Philistines

I am surely the despair of any culture vulture I happen to meet.

It is not as though I am devoid of refined feelings. I have at home a DVD of a lovely production about the life of Jesus. This combines the skills of Russian puppet makers and Welsh cartoonists. It sees the whole story from the point of view of Jairus’ daughter, whom Jesus raises from death (Luke 8:41-42 and 49-56). The plot imagines the little girl, now recovered, to have become a lifelong follower of Jesus in gratitude. I always weep as I watch this.

My reactions to highbrow productions, though, usually range from indifference to unbounded mirth.

The thought of people talking to each other in blank verse - as in Shakespeare’s plays - or, worse still, singing to each other as in opera, causes me huge amusement. I haven’t yet learned to take ballet seriously either. As a non-dancer I can imagine myself playing the part in Swan Lake where the duck drops dead. As a modern art critic I am foremost among those who declare that a bunch of monkeys could do just as well … you get the idea. Any sophisticated person would undoubtedly dismiss me as a Philistine.

This term of abuse refers to what my copy of the Shorter Oxford Dictionary describes as

“An uneducated or unenlightened person; a person indifferent or hostile to culture, or whose interests and tastes are commonplace and material."

This, incidentally, is a misunderstanding of what the original Philistines were like. These enemies of the Israelites who occupied part of the west coast of Palestine in Bible times were certainly warlike, but they were also highly cultured and advanced.

The towns of these Sea People show much evidence of careful planning, with industrial zones just as there are in the cities of today. Philistine pottery ware was of remarkable design. The Philistines seem to have exercised control over iron working. 1 Samuel 13 tells us that God’s people had to go to them to have their tools and weapons sharpened. It is not for nothing that the land of Palestine is named after them.

One thing about them, however, was definitely primitive and crude: their religion. In reality, they seem to have had none of their own. They borrowed the debased gods of the local Canaanites.

I remember seeing the film Samson and Delilah as a child. I was scared witless by the horrible statue of the god Dagon tottering and crashing to the ground. This took place when strong man Samson, blinded and humiliated by the Philistines, brought down their pagan temple and thus took revenge on his tormentors (Judges 16:23-31).

There never has been a place in the religion of God’s people for idolatry. The Ten Commandments condemned it. They also outlined a wholesome way of life that stood in sharp contrast to the unseemly goings-on among their neighbours. From their Jewish heritage stemmed the Lord Jesus Christ. He personally kept the Commandments perfectly. Yet He went much further than the Law of Moses. He died and rose again so that those who trust in Him could find forgiveness of sin and favour with God. This free mercy truly is divine wisdom. It is a height that no other religion can seriously approach.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.’

“Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18-25 NIV).

All believers have a responsibility to live right, but no longer need anyone live in terror and superstition. I fear somewhat for those who call themselves sophisticated but have no time for God. When the dust has settled they are likely to find that they, not genuine Christian believers, have been the real Philistines.