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Knit-together (συμβιβάζω)

Knit-together (συμβιβάζω) expresses closely connecting things together in a logical way.

When we go back to the root of this word, without the concept of close together, it is used of prisoners being put onto a ship, Acts 27:6. It is not the same as embarking, which is articulated by ἐμβαίνω as seen in Matthew 8:23. Therefore while putting the prisoners in the ship, the centurion did this in such a way as to ensure they are not mixed with anyone else, not just causing them to get onto the ship. Therefore, it predominantly relates to connecting things together in a logical manner based upon the facts.

After Saul’s encounter with the resurrected Christ on the Damascus road and his time in the desert training to understand what new thing God was doing, he returned to the city. However, this time, rather than seeking to imprison those who followed the way, he returned proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ and was confounding the Jews by knitting together the facts in the Old Testament that prove Jesus is the Messiah, Acts 9:22. Therefore, Paul was properly and logically closely connecting the revelations in the Old Testament concerning Christ to reveal that, in fact, Jesus is the Messiah.

As Paul traveled around spreading the Gospel of the Christ, the Holy Spirit forbade them from entering Asia. Arriving at Troas, Paul is given a vision in the night of a man of Macedonia. Through all of this, Paul logically closely associated what had happened and his vision in the night, concluding that the Lord wanted them to go to Macedonia and proclaim the gospel to them, Acts 16:10.

In 1 Corinthians 2:16, Paul asks a question concerning who has known the mind […]

Knit-together (συμβιβάζω)2023-12-23T06:42:45-08:00

Apostle (ἀπόστολος)

An apostle (ἀπόστολος) is a messenger who is sent out on a specific mission; however, unlike a regular messenger who delivers a message, an apostle is sent with a specific task to perform while giving the message.

Christ sent out the 12 apostles to the Jews during His earthly ministry to proclaim the message of the kingdom of the heavens, Matthew 10:5-42. They were not to take any provisions with them for their journey or go into any city of the Gentiles nor to the Samaritans, for they were sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. Herod sent forth men with a specific mission to slay all the children in Bethlehem who were two years old or younger after the Magi left the region, having been warned by a messenger, failing to report where they found the King of the Jews, Matthew 2:16.

In a single act of expressing love towards the inhabited world, God the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world, 1 John 4:14. He sent Him on a specific mission so that through Him we should have life, 1 John 4:9. In this we know love, for God sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins, 1 John 4:10.

When Christ ascended, He gave gifts to men for the edification of the Church to bring us to a oneness of the faith so that we are no longer tossed around like inarticulate babblers by every wind of teaching by the trickery of men, Ephesians 5:8. Of these gifts were the Apostles, Ephesians 5:11. Twelve of them to the Church. These twelve laid down the foundation of the Church, built upon Christ, giving us the entire revelation concerning the […]

Apostle (ἀπόστολος)2023-12-23T11:45:52-08:00

To Discern (ἀνακρίνω)

As a derivative of the word for judge, discern expresses the careful study of a question, and is often used in a judicial hearing.

After discerning if Jesus was guilty, Pilate’s response to the Chief Priest and rulers of Israel was that he found no fault in Christ, whom they accused of misleading the people. Not only did he find no blame, but also Herod sent Him back to Pilate for Christ had done nothing worthy of death, Luke 23:13-15. Before the rulers and elders, Peter calls them out for having Christ put to death because he and John were being examined concerning a good deed done to a helpless man, Acts 4:8-10. After killing James and seeing that it pleased the Jewish leaders, Herod locks up Peter so he can continue putting the disciples to death after the days of Unleavened Bread were over, Acts 12:2-3. However, God sent a messenger during the night to release Peter from prison. In the morning, when the guards found that Peter was not in the prison, they were examined and put to death for failing to secure their prisoner, Acts 12:19.

Outside of a judicial setting, discern is used concerning what a person is speaking or how they are acting. The Jews of Berea were high-born, unlike those of Thessalonica. Therefore, they were able to examine the Scripture concerning what Paul was stating to them about the Christ, for they could afford personal copies of the scrolls. As a result of their access to Scripture, many believed what Paul was proclaiming, Acts 17:11. When it comes to discerning the things of the Spirit, they cannot be examined by those who are carnal, for the fleshly mind is not subject […]

To Discern (ἀνακρίνω)2023-12-23T07:16:29-08:00
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