Do we need to be a god-fearing people?
May 5, 2024
In the first reading of today we have a statement from Peter that reads: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every age anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” This concept of fearing God, or the fear of God is an idea that comes in many Scriptural passages. In fact by one count, the phrase fear of God or fear God comes over 300 times in the Bible and over 30 times in the New Testament alone. And yet, in the context of Jesus teaching us that God is a loving Abba Father who forgives us an infinite number of times, this idea of fear of God seems to strike a great discord in my mind. What kind of an Abba Father is this whom we must fear?
However, in trying to understand this we must first of all remember that translations always create their own interpretations, as I have explained earlier with reference to the two translations of the original Greek word “parthenos’ when referring to Mary. Catholics translate it as ‘virgin’ and Protestants in general translate it as ‘young girl’, thus showing that they are both interpreting as they translate. And so, it would be helpful to ask what is the original word in Hebrew or Greek that is translated as ‘fear’ in English. In Hebrew the word is "yirah," which can also be translated as "awe" or "reverence." The New Testament Greek word "phobos," also denotes a sense of reverential awe and respect for God, unlike the English word phobia which today has the connotation of undue/extreme fear.
And it is this reverence or awe that is explored in great detail by German theologian, Rudolf Otto in a well-known book “The Idea of the Holy”. In that book he introduced the term ‘numinous’ which he defined as referring to the experience of an encounter with the wholly other, an experience which just cannot be directly expressed through human language or rational thought. It is a sense of presence that goes beyond all ideas or images.
This experience is something that many mystics in all religions refer to. Karen Armstrong, writing about mystics in many religions, writes: “Once the mystic has worked through the realm of imagery in his mind, he reaches the point where neither concepts nor imagination can take him further”. There is a story about Thomas Aquinas, the author of the Summa Theologica (a kind of gold standard for Catholic theological writing), who suddenly had a mystical vision and then completely refused to continue and complete his master work. And when his friend Reginald prodded him he answered: "I can do no more; such things have been revealed to me that all that I have written seems to me as so much straw." He never wrote another word and died on March 7, 1274, just three months after that vision. The Buddha too, once he had his experience of enlightenment, refused to be drawn into any discussion about God. In Islam, Muhammad is said to have gone through this un-articulatable, non-imaged, experience of the ultimate reality which is why he made sure that there were no ‘images’ of God allowed in Islam. In Hinduism, the famous phrase, neti, neti, (i.e. not this, not that) that is used when talking about God is again based on the same experience that this ultimate reality goes way beyond all human thought and imagination.
Most of us who are not mystics can probably only get a glimpse of what this experience could perhaps be - like when we suddenly see a million-jewelled star twinkled night sky, or find ourselves face to face with the blazing colours of the aurora borealis, or feel humbled by the vastness of the ocean. At such times we are overcome by a deep sense of awe. We are unable to describe the feeling in words or in imagery. It is beyond anything we can fathom. If you have experienced something like this, you will know what I mean. And yet, mystics would tell us that the experience of God is a million times more potent than these that I have just described, and all these experiences only give us a tiny glimpse into it. Otto describes this numinous as a combination of "mysterium tremendum et fascinans”—a mystery that both repels/frightens and attracts. It is not ‘fear’ in the normal sense, but somatically it is similar to what we experience in our own bodies when we are deeply fearful, - a racing of the heart, a shuddering of the entire body. This experience cannot be reduced to reason or morality. It refers to the experience or feeling of something far far beyond the ordinary. When we encounter this ultimate sacred reality, the numinous is how we feel in its presence, and at that time, words or descriptions or rational thinking do not seem to have any place. One just experiences in silent and spell-binding awe. At that point we have touched the tip of the garment of God, like the woman who touched the tip of Jesus’ garment and felt the power of God wash over her and heal her (Luke 8:43-48). At that point, there are no questions asked, no comparisons with other religions, no arguments about God, - one only experiences it in mysterium tremendum et fascinans - and we are deeply healed/transformed.
If this is what is meant by ‘fear of God’ then it does not take away from what Jesus taught us about God being our loving Abba Father. But it does tell us that this wholly other ultimate reality is far far more than just the anthropomorphic picture we may have of an Abba type of God. Unfortunately, because of our current common understanding of the term ‘fear’, most of us understand the ‘fear of God’ or the command to ‘fear God’ as meaning that we must learn to be frightened of God.
So experiencing this mystery that both repels and fascinates, which is what it means to ‘fear’ God, is a wonderful thing, and it is something many mystics in every religion have experienced powerfully, - and may even be something that we some day hope to experience. But this experience of God is not an essential component to being a good Christian. What then is essential? Jesus answers this in today's Gospel, when he tells his disciples: "This is my commandment that you love one another, as I have loved you". So, let us not teach our children to be fearful of God, or post ads in matrimonials asking for a God-fearing spouse or use this phrase carelessly. Rather, let us teach ourselves to be God-loving or better still, neighbour-loving, because that is the essence of being Christian.
First Reading: Acts 10: 25-26, 34-35, 44-48
On Peter’s arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet, worshipped him. But Peter made him get up, saying, “Stand up; I am only a mortal.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found that many had assembled; and he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?”
Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.” Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptising these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” So he ordered them to be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.
Second Reading: First John 4: 7-10
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Gospel: John 15: 9-17
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