WORD OF THE WEEK: CLEAVE

A study of old and/or unique words from the Bible that are worth knowing

“…For this reason a man shall leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife: and the two shall become one flesh. So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:5-6)

Cleave (klēv) verb: from Greek ‘proskooloa’ (Strong’s G4347); to glue, to adhere, join one (self). It comes from two other Greek words, ‘pros’ (Strong’s G4314) meaning by the side of, motion towards, you-ward (moving toward the other) and ‘kollao’ (Strong’s G2853) meaning to glue, to stick, to join (self), keep company.

    This word appears four times in the New Testament when you read from the King James Version. The New King James version has updated the old word 'cleave' with “cling” (Matthew 19:5-6, Mark 10:7-9, Romans 12:9) and the phrase “continue with” (Acts 11:23).

    In both Matthew 19 and Mark 10 Jesus quotes the very first instruction given for marriage from Genesis 2:24. A man is to cleave to his wife – join himself to her, figuratively glue himself to her, adhere to her, be always moving wife-ward, stand beside her, keep company with her. Jesus adds in both accounts, “What God has joined together let not man separate.” That is what cleaving means – a permanent joining together – no paper clips or staples, but permanent bonding glue!

    My Dad (a gospel preacher of 50+ years) often uses the illustration that when you use wood glue to bond two pieces of wood together you will never again break the wood apart where it was joined, you may be able to break it elsewhere along their length but never where it was joined – the bond holds strong and true! That is what marriage is! Circumstances can happen, but the bond holds through it all!

    Now that the meaning of the word ‘cleave’ is established, I would like you to consider the other two occasions in which this word is used: Acts 11:23 and Romans 12:9

    In Acts 11:23 Barnabas encouraged the Christians in Antioch “to cleave to the Lord, with purpose of heart” – determine to glue themselves, adhere themselves, always be moving closer to the Lord!

    Paul gives instruction Romans 12:9 to “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cleave to what is good.” Be repulsed by evil – do all you can to separate yourself from it, but adhere yourself to goodness and doing good, always be moving closer to what is good, keep company with it and with those who engage in goodness (consider 2 Timothy 2:22)!

    When you married you made this commitment to your husband. When you were baptized you made this commitment to the Lord.

Are you cleaving as you should? Always drawing nearer to these?

You can do it! So can I!!   

   

Walking as a Christian: Our Five Senses – Touch

    Our hands are probably the first body parts we think of when talking about our sense of touch; they are certainly an important part of that sense and we should consider them and be careful to use them and our ability to touch for good, as God intended.     

We Need to Hold Fast to What is Good

“Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” (Romans 12:9b NKJV)

    Throughout the Bible we find either direct instruction or mention (in psalm or prayer) of the need to ‘cling’ and ‘hold fast’ to the LORD, His word, and His ways. Turn to and read these Old Testament passages: Deuteronomy 4:1-6, 10:20-21, 30:20, and Psalm 119:30-32. In the New Testament we find these same terms used (please turn to and read these passages to see them in their entirety):

• 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 “…by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you…”
• Philippians 2:14-16 “…holding fast the word of life…”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 “Hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
• 1 Timothy 6:12 “…lay hold on eternal life, to which you were called…”
• 1 Timothy 6:19 “…lay hold on eternal life”
• Hebrews 3:6 “…whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end”
• Hebrews 2:14 “For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning our confidence steadfast to the end.”
• Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering…”
• Revelation 3:11 “Behold I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

Hold fast (OT Hebrew #1692) ‘dabaq’ means to cling, to cleave, keep close, be loyal. In the NT this phrase comes from the Greek ‘katecho’ (G#2722) which means to bind, take possession of, lay hold on/of, keep secure.

    Clinging, laying hold on, and holding fast are active, ongoing determinations of effort. Having come to a place of spiritual understanding (Colossians 1:9-11, Psalm 119:97-106, Proverbs 9:10, 2 Timothy 3:16-17) and comprehending the value of God, His word, and His way, we bind ourselves to them and work to not only maintain our hold but strengthen it every day. We spiritually root ourselves deeper into the solid foundation of Truth (Matthew 7:24-27, John 14:6) because we have come to know that all we truly need is found only in God!

    Use your hands and your sense of touch to open God’s word, read it and let it touch your heart so that you cling to it with everything you’ve got (Matthew 22:37)!     

We Need to Use Our Hands for Good

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10 NKJV)

    Our hands can be used for good or for evil. God, of course, wants us to learn to do good with our hands and continue to use them by doing good for others, to His glory (Matthew 5:16, Galatians 6:9-10, Ephesians 2:10, Titus 3:8). To this end, He, through the apostle, Paul, tells one who had once maintained a habit of using his hands for evil, in this case, stealing, to no longer steal, “but rather let him labour; working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).

    Use your hands and your sense of touch to be a blessing and a benefit to others!

Touch Other Lives With Goodness

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NKJV)

    Has your life been touched by God’s goodness? Do you appreciate the hope you have in Him and His abundant daily blessings (Psalm 68:19)?  Share your hope (1 Peter 3:15) and your blessings with others! Reach out and touch others with God’s comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) and stretch out your hands in mercy (Luke 6:27-36); touch other’s hearts through your lovingkindness. In doing so you show God to those who may not know Him! If you can do anything for another, do good! Tell others of God through your actions - He is the reason for and source of your goodness (Psalm 16:2)!

    Use your hands to touch other lives with God's goodness!

You can do it! So can I!!