Jesus – Page 4 – God Breathed Words

Posted on September 10, 2020September 11, 2020 by christianwordsblog

(Second) Coming

For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24:27)

Jesus is speaking to four of his disciples telling them of what to expect in the end times and specifically, the signs of his second coming. The Greek word that translates the participle of the verb ‘to come’ is actually a noun παρουσία parousia; while this word has a common meaning, as here in Paul:

…God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming (parousia) of Titus…(2 Corinthians 7:6)

Actually, Jesus is referring the Parousia, the event of his glorious and triumphal return, where none will doubt his complete splendour and power; therefore, Jesus invokes the second and specific meaning of this Greek word, where the arrival of a King during a royal progression through his realm would bring his regal presence.

Posted on September 5, 2020September 10, 2020 by christianwordsblog

LOVE

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8)

The noun ‘love’ translates: ἀγάπη; agapé; this word denotes love or goodwill that comes from moral preference. It occurs 116 times is the New Testament in every book apart from the Gospel Mark and the James’ encyclical.

Love is then a disposition, God is disposed to love and chooses to act upon it:

For God so loved (apapeo) the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Posted on September 1, 2020September 1, 2020 by christianwordsblog

Day

And God said, “Let there be light”, and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. (Genesis 1:3-5)

Day is יוֹם yom in Hebrew and the word has a range of meanings including a sidereal day to an age; it means a defined period of time.

Posted on August 14, 2020August 15, 2020 by christianwordsblog

FREEDOM

‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ (John 8:32)

The Greek word for freedom is ἐλευθερία eleutheria, specifically manumission, the freedom from slavery, and it is of this context Jesus speaks and to which his audience takes offence:

“We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free?”’ (ibid 8:33)

Posted on August 14, 2020August 15, 2020 by christianwordsblog

Law

Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long. (Psalm 119)

The longest psalm is a paean to God’s law. It extols God’s decrees, statutes and precepts; all synonyms for His commandments.

Posted on July 17, 2020July 17, 2020 by christianwordsblog

JUSTIFY

Apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:21-24)

The word translated ‘justify’ is δικαιόω dikaioo which is word taken from a legal setting, dike is ‘to be proved right’ or ‘to gain judicious approval’. The word translated above as ‘righteousness’ as the noun based on the same root, δικαιοσύνη dikeaiosune.

Posted on July 7, 2020July 7, 2020 by christianwordsblog

EVIL

and deliver us from evil…(Matthew 6:13)

In giving us a pattern for prayer, Jesus tell his followers to pray to be delivered from evil. The Greek word that is translated ‘evil’ is πονηρός poneros, which derives from ponos pain, thus poneros is literally pain-ridden, or more properly that which gives pain.

Posted on July 6, 2020 by christianwordsblog

BAPTISM

The word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Luke 3:2-3)

The Greek word translated baptism is βαπτίζω baptizó.

Posted on June 26, 2020June 26, 2020 by christianwordsblog

RESPECT

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (1 Peter 3:15-17)

If evangelism has become tainted with the association with ranting and bigotry then perhaps it is because not enough Christians took to heart what Peter says in his first letter. What should characterise the messenger who brings the good news of Jesus, who gave of himself to redeem humankind, is contained in the two words translated as gentleness and respect; the evangelist should speak gently and respectfully.

Posted on June 24, 2020June 25, 2020 by christianwordsblog

WILFUL

For we, wilfully sinning after the receiving the full knowledge of the truth, no more for sins does there remain a sacrifice but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery zeal, about to devour the opposers…(Hebrews 10:26)

This notoriously difficult and controversial passage reads this way in the NIV.