Tag: loipos

2 Thessalonians 3:1 – Pray For God’s Glory

Posted on by Will

As to the rest, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it has with you,

Truth to Learn

Our prayers need to focus on God’s glory, not our own.

 

Behind the Words

“As to the rest” is translated from loipos, meaning “that which remains,” “as to the rest,” or “finally.”

The word translated “pray” is proseuchomai, which is made up of pros, meaning “to” or “towards” and euchomai, which literally means “to speak out, to utter aloud, or to express a wish.” Therefore, proseuchomai means “to express a wish to someone” or “to speak out to someone.” In virtually every occurrence of this verb in the New Testament, the person being spoken to is God. The verb is expressed here in the imperative mood, expressing a command.

The words “may run swiftly” are from the verb trechō, meaning “to run.” The word “swiftly” has been added for clarity, indicated by its being written in italics. The emphasis here is for fast action. It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood, indicating possibility or probability.

The Greek verb doxadzō is translated as “be glorified.” The root of this word is doxa, which we saw in 2 Thessalonians 2:14, meaning “reputation, praise, honor, or splendor.” Thus, doxadzō means “to give praise” or “to give honor.”

 

Meaning Explained

The main purpose of this second letter from the Apostle Paul to the Christians in Thessalonica was to clear up some false teaching in the church regarding the Day of the Lord. Having finished that portion of his teaching, Paul then prayed that God might comfort them and strengthen them in their faith.

Paul is ever mindful of the necessity and power of prayer. His letters are filled with prayers for others and prayer requests for himself and his companions. So, after having prayed for the Thessalonians, he now asks them to pray for him. We might wonder why the eminently successful apostle frequently asks for prayer, until we realize that the reason for his success is partly a result of these prayers. He knows that whatever success he has is not because of how great he is, but how great God is.

Notice, now, that the object of Paul’s prayers is never his own glorification, but that God might be glorified. In fact, if you read 2 Corinthians chapter twelve, you will see that he did not like to boast about himself, even though he had experienced visions and had been given revelations directly from God. As a matter of fact, he realized that God had allowed an affliction which Paul called his “thorn in the flesh” in order to keep him humbly focused on God and His glory. Paul pleaded with the Lord several times for his infirmity to be removed but recognized that God allowed it to keep him from getting too proud of himself. He even learned to boast about his infirmity, knowing that it was for God’s glory.

In his current prayer request, Paul asks the Thessalonian Christians to pray that the word of the Lord might move quickly. He wanted the gospel message to travel far and wide so that many souls might be saved, resulting in glory to God.

 

Application

Think about your own prayer requests. When you ask others to pray for you, is it so that you will feel better or so that you will be successful? Are your prayer requests focused on God being glorified, or are they focused on you? Ouch! That hurts.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 6:10 – Be Made Strong!

Posted on by Will

Finally, my brothers, be strengthened in the Lord and in the power of His strength.

Truth to Learn

Christians need to prepare for spiritual warfare.

 

Behind the Words

The word “finally” is translated from loipos, meaning “that which remains.” There is some variation in Greek manuscripts as to whether this should be “for the rest” or “as to the rest.” Either way, this expression is an introduction into Paul’s final teaching in this letter.

The words translated “my brothers” do not appear in the better Greek manuscripts, so these should probably be excluded.

“Be strengthened” is from the Greek verb endunamoō, which is a compound word made up of en, meaning “in” and a form of dunamis (from which we get our English word dynamite), meaning “power” or “strength.” Endunamoō means “to make strong.” It is expressed here in the passive voice and imperative mood, so it is a command to “have yourself be made strong.”

“Power” is from the Greek word kratos, which refers to “power that is demonstrated or shown.”

The word translated “strength” is ischus, which is composed of is, meaning “strength” and echo, meaning “to have.”

 

Meaning Explained

Having concluded his teaching about behavior within the body of Christ, the family unit, and the working world, Paul now gives one final word of encouragement. Actually, it is more than just an encouragement to be strong, it contains instruction on how to be strong. Paul knows that Christians are engaged in a constant battle against the forces of evil. So, like a football coach giving his team one final challenge before entering into the biggest game of the year, Paul gives a challenge to the Christians at Ephesus (and to those of us who read this letter).

His challenge is to “be made strong.” Notice that Paul did not say “make yourselves strong.” We can’t make ourselves strong, but we can do those things which will allow us to be made stronger. When I was in high school, I participated in the sport of wrestling and, because it is a sport that is partially dependent on strength, I began weightlifting. What I was surprised to learn is that lifting weights does not make you strong. In fact, if you do it correctly, lifting weights actually causes minor injuries to your muscles; it tears your muscles down. While you sleep, however, your body miraculously heals itself and adds a little more muscle where the small injuries occurred.

Similarly, I learned that losing a wrestling match actually helps you to win a match in the future. Not only do your muscles rebuild, just like with weightlifting, but with the help of a coach you discover the moves and techniques that defeated you. Then your coach teaches you how to overcome those moves and techniques.

As Paul will tell us in a couple of verses, we are in a spiritual wrestling match, whether we like it or not. In order to be victorious in these battles we need two things. We need to work our spiritual muscles, and we need to learn about the attacks of our adversary.

 

Application

Are you in the middle of a spiritual battle? Don’t be discouraged when you fall. Get up again, listen to your coach (God), learn the enemy’s attacks, and get back in the battle!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 2:3 – Wrath Avoidance

Posted on by Will

among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Truth to Learn

Before we were saved we were destined for God’s wrath.

 

Behind the Words

The word “among” is translated from the Greek preposition en, meaning “in” or “among.”

“Conducted” is from the verb anastrephō. This is made up of ana, meaning “again” and strephō, meaning “to turn.” So, literally it means “to turn again.” When used of a person it is a metaphor meaning “to live one’s life.”

Epithumia is the Greek word translated “lusts.” It is made up of epi, meaning “over” or “above” and a form of thumos, which refers to “a passion or desire of the mind.” Thus, epithumia refers to “overly strong desires.”

The word “doing” is from the Greek verb poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.” It is expressed here as a present participle, so it means “doing.”

“Desires” is translated from thelēma which refers to “an act of determination.” So, it really means more than “desires.” It means “those things which we decided to do.”

“Flesh” is from sarx, which literally refers to “the meat or flesh of a living creature.” This word is commonly used to refer to the physical part of our existence as opposed to the spiritual part.

The word “mind” is translated from dianoia which refers to “deep thought” or “imagination.”

“Nature” is from the Greek word phusis, which is derived from the noun phuō, meaning “to bring forth in birth.” It is used here as a metonym in reference to our natural inclination.

The word “wrath” is translated from orgē, which means “desire, strong emotion, anger, or wrath.”

“Others” is from the Greek word loipos, which is from the verb leipō, meaning “to lack” or “to leave something where it is.” In other words, it refers to “that which is left.” So, it could be translated as “the remainder” or “the others.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul told us that before we became Christians we lived according to the ways of the world system in which we live. Our behavior was influenced by Satan who controls those who don’t believe in Christ.

What he tells us in today’s verse is that we used to live our lives controlled by the lusts of our flesh. Another way of saying this is that we used to be controlled by our sin nature. In the book of Romans, Paul calls it our “old man,” and he tells us that we used to be the slaves of sin:

knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be nullified, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. (Romans 6:6)

Because we were controlled by our fleshly desires and our imagination, Paul says we were children of wrath just like the rest of unsaved humanity. What he means is that before we were saved, we were God’s enemies and subject to his wrath. Some Christians think of God as a vengeful God, waiting for us to slip up so He can punish us. Other Christians don’t like to think of God as vengeful and exhibiting wrath; they like to think of God as a God of love. He is both. Those who receive Jesus Christ will one day experience God’s love completely, whereas those who reject Jesus Christ will one day experience the full fury of God’s wrath.

… And He treads the winepress of the wine of the anger and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15c)

 

Application

As a Christian you still have a sin nature, but you don’t have to be controlled by it. Instead, you can submit your will to God and allow the Holy Spirit to control your life.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Corinthians 1:16 – More Baptisms

Posted on by Will

Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.

Truth to Learn

Baptism is not to be a source of bragging or arguing.

Behind the Words

The word translated “yes” is the Greek conjunction de, which is most often translated as “and” or “but.” The purpose of his use of this word here is to tie the baptisms of the household of Stephanas to those of Crispus and Gaius.

“Household” is from the Greek noun oikos which refers to “a dwelling place” or “a house.” It is used here not to refer to the physical structure, but to those who dwell there.

The word “besides” is translated from loipos, which means “that which remains” or “as to the remaining ones.”

Eidō is the verb translated “know.” It literally means “to see with perception,” that is, “to know or understand.”

Meaning Explained

You will recall that Paul is addressing the issues of divisions and factions within the church in Corinth. Apparently these divisions began with certain people claiming that they were baptized by Paul, thus making themselves out to be someone special. Therefore, Paul makes a point of the fact that he baptized very few people in that church. A couple of verses back he admitted to having baptized Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue in Corinth, and Gaius who apparently provided housing for Paul and also allowed the church to meet in his house. It is interesting that Paul mentions the household of Stephanas after his comments of the previous verse and not in the same sentence with Crispus and Gaius. It is possible that the scribe who wrote this letter as Paul was dictating it, reminded him of the household of Stephanas.

What do we know about this man named Stephanas? Very little. The only other mention of him occurs at the end of this letter where Paul refers to his household as “the firstfruits of Achaia” and indicates that he was one of the three who had come to him in Ephesus:

I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints—that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us. I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. (1 Corinthians 16:15-17)

Because of the mention of his household, some have speculated that Stephanas was the jailer who, along with his household, was converted in Philippi. This was the claim of some of the early Greek writers. However, if Stephanas was converted in Philippi (in Macedonia, northern Greece), then it is unlikely that Paul would have referred to him and his household as “firstfruits of Achaia” which is in southern Greece. It is more likely that Stephanas and his household were among the first converts in Corinth and, therefore, Stephanas was not the Philippian jailer.

Application

Baptism is an important part of any Christian’s life, but neither the mode of baptism nor the person who performed it is anything to brag or argue about.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

2 Thessalonians 3:1 – Pray For God’s Glory

Posted on by Will

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you,

Truth to Learn

Our prayers need to focus on God’s glory, not our own.

Behind the Words

“Finally” is translated from loipos, meaning “that which remains,” “as to the rest,” or “finally.”

The word translated “pray” is proseuchomai, which is made up of pros, meaning “to” or “towards” and euchomai, which literally means “to speak out, to utter aloud, or to express a wish.” Therefore, proseuchomai means “to express a wish to someone” or “to speak out to someone.” In virtually every occurrence of this verb in the New Testament, the person being spoken to is God. The verb is expressed here in the imperative mood, expressing a command.

The words “may run swiftly” are from the verb trechō, meaning “to run.” The word “swiftly” has been added by the translators, indicated by its being written in italics. The emphasis here is for fast action. It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood, indicating possibility or probability.

The Greek verb doxadzō is translated as “be glorified.” The root of this word is doxa, which we saw in 2 Thessalonians 2:14, meaning “reputation, praise, honor, or splendor.” Thus, doxadzō means “to give praise” or “to give honor.”

Meaning Explained

The main purpose of this second letter from the Apostle Paul to the Christians in Thessalonica was to clear up some false teaching in the church regarding the Day of the Lord. Having finished that portion of his teaching, Paul then prayed that God might comfort them and strengthen them in their faith.

Paul is ever mindful of the necessity and power of prayer. His letters are filled with prayers for others and prayer requests for himself and his companions. So, after having prayed for the Thessalonians, he now asks them to pray for him. We might wonder why the eminently successful apostle frequently asks for prayer, until we realize that the reason for his success is these prayers. He knows that whatever success he has is not because of how great he is, but how great God is.

Notice, now, that the object of Paul’s prayers is never his own glorification, but that God might be glorified. In fact, if you read 2 Corinthians chapter twelve, you will see that he did not like to boast about himself, even though he had experienced visions and had been given revelations directly from God. As a matter of fact, he realized that God had allowed an affliction which Paul called his “thorn in the flesh” in order to keep him humbly focused on God and His glory. Paul pleaded with the Lord several times for his infirmity to be removed but recognized that God allowed it to keep him from getting too proud of himself. He even learned to boast about his infirmity, knowing that it was for God’s glory.

In his current prayer request, Paul asks the Thessalonian Christians to pray that the word of the Lord might move quickly. He wanted the gospel message to travel far and wide so that many souls might be saved, resulting in glory to God.

Application

Think about your own prayer requests. When you ask others to pray for you, is it so that you will feel better or so that you will be successful? Are your prayer requests focused on God being glorified, or are they focused on you? Ouch! That hurts.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

Ephesians 6:10 – Be Made Strong!

Posted on by Will

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Truth to Learn

Christians need to prepare for spiritual warfare.

Behind the Words

The word “finally” is translated from loipos, meaning “that which remains.” There is some variation in Greek manuscripts as to whether this should be “for the rest” or “as to the rest.” Either way, this expression is an introduction into Paul’s final teaching in this letter.

The words translated “my brethren” do not appear in the better Greek manuscripts, so these should probably be excluded.

“Be strong” is from the Greek verb endunamoō, which is a compound word made up of en, meaning “in” and a form of dunamis (from which we get our English word dynamite), meaning “power” or “strength.” Endunamoō means “to make strong.” It is expressed here in the passive voice and imperative mood, so it is a command to “have yourself be made strong.”

“Power” is from the Greek word kratos, which refers to “power that is demonstrated or shown.”

The word translated “might” is ischus, which is composed of is, meaning “strength” and echo, meaning “to have.”

Meaning Explained

Having concluded his teaching about behavior within the body of Christ, the family unit, and the working world, Paul now gives one final word of encouragement. Actually, it is more than just an encouragement to be strong, it contains instruction on how to be strong. Paul knows that Christians are engaged in a constant battle against the forces of evil. So, like a football coach giving his team one final challenge before entering into the biggest game of the year, Paul gives a challenge to the Christians at Ephesus (and to those of us who read this letter).

His challenge is to “be made strong.” Notice that Paul did not say “make yourselves strong.” We can’t make ourselves strong, but we can do those things which will allow us to be made stronger. When I was in high school, I participated in the sport of wrestling and, because it is a sport that is partially dependent on strength, I began weightlifting. What I was surprised to learn is that lifting weights does not make you strong. In fact, if you do it correctly, lifting weights actually causes minor injuries to your muscles. While you sleep, however, your body miraculously heals itself and adds a little more muscle where the small injuries occurred.

Similarly, I learned that losing a wrestling match actually helps you to win a match in the future. Not only do your muscles rebuild, just like with weightlifting, but with the help of a coach you discover the moves and techniques that defeated you. Then your coach teaches you how to overcome those moves and techniques.

As Paul will tell us in a couple of verses, we are in a spiritual wrestling match, whether we like it or not. In order to be victorious in these battles we need two things. We need to work our spiritual muscles, and we need to learn about the attacks of our adversary.

Application

Are you in the middle of a spiritual battle? Don’t be discouraged when you fall. Get up again, listen to your coach (God), learn the enemy’s attacks, and get back in the battle!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 4:17 – New Way of Living

Posted on by Will

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,

Truth to Learn

Don’t live your life like the rest of mankind.

Behind the Words

“Testify” is translated from marturomai, a form of martus, meaning “a witness.” The verb form that we have here means “to give a testimony of that which has been witnessed.” This is the word from which we get our English word martyr, meaning “one who gives his or her life for his or her faith.”

“Walk” appears twice in this verse. In each case it is the Greek verb peripateō. This word literally means “to walk around.” Paul uses it as a metaphor for the manner in which a person lives his or her life.

Loipos is the Greek adjective that is translated “rest.” It is derived from the verb leipō, meaning “to leave” or “to be absent.” Loipos refers to “that which remains.” In today’s verse, it is a reference to “the rest of the Gentiles,” that is, those who are not part of the body of Christ.

“Futility” is from mataiotēs, which refers to “worthlessness.”

The word “mind” is translated from nous which refers to “mental perception and intelligent understanding.”

Meaning Explained

Paul has just instructed us as to why we should all be at work in the church, serving each other and building-up each other. In doing so, we experience the growth that God provides for the entire body. Each of us is specially gifted for our service and, like stones perfectly fitted together, we are an integral part of the body. Also, as we serve each other, we grow together as a unit, a single body whose head is Christ.

Therefore – Paul cautions us that we should not conduct our lives the way those outside the church do. Paul refers to these people as “the rest of the Gentiles.” If you look carefully at how Paul uses this expression, you will recognize that there are three groups of people in Paul’s teaching: Jews, Christians, and the rest of the Gentiles. Everyone who is alive right now, who has ever lived, or who will ever live is in one of these three categories. Jews and Christians worship the same God, Jehovah, the Creator of Heaven and earth. The rest of mankind rejects God. These, instead of living their lives by faith, live their lives by intellect. They think they understand the source of all things (they call it “The Big Bang”) and they think they understand how they got here (by evolution). Paul will talk a little bit more about their thinking in the next verse.

Before we leave today’s verse, however, note that Paul says that we should “no longer” live our lives like they do. That means that there was a time when we did live like that. In fact there are many Christians today who live their lives intellectually instead of faith-fully. To them Christianity is an intellectual pursuit or it is a set of rules to live by. Paul says, however, that the Christian life is a life characterized by faith.

Application

Does your life resemble a member of the world system more than a disciple of Christ? Are you living by a set of rules in hopes of pleasing God? Or, are you living each day in humble submission to God, walking by faith and giving Him all the praise and all the glory? Which do you think He wants?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.