Book Review: Eugene Peterson
Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at its Best
Karl Snow
BIOT-5013 Major Prophets
April 12, 2021
Table of Contents
Eugene Peterson (1932-2018), was a highly prolific author of over thirty books, including Leap Over a Wall, The Contemplative Pastor, Answering God, and The Message, his translation of the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into a modern vernacular which sold over fifteen million copies. Peterson provided a plethora of personal letters, journals, and books over his lifetime, and was know to many as America’s pastor. Many artists and musicians sought Peterson out because of his unseparated and anti-siloed view of the world. Peterson was also sought out by the artist Bono, lead singer of the band U2, who found himself drawn in by Peterson’s expansive and wide imagination as he interpreted scripture in his The Message translation.[1]
Eugene Peterson wrote, Run with the Horses, twenty-five years before its publication. When he had pulled the manuscript from its drawer, he remarked that many things have not changed in the quarter of a century since he wrote this book, but things are not quite the same in the church. Peterson describes the church of modernity as having lost its nerve while many are leaving the church due to disappointment and disaffection as they are experiencing an increasingly marginalization. The church is now struggling with a lack of ‘market share’ and attempting to reclaim what they have lost through glossy advertising and fresh brand name repackaging. Peterson writes, “The huge irony is that the more the gospel is offered in consumer terms, the more the consumers are disappointed.”[2] The purpose of this book is to bring the life of Jeremiah the prophet into focus, which does not fit the American ideal for pursuing happiness, rather its God’s pursuit of Jeremiah and us. The imagery that Peterson uses paints modern society as mindlessly consuming and in great need of a counteraction in their lives. This is where Jeremiah’s story enters the modern narrative. Jeremiah was as Peterson describes, “the counteraction”, which was lived as a well-developed human being filled with a matured character and a robust faith. It was Jeremiah’s life that preached louder than his teaching.[3]
The title of Peterson’s book describes running with the horses and unpacks one of the most defining moments where Jeremiah’s character was being form by God. The struggles of Jeremiah were immense, and his reactions were normal considering the tearing of his heart strings for the people which were ultimately repaid with evil intentions and connivery.[4] God responded to Jeremiah’s lamenting over his broken emotions and challenged him by implying that if Jeremiah is already worn out in this footrace with men, what would make him think he could run against the horses. If Jeremiah could not keep his wits about him during the simple parts of his mission, then what would he do when real trouble breaks the dam? It was an admonishment from God for Jeremiah to dig deeper and find his resolve. This was only the first wave of opposition, and the first revealing of the hearts of the people that are more interested in comfortable living instead of living at risk to the glory of God.[5] This was a decision of either living cautiously like those who mocked God before him, or to live courageously just as Jeremiah had been proclaiming before those deaf ears in the temple. This was the moment that Jeremiah’s life became louder than his words before the nation. Peterson writes, “His life became his answer, “I’ll run with the horses.”[6]
Peterson begins to build upon his thesis of character development that brings lasting transformation into one’s life as found in Jeremiah. The idea is presented that some people become less as they grow, while others become more. Peterson asked, “How do I leave the childish yet keep the deeply accurate perceptions of the child—that life is an adventure, that life is a contest?”[7] Peterson gently indicates that the beginning joyous actions in life are somehow snuffed out by the voices of those challenging our passion. The poet was asked when did he decide to become a poet, and the poet replied that he was born that way and decided to keep pursuing it. The real question is why many so decide to stop. This concept of degression is related to the wise men and priest in Jeremiah’s time who had decided to attempt to market God as a commodity and utilize God to legitimize their own selfishness.[8] Jeremiah’s poetic life did something different. He continued to explore the reality of God which developed a rich maturity in him. He continually pursued more truth in his heavenly father, and through this process, Jeremiah became more the poet, and more human.
Jeremiah was known by God before Jeremiah knew about God. “Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you, Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations—that’s what I had in mind for you.”[9] Peterson describes this reality within Jeremiah as being long before he uttered his first question to God, God had already been questioning him. Before Jeremiah took an interest into the nature of God, God had already subjected Jeremiah to the most intensive searching knowledge. Before Jeremiah had even become aware of God’s importance, God had singled Jeremiah out as important.[10] The mystery of our life and Jeremiah’s is made known in God himself. When Jeremiah pursued God, he discovered the truth about himself. Peterson’s arguments are consistent throughout his book as he continually points the reader to the path of real humanity, becoming a real human as intended. Peterson states that the prophet is working from a place of total devotion and obsession toward God, and this living reality is transferred to the hearer with the calling to “live well, and live right—be human”.[11] The example from Jeremiah’s life points to the ideal of transcending mere humanness by connecting with God in the ‘now’ part of the story we have found ourselves in. There is an amazing significance to our lives if we discover who made things significant. Jeremiah’s purpose was to demonstrate this transcendent life before a nation and develop an uncomfortable atmosphere for the play-it-safe and selfish crowd. It was a wake-up call that could not be ignored. Those who rejected his life example and message were forced to capitulate or fight and fight they did.
Another major marker of Jeremiah’s ministry was the demand for real relationship. Peterson remains consistent in his thesis and argument that describes Jeremiah’s God as one who is calling for the deepness of humanity. The vision of the boiling pot given to Jeremiah described a boiling judgment aimed at those who replaced a love relationship with God for religious rituals and picayune idolatries.[12] Peterson describes this consequential inevitability of war against Israel as an “interruption” of Israel’s soiled and silly lives. This interruption was designed to force them to face what was essential.[13] What may seem negative in this methodology creates a positive in the lives of those lost to their own corrupt devices. The evil of their lives is being contained so that hope can be restored. Peterson brings in the idea that evil is real but not catastrophic and too often our insular vision causes us to overestimate evil and underestimate God. It was the prophetic life and voice of Jeremiah that spoke beyond the generation encapsuled in foolishness and challenged generations to seek the author of all things who brings life from the ashes.
The most significant portion of Peterson’s literary observations of Jeremiah’s message is directed at the church in modernity. The firm statements of correction and reproof against the children of God has not stop speaking because the anthropological man has not stopped returning to its foolishness. The ego and the pride still plague humanity with ease, and each generation must wrestle with their participation in this age-old narrative that calls us into covenant and resists the lie. Peterson, pulling from the work of Thomas Á Kempis, writes that there are many who love the heavenly kingdom of Christ, but avoid the cross. They all gather at his feast but refuse to fast. There is much rejoicing, but a clear distain for suffering.[14] Nothing has changed, and yet the pew sitters have fallen into the same lull of deception as the Israelites who preceded them. The idea of gaining entry into God’s promised heaven through a back door is alluring in regard to what is required to enter in through the front gate; bloodied, bruised, and carrying a cross. The back door offers the promise without the commitment. The back door offers supernatural assistance without challenging the feelings, or personal endeavors. Peterson describes this as skin deep reform. Just as Jeremiah boldly chastised the temple dwelling Israelites, the church of modernity is bound to the same rebuke. “You have found a safe place, haven’t you! This nice, clean temple. You spend all week out in the world doing what you want to do, taking advantage of others, cursing the person who isn’t pliable to your plans, and then you repair to this place where everything is in order and protected and right.”[15] This Jeremiadic message is truly the Father’s message throughout the ages. This message continues to reoccur throughout the biblical storyline through Paul to Timothy, warning against those who make a show of religion.[16] Jesus refreshed his Father’s narrative through Jeremiah’s words as he threw out the merchants set up in the temple, buying and selling. Jesus removed the bankers and brought an abrupt stop to all the commerce and transactions while quoting, “My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations; you’ve turned it into a hangout for thieves.”[17] Humanity does not change because of a religious conversion experience, nor does it relent from its self-satisfying desire even while observing the proper forms of worship in the temple. There is an amazing significance discovered in our lives when we truly discover who makes all things significant. Real transformation is only discovered by knowing the one who formed us.
Eugene Peterson revealed a depth within the Jeremadic text that still speaks, and still requires mankind to lift its head from the trough and observe what is really going on. Peterson painted a picture that describes each of us entering into a story that begun long before we arrived. It took us a while to understand our place in this story, and this story will eventually end after our chapter is concluded. What makes the story significant? Was it us in our chapter, or was it the entire narrative with us in it? The next question is, who is responsible for the story we have experienced? The life of Jeremiah and the message of God spoken through Jeremiah still speaks. The question now is who is listening! Seeking out the author of this story reveals our humanity.
Fuller Youth Institute. “Bono and Eugene Peterson: An Exclusive Interview.” Accessed April 12, 2021, https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/blog/bono-and-eugene-peterson1
Peterson, Eugene H. Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at its Best. Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsity Press, 2019.
[1] Fuller Youth Institute, “Bono and Eugene Peterson: An Exclusive Interview,” accessed April 12, 2021, https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/blog/bono-and-eugene-peterson1
[2] Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at its Best, (Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsity Press, 2019), 7-8.
[3] Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the Horses, 17.
[4] The practice of conniving.
[5] Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the Horses, 19.
[6] Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the Horses, 20.
[7] Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the Horses, 23.
[8] Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the Horses, 31.
[9] Jeremiah 1:5, KJV
[10] Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the Horses, 37.
[11] Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the Horses, 46.
[12] Jeremiah 1:16, MSG
[13] Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the Horses, 53.
[14] Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the Horses, 57.
[15] Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the Horses, 65.
[16] II Timothy 3:5, MSG
[17] Mark 11:15-17, MSG
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