Tag: contrary

1 Thessalonians 2:15 – Suffering Is Good?

Posted on by Will

who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God but are contrary to all men,

Truth to Learn

Persecution and suffering can make us stronger Christians.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “killed” is from the Greek verb apokteinō. This word is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from,” used here as an intensifier and kteinō meaning “to slay” or “to kill.” Apokteinō means “to kill outright.” This word indicates an intentional killing rather than an accidental killing.

“Prophets” is transliterated (a word brought from one language directly into another) from the word prophētēs. This word is made up of pro, meaning “before in time or location” and phēmi, meaning “to show or make known one’s thoughts.” Thus, prophētēs can mean “one who tells something before it happens” or “one who makes a proclamation in front of others.”

The words “drove us out” is from ekdiōkō. It is made up of ek, meaning “out” or “out of,” used as an intensifier and diōkō, meaning “to pursue or persecute.” Therefore, ekdiōkō means “to drive out” or “to banish.” This word implies a stronger persecution than that which is spoken of in Romans 12:14.

Enantios is the word translated “contrary.” It is made up of en, meaning “in” and antios, meaning “set against.” It is a picture of an army in the field set in battle array against an opposing army. It is sometimes translated “opposed to” or “opposite.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul told the Christians in Thessalonica that they had become like the Christians in Judea because they suffered at the hands of the people of their own country. He reminds us here that the Jews killed their own Messiah as well as many of their own prophets. In the book of Acts, Peter described the killing of Jesus this way:

He, delivered by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified by the hands of lawless men and put him to death; (Acts 2:23)

Some people argue that Jesus was not killed by the Jews, but by the Romans. The reason for this is that under Roman law the Jews were not permitted to execute anyone for violating their religious laws, even though those laws required death by stoning for some offenses. However, Jesus was found innocent by the Romans. Also notice that Jesus was convicted by the Jews for claiming to be God, a claim they considered to be blasphemous, but was in fact true. Therefore, because the Jews weren’t permitted to execute Him, they insisted that the Romans carry out the execution for them.

Paul also tells us here that those who persecute Christians are not pleasing to God. But couldn’t God have stopped the persecution? Couldn’t He have prevented the crucifixion of Jesus? The answer, of course, is “yes” to both these questions. However, God had a purpose for both the crucifixion of Jesus and the persecution of Christians.

 

Application

If you are suffering as a Christian, it doesn’t necessarily mean that God is displeased with you. It may be that He is allowing it so that you will become a stronger Christian. Thank Him for it!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 2:15 – Suffering Is Good?

Posted on by Will

who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men,

Truth to Learn

Persecution and suffering can make us stronger Christians.

Behind the Words

The word translated “killed” is from the Greek verb apokteinō. This word is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from,” used here as an intensifier and kteinō meaning “to slay” or “to kill.” Apokteinō means “to kill outright.” This word indicates an intentional killing rather than an accidental killing.

“Prophets” is transliterated (bringing a word from one language directly into another) from the word prophētēs. This word is made up of pro, meaning “before in time or location” and phēmi, meaning “to show or make known one’s thoughts.” Thus, prophētēs can mean “one who tells something before it happens” or “one who makes a proclamation in front of others.”

The word “persecuted” is from ekdiōkō. It is made up of ek, meaning “out” or “out of,” used as an intensifier and diōkō, meaning “to pursue or persecute.” Therefore, ekdiōkō means “to drive out” or “to banish.” This word implies a stronger persecution than that which is spoken of in Romans 12:14.

Enantios is the word translated “contrary.” It is made up of en, meaning “in” and antios, meaning “set against.” It is a picture of an army in the field set in battle array against an opposing army. It is sometimes translated “opposed to” or “opposite.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul told the Christians in Thessalonica that they had become like the Christians in Judea because they suffered at the hands of the people of their own country. He reminds us here that the Jews killed their own Messiah as well as many of their own prophets. In the book of Acts, Peter described the killing of Jesus this way:

Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; (Acts 2:23)

Some people argue that Jesus was not killed by the Jews, but by the Romans. The reason for this is that under Roman law the Jews were not permitted to execute anyone for violating their religious laws, even though those laws required death by stoning for some offenses. However, Jesus was found innocent by the Romans. Also notice that Jesus was convicted by the Jews for claiming to be God, a claim they considered to be blasphemous, but was in fact true. Therefore, because the Jews weren’t permitted to execute Him, they insisted that the Romans carry out the execution for them.

Paul also tells us here that those who persecute Christians are not pleasing to God. But couldn’t God have stopped the persecution? Couldn’t He have prevented the crucifixion of Jesus? The answer, of course, is “yes” to both these questions. However, God had a purpose for both the crucifixion of Jesus and the persecution of Christians.

Application

If you are suffering as a Christian, it doesn’t necessarily mean that God is displeased with you. It may be that He is allowing it so that you will become a stronger Christian. Thank Him for it!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 10:21 – Patient and Merciful God

Posted on by Will

Romans 10:21 – Patient and Merciful God

But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Truth to Learn

God continues to reach out to even the most stubborn and rebellious sinner.

Behind the Words

The words “stretched out” are translated from ekpetannumi, which is made up of ek, meaning “from” or “out” and a form of petomai, meaning “to fly.” So literally it means “to fly out from.” By analogy it means “to stretch out” or “to stretch forth.”

“Disobedient” is from the Greek word apeithēs, which is made up of a, a negative particle and a form of peithō, meaning “to persuade, to convince, or to make someone believe.” Thus we see that apeithēs means “unwilling to be persuaded, unbelieving, or disobedient.”

The word “contrary” is translated from antilegō, which is composed of anti, meaning “against” and legō, meaning “to speak.” Hence, antilegō means “to speak against” or “to be argumentative.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul quoted Isaiah 65:1 to establish the doctrine that God would, in fact, call the Gentiles to salvation. In the current verse Paul now quotes from Isaiah 65:2 in order to establish clearly that not only is God going to call the Gentiles, He is also going to reject the Jews, but only after extreme patience with them.

The most important things that we can learn from this verse, however, are not just that He rejected the Jews and received the Gentiles; rather, they are a couple of things for us to know about our God. In Paul’s quotation Isaiah is speaking for God when he says, “I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts.”

The first thing we can learn about God from this is that He is long suffering. In this verse he says “all day long” which implies that not just for a single day but for an extended length of time God was, and is, willing to put up with our sinfulness and lack of interest in Him. The second thing we can learn about God is that He has an attitude of entreaty and a willingness and desire to receive rebellious sinners into His favor. This is indicated by the notion of His stretching forth His hands.

This does not mean that God doesn’t care about our attitude toward Him. Clearly, He wants us to submit ourselves to His authority and rule, and He wants us to commit to a way of life that pleases Him. But it does mean that when we fail in our attempts to be who and what He wants us to be, He is patient and understanding of us, waiting for us to confess our sinfulness so as to restore our fellowship with Him. This is all the more reason why we should be grateful to Him for his grace and His mercy.

Application

Just remember what our ultimate destination would be if He wasn’t patient and merciful and He gave us what we truly deserve! Thank you, God, for Your patience, Your mercy, and Your grace!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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