Tag: dia

Romans 8:10 – A Spirit of Righteousness

Posted on by Will

And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Truth to Learn

Because we have been declared righteous, we are alive with a life that will last eternally.

 

Behind the Words

In order to fully understand the current verse we have to look at a Greek grammatical construction known as “Correlative (or paired) Conjunctions.” That is, a pair of conjunctions that have a correlation between each other. The conjunctions are men and de. They are used in the following manner, “men (followed by the first phrase) … de (followed by the second phrase).” The effect of this construction is to say, “on the one hand (first phrase), but on the other hand (second phrase).” In today’s verse men is used before the phrase “the body is dead because of sin” and de is used before the phrase ”the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

The word translated “because of” is dia, which means “through.” As in English, this word has two meanings. The first is a preposition of motion; it implies motion through a place. The other is a preposition of instrumentality; it implies the instrument or cause of something In this situation it can be translated as “by reason of” or “because of.” In today’s verse dia is used instrumentally.

As we have mentioned before, in Biblical Greek there are three types of conditional clauses. The first class condition assumes the condition to be true and can sometimes be translated as “since,” although not always. In today’s verse Paul is speaking to Christians and is assuming “Christ is in you.”

 

Meaning Explained

What Paul says in this verse is “And if Christ is in you, (assumed to be true) on the one hand the body is dead because of sin, but on the other hand the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” In other words, if Christ is in you, that is, if you are saved, then your body is technically dead because of your sinfulness, but because you have accepted Christ as Savior, through the grace of God (who has declared you to be righteousness), your spirit is alive and you will spend eternity in the presence of God because of that righteousness.

In the next verse Paul will explain further what he means when he days that our Spirit is alive.

What he doesn’t say, but clearly implies, is that if you aren’t saved (if you don’t have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in you) then your body is still dead because of sin. But, because you are a sinner and have not been declared righteous, you have no hope of spiritual life. You will have to pay the penalty for your own sins and you will enter the presence of the Almighty as an unrighteous sinner; you are spiritually dead (now and forever).

 

Application

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then praise be to God that your entrance into His presence will not be just as a cleansed former sinner, but as an adopted son (or daughter) whom God has declared “righteous.”

This salvation that we hold so dear is not just our “get out of Hell free” card. It’s not just our “ticket into Heaven.” It is the undeserved privilege and honor of standing before our Holy God as one who has fulfilled all righteousness and one who possesses His life giving Spirit for all eternity.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 7:25 – He is Lord!

Posted on by Will

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself truly serve the law of God, but with the flesh I serve the law of sin.

Truth to Learn

Submitting to the lordship of Jesus Christ is the only way to win the battle against our sin nature.

 

Behind the Words

“Thank” is translated from the Greek word eucharisteō, which means “to express gratitude” or “to give thanks.”

The word translated “through” is dia, which can imply “motion through something” or “through the instrumentality, or by means of someone or something.” The latter is the meaning as it is used here.

“Mind” is from the Greek word nous, which refers to “intellect or mental perception.”

The word translated “flesh” is sarx, which refers to the flesh of an animal, but it is used metaphorically to refer to our physical being.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul’s initial conclusion of this entire battle between his desire to obey God and his tendency to commit sin, is now expressed in the current verse. His conclusion is that with his mind, that is, his intellect, Paul serves the Law of God. As he said back in verse 22, he (his “new man’) delights in obeying the Law of God. The regenerated part of him wants to do God’s will. But with his flesh, that is his “old man” or his sin nature, Paul says he serves the law of sin.

Paul recognizes that the part of him that he has control over is focused on serving God, but the part of himself that he cannot control is a captive slave to sin. Again, let me point out that this does not absolve Paul of the responsibility for his sin. He is still guilty of violating God’s Law and of sinning against God. The difference, as we will see in the next chapter of this epistle to the Romans, is that God has provided a way for him (and us) to be free from the condemnation of sin.

That’s why he opens this verse with, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” You will notice that it is not Jesus to whom he is thankful, but to God (the Father) and his thanks is through, or by means of, Jesus Christ. Paul recognizes that it is because of what Jesus did for him on the Cross and by his resurrection from the dead that he is able to be freed from the dominion of his sin nature. By God’s grace the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us of all unrighteousness. Hence, he thanks God through Jesus Christ. But he doesn’t stop there. You will notice that he says “through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Paul recognizes that it is through the lordship of Jesus that he is able to overcome the lordship of sin that he is battling. In other words, he recognizes that it is only through submitting his will to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Master that he finally overcomes his slavery to his own sin nature.

 

Application

Too often we hear of people who have “accepted” the gift of salvation, the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross to pay for their sins, but they have never really submitted themselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. If you have never submitted to Him as Lord and Master of your life, you have not been saved.

Are you submitted to His will? Is He truly your Lord and Master?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 3:30 – Faith for All

Posted on by Will

since it is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

Truth to Learn

God will justify anyone who comes by faith.

 

Behind the Words

The Greek word starting off this verse is different depending on which Greek text is used. Some have it as epeiper, meaning “since indeed” whereas others have it as eiper, meaning “if on the whole.” Although the epeiper is a stronger assertion, they both imply that what follows is a true statement.

The word “by” is from the Greek word ek, meaning “out of, from, or by means of.” In other words, it implies origin.

“Through” is translated from dia, meaning “through,” or “through which.” In other words, it implies instrumentality.

 

Meaning Explained

Since Paul has just demonstrated that Jehovah is the God of both the Jews and the Gentiles and that man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law, he now takes the next step in his explanation. He says that it is one God who will justify both the Jews and the Gentiles and that justification comes not from keeping the Law but through faith.

The construction of this verse is a little confusing and has been argued back and forth for centuries (in my opinion it is an example of senseless quibbling). Some say that even though the prepositions are different, they are used to express the same thing. They would interpret this phrase as, “… who will justify circumcision by faith and uncircumcision by the same faith.”

Others would argue that the Jews are justified by (out of) the faith which Abraham had and which they now also have, whereas the Gentiles must acquire such faith independently in order to receive justification through such faith. If you think that this is an unnecessary splitting of hairs, I agree with you. The point is that God will declare a person righteous based on faith, whether a Jew or a Gentile.

The two points that Paul has been making all along in this chapter are: 1 – There is no difference between Jews and Gentiles when it comes to justification, and 2 – The only way to obtain justification is by faith.

If you look back through the Old Testament you will see a number of examples where men were justified by faith. For instance, Noah believed God was going to send a flood and demonstrated that faith by building an Ark. Abraham believed that he was going to have a son even when he and Sarah were too old to have children. Moses believed God was going to release the Israelites from bondage when he went in and challenged Pharaoh to “let my people go.”

Throughout the ages, men (and women) have been saved by faith, not by works. That is precisely what Paul is teaching these Jewish Christians in Rome.

 

Application

The message of salvation is very simple: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. It’s not, believe and keep the Ten Commandments. It’s not, believe and join the church. It’s not, believe and be baptized. It’s simply “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” That’s all there is to it – just believe.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 1:21 – Eternal Hope

Posted on by Will

who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Truth to Learn

It is through Christ that we believe unto salvation, and our hope for eternity rests with God and God alone.

 

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “through” is dia which can refer to motion “through” something or it can refer to instrumentality. In this case it is the latter.

The word “believe” is from the Greek pisteuō, which means “to have faith in” or “to believe in.”

“Raised” is translated from egeirō, which means “to rouse from sleep.”  It also implies the idea of rising up from the posture of sleep. Hence, it is also used of raising someone from death.

The word translated “glory” is doxa. The root of this word is the word dokeō, which means “to think or suppose.” Hence, the word doxa principally refers to thought or opinion, especially favorable opinion. By extension it also means praise, honor, or splendor.

 

Meaning Explained

This verse must be connected with the previous verse to make complete sense. Together these two verses read:

He indeed was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in these last times because of you  who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Now we can clearly see that the “who” that begins the current verse refers to “you” which ended the last verse. In other words, those of us to whom Christ was manifest (made known) in these last days are saved through believing in Him. Throughout time, faith has been the key to being declared righteous by God. In Noah’s case it was belief that God was going to bring a flood. In Abraham’s case it was believing God’s promise that his descendents would be as innumerable as the stars in the sky. In the case of the Old Testament Jews, it was the belief that the Messiah was coming. In our case it is the belief that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that his sacrificial death on the cross paid the ransom for our sins.

It is through Christ that we believe in God because Jesus Christ in his incarnation showed God the Father to us. And, it is God the father who raised Christ from the dead to prove Christ’s deity. Also, it is God the Father who placed Christ at his own right hand and returned to Him the glory He had in eternity past. Therefore, it is through Christ, and in God the Father, that our saving faith and hope for eternity rests.

Peter makes it very clear in this verse that our hope for eternity is in God. This is clearly contrary to the belief of some that our hope for eternity is in the good works that we perform while we are here in this life.

 

Application

If you believe that it is your actions or good deeds that ensure your place in heaven, then Peter says you are wrong. He declares to us here that our faith is in Him (through Christ) and that our hope is in Him as well. Our hope is in God the Father, not in our own deeds. Think about that!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 4:6 – One Father God

Posted on by Will

one God and Father of all, the One above all, and through all, and in you all.

Truth to Learn

All Christians are united under our Father God.

 

Behind the Words

“God” is translated from the Greek word theos, from which we get our English word “theology,” meaning the study of God. The word theos was originally used by the Greeks to refer to any of their gods. In the New Testament, however, it is almost exclusively used in reference to the one true God. Theos is probably derived from the Greek word theteres, meaning “placers,” for the Greeks thought the gods were makers and disposers of all things. The ancient Greeks believed that elements had their own “placers.” Thus they had the god of fire, the god of the winds, the god of money, etc.

The word patēr is translated here as “father.” Generally in Greek, patēr refers to “the male parent.” In its plural form, however, it can refer to both father and mother or to ancestors in general.

“Above” is from the Greek preposition epi. This word can mean “above,” “over,” or “upon.”

“Through” is translated from the preposition dia, which can indicate motion through (with regard to both space and time) or instrumentality. Here it indicates motion (or presence) throughout all things.

The word translated “you” is not in the best manuscripts, so the end of this verses should read, “and in all.” Some of the older manuscripts read, “and in us all.”

 

Meaning Explained

As part of his treatise on unity within the church, Paul points out to us a few things about our God. In the previous verse we learned that we have one Lord, and in that context we saw that Jesus proclaimed “the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.” Even though we know that there are three persons in the Godhead, Paul says that He is our Lord and He is (they are) one. This is not an easy concept for our feeble human minds to comprehend. Nonetheless, God declares it to be so.

Because both the Greeks and the Romans worshipped many gods and the Roman emperors even proclaimed themselves to be gods, Paul makes it very clear now that there is only one God. Jehovah is the only true God. Keep in mind, Paul is teaching about unity within the church, so his statement that God is the Father of all should be taken in this context. Not only is Paul declaring that God is supreme over all creation, but specifically He is over all (and Father of all) in the church. Also, according to Romans chapter eight:

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God … The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God, (Romans 8:14, 16)

So, what Paul is teaching here is that God is the Father of all Christians. He also teaches us that our God is above all. Certainly, he is above all creation, but within the context of Paul’s teaching here, God is the supreme authority over all Christians. And, He permeates all parts of all Christians –  body, soul, and spirit.

Since God is the Father of all Christians, He is supreme over all Christians, and He indwells and permeates all Christians, we should act like a single unified body.

 

Application

Are all your words and actions within the church promoting unity within the body? If not, they should be!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 2:8 – God’s Gracious Gift

Posted on by Will

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Truth to Learn

Salvation by grace, through faith, is God’s gift.

 

Behind the Words

“Saved” is translated from the Greek verb sōdzō, meaning “to save, deliver, protect, or preserve from danger.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense which indicates past, completed action with an ongoing effect, where the emphasis is on the ongoing effect. Therefore this word means “in the past you were saved and as a result you are now saved.”

The word “through” is from the Greek preposition dia. This word indicates either “motion through” or “through the instrumentality of something.”

“Faith” is translated from pistis, meaning “faith or belief.” It is based on the verb peithō, which means “to persuade or to win over.” Hence, pistis is the condition of having been convinced of a truth so that the person now believes that truth.

The word translated “gift” is doron, which is derived from the verb didōmi, meaning “to give.” Thus, doron refers to “a gift,” specifically “a sacrificial gift.”

 

Meaning Explained

This is a very important verse with regard to our salvation, but there are some details that we need to investigate completely. Biblical scholars and commentators make a strong statement about the pronoun “this.” Some make the assertion that it is a direct reference to “faith.” Others claim that it is a direct reference to “saved.” Still others say that it is a direct reference to “grace.” Here’s the problem with all those claims. In Greek, any word modifying or referencing another word must agree in number and gender with the word it modifies or references.

The word translated “this” is from the Greek word touto, which is a neuter form of houtos. The nouns translated “grace” and “faith” are both feminine nouns, and the word translated “have been saved” is a participle (a verbal adjective) which is masculine. Therefore, by standard rules of Greek grammar, the word “this” cannot specifically reference any of these three words. It must, therefore, be a reference to all three. In other words, Paul is saying “that which I have just described is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” This seems to corroborate what our Lord said in John’s Gospel:

And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." (John 6:65)

And, he told his twelve disciples:

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, (John 15:16)

This is in keeping with how Paul started out this letter:

just as He [the Father] chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3)

This is a very touchy, and often contentious, concept among Christians today. In fact, it has been this way since the first Century. For if we believe in election, then what of:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone believing in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

And it shall be that everyone who shall call on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Acts 2:21 – see also Joel 2:28-32)

To this One all the Prophets witness, so that through His name everyone believing into Him will receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)

For everyone, whoever might call on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13 – see also Joel 2:32 which is quoted in this verse in Romans)

Whole chapters of theological treatises have been written to prove one or the other of these positions and it would be inappropriate for me to try to explain it in one short daily devotional study. Let me suffice it to say that we cannot fully understand the mind of God who is not bound by either space or time, except to say that both salvation by election and salvation by free will appear to conform with Biblical teaching.

 

Application

Now, having said all that, let me simply point out that this precious salvation is not something that we have earned. We did not do anything in and of ourselves to obtain it. According to Paul in today’s passage, salvation and the faith that procured it are a gift of God’s grace. They are a gift which He freely gave to us, simply because He decided to give it. Thank you, God, for our salvation through faith by your grace!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 2:4 – Abundant Mercy

Posted on by Will

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

Truth to Learn

Because of God’s mercy we don’t get what we deserve. It’s not fair, it’s mercy!

 

Behind the Words

The word “rich” is translated from plousios, which is the condition of having ploutos, meaning “wealth or riches, in money or possession.” Figuratively, it means “to have an abundance of something.”

“Mercy” is from the Greek noun eleos. This word refers to “sorrow over the misfortune of others, which disposes a person to overlook personal offenses and to treat an offender better than he or she deserves.” It is sometimes translated as “compassion.”

“Because of” is a translation of the Greek preposition dia, which means “through, either positionally or instrumentally.” In the current verse it means that God’s mercy is a result of His love.

The adjective “great” is from polus, meaning “much or many.” This is not a measure of size. That would be the Greek word megas. Polus is a measure of quantity or magnitude.

The words “love” and “loved” are from the same root, agapē. This word refers to a kind of love in which the lover is focused on that which will do the most good for the loved one. It is a self-sacrificing love which places the good of the loved one above the good of self.

 

Meaning Explained

In the past few verses the Apostle Paul has been describing how we were dead in sin before we were saved. Our manner of life was controlled by Satan and his world system. We followed the lusts of our flesh and we were deserving of the full weight of God’s wrath.

Here he goes on to describe how all that was changed. The instrument of our change, freedom from the bondage of sin, was God, Himself. We know how rich our God is. In the fiftieth chapter of Psalms we are told that he owns the cattle on a thousand hills (in the Old Testament wealth was measured by how many animals you owned). Paul now tells us that His wealth is not just in material things; He also has an abundance of mercy, that is, He is rich in mercy. Because of this mercy, we Christians will not receive from God the wrath that we truly deserve. Instead, He will be compassionate and merciful toward us.

This mercy that God shows to us is an outgrowth of His love. This love and mercy are so great toward us that He forgives us of all our sins (past, present, and future). Throughout the Bible, forgiveness means more than removal of blame. It includes completely forgetting the offending act. In fact, in the book of Psalms, as a description of God’s forgiveness, we are told:

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalms 103:12)

We learn in Romans that the penalty for our sins is death. Instead of our death, however, God gave up the life of His Son, who did not deserve death, as the ransom to set us free from death. Because we Christians have accepted Christ’s blood as the payment for our sins, God has forgiven, forgotten, and completely cast away our sinful acts.

 

Application

The next time you complain to God that things are not fair, that you are not getting what you deserve, remember that what you deserve is death and the wrath of God. However, because of His mercy and His great love with which He loved us, He has forgiven our sins and has given us eternal life. Our response to His mercy should be gratitude demonstrated by a life of submission to Him. Let’s take a few minutes right now and thank God for His mercy. Let’s recommit to serving Him out of a heart of gratitude.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Corinthians 3:5 – Leader or Servant?

Posted on by Will

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?

Truth to Learn

A pastor leads by being an example of a humble servant.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “who” is tis, an interrogative pronoun meaning “who?” The oldest manuscripts, however, have the word ti, meaning “what?” Either one makes sense grammatically, but ti (what) makes more sense in context.

“Ministers” is from the Greek noun diakonos. This is the word from which we get our English word “deacon.” It refers to someone who serves, like a waiter serving a meal.

The word translated “through” is dia. In reference to a location, it refers to motion through a place. In reference to time, it refers to a continuance of time. When it is used in regard to a person or his action, it refers to that person and his action as being the instrument through which the objective is achieved.

Pisteuō is the Greek verb translated “believed.” It means “to be firmly persuaded about something,” that is, to believe or have faith in something. It is expressed here in the aorist tense, indicating past action that occurred at a point in time.

“Each one” is from the Greek word hekastos (from hekas, meaning “separate”). It refers to “each one” or to “everyone.” In the case of “everyone,” it implies specific application to each one separately, not to the group as a whole.

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse serves as a transition from Paul’s teaching regarding divisions in the church to teaching about serving God for the purpose of building up the church. As we previously pointed out, Paul is using himself and Apollos as the two specific people that might be seen as leaders of the church in Corinth because they are the two who have done most of the pastoring in that church. Later in this letter we will learn that Paul is about to send Timothy to take over the ministry there.

Before sending him, however, Paul needs to ensure that the members of the Corinthian church recognize that whoever serves in the capacity of pastor or teacher is not doing so as a “leader” but as a “servant.” It is true that the pastor of any local church has some leadership responsibilities. However, it is not his job to become a ruler or even a figurehead for the church.

Paul tells the Corinthians (and us) that the person who oversees the operation of a local church and who provides regular teaching from God’s Word is not a political or religious leader. This man is simply a servant, a conduit of blessing through whom God speaks to the members of the local assembly. He also tells us that these “ministers” serve in the church in accordance with the gifts that each one was given. In other words, it is God who gave Paul the ability to simply and plainly lay out the plan of salvation, it is God who gave Apollos the ability to speak eloquently, and it is God who gives salvation to everyone who believes. By declaring strong allegiance to one man over another, the Christians in Corinth were, in effect, giving individual men credit for what God and God alone has done and is doing.

Application

The position of church pastor is one of the most difficult and thankless jobs a man could have. He is to lead the people without being their leader. He is to be a conduit of God’s blessing and an example to all of how a servant is to behave.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

Ephesians 4:6 – One Father God

Posted on by Will

one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Truth to Learn

All Christians are united under our Father God.

Behind the Words

“God” is translated from the Greek word theos, from which we get our English word “theology,” meaning the study of God. The word theos was originally used by the Greeks to refer to any of their gods. In the New Testament, however, it is almost exclusively used in reference to the one true God. Theos is probably derived from the Greek word theteres, meaning “placers,” for the Greeks thought the gods were makers and disposers of all things. The ancient Greeks believed that elements had their own “placers.” Thus they had the god of fire, the god of the winds, the god of money, etc.

The word patēr is translated here as “father.” Generally in Greek, patēr refers to “the male parent.” In its plural form, however, it can refer to both father and mother or to ancestors in general.

“Above” is from the Greek preposition epi. This word can mean “above,” “over,” or “upon.”

“Through” is translated from the preposition dia, which can indicate motion through (with regard to both space and time) or instrumentality. Here it indicates motion (or presence) throughout all things.

The word translated “you” is not in the best manuscripts, so the end of this verses should read, “and in all.” Some of the older manuscripts read, “and in us all.”

Meaning Explained

As part of his treatise on unity within the church, Paul points out to us a few things about our God. In the previous verse we learned that we have one Lord, and in that context we saw that Jesus proclaimed “the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Even though we know that there are three persons in the Godhead, Paul says that He is our Lord and He is one.

Because both the Greeks and the Romans worshipped many gods and the Roman emperors even proclaimed themselves to be gods, Paul makes it very clear now that there is only one God. Jehovah is the only true God. Keep in mind, Paul is teaching about unity within the church, so his statement that God is the Father of all must be taken in this context. Also, according to Romans chapter eight:

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God … The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (Romans 8:14, 16)

So, what Paul is teaching here is that God is the Father of all Christians. He also teaches us that our God is above all. Certainly, he is above all creation, but within the context of Paul’s teaching here, God is the supreme authority over all Christians. And, He permeates all parts of all Christians –  body, soul, and spirit.

Since God is the Father of all Christians, He is supreme over all Christians, and He indwells and permeates all Christians, we should act like a single unified body.

Application

Are all your words and actions within the church promoting unity within the body? If not, they should be!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 2:18 – Three In One

Posted on by Will

Ephesians 2:18  – Three In One

For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Truth to Learn

All three persons of the Godhead have a part in our salvation.

Behind the Words

“Through” is translated from the Greek preposition dia, which indeed means “through.” As in English, it can mean motion through something or it can refer to something as the instrument of action, which is how it is used in the current verse.

The word translated “both” is amphoteros. This is the comparative form of amphi, meaning “around.” It can mean either “each of two things” or “both of two things.”

“Access” is from prosagōgē, which is made up of pros, meaning “forward to” or “toward” and a form of agō, which means “to lead” or “to bring.” So, literally, prosagōgē refers to “something that has been brought near;” that is, “something or someone that has permission to draw near.”

The word “Spirit” is pneuma, which is derived from the verb pneō, which means “to breath hard” or “to blow.” Pneuma, therefore, refers to “a current of air” or, figuratively, “a spirit.”

Meaning Explained

Before we get into this verse, let’s do a little review to properly set the stage for today’s verse. Paul began his current train of thought back in verse eleven, where he reminded us that we Gentiles were previously called “the uncircumcision” by the Jews. Because we were not circumcised, we were excluded from the spiritual nation of Israel, which meant that we were not included in the covenant of promise (that a Messiah would come and save Israel). Therefore, we did not have a relationship with God and we were without hope of salvation.

In fact, Paul tells us that we were far away from God. Not only were we a long way away, but there was a wall between us and the chosen nation of Israel so that we were prevented from getting near to God. And – there was hostility between us and the children of Israel. At that time, the only way for a person to get close to God was to adopt the Jewish faith and become circumcised, thereby committing to be bound by all the requirements of the law.

God, in His infinite wisdom, however, has made a way for us to be at peace with our Jewish brothers and to be at peace with God. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, the wall has been broken down, we have peace with our Jewish brothers, and we have peace with God. Jesus, who was completely man and completely God, lived a life without sin, perfectly fulfilling the law. He is righteous! On the cross, Jesus offered up His perfect life as payment for our sins. All who believe and accept that payment have their sins forgiven and are credited with the righteousness of Christ. This is the Gospel message of peace.

Now, therefore, through Jesus Christ, both Jews and Gentiles have access to God the Father by the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit.

Application

As you can see, all three persons of the Godhead have a part in our salvation. The Father called us, The Son shed His blood for us, and the indwelling Holy Spirit gives us access. Thank you, God, for a perfect plan of salvation.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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