A Christmas story

...too good to not be true.

Two days before Christmas, a woman frantically shopped to get some last-minute gifts. She had her four-year-old daughter in tow. The woman dragged her daughter from store to store. Exhausted, in a rush, and fighting the crowds, the woman felt more irritable by the minute. Finally, they made their last stop.

As they left that last store, the mother grumbled to her daughter, “Did you see that? That man at the checkout counter gave me a mean face!”

The little daughter replied, “No mommy, you had a mean face before you went into the store.”

We have a problem

MSN News: “The images in videos that went viral on social media Saturday showed a tense scene near the Lincoln Memorial.”

Except, of course, when the truth came out the scene was not nearly as “intense” as the viral clip showed it to be. The fallout that resulted, though, may truly be called intense. The Washington Post reported that “death threats had shut down Covington Catholic High School,” where the students involved attended. I have heard that the Native American drummer also received death threats.[i]

The aftermath of this situation submits several settings for self-examination.

We who are Christians should be “swift to hear” and “slow to speak” as James advised.[ii] As a society, we are slow to listen and swift to rush to judgment in matters of which we know little or nothing.

The media needs to rethink whether their reporting contributes in some way to the public good. I believe in freedom of the press unrestrained by government. A free press must exercise self-restraint. The media cannot control what people do with what they report. However, reports rushed into quickly without all the facts – that lead to threats on lives – cannot be a good thing! Being right, reporting correctly, and doing good must outweigh being first.

The general population needs to exercise self-restraint. Recognize that we also operate as “news media” through Facebook, blogs, Twitter, and such like. We do not have to “share” everything we hear, especially when what we hear may be incorrect. Blame rests not only on the professionals!

We are slouching towards a chaotic and disorderly society. A civilization easily irritated, perpetually offended, and maliciously reacting is not civil! Will rudeness and savagery rule? Politics, which has descended into blind rancor, often is implicated as the source. Not likely. More likely, bureaucratic bile just feeds a deeper problem. Look around. This is not just in matters of politics. Think sports. The referees made an exceptionally bad call [iii] in the NFC championship football game.[iv] Later on that night, security moved the refs from their hotel to a different hotel because they were being harassed. All over a game – a game we pay grown men to play!

Houston – America – we have a problem.

And the problem is us![v]

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[i] Though I haven’t seen a specific news report on it, I don’t doubt it.

[ii] James 1:19-20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

[iii] Technically, they failed to call a blatant rule violation.

[iv] Between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints, January 20, 2019.

[v] Pogo: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” God: This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord” (Isaiah 30:9).

Don't let the sun go down on your wrath

Question: What does “let not the sun go down upon your wrath” mean?

The most common explanation of this phrase is “don’t go to bed angry” (also, “don’t sleep on anger,” “suppress it speedily,” “put a strict time limit on it,” or “it should not be prolonged beyond the sunset”).  This is further morphed into the idea that conflicts must be resolved before bedtime. What is that the correct or best understanding?

In a series of moral exhortations about putting off the old man and putting on the new man, Paul stated, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath (Ephesians 4:26).” A close inspection suggests that Paul alludes to Psalm 4:4 from the Greek Old Testament, which reads (as translated into English),[i] “Be ye angry, and sin not; feel compunction upon your beds for what ye say in your hearts. Pause.”[ii]

Comparing some of the texts (for those to wish to do so)

Psalm 4:4 Greek Septuagint - καὶ γνῶτε ὅτι ἐθαυμάστωσε Κύριος τὸν ὅσιον αὐτοῦ· Κύριος εἰσακούσεταί μου ἐν τῷ κεκραγέναι με πρὸς αὐτόν.

Psalm 4: 4 Brenton Septuagint Translation - Be ye angry, and sin not; feel compunction upon your beds for what ye say in your hearts. Pause.

Psalm 4:4 Wycliffe Bible - Be ye wroth, and do not ye sin; and for those evils to which ye say in your hearts and in your beds, be ye compunct.

Psalm 4:4 1599 Geneva Bible - Tremble and sin not: examine your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Psalm 4:4 King James Version - Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Psalm 4:4 New International Version - Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.

Ephesians 4:26 1550 Stephanus New Testament - οργιζεσθε και μη αμαρτανετε ο ηλιος μη επιδυετω επι τω παροργισμω υμων

Ephesians 4:26 Wycliffe Bible - Be ye wroth, and do not do sin; the sun fall not down on your wrath.

Ephesians 4:26 1599 Geneva Bible - Be angry, but sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath,

Ephesians 4:26 King James Version - Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Ephesians 4:26 New International Version - “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

Since Paul’s exhortation alludes to Psalm 4, it should be considered in deciding the full meaning Ephesians 4:26. Because the Lord has set apart him that is godly, David knew the Lord would hear his call (verses 1, 3). Due to that knowledge David resolves to stand in awe of God, tremble before him and not sin in his anger at the lying vanity surrounding him (v. 3). In doing so we should stand in awe before God and look within ourselves – talk to ourselves. Though we may joke about people being crazy if they talk to themselves, the fact is we often need to have a dialogue with our soul (Cf. Joseph Hart’s A Dialogue between a Believer and His Soul for a poetic example of the concept).

All anger is not bad or wrong. Righteous indignation is a true concept. Jesus speaks of being angry “without a cause” – indicating we can be angry with cause (Matthew 5:22). If we commune with our own hearts on our beds we will likely most often find our anger is a human reaction that is sinful, without a cause. Let’s not be guilty of excusing ungodly reactions as righteous indignation.

If we have been angry, the close of the day must bring reflection upon it. Says Charles Spurgeon in The Treasury of David, Psalm 4, “Stay, rash sinner, stay, ere thou take the last leap. Go to thy bed and think upon thy ways. Ask counsel of thy pillow, and let the quietude of night instruct thee!” John Calvin rightly notices “…in solitude, we can give to any subject a closer attention…”[iii]

The apostle is not putting the onus on us to resolve every personal conflict before the sun goes down, or before we go to bed. That may not be possible (e.g., the other person may not want to resolve the conflict). But the going down of the sun and the laying down of our heads is a perfect time for reflection, for prayer, and, if need be, repentance.

The text teaches the limitation of anger, even when it is proper. Sundown was the time when one Jewish day ended and a new day began. End your day well! Start your day out right! The big picture of Ephesians 4:26b is: Resolve your anger. Don’t nurse it. Even if it is legitimate anger, don’t let it fester and grow into sin.

Don’t get angry and sin…but when you do sin, reflect and repent.

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[i] English Translation of the Greek Septuagint Old Testament, by Sir Lancelot C. L. Brenton, 1851; Greek: καὶ γνῶτε ὅτι ἐθαυμάστωσε Κύριος τὸν ὅσιον αὐτοῦ· Κύριος εἰσακούσεταί μου ἐν τῷ κεκραγέναι με πρὸς αὐτόν.

[ii] Psalm 4:4 (KJV): “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.”

[iii] From Calvin’s Commentaries, translated by John King

Righteous indignation

So-called experts vary in their categorizations of anger types, their concepts and their number. Some forms of anger are normal and healthy. Even though unpleasant to deal with, it may lead to the quick resolution of a problem. Other forms of anger pose a serious problem. “Road rage” is a type of volatile explosive anger than can be intense and destructive. Chronic anger is habitual anger that people hold on to and nurture over a long period of time. This could be those who “seem like they are mad all the time.” Most people seem to have a general negative attitude toward the concept of anger -- probably because so much anger is selfish, uncontrolled and hurtful. But all anger is not bad or wrong. The Bible says, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath (Ephesians 4:26).”

Jesus’s anger recorded in John 2:13-25 is instructive in the proper kind of and proper use of anger.

13 And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. 17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. 18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

Jesus’s anger was purposed (directed) and restrained (controlled). Many things about the way the Pharisees, Sadducees and others treated him personally could have caught his attention and engendered much anger. Rather, he directed his anger toward the abuse of the temple worship.

Jesus’s anger was premeditated (planned, planned beforehand) and judicious (displaying good judgment). Jesus took the time to make a scourge (a type of whip). The making of scourge -- both the intent, time and effort to do so -- displays not only purpose but also premeditation. He did not act rashly or explode in anger. He took his time. He made a specific tool and directed it to a specific purpose.

Jesus’s anger was righteous (without sin) and productive (got results beyond just the feeling). His action was directed against a known and overlooked moral wrong regarding the temple services.  It produced results beyond any supposed “feeling better” associated with an outburst of anger. The temple was cleansed of its abuse. Much anger has no designed purpose at all, has no moral foundation -- and after the fact the person who acted in anger does not even “feel better.”

Intriguingly, the Jews did not question the act of Jesus driving out the money-changers and overturning the tables. They only questioned whether Jesus had the authority to act (in other words, this is a question of the person of Christ). This indicates they knew the wrong and that someone had the authority to act in this manner.

Jesus was angry and did not sin. He directed his anger for a precise purpose, accomplished the purpose, explained his actions and went on with the things he came to do.