Give Bountifully and be Full of Light

The words of Jesus are like precious coins, conveyed to us via the gospels. In their original form however they were minted in a foreign currency, as it were – in a first-century Semitic setting and language far removed from our time. Translators are like money changers that convert this wealth into more contemporary currencies for our benefit. To do a good job, knowledge of Jesus’ Jewish world is essential.

Consider as examples two sayings from the Sermon on the Mount. First, in Matthew 6:1 note how Jesus uses the term “righteousness” to speak of almsgiving:

"Beware of practicing your righteousness [acts of righteousness] before other people in order to be seen of them…” 

The term “righteousness” (tzedakah) has a wide range of meaning in the Hebrew scriptures but almsgiving is not directly one of them. Where then did Jesus get this usage?  The Pharisees, influenced by the Sages of the inter-testamental period, used the word tzedakah as a synonym for charitable giving. Jesus also uses it this way in Mathew 6:1, “when thou doest alms”.

Second, in Matthew 6:22-23, the Rabbi from Nazareth, Jesus, makes a puzzling statement that does not yield itself so easily to correct translation. After asserting that the eye is the lamp or light of the body, Jesus notes that:

"If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness."

Translators have wrestled with the meaning of the Greek behind the word “single” versus “evil eye" of the KJV. Often they take a natural approach such as “sound” vs. “not sound” (RSV), or “healthy” vs. “bad” (ESV).

The creative paraphrase, The Message, suggests:

“Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light.”

New Age adherents (who fail to understand the archaic English of the KJV), decode a mystical meaning in this text. The “single” eye they say is really the Third Eye of the spiritual body that is to be focused upon in deep meditation so as to become enlightened.

On the other hand, many cultures, including the Arab world, hold to a superstitious notion regarding an “evil eye", whose gaze can cause harm, illness or even death. Talismans are commonly used in such societies to fend of the power of the evil eye.

For Jesus, a “single” and an “evil” eye are not superstitious notions, nor mystical ones, nor simply physical characteristics. They are moral characterizations of a generous as opposed to a stingy person. This usage is found both in the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible and in Jewish tradition.

A “good” eye is idiomatic Hebrew for generosity or bountiful giving:

"Whoever has a good eye [who is generous] will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor" (Proverbs 22:9).

Whereas an “evil eye" is synonymous with being greedy or miserly:

"Do not eat the bread of a man whose eye is evil" [who is stingy]…  (Proverbs 23:6).

In his teaching Jesus extols the blessings of being generous to the poor – thereby laying up “treasure in heaven” (Mathew 6:21) – and warns of idolatrous dangers inherent in wealth (Mathew 6:24). His disciples should be known for having a “good eye", for to be miserly or greedy is to be deeply deceived spiritually. Beware!

A classic model in English literature of a man with an “evil eye" is The Famous Christmas Carol Character Of Ebenezer Scrooge. Charles Dickens describes him this way:

"No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle … Even the blind men’s dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on … would wag their tails as though they said, “No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!” 

The enduring charm of A Christmas Carol is that the miserly Scrooge turns around and discovers the great rewards of demonstrating a “good eye" by performing “acts of righteousness”. May I suggest that during this holiday season, filled with light and good will, Christians celebrate a “righteous” Christmas by showing an open hand to all in need. Let us give bountifully and truly be full of light!

The Christmas Controversy

CHRISTMAS can be an emotionally charged time for many, some because they are so moved by the cosmic significance of Messiah’s birth, others because they are so offended by seemingly pagan elements in traditional celebrations.

Among the first things, Christians learn to cherish when discovering the Jewish roots of their faith are the divinely appointed biblical Feasts. Correspondingly, among the first things they begin to view with suspicion are the traditional holidays of Christmas and Easter.

Why they wonder, did the Church forsake the “appointed times of the Lord,” so spiritually rich and full of messianic implications, and institute instead two holidays that seem to connect historically to the dissolute Roman winter-solstice festival of Saturnalia and to pagan fertility rites of spring? What do decked out trees and bunny rabbits have to do with Messiah’s birth and his resurrection?

Feelings on both sides of this issue can be heated, even hostile. A common charge is that Christmas trees partake of the idolatry spoken of in Jeremiah 10:1-4. One critic even claims that when we sing the traditional carol “Noel” we actually are declaring that there is “no God” (no Elohim). Moreover, that “Santa” is really just a disguised form of “Satan” (with the letters transposed)!

On the other side are the traditionalists who treasure the Christmas holiday — and all that it means for their family, their community, and their relationship to God — who get highly defensive about such criticisms. They feel that to reject Christmas is tantamount to rejecting Jesus and diminishing if not outright denying his incarnation.

Actually, the issues are far more complex than usually acknowledged in passionate exchanges. Therefore, the first step in sorting out the Christmas controversy is to become better informed about the facts and the varying interpretations. One resource I recommend is a lecture given by Dr. Dwight Pryor on the subject, available at jcstudies.com: Christmas—“Halleluyah!” Praise or “Bah Humbug!” Paganism?

HERE ARE some factors to consider:

·         The birth date of Jesus of Nazareth is not mentioned in the Bible and remains unknown. The one thing scholars, and I think many of us, can agree on is that Jesus’ birth, historically, was not on the December 25^th at the beginning of the present era. (More likely is a date between 6 and 4 BC.) Ancient Jewish tradition did not commemorate birthdays; they considered it a pagan custom. In fact the only birthdays mentioned in the Bible are those of Pharaoh (Gen 40:20) and Herod (Mat 14:6).

·         It was nearly 400 hundred years after his birth that the celebration of Christ’s nativity on 25^th of December became widespread in the Western (Roman) Church. The Church in Jerusalem remained one of the last holdouts, until the mid-sixth century.

·         The Church Fathers’ emphasis upon the Festival of the Nativity in the fourth century was not dissimilar to their efforts: 1) to counter the pervasive and popular paganism of the Roman Saturnalia festivities, and 2) to reinforce in the public’s mind the significance of the Incarnation of the Son of God, contra the widely held Arian heresy.

·         Drawing attention to the Nativity of the Messiah is biblical (both Matthew and Luke do so). The festival of the Nativity is post-biblical (coming centuries after Christ’s birth) and from the beginning has had its detractors (e.g., the Puritans).

·         “Post-biblical” does not automatically mean “anti-biblical.” Hanukkah is a rabbinic, post-Old Testament festival based on an historic event in Jewish history, yet one which Jesus himself honored (John 10:22-23).  So why should we too not honor this post-New Testament festival by celebrating the birth of Jesus the Messiah.

·         Yes, the Bible opposes idolatry but not to the use of images. A Passover “seder” for example is replete with memorable and spiritually meaningful images. Symbols are important and powerful but they are not magical. We need not fear them. Their meaning and influence are related to the circumstances and the intentionality of the individual or community using them, and therefore can change over time.

·         Christians should rejoice over Messiah’s birth. In addition, when it comes to the Festival of the Nativity (Christmas), be respectful of differing viewpoints, and creative and cautious in how you celebrate. Do not let a materialistic culture dictate how you honor a holy and altogether joyous occasion:

“For unto you is born this day… a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!”