Tag: suniemi

Romans 15:21 – Evangelistic Tenacity

Posted on by Will

but as it is written: "Those to whom He was not announced will see; and those who have not heard will understand."

Truth to Learn

Isaiah prophesied about Gentiles believing in the Messiah.

 

Behind the Words

“Announced” is from anangellō, which is made up of ana, indicating repetition or specificity and angellō, meaning “to declare, proclaim, or announce.” Anangellō indicates a detailed proclamation or a repeated proclamation.

The word “see” is translated from a form of horaō, meaning “to see or perceive (either visually or cognitively).

“Understand” is translated from the verb suniēmi, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and hiēmi, meaning “to send or to put.” Thus, this word literally means “to put together mentally.” In other words it means “to comprehend or to understand.”

 

Meaning Explained

Paul has been talking about being singularly focused on performing the ministry to which he was called by God, the ministry of declaring the message of salvation through the death of the Jewish Messiah, Jesus the Christ. He has demonstrated repeatedly that he was a student of the Scriptures. Here he quotes a scripture that is clearly in reference to the Messiah. Most of us can recognize one of the great messianic prophecies when we hear the beginning of Isaiah 53:

Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He grew up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or magnificence when we see Him, no beauty that we should desire Him. (Isaiah 53:1-2)

But who of us can recognize the last three verses of the chapter immediately preceding this one?

Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. As many were astonished at you– his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand. (Isaiah 52:13-15)

Paul was keenly aware of Isaiah chapter 52 and recognized that verse fifteen was a reference to the Gentiles understanding the message about the Messiah. He may have claimed this verse as his “life verse,” the verse that defined his mission in life. Some Biblical scholars even believe that Paul understood this prophecy to be a specific reference to his own apostolic ministry. Whether or not that is so and whether or not Paul claimed this as his life verse, he nonetheless recognized that Isaiah prophesied concerning the Gentiles believing in the Messiah. He also recognized that he personally had a calling from God to preach the message to those who had never heard about salvation in Jesus Christ. Not only did he know what his calling was, but he was so focused on his calling that he did not let anything distract him from performing it.

 

Application

Oh, that we all were as clear about our calling and as tenacious in our pursuit of it!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 3:11 – I Don’t Understand!

Posted on by Will

there is no one who understands; there is no one seeking God.

Truth to Learn

We do not seek out God; He draws us to Him.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “understands” is the Greek word suniēmi, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and hiēmi, meaning “to send” or “to put.” So literally this means “to send together” or “to put together.” It refers to someone mentally “putting it all together” or “understanding.”

“Seeking” is from the verb exzēteō. This is made up of ek, meaning “out” and zēteō, which means “to seek” or “to pursue.” Hence, exzēteō means “to seek out” or “to search diligently.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul declared the first of his great doctrinal statements of the book of Romans. This is the first statement of what some have come to call “The Romans Road.” The first step in the Romans Road is, “There is none righteous, no not one.” You will recall that this is a quote from the book of Psalms.

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and have done abominable wickedness; there is no one doing good. God looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind, to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Everyone has turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is no one doing good, not even one.  (Psalms 53:1-3)

What Paul declared in the previous verse is that there is no one who is righteous in and of himself, or herself. There is no one in the human race (save for Christ Himself) who can stand in the presence of God Almighty and claim that he or she is righteous enough to deserve heaven.

In today’s verse Paul continues with his quotation, selecting a portion of Psalms 53:2. Not only is no one righteous, none of us understands what God wants from us. And today’s verse also tells us that none of us, left to ourselves, seeks after God. In fact, were it not for the drawing forth influence of the Spirit of God, none of us would be able to come to God. We don’t seek Him; He draws us to Himself.

The bottom line is that none of us deserves heaven or salvation. Not even one! In order for us to be saved, we must first realize that we are not worthy of salvation. We don’t deserve it, and there is no reason why God should grant it to us apart from His grace and His grace alone!

If you have never recognized your unworthiness for God’s free gift of salvation, now is the time to humble yourself before the mighty hand of God, confess your utter sinfulness, beg for His mercy, and accept His blessed gift of salvation through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

 

Application

If you have already accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the payment for your sins, then you are righteous in His eyes. But you need to realize that without the illumination of the Holy Spirit you wouldn’t even understand what God wants from you. And, you need to recognize that you were drawn to Him; you didn’t come by your own effort.

Thank you Lord, for drawing me to Yourself, for allowing me to understand Your message, and for saving my soul!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 5:17 – God’s Will?

Posted on by Will

Therefore do not be ignorant, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Truth to Learn

Christians need to understand God’s will.

 

Behind the Words

“Be” is translated from ginomai, which primarily means “to begin to be” or “to become.” It implies a change of state from one condition to another.

Aphrōn is the Greek word translated “ignorant.” It is made up of the negative particle a and a form of phrēn, meaning “understanding.” Thus, the word aphrōn literally means “without understanding.” It is variously translated as “unwise, foolish, mindless, ignorant, or stupid.”

The word “understand” is from the Greek verb suniēmi, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and hiēmi, meaning “to send.” The root meaning of suniēmi, therefore, is “to put together,” that is “to understand or comprehend.”

“Will” is translated from thelēma, which is derived from the verb thelō, meaning “to will,” “to purpose,” or “to determine.” There is another word translated “will” in the New Testament. It is boulomai, meaning “to be disposed or to intend.” It does not indicate that action is taken regarding the decision, whereas thelēma is resolved and is acted upon. God’s will is almost always referred to as thelēma, because He always does that which He determines. Man’s will, however, is expressed in the New Testament as boulēma. Thus, we can think of thelēma as determined will and boulēma as desirous will.

 

Meaning Explained

We are to be imitators of God, loving others as Christ loved us. We are to avoid the unfruitful works of darkness, forsaking any close fellowship with others who do such things. We are to allow the light of God to shine through us, reflecting off us and shining on others around us. We are not to allow the comforts of this world and the allure of sin to lull us to sleep. Instead we are to wake up, getting up from among those around us who are spiritually dead and taking a good look at the way we are living our lives. We shouldn’t live like those who are ignorant of God. Instead, we should make the most of every day because the world is full of evil.

Therefore – we should not be ignorant of God’s will for our lives. Instead, we should learn what God’s will is. How can we know what God’s will is for our lives? Paul told the Christians in Rome to do several things to know God’s will:

Therefore, brothers, I call on you through the compassions of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

We need to offer our bodies (our lives) as a sacrifice on God’s altar, allowing Him to use us however He wants. We need to resist conformity to the world around us. We need to be mentally transformed by consistently reading and studying His word. If we do these things, then we will know God’s will for our lives.

 

Application

Knowing what God wants from us takes a lot of commitment and dedication. If Jesus was willing to learn and do God’s will, how can we do any less?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Corinthians 1:19 – Worldly Wisdom?

Posted on by Will

For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."

Truth to Learn

The wisdom of the world is foolishness to God.

Behind the Words

“Written” is from the Greek word graphō, which literally means “to grave,” that is, to carve. It is the most ancient form of writing. In first century common usage, it refers to any kind of writing. It is written here in the perfect tense, so it means “it was written in the past and, therefore, it is written (as a confirmed statement of fact).”

Apollumi, is the word translated “destroy.” It is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from,” used as an intensifier, and ollumi, meaning “to destroy.” Thus, apollumi means “to completely destroy. Today, we might say annihilate.

Both “wisdom” and “wise” are translated from a form of sophos, which refers to “wisdom, skill, tact, or expertise in an art form.”

The words “bring to nothing” are from atheteō, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “without” and thetos, which refers to something that has been put in its place. Therefore, athetheō means “to cause something to be without a place.” In other words, it means “to get rid of” or “to abolish.”

Both “understanding” and “prudent” are from forms of the Greek word suniēmi, which refers to “perception, understanding, or intelligence.” It generally refers to the ability to understand concepts and see relationships between them.

Meaning Explained

Paul is making his comments with regard to the gospel message. In the previous verse he said that the good news of Salvation in Jesus Christ is laughable, even absurd, to those who reject it, those who are on death’s road because of such rejection. However, to those of us who believe the salvation truth, it is the life-giving power of God. To further emphasize his point, Paul quotes from the Prophet Isaiah, who said:

Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden. (Isaiah 29:14)

This message was delivered to the Israelites because they thought they could rely on the strength of the Egyptians to protect them from a coming invasion by the Assyrians. In spite of all the miracles that God had done to save them and protect them, the Israelites rejected God and relied on their own wisdom and understanding. After all, at that time the Egyptians were the richest, most powerful nation in the world. It seemed like the wisest, most prudent thing to do, to make an alliance with Egypt for their own protection.

One thing we often miss when we read about the Israelites and their Egyptian neighbors: Egypt is a type (a symbolic picture) of the world system that we live in today. The world system will not save you. Only God can do that.

Application

How many Christians today are so caught up in the world around them that they come to depend on it instead of God? Are you one of them? We have to live in the world, but we don’t have to follow it. Where is your heart?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

Ephesians 5:17 – God’s Will?

Posted on by Will

Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Truth to Learn

Christians need to understand God’s will.

Behind the Words

“Be” is translated from ginomai, which primarily means “to begin to be” or “to become.” It implies a change of state from one condition to another.

Aphrōn is the Greek word translated “unwise.” It is made up of the negative particle a and a form of phrēn, meaning “understanding.” Thus, the word aphrōn literally means “without understanding.” It is variously translated as “unwise, foolish, mindless, ignorant, or stupid.”

The word “understand” is from the Greek verb suniēmi, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and hiēmi, meaning “to send.” The root meaning of suniēmi, therefore, is “to put together,” that is “to understand or comprehend.”

“Will” is translated from thelēma, which is derived from the verb thelō, meaning “to will,” “to purpose,” or “to determine.” There is another word translated “will” in the New Testament. It is boulomai, meaning “to be disposed or to intend.” It does not indicate that action is taken regarding the decision, whereas thelēma is resolved and is acted upon. God’s will is almost always referred to as thelēma, because He always does that which He determines. Man’s will, however, is expressed in the New Testament as boulēma. Thus, we can think of thelēma as determined will and boulēma as desirous will.

Meaning Explained

We are to be imitators of God, loving others as Christ loved us. We are to avoid the unfruitful works of darkness, forsaking any close fellowship with others who do such things. We are to allow the light of God to shine through us. We are not to allow the comforts of this world and the allure of sin to lull us to sleep. Instead we are to wake up, getting up from among those around us who are spiritually dead and taking a good look at the way we are living our lives. We shouldn’t live like those who are ignorant of God. Instead, we should make the most of every day because the world is full of evil.

Therefore – we should not be ignorant of God’s will for our lives. Instead, we should learn what God’s will is. How can we know what God’s will is for our lives? Paul told the Christians in Rome to do several things to know God’s will:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

We need to offer our bodies (our lives) on God’s altar, allowing Him to use us however He wants. We need to resist conformity to the world around us. We need to be mentally transformed by consistently reading and studying His word. If we do these things, then we will know God’s will for our lives.

Application

Knowing what God wants from us takes a lot of commitment and dedication. If Jesus was willing to learn and do God’s will, how can we do any less?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Romans 15:21 – Evangelistic Tenacity

Posted on by Will

Romans 15:21 – Evangelistic Tenacity

but as it is written: “To whom He was not announced, they shall see; and those who have not heard shall understand.”

Truth to Learn

Isaiah prophesied about Gentiles believing in the Messiah.

Behind the Words

“Announced” is from anangellō, which is made up of ana, indicating repetition or specificity and angellō, meaning “to declare, proclaim, or announce.” Anangellō indicates a detailed proclamation or a repeated proclamation.

The word “see” is translated from a form of horaō, meaning “to see or perceive (either visually or cognitively).

“Understand” is translated from the verb suniēmi, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and hiēmi, meaning “to send or to put.” Thus, this word literally means “to put together mentally.” In other words it means “to comprehend or to understand.”

Meaning Explained

Paul has been talking about being singularly focused on performing the ministry to which he was called by God, the ministry of declaring the message of salvation through the death of the Jewish Messiah, Jesus the Christ. He has demonstrated repeatedly that he was a student of the Scriptures. Here he quotes a scripture that is clearly in reference to the Messiah. Most of us can recognize one of the great messianic prophecies when we hear the beginning of Isaiah 53:

Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. (Isaiah 53:1-2)

But who of us can recognize the last three verses of the chapter immediately preceding this one?

Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men; so shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; for what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider. (Isaiah 52:13-15)

Paul was keenly aware of Isaiah chapter 52 and recognized that verse fifteen was a reference to the Gentiles understanding the message about the Messiah. He may have claimed this verse as his “life verse,” the verse that defined his mission in life. Some Biblical scholars even believe that Paul understood this prophecy to be a specific reference to his own apostolic ministry. Whether or not that is so and whether or not Paul claimed this as his life verse, he nonetheless recognized that Isaiah prophesied concerning the Gentiles believing in the Messiah. He also recognized that he personally had a calling from God to preach the message to those who had never heard about salvation in Jesus Christ. Not only did he know what his calling was, but he was so focused on his calling that he did not let anything distract him from performing it.

Application

Oh, that we were as clear about our calling and as tenacious in our pursuit of it!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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