Tag: intercession

Romans 8:34 – Our Defense Attorney

Posted on by Will

Who is he who that is condemning? Christ is He who died, and furthermore was also raised, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Truth to Learn

We are represented by the greatest defense attorney of all.

 

Behind the Words

The words “and furthermore” are from the Greek words mallon de. The word de is a conjunction that is most often translated as either “but” or “and.” It is always “post-positive,” that is, it always comes as the second word in a phrase although we translate it in English as the first word. The word mallon is an adverbial comparative which means “more than that.”

“Intercession” is from entugchanō, which means “to confer with,” but by extension it means “to speak in behalf of.”

 

Meaning Explained

Paul now makes a somewhat startling declaration. He has just told us that no one can bring anything to the charge of God’s chosen people because God has already justified us. That is, He has declared that we are righteous. Now Paul asks another of his rhetorical questions, “Who is he that is condemning?” And his answer is that Christ is the only one who can get away with condemning because he has paid for our righteousness with his blood. In fact, what Paul says regarding the only one who can get away with condemning is, “Christ is He who died.” That is Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Perfect One who died to pay for the sins of the whole world.

Christ’s death is significant for sure, but Paul adds, “and furthermore was also risen.” Christ’s resurrection is of even greater significance than His death because it is His resurrection that demonstrates that He is the Anointed One, the Christ. He is not a dead Savior, He is alive!

Paul continues with his description of Jesus as the only one who can legally condemn by saying that Christ is now “at the right hand of God,” He has already assumed the position of power over all of creation and is the One in the position of judgment. Only He can judge; only He can condemn!

But we Christians cannot be charged with any offense since God has already declared us as righteous and Paul has shown that the only one who can condemn is Christ himself (who will not condemn those of us whom the Father has already declared as righteous). But, there are some whom Christ does condemn: those who refuse his offer of salvation.

Paul now makes one final statement regarding our living Savior who is at the right hand of God. He says that Christ is the one “who also makes intercession for us.” Not only has the Father declared us righteous, but Christ is there at the heavenly court as our defense attorney making all of the legal arguments in our defense when the enemy accuses us.

However, that doesn’t mean we can sin all we want just because we’re already forgiven. If we are truly saved then we don’t want to sin and, in fact, we want to keep His commandments. That’s what John said:

And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commands. (1 John 2:3)

 

Application

Thank you Lord for saving me, for declaring me as righteous, and for defending my righteousness when I need it most!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 8:26 – Our Prayer Partner

Posted on by Will

In the same way the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Truth to Learn

The Holy Spirit knows when we don’t know what or how to pray and takes over for us, praying to the Father on our behalf.

 

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “helps” is sunantilambanomai, which is a double compound word made up of sun, meaning “together,” anti, meaning “against” or “mutually,” and a form of lambanō, which means “to take, or to hold.” Literally, this means “to take hold of another mutually as by the hand,” that is “to grasp hands with someone so as to keep them from falling.”

The word translated “weaknesses” is astheneia, which literally means “without strength” but by application means “weakness or sickness.” In the context of these verses we would have to conclude that it refers to weakness rather than sickness.

 “Intercession” is the Greek word huperentugchanō, which is made up of “huper” meaning “over” or “on behalf of” and entugchanō” meaning “to turn to” or “to appeal.” This is a legal term used to express what an attorney does when speaking in behalf of the client. As a legal representative, the attorney speaks in place of and with the authority of the client. The attorney, in fact, becomes the legal voice of his or her client.

 

Meaning Explained

You will recall that we’re talking about Christians enduring suffering during this lifetime. Paul has just said that it is our faith, the hope of future glory, which makes it possible for us to endure these sufferings. He also told us back in verse nine that the Holy Spirit dwells in us and he said that we should live by and be led by the Spirit.

We have all suffered at times because of our faith. Sometimes this suffering is so deep that we don’t know how we will ever recover. And often in those times of suffering we don’t even have the strength of faith to be able to pray or we don’t know how to pray about the situation. We may be so deep in the pit of despair that all we can do is cry out to God, “Help me, God, please!” Paul tells us that in those times of weakness, whether it is physical or spiritual, the Holy Spirit of God helps us.

He starts off this verse with, “In the same way.” Now we have to ask ourselves, “In the same way as what?” In order to answer this question we have to go back to verse twenty-three. There Paul was talking about those of us who have the Spirit of God in us groaning under our suffering until we receive our adoption and the redemption of our bodies.

Now he is telling us that in those times of suffering when we are too weak to pray (physically or spiritually), or when we are in such depression or dejection that we don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit steps in, taking our hand, and speaks to the Father for us in a manner that is unspeakable or unutterable for us. When we are groaning in weakness not knowing what to do the Spirit groans and speaks for us.

 

Application

What a blessed promise! Have you had those times when you didn’t know what or how to pray? When we are in that pit of doubt and despair, without us even asking Him, the Holy Spirit steps-in and takes over for us. Who could ask for a better prayer partner when we need it the most?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 8:34 – Our Defense Attorney

Posted on by Will

Romans 8:34 – Our Defense Attorney

Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Truth to Learn

We are represented by the greatest defense attorney of all.

Behind the Words

The words “and furthermore” are from the Greek words mallon de. The word de is a conjunction that is most often translated as either “but” or “and.” It is always “post-positive,” that is, it always comes as the second word in a phrase although we translate it in English as the first word. The word mallon is an adverbial comparative which means “more than that.”

“Intercession” is from entugchanō, which means “to confer with,” but by extension it means “to speak in behalf of.”

Meaning Explained

Paul now makes a somewhat startling declaration. He has just told us that no one can bring anything to the charge of God’s chosen people because God has already justified us. That is, He has declared that we are righteous. Now Paul asks another of his rhetorical questions, “Who is he who condemns?” And his answer is that Christ is the only one who can get away with condemning because he has paid for our righteousness with his blood. In fact, what Paul says regarding the only one who can get away with condemning is, “It is Christ who died.” That is Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Perfect One who died to pay for the sins of the whole world.

Christ’s death is significant for sure, but Paul adds, “but more than that is also risen.” Christ’s resurrection is of even greater significance than His death because it is His resurrection that demonstrates that He is the Anointed One, the Christ. He is not a dead Savior, He is alive!

Paul continues with his description of Jesus as the only one who can legally condemn by saying that Christ is now “at the right hand of God,” He has already assumed the position of power over all of creation and is the One in the position of judgment. Only He can judge; only He can condemn!

But we Christians cannot be charged with any offense since God has already declared us as righteous and Paul has shown that the only one who can condemn is Christ himself (who will not condemn those of us whom the Father has already declared as righteous). But, there are some whom Christ does condemn: those who refuse his offer of salvation.

Paul now makes one final statement regarding our living Savior who is at the right hand of God. He says that Christ is the one “who also makes intercession for us.” Not only has the Father declared us righteous, but Christ is there at the heavenly court as our defense attorney making all of the legal arguments in our defense when the enemy accuses us.

However, that doesn’t mean we can sin all we want just because we’re already forgiven. If we are truly saved then we don’t want to sin and, in fact, we want to keep His commandments. That’s what John said in 1 John 2:3.

Application

Thank you Lord for saving me, for declaring me as righteous, and for defending my righteousness when I need it most!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 8:27 – Holy Intercessor

Posted on by Will

Romans 8:27 – Holy Intercessor

Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Truth to Learn

The Holy Spirit knows what to say and how to say it when He prays to the Father for us.

Behind the Words

The word translated “searches” is the Greek verb ereunaō, which means “to investigate, explore, or make inquiry.”

“Mind” is translated from phronema, a derivative of the verb phroneō, meaning “to think or to have a mind set.” Hence, phronema means “the thinking or mindset” that is to say “the tendency or inclination of the mind.”

“Intercession” is translated from the Greek word enthugchanō. We looked at a form of this word in yesterday’s verse. It is a compound word made up of en, meaning “in” and thugchanō, which literally means “to strike an opponent with a weapon.” When these two words are combined, however, the word has the meaning of “to fall in with or in behalf of another” or “to make a defense or appeal with another person.”

The word translated “saints” is the Greek word hagios, which means “a holy one” or “sanctified (set-apart) one.” Contrary to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, you don’t have to be canonized in order to be a saint. Anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior has been justified and cleansed of all sins, has been set-apart (sanctified) by God as His own, and is referred to as a “saint” in the New Testament.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul told us that the Spirit of God within us prays for us when we are spiritually or physically weak. There are many who believe that this verse applies to us any time we are praying since, compared to God, we are always weak. But whether it is in those times when we think we are weak or at all times since we are spiritually weak compared to Him, the Holy Spirit is our perfect prayer partner.

Notice that the words “the will of” are in italics in our translation (The New King James Version). These are words inserted by the translators; there are no equivalent words in the Greek text. A more literal translation of the last phrase of the current verse would be: “because He makes intercession for the saints according to God.” That is to say, the intercessory work of the Holy Spirit is according to what God has determined, not according to our wants or desires.

When we put this all together we see why the Holy Spirit is such a perfect prayer partner. It is because He (God, who is the one who searches our hearts and knows us even better than we know ourselves) also knows what His own thinking is and, therefore, can speak directly to the Father for us in the most effective way and in perfect keeping with the will and purpose of God the Father.

Application

I have heard Christians say, “I’m not very good at praying.” What Paul is telling us is that we don’t have to be. In Phillipians 4:6 he tells us, “let your requests be made known to God.” We don’t have to use a lot of theological words, with an occasional “Thee” and “Thou” sprinkled in. We simply have to open our hearts and talk directly to God. Then, the Holy Spirit will be our interpreter, our representative to the Father.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to:

Romans 8:26 – Our Prayer Partner

Posted on by Will

Romans 8:26 – Our Prayer Partner

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Truth to Learn

The Holy Spirit knows when we don’t know what or how to pray and takes over for us, praying to the Father on our behalf.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “helps” is sunantilambanomai, which is a double compound word made up of sun, meaning “together,” anti, meaning “against” or “mutually,” and a form of lambanō, which means “to take, or to hold.” Literally, this means “to take hold of another mutually as by the hand,” that is “to grasp hands with someone so as to keep them from falling.”

The word translated “weaknesses” is astheneia, which literally means “without strength” but by application means “weakness or sickness.” In the context of these verses we would have to conclude that it refers to weakness rather than sickness.

“Intercession” is the Greek word huperentugchanō, which is made up of “huper” meaning “over” or “on behalf of” and entugchanō” meaning “to turn to” or “to appeal.” This is a legal term used to express what an attorney does when speaking in behalf of the client. As a legal representative, the attorney speaks in place of and with the authority of the client.

Meaning Explained

You will recall that we’re talking about Christians enduring suffering during this lifetime. Paul has just said that it is our faith, the hope of future glory, which makes it possible for us to endure these sufferings. He also told us back in verse nine that the Holy Spirit dwells in us and he said that we should live by and be lead by the Spirit.

We have all suffered at times because of our faith. Sometimes this suffering is so deep that we don’t know how we will ever recover. And often in those times of suffering we don’t even have the strength of faith to be able to pray or we don’t know how to pray about the situation. Paul tells us that in those times of weakness, whether it is physical or spiritual, the Holy Spirit of God helps us.

He starts off this verse with, “Likewise.” Now we have to ask ourselves, “Like what?” In order to answer this question we have to go back to verse twenty-three. There Paul was talking about those of us who have the Spirit of God in us groaning under our suffering until we receive our adoption and the redemption of our bodies.

Now he is telling us that in those times of suffering when we are too weak to pray (physically or spiritually), or when we are in such depression or dejection that we don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit steps in, taking our hand, and speaks to the Father for us in a manner that is unspeakable or unutterable for us. When we are groaning in weakness not knowing what to do the Spirit groans and speaks for us.

Application

What a blessed promise! Have you had those times when you didn’t know what or how to pray? When we are in that pit of doubt and despair, without us even asking Him, the Holy Spirit steps-in and takes over for us. Who could ask for a better prayer partner when we need it the most?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to:e-mail address