Grumble

             Do everything without grumbling or arguing,^”  (Philippians 2:14)

            But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (I Peter 3:15) 

            We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, (II Corinthians 10:5) 

            Uh oh. Today’s not exactly a “no grumble” day, and I doubt there’s any day that I don’t argue, at least with myself. If nothing else, I’m grumbling at myself about arguing with myself and arguing with myself about grumbling at myself. God and I need to talk about His daughter, and since the first step in any discussion is the definition of terms, here’s as good a place as any to consider the definitions.

Grumbling (Greek: goggusmos) The Greek term suggests to me a gagging, choking, or drowning sound. It means to complain about something in a bad-tempered way, to make a low, rumbling sound.       

Arguing (Greek dialogismon) The Greek term is based on the same root from which we get dialogue, and therefore to discuss, or reason.

Lastly, everything (Greek: panta.) The Greek term means “all things.” This doesn’t suggest that we should do everything. Scripture clearly teaches that there are things we cannot do and things we should not do. Paul isn’t telling us to commit murder or to fly to the moon without a ship. But if we are going to commit murder, we’re to do it without grumbling or arguing. You’ve probably heard the old adage, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”  Today’s passage is adapting that slightly: If you can’t do something without grumbling or arguing, don’t do it at all.

            We need to be careful here, because it would be easy to twist this Scripture into commanding that we do everything – at least everything we’re told to do – without question, without thought, without saying anything even if the thing we’re being asked or ordered to do is wrong. That’s not what this passage means. It also doesn’t mean that we’re never to have a discussion or argument with anyone. If that is an appropriate understanding, what are we to do with the other passages above? What are we to do with the fact that Jesus cleared the temple and argued with the devil, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees? How do we respond to the fact that Paul argued on Mars Hill or that Abraham argued with God and Jacob wrestled with God?

            As I continue to consider and argue with myself about this passage, one of the things that comes to mind is that grumbling supposedly is bad-tempered. I don’t know that what I call grumbling is bad-tempered. I don’t know whether grumbling is such a habit, like worrying, that I do it whether I’m in a bad temper or not, or whether what I’m calling grumbling is actually something else.