They say that the human heart consists of three elements: intellect, emotion, and will. Of these, the most powerful force driving human behavior is emotion. Who was it that called man a rational being? If human beings truly deliberated before acting, many disasters could be prevented. Unfortunately, most people are led more by emotion than by careful thought; they misjudge, act, and then regret.
A biblical interpreter should approach Scripture not with heated conviction, but with cool-headed reasoning. Likewise, a leader must think soberly before making important decisions rather than being swept away by emotion.
In Leviticus 19, we read the story of a Levite and his concubine. The text says that the concubine “played the harlot” and then fled to her father’s house, where she stayed for four months (19:2). The Levite later went to speak kindly to her (v. 3) in order to reconcile and bring her back home.
Yet this portrayal does not seem to align with the broader social context of ancient Hebrew society. In Genesis 38:24, when Judah heard that his widowed daughter-in-law Tamar had committed sexual immorality and become pregnant, he burned with anger and sought to have her executed. Leviticus 20:10 prescribes death for adultery. Why then did the concubine’s father protect his supposedly immoral daughter for four months? Is the contrast merely the difference between a father-in-law and a biological father?
In every era and culture, ordinary people do not always use language with precision. There is a clear difference between “teaching the Bible” and “pointing to a Bible study,” yet people often mix such expressions without objection. Interestingly, however, in preaching we frequently define a particular biblical word by asserting, “The original meaning of this word is…” and then completely exclude the possibility that it might carry another nuance in context.
The Hebrew word translated “played the harlot” here is zanah. Yet this word can also carry another meaning: “to be angry” or “to act in hostility.” It may be more accurate to understand that the Levite’s concubine, after quarreling with her husband, became angry and returned to her father’s home. The Levite then went to reconcile with her—“speaking kindly” (v. 3)—to bring her back.
As they were returning home, when he sensed danger from the mob, he handed over his concubine to be abused throughout the night to secure his own safety. Perhaps this woman had already seen signs of such selfishness in her husband. It is possible that she left him not because of sexual immorality, but because of anger toward his character.
I do not know why the ancient Hebrews used the same word to describe both “sexual immorality” and “anger.” Perhaps they viewed anger as equally dangerous and destructive. Both can be irreversibly devastating. In ancient Hebrew society, sexual immorality not only destroyed families and communities but could cost one’s life. Likewise, if a leader is quick-tempered, the organization he leads will inevitably suffer destruction. And the leader himself may lose his leadership.
When the Apostle Paul urged that leaders be appointed in Crete to protect the church from those seeking to undermine it, he emphasized that a leader must not be “quick-tempered” (Titus 1:7). Indeed, “He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32).
A general assembly is a place where leaders are chosen. Only those who can rule their own emotions are fit to lead an organization.