Shaken (σαλεύω)
“Shaken” (σαλεύω) denotes causing something to move to and fro or waver. The term “shaken” can refer to both physical objects (e.g., the foundations of the heavens) and psychological states (e.g., a person’s mental state).
During the tribulation period, after the sun has been darkened and the moon ceases to give light, the inherent abilities of the heavens will be shaken, causing the stars to appear as if they are falling (Matthew 24:29). Then the sign of the coming of Christ will be seen (Matthew 24:30). When the heavens are shaken, the hearts of men will fail them out of fear. They will see the coming of the Lord (Luke 21:25-26). In Christ’s second coming, only the things that cannot be shaken will remain (Hebrews 12:27).
The foundation we build upon is crucial. The man who builds his house on a foundation rock ensures that when the storm comes the house will not be shaken (Luke 6:48). This principle also applies to the foundation of our work. Paul, as a master builder, laid down a foundation for the Church based on the doctrine he receive from God. There is no other foundation that can be laid (1 Corinthians 3:11). Our salvation rests upon the belief in the death of Jesus Christ on behalf of our sins and His resurrection three days later (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). It is a salvation by grace through faith, not by any quality of law (Ephesians 2:8). When we stand before Christ at the Bema seat, let our works be found to be of good quality by using what we have been given in salvation to live out the righteousness we have in Christ so that they stand approved when tested (1 Corinthians 3:12-13).
We are not to be shaken in our minds by those who say that the day of the Lord has already come (2 Thessalonians 2:2). Among those desiring to shake our minds are those who interpret current events as fulfillments of prophecy, creating a sense of urgency about impending trouble while seeking to profit. The rapture of the Church is not the beginning of the tribulation; however, it must occur before the man of lawlessness can rise to power. The tribulation begins with the signing of the seven year peace treaty between Israel and the man of lawlessness that brings God’s wrath upon the earth (Daniel 9:27). The man of lawlessness, also known as the beast of Revelation, cannot rise until the Holy Spirit stops restraining Satan (2 Thessalonians 2:7). Since the Holy Spirit resides within the Church, only after the Church has been taken from the earth can the man of lawlessness rise, signing a seven-year covenant with Israel, and therefore beginning the Tribulation period. No member of the Church will be left behind; therefore, our minds are not to be shaken by those who claim that the day of the Lord has already come, for God will not leave us nor forsake us.
Thanksgiving (εὐχαριστία)
Thanksgiving (εὐχαριστία) is derived from the concept of ‘good grace’. It is an attitude of gratitude, expressing appreciation.
As grace spreads, it produces thanksgiving in expressing a proper opinion of God (2 Corinthians 4:15). Through sharing physically things to meet the needs among the saints, thanksgiving to God abounds (2 Corinthians 9:12). In contrast to filthiness, foolish talking, and coarse jesting, Christians are to express an attitude of gratitude as they walk in love towards their fellow saints (Ephesians 5:4). Let no one deceive you with empty words. Although we once were darkness, we are now light in the Lord and are therefore we are to walk as the children of the light (Ephesians 5:6-8).
Those who base their salvation on the gospel of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) belong to God. Therefore, rather than being anxious, in everything by prayer and supplication, after giving thanks, we are to let our requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6). It is the peace of God that guards our hearts and the working of our minds keeping us unruffled in our thoughts concerning the things of this world (Philippians 4:7). Let us not seek after changing our appearance or social status in light of salvation. Instead, we are to walk in a manner worthy of our Lord in the same state in which we received salvation. Thus, being rooted and built up in Him we are established in the faith, abounding with thanksgiving (Colossians 2:6-7).
We are in the times that the Holy Spirit expressly foretold would be a time when many will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons. From among them will rise teachers who have their conscience seared, speak hypocritically, forbid marriage, and demand abstaining from foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:1-4). However, for those who believe the truth, all food is to be received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by God through our supplication (1 Timothy 4:4).
Thanksgiving in the life of a Christian is the result of being Spiritual. Spiritual is a state of being in which the saint is using their rational to seek after and fulfill the desires from the Holy Spirit. We are to remain alert, attaching ourselves to prayer in thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2). Therefore, in our communication to God, we are to supplicate and intercede on behalf of all men so that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
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 members, bearing fruit to death (Romans 7:5). But now, having been delivered from the law and having died to what held us captive, we can serve in the newness of the spirit rather than the oldness of the letter (Romans 7:6). The law revealed the true nature of sin, showing how exceedingly sinful it was and resulting in bondage (Romans 7:13). Now that we are free from the law, we live out from faith, which enables us to manifest the righteousness we have in Christ through our conduct, serving God in our minds where there is freedom.
We are to test all things to determine what is the desires will of God and hold onto that which is proper (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Let us abstain from every appearance of malignant evil while praying without ceasing, giving thanks in everything, not quenching the desires from the Spirit, comforting the emotionally weak, never rendering wrong for wrong. Let us purse what is beneficial for all. For He who calls us is faithful, and He will fulfill His promises (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
We are not to be deceived by those claiming that the rapture has already happened and that we have been left behind. The man of lawlessness—also known as the beast of Revelation and Daniel, who comes with the authority of Satan—will not be revealed until the Holy Spirit ceases to restrain Satan (2 Thessalonians 2:7). For this to happen, the removal of the Church from the earth must occur first (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Those who seek to deceive the saints use current events to imply the fulfillment of prophecies meant for other times, causing fear and distress among the saints while trying to profit from them. Some claim that the mark of the beast has arrived, suggesting it is a form of new technology. However, we are not to be shaken in mind by those who say that the tribulation is upon us. Instead, let us rejoice, for we are not appointed to any quality of wrath but to obtain salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
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 it we protect our thoughts, the sensitive part of the mind, by girding our mind with truth. We put on the breastplate of righteousness, prepare our feet, take up the shield of faith, put on the helmet of salvation, and use the sword of the Spirit to overcome all of Satan’s methodologies to persuade us to act independently from God.
Our battle is not a war of flesh and blood, but a spiritual battle with malignantly evil rulers of this world. Therefore, our instruments of warfare are for the protection of our mind so that we walk properly as in the day, and stand firm when attacked by Satan.
Biblical Greek First Year Lesson 10
Class Notes
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:
- 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”
- Accusative: τάς χώρας – “the countries” (direct object)
- Singular:
- Masculine First Declension Example (μαθητής – “disciple”):
- Singular:
- Nominative: ὁ μαθητής – “the disciple”
- Genitive/Ablative: τοῦ μαθητοῦ – ” of/from the disciple”
- Dative/Locative/Instrumental: τῷ μαθητῇ – ” for/with/by the disciple”
- Accusative: τόν μαθητήν – “the disciple” (direct object)
- Plural:
- Nominative: οἱ μαθηταί – “the disciples”
- Genitive/Ablative: τῶν μαθητῶν – ” of/from the disciples”
- Dative/Locative/Instrumental: τοῖς μαθηταῖς – “for/with/by the disciples”
- Accusative: τούς μαθητάς – “the disciples” (direct object)
- Singular: