Tag Archives: Avoiding trouble

When Hiding is Wise

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A Woman Hiding Her FaceSometimes hiding from others is a valid response to avoid unnecessary persecution. The believer who operates on wisdom and faith will make the right choice at the right time. Solomon wrote, “The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naïve go on, and are punished for it” (Prov 22:3; cf., Prov 27:12). In this verse, the prudent man is shrewd and sees evil ahead, and by wisdom “hides himself” from harm, but the naïve lack wisdom, advance, and are punished. It’s interesting that the Hebrew word “prudent” is singular, whereas the word “naïve” is plural, perhaps suggesting that the prudent are few, while the naïve are many.

Scripture records that Moses’ parents hid him from Pharaoh, who had commanded, “Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile” (Ex 1:22). After Moses was born, his mother “hid him for three months” (Ex 2:2), a courageous and defiant act of faith and love to protect her child from harm. The writer of Hebrews reflects on this event, stating, “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents” (Heb 11:23). The faith of Moses’ parents defied Pharaoh’s evil edict, and so the child was protected from harm.

Similarly, Rahab, after welcoming two Jewish spies into her home (Josh 2:1), protected them by lying to the king’s messengers about their whereabouts (Josh 2:3-5). In reality, she had “taken the two men and hidden them” (Josh 2:4) on her rooftop among stalks of flax (Josh 2:6). The writer of Hebrews commends Rahab for her actions, saying, “By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace” (Heb 11:31). She welcomed them into her home and protected them by hiding them from those who sought to harm them.

A Man Hiding His FaceWhen David was being persecuted by King Saul, who sought to kill him, Jonathan advised David to “stay in a secret place and hide yourself” (1 Sam 19:2). This hiding was valid and preserved David from unnecessary harm. During the reign of Ahab and Jezebel, when Jezebel sought to destroy the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and “hid them” in caves (1 Ki 18:4), and “provided them with bread and water” to help keep them alive (1 Ki 18:4). These were true prophets, for false prophets would not have feared Ahab and Jezebel’s hostility.

Even Jesus hid Himself on two occasions when the Jewish leaders sought to harm Him. John records that “Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple” (John 8:59) and later that “He departed and hid Himself from them” (John 12:36). These acts of hiding by Jesus were not sinful but were in alignment with God’s timing. However, there was a time when Jesus did not hide but willingly faced His attackers according to the Father’s will (Matt 26:39). And Jesus’ suffering and sacrificial death on the cross paid for our sins. Praise God!

Of course, there are times when we must not hide, but instead be courageous and strong; as Scripture says, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim 1:7). Sadly, however, there are times when true believers hide for the wrong reasons. For example, some of the Jewish leadership in Jesus’ day had “believed in Him” (John 12:42a); however, “because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue” (John 12:42b). These believers chose to hide their faith for selfish reasons, “for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God” (John 12:43). One could argue that Peter was hiding from persecution when he denied the Lord three times (Matt 26:33-35, 69-75). Believers have eternal life and are promised heaven, and even though some may deny the Lord after being saved, this does not negate their eternal destiny, for eternal life is a free gift that cannot be forfeited after it is received (John 10:28; Rom 8:1).

Paul represents the ideal, for he was a man of strong character and was not put off by suffering, as he wrote, “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body” (2 Cor 4:8-10). Though he experienced great suffering and persecution, Paul was faithful to God until the end of life, telling Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7).

In summary, Scripture provides examples where hiding to avoid unnecessary persecution was a wise and faithful response. From Moses’ parents and Rahab to Obadiah and even Jesus Himself, we see that such actions, when motivated by faith and aligned with God’s will, can be both prudent and righteous. At the same time, believers must discern the proper moments to stand courageously and face persecution, as exemplified by Paul, who endured great suffering while remaining faithful to his mission. While some may hide for sinful reasons, there are certainly times when hiding is both wise and valid.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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Alexander the Coppersmith

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    Alexander the CoppersmithThere are times when it’s necessary to specifically name a person as hostile in order to warn others to avoid unnecessary harm. This was true of the apostle Paul, who warned his friend, Timothy, about a man named Alexander. The warning came at a time when Paul was in prison (2 Tim 1:8, 16) and wrote to his friend Timothy, saying, “Make every effort to come to me soon” (2 Tim 4:9). Paul informed Timothy his support of friends had diminished for various reasons, saying, “Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (2 Tim 4:10), and “Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus” (2 Tim 4:12). He informed Timothy, “Only Luke is with me” (2 Tim 4:11a). Knowing that Timothy would come to visit him, he requested, “Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service” (2 Tim 4:11b), and “When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments” (2 Tim 4:13).

     Then, Paul’s tone quickly changed, saying, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching” (2 Tim 4:14-15). Why this comment by Paul? It seems likely Paul imagined the route his friend Timothy would take as he navigated through the streets of Rome to get to him and realized the possibility that Timothy might encounter this dangerous man, so he warned him to be on guard. Because Alexander was a common name, Paul carefully identified him by his profession, as the coppersmith.[1] Paul informed his friend that Alexander “did me much harm” (2 Tim 4:14a). Paul did not state what the specific harm was, but clearly he’d been marked by his encounter with Alexander and carried the memory of the hurt. As a Christian, Paul did not seek personal vengeance against Alexander, but rather, put the matter in the Lord’s hands, saying, “the Lord will repay with him according to his deeds” (2 Tim 4:14b).[2] Because God is the one who dispenses justice, we are commanded, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom 12:19). Paul knew God would deal with Alexander in His own time and way and that the punishment would be equitable payment for the harm done to him.

     Though Paul did not seek retaliation, neither did he desire another hostile encounter with the man who hurt him. More so, Paul sought to warn his friend, Timothy, who was coming to him, lest he suffer unnecessary hostility. Paul told Timothy, “Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching” (2 Tim 4:15). The word “guard” translates the Greek verb “phulasso” (φυλάσσω), which means to guard, watch, or protect. The form of the verb tells us that Timothy is to act now (present tense), that he is to act in his own interests (middle voice), and that the action is mandatory (imperative mood). Like all God’s enemies, Alexander was hostile to the teaching of Christianity and sought to harm those who carried its message. He’d certainly left his mark on Paul, who was concerned that others might be hurt by him as well.

     As Christians, we realize there are times when it’s valid to specifically name a person as hostile in order to warn others to avoid unnecessary harm. And, as God’s children, we are not to seek revenge when hurt by others (Rom 12:19), but realize God is righteous and will dispense equitable justice upon those who hurt us (Psa 62:12; 2 Th 1:6).

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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[1] The word coppersmith translates the Greek word χαλκεύς chalkeus, which literally means a worker of metal and perhaps points to Alexander’s profession as a manufacturer of idols. One cannot be dogmatic here, but it makes good sense to understand that Alexander was connected with the idol industry, for “he vigorously opposed” Paul’s teaching (2 Tim. 4:15b), which teaching forbid the manufacture of idols and idol worship (Ex. 20:3-5; 1 Thess. 1:9-10), identifying it as the worship of demons (1 Cor. 10:20-21). We should realize that theology is never neutral and touches matters social and economic. Paul’s teaching would have directly threatened Alexander’s profession and income, for as people turned to Christ as Savior, they would have stopped worshipping idols and even influenced others to turn from that wicked practice as well.

[2] The word “repay” translates the Greek verb ἀποδίδωμι apodidomi, which means to give up, give back, or repay. The verb is in the future tense and anticipates imminent action by the Lord, who always dispenses the proper judgment at the proper time. As Christians, we are never called to seek revenge upon those who have hurt us, but rather, to put the matter in the Lord’s hands. Scripture teaches that God repays people according to their actions, as David writes, “For You [God] recompense a man according to his work” (Ps. 62:12b; cf. Prov. 24:12; Jer. 15:15), and to the Christians at Thessalonica, Paul wrote, “it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you” (2 Thess. 1:6).

When Believers Hide

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The hyphenated term Crypto-Christians is sometimes used to refer to believers who hide during times of persecution. The English word crypto is derived from the Greek κρύπτω krupto, which means to “hide, conceal, cover…to keep from being seen.”[1] The word is used in both a positive and negative sense in Scripture. During times of unjust persecution, there have been instances when God’s people hid themselves, or were hidden by others. Sometimes this appears to be a valid practice, and other times not.

Hiding MosesBy faith, Moses’ parents hid him from Pharaoh (Ex 2:1-2). The writer of Hebrews comments on this act, saying, “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict” (Heb 11:23). By faith, Rahab protected the two spies that came to her house, for “she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof” (Josh 2:6; cf. Heb 11:31).[2] When David was being persecuted by King Saul, Jonathan told David, “Saul my father is seeking to put you to death. Now therefore, please be on guard in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself” (1 Sam 19:2).[3] During the days of Elijah, “when Jezebel destroyed the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water” (1 Ki 18:4).[4] These were true prophets, for a false prophet would not have been afraid of the public hostility of Ahab and Jezebel. It is recorded that Jesus “hid Himself” (κρύπτω krupto) from an attack by the Jewish leadership (John 8:59). Certainly there was no sin in Jesus’ action. There was another time when Jesus “hid Himself” (κρύπτω krupto), though the text does not say why (John 12:36).

There are biblical examples of believers who hid themselves and the text neither justifies nor condemns their actions. For example, Elijah ran for his life and hid in a cave (1 Ki 19:1-2, 9-10). God showed the prophet grace, providing for him during his journey (1 Ki 19:4-8). Elijah thought he was the last prophet in Israel, saying, “I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away” (1 Ki 19:10b). However, Elijah was unaware of 7000 faithful Israelites who had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Ki 19:18). One might question whether these 7000 believers were also concealing their faith for fear of persecution; otherwise, Elijah would have known about them and realized he was not the last of God’s prophets. Scripture reveals Joseph of Arimathea was “a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one (κρύπτω krupto) for fear of the Jews” (John 19:38). However, after the crucifixion, he exposed his faith for all to see and apparently did not fear oppression.

There are believers whom the biblical text chides for hiding. For example, some of the Jewish leadership in Jesus’ day had “believed in Him” (John 12:42a); however, “because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue” (John 12:42b). These believers chose to hide their faith for selfish reasons, because “they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God” (John 12:42-43). One could argue that Peter was hiding from persecution when he denied the Lord three times (Matt 26:33-35, 69-75).

In summary, there is Scriptural evidence of believers who hid from persecution. For some, it was not wrong, but for others, it was. How should we distinguish between them? Hiding to avoid unjust persecution seems permissible, and perhaps wise, as long as it does not mean disobeying or dishonoring God. A thorough knowledge of Scripture and strong faith in God will equip the believer to make good decisions in times of persecution. Wisdom and courage is needed if we are going to face unjust persecution for God’s glory and the benefit of others.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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[1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 571.

[2] The Septuagint uses the Greek word κρύπτω krupto as a synonym for the Hebrew טָמַן taman.

[3] The Septuagint uses the Greek word κρύπτω krupto as a synonym for the Hebrew טָמַן taman.

[4] Here, the Septuagint uses the Greek word κρύπτω krupto as a synonym for the Hebrew חָבָא chaba.