At the Crossroads
“Thus says the LORD: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” — Jeremiah 6:16
In this text the prophet Jeremiah quotes the LORD as giving the hope of rest for the souls of those who, finding themselves at the crossroads, look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies, and walk in it.
In the context of the Book of Jeremiah, these “ancient paths” to which the LORD is referring seem to be the paths of faithfulness to the covenant made with Israel at Mount Sinai and mediated through Moses (the story and outline of which are preserved in the Torah). The LORD says of those to whom he was speaking in v.16: “…they have not given heed to my words; and as for my teaching, they have rejected it”. This charge of unfaithfulness to the covenant was laid against the people, the prophets, and the priests in the land (Jeremiah 5:30–31). The sheep and the shepherds had alike gone astray and the LORD was speaking to his unfaithful people by a priest whom he had raised up to be a prophet during this time of great unfaithfulness to accuse them of their sin and instruct them on the way forward. This way forward was repentance for their sin and faithfulness to the covenant.
However, Jeremiah also told the people of Israel that someday in the future the LORD was going to make a new covenant with them which would be different than the covenant he had made with the people through Moses (Jeremiah 31:31). The LORD promised that it would be through this new covenant that the sins of the people would be forgiven and that they would be transformed so as to be able to keep his law, to be truly faithful to the covenant (Jeremiah 31:33). He said that it was through this new covenant that his people, from the least to the greatest, would come to know him (Jeremiah 31:34). So, however paradoxical it may seem, once we consider Jeremiah’s theology as a whole, it seems he thought that “the ancient paths” were only going to be truly found in the “new covenant” which was yet to come.
According to the author of the Book of Hebrews, this new covenant has come through the mediation of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 5:6–13). Therefore, in order to follow the commandment of the LORD in Jeremiah 6:16, we must look to Christ because “the ancient paths” wherein lies “the good way” through which we will find “rest for [our] souls” are truly found in him. Jesus said as much himself. He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6). Again, he said, “…no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:27–30).
However, there are a multitude of “Christian” paths before the one who looks to Christ, each claiming to be “the good way” and each claiming to provide “rest for our souls”. I think those of us who desire to follow Christ are as the LORD described his people from long ago: at the crossroads. If so, perhaps we can learn from the specific instructions God gave to those who are at the crossroads.
First, he says, “Look”. Having realized that we are at the crossroads, we should carefully consider the different paths that lie before us. This is because the ends of the paths differ from one another. As one ancient proverb from the Solomonic wisdom tradition of the Hebrew Bible puts it: “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 14:12). Jesus and the Apostles themselves said that not all who name the name of Christ are walking in the good way that leads to life. For example, Jesus said: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven…many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers’” (Matthew 7:21–23). It is clear from this text that, as the ancient wise man said in Proverbs 14:12, it will have seemed to these people that they were “Christians” and that they were walking on the right path, but they will have been wrong and will find out that were actually unknown by Christ and walking on the way to death. Surely, this fact should motivate us to “work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12) as Paul said and to “confirm [our] call and election” (2 Peter 1:10) as Peter said.
Second, he says, “Ask for the ancient paths”. Having decided to carefully consider the paths before us, we should opt for the ancient options and not the non-ancient options. This is because “the good way” within which one finds “rest for [their] soul” is along these ancient paths but not along the non-ancient paths. With respect to the faith which Christ delivered through the new covenant, Jude tells us that it was “once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 1:3). In this context he speaks of those who were perverting this faith (v.4) and appeals to his hearers to contend for this faith. Paul speaks of the gospel of Christ as having already been proclaimed by the apostles and received by his hearers (Galatians 1:6–9). In this context he speaks of those who are perverting the gospel of Christ and are thereby proclaiming a different gospel (vv.6–7). In these texts it is clear that the authors considered theirselves to be walking in the Christian way. It is also clear that they thought others who purported to be walking in this Christian way were wrong. These others were those who were perverting the faith/gospel which had already been proclaimed by the apostles. From this it is clear that, to the apostles, “the good way” in which people will find “rest for [their] souls” is the Christian way on which they themselves were walking. It is also clear that they considered belief in and obedience to the faith/gospel which they taught as the way one walked in this Christian way. Therefore, for those of us who are today at the crossroads, it is clear that if we want to walk in the Christian way, the good way on which we will find rest for our souls, we must believe in and obey the faith/gospel which the apostles taught.
Having come to this conclusion a natural question arises: What is the faith/gospel which the apostles taught? I don’t currently have a complete or certain answer to this question. It seems to me that answering this question presents yet another crossroads at which the person striving to follow Christ stands. In general, Protestantism suggests that the apostolic faith/gospel is that which can be systematically stated through the proper interpretation of their particular canon of Scriptures. In general, Catholicism says that the apostolic faith/gospel is that which can be systematically stated through the proper interpretation of their particular canon of Scriptures and their particular Church tradition by the infallible magisterium headed by the Pope. And, of course, there are other answers to this question by those who name the name of Christ.
Insofar as this is another crossroads at which the person desiring to follow Christ stands, the best I can currently advise is that we follow the instructions of the LORD for those who are at the crossroads. First, look. Consider the options. Second, ask for the ancient paths. Prioritize the ancient answers to this question.
My hope for everyone at the crossroads is that “it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to do his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).
