Meditations on Murmuring

As I get older I notice I tend to complain and murmur. I excuse my behavior as just a symptom of getting old. However, I also notice that the bible has some rather strong teachings against murmuring so I decided to do some digging. A linguistic key gives definitions for words as they are found within a biblical passage. Renecker and Rodgers in their linguistic key defines "to murmur" as the following:

to murmur, to complain, to give audible expression to unwarranted dissatisfaction (Lenski). It contains the idea of a judgment and a condemnation of God by man who instead of giving God thanks and showing obedience sets himself up as a judge over God (s. TDNT; CBB) (A Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, Renecker and Rodgers)

This definition is in reference to "grumble" as used by the apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians.

We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. (1 Corinthians 10:9-10, ESV)

Commentators differ on who the "Destroyer" is, but most commentators agree that Paul is referring to Numbers 14. The people Israel just heard the bad report from 10 out the 12 spies who were sent out to assess the land of Canaan as to its defenses and bounty. 12 spies spent 40 days in the land. 10 out of the 12 said the land would be hard to conquer: the current inhabitants of Canaan were large and their cities were well fortified. The people responded to this bad news in the following way.

Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! (Numbers 14:1-2, ESV)

Notice murmuring is second guessing not only the leadership, but God who put those leaders in power. The people were also doubting God's ability to help them conquer the land, God's promises to their forefathers to give them the land, and God's sovereignty over the circumstances. God severely punished the people for murmuring. None of the adult Israelites were allowed to enter the land. Paul in the passage is illustrating for the Corinthians that doubting Paul's God-given authority and second-guessing God's commands and ordinances is wrong. Murmuring is blatant sin.

Paul also encouraged the church at Phillipi to not grumble.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, (Philippians 2:14-15, ESV)

The question that needs to be asked is how does "doing all things without grumbling" lead to being blameless and innocent? Paul is probably referring back to Leviticus as he did in 1 Corinthians. The Phillippians were not trusting his leadership or their elders' leadership. The next verse (Phillipians 2:16) encourages the Phillippians to "hold fast to word of life." Paul is pointing out that the purity of a group of Christians who hold fast to their common faith and core doctrines while loving each other would be a shining light in this dark world. Paul again addresses the content of our speech in his letter to the Ephesians.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29, ESV)

John Piper in one of his sermons on this passage poses some questions that we should ask ourselves about our speech.

The question for your mouth will not merely be the moral question: Am I avoiding dirty words? But the Christian question: Am I building the faith of others by what I say? Is my mouth a means of grace? Am I frightened and anxious and angry about my life, or am I filled and overflowing with hope that the Spirit of God will keep me safe for the day of redemption?

The apostle James also commands Christians to not grumble against one another.

Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. (James 5:9, ESV)

The following tables shows how James refers back to Leviticus 19, which lays out the Ten Commandments.

James		Leviticus 19
v. 5:12	“Do not swear”	v. 12	“You shall not swear”
v. 5:4	“Behold, the wages of the laborers…which you kept back from fraud.	v. 13	“The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night”
2:1,9	“My brothers, show no partiality”	v. 15	“You shall not be partial.”
4:11	“Do not speak evil against one another.”	v. 16	“You shall not go around as a slanderer.”
v. 5:9	“Do not grumble against one another.”	v. 18a	“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge.”
2:8	“You shall love your neighbor as yourself”	v. 18b	“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

Notice how grumbling is tied with holding a grudge. If we murmur against leadership, are we not holding a grudge? If we grumble against one another, are we not trying to harm one another? Murmuring against leadership secular or ecclesiastical is wrong. It ultimately shows that we are not trusting God and we are handling the mistrust in harmful ways. If you question leadership, do not complain to others, but seek out that leader in a godly manner. We honor God through trusting the leadership. We can disagree with leadership, but complaining and murmuring among ourselves is not the correct means to handle the disagreement.

Our speech reflects our life. If God is giving us hope through Christ, then our speech should edify and give hope to others and not be filled with complaining and murmuring, even when we are suffering. The apostle Paul reflects this attitude we should have in 2 Corinthians.

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10, ESV)