Lillies v. Sweat

[Carborendum]

In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ says consider the lillies of the field ... they toil not.

In Genesis we are told that by the sweat of thy brow shall we eat.

All creatures toil in their own way.  The more toil, the more agency they have. 

I have some ideas of how to square this away.  I'm curious as to your thoughts.

Edited February 26, 2023 by Carborendum

[zil2]

JST Matthew 6:25-27 adds significant insight to Matthew 6:25-34.

[CV75]

43 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ says consider the lillies of the field and the birds of the air... they toil not.

In Genesis we are told that by the sweat of thy brow shall we eat.

All creatures toil in their own way.  The more toil, the more agency they have. 

I have some ideas of how to square this away.  I'm curious as to your thoughts.

Another idea is that. In one way, this hearkens back to the Lord giving secondary skins, or clothing, to Adam and Eve as they left the Garden of Eden. The dominion they had been given from the foundation of the world (Genesis 1:26-28) already required that they toil as instructed (Genesis 2:15), a unique feature God’s children have over all other forms of life which act only by instinct or physical stimuli. This dominion and toil were to continue in this fallen world, but with an expanded spiritual scope requiring additional clothing provided by God, physically and spiritually. That said, while we toil in many ways, we do not toil in taking His yoke upon us (Matthew 11:28-30), and He clothes us physically and spiritually according to this new assignment at hand.

See footnote b in Matthew 6:25.

[Carborendum]

58 minutes ago, zil2 said:

JST Matthew 6:25-27 adds significant insight to Matthew 6:25-34.

That explains missions and other preaching expeditions.  But it does not explain the idea of the lilies of the field.  Why "they toil not"?

[Vort]

3 hours ago, Carborendum said:

In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ says consider the lillies of the field ... they toil not.

In Genesis we are told that by the sweat of thy brow shall we eat.

All creatures toil in their own way.  The more toil, the more agency they have. 

I have some ideas of how to square this away.  I'm curious as to your thoughts.

The point of the comparison is, "Look at the lilies. They don't even work, yet they are dressed more beautifully than any man. Don't pursue fine clothing. Let your Father take care of such things for you."

[zil2]

3 hours ago, Carborendum said:

That explains missions and other preaching expeditions.  But it does not explain the idea of the lilies of the field.  Why "they toil not"?

For me, it does.  But if it helps, here's a look at the Greek from Blue Letter Bible:

Quote

I. to grow weary, tired, exhausted (with toil or burdens or grief)

II. to labour with wearisome effort, to toil

   A. of bodily labour

I think the keys are that chapter 6 appears to be directed toward a smaller group of disciples, not everyone¹, and we're talking about a particular type of toil.  Perhaps we could add that the Lord doesn't want us to be weary in well-doing Gal. 6:9 (2 Thes. 3:13; D&C 64:33). / weary of good works (Alma 37:34).

¹I can expound, if needed.  I do think it applies to Church members, but I don't think it tells Church members not to work (either at all, or manually, or for a living, or what have you).

[askandanswer]

The way I understand the Book of Mormon version of this teaching, in 3rd Nephi 12: 25 and 28, this counsel was given only to the 12 whom He had chosen. The church today  applies this teaching by providing for the physical needs of 12 so that they do not have to toil by the sweat of their brow to earn their daily bread in the same way that others do. 

[zil2]

6 hours ago, Carborendum said:

Why "they toil not"?

OK, I've thought of another way to phrase my answer.  Had this sermon happened in our day, with the world as it is, the Lord might have said: "...they don't punch a timeclock".  That is, the lilies don't work for or stress about how they're going to pay for their clothing and food.  They only do the work God made them to do.

I also don't think we should take this too literally - the Lord was making a point: don't stress out over the need to eat and wear clothing - God will take care of that.  Focus on the work I've sent you to do.  Pretty sure he wasn't intending to give a botany lesson about what sorts of work lilies do and don't do.  The analogy was to convince his audience to trust God.

[mikbone]

2 Ne 2:14 14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.

Lillies and plants cannot move they are rooted.  They cannot eat.  They have chlorophyll and obtain their sustenance from the sun.

Mankind has been given so much more.  Hands. Legs. GI tract that was designed to eat cooked food.  Huge brains that are capable of solving problems.

I agree with @zil2 (toil not = don’t stress out).  

God isn’t telling us (his disciples) nor the apostles - to act like baby birds and squawk and open our mouths to be fed.

Matthew 6: 31-34 Does an excellent job of summarizing Jesus’s intent.

Edited February 27, 2023 by mikbone

[zil2]

33 minutes ago, mikbone said:

I agree with @zil2 (toil not = don’t stress out).

Well, I think in context, since the Lord is speaking to those he's about to send out on full-time missions, it also means, "don't look for paying work", "don't go get a job to pay for your food and clothing". He wants them to let God take care of their material needs while they focus on spreading the gospel.

And there are a lot of lessons all of us - including those not called to full-time service in the Church - can learn from the principles being taught.

Meanwhile, poor little birdie!  He knows that caterpillar would be yummy, but doesn't quite know what to do with it.   "Someone come put that thing in my mouth!!!"