon to remain faithful to their God and not to adopt the idolatrous practices of the Babylonians. The letter emphasizes the futility and absurdity of worshipping lifeless, man-made objects.
The verse "Whereby they are known not to be gods: therefore fear them not" from the Letter of Jeremiah (also known as the Epistle of Jeremiah) 6:16 is a straightforward rejection of idolatry. Let's break it down:
"Whereby they are known not to be gods": This refers to the characteristics and properties of idols that demonstrate their lack of divine power or nature. The letter throughout its verses often lists the defects of idol worship and idol manufacture. For example, they are created by human hands, must be carried, cannot protect themselves, and are dressed in perishable clothes. The idols' inability to act, speak, or even care for themselves proves they are not living, powerful deities.
"therefore fear them not": This is the conclusion drawn from the idols' demonstrable lack of divinity. If these idols are not gods, then there is no reason to worship them, appease them, or fear their supposed wrath or power. They are inert objects, nothing more.
In essence, the verse is arguing against idolatry by stating that the objects of worship are clearly not divine, so there is no logical reason to fear or revere them.
The Letter of Jeremiah as a whole is a satirical and polemical attack on the practice of idol worship. It aims to persuade the Jewish exiles in Babylon to remain faithful to their God and not to adopt the idolatrous practices of the Babylonians. The letter emphasizes the futility and absurdity of worshipping lifeless, man-made objects.
