Tag: prisoner

Ephesians 4:1 – Serve One, Serve All

Posted on by Will

Therefore, I, the prisoner of the Lord, encourage you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

Truth to Learn

We are all called to serve in God’s church.

 

Behind the Words

“Prisoner” is from desmios, which is derived from the verb desmeō, meaning “to bind.” Thus, desmios means “someone in bonds” or “a prisoner.”

The word “encourage” is translated from the Greek verb parakaleō, which is made up of para, meaning “to the side of” or “near” and kaleō, meaning “to call.” Therefore, we can see that literally this word means “to call near.” In usage, the basic meaning is “to comfort,” “to encourage,” or “to challenge.”

“Walk” is from peripateō. This is made up of peri, meaning “around,” “through,” or “with respect to” and pateō, meaning “to walk.” This Greek word means “to walk around.” It is used as a metaphor of how a person lives his or her life.

The word “calling” is klēsis, which is derived from kaleō, “to call.” It refers to “an invitation.”

“You were called” is translated from the verb kaleō, “to call.” It is expressed in the aorist tense indicating past completed action which occurred at a point in time (not a process).

 

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul starts off this verse reminding his readers that he is a prisoner of the Lord. This is very similar to the way he started off the previous chapter. There, he did so to introduce his ministry to the Gentiles and the mystery regarding the church. Here, he reminds them that he is a prisoner, because he is about to challenge his readers to live a life that is characterized by service to others rather than serving self. As a prisoner, he is a supreme example of this.

Most of the first three chapters of this letter were focused on teaching doctrine. In the remainder of the letter, Paul focuses on duty. Another way to say this is, previously he taught us what to believe; now he will teach us how to behave.

As you can see from Behind the Words, in this verse Paul uses several forms of the word kaleō (to call). This is typical Pauline style. He likes to play on words like this as a device to drive home his message. He is in prison because God called him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, thus angering religious Jews who thought he was perverting Judaism. He was more concerned with serving God than he was with protecting himself. In fact, before his final trip to Jerusalem, where he was arrested, he was told by a prophet that he would end up in chains:

And [the prophet Agabus] coming to us and taking Paul's belt and binding his hands and feet, said, "The Holy Spirit says this, In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' " (Acts 21:11)

Paul was totally dedicated to the ministry to which he had been called, in spite of the warning from other mature spiritual people. Now he will be challenging us to be just as dedicated to the ministry to which each of us has been called.

 

Application

Every Christian has been called by God to serve within the body of Christ. Each of us has a function to perform for which God has specifically gifted us. There is no excuse for any of us not to be serving. Are you performing the ministry to which you have been called by God?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 3:1 – A Serving Stone

Posted on by Will

Because of this I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—

Truth to Learn

Serving God as part of His kingdom is a very high calling.

 

Behind the Words

“Because of this” is translated from the Greek words toutou charin. The first of these, toutou, is a form of touto, meaning “this” and charin means “on account of,” “because of,” or “for the sake of.” So, we have translated the opening phrase as “Because of this.”

“Prisoner” is from desmios, which is derived from the verb desmeō, meaning “to bind.” Thus, desmios means “someone in bonds” or “a prisoner.”

The words “Christ Jesus” are transliterated from the words christou iēsou. The interesting thing to note here is that Paul adds the definite article tou (the). Therefore, this could be translated as “the Christ, Jesus.”

 The second use of the word “for” in this verse is translated from huper, which means “above” or “over.” As used here it means “for the sake of” or “for the benefit of.”

Ethnos is the Greek word translated “Gentiles.” We looked at this in the previous chapter. It refers to any group or race of people. It is what Jews have historically called anyone who was not a Jew. Paul uses this term in reference to two different groups of people. Sometimes, he uses it, like the Jews do, in reference to anyone who is not a religious Jew (as he is in this verse). Sometimes, however, he uses this word in reference to a non-Christian.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul starts out this verse (and this chapter) with “Because of this.” So, we have to ask ourselves, “Because of what?” Well, what has he just been talking about? Beginning in verse eleven of the previous chapter, Paul taught us that before Christ came, we Gentiles were without a savior, we were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and we were not included in the covenants that God made with Israel. Basically, we were without hope. But now, because of Christ, we are no longer strangers and foreigners, we are fellow citizens with the saints of old and we are part of God’s household. And – we are part of God’s temple, which is being built with the lives of all who are saved. In short: we were lost, we are now saved and part of God’s family, and God has a purpose for us in His kingdom.

Because of this, Paul wants to give us further instruction. However, a strange thing happens starting in this verse and continuing through verse thirteen. In these verses Paul gets sidetracked with an explanation and justification of his own ministry (his position as a foundation stone in the temple of God). So, to learn the rest of “Because of this” we have to go to verse fourteen, “I bow my knees to the Father …” As we get to that verse, we will see that Paul has a special prayer for the rest of us building blocks in God’s temple.

Meanwhile, he will share with us some of the reasons why God has made him a foundation stone in the temple. He starts that off with a reminder that he is in bonds. He tells us that he is a prisoner of the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth. In the book of Romans, he goes to great lengths to show us that we were once in bondage to sin but we are now owned by a new master, God Himself. He is now our master. But I don’t think that’s what Paul is referring to here. In chapter six, verse twenty of this letter, he will tell us that he is an ambassador in chains. From this most scholars believe that Paul wrote this letter from a prison cell in Rome where he was sent because of his testimony of salvation in Jesus Christ. Thus, he says that he is a prisoner of Christ (or “because” of Christ). He literally was a prisoner because of his testimony of Christ.

 

Application

How high do you consider your calling in Jesus Christ? Are you willing to go to prison simply because you are a Christian? Are you willing to lose your job simply because you are a Christian? Are you willing to suffer simply because you are a Christian? What’s more important, serving God, or yourself?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 4:1 – Serve One, Serve All

Posted on by Will

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

Truth to Learn

We are all called to serve in God’s church.

Behind the Words

“Prisoner” is from desmios, which is derived from the verb desmeō, meaning “to bind.” Thus, desmios means “someone in bonds” or “a prisoner.”

The word “beseech” is translated from the Greek verb parakaleō, which is made up of para, meaning “to the side of” or “near” and kaleō, meaning “to call.” Therefore, we can see that literally this word means “to call near.” In usage, the basic meaning is “to comfort,” “to encourage,” or “to challenge.”

“Walk” is from peripateō. This is made up of peri, meaning “around,” “through,” or “with respect to” and pateō, meaning “to walk.” This Greek word means “to walk around.” It is used as a reference to how a person lives his or her life.

The word “calling” is klēsis, which is derived from kaleō, “to call.” It refers to “an invitation.”

“You were called” is translated from the verb kaleō, “to call.” It is expressed in the aorist tense indicating past completed action which occurred at a point in time (not a process).

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul starts off this verse reminding his readers that he is a prisoner of the Lord. This is very similar to the way he started off the previous chapter. There, he did so to introduce his ministry to the Gentiles and the mystery regarding the church. Here, he reminds them that he is a prisoner because he is about to challenge his readers to live a life that is characterized by service to others rather than serving self. As a prisoner, he is a supreme example of this.

Most of the first three chapters of this letter were focused on teaching doctrine. In the remainder of the letter, Paul focuses on duty. Another way to say this is, previously he taught us what to believe; now he will teach us how to behave.

As you can see from Behind the Words, in this verse Paul uses several forms of the word kaleō (to call). This is typical Pauline style. He likes to play on words like this as a device to drive home his message. He is in prison because God called him to preach the gospel to Gentiles, thus angering religious Jews who thought he was perverting Judaism. He was more concerned with serving God than he was with protecting himself. In fact, before his final trip to Jerusalem, where he was arrested, he was told by a prophet that he would end up in chains:

When he [the prophet Agabus] had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' " (Acts 21:11)

Paul was totally dedicated to the ministry to which he had been called. Now he will be challenging us to be just as dedicated to the ministry to which each of us has been called.

Application

Every Christian has been called by God to serve within the body of Christ. Each of us has a function to perform for which God has specifically gifted us. There is no excuse for any of us not to be serving. Are you performing the ministry to which you have been called by God?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 3:1 – A Serving Stone

Posted on by Will

Ephesians 3:1  – A Serving Stone

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—

Truth to Learn

Serving God as part of His kingdom is a very high calling.

Behind the Words

“For this reason” is translated from the Greek words toutou charin. The first of these, toutou, is a form of touto, meaning “this” and charin means “on account of,” “because of,” or “for the sake of.” So, we can translate the opening phrase as “Because of this.”

“Prisoner” is from desmios, which is derived from the verb desmeō, meaning “to bind.” Thus, desmios means “someone in bonds” or “a prisoner.”

The words “Christ Jesus” are transliterated from the words christou iēsou. The interesting thing to note here is that Paul adds the definite article tou (the). Therefore, this could be translated as “the Christ, Jesus.”

Meaning Explained

Paul starts out this verse (and this chapter) with “Because of this.” So, we have to ask ourselves, “Because of what?” Well, what has he just been talking about? Beginning in verse eleven of the previous chapter, Paul taught us that before Christ came, we Gentiles were without a savior, we were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and we were not included in the covenants that God made with Israel. Basically, we were without hope. But now, because of Christ, we are no longer strangers and foreigners, we are fellow citizens with the saints of old and we are of God’s household. And – we are part of God’s temple, which is being built with the lives of all who are saved. In short: we were lost, we are now saved and part of God’s family, and God has a purpose for us in His kingdom.

Because of this, Paul wants to give us further instruction. However, a strange thing happens starting in this verse and continuing through verse thirteen. In these verses Paul gets sidetracked with an explanation and justification of his own ministry (his position as a foundation stone in the temple of God). So, to learn the rest of “Because of this” we have to go to verse fourteen, “I bow my knees to the Father …” As we get to that verse, we will see that Paul has a special prayer for the rest of us building blocks in God’s temple.

Meanwhile, he will share with us some of the reasons why God has made him a foundation stone in the temple. He starts that off with a reminder that he is in bonds. He tells us that he is a prisoner of the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth. In the book of Romans, he goes to great lengths to show us that we were once in bondage to sin but we are now owned by a new master, God Himself. He is now our master. But I don’t think that’s what Paul is referring to here. In chapter six, verse twenty of this letter, he will tell us that he is an ambassador in chains. From this most scholars believe that Paul wrote this letter from a prison cell in Rome where he was sent because of his testimony of salvation in Jesus Christ. Thus, he says that he is a prisoner of Christ (or “because of Christ).

Application

How high do you consider your calling in Jesus Christ? Are you willing to go to prison simply because you are a Christian? Are you willing to lose your job simply because you are a Christian? Are you willing to suffer simply because you are a Christian? What’s more important, serving God, or yourself?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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