Tag: tithemi

Romans 9:33 – Little Stone or Massive Rock

Posted on by Will

As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and the one believing on Him will not be put to shame."

Truth to Learn

To the Jews Jesus is merely a stumbling stone in the pathway of life. To Christians He is a solid rock of salvation.

 

Behind the Words

“Lay” is from the Greek word tithēmi, meaning “to set in place” or “to lay something down.”

The word “stone” is from lithos, which refers to a stone (anything from the size of a pebble to the size of a millstone or a block of a building).

“Rock,” on the other hand, is from petra, which refers to “a huge mass of rock like a rock outcropping of a mountain.”

 

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul was very well versed in the Law and the Prophets. He studied them under Gamaliel, one of the greatest rabbinical teachers of his day. As a result, he had a thorough understanding of what we now call the Old Testament. Here’s what he told the Israelites of his time (after He was saved):

I am indeed a man, a Jew born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, having been taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. (Acts 22:3)

In the current verse Paul not only demonstrates his knowledge of what is written in the Old Testament but also what is meant by these writings. He does this by quoting two separate verses and combining them in a manner that reveals the intent of both passages. The first verse quoted is Isaiah 8:14, which reads:

He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

The second verse quoted is Isaiah 28:16, which reads:

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; he who believes will not act hastily.”

The stone which Isaiah referred to is the Messiah, the Christ. He is the chief cornerstone upon which the church is built. But the Israelites rejected their Messiah and, as a result, He has become a stumbling stone to them and a huge rock of offence. To the Jews of Paul’s day (and the Jews of our day) Jesus was an imposter who was executed for His crimes. To them He was simply a pebble or a small rock, but to God He is a huge, massive, solid rock of salvation. So, instead of believing on the rock of salvation and receiving God’s imputed righteousness, they continue to try to earn their own righteousness by obeying all the precepts and commandments in the Law and, as a result, miss out on righteousness completely.

 

Application

Are you righteous, my friend? If so, was that righteousness granted to you by God’s choice alone or do you believe that you earned it by doing something? Careful! This is a trick question.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 4:17 – Children by Faith

Posted on by Will

just as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations" in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

Truth to Learn

God’s promise to Abraham referred to both his physical descendants and to his spiritual descendants.

 

Behind the Words

The words “I have made” are translated from the Greek verb tithēmi, meaning “to place” or “to put.” The Hebrew word in the passage Paul is quoting (Genesis 17:15) is nathan, which can have several shades of meaning, one of them being “to give or to grant.” The Greek word is expressed here in the perfect tense indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect.

“In the presence” is from katenanti, which literally means “down over against.” It is used to indicate being “in the sight of” or “in a place in front of” someone or something.

 

Meaning Explained

Like a number of verses we have looked at in the past, this verse must be looked at in connection with the previous verse in order to get its full meaning. Connecting the first part of this verse (a quote from Genesis 17:15) with the previous verse gives us:

… so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, just as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations"

The point is that Abraham is the father of all who are saved through faith. In other words, at the time that God said this to Abraham, because of Abraham’s faith, God had already granted to Abraham that he would be a father of many nations.

If we look at the descendants of Abraham, we see that he is the father of the Jews through Isaac (from his wife Sarah), the father of the Arabs through Ishmael (from Sarah’s handmaid Hagar), and the father of numerous other tribes through the six sons with his second wife, Keturah.  However, the Apostle Paul evidently understood the promise as referring, not to the physical descendants of Abraham, but to the spiritual descendants (all those who believe in God’s message).

The next phrase, “in the presence of Him” refers back to the first part of the previous verse. Hence, “Because of this it is of faith according to grace, … in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, …” In other words, the faith is demonstrated in the presence of God. It’s not just some ethereal “Yeah, I believe in God” type of experience. Rather, it is a belief in what God says, in His presence, so that there is no doubt either in what is believed or in the reality of that belief.

Paul then says of God that He both has the ability to give life and to call things which do not yet exist as if they already did exist. In other words, this God of ours neither has any bounds on his power nor is he bound by time. He is without limit in both time and space. We will see the significance of this in the next verse.

 

Application

If you believe the promise that your sins are paid for through the blood of Jesus Christ, then God has declared you as righteous and you are a son or daughter of Abraham through faith.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 2:8 – Stumbling Disobedience

Posted on by Will

and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to the ones who are stumbling at the word, being unbelieving, — to which also they were appointed.

Truth to Learn

Those who reject God’s call are condemned because they don’t believe.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “stone” is lithos, which is a primary word that refers to any stone independent of size, whereas the word translated “rock” is from the Greek word petra, meaning “a mass of rock” or “a massive rock.”

“Stumbling” is translated from proskommatos, which is made up of pros, meaning “to, toward, or against” and a form of koptō, meaning “to cut” or “to strike.” So, literally this word means “to strike against,” that is, “to stub” or “to stumble.”

The word translated “offense” is the Greek word scandalon. It literally means “a trap stick”, that is, a stick which is bated and used to trap or snare an animal. This word has come to mean “an occasion to fall” or “an offense.”

The word “unbelieving” is translated from apeitheō, which we looked at in the previous verse. It means “disbelieving” or “being disobedient.”

Finally, the word “appointed” is from a form of tithēmi which means “to place”, “to put”, or “to appoint.”

 

Meaning Explained

Not only has Christ become the most important foundation stone upon which Christians and the church as a whole are built, but He has become a different kind of stone for those who reject Him.

Peter is saying that Christ has become a firm cornerstone to believers but to those who stub themselves on the Word (that is, they don’t believe the simple message contained in the Bible), He is a stubbing stone and a massive rock that traps. The reason they stub themselves is because they do not believe, to which condition they were appointed (because they are not among the chosen ones). This interpretation has been hotly debated for centuries but those who interpret the Bible literally understand it to be consistent with the doctrine of election.

Now, lest we get the wrong idea from what Peter is saying, these who do not believe are condemned because they are disobedient. They are not disobedient because they are condemned. That is, God does not “cause” them to be disobedient; He simply judges them for their disobedience.

And … God does not hide the truth from these disobedient ones, but Satan does:

whose minds the god of this age [Satan] has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. (2Corinthians 4:4)

 

Application

Those who do not believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that He died on the cross to pay for their sins, are condemned for their disobedience. They are disobedient by their very nature (sin nature), not because God caused them to be disobedient. They are personally responsible for their sins, just as we are. The difference is that we have accepted Jesus’ payment for our sins and they haven’t

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:9 – Why We Fight!

Posted on by Will

Because God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Truth to Learn

We need to realize what God has given us and fight for Him.

 

Behind the Words

“Because” is from hoti, meaning “that” or “because.” It serves to introduce something that is the reason for what was just said.

The Greek word translated “appoint” is tithēmi, which means “to set” or “to put in place.” Here it means that God did not place us in a position in which we would receive His wrath.

“Wrath” is from orgē, which properly means “strong desire” or “excitement of the mind,” that is “strong passion.” By implication it means “punishment,” but it is most often translated as “wrath.”

Peripoiēsis is the Greek word translated “obtain.” It is made up of peri, meaning “around” and a form of poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.” Thus, peripoiesis carries the meaning of surrounding yourself with things. It is most often translated with the English words “acquire” or “obtain.”

“Salvation” is translated from sōtēria, which refers to “safety, deliverance, or preservation from danger or destruction.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse, Paul exhorted us to put on the breastplate of faith and love as well as the helmet of salvation. This is to be followed by being of a sober mind, thinking logically and rationally with a mind that is not under the influence of extreme thought patterns. You may know Christians who are so worried about losing their salvation that they have a difficult time moving forward in their Christian walk. Others are caught up in experiencing miraculous demonstrations of God’s Spirit and become distracted when they aren’t seeing such signs in their own lives. Still others are so bound by legalism that they spend all their effort trying not to break the rules their church has bound them with. All of these types of Christians are wearing so much spiritual fluff and have their minds so filled with distractions that they can’t effectively engage the enemy. As a result, they are easily defeated when they face spiritual battles.

Instead, Paul wants us to be dressed for battle and mentally prepared. The source of that mental preparation is knowledge of what the Bible actually teaches. The only way we can do this is to engage in regular, consistent reading and studying of God’s Word.

So, why should we always be prepared for spiritual battle? Why shouldn’t we live like the world, like those who have no clue regarding what the future holds? Because God did not put us here to receive His wrath; we will not experience the Day of the Lord. Instead we will be resurrected from the earth and granted complete salvation, that salvation which only comes from faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, out of a heart of true thanksgiving and gratitude, we should take up sides, put on the battle gear, and get ready to do battle for Him!

 

Application

Consider what God has done for us through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. Consider what He has promised us, both now and eternally. Given what He has already done, how can we possible just drift through life? We need to get in the race! We need to engage in battle! We need to give our all to serving Him who gave us the most precious gift we could possible get!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Corinthians 3:10 – Construction Gifts

Posted on by Will

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.

Truth to Learn

Christians are to use their gifts to build up the church.

Behind the Words

“Grace” is translated from the Greek word charis, which refers to an unearned and undeserved favor done without expectation of anything in return. When used in reference to God, it denotes the absolutely free expression of the loving kindness of God in his gifts to His children.

“Wise” is from sophos, which means “wise.” In its New Testament usage, it implies a fear of God and an understanding of His ways.

The words “master builder” are translated from the Greek noun architektōn (from which we get our English word “architect”). It is composed or archi, indicating a high rank or degree and tektōn, meaning “a builder” or “a workman.” In Greek, it means more than just a designer. It refers to a master builder.

The words “I have laid” are from the verb tithēmi, which means “to set” or “to put in place.”

“Foundation” is translated from themelios, referring to “that which is put in place.”

Epoikodomeō is the word translated “builds on.” It is composed of epi, meaning “upon” and oikodomeō, meaning “to build a structure.”

Meaning Explained

Paul now builds on his architectural metaphor with regard to God’s temple, the body of Christ, the church. Notice first, that Paul gives the credit for his abilities to God. He states very clearly that he is a master builder of the church. But he says that the wisdom, knowledge, and ability to begin construction of the church are a direct result of the gift(s) that God has given him.

You will recall that this whole discussion began because of the divisions that had formed in the church in Corinth. Some people claimed to be followers of Paul and other claimed to be followers of Apollos, or Peter, or Christ. However, Paul recognizes that the building of the church is not done by one person, but many. He also recognizes that each person has his or her own part to do in the construction project. The body of Christ grows as we all work together and it is destroyed if we do not all work together.

The apostle tells the Corinthians, and us, that through the gift given to him by God, he laid the foundation. That was the task assigned to him and, along with this assignment God gave him the ability to do it. It is now up to others, like Apollos (and you and me), to build on that foundation. At this point, he gives us all a warning: we are all to be aware and careful how we build on that foundation. In verses twelve through fifteen he will tell us why we need to be aware of how we build.

Application

God has gifted every Christian with abilities that are to be used in building up the church. Whatever gifts we have been given are not for our own personal use. They have been specifically given to us for building the Body of Christ. We must use the gifts we’ve been given to build the church, it’s our assignment.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

1 Thessalonians 5:9 – Why We Fight!

Posted on by Will

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Truth to Learn

We need to realize what God has given us and fight for Him.

Behind the Words

“For” is from hoti, meaning “because.” It serves to introduce something that is the reason for what was just said.

The Greek word translated “appoint” is tithēmi, which means “to set” or “to put in place.” Here it means that God did not place us in a position in which we would receive His wrath.

“Wrath” is from orgē, which properly means “strong desire” or “excitement of the mind,” that is “strong passion.” By implication it means “punishment,” but it is most often translated as “wrath.”

Peripoiēsis is the Greek word translated “obtain.” It is made up of peri, meaning “around” and a form of poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.” Thus, peripoiesis carries the meaning of surrounding yourself with things. It is most often translated with the English words “acquire” or “obtain.”

“Salvation” is translated from sōtēria, which refers to “safety, deliverance, or preservation from danger or destruction.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse, Paul exhorted us to put on the breastplate of faith and love as well as the helmet of salvation. This is to be followed by being of a sober mind, thinking logically and rationally with a mind that is not under the influence of extreme thought patterns. You may know Christians who are so worried about losing their salvation that they have a difficult time moving forward in their Christian walk. Others are caught up in experiencing miraculous demonstrations of God’s Spirit and become distracted when they aren’t seeing such signs in their own lives. Still others are so bound by legalism that they spend all their effort trying not to break the rules their church has bound them with. They’re wearing so much spiritual fluff and have their minds so filled with distractions that they can’t effectively engage the enemy. As a result, they are easily defeated when they face spiritual battles.

Instead, Paul wants us to be dressed for battle and mentally prepared. The source of that mental preparation is knowledge of what the Bible actually teaches. The only way we can do this is to engage in regular, consistent reading and studing of God’s Word.

So, why should we always be prepared for spiritual battle? Why shouldn’t we live like the world, like those who have no clue regarding what the future holds? Because God did not put us here to receive His wrath; we will not experience the Day of the Lord. Instead we will be resurrected from the earth and granted complete salvation, that salvation which only comes from faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, out of a heart of true thanksgiving and gratitude, we should take up sides, put on the battle gear, and get ready to do battle for Him!

Application

Consider what God has done for us through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. Consider what He has promised us, both now and eternally. Given what He has already done, how can we possible just drift through life? We need to get in the race! We need to engage in battle! We need to give our all to serving Him who gave us the most precious gift we could possible get!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 9:33 – Little Stone or Massive Rock

Posted on by Will

Romans 9:33 – Little Stone or Massive Rock

As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

Truth to Learn

To the Jews Jesus is merely a stumbling stone in the pathway of life. To Christians He is a solid rock of salvation.

Behind the Words

“Lay” is from the Greek word tithēmi, meaning “to set in place” or “to lay something down.”

The word “stone” is from lithos, which refers to a stone (anything from the size of a pebble to the size of a millstone or a block of a building).

“Rock,” on the other hand, is from petra, which refers to “a huge mass of rock like a rock outcropping of a mountain.”

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul was very well versed in the Law and the Prophets. He studied them under Gamaliel, one of the greatest rabbinical teachers of his day. As a result, he had a thorough understanding of what we now call the Old Testament. Here’s what he told the Israelites of his time (after He was saved):

I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. (Acts 22:3)

In the current verse Paul not only demonstrates his knowledge of what is written in the Old Testament but also what is meant by these writings. He does this by quoting two separate verses and combining them in a manner that reveals the intent of both passages. The first verse quoted is Isaiah 8:14, which reads:

He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

The second verse quoted is Isaiah 28:16, which reads:

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.”

The stone which Isaiah referred to is the Messiah, the Christ. He is the chief cornerstone upon which the church is built. But the Israelites rejected their Messiah and, as a result, He has become a stumbling stone to them and a huge rock of offence. To the Jews of Paul’s day (and the Jews of our day) Jesus was an imposter who was executed for His crimes. To them He was simply a pebble or a small rock, but to God He is a huge, massive, solid rock of salvation. So, instead of believing on the rock of salvation and receiving God’s imputed righteousness, they continue to try to earn their own righteousness by obeying all the precepts and commandments in the Law and, as a result, miss out on righteousness completely.

Application

Are you righteous, my friend? If so, was that righteousness granted to you by God’s choice alone or do you believe that you earned it by doing something?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to: