1 João 4
Marvin Vincent · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 4:1
Vincent - Again the recognition of danger from false spirits prompts this affectionate address. Compare 1 Jn 3:21. Believe (4100) pisteuo means to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of one’s trust. To accept as true, genuine, or real. To have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something or someone. To consider to be true. To accept the word or evidence of. JOHN'S USES OF PISTEUO - Jn. 1:7; Jn. 1:12; Jn. 1:50; Jn. 2:11; Jn. 2:22; Jn. 2:23; Jn. 2:24; Jn. 3:12; Jn. 3:15; Jn. 3:16; Jn. 3:18; Jn. 3:36; Jn. 4:21; Jn. 4:39; Jn. 4:41; Jn. 4:42; Jn. 4:48; Jn. 4:50; Jn. 4:53; Jn. 5:24; Jn. 5:38; Jn. 5:44; Jn. 5:46; Jn. 5:47; Jn. 6:29; Jn. 6:30; Jn. 6:35; Jn. 6:36; Jn. 6:40; Jn. 6:47; Jn. 6:64; Jn. 6:69; Jn. 7:5; Jn. 7:31; Jn. 7:38; Jn. 7:39; Jn. 7:48; Jn. 8:24; Jn. 8:30; Jn. 8:31; Jn. 8:45; Jn. 8:46; Jn. 9:18; Jn. 9:35; Jn. 9:36; Jn. 9:38; Jn. 10:25; Jn. 10:26; Jn. 10:37; Jn. 10:38; Jn. 10:42; Jn. 11:15; Jn. 11:25; Jn. 11:26; Jn. 11:27; Jn. 11:40; Jn. 11:42; Jn. 11:45; Jn. 11:48; Jn. 12:11; Jn. 12:36; Jn. 12:37; Jn. 12:38; Jn. 12:39; Jn. 12:42; Jn. 12:44; Jn. 12:46; Jn. 13:19; Jn. 14:1; Jn. 14:10; Jn. 14:11; Jn. 14:12; Jn. 14:29; Jn. 16:9; Jn. 16:27; Jn. 16:30; Jn. 16:31; Jn. 17:8; Jn. 17:20; Jn. 17:21; Jn. 19:35; Jn. 20:8; Jn. 20:25; Jn. 20:29; Jn. 20:31; 1 Jn. 3:23; 1 Jn. 4:1; 1 Jn. 4:16; 1 Jn. 5:1; 1 Jn. 5:5; 1 Jn. 5:10; 1 Jn. 5:13 Spirit (4151) pneuma from pneo - to blow) speaks of the movement of air (blowing Jn 3:8, breathing Lk 8:55). In this context it clearly refers to evil spirits and indicates that behind the false teachings of the pseudo-prophets were spirits of lying and deceit and falsehood. The false prophets were merely the "front men," the physical dummies if you will of the evil spirit "ventriloquists" so to speak.
1 João 4:1
Vincent - The false prophet supports his claims by signs and portents (Matthew 24:24; Acts 13:6; Revelation 19:20) and is thus distinguished from the false teacher. See 2 Peter 2:1, where the two terms occur together. Peter warned "false prophets (pseudoprophetes) also arose among the people (referring to the Old Testament), just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them (Notice that they deny Christ), bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2Pe 2:1-3+) COMMENT - Notice the verb "secretly introduce" (pareisago from pará = at the side of + eiságo = bring in or introduce) which means that these teachers would not come in with a pitchfork and a red suit, but that they would subtlety interweave lies with a veneer of truth. And just as a dash of strychnine kills, so too their erroneous teachings were deadly. Jude warned the saints of the serpentine infiltration of demonically directed deceivers with their deceptive doctrine… Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed (see note below on this picturesque verb pareisduno.- Where are they? Inside the body!), those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:3-4+) Comment: They are like the men John describes in 1Jn 4:3 who do "not confess Jesus is not from God" and clearly are of "the spirit of the antichrist." Barclay on crept in unnoticed - The Greek (pareisduno) is a very expressive word. It is used of the spacious and seductive words of a clever pleader seeping gradually into the minds of a judge and jury; it is used of an outlaw slipping secretly back into the country from which he has been expelled; it is used of the slow and subtle entry of innovations into the life of state, which in the end undermine and break down the ancestral laws. It always indicates a stealthy insinuation of something evil into a society or situation. Certain evil men had insinuated themselves into the church. They were the kind of men for whom judgment was waiting. They were impious creatures, godless in their thought and life. Jude picks out two characteristics about them. (Daily Study Bible) Paul warned the elders at the church at Ephesus to be on the alert for false teachers Be on guard (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you (Look out! It will be an "inside job" so to speak!), not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. (Acts 20:28-30+) Steven
1 João 4:2
Vincent on homologeo - The fundamental idea of confess is that of saying the same thing as another; while profess (pro = forth, fateor = to say) is to declare openly. Hence, to profess Christ is to declare Him publicly as our Lord: to confess Christ is to declare agreement with all that He says. When Christ confesses His followers before the world, He makes a declaration in agreement with what is in His heart concerning them. Similarly, when He declares to the wicked “I never knew you” (“then will I profess”), a similar agreement between His thought and His declaration is implied. The two ideas run into each other, and the Rev. is right in the few cases in which it retains profess, since confess would be ambiguous. See, for example, Titus 1:16+. NIDNTT notes that in the secular use of homologeo "The legal connotation is dominant. A man agrees with another’s statement, concedes or confesses something (e.g. his guilt before a judge), agrees to something (e.g. another’s wish) and so promises. This agreement expresses itself in an act of commitment, promise, or confession in a court or legal contract. The religious use of the words is probably derived primarily from their use in the language of treaties and the law-courts. The man who binds himself by an oath (homologeo) enters into a treaty relationship with the deity. This concept was then transferred from the solemn confession of wrong-doing before a court of law to the confession of sin to the deity. These concepts were used especially in the oriental cults, as may be seen from Lydian and Phrygian expiatory inscriptions. In modern Gk. the concept has come to mean sacramental confession to a priest: exomologeomai, I make my confession; ōexomologe, I hear a confession. (Click for how to use this online resource - Brown, Colin, Editor. New International Dictionary of NT Theology) Jesus (2424)(Iesous is transliteration of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the transliteration of the Hebrew name Jehoshua (Yehoshua) or Jeshua (Yeshua) which mean Jehovah is help or Jehovah is salvation. Stated another way the Greek Iesous corresponds to the OT Jehoshua (Yehoshua) which is contracted as Jeshua (Yeshua).
1 João 4:3
Vincent on homologeo - The fundamental idea of confess is that of saying the same thing as another; while profess (pro = forth, fateor = to say) is to declare openly. Hence, to profess Christ is to declare Him publicly as our Lord: to confess Christ is to declare agreement with all that He says. When Christ confesses His followers before the world, He makes a declaration in agreement with what is in His heart concerning them. Similarly, when He declares to the wicked “I never knew you” (“then will I profess”), a similar agreement between His thought and His declaration is implied. The two ideas run into each other, and the Rev. is right in the few cases in which it retains profess, since confess would be ambiguous. See, for example, Titus 1:16+. NIDNTT notes that in the secular use of homologeo "The legal connotation is dominant. A man agrees with another’s statement, concedes or confesses something (e.g. his guilt before a judge), agrees to something (e.g. another’s wish) and so promises. This agreement expresses itself in an act of commitment, promise, or confession in a court or legal contract. The religious use of the words is probably derived primarily from their use in the language of treaties and the law-courts. The man who binds himself by an oath (homologeo) enters into a treaty relationship with the deity. This concept was then transferred from the solemn confession of wrong-doing before a court of law to the confession of sin to the deity. These concepts were used especially in the oriental cults, as may be seen from Lydian and Phrygian expiatory inscriptions. In modern Gk. the concept has come to mean sacramental confession to a priest: exomologeomai, I make my confession; ōexomologe, I hear a confession. (Click for how to use this online resource - Brown, Colin, Editor. New International Dictionary of NT Theology) From (1537) (ek) a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause, literal or figurative. Out of, from, by," suggesting "the source from which something is done," is sometimes rendered "by means of," e.g., Luke 16:9, RV, "by means of (the mammon of unrighteousness);" AV, "of;" 2 Cor. 1:11, "by (the) means of (many)." 1 John 4 has 8 phrases that begin with "from" (ek) - 1 John 4:1, 1 John 4:2, 1 John 4:3, 1 John 4:4, 1 John 4:5, 1 John 4:6 GINGRICH Shorter Lexicon of the Greek New Testament - EK before vowels ex prep. with genitive (possessive) = from, out of, away from— 1. to denote separation Mt 2:15; 26:27; Mk 16:3; Jn 12:27; 17:15 ; Ac 17:33; Gal 3:13; Rev 14:13; from among Lk 20:35; Acts 3:23. 2. to denote the direction from which something comes from, out from Mt 17:9; Mk 11:20; Lk 5:3; in answer to the question where? at, on Mt 20:21, 23; Ac 2:25, 34. 3. to denote origin, cause, motive reason from, of, by Mt 1:3, 5, 18; Jn 1:13, 46; 1 Cor 7:7; 2 Cor 5:1; Gal 2:15; 4:4; Phil 3:5. Because of, by Mk 7:11; 2 Cor 2:2; Rev 8:11. By reason of, as a result of, because of Lk 12:15; Ac 19:25; Ro 4:2; with Lk 16:9. Of, from of source or material Mt 12:34; J 19:2; 1 Cor 9:13; Rv 18:12. According to, in accordance with Mt 12:37; 2 Cor 8:11, 13. ek toutou for this reason, therefore Jn 6:66. oi` ek nomou partisans of the law Ro 4:14. 4. in periphrasis for the partitive gen. Mt 10:29; 25:2; Lk 11:15, which may even function as subject of a sentence ek t matheton some of the disciples Jn 16:17; used with einai = belong to someone or something Mt 26:73; Ac 21:8; 1 Cor 12:15f. After verbs of filling with Lk 15:16; J n12:3; Rev 8:5. For the gen. of price or value for Mt 20:2; 27:7; Ac 1:18. 5. of time from, from this or that time on Mt 19:12; Mk 10:20; J 9:1, 32; for Lk 23:8; after 2 Pt 2:8. Antichrist (500)(antichristos from anti = instead of or against + Christos = anointed) conveys one of two main meanings depending on how one interprets the prefix "anti." Anti can mean in lieu of, in place of, over against, opposite, instead of, and in comparisons it denotes contrast, substitution. John "defines" an Antichrist as anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ (1Jn 2:22+). See much more in depth discussion in comments on 1 John 2:18 regarding antichristos. See Comparison of Christ and Antichrist. See also John MacArthur's discussion of Antichrist - Christians and Antichrists, Part 1 QUESTION - How can Jesus be both God and man at the same time? WATCH VIDEO ANSWER - The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is both God and man. Many Christians are understandably confused when it comes to understanding how Jesus can be God and man at the same time. How could our divine Creator become a human? Could a first-century Jewish man really be God? While a certain amount of mystery will always accompany this issue, both Scripture and, to a lesser extent, church tradition provide for us important distinctions to help us make sense of this matter. While previous church councils had deliberated over issues pertaining to the nature of Christ and His relationship to the Father, it was the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451) that affirmed that Christ is “the same perfect in divinity and perfect in humanity, the same truly God and truly man.” This statement is not true simply because the council taught it. Rather, the council’s declaration was authoritative only insofar as it aligned with what the Bible teaches on the subject. Scripture is clear that Jesus is God (John 20:28; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8), and it is equally clear that He is truly human (Romans 1:2–4; 1 John 4:2–3). Jesus claimed the divine name (John 8:58) and did things that only God can do (Mark 2:1–12; Luke 7:48–50). But Jesus also displayed the weaknesses and vulnerabilities common to humanity (Luke 19:41; John 19:28). The belief that Jesus is both God and man is of fundamental importance. The apostle Paul wrote that an affirmation of the divinity of Jesus is required to be saved (Romans 10:9), and the apostle John provided a sober warning that those who deny Christ’s true humanity are promoting the doctrine of antichrist (2 John 1:7). The Triune God of the Bible has existed and reigned from all eternity, and the second Person of the Trinity, the Son, took on human flesh at a particular point in time (Luke 1:35; Hebrews 1:5). God the Son added a sinless human nature to His eternally existent divine nature. The result was the Incarnation. God the Son became a man (John 1:1, 14). Hebrews 2:17 gives the reason that Jesus had to be both God and man: “He had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.” The Son of God took on human flesh to provide redemption to those under the law (Galatians 4:4–5). At no time did Jesus ever cease to be God. Although He was made fully human, there was never a point when He abrogated His divine nature (see Luke 6:5, 8). It is equally true that, after becoming incarnate, the Son has never ceased to be human. As the apostle Paul wrote, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5, emphasis added). Jesus is not half-human and half-divine. Rather, He is Theanthropos, the God-man. The Lord Jesus Christ is one eternally divine Person who will forever possess two distinct yet inseparable natures: one divine and one human. QUESTION - What is the hypostatic union? ANSWER - The hypostatic union is the term used to describe how God the Son, Jesus Christ, took on a human nature, yet remained fully God at the same time. Jesus always had been God (John 8:58, 10:30), but at the incarnation Jesus became a human being (John 1:14). The addition of the human nature to the divine nature is Jesus, the God-man. This is the hypostatic union, Jesus Christ, one Person, fully God and fully man. Jesus’ two natures, human and divine, are inseparable. Jesus will forever be the God-man, fully God and fully human, two distinct natures in one Person. Jesus’ humanity and divinity are not mixed, but are united without loss of separate identity. Jesus sometimes operated with the limitations of humanity (John 4:6, 19:28) and other times in the power of His deity (John 11:43; Matthew 14:18-21). In both, Jesus’ actions were from His one Person. Jesus had two natures, but only one personality. The doctrine of the hypostatic union is an attempt to explain how Jesus could be both God and man at the same time. It is ultimately, though, a doctrine we are incapable of fully understanding. It is impossible for us to fully understand how God works. We, as human beings with finite minds, should not expect to totally comprehend an infinite God. Jesus is God’s Son in that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). But that does not mean Jesus did not exist before He was conceived. Jesus has always existed (John 8:58, 10:30). When Jesus was conceived, He became a human being in addition to being God (John 1:1, 14). Jesus is both God and man. Jesus has always been God, but He did not become a human being until He was conceived in Mary. Jesus became a human being in order to identify with us in our struggles (Hebrews 2:17) and, more importantly, so that He could die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins (Philippians 2:5-11). In summary, the hypostatic union teaches that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine, that there is no mixture or dilution of either nature, and that He is one united Person, forever. Related Resources: Who is Jesus Christ? Is Jesus God? Who was the real historical Jesus? Is Jesus God in the flesh? Why is it important that Jesus is God in the flesh? Why is the humanity of Jesus important? What is the meaning of the Incarnation of Christ? How was Jesus fully God and fully man? How can Jesus be both God and man at the same time? QUESTION - What is the Jesus Seminar? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - The "Jesus Seminar" was begun by New Testament "scholar" Robert Funk in the 1970s. It was Funk’s desire to rediscover the "historical Jesus" that was hidden, he believed, behind almost 2,000 years of Christian traditions, myths, and legends. The Jesus Seminar was created to examine the biblical gospels and other early Christian literature to discover who Jesus truly was and what He truly said. The Jesus Seminar was (and still is) comprised almost entirely of individuals who deny the inspiration, authority, and inerrancy of the Bible. The agenda of the Jesus Seminar is not to discover who the historical Jesus was. Rather, the purpose of the Jesus Seminar is to attack what the Bible clearly says about who Jesus is and what He taught. The crowning publication of the Jesus Seminar is a work that goes through the four biblical gospels and the gospel of Thomas and proceeds to determine what Jesus truly said and taught. It divides Jesus’ words from the gospels into categories based on how likely it is that Jesus truly said them. Words in red indicate words that Jesus most likely said. Words in pink represent words that Jesus possibly said. Words in gray indicate words that Jesus likely did not say, but are close to what He might have said. Words in black represent words that Jesus definitely did not say. It is interesting to note that in this work from the Jesus Seminar there are more words in black than in red, pink, and gray combined. Almost the entire gospel of John is in black. It is also interesting that the gospel of Thomas is given a significantly higher percentage of red and pink words than the biblical gospels. It is absolutely ridiculous, even offensive, to think that a group of "scholars" today can more accurately determine what Jesus did and did not say than the authors of the gospels, who wrote in the same century in which Jesus lived, taught, died, and was resurrected. The "scholars" of the Jesus Seminar do not believe in the deity of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, the miracles of Christ, or the substitutionary atonement death of Christ. Perhaps most significantly, they deny that the Holy Spirit is the author of all Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17), having moved the minds and hands of all the writers (2 Peter 1:20-21). Since the Jesus Seminar does not believe these Christian doctrines, they relegate anything that Jesus says in support of them as "black." Essentially, the agenda of the Jesus Seminar is, "I do not believe Jesus is God, so I am going to remove anything that records Jesus saying or teaching that He is God from the gospels." The claim that the purpose of the Jesus Seminar is to "discover the historical Jesus" is false and misleading. The true purpose of the Jesus Seminar is to promote the Jesus that the Jesus Seminar believes in instead of the Jesus of the Bible. See Wikipedia discussion on the Jesus Seminar GREEK & HEBREW WORD STUDIES: JESUS, CHRIST, JOSHUA, MESSIAH Jesus (2424)(Iesous) is transliteration of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the transliteration of the Hebrew name Jehoshua (Yehoshua) or Jeshua (Yeshua) which mean Jehovah is help or Jehovah is salvation. Stated another way the Greek Iesous corresponds to the OT Jehoshua (Yehoshua) which is contracted as Jeshua (Yeshua). NET Note on Jesus - The Greek form of the name Iēsous, which was translated into Latin as Jesus, is the same as the Hebrew Yeshua (Joshua), which means “Yahweh saves” (Yahweh is typically rendered as “LORD” in the OT). As discussed below, most of the NT uses of Iesous refer to our Lord Jesus. In the Gospels the single Name Jesus (Iesous) is used as His personal Name and is found 538 times. In the Epistles Jesus is usually (but not always - e.g., Ro 3:26; 4:24; 1Cor 12:3; 2Cor 11:4; Phil 2:10; 1Th 4:14; Heb 7:22; 10:19, etc) used in combination with Christ or Lord (see next paragraph). Jesus is known by Christ alone some 44 times in the Gospels. Looking at the entire NT we find Jesus in several combinations… Jesus Christ (137x in 134v) Christ Jesus (91x in 86v) All except one use (Acts 24:24) are by Paul. Lord Jesus Christ (63x in 63v). Lord Jesus (without Christ) (38x in 38v) Jesus the Christ occurs in Acts 3:20. Jesus is the Christ (Acts 9:22, cp Acts 17:3). Jesus was the Christ (Acts 18:5, 28). Jesus Christ the Nazarene (Acts 4:10). Jesus Christ our Lord (Ro 1:4) After Paul was saved "immediately he began to proclaim Jesus (Textus Receptus - KJV has "preached Christ" in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." (Acts 9:20) One of my favorite (older) choruses is Jesus, Name Above All Names - YouTube Jesus, Name above all names, Beautiful Savior, glorious Lord. Emanuel, God is with us, Blessed Redeemer, Living Word. As an aside the reader should realize that any attempt to "define" Iesous is fraught with huge gaps, for this Name (when applied to our Lord Jesus Christ) is indeed "the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth" (Php 2:9-11+) and "there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other Name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12+) Indeed, His very Name "Iesous" conveys His supreme purpose for coming to earth -- to save men dead in their trespasses and sins (Mt 1:21+) Our goal should be to "fix our eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfecter of faith." (Heb 12:2) Easton's Bible Dictionary has a good summary of the origin of the name Jesus - "This is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which was originally Hoshea (means "salvation") (Nu 13:8,16 ), but changed by Moses into Jehoshua (Yehoshua) (Nu 13:16; 1Chr 7:27 ) or Joshua. After the Exile it assumed the form Jeshua (Yeshua), whence the Greek form Jesus. It was given to our Lord to denote the object of his mission, to save (Matthew 1:21)." (1) As noted above, most NT uses of Iesous refer to Jesus which is the Name the Father directed the angel of the Lord to give to Joseph so that His Name would clearly testify to His Mission - "And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins." (Mt 1:21) Jesus Is the Sweetest Name I Know, And He's just the same as His lovely name. And that's the reason why I love Him so; Jesus is the sweetest name I know. -Lela B Long Matthew in the first verse of the NT uses the Name Jesus writing "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." (Mt 1:1) and then he explicitly writes of "Jesus Who is called Christ." (Mt 1:16) and proceeds to describe "the birth of Jesus Christ." (Mt 1:18) Clearly Matthew wants to make certain that this Jesus is not any Jesus (and it was a relatively common Jewish name at the time), but that He was the prophesied Christos or Messiah of the Old Testament. Most authorities interpret the combination Name "Jesus Christ" as an implicit reference to His humanity (Jesus) and His divinity (Christ). In Christ (Christos) we also see that He is the Anointed of God, to Israel, its Messiah. (2) Iesous is translated as Joshua, Moses successor (Acts 7:45, Heb 4:8). (3) Iesous was a relatively common name among the Jews in the first century and Paul mentions a man named Jesus who was apparently a believer in Jesus! (Col 4:11 = Jesus who is called Justus [a non-Semitic name]"). K. H. Rengstorf notes that "Reverence for the Name Jesus had as its logical outcome—and that very rapidly—the almost general renunciation on the part of Christians of its further secular use. But it is no less significant that by the end of the 1st cent. the name Jesus had become uncommon as a personal name among the Jews too. In its place the OT name Yehôšûa‘ reappeared with a wide distribution, accompanied by Iasōn as the Gk. equivalent among the Jews of the dispersion among whom, in the course of assimilation, the name had already been taken up for a long time (cf. Aristeas 49; Josephus Ant. 12, 10, 6). In the same context belongs the fact that Talmudic Judaism soon accustomed itself, when it was obliged to name Jesus of Nazareth, to referring to him as Yešû and not as Yēšua‘. Although the reason for this may lie in the purely external fact that the Christians referred to their Lord as Yešû (giving up the a‘ of the basic Heb. form), it is also an expression, not only of Jewish antipathy, but also of how far this name, among all names, had become unique to the Christians." (See full 2 page note on IESOUS on page 330 of the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology online) (4) Iesous refers to another "Joshua" in Lk 3:29, the son of Eliezer and in the line of the Messiah. (5) Iesous as the first name of Barabbas (this ISBE article also discusses the name "Iesous" for Barabbas) - A number of resources note that there is some evidence that Barabbas' first name was Jesus. And so the highly respected New English Translation (NET) uses Jesus twice with Barabbas -- "At that time they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Jesus Barabbas. (Mt 27:16-17) The NET Note says that " Although the external evidence for the inclusion of “Jesus” before “Barabbas” (in vv. 16 and 17) is rather sparse, being restricted virtually to the Caesarean text (Θ f1 700* pc sys), the omission of the Lord’s name in apposition to “Barabbas” is such a strongly motivated reading that it can hardly be original. There is no good explanation for a scribe unintentionally adding Iēsoun before Barabban, especially since Barabbas is mentioned first in each verse (thus dittography is ruled out). Further, the addition of ton legomenon Christon, “who is called Christ”) to Iēsoun in Mt 27:17 makes better sense if Barabbas is also called “Jesus” (otherwise, a mere “Jesus” would have been a sufficient appellation to distinguish the two)… (Note on Mt 27:17) Again, as in Mt 27:16, the name “Jesus” is supplied before “Barabbas” in Θ f1 700* pc sys Ormss (Θ 700* lack the article ton before Barabban). The same argument for accepting the inclusion of “Jesus” as original in the previous verse applies here as well." Interesting! I suppose we will find out the answer we see our Lord some day! The NIDNTT adds that "There are fairly clear indications that even Barabbas, the Zealot between whom and Jesus Pilate asked the people to choose, had Jesus as his first name. " IESOUS WAS A COMMON NAME AMONG JEWS - The name IESOUS (Greek for Yeshua/Joshua) was a fairly common name among Jews in antiquity, particularly in the 1st century. Archaeological evidence and ancient texts show: Archaeologists have found at least 71 tombs bearing the name Yeshua (the Hebrew form of Jesus/IESOUS) from the period around the life of Jesus. The Jewish historian Josephus, writing in the 1st century CE, referenced at least twelve people named Jesus (IESOUS), including four Jewish high priests with this name. In Greek inscriptions from the era, there are 48 examples of "IESOUS" found, demonstrating its use among Greek-speaking Jews as well. The historian Tal Ilan's "Lexicon of Jewish Names in Late Antiquity" reports a significant presence of the name Yeshua/Joshua/IESOUS in various forms from that period. The name was especially popular because it was the shortened Aramaic form of Yehoshua, a name carried by notable biblical figures like Joshua son of Nun and was revived post-exile. Stephen Renn gives a more "descriptive" definition of Iesous by referring to the uses of this Name in specific passages - The angel of the Lord revealed this name directly to his mother Mary (cf. Mt 1:21). The name Jesus Christ is found in a number of settings, such as in the genealogical listings of his Davidic ancestry (cf. Mt 1: 1); in significant events of his earthly life including his birth (cf. Mt 1:18); and as a formal introduction to His person at the beginning of the majority of New Testament books outside the gospels. In other contexts, the name Iesous Christos is associated with His person and work. For example, Jn 1:17 describes Jesus Christ as the source of grace and truth. See also Ro 5:15, 17, 21; 6:23; Gal. 2:16; Php. 1:11. References to Jesus’ divine authority and power are found in relation to forgiveness (Acts 2:38); and in association with his miracles (Acts 3: 6; 4:10; 16:18). Ro 6:11 declares Jesus Christ to be the sole means of gaining a personal relationship with God. He is the Lord of the universe (Php. 3:20) and the Lord of glory (Jas 2:1). The goal of sanctification and its realization in the lives of believers are bound up with the person of Jesus Christ. He is also declared, for example, to be co-creator with God (1Co. 8: 6); the founder of our faith (1Co. 3:11; Eph. 2:20); the one who rose from the dead (2Ti. 2: 8; 1Pe. 1: 3; 3:21); our great high priest (1Pe. 2:5); the ruler of the heavenly kingdom (2Pe 1:11); the full incarnation of God in human form (1Jn 4:2; 2Jn 1:7); the one whose blood cleanses his people from all their sin (1Jn 1: 7). The above list is by no means exhaustive. Use of the name Iesous by itself, especially in the Gospels, usually designates the activity and actions of our Lord during his earthly life. The Name “Jesus” occurs approximately six hundred times in the four gospels. Other New Testament occurrences of “Jesus” refer to aspects of his person and work. For example, Acts 1:11 affirms that the risen Jesus will return to earth in the same way he left to ascend into heaven. “Jesus” is the authoritative name under heaven before whom all people will one day bow (cf. Php. 2:10). Jesus is declared to be the Savior of the world (Acts 13:23; 1Th. 1:10); and a man attested by God with mighty works and signs (Acts 2:22; 10:38). He is also said to be the Christ (Acts 5:42; 17:33; 18:28); the crucified Christ (Acts 2:36); the risen Christ in heaven (Acts 7:55). References to Jesus as Lord are found in Acts 19:13; 20:21; Ro 4:24; 1Th. 4: 1. Jesus is also identified as our high priest (Heb. 4:14; 6:20); as the guarantor of a better covenant (Heb. 7:22); as the mediator of the new covenant (Heb. 12:24); and as the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12: 2). These references form an extensive, though not exhaustive, listing of the name of “Jesus” in the New Testament. (Expository Dictionary of Bible Words- Word Studies for Key English Bible Words) QUESTION - What is the meaning of the name Jesus? (WATCH VIDEO) ANSWER - If ever a name was packed with significance, it is the name Jesus. Scripture says Jesus has been given “the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:9–10, CSB). Why is our Lord’s name so powerful? What does the name Jesus mean? The name Jesus, announced to Joseph and Mary through the angels (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31), means “Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is salvation.” Transliterated from Hebrew and Aramaic, the name is Yeshua. This word is a combination of Ya, an abbreviation for Yahweh, the name of Israel’s God (Exodus 3:14); and the verb yasha, meaning “rescue,” “deliver,” or “save.” The English spelling of the Hebrew Yeshua is Joshua. But when translated from Hebrew into Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament, the name Yeshua becomes Iēsous. In English, Iēsous becomes Jesus. Thus, Yeshua and, correspondingly, Joshua and Jesus mean “Yahweh saves” or “the Lord is salvation.” The name Jesus was quite popular in first-century Judea. For this reason, our Lord was often called “Jesus of Nazareth,” distinguishing Him by His childhood home, the town of Nazareth in Galilee (Matthew 21:11; Mark 1:24; Luke 18:37; John 1:45; John 19:19; Acts 2:22). Despite its commonness, the name Jesus is remarkably significant. Jesus was sent by God for a particular purpose, and His personal name bears witness to that mission. Just as the Yeshua/Joshua in the Old Testament led his people to victory over the Canaanites, the Yeshua/Jesus in the New Testament led His people to victory over sin and their spiritual enemies. Galatians 4:4–5 says, “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.” God sent Jesus to save us (John 3:17). The meaning of Jesus’ name—“Yahweh saves”—reveals His mission (to save and deliver) and His identity as Savior of the world. At the same time, the commonness of Jesus’ name underscores His humanity and humility. The Son of God emptied Himself of His glory to become a humble man (Philippians 2:6–8). The Lexham Survey of Theology eloquently captures this dual significance in the name Jesus: “He was, from one angle, ‘just another Joshua,’ and yet, in another sense, he was the true Joshua—the one who would live up to the meaning of this name in ways that no others could.” The name of Jesus is important because of its meaning and because of whom it represents. There is power and authority in the person of Christ Jesus, and, of course, the person is designated by the name. More so than with other names, we associate the name of Jesus with His distinctive character, quality, and work, as seen in the following biblical truths: Salvation is in the name of Jesus alone: “Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:11–12; see also John 14:6; 20:31; Acts 2:21; Joel 2:32; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 John 2:12). Forgiveness of sins is received through the name of Jesus: “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43; see also 22:16). Believers are baptized in the name of Jesus: “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38; see also Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:12,15–16; 10:48; 19:5). Healing and miracles were performed in the name of Jesus: “By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see” (Acts 3:16; see also Acts 3:6–8 and Acts 4:30). Jesus teaches believers to pray in His name; that is, to pray, in His authority, the type of prayer that He would pray: “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:13–14; see also Jn 15:16; 16:23–24). In every way, Jesus lives up to His name. The name Jesus reminds us of the power, presence, and purpose of the risen Christ. It assures us that God’s gracious intention is to save us. Our Lord Jesus brought God to humanity and now brings humans to God through the salvation He purchased. In the Bible, when people spoke or acted in the name of Jesus, they did so as the Lord’s representatives with His authority. The very life of the believer is to be lived in the name of Jesus (Colossians 3:17) and by doing so bring glory to God: “We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:12). Related Resources: What does Jesus’ name have to do with the fact that He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21)? Is there power in the name of Jesus? Did Jesus have a last name? What does it mean that Jesus has the name above all names? Is Yeshua Hamashiach the proper Hebrew name/title for Jesus Christ? | GotQuestions.org If His name was Yeshua, why do we call Him Jesus? | GotQuestions.org What does it mean to pray in Jesus' name? | GotQuestions.org Should we be baptized in Jesus' name (Acts 2:38), or in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)? Listen to Jesus, You're the sweetest Name of all Marvin Vincent has a lengthy note on Jesus - The Greek form of a Hebrew name, which had been borne by two illustrious individuals in former periods of the Jewish history—Joshua, the successor of Moses, and Jeshua, the high-priest, who with Zerubbabel took so active a part in the re-establishment of the civil and religious polity of the Jews on their return from Babylon. Its original and full form is Jehoshua, becoming by contraction Joshua or Jeshua. Joshua, the son of Nun, the successor of Moses, was originally named Hoshea (saving), which was altered by Moses into Jehoshua (Jehovah (our) Salvation) (Num. 13:16). The meaning of the name, therefore, finds expression in the title Saviour, applied to our Lord (Luke 1:47; 2:11; John 4:42). Joshua, the son of Nun, is a type of Christ in his office of captain and deliverer of his people, in the military aspect of his saving work (Apoc. 19:11–16). As God’s revelation to Moses was in the character of a law-giver, his revelation to Joshua was in that of the Lord of Hosts (Josh. 5:13, 14). Under Joshua the enemies of Israel were conquered, and the people established in the Promised Land. So Jesus leads his people in the fight with sin and temptation. He is the leader of the faith which overcomes the world (Heb. 12:2). Following him, we enter into rest. The priestly office of Jesus is foreshadowed in the high-priest Jeshua, who appears in the vision of Zechariah (ch. 3; compare Ezra 2:2) in court before God, under accusation of Satan, and clad in filthy garments. Jeshua stands not only for himself, but as the representative of sinning and suffering Israel. Satan is defeated. The Lord rebukes him, and declares that he will redeem and restore this erring people; and in token thereof he commands that the accused priest be clad in clean robes and crowned with the priestly mitre. Thus in this priestly Jeshua we have a type of our “Great High-Priest, touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and in all points tempted and tried like as we are;” confronting Satan in the wilderness; trying conclusions with him upon the victims of his malice—the sick, the sinful, and the demon-ridden. His royal robes are left behind. He counts not “equality with God a thing to be grasped at,” but “empties himself,” taking the “form of a servant,” humbling himself and becoming “obedient even unto death” (Philip. 2:6, 7, Rev.). He assumes the stained garments of our humanity. He who “knew no sin” is “made to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21). He is at once priest and victim. He pleads for sinful man before God’s throne. He will redeem him. He will rebuke the malice and cast down the power of Satan. He will behold him “as lightning fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18). He will raise and save and purify men of weak natures, rebellious wills, and furious passions—cowardly braggarts and deniers like Peter, persecutors like Saul of Tarsus, charred brands—and make them witnesses of his grace and preachers of his love and power. His kingdom shall be a kingdom of priests, and the song of his redeemed church shall be, “unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his own blood, and made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev 1:5, 6, in Rev.). It is no mere fancy which sees a suggestion and a foreshadowing of the prophetic work of Jesus in the economy of salvation, in a third name closely akin to the former. Hoshea, which we know in our English Bible as Hosea, was the original name of Joshua (compare Rom. 9:25, Rev.) and means saving. He is, in a peculiar sense, the prophet of grace and salvation, placing his hope in God’s personal coming as the refuge and strength of humanity; in the purification of human life by its contact with the divine. The great truth which he has to teach is the love of Jehovah to Israel as expressed in the relation of husband, an idea which pervades his prophecy, and which is generated by his own sad domestic experience. He foreshadows Jesus in his pointed warnings against sin, his repeated offers of divine mercy, and his patient, forbearing love, as manifested in his dealing with an unfaithful and dissolute wife, whose soul he succeeded in rescuing from sin and death (Hosea 1–3.). So long as he lived, he was one continual, living prophecy of the tenderness of God toward sinners; a picture of God’s love for us when alien from him, and with nothing in us to love. The faithfulness of the prophetic teacher thus blends in Hosea, as in our Lord, with the compassion and sympathy and sacrifice of the priest. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament- Abridged in One Volume (TDNT) - The name Iēsoús expresses Christ’s humanity. He goes by this name and is addressed and discussed by it. To distinguish Him from others who bear it, we find such additions as “from Nazareth of Galilee” (Mt. 21:11) or “the son of David” (Mk. 10:47-48) (cf. also Mk. 1:24; Mt. 27:37; Jn. 18:5, etc.). The Christian community confesses this Iēsoús as the prince of life (Acts 3:15), as the Christ of God, as Lord and Savior, and as God’s Son. But it makes no separation between Iēsoús and ho kýrios; Iēsoús is himself the one whom God has made both Lord and Judge (cf. Phil. 2:7; Gal. 3:1; Acts 17:31). In the Synoptic Gospels and Acts the simple Iēsoús is commonly used, though we also find ho kýrios (e.g., in Luke) and such fixed expressions as Iēsoús Christós and ho kýrios (kurios) Iēsoús Christós ("the Lord Jesus Christ"). In the rest of the NT, however, the simple Iēsoús is rare. Paul has it mostly when thinking of Christ’s life and death, as in 1Th 4:14; 2Cor. 4:11-13.; Php 2:10. New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology - Iēsous is the Greek form of the OT Jewish name Yēšua’, arrived at by transcribing the Hebrew and adding an -s to the nom. to facilitate declension. Yēšua‘ (Joshua) seems to have come into general use about the time of the Babylonian exile in place of the older Yehôšûa‘. The LXX rendered both the ancient and more recent forms of the name uniformly as Iēsous. Joshua the son of Nun, who according to the tradition was Moses’ successor and completed his work in the occupation of the promised land by the tribes of Israel, appears under this name (cf. Ex 17:8–16; 24:13; 32:17; 33:11; Nu 11:27ff.; 13:8; 14:6–9, 30–38; 27:18; 21ff.; Dt. 31:3, 7, 8, 14f., 23; 34:9; and the Book of Joshua. It is the oldest name containing the divine name Yahweh, and means “Yahweh is help” or “Yahweh is salvation” (cf. the verb yasa'’, help, save). Joshua also appears in one post-exilic passage in the Hebrew OT (Neh 8:17) as Yēšua‘ the son of Nun, and not as in the older texts, Yehôšûa‘. Marvin Vincent on Iesous - The Greek form of a Hebrew name, which had been borne by two illustrious individuals in former periods of the Jewish history - Joshua, the successor of Moses, and Jeshua, the high-priest, who with Zerubbabel took so active a part in the re-establishment of the civil and religious polity of the Jews on their return from Babylon. Its original and full form is Jehoshua, becoming by contraction Joshua or Jeshua. Joshua, the son of Nun, the successor of Moses, was originally named Hoshea (saving) which was altered by Moses into Jehoshua (Jehovah (our Salvation) (Nu 13:16). The meaning of the name, therefore, finds expression in the title Saviour, applied to our Lord (Lk 1:47; Lk 2:11; Jn 4:42). Joshua, the son of Nun, is a type of Christ in his office of captain and deliverer of his people, in the military aspect of his saving work (Rev 19:11-16). As God's revelation to Moses was in the character of a law-giver, his revelation to Joshua was in that of the Lord of Hosts (Josh 5:13, Joshua 5:14). Under Joshua the enemies of Israel were conquered, and the people established in the Promised Land. So Jesus leads his people in the fight with sin and temptation. He is the leader of the faith which overcomes the world (Heb 12:2). Following him, we enter into rest. The priestly office of Jesus is foreshadowed in the high-priest Jeshua, who appears in the vision of Zechariah (Zechariah 3:1-10; compare Ezra 2:2) in court before God, under accusation of Satan, and clad in filthy garments. Jeshua stands not only for himself, but as the representative of sinning and suffering Israel. Satan is defeated. The Lord rebukes him, and declares that he will redeem and restore this erring people; and in token thereof he commands that the accused priest be clad in clean robes and crowned with the priestly mitre. Thus in this priestly Jeshua we have a type of our “Great High-Priest, touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and in all points tempted and tried like as we are;” confronting Satan in the wilderness; trying conclusions with him upon the victims of his malice - the sick, the sinful, and the demon-ridden. His royal robes are left behind. He counts not “equality with God a thing to be grasped at,” but “empties himself,” taking the “form of a servant,” humbling himself and becoming “obedient even unto death” (Philemon 2:6, Philemon 2:7, Rev.). He assumes the stained garments of our humanity. He who “knew no sin” is “made to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2Corinthians 5:21). He is at once priest and victim. He pleads for sinful man before God's throne. He will redeem him. He will rebuke the malice and cast down the power of Satan. He will behold him” as lightning fall from heaven” (Lk 10:18). He will raise and save and purify men of weak natures, rebellious wills, and furious passions - cowardly braggarts and deniers like Peter, persecutors like Saul of Tarsus, charred brands - and make them witnesses of his grace and preachers of his love and power. His kingdom shall be a kingdom of priests, and the song of his redeemed church shall be, “unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his own blood, and made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev 1:5, 1:6). It is no mere fancy which sees a suggestion and a foreshadowing of the prophetic work of Jesus in the economy of salvation, in a third name closely akin to the former. Hoshea, which we know in our English Bible as Hosea, was the original name of Joshua (compare Romans 9:25, Rev.) and means saving. He is, in a peculiar sense, the prophet of grace and salvation, placing his hope in God's personal coming as the refuge and strength of humanity; in the purification of human life by its contact with the divine. The great truth which he has to teach is the love of Jehovah to Israel as expressed in the relation of husband, an idea which pervades his prophecy, and which is generated by his own sad domestic experience. He foreshadows Jesus in his pointed warnings against sin, his repeated offers of divine mercy, and his patient, forbearing love, as manifested in his dealing with an unfaithful and dissolute wife, whose soul he succeeded in rescuing from sin and death (Hosea 1-3). So long as he lived, he was one continual, living prophecy of the tenderness of God toward sinners; a picture of God's love for us when alien from him, and with nothing in us to love. The faithfulness of the prophetic teacher thus blends in Hosea, as in our Lord, with the compassion and sympathy and sacrifice of the priest." (Vincent) Josephus on Jesus: (Note that the this Jewish man calls Jesus "Christ" and speaks of His crucifixion and then His resurrection!) Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, (A.D. 33, April 3) those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; (April 5) as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day. (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, chapter 3, paragraph 3) Jesus - The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia Jesus Christ - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology Why is Jesus often called "Jesus of Nazareth"? (Mt 26:71, Mk 1:24, Lk 4:34, 18:37, Jn 1:45) Iesous - 917x in 878v in the NT (NAS) - Mt 1:1, 16, 18, 21, 25; 2:1; 3:13, 15f; 4:1, 7, 10, 17; 7:28; 8:4, 10, 13f, 18, 20, 22, 34; 9:2, 4, 9f, 15, 19, 22f, 27f, 30, 35; 10:5; 11:1, 4, 7, 25; 12:1, 15; 13:1, 34, 53, 57; 14:1, 12f, 16, 27, 29, 31; 15:1, 21, 28f, 32, 34; 16:6, 8, 13, 17, 21, 24; 17:1, 4, 7ff, 17ff, 22, 25f; 18:1, 22; 19:1, 14, 18, 21, 23, 26, 28; 20:17, 22, 25, 30, 32, 34; 21:1, 6, 11f, 16, 21, 24, 27, 31, 42; 22:1, 18, 29, 41; 23:1; 24:1, 4; 26:1, 4, 6, 10, 17, 19, 26, 31, 34, 36, 49ff, 55, 57, 59, 63f, 69, 71, 75; 27:1, 11, 16f, 20, 22, 26f, 37, 46, 50, 54f, 57f; 28:5, 9f, 16, 18; Mark 1:1, 9, 14, 17, 24f; 2:5, 8, 15, 17, 19; 3:7; 5:6f, 15, 20f, 27, 30, 36; 6:4, 30; 8:27; 9:2, 4f, 8, 23, 25, 27, 39; 10:5, 14, 18, 21, 23f, 27, 29, 32, 38f, 42, 47, 49ff; 11:6f, 22, 29, 33; 12:17, 24, 29, 34f; 13:2, 5; 14:6, 18, 27, 30, 48, 53, 55, 60, 62, 67, 72; 15:1, 5, 15, 34, 37, 43; 16:6, 8, 19; Luke 1:31; 2:21, 27, 43, 52; 3:21, 23, 29; 4:1, 4, 8, 12, 14, 34f; 5:8, 10, 12, 19, 22, 31, 34; 6:3, 9, 11; 7:3f, 6, 9, 40; 8:28, 30, 35, 39ff, 45f, 50; 9:33, 36, 41f, 47, 50, 58, 62; 10:29f, 37; 13:12, 14; 14:3; 17:13, 17; 18:16, 19, 22, 24, 37f, 40, 42; 19:3, 5, 9, 35; 20:8, 34; 22:47f, 51f; 23:8, 20, 25f, 28, 34, 42, 46, 52; 24:3, 15, 19; John 1:17, 29, 36ff, 42f, 45, 47f, 50; 2:1ff, 7, 11, 13, 19, 22, 24; 3:3, 5, 10, 22; 4:1f, 6f, 10, 13, 17, 21, 26, 34, 44, 47f, 50, 53f; 5:1, 6, 8, 13ff, 19; 6:1, 3, 5, 10f, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 32, 35, 42f, 53, 61, 64, 67, 70; 7:1, 6, 14, 16, 21, 28, 33, 37, 39; 8:1, 6, 10ff, 14, 19, 25, 28, 31, 34, 39, 42, 49, 54, 58f; 9:3, 11, 14, 35, 37, 39, 41; 10:6f, 23, 25, 32, 34; 11:4f, 9, 13f, 17, 20f, 23, 25, 30, 32f, 35, 38ff, 44, 46, 51, 54, 56; 12:1, 3, 7, 9, 11f, 14, 16, 21ff, 30, 35f, 44; 13:1, 7f, 10, 21, 23, 25ff, 29, 31, 36, 38; 14:6, 9, 23; 16:19, 31; 17:1, 3; 18:1f, 4f, 7f, 11f, 15, 19f, 22f, 28, 32ff, 36f; 19:1, 5, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18ff, 23, 25f, 28, 30, 33, 38, 40, 42; 20:2, 12, 14ff, 19, 21, 24, 26, 29ff; 21:1, 4f, 7, 10, 12ff, 17, 20ff, 25; Acts 1:1, 11, 14, 16, 21; 2:22, 32, 36, 38; 3:6, 13, 20; 4:2, 10, 13, 18, 27, 30, 33; 5:30, 40, 42; 6:14; 7:45, 55, 59; 8:12, 16, 35; 9:5, 17, 20, 27, 34; 10:36, 38, 48; 11:17, 20; 13:23, 33; 15:11, 26; 16:7, 18, 31; 17:3, 7, 18; 18:5, 25, 28; 19:4f, 13, 15, 17; 20:21, 24, 35; 21:13; 22:8; 24:24; 25:19; 26:9, 15; 28:23, 31; Rom 1:1, 4, 6ff; 2:16; 3:22, 24, 26; 4:24; 5:1, 11, 15, 17, 21; 6:3, 11, 23; 7:25; 8:1f, 11, 34, 39; 10:9; 13:14; 14:14; 15:5f, 16f, 30; 16:3, 20, 25, 27; 1 Cor 1:1ff, 7ff, 30; 2:2; 3:11; 4:15, 17; 5:4; 6:11; 8:6; 9:1; 11:23; 12:3; 15:31, 57; 16:23f; 2 Cor 1:1ff, 14, 19; 4:5f, 10f, 14; 8:9; 11:4, 31; 13:5, 13; Gal 1:1, 3, 12; 2:4, 16; 3:1, 14, 22, 26, 28; 4:14; 5:6, 24; 6:14, 17f; Eph 1:1ff, 5, 15, 17; 2:6f, 10, 13, 20; 3:1, 6, 11, 21; 4:21; 5:20; 6:23f; Phil 1:1f, 6, 8, 11, 19, 26; 2:5, 10f, 19, 21; 3:3, 8, 12, 14, 20; 4:7, 19, 21, 23; Col 1:1, 3f; 2:6; 3:17; 4:11f; 1 Thess 1:1, 3, 10; 2:14f, 19; 3:11, 13; 4:1f, 14; 5:9, 18, 23, 28; 2 Thess 1:1f, 7f, 12; 2:1, 8, 14, 16; 3:6, 12, 18; 1 Tim 1:1f, 12, 14ff; 2:5; 3:13; 4:6; 5:21; 6:3, 13f; 2Tim 1:1f, 9f, 13; 2:1, 3, 8, 10; 3:12, 15; 4:1; Titus 1:1, 4; 2:13; 3:6; Phlm 1:1, 3, 5, 9, 23, 25; Heb 2:9; 3:1; 4:8, 14; 6:20; 7:22; 10:10, 19; 12:2, 24; 13:8, 12, 20f; Jas 1:1; 2:1; 1 Pet 1:1ff, 7, 13; 2:5; 3:21; 4:11; 5:10; 2 Pet 1:1f, 8, 11, 14, 16; 2:20; 3:18; 1 John 1:3, 7; 2:1, 22; 3:23; 4:2f, 15; 5:1, 5f, 20; 2 John 1:3, 7; Jude 1:1, 4, 17, 21, 25; Rev 1:1f, 5, 9; 12:17; 14:12; 17:6; 19:10; 20:4; 22:16, 20f Iesous - approximately 217v in the Septuagint - Ex 17:9f, 13f; 24:13, 15; 32:17; 33:11; Num 11:28; 13:16; 14:6, 30, 38; 26:65; 27:18, 22; 32:12, 28; 34:17; Deut 1:38; 3:21, 28; 31:3, 7, 14, 23; 32:44; 34:9; Josh 1:1, 10, 12, 16; 2:1, 23f; 3:1, 5ff, 9; 4:1, 4, 8ff, 14f, 17, 20; 5:2ff, 7, 9, 13ff; 6:2, 6, 10, 12, 16, 21f, 25ff; 7:2f, 6f, 10, 16, 19f, 22ff; 8:1, 3, 9f, 15, 18, 21, 23f, 27ff; 9:6, 8, 15, 22, 24, 26f; 10:1, 4, 6ff, 12, 17f, 20ff, 24ff, 29, 31, 33f, 36, 38, 40, 42; 11:6f, 9f, 12f, 15f, 18, 21, 23; 12:7; 13:1; 14:1f, 6, 13; 15:13; 17:4, 14f, 17; 18:3, 8ff; 19:49, 51; 20:1; 21:1, 12, 42; 22:1, 6f, 34; 23:1f; 24:1f, 19, 21f, 24ff, 31; Judg 1:1; 2:6ff, 21, 23; 2 Kgs 23:8; 1 Chr 24:11; 2 Chr 31:15; POST-EXILIC BOOKS - Ezra 2:2, 36, 40; 3:2, 8f; 4:3; 5:2; 8:33; 10:18; Neh 3:19; 7:7, 11, 39, 43; 8:7, 17; 9:4f; 10:9; 12:1, 7, 10, 26; Hag 1:1, 12, 14; 2:2, 4; Zech 3:1, 3, 6, 8f; 6:11. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament- Abridged in One Volume (TDNT) notes that "Iēsoús is the Greek form of the OT Joshua (the name of the son of Nun in Exodus etc., of the high priest in Haggai and Zechariah, of two men in 1Sa 6:14 and 2Kgs. 23:8, and of a Levite in 2 Chr. 31:15)." I like the way Pastor Alan Carr summed up the Name Jesus in his sermon What Makes Jesus So Special? - He Is Exalted In His Name. We are told that He has been given “a name that is above every name”. What is that Name? The Greeks knew Him as Kurios Iesous Christos. The Hebrews called Him Yeshua Ha-Mashiach! The redeemed saints of God just know Him as Jesus! At the mention of that precious Name: • Lives are altered. • Fevered brows become cool. • Blinded eyes open. • Deaf ears unstop. • Sin’s bars open and the shackles of spiritual bondage fall away. • Night turns to day. • Defeat is swallowed up in victory. • Hope replaced despair. • Dead men live. • The lost are found. • Devils tremble. • Sinners are broken. • Saints shout. • Angels bow. More has been done through the agency and power of that Name than of all the names of all other people combined. There really is just something about that Name! • The name Jesus is the sweetest Name ever to fall upon human ears! • That Name is a cause for celebration in Heaven. • That Name strikes fear into the hearts of the inhabitants of Hell. • That Name changed my life, opened my eyes and saved my soul! Like the songwriter said: There's a name above all others, Wonderful to hear, bringing hope and cheer. It's the lovely name of Jesus, Evermore the same, what a lovely name. What a lovely name, the name of Jesus. Reaching higher far, than the brightest star. Sweeter than the songs they sing in heaven. Let the world proclaim, what a lovely name. Another songwriter said: There's Something About That Name (an oldie but a goodie) Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There's just something about that name. Master, Savior, Jesus, Like the fragrance after the rain. JesusJesus, Jesus, Jesus, Let all heaven and earth proclaim, Kings and kingdoms will all pass away But there's something about that name. Pastor Carr adds that "there must be something very special about this Name (Iesous - Jesus) I feel that it is special because: A. It Is A Name Picked By The Father - The name Jesus was not given to our Lord by Mary and Joseph. It was a name handpicked by God, Mt. 1:21. This alone makes it a name that stands out as special. A name that is worthy of further investigation. B. It Is A Name That Points Back To The Father - The name Jesus means, "Jehovah Is Salvation." This precious, sweet name reveals a side of Jesus that many fail to grasp. While God is a God of wrath and judgment, He is purely and wholly love, 1John 4:8; 16. God is love and everything He does is an outgrowth and an expression of His love. Therefore, when the Father sent Jesus to come into the world, He was sending a message to humanity. It was a message that said, "I have not forgotten, nor forsaken you. I love you and I give you my Son who will reveal me to you." (Ill. John 14:9) C. It Is A Name That Paint's God's Portrait - The name Jesus at once reveals the Son's mission, (Ill. Luke 19:10), and the Father's heart, (Ill. 2Pet. 3:9). God isn't in the damning business. He is in the saving business! He wants no one to go to Hell. In fact, He tells us that hell was not made for the lost, it was made for the devil and his angels, Matt. 25:41. When the Father chose the name Jesus as the one His Son would bear during the time of His humiliation, He was telling every creature in His universe in one word that His goal was the redemption and salvation of mankind. This is what He wanted and this is what He accomplished through the Name of Jesus! (The Name Above Every Name) Christ (Anointed One) (5547)(Christos from chrio = to rub or anoint, consecrate to an office) describes one who has been anointed with oil, one who has been consecrated. The majority of the NT uses refer to Jesus (exceptions = "false Christs" - Mt 24:24, Mk 13:22). Christos describes one who has been anointed, symbolizing appointment to a task. It is used here as the title "Anointed One" and is the Greek synonym for "Messiah." Christos is used in the Septuagint describing everyone anointed with the holy oil, especially the priesthood (Lev. 4:5+, Lev 4:16+) and it is also a name applied to those who were acting as redeemers like Cyrus. Gilbrant writes that "Hamilton suggests a fourfold significance to such anointing (“māshach,” Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 1:530): (1) separation unto God, (2) authorization by God, (3) divine enablement, and (4) the coming Deliverer. In regards to this final use he says, “Though this association with the term māshach is not as prevalent in the OT as often supposed, the prospect of a righteous, Spirit-filled ruler is increasingly discernible in the OT (cf. Isaiah 9:1-7+; Isa1 1:1-5+; Isa 61:1)” (ibid.). It was probably because of his role as a deliverer of God’s people, selected by the Lord for His purpose, that Cyrus, a Gentile emperor, was given the title of “messiah, anointed” (Isaiah 45:1). However, long after Cyrus, God’s people were still promised Messiah the prince, the one to fulfill all of the Biblical promises (Daniel 9:25,26+)." (Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary) BDAG adds Christos signifies the "Fulfiller of Israelite expectation of a Deliverer" and was used in the Septuagint of the great messianic Ps 2:2 describing the future day when "The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed (Hebrew = Mashiach/masiyah; Lxx = Christos)." The first use of Christos in the Septuagint describes "the anointed (Hebrew = Mashiach/masiyah; Lxx = Christos) priest" (Lev 4:5+) carrying out a blood sacrifice, clearly foreshadowing the One Who would come as both the Sacrifice and the Priest! Daniel 9:26+ gives us the incredible prophecy that after 69 weeks (483 years) "the Messiah (Hebrew = Mashiach/masiyah; Lxx = Christos) will be cut off," a specific prophecy of what would happen to Messiah and when it would happen. The Jews could have known and should have known (and some Jews have been saved when they read this prophecy) (See Luke 19:42+) Related Resources: Messiah = messias Messiah - Anointed One Is Jesus the Messiah? What does Messiah mean? Why do most Jews reject Jesus as the Messiah? Does the Old Testament truly predict a second advent of the Messiah? Christos is translated in the NAS 1995 edition as Christ (516x), Christ's (11x) and Messiah (4x - Mt 1:1, 16, 17, 2:4). The NIV and ESV never translate Christos as Messiah, but always as Christ. The Holman Christian Standard Bible has an interesting approach and translates Christos as Messiah many times depending on the context (see explanatory note) The NLT paraphrase translates Christos as Messiah over 80 times. The NET translates Christos as Messiah in Jn 4:29, Acts 3:20, Eph 2:12. Many interpreters over the ages have commented on a possible wordplay between the Greek words for good (chrestos) and Christ (Christos), which as you note differ by only a single Greek letter. Whether a wordplay is intended or not, every believer can personally attest to the truth that Christos is chrestos! CHRISTOS THE ANOINTED ONE As Christ was anointed for ministry at its inception (Lk 4:18 uses the root chrio, quoting Isa 61:1), so too believers are anointed for ministry. Kostenberger writes that 'What becomes clear, then, is that the anointing of Jesus with the Holy Spirit at his baptism, which marks the beginning of his messianic mission, serves as the paradigm for believers’ reception (or “anointing with”) the Holy Spirit at conversion. This marks them as “little anointed ones,” (cp 1Jn 2:20-note, 1Jn 2:27-note) followers of Jesus the Messiah, who, like he, have the Holy Spirit rest on them. (Ed: Christians are NOT "little Christs"! Only Christ is THE Christos! "Little Christs" is a false teaching from new age gurus!) This “anointing,” in turn, provides them with accurate teaching regarding Jesus and marks them as belonging to God as a seal of his ownership of them. (A Theology of John's Gospel and Letters) (Comment: When one receives Jesus as the Christ [the "Anointed One" - Christos], he or she experiences an anointing, a chrisma, which is a wonderful play on words! cp 1Jn 2:20-note, 2Cor 1:21 we are " in Christ and anointed" [chrio] by God.) The New Testament repeatedly testifies that Jesus is the Anointed One - (Mk 1:10–11; Lk 4:18-19, Isa 61:1-3, Acts 4:27; Acts 10:38; Heb 1:9). CHRISTOS THE MESSIAH The Septuagint occasionally uses Christos to prophetically refer to the coming Messiah. And so in Psalm 2:2 David wrote that "The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed (Hebrew = mashiach/masiah; Lxx = Christos) (Young's Literal = "against His Messiah")
1 João 4:3
Vincent has a lengthy discussion on Christos - Properly an adjective, not a noun, and meaning anointed (chrio = to anoint). It is a translation of the Hebrew Messiah, the king and spiritual ruler from David's race, promised under that name in the Old Testament (Ps 2:2; Daniel 9:25, Daniel 9:26). Hence Andrew says to Simon, “We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, Christ (John 1:41+; cp Acts 4:27+; Acts 10:38+; Acts 19:28+). To us “Christ “has become a proper name, and is therefore written without the definite article; but, in the body of the Gospel narratives, since the identity of Jesus with the promised Messiah was still in question with the people, the article is habitually used, and the name should therefore be translated “the Christ.” After the resurrection, when the recognition of Jesus as Messiah has become general, we find the word beginning to be used as a proper name, with or without the article. Anointing was applied to kings (1Sa 9:16; 1Sa 10:1, 1Sa 15:1, 17, 1Sa 16:12), to prophets (1Ki 19:16), and to priests (Ex 29:7, 29; Ex 40:15; Lev 8:12, 16:32) at their inauguration. “The Lord's anointed” was a common title of the king (1Sa 12:3, 12:5; 2Sa 1:14,16). Prophets are called “Messiahs,” or anointed ones (1Chr 16:22; Ps 105:15). Cyrus is also called “the Lord's Anointed,” because called to the throne to deliver the Jews out of captivity (Isa 45:1). Hence the word Christ was representative of our Lord, who united in himself the offices of king, prophet, and priest. It is interesting to see how anointing attaches to our Lord in other and minor particulars (Ed: Most of Vincent's examples represent uses of the root verb chrio). Anointing was an act of hospitality and a sign of festivity and cheerfulness. Jesus was anointed by the woman when a guest in the house of Simon the Pharisee, and rebuked his host for omitting this mark of respect toward hint (Lk 7:35, 46). In the Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb 1:8, 9), the words of the Messianic psalm (Ps 45:7) are applied to Jesus, “God, even thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Anointing was practiced upon the sick (Mk 6:13; Lk 10:34:; Jas 5:14). Jesus, “the Great Physician,” is described by Isaiah (Isa 61:1, 2; cp Lk 4:18) as anointed by God to bind up the broken-hearted, and to give the mournful the oil of joy for mourning. He Himself anointed the eyes of the blind man (John 9:6, John 9:11); and the twelve, in His name, “anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them” (Mk 6:13). Anointing was practiced upon the dead. Of her who brake the alabaster upon his head at Bethany, Jesus said, “she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial” (Mark 14:8; see also Lk 23:56). Thoralf Gilbrant on the use of christos in the Septuagint - The anointing oil was sprinkled on things but poured on the head of people, leaving the perfumed aroma as an identifying characteristic. The person who experienced such anointing was often called simply “the Lord’s anointed” (cf. 1Sa 26:9; 2Sal 23:1). In the case of David it is clear that he was “anointed by God” before he was anointed by Samuel (1Sa 16:6); ideally, the human act was a verification of God’s prior action. (Complete Biblical Library) John Walvoord - The English word Christ transliterates the Greek christos, meaning “anointed one,” which translates the Old Testament word mashiach/masiah. Just as priests (Ex. 28:41; Lev. 8:12), the tabernacle and its furniture (Lev. 8:10-11; Nu 7:1), and kings (1Sa 9:15-16; 10:1; 15:1; 16:12-13; 2Sa 2:4; 1Ki 1:39; Ps 89:20) were anointed with oil in an act of consecration, setting them apart to spiritual service, so Christ was God's “Anointed One” (Ps. 2:2; Acts 4:26). Even Daniel referred to Him as the “Anointed One” (Da 9:25-26). (Theological Wordbook) Christos - 529x in 499v - Mt 1:1, 16ff; 2:4; 11:2; 16:16, 20; 22:42; 23:10; 24:5, 23; 26:63, 68; 27:17, 22; Mark 1:1; 8:29; 9:41; 12:35; 13:21; 14:61; 15:32; Luke 2:11, 26; 3:15; 4:41; 9:20; 20:41; 22:67; 23:2, 35, 39; 24:26, 46; John 1:17, 20, 25, 41; 3:28; 4:25, 29; 7:26f, 31, 41f; 9:22; 10:24; 11:27; 12:34; 17:3; 20:31; Acts 2:31, 36, 38; 3:6, 18, 20; 4:10, 26; 5:42; 8:5, 12; 9:22, 34; 10:36, 48; 11:17; 15:26; 16:18; 17:3; 18:5, 28; 24:24; 26:23; 28:31; Rom 1:1, 4, 6ff; 2:16; 3:22, 24; 5:1, 6, 8, 11, 15, 17, 21; 6:3f, 8f, 11, 23; 7:4, 25; 8:1f, 9ff, 17, 34f, 39; 9:1, 3, 5; 10:4, 6f, 17; 12:5; 13:14; 14:9, 15, 18; 15:3, 5ff, 16ff, 29f; 16:3, 5, 7, 9f, 16, 18, 25, 27; 1 Cor 1:1ff, 6ff, 12f, 17, 23f, 30; 2:2, 16; 3:1, 11, 23; 4:1, 10, 15, 17; 5:7; 6:11, 15; 7:22; 8:6, 11f; 9:12, 21; 10:4, 9, 16; 11:1, 3; 12:12, 27; 15:3, 12ff, 22f, 31, 57; 16:24; 2Cor 1:1ff, 5, 19, 21; 2:10, 12, 14f, 17; 3:3f, 14; 4:4ff; 5:10, 14, 16ff; 6:15; 8:9, 23; 9:13; 10:1, 5, 7, 14; 11:2f, 10, 13, 23; 12:2, 9f, 19; 13:3, 5, 13; Gal 1:1, 3, 6f, 10, 12, 22; 2:4, 16f, 19ff; 3:1, 13f, 16, 22, 24, 26ff; 4:14, 19; 5:1f, 4, 6, 24; 6:2, 12, 14, 18; Eph 1:1ff, 5, 10, 12, 17, 20; 2:5ff, 10, 12f, 20; 3:1, 4, 6, 8, 11, 17, 19, 21; 4:7, 12f, 15, 20, 32; 5:2, 5, 14, 20f, 23ff, 29, 32; 6:5f, 23f; Phil 1:1f, 6, 8, 10f, 13, 15, 17ff, 23, 26f, 29; 2:1, 5, 11, 16, 21, 30; 3:3, 7ff, 12, 14, 18, 20; 4:7, 19, 21, 23; Col 1:1ff, 7, 24, 27f; 2:2, 5f, 8, 11, 17, 20; 3:1, 3f, 11, 15f, 24; 4:3, 12; 1Th 1:1, 3; 2:7, 14; 3:2; 4:16; 5:9, 18, 23, 28; 2 Thess 1:1f, 12; 2:1, 14, 16; 3:5f, 12, 18; 1 Tim 1:1f, 12, 14ff; 2:5; 3:13; 4:6; 5:11, 21; 6:3, 13f; 2 Tim 1:1f, 9f, 13; 2:1, 3, 8, 10; 3:12, 15; 4:1; Titus 1:1, 4; 2:13; 3:6; Philemon 1:1, 3, 6, 8f, 20, 23, 25; Heb 3:6, 14; 5:5; 6:1; 9:11, 14, 24, 28; 10:10; 11:26; 13:8, 21; Jas 1:1; 2:1; 1 Pet 1:1ff, 7, 11, 13, 19; 2:5, 21; 3:15f, 18, 21; 4:1, 11, 13f; 5:1, 10, 14; 2 Pet 1:1, 8, 11, 14, 16; 2:20; 3:18; 1 John 1:3; 2:1, 22; 3:23; 4:2; 5:1, 6, 20; 2 John 1:3, 7, 9; Jude 1:1, 4, 17, 21, 25; Rev 1:1f, 5; 11:15; 12:10; 20:4, 6 Christos - 40x in the Septuagint - Lev 4:5, 16; 6:22; 21:10, 12; 1Sa 2:10, 35; 12:3, 5; 16:6; 24:6, 10; 26:9, 11, 16, 23; 2Sa 1:14, 16; 2:5; 19:21; 22:51; 23:1; 1Chr 16:22; 2 Chr 6:42; 22:7; Ps 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 84:9; 89:38, 51; 105:15; 132:10, 17; Isa 45:1; Lam 4:20; Dan 9:25-26; Amos 4:13; Hab 3:13; Christos is first found in the Septuagint describing "the anointed (Heb = mashiach/masiah; Lxx - Christos) priest (hiereus)" (Lev 4:5, 16; 6:22, Lev 21:10,12 describe anointing oil). In 1 Sa 2:10 the Hebrew word mashiach is used in a Messianic prophecy "The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; and He will give strength to His king, and will exalt the horn of His anointed (Hebrew = mashiach; Lxx - Christos)." From this point on in the OT, mashiach (translated in the Lxx by Christos) most often referred to a king ("the anointed of the LORD" or the "LORD's anointed") (1Sa 12:3, 24:6, 26:9, 11, 16, 2 Sa 1:14, 16, 2 Sa 19:21). The kings of Israel (especially David) foreshadowed the Lord's ultimate anointed King ("the King of Israel" - Mk 15:32). The English word "Messiah" is from the Hebrew word mashiach used in these passages to mean "anointed." Allen Ross on Christos in the Septuagint of the OT as referring to the anointing of the human kings - Every king who came to the throne of David was “anointed” and so a "messiah;" but as time passed the prophets began to write of the great coming King, THE Messiah. And His kingdom, or the age that He would usher in, called the Messianic Age (Ed: See interesting non-Christian article Messiah in Judaism). This Messianic hope was the desire of the nation, as Malachi 3:1-note says. --- Explanatory Note: The Holman CSB translates the Greek word Christos ("anointed one") as either "Christ" or "Messiah" based on its use in different NT contexts. Where the NT emphasizes Christos as a name of our Lord or has a Gentile context, "Christ" is used (Eph 1:1 "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus… "). Where the NT Christos has a Jewish context, the title "Messiah" is used (Eph 2:12 "… we who had already put our hope in the Messiah"). --- Lehman Strauss - "Christ is risen!" was the thrilling note that rang through the early Church as Christians saluted each other on joyful Easter days. In response to this glorious greeting always came back the triumphant answer "He is risen indeed!" Christians throughout the Greek-speaking world, as they met, exclaimed "Christos anestee!" ("Christ is risen!"), and then would come the reply: "Aleethos anestee!" ("He is truly risen!"). Early Christian greetings were full of life as saints celebrated this festival in commemoration of the personal, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. How vital His life was to them! Today how tepid our Easter conversation is as we salute one another with flat Easter greetings when little if any mention of our Saviour's triumph over death and the grave is made. (Certainties for Today) Spurgeon Morning and Evening mentions Christos - 1 John 2:1 "If any man sin, we have an advocate." Yes, though we sin, we have him still. John does not say, "If any man sin he has forfeited his advocate," but "we have an advocate," sinners though we are. All the sin that a believer ever did, or can be allowed to commit, cannot destroy his interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, as his advocate. The name here given to our Lord is suggestive. "Jesus." Ah! then he is an advocate such as we need, for Jesus is the name of one whose business and delight it is to save. "They shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." His sweetest name implies his success. Next, it is "Jesus Christ"-Christos, the anointed. This shows his authority to plead. The Christ has a right to plead, for he is the Father's own appointed advocate and elected priest. If he were of our choosing he might fail, but if God hath laid help upon one that is mighty, we may safely lay our trouble where God has laid his help. He is Christ, and therefore authorized; he is Christ, and therefore qualified, for the anointing has fully fitted him for his work. He can plead so as to move the heart of God and prevail. What words of tenderness, what sentences of persuasion will the anointed use when he stands up to plead for me! One more letter of his name remains, "Jesus Christ the righteous." This is not only his character BUT his plea. It is his character, and if the Righteous One be my advocate, then my cause is good, or he would not have espoused it. It is his plea, for he meets the charge of unrighteousness against me by the plea that he is righteous. He declares himself my substitute and puts his obedience to my account. My soul, thou hast a friend well fitted to be thine advocate, he cannot but succeed; leave thyself entirely in his hands. Joshua (03091) (Yehoshua/Jehoshua from Jehovah + yasha'' = to save, deliver, help) means the LORD is salvation or the LORD delivers. 1. "He was Moses’ successor (Nu 27:12–23; Dt. 34:9–12), picked by the Lord to conquer the Promised Land (Josh 1:1–5) that had been given to Israel. His name was previously Hoshea (“salvation”), son of Nun (Nu 13:16). He was from the tribe of Ephraim (Num. 13:8). In his first appearance, he showed himself an exceptionally capable military commander, defeating the Amalekites (Ex 17:8–16). He became Moses’ personal scribe, administrator, and intimate aide. He accompanied Moses often when others were not permitted to do so (Ex. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11). His respect and faithfulness to Moses as God’s picked leader never wavered (Num. 11:28). He was one of the spies sent into Canaan and never doubted that Israel could conquer the land (Num. 14:5–9). He and Caleb lived to enter the Promised Land (Num. 26:65). He led Israel successfully, and the Lord fulfilled every promise He had made to Joshua and Israel (Josh. 21:43–45). He was buried in the land which he had conquered for God’s people (Josh. 24:29–30)." (Baker) 2 a resident of Beth-shemesh on whose land the Ark of the Covenant came to a stop after the Philistines returned it (1Sa 6:13, 14).. 3 son of Jehozadak and high priest after the restoration. (Zech 6:11-12) 4 governor of Jerusalem under king Josiah who gave his name to a gate of the city of Jerusalem. (2Ki 23:8–9). Yehoshua is translated in the NAS as Jeshua(28), Joshua(219). Yehoshua - 228v - Ex 17:9f, 13f; 24:13; 32:17; 33:11; Num 11:28; 13:16; 14:6, 30, 38; 26:65; 27:18, 22; 32:12, 28; 34:17; Deut 1:38; 3:21, 28; 31:3, 7, 14, 23; 34:9; Josh 1:1, 10, 12, 16; 2:1, 23f; 3:1, 5ff, 9f; 4:1, 4f, 8ff, 14f, 17, 20; 5:2ff, 7, 9, 13ff; 6:2, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 22, 25ff; 7:2f, 6f, 10, 16, 19f, 22ff; 8:1, 3, 9f, 13, 15f, 18, 21, 23, 26ff, 35; 9:2f, 6, 8, 15, 22, 24, 27; 10:1, 4, 6ff, 12, 15, 17f, 20ff, 24ff, 31, 33f, 36, 38, 40ff; 11:6f, 9f, 12f, 15f, 18, 21, 23; 12:7; 13:1; 14:1, 6, 13; 15:13; 17:4, 14f, 17; 18:3, 8ff; 19:49, 51; 20:1; 21:1; 22:1, 6f; 23:1f; 24:1f, 19, 21f, 24ff, 31; Jdg 1:1; 2:6ff, 21, 23; 1 Sam 6:14, 18; 1 Kgs 16:34; 2 Kgs 23:8; 1 Chr 7:27; 24:11; 2 Chr 31:15; Ezra 2:2, 6, 36, 40; 3:2, 8f; 4:3; 8:33; 10:18; Neh 3:19; 7:7, 11, 39, 43; 8:7, 17; 9:4f; 10:9; 11:26; 12:1, 7f, 10, 24, 26; Hag 1:1, 12, 14; 2:2, 4; Zech 3:1, 3, 6, 8f; 6:11 Joshua - Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Joshua - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Joshua - Fausset's Bible Dictionary Joshua - Holman Bible Dictionary MESSIAH GREEK WORD Messiah (3323)(messias) is the Hellenized transliteration of mashiach/masiah and means a consecrated or anointed one. Messias is a masculine proper noun which corresponds to the Greek word Christos, Christ. Messias is used only twice in the NT (not at all in the Septuagint) both uses illustrating the correspondence of Messias and Christos… Jesus' disciple Andrew declared to his brother Simon Peter "We have found the Messiah (messias) (which translated means Christ [Christos])." (John 1:41+) The Samaritan woman at the well declared to Jesus "I know that Messiah (messias) is coming (He who is called Christ [Christos]); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." (John 4:25+) John records Phillip's declaration "We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote (Messianic Prophecies), Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (Jn 1:45+). In summary three English terms are virtually synonymous… MESSIAH = THE ANOINTED ONE = THE CHRIST In the Old Testament three major groups were anointed for consecrated (set apart) service - kings, priests and prophets. Jesus fulfilled all three offices - Prophet (Dt 18:15), Priest (Heb 4:14+), and King (Rev 19:16+). What Do Orthodox Jews Believe about the Messiah? "Belief in the eventual coming of the mashiach is a basic and fundamental part of traditional Judaism. It is part of Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith (principle #12), the minimum requirements of Jewish belief. In the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, recited three times daily, we pray for all of the elements of the coming of the mashiach: ingathering of the exiles; restoration of the religious courts of justice; an end of wickedness, sin and heresy; reward to the righteous; rebuilding of Jerusalem; restoration of the line of King David; and restoration of Temple service… The term "mashiach" literally means "the anointed one," and refers to the ancient practice of anointing kings with oil when they took the throne. The mashiach is the one who will be anointed as king in the End of Days. The word "mashiach" does not mean "savior." The notion of an innocent, divine or semi-divine being who will sacrifice himself to save us from the consequences of our own sins is a purely Christian concept that has no basis in Jewish thought. Unfortunately, this Christian concept has become so deeply ingrained in the English word "messiah" that this English word can no longer be used to refer to the Jewish concept. The word "mashiach" will be used throughout this page." (Read the full page - The Messiah) Messianic Expectations - Craig A. Evans - "Messianism" and "messianic expectation" are ways of describing the expectation that an anointed person will come to redeem Israel and/or the Church. Christians believe that Messiah has already come in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The appearance of Messiah is understood to be part of a larger eschatological drama whereby human activity on earth is appreciably altered by the in-breaking of the "kingdom of God," a time when God's will on earth is more tangibly and permanently experienced. It is usually believed that this anointed figure is part of the climax of human history. The Origin of Messianic Expectation - The messianic expectations in the Jewish and Christian faiths are traced back to God's covenant with King David (2Sa 7:12-16 - Ed: see Davidic covenant or more in depth article = The Davidic Covenant) and the aftermath of exile and cessation of the Davidic dynasty. Hope arose that God would someday restore a godly king to Israel. Some of Israel's prophets foretold the coming of a regal Davidic descendant, and their descriptions seem to portray him as far more than a mere mortal. Isaiah foretold the coming of a "child" and "son" who "will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace," and whose kingdom will never end (Isa 9:6-7+). Again Isaiah prophesied the coming of a Branch of David, on whom the Spirit of God will rest, who will rule the earth with justice and equity (Isa 11:1-5+). Descriptions such as these hinted that the coming anointed one, the Messiah, would be God Himself. In the inter-testament period (ca 400 B.C. to the birth of Christ) several passages of Old Testament Scripture are interpreted in the light of the messianic hope. Besides Isa 11:1-5+, Ge 49:10 ("The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet.") and Nu 24:17+ ("A star will come from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel") are often appealed to. First-century philosopher Philo of Alexandria and Josephus, historian and survivor of the great rebellion (A.D. 66-70), both allude to these passages as pertaining to Messiah. Isaiah 11 is of special interest in the Dead Sea Scrolls. 1QSb 5 applies portions of Isa 11:2-5+ to the awaited Messiah, while 4Q161, a major commentary on the book of Isaiah, interprets Isa 10:34-11:5+ as a prophecy of the coming Messiah, called the "Branch of David," who will destroy Israel's enemies, the Romans (called the "Kittim"). 4Q285 quotes Isaiah 10:34-11:1 and interprets it as a reference to the coming Messiah, called the "Branch of David" and "leader of the community" (that is, the leader of the Qumran community). It is said that he will put to death the "king of the Kittim," or the Roman emperor (see also the parallel 11Q14). Jesus and Messianic Expectation - Jesus' willingness to suffer and die stands in marked contrast to the widespread expectation of a coming Messiah who would slay His enemies. The fact that He did not attempt to overthrow the Roman occupiers and reclaim Israel's throne may explain in part why He was widely rejected by Jewish authorities. They wished for Him to pursue violent, military goals whereas He came instead to usher in the merciful, forgiving rule of God. As for Jesus' fulfillment of the Bible's messianic expectations, it must not be missed that He came first to suffer and die on behalf of sinners (as predicted in Isa 52:13-53:12+), but will come again as conquering King (2Th 1:7-10+). (A Closer Look- Messianic Expectations) Williamson - In the time of Jesus, there were competing views about the Messiah. Some held a “low” Christology (earthly in origin), viewing the Messiah as a Davidic king, who would arise to rid Israel of its century-long Roman occupation. Others espoused a “high” Christology, envisioning the Messiah as a heavenly redeemer figure. This view was partly informed by the description of the enthronement in heaven of a Son of Man figure in Da 7:13–14. (1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition). Youngblood on Messiah - the one anointed by God and empowered by God’s spirit to deliver His people and establish His kingdom. In Jewish thought, the Messiah would be the king of the Jews, a political leader who would defeat their enemies and bring in a golden era of peace and prosperity. In Christian thought, the term Messiah refers to Jesus’ role as a spiritual deliverer, setting His people free from sin and death. The word Messiah comes from a Hebrew term that means “anointed one.” Its Greek counterpart is Christos, from which the word Christ comes. Messiah was one of the titles used by early Christians to describe who Jesus was. In Old Testament times, part of the ritual of commissioning a person for a special task was to anoint him with oil. The phrase “anointed” one was applied to a person in such cases. In the Old Testament, Messiah is used more than 30 times to describe kings (2 Sam. 1:14, 16), priests (Lev. 4:3, 5, 16), the patriarchs (Ps. 105:15), and even the Persian King Cyrus (Is. 45:1). The word is also used in connection with King David, who became the model of the messianic king who would come at the end of the age (2 Sam. 22:51; Ps. 2:2). But it was not until the time of Daniel (sixth century B.C.) that Messiah was used as an actual title of a king who would come in the future (Dan. 9:25–26). Still later, as the Jewish people struggled against their political enemies, the Messiah came to be thought of as a political, military ruler. From the New Testament we learn more about the people’s expectations. They thought the Messiah would come soon to perform signs (John 7:31) and to deliver His people, after which He would live and rule forever (John 12:34). Some even thought that John the Baptist was the Messiah (John 1:20). Others said that the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem (John 7:42). Most expected the Messiah to be a political leader, a king who would defeat the Romans and provide for the physical needs of the Israelites. According to the Gospel of John, a woman of Samaria said to Jesus, “I know that Messiah is coming.” Jesus replied, “I who speak to you am He” (John 4:25–26). In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, however, Jesus never directly referred to Himself as the Messiah, except privately to His disciples, until the crucifixion (Matt. 26:63–64; Mark 14:61–62; Luke 22:67–70). He did accept the title and function of messiahship privately (Matt. 16:16–17). Yet Jesus constantly avoided being called “Messiah” in public (Mark 8:29–30). This is known as Jesus’ “messianic secret.” He was the Messiah, but He did not want it known publicly. The reason for this is that Jesus’ kingdom was not political but spiritual (John 18:36). If Jesus had used the title “Messiah,” people would have thought he was a political king. But Jesus understood that the Messiah, God’s Anointed One, was to be the Suffering Servant (Is. 52:13–53:12). The fact that Jesus was a suffering Messiah—a crucified deliverer—was a “stumbling block” to many of the Jews (1 Cor. 1:23). They saw the cross as a sign of Jesus’ weakness, powerlessness, and failure. They rejected the concept of a crucified Messiah. But the message of the early church centered around the fact that the crucified and risen Jesus is the Christ (Acts 5:42; 17:3; 18:5). They proclaimed the “scandalous” gospel of a crucified Messiah as the power and wisdom of God (1Cor. 1:23–24). John wrote, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ [the Messiah]?” (1 John 2:22). By the time of the apostle Paul, “Christ” was in the process of changing from a title to a proper name. The name is found mostly in close association with the name “Jesus,” as in “Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24) or “Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:1). When the church moved onto Gentile soil, the converts lacked the Jewish background for understanding the title, and it lost much of its significance. Luke wrote, “The disciples were first called Christians [those who belong to and follow the Messiah in Antioch” (Acts 1). As the Messiah, Jesus is the divinely appointed king who brought God’s kingdom to earth (Matt. 12:28; Luke 11:20). His way to victory was not by physical force and violence, but through love, humility, and service. (Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary) Related Resources (several not Christian but included to give perspective): What does 'Christ' mean? What does Messiah mean? Messiah - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology American Tract Society Messiah or Messias Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Messiah Baker's Evangelical Dictionary Messiah Christ Messiah Charles Buck Dictionary Messiah CARM Theological Dictionary Messiah Easton's Bible Dictionary Messiah Fausset Bible Dictionary Messiah Holman Bible Dictionary Messiah Hitchcock Bible Names Messiah Hastings' Bible Dictionary Messiah Hastings' NT Dictionary Messiah (2) Messiah King James Dictionary Messiah Morrish Bible Dictionary Messiah, Messias Hawker's Poor Man's Dictionary Messiah People's Bible Dictionary Messiah Smith Bible Dictionary Messiah Messiah Webster Dictionary Messiah Watson's Theological Dictionary Messiah Messiah - Wikipedia Mashiach - The Messiah in Judaism - Interesting! The Messiah - Jewish Virtual Library MESSIAH HEBREW WORD The New Jewish Encyclopedia defines the MESSIAH as “a modified form of the Hebrew word Mashiah meaning ‘anointed,’ applied in the Bible to a person appointed for special function, such as High Priest or King. Later the term Messiah came to express the belief that a Redeemer, that is a divinely appointed individual, will in the end bring salvation to the Jewish people and to the entire human race” (p.317). The Dictionary Of Jewish Lore And Legend encapsulates the term MESSIAH a bit more succinctly: “The anointed king of the House of David of Bethlehem who will be sent by God to inaugurate the final redemption in the end of days” (p.132). See also the booklet on The Jewish Tradition of Two Messiahs Messiah (anointed) (04899)(click main word study on mashiach/masiah from masah = to smear, anoint - "anoint the tabernacle… altar… laver" Ex 40:9-11) is a noun which means anointed one. It can function as an adjective as when it describes "the anointed priest" (Lev 4:3, 5, 16, 6:22). Mashiach/masiah is used as a synonym for king (Heb = melek), referred to as the Lord's "anointed one" in most of the uses in First and Second Samuel (see Scriptures below). Two uses refer to the prophets (Ps 105:15, 1Chr 16:22) Anointing was used to set the subject apart for special service before Yahweh. However, with reference to the Davidic dynasty, mashiach/masiah clearly had a future messianic ideal that went beyond the national king (2Sa 22:51; 2Chr. 6:42; Ps 18:50; 132:10, 17). In several OT passages mashiach/masiah is transliterated in our English Bibles as "Messiah." And so in Ps 2:2 (Young's Literal = Station themselves do kings of the earth, And princes have been united together, Against Jehovah, and against His Messiah) (see note), Da 9:25-26, mashiach/masiah refers prophetically to the anointed of the LORD, of the Messianic Redeemer King Jesus. As an aside be aware that some of the well known Hebrew lexicons state specifically that this word mashiach/masiah is never used of "an eschatological savior in the OT" (HALOT) or "never of the future Messiah" (Gesenius). That would be true if one does not see the prophecy of Daniel 9 as a reference to the first coming of the Messiah! This type of teaching makes the point that just because a statement is made by a theologian (even with much linguistic training and many degrees), their statements need to be carefully compared with clear teaching of the Scriptures! Be a Berean (Acts 17:11 - read 1Jn 2:27-note) In Isa 45:1 the LORD CALLS "Cyrus His anointed" and even though he was a pagan, he was used by the LORD as Israel's shepherd (Isa 44:28). "The Isaiah passage suggests that masiah be understood as one singled out or “chosen” (bāsar q.v.) for a task, characteristically one of deliverance—a deliverance of Israel from their Babylonian captors returning them to their homeland." (TWOT) Vine - As is true of the verb, mashiach/masiah implies an anointing for a special office or function. Thus, David refused to harm Saul because Saul was “the Lord’s anointed” (1Sa 24:6). The Psalms often express the messianic ideals attached to the Davidic line by using the phrase “the Lord’s anointed” (Ps. 2:2; 18:50; 89:38, 51). Mounce on mashiach/masiah - usually refers to pouring or smearing sacred oil on a person in a ceremony of dedication, possibly symbolizing divine empowering to accomplish the task or office; Gilbrant on māshîach - Derived from māshach, "to anoint," māshîach has cognates widely attested in Northwest and South Semitic. The noun most often refers to the reigning king of Israel as the Lord's "anointed one" (1 Sam. 24:6, 10; 2 Sam. 1:14; Ps. 20:6; Lam. 4:20; Hab. 3:13), synonymous with "king." Anointing rituals set the subject apart for special service before Yahweh. However, with reference to the Davidic dynasty, it clearly had a future messianic ideal that went beyond the national king (2 Sam. 22:51; 2 Chr. 6:42; Pss. 18:50; 132:10, 17). The Lord's "Anointed" in Ps. 2:2 can hardly be anything other than a direct reference to the future "Messiah," since the same Psalm also instructs people to put faith in this Son (v. 12). Furthermore, "Messiah" is almost surely a reference to Jesus Christ in at least two other verses (Dan. 9:25f). While some scholars reject this assertion, they generally base their rejection of a future "Messiah" on a questionable interpretation of Dan. 9:26. They claim that "the Messiah [who] will be cut off" was a second century b.c. high priest (cf. TWOT). However, there is strong evidence on the basis of Dan. 9:24 that this "Messiah" is indeed Jesus Christ. It is true, on the other hand, that this term is used as the title of the coming Son of David primarily in the NT. The patriarchs of the OT were regarded as "anointed" of Yahweh (1 Chr. 16:22; Ps. 105:15). Māshîach even referred to a pagan king, named Cyrus, as the Lord's "anointed" (Isa. 45:1). Since this use obviously does not denote righteousness or godliness on the part of this idol worshiper, it almost certainly speaks of Cyrus as the Lord's "chosen one" for the task of delivering Israel from the Babylonian captivity. Finally, māshîach can refer to the high priest of Israel (Lev. 4:3, 5, 16; 6:22). (The Complete Biblical Library Hebrew-English Dictionary) The Septuagint (Lxx) usually translates mashiach/masiah with Christos. Mashiach - 39x in 38v - Anointed(1), anointed(34), anointed ones(2), Messiah(2). Leviticus 4:3 if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD a bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. Leviticus 4:5 'Then the anointed priest is to take some of the blood of the bull and bring it to the tent of meeting, Leviticus 4:16 'Then the anointed priest is to bring some of the blood of the bull to the tent of meeting; Leviticus 6:22 "The anointed priest who will be in his place among his sons shall offer it. By a permanent ordinance it shall be entirely offered up in smoke to the LORD. 1 Samuel 2:10 "Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The LORD will judge the ends of the earth (NOTICE THIS IMPORTANT CONTEXTUAL CLUE - THIS IS NOT A REGIONAL KING BUT A GLOBAL KING AND A CLEAR REFERENCE TO THE COMING MESSIAH AS KING OF KINGS - Rev 19:16-note); And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed (MESSIAH)." MacArthur Study Bible note - The Lord will impose His righteous rule upon all the nations and peoples (see Is 2:2–4). His king. Moses had already predicted the coming of a king who would exercise God’s rule over all the nations of the earth (Ge 49:8–12; Nu 24:7–9, 17–19). It was this future, victorious king whom Hannah anticipated and Saul and David prefigured. His anointed. Previously in the OT, both the tabernacle and its utensils along with the priests (Aaron and his sons) had been anointed with oil. This pictured their consecrated and holy status before the Lord (Ex 30:26–30). In Samuel, first Saul (1 Sa 10:1), and then David (1 Sa 16:13; 2 Sa 2:4; 5:3) were anointed as they were inaugurated for the kingship. From this point in the OT, it is usually the king who is referred as “the anointed (of the Lord)” (1 Sa 12:3; 24:6; 26:9, 11, 16; 2 Sa 1:14, 16; 19:21). The kings of Israel, particularly David, foreshadowed the Lord’s ultimate anointed king. The English word “Messiah” represents the Heb. word used here meaning “anointed.” Thus, this ultimate King who would rule over the nations of the earth (cf phrase "the ends of the earth"), came to be referred to as “the Messiah,” as here and 1 Sa 2:35; cf. 2 Sa 22:51. J Robert Vannoy adds that "In 1 Sa 2:9–10 Hannah looks forward with prophetic insight to a time when God will cause justice to triumph in all the earth. This will be accomplished by a messianic (anointed) king. As such its reference is ultimately to Christ at his second advent, but at the same time it reflects Hannah’s anticipation of the realization of the promise of kingship for the nation of Israel (cf. Nu 23:21; Dt 17:14–15). (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary) Henry Morris on ends of the earth, et al - This prayer of Hannah's is a remarkable prophecy, looking forward to the final triumph of the Creator over all His adversaries. It is the first such prophecy in the Bible, revealing the future explosive return of the Lord from heaven to judge all nations and to enthrone His anointed king over the whole world. Hannah was surely praying under divine inspiration, and her prayer is similar in spirit to that of the virgin Mary over a thousand years later (Luke 1:46-55). The miraculous birth of Samuel thus becomes a type of the virgin birth of Christ. his king. Hannah's prayer refers to "His king" long before the people of Israel began requesting a king. The reference must be a prophetic forecast of the divine king that would some day rule all nations under God (Psalm 2:6-9). his anointed. "His anointed" means "His Messiah." This is the first explicit reference in Scripture to the coming Messiah (Hebrew equivalent of the Greek "Christ," both meaning literally "the anointed one"). Hannah's inspired prophecy anticipates the later Messianic prophecies in much detail (Psalm 2, Psalm 72, Psalm 110, Isaiah 11). Hannah's son, the prophet Samuel, as the last of the judges (1 Samuel 7:15), was also the one chosen by God to anoint King David, the most complete type of the ultimate anointed one. (Defender's Study Bible) Ronald Youndblood - מָשִׁיחַ (māšîaḥ, “anointed”; GK 5431) underlies our word “Messiah” and reminds us that great David’s greater Son, Jesus the Christ—Greek Christos (“anointed”)—would some day culminate David’s royal line (cf. this typological, eschatological use of “anointed” here as well as in v. 35; 2 Sa 22:51; 2 Ch 6:42; Pss 2:2; 89:38, 51; 132:10, 17). (Expositor's Bible Commentary, Revised Edition, 2009) Adam Clarke quotes from the Targum which "says, וירבי מלכות משיציה viribbey malcuth Meshicheyh, "he shall multiply the kingdom of the Messiah." Moody Bible Commentary - His anointed (Messiah; Hb. meshiach) is mentioned in the Bible in connection with the king. Hannah’s words point prophetically not merely to the Davidic dynasty, but to David’s greatest son, the Lord Jesus the Messiah. She likely knew the prophecies of Ge 49:10 or Nu 24:17, both of which prophesy the coming of the messianic King in Israel. Moreover, the coming of this King is central to the message of the books of Samuel (2Sm 7:12–16). This same expectation of the Messiah continued to thrive in the exilic and postexilic periods (Da 7:13–14; 9:24–27; Hag 2:20–23; Zech 6:11–15; 9:9; 12:10; Mal 4:4–5). The poem ends with a reference to the horn and begins with a reference to “My horn” (v. 1). With her song ended, Hannah went home with Elkanah (1 Sa 2:11). 1 Samuel 2:35 'But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always. 1 Samuel 12:3 "Here I am; bear witness against me before the LORD and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? I will restore it to you." 1 Samuel 12:5 He said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that you have found nothing in my hand." And they said, "He is witness." 1 Samuel 16:6 When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him." 1 Samuel 24:6 So he said to his men, "Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD'S anointed." 1 Samuel 24:10 "Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD had given you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, 'I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD'S anointed.' 1 Samuel 26:9 But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be without guilt?" 1 Samuel 26:11 "The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD'S anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go." 1 Samuel 26:16 "This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, all of you must surely die, because you did not guard your lord, the LORD'S anointed. And now, see where the king's spear is and the jug of water that was at his head." 1 Samuel 26:23 "The LORD will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I refused to stretch out my hand against the LORD'S anointed. 2 Samuel 1:14 Then David said to him, "How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?" 2 Samuel 1:16 David said to him, "Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the LORD'S anointed.'" 2 Samuel 1:21 "O mountains of Gilboa, Let not dew or rain be on you, nor fields of offerings; For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. 2 Samuel 19:21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, "Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?" 2 Samuel 22:51 "He is a tower of deliverance to His king, And shows lovingkindness to His anointed, To David and his descendants forever." 2 Samuel 23:1 Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse declares, The man who was raised on high declares, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel, 1 Chronicles 16:22 "Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm." 2 Chronicles 6:42 "O LORD God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed; remember Your lovingkindness to Your servant David." Psalm 2:2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, Psalm 18:50 He gives great deliverance to His king, And shows lovingkindness to His anointed, To David and his descendants forever. Psalm 20:6 Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. Psalm 28:8 The LORD is their strength, And He is a saving defense to His anointed. Psalm 84:9 Behold our shield, O God, And look upon the face of Your anointed. Psalm 89:38 But You have cast off and rejected, You have been full of wrath against Your anointed. Psalm 89:51 With which Your enemies have reproached, O LORD, With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed. Psalm 105:15 "Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm." Psalm 132:10 For the sake of David Your servant, Do not turn away the face of Your anointed. Psalm 132:17 "There I will cause the horn of David to spring forth; I have prepared a lamp for Mine anointed. Isaiah 45:1 Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed, Whom I have taken by the right hand, To subdue nations before him And to loose the loins of kings; To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: Lamentations 4:20 The breath of our nostrils, the LORD'S anointed, Was captured in their pits, Of whom we had said, "Under his shadow We shall live among the nations." Daniel 9:25 "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. Daniel 9:26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. Habakkuk 3:13 You went forth for the salvation of Your people, For the salvation of Your anointed. You struck the head of the house of the evil To lay him open from thigh to neck. Selah
1 João 4:4
Vincent says kosmos is "The sum-total of human life in the ordered world, considered apart from, alienated from, and hostile to God, and of the earthly things which seduce from God." D Edmond Hiebert - Because of the fallen nature of the human race, the term (kosmos) predominantly has an ethical import, the human race in its alienation from and opposition to God… (And so kosmos) does not refer (when used with its ethical meaning) to the material creation but rather to the mass of unredeemed humanity as an egocentric world-system that is hostile to God. It is "a mighty flood of thoughts, feelings, principles of action, conventional prejudices, dislikes, attachments, which have been gathering around human life for ages, impregnating it, impelling it, molding it, degrading it" (Liddon). Its central aim is self-enjoyment and self-aggrandizement in disregard of or in open hostility toward God. To cultivate the world's friendship (James 4:4-note) implies conformity to its principles and aims. To be controlled by the spirit of worldliness is wholly incompatible with loyalty to God; it makes them guilty of spiritual adultery." (1 John 4:1-6) Martin Luther understood this verse writing "Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing… " A Mighty Fortress sung Steve Green Incredible Solo! A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing: For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal. Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing; Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing: Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same, And He must win the battle. And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us: The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him. That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth: Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever. From (1537) (ek) a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause, literal or figurative. Out of, from, by," suggesting "the source from which something is done," is sometimes rendered "by means of," e.g., Luke 16:9, RV, "by means of (the mammon of unrighteousness);" AV, "of;" 2 Cor. 1:11, "by (the) means of (many)." 1 John 4 has 8 phrases that begin with "from" (ek) - 1 John 4:1, 1 John 4:2, 1 John 4:3, 1 John 4:4, 1 John 4:5, 1 John 4:6 Greater Than 1 John 4:4: “Greater is He” (KJV). INTRODUCTION: Have you ever met a great person? No matter whom you have met in this life, there’s someone even greater for you to know. Jesus Christ is described in Matthew 12 as being: 1. Greater than the Temple (Matt. 12:6).He was a living temple who would be destroyed, yet rebuilt in three days as an eternal habitation for His people. He is our indestructible, everlasting sanctuary. 2. Greater than Jonah (Matt. 12:41). Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days, then emerged to save an entire city from judgment, but Christ was in the belly of the earth for three days, then emerged to save an entire world. 3. Greater than Solomon (Matt. 12:42). Solomon was the wisest man in history, but in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. CONCLUSION: Don’t be too easily impressed by supposed greatness in this life. You know Someone even greater—and His grace is greater than all your sin. The devil prowls and seeks his prey, His power can't be denied; But God is greater, and we know He's always by our side. —Sper The power of Christ within you is greater than The power of evil around you. D L Moody - The Only Complete Victor This brings me to the fourth verse of the fourth chapter of the same epistle: “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” The only man that ever conquered this world—was complete victor—was Jesus Christ. When He shouted on the cross, “It is finished!” it was the shout of a conqueror. He had overcome every enemy. He had met sin and death. He had met every foe that you and I have got to meet, and had come off victor. Now if I have got the spirit of Christ, if I have got that same life in me, then it is that I have got a power that is greater than any power in the world, and with that same power I overcome the world. Notice that everything human in this world fails. Every man, the moment he takes his eye off God, has failed. Every man has been a failure at some period of his life. Abraham failed. Moses failed. Elijah failed. Take the men that have become so famous and that were so mighty—the moment they got their eye off God, they were weak like other men; and it is a very singular thing that those men failed on the strongest point in their character. I suppose it was because they were not on the watch. Abraham was noted for his faith, and he failed right there—he denied his wife. Moses was noted for his meekness and humility, and he failed right there—he got angry. God kept him out of the promised land because he lost his temper. I know he was called “the servant of God,” and that he was a mighty man, and had power with God, but humanly speaking, he failed, and was kept out of the promised land. Elijah was noted for his power in prayer and for his courage, yet he became a coward. He was the boldest man of his day, and stood before Ahab, and the royal court, and all the prophets of Baal; yet when he heard that Jezebel had threatened his life, he ran away to the desert, and under a juniper tree prayed that he might die. Peter was noted for his boldness, and a little maid scared him nearly out of his wits. As soon as she spoke to him, he began to tremble, and he swore that he didn’t know Christ. I have often said to myself that I’d like to have been there on the day of Pentecost alongside of that maid when she saw Peter preaching. “Why,” I suppose she said, “what has come over that man? He was afraid of me only a few weeks ago, and now he stands up before all Jerusalem and charges these very Jews with the murder of Jesus.” The moment he got his eye off the Master he failed; and every man, I don’t care who he is—even the strongest—every man that hasn’t Christ in him, is a failure. John, the beloved disciple, was noted for his meekness; and yet we hear of him wanting to call fire down from heaven on a little town because it had refused the common hospitalities. Jon Courson - 1 John 4:4 The walls of the submarines which descend two miles in the Mariana Trench of the Pacific Ocean are constructed of thick steel plates to withstand the tremendous pressure placed upon them. But guess what the pictures taken from such heavily protected submarines reveal? Fish swimming two miles below the surface of the water with scales no thicker than that of any other fish. How can this be? The answer is simple: the pressure on the inside of those fish is equal to the pressure of the water around them. That’s the beauty of Christianity. Some people erect massive walls to insulate themselves from the attacks of the enemy—only to find themselves filled with the frustration of isolation. The key is not to put up massive walls to protect you from the enemy—but to realize the One inside you is greater than whatever pressure threatens to attack you. When we understand that He that is in us is greater than any temptation, problem, trauma, or difficulty which could come against us, we can move through life freely. (See Jon Courson's Application Commentary) Adrian Rogers - 1 John 4:4 You're in a battle—a spiritual battle. You're not wrestling with flesh and blood. Your enemy is not the IRS, not your mother-in-law, not the Democrats, not the Republicans, not your nosy neighbor, not your boss. No, the devil is your enemy. He is the one you're up against. Therefore, yours is a spiritual battle. And unless you're filled with the Holy Spirit, you're going to lose it. See, the devil laughs at our schemes, he mocks at our organizations, he ridicules our good intentions—but he fears the Spirit of God in a holy Christian. In your war life, you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Hope for the World - James Scudder These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 Several Christian legislators were taking a walk one evening. Their conversation, as was typical of this group of men, turned toward the state of the world and the ills of American society. They had just concluded that the world was swiftly headed downhill. Soon, they happened by a tiny chapel, where the sounds of a familiar hymn filled their ears. Then, they mouthed the words: There is a fountain filled with blood Drawn from Immanuel's veins; And sinners plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains. Suddenly, their sorrow turned to joy. They realized that in spite of all the troubles in the world, they possessed greater hope: faith in Jesus Christ. Then, their discussion centered on the Second Coming. Their faces broke into smiles. They rediscovered their source of hope, their reason for living. Like those congressmen, I, too, grow distressed with the world around me. I see the onslaught of ungodly values in our culture. I get discouraged when I see how very few people, even Christians, care about God. But, then God gently reminds me that He is greater than the problems in the world. The aging apostle John gave us this encouragement: "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4) Just when the world seems to fall in around us, we must remember that God is in control. We must cling to the hope of His Coming, when everything will be made right. ...Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4 James Smith -THE WINNING SIDE “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). I. Who is He that is in the World? The spirit of antichrist (no Christ) manifested in those who: (1) Despise His Name. (2) Neglect His Word. (3) Avoid His people. (4) Delight in worldliness. (5) Make light of sin. II. Who is He that is in Us? The Holy Spirit of God (vv. 12, 13). God dwelleth in us. (1) The Spirit of wisdom. (2) The Spirit of truth. (3) The Spirit of power. (4) The Spirit of holiness. III. How is He Greater? (1) As light is greater than darkness. (2) As truth is greater than falsehood. (3) As the king is greater than the subject. (4) As the Creator is greater than the created. Unlock Your Potential - See A Fresh Word for Today: 365 Insights for Daily Living - Page 53 Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4, NASB) Michelangelo worked on forty-four statues and completed fourteen of them. The unfinished ones are in a museum in Italy—the unfulfilled potential of a great genius. What’s sadder to see are people who could become masterpieces—if only they were developed. You say, “How do I discover and develop my gifts?” First, look up. Find somebody who’s a little bigger and a little better than you are, then spend time with them. That’s what Joshua did with Moses and Timothy did with Paul. It’s still God’s way. Next, give up. You’ve got to be willing to give up what you are, in order to be what you can become. Abraham gave up his home to seek a better country. Moses gave up the riches of Egypt to identify with the people of God. Paul gave up the comfort of being a Pharisee to pay the price of being an apostle. Every achiever has a “give up” story. Nothing comes free. Finally, show up. If you want to win the game, you must face your opponent! Jephthah said, “I have opened my mouth unto the LORD and I cannot go back” (Judges 11:35). In spite of his terrible family background and his personal problems, he became Israel’s youngest judge and finished up with the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. GOD CAN DO IT FOR YOU, TOO—IF YOU’LL LET HIM. The Standoff - When a local bookstore rearranged its shelves, I noticed an increase in the number of titles relating to sorcery and witchcraft. In fact, the religion section had become a virtual “standoff” between light and darkness. Christian titles flanked one side of the aisle, while roughly the same number of occult books lined the other side. Sometimes we may think of God and Satan in the same way I thought of the books in that bookstore. We see them as opposing but equal forces with the same unlimited power. However, God is God and Satan is not. God is stronger than any force of darkness. He does what He pleases (Ps. 135:6), while Satan’s power is limited to what God allows. When Satan supposed that misfortune would make Job curse God, God told Satan, “Behold, all that [Job] has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person” (Job 1:12). Satan had to play by God’s rules. All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name! Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord of all! —Perronet The powers of evil around you are no match for the power of Jesus within you. James Smith - THE DIVINE INDWELLING. "But wilt thou my guest be, In this poor heart of mine? Thy guest! Is this for me? In that pure heart of Thine!" "Ye in Me, and I in you" (John 14:20), is a deep and mysterious saying, yet one of the most precious truths in Revelation. Let us look briefly at— I. The Unfolding of this Doctrine. The revelation grows and intensifies as the ages pass, from the Garden of Eden to the Paradise above. 1. GOD IN THE GARDEN (Gen. 3:8). Calling in mercy on a self-ruined man. 2. GOD IN THE BUSH (Exod. 3:4). Seeking to prepare a deliverer for His people, and also declaring that "I am come down to deliver" (v. 8). 3. GOD IN THE PILLAR (Exod. 14:24). Judging the Egyptians and guiding His redeemed ones in the wilderness. 4. GOD IN THE TABERNACLE (Exod. 40:34, 35). Filling it with His glory and communing with His people (Exod. 25:22) 5. GOD IN THE TEMPLE (2 Chron. 7:1-3). As the Lord of hosts and the defender of His people as a nation. 6. GOD IN CHRIST (2 Cor. 5:19). Reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses. "God manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16). Surely this is grace upon grace, yet this is not all. 7. GOD IN YOU (1 Cor. 6:19). Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you (1 Cor. 3:16). God in you that ye might be witnesses for Him. This is God's final revelation to the ungodly world. Chosen "that we should show forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9). II. The Nature of this Indwelling. 1. CHRIST IS FORMED IN US BY THE HOLY GHOST (Gal. 4:19). As the Divine Spirit overshadowed Mary, so that Jesus the Saviour was begotten within her; by the same Spirit is He formed and revealed in us (Gal. 1:16). 2. CHRIST IS IN US AS THE FATHER WAS IN HIM. "I in them, and Thou in Me" (John 17:23). The Spirit of the Father dwelt in Him. 3. HE IS IN US AS THE SAP IS IN THE VINE (John 15:4). The source of life and fruitfulness (Eph. 3:16, 17). III. The Results of this Indwelling. 1. A LIFE OF FAITH. "Christ liveth in me, and I live in faith, which is in the Son of God" (Gal. 2:20, R. V. ). 2. A LIFE OF WELL-PLEASING. "God worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). We are not sufficient of ourselves even to think (2 Cor. 3:5). God in us by His Spirit so moving on our will that we delight to do His will, finding our pleasure in pleasing God (Heb. 13:20, 21). 3. A LIFE OF VICTORY. "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). The spirit of Antichrist is in the world moving the ungodly to will and to do of his pleasure; but the Spirit of God is in you, able to make you more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37). He that wrought effectually in Peter and was mighty in Paul (Gal. 2:8), the same may be effectual in us for the glory of His own Name (Col. 1:29). Greg Laurie - HE IS GREATER He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4) The devil can gain a foothold on your life in many ways. One way is through drugs. Sadly, we are seeing a real revival of drug use today. Another way you can open the door to demonic power is through dabbling in occult activities that are so fashionable in many circles. You may think of some of these activities as innocent fun, but even if they only crack the door to demonic activity just a little bit, it can invite disaster. It doesn’t take much. Now, can demons tempt Christians? Absolutely. Can demons harass us? Without question. Even the great apostle Paul spoke of a demon power that would come and buffet him (see 2 Corinthians 12:7). But God won’t let you face more than you can handle. He always will put His hedge of protection around you. When Jesus comes into your heart, it isn’t a timeshare plan where He occupies the heart part of the time and the devil part of the time. No, Jesus takes control and He is there to stay. But if you are not a Christian, if Christ is not living in your heart, you are open game for the devil. Maybe you’re not a drug addict or an occultist. But I will tell you this…you’re still a sinner. Every one has sinned and broken God’s commandments (see Romans 3:23). Reach out to Jesus now. He is greater than the devil. He will forgive you, transform you, and start you on a life path beyond what you have ever dreamed. Solomon had it right when he declared, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day” (Proverbs 4:18, NIV). Martyn Lloyd-Jones - THE CROSS AND THE WORLD . . . greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 JOHN 4:4 What is a Christian? Paul tells the Colossians that a Christian is a person who has been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. I no longer belong to the world—I belong to the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of light, the kingdom of glory, the kingdom of God. Here I am, and the world has nothing to do with me. I am not of it. I am in this other kingdom. Oh, I am still existing in this world, but I no longer belong to it. I have been translated. And my citizenship is now in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, and we know that we shall ever go on and be with the Lord. He, by dying on the cross, separates me from the world, puts me into His own kingdom, introduces me to God, and makes me a child of God and an heir of eternal bliss.He delivers me from the world. He died so that “whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He does more—He gives me a power that is greater than the world. Listen to John: “. . . greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world,” and “this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith,” our faith in Him (1 John 4:4; 5:4). And thank God, He gives us occasional glimpses of that other world, that real world, that pure, holy world that is yet going to be. This old world can never be improved and reformed. He will set up a new world: “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). A renovated cosmos, a perfected universe, with glory everywhere. The glory of the Lord shall cover everything as the waters cover the seas. I am still existing in this world, but I no longer belong to it. Warren
1 João 4:6
Vincent says plane is an "error which shows itself in action… It may imply deceit as accompanying or causing error." Plane is a wandering from the path of truth, orthodoxy or piety and into error, delusion or deceit. Plane is used repeatedly in letters that deal with spiritual error - 2Pe 2:18; 2Pe 3:17+; 1Jn 4:6; Jude 1:11+. Peter warned the saints "You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand (What? See 2Pe 3:16 - "untaught and unstable distort… the Scriptures to their own destruction"), be on your guard (present imperative - command for us to continually be on high spiritual alert [only possible as we surrendered to and enabled by the indwelling Spirit], suggesting the danger of deception is always "just around the corner!") lest, being carried away by the error (plane) of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness. (2Pe 3:17+)
1 João 4:14
Vincent has a lengthy note on Savior - The Saviour of the world. See the same phrase, John 4:42, and compare John 3:17. soter - Saviour, occurs in John only here and John 4:42. Elsewhere it is applied both to God (1Ti 1:1; 2:3; Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4; Jude 1:25), and to Christ (Luke 2:11; Acts 5:31; 13:23; 2Ti 1:10; Titus 1:4, etc.). The title is found in Paul’s Epistles of the Captivity (Eph. 5:23; Philip. 3:20), and in the Pastorals (see above), but not in Corinthians, Romans, Galatians, or Thessalonians. In classical writings the term is applied to many deities, especially to Zeus (Jupiter); also to Hermes (Mercury), Apollo, Hercules, and even to female deities, as Fortune and Aphrodite (Venus). “Zeus Soter” (Zeus Saviour) was used as a formula in drinking at banquets. The third cup was dedicated to him. Compare Plato: “Then, by way of a third libation to the saviour Zeus, let us sum up and reassert what has been said” (“Philebus,” 66). The drinking of this cup was a symbol of good fortune, and the third time came to mean the lucky time. “Twice then has the just man overthrown the unjust; and now comes the third trial, which, after Olympic fashion, is sacred to Zeus the saviour, … and surely this will prove the greatest and most decisive of falls” (Plato, “Republic,” 583). Hence the proverb, the third to the saviour; i.e., the third or lucky time. The name was also given later to princes or public benefactors. In John 4 after the Samaritan woman believed in Messiah she went to town and told others who "were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42) World (2889)(kosmos) can refer to the physical world or the world of mankind (both with a neutral meaning) or to the spiritual world opposed which is totally opposed and actively antagonistic to God (1Jn 2:15-17+). In the context of 1Jn 4:1 kosmos simply to the planet earth which is inhabited by men. BDAG says that kosmos is "the world, and everything that belongs to it, appears as that which is hostile to God, i.e. lost in sin, wholly at odds w. anything divine, ruined and depraved." Marvin Vincent says that kosmos is "The sum-total of human life in the ordered world, considered apart from, alienated from, and hostile to God, and of the earthly things which seduce from God (Jn 7:7; 15:18; 17:9, 14; 1Co 1:20, 21; 2Co 7:10; Jas 4:4+). Danny Akin says that kosmos is "an evil organized earthly system controlled by the power of the evil one (1Jn 5:19+) that has aligned itself against God and His kingdom (1Jn 4:3-5+; 1Jn 5:19; Jn 16:11)." KOSMOS IN JOHN'S EPISTLES - 1 Jn. 2:2; 1 Jn. 2:15; 1 Jn. 2:16; 1 Jn. 2:17; 1 Jn. 3:1; 1 Jn. 3:13; 1 Jn. 3:17; 1 Jn. 4:1; 1 Jn. 4:3; 1 Jn. 4:4; 1 Jn. 4:5; 1 Jn. 4:9; 1 Jn. 4:14; 1 Jn. 4:17; 1 Jn. 5:4; 1 Jn. 5:5; 1 Jn. 5:19; 2 Jn. 1:7 Spurgeon —1 John 4:14 It is a sweet thought that Jesus Christ did not come forth without his Father’s permission, authority, consent, and assistance. He was sent of the Father, that he might be the Saviour of men. We are too apt to forget that, while there are distinctions as to the persons in the Trinity, there are no distinctions of honour. We too frequently ascribe the honour of our salvation, or at least the depths of its benevolence, more to Jesus Christ than we do the Father. This is a very great mistake. What if Jesus came? Did not his Father send him? If he spake wondrously, did not his Father pour grace into his lips, that he might be an able minister of the new covenant? He who knoweth the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost as he should know them, never setteth one before another in his love; he sees them at Bethlehem, at Gethsemane, and on Calvary, all equally engaged in the work of salvation. O Christian, hast thou put thy confidence in the Man Christ Jesus? Hast thou placed thy reliance solely on him? And art thou united with him? Then believe that thou art united unto the God of heaven. Since to the Man Christ Jesus thou art brother, and holdest closest fellowship, thou art linked thereby with God the Eternal, and “the Ancient of days” is thy Father and thy friend. Didst thou ever consider the depth of love in the heart of Jehovah, when God the Father equipped his Son for the great enterprise of mercy? If not, be this thy day’s meditation. The Father sent him! Contemplate that subject. Think how Jesus works what the Father wills. In the wounds of the dying Saviour see the love of the great I AM. Let every thought of Jesus be also connected with the Eternal, ever-blessed God, for “It pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief.” John Stott THE FATHER HAS SENT HIS SON TO BE THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD.1 John 4:14 It is all but certain that the apostle John lived to a ripe old age and that he was the last surviving apostle. So it will be good to hear his mature reflection on the meaning and purpose of the incarnation: “The Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.” It is a straightforward statement about Christmas in which the four nouns stand out: the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. The world is John’s term for godless society, which is displeasing to God and under his just judgment. The Saviour indicates that the world needs salvation. For, though the words sin and salvation belong to a traditional vocabulary that embarrasses some and confuses others, we cannot jettison them. They express vital realities that it would be foolish to ignore. Salvation is freedom – freedom from guilt, judgment, self-centredness, fear, and death. The Son is the Saviour we need, being both God and man, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas and whose death is the only ground on which God can forgive our sins today. For, to quote another of John’s summary statements, God “sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (v. 10). Moreover, the Father sent the Son to be the world’s Saviour. The Son did not come of his own accord. Still less did he wrest salvation from a Father reluctant to give it. No, the Father sent him. The Father took the initiative in his great love. For in giving his Son, he was giving himself. Martyn Lloyd-Jones - 1 JOHN 4:14 “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” The whole Gospel in a phrase! This is the only time in which John uses the expression “Saviour” in the entire epistle. He gives the same teaching, of course, in other places. He says that our Lord is “the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). There is a sense in which he repeats the thought here, but he does not use this precise phrase but describes Him as “the Saviour of the world.” The word “Saviour” does not merely mean helper. We are not told that the Father sent the Son to help mankind; it does not mean that He is just someone who assists. Nor does it mean that He is just one who teaches or indicates to us what we ought to do; He is not merely an instructor. Indeed, I would go further and say that the term “Saviour” and its connotation must not be thought of in terms of an example or pattern or encourager. I use these terms because so often people speak about our Lord as Savior, and yet if you ask them to define what they mean by that, they say that Christ as Savior is One who is marching ahead of us and is leading the way. Now the element that is seen in such ideas is that ultimately you and I have to save ourselves, and what the Lord does is to aid and assist us—to give us encouragement and make it somewhat easier for us to do so. Now that, of course, is clearly a complete denial not only of the biblical teaching, but also of the historic faith and creeds of the Christian Church. The word “Saviour” does not merely mean helper. Henry
1 João 4:15
Vincent explains the difference between confessing Jesus and professing Jesus - The fundamental idea of confess is that of saying the same thing as another; while profess (pro = forth, fateor = to say) is to declare openly. Hence, to profess Christ is to declare Him publicly as our Lord: to confess Christ is to declare agreement with all that He says. When Christ confesses His followers before the world, He makes a declaration in agreement with what is in His heart concerning them. Similarly, when He declares to the wicked “I never knew you” (“then will I profess” - Mt 7:23KJV-+), a similar agreement between His thought and His declaration is implied. The two ideas run into each other, and the Revised version is right in the few cases in which it retains profess, since confess would be ambiguous. See, for example, Titus 1:16-+. Paul says "if you confess (aorist tense - at a point in time) with your mouth Jesus [as] Lord, and believe (aorist tense - at a point in time) in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes (present tense - keeps believing), resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses (present tense - keeps confessing), resulting in salvation." (Ro 10:9-10+) Earlier John had written "By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world." (1Jn 4:2-3+) So in that prior passage John referred primarily to confession of the true humanity of Jesus (fully Man). But here in 1Jn 4:14 the confession has to do with His divinity, as the Son of God. The false prophets refused to confess either His Humanity or His Deity. In 1Jn 2:23+ makes a similar statement writing "Whoever (present tense - continually as their habitual practice) denies the Son (oude = absolutely) does not have the Father (IS NOT A BELIEVER); the one who (present tense - continually) confesses the Son (present tense - continually) has the Father also." As an aside, it is amazing that some commentators like Thomas Constable (whose comments I generally respect) and Zane Hodges even raise the question of whether the first clause in 1Jn 2:23 refers to a person who "was unregenerate or a believer who had “departed” from the faith." (quote from Hodges) The denier of Jesus in this passage clearly refers to an unbeliever! Denies is a present participle indicating these individuals continually deny Christ, unlike Peter who denied Him three times but later boldly confessed Him. As Charles Ryrie says "To deny the Son makes it impossible to become part of God's family and have God as Father (contra Constable and Hodges)." Vine adds that in 1Jn 4:2-3 "the confession served to differentiate those who are of God and those who are of the world, and who are influenced by the spirit of the Antichrist; here (1Jn 4:15) confession serves to differentiate between those who give evidence by their love that they are children of God and those who, however much they profess, do not manifest love, and are liars (1Jn 4:20). In each place the confession is shown to be produced by the Holy Spirit, and here it involves the same spirit of love as was manifested by Christ, and a life that bears testimony to His saving power." John has made it clear in 1Jn 4:2+ that it is only as the Spirit gives a natural man the desire and power is he able to make a "supernatural" confession of Christ. Bob Utley on whoever confesses - One of John’s three tests of a true Christian is theological truth concerning the person and work of Jesus (cf. 2:22–23; 4:1–6; 5:1, 5). This is also matched in I John and James with lifestyle love and obedience. Christianity is a person, a body of truth, and a lifestyle. The inclusive term “whoever” is the great invitation of God for anyone and everyone to come to Him. Your confession is evidence that God abides in you, and you abide in God. Steven
1 João 4:15
Vincent on homologeo - The fundamental idea of confess is that of saying the same thing as another; while profess (pro = forth, fateor = to say) is to declare openly. Hence, to profess Christ is to declare Him publicly as our Lord: to confess Christ is to declare agreement with all that He says. When Christ confesses His followers before the world, He makes a declaration in agreement with what is in His heart concerning them. Similarly, when He declares to the wicked “I never knew you” (“then will I profess”), a similar agreement between His thought and His declaration is implied. The two ideas run into each other, and the Rev. is right in the few cases in which it retains profess, since confess would be ambiguous. See, for example, Titus 1:16+. NIDNTT notes that in the secular use of homologeo "The legal connotation is dominant. A man agrees with another’s statement, concedes or confesses something (e.g. his guilt before a judge), agrees to something (e.g. another’s wish) and so promises. This agreement expresses itself in an act of commitment, promise, or confession in a court or legal contract. The religious use of the words is probably derived primarily from their use in the language of treaties and the law-courts. The man who binds himself by an oath (homologeo) enters into a treaty relationship with the deity. This concept was then transferred from the solemn confession of wrong-doing before a court of law to the confession of sin to the deity. These concepts were used especially in the oriental cults, as may be seen from Lydian and Phrygian expiatory inscriptions. In modern Gk. the concept has come to mean sacramental confession to a priest: exomologeomai, I make my confession; ōexomologe, I hear a confession. (Click for how to use this online resource - Brown, Colin, Editor. New International Dictionary of NT Theology) Jesus (2424)(Iesous is transliteration of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the transliteration of the Hebrew name Jehoshua (Yehoshua) or Jeshua (Yeshua) which mean Jehovah is help or Jehovah is salvation. Stated another way the Greek Iesous corresponds to the OT Jehoshua (Yehoshua) which is contracted as Jeshua (Yeshua).
1 João 4:17
Vincent adds that "The true idea (of "with us") is that love is perfected in fellowship. The love of God is perfected with us, in communion with us, through our abiding in Him and He in us (ED: His Spirit enabling that love)." If you want to have boldness, confidence, in the day of judgment, then let love express itself, Ray
1 João 4:18
Vincent add that the Greek negation (ou) indicates this fear "has no existence. The fear is not that spoken of in 1Pe 1:17+; Heb 12:28+ (for that is desirable) godly fear; filial reverence: not slavish fear, as Ro 8:15+." Fear (phobos) describes that which causes terror or dread and is the first word in the Greek sentence for emphasis. Godly fear is good, profitable, even necessary fear (Pr 1:8, 2Cor 7:1+, 1Pe 1:17+) but here John is speaking not of a holy fear of displeasing our Father, but a fear that is "slavish" as a slave fears their master or a criminal fears the bar of justice!
1 João 4:18
Vincent observes that casts out is "a strong expression: turneth out of doors. Fear is cast out of the sphere of the fellowship of love. See the phrase in Jn 6:37+; Jn 9:34,35+; Jn 12:31+; Jn 15:6+." Love is in a sense personified as the agent which enters our heart and mind, searches for fear, lays hold of it and casts it out. Because fear (phobos) involves (has - present tense) punishment (kolasis - torment = KJV), and the one who fears (phobeo - present tense) is not perfected (teleioo - perfect tense) in love (agape) - Because (hoti) is a term of explanation. Stop and ask "What is John explaining?" In context he is giving us the reason why perfect love cannot coexist with fear. Clearly this fear refers to ungodly fear as a condemned criminal has before the sentencing judge and in context refers in fact to the fear of certain punishment. People cannot love God and fear His punishment at the same time. --Colin Kruse William
1 João 4:18
Vincent on punishment - Torment (KJV) is a faulty translation. The word (kolasis) means punishment, penalty. It occurs in the NT only here and Mt. 25:46. The kindred verb, kolazo to punish, is found Acts 4:21; 2Pe 2:9+. BDAG summarized - 1. infliction of suffering or pain in chastisement, punishment so literally undergo punishment; long-continued torture ibid. Of the martyrdom of Jesus. The smelling of the odor arising from sacrifices by polytheists ironically described as punishment, injury (2) Transcendent retribution. Eternal punishment. (Borrow A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament, and other early Christian literature) TDNT - This word, meaning “punishment,” is used for divine punishment in 2 Macc. 4:38; 4 Macc. 8:9. In the NT it occurs in Mt. 25:46: Those who fail the practical ethical task will go away to eternal punishment. The only other instance is in 1 Jn. 4:18, which says that fear is its own punishment (cf. 3:18). This fear is driven out by love, which is free from every fear. (Borrow Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament) Vine - Kolasis (κόλασις akin to kolazō (PUNISH), punishment, is used in Mt. 25:46, “(eternal) punishment,” and 1 John 4:18, “(fear hath) punishment,” R.V. (A.V., “torment”), which there describes a process, not merely an effect; this kind of fear is expelled by perfect love; where God’s love is being perfected in us, it gives no room for the fear of meeting with His reprobation; the punishment referred to is the immediate consequence of the sense of sin, not a holy awe but a slavish fear, the negation of the enjoyment of love. (Vine's Expository Dictionary) Abbott-Smith - Synonym - timoria, requital. Aristotle distinguishes between kolasis as that which, being disciplinary, has reference to the sufferer, and timoria as that which, being penal, has reference to the satisfaction of him who inflicts. Thayer - “correction, punishment, penalty,’ and brings with it or has connected with it the thought of punishment." See Bishop Trench's lengthy discussion of timoria and kolasis Synonyms of the New Testament Kolasis - 7x in Septuagint - Jer 18:20; Ezek 14:3-4, 7; 18:30; 43:11; 44:12. Several of the uses translate mikshol which means stumbling block. Perfected (5048)(teleioo related to teleios from telos = an end, a purpose, an aim, a goal, consummate soundness, idea of being whole) means to accomplish or bring to an end or to the intended goal (telos). It means to be complete, mature, fully developed, full grown, wanting nothing necessary to completeness. Teleioo does not mean simply to terminate something but to carry it out to the full finish which is picked up in the translation "perfected". Teleioo signifies the attainment of consummate soundness and includes the idea of being made whole. Interestingly the Gnostics used teleios of one fully initiated into their mysteries and that may have been why Paul used teleios in this epistle. Teleioo is in the perfect tense signifying the continuing effect of this perfection.
1 João 4:20
Vincent - Note the striking inversion of the clauses: He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, God whom he hath not seen cannot love. Colin Kruse points out that "This is an a fortiori statement, arguing from the lesser to the greater. If people cannot carry out the lesser requirement (to love their fellow believers whom they have seen), they cannot carry out the greater requirement (to love God whom they have not seen). " (See The Letters of John - Page 170) W A Criswell observes that "This is the seventh erroneous statement which the author refutes directly (cf. 1Jn 1:6, 8, 10; 1Jn 2:4, 6, 9)" all of which begin with either "if we say" or "the one who says." (Believer’s Bible Commentary) It is a false boast when anyone says that he loves God but neglects His image which is before his eyes’ -- John Calvin Warren