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2 Thessalonians 3:2 – Protect The Messengers

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Will

and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.

Truth to Learn

Those who deliver the gospel message need God’s protection.

Behind the Words

“We may be delivered” is translated from the Greek verb rhuomai. This word is derived from rhuō, meaning “to drag along the ground.” Rhuomai means “to draw out” or “to snatch from danger.” It is most often translated as “to rescue” or “to deliver.” It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood, indicating possibility or probability.

The Greek word translated “unreasonable” is atopos. This is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without” and topos, meaning “a place.” So, atopos literally means “out of place” or “without a place.” Figuratively, this word means “improper, unreasonable, or hurtful.”

Ponēros is the Greek word translated “wicked.” It refers to “evil in a moral or spiritual sense.” It is usually translated as “bad, evil, or wicked.”

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul is in the middle of a prayer request to the people of the church in Thessalonica. In the previous verse he asked that they pray for swift movement of the word of the Lord. It was Paul’s desire to see the gospel spread all over the world; his hope and his prayer were that it would move swiftly from one place to the next.

Now Paul requests that he and his co-workers be delivered from (protected from) those who are opposed to the gospel message. He refers to them as unreasonable, or hurtful, and as wicked, or evil. From the time that Paul first landed in Macedonia (in Philippi) he preached the gospel and was opposed by non-believing Jews. In Philippi he and Silas (Sylvanus) were thrown in jail. When they moved on to Thessalonica, they were again persecuted by the non-believing Jews. Having secretly left Thessalonica by night, they went to Berea. But when the Jews of Thessalonica heard that Paul was in Berea, they went after him there and stirred up the people against him. So Paul headed to Athens and then to Corinth, from where he wrote this letter. He remained there at least a year and a half. While in Corinth, however, Paul was brought before the judgment seat of the proconsul Gallio. There the Jews accused him of persuading people to worship God contrary to the law, but the case was dismissed even before Paul had a chance to speak. (Read Acts chapters 16 – 18.)

Wherever Paul went, two things regularly happened: he preached the gospel to anyone who would listen, and he was opposed by those who didn’t believe his message. Instead of keeping silent to protect himself, Paul preached the word boldly and asked believers to pray for his safety and protection from those who opposed the gospel message.

Application

All around the world we are seeing more and more opposition to the true gospel message. We see churches, where the truth of God has been watered down, growing and prospering. But those that remain faithful to the fundamental truths of the Bible are finding it more and more difficult to survive. Around the world, Christians are more frequently becoming the targets of violence. We all need to be praying for each other that we will be strong and that God will continue to protect us as we deliver the most important message to those who need it most.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 6:16 – Keep the Faith!

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Will

In addition to all, taking the shield of the faith in which you will be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

Truth to Learn

We need faith to protect us from some of Satan’s attacks.

Behind the Words

The words “in addition to all” are translated from the Greek words en pasin. En means “in” and pasin is a form of pas, meaning “all.” Later manuscripts have this as epi pasin, meaning “above all,” but the better transcripts have en pasin. There is a difference of opinion as to what Paul means by this. Some think his meaning is “in addition to,” while others think it means “as a covering overall”

“Taking” is from analambanō, which is composed of ana, meaning “up” and lambanō, meaning “to take.” Thus, it means “to take up.” The picture is of a soldier picking up his shield and putting it into position.

Thureos is the word translated “shield,” which is derived from the word thura, meaning “a door.” This was a large shield about 2 ½ feet wide and about four feet high, which protected the entire body of a soldier. There is another Greek word for shield, aspis, which refers to a smaller round shield.

“Extinguish” is translated from sbennumi, which means “to extinguish” or “to put out.” Figuratively, this word also means “to dampen, hinder, or repress.”

The word “darts” is from the Greek noun belos, which is derived from ballō, meaning “to throw.” It refers to any kind of missile that is thrown by hand, with a sling, or shot from a bow.

The words, “the wicked one” are from the Greek word ponēros, which refers to evil or wickedness in a moral or spiritual sense. In the Greek, there is a definite article (the) associated with this word, indicating that it is a specific person that is being referred to here.

Meaning Explained

When Paul wrote this letter, he was in prison guarded by Roman soldiers. It is fitting, therefore, that he would use the metaphor of Roman armor in describing how we are to prepare ourselves for our spiritual battle. Having described the belt, breastplate, and shoes of Christian armor, he now talks about our shield.

Roman soldiers used two different types of shields depending on the type of battle they were engaged in. The thurios was used when the Romans were facing a foe that utilized arrows as a primary strategy in their attack. These arrows often had the tips packed with a tar-like substance which was then set on fire. With this door-like shield, an entire regimen could set up a nearly impenetrable wall of protection from a salvo of arrows. A single soldier whose shield was struck with such a fiery arrow would sometimes cast his shield aside to avoid the fire, thus leaving him vulnerable to further attack.

In a Christian’s battle against Satan and his demons, our enemy will often use such fiery arrows in the form of temptations, hateful or impure thoughts about others, or doubt. It is at these times that our unshakable faith protects us. This is not our saving faith, but our day-to-day living faith. It is the belief that we are secure in God’s love, that He will never leave us, that all of our sins have been forgiven, and that He will be a shield to us in times of attack. It is the faith which allows us to follow God’s leading in our lives even when the future looks uncertain along the path He has chosen for us.

Application

When you are attacked by the spiritual enemy, make sure that your shield is in place. Though your faith may be weak at times, believe God’s promises and trust in Him to protect you.

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Thessalonians 3:2 – Protect The Messengers

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Will

and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.

Truth to Learn

Those who deliver the gospel message need God’s protection.

Behind the Words

Ponēros is the Greek word translated “wicked.” It refers to “evil in a moral or spiritual sense.” It is usually translated as “bad, evil, or wicked.”

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul is in the middle of a prayer request to the people of the church in Thessalonica. In the previous verse he asked that they pray for swift movement of the word of the Lord. It was Paul’s desire to see the gospel spread all over the world; his hope and prayer were that it would move swiftly from one place to the next.

Wherever Paul went two things regularly happened: he preached the gospel to anyone who would listen, and he was opposed by those who didn’t believe his message. Instead of keeping silent to protect himself, Paul preached the word boldly and asked believers to pray for his safety and protection from those who opposed the gospel message.

Application

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 1:27 – Wicked Sinfulness

Posted on August 24, 2009 by admin

Romans 1:27

Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

Truth to Learn

God says homosexuality is shameful, indecent, and obscene.

Behind the Words

The word, “likewise” is a translation of the Greek word, omoios, which means, “of equal degree or manner and denoting perfect agreement.” It could have been translated as “in the same manner.”

In the previous verse we learned that, “natural use” is from the Greek, psukiken kresin, which is a reference to normal sexual intercourse.

The word translated “lust” is not the word that is normally used for strong physical desire, epithumia. Instead Paul uses the word orexis, which also means a strong desire or lust but it carries with it the notion of “reaching out after an object with the purpose of drawing it to oneself and appropriating it.” This is a lust with a selfish possessiveness mixed in.

“Men” is not translated from the generic word for a human person, anthropos. Rather, it is the word arsēn, which specifically means “males” as distinguished from females.

The word “shameful” is from the Greek word aschēmōsunē, a form of aschēmōn, meaning unbecoming or indecent. Hence, aschēmosunē means “shamefulness, indecency, or obscenity.”

Meaning Explained

Notice the way Paul has carefully described the wickedness in this verse, being descriptive enough to make it absolutely clear what he is talking about without getting graphic to the point of crudity.

He has just leveled a clear condemnation against women who have rejected God and his truth by describing their sexually perverse use of their bodies as objects of sexuality for pleasure’s sake (especially homosexuality). He now describes in even more detail the sexual wickedness of men when the restraints of decency and morality have been cast off.

He starts out with “Likewise also.” These are conjunctive words which by themselves each imply a joining of the previous text with this verse. The presence of these conjunctive words together indicates a very strong connection between the two verses. In other words, the actions of the women and the actions of the men are equally joined together in their wickedness and filthiness in God’s eyes.

What he says about the men, however, is even more descriptive of homosexuality than what he said about the women. Paul says that these men have put aside the natural use of women for sexual intercourse and have turned to other men to satisfy their overpowering selfish sexual passion.

Application

There is absolutely no doubt what Paul (therefore, God) thinks of homosexuality. He says it is shameful, indecent, obscene, and disgraceful! Yet, in our Western society, the gay rights activists are trying to convince us that there is nothing wrong with it, that it’s simply a personal preference.

God says it is wicked sinfulness!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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