Sounds strange, doesn’t it?

“Provoking” one another!

But that’s exactly Paul’s advice in Hebrews 10:24, something us Christians should be doing “one to another.”

Here are his words, verbatim from the King James Version. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.”

Wow!

But not “provoking” to anger.

Or to some other sin.

Rather, inciting each other to acts of “love and good works!”

I love this thought!

But first, let’s study the verb “to provoke.”

In Greek it is spelled “paroxusmos,” which really is a noun.

It means, in our context here “an encouragement.” A fresh “motivation” to do good. Maybe even a little friendly “kick in the pants” in the right direction!

Also … it can at times (not here) mean “an irritation, a provocation.”

An “argument!”

In Acts 15:30 (to give you an idea of the pungency of the word) “paroxusmos” is translated “sharp contention.” Look … “And the CONTENTION was so SHARP between them (Paul and Barnabas), that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus.”

Basically the idea here is that we who are saved should constantly “police” (“watch, consider”) one another. And if we see a Brother or Sister “getting lazy” on God … we are to try (energetically if necessary) to “uge” them to more love and good works, for Jesus’ Sake.

This is astounding!

Trying to devise ideas about how you can “charge” fellow Christians to (forget about arguing and contention) love more and do more for one another, thus for the Lord.

What an idea!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell