Sharper than a Two-Edged Sword
based on Hebrews 4:12-13 and other Scripture passages
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

Hebrews 4:12-13:
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

This morning we hear the author of Hebrews use a very unusual, but interesting analogy, i.e. s/he compares the Word of God to a two-edged sword.

The most famous two-edged swords of antiquity are the Greek Xiphos and Roman Gladius. They were relatively light double-edged swords that contributed to the successes in warfare—one of the reasons why the Greek and Roman Empires established themselves in such a powerful way. The Gladius sword is probably what the author of Hebrews had in mind. It was a standard issue weapon for all Roman soldiers. It was a little shorter and lighter and thus more effective than its predecessor, the Xiphos (which was also a double-edged sword).

The advantage of the double-edge, of course, is that no matter which way you strike, you can attack the enemy on the battlefield. You don’t have to take another swing or turn around the blade. The double-edged sword allows for a swifter and more effective attack.

The expression “double-edged” sword has also become an idiom in our language, often used to warn against engaging in an inappropriate behavior or employ a dangerous strategy.  Anger, for instance, could be described as a double edge sword because it hurts others, but it also hurts you as well.

There is one other Scripture passage in the New Testament that employs the metaphor of the sword—the “Spiritual Armor” passage: “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17)
    
According to the author, the Word of God is a living word. It is not simply history; it is not a museum of old ideas and insights that have seen their day. Because the Bible is the inspired Word of God, it is authoritative in matters of faith and morals. I don't think the Bible is authoritative in matters of science or history or geography. I think that it is authoritative in those areas in which it means to teach—the areas of spiritual and moral truths.

The others areas, referred to incidentally in the Bible, are subject to changing human understanding and may be areas in which God has accommodated to our ignorance. For example, some biblical references imply that the world is flat and not a sphere (“After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth” Rev 7:1  “When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars.” Psalm 75:3). Most of us agree today that this is the language of poetry not science, and that to take this statement as science is to misunderstand what it is that God is teaching.

In the areas of faith and morals, God speaks to us through the Bible and continues to do so. The message of faith and morals is one that is not subject to change.

Unlike the Ephesians passage, which describes the purpose of the sword in terms of preaching the good news to others, Hebrews talks about the Word of God in terms of the way in which it affects us, the believers.  Here it has a prophetic dimension and describes the way God demands radical discipleship. This becomes evident in the preceding passage in which the author reminds his audience to be careful to heed the Word of God:

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.  For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.       Hebrews 4:1-2

The truth of the “sword message” is that the gospel, while it is the good news of God’s grace and salvation, also makes very hard demands on us.  These demands by Jesus remind us that there is a cost to discipleship, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1) so aptly phrased. What is the cost of discipleship? Truthfully, these are things we all struggle with. Each of us is struggling perhaps with different aspects of the cost of discipleship, but each of us feel the sharpness of the Word—the two-edged sword—as we try to live as faithful disciples and followers of Christ.

The List of the Cost of Discipleship is by no means complete; there are many more demands Jesus makes on our lives, but it is a good starting point:

Go through the categories and references “Discipleship Cost Sheet” (see handout/ multimedia attachment: Word Document,  PDF document,  PowerPoint Presentation)

Forgiveness

·         If you do not forgive your brother “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Mat 18:35

·         As we forgive those who have sinned against us Mat 6:12

Giving

·         “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”     Mat 22:21

·         “Sell what you have and give it to the poor” Mark 10:17-31

·         Serving God and mammon Mat 6:24 “You cannot serve both God and money. Cross references:

Commitment/Discipleship

·         Come follow me Matthew 8:22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

·         Don’t put your decision off: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” David in Psalm 95:7,8

Perseverance in suffering

·         Take up your cross  Luke 14:26-28  “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

Humility

·          Don’t “show off” your faith Mat 6: 1-18 “Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Envy

·         No equal reward?  Mat 20:1-16  “These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.”

·         The elder brother  Luke 15:11-32 “Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!”

Mastering Temptation

·         Lead us not into temptation Mat 6:13

Relationships

·         Honor your parents Exodus 20:12

·         Adultery in the heart  Matthew 5:28

Serving Others

·         “When have we fed/clothed you?” Mat 25:31-46

·         The greatest among you will be your servant. Mat 23:11

Commitment to Peace / Love of enemy

·         Turn the other cheek Mat 5:39 “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”

·         Love your enemies  Mat 5:44  “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”

 

Today, I want to challenge all of us, me included, to face the sword of God in our lives, to hold still as we address some of those areas in our lives in which we need to grow. I invite each of you to come up and join me at the altar; identify your area of growth, take a sticky note which has the appropriate Scripture reference on it, promise God to work on this area in your life, whether it be forgiving or loving others, work on serving others, relationships,  address envy issues, or work on increasing your giving, etc.

Take the note home with you, stick it on your refrigerator or somewhere else where you will see it frequently. Whenever you see the reminder, say a prayer, ask God to help you with it.  Perhaps some of those demands Jesus makes on us seem impossible, but as Jesus said to his disciples in Mark 10:17-31 "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible." Amen.
 

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 (1)   Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, The Cost of Discipleship, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cost_of_Discipleship