09/07/2023 10:31
Politicians are well known for not answering the questions that has been asked, but had you noticed that it is not only politicians who do so, though the others may do so for quite different reasons.
This was first noticed at college, when with a fellow student we would be trying to understand a text in which we had seen some difficulties. Translation always has a certain amount of leeway, unless you use Latin so I have heard, hence the need from time to time to clarify the intended meaning of the English words, tenses and other grammatical structures chosen to represent the alien tongue of the hoi polloi. We would search the books we had to hand but none ever seemed to even recognise the difficult question that we had let alone attempt to address it. What should we do next? It required visits to libraries, where we would hope to find a better tome, or to a well-stocked bookshop – it was possible to find such in those days, with no little exaggeration, on every street corner.
Sometimes we would find a recognition of the difficulty that we were trying to understand, but rarely an attempt to grapple with it to a conclusion. It has been well said, There are three things that I fear greatly, the three theologians in one room with nothing in their heads but dust, and four opinions between them.
This propensity to fail to answer the question does not end with politicians and theologians however, at work when being taught how to research a particular topic, which involved an uncertain situation with absolutely certain tax outcomes we should be able to understand the problem in law correctly. At least in this case the writers of the learned tomes restricted themselves to plain, though technical English, except where it was necessary, and it was, to read the judgements of the very learned judges themselves who could argue for a case for several pages before revealing that their arguments were completely specious and therefore neither supported the defendant nor the respondent. Again however, in a particular case we could find no answer, and so had to resort to the high street shops where after a little initial questioning of the shopkeepers we found in the Middle Temple all along one who believed he could give the answer for which we were looking.
Recently we asked a solicitor a question. Extensive research had been done beforehand and a report provided setting out the conclusions and problems faced. A question was asked How do we move forward and overcome the difficulties that stand in the way? Solicitors are very good at carrying out instructions, but as anyone who has ever dealt with one will know unless you instruct them to do something they will certainly follow your instructions and do it, which is of course nothing. Why is this you may ask? Ask their insurers, they may be prepared to answer the question. So, a report was returned to us which repeated back to us what we had said, suggesting that if we chose one of the options set before us they would proceed to enact it for us. It should be noted that at least one of the options had already been ruled out by us when we approached them. But what of the difficulties? Not a word is said about how they shall be resolved. We heard nothing more than that which we said in the first place.
So when we turn to Paul’s words if we do not recognise the difference between the two quite similar sets of words to the Ephesians1 and the Colossians2 then either we are
- not being honest or
- making his words say what they want them to say according to our own prejudice
It was a monk, whose name I forget but hope not forget to look him up, who opened my eyes to the difference in the wording:
E19 speaking to one another
E one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
E singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
E20
E20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
E21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
,考え
Dare we give an answer?
The difference, and as you see there are many, but the one of significance lies in the third line above. To the Colossians Paul appears to say sing with grace. To the Ephesians he clearly says sing .. in your hearts. We should not fail to notice that for he uses a closely related [compound – added for the grammaticists who read this] verb make melody as if to emphasise the point that he means in the heart not in the air which his words in Colossians allow us to add.
So if Paul means by these two things the same thing, which patently he does for the Apostles do not teach one thing one day and the same thing a different way the next, what is that meaning? Many want to say that the Colossian reading sing with a heart full of grace is the correct sense. But that must still be understood in a way that does not contradict the Ephesian reading sing .. in your heart. Even that reading of Colossians, whilst appearing to lend additional support to singing in the air, cannot require singing in the air, for that is clearly ruled out by the Ephesian reading.
The correct sense must then be to take grace as a qualifier for sing, rather than a qualifier for heart, so that the Colossian reading is sing graciously in your heart. That reading is completely aligned with the reading in Ephesians.
Now you may ask, what is the point of this? It is simply to say that whilst singing is permitted in Christian gatherings, we do not find that permission either in Colossians or Ephesians. We must be careful and accurate exegetes of Scripture, not simply apply an understanding to the words because it either then supports our traditions or because we want to do something that our tradition did not contemplate.
The correct understanding of Paul in both passages is that the psalms hymns and spiritual songs to which he refers are to be spoken to one another. In other words he is directing the church to use the word of God to teach and admonish for the building up of one another. The singing takes place in our hearts in response to the word.
One day we must appear before the judgement seat …. and give an answer. Have we faithfully kept his word?
- Ephesians 5:15-20 See then that you walk [e]circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. ↩︎ - Colossians 3:12-17 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. ↩︎
E18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
C16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,
E19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
C teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
E20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
C17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.