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To Hold Down (κατέχω)

To hold down (κατέχω) conveys the act of preventing, hindering, or holding onto something or someone.

In the parable of the land owner who planted a vineyard and leased it out so that he could go to a far away country, the vinedressers sought to hold down his son’s inheritance by killing him (Matthew 21:38). By slaying the heir, they perceived that they would be able to prevent the owner from taking what was rightfully his.

While talking about the Kingdom of the Heavens and how the message is impacting those hearing it, Jesus speaks the parable of the sower and the seeds. Unlike the message of salvation today, which holds an inherent ability to save a person (Romans 1:16), the good news of the Kingdom of the Heavens could be snatched out of the heart of those who heard it. However, those who heard the word with a proper and good heart, prevented the loss of the message in their heart, resulting in bearing fruit (Luke 8:15). Therefore, their lives were impacted by the message of the Messiah because they believed God.

A quality of the wrath of God is manifested today against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold down the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). The wicked do not succeed because they evade justice, but rather, because God gives them over to uncleanness and the strong desires of their hearts due to their rejection of the truth. As a result, their minds become depraved, calling good evil while being filled with all forms of unrighteousness, thus bringing upon themselves the fullness of judgment (Romans 1:32).

When we were in the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our […]

To Hold Down (κατέχω)2024-11-21T05:57:43-08:00

Armor for the Christian Life

Within Scripture, two sets of armor are described for the Christian. Panoplia (πανοπλία) is the heavy armor used by Roman soldiers for defense. Hopion (ὅπλον) expresses a weapon of warfare that can included armor.

When the Chief Priests and Pharisees dispatched a troop of roman soldiers to arrest Jesus, they came armed with weapons (ὅπλον), John 18:3.

As we apply the truth to overcome the desires from the sin nature, after reckoning to ourselves that we have died with Christ and are co-raised with Him to walk in newness of life, we are to yield our members as instruments (ὅπλον) of righteousness, Romans 6:13.

The night is well spent, the day is near. Therefore, we are to cast of the works of darkness, putting on the armor (ὅπλον) of light, Romans 13:12, so that we walk properly as in the day, having put on Christ as our outer garment so that we are making no provisions for the flesh and its desires, Romans 13:13-14. This armor (ὅπλον) includes the breastplate of faith and the helmet of salvation, 1 Thessalonians 5:8.

When dealing with persecution and tribulation, we are to commend ourselves as those who belong to God by the internet ability of God, through the use of the armor (ὅπλον) of righteousness, 2 Corinthians 6:7.

Our daily armaments (ὅπλον) of warfare are not carnal but in the inherent ability of God we use them to tear down strongholds, which are the reasonings that exalt themselves above God, bringing the working of our minds into obedience to the Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.

Panoplia (πανοπλία) is our heavy armor that is used when we are attacked by Satan so that we are able to stand firm against him, Ephesians 6:11. With […]

Armor for the Christian Life2024-11-14T06:34:39-08:00

Biblical Greek First Year Lesson 10

Class Notes

First Declension Nouns

The First Declension

The first declension encompasses primarily feminine nouns because they are characterized by certain endings and follow a specific pattern in their cases.

First Declension Endings:

 

Case Singular Plural
Nominative α / η αι
Genitive/Ablative ας / ης ῶν
Dative/Locative/Instrumental ᾳ / ῃ αις
Accusative αν / ην ας
Vocative

 

 α / η αι

Nominative Singular: Ends in α or η. The naming case, typically used for the subject.

Genitive/Ablative Singular: ας or ης. Genitive expresses limitation. Ablative emphasizes source or separation.

Dative/Locative/Instrumental Singular: ᾳ or ῃ, used for indirect objects. It is the case of personal association.

Accusative Singular: αν or ην, the direct object form.

Vocative Singular: Usually identical to the nominative and used for direct address.

Plural Forms: The nominative and vocative plural end is αι, genitive/ablative is ῶν, dative/locative/instrumental is αις (for indirect objects), and accusative plural is ας.

The Article Agreement

Nouns take articles and adjectives that agree in gender, number, and case. Feminine nouns take the feminine forms of articles and adjectives, and masculine nouns take masculine forms.

Feminine Definite Article Forms:

Case Singular Plural
Nominative ἡ αἱ
Genitive/Ablative τῆς τῶν
Dative/Locative/Instrumental τῇ ταῖς
Accusative τήν τάς

 

Masculine Definite Article Forms:

Although the First Declension is primarily feminine, a few masculine nouns belong to this declension (e.g., μαθητής, “disciple”; νεανίας, “young man”).

The masculine article forms applied to First Declension nouns are as follows:

Case Singular Plural
Nominative ὁ οἱ
Genitive/Ablative τοῦ τῶν
Dative/Locative/Instrumental τῷ τοῖς
Accusative τόν τούς

 

 

Examples of the article with First Declension Nouns:

  1. Feminine First Declension Example (χώρα – “country”):
    • Singular:
      • Nominative: ἡ χώρα – “the country”
      • Genitive/Ablative: τῆς χώρας – “of/from the country”
      • Dative/Locative/Instrumental: τῇ χώρᾳ – ” for/with/by the country”
      • Accusative: τήν χώραν – “the country” (direct object)
    • Plural:
      • Nominative: αἱ χῶραι – “the countries”
      • Genitive/Ablative: τῶν χωρῶν – ” of/from the countries”
      • Dative/Locative/Instrumental: ταῖς χώραις – ” for/with/by the countries”

        • […]

Biblical Greek First Year Lesson 102024-11-10T07:07:03-08:00
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