And again, I say “shalom”

I am often asked, “Do you ever run out of things about which to write?” An honest answer is “No. The gospel of Jesus Christ is so relevant and fresh that it begs for expression not just weekly, but daily.” However, there are themes within the gospel that beg for repetition. If the words that follow seem repetitious, they are. I have written them over and over and over again. This will not be the last time you hear this message.

Language is a marvelous tool that we have been given by our ancestors. Words give us a unique opportunity to share and communicate with one another. They also are inadequate and fall short of truly clarifying our deepest thoughts. Words! We are stuck with them.

The Bible is a book of words. Some believe It is a whole library of words straight from God. They say it is a book of holy words. They believe it is a book of words without error. I personally believe it is a book of words that attempt to discuss the most important ideas that have ever passed through the minds of human beings. Sometimes the words are beautiful. Sometimes the words are ugly.

The Bible has been and is a driving force in my life. Like an addict, I cannot stop reading it and pondering its meanings. The reading of the Bible is the easy part. The hard part comes in trying to grasp its meanings. I keep asking, “What are you saying to me?” The words of the Bible are attempting to talk to me about truly important things about life. The answer comes to me in one marvelous word. The word is shalom.

Today the Hebrew word shalom is commonly translated into English with the word peace. Great damage is done in the translation. Shalom is so much broader, richer, and all encompassing than peace. A dear friend of mine is an Old Testament scholar. In his profession he mastered many of the ancient Near Eastern languages. In a personal conversation, he explained that shalom exists when everything is the way it ought to be. He apologized for the inadequacy of the definition. He concluded, “Shalom is so much more.”

Others have suggested that shalom is experienced when things are whole, complete, even perfect.

In everyday language, shalom is used by many as both a greeting and a farewell. When used as a greeting the message is one of hope and expectation. “I trust that everything is going well for you.” When used as a farewell, the message is a prayer. “I pray that everything in your life will be good and even the best.”

One of the great messages of the Bible material is that in life there is such a thing as the way things ought to be. I suspect that every writer of the Bible material held that basic conviction. The arguments, the discussions of the Bible are about how to achieve the experience of shalom.

The New Testament has a companion message that is also summed up in a single word. That word s salvation. Shalom and salvation can and should be understood as synonyms. The scandal of the Christian churches is the corruption of the meaning of the word salvation. Rather than a word that begs for a broad participation in life, salvation has come to mean a promise of a place in an ill-defined heaven following death. Shalom on the other hand is the offering of a whole and complete life during our tenure here on earth. The root meaning of salvation is wholeness, completeness. Shalom and salvation are conceptual companions.

The Bible is a book of differing opinions. Unfortunately, many have assumed the differing opinions are between the Old Testament and the New Testament. In fact differing opinions are found within the Old Testament and within the New Testament. The two collections are much more alike than different. The unity of the Old and New Testaments is found in the basic idea that there is such a thing as “the way things ought to be.” Furthermore, the achieving of that ideal is a pursuit in this life. None of us need to wait for a next life to know the truly satisfying life.

Words do make a difference. Christians need to master the words of their faith and use them to communicate their message of wholeness and completeness. Shalom and salvation! They should be written on our minds and our hearts.

Two other Bible words are worthy of note. They are both found in abundance in both Old and New Testaments. The first word is love and the second is justice. Both are tools. Neither is a goal. The goal of the Bible tradition is shalom or salvation. Neither shalom or salvation tell us all of the particulars of how to get there. Justice and love tell us how to achieve the good life. Jesus verbalized the love part of the formula. Love God. Love neighbor. Love one another. Love our enemies. We need to be reminded that the love path is not simply New Testament but is deeply rooted in the Old Testament.

The parables of Jesus are almost all justice stories. In calling for justice, he stood in the very best tradition of the Old Testament prophets. The justice message is plain. Justice calls for the needs of everyone to be met.

The Bible material has a lot of warts. It carries the evidence of a lot of arguments. However, the material has a basic message for all. The message is summed up in the words love, justice, salvation and most of all shalom.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.