Tag: captivity

Romans 7:23 – Captured, Then Confessed

Posted on by Will

But I see another law in my members, battling against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Truth to Learn

Because of the battle within us, we become captured by our sin nature, but confession sets us free.

 

Behind the Words

“Members” is from a Greek word we have seen before. It is melos, meaning “a limb or other part of the body.”

The word translated “battling against” is antistrateuomai, which is a compound word made up of anti, meaning “against” and strateuomai, which means “to make war (or battle) against a specific enemy.”

“Bringing me into captivity” is from  aichmalotidzō, which means “to be taken away as a captive and made a prisoner of war.”

 

Meaning Explained

In verse 21 Paul said that he perceives an unwritten law that brings out evil in him whenever he is determined to do what is right. In verse 22 he said there is another law that he delights in: the Law of God. These are the two forces that are warring within him and within all of us. As we saw in the previous verse, these two forces are the “inner man” (the intellect of man) and the “old man” (the sin nature).

He now goes back to referring to these two opposing forces as laws, calling them the “law of my mind” (the intellect) and the “law of sin” (the sin nature). He aptly describes the conflict that occurs between these two as warfare. And, you will notice that Paul is astute enough to recognize that this is a warfare that is going on within his body. The two opposing forces have taken up residence in his (and our) physical body. These two opposing forces, these two laws, are at war specifically against each other and the battlefield is within our body.

He also recognizes that the law of sin is taking him captive and making him a prisoner of war. Hence, Paul is telling us that as the law of his mind, which delights in the Law of God (that is, obedience to God), and the law of sin (the sin nature) clash, the sin nature captures him, leads him away as a captive, and makes him a prisoner of war. In other words, his sin nature gains dominion over him.

I believe that this completely describes the battle that every Christian faces daily. We want to be obedient to God, we are determined to be obedient to our Heavenly Father and to please Him. But instead, we find ourselves succumbing to “the sin which so easily ensnares us” as Hebrews 12:1 calls it.

I don’t know about you, but I find that I get almost angry with myself knowing what I should do and, instead, doing what I know I shouldn’t do. As hard as I try I can’t overcome this enemy and it makes me feel guilty! Thank goodness for confession.

 

Application

Let us give thanks to God that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin! Though “our sins are like scarlet,” His blood washes them away completely so that we appear to God “as white as snow.” And we get that cleansing through confession, daily, hourly, minute-by-minute confession. For He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us – every time!

Now that’s grace!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 4:8 – Moving Day

Posted on by Will

Therefore He says: "Having ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men."

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ moved Paradise and gave all Christians gifts.

 

Behind the Words

The word “says” is from the Greek verb legō, which literally means “to lay forth,” that is, “to express something in words.” There is no subject given in the Greek text, so scholars are split between “He [God] says” and “it [Scripture] says.”

“Having ascended” is translated from anabaino, which means “to go up.” It is expressed as an aorist participle, so it could be translated “having gone up.”

“On high” is from eis hupsos. A literal translation of these two words would be “into elevation,” or “into the heights.”

The words “he led … captive” are translated from the verb aichmalōteuō, which is based on aichmalōtos, meaning “a captive of war.” The verb form, aichmalōteuō literally means “to captivate” or “to lead away captive.”

“Captivity” is from the noun aichmalōsia, which is also based on aichmalōtos. This form of the word refers to “the condition, or state, of being a captive.”

 

Meaning Explained

Paul has been talking about all of us fulfilling our calling with special attention to maintaining the unity of the church. He is now going to talk about some of the gifts that God gives to us which enable us to perform our function within the body of Christ. In today’s verse Paul tells us when those gifts were bestowed by God.

In order to fully understand, however, we need to do a quick mini-lesson about Hell. In the Old Testament it is most often referred to as sheol, the place of the departed dead. In the New Testament it is referred to as hades. From Numbers 16:33 we learn that sheol is in the center of the earth. And, from Luke 16:22, 23 we learn that there are two different areas of hades, the place of torment (where the rich man was) and a place of rest (where Lazarus was). In the Old Testament, the unrighteous people went to the place of torments and the righteous (like Abraham and Lazarus) went to the place of rest.

Hang-in with me now. On the cross, Jesus told one of the thieves crucified beside Him that on that very day they would both be in Paradise, that is, the place of rest where Abraham was. However, in 2Corinthians 12:4 Paul tells us that he was caught up into Paradise. In fact, a close reading will show us that in this verse Paradise is up at the third heaven (God’s throne room). So, at some point in time Paradise moved.

That movement of Paradise is what Paul is describing in today’s verse. When Christ died, he went down to sheol (hades). However, when He rose from the dead he “led captivity captive.” In other words, Christ took Paradise out of sheol (hades) and took it and all the righteous dead “up to” the third heaven (2Corinthians 2:2).

At that same time, Paul tells us here, Christ gave gifts to men.

 

Application

You and I have special gifts (spiritual gifts or abilities) given to us by Jesus Christ. These gifts are what enable us to serve Him effectively in the local church.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 4:8 – Moving Day

Posted on by Will

Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men."

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ moved Paradise and gave all Christians gifts.

Behind the Words

The word “says” is from the Greek verb legō, which literally means “to lay forth,” that is, “to express something in words.” There is no subject given in the Greek text, so scholars are split between “He [God] says” and “it [Scripture] says.”

“When He ascended” is translated from anabaino, which means “to go up.” It is expressed as an aorist participle, so it could be translated “having gone up.”

“On high” is from eis hupsos. A literal translation of these two words would be “into elevation,” or “into the heights.”

The words “he led … captive” are translated from the verb aichmalōteuō, which is based on aichmalōtos, meaning “a captive of war.” The verb form, aichmalōteuō literally means “to captivate” or “to lead away captive.”

“Captivity” is from the noun aichmalōsia, which is also based on aichmalōtos. This form of the word refers to “the condition, or state, of being a captive.”

Meaning Explained

Paul has been talking about all of us fulfilling our calling with special attention to maintaining the unity of the church. He is now going to talk about some of the gifts that God gives to us which enable us to perform our function within the body of Christ. In today’s verse Paul tells us when those gifts were bestowed by God.

In order to fully understand, however, we need to do a quick mini-lesson about Hell. In the Old Testament it is most often referred to as sheol, the place of the departed dead. In the New Testament it is referred to as hades. From Numbers 16:33 we learn that sheol is in the center of the earth. And, from Luke 16:22, 23 we learn that there are two different areas of hades, the place of torment (where the rich man was) and a place of rest (where Lazarus was). In the Old Testament, the unrighteous people went to the place of torments and the righteous (like Abraham and Lazarus) went to the place of rest.

Hang-in with me now. On the cross, Jesus told one of the thieves crucified beside Him that on that very day they would both be in Paradise, that is, the place of rest where Abraham was. However, in 2Corinthians 12:4 Paul tells us that he was caught up into Paradise. In fact, a close reading will show us that in this verse Paradise is up at the third heaven (God’s throne room). So, at some point in time Paradise moved.

That movement of Paradise is what Paul is describing in today’s verse. When Christ died, he went down to sheol (hades). However, when He rose from the dead he “led captivity captive.” In other words, Christ took Paradise out of sheol (hades) and took it and all the righteous dead “up to” the third heaven (2Corinthians 2:2).

At that same time, Paul tells us here, Christ gave gifts to men.

Application

You and I have special gifts (spiritual gifts or abilities) given to us by Jesus Christ. These gifts are what enable us to serve Him effectively in the local church.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Romans 7:23 – Captured, Then Confessed

Posted on by Will

Romans 7:23

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Truth to Learn

Because of the battle within us, we become captured by our sin nature, but confession sets us free.

Behind the Words

“Members” is from a Greek word we have seen before. It is melos, meaning “a limb or other part of the body.”

The word translated “warring against” is antistrateuomai, which is a compound word made up of anti, meaning “against” and strateuomai, which means “to make war against a specific enemy.”

“Bringing me into captivity” is from aichmalotidzō, which means “to be taken away as a captive and made a prisoner of war.”

Meaning Explained

In verse 21 Paul said that he perceives an unwritten law that brings out evil in him whenever he is determined to do what is right. In verse 22 he said there is another law that he delights in: the Law of God. These are the two forces that are warring within him and in all of us. As we saw in the previous verse, these two forces are the “inner man” (the intellect of man) and the “old man” (the sin nature).

He now goes back to referring to these two opposing forces as laws, calling them the “law of my mind” (the intellect) and the “law of sin” (the sin nature). He aptly describes the conflict that occurs between these two as warfare. And, you will notice that Paul is astute enough to recognize that this is a warfare that is going on within his body. The two opposing forces have taken up residence in his (and our) physical body. These two opposing forces, these two laws, are at war specifically against each other and the battlefield is within our body.

He also recognizes that the law of sin is taking him captive and making him a prisoner of war. Hence, Paul is telling us that as the law of his mind, which delights in the Law of God (that is, obedience to God), and the law of sin (the sin nature) clash, the sin nature captures him, leads him away as a captive, and makes him a prisoner of war. In other words, his sin nature gains dominion over him.

I believe that this completely describes the battle that every Christian faces daily. We want to be obedient to God, we are determined to be obedient to our Heavenly Father and to please Him. But instead, we find ourselves succumbing to “the sin which so easily ensnares us” as Hebrews 12:1 calls it.

I don’t know about you, but I find that I get almost angry with myself knowing what I should do and, instead, doing what I know I shouldn’t do. As hard as I try I can’t overcome this enemy and it sometimes makes me feel guilty! Thank goodness for confession.

Application

Let us give thanks to God that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin! Though “our sins are like scarlet,” His blood washes them away completely so that we appear to God “as white as snow.” And we get that cleansing through confession, daily, hourly, minute-by-minute confession. For He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us – every time!

Now that’s grace!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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