marturion – Ministry of Grace Church

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2 Thessalonians 1:10 – Return In Glory

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Will

when He comes to be glorified among His saints on that Day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.

Truth to Learn

Christ is coming in glory to judge and to rule.

Behind the Words

“To be glorified” is translated from the verb endoxadzō, which is made up of en, meaning “in” and the verb form of doxa, which means “glory.” Thus, endoxadzō means “to be enveloped in glory” or “to appear glorious.”

Hagios is the word translated “saints.” It 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.” Therefore, hagios is sometimes translated “holy” or “sanctified.” All Christians have been set-apart from the world and set-apart to God, which is precisely the meaning of the word “saint.” In the Bible this term does not refer to someone who has been declared to be a saint by the church, but someone who has been declared righteous by God.

“To be marveled at” is from the Greek verb thaumadzō, which is based on the noun thauma, meaning “a wonder.” Thaumadzō means “to be filled with admiration or astonishment.”

The word “testimony” is translated from marturion, which refers to “a declaration of witness” or “a testimony.”

Meaning Explained

Paul has been talking about God’s righteous judgment of grace toward believers and eternal suffering for unbelievers. In the previous verse he talked about the penalty that unbelievers will pay in eternal blazing fire and the complete absence of the presence of God. Now Paul tells us when these events will be brought about.

We can all look around us and see non-believers who reject God and everything He represents, but they seem to be successful and prospering in this world. At the same time we see faithful Christians who are undergoing persecution and suffering. We need to keep in mind, however, that this world system is controlled by Satan, whom Paul calls “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who is now working in the sons of disobedience” in Ephesians 2:2.

One day soon Jesus Christ is going to return to judge Satan and the world he controls. This is the day that Paul refers to as the Day of the Lord. It actually will not be just a single twenty-four hour period; it will be a period of time that includes the Great Tribulation, the return of Christ, His millennial reign, and the final judgment. Throughout scripture it is portrayed as a day of judgment, but it will also be a day of blessing and a day in which Christ will be glorified because He will be seen for who He really is.

This is what Paul is describing in today’s verse. When Jesus Christ returns at the end of the Great Tribulation to set-up His kingdom on earth, we who have believed the gospel message (along with all the Jews who truly believe in the returning Messiah) will admire His glorious appearance.

Application

The testimony of believers, both in word and in deeds, proclaims the truth of God and the promise of His return. That message gives hope to believers and gives warning to unbelievers. Proclaim your faithful testimony ‘till He comes!

In God's service, for His glory,

James 5:3 – Your Treasury Focus

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Will

Your gold and silver are corroded, and their rust will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.

Truth to Learn

What we view as treasure indicates where our heart’s desire is.

Behind the Words

“Corroded” is translated from the Greek verb katioō, which is made up of kata, meaning “down” and the verb form of ios, meaning “rust” or “corrosion.” Hence, it means “to rust down” or “to rust away completely.” This verb is expressed in the perfect tense; therefore, its meaning is, “Your gold and silver have rusted away and are now completely corroded.”

“Witness” is from marturion, which is the noun form of the verb martureō, meaning “to give testimony” or “to be a witness.”

The words “heaped up” are translated from thēsauridzō, which is the verb form of thēsauros, meaning “treasure” and from which we get our English word Thesaurus, meaning a treasury of words. The word thēsauridzō, therefore, refers to the stockpiling or treasuring up of goods simply for the pleasure of having it.

The Greek word translated “last” is eschatos, which is a superlative meaning “final” or “extreme last.” The study of prophesy of future things and the last days of mankind is known as eschatology.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse James talked about the perishable items which rich people were storing up and how such hoarding is futile because these riches will rot and become moth eaten. Now he talks about two of the precious metals which are most often used for coinage. They are used for this purpose because, among other things, they resist corrosion. Gold, in its purest form in fact, does not corrode at all and silver only slightly.

Does God not understand chemistry? Is James mistaken? Since gold and silver don’t corrode, and even if they did they would not eat flesh like fire, this passage must be viewed metaphorically. James is saying that, in a spiritual sense, any gold and silver that is hoarded will waste away and produce a cancerous effect on those who rely on such “riches.”

And, based on the verses that will follow, it appears that James is alluding to the final judgment of mankind. At that Great White Throne, Jesus will condemn the rich people for the way they have obtained their wealth and for hoarding it to themselves rather than using it for the good of mankind and the furtherance of God’s kingdom.

Application

We can’t take our earthly wealth with us when we appear before our God, but we can lay up treasures in heaven by utilizing the wealth, talent, and time that God has given us on this earth for Godly purposes. What we do with our possessions is a direct indication of where our heart truly is. Christ Himself said it this way in Matthew 6:19-21:

Do not treasure up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust do corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But treasure up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not dig through and steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Where is your heart?

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 2:1 – Not Eloquent Preaching

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Will

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.

Truth to Learn

Paul did not depend on eloquence to get his message across.

Behind the Words

The words “when I came” are from the verb erchomai, meaning “to come” or “to go.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it could be translated as “having come.”

“Excellence” is translated from the Greek word huperochē. This word is based on the verb huperechō, which is made up of huper, meaning “above” and echō, meaning “to have” or “to hold.” Huperechō, therefore, means “to hold above,” “to make prominent,” or “to hold oneself as superior to others.”

Katangellō is the verb translated “declaring.” It is made up of kata, used as an intensifier and angellō, meaning “to deliver a message.” Thus, katangellō means “to declare a message openly and with authority.”

The word translated “testimony” is marturion, which refers to “a witness” or “a testimony.” However, the best Greek texts have the word musterion. It is based on the verb mueō, which means “to close” or “to initiate.” It is an allusion to the mystery religions of the day where secret knowledge was revealed only to those who have been initiated into the religion.

Meaning Explained

Having spent the better part of chapter one on the divisions within the Corinthian church, Paul now will contrast the mode and style of his preaching with those of worldly preachers. It appears that the Christians in Corinth were attracted to eloquent, philosophical preachers who tickled the ears of the congregation with well-turned phrases and rhetorical devices.

That had not been Paul’s purpose or method, however. His own method of preaching may have seemed base or lacking in style, but he stayed true to the content of his preaching. You may recall from the introductory notes on this letter, that Corinth was an exceedingly rich and wicked city. The members of the Corinthian church had grown up amidst such worldliness and had a difficult time letting go of their worldly ways. Because of this, they were attracted to the type of people and the style of teaching that was a hallmark of Greek society.

Please don’t misunderstand the message here. Paul is not condemning those who are gifted preachers. We even noted in our discussion of 1 Corinthians 1:27, that Paul used a well-constructed rhetorical argument to refute the supposed wisdom of the Greek orators and philosophers of that day. However, what he is declaring here is that the message is far more important than the methods of preaching. Paul’s method and message are to simply and plainly declare his testimony, or witness, concerning Jesus Christ.

Paul’s preaching and teaching were singularly focused on Jesus Christ and the implication for all mankind of His death and subsequent resurrection. He avoided philosophical arguments and, as we will learn in tomorrow’s verse, preached “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

Application

What is it that you appreciate about the messages you hear at your church every week? Is it the humorous stories you hear, the captivating style of the preaching, or is it the messages centered on the truths of the Bible and Jesus Christ crucified?

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:6 – Testimonial Gifts

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Will

even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,

Truth to Learn

Spiritual gifts are an indication of true salvation, but only when they are used in the proper manner.

Behind the Words

The words “even as” are translated from the Greek word kathōs, This word is made up of kata, meaning “down” but used metaphorically to express a relationship between two things (“according as”) and hōs, meaning “how.” Thus kathōs expresses a similarity in manner between two things. It is often translated as “even as, like as, or like how.”

Marturion is the word translated “testimony.” It is from the noun martureō, meaning “to give a witness” or “to give a testimony.” Therefore, marturion refers to “a testimony, evidence, or a proof.”

“Confirmed” is from the word bebaioō, which is indirectly based on the verb bainō, meaning “to go.” Bebaioō literally means “to have gone to a fixed location.” In other words, it means “to be made certain or secure.”

Meaning Explained

As we mentioned a couple of verses back, Paul is about to give the Christians in Corinth some very stern teaching regarding several issues that existed in the church. One of the issues was that there were divisions forming in the church and they were behaving like children rather than mature Christians. In fact, in chapter three Paul says this of the Corinthian Christians:

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? (1 Corinthians 3:1-3)

Before delivering his “tough love” message, however, Paul is pointing out to them the incredible gifts that God has given them. He reminded them of the gracious gift of salvation that they received in spite of the fact that they (and we) didn’t deserve it. Then, in yesterday’s verse, Paul reminded them of the wealth they have in the ability to understand the deep truths about God in Jesus Christ and the ability to proclaim these truths, even in miraculous ways.

These miraculous ways of proclaiming the gospel through the gifts of the spirit were evidence that they truly were saved and that God’s grace had been bestowed on them. This is the manner in which “the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.” In other words, it is the presence of, and proper use of, the spiritual gifts that serves as a testimony (a witness) of genuine salvation. Now, can these signs be faked? Yes, of course. We read in Exodus 7:11 that the magicians of Pharaoh produced the same signs that Moses and Aaron demonstrated. Even so, in the New Testament church there are counterfeits. The difference is that the true sign gifts are used for the glory of God and the counterfeits are used for the glory of man, producing confusion rather than order as Paul will point out in 1 Corinthians 14:40.

Application

We were all given spiritual gifts when we were saved. We are to use these gifts for the building up of the body of Christ to bring attention to God, not to ourselves.

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Thessalonians 1:10 – Return In Glory

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Will

when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

Truth to Learn

Christ is coming in glory to judge and to rule.

Behind the Words

“To be admired” is from the Greek verb thaumadzō, which is based on the noun thauma, meaning “a wonder.” Thaumadzō means “to be filled with admiration or astonishment.”

The word “testimony” is translated from marturion, which refers to “a declaration of witness” or “a testimony.”

Meaning Explained

We can all look around us and see non-believers who reject God and everything He represents, but they seem to be successful and prospering in this world. At the same time we see faithful Christians who are undergoing persecution and suffering. We need to keep in mind, however, that this world system is controlled by Satan, whom Paul calls “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” in Ephesians 2:2.

Application

In God's service, for His glory,