The second in a series by guest writer Lucas Ward.
 
When I first started studying the topic of anger in the Bible and decided to see how it is discussed in the Wisdom Literature, I thought I would find just a few passages. Was I ever wrong! This is a topic that Solomon gives quite a bit of time too. So, let’s see some of what the wise man says about anger:

Prov. 21:24 “The proud and haughty man, scoffer is his name; He works in the arrogance of pride.”
The first thing you probably notice about this passage is that it doesn’t mention anger. However, the word arrogance here is the same Hebrew word that is translated “wrath” in Prov. 14:35. That passage specifically discusses the king’s wrath. The concepts of wrath and arrogance are linked in the Hebrew language. And don’t we often become the most angry when we begin to think too highly of ourselves? “Don’t you know who I am?” “How dare he do this to ME?” A person with a little more humility wouldn’t become angry in those situations. So, humility can help us avoid anger. Look at the company this word keeps: proud, haughty, scoffer. Those aren’t good traits. That is where anger and arrogance will take you. Again, caution is needed.

Prov. 16:32 “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; And he that rules his spirit, than he that takes a city.”
Obviously, this is referring to value in the eyes of God. He is much less concerned with how great a warrior a person is than with how that person rules himself. But isn’t this trait also valued by men? However great a warrior someone might be, if he has no self –control, he is no fun to be around. This passage also hints at the idea that it is easier to conquer a city than to rule one’s spirit, and easier to be a mighty warrior than to be slow to anger. So, while the wise man repeatedly tells us how important it is to be in control of one’s emotions, he also acknowledges that this isn’t the easiest thing in the world. Like all aspects of being a servant of God, it takes work.

Prov. 15:18 “A wrathful man stirs up contention; But he that is slow to anger appeases strife.”
This only makes the best type of sense: no one ever started a fight when he wasn’t angry, but people who are angered quickly cause all sorts of issues. Meanwhile, the guy who is breaking up the fight, who is trying to keep things from getting out of hand is the one who is in control of himself. And this is a trait valued not only by men, but by our Father. Remember the beatitudes. Matt. 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.” Those peacemakers are the ones who are “slow to anger.”

One thing you will notice if you search the wisdom literature for passages on anger is how often anger is paired with foolishness. I think it would be fair to say, based on the writings of His wise man, that one of the major traits of a fool in God’s eyes is a lack of control over his anger. A few passages:


Prov. 12:16 “A fool's vexation is presently known; But a prudent man conceals shame.”
Notice here that the parallel of vexation is shame. The prudent man conceals his, but the fool lets it all hang out for everyone to see. When he’s angry, everyone knows. (It’s not that the prudent man is never vexed, he just controls and conceals his anger.)


Eccl. 7:9 “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger rests in the bosom of fools.”
Given the association here, we should see that anger isn’t something we want to hold onto. It belongs in the bosom of fools, right, so if it is in my heart what does that say about me?


Prov. 14:29 “He that is slow to anger is of great understanding; But he that is hasty of spirit exalts folly.”
Here wisdom is partially defined as a control over angry impulses. You have great understanding if you are slow to anger. On the other hand, foolishness is partially defined as being hasty of spirt. It’s not looking good for those of us with temper control problems, is it?


Prov. 19:11 “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger; And it is his glory to pass over a transgression.”
This passage flat out says that it is wisdom, or discretion, that leads to controlling one’s temper. So if I don’t have a handle on my anger, what does that say about my general discretion? And notice that forgiving an insult adds to the glory of the forgiver.


Really, the only thing to say about this is that the wise have control over their tempers and those who fly off the handle are foolish by God’s definition. Not a pleasant thought for those of us who “lose it” more often than we’d like to admit, is it?

One thing that needs to be pointed out, though, is that what is being universally condemned in these passages is not the emotion of anger, but rather the actions taken because of the anger. Remember:
– Prov. 15:18 “stirs up contention” -- An action.
– Prov. 14:29 “exalts folly” -- Another action
– Prov. 12:16 “vexation is known” How? by what he did.
– Prov. 27:3 “A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; But a fool's vexation is heavier than they both.” -- It is the consequences of the fool’s actions because of his vexation that are weighty, not merely his emotional state.

And this jives perfectly with New Testament teaching: Eph. 4:26-27 “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil.”
This teaches that it is possible to have anger without sin. The emotion isn’t wrong, it’s what we do with the emotion. (Just like attraction to the opposite sex isn’t wrong, it’s what we do with that attraction.) So, then, anger is the temptation to go too far. How do we combat it? Notice that there is a parallelism in this passage. “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath” is parallel to “neither give place to the devil”. So that would mean that holding on to anger is giving the devil an opening. If feeling angry can be a temptation to go too far, then holding onto that anger, stoking it and feeding it, is to remain in the arena of temptation. It is to give Satan chance after chance to attack at our defenses. It is dangerous. The answer, the way to defeat this temptation, is to let go of the anger. I know, that is a whole lot easier to type than it is to do, but that is what the Holy Spirit is teaching us to do, through His word. When something raises our choler, when our ire is aroused, we have to keep those feelings in check and let them go as best and as quickly as possible.

Otherwise, we are fools.
 
Lucas Ward

Today’s thought-provoking post is by guest writer Keith Ward.
 
Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have eternal life.

”Comforting words,” “The Central and golden text of the Bible,” I have heard that verse described.   But, for years, I have missed a most important and significant point that it teaches:

If God loved the world so much that he would crucify and slay his Son by the hands of lawless men in order to save it, what would he do to me (or you), his “sons,” in His loving pursuit of the salvation of the world? There is absolutely no limit other than His mercy that “There is no temptation taken you but such as man can bear”. With Job as witness, that is a lot!

These thoughts may help explain why good people suffer. God is using Satan’s works to bring about His purposes, just as he did with Job and at the cross. Who knows how deafness, blindness, lost jobs, dying spouses or children, or any other number of trials bring about good toward someone else’s salvation? We see most of these as purposeless. But God who works, KNOWS.  Our part of the equation is to believe that and trust.
 
Keith Ward

This is the first part in a middle of the month series on Anger, by guest writer Lucas Ward.

The beginning of the Sermon on the Mount is about the internalization of religion. Jesus tells us that our religion should be who we are, not just rites that we do. He also talks about sins of the mind: how refraining from sin because of fear of the consequences all the while fantasizing about doing the sin doesn’t win us any points. It’s just as bad as the sin itself. We usually jump to Matt. 5:27-28 which says that looking upon a woman to lust after her is committing adultery in our hearts. We gravely, and appropriately, warn young men about the sin of sexual fantasy. We preach against pornography and urge self-control. We ask our ladies to dress with their poor, weak-willed brothers in mind. And all of this is right. But in jumping to this passage, we jump right over the warning that Jesus gives first.

The first thing Jesus speaks of along these lines is the dangers of anger. Whereas mental lusting, or sexual fantasy, is equated to adultery – which is bad enough – anger with one’s brother is called murder! If there is anything more universally condemned in the Bible than adultery it is murder. This, and the primacy of place given to this topic by our Lord, indicates that we should be even more aware of this danger than that of lusting. And, yet, we seldom talk about this. When we study the Sermon on the Mount we read this passage and quickly move on. This isn’t right. My intent is to write three entries about this issue, studying anger from a couple of different viewpoints. First, let’s examine what Jesus says about the issue.

Matt. 5:21-24 “Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 but I say unto you, that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire. 23 If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, 24 leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”

Many translations have “angry with his brother without cause” and there is some evidence for that reading. There are a lot of ancient manuscripts that include that phrase. Roughly half, in fact. Of course, that means that roughly half leave out “without cause”. Literary professors, whose career is built on reconstructing ancient texts as nearly as possible based not only on the quality of the manuscripts used but also on the known tendencies of copyists, seem to lean to the conclusion that “without cause” was added in. It is the type of thing that a copyist would add to help explain an otherwise hard reading/hard saying of Jesus. On the face of it, we know that anger alone is not sin (Eph. 4:26), but then we also know that merely desiring a woman is not sin either. Men are designed by God to desire women, actually, and that desire has a God-given outlet. So it seems that in both passages Jesus is driving His point home by speaking very emphatically. By exaggerating for the point of emphasis. The dangers of anger are so great, as are those of sexual fantasy, that the warning is equally powerful.

Looking at the actual passage, notice that anger with one’s brother is equated with murder. It isn’t said quite as baldly as Jesus does with adultery in vs 28, but the consequence for murder is named as the judgment, and the consequence for anger is named as. . . the judgment. In giving the same consequence to both, Jesus is making them equal. Just as sinful lusting after a woman is more involved than merely acknowledging an attraction, anger here is more than just feeling the emotion. Have you ever thought “Of course, I’d never murder anyone, but boy what I’d like to do to so-and-so if I could get away with it” and proceed to fantasize about epic beatdowns? “Give me a baseball bat and five minutes alone with him in a closed room, please.” These are the thoughts that are under discussion.

Of course, we need not always murder someone. We can assassinate their character. Jesus deals with this as well. “Raca” is a contemptuous insult. Apparently it doesn’t translate well, but all cultures/languages have their own unique ways of showing contempt. This was the Hebrew way. Jesus also adds in “fool”. Notice the consequences of these: the council and the hell of fire. Someone who won’t kill but doesn’t mind destroying another’s reputation will face the same condemnation as the murderer. The sin is the same, whether we carry it out in our minds, in our words, or in actuality. Anger, and the actions proceeding from it, is dangerous.

Finally, note the urgency that Jesus places on dealing with this problem: “ If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee,  leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” If there ever was a time that one might think it appropriate to put off dealing with a brother’s anger, it would be while participating in the worship of God. “Surely I should finish offering the sacrifice first, as God is most important, and then deal with my brother later, right?” But, no, Jesus says drop the offering and go fix the problem with the brother first. Anger is so dangerous that the greater urgency in placed upon reconciliation, even above worship. This should open our eyes to the fact that this is a topic that demands both attention and caution.

Having seen some of what Jesus says on this issue, we will next turn our attention to what can be learned about this from the Wisdom Literature.
 
Lucas Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.

Or, in the words of Jesus, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

Seems to me that we have blunted the meaning of, “REPENT!” with all sorts of rationalizations:
“That is just the way I am,”
“I am doing the best I can and one’s best is all that God requires,”
“Overall, I am walking in the light, I just have this one problem.”

Repent means change. It does not mean doing the thing less often. A thief does not repent by only holding up 1 store a month instead of 1 a day. Overall, our approach denies the “power of godliness” to change one completely.

We have substituted the power of a magic partaking of the Lord’s Supper for repentance. We seem to believe that if we really think really hard about Jesus’ sacrifice while we partake, and pray hard and feel real, real sorry for our failings (lets not use that 3 letter “S” word), then we will be OK. But, then we did that last week, and the week before and….
 
And we continue in the same sinful habits, maybe less often: “I’m getting better!”

Sounds a lot like 2 Cor 7, doesn’t it, where Paul contrasts this with the godly sorrow that works repentance and calls it a sorrow of the world that leads to death.

One may slip and fall after he repents, may even do so more than once. But, repentance means one stops the wrong behavior. God gives us the power to do so, the power of Christ in us, the hope of Glory. We, on the other hand, keep one foot in the pleasures and proclaim, “I am making progress.”

JUST SAY NO.
 
STOP!
 
OR PERISH.
 
For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.  (2Cor 7:11).
Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to any one as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? (Rom 6:16)                                                           
Keith Ward

Today’s post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.
Neh. 9:6 “Thou art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preserves them all; and the host of heaven worships thee.”

When I went on my trip out west, I traveled through some of the prettiest and most awe inspiring country I’ve ever seen. The morning I headed west out of Albuquerque, I drove through a series of low mountain ridges with valleys opening up below and stand-alone mountains dotting the distance. There were mesas and multi-colored cliffs all along the way. I could see for miles across incredible vistas at times, and other times I was traveling through a narrow pass and my view was limited (but still gorgeous). Of course, the most awe inspiring view was the Grand Canyon. Perhaps the most beautiful things I saw were the alcoves in the Carlsbad Caverns. The neatest things, to me, were the great sequoia trees.

Ps. 104:24 “O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.”

While I was traveling through the West, marveling at God’s creation and trying to learn some of what it could teach me about His wisdom and power and love for beauty, a thought occurred to me: most of the people who have ever lived on this planet had no idea these things were here. This is especially true of Carlsbad Caverns. To get to the main formations of stalactites and stalagmites and curtains and columns and their beautiful colors takes a hike of about an hour and a half from the main natural cave entrance. And it is DARK down there. There is absolutely no light whatsoever. In the days when torches or candles were the best forms of mobile light sources, it just wasn’t practical for casual explorers to go down that far. It’s only been the last 100 years that people have been aware of the incredible beauty to be found over 700 feet below ground.

Jer. 10:12 “He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens.”

Even the Grand Canyon, which is both above ground and larger than the state of Delaware, has only recently begun to be seen and enjoyed by anything close to large crowds. The North American continent has always been sparsely settled and, historically speaking, only relatively recently. As far back as we know (not very far) there have been Native American tribes living in the area engaging in spiritualism at the Grand Canyon, but that was only a relative handful of people. The first European didn’t see the canyon until the 1500’s and the second not until 1776. Tourism didn’t begin until the late 1800’s.

Is. 45:18 “For thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else.”

So, what is my point? Well, God conceived of the Grand Canyon, with its immense vistas, multi-layered and multi-colored walls and general awesomeness, and put it in a part of the planet where most of humanity would never be able to see or enjoy it. Or even hear of it. He created the stone formations in Carlsbad Caverns, with their incredible variations in colors, shapes and sizes – and they are truly glorious when lit up – and He put them underground in the dark where it was impossible for any to find or enjoy them until this last century. My point? God is a lover of beauty, such a lover of beauty and beautiful things that He can’t help but create them even if there will be no one to see or marvel at His creative genius for millennia.

Our God is a God of beauty and glory.

Ps. 68:4 “Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.”
Ps. 57:11 “Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.”
Ps. 8:9 “O Jehovah, our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the earth!”
 
Lucas Ward

Today’s post is by guest writer Keith Ward.
 
After I won the gunfight and a medal, it became painfully obvious that unlike a police force, the probation department would not allow me to return to the street work I loved.  So I ended up with a similar job within the prison doing intake classification on newly sentenced inmates.  I did not feel as useful, there were fewer opportunities to help, but it was a job, paid the bills.  I was surprised how many prisoners came back again and again.  So too do many Christians…
 
The second verse of “I’ll Fly Away” identifies the problem with the attitudes of many. “Like a bird from prison bars has flown, I’ll fly away.”

Why don’t we think of life as “prison bars?”  Surely that is the implication of the song.  Certainly, “When the shadows of this life have grown” implies the infirmities of age.  But more seriously, we need to consider that life is a prison that keeps us from home whatever our health.

Have we become so comfortable on the compound that we no longer see the razor wire surrounding us?  Everywhere we go there is corruption and wickedness.  Instead of forming an escape committee to dig a tunnel, we long to join in.  Many seek to blend in.  Where is our holiness?  Why do we not feel we are on “bread and water” rations as our beliefs are openly assaulted daily?

We line up to watch the latest movies, catch the latest TV series and these are full of foul language, but much worse, every portrayal of love is contrary to God’s view.  Do we not feel brainwashed?  Do you wonder whether the angels marvel that we willingly show up for such? Are we not like the recidivist inmates, going back to the hog trough again and again?

Even when one is young and full of health, life is a prison.  We can never be with God until we escape.  We can never be free from temptation and filth until we fly away.  No wonder many churches are being overcome with carnality.  We are not teaching people to want to get out of prison nor are we teaching them the way free people live.  In fact, we have the key in our hands and with finality lock ourselves in every day.
 
 
For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven… For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan… that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life. … and knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord … we are of good courage and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him.  2 Cor 5
 
Keith Ward
 

Today’s post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.

I’ve become concerned lately about the strident political expressions of some of my brothers.  I do not often, if ever, agree with the present administration either, but some (many?) of my brothers have moved from respectful disagreement (what in other countries is termed “loyal opposition”) to openly voiced disdain, contempt, and scorn.  At least one brother has spoken of joining in armed revolt.  When I mentioned in a comment that we are commanded in Romans 13 to be in subjection to the powers that be because they “are ordained of God” (vs1) and they are “ministers of God’s service” (vs 6, see also 4) I was answered that it was impossible that God was behind this president because he was guilty of breaking God’s law in several different ways.  Specific instances were mentioned and passages cited. And I agree that President Obama is guilty of sin in the instances mentioned.  So, the question that must be answered is can God be behind a national leader who is not leading his nation in a godly manner? Can God have ordained that leader?

Look first in Gen. 15:13-14.  God tells Abraham that his descendants will be servants in a foreign nation and will be mistreated by that nation.  Sure enough, in Exodus 1, a new Pharaoh comes to power who did not know Joseph and who leads Egypt in a horrible persecution of the Israelites.  This continues through several generations of Pharaohs before Moses leads the people out of bondage and God’s promised judgment comes upon the Egyptians.  The prophecy lends strong support to the idea that God was behind those Pharaohs, but, even better, we have God’s own statement in Ex. 9:16 that He had put those Pharaohs into power.  That verse is also quoted by Paul in Romans 9:17.  Those wicked Pharaohs were in power specifically because God wanted them to be in power.

Jump ahead 700 years or so to Isaiah.  In chapter 10 we see God (speaking through Isaiah) saying that He was using Assyria as His instrument of wrath.  The Assyrians weren’t aware of this; they were destroying nations and persecuting peoples for their own evil reasons.  God used them to accomplish His will. Those nations who needed to be punished (including the northern kingdom of Israel) were punished, and then God punished the Assyrians for their wickedness.  The evil Assyrian kings were only in power, and successful as an empire, because God had set them up for His own reasons: to be ministers of His service and accomplish His will.

Skip ahead another century and read Habakkuk.  God used the wicked Chaldeans for a time to punish the Kingdom of Judah.  Then He judged them for their wickedness.

Finally, let’s look at who was in power when Paul wrote Romans.  Romans was most likely written at the beginning of Nero’s reign.  So when Paul wrote “Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the powers that be are ordained of God” he was writing about a man who was not only an idolater, but who came to power by the assassination of his uncle and adopted father, killed his own mother to consolidate his power, and who would go on to begin the first Roman persecution of Christianity!  The inspired Apostle wrote that this man was “ordained of God” and a “minister of God” (vs4), and that Christians were to “be in subjection” to him.  In fact, the Apostle John prophesied in his Revelation that a whole line of evil Roman emperors were going to be set up by God specifically so they could persecute the early Church and help it grow.  Then God would punish those wicked leaders for their sins.  Meanwhile, both Paul and Peter instructed all Christians to be in subjection to those same evil emperors.

According to Romans 13:1 and 1 Peter 2:13, it is sinful for Christians to denigrate government leaders. That goes double for joining armed revolts against them.  It may be my right as an American citizen to say whatever I want about the current President, but sometimes I need to forget about my rights as an American and focus on my duties as a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven.  The Word of God always trumps the Constitution.

Rom 13:1-7 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the powers that be are ordained of God. Therefore he that resisteth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: and they that withstand shall receive to themselves judgment. For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. And wouldest thou have no fear of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same: for he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For this cause ye pay tribute also; for they are ministers of God's service, attending continually upon this very thing. Render to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

1Pe 2:13-17 Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well. For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
 
Lucas Ward

Today’s post is by guest writer Keith Ward.
 
We all know that Abraham sacrificed Isaac. The angel staying his hand and the ram snared in the bushes and the connection between, “God will provide the sacrifice” and the cross are all familiar stories. It is less obvious that the 3 patriarchs all sacrificed their sons.
 
Isaac loved Esau. He favored Esau so strongly that Jacob became a “Mama’s boy.” He loved Esau so strongly that he ignored his faults and was prepared to pass the blessing to him, the grace to be the one to carry the line of the promise. But Jacob deceived Isaac and received that blessing. Isaac may have been blind, but God was not, and Esau realized that the correct son had received the blessing. Despite his great love for Esau, “no place was found for repentance,” and Isaac “sacrificed” him to the purposes of God.
 
Every father has a special place for his firstborn.  Jacob refused to ignore Reuben’s faults and rejected him from the genealogy of the promise (Gen 49:1-4).  However, the great sacrifice came earlier. Jacob loved Joseph above his brothers and when he thought Joseph was dead, he lavished all that love on Benjamin. We’ve all seen the baby of the family spoiled and Jacob did so. But when it came to the point that the family of promise was about to be extinguished in the famine, he sent him with Judah, “And if I am bereaved, I am bereaved” (Gen 43:14). It is clear from Jacob’s language that he put Benjamin in a separate category above the brothers, but to save them all he “sacrificed” Benjamin.
 
In different ways, these all sacrificed the sons of their love in pursuit of the promise of God that had been passed down since Gen 3:15.
 
Jesus said, “Whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”  We probably will never be called upon to give our child to death.  We may have to reject one we love to choose God.  But, the real question is what things do we allow to interfere with our wholehearted pursuit of God?
 
Keith Ward

Today’s post is by guest writer Keith Ward.
 
This morning as we snuggled, trying not to wake up and get up, my ear itched.  This happens more often for me than the average person because the hearing aids I wear 16 hours a day keep my ears from drying out properly so molds and mildews and other unpleasant things find a healthy habitat (for them).  I usually treat the itch with the old swimmers’ ear mixture of half & half alcohol and vinegar before it becomes an infection.  As I started to scratch my ear canal, I had a sudden insight.  When I told Dene, she said, “What?” and when I replied, “My ear itched and I scratched it and thought of Hebrews 10…”  That incongruity struck her funny bone and she laughed till the bed shook. I was so miffed that I did not tell her about it for 2 or 3 hours.

[Disclosure: This may prove there is a short-circuit in my brain instead of providing spiritual insight.]

Heb 10:5 quotes Psa 40:6 “Sacrifice and offering thou would not, but a body did thou prepare for me.” Instead of, “a body…” Psa 40 reads, “Mine ears thou hast opened” and the margin says, “Literally, ‘Ears thou hast digged for me.’ ”


Metonomy is the metaphor where a part of something is used instead of the whole, and we use it all the time.  “He’d give the shirt off his back” is not limited to clothing, much less to shirts.  Other such expressions are “a roof over my head” or, with pride, “There are my wheels,” (referring to a car).

So scholars have long recognized that in the Psalm, “ears” represents the whole body and the Spirit so interprets it by the quotation in Heb 10:5.  The insight as I dug in my ear to scratch the itch is, why did God choose “ear” to represent “body” instead of some other part such as feet or hands?

In the context of Hebrews 10, the Spirit had just pointed out that the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins, and the next point is that Jesus is perfect to be the once-for-all sacrifice because he came to do the will of the Father.  As we learn earlier in the book, he is the perfect sacrifice and the perfect intercessor because he was made in all things like his brethren (Heb 2:17).  He did not come as a voice to command as the Son of God; he did not come as a mighty arm to rule with power, he came as ears to hear and to obey God and thus, to understand what it is to be a man so he could succor those who are tempted.
 
So, if He is to call us brethren, we must be like him, ears (Heb 2:11).   In this sense of a proper subservience toward God, it is appropriate that the whole body be an ear, for there is no place for speaking or seeing (1 Cor 12:17). 
 
Further, Jesus never commanded men: no armies, no servants.  He called, he instructed, he did not judge.  He was an ear of compassion toward sinners.  In regard to the word of God, Jesus instructed, “Take heed how you hear” (Lk 8:18).  But the example of his behavior challenges us to be cautious how we hear others.  Would sinners come to us?  Would the self-righteous accuse us of being friends of sinners?   How can we teach sinners if they see us as judges rather than compassionate ears?  Is it written by our lives that we are “come to do thy will, O God,” as it had been prophesied of Jesus?
 
Because he was meek and lowly, listening instead of commanding, we can find rest to our souls and we can rest the souls of others.
 
Keith Ward
 

Today’s post is by guest writer Keith Ward.
 
Movies and TV series have been made about Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, the WWII ace in the Pacific, think “Baa, Baa Black Sheep.” I read the book before it was popular. One thing that stuck in my mind is a vignette about teaching. He related that he happened to mention that as he was constantly rotating his head looking for enemy planes, he would shut one eye and hold up his thumb the right distance from his face to blot the sun so he could see planes that might be coming from that direction. [We all know that the Red Baron ambushes Snoopy from the concealment of the sun.] It was a revolutionary idea to the pilots he was teaching. He had almost not said it because it was so obvious to him that it seemed to be a waste of time. This little trick spread and saved many lives, but he thought of those who died because he did not think to say it sooner.

In my work, I implement this by spreading new policies or labor saving ideas that I have discovered. I find that some knew and had not bothered to tell anyone else. Why? Others did not know and are grateful for the advice, but never tell anyone else. Why?

Paul said, “I am debtor both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and the foolish.” He had grace that belonged to others.  So do we. Saving grace. If we keep it, we have kept the property of another which is a crime under law.

One need not be a great personal worker or speaker. He just needs to feel the debt. To weep for all those who have already died because he did not think to speak the thing that might have saved them. Then, he needs to return that which is not his, that which belongs to them in the first place, the grace of God.
 
Keith Ward