What is the meaning of Jer. 8:8-9?

---

God in these verses is evidently addressing the priests and false prophets (see vs 10), who were the chief offenders. They particularly boasted of their knowledge and possession of the law, even though they disobeyed its principles. The false pen of the scribes figuratively refers to their deceitful teaching in undermining God’s law. They interpreted it in such a way to assure people they could sin with impunity. They altered God’s word to fit their desires, and thus made it into a lie – as if they had changed the actual text of Scripture. We see something similar today. There are pastors and preachers who write and preach about the word, manipulating it for gain and fame, have the same effect as altering the Word itself. Vs 8 cannot refer to changing the actual biblical text since copying Scripture was a very rigorous process. Furthermore, in bringing Scripture to us, God not only inspired the individual biblical prophets, but guided and supervised the whole process of copying, compiling and preservation. Vs 9 tells us that these so called wise men will be put to shame because of their ‘manipulation’ of God’s word. Rejecting God’s word proves that they are really unwise.