Atos 16

Atos 16

Wuest writes that "The word assembly is a good one-word translation of ekklesia." Being strengthened (imperfect) (4732)(stereoo from stereos = solid, stable) means literally to make strong, stable, firm (only 2 other NT uses = Acts 3:7+ and Acts 3:16+). In Acts 16:5 stereoo is used figuratively to solidify, confirm or establish in the faith (cf see note 1 Th 3:2 - sterizo) The passive voice in this context would be the "divine passive," the effect of being strengthened being as a result of the the Holy Spirit and the Holy Word (cf Jn 6:63), in this context including the decrees announced and explained by the missionaries. Friberg - make strong, firm, hard; literally, of physical strength make strong, strengthen (Acts 3.16); passive become firm or strong (Acts 3.7); figuratively, of firm beliefs and attitudes be strengthened (Acts 16.5) (Analytical Greek Lexicon) Vincent on were strengthened, stereoo - Another word episterizo is used for established in Acts 14:22 ; Acts 15:32, 41; 18:23. There is a difference, moreover, between being strengthened and established. See 1 Pet. 5:10-note. BDAG - 1.to render physically firm, make strong, make firm. lit., of impotent limbs, pass. be strengthened, become strong 2. to cause to become firmer in such matters as conviction or commitment, strengthen, 2. to cause to become firmer in such matters as conviction or commitment, strengthen, The other two uses of stereoo Acts 3:7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. Acts 3:16 "And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all. Stereoo is used 34x in the Septuagint - Note the many of the uses of stereoo refer to the Lord God establishing various aspects of creation - heavens, earth - 1 Sam. 2:1 (LXE = My heart is established in the Lord); 1 Sa 6:18; Job 37:18; Ps. 18:17; Ps. 33:6 (LXE = "By the word of the Lord the heavens were established"); Ps. 75:3 (LXE = I have strengthened its pillars.); Ps. 93:1 (NAS = the world is firmly established); Ps. 136:6 (LXE = To him who established the earth on the waters); Isa. 42:5 (NAS = Who spread [stereoo - settled] out the earth); Isa. 44:24; Isa. 45:12 (LXE = with my hand have established the heaven); Isa. 48:13; Isa. 51:6; Jer. 5:3; Jer. 10:4; Jer. 52:6; Lam. 2:4; Ezek. 4:7; Dan. 8:24; Hos. 13:4; Amos 4:13; Gilbrant on stereoo - Classical Greek and Septuagint Usage - In classical Greek this verb means literally “to confine, contract,” or metaphorically “to be in difficulty” (Liddell-Scott). It also includes the meanings of “hard, obstinate, firm, true, healthy, ripe (as grain).” The New Testament use of the term was strongly influenced by stereoma, a noun related to the verb stereoō; the noun is used to translate “firmament” in the Septuagint creation account in Genesis 1. The ancients thought of the firmament as an inverted bowl, solid and strong. (See Bertram, “stereos,” Kittel, 7:609f.) In this context the Old Testament writers pictured the heavens as an impregnable fortress, a safe retreat. It is here that God dwells, and all who dwell with Him enjoy perfect safety and security. The verb stereoō then logically conveyed the meaning “to establish” or “to make strong.” The Septuagint translators of the Psalms used stereoō in two contexts: by the Lord the heavens were “made” (Ps 33:6), and by the Lord of majesty “the world also is stablished” so “it cannot be moved” (Ps 93:1). (Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary) The faith speaking of the Christian profession, the faith professed. Faith (4102)(pistis) is synonymous with trust or belief and is the conviction of the truth of anything, but in Scripture usually speaks of belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith and joined with it. Increasing (imperfect)(4052) (perisseuo from perissós = abundant) were superabounding, even overflow, experiencing (spiritual) affluence. They were increasing in abundance with the implication of being considerably more than what would be expected. Perisseuo carries the idea of exceeding the requirements, of overflowing or overdoing. It means to exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over and above a certain number or measure. It means to have or to be more than enough, to be extremely rich or abundant. To exceed or remain over (as used in loaves left over after feeding the 5000 [Mt 14:20]! When Jesus supplies there is more than enough so that some is even left over! How quick we are to forget this basic principle!) The idea is to overflow like a river out of its banks! Perisseuo is used 3 times in Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians and in two instances is translated "excel" (see notes ) referring not so much to growth in numbers but in their walk of faith (1 Th 3:12+, 1 Th 4:1+, 1 Th 4:10+) Number (706)(arithmos; English arithmetic) refers to an identification of quantity and so a cardinal number. It can also have the sense of a numerical total. Liddell-Scott - number, Lat. numerus, 2. amount, sum, extent, a sum of money, Xen. 3. as mark of station, worth, rank, among men, have no account made of them, Eur.; you come not into my account, Id. 4. mere number, quantity, opp. to quality, worth, a mere set of words, Soph.; so of men, not a mere lot, Eur.; so alone, like Horace's nos numerus sumus, Ar. II. a numbering, counting, - to hold a muster of the army, Hdt.; Xen. III. the science of numbers, numeration, arithmetic, Aesch., Plat. Gilbrant - In classical Greek arithmos, “number, sum,” connotes both a quantity (i.e., the “third” book) and a quality (he was “first” in his class). Military rank was expressed in terms of number. To have arithmos was a mark of station; to be without it was to be “nothing” (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:28). Besides the simple numerical importance of numbers, various philosophical and religious movements in the Greek world constructed complicated systems of so-called geometry (e.g., Pythagoras) which tried to explain the world in terms of numbers. This led to numerology which assigned symbolic meanings to numbers (letters were numbers in the ancient world; a = 1, b = 2, r = 100, etc.). As a result of the Septuagint, the Hebrew numerical symbolism of the Old Testament— especially such “sacred” numbers as 3, 7, or 12—coalesced with the Greek views which had infiltrated Diaspora Judaism. Jewish cabalism is noted for picking up on this. The prevailing background of arithmos in the New Testament is the Old Testament. Vestiges of this relationship are evident in the numeric symbolism in the Book of Revelation and even in the Gospels. For example, some interpret the number 153 in John 21:11 symbolically (e.g., Jerome and Augustine). However, as Hemer notes, “John elsewhere gives precise numbers where it would be superfluous to look for a symbolic meaning (46 in 2:20; 38 in 5:5)” (“Number,” Colin Brown, 2:685). The only certain example of numerology in the Scripture is the cryptic message about the name of the beast in Revelation 13:17,18. Because letters also had a numerical value, it was quite common to total the value of the letters in a particular name. By giving this sum to the initiated one, he would know which person was being referred to. (Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary) Arithmos - 18x in 15v - group(1), number(17). Lk. 22:3; Jn. 6:10; Acts 4:4; Acts 5:36; Acts 6:7; Acts 11:21; Acts 16:5; Rom. 9:27; Rev. 5:11; Rev. 7:4; Rev. 9:16; Rev. 13:17; Rev. 13:18; Rev. 15:2; Rev. 20:8 Arithmos in the Septuagint - Gen. 34:30; Gen. 41:49; Exod. 12:4; Exod. 16:16; Exod. 23:26; Lev. 25:15; Lev. 25:16; Lev. 27:32; Num. 1:2; Num. 1:18; Num. 1:20; Num. 1:22; Num. 1:24; Num. 1:26; Num. 1:28; Num. 1:30; Num. 1:32; Num. 1:34; Num. 1:36; Num. 1:38; Num. 1:40; Num. 1:42; Num. 1:49; Num. 3:22; Num. 3:28; Num. 3:34; Num. 3:40; Num. 3:43; Num. 9:20; Num. 14:34; Num. 15:12; Num. 26:53; Num. 29:18; Num. 29:21; Num. 29:24; Num. 29:27; Num. 29:30; Num. 29:33; Num. 29:37; Num. 31:36; Deut. 4:27; Deut. 25:2; Deut. 26:5; Deut. 28:62; Deut. 32:8; Deut. 33:6; Jos. 4:5; Jdg. 6:5; Jdg. 7:6; Jdg. 7:12; Jdg. 11:33; Jdg. 21:23; 1 Sam. 6:4; 1 Sam. 6:18; 1 Sam. 27:7; 2 Sam. 2:15; 2 Sam. 21:20; 2 Sam. 24:2; 2 Sam. 24:9; 1 Ki. 7:3; 1 Ki. 18:31; 1 Chr. 7:2; 1 Chr. 7:5; 1 Chr. 7:7; 1 Chr. 7:9; 1 Chr. 7:40; 1 Chr. 9:28; 1 Chr. 11:11; 1 Chr. 16:19; 1 Chr. 21:2; 1 Chr. 21:5; 1 Chr. 22:4; 1 Chr. 22:16; 1 Chr. 23:3; 1 Chr. 23:24; 1 Chr. 23:27; 1 Chr. 23:31; 1 Chr. 25:1; 1 Chr. 25:7; 1 Chr. 27:1; 1 Chr. 27:23; 1 Chr. 27:24; 2 Chr. 2:17; 2 Chr. 12:3; 2 Chr. 17:14; 2 Chr. 26:11; 2 Chr. 26:12; 2 Chr. 29:32; 2 Chr. 35:7; Ezr. 1:9; Ezr. 2:2; Ezr. 3:4; Ezr. 6:17; Ezr. 8:34; Est. 9:11; Job 1:5; Job 5:9; Job 9:10; Job 21:21; Job 34:24; Job 36:26; Job 38:21; Ps. 39:4; Ps. 40:5; Ps. 40:12; Ps. 104:25; Ps. 105:12; Ps. 105:34; Ps. 147:5; Eccl. 2:3; Eccl. 5:18; Eccl. 6:12; Cant. 6:8; Isa. 2:7; Isa. 10:19; Isa. 34:2; Isa. 34:16; Isa. 40:26; Jer. 2:28; Jer. 2:32; Jer. 11:13; Jer. 44:28; Jer. 46:23; Ezek. 4:4; Ezek. 4:5; Ezek. 4:9; Ezek. 5:3; Ezek. 12:16; Ezek. 20:37; Dan. 9:2; Hos. 1:10; Here are couple of uses of arithmos to meditate upon to saturate and satisfy your heart and soul and mind and strength (Mk 12:30)... Ps 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count (Lxx arithmos - "they exceeded number"). Ps 147:5 Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite (Lxx = "ouk estin arithmos" = "absolutely cannot be given a number"). The result was fruit from the witness of the believers so that the churches increased in number daily ("divine mathematics"). We see a similar principle in Acts 2… (The church was) praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47). THOUGHT - Strong (Biblically sound) churches will naturally increase in number daily, without relying on carnal, seeker oriented or manipulative ways. Sound expository preaching that matures believers in solid food (Heb 5:14+) will build a strong church and God will add His people to an edifying, equipping body of believers. AS a teenager, J. Stephen Conn sensed God calling him to be a preacher. But he felt a certain disadvantage. Because he had been saved when he was seven years old, he would never be able to entertain audiences with stories of a wicked past. So he asked God for permission to get some experience in a life of sin to enhance his preaching later on. Deep within, he knew God would not answer such a request, so he decided just to preach the Bible without a dramatic testimony. Some time later Conn wrote, "For the past eleven years I've been pastoring a church. I realize now what a great testimony I really have. God not only has the power to deliver from sin, He has the even greater power to keep from sin.... God not only saved my soul—He saved my entire life!" Lord, so often I fail to appreciate the beauty of Your goodness until after I have seen it desecrated. May I believe that Your way is right without having to learn it the hard way—without trying some other way and suffering the painful consequences. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. - Philippians 2:22 The first seven chapters of Proverbs are believed to have been written by King David for his son Solomon. David was about to hand over the kingdom to his son, and he wanted to take the opportunity to share wise advice and counsel, exhorting his son to pursue wisdom and to live righteously. This month we will study the books of 1 and 2 Timothy, letters written by the apostle Paul to his spiritual son, Timothy. In a similar way to Proverbs 1-7, Paul wants to pass along wise advice, helping to prepare Timothy for the ministry that he had been given. It's likely that Timothy became a believer when Paul first passed through Timothy's hometown of Lystra on his first missionary journey (cf. Acts. 14:8-20), meaning that Paul was Timothy's spiritual father since he introduced Timothy to Christ. Although Timothy and his mother were believers, his father was not (Acts 16:1). Paul was a Christian mentor, entrusting ministry responsibilities to Timothy and viewing him as the successor to his own legacy of ministry. Paul and Timothy exemplified a father-son relationship through Christ that still provides a model for believers today. Understanding this relationship provides the lens through which we can read and understand Paul's letter. First Timothy provides important and urgent instruction for the church, but it isn't a formal church document. Rather, it's a personal letter meant to cheer, instruct, and strengthen a young pastor-missionary. Although Timothy was certainly a man held in high esteem both by Paul and the churches in which they had ministered together (Acts 16:2-3), he was altogether “ordinary,” just as we are. Young and timid, he needed Paul's encouragement (cf. 2 Tim. 1:7). Raised by an unbelieving father, he didn't have the perfect Christian heritage we might expect. We learn how God often delights to work powerfully through the most unlikely candidates. Acts 16:1-5, 2 Timothy 1:5-6 My son . . . do not forsake your mother’s teaching. - Proverbs 1:8 TODAY IN THE WORD John Wesley is renowned as a great evangelist. Charles Wesley, his brother, also preached the gospel and penned numerous hymns, including “And Can It Be” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” But their significant Christian contributions should be considered in light of the influence of their mother, Susanna Wesley. Mother of 19 children, she endeavored to teach her sons and daughters Greek and Latin and instruct them in the faith. One biographer said, “John Wesley and Charles Wesley, as children consciously or unconsciously will, applied the example and teachings and circumstances of their home life.” The godly impact of parents and grandparents can be seen in the life of Timothy. This preacher and missionary was valuable in the spread of the gospel and the growth of the early church. He was dearly loved by the apostle Paul and considered indispensable in ministry (Phil. 2:22). Scripture takes care to note that Timothy inherited a rich legacy of faith that helped to prepare him for his calling. First, Timothy chose to follow God as a young man. His father was not a believer, and his mother Eunice was (Acts 16:1). At some point prior to meeting Paul, Timothy had already decided that he would embrace the faith of his mother, and his reputation among the believers testified to his commitment. Second, Timothy demonstrated his faith through his obedience. To remove any distraction from their ministry, Paul circumcised his son in the faith, and Timothy complied. He left his home in Lystra to accompany Paul and Silas, and God blessed their work with new believers coming to Christ daily. Finally, as Paul neared the end of his life, he wrote letters to Timothy to encourage and exhort him to remain faithful as a minister of the gospel. He described Timothy's “sincere faith,” and noted that Timothy was blessed with a mother and a grandmother who had this faith. The previous generations had poured themselves into Timothy, and in light of their faithfulness and Timothy's calling, Paul urged him to “fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Tim. 1:6). APPLY THE WORD If you would like to know more about Susanna Wesley and her impact on the faith of her children, her letters and commentaries have been collected in Susanna