nature of preaching. False prophets spoke a word of their own which was worthless because, said God, “I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them” (Jer. 14:14). On the other hand, the true prophet was sometimes the bearer of a word which ran so counter to his own thought that he would rather not have been born than to speak it (Jer. 20:14ff.). Yet he was overpowered (Jer. 20:7) by the Almighty who insisted, “I have put my words in your mouth” (Jer 1:9). He was called to say to his