Jonah’s being swallowed by a “great fish,” this incident is frequently cited with a view to discrediting the reliability of the Scriptural record. (Matt. 12:40) Of course, it should be remembered that the Bible simply states that “Jehovah appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah,” the kind of fish not being named. (Jonah 1:17) There definitely are sea creatures capable of swallowing a man, among them being the white shark, the whale shark and the sperm whale.

FIGURATIVE USAGE

In the Scriptures men are at times likened to fish. The congregator compared men to fish from the standpoint of their “being ensnared at a calamitous time” like fish in a net. (Eccl. 9:12) Jesus Christ constituted his followers as fishers of men, and likened righteous persons to fine fish, and the wicked to unsuitable fish that are thrown away.—Mark 1:17; Matt. 13:47-50; see HUNTING AND FISHING.

FISH GATE

See GATE, GATEWAY.

FISHING

See HUNTING AND FISHING.

FLATTERY

The act of pleasing by artful commendation; adulation; false, insincere, or excessive praise. It is usually done to gratify the self-love or vanity of the one flattered, and is therefore damaging to him. Its motive is to gain favor or material benefits from another, to create a feeling of obligation toward the flatterer or to bring glory to him. Often it is designed to lead the other person into a trap. (Prov. 29:5) The use of flattery is not evidence of the wisdom from above, but is of this world, being characterized by selfishness, the making of partial distinctions and hypocrisy. (Jas. 3:17) Insincerity, lying, adulating or glorifying men and playing on the vanity of others are all displeasing to God.—2 Cor. 1:12; Gal. 1:10; Eph. 4:25; Col. 3:9; Rev. 21:8.

A contrast of the Christian course with that of flattery is found in the apostle’s words at 1 Thessalonians 2:3-6: “For the exhortation we give does not arise from error or from uncleanness or with deceit, but, just as we have been proved by God as fit to be entrusted with the good news, so we speak, as pleasing, not men, but God, who makes proof of our hearts. In fact, at no time have we turned up either with flattering speech, (just as you know) or with a false front for covetousness, God is witness! Neither have we been seeking glory from men, no, either from you or from others, though we could be an expensive burden as apostles of Christ.”

While the use of flattery may appear to be the gainful course, the Bible points out that “he that is reproving a man will afterward find more favor than he will that is flattering with his tongue.” (Prov. 28:23) When a person employs flattery to gain advantage over another person, it is the opposite of love. A hater may resort to flattery but will eventually have his deceptiveness roll back on him like a stone.—Prov. 26:24-28.

Flattery employs smooth talk in order to beguile its victim. The expressions “flattery,” “smooth” (tongue, lip, or words) (Ps. 5:9; 12:2, 3; Dan. 11:32), “smoothness” (Prov. 7:21; Dan. 11:34) and “doublefaced” (Ezek. 12:24) are English translations drawn from forms of the Hebrew root word hha·laqʹ. In every Bible instance cited the motive of the smooth talker is bad.

An example of the disastrous result of accepting flattery and the praise of men is Herod Agrippa I, who was flatteringly praised by the crowd as speaking with “a god’s voice.” Because he accepted the flattery, and did not give the glory to God, he was struck by God’s angel and died. (Acts 12:21-23) On the other hand, Barnabas and Paul quickly prevented a crowd from deifying them. (Acts 14:11-15) Also, when a Jewish ruler attempted application of the flattering title “Good Teacher” to Jesus Christ, Jesus instantly corrected him, saying: “Why do you call me good? Nobody is good, except one, God.”—Luke 18:18, 19; compare Job 32:21, 22.

FLAX

A plant that has been cultivated from ancient times, the fibers of which were, as now, commonly made into linen. The plant itself may grow from one to four feet (.3 to 1.2 meters) in height. The slender stalk of the plant, with its pale-green linear leaves, branches out only at the top. Each branch or branchlet terminates in a deep- or pale-blue (rarely white) five-petal flower.

When the flax was “bolled” or had “flower buds” it was ready for harvesting (Ex. 9:31), which was done by pulling or hoeing it up. The flax was then dried. Likely the stalks of flax on the roof of Rahab’s house at Jericho had been laid there for this purpose.—Josh. 2:6.

The method employed by the Hebrews in processing flax probably corresponded to the description given by Pliny the Elder of the first century C.E. in his Natural History, and to the ancient pictorial representation preserved at Beni Hasan in Egypt. After the seedpods had been removed, the stalks of flax were completely submerged in water and weighted down with stones to prevent them from floating. As the flax soaked in water, the woody part rotted, freeing the fibers. After the exterior part or rind of the stalks became loose the stalks were taken out of the water and were repeatedly turned over in the sun until completely dry. The flax was thereafter beaten with mallets on stone slabs, and the fibers separated and cleansed by combing them. The inferior fibers next to the rind were used for lampwicks (see Isaiah 42:3; 43:17; Matthew 12:20), whereas the interior fibers, of a whiter and finer quality, were made into yarn that was polished by striking it again and again on a hard stone.

Low ground and alluvial soil, so characteristic of Egypt, are said to be especially suited for the cultivation of flax. Even today Egypt ranks as the greatest producer of flax in Africa. In the ancient world this country was famous for its fine linen. Thus the divinely sent plague of hail, which ruined the flax and the barley, was a severe blow to the economy of Egypt. (Ex. 9:23, 31) Later, the pronouncement against Egypt, recorded by Isaiah (19:9), included the “workers in carded flax” among those who would become ashamed.—See LINEN.

[Picture on page 586]

Flax, from which linen is made

FLEA

A very small wingless parasitic insect that feeds on blood; a dangerous pest in that it can transmit bubonic plague and typhus. Fleas are common in Palestine. There is even a saying: “The king of the fleas holds his court at Tiberias.” But with the advent of hot weather the number of fleas gradually decreases. In the larval stage the flea is not parasitic nor are the eggs laid on a host. They are merely dropped on floors of dwellings or where infected animals sleep, and the maggotlike larvae live on decaying matter.

Fleas are usually reddish brown and have short front and middle legs but long hind legs. The flea’s strong and spiny legs as well as its flat sides enable it to move with ease and rapidity through the hairs or feathers of its host. The short rearward-pointing hairs covering this insect’s oval-shaped body not only permit the flea to move forward readily but also make it more difficult for the victim to remove it. In the case of sheep’s wool, however, this pest gets so hopelessly entangled that it is unable to get out. The flea’s small head is equipped with a beak that is used to pierce the skin of its victim, causing the blood to flow. Its leaping ability is phenomenal. Although less than an eighth of an inch (.3 centimeter) long, the flea that lives on humans can jump more than a foot (.3 meter) horizontally and nearly eight inches (.2 meter) vertically.

In Scripture the flea is mentioned only twice. When David was being pursued by King Saul, he questioned the king: “After whom are you chasing? . . . After a single flea?” By comparing himself to a flea David emphasized his littleness in comparison with Saul, thus showing that it was hardly worth while for the king to chase after him. (1 Sam. 24:14) First Samuel 26:20 conveys a similar thought, but in the Septuagint Version the words “look for a single flea” read “look for my soul.”

FLESH

The soft substance of a physical body, whether of man, beast, bird or fish; more specifically, the parts composed chiefly of muscle and fat. The Bible points out that the flesh of the various kinds of living things differs. (1 Cor. 15:39) This has been found to be the case by researchers, the chemical composition and cellular structure of the flesh of mankind, beasts, birds and fish varying greatly.

Jehovah God the Creator is responsible for the existence of all flesh, and for its life. He is referred to in the Bible as “Jehovah the God of the spirits [life force] of all sorts of flesh.” (Num. 27:16; compare Genesis 6:17.) He states that the soul (life) of the fleshly creature is in the blood. (Lev. 17:11-14) Originally, vegetation and fruit, and not flesh, were given man as his diet. But after the Flood God added animal flesh, commanding, however, that “flesh with its soul—its blood—you must not eat.”—Gen. 9:3, 4.

Cannibalism, the eating of human flesh, naturally repugnant to the human mind, was abhorred by God and his ancient covenant people Israel. (Deut. 28:53-57; 2 Ki. 6:28-30) Neither could they eat the flesh of an animal torn by a wild beast, or one that died of itself. These would be detestable, besides not being properly drained of blood.—Ex. 22:31; Lev. 17:15, 16; Deut. 14:21.

God commanded that, before eating the flesh of an animal, his people were to pour out its blood on the ground and cover it with dust, being careful not to eat the blood, on pain of death. (Deut. 12:23-25; Lev. 7:27) The governing body of the early Christian congregation restated this prohibition, forbidding the eating of animals strangled or not drained of blood. They additionally forbade eating meat as part of a communion offering to idols, a common practice among pagans in those days. (Acts 15:19, 20, 28, 29) The eating of flesh by Christians is proper, but the apostle Paul pointed out that flesh is not absolutely essential to man as food when he said that if his eating of meat was a source of stumbling to other Christians, he would ‘never again eat flesh at all.’—Rom. 14:21; 1 Cor. 8:13.

The fleshly body given to man was to be regarded as inviolate and not to be deliberately mistreated or mutilated, either by the person himself or by another.—Lev. 19:28; Deut. 14:1; Ex. 21:12-27.

KINSHIP

Kinship is expressed by the term “flesh.” Eve bore the closest possible kinship to Adam in that she was, as he said, “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” (Gen. 2:23; see also Genesis 29:14; 37:27; 2 Samuel 5:1.) The close relationship of man and wife is forcefully stated: “They must become one flesh.”—Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5, 6.

THE BODY, THE PERSON HIMSELF, ALL HUMANKIND,

OR ALL FLESHLY CREATION

An extension of the idea that flesh composes the visible, tangible parts of the body is the use of the word “flesh” as referring in a general way to the whole body. (Lev. 17:14; 1 Ki. 21:27; 2 Ki. 4:34) It is also used to refer to the person or individual as a human of flesh. (Rom. 7:18; Col. 2:1, 5) All humankind, especially from the viewpoint of God the Spirit, are described as “flesh” (Gen. 6:12; Isa. 66:16; Luke 3:6), and at times the animal creation is included. (Gen. 7:16, 21) The Bible often makes a contrast of flesh with God the Spirit, emphasizing particularly the relative insignificance of man. (Gen. 6:3; 2 Chron. 32:8; Ps. 56:4) Jehovah in his superior position nevertheless recognizes and accordingly takes this fact into account in dealing with mankind with surpassing loving-kindness and merciful long-suffering.—Ps. 78:39; compare Psalm 103:13-15; 1 Peter 1:24, 25.

FLESHLY AND SPIRITUAL BODIES

The apostle Paul declares that “if there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one.” (1 Cor. 15:44) This is corroborated by the apostle Peter when he tells persons of fleshly, human nature, called to be joint heirs with Christ, that they are to become partakers of “divine nature,” namely, spirit life in the invisible heavens. (2 Pet. 1:4) This requires a change in organism, for “flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom, neither does corruption inherit incorruption.”—1 Cor. 15:50-54.

JESUS CHRIST’S FLESHLY BODY

Jesus, who was the “Word” of God, “out of heaven,” divested himself of spirit nature and “became flesh.” (John 1:1; 1 Cor. 15:47; Phil. 2:5-8; John 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16) That in being born as a human he was no spirit, and that he did not merely assume a fleshly body, as angels had done in the past (Gen. 18:1-3; 19:1; Josh. 5:13-15), is attested to by the apostle John, who says that one is antichrist who denies that Jesus Christ came “in the flesh.” (1 John 4:2, 3) In order to provide the ransom for mankind, and thereby to help those who would be his associates in the heavenly calling, the Word became flesh, being born all human, no incarnation. The Bible tells us this: “Since the ‘young children’ are sharers of blood and flesh, he also similarly partook of the same things.” (Heb. 2:14-16) His earthly sojourn was spoken of as “the days of his flesh.” (Heb. 5:7) “The bread that I shall give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world,” Jesus said. He went on to state that those hoping to remain in union with him must ‘eat his flesh and drink his blood.’ Not appreciating the spiritual, symbolic significance of his words, some construed the statement as cannibalistic and were shocked.—John 6:50-60.

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, although he knew that he would be put to death as the ransom sacrifice, his flesh ‘rested in hope.’ This was because of his knowledge that his Father would resurrect him, that his sacrifice would successfully serve the ransom purpose and that his flesh would not see corruption. (Acts 2:26, 31) Jehovah God evidently disposed of Jesus’ fleshly body in his own way (possibly disintegrating it into the atoms of which it was constituted). (Luke 24:2, 3, 22, 23; John 20:2) Jesus did not take back his fleshly body and thereby cancel out the ransom for which it was given. The apostle Peter testifies that Christ went into heaven, the realm of spirits, not flesh, “he being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the spirit.” (1 Pet. 3:18) Before his ascension to heaven Christ, as a mighty, immortal spirit person, did materialize various fleshly bodies to suit the occasion, for the purpose of giving to his disciples visible, palpable evidence of his resurrection.—John 20:13-17, 25-27; 21:1, 4; Luke 24:15, 16.

The curtain in the sanctuary before the Most Holy, which represented heaven itself, is shown to have been symbolic, representing Jesus’ flesh, for before he sacrificed