Idle or Careless Words...terms of the Judgment

It was meant to scare the very devil, himself, out of us. The preachers, Sunday School teachers, and assorted older  non-child-friendly types, would use the threat of eternal judgment looming over us to send us to hell because of our frivolous (noisy) demeanor. I think most of us took the passage in Matthew 12.33-37 to mean any conversation or specific words that weren't very serious and, thus, probably not associated in some way with church, religion, God, or denouncing anything fun and therefore sin.

I've never preached on the passage, in over thirty years of preparing sermons. I've never done a study on it up 'til now, and probably would not have anytime soon except Helen Phillips urged me to look into it. I suspect she, too, might have been one of those chattering types who was threatened...anyway, I digress and probably wouldn't have written that last line except she doesn't have a computer (I know, someone will surely print it out for her).

So, having now been commissioned to study and rightly divide the word of truth... I wanted to share with you my good news and bad news.

First, I'm greatly relieved to discover the passage related by Matthew does not mean anything even closely related to the threats so many youngsters and other less spiritual types have received down through the years! I'm also relieved, in a rather unspiritual and vindictive sort of way, to discover that Jesus was actually lowering the boom on the spiritual types of his own day! It's a good thing I didn't know forty years ago what I know about scripture today...I might have engaged in a scorched earth policy with a few old "saints" in my home church. That's not a good policy for anyone at any age, unless you are Jesus.

The King James Version translates a word in Matthew 12.36 as "idle." The New International Version and the New American Standard Version translate the word as "careless." The context of Jesus conversation in Matthew chapter 12 is imperative to our understanding of the intent of the passage and therefore obtaining an understanding of the word. We need to start in verse 23.

The people were asking, "Could this be the son of David?"  This was after witnessing several miracles, including the healing of a demon-possessed man. The Pharisees, always lurking around waiting for an opportunity to discredit Jesus said that this was obviously the work of Satan. The Bible says that "Jesus knew their thoughts."

Based upon the knowledge Jesus had of what was going on in the thoughts of the Pharisees, he addressed them about their words being a reflection, indication, of their internal motivation...their heart's intent. A good tree will bear good fruit, a bad tree will bear bad fruit. "Can you who are evil say anything good?"  "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." "The evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored in him."

Then Jesus warns them of their accountability on Judgment Day, "...for every [argos] word they have spoken." {argos (a negative preface "a" - inactive, idle, careless, lazy, useless) from the word -  ergon (work, action, behavior, deed, deeds)  from - ergo (to do work)} I hope you don't mind the little Greek word study. 

It says if you aren't building it up you are tearing it down. If you aren't for the kingdom you are against it. You are either a part of the problem or part of the solution. When Jesus said the Pharisees would be judged by their [argos] words, he was reflecting upon the evil of their attempts to tear down and destroy the kingdom of God with their evil intent and sly, subtle, discrediting words. These words were a direct reflection of that which was in their hearts, indeed, the "overflow of their heart(s)..."

So, if the intent of a person's heart is evil, then they truly have reason to be concerned about Judgment Day. Indeed, their words shall accuse them on that day. If you were seated with Jesus at any one of several occasions; the wedding celebration at Cana, the party at Simon's house, or the party at Matthew's house, I suspect you would have had to choose between being one of the celebrants or one of those gathered at the windows speaking with great disappointment about Jesus being "a glutton and a winebibber..." 

Jesus knew how to party, he knew how to enjoy people and situations. He also knew how to rescue people and encourage them into the kingdom. It appears he didn't consider these two types of situations incongruous or disparate. His heart was good! The overflow of Jesus heart was good, exciting, encouraging, life-giving, fun, assuring, satisfying, nurturing, and profitable [ergon]. The overflow of the Pharisee's heart was condemning, discouraging, discrediting, arrogant and humiliating.

Things haven't changed, really. There are still those with a heart of love, joy, peace, encouragement and assurance -  and then there are those with the Pharisee's heart. Judgment Day will uncover the motivations of each and every heart.