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Context Matters: A Bruised Reed

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Perhaps you’ve heard of the Puritan Richard Sibbes and his famous work The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax. Though you may not have read it, you’ve likely been influenced by it. If you hear the phrase “bruised reed,” and your first thought is of a suffering person desperate for hope, you largely have Sibbes to thank. And while Sibbes’s work is packed with exceptional pastoral wisdom that looks to Jesus, our Chief Shepherd, it’s frankly lacking in careful contextual Bible study. No matter how familiar we are with biblical phrases, let’s make every effort to observe them carefully and heed their context.

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not as a collection of independently assembled proverbial sayings—we’ll discover that some of our most familiar passages don’t actually mean what we’ve always assumed.

Crack the Code

When people throw around phrases like “Jesus never broke a bruised reed,” they use it like a code. Almost an allegory. The “reed” is a person. The “bruise” is their suffering. To “break a bruised reed” would be a failure of tenderness or compassion that crushes the spirit or destroys the trust of the wounded soul.

Pastorally, these principles are crucial to understand. I would not condone any efforts to ignore them or justify harsh treatment of Christ’s sheep. Those who suffer are particularly wounded and vulnerable. And our Lord’s tenderness and compassion sound forth from the Scripture at high decibels (Ex 19:4, Ezek 34:11-16, John 21:15-19, Mark 5:33-34, Mark 5:39-43, Luke 7:11-15, etc.).

So I am not challenging the wisdom of compassionate tenderness, especially when someone has gone through the valley of the shadow of death. I think only that we need to be careful with our metaphors, so we don’t run afoul of the biblical author’s intent.

I’ve written for Desiring God on this topic of the bruised reed. But let me repeat here the arguments of both Isaiah and Matthew, in their use of the bruised reed metaphor. Please suspend your disbelief with me, try to set aside your familiarity, and look at these texts with fresh eyes.

Dominic Alves (2006), Creative Commons

Isaiah 42

The image of the bruised reed is in verse 3, but let’s follow Isaiah’s thought before and after it. This poem speaks of Yahweh’s servant, upheld, chosen, and delighted in (Is 42:1a). Yahweh put his Spirit into this servant, with the goal that “he will bring forth justice to the nations” (Is 42:1b).

This goal of justice is no small matter for Isaiah. We could trace the theme of justice all through his book of prophecy. The lack of it is a major accusation against Judah (Is 9:18-10:4, etc.) and the surrounding nations (Is 14:4-6, etc.). Its restoration in the future is the hope of Israel and her promised Davidic king (Is 11:1-5, etc.).

And in chapter 42, the Spirit is on Yahweh’s servant to bring forth justice (Is 42:1). He will bring forth this justice faithfully (Is 42:3). And he will not grow faint or be discouraged until he establishes this justice in the earth (Is 42:4). The main idea here is that the servant will bring justice on earth, even though we might expect him to grow faint or be discouraged before he’s able to do so.

Now how will he do it?

“He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street” (Is 42:2). He will not force the unjust to comply. He will not open a picket line until he gets his way. He won’t even be a major public figure. His voice will work effectually away from the typical forums of civil discourse or political advancement.

And that’s when Isaiah brings in his metaphor. “He will not cry aloud…a bruised reed he will not break…he will faithfully bring forth justice” (Is 42:2-3). The metaphor illustrates the point made in verse 2, that he will not cause political change through typical political channels. He will be an unlikely hero. He will accomplish Yahweh’s purpose of justice, but not according to the world’s expectations of someone who can or will exercise justice (along with great power, pomp, pizzazz, or military might).

Isaiah expands on this idea later in the chapter, where Yahweh confesses, “For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant” (Is 42:14). The servant will faithfully labor to bring forth justice by working behind the scenes, quietly and carefully. But after a while, the time will come when Yahweh will, in fact, cry out and simply “lay waste” and “dry up” and “turn darkness into light” (Is 42:15-17).

The point is this: When Isaiah speaks of the bruised reed, he is not using it as an allegory of ministry to hurting people. He is using it as a word picture to describe the quiet and unobtrusive machinations of Yahweh’s servant establishing justice. This servant keeps such a low profile that, as he passes through the marshes, not even bruised reeds will break off. Not a twig will snap. His draft won’t have enough force to blow out even a smoldering wick. And this unpretentious strategy will not last forever. The time will come for him to eventually beat his chest, get everyone’s attention, and just get the job done.

Matthew 12

According to Matthew, Jesus heals a man’s withered hand, on the Sabbath, in direct defiance of the ruling elite (Matt 12:9-13). As a result, those elites begin conspiring to destroy him (Matt 12:14).

Jesus knows what’s going on, and he withdraws (Matt 12:15a). He doesn’t put up a fight or launch a PR campaign; he just slinks back into the shadows. And many follow him, and he heals them (Matt 12:15b), but his goal right now is not to make too much of a fuss. He has to keep laying low. So he orders these people not to make him known (Matt 12:16).

This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah…my servant…a bruised reed he will not break…until he brings justice. (Matt 12:17-21)

According to the flow of Matthew’s gospel, it was not yet time for Jesus to make a fuss. For this season, he backs off and avoids too much attention. “His messianic mission had a noteworthy ninja element” (DG).

But while going up to Jerusalem one last time, he can talk about almost nothing but his coming victory over death (Matt 20:17-19, 22, 28). He will faithfully bring forth justice. The time for silence has ended. So he must pick a fight in the most public forum—the temple during the Feast of Passover—in order to get himself killed (Matt 21-23). They take up their plot once again (Matt 26:3-5). This is his path to victory.

Conclusion

This contextual study of the bruised reed metaphor is not meant as an excuse to ever be harsh, demanding, or manipulative with wounded people. By no means! Instead, I hope merely to show you the glory of your Savior Jesus Christ, who accomplished all he set out to do.

And by way of application, perhaps we ought to be slow to use Jesus’ harsh words with the Pharisees as a model for our own public dialogue. That is, unless we are called by God to get ourselves killed for the sin of the world.

Context matters.

Looking for Ideas for “Context Matters”

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I’m on the road this week and don’t have time to write a regular full post. So it’s as good a time as any to ask for suggestions!

I’ve really enjoyed writing some sample Bible studies on verses that are easily misunderstood when removed from their context. Do you have any suggestions on other verses I could write on for this series? What are some verses you’ve seen commonly taken out of context? Or what are some verses that you’re really not sure what to do with, and you’d like to know how the context can help you make progress in understanding them?

For reference, here is a list of verses I’ve covered so far.

Please let me know your ideas for future posts. You can comment below, use the contact form, or email me at peter.krol@knowableword.com.

Or, you can even try your hand at writing your own “context matters” study and submitting it as a guest post!

Context Matters: Valley of Dry Bones

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Perhaps you’ve heard of Ezekiel’s vision in the valley of dry bones, where the Spirit of the Lord sets Ezekiel down and commands him to prophesy over the bones, and to the breath, so they might live. After a rattling sound, bone comes together with bone, flesh appears, and the dead come back to life, an exceedingly great army. You may have heard this story read from Ezek 37:1-10, with its accompanying interpretation: You are the dead ones, brought out of your sin and misery because of God’s Spirit giving you faith in Jesus Christ. Seems clear, right? Perhaps not so much.

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not as a collection of independently assembled inspirational stories—we’ll discover that some of our most familiar passages don’t actually mean what we’ve always assumed.

Caitlin Tobias (2014), Creative Commons

Remember What You’re Reading

We’re helped here by the historical context. The prophet Ezekiel was living in Babylon with the early Jewish exiles (Ezek 1:1). These people had been carried off before the nation of Judah’s final fall to Nebuchadnezzar. Ezekiel spoke of God’s glory departing the temple in Jerusalem (Ezek 10:1-22) and going to reside in exile with God’s people (Ezek 1:1-28).

Ezekiel prophesied to a broken people, who were devastated by the Babylonian conquest and captivity. They were too crushed even to admit that their own idolatry had caused this turn of events. Therefore they persistently resisted Ezekiel’s message (Ezek 3:7-11).

And to these defeated, exiled people, Ezekiel promises a coming day (Ezek 36:22-32). A day when God will vindicate the holiness of his name (Ezek 36:22-23). A day when he will sprinkle them with water to cleanse them from the filth of their idolatry (Ezek 36:25). A day when he will give them new hearts of flesh to replace their dead hearts of stone (Ezek 36:26). A day when he will put his own Spirit within them and enable them to obey him (Ezek 36:27).

Ezekiel leaves no doubt about when this day will come. It is the day when “I will take you from the nations…and bring you into your own land” (Ezek 36:24). The day when they “shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers” (Ezek 36:28).

The exiled people, dead in their idolatry, will be raised to new life when God restores them back to their land.

Read a Little Further

We’re also helped by the immediate literary context. It’s all too easy for us to read only Ezek 37:1-10, because it feels like it could have been written to us. But the next few verses remind us that, though this may have been written for us (1 Cor 10:11), it was not written to us:

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (Ezek 37:11-14)

The Lord himself makes the interpretation clear to Ezekiel. There is no reason for us to be unclear on this ourselves. The dead bones coming back to life are a picture of the exiled people being brought back into the land of Israel, placed in their own land. A people without hope are resurrected to new hope.

Reflect on the New Covenant

Some might ask: “But doesn’t all that simply find greater fulfillment in the new covenant, when those dead in sin believe on Christ and are raised to new life?” And I would say: “Yes! Of course!”

But look at what we miss if we ignore the context of Ezekiel and jump right to today.

  • The restoration after the exile was no minor blip on the timeline of God’s redemptive purposes. It warrants further theological reflection as the resurrection of God’s people.
  • This means that the death and the resurrection of God’s people have significant corporate implications. These things are not only for individual believers, but also for the entire body of God’s people.
  • This explains why the disciples were so baffled when Jesus took this key Old Testament idea of death and resurrection, and applied it to himself, an individual (Mark 9:9-10).
  • We, too should expect some corporate implications today from our “death and resurrection” as those who are “in Christ.” For example, Ephesians 2:1-10 summarizes the theology of the Christian’s death and resurrection in Christ. But Ephesians 2:11-22 goes on to unfold the corporate implications of this theology in the community life of the church. Paul had far more in mind than the salvation of individuals.

Even if our intentions are good, let’s not miss what God has communicated about himself and his rescue of us.

Context matters.

For more “context matters” posts, such as the widow’s mite, the faith hall of fame, chief of sinners, and quick to listen, slow to speak—click here.

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Context Matters: Moses’ Shining Face

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Perhaps you’ve heard of how Moses covered his shining face with a veil so people couldn’t see the blazing glory emanating from it. And perhaps you’ve also heard of the veil that now lies over people’s hearts that prevents them from being able to see Jesus in the Old Testament Scripture. These well-intentioned lessons might feel personal and impactful, but they have little to do with what the text of Scripture says.

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not as a collection of independently assembled inspirational stories—we’ll discover that some of our most familiar passages don’t actually mean what we’ve always assumed.

Yu-cheng Hsiao (2009), Creative Commons

Exodus 34

To set us straight with Exodus 34, we don’t need the context; we just need to observe more carefully:

As he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him. (Ex 34:29-35)

Perhaps my experience is atypical, but I have often heard people talk about how Moses used the veil to protect people from seeing the glory radiating from his face. But this is not what Exodus says. It says that he allowed them to see the glory when he spoke the words of Yahweh to them. And then he put the veil over his face until the next time he got a recharge from speaking with the Lord within the tent.

2 Corinthians 3

But some will argue that 2 Cor 3 says that Moses used the veil to hide the glory. And that that’s where we get the idea that the veil is a metaphor for people who can’t see Jesus in the Old Testament. A few verses seem to imply these things:

Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory… (2 Cor 3:7)

But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. (2 Cor 3:14-16)

Here is where we need help from the context.

First, notice the next clause in verse 7: “the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end.” Now this could mean that they could not gaze at the glory, and the glory was coming to an end—two separate thoughts. But look at where he goes next.

Second, notice the nature of the old/new contrasts. Old = condemnation; new = righteousness (2 Cor 3:9). Old = glory that became no glory; new = surpassing glory (2 Cor 3:10). Old = glory of what was being brought to an end; new = glory for what is permanent (2 Cor 3:11). These contrasts are getting at the superior glory of the new covenant. But that glory is superior primarily because it has no end. It is permanent. It will not fade.

Third, notice Paul’s clarification of what the Israelites saw. His point is not that they saw only a veil and not the glorious face of Moses. His point is that they “might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end” (2 Cor 3:13). In other words, Moses’ veil was never about hiding the glory from the people. It was all about hiding the fact that the glory was fading.

And by contrast, what we have in the new covenant is something permanent. Something unsurpassed. Something that will never fade, but will instead transform its subjects “from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor 3:18).

The Argument

I covered this in my Bible study of Exodus 34:29-35, but the train of thought is worth repeating here.

Paul uses this episode from Exodus to make a profound point about the glory of the New Covenant in Christ (2 Cor 3:1-4:18). If we assume that Moses’ veil was covering the glory itself (when it was actually concealing the fact that the glory was fading), we miss Paul’s point. Paul’s argument:

  • The people he ministers to are themselves the proof of Paul’s recommendation from Christ (2 Cor 3:1-3).
  • His sufficiency as a minister of the new covenant comes from Christ who makes him sufficient (2 Cor 3:4-6).
  • While Moses’ ministry had a blazing, terrifying glory, it was always a fading glory (“the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end” – 2 Cor 3:7-11).
  • Therefore, Paul is not like Moses, who tried to conceal the fact that his glory was fading (“Moses…put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end” – 2 Cor 3:12-13).
  • Even today, the Jews fail to see the temporary, fading nature of the Old Covenant when it’s read to them (2 Cor 3:14-15).
  • But when they turn to Christ, they finally see the Old Covenant for the fading and temporary thing it is. They behold the Lord’s face and become perpetually and increasingly glorious (2 Cor 3:16-18).
  • This is why the people, whose reflection of Christ’s glory never fades but always brightens, are themselves the proof of Paul’s qualification for ministering this superior covenant (2 Cor 3:1-3, 4:1-15).
  • This gives Paul tremendous courage to persevere when ministry is hard (2 Cor 4:16-18).

Conclusion

The veil conceals the fact that the glory of the old covenant is, and always has been, fading. Only by gazing on the unfading—no, the ever-increasing—glory of Jesus Christ through his Spirit, can the veil be lifted and people finally see the old covenant for what it is (fading).

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

The Problem With Bible Reading Plans

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Writing for the blog of Southern Seminary, Joseph C. Harrod describes one common approach to Bible reading plans: reading one chapter at a time from different parts of the Bible. One famous reading plan does one chapter a day from Genesis, one from Ezra, one from Matthew, and one from Acts—then moving on from there each day through the Bible.

I have followed such a reading plan from a lectionary, for many years. I use this in addition to my annual read-through, as well as ongoing voluminous reading of whatever book I’m studying at the time (currently Isaiah). One benefit of the “various chapters” reading plan is that it keeps the whole of Scripture in the forefront.

But I’ve also seen a drawback to such reading plans: They train you to think only in chapter-long chunks, where you can easily miss the context of whole books. And Harrod identifies another drawback I hadn’t thought of: Such plans train you to think it takes a very long time to read through books. So, for example, Genesis takes almost 2 months (50 days) to get through, when, in fact, if you read only Genesis, you could finish it in 3.5 hours.

Harrod shows how even the longest books of the Bible can be read in about the same amount of time we’d take to watch an epic film or a sporting event. It’s worth devouring these books in one or two sittings. Harrod has some helpful insights in this first article on the problem with most Bible reading plans, and in a second article, he shows how you can read half the Bible in 30 minutes!

Check it out!

Context Matters: Chief of Sinners

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Perhaps you’ve heard Christian leaders refer to themselves as the “chief of sinners.” Perhaps you’ve even said this about yourself. You might know the phrase comes from 1 Tim 1:15 KJV. Modern translations typically use “foremost” (1 Tim 1:15 ESV, 1 Tim 1:15 NASB) or “worst” (1 Tim 1:15 NIV, 1 Tim 1:15 CSB) instead of “chief.” I have no concern with the exact translation, but I often wonder if those using the phrase have taken heed of its context.

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not as a collection of independently assembled proverbial sayings—we’ll discover that some of our most familiar passages say something slightly different from what we’ve always assumed.

The Right Track

When people self-apply the label “chief of sinners,” they are not doing gross violence to this verse. Paul introduces the statement with, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance” (1 Tim 1:15). This suggests that the phrase was a common saying that people had spoken or heard, and it suggests that Paul was endorsing the truth of it.

Now it’s possible that the “trustworthy saying” was just the first part (“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”), and that Paul appended his own comment (“of whom I am the foremost”) to it. Or the entire statement could be the “trustworthy saying.” We’re not sure, because ancient Greek manuscripts didn’t have quotation marks to signal which part Paul was quoting, and which part was his own reflection.

But we can still confidently say that when Christians use the “chief of sinners/foremost sinner” language, they are honoring Paul’s wishes that this statement is “deserving of full acceptance.” This could be an appropriate view for children of God to take of themselves, as they become increasingly aware of the depth of their indwelling sin, and as long as it’s not merely false humility.

The Argument

But let’s also notice that Paul is making a rhetorical point.

There is a problem in Ephesus with false teachers, teaching “different doctrine” (1 Tim 1:3), speculating on mysteries in the Torah (1 Tim 1:4), and failing to understand the assertions they make so confidently about the law (1 Tim 1:7). They have missed the point of the law: love issuing from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith (1 Tim 1:5).

The law, you see, is a very good thing when you use it lawfully. It’s not for the good guys but the bad guys. It addresses whatever is contrary to sound doctrine, and it does so in perfect harmony with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God (1 Tim 1:8-11).

Case in point: Paul’s own testimony. He can think of no example more severe. He thought he was a good guy in God’s world, but in truth he was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent (1 Tim 1:12-13a). The law judged him as such, but the grace of our Lord overflowed for him in Christ Jesus (1 Tim 1:13b-14).

Therefore, the saying is trustworthy…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I [Paul] am the foremost.

But Paul received mercy for one primary reason: so Jesus Christ could display his perfect patience in the chief of sinners. Why would he do this? To make Paul an example to those who were to believe in Jesus for eternal life (1 Tim 1:16). This King of the ages, the only God, deserves all honor and glory forever and ever (1 Tim 1:17).

The Point

Paul never says his readers should think of themselves as the foremost sinners. He clearly says that he himself is the foremost of sinners (“in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example” – 1 Tim 1:16).

The point is that, in context, Paul is saying he occupies a unique place in redemptive history. He’s not using “chief of sinners” language to model self-effacing humility. He’s using it because he is truly hard-pressed to find any worse sinner than he was. Of course it’s a terrible thing to be a tyrannical oppressor and attacker of innocent people. But it’s even more terrible to do so in God’s name, believing yourself to be doing out of obedience to him.

And if King Jesus can rescue a guy like that, applying the law to his sin, and demonstrating perfect patience through the faith and love—he can rescue anybody. Even you. Even me.

By this charge, Timothy, and Christian leaders today, may wage the good warfare (1 Tim 1:18).

Context matters.

Rethinking Our Proof Texts

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Mike Leake has some important thoughts about how and when to reconsider the way we use our proof texts. As a young believer, Leake often used Phil 1:6 (“he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion”) to support the doctrine of eternal security. While he hasn’t rejected that doctrine, he has reconsidered his use of Phil 1:6 to support it.

Why? Simply because the context of Philippians 1 strongly suggests this verse is not speaking to that topic.

And why ought we to be willing to do this: to back down from using some of our favorite verses to support our favorite teaching?

First, it matters because truth matters. We cannot be loose with the truth. If we teach a right doctrine but do it the wrong way with the wrong text we are training ourselves and our people that truth is fluid and that the end justifies the means. That will not only have an impact on the way we do theology, it’ll even have an impact on the way we live our lives.

Second, it builds trust. If people know I believe a certain doctrine but see that I’m willing to concede a particular point for the sake of the truth, then it ought to build trust for the places where I’m not willing to concede a point.

The point I’ve been making for weeks now, that context matters, is not about looking superior to other people, being argumentative, or splitting hairs. This is about hearing God’s voice and not confusing it with our own. This is a matter not only of what the Scriptures say, but also of how we know what the Scriptures say.

Leake’s post gives a great example of how to think (and re-think) through these things with a particular text. Check it out!

Why Context Matters

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At Stand to Reason, Alan Shlemon explains why it matters so much to consider the context of a Bible verse. After giving an example, where a Christian uses Matthew 18:20 to encourage their small group that Jesus is with them, Shlemon draws the following conclusion:

This might seem benign, but it’s dangerous. In this case, the Christian has concluded that the verse tells him Jesus is with them. You might think, What’s the harm in believing that? In this case, the belief is not incorrect—Jesus is with them—but that verse doesn’t support that belief. The believer has ignored the Holy Spirit’s inspired context and then created his own context, thus changing the meaning of Jesus’ teaching. Now Matthew 18:20 isn’t about church discipline but rather about believing Jesus is with you. That’s not Bible reading. That’s not allowing the Holy Spirit to transform you. That’s not listening to God but listening to yourself and baptizing your faulty interpretation with the authority of God’s Word. If a Christian wants a verse that supports the fact that Jesus is present with him, he can always turn to Matthew 28:20.

So we can arrive at true teaching in the wrong way. But that’s not far from using the same methods of Bible reading to reach entirely false teaching. Let’s not ignore the wishes of Holy Spirit, who inspired these sacred writings.

Shlemon is right. Context matters. Let’s continue retraining ourselves and our people to read the Bible for what it is: not a collection of memory verses, but a collection of books.

Check it out!