Re-examination
Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; 1 Corinthians 10:32 NASB
Give no offense – Read this verse again. Then ask yourself, “How is this possible?” How can I give no offense. The Greek word is aproskopoi. That the verb proskopto combined with the negative particle a. It’s actually a much stronger verb than our usual understanding of “offense.” In today’s politically correct environment, to give offense can mean something as innocuous as using the “wrong” description (e.g. illegal alien instead of undocumented worker). Frankly, we are a pansy nation. It is rare to find anyone who is willing to tell it like it is. And if you do, you can be assured of being punished for your “offense.” Paul, on the other hand, had no compunction about speaking the truth. That’s why he uses the verb proskopto; a verb which literally means “to cut against.” An offense in Paul’s vocabulary is something that cuts to the heart. That implies something important, something vital and necessary. We aren’t speaking of forgetting which fork is for salad and which is for meat. We are speaking about personal insults that question character and commitment.
What would be such an insult to the Jews? Well, how about denying Torah as the code of life’s conduct? Do you suppose that this would be offensive to a Jew? How about suggesting that God no longer favors the Jews; that God is done with them and has moved on to the “church”? How about claiming that Christianity has replaced Israel and that God’s covenant promise to Abraham no longer applies? Do you think that cuts to the heart? How about “The Jews should be punished because they killed Jesus”? Would that hurt? Paul says, “Don’t be offensive about these things.”
And what about the Greeks? What sorts of things might cut to the heart of a Greek (Gentile)? How about, “God has condemned everyone outside the Church and they are all going to hell”? How about, “Because you are a sinner, your mental capacities are corrupt and you can’t even think straight about God”? How about “Nothing you can do has any merit with God. All your works are as filthy rags”? How about, “I must keep separate from you pagans because you have rejected the truth. I can’t have anything to do with you”? Maybe you could add a few more.
Finally Paul says, “Don’t cut into the heart of the church.” Of course, that isn’t exactly what he said. The word ekklesia needs to be translated correctly. “Don’t offend the assembly of believers, the qehelah of God.” How might I do that? What if I said that everyone who doesn’t believe as I do is theologically stupid, mistaken and condemned? What if I refused to associated with those “others,” like Catholics or Pentecostals or Pro-life Baptists (or Pro-choice Episcopalians, maybe)? What if I claim that only my theology is the right theology? What if I can’t have a glass of wine with a fellow Christian because I only drink grape juice (and Jesus never drank wine anyway)? I am sure you could find a few more ways to offend.
We don’t read this verse often, do we? Maybe that’s because it requires such a wide scope of tolerance. It makes us uncomfortable to think that we don’t know it all. Maybe the first step of fellowship is aproskopos – not cutting to the heart.
Topical Index: give no offense, aproskopos, 1 Corinthians 10:32
Good word Skip, “Give no offense …”
And all God’s people said “Amen”. We need to be reminded that Satan can use even holy zeal for his own ends.
Excellent! You gave good examples of how we may offend. We often think of ourselves as “shiny white” unless someone holds the mirror to our face.
or maybe “shiny black or brown, or yellow,or what ever other color there is. See how easyl it is to offend?
Skip, this seems so easy to say and agree with, yet I find it so hard to practice. Hopefully, being reminded of the need to not offend will help me to change my own behavior.
Well, I think there IS a way! (Dorothy who writes too much says…)
Meekness towards God.
.. and to our brethren. It belongs to both the tables of the law.
The greatest commandment, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God; as well as the second, which is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
“He shall choose our inheritance for us.” Ps. 47: 4
Ah, soul, be satisfied and be quiet with that !!
Chodesh Sameach! Happy New Moon!
As we came home from dinner with the kids last night I asked Ron to stop at the spot that we sight the New Moon each month up here on the Rampart Range in CO.
It was very over cast and we were sure we wouldn’t be able to see it but I wanted to at least give it a try.
Just as the words “We won’t be able to see it” came out of my mouth POP there it was. We blew our doubled up fist shofars and proceeded home worn out from the long day and ready for bed at 8:00.
I woke up this morning a little bummed that I hadn’t made time to even prepare a small meal and say a blessing to welcome the New Moon. My intention is to repent from this and pay more attention. It’s an important discipline in my opinion.
Preparing for Shabbat is much easier. I know when it will come. But preparation for the New Moon is the next level of preparedness. You may need to go out and look for it and be prepared more than once.
We do this for Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashannah) but it’s clear in scripture that we should do this each month. It was done in the past and it will be done in the future.
1Sa 20:5
1Sa 20:18
1Sa 20:24
2Ki 4:23
Ps 81:3
Isa 66:23
Eze 46:1
Eze 46:6
Am 8:5
I know that counting off the “Days of Awe” beginning with the first day of the 6th biblcal month (which is today) is a rabbinic tradition and I don’t consider it binding at all. However as in many traditions it is an exercise in preparedness. Being prepared for Yom Ha Kippurim / The Day of Atonement is serious business.
I’m blessed with a few girlfriends that have lots of time to keep themselves spotless and prepared all the time. I would not wish to have that much time for the reasons they are afforded it. They use their chronic illnesses to help others like myself stay in step with YHVH’s seasons and I thank Him for them. Because of the highly physical nature of my business I’m never able to take full advantage of the material they send me but I use as much of it as time affords. This year one of them sent me this and I’m passing it on.
http://www.deborahsmessianicministries.com/40%20Days%20Of%20Teshuvah.pdf
My preparation this year is a forty day fast from alcoholic beverages and weaning myself from caffeine and now I can add “Give no offense” so I will be well prepared for fasting on Yom Ha Kippurim. I tell you all this so you will;
1. hold me accountable and 2. consider what changes you yourself may wish to make in this season.
If all of us take seriously our obligation to prepare personally then we will automatically all be prepared as a community. Selah!
Since The Day that “no man knows the day or the hour” when the elect will be gathered up from the four corners of the earth (Yom Teruah) will be upon us in about 30 days I thought it prudent to exhort you brothers and sisters to make an effort to be more prepared than in the past.
So in that spirit I ask you; if you knew for sure He was coming in the next 30 days, what changes would you make and how soon?
Is. 43:5-6 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
Our brother Paul is just in a different catagory – he really keeps me on my toes:
2 Kor 6:14……do not yoke yourselves with a team of unbelievers….. for how can righteousness and lawlessness be partners? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?….for we are the temple of the living God…lets purify ourselves from everything that can defile either body or spirit…..
and still 1 Cor 10:32 is also true ,but very for difficult for me to do…guess, both take a lot of practice!
Amo 8:11 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
Amo 8:12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find [it].
Amo 8:13 In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.
This section of scripture came on my heart this morning as I read this (it’s been on my heart often as of late) and I wonder why it can’t be found.
Dare I say…? Sharia America.
“When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.”
― Abraham Joshua Heschel
Do you think we will be rememberd for how much we know or how much we demonstrated kindness and care?
I prefer this quote:
“When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I admire kind people.”
― Abraham Joshua Heschel
I realize you may not be able to answer this for a while, but I need to write out what I’m thinking before I forget it! Before he tells us to “Give no offense…,” Paul tells us to “do all to the glory of God.”
Do I understand correctly that “cutting to the heart,” as you describe it, means offending people by demeaning them, rejecting them, belittling them, etc. because of who they are; these actions obviously do not glorify God ( although the history of the Christian religion has unfortunately illustrated the opposite point of view). That, then, is very different from speaking the truth, which is also a necessary part of
glorifying God. This is the hard part, I think: to speak the truth without compromise, yet to allow other people to be who they are, whatever their response to the truth is. Truth is Truth, but none of us necessarily has a monopoly on understanding it correctly – that is why discussion and dialogue is so important. Not giving offense, then, would be the ability to clearly state your differences without calling someone “stupid” for believing differently.
Did I understand you correctly on this?
You sure did.
“to speak the truth without compromise, yet to allow other people to be who they are, whatever their response to the truth is”
Hi Emily,
My daughter was preparing a presentation for high school, the four eras of (her) life
At one point I said she might want to alter the wording because students could take offence
She responded by saying it was the truth as she saw it and thought to myself
Can’t argue with that
Hey Michael,
I agree; you can’t argue with that. Some of her classmates might, but as long as they are able
to dialogue about their differences, they can all profit. A lot depends on the way her teacher handles it.
Bravo for your daughter!
Skip,
First I’d like to express how grateful I am for your presence in my life – I only wish we could spend more time together. Roderick Logan introduced me to your teaching and opened the door for me to the Hebrew Worldview nearly 3 years ago. From the first few pages I read of your introductory “30 Days” series I knew I had come upon something significant. I am so grateful for your teaching, your passionate dedication to God’s Word, its accurate translation and understanding. Your writings have rocked my world.
My predicament, however, is what to do with all this. I now find myself a Hebraic-minded stranger in a Christian world. I suppose my plight is familiar to many in the community. Now that my wife is onboard too, we’re trying to decide on a spiritual direction for our family. We have 2 young children, 11 & 9 – how do we raise them to know God, know Yeshua, love Them and Their Word? My 11 year old daughter says, “I don’t want to become Jewish!” LOL, neither do we. Some of our best friends are Jewish, I grew up with many Jewish friends, and it’s shocking how absent God is in their lives – at least those that we know.
You said it recently, Skip. If I shared any of the insight and understanding I now have of God’s Word, the importance of Torah, the true teachings of Yeshua and Sh’aul, they’d certainly call me a heretic! They think Fee & Stuart is getting deep – they have no idea… And God bless them! Most are people who love Him and are striving to live by His Word and obey Him in their lives. But we can’t in good conscience continue to be a part of “that.”
We’ve even gone as far as looking into some of the Messianic Jewish Congregations in the area – there are a few. But I don’t know if I want to wear a kippah and a prayer shawl (not sure the name). That direction doesn’t really look right either, but I’m not sure.
So the dilemma is where to go with all that we now know. Do others have this same struggle? I suppose we are lucky to have at least a small core of like-minded believers in Greater Phoenix, mainly because of Roderick. Unfortunately, they’re on the other side of town from us, and most of them still attend large local Christian churches. Do they feel similarly conflicted?
Our concern is both for ourselves and our children. We all need to be plugged into a community. For now, we’re attending a local Christian church that both we and our kids really like, but I know the teaching is off. Do we go the Messianic Jewish route? This is certainly an option.
Where do we go now that we know?
-Mark Beauvais
“Houston we have a problem!” Apparently either Shaul didn’t read his own words or failed to follow his own advice. Just a cursory reading through the Apostle’s writings reveal much that could be counted offensive,insulting and “cutting to the heart” toward the 3 groups you mentioned-Jews, Gentiles and the Church. Here is just a sampling:
…in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision…
If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men?…
But refuse profane and old wives’ fables…
for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men…
For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife…
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart…
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats…
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
So either Shaul was a hypocrite or your definition and admonition of tolerance is …well, perhaps, too tolerant.
On the other hand, I admit that intolerance is a personal struggle of mine, so maybe I need to quit looking at Shaul as a role model for my bias and dogmatism and look to Yeshua for guidance on how to think and behave towards others. But still, a little more clarity and a lot less “generic gospel” from you might help. Thanks, Michael
“the Apostle’s writings reveal much that could be counted offensive,insulting and “cutting to the heart””
Hi Michael and Arnella,
I would not consider any of the Apostle’s statements above to be “cutting to the heart”
Seems to me that “cutting to the heart” is a personal attack on someone who is vulnerable
It is not criticizing someone’s bad behavior
And Jesus was pretty tough on (tests) the old gentile (dog) until he can feel her Heart
In Matthew 15:22-28
A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.”
Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
JESUS answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
The GENTILE woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
JESUS replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs (GENTILES) .”
“Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs (GENTILES) eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Or maybe we have been so battered by the “tolerance” crowd that we no longer recognize what intolerance actually means. Your examples show us that we have to define words according to the USAGE in CONTEXT. Our definitions don’t matter. What matters is the way the word is used by the author.