Grease
The Word Grease in Scripture
The word "grease" appears once in the King James Version, in Psalm 119:70: "Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law." The underlying Hebrew word is related to fat or suet, the hard fat surrounding animal organs. In this context, it serves as a vivid metaphor for hearts that have become dull, insensitive, and unresponsive to spiritual truth. The psalmist contrasts this spiritual obesity with his own delight in God's law.
Fat Hearts in Biblical Imagery
The Bible frequently uses fatness as a metaphor for spiritual insensitivity. Isaiah 6:10 records God's command to the prophet: "Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes." This striking imagery describes a condition where material prosperity or willful rebellion has made people incapable of perceiving spiritual truth. Jesus later quoted this passage to explain why He taught in parables (Matthew 13:14-15), and Paul used it to describe Israel's partial hardening (Acts 28:26-27).
The Psalmist's Contrast
Psalm 119:70 sets up a deliberate contrast between the spiritually calloused and the spiritually alive. While the arrogant have hearts as fat as grease, the psalmist declares, "I delight in your law." Throughout Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, the writer celebrates the beauty and value of God's word. The greasy heart represents the opposite posture: one that finds no pleasure in divine instruction and has become too bloated with self-satisfaction to receive truth.
Fat and Prosperity in the Ancient World
In the ancient Near East, fatness was often associated with prosperity and abundance. A fat person was typically wealthy and well-fed. However, the biblical writers recognized a spiritual danger in prosperity. Deuteronomy 32:15 warns that Jeshurun (a poetic name for Israel) "grew fat and kicked" against God when blessed with abundance. Jeremiah 5:28 describes the wicked who "have grown fat and sleek" while neglecting justice. The metaphor of grease thus carries a warning about the spiritual dangers of comfort and self-sufficiency.
Practical Application
The image of a heart as fat as grease remains powerfully relevant. It warns against the kind of spiritual dullness that comes from prioritizing comfort, wealth, or worldly pleasures over responsiveness to God. The antidote, as the psalmist demonstrates, is active delight in God's word, maintaining a soft and teachable heart that remains sensitive to divine instruction (Psalm 119:71-72).
Biblical Context
The word grease appears in Psalm 119:70 in the KJV, within the longest psalm celebrating God's law. The broader biblical theme of fat or dull hearts appears in Isaiah 6:10, Deuteronomy 32:15, Jeremiah 5:28, and is referenced by Jesus in Matthew 13:14-15. These passages collectively warn against spiritual insensitivity.
Theological Significance
The metaphor of a heart as fat as grease teaches that spiritual receptivity requires intentional cultivation. Prosperity, comfort, and self-satisfaction can create a barrier between the human heart and God's truth. This imagery underscores the biblical principle that genuine faith involves ongoing responsiveness to God's word rather than passive spiritual dullness.
Historical Background
In ancient Israelite culture, animal fat (suet) was significant both in daily life and in worship. Fat portions of sacrifices were reserved for God (Leviticus 3:16), making fat symbolically associated with the best portion. The negative metaphorical use of fat to describe spiritual dullness represents an ironic inversion: what should be offered to God has instead become a barrier to knowing Him.