March 3, 2024

“Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ‘In your anger do not sin.’” (Ephesians 4.25*26a)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

How then do we put off falsehood (bear false witness) and speak truthful to your neighbor (be discerning as to what makes for righteousness)? Paul expounded upon the reasoning for adopting this culture and climate in verses 22-24 with the conclusion that we are all members of one body. We are joined and knitted together by the Holy Spirit to bring to the world the image of Christ and Christ-like living. The body does not act on its own nor can it simply make its own decisions for the good of the whole. The body is dependent upon the “heart, mind and soul” for its completion. These are the key and critical elements for life. We can say “food, water, shelter and fire.” We can also add “time” to the list of critical elements as the natural existence. But “heart, mind and soul” are not on the list of critical natural elements of the body. Nor are “food, water, shelter and fire” on the list of critical spiritual elements for the body. The heart of a person is not the fleshy muscle which pumps blood throughout the body to keep it oxygenated. The mind is not the brain in all of its compartments of nerves and neurons to store information and disseminate it throughout the body for a variety of known and unknown functions. The soul is not even easily identifiable as a natural body part apart from perhaps the conscience. Further, since they are not of the physical make-up of the body which is formed and knitted in the womb according to the DNA plan, they must exist from beyond the DNA as well. But they exist before birth as well whether from the moment of “quickening” or before. The echo of both David and Jeremiah should grow louder at this point as both reflected in their prophetic words the voice of God “Before you were formed in the womb, before you were born, I knew you.” (Jeremiah 1.5+ and Psalm 139.16+) The word “knew” does not mean merely an assent of presence but a cognizant awareness of the identity which was about to become reality in the flesh. In that sense, I would dare submit, each one of us is an incarnation of God’s word. To that end, we are formed and knitted together as the “body of Christ” with Christ as the head of the body, so that the word of God which is “righteousness” is more and more perfectly revealed.

Mighty ones of God, in this I believe we have our first invitation to understand how we put off falsehood and speak truthfully to our neighbor. It is with the alignment of the “heart, mind and soul” with the rest of the body combining more and more perfectly under the “headship of Christ” all parts for that single purpose of “living in righteousness.” Such consciousness and mental awareness afford us the opportunity to discern actions which lend themselves to sin and the promotion to sin in ourselves and others and those which do not. In truth, some of the “actions” may be same and similar. What is the difference then? Is it not with the intention by which the actions are considered, initiated, resourced and fulfilled? Is the intention to serve our need, a human need, a spiritual need or the need of God’s love being manifested before the world? Paul presents the test case to the Ephesian community of faith in Christ with the concept of “anger.” He states in 4.26a “be angry but do not sin.” Does this mean that we can “be angry” without the possibility of sinning or promoting a sinful consideration in others? It would most certainly seem that is the case. So, then we must consider what is the object of our anger and what is it that we wish to challenge by being so opposed it that we are emotionally invested to invoking (or would it be provoking) actions? There are many biblical stories we could refer to but one stands out among the rest among proponents of Jesus as the Christ and those who are opponents. I am speaking, of course, of the clearing of the temple marketplace either early in Jesus’ ministry (see John’s gospel) or at the end during the final Passover celebration (see the Synoptic remembrances.)

Those who wish to “justify” the outburst of Jesus and separate it from “anger” call it righteous indignation. I can most certainly be “indignant” but I do not have to take any action which would raise the outburst in the eyes of others as being “angry.” Let us not be so foolish as to say that Jesus did not express anger when He formed a whip out of cords of leather. Were leather cords just lying about in the temple marketplace? In the temple marketplace we would not find anything associated with a “farmers’ market” or “craft sale.” The purpose of the temple marketplace was to be spiritual in nature. It was in this marketplace that the proposition of “sacrifice” for the forgiveness of sins, the consecration of children to the Lord and the thanksgiving for the impending blessing of God was presented. That which was presented in the marketplace ranged from sparrows to bulls and the all-important “exchange bank” which all visitors would turn coinage from the “world” marketplace to “temple” monies for making offerings to the poor, the widows, the orphans, the temple tax and the funding of the temple administration and administrators. Those cords may have been the binding which held the larger animals in tow, the pens together for smaller animals or the standards for banners to identify the different vendors. This would mean that Jesus had to take a deconstructing action in order to construct. In the words of the prophets, it would be akin to “tear down in order to build up, etc.” Jesus not only deconstructed to construct but He put the construction into action. It would only stand to reason as Jesus took trees and formed them into furniture, yokes and storage boxes or rough-hewn stone into objects of art and building. He quite possibly could take mud and fashion it on a potter’s wheel to make dinnerware, pots and jugs. Jesus was action and not passive. He took the whip which He had fashioned by His own hand and cracked it over the heads of everyone. Gaining their attention amid the din of animals and dealers hawking their wares, He then went further and began to overturn the tables of the money changers and those who were profiteering with the selling of “animals for sacrifice.” Even saying that boggles my mind as we know from the Prophets God’s declaration that “I do not want your sacrifice; I desire your obedience.” (I Samuel 15.22+ and Isaiah 1.11+) What is disobedience but “sin.” Offerings sacrifices for the appearance of contrition but with no intention of truly repenting is “sin.” What God was asking for and seeking diligently was a transformation which would leave ultimately to reconciliation.

So, now the marketplace was in chaos. It was not a chaos as before the world began but the illustration should speak volumes to us about “being angry but do not sin.” What made Jesus’ anger not a sin? Well, we can start with His own declaration. I can imagine He looked straight into the eyes of the Temple leaders which undoubtedly that day included the High Priest Caiaphas. He said, “It is written, ‘My house is intended to be a house of prayer for all the nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves and robbers.” (Isaiah 56, Jeremiah 7, Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19; John 2 being early on in Jesus’ ministry is remembered as the disciples recalling “Zeal for Your house has consumed Me, and the reproaches of the who reproach You have fallen on Me.” (Psalm 69.9) What is zeal? Its definition is this: eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something. What was Jesus in pursuit of but obedience to the truth of God’s house. As the “Son of David” we are to remember how God had called David to build Him a temple. It was insufficient to build Him a tabernacle as existed with Moses in the Wilderness or at Shechem where Saul went to worship. Jerusalem (The City of Light and Truth) was to be the center of all life. It was intended to be “the heart, mind and soul” of faith, hope and love. But those who worshipped that day worshipped in a temple that was refashioned by Rome and those who had given their allegiance to Rome while projecting loyalty to God. It was a lie. Jesus was the instigator of a spiritual insurrection for the purpose of restoring righteousness and effecting reconciliation of God’s people with God. God was truly declaring “I don’t not want your sacrifices (hear the reminder of God’s word to Abraham as He substituted a ram and not a lamb for the life of Isaac.) What I desire is obedience (believing that Jesus is the Christ and the perfect offering which God was making on behalf of all those who would dare to live out their profession of faith before all the world.)”

Now, let us return then to Paul’s word of instruction: “In your anger (the acting out of discernment against that which is proposed as righteousness and goodness but is not) do not sin. and thereby put off all falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor for we are all of one body.” What is the intention, mighty ones of God? Is it not to win the neighbor who lives in disobedience, even though they may project they are righteous, and cause them to be transformed and thus reconciled to God? Is it not to show one’s own obedience and opposition to sin and not merely an indifference to it so as to empower sin to continue to be sought out by any and/or all in the world? Is it not also then to abstain from judgment leading to condemnation taking on a responsibility which is taught to be left fully to God? To usurp God’s place, promise and power and make it one’s own is a sin. And for the believer upon whom and in whom the Spirit of God exists (in heart, mind and soul), such desecration of fealty and obedience may well be tantamount to the only unforgiveable sin which is “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.” We ought to be convicted by such truth and humbled by our duty as members of the body of Christ to “be angry but not sin.” We are called to stand against the enemy and stand for the truth but not to take matters so in hand that God Himself by evidence of Jesus as the Christ is abandoned, forsaken and denied. God help us all.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit spoke us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit so that others may be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind that we would know that we are Your people and that You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.