Jeremiah 23:33-40 - Exposition

The abuse of a consecrated phrase. The prophets were accustomed to apply the term massa to their prophetic declarations in the sense of "oracle," or "utterance"—a sense derived from the use of the cognate verb for "to lift up the voice," i.e. to pronounce clearly and distinctly. But the word massa was also in common use for "load, burden," and hence the "false prophets" applied the term derisively to Jeremiah's discourses. "Rightly does he call his word a massa ; it is not merely a solemn utterance, but a heavy burden; as De Wette puts it, not merely a Weissagung , but a Wehsagung . The passage is important as indicating the sense in which the true prophets understood the term. It should be added that the term mused is prefixed to at least four Biblical passages which, not being of threatening import, do not admit of being entitled "burdens" ( Zechariah 9:1 ; Zechariah 12:1 ; Proverbs 30:1 ; Proverbs 31:1 ; comp. Lamentations 2:14 ). How remarkable is the line adopted by Jeremiah 1:1-19 He simply abandons the use Of the term massa , consecrated as it was by the practice of inspired men! Better to adopt a new phrase, than to run the risk of misunderstanding or, even worse, profanity.