Bits of Torah Truths – #Torah Concept in the NT: Put Away All Bitterness – Episode 669
Ephesians 4:31
הָסִירוּ מִכֶּם כָּל מְרִירוּת וְחֵמָה וְכַעַס וּצְעָקָה וְגִדּוּף וְכָל רִשְׁעָה.
#torah #torahwisdom #torahtruth #torahforlife #torah4you #torahtruth
Ephesians 4:31
4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. (NASB)
https://www.matsati.com/index.php/category/bits-of-torah-truths/
While the Torah doesn’t use the exact phrase “put away all bitterness,” it repeatedly emphasizes rejecting resentment, avoiding grudges, and pursuing forgiveness and compassion. These themes in the Torah parallel Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 4:31
– Torah Parallels to “Put Away All Bitterness” (Eph. 4:31) –
- Leviticus 19:17–18 “You shall not hate your brother in your heart… You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge… but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Prohibition of hatred and grudges; command to love, this directly aligns with rejecting bitterness, wrath, and malice.
- Deuteronomy 15:7–10 Command to open your hand generously to the poor, “and your heart shall not be grieved when you give.” Generosity without resentment counters bitterness by cultivating compassion.
- Genesis 50:19–21 Joseph forgives his brothers: “Do not fear… you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Forgiveness instead of revenge is the model for releasing bitterness and choosing mercy.
- Exodus 23:4–5 Help your enemy’s donkey if it is struggling. The act of kindness toward adversaries rejects malice and promotes reconciliation.
- Deuteronomy 24:14–15 Do not oppress the poor or withhold wages. Justice and empathy prevent bitterness from exploitation and resentment.
– Key Observations –
- Bitterness as Grudge-Holding: The Torah’s clearest parallel is Leviticus 19:18, which explicitly forbids “bearing grudges.”
- Forgiveness as a Covenant Value: Stories like Joseph forgiving his brothers show that bitterness is overcome by trust in God’s providence and choosing reconciliation over revenge.
- Generosity and Justice: Commands in Deuteronomy and Exodus stress that bitterness often arises from injustice or resentment. By mandating fairness and compassion, the Torah seeks to prevent bitterness from taking root.
- Love as the Antidote: Both Torah and Ephesians frame love as the opposite of bitterness. Torah says, “love your neighbor as yourself,” while Paul says, “be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” (Eph. 4:32).
The Torah’s approach is structural and covenantal and insists that bitterness, wrath, and grudges are incompatible with covenantal love and must be replaced with forgiveness, compassion, and justice. This is how Paul taught Torah, the Torah has not passed away!
