'THE STRIFE OF TONGUES'

Maurice Roberts

The Bible's theology of the human tongue is one to which we should pay careful heed if we mean to live on earth for God. There are passages of Scripture devoted specially to this theme of the fallen tongue. They bear out the same view as that above: the tongue is a weapon with which the sinful man and woman love to attack God's saints. They 'whet (or sharpen) their tongue like a sword' (Psa. 64:3). They 'bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: that they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him and fear not' (Psa. 64:3-4). 'Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully . . . Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue' (Psa. 52:2, 4). 'The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords' (Psa. 55:21). This is the testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures. Even the most radical critic could not claim the Bible to be out of date on this point.

What we find in the Old is exactly matched by the teaching of the New Testament also. 'Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, . . . false witness, blasphemies' (Matt. 15:18-19). This is the explicit testimony of Christ, who 'knew what was in man'.

It is exactly echoed by the Apostle Paul: 'Their throat is an open sepulchre (or grave); with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness' (Rom. 1:29-30). So much is this misuse of the tongue a part of our fallen society that those too who love Jesus Christ need to be exhorted to 'put away lying' and 'speak the truth' (Eph. 5:25). Even those who profess godliness must exert themselves to put to death all lying.

In a famous passage of his Epistle, the writer James describes the true character of man's tongue. 'It is a little member, and boasteth great things . . . The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity . . . it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell' (James 3:5-6). The tongue is a match that can light a forest fire. The tongue that sings loud praise to God can next day damn our fellow-man. The tongue is as fiery and poisonous as it is uncontrollable. Nor should we suppose that the tongue will ever get better with the progress of time. 'In the last days . . . men shall be . . . boasters, proud, blasphemers . . . false accusers' (2 Tim. 3:1-3).

The gospel will civilize, educate and reform many evils. But while the world stands man's tongue will be what it has been since the Fall: 'lying and . . . deceitful' (Psa. 120:2). Its final punishment in unsaved men and women will be to have a judgment all of its own: 'What shall be given unto thee? Or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty with coals of juniper' (Psa. 120:3-4). It would seem that the tongues of those in hell will burn with seven-fold intensity as a reward for their bitter cruelty in this life. We are told that they will there 'gnaw their tongues for pain' (Rev. 16:10).

To review, as we do above, the biblical teaching on the human tongue is to remind ourselves as believers that we are not to be surprised when the world or the false Christian speaks ill of us. It is precisely what it has ever done.

The hatred for God and for all his people can set the tongue of evil men all ablaze in a moment. How sadly we see this in the words which angry King Saul addresses even to his own son and heir, the godly Jonathan: 'Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman!' (1 Sam. 20:30). The words were as sharp-pointed as the javelin which was soon thrown after them at Jonathan. They belong to the same class as Shimei's words to David as he was fleeing from Absalom: 'Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial!' (2 Sam. 16:7). Jonathan and David were men of as fine character as ever lived on earth, but both needed God's promise to screen them from the 'strife of tongues' and both were grateful for it in their day.

So too was our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ. Those who feel they have had more than their 'share' of verbal cruelty would do well to study again the bitter attacks made against the only perfect Man who was ever born into this world. He was subjected to a fierce battery of accusations which would have crushed most men. To his critics Christ was a sabbath-breaker (Matt. 12:2); he performed his miracles by the prince of the devils (Matt. 12:24); he transgressed (Matt. 15:2); he was challenged as to the authority by which he ministered (Matt. 21:23); he was tempted by his enemies to say too much (Matt. 22:15); he was required to answer puzzling questions (Matt. 22:28) and repeatedly subjected to the attempts of hypocritical religious leaders to catch him out (Matt. 23).

Those faithful men who, for Christ's sake, are placed in similar circumstances would do well to recall that their Master himself suffered such encounters all through his ministry and is well able, now that he is in glory, to hide his people under a canopy from the 'strife of tongues'.

But this hatred towards Jesus Christ reached a crescendo when at last his critics had him on trial and on the Cross and could indulge their spleen without reserve or apology. On trial - ah! What a trial! - in the high priest's palace, our Lord's confession of Godhood was met with the words: 'He hath spoken blasphemy . . . behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy, what think ye?' To which the hoped-for answer was given, 'He is guilty of death' (Matt. 26:65-66).

Follow at this point our Saviour's cruel sufferings as they prepare him for his crucifixion and one thing becomes clear: there never was such a 'strife of tongues' as he suffered now from these religious men. 'Let him be crucified!'; 'His blood be on us, and on our children!'; 'Hail, King of the Jews!'; 'They that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads . . . '. 'If thou be the Son of God, come down . . . '. 'He saved others; himself he cannot save!' It is all written down in this twenty-seventh chapter of Matthew's Gospel and stands on record for ever, how sinful man accosted the Lord of glory himself with words of hateful spite and malice.

But in spite of all this cruel mockery and hatred, Christ had a 'pavilion' over his soul to protect him from all his detractors. He had knowledge and assurance which strengthened his innermost soul against all the cruel words shouted at him. So the Apostle Peter can write: 'When he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously' (1 Pet. 2:23). Our Saviour turned, as it were, a deaf ear to the blood-thirsty ejaculations of his haters because he saw above and beyond them the righteous judgment of God, which would, in the course of time, both repay their cruelty and vindicate his own innocence.

This is therefore true also of every sincere follower of Christ. It is not, of course, true of believers, as it is true of Christ, that they are fully innocent. But it is equally true of them, as of him, that the judgment of God will vindicate them if they are suffering for well-doing and for Christ's sake. The same apostle puts the same 'pavilion' over the followers of Christ as he puts over Christ himself: 'For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil' (1 Pet. 3:12). Christ, who suffered once for sins, has now 'gone into heaven' (1 Pet. 3:22) as his reward. And believers too will one day be raised up to be with the Lord. It was the reward given to Christ for his faithful and obedient suffering; it is the reward of grace to all who suffer similarly for the love they bear to Christ in this life.

The canopy of knowledge and understanding therefore which the Lord puts over his own people in times when they are subjected to reproaches, is sufficient to keep them from turning aside from the path of duty, even when they feel deeply hurt by lies and unjust accusations.

Christ felt the hurt of those bitter words which were hurled so unrighteously at him: 'Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee. Reproach hath broken my heart . . . ' (Psa. 69:19-20). But, deeply as their words wounded our Lord's spirit, he rose above them and kept a wise devout silence: 'I have heard the slander of many . . . they devised to take away my life. But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, thou art my God. My times are in thy hand' (Psa. 31:13-15). So, again: 'I, as a deaf man, heard not' (Psa. 38:13).

There will be a sure reward to all who suffer unjust reproach for Christ's sake. The tables will be turned on all who unkindly injure and insult those who seek to live with a good conscience unto God: 'Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: Let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me' (Psa. 35:26).

Far different will be the portion of all who particularly bear the reproaches of those who wrongfully accuse them: 'Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my (that is, Christ's) righteous cause' (Psa. 35:27).

Let every true believer seek refuge in this promise when he is tempted to answer back to those who revile him: 'Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues' (Psa. 31:20).

Christ himself will have the last word to his own people: 'Come, ye blessed of my Father.'