Idle words

[sopho]

I enjoy talking about lighter topics such as food or books that I like, but lately my conscience tells me I should not talk about these issues. My opinion comes after reading a comment of Grill on Matthew 12.36 about idle words.

By an “idle word” is meant, what the Jews call, , “light conversation”, and , “vain discourse”, as the Hebrew Gospel of Munster reads it here; frothy language, unprofitable talk, which, though it does not directly hurt God or man, yet is of no use to speaker or hearer; and yet even this, in the last general and awful judgment, if not forgiven, and repented of, must be accounted for; and much more such horrid blasphemies the Pharisees had vented against Christ, and the Spirit of Christ. The Jews (d) have a saying pretty much like this,

"That even , “for any light conversation”, which passes between a man and his wife, he shall “be brought to judgment”.’’

(d) R. Jonah apud L. Capell. in loc.

Who is that R.Jonah? Where can i found this saying? I would like to talk with my couple about light things whithout like books…

[Username1]

Hi Sopho

Despite what you might have inferred from certain translations and commentaries you have read, I have no doubt whatsoever that there is absolutely nothing wrong with talking about things you enjoy - whether it’s books or sports or gardening or cooking or family life or movies or whatever.

I am pretty sure that what the Apostle is warning us against is ‘idle gossip’ - malicious chit-chat that is harmful to others. If ‘light conversation’ is a sin then we’d all need to be on our knees repenting about 98% of the time we opened our mouths .

Seriously, Sopho, don’t fret about this. And please, continue to enjoy your hobbies and pastimes, and enjoy talking about them.

All the best

Johnny

PS I know you said your conscience is telling you not to do this, but sometimes our conscience does get things wrong. Sometimes we can be trying so hard to do the right thing we end up doing the wrong thing .

[Cindy_Skillman]

I agree 100%, Johnny.

There’s a line between enjoying ourselves with one another and enjoying one another and rude gossip and rude jesting. It isn’t that you have to be all somber and serious all the time though some humorless people have historically insisted this is indeed what is required. Think of Jesus making a minimum of 180 gallons of fine wine for the wedding feast at Cana. How much merry, lighthearted conversation and silliness that must have facilitated! And we, who belong to Him, can drink the new wine of the Holy Spirit. I think the result of that is joy and gladness, and if talking about your favorite hobby of, say, motocross, enters into that, I don’t see any problem with it at all. As you said, our consciences can lie to us and usually do – excusing that which should not be excused and accusing where no accusation is merited.

Love, Cindy