The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 516

Ye1;s, 33, 34.-The abuse of a word. This is not a mere play upon a word, but a mockrng abuse of the me:ming of it, designed to convey a sinister insinuation. It iliustrntes what a dangerous and uncertain weapon language is. We are all inclined to attach too much importance to words, forg:ctting that they are not rigid landmarks of thought., but variable in meaning with the variations of the ideas we import into them. I. THE WORDS OF TRUTH MAY IlE USED IN THE SERVICE OF FALSEHOOD. The Jews repeated the phrase of Jeremiah, but with a new and false signification. The "burden" as an utterance, was entirely distinct from the "burden" as a weight to be borne. Of course, mendacity belongs to our thought and intention, not to our mere languao-e, We may tell a lie by using true words in such a way as to infuse into them a fals; mean- ing. Such conduct is peculiarly mean and dishonourable. It is robbicg the armoury of truth to turn its weapons agaicst itself. No condemnation can be too strong for tbe treachery and dishonesty of those persons who appropriate the consecrated phrases of Christianity as a subterfuge under which to attack its spiritual truths. Let us be careful in using the Bible, not to read our own thoughts into the text, but to search simply for the original mear.in~ of it. II. CONTROVERSY BECOMES DISHONEST WIIEN IT IS MAINTAINED BY THE CONFUSION OF woRns, This is the essence of sophistry. .A word is spoken with ono meaning; it is replied to with another. Often and often this is done unconsciously. Indeed, e. largo part of our contentions rest on nothing but" misunderstandings." Under such circum- stances we may deplore the error, but we cannot severely condemn the moral conduct of the misguided disputants. But it may be doce deliberately, to throw dust in the eyes of an opponent, to raise a laugh without justification, to gain a point by mere word-fencing. When this is the case it is untruthful and ungenerous. If we must dispute, let us be frank and fair, using every effort to understand our opponent, care- fully guarding against misrepresenting him. So long as a word is used as tho embodiment of a thought, it is a sacred thing to tam1)er with which may be to murder a truth_ III. No VERBAL BULWARKS WILL PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF TRUTH. This is just a corollary on what precedes. But it is sufficiently important to claim distinct and emphatic notice. Truth must find its expression in words, and to be intelligible theso should be clear and deficite. Hence the need of formula:,. But nothing is more unreliable than a formula. Since it may be used against truth with all the force of its prestige if a new false meaning is foisted into it, we need to bo constantly considering it afresh in the light of facts. Creeds may be useful as the expression of "views" of truth, but history proves that they are of little good as defenders of the faith. 1V. \VHEN A WORD HAS GIVEN TROUBLE IN CONTBOVEBSY IT MAY BE WELL TO ADANDON IT. Jeremiah is bidden no locger to use the word "burdec." We are too jealous of words. There is a superstition of phrases. It is foolish to fight for a word. Anxiety about words is generally a sign of the loss of hold upon truth. If we aro suro of possessinu the truth acd feel the living reality of it., wo can afford to abancion any form of language, and can soon find other words in which to clothe it. Truth will not suffer. If it loses the aid of old associations, it loses also tho hindrance of mis- understandicgs and antagonisms, and it gains the freshness of new suggestions. Let us be careful not to be the slaves of a vocabulary. We shall often find it wise to melt down our theological phrases and cast them in a new form, or rather to bury tht' olJ ones alHI let new ones naturally spring up as the embodiment of fresh living thoughls. Remember," the lett,P,r killcth." V <:rs. 33-40.-TJ.e " burden." I. IT 18 A MISTAKE TO REGARD TJIE REVELA 'l'ION OF TP.UTU ~s A BURDEN. It comes to lighten our bu. aens. At first it may seem to cu. XXIII. 1-40.] 'l'lrn BOOK OF 'l'IIE PROPHET JBlrnnllAil.