Tag: know

1 Thessalonians 5:2 – Noisily Versus Quietly

Posted on by Will

For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night.

Truth to Learn

The Day of the Lord will come quietly, the rapture noisily.

 

Behind the Words

“Know” is translated from the verb eidō, which refers to “seeing with perception and comprehension.” Thus, it takes on the meaning of “knowing” or “understanding.” In English someone might explain something and then say, “Do you see what I’m saying?” In such a case, they are not asking about vision but about understanding. This is the sense that eidō has in today’s verse.

The word translated “perfectly” is akribōs, which means “accurately” or “exactly.” It is not an expression about perfection, but of accuracy.

Hēmera is the word translated “day.” It can refer to a complete twenty-four hour period or, as in today’s verse, it can refer to the timeframe of a specific event.

The word “like” is from the Greek word houtō, meaning “in this way” or “in this manner.”

The word “thief” is from kleptēs. This is derived from the verb kleptō (from which we get our English word kleptomaniac, meaning someone who has an obsession with stealing things). Kleptē refers to someone who steals things, that is, “a thief.”

“Night” is translated from nux, which refers to the time period from sundown to sunrise.

 

Meaning Explained

In today’s verse we see a couple more reasons why the rapture (the Day of Jesus Christ) and the Day of the Lord are two distinctly different events. When Paul introduced the topic of the rapture back in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, he said “I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers,” meaning that they were ignorant of the facts surrounding the rapture. In yesterday’s verse he said, “you have no need that I should write to you,” and in today’s verse he completes that thought. The reason that they didn’t need additional information is because, “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night.”

Apparently, Paul had previously taught the Christians in Thessalonica the facts about the Day of the Lord. Since they had accurate knowledge about the Day of the Lord and were ignorant concerning the rapture, they must be two different things. One of the possible reasons for this is that the Old Testament has numerous references to the Day of the Lord, but there are no references to the rapture. Since the Old Testament is the only Scripture the Thessalonians had, they could only have learned about the Day of the Lord from it.

The other thing to note is how these two events occur. The rapture occurs with a loud proclamation and a trumpet blast. The Day of the Lord, on the other hand, comes like a thief in the night. A thief doesn’t announce himself and he doesn’t make a lot of noise; he comes quietly and secretly. In other words, the rapture will come with lots of noise, but the Day of the Lord will come quietly, like a thief.

 

Application

Christians, keep your ears open, listening for the shout and the trumpet blast. You’ll be gone when the Day of the Lord comes.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 4:4 – Sacred and Honorable

Posted on by Will

that each of you should know how to acquire his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

Truth to Learn

Sex within a marriage is undefiled, sacred, and honorable.

 

Behind the Words

Eidō it the Greek word translated “know.” We have pointed out previously that this word literally means “to see with perception.” However, Paul may be using this word as a Hebrew expression meaning “to have regard for” or “to care for.” This is the apparent meaning in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 (know those who labor …), and is probably Paul’s intent here.

The Greek verb translated “acquire” is ktaomai, which literally means “to get for oneself, to acquire, or to purchase.” When expressed in the perfect tense (past completed action with an ongoing effect) it can also mean “to have acquired” or “to possess.” Although it is expressed here as a present tense infinitive, many Biblical scholars believe that Paul’s meaning here is “to possess” or “to take care of.” However, that is not what Paul is teaching here. He clearly uses the word meaning “to acquire,” not “to possess.”

“Vessel” is translated from skeuos, meaning “a container, utensil, or implement.”

 

Meaning Explained

This is probably one of the most difficult verses to translate in this letter to the Thessalonians. The difficulty is due primarily to the three words we looked at above (eidō, ktaomai, and skeuos) along with the word porneia, which we saw in the previous verse.

Let’s start with proneia. This word originally referred to “prostitution.” If we look at the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) we can see the meaning of the Hebrew words that were translated with porneia. These various words mean, “lying down like a prostitute, harlotry, prostitution, or unfaithfulness.” Thus, it does not refer to just any sexual sin, but specifically to “sex with another person that you are not married to.” The best translation of this word is “fornication.”

Now let’s look at ktaomai. It literally means “to acquire.” Again, looking at the Septuagint, we see in Ruth 4:10 that ktaomai is used to translate a word that means “to acquire.”

…  I have acquired as my wife … (Ruth 4:10)

There is a similar word in Greek, kektesthai, which means “to possess.” But that is not the word Paul uses here. He uses ktaomai, “to acquire.” Thus, I believe the proper translation in this verse is “to acquire.”

Skeuos, as noted above, refers to “a container, utensil, or implement.” In 1 Peter 3:7, it refers specifically to the physical body of a man’s wife. But in 2 Corinthians 4:7 and 2 Timothy 2:21 it refers to a person’s own body, so it isn’t necessarily a reference to a wife, though it most likely is here.

Therefore, a reasonable translation of this verse would be “each of you should know how to acquire his own vessel in sanctification and honor.” But Paul is talking about abstaining from fornication. Why would the knowledge of acquiring a wife prevent fornication? In our current society, it is acceptable to many to engage in sexual activity before being married. Many people believe that keeping oneself a virgin until being married is an outdated, archaic notion. However, I believe that this is exactly what Paul is teaching here. Knowing how to acquire one’s own vessel (referring to a wife) in sanctification (set apart to God) and honor (respecting the honor of the one you desire to marry) is what Paul is teaching. This can only be done by abstaining from sexual immorality as Paul noted in yesterday’s verse. We will talk a little more about this in tomorrow’s verse.

 

Application

Sexual gratification should never be the reason for getting married and it should never be a precursor to marriage. Marriage is an intimate relationship between a man and a woman, and the pleasure of sexual intercourse is only a part of that relationship. According to Paul, there is no justification for sex outside of marriage. Marriage (and sex within a marriage) is intended to be undefiled, sacred, and honorable before God. It is of critical importance for a man to respect his wife to be and not expect any sexual activity until after the marriage ceremony is completed.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 4:2 – God, our Father

Posted on by Will

for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

Truth to Learn

Christians are God’s children, not just His subjects.

 

Behind the Words

“You know” is translated from the verb eido, which means “to see with perception.” As in English, this verb can refer to visibly seeing something and perceiving what it is, or it can mean “to see with the mind,” that is, “to know.”

The word “commandments” is from the Greek noun parangelia. This word is made up of para, meaning “to the side of” and a form of angellō, meaning “to deliver a message.” The picture is of a soldier passing on a message to the soldier beside him. In the strictest sense, parangelia refers to a command or an order given by a superior to those under him.

The words “we gave” are from the verb didōmi, meaning “to give of one’s one accord.” It is expressed here in the aorist tense, indicating an action completed sometime in the past..

 

Meaning Explained

In yesterday’s verse, we noted that Paul has now switched from a message of comfort and encouragement to doctrinal teaching. Many Christians today bristle at the word “doctrine.” They see doctrine as cold, dogmatic, restrictive rules that are hard to follow and, quite honestly, are no fun at all. If we approach Christianity from a legalistic viewpoint, that’s what doctrine often becomes. Doctrine, however, simply means “teaching.” The things that your church teaches you are the doctrine of the church.

The problem with most legalistic doctrine is that it teaches us “rules” instead of principles. It teaches us that our relationship with God is strictly one of Master/slave. “Now that you are a Christian, you must follow these rules!” Don’t get me wrong, God is our Lord and Master, and a fulfilled Christian life must be based on our complete submission to His will. However, our relationship to God is much more than simply being His slave (although we are His slaves). He has extended that relationship because He has adopted us into His family and calls us His children. This is a significant distinction between Christianity and religion. In addition to being His servants, we are God’s children and He is our loving Father.

The Apostle Paul frequently uses the metaphor of “walking the pathway of life” in depicting our life as a Christian. He often pictures God as our guide or coach, advising us in which pathways to take and which to avoid. He sometimes pictures God as our rescuer who saves us when we take a wrong path and get mired in the muck of sin. He also pictures God as our Commander in Chief, who prepares us for those times when our enemy attacks. But more than anything, Paul pictures God as our Father, who is all of these things and so much more.

Our Heavenly Father knows us more deeply than we know ourselves and, in spite of what we see in ourselves, He loves us with an everlasting love. His love is so great that he sacrificed His only begotten Son so that we can have a Father/child relationship with Him. But God did not send his Son only to die for our sins, He also sent Jesus to teach us about the Father/child relationship He wants to have with us. Paul is about to teach us this doctrine from our Master/Teacher Jesus.

 

Application

As you walk the pathway of this life, keep in mind that God wants you to walk with Him instead of wandering off on your own. He wants to demonstrate Himself as our loving Father and have us respond as His beloved children. He wants obedience from you, but He also wants a relationship with you, because He loves you!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 2:11 – Father Paul

Posted on by Will

as you know how we were encouraging, and comforting every one of you, as a father does his own children,

Truth to Learn

We all need some comfort, encouragement, and challenge.

 

Behind the Words

The word “as” is from the Greek word kathaper. This word is made up of katha, meaning “as” and per, meaning “very.” The word kathaper literally means “exactly as” or “just as.”

“You know” is translated from the verb eidō, which means “to see with perception.” As in English, this verb can refer to visibly seeing something and perceiving what it is, or it can mean “to see with the mind,” that is, “to know.”

The word “encouraging” is from parakaleō. It is made up of para, meaning “to the side of” and kaleō, meaning “to call.” It is a picture of someone being “called alongside” for the purpose of coaching, encouraging, challenging, and comforting.

“Comforting” is translated from paramutheomai, which is made up of para, meaning “to the side of” and mutheomai, meaning “to make a speech” or “to tell a tale.” Paramutheomai means “to speak soothingly” or “to console.”

 

Meaning Explained

Back in verses six through eight, Paul used the metaphor of a mother caring for her infant children to show how tenderly he and his companions ministered to the Christians in Thessalonica. Now he changes his metaphor to that of a father. At the time this letter was written it was the mother’s responsibility to feed and care for the children. The father’s responsibility was to help the children mature, to challenge them, to encourage them, and to comfort them.

First of all, notice in the previous verse that Paul called the Thessalonians as witnesses of his behavior among them. Now he says that they know from observation how he raised them in the faith. These two facts further indicate the close relationship he had with the people who were under his spiritual care. He wasn’t some demagogue, preaching fire and brimstone from the pulpit while keeping his distance from his congregation. He was directly involved with them daily, on a personal level.

When the spiritual battles and hardships of life caused them to become discouraged, he encouraged them. When they experienced set-backs and failures, he comforted them. However, he didn’t let them wallow in their self-pity and he certainly didn’t coddle them. Instead, he challenged them to grow in their faith walk. He taught them the difficult aspects of walking closely with their God. He used examples from his own life to show them that we all have difficulties in this life, but we don’t give up. When our sin nature or life’s problems knock us down, we get back up and get back into the race. It’s this kind of discipline that makes us stronger. The writer of Hebrews said a similar thing about staying in the race:

… let us lay aside every burden, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1b)

 

Application

Are you going through difficult times? Has life, or sin, knocked you down? If so, get back up, fix your eyes on God, get back in the race, and “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, be men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 2:1 – Opposition Will Come

Posted on by Will

For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.

Truth to Learn

An effective Christian ministry will encounter opposition.

 

Behind the Words

“Know” is translated from the Greek verb eidō, which literally means “to see,” but as in English, it carries the meaning of “to see with perception.” Hence, it means “to know.” It is expressed in the perfect tense (past completed action with an ongoing effect, where the emphasis is on the effect) as a second person plural (you) verb. Since the verb already expresses the idea of “you (plural) know”, it is not necessary to include the pronoun autoi (you, plural) in order to convey that meaning. However, the fact that Paul used the personal pronoun indicates emphasis on it and it is here translated as “yourselves.”

The word “coming” is from the Greek noun eisodon, which we saw in verse nine of chapter one. It is made up of eis, meaning “in” or “into” and hodos, meaning “a road” or “a way.” Thus, eisodon literally means “a way in.” So, we could have translated this as “… that our way in to you …”

“In vain” is the translation of kenos, which literally means “empty,” “hollow,” or “fruitless.” In this case it could be a reference to Paul’s preaching being without merit or deceitful, or it could be a reference to a lack of success. Based on the subject matter of the latter half of the previous chapter it probably refers to “a lack of success.”

The verb “was” is translated from ginomai, which means “to begin to be” or “to come into existence.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense which indicates past completed action with an ongoing effect, the emphasis being on the effect. We could, therefore, interpret the ending of this verse as “that our coming to you has shown itself to be fruitful.

 

Meaning Explained

Having spent most of the first part of this letter praising the Thessalonian Christians for their testimony, Paul now turns to a more serious topic. Based on the subject matter of this second chapter we can surmise that there were some people who had made charges against the way that Paul and his associates behaved. From verse three we can conclude that their accusers had claimed that Paul used deceitful means or false, flattering words in his preaching. From verses five and six it also appears that Paul was accused of trying to take advantage of the Thessalonians for his own selfish benefit. Also, from verses seventeen through twenty, it appears that Paul and his companions were accused of hastily abandoning the Church in Thessalonica after they got what they wanted from them.

So, to get a better understanding of the background of Paul’s ministry to these dear saints, read Acts 16:9-17:10. There you will see that Paul and Silas (Silvanus) were persecuted and thrown in jail while ministering in Philippi. The reason they had been imprisoned was not because they preached the Gospel, but because they cast out a demon from a young girl who was being selfishly used by others to make money from her demon possession and resulting fortune telling. After leaving Philippi and coming to Thessalonica, Paul preached in the synagogue and a large number of people believed. But, because of the jealousy of the Jews there, he was forced to leave and go to Berea. The Jews in Thessalonica then pursued Paul and his companions, again stirring up the crowds against them, causing Paul and Silvanus to flee from Berea as well.

In today’s verse Paul is pointing out to the Thessalonian Christians that his ministry there was not without merit or fruit. In fact, in Acts 17:4 we see that some of the Jews and a large number of Greeks got saved as a result of Paul’s ministry.

 

Application

Paul and Silvanus didn’t let opposition and persecution stop them from serving God in the ministry He had called them to. Likewise, don’t let opposition to your ministry cause you to get discouraged or to give up. Remember, greater is He who is in us than he who is against us!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 1:5 – Holy Spirit Enlightenment

Posted on by Will

For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, even as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

Truth to Learn

The Holy Spirit enables us to understand the gospel message.

 

Behind the Words

The word “gospel” is translated from euangellion, which is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and angellō, meaning “a message.” Thus, quite literally, the word euangellion means “a good message” or “good news.”

“Power” is the translation of dunamis, from which we get our English word dynamite. It refers to “power” or “a great force.” This is probably a reference to the power of the gospel message rather than the power of any miracles that Paul may have performed because Paul never uses this particular word to refer to miracles. He used dunamis in a similar manner in reference to the kingdom of God in 1Corinthians 4:20.

The word “assurance” is translated from plērophoria, which is made up of plerēs, meaning “completely full” and a form of phoreō, which means “to repeatedly bring.” Initially this word meant “an act which is fully completed over and over again.” Later it came to mean “a proof or assurance that something would happen just as it has in the past.”

“Know” is from the Greek word eidō, meaning “to see with perception.” As in English, the idea of seeing carries the notion of understanding with the mind. This particular form of the verb means “to have seen and perceived,” thus it takes the meaning of “to know.”

 

Meaning Explained

Paul has told the members of the church in Thessalonica that he prays for them and praises God for them on a regular basis. His praise was for their deeds of faith, their labor of love, and their patience, based on their hope of spending eternity with God. His reason for praise is based on the fact that he has seen (evidenced by their works and patience) that they are certainly among God’s elect.

We talked in the previous verse about the fact of God’s choosing those who will be saved. The other side of that coin, however, is the responsibility of man. Only those who believe the gospel message, confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, will be saved. How these two doctrines can both be true is nearly impossible for us to understand. However, both are clearly taught in the Bible, and it is the gospel message, through which salvation comes, that Paul talks about in today’s verse.

The gospel, or good news, that Jesus Christ died to pay for the sins of the whole world and rose from the grave to prove that He is the Son of God, is not just a bunch of words. There is power in the gospel, the power to save souls from Hell, the power to change a sinner into a saint, the power to reconcile filthy sinners with a holy God.

Paul also tells us that the gospel is somehow energized by the Holy Spirit. We know from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians that Satan blinds the minds of people so that they cannot believe the gospel (2Corinthians 4:4). We also know from the same letter that the veil of blindness is removed when one believes the gospel (2Corinthians 3:14-16). Paul implies here that it is the Holy Spirit who opens the minds of those who believe.

 

Application

If you are a born-again Christian, can you remember the day that you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? If so, can you identify what it was that finally allowed you to understand the gospel and believe it in your heart? It was the Holy Spirit!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 6:22 – A Personal Comforter

Posted on by Will

whom I sent to you for this very purpose, that you might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

Truth to Learn

The church needs people of comfort and encouragement.

 

Behind the Words

“I have sent” is translated from the Greek verb pempō, which means “to send out” or “to dispatch.” It is expressed here in the aorist tense, indicating past completed action at a point in time. Thus it is translated as “I sent,” not “I have sent.”

The words “that you might know” are translated from the verb ginōskō, which can indicate either “to come to know” or “to know completely.” It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood indicating the probability or possibility of occurrence.

“Our affairs” is from ta peri hēmōn, which literally means “the things about us.” This is much like the expression Paul used in the previous verse (“the things concerning me”).

Parakaleō is the Greek verb translated “might comfort.” It is made up of para, meaning “beside” and kaleō, meaning “to call.” Thus, parakaleō literally means “to call alongside.” By application it means “to comfort” or “to encourage.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse we learned that Paul sent a man named Tychicus to the church in Ephesus so that the members of the church there might know how he was doing. It appears that Tychicus was used by Paul as a messenger. He apparently is the one who carried this letter to the church and he also possessed in depth knowledge of what was going on with the Apostle and all those with him.

We learned with yesterday’s verse that Paul was not in the habit of talking about himself in his letters to the churches. Instead, he sent trusted messengers who could relate in detail what was happening. He knew that anything communicated regarding his welfare would produce more questions. By sending someone like Tychicus, all the people’s questions could be answered in a calm and confident manner without having to wait for another letter.

This verse also highlights once again what a tender heart Paul had toward those with whom he had ministered in the past. We know from the nineteenth chapter of the book of Acts that the Apostle spent more than two years at the church in Ephesus. This appears to be the longest length of time that he spent with any one church. During that time he built strong personal ties with the members of that church. A large number of these people were likely led to the Lord as a direct result of Paul’s preaching ministry. For this reason, Paul wanted to make sure that his beloved friends in the church were well informed and comforted regarding what was happening to him while in a Roman prison.

 

Application

There are some members of every church who are specially gifted in giving words of encouragement and comfort to those around them. This is an important ministry, especially as the church and its members are coming under increasingly strong attacks. If there is someone that you know with this gift in your church, be sure to tell them thank-you for using their gift in the body of Christ.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 6:21 – The Beloved Waiter

Posted on by Will

But that you also might know the things concerning me and what I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you;

Truth to Learn

God gives recognition to those who serve humbly.

 

Behind the Words

The words “that you … might know” are translated from the verb eidō, which technically means “to see.” However, as in English, it is used in the sense of seeing with the mind, or knowing something. It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood indicating the possibility or probability of knowing.

“The things concerning me” is translated from ta kat eme, which refers to the events surrounding Paul and his ministry.

The word “doing” is from prassō, which refers to “something done repeatedly or continually.” It is sometimes translated as “practice,” but here it refers to the general activities of daily living.

“Beloved” is translated from agapētos. This is based on the verb agape, which refers to “a self-sacrificing love.” It is a stronger expression than phileō, meaning “brotherly love.” Paul expressed it here with the definite article, so it is translated as “the beloved.”

“Minister” is from the Greek word diakonos. This is derived from the verb diakō, meaning “to run errands.” It is the word used to describe someone who serves others while they are eating, what we would call “a waiter.”

 

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul has finished his teaching in this letter to the Christians in the church at Ephesus. He now concludes with a very brief salutation. Paul has a singularity of purpose in his letters to the various churches, that of proclaiming the doctrines of the Christian faith. He spends almost no time at all telling about himself. Instead, he suggests that his dear friends talk to Tychicus about what is happening to him.

What do we know about Tychicus? He is first mentioned in Acts 20:4 where we learn two things about him. The first is that he was from Asia (modern day Turkey) of which Ephesus was the capitol city. The second thing we learn about him is that he was faithful to the Apostle, having accompanied him during part of his travels. It is possible that he became a Christian as a result of Paul’s two year ministry in Ephesus, although we are not told that anywhere.

Another thing that we learn about this man, based on today’s verse, is that he has spent much time with Paul in the Roman prison. Because of this, he is able to tell the brothers and sisters in Ephesus all about what has been happening with Paul. The Apostle refers to Tychicus as “the beloved brother.” This indicates that not only was he a very special friend to Paul, but he was well known among the Ephesians. Finally, we learn that this man was a faithful minister. In other words, he was not hung-up on how great he was. Rather, he was a humble servant, willing to do whatever the Apostle needed him to do.

 

Application

Most often, those who are called out as special are those who have accomplished some great feat. Not so with Tychicus. He was special because he was a humble servant. What would your pastor say about you? Does he even know who you are?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 3:19 – Knowledge by Experience

Posted on by Will

and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God.

Truth to Learn

You can only really know God’s love by experience.

 

Behind the Words

“And” is translated from the word te, which is a particle of connection meaning “and, also, or even.”

The word translated “to know” is the infinitive form of ginōskō, which refers to “knowing something completely, usually by experience.” So, we could say “to fully know.”

“Surpasses” is from huperballō, which is made up of huper (or hyper), meaning “above” or “beyond” and ballō, meaning “to throw.” Thus, we see that huperballō literally means “to throw beyond.” In general usage the meaning is “to exceed” or “to go beyond.” It is expressed here as a participle (being beyond).

“Knowledge” is from gnōsis. This is derived from ginōskō, which we just looked at.

Putting all this together we see that the opening part of this verse could be translated, “and to know by experience the love of Christ which is beyond knowing …”

 

Meaning Explained

We are in the middle of a worshipful prayer of the Apostle Paul which he is praying for his beloved friends in the church at Ephesus. By extension, this prayer is presented on behalf of all Christians. The first two of the four petitions in this prayer were that God the Father would strengthen our inner man by means of God the Holy Spirit and Christ might finally settle down and feel completely at home through faith.

The third petition began in verse seventeen and ends in today’s verse; it is “that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.”

The crux of all this is in today’s verse: “for us to fully experience the love of Christ which is beyond intellectual knowledge”. Not only does Paul pray that we might understand how huge and all-encompassing (width, length, depth, and height) God’s love is, he also prays that we, through experience might know that which is unknowable.

There are many people (saved and unsaved) who talk about the love of God but who don’t really know God’s love. According to Paul, it is not something that you can study and learn about by reading books and listening to others talk about. Sure, you can recognize God’s love at work, but you can’t gain a full understanding of it that way. Only those who have experienced God’s love through His mercy, His grace, His miraculous provision, and His comfort in times of need can really know what it’s like.

 

Application

If you’ve never gone through times of difficulty in your Christian walk, if you’ve never felt helpless and had to rely completely on Him, if you’ve never felt trapped by your own sinfulness, begging for His mercy, if you’ve never fallen before God with a completely broken spirit, then you don’t really understand His love. If you have, then you know by experience the kind of love that only God can show! Praise be to God!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Corinthians 4:4 – The Final Judge

Posted on by Will

For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.

Truth to Learn

Serve God with diligence and with a humble spirit. Don’t worry about what others say.

Behind the Words

“I know” is translated from the Greek verb suneidō, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and eidō, meaning “to know.” Together they mean “to be consciously aware of.” It is expressed in the perfect tense, indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect, where the emphasis is on the effect.

The word “nothing” is from oudeis, which is made up of ou, meaning “not” and heis, meaning “one” or “one thing.” So, oudeis literally means “not one thing.”

Dikaioō is the word translated “justified.” It means “to bring out the fact that a person is righteous or without fault.” It is also expressed here in the perfect tense.

The word “judges” is translated from anakrinō, which we saw in yesterday’s verse meaning, “to discern, to decide, or to judge.” It is expressed as a present tense participle, indicating continuous ongoing action. We could paraphrase the end of this verse as “He who is continuously examining me is the Lord.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse, Paul boldly proclaimed that it is a very little thing to him if he is judged by the Corinthians or even a court of law (remember, this literally reads “man’s day”). He went on to say that he does not even make judgment against himself. In today’s verse he clarifies this last statement. He says that he is not consciously aware of anything against himself. In classical Greek literature, the expression he used means “I am not conscious regarding myself of any guilt or neglect of duty.” He is not claiming to have reached a state of sinlessness (which some refer to as “complete sanctification”), rather he is saying that regarding his ministry in Corinth, he is not aware of any malpractice or negligence of duty. He did what God called him to do and he did it wholeheartedly for God, not for himself.

He quickly follows this up with, “yet I am not justified by this.” In other words, just because he is not consciously aware of any faults in his ministry, it does not mean that he is claiming himself guiltless. He leaves here the possibility that he may have committed some act of neglect or malpractice in his ministry to the Corinthians. If so, he simply states that he is not aware of such an act.

In a final statement on the subject, Paul proclaims what should be obvious to any Christian: God is the Judge and final authority on all thoughts and actions of all Christians. If Paul had committed any neglect or malpractice while ministering to the Corinthians, he knows that God will judge such actions. That’s why it is such a small concern to him regarding what people in Corinth say.

Application

Each one of us has responsibilities that God has given us in spreading the gospel message and in building up His church. We are to perform such duties in complete subservience to God, not concerning ourselves with what others say about it. If we are doing our part as a totally committed servant, giving Him all the glory, then we needn’t be concerned about what others say. Give all you have and keep your eyes on Him!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved