Apoint of grammar is an unusual basis for an exhortation. In this case, however, we will find many useful exhortations flow from the middle voice that is found in the Greek language.
English has only an active (the subject acts on something) and passive (the subject is acted upon) voice. An example of the active voice would be, “He wrote the letter” while the passive would be, “The letter was written by him.” In Greek, there is also a middle voice in which the subject acts upon himself or in his own interest.
They chose Barabbas for themselves
The middle voice is used in a telling manner in the events surrounding the crucifixion of Christ. At the Passover feast, Pilate used to release for them one prisoner whom they asked “for themselves.” Among the rebels in prison, there was one, a murderer, named Barabbas. When the crowd sought Pilate to follow his customary practice, the high priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas for themselves. The record says they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that Jesus should be crucified. Thus they asked for themselves the release of a criminal and the murder of their Savior.
A few hours later another asked something for himself. Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council who was looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and asked Pilate for the body of Jesus for himself. The middle voice is used again but this time no selfish motive is involved. While, in their hatred, the council wanted to murder Jesus, Joseph, in his love, wanted Jesus’ body that he might honor his Lord with a decent burial. Assisted by Nicodemus, he took Jesus down from the cross, wrapped him in a linen shroud and laid him in the tomb he had hewn out of rock for himself.
Praying for ourselves
As we might expect, the middle voice is used in relation to prayer — all things that we are continually praying for, for ourselves. Not all prayer is answered, of course, because sometimes “you ask and you do not receive because you ask for yourselves wrongly” (James 4:3). In the case James has in mind, the motivation was wrong in the hearts of those asking.
Sometimes it is to our advantage that our requests are not fulfilled as we would expect. For instance, when James and John asked to be on either side of Christ “in his glory,” Jesus replied, “you do not know what you are asking for.” His “glory” was to include the horror of the crucifixion which was not what James and John had in mind.
Acting upon ourselves
In a passage in Colossians 3 regarding the change of nature, a process which begins with baptism, the middle voice is used. “Were you not raised with Christ? Then aspire to the realm above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God, and let your thoughts dwell on that higher realm, not on this earthly life. I repeat, you died and now your life lies hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life is manifested, then you too will be manifested with him in glory. So then, put to death those parts of you which belong to the earth — fornication, indecency, lust, foul cravings and the ruthless greed which is nothing less than idolatry…you must lay aside [middle voice] all anger, passion, malice, cursing, filthy talk — have done with them! Stop lying to one another now that you have discarded the old nature with its deeds and have put on the new nature which is being constantly renewed in the image of its Creator…”
The wording suggests the removal of clothes. The middle voice is used and a better rendering might be to fling them off from ourselves, to get rid of them as quickly as possible as we do not want them around any longer. Having removed the old clothing, we must, as one translator puts it, wrap ourselves in garments that suit God’s chosen people — pity, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience.
The middle voice is also used in Ephesians in connection with our redeeming the time for ourselves because the days are evil. The word “redeem” suggests buying something back. Literally, it doesn’t make sense that we could buy back time that has already expired. The RSV indicates the phrase means making the most of the time while the NEB suggests using present opportunity to the full. If we follow this exhortation, we are “buying opportunity for ourselves.”
These comments are based on a book we came across in the religious section of a public library. In his book, the author made a good point in regard to the use of the middle voice when Peter refers to a sow washing herself and then returning to roll in the mire. Discipleship in Christ is not just one thing among many — bathe today, mud tomorrow. True discipleship is for all our days; it is our very life, demanding our consent, our enthusiasm, our whole will.
A theological implication
In Hebrews 9:12, the middle voice presented a problem to the author of the book referred to above, as he was a trinitarian. The blood of Christ’s sacrifice is his own blood, not the blood of goats and calves, and he secured for himself deliverance.
Being honest to the text, the author translated the last part of verse 12, “through his own blood he entered once for all into the holy place, finding for himself, eternal redemption.” This, or course, presents a great problem to those who believe Jesus always existed as God the Son. They can see how Christ’s sacrifice is the means for saving us but cannot see how it relates to his saving himself. The author explained the problem by the use of an allegory because the obvious answer clashed with his long-held beliefs.
Beware of pursuing self interest
We have seen how the middle voice indicates acting in our self interest. Self interest is a strong motivating force in our lives, ensuring we seek the essentials of life. But in many cases, it seems never to be satisfied. Thus it must be kept under control.
We must put God first; all that we do, say or think should be to His honor and glory. Self must come second or even further down the list of priorities. Self can be somewhat submerged by our interest and concern for others, particularly for the family of God.
Our aim is to please God, to live for God so that we can say with Paul -”I have been crucified with Christ. The life I now live is not my life but the life which Christ lives in me. And my present bodily life is lived by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One