Reflections on Galatians Part 2: Anger or compassion?


Why is there a Bible? For a similar reason to why we are called to be Christians. Mostly, I think it's to give us some knowledge of what God is like.

Numbers 20:7-12 (my emphasis)

and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle." And Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?" And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them."

Hodel's liberal paraphrase: "Moses, the whole point of the law, of the plagues, of the passover, and of wandering in the desert is so that the nation can learn who I am and that I care for them. You are my primary representative. I told you to show compassion, and you gave anger instead. I don't have to tell you that that's not acceptable."

The focus here, as in Galatians, is on accurate reflection of what God is like, particularly in contrast to what he is not like. Just as Moses was not to show condemning anger to the Israelites, it is my suspicion that Paul's tone of voice in his letter does not carry anger toward his friends in Galatia.

More on this tomorrow.

Posted: Wed - January 2, 2008 at 08:00 AM           | |

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