Tag Archives: Old Testament

Arts, Christianity, Culture

Biblical exposition of friendship

FELLOWSHIP

1 Samuel 20-23

A narrative: True friends are closer than brothers

FRIENDSHIP is difficult to handle. In our intensely self-centred and suspicious culture, we trust few people fully and close relationships outside of partnerships invite sneers or allegations of sexual impropriety.

It is one facet of human life in which the ancients, even the Victorians, outscore us. Close friendship and the affection that goes with it was accepted as normal and healthy and did not require sexual expression. The book of Proverbs extols its virtues. For example, 27:10.

In the twelfth century AD, an Abbot of Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire described friendship as a “foretaste of Heaven where no one hides his thoughts or disguises his affection”. Those were the words of Abbot Aeldred. David and Jonathan were friends like that.

Crown prince Jonathan, heir to the throne (14:49) was a strong and brave man (14:1). After David’s giant killing episode, they became such firm friends that Jonathan gave David the emblems of his authority (18:1-4).

In the unenviable choice between his father and his friend, Jonathan supported David against the patent injustice of Saul (19:1,4) and in an episode full of cloak-and-dagger secrecy warned David to flee (ch 20). Although parted, their bond remained secure (23:15-18) which must have been dangerous for Jonathan.

Theirs is not the only biblical example of friendship, but it is one of the most detailed. It leaves modern casual acquaintances standing. There can be no Christian fellowship without friendship. None. If we desire closer Christian community, it will have to start with personal friendship.


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Arts, Christianity, Culture, Religion

Understanding the meaning of Christmas from Ecclesiastes…

TRINKETS ARE TRIVIAL

EXPERTS are predicting that so many people have ‘everything’ that Christmas presents will become ‘experiences’ – tickets for such things as hang gliding or bungee jumping. Most of us in the West have many possessions and few can detach themselves completely from them. House, car, furnishings, sentimental objects and clothes define who we are, and we hate to lose them.

But when life is laid bare on the autopsy table, these things look trivial. Who we were, the influence we exerted, the people we helped (or hurt) are what will be remembered and missed. They will be a more powerful memorial than instructions in our will or any words on our tombstone.

Ecclesiastes invites us to step back and look at our own silliness. We never think we have enough (1:8) and we keep on re-inventing the wheel (1:9). Knowledge is no good stored in our head and never used (1:16, 17). Pleasure is an emotion that goes out like a light the moment its energy source is cut off (2:10, 11). And we work our socks off for others to get the benefit (2:17-19).

The author does, though, pose a hard question: why on earth do we live like this? Why do we waste so much time and energy on trivial things and spend so little on lasting things like relationships with others and with God? Perhaps we all suffer from practical agnosticism, despite our protestations of faith. Wisdom starts when we look deep into ourselves and reflect on our own mortality.

Ecclesiastes has a particularly poignant message for Christmas, despite it being a book from within the Old Testament. It looks at life by clearly instructing us to be content with what we have; it also suggests that life is meaningless without the spiritual dimension, and teaches the need to keep everything in proper perspective. The message couldn’t be clearer for today.

Part of our calling on earth is to appreciate and enjoy what the Creator has given us. All good things are to be received with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:3).

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