The books of the Jewish prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah contain ideological contradictions and were not written by single individuals. Since the same Levite priests were the editors who compiled the books of the Law of Moses, known as the Torah, the history, and the books of the Hebrew prophets, it should come as no surprise to find inconsistent, contradictory doctrines and themes edited in the books of the prophets which contradict radical Jewish prophecy but agree with reactionary priestly documents. These inconsistencies are evidence for editing together of sources. Contradictions in the Bible always indicate that variant sources were joined together in a single work through the process of editorial redaction. In previous sections I have illustrated that the Bible is composed of various source materials that originated in different ancient traditions which represented different schools of thought. I also pointed out some of the bizarre editorial inconsistencies that were introduced into the manuscripts when the attempt was made to blend and harmonize these inconsistent accounts together (rather than simply allowing the variants to coexist together side by side on the pages of the Bible).

      That the book of Jeremiah was not written by a single person (with a single point of view) is obvious upon consideration of the manuscript. For example the opening section of the book of Jeremiah is a single sermon (chapters one to chapter ten, written for the most part in the style of poetry with a few prose sections). The overall theme of this opening section is condemnation of the Jerusalem temple cult, its religious practices and its rituals. For example in chapter seven we read Jeremiah's interpretation of Jewish history and the beliefs surrounding Mosaic law and the temple sacrifices. Jeremiah was a radical protestor, and insisted that God did not tell Moses about whole offerings sacrifices, that ‘truth had perished in the land'. In the passage following this he insists that the law books were forged. He attacks the Ark of the Covenant. And he attacks the prevailing ideology of the temple system.

"Thus says YAHWEH of hosts, the God of Israel: "Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them, ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.' But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day; yet they did not listen to me, or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you. And you shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of YAHWEH their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.'" (Jeremiah Chapter 7 verse 21)

"Even the stork in the heavens knows her times; and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming; but my people know not the ordinance of YAHWEH. "How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of YAHWEH is with us'? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has made it into a lie. The wise men shall be put to shame, they shall be dismayed and taken; lo, they have rejected the word of YAHWEH, and what wisdom is in them?" (Jeremiah Chapter 8 verse 7)

"And when you have multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says YAHWEH, they shall no more say, "The ark of the covenant of YAHWEH." It shall not come to mind, or be remembered, or missed; it shall not be made again. At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of YAHWEH, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of YAHWEH in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart." (Jeremiah Chapter 3 verse 16)

"Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of YAHWEH, the temple of YAHWEH, the temple of YAHWEH.' For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers for ever. Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!' —only to go on doing all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, says YAHWEH." (Jeremiah Chapter 7 verse 4)

      So then Jeremiah rejected the sacrificial laws, considered the laws to be forged, and longed for the day when the ‘Ark of the Covenant' would never be mentioned again. However the following (false) prophecy is found later in the book of Jeremiah. (Note that the sacrificial system ended about two thousand years ago.)

"The Levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to burn cereal offerings, and to make sacrifices for ever. The word of YAHWEH came to Jeremiah: Thus says YAHWEH: If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night will not come at their appointed time, then also my covenant with David my servant may be broken, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with the Levitical priests my ministers." (Jeremiah Chapter 33 verse 18)

      In the following passage Jeremiah endorses both the Sabbath and the animal sacrifices.

"‘But if you listen to me, says YAHWEH, and bring in no burden by the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on it ... people shall come from the cities of Judah and the places round about Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the Shephelah, from the hill country, and from the Negeb, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, cereal offerings and frankincense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of YAHWEH. But if you do not listen to me, to keep the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter by the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be quenched.'" (Jeremiah Chapter 17 verse 24)

      It has been traditional practice among conservative theologians to ignore (deny) the presence of variant source materials in the Bible, and in the prophets as well. This allows for ‘interpretation' (what the prophet really meant was ‘no insincere sacrifices'.) However when we consider that the Bible is composed of sources representing different traditions it should come as no surprise that these variant sources are also found spun together in the prophets. Taking this approach allows the prophet to speak in that we accept at face value what the prophet said, rather than trying to nullify certain passages of prophecy through the process of interpretation. For example, Jeremiah clearly stated that God did not ask for whole offerings sacrifice, and in this teaching was clearly part of the early traditions of both the Hebrew people and of the early church .

      The prophet Ezekiel contains passages that contradict doctrines in the law books. (For this reason there was controversy over whether or not the prophet should be included in the canon during the discussions settling the matter of the Jewish canon in the 1st and 2nd centuries C.E.) For example we read the following statement in the law books.

"Keeping mercy unto the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and unto the fourth generation." (Exodus Chapter 34 verse 7)

      This statement is echoed in the book of Jeremiah.

"Who showest mercy unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them; the great, the mighty God, YAHWEH of hosts is His name." (Jeremiah Chapter 32 verse 18)

      In another passage in Jeremiah this doctrine is condemned.

"In those days they shall say no more: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man that eateth the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge." (Jeremiah Chapter 31 verse 29)

      This theme is picked up in the prophecy of Ezekiel, and the doctrine is condemned in a long sermon in Chapter 18 of the book.

"And the word of YAHWEH came unto me, saying: ‘What mean ye, that ye use this proverb in the land of Israel, saying: The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? A son shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, committed robbery on his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he dieth for his iniquity. Yet say ye: Why doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father with him? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all My statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. The soul that sinneth, it shall die; the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father with him, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son with him; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. Yet saith the house of Israel: The way of YAHWEH is not right. O house of Israel, is it My ways that are not right? is it not your ways that are not right?" (Ezekiel Chapter 18 verse 1, 17)

     So you can see that in the case of this traditional law, it was both recommended and condemned by Jeremiah (indicating two different sources in the book) and it was condemned by Ezekiel while the people complained that 'it just wasn't right'. There is nothing just or fair about punishing one person for something someone else did, so the basis of their complaints against Ezekiel's sermon on the matter would appear to be no other reason than that it said so in their law book, therefore, just or unjust, it had to be right. They were simply being stubborn in the religious way.

     That there are conflicting sources in the book of Jeremiah is also indicated by the two view expressed of the end fate of Zedekiah.

"Yet hear the word of YAHWEH, O Zedekiah king of Judah: Thus saith YAHWEH concerning thee: Thou shalt not die by the sword; thou shalt die in peace; and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings that were before thee, so shall they make a burning for thee; and they shall lament thee: ‘Ah lord!’ for I have spoken the word, saith YAHWEH." (Jeremiah Chapter 34 verse 4)

"I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life; and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have compassion." (Jeremiah Chapter 21 verse 7)

"I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life; and their dead bodies shall be for food unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth. And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, that are gone up from you Behold, I will command, saith YAHWEH, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant." (Jeremiah Chapter 34 verse 20)

"The army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered, deserting him. Then they captured the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. The king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also killed all the officers of Judah at Riblah. He put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and the king of Babylon took him to Babylon, and put him in prison until the day of his death. " (Jeremiah Chapter 52 verse 8)

      There are similar conflicts found in the book of Isaiah. Like the book of Jeremiah, the book of Isaiah contains radical passages such as the following:

"To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? saith YAHWEH; I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. When ye come to appear before Me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample My courts? Bring no more vain oblations; it is an offering of abomination unto Me; new moon and Sabbath, the holding of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity along with the solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed seasons My soul hateth; they are a burden unto Me; I am weary to bear them." (Isaiah Chapter 1 verse 11)

      "Who has required this of you," the prophet asks, echoing the doctrine found in the book of Jeremiah.

"To what purpose cometh there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing unto me." (Jeremiah Chapter 6 verse 20)

      A similar prophecy is found in Amos.

"I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Yea, though ye offer me your burnt-offerings and meal-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts." (Amos Chapter 5 verse 21)

      The following practices are all advocated in the law books and are condemned in the following passage as ‘abominations' that the ‘the people chose for themselves'. The passage first opens with a criticism of temple practice (both themes echoing the doctrine found in the book of Jeremiah).

"Thus saith YAHWEH: the heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool; where is the house that ye may build unto Me? And where is the place that may be My resting-place? For all these things hath My hand made, and so all these things came to be, saith YAHWEH; but on this man will I look, even on him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word. He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he broke a dog's neck; he that offereth a meal-offering, as if he offered swine's blood; he that maketh a memorial offering of frankincense, as if he blessed an idol; according as they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. Even so I will choose their mockings, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spoke, they did not hear, but they did that which was evil in Mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. Hear the word of YAHWEH, ye that tremble at His word: your brethren that hate you, that cast you out for My name's sake, have said: ‘Let YAHWEH be glorified, that we may gaze upon your joy', but they shall be ashamed. Hark! an uproar from the city, Hark! it cometh from the temple, Hark! YAHWEH rendereth recompense to His enemies."" (Isaiah Chapter 66 verse 1)

      This passage is a continuation of a sermon begun in the previous chapter.

"I have spread out My hands all the day unto a rebellious people, that walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts; A people that provoke Me to My face continually, that sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense upon bricks." (Isaiah Chapter 65 verse 2)

      As is the case in the book of Jeremiah, an alternative tradition is also found in the book of Isaiah (actually more than one alternative tradition). The following passages endorse sacrifices.

"Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be acceptable upon Mine altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."

"And YAHWEH shall make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know YAHWEH in that day; yea, they shall worship with sacrifice and offering, and shall vow a vow unto YAHWEH, and shall perform it." (Isaiah Chapter 56 verse 7, Isaiah chapter 19 verse 21)

      That the book of Isaiah is composed of sources whose composition spans centuries is also indicated in that certain prophecies concern the fall of Israel and certain prophecies concern the return of Judah and Israel from exile in Babylon centuries later, even addressing Cyrus the King of Persia in person. One conservative apologetic argument used to explain this is to suggest that ‘Isaiah was a prophet' and thus prophesied about Cyrus (by name) and Babylon and the return from exile long before Cyrus was born or Babylon was a world power. However the many voices found in the pages of the Bible, and in the pages of Isaiah the prophet, show that the book was composed of sources and that the logical explanation is the most likely - that these later passages were composed later by another prophet. (As well, if "Isaiah was a prophet" thus prophesying of Babylon and Cyrus long before either was significant, this is an inadequate explanation in any case, since, as I will illustrate in the section on false prophecies, the prophesies concerning Babylon were false prophecies, and this particular explanation proves nothing.)

      The book of Isaiah is usually divided into three separate sources - first Isaiah, who lived in Israel before the fall to the Assyrians, a second Isaiah, who lived during the time of the return from exile in Babylon, and a third Isaiah, usually called ‘Trito-Isaiah' was responsible for the closing chapters of the book. This explanation of the sources in Isaiah seems oversimplified to me, as we also have to consider the Isaiah who condemned sacrifice and festival and Sabbath, the Isaiah who condoned sacrifice, and the Isaiah who was EXTREME in endorsing the ritual law (damning to hell transgressors) and what I would call the ‘middle of the road Isaiah' who rejected the ritual law but nevertheless was tolerant of its practice provided that higher ethical principles were not ignored (an approach similar to that taken by Paul in the Church Testament and Joshua as portrayed in the book of Matthew - ‘you should have kept the first (your traditions) while not forgetting the latter - love of God, justice, and love of neighbour.').

      As an example of extremism in following the ritual law, you can consider the following passage from Trito-Isaiah (at the conclusion of the book) which I will then contrast with the ‘middle of the road approach' taken by certain Church Testament writers and also taken by another source in the book of Isaiah. It should be noted that so-called ‘Trito-Isaiah' does not itself appear to be a single, consistent source, but rather consists of a blend of source material from differing ideological positions. For example the last chapter of Isaiah, supposedly part of ‘Trito-Isaiah', opens with the passage quoted above (chapter 66) which condemns the concept of ‘temple practice' (God does not require a temple) and then condemns the practices of the temple (sacrifices, incense, etc.) calling them ‘abominations' that ‘the people chose for themselves'. You will be persecuted for believing this, the author says, and then promises that God will come and punish the temple. A few verses later, in the incongruous fashion so characteristic of Biblical editing, one of the most EXTREME statements in support of the temple traditions is then found. According to this passage people will be sent to hell to be ‘eaten by worms' forever for such infractions of Torah law as ‘eating pork'. The whole world will be required to observe festival and ritual law (or else) and the Levite priests will be exalted. (Compare the ideological radicalism of the opening of the chapter with the EXTREME reaction at the end, and this suggests that ‘Trito-Isaiah' is itself not a consistent source, but a compilation of sources, like the rest of the book).

"For by fire will YAHWEH contend, and by His sword with all flesh; and the slain of YAHWEH shall be many. They that sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go unto the gardens, behind one in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the detestable thing, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith YAHWEH. For I know their works and their thoughts; the time cometh, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and shall see My glory ... And of them also will I take for the priests and for the Levites, saith YAHWEH. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith YAHWEH. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have rebelled against Me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." (Isaiah Chapter 66 verse 16)

      So then, we are told, there will be a lot of people going to hell to be eaten by worms and burned in fires forever for such ‘crimes' as eating pork or not observing New Moon festivals and so on. You can contrast this extremism with both the radicalism at the opening of chapter 66, and with the ‘middle of the road' approach found in both Isaiah itself and in other prophets, and in the Church Testament as well. For example Paul sharply rebuked those who were like this extremist prophet tacked on as the ending of Isaiah. Paul reserved his criticism for those who, like this extremist 'Trito Isaiah', tried to damn others for eating certain foods or failing to observe certain days as holy. (Who did ‘Trito Isaiah' think he was to judge someone else.)

"Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Master is able to make him stand. One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike. Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it in honor of YAHWEH. He also who eats, eats in honor of YAHWEH, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of YAHWEH and gives thanks to God. None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, "As I live, says YAHWEH, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God." So each of us shall give account of himself to God. Then let us no more pass judgment on one another, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in YAHWEH Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for any one who thinks it unclean." (Romans Chapter 14 verse 3)

      This doctrine is echoed in the Gospel of Mark.

"And he said to them, "Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot defile him, since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and so passes on?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.)" (Mark Chapter 7 verse 18)

      So then ‘eating a pig' was ‘unclean' for ‘Trito-Isaiah' only because he thought it was unclean. Paul's ‘middle of the road' approach was to allow ‘Trito' his feelings on the matter, without tolerating the damnation of others practiced by such zealots. Similarly ‘Trito' is taken to task in the book of Colossians, but in this case the author shows less tolerance (calling Trito's position the doctrine of ‘an elementary demon spirit' and something to be avoided at all costs. When you consider how downright loathsome and disgusting it is to even consider burning someone for something as asinine as pork eating, attributing such a mindset to an 'elementary demon' has some merit. To call such a religiously hostile and downright dogmatic position 'extremist' is an understatement to say the least.)

"Therefore let no one (ie. ‘Trito-Isaiah') pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, taking his stand on visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" (referring to things which all perish as they are used), according to human precepts and doctrines?" (Colossians Chapter 2 verse 16)

      Colossians is written in a style of Greek quite unlike that of the other letters of Paul (for example one sentence in the Greek spans chapters in the book). The book was written by someone in the ‘school of Paul' (a common practice of the day) and the author borrowed his doctrine and terminology from the book of Galatians. According to Paul someone (Trito-Isaiah?) was disturbing the entire congregation with demands for adherence to food laws and ritual laws and circumcision.

"But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days, and months, and seasons, and years! I am afraid I have labored over you in vain ... What has become of the satisfaction you felt? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? ... For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love. You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in YAHWEH that you will take no other view than mine; and he who is troubling you will bear his judgment, whoever he is." (Galatians Chapter 4 verse 9, Galatians Chapter 5 verse 6)

      As I have illustrated above, two approaches are taken in Isaiah, from opposite ends of the ideological spectrum (for and against Torah regulations). The book of Isaiah also incorporates a ‘middle of the road' approach similar to that of Paul in the Church Testament. According to this moderate approach, there is nothing to these regulations, they were not required by God, but nevertheless they could be tolerated if practiced in the right spirit. A good example of this middle of the road approach is found in the following passage taken from second Isaiah (the Isaiah of the return from Babylonian exile). According to this passage, God did not burden the people by demanding various offerings, and at the same time, they did not bother bringing offerings. Now it is obvious that they were bringing offerings and the writer here suggests that they were ‘sacrificing to another God' , a theme that reappears frequently in the prophets.

"Thou hast not brought Me the small cattle of thy burnt-offerings; neither hast thou honoured Me with thy sacrifices. I have not burdened thee with a meal-offering, nor wearied thee with frankincense. Thou hast bought Me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou satisfied Me with the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast burdened Me with thy sins, thou hast wearied Me with thine iniquities." (Isaiah Chapter 43 verse 23)

      This theme is echoed in a ‘middle of the road' psalm. The people are not rebuked for their sacrifices, even though it should be obvious to them that God does not require sacrifices and since when would it be their responsibility to provide food for God? This psalm is a commentary on certain Levitical laws.

"And the priest shall make it smoke upon the altar; it is the food of the offering made by fire unto YAHWEH ... And the priest shall make them smoke upon the altar; it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savour; all the fat is YAHWEH'S." (Leviticus Chapter 3 verse 11, 16)

"I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; and thy burnt-offerings are continually before Me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; for the world is Mine, and the fulness thereof. Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving." (Psalm Chapter 50 verse 8)