Jeremiah, Volume 2 Chapters 21-52: A Mentor Commentary

John L. Mackay (1948–2018) was the Principal of the Free Church College, Edinburgh where he taught Old Testament from 1983 until his retirement in 2013. He was a highly–respected Old Testament scholar and authored several well–received commentaries on a range of Biblical books.

"…a first class explanation of the prophet from a staunchly and well-argued conservative and grammatico-historical perspective. It is certain to become the first ‘port of call’ in my studies of the book"

Stephen Dray

"This eagerly awaited commentary on one of the longest and most taxing books of the Old Testament fulfils every expectation. Professor Mackay has already demonstrated his erudition and scholarship in previous commentaries, and this work is a landmark in Jeremiah studies as well as in conservative evangelical exposition of the Old Testament text. The message of Jeremiah’s forty-year ministry is here firmly rooted in the Old Testament history as a message from the Lord to his ancient people; but its abiding relevance is also brought out in Professor Mackay’s careful application of the material. This will quickly become an indispensable tool for anyone wishing to study and preach from the Book of Jeremiah."

Rev. Dr. Iain D. Campbell, Free Church of Scotland, Back, Isle of Lewis

"Professor Mackay’s commentary on Jeremiah is trebly welcome: first, from his earlier work on Exodus (in this series) we know that he will take the highest view of Scripture as the Word of God, and do so as one fully conversant with the wide literature available on Jeremiah. His workmanlike approach and marvellous attention to detail forbid him to take short cuts, fudge issues, or misrepresent those who take a different view from his own. Secondly, he argues cogently for Jeremiah as author of the whole, contending that the book as we have it represents written records contemporary with the prophet’s preaching. He rejects the unsubstantiated idea of an ongoing ‘school’ of interpreters, adaptors and supplementarists of a Jeremianic ‘core’. Thirdly, from the start he is concerned to handle the book of Jeremiah, not as an anthology, but as unfolding a unified message. Lovers of Hebrew will find a kindred spirit in Professor Mackay. Those without Hebrew will find a patient teacher leaving no stone unturned to make the word of God plain."

Alec Motyer

This commentary is refreshing-it actually explains the text of Jeremiah. John L. Mackay knows the critical speculations about the text but doesn't bore us with them. He avoids nothing; he ploughs through every bit of the text and gives a lucid explanation of it. Mackay will not write your sermon for you but gives you what you need to write your sermon - a clear understanding of what the text says.

His workmanlike approach and marvellous attention to detail forbid him to take short cuts, fudge issues, or misrepresent those who take a different view from his own... Lovers of Hebrew will find a kindred spirit in Professor Mackay. Those without Hebrew will find a patient teacher leaving no stone unturned to make the word of God plain."

-- Alec Motyer ((1924–2016) Well known Bible expositor and commentary writer)

...a first class explanation of the prophet from a staunchly and well-argued conservative and grammatico-historical perspective. It is certain to become the first 'port of call' in my studies of the book.

...a first class explanation of the prophet from a staunchly and well-argued conservative and grammatico-historical perspective. It is certain to become the first 'port of call' in my studies of the book.

-- Stephen Dray

This commentary is refreshing-it actually explains the text of Jeremiah. John L. Mackay knows the critical speculations about the text but doesn't bore us with them. He avoids nothing; he ploughs through every bit of the text and gives a lucid explanation of it. Mackay will not write your sermon for you but gives you what you need to write your sermon - a clear understanding of what the text says.

-- Dale Ralph Davis