Posted on 07/08/2014 2:40:23 AM PDT by markomalley
One of the tendencies of our fallen human nature, when it comes to the demands of the moral life, is to emphasize our weakness and minimize the reality of our strength. It is surely a tendency related to the Cardinal Sin of Sloth, wherein we experience sorrow, sadness or aversion to the good things that God is offering us.
There’s a part of us that would rather stay locked in our sins in our weakness. Because we either fear the changes that holiness would bring, or even worse, we find holiness unappealing.
Sloth, and the negativity associated with it, is a drive the flesh. “Flesh,” is a biblical term referring to the rebelliousness of our fallen nature. Paul uses the term (sarx, Flesh) not so much to describe our physical bodies, but rather to describe that part of us that does not like to be told what to do; that is stiffnecked and stubborn; that resists what is holy and good. It is that part of us it does not want to have a thing to do with God. It is that part of us that, when we do go to pray, fidgets and would have us ponder anything but God or the truth he reveals.
Okay, so far the picture looks pretty negative. We are slothful, negative, and locked in the drives of the flesh.
But the problem is, too many people stop here and do not go on to ponder that, within each of us, is also something called the spirit (pneuma). The human spirit is that part of us which is open to God; is that part of us which is drawn to goodness, to beauty and to truth. It is that part of us to craves justice, and looks beyond itself for meaning. It is that part of us that seeks to improve the world, builds great cities, creates beautiful works of art, writes great literature and, most importantly, seeks God.
It is the human spirit which most distinguishes us from any other animal on this earth, including primates. No other animal, even those genetically closest to us, build cities, form bicameral legislatures to debate law and justice, or create great works of art. No other animal write great literature, or store their collective wisdom in libraries and teach it in universities No other animal desires to go to the moon and beyond. No other animal sings, builds great cathedrals, ponders the meaning of life, and calls on God. The human spirit is magnificent, powerful, and creative. God himself has put this magnificent power within us.
Yet, we so quickly discount this magnificent gift, and run for the excusing cover of the flesh to explain away our sinful tendencies.
But Jesus, in an important instruction at a critical moment teaches us otherwise. What is most tragic, is that most people completely miss the point, and even reverse what Jesus is trying to teach.
The teaching comes on Holy Thursday, in the garden. Finding them sleeping, Jesus rouses and warns them,
Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh, weak. (Matt 26:41)
Sadly, most people completely miss the point saying in effect “Yeah, that’s right! The flesh is weak; that explains everything. That’s why my life is messed up. See? Jesus understands and kindly accepts why my life is a mess.”
But this is the opposite of what Jesus is teaching. The point that Jesus is making is that the spirit is indeed willing! In other words, he is saying, “Lay hold of the fact that within you is your human spirit, which I gave you,and which is eager, willing, and desirous to do that which is right. Come to experience the reality and force of the spirit that I placed within you, and will quicken with my Holy Spirit. Your spirit is willing!”
The Greek word here translated as “willing” is πρόθυμον (prothemon) which is also translated, and perhaps even better translated as “eager, or ready” Yes, the spirit is eager for that which is good, true and beautiful. The flesh is of no avail, the flesh must grow weaker. Feed your spirit, listen to its desires for the good, true and beautiful. Yield to it, and feed it! Whatever you feed grows! Starve the flesh, and feed the spirit. Do this by staying awake and praying.
So much of the misunderstanding of Jesus teaching comes down to an emphasis. Most place the emphasis on the flesh being weak. But Jesus says the spirit is indeed willing! And here is where the emphasis must fall.
The word “indeed” helps us to understand this. Jesus says, the spirit is indeed willing…” It is a Greek word (μὲν, men) which is difficult to translate because its meaning varies contextually. But one thing is clear, it is an intensifier. It is meant to place emphasis on the verb “willing.” So, the flesh is weak, got that. But the spirit is indeed willing, or literally the spirit is indeed eager!
This is where the emphasis must fall, and this is what Jesus teaches. He is not making excuses for us, he is summoning us to something in us that is more powerful than the flesh, namely our spirit.
Many Christians do the same thing with St. Paul’s letter to the Romans in the seventh chapter. There Paul gives a vivid description of the human person locked in the flesh. He writes:
7:14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 So then it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin
And many reading this say, ”Ah ha, that’s me! Well, that explains it all. And I guess if even Paul was a mess, its okay that I’m a mess too.” Of course, it is not clear the Paul is writing about himself, he may be describing Adam before Christ.
But even so, what is more important is that we read on! The break between Chapters 7 and Chapter 8 did not come from St. Paul. Chapters and verses are wonderful ways of being able to find text quickly, but they tend artificially break up the text. St. Paul does not conclude his thoughts at the end of chapter 7. He continues to write, and in chapter 8 goes on to describe the human person living in the spirit. And to every wretched problem of Romans 7, Romans 8 gives a direct answer.
7:14 – I am carnal, sold into sin? -
8:2 the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death
8:9 But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you
7:18 – Nothing good dwells in me?
8:9, 11 the Spirit of God dwells in you
7:23 – I am captive to the Law of sin?
8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.
Thus, St. Paul is giving the same teaching as Christ, namely that the spirit is willing, the spirit is eager, and the spirit, quickened by God’s Holy Spirit, can overcome every tendency of the flesh. Every darn one of them.
Romans 7 and Matthew 26:41 are not a Magna Carta for Christian sloth. They do describe the problem of the flesh, but indicate that the spirit is more powerful, the spirit is eager and willing, that we must lay hold of this great gift that God has given us, and quickened with his Holy Spirit.
No more excuses now about how the flesh is weak. The spirit is eager and willing!
Msgr Pope ping
Good insight there about reading Romans 7-8 as a unit, a single elaboration, instead of separately.
Regarding the spirit/flesh issue, a famous writer about running observed that the flesh - the physical body, in this case - is not weak. It’s strong and eager for vigorous activity. Many of our health problems are caused by insufficient activity. It’s the spirit - the mind, the will - that are lethargic. “Stop nagging me to run, legs! I just want to lie here!”
Ping!
A subtle point: Who is Paul to know that this 'law' conjured by his mind is in fact God's will? Is he so sure his mind comes up with God's will, and then he fails to follow it?
I am not suggesting that flesh is the answer. But that it's not a dual between 'either mind or flesh.' I question here whether as Paul angsts - his mind battling his flesh, he is missing that his mind is made of flesh, and in fact, his flesh is made of mind. He is trying to figure out whether to run East, or West. But in Hell, both directions lead to ... Hell.
So, mind is flesh, flesh is mind.
God and this willing, eager spirit do not come to us through either flesh OR mind.
By staring at a damn, either side of it, no water moves through. No matter how hard one intends or angsts even as Paul. Doing the will of the one side avails nothing. Doing the will of the other, accomplishes nothing.
By sliding the damn 1 inch to the side, the water moves, rushing, eager and willing, as if by itself, effortlessly. The water that pours over you is not the mover of the damn. The mover of the damn is not the source of this water.
Paul must put down flesh, then put down mind. If he does, he will see that he has been chasing his tail. With mind and flesh moved aside one inch, the Spirit will rush over him, and he will be his eager self.
ping for later. sloth is one of my besetting sins :o(
This literally made me laugh out loud. Well done!
That bullheadedness runs deep. That problem of obedience...
Then the other thing that I found particularly interesting was this:" Of course, it is not clear the Paul is writing about himself, he may be describing Adam before Christ."
Very interesting. Something to meditate on for sure.
That's a very interesting point. I definitely need to read the whole section again.
But first, I have to get the baby up.
You can read it to the baby. :)
“Noooooo! Piglet book!”
LOL, the Rabbit in the Winne the Pooh book reminds of John Boehner. “Oh dear, oh dear, what are we going to do”. :)
In the audio book we have, Rabbit sounds like Winston Churchill.
I guess I see it that Paul is not excusing himself, he is blaming him self.
The spirit is willing but is held back by the flesh, my flesh rebels against the spirit of God which is in me.
Explained
1 John 1:8
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
A believer has fleshly needs just like any one else, but if it happens to be wrong they are ashamed of it and ask God for forgiveness.
It is only pretenders who excuse sin or say that we have a license to sin.
If we hate the evil things we do or even think of doing gives proof that the spirit of God is in us.
When our bodies are destroyed at the time of death then our flesh will no longer war against the spirit and we will be free.
"We know it's weakness, but the weakness is so strong!"
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