C, Post-Pentecost 18, Proper 23 - 2 Timothy 2:8-15 "Chewing the Fat of Faith"
But from where did such a saying arise? Is chewing the fat
a healthy thing to do, or not? Or is chewing the fat neither good nor bad —
just a way of remembering and reminding, a mental regurgitation, coughing up
what was once buried deep within the mind?
There are a number of legends that seek to explain how the
phrase “chewing the fat” entered common speech. However, in recent times
there’s an army of health experts warning people off eating fat. To eat lean,
they say, is to live a serene, healthy life. One must deny oneself fat, let
alone chewing the fat.
Yet this is what soldiers would do to pass the time of
tension and boredom before battle broke out. They would chew on tough salted
meat or fat to distract the mind and socialise with one another — in the calm
before the storm, to keep calm.
Or “chewing the fat” may have been a saying that arose from
people doing so in times of food scarcity or on long voyages across the ocean,
chewing the fat to get every last morsel of goodness out of a limited supply of
food. Even so, it was still a communal activity.
Another possibility is that the saying came from a Native
American cultural practice where, during peace talks, “chewing the fat” was a
ritual.
Another possible derivation is that “chewing the fat” may
have come from another saying, “chewing the rag”, where musket ammunition was
kept in paper or cloth soaked in animal fat, which was bitten off when loading
the musket. It is thought that the bitten‑off ends of rag or paper soaked
in fat would then be chewed to reduce nerves amid the battle. Here again,
chewing the fat was a communal exercise amongst comrades.
Saint Paul calls himself a soldier bound in chains as he
encourages Timothy also to be a good soldier. He says to Timothy, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of
Christ Jesus. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of
David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as
a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!” (2 Timothy 2:3,8–9 ESV)
Chewing the fat, like chewing gum, requires muscle memory.
Paul encourages Timothy to chew over the word of God, which is not bound as he
is bound. Remember Jesus Christ, remember his resurrection, remember he is the
offspring of David, remember my preaching of these things — which is my gospel,
for which I am suffering. Make it yours too! Chew over the word of God,
remember the word of God.
Although “chewing the fat” of God’s word is not literally
tearing pages from the Bible and eating them, the symbolic saying does bring to
light an issue from Old Testament law. The fat was the most valuable part of a
sacrificial animal; eating it, let alone constantly chewing it, was forbidden.
The fat and the blood belonged to God:
“And the priest shall
burn them (that is, the fat on the entrails, together with the kidneys, the
liver, and the fat covering them) on the
altar as a food offering with a pleasing aroma. All fat is the Lord’s. It shall
be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places,
that you eat neither fat nor blood.” (Leviticus 3:16–17 ESV)
There would be no literal eating or “chewing of the fat” in
Jewish practice. Yet today we eat and drink the body and blood of Jesus Christ,
the Word made flesh. We remember what Christ did to be our Saviour at the cross
as we eat his physical and spiritual body and drink his physical and spiritual
blood, hidden in the elements of bread and wine. In this we gather as
congregation to remember Jesus Christ, to chew the fat, one could say!
Paul, imprisoned, encourages Timothy to share in these
things with him despite being separated by prison bars and fifteen hundred
kilometres as the crow flies — and further if on foot. Likewise, we gather not
just here, nor just at this time, nor just as a parish, nor as a Lutheran
denomination, but with angels, archangels, and the whole company of heaven as
we are faithfully gathered by the Holy Spirit to “chew the fat” of God’s word,
and his Word made flesh in the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
This is a mystery that takes Holy Spirit‑given
faith to grasp, and it also takes Holy Spirit‑given faith to pass on to
others so they too can “chew
the fat” of this faith
mystery and receive salvation.
Paul also reminds Timothy of this, since he is a minister
of these mysteries at Ephesus. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul lists what
is required of Timothy and others who serve, saying: “if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of
God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
(1 Timothy 3:15 ESV)
Then Paul calls Timothy to chew over the following
trustworthy saying: “Great indeed, we
confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” (1 Timothy 3: 16 ESV)
Now in his second letter he gives Timothy another piece of
truth to chew over as he says: The saying
is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if
we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” (2
Timothy 2:11–13 ESV)
On hearing this saying at first you might hear the law of
God, as Paul says, “if we deny Jesus,
Jesus also will deny us.” This certainly is a dire place to be! I imagine
none of us want to be denied by Jesus Christ. Chewing the reality of being
Christless is more hopeless than an Anzac assault from the trenches of
Gallipoli.
However, I want us to hear the inclusive language of Paul
to Timothy: If we have died with
him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will
also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we
are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.”
(2 Timothy 2:11–13 ESV)
One might think the last statement, “he remains faithful — for he cannot deny himself”, is not
inclusive. However, Paul wants Timothy to chew over the richness that has been
given to all: to him, Timothy, the congregation at Ephesus, and to us as well.
Even though Jesus can deny us when we deny him, and leave us to our own devices,
to discipline us, he will always be faithful to us, because the Holy Spirit has
been planted in us in baptism. The Holy Spirit reminds us to remember and
endure — or remain — in Jesus Christ, and to chew over the truth that allows us
to reign with Jesus. Although it is hidden and only seen by faith this side of
our physical death and resurrection.
Where Paul calls Timothy to remember Jesus, his works of
denying and being faithful, now he encourages Timothy to continue being
faithful to his call as pastor at Ephesus, saying: “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel
about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to
present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be
ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:14–15 ESV)
Paul calls Timothy to rightly handle the word of truth, by
remembering and reminding. Like a cow chewing its cud, Paul remembers and
reminds as he “chews the fat of the faith”.
He calls Timothy to do so too. And Paul does this so the church can continue to
be gathered and pass on the faith, chewing the fat of God’s richness in Jesus
Christ, given and shed for the salvation of souls, so people might participate
in the reception of God’s peace.
As we hear Paul speak to Pastor Timothy too, we’re called
to chew the fat of faith for our eternal peace as well. We’re called to
remember and remind others of God’s faithfulness to us. To gather with our
friends and family, our colleagues and neighbours, to chew the fat of our faith
and peace. Be it sitting round a campfire, at the bar with a beer, or at the meal
table — killing time, talking, demonstrating our desire to glorify God, as we
discuss the day’s events in the light of our salvation from sin as we patiently
wait for Jesus’ return.
Amen.
