hagiadzo – Ministry of Grace Church

Tag: hagiadzo

Romans 15:16 – Ministerial Calling

Posted on January 17, 2019 by Will

that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be well received, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Truth to Learn

Christians are called to a ministry of proclaiming the gospel message to everyone.

Behind the Words

The word translated “minister” is not the word most often translated minister (diakonos); rather, it is the Greek word leitourgos, which is a compound word made up of leitos, meaning “of the people” and a form of ergon, meaning “work.” Thus, we see that this word refers to a public servant, one who works for the people.

“Ministering” is translated from yet a different word. It is the Greek word hierourgeō, which is also a compound word. It is made up of hieron, meaning “a temple” and a form of ergon, meaning “work.” Hence, it refers to sacred work. It is the word that is used of the service that a priest did in the temple in Jerusalem offering up sacrifices to God for the people.

The word translated “well received” is euprosdechtos, which is made up of eu, meaning “good or well” and a form of prosdechomai, meaning “to receive” or “to accept.” So, it refers to something that is especially well accepted.

“Sanctified” is from a form of hagiadzō, which means “to be taken from common usage and used for the service of God.” The basic meaning is “to be set apart.” It is usually translated as “sanctified” or as “holy.”

Meaning Explained

This verse is the continuation of what Paul was saying in the previous verse. You will recall that he is explaining why he was so bold in his comments to the Christians in Rome. Combining the last part of the previous verse and the first part of this verse, we see he is saying, “because of the grace given to me by God that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.”

Paul is well aware of the ministry to which he has been called by the grace of God, the ministry of apostleship to the Gentiles. But in Paul’s humble manner he does not claim to be the apostle to the Gentiles, instead he calls himself a minister, one who works for the common people, a public servant.

And, according to Paul, his responsibility in this position is “ministering the gospel of God;” that is, he was performing the sacred work of presenting the gospel of God in a clear and understandable manner for the Gentiles.

In other words, Paul is saying he is a public servant of Jesus Christ, doing the sacred work of the gospel of God. He is proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles so that their offerings will be particularly well acceptable to God through the purifying work of the Holy Spirit. Paul is not serving himself, he is serving God and he is serving the Gentiles to whom he is delivering the message of salvation through faith.

Application

And we who are saved by the blood of Christ, are also ministers of the gospel of God. It is our responsibility to carry the gospel to others, proclaiming this salvation that is available to all who will believe. It is a ministry to which God has called us all. Are you serving God and others? Are you fulfilling your ministry of proclaiming the gospel to those around you?

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 3:15 – Godly Fear

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Will

But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

Truth to Learn

Standing firm in your faith is more important than giving in to the fear of what might be done to you by someone else.

Behind the Words

The word translated “sanctify” is the Greek word hagiadzō which means “to make holy or pure” or “to set apart.” But, the root of the word is hagos, which means “an awful thing” or “a fearful thing.” As Peter uses the word here, he appears to be saying, “set apart in your heart the Lord Christ as fearful.”

“Christ” is transliterated from the Greek word christos. Some Greek texts use the word theos (God), although the best texts use the word christos. Christos means “the anointed one,” which we transliterate to the word Christ. It is equivalent to the Hebrew word mashiach, which we transliterate to Messiah.

The word “defense” is translated from apologia, from which our English word “apology” was originally derived. However, it doesn’t mean to ask forgiveness for a wrong done, rather it means “to give an answer or speech in defense of oneself.” In this verse it means to give an explanation for the hope that we have because of our faith in Jesus Christ.

Meaning Explained

Peter has just told us that we are blessed if we suffer for doing good and that we should not be afraid of their terror (those who would threaten us because of our faith). In today’s verse, Peter is making a play on words with regard to the notion of fear. He says, “don’t fear or be troubled by them [those who would threaten you], but put the fear of Christ the Lord in your hearts.” Part of the reason I think this is Peter’s meaning is because the opening phrase of this verse is a quote from Isaiah.

The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread. (Isaiah 8:13) [NIV]

The remainder of today’s verse tells us that we need to always be ready to give a reason for our hope to anyone who asks us, and to do so with meekness and fear. We know that our God is both holy and just. That means that He is pure and fearsome Himself and that He will judge evil. We also know that we have been saved and set-apart from that judgment through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ and, as a result, we have a hope that others in this world don’t have. That hope, and the fear of God which goes along with it, should be so evident in our lives, especially when we are suffering for doing what is right, that others will want to know how we can keep such an attitude in the midst of our suffering.

Peter may have even been thinking of a specific martyr of the early church, perhaps Polycarp, one of the early church fathers and a disciple of the Apostle John. As he was about to be killed for his refusal to deny Christ and offer obeisance to the Roman emperor, Polycarp said:

"Fourscore and six years have I served Him [Christ], and he has done me no harm. How then can I curse my King that saved me? Bring forth what you will."

Application

If you were being threatened with death for refusing to deny Christ as your Savior, would you be able to stand forth confidently and make a profession like Polycarp?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:26 – A Holy Cleansing

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Will

that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her with a bath of water by the word,

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ gave His life to sanctify and cleanse His bride.

Behind the Words

“He might sanctify” is translated from the Greek verb hagiadzō, which is based on hagios, which is based on hagos, meaning “that which inspires awe.” The basic meaning of hagios is “that which is set apart from common use to be used in the service of God.” Hagios is sometimes translated “holy” or “sanctified,” so hagiadzō means “to make holy,” “to purify,” or “to set apart for God.”

“Having cleansed” is translated from katharidzō, meaning “to cleanse” or “to purify.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it is translated as “having cleansed.”

The word translated “bath” is loutron, which refers to “a bath.” It is from the verb louō, meaning “to bathe” or “to wash.”

“Word” is from rhēma, which is derived from rheō, meaning “to speak.” Rhēma, therefore, refers to “a spoken word” or a statement. Here it probably is a reference to the Word of God.

Meaning Explained

This is one of those verses that has been hotly debated for centuries. Some believe that the expression “cleanse it with the bath of water” is a reference to baptism. The problem with this interpretation is that baptism is a symbolic act done as a witness to the cleansing which has already taken place. Also, keep in mind that this verse is a description of what Christ has done for His bride, the church. If we combine today’s verse with yesterday’s verse, we can see that Paul says:

… just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her with a bath of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:25-26)

This is given as an example of how Christ loved His bride; He loved her so much that He gave His live for her. He died on the cross so that He might sanctify his bride, that He might separate her (us) from the family and world of Satan. And, He sanctified her (us), having already cleansed her (us) with a bath of water by the word. The cleansing that Paul is talking about occurred before the sanctification. He says that this cleansing is like a water bath, but it was performed by the Word of God. After all, it was the Word, the gospel message, by which we were saved and washed clean from our sins.

In ancient times it was quite common for the bride of a king to undergo a lengthy cleansing and purification period, including baths in perfumed water, before being presented to the king at the wedding ceremony (see Esther 2:12 and Ezekiel 16:7-14)

Application

Husbands, Jesus Christ loved us (his bride) so much that He gave His life to sanctify and cleanse us. Following His example, we should also be willing to do everything possible to protect and care for our bride, to keep her pure and holy.

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:2 – A Letter to You

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Will

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

Truth to Learn

The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to all Christians of all ages.

Behind the Words

Ekklēsia is the Greek word translated “church.” This word is made up of ek, meaning “out” and a form of the verb kaleō, meaning “to call.” It literally refers to “the called out ones.” Originally, this word referred to an assembly of citizens who were called out by civil authorities. It is used throughout the New Testament, however, to refer to the church, either a local assembly or the world-wide church.

“Sanctified” is translated from the Greek verb hagiadzō, which is based on hagos, meaning “that which inspires awe.” The basic meaning of hagiodzō is “to set apart from common use as something without blemish to be used in the service of God.”

The word “saints” is from the same root as hagiadzō. It refers to someone whom God has declared to be without sin.

“All” is translated from the Greek word pas, which carries the idea of “oneness and a totality of the whole.”

Meaning Explained

Paul wrote this letter to the ekklēsia in Corinth. Ekklēsia is roughly equivalent to the word sunagōgē (synagogue), which specifically refers to “those who have been gathered together.” However, sunagōgē is used in the New Testament to refer to a gathering of people of the Jewish faith. Early in the life of the New Testament church, the gathering of Christian believers was referred to as an episunagōgē to distinguish it from a gathering of Jews only. The term ekklēsia was first used by Christ as recorded in Matthew’s gospel (Matthew 16:18, 18:17) and is used by all of the other New Testament writers with the exception of Mark.

Paul says that we are “called saints.” This does not simply mean that we are referred to as saints, but that we are saints who have been “called” or “appointed” as saints by God. In the New Testament, Christians are often referred to as saints. It means that God has set us apart from the rest of humanity because He has declared us to be righteous, or without sin. In the third chapter of Romans, Paul goes to great lengths to explain that although we are all sinners, the price of that sin has been paid by the blood of Christ and, as a result, we who believe have the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. As part of granting us that righteousness, God set us apart for His use; therefore, all believers are saints. It is not an act of the church or a pronouncement from the Pope that makes us saints; it is a pronouncement of God.

Paul specifically wrote this letter to the saints in Corinth, but he makes it very clear in today’s verse that the teaching in this letter is to all Christians. In his address he says, “with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” This means that if you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then this letter was also written to you.

Application

As we take our daily walk through this letter from the Apostle Paul, keep in mind that he wrote it to you!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 5:26 – A Holy Cleansing

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Will

that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ gave His life to sanctify and cleanse His bride.

Behind the Words

The word translated “and” does not appear in the Greek text, so it probably shouldn’t appear in the translation.

“Cleanse” is from katharidzō, meaning “to cleanse” or “to purify.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it should be translated as “having cleansed.”

The word translated “washing” is loutron, which refers to “a bath.”

A literal translation of this verse could be “that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her with a bath of water by the Word.”

Meaning Explained

This is one of those verses that has been hotly debated for centuries. Some believe that the expression “cleanse her with the washing of water” is a reference to baptism. The problem with this interpretation is that baptism is a symbolic act done as a witness to the cleansing which has already taken place. Also, keep in mind that this verse is a description of what Christ has done for His bride, the church. Paul says:

… just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify her having cleansed her with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:25-26)

This is given as an example of how Christ loved His bride; He loved her so much that He gave His live for her. He died on the cross so that He might sanctify his bride, that He might set her (us) apart from the family and world of Satan. And, He sanctified her (us) “having already cleansed her (us) with a bath of water by the word.” The cleansing that Paul is talking about occurred before the sanctification. He says that that cleansing is like a water bath, but it was performed by the Word of God. After all, it was the Word, the gospel message, by which we were saved and washed clean from our sins.

Application

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 15:16 – Ministerial Calling

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Will

Romans 15:16 – Ministerial Calling

that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Truth to Learn

Christians are called to a ministry of proclaiming the gospel message to everyone.

Behind the Words

The word translated “acceptable” is euprosdechtos, which is made up of eu, meaning “good or well” and a form of prosdechomai, meaning “to receive” or “to accept.” So, it refers to something that is especially well accepted.

Meaning Explained

Application

And we, too, who are saved by the blood of Christ, are ministers of the gospel of God. It is our responsibility to carry the gospel to others, proclaiming this salvation that is available to all who will believe. It is a ministry to which God has called us all. Are you serving God and others? Are you fulfilling your ministry of proclaiming the gospel to those around you?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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