“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” Philippians 4:5
“The existence of such a word (translated moderation) shows a high degree of ethical development amongst the Greeks. The word refers to the kind of moderation that recognizes that it is impossible for formal laws to anticipate and provide for all possible cases and that asserting legal rights can be dangerous since these rights can be pushed into moral wrongs, so that the highest rights can in practice prove to be the greatest injustice. ” Trench
“The word, “epieikeia” refers to “drawing back from the letter of the law to preserve the spirit.” Trench’s Synonyms
“I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness (moderation), of Christ” 2Corinthians 10:1 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:” v 3.
Paul describes the overseer with this same quality, “Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, (moderation) 1Timothy 3:3 and see Titus 3:2, James 3:17 “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason,” and 1 Peter 2:18
A story about this gentleness, “Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. Matthew 15:21-28
“In the east, as a rule, a dog is not allowed indoors. In fact dogs are looked upon as foul creatures . Christianity has raised the dog and made him man’s companion. So the adult Easterns do not associate with dogs, but children are not so foolish. — Eastern children associate with the little dogs. The Father will not have the dog near him , but the children knows no such folly. — thus the little dog comes to be under the table , tolerated in the house for the Childs sake.” C.H. Spurgeon
Beloved, the precious woman is appealing to the “epeiekeia” of Christ. She knows He is not like the strict priests of that day, but appeals to Christ as a Father who might allow a dog to sit under the table in his home. A Father who is not so bound by strict rules, but will instead let the little dog come in for the children’s sake. Her faith is commended, her request granted.
In closing, Paul approaches the Corinthian Christians by the Meekness and “gentleness of Christ.”
“But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. “
The Apostle says there is something greater than boldly rebuking those who do not discern our authority. No, I must use spiritual implements and not carnal. Spiritual weapons are not carnal but capable through God. There is Power and authority in them to create ministry, healing, deliverance, etc. They can extinguish mental fortifications, reasonings, high mindedness in others. Much more than mere pointing out, God’s tools bring dynamite.
Beloved, “Romans 12:16 teaches, “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. ” It is Like Christ. It is His nature, as He reveals to us the Father. Love ya
