An Old Twist

Jeremiah 8:8-9
(8) "How can you say, 'We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us'? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.
(9) The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and taken; behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them?

I never gave much thought to the meaning of verse 8 before I read the note in my ESV Study Bible today. It seems that the scribes would take the Word and transform it into something more palatable for the people. It looks like folks are still doing the same thing today.

There are some imperatives in Scripture that my flesh rails against. Sometimes my flesh misses the pornography. Sometimes I miss diving into an all-you-can-eat buffet. Serving my wife is difficult. Loving my children is difficult too. I think I would live much differently if those commands were not in Scripture. I write that with confidence because I know the state of my heart. It defaults to looking out for myself.

In other words, I understand what it means to be brought under the conviction of Scripture. I don't think that the right answer is to do some exegetical gymnastics until we get a translation that we like. Instead, it seems clear that we are to use God's Word as a lamp for our feet to guide us. I pray that we'd all do that.