Tag: nepios

Romans 2:20 – Giving Truth Away

Posted on by Will

an instructor of foolish ones, a teacher of infants, having the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

Truth to Learn

We have the truth and we are to freely give it away.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “instructor” is the Greek word paideutēs, which is the verb form of paidagogos, from which we get our English word “pedagogue” meaning “an instructor.”

“Foolish ones” is translated from the Greek word aphronos, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “without” and a form of phrēn, which metaphorically refers to “the mind” or “intellect.” Hence, aphronos means “someone without intelligence.”

The word translated “infants” is the Greek word nēpios, which literally means, “someone without words” or “someone who can’t speak.” In Biblical Greek it refers to “a baby.”

“Form” is a translation of morphōsis, which means “an appearance or an impression.” Today, when we see a computer simulation of an image changing gradually into another we say that one image has been “morphed” into the other. The appearance of the first has been changed into the appearance of the other.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul has been describing the arrogance of the Jewish Christians who believed themselves to be justified in that arrogance since they were Jews, descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; since they had the Law, the Holy Scriptures; and since they could know the will of God and could distinguish the good from the bad through the instruction they had from the Law. Because of all these things, they believed themselves to be spiritual guides to the spiritually blind Gentiles, and they believed themselves to have the light of the truth for the world.

In today’s verse Paul is saying that the Jewish Christians in Rome also believed themselves to be instructors and teachers of the unintelligent and the immature. Several verses back Paul said that the Jewish Christians in Rome were arrogant, and he implied that he was going to deal with that pride. Paul is now setting them up for a rude awakening. You see, any devout Jew or Jewish Christian would be nodding in agreement with Paul in these verses because they knew what Paul has been saying is the truth.

Paul now starts to turn the tables on them. In the last part of today’s verse he says that they “have the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law.” It would be clear to Paul’s readers that he was not saying that they possessed knowledge and truth from the Law but that they simply appeared to have them, while in reality they didn’t have them at all.

In the next verse Paul will begin to do a little toe stompin’ as he points out the problem with this Jewish arrogance.

 

Application

As we have said before, there is no place for arrogance among Christians. We are servants of His Majesty, the King of Kings. Our responsibility is to humbly proclaim His truth to the world. He has entrusted His truth to us, and we are not to hoard it but to freely give it away.

How much of His truth have you given away lately?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 2:7 – Caring Like Mothers

Posted on by Will

But we became gentle among you, just as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.

Truth to Learn

Christian service should demonstrate love and care for others.

 

Behind the Words

“Gentle” is translated from the Greek word nēpios, which is made up or nē, meaning “not” and epos, which refers to “a spoken word.” Thus, nēpios literally means “one who does not speak.” Its common usage is a reference to “infants,” that is, “those who have not yet learned how to talk.” On many Greek manuscripts, however, this word appears as ēpios, meaning “one who is gentle, easy, or mild.” This seems to make more sense in the reading of this verse.

The words “among you” are from the Greek en mesō humōn, which literally translates to “in the midst of you (plural).” This implies a more intimate interaction between the apostles and the people of Thessalonica.

Trophos is the word translated “nursing mother.” It is derived from the verb trephō, meaning “to nourish, feed, or nurture.” It generally refers to “a nurse, someone who nurses an infant.” In classical Greek it was often used to indicate “a mother.”

“Tenderly cares for” is from the verb thalpō, which literally means “to make warm.” Figuratively, it means “to brood over, to foster, or to cherish.”

The word “children” is translated from the Greek noun teknon. This is based on the verb tiktō which means “to bear a child,” thus teknon refers to “an offspring” or “a child.”

 

Meaning Explained

In defense against false accusations, Paul has been telling the Christians in Thessalonica what the true intentions of the apostles had been while they ministered there. In the previous verse he said that they didn’t lay heavy burdens on the people to whom they ministered.

In Behind the Words we noted that there is a variation in this verse. Some manuscripts have nēpios (infants) while others have ēpios (gentle ones). Paul says that they were like a nursing mother who tenderly takes care of her children. It doesn’t make sense that he would say the apostles were children in the midst of those people and at the same time say that they were like a mother. So, his message is, instead of laying heavy burdens on the people, he and his co-workers were gentle and treated the Thessalonians with the same tender love and concern that a mother does for her own children.

Paul may have been making a reference to Moses’ complaint when he referred to himself as a nursing mother to Israel:

Did I conceive all these people? Did I give birth to them, that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,' to the land which You swore to their fathers? (Numbers 11:12)

One of the hallmarks of Paul’s (and Moses’) ministry was that he performed his responsibilities out of his love for God and his concern for the welfare of those to whom he ministered.

 

Application

All of our service for God should be done out of our love for Him and our desire to gently help others to become more Christ-like. This is the heart of a true servant of God.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 4:14 – Doctrinal Trickery

Posted on by Will

that we should no longer be infants, being tossed and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men in craftiness, with the methodology of error,

Truth to Learn

False teaching appears deceptively easy and attractive.

 

Behind the Words

Nēpios is the Greek word translated “infants.” It is made up of nē, meaning “not” and epos, meaning “a word.” Thus, nēpios literally means “on who can’t speak.” By application it refers to a baby but metaphorically it means “one who is extremely immature or unlearned.”

“Tossed” is from kludōnidzomai, which means “to surge” or “to be tossed by the wind.”

The words “carried about” are translated from the verb peripherō, which is made up of peri, meaning “around” and pherō, meaning “to bear” or “to carry.” Thus, literally it means “to carry around.” It is expressed here in the passive participle. It could be translated “being carried around.”

“Wind” is the proper translation of the Greek word anemos. Metaphorically it is often used as an indication of instability.

“Doctrine” is from didaskalia, meaning “that which is taught.”

The word “trickery” is translated from kubeia, a form of kubos (from which we get our English word cube) referring to one of a pair of dice. Kubeia is often used to imply “deception” or “trickery.”

“Craftiness” is from panourgia, from pas (all) and ergon (work). It refers to “the use of all means necessary (often deceptive) to realize an end.”

The word “methodology” is from methodeia, from which we get our English word “method,” referring to “an orderly procedure.”

Planē is the word translated “error.” It refers to “a wandering out of the right way.”

 

Meaning Explained

As we can see from his vividly descriptive words, Paul feels strongly about this. He has been telling us why it is important for all of us to be at work in the church using the gifts that God has given us to build-up the body of Christ. In yesterday’s verse he told us we all work to gain a full knowledge of Jesus Christ, to be full grown, mature Christians.

The reason that we need to be spiritually mature and have full knowledge of our Lord and Savior is so that we won’t be misled by those who teach false doctrine. Unfortunately, there are those in our churches today who want to teach their truth rather than God’s truth. These men (and women) use subtle trickery to persuade others to believe their false teaching. They often have a “method” which is carefully thought out but which does not ultimately lead to knowledge of the truth.

Those who are taught to detect counterfeit money don’t study all the tricks of counterfeiting. Instead, they are taught in detail how to recognize the real thing. In order for us to recognize false teaching, we need learn good, Bible-based teaching.

 

Application

If the preaching you listen to is not encouraging you to seek out the truth from what the Bible says, then it may be deceptive teaching. Becoming a mature Christian is hard work. You don’t get there by just going through the motions. If what you hear about being a Christian sounds easy, it’s probably a lie. Find out for yourself – study your Bible to protect yourself.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Corinthians 3:1 – Eternal Babies

Posted on by Will

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.

Truth to Learn

Some Christians don’t grow in their relationship with Christ.

Behind the Words

The word “could” is translated from a form of dunamis, meaning “to be able” or “to have power or authority.”

“Speak” is from laleō, which refers to the use of words in speech or writing. It is a reference to the ability to communicate rather than the quality of it.

“Spiritual” is translated from pneumatikos. It describes those who exist in the spiritual realm, as opposed to the physical realm. It refers to those who communicate with the God of creation. Therefore, pneumatikos describes those who have a spiritual relationship with God.

Sarkinos is the Greek word translated “carnal.” It is based on the word sarx, which refers to the flesh of a living creature. Thus, sarkinos refers to those who live in the realm of the flesh as opposed to those who live in the realm of the spirit.

The word “babes” is from the Greek nēpios, which is made up of nē, meaning “not” and a form of epō, meaning “to speak.” Hence, nēpios literally means “non-speaking.” It is equivalent to the Latin infans (an infant). So, we see that nēpios refers to someone who is like an infant who hasn’t yet learned to speak.

Meaning Explained

In the previous chapter, the Apostle Paul compared the “natural man” to “the spiritual man.” The natural man is one who does not have God’s Spirit (a non-Christian). As a result, he (or she) lives under the influence of the sin nature, rather than the influence of the Spirit of God.

In today’s verse Paul introduces a third type of person, “the carnal man.” This person is barely distinguishable from the natural man because both the natural man and the carnal man are controlled by the flesh (human nature). A carnal Christian is in a most unhappy condition. He or she has been given the Holy Spirit of God as a guide, but does not communicate with the Spirit or, at best, ignores what the Spirit says.

A carnal Christian is further described by Paul as an infant in Christ. Let me point out that there is nothing wrong with being an infant in Christ – if you have recently been “born again.” Every Christian starts out as an infant in Christ. Here Paul is referring to Christians who haven’t grown in their Christian life. For whatever reason, they have decided to remain a baby and not grow in their relationship with God.

Unfortunately, we see this kind of Christians all around us. These “Sunday morning Christians” come to church wearing their Sunday-morning-go-to-church clothes, they sing the songs, they sit patiently (sometimes) while the preacher gives his message, then they walk out and live like the devil the rest of the week. Christianity is easy for them. They don’t have to put any work into it and they typically don’t suffer from spiritual attacks. Our enemy doesn’t have to attack them because they are infants who don’t pose any threats.

Application

Christianity may seem easy to the carnal Christian, but he or she is missing out on the rich blessings of a close personal relationship with the God of creation. Where are you today, my friend? Are you still a baby Christian, or are you growing?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

 

Ephesians 4:14 – Doctrinal Trickery

Posted on by Will

that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

Truth to Learn

False teaching appears deceptively easy and attractive.

Behind the Words

Nēpios is the Greek word translated “children.” It is made up of nē, meaning “not” and epos, meaning “a word.” Thus, nēpios literally means “on who can’t speak.” By application it refers to a baby but metaphorically it means “one who is extremely immature or unlearned.”

“Tossed to and fro” is from kludōnidzomai, which means “to surge” or “to fluctuate back and forth.”

The words “carried about” are translated from the verb peripherō, which is made up of peri, meaning “around” and pherō, meaning “to bear” or “to carry.” Thus, literally it means “to carry around.” It is expressed here in the passive participle. It could be translated “being carried around.”

“Wind” is the proper translation of the Greek word anemos. Metaphorically it is often used as an indication of instability.

“Doctrine” is from didaskalia, meaning “that which is taught.”

The word “trickery” is translated from kubeia, a form of kubos (from which we get our English word cube) referring to one of a pair of dice. Kubeia is often used to imply “deception.”

“Cunning craftiness” is from panourgia, from pas (all) and ergon (work). It refers to “the use of all means necessary (often deceptive) to realize an end.”

Planē is the word translated “deceitful.” It refers to “a wandering out of the right way.”

The word “plotting” is from methodeia, from which we get our English word “method,” referring to “an orderly procedure.”

Meaning Explained

As we can see from his vividly descriptive words, Paul feels strongly about this. He has been telling us why it is important for all of us to be at work in the church using the gifts that God has given us to build-up the body of Christ. In yesterday’s verse he told us we all work to gain a full knowledge of Jesus Christ, to be full grown, mature Christians.

The reason that we need to be spiritually mature and have full knowledge of our Lord and Savior is so that we won’t be misled by those who teach false doctrine. Unfortunately, there are those in our churches today who want to teach their truth rather than God’s truth. These men (and women) use subtle trickery to persuade others to believe their false teaching. They often have a “method” which is carefully thought out but which does not ultimately lead to knowledge of the truth.

Those who are taught to detect counterfeit money don’t study all the tricks of counterfeiting. Instead, they are taught in detail how to recognize the real thing. In order for us to recognize false teaching, we need learn good, Bible-based teaching.

Application

If the preaching you listen to is not encouraging you to seek out the truth from what the Bible says, then it may be deceptive teaching. Becoming a mature Christian is hard work. You don’t get there by just going through the motions. If what you hear about being a Christian sounds easy, it’s probably a lie. Find out for yourself – study your Bible to protect yourself.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.