From: Harold R. Holmyard III (hholmyard@ont.com)
Date: Thu Apr 13 2000 - 00:01:46 EDT
Dear Louise,
I do not know about a permissive imperative other than that such seems
to be the usage in the Septuagint of Psalm 4, from which Paul quotes in Eph
4:26. The psalmist is praying to God for help. Then he seems to launch into
an apostrophe aimed at the wrongdoers causing his problems. He bemoans
their slow-heartedness, their love of vanity, and their pursuit of
falsehood. He will have them know that God has done wonderful things for
him ("His pious one") and would answer his cry. "Be angry and do not sin;
as to what you speak in your hearts, upon your beds be pricked (in
conscience). Selah. Sacrifice a sacrifice of righteousness and hope in the
Lord" (vv. 4-5).
The psalm continues with confidence in the Lord. So the author
displayed his faith in God in the midst of trouble by addressing his foes.
They could be angry if they must, but they should not sin. Rather they
should consider their inmost hearts in the still of night and repent. They
should change their ways so as to be able to offer a righteous sacrifice
and trust in God.
The Greek verb ORGIZOMAI translates the Hebrew verb RFGAZ, which in
the Qal can mean: "be agitated, quiver, quake, be perturbed, be excited."
The excitation can be in rage. The LXX translator chose the sense "be
excited in anger" for Psalm 4, but another possible translation would be
"quake" (before the Lord). At any rate, the context of Psalm 4 shows that
the viewpoint of Roberts Word Pictures correctly describes the use of the
verb in Psalm 4 LXX. I would assume the meaning to be the same in Eph 4:26,
where Paul is recommending a change in life just as the psalmist was.
Yours,
Harold Holmyard
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