’...not the [things] of themselves each watching but rather each the [things] of others.’
-here’s the deal. practically every modern translation modifies what paul wrote to say, 'don't only look out for yourselves but also look out for others.' but that dumbs down the impact of the original language. the greek does not have the word ‘only’ or ‘merely’, and the oldest manuscripts do not have the word ‘also’. the use of those words in this verse have the effect of creating space for the reader to pay attention to themselves. apparently the folks who copied the earliest manuscripts and those who have later worked on our various modern translations of the New Testament felt it necessary to add these words. which is understandable to a point, because really, who can be expected to not look after their own interests? it is only reasonable to allow that people need to take care of their own interests while they also look after the interests and needs of others. but those who have handed down this text to us have truly lowered the bar. look at the rest of Scripture - the bar is set quite high. gal 6.2 simply says ‘carry each other’s burdens’ - it doesn’t add the word ‘also’. rom 15.1-3 tells us to ‘please our neighbor for his good, to build him up, for even Christ did not please Himself’. it does not say, ‘ALSO please your neighbor’ (the word ’just’ in v. 1 in the NAS - ‘not JUST please ourselves’ - has also been inserted there gratuitously by the translators). but really it is quite simple - there is no also or and. the language here is not, watch others AND yourselves. to be sure, we must take care of ourselves to a certain extent. but me-first is already our default position, and in this we generally go above and beyond. we are experts at taking care of our own interests. for many it is only children and elderly parents who tend to be the primary levers that pry us out of me-first mode. but here we are simply being exhorted to get our eyes OFF of ourselves. it’s not ‘merely’ one eye on us and ‘also’ one on others - that is not what paul says.
-the word is skopeo, which is the verb for skopos, which gives us our english word, scope. it can be a goal or a target, something on which we focus intently. picture someone with a rifle or a drawn bow, or perhaps a scout or a lookout on a wall with an enemy in sight, and they are looking closely and fixedly at one thing, and it is not themselves. this is what we are instructed to be doing, getting our gaze off our navels and onto others.
-even the conjunction paul uses points out the contrast. it means 'but rather' or 'instead'. not focusing on me, BUT RATHER focusing on others. INSTEAD of focusing on me, focusing on others.
-it’s like when Jesus is telling peter to follow and love Him and to take care of His sheep, and peter asks Jesus, ‘but what about john?’ and Jesus says don’t worry about him (jn 21.17-22). don’t worry about that other thing. right now i want you to focus on this one thing, this one thing i am asking you to do. paul is making no concession whatsoever about looking out for ourselves. he is simply saying, you don’t need to worry about your own interests right now - don’t look at them. just get your eyes off yourself and think about others, look at them and at their needs instead. and if the whole body of Christ actually did this - look out!
-practically speaking, why would someone even want to consider jettisoning their me-first mindset? me-first not ony bars my access to heaven, it also shuts down the encroachment of heaven upon the earth. me-first can suffice in solitary confinement or on a deserted island perhaps, at least for a short while, but one is definitely the loneliest number, and as long as i make it all about me in a broken world, i will ultimately be sadly disappointed. and once i throw in other people who are also wired for me-first, things spiral downward in haste. we all want paradise, peace and love, those peaceful easy feelings, those good vibrations, right? ‘they were naked and unashamed’, no hiding, no hurling - that was paradise. not merely a place of beauty but one of beautiful relationships - encouragement, giving, helping, sharing, patience, honesty, acceptance, forgiveness, faithfulness, trust, kindness. but me-first shuts down every last drop of that.
-Lord, please don’t let me move beyond this passage and forget about it, such that it just fades into the background like so many of the great truths i have read about and studied and filed away. don’t let me look away unchanged and just keep on living as the same old self-centered, me-first me-better donkey i’ve always been. please work in me today, and tomorrow and the next day. yes, God, do what it takes to reduce me so that i can truly see and focus on the needs of my fellow believers and really live into others-first others-better. i have a long, long way to go...
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