Being Your Brothers Keeper (Deuteronomy 22: 1-8)

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Episode Notes.

In this episode, we examine Deuteronomy 22:1-8, where Moses provides specific instructions on how to care for our neighbours. These verses illustrate practical ways to uphold the principle of being our brother's keeper, emphasizing the responsibility we have toward one another's well-being and property.

• Returning Lost Property (Deuteronomy 22:1-3):
  • If you see your neighbour's ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it; instead, take it back to its owner. If the owner is not nearby or unknown, keep the animal until the owner comes looking for it. This command underscores the importance of honesty and responsibility in preserving others' property.
• Helping with Fallen Animals (Deuteronomy 22:4):
  • If you see your neighbour's donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help the owner get it to its feet. This demonstrates the principle of active assistance and compassion in times of need.
• Respecting Gender Distinctions (Deuteronomy 22:5):
  • Men and women should not wear each other's clothing. This command, while seemingly out of place, reinforces the importance of maintaining gender distinctions and upholding the cultural norms that reflect God’s design for male and female.
• Protecting the Community's Resources (Deuteronomy 22:6-7):
  • If you come across a bird’s nest, do not take the mother bird with the young. Taking the young but letting the mother go ensures sustainability and respects the natural order. This principle teaches us to think about the future and the well-being of our community.
• Ensuring Safety (Deuteronomy 22:8):
  • When building a new house, make a parapet around your roof to prevent anyone from falling. This command emphasizes the importance of taking practical measures to ensure the safety and well-being of others.

Key Takeaways:

• Responsibility Toward Others: These commandments highlight the importance of being responsible for the well-being and property of others. We are called to actively assist and protect our neighbours.
• Practical Applications: The principles outlined in Deuteronomy 22:1-8 can be applied to our modern context. Whether it’s returning lost items, helping those in need, or ensuring safety, we are called to live out these values in our daily lives.
• Community and Compassion: Upholding these commandments fosters a sense of community and compassion. By being our brother's keeper, we reflect God’s love and care for all His creation.

Reflection

Reflect on the ways you can be your brother’s keeper in your

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Transcript

Being Your Brothers Keeper. (Deuteronomy 22:1-8)

Full Transcript.

The story of Cain and Abel is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. In Genesis 4, it says that Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain was a tiller of the ground. When it came time to bring an offering to the Lord, Cain brought the fruit of the ground, and Abel brought the firstborn of his flock.

Let me read what the bible tells us about the Lord though of these offerings in Genesis chapter 4:

"When it came time to bring an offering to the Lord, Cain brought the fruit of the ground, and Abel brought the firstborn of his flock. The Lord did not respect Cain and his offering, so Cain became very angry. The Lord asked Cain why he was angry, reminding him that if he had done well, he would be accepted."

After that, the text tells us that the two brothers met in a field. And as you may already know, Cain killed Abel. When the Lord later came upon the scene, He asked Cain, "Where is Abel, your brother?" Cain responded, "I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

Listen to that answer carefully. First, he said, "I do not know." Did he know? Of course, he knew; he killed his brother. That was a bare-faced lie. But what about Cain’s follow up question? "Am I my brother's keeper?" What's that about?

It seems to me that by asking that question, Cain was denying any responsibility whatsoever for his brother. Besides the fact that it was the first murder, there is the denial of any responsibility toward anyone else. From a biblical point of view, I would say the opposite is true. Because if a nation or even a family is to survive, the people must be responsible for the well-being of one another."

So, the point is that we bear some responsibility toward other people—we might say, toward our neighbour. Now, this is generally accepted in Scripture by those who believe it. But let me ask a question: what sould that look like in very specific, practical terms? It's one thing to say, "I am my brother's keeper," meaning I have some responsibility toward my neighbour, but what does that look like in everyday life?

That’s what we are going to think about today….

Application in Deuteronomy 22

In Deuteronomy chapter 22, Moses is preaching a sermon to the children of Israel on the east side of the Jordan before they cross the Jordan explaining how God will instill principle that will enable God to care and prosper them once they get over there.

Many bible experts recognise that in this passage, Moses is expounding on the Ten Commandments, giving very specific instructions on how to live them out and I am going to suggest that in today’s passage Moses gives the children of Israel some specific, practical ways to answer cain’s question and actually be their  brother's keeper.

Look at verse 1:

If you see your fellow Israelite’s ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to take it back to its owner.

(Deuteronomy 22:1)

This command is simple and straightforward. It concerns the ox or sheep belonging to your neighbour. If you see your fellow Israelite's ox or sheep going astray, don't ignore it. You have some responsibility, so don't conceal the fact that you know where the sheep is. Instead, you are to bring it back to your fellow Israelite. 

There is a dual command, a negative one (don't ignore it) and a positive command (bring it back to the owner).

Therefore, failure to get involved and not help one's neighbour is wrong, and I think we would all agree with that. Continuing in verse 2, Moses says.

If they do not live near you or if you do not know who owns it, take it home with you and keep it until they come looking for it. Then give it back.

(Deuteronomy 22: 2)

In this case, the other person is not nearby, or you don't know who the owner is. Imagine you find this lost animal and ask around, "Did you lose a sheep or an ox?" and everyone says no. You don't just get to keep the animal. Instead, you are to take it home and keep it until the owner finds you, and then restore it to him.

This teaches us the principle that part of being our brother's keeper, part of our responsibility towards others, is to protect their property, even their ox or sheep. It also underscores the broader principle that we have responsibilities toward one another to preserve and respect each other's property and well-being.

In that culture, an ox was a very valuable piece of property. The ox pulled the plough, and while you might have had more than one sheep, an ox was a significant part of your potential to make a living

The first two verses talk about property in terms of sheep or oxen. The next verse talks about something else, but it's still the same principle. Verse 3 says.

Do the same if you find their donkey or cloak or anything else they have lost. Do not ignore it. If you see your fellow Israelite’s donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help the owner get it to its feet.

(Deuteronomy 22: 2-4)

Another way to say this is if you find a donkey, a garment, or any lost thing, you must not ignore it. When I read this and saw the mention of a garment, I thought, "Oh, I get it—you become the lost and found department."

The point is, we have a responsibility to others. We are to be like a lost and found department—We wherever possible should keep things until they are claimed.

But here he is also dealing with an animal that has fallen into a ditch, and you need to stop and help.

So again, do not ignore the situation; do not think you have no responsibility. You are to act and help your neighbour protect his property. Whether it's a sheep, an ox, a donkey, or a garment—help that person protect their property. 

This is part of being your brother's keeper is helping him keep his property. This is a concrete expression of the eternal moral principle: love your neighbour as yourself and do to others what you would have them do to you.

Does this apply today? Absolutely. There are countless stories of people being hurt or attacked on the street, and nobody wants to get involved. That is contrary to what this is all about. As human beings, we have a responsibility to protect other people's property, not just their lives.

This passage deals with stray animals, fallen animals, and even someone's coat. But it meant to become part of our culture as believer in the Lord. They are meant to become the cultural norms and responsibilities in any society that claims to be based on Judeo-Christian principles.

Now, let's move to verse 5:

A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this.

(Deuteronomy 22: 5)

Where did that come from? This passage starts with being concerned about someone else's property and ends with concern for their life or limb. The other things mentioned relate to being your brother's keeper. But now, right in the middle, we find this verse about clothing.

Commentators have made all kinds of suggestions about what this means. Let me share a few of them with you.

One interpretation is that men and women in the ancient world sometimes exchanged clothing during Pagan worship rituals. The idea here is that God did not want His people to be associated with Pagan worship in any way. So, they were forbidden from such practices to keep themselves distinct and holy from the practices of those around them.

Another suggestion is that this commandment might be associated with not promoting homosexuality. The argument for this is based on the latter part of verse 5, which states that this practice is detested by the Lord. In other passages, homosexuality is also in this way, leading some commentators to connect the two. However, the term "abomination/detestable thing" applies to many things in Scripture, not just homosexuality. Therefore, this as the main interpretation is not entirely convincing in my estimation.

A third suggestion posits that transvestitism and certain forms of homosexuality were linked to Pagan worship and magical practices intended to harm people.

I think it is all more straightforward than that The suggestion that is the simples is that: God commanded this to maintain the distinctiveness between the sexes. The idea is that men should look like men, and women should look like women. Something that was not always the case in the Pagan tribes who already inhabited the land.

This interpretation instills the idea of preserving the differences between the sexes in dress, aligning with the creation order in Genesis 1, where God made them male and female.

I think this simple interpretation aligns best with the words of the text. For me this interpretation seems straightforward and consistent with the broader biblical context.

But how should we apply this today? Should woman not even wear trousers as some suggested in the church in the 1950’s. 

Well, one can certainly argue that women’s pants are distinct from men’s pants in design and shape as well as woman’s tops and thus acceptable. The key I think is to avoid absurd extremes and focus on maintaining a clear distinction between the sexes and not dress in a way that deliberately sends a confusing message.

Cultural Shifts and Challenges

Our society has increasingly blurred the lines between male and female distinctions. It started in the 1960’s with women wearing pants and progressed to men growing long hair, wearing earrings, fingernail polish, carrying purses, and getting tattoos. Nowadays, it's common to see women with tattoos covering their bodies.

This doesn't mean being legalistic but recognizing and preserving the unique differences between the sexes is what I believe the bible says here as part of God's design.

However, this doesn’t solve all the problems because, as mentioned, this verse is sandwiched between others that emphasize being responsible for others. How do we fit this verse into the flow of the passage?

One suggestion is that perhaps there is no direct connection. In modern writing, we often use bullet points where the points don’t necessarily flow from one another. The book of Proverbs is a great example of this. 

Also there are a few places in Paul’s writings where people argue that certain verses are to be read like bullet points. Therefore, one option is that this verse is simply a standalone command.

However, another possibility is that there is a connection. If the rest of the passage is about your relationship with your neighbour, then this verse must somehow relate to that. 

One way to interpret this is that by maintaining gender distinctions, you provide an example to the community with the design of God’s creation revelled way back in Genesis chapter 1.

Moving on it now very clearly go back to considering how we look out for one another as our brother or sister keeper, and it is now about protecting the community’s resources.

If you come across a bird’s nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.

(Deuteronomy 22: 6-7)

In verse 6, it addresses what to do if you find a bird’s nest of all things, a nest with young birds or eggs. Well, apparently you can take the young birds or eggs, but you must let the mother go. 

This command seems weird to those of us who live in cities and aren’t hunters. However, for people in these deserts of rural areas, this would be a practical issue.

You see this passage in context is about protecting the community’s resources. By letting the mother bird go, she can lay more eggs, thereby sustaining the food supply. This law therefore teaches the Israelites to think about the future and the well-being of their community.

The focus her is on ensuring a sustainable food supply. By protecting the mother bird, they could anticipate more young birds in the future, leading to the blessing of the future community. A small thing by this example  but a huge principle is established.

Verse 8 gives us another command: 

When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.

(Deuteronomy 22: 8)

When you build a new house, you should make a parapet (or railing) on your roof to prevent anyone from falling. In the ancient world, houses had flat roofs where people would often gather. The railing was a simple safety measure to prevent accidents.

This is not just a legal or health and safety requirement; it’s a biblical one. We all have a responsibility to eliminate dangers and protect the people in our care.

A modern application of this principle is ensuring that everyone in your car wears a seatbelt. It’s a legal requirement now but before it was a requirement I remember by father used to insist anyone travelling in his car must buckle up before he would even start the engine. The ancient equivalent hers is putting up a railing on a flat roof—it’s a simple measure to protect others from harm.

In summary, these commands from Deuteronomy 22 teach us to be responsible for the well-being of others. Whether it’s maintaining gender distinctions, protecting the community’s resources, or ensuring safety, we are called through all of these things to look out for our neighbours in practical ways. 

The point is, we are our brother’s keeper, meaning we are responsible to protect property, protect the environment and the food supply, as well as life and limb. Or to put it simply, we are to love our neighbour as ourselves.

If you’ve listened to me teach the Bible, especially the Old Testament, you know I often ask how it applies to the New Testament. So, I looked at this passage and thought, how would this apply in the New Testament? 

Let’s close by looking at 1 Corinthians 10:24. The context here is eating meat offered to idols. Paul says,

24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” 27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience?

(1 Corinthians 10: 24-29)

So, what is Paul teaching in this passage? You have a responsibility for other people, which might include not eating meat offered to idols. 

This passage is often misunderstood, so let me clarify what it means. Turn to chapter 8 and look at verse 10. Paul says,

10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

(1 Corinthians 8: 10-13)

Some people come to this passage and say you should never eat meat offered to idols to avoid making your brother stumble. However, Paul says in chapter 10 to eat and not ask questions. So, what’s the difference? 

This passage makes it clear: if a weaker brother sees you eat and it emboldens him to eat, not to complain or judge but to eat, then you have a responsibility not to do something that causes your brother to stumble. The point is, we are responsible for our brother, our neighbour.

Now, one more observation: can you go too far in helping people? The answer is yes. Look at Galatians 6. Verse 2 says,

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” 

Clear enough—bear one another’s burdens, love one another, be your brother’s keeper. Now look at verse 5: 

“For each one shall bear his own load.” 

In verse 2, Paul says to bear one another’s burdens; in verse 5, he says everyone should bear their own load. What’s he talking about, what’s the difference?

The key here is the word "burden." It was used of loading a ship. If the ship could bear the burden, it was to bear its own burden. But if it was overloaded, then others should bear its burden. 

The point I want to make is that we have a responsibility for others, but you can go too far in helping people. You should be concerned about their property, their life and limb, and their food if they need it, and be an example to them in matters such a sexual property. But don’t do anything for anybody that they are capable of doing for themselves. 

We are our brother’s keeper, but we are not to be so responsible that we take away their responsibility.

You see his chapter, with its diverse commandments, underscores the importance of living a life marked by integrity, compassion, and responsibility toward others. We are called to protect the vulnerable, uphold purity, and honour the sacredness of relationships.

In being our brother's keeper, we reflect God's love and righteousness in our actions. Whether it’s returning a lost item, ensuring the safety of others, or maintaining moral purity, every act of obedience is a testament to our commitment to God’s commands and our care for one another.

Knowing that in doing so, we not only fulfil God’s law but also cultivate a community rooted in love and holiness. Amen.