Atos 20
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 20
Wiersbe - There were fifty days between Passover (Acts 20:6) and Pentecost (Acts 20:16), and Paul’s trip from Philippi to Troas had already consumed twelve of them (Acts 20:6). It took another four days to get to Miletus, so Paul decided not to go to Ephesus lest he lose any more valuable time. (The Bible Exposition Commentary) Was hurrying (4692)(speudo) means to do something quickly, to be in a hurry, hasten, make haste (Acts 22:16). To cause something to happen soon or come into being by exercising special effort (2 Peter 3:12+) BDAG adds that speudo meant "to be very interested in discharging an obligation, be zealous, exert oneself, be industrious, in the Greco-Roman world a mark of civic excellence." Friberg on speudo - (1) intransitively, as doing something as quickly as possibly hurry, make haste, hasten (Act 22:18); participle as an adverb hastily, quickly (Lk 2:16); (2) transitively urge on, be eager for, cause to happen soon (2Pe 3:12) Silva on Classic Use of speudo - This word group (from an IE root *(s)peud-, “to press, hurry”) expresses first of all quick movement in the interests of a person or cause, but hurrying to do something usually reflects eagerness, and so early on the terms suggest what we might call “inner movement” or a strong desire and exertion in carrying out of a matter. Thus the verb speudo occurs over 20× already in Homer in various contexts, e.g., trans. of urging on a marriage (Od. 19.137), intrans. of a deer hurrying to escape from a lion (Il. 116–19), of Agamemnon being eager for battle (4.225), etc. (NIDNTT) Speudo - 5x in 5v - Usage: hastening(1), hurried(1), hurry(2), hurrying(1), make haste(1). Luke 2:16note So they (the shepherds) came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. Luke 19:5 When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." 6 And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly. Acts 20:16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying (imperfect tense) to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. Acts 22:18 and I saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste, (aorist imperative = Don't delay! Do this now!) and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.' 2 Peter 3:12note looking for and hastening (present tense = habitually, continually) the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! Speudo - Up to 66x in 49v in the Septuagint - Gen. 18:6; Gen. 19:22; Gen. 24:18; Gen. 24:20; Gen. 24:46; Gen. 44:11; Gen. 45:9; Exod. 15:15; Exod. 34:8; Jos. 4:10; Jos. 8:14; Jos. 8:19; Jdg. 5:22; Jdg. 20:41; 1 Sam. 4:14; 1 Sam. 4:16; 1 Sam. 20:38; 1 Sam. 23:27; 1 Sam. 25:18; 1 Sam. 25:23; 1 Sam. 25:34; 1 Sam. 28:20; 1 Sam. 28:21; 1 Sam. 28:24; 2 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 17:16; 1 Ki. 18:7; 1 Ki. 21:33; 1 Ki. 21:41; 2 Ki. 9:13; 2 Chr. 10:18; 2 Chr. 24:5; 2 Chr. 26:20; Est. 2:9; Est. 3:15; Est. 8:14; Prov. 7:23; Prov. 28:22; Eccl. 5:1; Eccl. 7:9; Mic. 4:1; Nah. 2:6; Isa. 16:5; Jer. 4:6; Jer. 38:20; Ezek. 30:9; Dan. 3:91; Dan. 5:6; Greek-English Lexicon of the Septuagint - Ge 18:6; 19,22; 24,18.20 to hasten, to be hasty Ge 18,6; to make haste with, to make haste to. Esther 8:14; to seek eagerly, to strive after [τι] Isa 16:5; to hasten, to shorten [τι] Gilbrant on use of speudo in the Classical Greek and Septuagint - This verb is used in classical Greek with a variety of related meanings: “get going, urge or press on, hasten, seek eagerly, strive after, further zealously, be eager (to do something), show eagerness (for something), be anxious (that something be done),” etc. (cf. Liddell-Scott). It is almost always used in a literal sense to describe the movement of people or animals. Speudō appears some 50 times in the Septuagint most frequently to mean “make haste.” Even so, various shades of meaning are implicit: (1) to move with fear, as in 2 Chronicles 10:18 when Rehoboam “made haste” to flee; (2) to move quickly to obey, as in 2 Chronicles 24:5 when Joash commanded the priests to “make haste” to gather taxes for repairs to the temple; (3) to respond without delay, with alacrity, as in 2 Kings 9:13 (LXX 4 Kings 9:13) when they “made haste” to put their garments under Jehu at the top of the stairs; (4) to strive zealously, as in Proverbs 28:22 of one who “makes haste” to be rich; (5) to be hasty, as in Ecclesiastes 5:1 of one who is “hasty” with the mouth (cf. Ecclesiastes 7:9 [LXX 7:10]); and (6) to hasten, as in Isaiah 16:5 where the prophet held out the prospect of “hastening” righteousness. Thus both transitive meanings (a desire or effort to bring something about) and intransitive meanings (one’s own sense of urgency or haste) accrue to speudō, a fact illustrated in the papyri of the New Testament period also. (See Moulton-Milligan.) In the New Testament, except for 2 Peter 3:12, speudō was used exclusively by Luke. The meaning in each of these is rather ordinary, indicating (intransitively) that one hurried or made haste. But perhaps the Septuagint usage discussed above should cause us to see in most of these instances a sense of moving with alacrity or quickness to obey. At the least, the idea is to “waste no time” (Marshall, New International Greek New Testament, Luke, p.697).(Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary) If possible is a fourth class conditional = The form is a remote possibility. It was only some thirty days till Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost (ISBE article): Why would Paul be in such a hurry? The most likely answer is in Deuteronomy 16 Three times in a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you. (Dt 16:16-17) Related Resource: What is the day of Pentecost? John
Atos 20
Wiersbe - Perhaps each of us should ask ourselves, “What really keeps me awake?” Christians who slumber during one hour in church somehow manage to stay awake during early-morning fishing trips, lengthy sporting events and concerts, or late-night TV specials. Also, we need to prepare ourselves physically for public worship to make sure we are at our best. “Remember,” said Spurgeon, “if we go to sleep during the sermon and die, there are no apostles to restore us!” (The Bible Exposition Commentary) Acts 20:12 They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted. NET Acts 20:12 They took the boy home alive and were greatly comforted. GNT Acts 20:12 ἤγαγον δὲ τὸν παῖδα ζῶντα καὶ παρεκλήθησαν οὐ μετρίως. NLT Acts 20:12 Meanwhile, the young man was taken home unhurt, and everyone was greatly relieved. KJV Acts 20:12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted. ESV Acts 20:12 And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted. ASV Acts 20:12 And they brought the lad alive, and were not a little comforted. CSB Acts 20:12 They brought the boy home alive and were greatly comforted. NIV Acts 20:12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. NKJ Acts 20:12 And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted. NRS Acts 20:12 Meanwhile they had taken the boy away alive and were not a little comforted. YLT Acts 20:12 and they brought up the lad alive, and were comforted in no ordinary measure. They took away the boy alive: Ac 20:10 were greatly comforted: Isa 40:1 2Co 1:4 Eph 6:22 1Th 3:2 4:18 5:11,14 2Th 2:16 Acts 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries FORTUNATE TO LIVE! They took away the boy alive: This implies Eutychus may have still been a bit dazed and confused. Greatly (3756)(metrios) means moderately, but in this sentence is preceded with the strong negative ou (absolute negation) which is more literally not a little, immeasurably, exceedingly, greatly or much.
Atos 20
Wiersbe - In the Book of Acts, Luke reports eight messages given by the Apostle Paul to various people: a Jewish synagogue congregation (Acts 13:14–43); Gentiles (Acts 14:14–18; 17:22–34); church leaders (Acts 20:17–38); a Jewish mob (Acts 22:1–21); the Jewish council (Acts 23:1–10); and various government officials (Acts 24:10–21; 26:1–32). His address to the Ephesian elders is unique in that it reveals Paul the pastor rather than Paul the evangelist or Paul the defender of the faith. The message enables us to get a glimpse of how Paul ministered in Ephesus for three years. (The Bible Exposition Commentary) Swindoll - When they arrived in Miletus, Paul sent one of the interns to Ephesus to summon the church elders. When the elders arrived, Paul gathered them for what we might call a one-day “pastors’ conference.” Of all his letters and his declarations recorded by Luke, none is more intimate or emotional than this final farewell. He looked into the faces of some of his closest friends, realizing he had to leave them to stand or fall on their own; he would no longer be available to help them. (Acts - Swindoll's Living Insights) Acts 20:18 And when they had come to him, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time: os de paregenonto (3PAMI) pros auton eipen (3SAAI) autois, humeis epistasthe (2PPPI) apo protes emeras aph' es epeben (1SAAI) eis ten Asian pos meth' umon ton panta chronon egenomen, (1SAMI ) : NET Acts 20:18 When they arrived, he said to them, "You yourselves know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I set foot in the province of Asia, GNT Acts 20:18 ὡς δὲ παρεγένοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε, ἀπὸ πρώτης ἡμέρας ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἐπέβην εἰς τὴν Ἀσίαν, πῶς μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν τὸν πάντα χρόνον ἐγενόμην, NLT Acts 20:18 When they arrived he declared, "You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now KJV Acts 20:18 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, ESV Acts 20:18 And when they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, ASV Acts 20:18 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, after what manner I was with you all the time, CSB Acts 20:18 And when they came to him, he said to them: "You know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time-- NIV Acts 20:18 When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. NKJ Acts 20:18 And when they had come to him, he said to them: "You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, NRS Acts 20:18 When they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, YLT Acts 20:18 and when they were come unto him, he said to them, 'Ye -- ye know from the first day in which I came to Asia, how, with you at all times I was; from: Ac 18:19 19:1,10 How I was with you: 2Co 1:12 6:3-11 1Th 1:5,6 2:1-10 2Th 3:7-9 2Ti 3:10 Acts 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries PAUL'S LIFE OF INTEGRITY: AN OPEN BOOK! You yourselves know - The pronoun "you" is emphatic. Paul first appeals to their personal knowledge of his life in Ephesus. He reminds the elders of his example of ministry among them --The first time Paul had been in Ephesus briefly was in Acts 18:19 and later he had remained for over 2 years, initially in the synagogue for 3 months and then in the "school of Tyrannus" for 2 years (Acts 19:1, 8, 9, 10). Paul in a sense is challenging the Ephesian elders to examine his life. His life was the validation for what he proclaimed with his lips. A life that matches one's lips, is another way to describe integrity (integer - see more below). Paul's 3 missionary journeys began in... Paul's 1st Missionary Journey (Acts 13:4) Paul's 2nd Missionary Journey synopsis (Acts 15:35) Paul's 3rd Missionary Journey Goto (Acts 18:23) D Thomas summarizes Paul's Conscious Fidelity in the Discharge of His Ministry... I. Humbly. "With all humility of mind." (Acts 20:19) II. Tenderly. "With many tears." (Acts 20:19) III. Fully. "How I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you." (Acts 20:20) IV. Indefatigably. "Have taught you publicly from house to house." (Acts 20:20) V. Unrestrictedly. "From house to house." (Acts 20:20) VI. Evangelically. "Repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:20) (Biblical Illustrator) How I was with you the whole time - NET Bible Note explains that the phrase "how I was with you the whole time" "could be understood to mean "how I stayed with you the whole time," but the following verses make it clear that Paul's lifestyle while with the Ephesians is in view here. Thus the translation "how I lived the whole time I was with you" makes this clear." Thus the NIV rendering conveys this nuance better than the NAS... When they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. Comment: Paul's emphasis is not on the quantity of time but the quality of his life while he was among them. They had witnessed his life, his ministry, his example. Dear pastor, teacher, church leader -- with all honesty and integrity, can you say the same thing to those you have ministered to for some time -- "You know what my lifestyle was when I ministered among you." Or do you have some "rooms" of your heart that you've kept shut so that no one could see how you lived? Paul was authentic, transparent, the "real deal," an "open book," a man whose life said "What you see is what you get!" Does this not speak of Paul's integrity and his character? Reputation is what other men think about us. Character is what God knows to be true about us! Gulp! See Related Resource: Integrity - A Few Thoughts Acts 20:19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews: douleuon (PAPMSN) to kurio meta pases tapeinophrosunes kai dakruon kai peirasmon ton sumbanton (AAPMPG) moi en tais epiboulais ton Ioudaion: NET Acts 20:19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me because of the plots of the Jews. GNT Acts 20:19 δουλεύων τῷ κυρίῳ μετὰ πάσης ταπεινοφροσύνης καὶ δακρύων καὶ πειρασμῶν τῶν συμβάντων μοι ἐν ταῖς ἐπιβουλαῖς τῶν Ἰουδαίων, NLT Acts 20:19 I have done the Lord's work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. KJV Acts 20:19 Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: ESV Acts 20:19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; ASV Acts 20:19 serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews; CSB Acts 20:19 serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and with the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews-- NIV Acts 20:19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. NKJ Acts 20:19 "serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; NRS Acts 20:19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. YLT Acts 20:19 serving the Lord with all humility, and many tears, and temptations, that befell me in the counsels of the Jews against me; Serving: Ac 27:23 Jn 12:26 Ro 1:1,9 12:11 Ga 1:10 Eph 6:7 Col 3:24 1Th 1:9 2Pe 1:1 Rev 7:15 with all: 1Co 15:9,10 2Co 3:5 7:5 12:7-10 Ga 4:13,14 With tears: Acts 20:31 Ps 119:136 Jer 9:1 13:17 Luke 19:41 2Co 2:4 Php 3:18 2Ti 1:4 trials: 1Co 4:9-13 2Co 4:7-11 11:23-30 Jas 1:2 1Pe 1:6 Through the plots: Acts 20:3 9:23-25 13:50,51 14:5,6,19,20 17:5,13 2Co 11:26 Acts 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries PAUL'S EXAMPLE: A HUMBLE BOND-SERVANT Serving the Lord - This phrase is similar to Paul's repeated description of himself as a "bond-servant (doulos) of Christ Jesus" (Ro 1:1, 2Cor 4:5, Gal 1:10, Phil 1:1, Titus 1:1) Serving (present tense = Paul's lifestyle, habitual practice)(1398)(douleuo from doulos = servant) means to be in a position of a slave and to act accordingly, conducting oneself in total service to another. Douleuo includes the idea of one serving another who owns him as a "possession." Lord (2962) (kurios from kuros = might or power) describes the supreme One (in context = Jesus), the One Who is sovereign and possesses absolute authority, absolute ownership and uncontested power. Paul served the Lord (kurios), for he knew that... No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Mt 6:24+) Eadie explains that for Christian serving as Paul exemplified one must... remember Christ the Master, and in serving others...serve Him—the Master not according to the flesh. In external aspect the service was to men, but in motive and spirit it was to the Lord (See Eph 6:7)....Menander has also said—“serve freely, and you are no longer a slave.” (John Eadie, D., LL.D. The Epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians) THE SECRET OF FRUITFUL SERVICE TO THE LORD Swindoll observes that Paul "didn’t talk down to the Ephesians like they were ignorant or stupid. He spoke peer to peer, simply sharing information they lacked." (Ibid) Humility of mind (5012)(tapeinophrosune from tapeinos = low lying, then low or humble + phren = to think) literally means to think with lowliness and thus speaks of humiliation or lowliness of mind, the quality of unpretentious behavior, a humble attitude, modesty or absence of arrogance (See the other 6 uses of tapeinophrosune - Ep 4:2 Php 2:3 Col 2:18, 2:23, 3:12, 1Pe 5:5). This mindset (or "heart-set") is the essence of having the "attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus...He humbled Himself by becoming obedient...." (Php 2:5, Php 2:8) The idea is the esteeming one's self as small or recognizing one’s insufficiency but at the same time recognizing the powerful sufficiency of God! Indeed, do we not see in Paul's humility of mind a clue as to why he was so greatly used by God! Recall Paul's record of his "out of body" experience (2Cor 12:2, 3) in which he was "caught up (Greek = harpazo ~ "raptured") into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak." As a result of this incredible supernatural experience "because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me-- to keep me from exalting myself!" (2Cor 12:7). Paul "entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from" him (2Cor 12:8), to which the Lord Jesus responded.. My grace is sufficient (enough, adequate) for you, for (My) power (dunamis = supernatural ability to accomplish) is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (2Cor 12:9see commentary notes) Comment: Paul boasting about his weaknesses is compatible with a form of "humility of mind." And what was the result? Paul experienced the "power of Christ." I personally believe (this is speculative so be a Berean-Acts 17:11) that this episode of Paul's having experiencing the sufficiency of God's grace and power 14 years earlier (and his learning to boast about his weaknesses) was a significant source of his supernatural power for ministry in the subsequent years. Keep in mind that Paul's "being caught up" to Paradise and subsequent thorn in his side would be somewhere around Paul's First Missionary Journey, possibly even coinciding with the time of his stoning in Iconium in Acts 14:19. (Compare Chronology of Paul - 2Corinthians written about 58AD) THOUGHT: What looks to us as a "thorn in our flesh" at a moment in time, quite often takes on a different "hue" over time, if we grow in grace rather than allowing ourselves to become bitter rather than "better"! John
Atos 20
Wiersbe comments that... The Gospel is called "the Gospel of God" (Mark 1:14) because it comes from God and brings us to God. It is "the Gospel of the kingdom" (Mark 4:23, Mt 9:35, Mt 24:14, Lk 16:16) because faith in the Saviour brings you into His kingdom. It is the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" (Mark 1:1) because He is the heart of it; without His life, death, and resurrection, there would be no Good News. Paul called it "the Gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24) because there can be no salvation apart from grace (Eph. 2:8-9). There is only one Gospel (Gal. 1:1-9), and it centers in what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross (1 Cor. 15:1-11). (The Bible Exposition Commentary) Related Resource: Our Multifaceted Gospel - It's Many Names Gospel (2098)(euaggelion from eú = good + aggéllo = proclaim, tell) is literally good news or glad tidings. In secular Greek it originally referred to a reward for good news and later became the good news itself. The word euaggelion was commonly used in the first century as our words "good news" today. In ancient secular Greek as alluded to above, euaggelion described good news of any kind and prior to the writing of the New Testament, had no definite religious connotation in the ancient world until it was taken over by the "Cult of Caesar" which was the state religion and in which the emperor was worshipped as a god. Alexander Maclaren once said "The Gospel is not merely a message of deliverance, it is also a rule of conduct (Ed: And I would add the supernatural power to carry out that "conduct"). It is not merely theology, it is also ethics. Like some of the ancient municipal charters, the grant of privileges and proclamation of freedom is also the sovereign code which imposes duties and shapes life. The writers of the New Testament adapted the term Gospel as God's glorious message of salvation for lost otherwise hopeless, helpless sinners. Euaggelion is found in several combination phrases, each describing the gospel like a multifaceted jewel in various terms from a different viewpoint (from the NASB, 1977): the gospel of the kingdom (Mt 4:23+, Mt 9:35+, Mt 24:14+) the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mk 1:1+) because it centers in Christ the gospel of God (Mk 1:14+, Ro 15:16+, 2Co 11:7+, 1Th 2:2+, 1Th 2:8,9+, 1Pe 4:17+) because it originates with God and was not invented by man the gospel of the kingdom of God (Lu 16:16+) the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24+, Ro 1:1+), the gospel of His Son (Ro 1:9+) the gospel of Christ (Ro 15:19+, 1Co 1:9+, 2Co 2:12+, 2Co 9:13+, 2Co 10:14+, Gal 1:7+, Phil 1:27+, 1Th 3:2+) the gospel of the glory of Christ (2Co 4:4+) the gospel of your salvation (Eph 1:14+) the gospel of peace (Eph 6:15+) the gospel of our Lord Jesus (2Th 1:8+) the glorious gospel of the blessed God (1Ti 1:11+) In Ro 16:25, 26+ Paul called it “my Gospel” indicating that the special emphasis he gave the gospel in his ministry. An eternal gospel - Rev 14:6+ (Some writers such as C I Scofield interpret this as a "different gospel" than the other "gospels" mentioned above but I think such a distinction is incorrect and is poorly substantiated). For a rewarding study, study the preceding references in context making notation of the truth you observe about the gospel. If you would like a special blessing, take an afternoon to go through all 76 uses of euaggelion in context making a list of what you learn about the gospel. The Spirit of God will enlighten your heart and encourage your spirit in a very special way...and you'll want to share the "good news" with someone because of your "discoveries"! Euaggelion - Matt. 4:23; Matt. 9:35; Matt. 24:14; Matt. 26:13; Mk. 1:1; Mk. 1:14; Mk. 1:15; Mk. 8:35; Mk. 10:29; Mk. 13:10; Mk. 14:9; Mk. 16:15; Acts 15:7; Acts 20:24; Rom. 1:1; Rom. 1:9; Rom. 1:16; Rom. 2:16; Rom. 10:16; Rom. 11:28; Rom. 15:16; Rom. 15:19; Rom. 16:25; 1 Co. 4:15; 1 Co. 9:12; 1 Co. 9:14; 1 Co. 9:18; 1 Co. 9:23; 1 Co. 15:1; 2 Co. 2:12; 2 Co. 4:3; 2 Co. 4:4; 2 Co. 8:18; 2 Co. 9:13; 2 Co. 10:14; 2 Co. 11:4; 2 Co. 11:7; Gal. 1:6; Gal. 1:7; Gal. 1:11; Gal. 2:2; Gal. 2:5; Gal. 2:7; Gal. 2:14; Eph. 1:13; Eph. 3:6; Eph. 6:15; Eph. 6:19; Phil. 1:5; Phil. 1:7; Phil. 1:12; Phil. 1:16; Phil. 1:27; Phil. 2:22; Phil. 4:3; Phil. 4:15; Col. 1:5; Col. 1:23; 1 Thess. 1:5; 1 Thess. 2:2; 1 Thess. 2:4; 1 Thess. 2:8; 1 Thess. 2:9; 1 Thess. 3:2; 2 Thess. 1:8; 2 Thess. 2:14; 1 Tim. 1:11; 2 Tim. 1:8; 2 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 2:8; Phlm. 1:13; 1 Pet. 4:17; Rev. 14:6 Euaggelion was commonly used in the Greco-Roman culture as "a technical term for "news of victory." The messenger appears, raises his right hand in greeting and calls out with a loud voice: "rejoice …we are victorious". By his appearance it is known already that he brings good news. His face shines, his spear is decked with laurel, his head is crowned, he swings a branch of palms, joy fills the city, euaggelia are offered, the temples are garlanded, an agon (race) is held, crowns are put on for the sacrifices and the one to whom the message is owed is honored with a wreath...[thus] euaggelion is closely linked with the thought of victory in battle." (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament) This is a convicting definition - here a pagan messenger radiantly announces good news of an earthly victory. How much more radiant should we be who are the bearers of the great news of Christ's eternal triumph over sin, Satan, and death! In contrast to the counterfeit gospel, the human proclamation of the Gospel (euaggelion) does not merely herald a new era, but in fact actually brings it about because the euaggelion has within it the inherent power to germinate and generate salvation in those who hear it proclaimed. The Gospel is not a stagnant system of ethics but is the Word of Truth which is living, moving, growing, bearing fruit and spreading. The Gospel possesses a divine energy that causes it to spread like a mustard seed growing into a tree (Mt 13:31,32). The Gospel produces fruit both in the internal transformation of individuals, and also in the external growth of the church. The living Gospel is the power that transforms lives. As it does so, the witness of those transformed lives produces fruit, including new converts. So as the Gospel produces fruit in individual lives, its influence spreads. If this is true (and it is), then why are so many saints shy about speaking forth the good news of the greatest story ever told?! Christ commands believers to share this Good News with the rest of the world. This Good News is Christ’s life-giving message to a dying world Go into all the world and preach (aorist imperative = command to do this now! Don't delay!) the Gospel to all creation." (Mk 16:15) A. B. Simpson is reported to have said that the Gospel - Tells rebellious men that God is reconciled, that justice is satisfied, that sin has been atoned for, that the judgment of the guilty may be revoked, the condemnation of the sinner canceled, the curse of the Law blotted out, the gates of hell closed, the portals of heaven opened wide, the power of sin subdued, the guilty conscience healed, the broken heart comforted, the sorrow and misery of the Fall undone. Grace (5485)(charis) is derived from chairo = to rejoice. English = charity. Beggars need "charity" even as sinners need grace, for we are all spiritual paupers outside of Christ, but "God gives where he finds empty hands"-Augustine (cp Mt 5:3+). Grace is a word which defies a simple definition but at its core conveys the sense of favor while the specific nuances of charis depend on the context in which it is used. Someone has written that the word grace is probably the greatest word in the Scriptures, even greater even than “love,” because grace is love in action, and therefore includes it. It is hardly too much to say that God has in no word uttered Himself and all that was in His heart more distinctly than in this word grace (charis)! Grace in simple terms is God's unmerited favor and supernatural enablement and empowerment for salvation and for daily sanctification. You may want to read that again - In other words the Gospel of grace is that by which we are saved (justified) initially and thereafter are "saved" daily (progressive sanctification). Grace is everything for nothing to those who don't deserve anything. Grace is what every man needs, what none can earn and what God Alone can and does freely give (see Ro 8:32+ where "freely give" is charizomai from charis = a grace gift!). Grace addresses man's sin, while mercy addresses man's misery. The gift of grace makes men fit for salvation, miraculously making separated strangers into God's beloved sons (1Th 1:4+, 1Jn 3:1+, 1Jn 3:2+, 1Jn 3:3+). Spurgeon in his sermon on this passage declared... I shall try to proclaim that word, “GRACE,” so that those who know its joyful sound shall be glad, and those who despise it shall be cut to the heart! Grace is the essence of the Gospel! Grace is the one hope for this fallen world! Grace is the sole comfort of saints looking forward to Heaven!...Let me try to explain in a brief manner how the Gospel is the good news of Grace. The Gospel is an announcement that God is prepared to deal with guilty man on the ground of free favor and pure mercy. There would be no good news in saying that God is just, for, in the first place, that is not even news—we know that God is just. The natural conscience teaches man that. That God will punish sin and reward righteousness is not news at all and, if it were news, yet it would not be good news, for we have all sinned—and upon the ground of justice we must perish. But it is news and news of the best kind, that the Judge of all is prepared to pardon transgression and to justify the ungodly! It is good news to the sinful that the Lord will blot out sin, cover the sinner with righteousness and receive him into His favor—and that not on account of anything he has done, or will do—but out of Sovereign Grace! Though we are all guilty without exception and all most justly condemned for our sins, yet God is ready to take us from under the curse of His Law and give us all the blessedness of righteous men as an act of pure mercy! Remember how David saw this and spoke of it in the 32nd Psalm—“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputes not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” This is a message worth dying for, that through the Covenant of Grace, God can be just and yet the Justifier of him that believes in Jesus! That He can be the righteous Judge of men and yet believing men can be freely justified by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus! That God is merciful and gracious—and is ready to bless the most unworthy—is a wonderful piece of news, worth a man’s spending a hundred lives to tell! My heart leaps within me as I repeat it in this Hall and tell the penitent, the desponding and the despairing that, though their sins deserve Hell, yet Grace can give them Heaven and make them fit for it—and that as a sovereign act of love—altogether independent of their character or what they deserve! Because the Lord has said, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion,” there is hope for the most hopeless! Since “it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy,” (Rom. 9:16), there is an open door of hope for those who otherwise might despair!... The Gospel message is of Grace because it is directed to those whose only claim is their need. (A Gospel Worth Dying For) John
Atos 20
Wiersbe writes that... God's Word is a tool for building. "'Is not my word like fire,' declares the Lord, 'and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?'" (Jer 23:29). Sometimes God's Word has to break down before it can build up. Sometimes God's Word has to burn before it can warm. But God's Word is like a hammer—it is a tool for breaking down the old life and building up the new life. It enables us to build the church...(Acts 20:32). If you want to build your life, you must use tools, and the greatest tool of all is the Word of God. The better you understand the meaning of key Bible words, the more tools you will have in your "spiritual workshop" for building your own Christian life and helping to build the church. (Key Words of the Christian Life) Mark Dever adds that... The New Testament witness to the primacy of God’s Word in His method is just as conspicuous: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). The Word sustains us: “In the beginning was the Word, and . . . in Him was life....And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 4, 14). Jesus, the Word made flesh, is ultimate life incarnate: “The word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing” (Acts 19:20; cf. Acts 6:7; 12:20-23, 24). The Word grows and fights: “And now I commend you to....the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). The Word is what builds us up and preserves us: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Ro 1:16; cf. 1Cor 1:18). The Gospel, God’s clearest expression of His Word, is His effective power for salvation: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17). God’s Word is that which creates faith: “[W]hen you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (1Th 2:13+). The Word performs God’s work in believers: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12+). God’s Word convicts: “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth” (James 1:18+). God’s Word gives us new birth. James advises a little later, “in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21+). The Word saves us. Peter also claims regenerating power for God’s Word: “[F]or you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. . . . And this is the word which was preached to you” (1Pe 1:23, 25+). Grace (favor) (5485)(charis) in simple terms is God's unmerited favor and supernatural enablement and empowerment for salvation and for daily sanctification. Grace is everything for nothing to those who don't deserve anything. Grace is what every man needs, what none can earn and what God Alone can and does freely give (see Ro 8:32+ where "freely give" is charizomai [word study] from charis = a grace gift!). Grace addresses man's sin, while mercy addresses man's misery. Which - What is "which?" "To what does it refer in context?" God's Word, especially the Gospel. But beware that the intake of God's word is a means to an end (i.e., Christlikeness) and not an end in itself. A church can be saturated with God's word and still be sterile as far as spiritually reproducing itself. The primary purpose of God's Word is to radically alter our way of life! THE WORD HAS POWER This section could be read the word which continually has supernatural power. The Bible alone has the power, the dynamic, the "dynamite" about it which is able to build strong disciples who can then make more disciples (2 Ti 2:2). Jack Arnold rightly says that "Elders must direct their own lives by the Bible; they must direct the local church by the Bible; and they must direct the lives of other Christians by the Bible, not on personal opinion, whim or logic. Only the Bible can build the saints and cause them to understand the inheritance they have in Christ with all the saints who are set apart to God. Paul wanted the elders to understand what he and all the prophets of old understood about the power of the Word. Jeremiah writes ““Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?” (Jer. 23:29). (Acts 20:28-38 Concerns of a Shepherd) Is able (present tense = continually able) (1410)(dunamai) conveys the basic meaning of that which has the inherent ability to do something or accomplish some end. So what is Paul saying about the Word of His Grace? What is he saying about the Gospel? Clearly he believes that the Gospel has supernatural power, miracle working power and that this power is an intrinsic, inherent component of the word of God's grace! Is this not an incredible truth beloved! The Gospel is be capable of breaking a stone cold, hard heart, strong enough to break the power of an ensnaring addictive sin, supernaturally enough to cause spiritual growth. Dunamai is in the present tense which signifies the Word of His grace is continuously able or continually has inherent power to save us. In other words not only can it save us the first time (justification) but it can supernaturally "save" us every day (sanctification). Beloved, this begs the question - Are you daily going to the "well of living water" the life giving, powerful Word of Truth? If not you are vulnerable to the wiles of the world, the flesh and the devil. If you are substituting devotionals for the pure Word of Grace then you are making a serious mistake. Devotionals are fine but they should never be used in lieu of God's Word for only His Word of grace is able to build you up! Luke has a similar statement about the power of the Word of God's grace writing that... No (ou = absolutely no) word (rhema) from God shall be void of power (adunateo - essentially the converse of dunamai). (Luke 1:37ASV) Comment: This verse says not one single Word of God is powerless or unable to accomplish what God intends. Modern translations do not convey the sense of the power of the Word quite as clearly as the ASV - e.g., the NAS = "For nothing will be impossible with God." The Amplified Version is somewhat better "For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment." James uses dunamai in his description of the word... Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able (dunamai also in in the present tense) to save your souls. (James 1:21+) Related Resource: Simple Inductive Study on the Power of God's Word G. Swinnock writes regarding the Gospel, the Word of God's grace... I. To purify your affections. It is the usual pipe through which grace may be conveyed into the vessels of your hearts. The laws of men may reform your actions, but it is the gospel of God which can renew your affections. Some poets speak of musicians that by the force of their music can make stones leap into walls, and tame beasts, be they never so savage. The word of God's grace will do much more—it will change the heart of stone into a heart of flesh; it will tame lions, and turn them into lambs (Isaiah 11:4-6). II. To be the rule of your conduct. 1. It contains not only promises for your consolation, but also precepts for your conversations; therefore it is called a royal law (James 2:8). A law, because it is to be the canon of our lives. A royal law, because given us by God, sovereign and dominion over all, and therefore power to command what He pleases. The gospel is a law of liberty, but not a law of licentiousness (James 1:25). It frees us from the curse, but not from the commands, of the law. Look therefore to this royal law; expound it in your lives. 2. Let it be your rule for faith. The gospel is the only creed; he that believeth this is a true believer. As the Word—Christ—is the personal foundation, so the word of Christ is the doctrinal foundation for every Christian to build on (Ephesians 2:19, 20). 3. Make it your rule for worship. To serve God according to your own inventions, or men's prescriptions, is rebellion. As the moth eats out the garment, and the rust the iron, so doth an apocryphal worship in time eat out an evangelical worship (Matthew 15:7). All worship of God, without warrant, is like private coining money, high treason against the King of heaven (1 Kings 12:33). Till man can be his own maker, he may not be his own lawgiver (Isaiah 8:20). 4. In all things live by the gospel, and look to the gospel; let that be a light to your feet, and a lantern to your paths; keep the Word, and it will keep you, in an hour of temptation, from Binning, and in an hour of dissolution from sinking. The lawyer, in his doubts, consults with his Lyttleton or Coke; the physician prescribes by Galen or Hippocrates; the philosopher takes advice of his Aristotle; but the godly man must always take counsel of the gospel (Pr 4:26, 27). III. To be your buckler against opposition. The gospel is a magazine, out of which Christians may be furnished with spiritual weapons in their holy war against the kingdom of darkness. 1. It is a shield against evil principles (Mt 22:29). 2. It is a shield against evil practices (Ps 119:9). 3. Doth Satan assault you? (Eph 6:17) Use the gospel for your defense. 4. Is the world to you a place of thorns and briars? (2 Corinthians 10:4.) Get your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and ye may walk comfortably through it. IV. To be your cordial in all afflictions. Seneca, going about to comfort his friend Polybius, persuades him to bear his affliction patiently, because he was Caesar's favorite. The word of grace affords you infinitely richer cordials, exceeding rich and precious promises, wherein ye are admitted to be the friends of God, the members of Christ, the temples of the Spirit, and the heirs of heaven. THE WORD OF HIS GRACE PRODUCES HOLY "EDIFICES" To build you up (edify) (3618)(oikodomeo from oikos = dwelling + doma = building [of a house] from demo = to build) means literally to build, construct or erect a dwelling. Oikodomeo is used here as a metaphor meaning to build up, establish, confirm, edify. As an aside all the NT uses of oikodomeo (and it's derivatives) are metaphorical - for example as in this verse it means to “build up” in the sense of encouraging or strengthening one’s faith is indicated (Acts 20:32; cp Col. 2: 7; Jude 1:20). In 1Co. 3:10f it means to means to “build upon,” in the sense of developing and furthering one’s Gospel ministry and in Eph 2:20 specifically speaks of the church "built on" the foundation of Christ and the apostles. The derivative sunoikodomeo signifies to “build together” in its only use in Eph. 2:22 where in the passive voice (action comes from without, i.e., by the Spirit) it indicates the continuing spiritual process of believers “being built together” into the community of God’s people worldwide, joined together by the Spirit of God in Christ. Webster says that edify is derived from the Latin aedificare to instruct or improve spiritually, in turn from Latin, to erect a house, in turn from aedes temple, house. What a picture of the power of Spirit saturated believers on their brethren. Related Resource: Alexander Maclaren's sermon Edification.
Atos 20:17-27
Wiersbe comments that... The Gospel is called "the Gospel of God" (Mark 1:14) because it comes from God and brings us to God. It is "the Gospel of the kingdom" (Mark 4:23, Mt 9:35, Mt 24:14, Lk 16:16) because faith in the Saviour brings you into His kingdom. It is the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" (Mark 1:1) because He is the heart of it; without His life, death, and resurrection, there would be no Good News. Paul called it "the Gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24) because there can be no salvation apart from grace (Eph. 2:8-9). There is only one Gospel (Gal. 1:1-9), and it centers in what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross (1 Cor. 15:1-11). (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary - New Testament. 1989. Victor or Logos or Wordsearch) Related Resource: Our Multifaceted Gospel - It's Many Names Gospel (2098)(euaggelion from eú = good + aggéllo = proclaim, tell) is literally good news or glad tidings. In secular Greek it originally referred to a reward for good news and later became the good news itself. The word euaggelion was commonly used in the first century as our words "good news" today. In ancient secular Greek as alluded to above, euaggelion described good news of any kind and prior to the writing of the New Testament, had no definite religious connotation in the ancient world until it was taken over by the "Cult of Caesar" which was the state religion and in which the emperor was worshipped as a god. Alexander Maclaren once said... The Gospel is not merely a message of deliverance, it is also a rule of conduct (Ed: And I would add the supernatural power to carry out that "conduct"). It is not merely theology, it is also ethics. Like some of the ancient municipal charters, the grant of privileges and proclamation of freedom is also the sovereign code which imposes duties and shapes life. Euaggelion was commonly used in the Greco-Roman culture as "a technical term for "news of victory." The messenger appears, raises his right hand in greeting and calls out with a loud voice: "rejoice …we are victorious". By his appearance it is known already that he brings good news. His face shines, his spear is decked with laurel, his head is crowned, he swings a branch of palms, joy fills the city, euaggelia are offered, the temples are garlanded, an agon (race) is held, crowns are put on for the sacrifices and the one to whom the message is owed is honored with a wreath...[thus] euaggelion is closely linked with the thought of victory in battle." (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament) This is a convicting definition - here a pagan messenger radiantly announces good news of an earthly victory. How much more radiant should we be who are the bearers of the great news of Christ's eternal triumph over sin, Satan, and death! In contrast to the counterfeit gospel, the human proclamation of the Gospel (euaggelion) does not merely herald a new era, but in fact actually brings it about because the euaggelion has within it the inherent power to germinate and generate salvation in those who hear it proclaimed. The Gospel is not a stagnant system of ethics but is the Word of Truth which is living, moving, growing, bearing fruit and spreading. The Gospel possesses a divine energy that causes it to spread like a mustard seed growing into a tree (Mt 13:31,32). The Gospel produces fruit both in the internal transformation of individuals, and also in the external growth of the church. The living Gospel is the power that transforms lives. As it does so, the witness of those transformed lives produces fruit, including new converts. So as the Gospel produces fruit in individual lives, its influence spreads. If this is true (and it is), then why are so many saints shy about speaking forth the good news of the greatest story ever told?! Christ commands believers to share this Good News with the rest of the world. This Good News is Christ’s life-giving message to a dying world Go into all the world and preach (aorist imperative = command to do this now! Don't delay!) the Gospel to all creation." (Mk 16:15) A. B. Simpson is reported to have said that the Gospel... Tells rebellious men that God is reconciled, that justice is satisfied, that sin has been atoned for, that the judgment of the guilty may be revoked, the condemnation of the sinner canceled, the curse of the Law blotted out, the gates of hell closed, the portals of heaven opened wide, the power of sin subdued, the guilty conscience healed, the broken heart comforted, the sorrow and misery of the Fall undone. Grace (5485)(charis) is derived from chairo = to rejoice. English = charity. Beggars need "charity" even as sinners need grace, for we are all spiritual paupers outside of Christ, but "God gives where he finds empty hands"-Augustine (cp Mt 5:3-note). Grace is a word which defies a simple definition but at its core conveys the sense of favor while the specific nuances of charis depend on the context in which it is used. Someone has written that the word grace is probably the greatest word in the Scriptures, even greater even than “love,” because grace is love in action, and therefore includes it. It is hardly too much to say that God has in no word uttered Himself and all that was in His heart more distinctly than in this word grace (charis)! Grace in simple terms is God's unmerited favor and supernatural enablement and empowerment for salvation and for daily sanctification. You may want to read that again - In other words the Gospel of grace is that by which we are saved (justified) initially and thereafter are "saved" daily (progressive sanctification). Grace is everything for nothing to those who don't deserve anything. Grace is what every man needs, what none can earn and what God Alone can and does freely give (see Ro 8:32-note where "freely give" is charizomai [word study] from charis = a grace gift!). Grace addresses man's sin, while mercy addresses man's misery. The gift of grace makes men fit for salvation, miraculously making separated strangers into God's beloved sons (1Th 1:4-note, 1Jn 3:1-note, 1Jn 3:2-note, 1Jn 3:3-note). Spurgeon in his sermon on this passage declared... I shall try to proclaim that word, “GRACE,” so that those who know its joyful sound shall be glad, and those who despise it shall be cut to the heart! Grace is the essence of the Gospel! Grace is the one hope for this fallen world! Grace is the sole comfort of saints looking forward to Heaven!...Let me try to explain in a brief manner how the Gospel is the good news of Grace. The Gospel is an announcement that God is prepared to deal with guilty man on the ground of free favor and pure mercy. There would be no good news in saying that God is just, for, in the first place, that is not even news—we know that God is just. The natural conscience teaches man that. That God will punish sin and reward righteousness is not news at all and, if it were news, yet it would not be good news, for we have all sinned—and upon the ground of justice we must perish. But it is news and news of the best kind, that the Judge of all is prepared to pardon transgression and to justify the ungodly! It is good news to the sinful that the Lord will blot out sin, cover the sinner with righteousness and receive him into His favor—and that not on account of anything he has done, or will do—but out of Sovereign Grace! Though we are all guilty without exception and all most justly condemned for our sins, yet God is ready to take us from under the curse of His Law and give us all the blessedness of righteous men as an act of pure mercy! Remember how David saw this and spoke of it in the 32nd Psalm—“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputes not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” This is a message worth dying for, that through the Covenant of Grace, God can be just and yet the Justifier of him that believes in Jesus! That He can be the righteous Judge of men and yet believing men can be freely justified by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus! That God is merciful and gracious—and is ready to bless the most unworthy—is a wonderful piece of news, worth a man’s spending a hundred lives to tell! My heart leaps within me as I repeat it in this Hall and tell the penitent, the desponding and the despairing that, though their sins deserve Hell, yet Grace can give them Heaven and make them fit for it—and that as a sovereign act of love—altogether independent of their character or what they deserve! Because the Lord has said, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion,” there is hope for the most hopeless! Since “it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy,” (Rom. 9:16), there is an open door of hope for those who otherwise might despair!... The Gospel message is of Grace because it is directed to those whose only claim is their need. (A Gospel Worth Dying For) John
Atos 20:28-38
Wiersbe writes that... God's Word is a tool for building. "'Is not my word like fire,' declares the Lord, 'and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?'" (Jer 23:29). Sometimes God's Word has to break down before it can build up. Sometimes God's Word has to burn before it can warm. But God's Word is like a hammer—it is a tool for breaking down the old life and building up the new life. It enables us to build the church...(Acts 20:32). If you want to build your life, you must use tools, and the greatest tool of all is the Word of God. The better you understand the meaning of key Bible words, the more tools you will have in your "spiritual workshop" for building your own Christian life and helping to build the church. (Key Words of the Christian Life) Mark Dever adds that... The New Testament witness to the primacy of God’s Word in His method is just as conspicuous: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). The Word sustains us: “In the beginning was the Word, and . . . in Him was life....And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 4, 14). Jesus, the Word made flesh, is ultimate life incarnate: “The word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing” (Acts 19:20; cf. Acts 6:7; 12:20-23, 24). The Word grows and fights: “And now I commend you to....the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). The Word is what builds us up and preserves us: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Ro 1:16; cf. 1Cor 1:18). The Gospel, God’s clearest expression of His Word, is His effective power for salvation: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17). God’s Word is that which creates faith: “[W]hen you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (1Th 2:13-note). The Word performs God’s work in believers: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12-note). God’s Word convicts: “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth” (James 1:18-note). God’s Word gives us new birth. James advises a little later, “in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21-note). The Word saves us. Peter also claims regenerating power for God’s Word: “[F]or you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. . . . And this is the word which was preached to you” (1Pe 1:23, 25-note). Grace (favor) (5485)(charis) in simple terms is God's unmerited favor and supernatural enablement and empowerment for salvation and for daily sanctification. Grace is everything for nothing to those who don't deserve anything. Grace is what every man needs, what none can earn and what God Alone can and does freely give (see Ro 8:32-note where "freely give" is charizomai [word study] from charis = a grace gift!). Grace addresses man's sin, while mercy addresses man's misery. Which - What is "which?" "To what does it refer in context?" God's Word, especially the Gospel. But beware that the intake of God's word is a means to an end (i.e., Christlikeness) and not an end in itself. A church can be saturated with God's word and still be sterile as far as spiritually reproducing itself. The primary purpose of God's Word is to radically alter our way of life! Is able (present tense = continually able) (1410)(dunamai) conveys the basic meaning of that which has the inherent ability to do something or accomplish some end. So what is Paul saying about the Word of His Grace? What is he saying about the Gospel? Clearly he believes that the Gospel has supernatural power, miracle working power and that this power is an intrinsic, inherent component of the word of God's grace! Is this not an incredible truth beloved! The Gospel is be capable of breaking a stone cold, hard heart, strong enough to break the power of an ensnaring addictive sin, supernaturally enough to cause spiritual growth. Dunamai is in the present tense which signifies the Word of His grace is continuously able or continually has inherent power to save us. In other words not only can it save us the first time (justification) but it can supernaturally "save" us every day (sanctification). Beloved, this begs the question - Are you daily going to the "well of living water" the life giving, powerful Word of Truth? If not you are vulnerable to the wiles of the world, the flesh and the devil. If you are substituting devotionals for the pure Word of Grace then you are making a serious mistake. Devotionals are fine but they should never be used in lieu of God's Word for only His Word of grace is able to build you up! Luke has a similar statement about the power of the Word of God's grace writing that... No (ou = absolutely no) word (rhema) from God shall be void of power (adunateo - essentially the converse of dunamai). (Luke 1:37ASV) Comment: This verse says not one single Word of God is powerless or unable to accomplish what God intends. Modern translations do not convey the sense of the power of the Word quite as clearly as the ASV - e.g., the NAS = "For nothing will be impossible with God." The Amplified Version is somewhat better "For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment." James uses dunamai in his description of the word... Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able (dunamai also in in the present tense) to save your souls. (James 1:21-note) Related Resource: Simple Inductive Study on the Power of God's Word G. Swinnock writes regarding the Gospel, the Word of God's grace... I. To purify your affections. It is the usual pipe through which grace may be conveyed into the vessels of your hearts. The laws of men may reform your actions, but it is the gospel of God which can renew your affections. Some poets speak of musicians that by the force of their music can make stones leap into walls, and tame beasts, be they never so savage. The word of God's grace will do much more—it will change the heart of stone into a heart of flesh; it will tame lions, and turn them into lambs (Isaiah 11:4-6). II. To be the rule of your conduct. 1. It contains not only promises for your consolation, but also precepts for your conversations; therefore it is called a royal law (James 2:8). A law, because it is to be the canon of our lives. A royal law, because given us by God, sovereign and dominion over all, and therefore power to command what He pleases. The gospel is a law of liberty, but not a law of licentiousness (James 1:25). It frees us from the curse, but not from the commands, of the law. Look therefore to this royal law; expound it in your lives. 2. Let it be your rule for faith. The gospel is the only creed; he that believeth this is a true believer. As the Word—Christ—is the personal foundation, so the word of Christ is the doctrinal foundation for every Christian to build on (Ephesians 2:19, 20). 3. Make it your rule for worship. To serve God according to your own inventions, or men's prescriptions, is rebellion. As the moth eats out the garment, and the rust the iron, so doth an apocryphal worship in time eat out an evangelical worship (Matthew 15:7). All worship of God, without warrant, is like private coining money, high treason against the King of heaven (1 Kings 12:33). Till man can be his own maker, he may not be his own lawgiver (Isaiah 8:20). 4. In all things live by the gospel, and look to the gospel; let that be a light to your feet, and a lantern to your paths; keep the Word, and it will keep you, in an hour of temptation, from Binning, and in an hour of dissolution from sinking. The lawyer, in his doubts, consults with his Lyttleton or Coke; the physician prescribes by Galen or Hippocrates; the philosopher takes advice of his Aristotle; but the godly man must always take counsel of the gospel (Pr 4:26, 27). III. To be your buckler against opposition. The gospel is a magazine, out of which Christians may be furnished with spiritual weapons in their holy war against the kingdom of darkness. 1. It is a shield against evil principles (Mt 22:29). 2. It is a shield against evil practices (Ps 119:9). 3. Doth Satan assault you? (Eph 6:17) Use the gospel for your defense. 4. Is the world to you a place of thorns and briars? (2 Corinthians 10:4.) Get your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and ye may walk comfortably through it. IV. To be your cordial in all afflictions. Seneca, going about to comfort his friend Polybius, persuades him to bear his affliction patiently, because he was Caesar's favorite. The word of grace affords you infinitely richer cordials, exceeding rich and precious promises, wherein ye are admitted to be the friends of God, the members of Christ, the temples of the Spirit, and the heirs of heaven. THE WORD OF HIS GRACE PRODUCES HOLY "EDIFICES" To build you up (edify) (3618)(oikodomeo from oikos = dwelling + doma = building [of a house] from demo = to build) means literally to build, construct or erect a dwelling. Oikodomeo is used here as a metaphor meaning to build up, establish, confirm, edify. As an aside all the NT uses of oikodomeo (and it's derivatives) are metaphorical - for example as in this verse it means to “build up” in the sense of encouraging or strengthening one’s faith is indicated (Acts 20:32; cp Col. 2: 7; Jude 1:20). In 1Co. 3:10f it means to means to “build upon,” in the sense of developing and furthering one’s Gospel ministry and in Eph 2:20 specifically speaks of the church "built on" the foundation of Christ and the apostles. The derivative sunoikodomeo signifies to “build together” in its only use in Eph. 2:22 where in the passive voice (action comes from without, i.e., by the Spirit) it indicates the continuing spiritual process of believers “being built together” into the community of God’s people worldwide, joined together by the Spirit of God in Christ. Webster says that edify is derived from the Latin aedificare to instruct or improve spiritually, in turn from Latin, to erect a house, in turn from aedes temple, house. What a picture of the power of Spirit saturated believers on their brethren. Related Resource: Alexander Maclaren's sermon Edification.