Another Cause for Causation?
Here I am, continuing on the idea of my previous soapbox topic of causation verses influence. I think this is another distinction to consider.
There is a very special verb usage in the Old Testament that we need to be really careful of reading too much into its translation into English. Did that last sentence sound klutzy? Well, let me rephrase that. One verb structure of Biblical Hebrew is in danger of being misunderstood when it is translated into English. Let me show you with a few examples.
Jeremiah 13:11
“For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me, ” says the LORD, “that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.”
Ezekiel 36:12
“Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, My people Israel; they shall take possession of you, and you shall be their inheritance, no more shall you bereave them of children.”
Ezekiel 36:27
“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”
A certain verb form in Hebrew takes a basic verb like “he snored” and turns it into one where one acts upon someone else, like, “he made her snore.” The problem with this verb form is there is no accurate way to really translate it. We always have to add words into our translation that go somewhat beyond the intended meaning. In other words, we always usually add the words “cause,” “make,” “bring” or some such word that I think implies causation.
In Hebrew, it is still one word.
But what does it do? It allows the translation of much activity in the Bible, especially that attributed to God’s actions toward mankind, to be taken as caused action! This goes way beyond the writers’ intended meanings.
Let me illustrate this by one idea. Perhaps you go to a parent/teacher conference to discuss your child’s progress in school. During your conference time, the teacher says, “And here are some projects I made your child do to help her understand this one concept.”
Now, unless you are Amelia Bedelia, you probably did not do a double-take at that statement.
I mean, would you have understood that teacher to have forced or caused your child to have done those assignments? Probably not. You wouldn’t have batted your eye at it.
For a teacher to say, “I made them do their class exercise today,” in no way implies causation over her students any more than you saying, “I made my child do her homework.” More than likely, because the student wants to accomplish the goals that you set before her, she will cooperate and do her schoolwork.
One of the ways God may get us to do something is to incentivize us. He doesn’t have to force or overpower our will, like some theologians may propose. By persuasion and opening us up to see the real good that comes from a right relationship with Him, God can bring us to the threshold of choice. But the power of actually walking over that threshold is still our own.
But what does it do? It allows the translation of much activity in the Bible, especially that attributed to God’s actions toward mankind, to be taken as caused action! This goes way beyond the writers’ intended meanings.
Teaching by example
How should this verb usage be understood? Every “cause” joined to a verb usage in the Old Testament should be understood in its natural context and NOT be used to insinuate causation.Let me illustrate this by one idea. Perhaps you go to a parent/teacher conference to discuss your child’s progress in school. During your conference time, the teacher says, “And here are some projects I made your child do to help her understand this one concept.”
Now, unless you are Amelia Bedelia, you probably did not do a double-take at that statement.
I mean, would you have understood that teacher to have forced or caused your child to have done those assignments? Probably not. You wouldn’t have batted your eye at it.
For a teacher to say, “I made them do their class exercise today,” in no way implies causation over her students any more than you saying, “I made my child do her homework.” More than likely, because the student wants to accomplish the goals that you set before her, she will cooperate and do her schoolwork.
I caused them to translate this correctly
So, when I read a verse that says, “I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,” I am not thinking God actually took over anyone’s freedom of will. I am thinking God set up the opportunity and situation such that His people could see the real benefit of clinging to God and have the easiest possible choice for it. Otherwise, it seems rather self-contradictory for God to later say they refused Him.One of the ways God may get us to do something is to incentivize us. He doesn’t have to force or overpower our will, like some theologians may propose. By persuasion and opening us up to see the real good that comes from a right relationship with Him, God can bring us to the threshold of choice. But the power of actually walking over that threshold is still our own.
