Tag: antapodidomi

Romans 11:35 – Who’s In Charge?

Posted on by Will

"or who has first given to Him that it should be repaid to him?"

Truth to Learn

God does not owe you a thing, nor is He obligated to do what you want Him to do.

 

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “has first given” is prodidōmi, which is a compound word made up of pro, meaning “before, in position or time” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” Thus we see that prodidōmi means “to give ahead of time.” It is expressed here in the aorist tense, indicating an action that was performed at a point in time in the past. So, we could translate the first part of this verse as, “or who first gave to Him.”

“Repaid” is from antapodidōmi, which is made up of anti, which means “opposite, against, or in turn,” apo, meaning “from or away from,” and didōmi, which means “to give.” When we put this all together we see that antapodidōmi means “to give or do something which is necessary to fulfill an obligation, doing so in return for something previously done.

 

Meaning Explained

This verse is essentially the same as Job 41:11 which says

Who has first given to Me, that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.

What Paul is pointing out is the fact that God is not indebted to any one of us. He does not owe us a thing! There is nothing that we have done or that we could do which would force God to take any action apart from His eternal plan. There is nothing that we have produced that God did not already own. There is nothing we can give Him that was not already His.

Think about that! There is nothing that we can do that will require God to take action of any kind. He is not indebted to anyone.

Now, apply this to what Paul has been teaching us in this and the previous chapters of this letter. God was not forced to turn to the Gentiles when the Jews rejected Him, He chose to do so. And God is not required to save anyone from their sins, He chooses to do so and He chooses whom He will save. It is His choice and it is of His own free will, it is not our choice. There is nothing we can do that will require God to save us. If we are saved, it is because He decided to do it before time began as Paul teaches in Ephesians:

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, for us to be holy and without blame before Him in love. (Ephesians 1:4)

Neither is God required to bless anyone whom He does not choose to bless, nor is He required to answer in the affirmative any prayer He does not choose to answer that way. He is not a puppet that we can control by pulling the right strings or by reciting a magic mantra. God responds to our prayers according to His desires and His will. We are totally at His mercy and we are totally subservient to Him. The sooner we realize this and submit to His authority and will, the sooner we will know the peace that only He can provide through His spirit.

 

Application

What we have here is big God, little man theology. He is the sovereign ruler over all creation. Our attitude should be like that of Jesus Christ, “Not my will, but yours be done, O Lord!”

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Thessalonians 1:6 – Righteous Judgment

Posted on by Will

since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,

Truth to Learn

God will “pay back” those who cause Christians to suffer.

 

Behind the Words

The word “since” is translated from eiper. This Greek word is made up of ei, which is a conditional particle usually translated as “if” and per, meaning “concerning” or “with respect to.” Eiper assumes that the condition is true and therefore is most often translated as “if indeed” or “since.”

Dikaios is the Greek adjective translated as “righteous.” It is based on the noun dikē, which means “that which is right or just.” Dikaios means that whatever word it describes is the right thing, proper thing, or just thing to do.

“Repay” is from antapodidōmi. This is a double compound word made up of anti, meaning “against” or “opposing,” apo, meaning “from” or “away from,” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” When we put these all together we see that the idea of antapodidōmi is “to give back in return.” It is often used to mean “to repay a debt that is owed to someone.”

The word “with” is from para, meaning “to the side of” or “by.” Here it has the meaning “with respect to God” or “from God’s viewpoint.”

Both of the words “tribulation” and “trouble” are based on the word thlibō, which means “to press together, to squeeze, or to cause affliction.”

 

Meaning Explained

After opening with a typical Pauline greeting in this letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, Paul offered up thanks to God for their growth in faith and in love. On the surface, this spiritual growth may seem unusual because the Thessalonians were suffering under the persecution from those around them. However, we see that spiritual growth, like muscular growth, only comes from repeated difficult activities. Christians for whom life is easy do not grow in their faith because they have no need for God. But Christians who are suffering from persecution have to depend on God, and they grow as a result.

Paul then told them that this persecution and their subsequent growth was evidence of God’s righteous judgment because it indicated that they were being considered worthy of God’s eternal blessing. In other words, God’s decision to provide future blessing to His chosen children is the right and proper thing for Him to do.

Now Paul looks at the other side of the coin. Not only is it right to promise future blessing to those who believe God, but it’s just as right to bring judgment against those who reject God. The non-believers in Thessalonica were causing trouble for the Christians, so Paul says that it is just and proper for God to “pay them back” for the trouble that they caused His children. Not only is this a proper action for a righteous God, it is proper for a loving father to protect and defend His children.

 

Application

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for your sins, then God loves you as one of His children. Not only has He promised you eternal blessing, but He has promised to “pay back” suffering to those who cause you suffering.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 3:9 – Thanks To God

Posted on by Will

For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God,

Truth to Learn

It’s important to give thanks to God for His fruit.

 

Behind the Words

“Thanks” is from the Greek word eucharistia, which is composed of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of charidzomai, meaning “to grant” or “to give.” Its basic meaning is “gratitude” or “giving of thanks.”

The word translated “render” is antapodidōmi. This is a double compound word made up of anti, meaning “against” or “in turn,” apo, meaning “from,” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” The meaning of antapodidōmi is “to give back in return for something received,” or “to repay.”

Both the words “joy” and “rejoice” are based on the word chairō, meaning “to rejoice” or “to express gladness.”

“Before” is translated from the Greek preposition emprosthen. This word is made up of en, meaning “in” or “in a place” and prosthen, meaning “facing toward something.” Therefore, emprosthen could be translated as “in the presence of” or “before.”

 

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul was not just a great evangelist and teacher of Christian doctrine, he was also a mighty prayer warrior. Not only did Paul pray constantly (Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:11, 2:13; 2 Timothy 1:3) for every Christian he came in contact with, he prayed especially for those to whom he ministered (2 Corinthians 13:7, 9; Colossians 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:11). Also note how often he thanked God for the fruit of his ministry (Romans 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:4, 14, 14:18; Philippians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2, 2:13, 3:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Timothy 1:3; Philemon 1:4).

In today’s verse we see that his prayers of thankfulness were a kind of payback to God for what had been accomplished in his ministry. He did not take credit for the result of his tireless labor; he recognized that God was the source of all his success. He also recognized that he could never repay God with enough thanks for what God had accomplished through him.

It’s interesting to note that Paul also gave God the credit for the joy he felt in seeing the work of his ministry bearing fruit. And that joy was not for what God had done to or for him, it was for what God had done for others. Remember that Paul has frequently mentioned the persecution and anguish that he and others had experienced as a result of his ministry. Nonetheless, he was thankful and filled with joy.

 

Application

We need to get the focus of our ministry off of ourselves and onto God and those to whom we minister. The next time you are praying with a group of Christians, especially when you are with your ministry team, take note of how much time people spend in thanksgiving versus how much time is spent asking for things. We owe it to God to give Him thanks for the work He has accomplished. Remember, in ministry we are His ambassadors and His servants. Also remember that it is the power of God and the work of the Holy Spirit that produces fruit, not our brilliant planning and hard work. Give thanks to God for every seed that produces fruit. We owe it to Him!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Thessalonians 1:6 – Righteous Judgment

Posted on by Will

since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,

Truth to Learn

God will “pay back” those who cause Christians to suffer.

Behind the Words

The word “since” is translated from eiper. This Greek word is made up of ei, which is a conditional particle usually translated as “if” and per, meaning “concerning” or “with respect to.” Eiper assumes that the condition is true and therefore is most often translated as “if indeed” or “since.”

Dikaios is the Greek adjective translated as “righteous.” It is based on the noun dikē, which means “that which is right or just.” Dikaios means that whatever word it describes is the right thing, proper thing, or just thing to do.

“Repay” is from antapodidōmi. This is a double compound word made up of anti, meaning “against” or “opposing,” apo, meaning “from” or “away from,” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” When we put these all together we see that the idea of antapodidōmi is “to give back in return.” It is often used to mean “to repay a debt that is owed to someone.”

The word “with” is from para, meaning “to the side of” or “by.” Here it has the meaning “with respect to God” or “from God’s viewpoint.”

Both of the words “tribulation” and “trouble” are based on the word thlibō, which means “to press together, to squeeze, or to cause affliction.”

Meaning Explained

After opening with a typical Pauline greeting in this letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, Paul offered up thanks to God for their growth in faith and in love. On the surface, this spiritual growth may seem unusual because the Thessalonians were suffering under the persecution from those around them. However, we see that spiritual growth, like muscular growth, only comes from repeated difficult activities. Christians for whom life is easy do not grow in their faith because they have no need for God. But Christians who are suffering from persecution have to depend on God, and they grow as a result.

Paul then told them that this persecution and their subsequent growth was evidence of God’s righteous judgment because it indicated that they were being considered worthy of God’s eternal blessing. In other words, God’s decision to provide future blessing to His chosen children is the right and proper thing for Him to do.

Now Paul looks at the other side of the coin. Not only is it right to promise future blessing to those who believe God, but it’s just as right to bring judgment against those who reject God. The non-believers in Thessalonica were causing trouble for the Christians, so Paul says that it is just and proper for God to “pay them back” for the trouble that they caused His children. Not only is this a proper action for a righteous God, it is proper for a loving father to protect and defend His children.

Application

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for your sins, then God loves you as one of His children. Not only has He promised you eternal blessing, but He has promised to “pay back” suffering to those who cause you suffering.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

1 Thessalonians 3:9 – Thanks To God

Posted on by Will

For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God,

Truth to Learn

It’s important to give thanks to God for His fruit.

Behind the Words

“Thanks” is from the Greek word eucharistia, which is composed of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of charidzomai, meaning “to grant” or “to give.” Its basic meaning is “gratitude” or “giving of thanks.”

The word translated “render” is antapodidōmi. This is a double compound word made up of anti, meaning “against” or “in turn,” apo, meaning “from,” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” The meaning of antapodidōmi is “to give back in return for something received,” or “to repay.”

Both the words “joy” and “rejoice” are based on the word chairō, meaning “to rejoice” or “to express gladness.”

“Before” is translated from the Greek preposition emprosthen. This word is made up of en, meaning “in” or “in a place” and prosthen, meaning “facing toward something.” Therefore, emprosthen could be translated as “in the presence of” or “before.”

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul was not just a great evangelist and teacher of Christian doctrine, he was also a mighty prayer warrior. Not only did Paul pray constantly (Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:11, 2:13; 2 Timothy 1:3) for every Christian he came in contact with, he prayed especially for those to whom he ministered (2 Corinthians 13:7, 9; Colossians 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:11). Also note how often he thanked God for the fruit of his ministry (Romans 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:4, 14, 14:18; Philippians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2, 2:13, 3:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Timothy 1:3; Philemon 1:4).

In today’s verse we see that his prayers of thankfulness were a kind of payback to God for what had been accomplished in his ministry. He did not take credit for the result of his tireless labor; he recognized that God was the source of all his success. He also recognized that he could never repay God with enough thanks for what God had accomplished through him.

It’s interesting to note that Paul also gave God the credit for the joy he felt in seeing the work of his ministry bearing fruit. And that joy was not for what God had done to or for him, it was for what God had done for others. Remember that Paul has frequently mentioned the persecution and anguish that he and others had experienced as a result of his ministry. Nonetheless, he was thankful and filled with joy.

Application

We need to get the focus of our ministry off of ourselves and onto God and those to whom we minister. The next time you are praying with a group of Christians, especially when you are with your ministry team, take note of how much time people spend in thanksgiving versus how much time is spent asking for things. We owe it to God to give Him thanks for the work He has accomplished. Remember, in ministry we are His ambassadors and His servants. Also remember that it is the power of God and the work of the Holy Spirit that produces fruit, not our brilliant planning and hard work. Give thanks to God for every seed that produces fruit. We owe it to Him!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 11:35 – Who’s In Charge?

Posted on by Will

Romans 11:35 – Who’s In Charge?

“or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?”

Truth to Learn

God does not owe you a thing, nor is He obligated to do what you want Him to do.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “has first given” is prodidōmi, which is a compound word made up of pro, meaning “before, in position or time” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” Thus we see that prodidōmi means “to give ahead of time.” It is expressed here in the aorist tense, indicating an action that was performed at a point in time in the past. So, we could translate the first part of this verse as, “or who first gave to Him.”

“Repaid” is from antapodidōmi, which is made up of anti, which means “opposite, against, or in turn,” apo, meaning “from or away from,” and didōmi, which means “to give.” When we put this all together we see that antapodidōmi means “to give or do something which is necessary to fulfill an obligation, doing so in return for something previously done.

Meaning Explained

This verse is essentially the same as Job 41:11 which says

Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.

What Paul is pointing out is the fact that God is not indebted to any one of us. He does not owe us a thing! There is nothing that we have done or that we could do which would force God to take any action apart from His eternal plan. There is nothing that we have produced that God did not already own. There is nothing we can give Him that was not already His.

Think about that! There is nothing that we can do that will require God to take action of any kind. He is not indebted to anyone.

Now, apply this to what Paul has been teaching us in this and the previous chapters of this letter. God was not forced to turn to the Gentiles when the Jews rejected Him, He chose to do so. And God is not required to save anyone from their sins, He chooses to do so and He chooses whom He will save. It is His choice and it is of His own free will, it is not our choice. There is nothing we can do that will require God to save us. If we are saved, it is because He decided to do it before time began as Paul teaches in Ephesians:

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. (Ephesians 1:4)

Neither is God required to bless anyone whom He does not choose to bless, nor is He required to answer in the affirmative any prayer He does not choose to answer that way. He is not a puppet that we can control by pulling the right strings or by reciting a magic mantra. God responds to our prayers according to His desires and His will. We are totally at His mercy and we are totally subservient to Him. The sooner we realize this and submit to His authority and will, the sooner we will know the peace that only He can provide through His spirit.

Application

What we have here is big God, little man theology. He is the sovereign ruler over all creation. Our attitude should be like that of Jesus Christ, “Not my will, but yours be done, O Lord!”

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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