Corporate culture and domesticated animals...

I am spending my nights working on the text of a friend (Prof Gert Steyn's) book on the use of Old Testament quotations in the book of Hebrews... I was reminded of a particular Greek word that sums up something of what I am feeling at present. The Greek word, used in Matthew 5:5 is [praeis] (from the root praus) ("blessed are the meek").

This Greek word, [praeis], which is translated at 'meek' in the English translations of the Bible and 'sagmoedig' in the Afrikaans translations of the Bible is a much deeper and more significant word than what we understand meekness to mean in contemporary English. When you hear 'meek' what do you think about? Perhaps soft, spineless, a pushover... Well, the Greek work speaks of a dialectic (google it!) Hegel would have spoke of praus as the synthesis between a thesis and an antithesis - a settled middle ground. Aristotle also used this term in his writings - he defined praotes as the middle ground between orgilotes (meaning extreme anger) and aorgesia meaning excessive 'angerlessness' (or complete passivity and lack of emotion). Of course Aristotle's point was to say that 'to be angry over the right things, at the right time, with an appropriate measure of anger - that's wisdom'. Perhaps that's similar to what Paul was speaking about when he said in Ephesians 4:26 'In your anger do not sin'. And, just maybe praotes was what Jesus showed in Matthew 21:12 when he drove the money changers out of the temple for robbing the poor of the small gifts they had brought to honour God....

The central concept to this dialectic is a balanced and controlled relationship between power and powerlessness... So, it is not surprising to discover the the Greek word pruas was also used in ancient writings to explain the state of a 'domesticated' animal. In short, a wild horse is certainly powerful and beautiful, but it is not all that useful! However, a horse that has been tamed, domesticated (so to speak) is of immeasurable value. It's power and stamina can be harnessed to plow a field, to tow a cart, to pull out trees, and speed passengers to their destination.

I will confess that I am not the tamest of horses out there.... I tend to be a little wild, and I like to 'run free'. Being in a corporate environment is somewhat taxing... But, I am beginning to understand that unbridled passion and skill can frequently be ineffective without direction, focus, and discipline.

So, here I am, a domesticated horse in my stable (office)... I'm wearing my glasses to pretend that I am tame...

Perhaps Matthew 5:5 could be translated: Blessed is the person who has every instinct, every impulse, every passion, and every desire under God's loving control. Such a person shall inherit the earth.

Oh, and get a haircut hippie ;-)