Under Pressure

As noted above, rhis word  is a term commonly employed in biblical times to describe the process by which juice was squeezed out of grapes in the making of wine. In fact, thlíbō can refer to “pressure,” being “squashed,” or “hemmed in,” as in the case of Mark 3:9, where Jesus was concerned that the crowd might “press upon him” as the word is translated in that particular passage. People at concerts and football matches today sometimes die from the crush of the crowd that panics when there is danger. In other contexts, the word may mean “rub” or “chaff.” Thlíbō also has a medical application when used to describe the pressure of a pulse.

The imagery associated with the word in ancient writings by Greek and Roman authors such as Homer and Plutarch evokes thoughts of being “embattled,” “surrounded,” or “squeezed.” Trench speaks of the punishments used in early Britain, when someone accused of a crime would have heavy stones placed on his chest until he suffocated. In later times in Europe, special chambers were used where a confined person of normal size could neither stand, lie down, nor sit properly. Both examples suggest alternative meanings of thlíbō, although the second example draws from a synonym in Greek known as στενοχωρία (stenochōria)—used only four times in the New Testament, three of those times in the same verse as thlíbō. In fact, the first few letters of this synonym, “stenochōria,” also have a medical application (e.g., “stenosis,” which refers to a narrowing of an artery or other condition, such as pyloric stenosis, a problem affecting the upper gastrointestinal tract of some infants in which food cannot pass). If stenochōria is present in your cardiac arteries, you feel a pressure or squeezing in your chest when you suffer a stressful incident.

Today, Christians and others living on fixed or meager incomes, facing rising medical costs, paying more for fuel, and just trying not to run out of money before the next payday (if they even have a job) can appreciate the “squeezing” or “pressure” implied by thlíbō. Our culture, with its ungodly values, is evident whenever we turn on social or streaming media, and we should not be surprised to find ourselves alienated. It happens to me, and I’ve been a Christian for more than fifty-five years. Alienation occurs when there are few resources with which we can identify and draw support.

Deena, my wife, and I were talking about stress just the other day. You can have several discrete events going on, such as a sick pet, a car that needs repair, and company coming to visit. But the stress is much more than the sum of its parts because, after the pet recovers her health, the car is repaired, and the company leaves, the stress-related hormones in your body, such as glucocorticoids, catecholamines, and prolactin, still remain elevated. So, there is a background effect to a stressful environment that remains long after the individual stressors are gone.

The best advice I can offer beyond the tips below is to moderate your screen time on social media, eat healthy, and exercise. If you are so inclined, cultivate a healthy, Spirit-filled life with our heavenly Father. If you are able to walk in the Spirit, as John admonishes us in his first letter (epistle), then come what may, you will at least very likely have the necessary insight, assurance, and ego resources to deal with your circumstances. But you must mitigate your stress levels. Stress can weaken your immune system and increase your body’s inflammatory response, causing heart problems. Anxiety, tension, headaches, insomnia, and other issues accompany stress and tend to pull you down as well. If the stress continues over time, your risk of high blood pressure, cancer, and stroke climbs as well.