For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Like a hot flash, the blade sunk deep. Had I been stabbed, or had I been burned? Only by looking down did I see the handle of a blade, resting firmly in my stomach. But, where was the blade? The white-hot pain that creeped in around my vision told me that it was inside of me. How could this happen? To what end did this devastating blow reach my inmost being?
This made-up story mirrors the image that Hebrews 4:12 evokes. The violent blow that Scripture describes in this passage describes a blade used in hand-to-hand combat that was intended for stabbing.* It was more of a dagger than a sword.* And the tool implies less about the power of the blow and more about its ability to cut through human resistance.* Why would the author of Hebrews use this terminology?
God’s Word cuts through us in ways that we cannot achieve on our own. Who may separate soul from spirit? Who can do such a thing as divide joints and marrow? Who can know the thoughts and intentions of the inner-most parts of a person as they act? Only God.
This passage tells us that God can do what we cannot, but there is a reason for it: we as humans have the uncanny ability to deceive ourselves.* We can be religious and do the right things all while having ill-intentions and impure motives. Not only do we hide these inner-workings from others, but we hide them from ourselves as well. Dangerously, our pious actions lead us down a path of pride. Only the white-hot wounding of God’s Word can expose it. We need His Word to cut through our human resistance. The Word of God exposes us to ourselves and to others in way that brings humility, though the cutting can be painful.*
It’s not a comfortable thing to find out that there are ungodly things inside of us. It’s sometimes even more uncomfortable when someone else sees this in us as well. When someone sees the darkness inside of us at the same moment we see it inside of us, this is especially cutting. Nevertheless, it’s for our good and it matters. The cutting that the Word of God does is not for our destruction, but discernment and response.*
The Judge who cuts between all of our outer exterior and pretending awaits our response to His Words.* Will we accept them and be saved, or will we run from the cutting truth of His word to continue our charade? He desires that we endure the pain of allowing truth to penetrate us to the core so that we can choose life.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to allow His Word to cut deep. Perhaps today He wants you to open your ears to His Words. Maybe today He wants you to open your heart to the truth as delivered through a leader or a friend. Perhaps today God wants you to embrace the pain of His truth rather than run from it. Maybe today God wants you to allow humility to come.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Stedman, R. C. (1992). Hebrews (Heb 4:12–13). IVP Academic.
Grindheim, S. (2023). The Letter to the Hebrews (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 256–261). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
France, R. T. (2006). Hebrews. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, p. 67–68). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. (1998). Hebrews (p. 155–157). Zondervan Publishing House.