I've read a couple of interesting articles on morality recently (like this one), and it seems it was good timing as I'm still surprised by the base nature of this not-yet-Jewish-but-getting-there culture. In response to their sister's rape, Jacob's sons trick the tribe of the perp into circumcising themselves. Unsurprisingly, the men find this a little more painful than sandal blisters and so whilst incapacitated Jacob's sons move in, kill the men, plunder the village and generally behave like football supporters. Jacob's response was not so much to reprimand them but to feel a bit bleak that he would now have to move out to avoid retaliation from the locals.
Our team understood rape was wrong, but retribution was OK? I am reminded in chapter 35 that this nation still has a bunch of other gods they carry around with them, so it made me wonder if the rights and wrongs of the 10 commandments and other moral laws are innate (I think C.S. Lewis held this argument) or if they have had to be worked out over time as God revealed himself to this nation and so to us (as this account suggests)?
What do you think?
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Matthew Henry's commentary on this passage is pretty good: http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/index.php?action=getCommentaryText&cid=18&source=2&seq=i.1.34.2
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, the 10Commands don't include any reference to forgivenes/revenge/retribution. So for that culture it was still ok to "get even". (You might want to listen to Rob Bell's 14th June sermon called 'Drop the Jawbone' - about forgiveness/revenge.) Perhaps it was only Jesus who took love/obedience to God to the next level and broke the cycle of revenge. Love your enemies. Quite difficult when he's just made off with your money/wife/tv/honour.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting story this. In my humble opinion, I think the main message that we get from this is that God is always there, reaching out for us and often we put ourselves in situations that God allows, which helps us learn and grow. Just yesterday I read a scripture in Matt 5:17-20, where Jesus illustrates the importance of the "life lessons" and Commands God wants us to keep since the beginning of time or "the Old Testament" as we know it. Later in Matt 8:1-4 Jesus heals a man with Leprosy and then tells him to take a gift or sacrifice to the temple as was commanded in the days of Moses. God does not condone the wrongs we do, but when we learn from them and seek Him by doing what He commands (His will vs our will), he is pleased and will do whatever it takes to win us back over. It is then that we see, how much we do need Him, when we are most vulnerable because of the situations we've put orselves in...Halala
ReplyDeleteGood comments peeps. Thanks for the Rob Bell tip Timbob. Halala you make a good point too - and Eugene Peterson agrees with you that Genesis is about God in everything illustrated by real characters with real flaws. It's comforting and challenging at the same time.
ReplyDeleteWeighing in a bit late on this, but blame timbob for directing me to your blog(we're related by marriage). One thing about reading 4000 year old texts (give or take a millennium) is that shift in perspective. I find that I struggle to even read Enid Blyton now (to my kids of course), as the morals have shifted that much in 50 years (give or take a decade).
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be quite a few cases (especially but not only OT) where what is generally condoned doesn't fit in with what I think I know about God. I like morality to be binary - right or wrong - I wonder why God left so much unclear? At least Jacob didn't condone it, but I'm not sure he had good reasons?
ReplyDeleteIf moral laws are innate, then thank God for setting the standard out of reach through Jesus' teaching, otherwise I might feel entirely justified despite being completely selfish.
If you guys want to read an interesting debate on morality have a look at this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/mayweb-only/119-12.0.html
Nice to meet you Mark!