Jeremiah's Prophetic Authenticity: Tracing the Mosaic Prophetic Tradition

Abstract

This article re-evaluates the criteria for determining the authenticity of Hebrew prophets, focusing on tracing the Mosaic prophetic tradition in Jeremiah’s life and ministry. While prophecy fulfilment is commonly used to assess authenticity, its unreliability calls for a more testable method grounded in Moses’ model. Exploring the Deuteronomic Code, the study emphasises prophetic authenticity and employs a comparative analytical approach to investigate Jeremiah’s embodiment of Mosaic traits. It suggests a revised approach to assessing prophet authenticity, advocating adherence to the Deuteronomic Covenant as a defining characteristic. The study identifies specific traits for evaluating prophetic authenticity across the Old Testament, noting some discontinuity between Jeremiah and the Deuteronomic Covenant. It underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to evaluating prophetic authenticity.