Tag: exoutheneo

Romans 14:3 – Food or Service?

Posted on by Will

Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat condemn him who eats; for God has received him.

Truth to Learn

Don’t despise or judge fellow Christians, serve God!

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “despise” is the Greek word exoutheneō, a variation of exoudenoō. This is made up of ex, meaning “out” or “out of,” and oudeis, which means “not even one” or “nothing.” Thus, exoutheneō literally means “to throw out as nothing, to treat as insignificant, or to despise.”

“Condemn” is from the Greek verb krinō, which literally means “to separate” or “to distinguish between good and evil,” that is, “to make a judgment.” As it is used in this verse, it means “to make a condemning judgment about someone else.”

“Received” is from proslambanō, which we looked at a couple of verses ago. In its purest form it means, “to take to oneself.” It is expressed here in the middle voice, indicating action done by the subject (God) to Himself. That is, He was not given the one in question, but has taken him to Himself.

 

Meaning Explained

In Paul’s admonition to the Roman Christians, he has pointed out that some of them believe that there are restrictions on eating certain foods based on the Law of Moses. These are primarily Christians who have been converted from Judaism. Others, Paul says, believe that all foods are permissible to be eaten. He has advised the church that it is good to admit to the fellowship those Christians who are weak in the faith but it is not good to get into arguments about minor issues like which kinds of foods are permissible.

He now goes on to admonish those who are on opposite sides of this issue to be very careful about their attitudes towards each other. He tells the ones who feel no prohibitions about what foods they eat not to “despise” those who think that only certain foods are acceptable. Paul also tells those who follow the Mosaic dietary restrictions not to “judge” those who feel free to eat all kinds of food. These two words are aptly chosen by Paul as Gentiles have a tendency to treat Jews as insignificant or unimportant (to despise them), and Jews have a tendency to judge others because they themselves have for so many years been judged by the Law.

So what we see here is Paul’s discernment, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that we all have tendencies which we have learned and which are not born out of love but out of prejudice. We Christians are not to pre-judge anyone out of our selfish prejudices, rather we are to treat all people with love. (Remember the end of the previous chapter?) Instead of condemning other Christians because they practice their Christianity in ways different from our own, we should join together to learn what the Spirit of God teaches us all through His Word of Truth.

 

Application

Regarding what kinds of foods Christians can eat, it doesn’t matter who’s “right.” That’s missing the whole point. Remember that the night is almost over and He is coming soon. Forget about what food is proper or what color the sanctuary carpet should be. Proclaim the gospel and build up the body of Christ. Serve God and serve your fellow Christians!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:20 – Foretelling or Forth-telling?

Posted on by Will

Do not despise prophecies.

Truth to Learn

Christians should only believe a preacher or teacher if their message is completely supported by what the Bible says.

 

Behind the Words

The word “despise” is translated from the Greek verb exoutheneō. It is made up of ek, used as an intensifier and the verb outheneō, meaning “to treat as nothing.” In general usage exoutheneō means “to despise” or “to treat something as if it has no value.” As in the previous verse, in the Greek text the word mē (not) precedes the verb which is in the present tense and the imperative mood. Therefore, the text means “stop despising prophecies” or “stop treating prophecies as if they have no value.”

“Prophecies” is transliterated (brought straight over from Greek to English) from the noun prophēteia. It is made up of pro, meaning “before, in time or position” and a form of the verb phēmi, meaning “to tell.” The verb form of this word can refer either to foretelling (telling something before it happens) or forth-telling (declaring a message to others). In Hebrew, the word translated prophecy is based on the word stem nābā, which simply means “to speak by divine inspiration, either in prediction or simple discourse.” Likewise, the word transliterated “prophecy” in the New Testament means “to speak by divine inspiration.”

 

Meaning Explained

There is much confusion in the Church today regarding the gift of prophecy. Many people believe that prophecy only refers to telling something before it happens. However, even in the Old Testament, the messages of the prophets contained as much, if not more, about the present than they did about the future.

The Old Testament prophets were delivering messages that came from God to the people. Similarly, in the New Testament church the value of a prophetic message is that it is inspired by God. In the Old Testament, many of the messages of the prophets became part of the written word of God. Today, however, we have a completed Word of God (the Bible) and do not need any new revelation by prophets (such as predicting the future). For that reason, a New Testament prophet today is not a foreteller, only a forth-teller.

In the Old Testament, the messages of the prophets had to always be true. If their forth-telling was contrary to the written Word of God or if their foretelling was not 100% accurate 100% of the time, they were declared to be a false prophet and they were to be stoned to death. Likewise, in the church age, if the message of a prophet does not agree completely with the Bible, that prophet is a false prophet and none of his messages are to be believed.

In today’s verse Paul declares that we are to stop considering prophecies to be of no value. Certainly, if someone claiming to have the gift of prophecy contradicts the Bible, he is not to be believed. But someone who truly has the gift of prophecy today is declaring God’s word and should be listened to, not ignored.

 

Application

Whenever we are listening to a message from a preacher or learning something from a Bible teacher, we need to search the Scriptures to validate whether what they are saying is true or not. Don’t believe any message from a preacher or teacher unless it is fully supported by the Bible. Be like the Christians of Berea of whom it was said:

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11)

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Corinthians 1:28 – The Non-People

Posted on by Will

and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

Truth to Learn

God chose the lowly, non-people to be His.

Behind the Words

“Base things” is the translation of the Greek noun agenēs. This word is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without” and genos, meaning “a nation or a race of people.” Thus, agenēs means “non-people.” In common usage it refers to people who are considered base or ignoble. It is the opposite of someone who is born of noble blood.

The word “despised” is from the neuter form of exoutheneō. This word is made up of ex, meaning “out or out of” (used as an intensifier) and a form of oudeis, meaning “nothing.” Therefore, exoutheneō means “to treat someone or something as if it has absolutely no value at all.”

“Things which are not” is translated from mē onta. Mē is a particle of negation, meaning “not” and onta is a form of eimi which is the verb of being (I am, you are, it is, etc.). Hence, mē onta literally means “things that don’t exist.” It is a Hebraism that Jews us to refer to Gentiles.

Katargeō is the Greek verb translated “bring to nothing.” It is made up of kata, meaning “down,” used as an intensifier and argeō, meaning “to cause to be ineffective or useless.”

Meaning Explained

In verse twenty-seven, the Apostle Paul gave a description of the type of people the world considers important, pointing out that God has called very few of them. Then in yesterday's verse he began a description of the type of people that God intentionally called to Himself. This included the fools of the world and the weak people of the world.

In today’s verse he gives three more descriptions of the type of people that God has called to Himself. The first is “the base things of the world.” These are people who were not born into rich, powerful, aristocratic families. They enter life with nothing and are given little opportunity to improve their lot in life. They are looked down at by the upper class and are considered of little value. In fact, in Paul’s second description, they are “despised,” treated as if they have no value at all.

The third description in this verse of God’s chosen people is “things which are not.” This is an even lower class of people than “the base things of the world.” A classic example of what Paul is referring to is seen in India today. The lowest class in their caste system is referred to as “the untouchables” or Dalits. They are considered less than human. They are not allowed to drink from the same wells, attend the same temples, or wear shoes in the presence of the upper class. They are non-people.

God specifically focused his calling on these people for a purpose. That purpose is to demonstrate to those who think themselves to be something special, that they are really the non-people from God’s perspective.

Application

In the eyes of the world, most Christians are weak, foolish, ignorant non-people. But in God’s eyes we are His special children for whom He sacrificed His Son. One day we shall sit with our Lord as He judges the rich, powerful, and proud people of this world and they will see who is really weak and foolish. And God will receive all the praise and all the glory.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

1 Thessalonians 5:20 – Foretelling or Forth-telling

Posted on by Will

Do not despise prophecies.

Truth to Learn

Christians should only believe a preacher or teacher if their message is completely supported by what the Bible says.

Behind the Words

The word “despise” is translated from the Greek verb exoutheneō. It is made up of ek, used as an intensifier and the verb outheneō, meaning “to treat as nothing.” In general usage exoutheneō means “to despise” or “to treat something as if it has no value.” As in the previous verse, in the Greek text the word mē (not) precedes the verb which is in the present tense and the imperative mood. Therefore, the text means “stop despising prophecies” or “stop treating prophecies as if they have no value.”

“Prophecies” is transliterated (brought straight over from Greek to English) from the noun prophēteia. It is made up of pro, meaning “before, in time or position” and a form of the verb phēmi, meaning “to tell.” The verb form of this word can refer either to foretelling (telling something before it happens) or forth-telling (declaring a message to others). In Hebrew, the word translated prophecy is based on the word stem nābā, which simply means “to speak by divine inspiration, either in prediction or simple discourse.” Likewise, the word transliterated “prophecy” in the New Testament means “to speak by divine inspiration.”

Meaning Explained

There is much confusion in the Church today regarding the gift of prophecy. Many people believe that prophecy only refers to telling something before it happens. However, even in the Old Testament, the messages of the prophets contained as much, if not more, about the present than they did about the future.

The Old Testament prophets were delivering messages to the people that came from God. Similarly, in the New Testament church the value of a prophetic message is that it is inspired by God. In the Old Testament, many of the messages of the prophets became part of the written word of God. Today, however, we have a completed Word of God (the Bible) and do not need any new revelation by prophets (such as predicting the future). For that reason, a New Testament prophet today is not a foreteller, only a forth-teller.

In the Old Testament, the messages of the prophets had to always be true. If their forth-telling was contrary to the written Word of God or if their foretelling was not 100% accurate 100% of the time, they were declared to be a false prophet and they were to be stoned to death. Likewise, in the church age, if the message of a prophet does not agree completely with the Bible, that prophet is a false prophet and none of his messages are to be believed.

In today’s verse Paul declares that we are to stop considering prophecies to be of no value. Certainly, if someone claiming to have the gift of prophecy contradicts the Bible, he is not to be believed. But someone who truly has the gift of prophecy today is declaring God’s word and should be listened to, not ignored.

Application

Whenever we are listening to a message from a preacher or learning something from a Bible teacher, we need to search the Scriptures to validate whether what they are saying is true or not. Don’t believe any message from a preacher or teacher unless it is fully supported by the Bible.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 14:3 – Food or Service?

Posted on by Will

Romans 14:3 – Food or Service?

Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.

Truth to Learn

Don’t despise or judge fellow Christians, serve God!

Behind the Words

The word translated “despise” is the Greek word exoutheneō, a variation of exoudenoō. This is made up of ex, meaning “out” or “out of,” and oudeis, which means “not even one” or “nothing.” Thus, exoutheneō literally means “to throw out as nothing, to treat as insignificant, or to despise.”

“Judge” is from the Greek verb krinō, which literally means “to separate” or “to distinguish between good and evil,” that is, “to make a judgment.” As it is used in this verse, it means “to make a condemning judgment about someone else.”

“Received” is from proslambanō, which we looked at a couple of verses ago. In its purest form it means, “to take to oneself.” It is expressed here in the middle voice, indicating action done by the subject (God) to Himself. That is, He was not given the one in question, but has taken him to Himself.

Meaning Explained

In Paul’s admonition to the Roman Christians, he has pointed out that some of them believe that there are restrictions on eating certain foods based on the Law of Moses. These are primarily Christians who have been converted from Judaism. Others, Paul says, believe that all foods are permissible to be eaten. He has advised the church that it is good to admit to the fellowship those Christians who are weak in the faith but it is not good to get into arguments about minor issues like which kinds of foods are permissible.

He now goes on to admonish those who are on opposite sides of this issue to be very careful about their attitudes towards each other. He tells the ones who feel no prohibitions about what foods they eat not to “despise” those who think that only certain foods are acceptable. Paul also tells those who follow the Mosaic dietary restrictions not to “judge” those who feel free to eat all kinds of food. These two words are aptly chosen by Paul as Gentiles have a tendency to treat Jews as insignificant or unimportant (to despise them), and Jews have a tendency to judge others because they themselves have for so many years been judged by the Law.

So what we see here is Paul’s discernment, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that we all have tendencies which we have learned, which are not born out of love but out of prejudice. We Christians are not to pre-judge anyone out of our selfish prejudices, rather we are to treat all people with love. (Remember the end of the previous chapter?) Instead of condemning other Christians because they practice their Christianity in ways different from our own, we should join together to learn what the Spirit of God teaches us all through His Word of Truth.

Application

Regarding what kinds of foods Christians can eat, it doesn’t matter who’s “right.” That’s missing the whole point. Remember that the night is almost over and He is coming soon. Forget about what food is proper or what color the sanctuary carpet should be. Proclaim the gospel and build up the body of Christ. Serve God and serve your fellow Christians!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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