Metaphors: Knowledge to Action?
July 14, 2024Pastor Travis presented today's message, "Metaphors: Knowledge to Action?." Here's a video of the message.
First, a little Torah tidbit related to a tidbit in the message. Thirty pieces of silver is, in fact, the value of a slave noted in Exodus 21:32, "If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned." The same value of a slave's life/death is noted in Zechariah 11:13.
Let's take the "washing feet" tangent to today's message...The first mention of washing feet in the Bible is in Genesis 18:4, "Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree."
This is Abraham on the occasion of three men, as best Abraham could tell, visiting him at his tent "by the terebinths [trees] of Mamre." We begin to learn of Abraham's virtues in this section of the story. Here, it seems hospitality is the theme. Between the washing of the feet, the bowing, the providing food and drink, and all "at a run" (quickly), it's clear Abraham (and Sarah) are doing their best to make the strangers feel welcome.
Expanding the metaphor of feet, it can also signify humility and servitude. Feet can also represent stability and faithfulness, as in Psalm 121:3, "He will not let your foot slip." Feet can also be used to express vulnerability, as in Psalm 38:16, "I will walk in my integrity; redeem me and be gracious to me."
Also related to feet is a more familiar verse about stability and righteousness, Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
Foot washing is also a significant part of the Priests preparation for entering the Tabernacle. This was part of cleansing oneself, establishing one's purity of body and soul before entering God's presence. See Exodus 30:17-21.
Further emphasizing the dirtiness of feet, even today feet are considered filthy and revolting in parts of the world. Angry Middle Eastern mobs will beat statues and such with shoes. Or throw shoes at political enemies. These are gestures of great insult. Who can forget Nikita Khrushchev banging (or brandishing) his shoe on the desk at the United Nations as part of castigating Sumulong (Filipino).
While the Hebrew word for wash is strictly wash or bathe, the Hebrew for foot (regel, רֶגֶל) can carry a wider variety of meanings or be used in a wider variety of ways. Not only does it mean foot or feet, but it can also mean accompany or attend, follow, footstool, legs, pace, step(s), time, and more. It carries a notion of enduring. According to Strong's Concordance, it occurs 245 times in the Old Testament (putting it in the top 700 most frequent words).
Does knowledge influence action? Consider this... When you know the cops are there and watching, you do drive better. It stands to reason, then, that if you KNOW God is there and watching, you behave better. "I am the Lord."
Bonus
Justice, Justice
Prager points out in his Rational Bible: Deuteronomy that it is very rare in Biblical Hebrew to see a noun repeated like this, "Justice, Justice," as it is in Deuteronomy 16:20, "Justice, justice shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee" (Jewish Publication Society Tanakh 1917). While the Biblical Hebrew is clearly "justice, justice" (tsedeq tsedeq; צֶ֖דֶק, צֶ֖דֶק), I could not find any English translation that showed it this way. Most had phrases like "Follow justice and justice alone," "Justice, and only justice," "That which is altogether just," and many more variations which I guess emphasize justice but not in the way that the Hebrew does.
Prager also points out that some Jewish interpretations suggest one "justice" is about means and the other is about outcomes.
Deuteronomy 16:18-20 is about justice, "Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you." (NIV). Prager points out how interesting it is that Deuteronomy goes from a discussion about holidays (Deuteronomy 16:1-17) abruptly to justice. Clearly, justice is a key Torah theme.
It's also clear that the only thing that might trump justice is truth (Commandment #9). Afterall, without truth, justice is impossible.
Here's a little kicker Prager mentions in his discussion of the issue. Adin Steinsaltz has noted that the Hebrew word for judges and magistrates (in Deut. 16:18) means just that, only judges and magistrates (police officers). One without the other does not work. But, while the Torah insists on these, there is no mention in the Torah of lawyers.
See Prager's book mentioned above, pp. 270-272.
And don't forget that in a legal situation, one is not to favor either the rich or the poor. Justice is a macro issue (big picture, societal level) that must be void of any outside influence, focusing on only what is just (e.g. did he do it or not, does he owe the money or not). Micro (more personal level) concerns, like compassion, come after justice has been served. Exodus 23:2, "You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd. And do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit."
Leviticus 19:15, "Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly."
Bonus2
Tithing - One Perspective
Leviticus 27:30-32, "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord." (KJV).
In the Torah, tithing is about obedience, not generosity (that comes later in the New Testament). And it is for our own benefit that we are commanded to give. According to ThePursuitNW.com, this is "why I tithe":
- Provides for God's house
- Tells God we trust Him
- Creates margin in life for God to fill
- Reminds us we are not the source
- Connects my money to a Kingdom purpose
- Gives my job eternal significance
- Transforms our money into seeds
- Breaks greed and self-reliance
- Lets everything else know God is first
Bonus3
The Lyre
The lyre and the pipe are introduced in the 4th chapter of Genesis where the descendants of Adam and Eve are listed. Genesis 4:21, "His brother's name was Juval [son of Adah]; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe."I think most of us would agree that there's something very primeval about our capacity to love music. And it seems to play no role in survival or evolution. Music simply taps our soul somehow.
Darwin said, "Man's faculties for enjoying and producing music must be ranked among the most mysterious with which he is endowed."
Here is a hauntingly beautiful rendition of the 23rd Psalm sung in Hebrew with lyre accompaniment: THE LYRE OF MEGIDDO, Psalm 23 in Hebrew (YouTube).