Touch

Bringing into bodily contact of one thing with another. The Hebrew naga [[;g"n] and Greek hapto [a&ptomai] (-omai) are the main biblical terms for "touch." In addition to the many ordinary uses, they embrace several important theological themes.

The Old Testament. God's Touch as All-Powerful. The Old Testament depicts God's supremacy through the image of touch in several ways. Although God created all things by his spoken word ( Gen 1 ), Genesis 2:7, 21-22 pictures him as personally shaping man and woman from the dust of the earth. Expressions such as God touches "the earth and it melts" ( Amos 9:5 ) and "the mountains, and they smoke" ( Psalm 104:32 ; 144:5 ) describe his supreme power over the created order. In contrast, idols are powerless. They are insensible, unable to touch: "they have hands, but cannot feel" ( Psalm 115:7 ).

The biblical expression "to lay hands on" can mean to exact vengeance on. God is so pictured in judging Egypt ( Exod 7:4 ), Israel ( Jer 15:6 ), and the nations ( Eze 39:21 ). Trust in the wicked cannot ward off the touch of a divine scourge ( Isa 28:15 ; Jer 14:15 ). Conversely, whoever touches God's people "touches the apple of his eye" ( Zec 2:8 ) and will themselves be punished.

Through his divine touch, God turns people to him ( 1 Sam 10:26 ), purifies them from sin ( Isa 6:7 ; Jer 1:9 ), and imparts divine truth through them ( Jer 1:9 ; Daniel 10:16 Daniel 10:18 ). Israel is also urged to lay hold of God by learning his ways ( Prov 4:4 ; Isa 64:7 ).

Satan's Touch as Limited by God. God limits Satan's power and freedom to harm people. In Job's case, Satan was unable to touch him beyond what God had permitted ( Job 1:12 ; 2:6 ).

Touching and Moral Cleanness. Old Testament laws governing ceremonial cleanness prohibit touching unclean things, mainly food ( Lev 11 ; Deut 14:1-21 ), bodily discharges ( Lev 15 ), and corpses ( Num 19 ). They had hygienic and religious significance in preventing the spread of disease and in distinguishing Israel from her ancient contemporaries, who had no laws against many of these unclean practices. They ultimately reveal, however, something of God's holy and gracious character and the sinful condition of humanity. On the one hand, God's holiness was severe: upon the threat of immediate death, no one was to touch Mount Sinai while God's glory was upon it ( Exod 19:12 ) or the sacred furnishings of the tabernacle except Aaron and his sons ( Num 4:15 ; cf. 2 Sam 6:6-7 ). On the other hand, God graciously gave these prohibitions (cf. Lev 27:34 ) to provide a way for sinful people to approach him. The link to moral purity is evident in Leviticus 7:21: "if anyone touches something unclean and then eats any of the meat of the fellowship offering , that person must be cut off from his people." These laws helped clarify the terms of purification by which one could come to God and, in turn, God's expectations for the continuing moral cleanness of his people.

The New Testament. The New Testament takes up these same themes of touching, but now expresses them mainly through Jesus Christ.