Stupid Scholar

Rodney R. Hutton, “Are the Parents Still Eating Sour Grapes?  Jeremiah’s Use of the Māšāl in Contrast to Ezekiel,” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 71, no 2 (2009), pp. 275-85.

Both Jeremiah 31:29 and Ezekiel 18:2 contain the proverb about sour grapes, and the purpose of H’s article is to discuss its usage in each book. First, H discusses the meaning of תקהינה (root: קהה) in the proverb. Based upon its usage in Ecclesiastes 10:10, he argues that the meaning of the verb is, “To become dull,” not, “To set on edge.” Thus, as an axe does not become dull with one stroke, neither do teeth wear away after one grape. Hence, the proverb is best understood as a continuous, not momentary, eating of sour grapes.

Next, H highlights the oft-neglected tense differences between Ezekiel (imperfect = continuous) and Jeremiah (perfect = completed) regarding the verb אכל, “to eat.” In Ezekiel, the people expect the present, continuous norm to be their suffering because of their ancestors. It is their parents’ fault that their teeth are dull. Ezekiel, counters by calling the people to account for their own wrongdoing.

In contrast, Jeremiah uses the proverb in a manner similar to how he describes the Ark of the Covenant (3:16-17) and the confession of deliverance (16:14-15). His use of כי אם (”but rather”) shows that he is not countering a mistaken perception of the people but retiring this, “venerable vestige” of the past for the sake of a future promise, namely the new covenant. Here, H relies upon Schoneveld, Kilpp, and the past/completed aspect of the perfect tense.