3.1 Primary Greek Words
© 2015 Christ Revealed Bible Institute
Greek is a fascinating language, both simple and profound. It is not a difficult language to investigate, since much work has been done by fellow Christians to make it known to us. We need not think of Greek as “beyond us”; in fact much of Western culture and world view comes out of Greek thinking. English is filled with Greek words.
I have signed up for a Greek for Everyone course that is actually hosted on a Moodle site. Click on the link to check it out and watch the video! I think you will enjoy it.
Lesson Layout
I will comment on the application to our lives of the words and phrases of Romans 8:28-30 in the next lesson, but first I want to put in front of you all the Greek words of the text. Then, I will modify the definitions found at biblehub.com (Strong’s and Thayer’s) for the key words of the text. I have copied and pasted the charts from biblehub.com through three slides. All the links have come with the charts; thus click on any link and it will take you to the web page. The Strong’s numbers in the left column will take you to word and definition. The “e” will take you to a list of verses containing that specific word. The other links are of less importance.
Problems with the Definitions
As you learned in the lesson on “Purpose,” word definitions are created by the study and knowledge of the dictionary writers using, primarily, the context in which the word is found. All definers of words and all translators of the Bible are grossly biased by the definitions they have already given, without thought, to God, to salvation, and to the human. None of the definers of words or translators of the Bible know anything about union with Christ. Occasionally, their statements reflect union because the gospel requires it, but typically we must remove their unbelief from the definitions. For instance, in defining the word agapao, to love, the definers have forced the “God speaks – you obey” paradigm of separation even onto the word that means God Loves.
My Approach
I receive every word God speaks (including the Greek definitions) into me through the anointing of the Holy Spirit as Spirit and as Life. I require every word God speaks to be Christ Personal inside of me as my very and only life. I speak every word God speaks as the prophecy of Christ, calling Him forth as all that I am. Thus I take authority over the definitions, not to “twist” them, but to cause them to align with a God who is ALL HERE NOW and Personal in fullness in us and with a Salvation that is our full union with Christ, being made just like Jesus in all ways. Thus I draw from the definitions the truth of God that is always found hidden here and there if you look closely enough!
Romans 8:28
Text Analysis – Biblehub.com. Follow the Link to view a chart showing the Greek words and their English counterparts. The Strong's numbers in the left column will take you to the word definitions.
Romans 8:29
Text Analysis – Biblehub.com. Follow the Link to view a chart showing the Greek words and their English counterparts. The Strong's numbers in the left column will take you to the word definitions.
Romans 8:30
Text Analysis – Biblehub.com. Follow the Link to view a chart showing the Greek words and their English counterparts. The Strong's numbers in the left column will take you to the word definitions.
Verse 28
Oidamen – agaposin Theon – panta synergei – eis agathon
We know – loving God – all works together – for good
- Oidamen: I know, I am aware, I see, I perceive.
- Agaposin Theon: I love God, I take pleasure in God, I long for God, I highly esteem God.
- Panta synergei : ALL, in the sense of each and every part (get rid of the word “things”); I work together with God in ALL.
- Eis agathon: bringing ALL into inherent, intrinsic goodness.
I Am Summoned
ousin kletois – kata prothesin (I have ordered by English sense)
being called – according to purpose.
- Ousin: I exist, I am.
- Kletois: I am called, I am invited, I am summoned by God.
- Kata: down to, against, according to. Brought down exactly to.
- Prothesis: a setting forth as in the showbread. A setting forth in advance for a specific purpose. (Little Kittel) Prophetic ANTICIPATION. To set before, to display or make known publicly, to prefer.
Prothesis
Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith . . . Romans 3:24-25b
That the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls. Romans 9:11
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. Ephesians 1:11
Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. 2 Timothy 1:9
Romans 8:29
Hous proginosko – proorisen symmorphos – eikonos Huiou
Those He foreknew – predestined conformed – image of Son.
- Proginosko: I know beforehand. (Let this word rest inside of you as it is.) I come to know, I recognize, I perceive before it happens. (Ginosko is the same word John used to define age-abiding life: knowing God.)
- Proorisen: I ordain, I determine, I mark out for myself beforehand! Horizo(n) – the setting or establishing of boundaries.
- Symmorphos: formed together with, having the same form, being fashioned together.
Image
- Eikonos: an image, likeness, bust, statue, representation. eikṓn (from eíkō, "be like") – properly, "mirror-like representation," referring to what is very close in resemblance (like a "high-definition" projection, as defined by the context). Image (eikṓn) then exactly reflects its source (what it directly corresponds to). For example, Christ is the very image (eikṓn, supreme expression) of the Godhead. (from biblehub.com)
- hyiós – properly, a son - anyone sharing the same nature as their Father. In the NT, hyiós ("son") equally refers to female believers (Galatians 3:28). (from biblehub.com)
Image
. . . as the heavenly, so also those heavenly. And as we have borne the image of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 1 Corinthians 15:48b-49 (non-words removed)
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn (prototokos) of all creation. Colossians 1:15
And have put on the new, who is renewed in knowledge (recognition) according to the image of Him who created him. Colossians 3:10
Prototokos
Prototokon en pollois adelphois
Firstborn among many brothers.
- Prototokos: firstborn, eldest. To bring forth first, pre-eminent. The first among others who follow.
- Pollois: much, many, often, plenteous, great amount, numerous, a multitude.
- Adelphois: a brother (or sister), a member of the same community; literally – from the same WOMB.
Purpose
God has determined, out from His ALL HERE NOW Personalness and with all the passion of His intensity, to form me together with Jesus and Jesus together with me as the very image of His Son, the visible representation of an invisible God.
God wants Jesus to be the First out of the Womb, with many, many more of us just like Him, Jesus, the First, the highly honored One, of our same kind. This is the purpose of God, that for which He waits in divine and prophetic ANTICIPATION, set forth by Him out from Himself.
This is the totality of Salvation. This is our age-abiding LIFE.
Romans 8:30
Hous prorisen – ekalesen – edikaiosen – edoxasen.
Those pre-determined – already called – justified – glorified.
- Prorisen: Seized by the determination coming out from the All NOW HERE-ness of God for His set out purpose.
- Ekelesen: Already called out.
- Edikaiosen: Already justified, shown to be righteous. Already declared innocent of all charges or accusations against us.
- Edoxasen: Already glorified, all honor bestowed upon us. Already ascribed as God’s highest value at the core of who and what He is. Already filled with glory.