Someone asked me a few years ago about a quote attributed to Jesus, wanting to know the precise source and wording used in Scripture. The caller had heard the phrase at a funeral and wanted to remember exactly what it was this deceased friend had been heard to say often through the years. As we talked tonight about “do not murder” and the letter of the law in a physical sense and the spirit of the law in a broader sense of not harming another’s reputation or assaulting their dignity and worth, I was reminded of this phrase again.
To “strain a gnat and swallow a camel” is to focus on straining out or dismissing the seemingly smaller more numerous specific sins of the conduct of others that are viewed as annoying but represent little perceived threat to one’s health…..the minutiae (the “gnats”)… while ignoring and swallowing the larger more obvious choking risks being taken in through disregard for the bigger heart sin problem (the “camel”) without noticing or acknowledging it.
To me this is the more significant part of the context of this aphorism: you…have neglected the weightier matters of the law: judgment, mercy, and faithfulness.”
Jesus’ ridiculed the Pharisees for their emphasis on the LETTER OF THE LAW, at the expense of the SPIRIT OF THE LAW. Christ emphasized the spirit of law, not that the letter of the law was not important, but that it was not sufficient for one’s attention in and of itself. (i.e. adultery/lust, murder/slander or gossip, eating grain in the field on Sabbath/ remembering the purpose of Sabbath for man not man for the Sabbath, etc.) The first in each couplet is a reference to the focusing on the LETTER, the second in each couplet is a reference to the SPIRIT of the law. The spirit of the law reveals the broader, more common and problematic day to day values and conduct that should be considered and supported by the letter of the law. The Pharisees judged those who broke the letter of the law, but excused themselves for their own violations of the spirit of the law.
Matthew 23:23-25
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.”
(Ouch! Jesus does not pull back on punches!)
NOTE ON CAMELS:
In Matthew 23 Jesus uses a camel to represent the “weightier matters” of justice, mercy, and faithfulness to which the Pharisees give no apparent notice at all as they swallow it down and risk choking on it, while giving meticulous care to demanding the legalistic measure of less important matters like tithing kitchen herbs, comparing the latter to straining out a gnat from one’s glass of water. His describes them as “blind guides”, useless for leading the people of God because of their hypocrisy, lack of judgement about what is truly important, and penurious lack of generosity of spirit toward the people.
In Luke 18 the legalistic, commandment-keeping rich young ruler walks away from Jesus” invitation sadly as he forfeits “treasure in heaven” in order to preserve his worldly wealth and self-important position. Jesus again uses a camel to represent the weightier character matters of generosity, righteousness, and discernment which, Jesus says will more easily pass through a small portal, a narrow gate, or a “needle’s eye” entryway into the kingdom of God rather than a wealthy man will.
Both of these teachings are reiterations of the Matthew 7 teaching on a myopic legalistic, judgmental hypocrisy and lack of self-awareness in neglecting the beam in one’s own eye while attempting to get the speck out of the eye of another.
Before we leave camels, let’s look at another camel story. in Genesis 24. Abraham is very elderly and calls his eldest and most trusted servant. He secured a pledge from the servant to get a bride for Isaac from among his countrymen, but will not allow Isaac to accompany the servant The servant anticipates possible obstacles and approaches the task prayerfully, thoughtfully and carefully. and joins in seeking God’s favor to go before him in the task. Because he is the trusted steward with access to all of his master’s goods and he knows that securing a bride may be a challenge, we are told;
“..the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand:” The camels themselves and the nice round number of 10 are equated with access to “all the goods of his master.”
He went fully prepared, with a generous dowry, trusting God, and staying alert for God’s guidance. He was not disappointed. Everything he had hoped and prayed for happened. Rebekah was hospitable, kind and servant-hearted. He verified her lineage and rewarded her kindness. When she invited him to stay at her family’s home, he was thanking God for favor! He was grateful and generous to the family and honest with Rebekah’s brother Laban about his purpose. Laban saw the 10 camels and the gold jewelry the servant had given Rebekah and likely weighed the deal’s value. Laban and their mother tried to get him to stay longer, but he wisely made his case persuasively and Rebekah had the last word, being willing to go with him. All ended well for the servant, for Rebekah, for Isaac, and for Rebekah’s family. Camels once again represented the broader important, valued “weightier matters” necessary to the assignment, all of which the wise servant kept in focus and demonstrated skill in handling.
Sometimes a camel is just a camel, but in scripture, consider the unique characteristics, value and significance equated with camels again and again.
Like Abraham and his trustworthy and wise servant, Jesus knew a valuable bride would not come easily or cheaply and he prepared for every possibility, guided by the counsel of prayer and worship and with the full favor and all the resources of the One who sent him. But he didn’t need the value of a caravan of camels, just a humble donkey to aid in his entry and his exit from this realm because for Jesus “all the goods of his master are in his hand:”