Jeremiah 31:34

Context

Chapters 30–33 of Jeremiah contain promises of restoration set amid prophecies of judgment and are therefore commonly called the "Book of Consolation." In Jeremiah 31:31-34, the LORD declares through Jeremiah that He will make a "new covenant" with Israel and Judah. He first declares that the people broke the covenant made at the time of the Exodus (v. 32) and then promises to write His law in their hearts (v. 33). Verse 34 concludes the passage by stating the result: all will know the LORD, and their sins will be forgiven. The Hebrew word yada, translated "know," is understood to mean more than intellectual knowledge; it encompasses the intimate knowledge and obedience that belong to a covenant relationship. In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), this passage appears in chapter 38.

Interpretation

• New Testament reading: Hebrews 8 quotes verses 31-34 in full to present Christ as "the mediator of a better covenant." Hebrews 10:16-17 again quotes the promise that sins will be remembered no more and concludes that where remission of sins has been granted, there is no longer any need for an offering for sin. The "new covenant" of which Jesus spoke when instituting the Lord's Supper is also generally read in connection with this prophecy.
• Covenant theology reading: The Reformed tradition holds that the new covenant is fulfilled in Christ and applied to the church. It understands the covenants of the Old and New Testaments as the unfolding of a single covenant of grace.
• Dispensationalist reading: Dispensationalist interpreters emphasize that the recipients of this promise are "the house of Israel, and the house of Judah." They therefore hold that it will be literally fulfilled for national Israel in the future, though views differ on how the church participates in its spiritual blessings.
• Jewish reading: Jewish tradition reads this verse as a promise of restoration given to Israel. It is generally said to understand the new covenant not as replacing the existing covenant but as renewing it.

Debates and Issues

The statement "for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them" is frequently raised in the infant baptism debate.

• The position of some Baptists: Since every member of the new covenant community must be one who knows the Lord, only those who have personally professed faith are proper candidates for baptism.
• The position of Presbyterians and other denominations that practice infant baptism: This promise will be fully realized only at the end of the age, and the present church remains a mixed body. They also appeal to the continuity of the covenant, holding that the sign of the covenant is given to the children of believers as well.

Some also read "they shall teach no more every man his neighbour … saying, Know the LORD" to mean that teachers or church offices are unnecessary. The prevailing interpretation, however, is that the verse describes a relationship of knowing God directly, without a mediator, rather than the abolition of teaching itself.

In the Korean Church

The phrase "I will remember their sin no more" is frequently cited in sermons on forgiveness and the assurance of salvation. Verses 31-34 are also read in sermons on the Lord's Supper that take the new covenant as their theme.

Related Passages

• Hebrews 8:6-13
• Ezekiel 36:25-27
• 2 Corinthians 3:3-6
• Luke 22:19-20
• Psalm 103:11-12