While living in South Dakota, I worked with
a colleague who was originally from New
England. He was an odd-spoken sort of
fellow. When he needed to clean his hands, he went to the
warshroom. He later drove home in his cah. For supper he
ate squarsh while sitting on his pawch. I’d kid him about his
peculiar dialect; he’d respond by calling my Midwestern
tongue bland and boring. All was said in fun: no harm, no
foul, no dilemma.
Such has not always been the case. The twelfth chapter
of Judges relates a civil war between Gilead and the men of
Ephraim. It all started when the Ammonites, who had for
eighteen years oppressed the tribes of Israel on the eastern
side of the Jordan River, crossed over and invaded the lands
of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. Jephthah, though the
son of a harlot, had become a mighty man of valor, living a
sort of outlaw life in the land of Tob. It was he whom the
Gileadites chose as their leader in the fight against Ammon.
Under his command, Jephthah and his men advanced
against the Ammonites and subdued this enemy, thus
delivering Israel from its oppression.
Barely had the blood of battle dried when the men of
Ephraim crossed the Jordan River and challenged Jephthah
with an arrogant, bogus charge. “Why did you . . . not call
us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with
fire!” (Judges 12:1) Ephraim, it seems, had wanted no part
of the perceived suicide mission against Ammon. But after
the Lord had given Gilead victory over the Ammonites,
Ephraim wanted to share in the glory. It became a casus
belli, a civil war in which Jephthah was again victorious.
Holding the fords of the Jordan against any escaping
Ephraimites, the fugitives were asked to say the password
“Shibboleth.” What a dilemma! Those who spoke the
dialect of Ephraim could only pronounce it Sibboleth. Thus,
42,000 Ephraimites were identified and executed.
What a warning against pride and arrogance! But is there
a New Testament password that must be known? Indeed, indeed! It is “Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior!” The heart
of the Gospel promise is that whoever believes in God’s
Son shall have everlasting life (John 3:16). Saint Peter,
preaching Jesus of Nazareth, added that there is “no other
name under heaven given among men by which we must be
saved.” (Acts 4:12)
But His name must be correctly pronounced. It must
be said with the dialect of faith and truth. In this there
are many who say Sibboleth. John warned believers of his
day against those who denied Jesus’ true humanity. Arius
spoke of Jesus, but not as true God, not equal in attributes
and essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Luther
contended with a church which did not confess Jesus to be
Savior by grace alone. Many today pronounce the name
Jesus only as a good man, a good example and new law-giver.
Sibboleth speakers all! At the final Jordan crossing they will
be clearly identified and dispatched.
But there is a further dilemma. Sinners must speak the
name correctly, yet it is not in their power to do so. So Paul
testified that “no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by
the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:3) Indeed, without the
Spirit, a great dilemma. But with Him, no dilemma at all,
for He is the great Teacher of the heavenly dialect.
Therefore, humble yourself, putting away pride and
arrogance. Do not grieve the Spirit, but pray that He
ever teach your heart and loosen your tongue to correctly
confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Shibboleth! In the Hebrew it can mean deep or flowing
water. And that is what Jesus claimed to be—the “living
water” offered to thirsty sinners. Whoever drinks of
Him will become “a fountain of water springing up into
everlasting life.” (John 4:14) So He
promised! Shibboleth! Say it faithfully, not
as a dilemma, but as the password to our
heavenly home.
David Fuerstenau is pastor of Holy Truth Lutheran
Church in Ketchikan, Alaska.