Jeremys letter 6:17 - For like as a vessel that a man uses is nothing worth when it is broken; even so it is with their gods: when they be set up in the temples their eyes be full of dust through the feet of those who come in.
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What does "Jeremys letter 6:17" mean?
This verse from the Letter of Jeremy (also known as the Epistle of Jeremiah), which is included as a separate book in the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books of the Bible, uses a simple analogy to mock the idols worshipped by the Babylonians. Let's break down the meaning:
"For like as a vessel that a man uses is nothing worth when it is broken...": This refers to a common, everyday object like a clay pot or jar. If it's broken and unusable, it loses its purpose and value.
"...even so it is with their gods...": This draws the parallel between the broken vessel and the idols.
"...when they be set up in the temples their eyes be full of dust through the feet of those who come in.": This provides a specific, practical example of the idols' impotence. They are literally covered in dust kicked up by the worshippers who come to venerate them. They are immobile, passive, and unable to care for themselves, let alone help others.
In essence, the verse is saying this:
Just as a broken pot is useless, so too are these idols. They are inanimate objects that are helpless and powerless. The fact that they are covered in dust from the very people who are supposed to be worshipping them highlights their inability to do anything for themselves or anyone else.
The larger purpose of the Letter of Jeremy:
The Letter of Jeremy is a polemic against idolatry. It aims to dissuade the Jewish exiles in Babylon from adopting the worship of foreign gods. It ridicules the idols, pointing out their material composition (wood, silver, gold), their inability to move, speak, defend themselves, or provide any real benefit to their worshippers. The passage in question is just one example of the author's sarcastic and mocking tone towards idolatry.
Jeremys letter 6:17 - For like as a vessel that a man uses is nothing worth when it is broken; even so it is with their gods: when they be set up in the temples their eyes be full of dust through the feet of those who come in.
What does "Jeremys letter 6:17" mean?
This verse from the Letter of Jeremy (also known as the Epistle of Jeremiah), which is included as a separate book in the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books of the Bible, uses a simple analogy to mock the idols worshipped by the Babylonians. Let's break down the meaning:
"For like as a vessel that a man uses is nothing worth when it is broken...": This refers to a common, everyday object like a clay pot or jar. If it's broken and unusable, it loses its purpose and value.
"...even so it is with their gods...": This draws the parallel between the broken vessel and the idols.
"...when they be set up in the temples their eyes be full of dust through the feet of those who come in.": This provides a specific, practical example of the idols' impotence. They are literally covered in dust kicked up by the worshippers who come to venerate them. They are immobile, passive, and unable to care for themselves, let alone help others.
In essence, the verse is saying this:
Just as a broken pot is useless, so too are these idols. They are inanimate objects that are helpless and powerless. The fact that they are covered in dust from the very people who are supposed to be worshipping them highlights their inability to do anything for themselves or anyone else.
The larger purpose of the Letter of Jeremy:
The Letter of Jeremy is a polemic against idolatry. It aims to dissuade the Jewish exiles in Babylon from adopting the worship of foreign gods. It ridicules the idols, pointing out their material composition (wood, silver, gold), their inability to move, speak, defend themselves, or provide any real benefit to their worshippers. The passage in question is just one example of the author's sarcastic and mocking tone towards idolatry.