Binding our arms and eyes

This continues our series on the Shema (Dt 6:4-9), the constitution of the Old Testament.

The next verse (8) is about our daily work and thinking.

Uk’shar’tam l’ot al yadekha v’hayu l’totafot bein einekha.
And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.

The first part of this command tells us to take the words of Scripture and put them on our hands.  You have no doubt seen the leather capsules or tefillin that Orthodox Jewish men wrap around their arms (an acceptable translation of the word here translated “hand”) when they pray.  What would this mean for Christians?

Arms signified work since most work in the ancient world was manual.  This meant, according to a metaphorical understanding that many Jews adopted, the work that is performed throughout the day.  The idea was to let our work always be controlled by the Word of God.  Are we tempted to cheat in our work?  Or lie?  Or do something else that Scripture clearly forbids?  Then we are to remember God’s words.

Conversely, we are to remember the positive command coming through Moses, to love our neighbor.  This too should govern all we do in our work.

Notice that it says “as signs.” The literal idea was to tie the Word of God on our arms as reminders.  This suggests the sacraments for Christians.  They are classically referred to as signs of God’s love for us.  But they are not just mental reminders.  No, the Christian tradition teaches that sacraments are “effectual” signs.  They effect what they signify.  Baptism not only points to regeneration but confers the Spirit, and the Eucharist not only reminds of Jesus giving himself for us but actually confers the body and blood of messiah Jesus.

This also suggests that our church buildings should be full of signs, using the best of nature and art, to teach and remind us of God’s beauty and redemption.

The second command in this verse is about putting a headband (perhaps the best translation, since these were commonly worn in the ancient world) on, carrying a little capsule of God’s word on one’s forehead.  Again, many Jews have understood this metaphorically to mean that all of our thinking should be guided by God’s words.  When we can (waiting at the stoplight, when doing manual work that does not require our minds), we should meditate on Scripture.

“Between the eyes,” it says. The idea is that since Scripture is to control our thinking, it should also control our seeing.  Not only what we look on physically (in this day and age, perhaps its most obvious application is as a warning against porn), but mentally.  Again, the thought life.

So this verse, rather than being a strange practice only for Jewish orthodox men, is actually a rich reminder that we are to let God’s Word soak into our work and thinking, all day long.