Leaks from Cracked Pots

"lest we let them run out as leaking vessels" 

"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip." (Heb. 2: 1 kjv)

I have studied this passage quite in depth as respects the latter part, the words "let them slip." In many margins of Bibles we find this note: "run out as leaking vessels." This is better. 

"Let them slip" is not the best translation in my view. It would be okay perhaps if we added "from the mind" to the words, thus giving us "lest they slip from our minds." 

Most translations however use words similar to the NKJV "lest we drift away." But, drifting away is a different concept than leaking vessels. So, which is right? Does it matter much in the end? Is not the idea the same, being a warning against going astray from the faith? Yes. But, the concept of leaking vessels I find much more fitting for the immediate context and for the general context of scripture. 

"The Greek, μη ποτε παραρρυωμεν (me pote pararhuomen), is literally, lest we should run out, namely, as leaky vessels which let the water, poured into them one way, run out many ways. The word relates to the persons, not to the things, because it contains a crime. It is our duty to retain the word which we have heard, and therefore it is not said that the water flows out, but that we, as it were, pour it out, losing that negligently which we ought to have retained." (Benson Commentary)

Adam Clarke comments: 

"Lest at any time we should leak out.” This is a metaphor taken from unstanch vessels; the staves not being close together, the fluid put into them leaks through the chinks and crevices. Superficial hearers lose the benefit of the word preached, as the unseasoned vessel does its fluid; nor can any one hear to the saving of his soul, unless he give most earnest heed, which he will not do unless he consider the dignity of the speaker, the importance of the subject, and the absolute necessity of the salvation of his soul."

Barnes wrote in his commentary:

"We should let them slip. - Margin, "Run out as leaking vessels." Tyndale renders this, "lest we be spilt." The expression here has given rise to much discussion as to its meaning; and has been very differently translated. Doddridge renders it, "lest we let them flow out of our minds." Prof. Stuart, "lest at any time we should slight them." Whitby: "that they may not entirely slip out of our memories." The word used here - παραῤῥυέω pararrueō - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The Septuagint translators have used the word only once. Proverbs 3:21. "Son, do not pass by (μὴ παραῤῥυῇς mē pararruēs but keep my counsel;" that is, do not pass by my advice by neglect, or suffer it to be disregarded. The word means, according to Passow, to flow by, to flow over; and then to go by, to fall, to go away. It is used to mean to flow near, to flow by - as of a river; to glide away, to escape - as from the mind, that is, to forget; and to glide along - as a thief does by stealth. See Robinson's Lexicon. The Syriac and Arabic translators have rendered it: "that we may not fall.""

Commented John Wesley:

"Lest we should let them slip — As water out of a leaky vessel. So the Greek word properly signifies."

Commented Matthew Henry:

"We shall let them slip. They will leak, and run out of our heads, lips, and lives, and we shall be great losers by our neglect."

Commented Thomas Watson:

"Be not only attentive in hearing but retentive after hearing: Heb. 2:1, “We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest at any time we let them slip.” Lest we should let them run out, as water out of a sieve; if the ground doth not retain the seed sown into it, there can be no good crop. Some have memories like leaking vessels, the sermons they hear are presently gone, and then there is no good done. If meat doth not stay and concoct on the stomach, it will not nourish. Satan labours to steal the word out of our mind, Mark 4:15, “When they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown.” Our memories should be like the chest of the ark where the law was put." (Body of Divinity - here)

The reason why the leaking out occurs is because there is a crack in the vessel, the vessel being a symbol for the mind which contains thoughts and beliefs. When one loses memory it is as water leaking out of the vessel or bowl of the mind (Eccl. 12: 6 "the golden bowl" meaning the skull, head, mind, or brain). Paul said that people are saved by the gospel so long as they "keep in memory" the gospel message. (I Cor. 15: 2) There are lots of scripture that warn against "forgetting" God and his word. Forgetting and failing to keep in memory are well illustrated in leaking vessels. Another metaphor for losing the word from memory is seen in these words of the Lord from the parable of the soils, as Watson observed.

"Those by the way side are they that hear; then comes the devil, and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved." (Luke 8: 12)

If the word of God is lost from memory soon after it is heard, then of what good was it? The word is removed by the working of Satan, via his devices, and this is pictured well in leaking vessels. James spoke of this under another metaphor, that of looking into a mirror.

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." (James 1: 22-25)

The idea of forgetting is entailed in all three metaphors, in the seed being removed from the heart, from water leaking from a vessel (mind), and from the image of ourselves (via mirrors) being forgotten. Leaking vessels also reminds of Jeremiah's "broken cisterns" message from the LORD.

"For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." (Jer. 2: 13)

Let our minds and hearts be vessels or pots without cracks, without leaks, not losing contents. Our brain's memory of the things of God should not be a "cracked pot." Speaking of "cracked pots," let us speak of "sincerity." 

Sincerity

"...so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ." (Phil. 1: 10) 

The word "sincere" here is rich in meaning. Our English word comes from the Latin "sin" meaning "without" and "ceres" meaning "wax." But, how is "sincere" related to "without wax"? 

In the ancient world, dishonest merchants would use wax to hide defects, such as cracks, in their pottery or statues, so that they could sell their merchandise at normal price. Honest and reputable merchants would hang a sign over their pottery saying "sine cera" (without wax). This was a way to inform customers that their merchandise was genuine, not fake or defective.

In this verse, the Greek word for "sincere" is heilikrines. Heile comes from helios (sun) and krino means tested or judged. So, the idea is "sun-tested."

The sun shining it its strength was the downfall of the shallow ground hearer who, as a plant in shallow ground is withered by the sun (symbolic of the heat of persecution). The sun shining also reveals the cracks in vessels in two ways. First, holding a vessel up to the light can reveal "hairline cracks." Second, a cracked vessel filled with wax (and painted over) will fail when the sun melts the wax and causes the liquid to "flow out" of the vessel. 

Let us be sincere, not cracked pots. Let us retain the words of the Lord in our hearts and memories.