Jérémie 31:34

34 Chacun d'eux n'enseignera plus son prochain, ni chacun son frère, en disant: Connaissez l'Éternel! car ils me connaîtront tous, depuis le plus petit d'entre eux jusqu'au plus grand, dit l'Éternel; car je pardonnerai leur iniquité, et je ne me souviendrai plus de leur péché.

Jérémie 31:34 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 31:34

And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and
every man his brother
Which is not to be understood of the outward ministry of the word; in heaven indeed there will be no need of it, nor in the New Jerusalem state; but in every period of time before it. In the first times of the Gospel, persons were appointed and qualified by Christ to be pastors and teachers; and in the latter day men shall run to and fro, and increase knowledge; besides, the saints in the present state stand in need of teaching; since they know but in part, and there is room for a growth in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ: nor does this contradict brotherly teaching, or the private instructions of saints in religious conversation and Christian conference, which are very useful; but is rather opposed to pretended revelations of private men; or to the magisterial dictates of persons in public office; the word of God being the only rule of instruction in righteousness: or this may be not absolutely, but comparatively said; setting forth the abundance of knowledge under the Gospel dispensation, that, in comparison of former times, there would be no need of the means of further knowledge: saying, know the Lord:
not naturally, or as by the light of nature; but spiritually; nor in a general way, as the God of nature and providence, as a Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor; but in a special manner, as the God of grace, as the God and Father of Christ, and his people in him; not legally, but evangelically; not speculatively, but practically, and in a saving way and manner: this kind of knowledge now under the Gospel dispensation is greater than under the former; as the knowledge of God in his persons, in his perfections, in his titles and characters, and in his Son; and as to the manner of it, clearly, with open face as in a glass; and as to the persons to whom it is communicated, not to Judah only, but to men of all nations; all which is owing to a greater effusion of the spirit, as it follows: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest
of them, saith the Lord:
not all mankind; but all the house of Israel, all the family of God, all the children of God being taught by him; not all alike, but all with the same kind of knowledge. This is frequently applied to the times of the Messiah by the Jews ^F14: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no
more;
there was forgiveness of sin under the former covenant, but the blood of Christ was not then actually shed for it; it was held forth under types; and there was a remembrance of sin made every year; and saints had not such a clear and comfortable sight of pardon in common as now; and it was known and applied but to a few. This is the staple blessing of the covenant, and the evidence of all the rest.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 Zohar in Lev. fol. 10. 1. & 24. 3. and on Numb. fol. 54. 4. Vid. Chizuk Emunah, p. 51.

Jérémie 31:34 In-Context

32 Non comme l'alliance que je traitai avec leurs pères, au jour où je les pris par la main pour les faire sortir du pays d'Égypte, - alliance qu'ils ont violée, et toutefois j'avais été pour eux un époux, dit l'Éternel;

33 Mais c'est ici l'alliance que je traiterai avec la maison d'Israël, après ces jours-là, dit l'Éternel: Je mettrai ma loi au-dedans d'eux, et je l'écrirai dans leur cœur; et je serai leur Dieu, et ils seront mon peuple.

34 Chacun d'eux n'enseignera plus son prochain, ni chacun son frère, en disant: Connaissez l'Éternel! car ils me connaîtront tous, depuis le plus petit d'entre eux jusqu'au plus grand, dit l'Éternel; car je pardonnerai leur iniquité, et je ne me souviendrai plus de leur péché.

35 Ainsi a dit l'Éternel, qui donne le soleil pour être la lumière du jour, et qui règle la lune et les étoiles pour être la lumière de la nuit; qui agite la mer, et ses flots grondent; celui dont le nom est l'Éternel des armées:

36 Si ces lois-là viennent à cesser devant moi, dit l'Éternel, la race d'Israël aussi cessera d'être une nation devant moi pour toujours!