For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The writer of Hebrews is describing a tool. It is a very sharp tool that is capable of dividing things that normally cannot be separated.
- Our soul and our spirit
- Our joint and our marrow
They are part of the same bone. Notice please that the writer did not say that it was able to do the simple thing of separating bone from bone at the joint. This sword is able to separate the life giving marrow that is inside the bone from what is on the surface.
- Our thoughts and our intentions
Our thoughts are the results of our intentions. Like the other two pairs, intentions (ennoia) is the source.
Ok, so we have a sharp tool. What do we do with it? Let's go back a few verses to understand its purpose.
Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.
Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
What is this disobedience (apeitheia)? It is deep. It is obstinate opposition to God's will. It is the root of sin.
Fortunately for us, we have the right tool.
No comments:
Post a Comment