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Pleasing (ἀρέσκω)

Pleasing (ἀρέσκω) expresses the concept of acting in a fawning manner to win favor or to act in a way that is pleasing. Therefore, it has a negative, flattery, and a positive, pleasing, side to its meaning.

On Herod’s birthday, Herodias’ daughter danced before Herod and his guests to please him, instigating a response from him that resulted in a promise of a reward. This allowed Herodias to have John the Baptist put to death for calling out Herod’s unlawful act of being with her (his brother’s wife), for she had already instructed her daughter to ask for his head when the King offered her whatever she wanted because she pleased him, Matthew 14:6.

At the beginning of the Church, before the complete revelation concerning the Church was given, the first assembly in Jerusalem faced an issue with the care of the widows among the Hellenistic Jews. This issue required substantial attention and would impact the disciples’ ability to minister to the saints. To address this, the disciples called the multitude together to discuss selecting men who would handle the day-to-day affairs of the assembly, including ensuring that all widows were adequately cared for. This solution would allow the disciples to focus on ministering the Word instead of serving tables. The proposed resolution pleased the multitude, creating the position of Deacon, Acts 6:5.

The desires and works of the flesh cannot please God, for they are carnal in nature and, therefore, hostile to God, Romans 8:8. Because God imputes Christ’s death and resurrection to us, we are able to walk in newness of life, free from slavery to the sin nature, Romans 6:5-6. However, when we try to live the Christian life through law, the result […]

Pleasing (ἀρέσκω)Luther Walker2024-09-05T05:52:16-07:00

A Pattern (τύπος)

A pattern (τύπος – typos) embodies the characteristics or function of a model. Scripture uses the concept of a pattern for a physical imprint, such as from a nail, along with the manner in which a person’s life is governed.

After the resurrection of Christ, Thomas, who was not at the tomb, questioned the testimony of the other disciples, claiming that unless he sees the pattern of the nails in Christ’s hands, he will not believe, John 20:35. While Israel was out in the wilderness they were given a pattern of the heavenly Temple, Hebrews 8:5, which is the same model the Temple in Israel was made from when Solomon first had it built, Acts 7:55. Even though during the time of God delivering Israel from Egypt, they all passed through the sea and were immersed in the cloud and sea while partaking of spiritual food and drink, God was not pleased with many of them because of their unbelief. These are a pattern for our admonishment that we should not strongly desire things that lack in character (are wrong) and not to become idolators and fornicators as they were, for God destroyed them in the wilderness, 1 Corinthians 10:6,11. It is a foolish Christian who thinks that grace is a license to sin. This one is not heeding the pattern given to us through those who rejected God and sought their own way, bringing destruction upon themselves. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; we reap what we sow, Galatians 6:7-8.

Adam is a type or pattern of the One who is to come, for Christ is the last Adam, Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:45. Just as Adam’s trespass and sin impacted the whole human […]

A Pattern (τύπος)Luther Walker2023-12-14T08:06:26-08:00

The One Abiding in Him

1 John 3:6 Every, the one abiding, in Him does not sin. Every, the one sinning, has not seen Him with discernment nor experientially knows Him.

We do not see the change in any of our English translations with the word “sin” in this passage. ‘Sin” is used twice, once as a verb, which describes an action and once as a participle which describes a characteristic. The KJV and NAS us the same word “sin” for both forms, which actually hides the meaning from the reader. The ESV attempts to distinguish the words from the NAS and KVJ, but ends up making the same mistake. The forms of the word “sin” are very important here. A participle is a verbal noun which uses an action to describe a person or characterize them as someone who does the action stated by the verbal portion. Its focus is not on the action of the verb directly. Whereas, a verb simply looks at the action.

We have two participles that are extremely important to our understanding of this passage. First is “the one abiding”. This is one who is characterized as feeling as ease in Him (Christ). Not just simply abiding for a small period of time, off and on, but not really feeling at ease; rather, one who has settled down and feels at ease with who he or she is in Christ. In the translation above I followed the Original Greek, which makes for a bit of hard English, but also helps to bring out the truth of the passage. “Every, the one abiding” (participle), is not referring directly to the action but to the characteristic of the individual who is abiding. “every” is added in the Greek […]

The One Abiding in HimLuther Walker2023-12-14T11:21:00-08:00

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)Luther Walker2024-11-21T05:57:43-08:00

Not Striking against (ἀπρόσκοπος)

While Paul was defending himself before Felix against accusations from the Jews, he spoke of his conscience. He strives to have a conscience that does not strike at, hence, cause offense, God or men, Acts 24:16.

Although we understand that food does not defile a person, if someone lacks this knowledge, we are not to use our freedom to cause offense to ( a strike against) their conscience. Instead, whatever we eat or drink it is to be in a way that expresses a proper opinion of God, not striking against the conscience of the Jews, Greeks, or Church of God, 1 Corinthians 10:32.

As we grow in love our full experiential knowledge and perception abound more and more so that we are able to approve the things that differ. In doing this, we will live out the life we have in Christ in a sincere manner and without offense to another until the day of Christ as we are filled up with the fruit of righteousness that is through Jesus Christ, Philippians 1:10.

‘Not striking against’ (ἀπρόσκοπος) is a concept often translated in English as ‘not offending’. However, ‘offense’ is also used for different words, such as ‘scandalizing’ (Matthew 18:7), and ‘trespass’ (Romans 4:25). Therefore. it is important to discern what Paul is referring to when he states we are not to give offense to any of the races. ‘Not strike against’ is a negation of the word ‘to strike’, which is used of dashing a foot against stone, Matthew 4:6, or stumbling while walking at night, John 11:10. ‘Aproskopos’ is predominately use concerning the conscience. Paul strived to have a good conscience before God and men, that did not strike against them; therefore, does not […]

Not Striking against (ἀπρόσκοπος)Luther Walker2024-06-13T07:07:50-07:00

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