Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan KS, 18 Oct 2015
5 Those guys will render an account to the One who is preparing to judge the living and the dead,
6 and because of this, the gospel has been preached even to the dead,
in order that they might
be judged according to men in flesh
yet that they might live according to God spiritually.
7 And the end of all things has drawn near, therefore y’all
be reasonable and alert for the purpose of prayers,
8 holding before all things extensive love toward yourselves
(because love will cover over a lot of sins), [and]
9 [being] hospitable toward one another without grumblings.
10 serving up grace toward yourselves
just as each has received it,
like good administrators of the diverse grace of God.
11 When someone speaks, let it be like God’s words;
when someone serves, let it be like it’s out of the strength which God stages,
in order that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to Whom belong the glory and the power forever and ever,
Amen.
· Last week we closed with Peter’s reference to judgment day in verses 5-6, and now we overlap with this in v.7: “Those guys will render an account to the One who is preparing to judge the living and the dead, and because of this, the gospel has been preached even to the dead, in order that they might be judged according to men in flesh yet that they might live according to God spiritually. And the end of all things has drawn near...”
· The phrase “the end of all things” occurs nowhere else in Scripture, but the word “end” (telos) was used by Jesus and Paul a few times to speak of Judgment Day and the end of the world:
o Matthew 10:22b “he who endures to the end will be saved,”
o Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
o and 1 Corinthians 15:24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” (NKJV)
· The Greek verb translated “near/at hand” is in the Perfect tense (distinct from the spelling of the Greek Present tense which occurs elsewhere - for instance Heb. 7:19), indicating something which happened in the past and which results in something in the present. I can’t help but be reminded of the message in the gospels which uses the exact same verb: “The kingdom of heaven has drawn near” (Mt. 10:7), clearly portraying the incarnation of Christ and the beginning of his office as Messiah as the turning point which brought God’s kingship close. I think that Jesus’ death and resurrection was also a turning point which brought the end of all things opposed to Christ near, for now God is putting all His enemies beneath Christ’s feet (1 Cor. 15:25).
· Jesus is going to return to judge everybody in the world, living and dead. The end of this age, the end of this world, and of all things which stand opposed to Christ will come about at Jesus’ return.
· Now, what should we do when we hear that the world is about to end?
· Fortunately for us, the Bible has already laid out a detailed plan for what to do at the end of the world. It is found in 1 Peter chapter 4, verses 7 and following.
o The apostle Peter starts with two Greek imperative verbs that have to do with being “wise/sober” and “alert” so that you can pray.
o These are followed by Present tense Greek participles which describe what to do while you are being wise and alert for prayer:
§ first in verses 8 “having/keeping” love
§ Then in v.9 “Being hospitable”
§ and then in verses 10-11 “ministering” through speaking and serving others.
o This is endcapped with the greater goal that God may be glorified.
· This is the Biblical end-time survival strategy! No quitting your job, no white robes, no concrete bunkers, no must-have gear or books, just wise and alert prayer, fervent love, grumble-free hospitality, and service to others in order to glorify God. Let’s look at each of these in turn:
the end of all things has drawn near, therefore y’all be reasonable and alert for the purpose of prayers
· The word root swfrone- is a compound of the Greek word for “wisdom” (sofia) plus a Greek word for “thinking/feeling” (froneia).
o We first encounter this word in the Bible to describe someone who has been delivered from demon possession so that he is now “sane/in his right mind.” (Mark 5:15 NKJV “Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind...” cf. Luke 8:35)
o Next we encounter this word in Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” (NKJV) It’s the opposite of pride and selfishness.
o It is also a mindset which comes from God and His Holy Spirit, according to 2 Tim. 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (NKJV)
o It’s the opposite of insanity in 2 Cor. 5:13,
o and is one of the qualifications for eldership in 1 Tim. 3:2 (and Titus 1:8).
o It is also urged upon all younger and older men and women in the church in Titus 2:2-8. In Titus 2:11-13 the apostle explains, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (NKJV)
o So it’s not sober and serious as in never having fun, but sober as in never getting drunk or high or giddy or anything that would make you lose control of your thinking. I think the NIV’s translation “clear-minded” is good, as is the NASB (even though it turned the Greek verb into a English noun) “of sound judgment” – able to make good judgment calls so that you can discern what God’s will is and what is needed in every situation and pray for it.
· The other Greek verb “nepsate” is similar.
o We saw it already in 1 Peter 1:13 where Peter commanded us to be “sober.”
o It literally means to “stay awake” and not fall asleep. Perhaps Peter remembered the time that Jesus chided him in the Garden of Gethsemane for falling asleep after He had asked him to watch and pray.
o It only occurs 3 other places in the Bible:
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober... let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” (NKJV)
2. 2 Timothy 4:5 “But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (NKJV)
3. 1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith.” (NKJV)
So this kind of sober, watchful alertness is so that while you are praying, you can resist thoughts that come from the devil and instead trust God and hope for salvation and for others.
· “Prayers” here is plural. The only other places in the whole Greek Bible where the word “prayers” is plural are referring to:
o The daily, private prayer disciplines of Paul, Epaphras, and Philemon, and other saints (Romans 1:15 & Eph. 1:16, Philemon 1:4&22, Col. 4:12, Revelation 5:8; 8:3,4) – including women (1 Tim. 5:5)
o and the regular corporate prayers of Jews at synagogue and the early church during their meetings (Acts 2:42, Acts 10:4, 1 Thess. 1:2, Romans 15:30)
o These are the same prayers (plural) which would not be hindered if husbands love their wives. (1 Peter 3:7).
o Praying through prayer requests alone in your prayer closet/war room and also praying together in church services or Bible Study were an important practice of New Testament believers (just as they were for Old Testament believers), and I believe Peter is underscoring the continuing value of regularly-scheduled private and corporate prayer.
· So what are we supposed to be praying? What’s that supposed to look like? God gave us instructions in 1 Tim. 2:1-4, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (NKJV)
· Verse 8 tells us the first thing we are to hold out in front of everything else in our lives is love.
· We’ve already seen the importance of brotherly love and self-denying agape love among God’s people back in chapter 1 verse 22 “fervently love one another from the heart.”
· Here in chapter 4 this kind of love is literally ek + tenw (“out + stretched”).
o This is not talking about merely shaking a few peoples’ hands before and after church – a cordiality that comes easily and costs little;
o this is talking about a love that bends over backwards for one another, that stretches to new lengths of patience, and that continues to offer blessing when there is little responsiveness, like when Jesus stretched His arms out on the cross for you.
· Why? “Because love will cover over a multitude of sins.”
o Isn’t that what God wants? For people to be saved? For sins to be washed away?
o Here Peter quoted the Hebrew Proverb 10:12, “Hate stirs up strifes, yet love will cover over all transgressions.” (NAW)
o Now, one way to interpret this would be to say that the loving thing to do is to hide sin and cover it up, but when we consider the whole council of scripture, we see that can’t be a proper interpretation, for Proverbs 28:13 says, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (NKJV), so love does not cover sin by ignoring it; love covers sin by helping the sinner escape from God’s punishment by dealing with it and sometimes even shouldering some of the consequences.
o As the Apostle James put it, “if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20, NKJV)
o Isn’t that how Jesus did it? He called people Hypocrites, chided them for how little faith they had, and told them that they erred not knowing the scriptures, and then he suffered for the sins of the ones He loved and said, “Father forgive them.”
o That’s how out-stretched love covers sin, it goes out of the comfort zone to absorb personal offenses while also turning sinners away from their errors.
· The second thing we are to hang onto above all else at the end of the world is hospitality.
· The Greek word philoxenoi literally means “liking strangers.”
· Hospitality generally means giving away free food and service to people. After a while, the excitement of having a guest wears off and the drudgery of doing extra work for them sets in, and that’s when resentment can start setting in, “Why aren’t they pulling their weight? Here I am doing all this extra cooking and cleaning, and all they do is sit on the couch and act like I should consider it a privilege that they’re at my house.”
· In our culture, hospitality is not as obligatory and not as big a deal as it was in Biblical culture, but throughout the Bible, we see hints of people struggling with resentment,
o such as in Isaiah’s day, when there were hungry, poor, and homeless Jews around Jerusalem that the more well-to-do urbanites weren’t willing to help.
§ They said, “I was responsible enough to get bonded with insurance.”
§ They pointed their finger and shifted the blame, “It’s not my fault they’re needy.”
§ And, yes, they grumbled, “Why is Isaiah always picking on me?”
§ but God’s message to them was, “split your bread with the hungry, bring home the poor vagabonds, and when you see a homeless man, cover him and don’t hide yourself from your flesh. Then your light will break forth like the dawn and your restoration will spring up speedily... Then you will call and the LORD will answer... If you will turn away from your midst the bonds, the thrusting of the finger, and the grumbling, and give out your soul for the hungry and satisfy the soul of the poor, your light will rise in the darkness and your gloom will be like the noonday!” (Isaiah 58:7-10, LXX, NAW)
o Something similar happened in the early days of the church. The Christians donated food and money and said, “Wouldn’t it be great if we could start a soup kitchen and feed the poor?” But, for whatever reason, the Jewish Christians would get in at the front of the line, and by the time the Greek-speaking Christians at the back of the line got up to the kitchen, the soup was all gone. Acts 6:1 says, “Now in those days, while the disciples were multiplying, grumbling arose from the Greeks against the Jews, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.” (NAW)
· Now, why do people grumble? Isn’t it because we feel that there has been some injustice, but we feel helpless to right it, so we make snide comments under our breath about how unfair it is.
o Like the Israelites who grumbled in the wilderness, saying how ill-served they were because they weren’t getting garlic and leeks in their soup any more now that they had left their slavery in Egypt (Exodus 16:3).
o Or they grumbled because God was killing rebellious sinners in the desert and the people didn’t want to get right with God.
o Usually when we grumble it’s because we have become selfish and unreasonable and our sense of justice has gotten warped.
o And complaining about it once is never enough, so we complain again and again, which is probably why this word “grumblings” is plural in most Greek manuscripts of this verse.
· As we approach the end of the world, we should be characterized by hospitality without grumbling, however.
o Showing kindness to people who are new in town – maybe it’s a new neighbor or a new employee at work you could take out for lunch and pay for – and not grumble if they order the most expensive thing on the menu,
o Inviting people to meals at your house, and not grumbling about it when you know they will never invite you to their house,
o and meeting the needs of poor people, and not grumbling about it even if you end up having to cover for really stupid choices they made.
o One special way we can practice hospitality is to be a friendship partner for an international student at K-State. It’s easy to connect with that opportunity – just fill out one of the sign up tabs on the church literature table and give it to Melissa!
o How can you have a good attitude even when you feel like you are putting out an unreasonable amount of money or effort? Remember Jesus said, “...as much as you did it for one of the least of these brothers of mine, it was to me that you did it.” (Matt. 25:40) Do it like you’re doing it for Jesus. He deserves your most extravagant effort, and if you do it with a heart to do it for Him, Jesus will receive it as done for Him, not for that person who doesn’t truly deserve it.
o So, in addition to alertness in prayer and love that deals with sin, hospitality is an end-time priority for Christians! But there’s one more area marked by a participle that we should pay attention to while we are alert for prayer, and that is...
10 serving up grace toward yourselves just as each has received it, like good managers of the diverse grace of God. 11 When someone speaks, let it be like God’s words; when someone serves, let it be like it’s out of the strength which God stages, in order that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to Whom belong the glory and the power forever and ever, Amen.
· A “manager/administrator/steward” is someone who is entrusted with a set of resources which he or she then strategically invests for the benefit of the owner.
o For instance, if I am a manager of a Chic Fil-A restaurant, I am responsible to organize a group of paid employees to prepare chicken sandwiches and to sell those sandwiches to customers so that the owner makes more money than he spent buying the bread and chicken and paying the employees.
o In 1 Corinthians 4, the Paul and Sosthenes call themselves “stewards of the mysteries of God.” The mysteries of God are the good news messages about Jesus dying and rising from the dead to atone for our sin and make us right with God. This good news was something God had not fully explained in ages past, but which He at last entrusted to the apostles to tell the whole world openly.
o Here in 1 Peter 4:10, Peter pictures each Christian as having received a gracious gift from God which, as a good manager, we should invest or give to others in the church.
· The object in this Greek sentence of what we are to “serve up” or “minister” among ourselves in the church is charisma, which is the Greek word for “a gift that has not been earned.” It is etymologically related to the Greek word for “grace” at the end of v.10.
· In 1 Corinthians 12, we see a list of the spiritual gifts (which are also called “charismatic” after the Greek word charisma, which again technically means “gifts freely bestowed,” not necessarily impressively miraculous). Some of them may seem quite mundane, in fact, like talking and serving, but even these can be empowered supernaturally.
· In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul also notes that there is a variety of spiritual gifts. Although he used a different Greek word for “variety/manifold/diverse,” it is nevertheless a synonym[3] to the one Peter used.
· “Now, there are various portions of giftings yet the same Spirit, and there are various portions of services and the same Lord... Now, to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit toward the [goal of] bearing together, for: to one a word of wisdom is given through the Spirit, but to another, a word of knowledge - according to the same Spirit, to yet another, faith - in the same Spirit, but to another, gifts of healings - in the same Spirit, and to another, energizings for miracles, but to another, prophecy, and to another, the distinguishing of spirits, to yet another, kinds of languages, and to another, interpretation of languages. But one and the same Spirit is energizing all these, variously apportioning to each individual just as He wills.” (1 Cor. 12:4-11, NAW)
· Peter’s list of gifts is shorter than Paul’s, listing only two categories: the speech-oriented gifts (which would include languages, wisdom, knowledge, discernment, prophecy, and teaching) and the service-oriented gifts (which would include faith, administration, healing, and helping).
· If you aren’t sure what gifts God has given you, try taking the spiritual gift survey on the church literature table and see what it comes up with!
· These are the gifts God is giving to us to invest in our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is what we’re supposed to be doing now at the end of the world, drawing upon God’s wisdom and strength to build up the church.
· We often think of the end of the world as a point in time when we should start disengage from normal life and start doing something radically different, but do you see that the instructions God gives us are actually to continue normal Christian life, praying, loving, exercising hospitality and serving?
· If you are doing these things day-in-and-day-out in the course of your regular work, fulfilling the calling God has given you, and relying on God’s wisdom and strength to enable you to do them, then you are more prepared than the most ripped-and-equipped survivalist in his concrete bunker! You, brothers and sisters are where it’s at!
|
Patristic GNT |
NAW |
KJV |
NKJV |
ESV |
NASB |
NIV |
|
7 Πάντων δὲ τὸ τέλοςNSN ἤγγικεRAI-3S. σωφρονήσατεAAM-2P οὖν καὶ νήψατεAAM εἰς [τας[ii]] προσευχάςAPF. |
7 And the end of all things has drawn near[iii], therefore y’all be reasonable[iv] and alert for the purpose of prayers[v], |
7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayerX. |
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in [your] prayers. |
7 X The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. |
7 X The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayerX. |
7 X The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that [you can] prayX. |
|
8 πρὸ πάντων [δὲ] τὴνASF εἰς ἑαυτοὺςAPM ἀγάπηνASF [vi]ἐκτενῆASF ἔχοντεςPAP-NPM, ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπηNSF [vii]καλύψειFAI-3S πλῆθοςASN ἁμαρτιῶν[viii]· |
8 holding before all things extensive[ix] love toward yourselves (because love will cover over a lot of sins), [and] |
8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover [the] multitude of sins. |
8 And above all things have fervent love for |
8 Above all, keep lov |
8 Above all, keep fervent |
8 Above all, X love X each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. |
|
Pr. 10:12-LXX μῖσος ἐγείρει νεῖκος, πάντας δὲ τοὺς μὴ φιλονεικοῦντας καλύπτει φιλία. |
Pro. 10:12 Brenton (from LXX) Hatred stirs up strife; but affection covers all that do not love strife. |
Prov. 10:12-MT שִׂנְאָה
תְּעוֹרֵר
מְדָנִים |
Prov. 10:12 –NAW from MT: Hate stirs up strifes, yet love will cover over all transgressions. |
|||
|
9 [being] hospitable toward one another without grumblings[xii]. |
9 [Use] hospita |
9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. |
9 [Show] hospita |
9 [Be] hospitable to one another without complaint. |
9 [Offer] hospita |
|
|
10 ἕκαστος καθὼς ἔλαβεAAI-3S χάρισμαASN, εἰς ἑαυτοὺς αὐτὸASN διακονοῦντεςPAP-NPM ὡς καλοὶ οἰκονόμοι ποικίληςGSF χάριτοςGSF Θεοῦ· |
10 serving up grace toward yourselves just as each has received it, like good managers of the diverse grace of God. |
10 As |
10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to |
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve |
10 As each one has received a special
gift, employ it
in serving |
10 Each one should use |
|
11 [xiii]εἴ τις λαλεῖPAI-3S, ὡς λόγιαAPN Θεοῦ· εἴ τις διακονεῖPAI-3S, ὡς ἐξ ἰσχύοςGSF [xiv]ἧςGSF χορηγεῖPAI-3S ὁ Θεός· ἵνα ἐν πᾶσιDPN δοξάζηταιPPS-3S ὁ Θεὸς διὰ ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧDSM ἐστιν ἡ δόξαNSF καὶ τὸ κράτοςNSN εἰς τοὺς αἰῶναςAPM τῶν αἰώνωνGPM · ἀμήν. |
11 When someone speaks, let it be like God’s words; when someone serves, let it be like it’s out of the strength which God stages, in order that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to Whom belong the glory and the power forever and ever, Amen. |
11 If any man speak, let him speak as [the] oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be X praise and X dominion for ever and ever. Amen. |
11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. |
11 whoever speaks, as [one who speaks] oracles of God; whoever
serves, as [one who serves] by
the strength that God
supplies--in
order that in everythingX God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To |
11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as [one who is speaking the] utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as [one who is serving] by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. |
11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as [one
speaking the very] words of
God. If anyone serves, he should do it X with the strength X God provides, so that in all things God may
be praised through Jesus Christ. To |
[1] http://www.adventist.org/information/history/article/go/0/seventh-day-adventist-church-emerged-from-religious-fervor-of-19th-century/
[2] http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/12/17/end-of-the-world/
[3] Διαιρέσεις in 1 Corinthians is a synonym for Peter’s ποικιλης
[i] Where the traditional Patriarchal
edition of the Greek Bible is challenged by the Textus Receptus or by the modern critical editions, I note
that. When an English translation adds words not in the Greek text, but does
not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put
the added words in [square brackets]. When one English version chooses a
wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline
it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs
too far from the root meaning of the Greek word or departs too far from the
grammar form of the original Greek word, I use strikeout. And when an
English version omits a word which is in the Greek text, I insert an X. (Sometimes
I will place the X at the end of a word if the Greek word is plural but the
English translation is singular.) I have also tried to use colors to help the
reader see correlations between the Greek original and the various
translations.
[ii] Although this definite article is in the majority of Greek manuscripts (and in the Textus Receptus), modern critical editions do not include it because it is not in any known Greek manuscripts dating earlier than the 9th century, so that does make it suspect as to its originality, and that is why I put the word in brackets. Curiously, the ESV departs from the modern critical editions to follow the NKJV in interpreting this disputed definite article as a possessive pronoun “your” (a legitimate interpretation, in my opinion). But ultimately it makes no difference whether this prepositional object is definite (“the prayers”) or indefinite (“prayers”). The same goes for the conjunction “de,” which is disputed in the next verse (except that the ESV went back to following the modern critical editions and did not include it). Whether or not verse 8 should begin with “and” makes no difference, as illustrated by the fact that even though the critical editions agree that verse 7 starts with the conjunction “de,” none of the English versions that follow the modern critical editions (NASB, NIV, ESV) started that verse with “and” or “but.” So they didn’t render a conjunction in English where it IS in the Greek, and they didn’t render a conjunction in English where they believed it ISN’T in the original Greek. Meanwhile, the NKJ translators who believed it IS in the original Greek in both verses rendered it “But” in v.7 and “and” in v.8, so there is some latitude in translation and this variant is not significant enough to change the meaning.
[iii] The phrase “the end of all things” occurs nowhere else in Scripture, but the word “end” (telos) was used by Jesus and Paul a few times to speak of Judgment Day and the end of the world in Matthew 10:22b, 24:14, and 1 Cor. 15:24. The Perfect tense here is distinct from the spelling of the Greek Present tense which occurs elsewhere - for instance Heb. 7:19), cf. “The kingdom of heaven has drawn near” (Mt. 10:7). Jesus’ death and resurrection was also a turning point which brought the end of all things opposed to Christ near, for now God is putting all His enemies beneath Christ’s feet (1 Cor. 15:25).
[iv] The word root swfrone- is a compound of the Greek word for “wisdom” (sofia) plus a Greek word for “thinking/feeling” (froneia). cf. Mark 5:15 “in his right mind,” Romans 12:3, 2 Timothy 1:7, 2 Cor. 5:13, 1 Tim. 3:2, Titus 1:8, 2:2-13. The NASB turned the Greek verb into a English noun “of sound judgment”. The other Greek verb “nepsate” is similar, cf. 1 Peter 1:13. It only occurs 4 other places in the Bible: 1 Thess. 5:6-8, 2 Tim. 4:5, and 1 Peter 5:8-9.
[v] “Prayers” here is plural. The only other plural instances of prayer in the whole Greek Bible are Act 2:42 (early church devoted to fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers), 10:4 (Cornelius’ prayers and alms), Romans 1:15 & Eph. 1:16, Philemon 1:4 (the request always in Paul’s prayers, and regular prayers with his teammates 1 Thess. 1:2), Romans 15:30 (Paul’s exhortation that the Roman church strive together in their prayers for him), the regular prayers of Epaphras for the Colossians (Col. 4:12), the regular prayers of a widow (1 Tim. 5:5), and the regular prayers of Philemon (Philemon 1:22). These are the same prayers which would not be hindered if husbands love their wife. So what are we supposed to be praying? See 1 Tim. 2:1-4! Finally, there is God’s perspective when He receives the prayers of His sanctified people (Revelation 5:8; 8:3,4).
[vi] Applied to love here and in 1 Peter 1:22, the only other referents this root word is applied to throughout the rest of the Bible are, interestingly enough, the two other points in this sermon, namely fervent praying (Joel 1:14, Jonah 3:8, Luke 22:44 and Acts 12:5), and fervent service (Acts 26:7 – latreuw, a synonym of diakonountes in v.10). I think this strongly underscores the importance of cultivating these three disciplines in our lifestyle.
[vii] On the basis of two of the oldest-known Greek manuscripts (A&B) and two of the oldest-known translations (Vulgate and Septuagint), modern critical editions of the GNT spell this word καλυπτει (Present tense instead of future), thus the NAS, NIV, and ESV. The tense of this verb in the Hebrew Proverb from which this is taken is Imperfect, which can be translated either Present Tense or Future tense in English or Greek. However, the majority of Greek manuscripts, including the two oldest-known (P72 and א) spell it in the Future tense, so I went with that. Either way, it is speaking of what is characteristic and predictable about love, which is consistent with the Frequentive use of Hebrew Imperfect verbs, so the meaning is not essentially different.
[viii] Clearly not a quote from the Septuagint of Proverbs 10:12, but does match the words (although not the word order) of the Hebrew of Prov. 10:12b. “Over all sins” is emphasized in the Hebrew by its word order, whereas it is not emphasized here like it could have been. It doesn’t make a difference in English, however.
[ix] cf. 1 Peter 1:22. ek + tenw = “out + stretched” “Cover sins” means not ignore/cover up (Proverbs 28:13) but turning away from sin and forgiving (James 5:19-20).
[x] This plural nominative adjective is a bit awkward grammatically. At first I thought it was a noun in parallel with agape which formed a dual object to the participle exontes (“having love [and]... hospitality”), however agapen is accusative and philoxenoi is nominative. Verse 11 introduces another nominative plural participle “ministering” with an accusative object “the same gift/grace,” paralleling the nominative plural participle followed by an accusative object in v.8 (“having... love”), so it makes sense to me in v.9 to interpret the plural nominative case of the substantive adjective “hospitable ones” as creating an understood verb of being before it which matches the nominative plural participle form of the verbs in v. 8 and v.10 (“y’all being”) yielding the resulting translation (Y’all being hospitable ones).
[xi] All Greek manuscripts older than the 9th Century spell this word γογγυσμου (singular instead of plural), and most of the Latin and Syriac versions also went singular, so modern critical editions of the GNT spell this word singular. Even the KJV, which should have followed the majority of Greek manuscripts and rendered it plural, translated “grudging” singular. The sense is basically the same, although a plural rendering could bring out a little nuance of “grumbling in all its forms.”
[xii] philoxenoi literally means “liking strangers.” See Isaiah 58:7-10 for OT folks begrudging hospitality and Acts 6:1 for the same in the NT.
[xiii] The grammar indicates that these conditions of speaking and serving are actually occurring.
[xiv] The majority of Greek manuscripts spell the first letter of this word with an omega (ως, which translates as a comparative “as”) instead of an eta (which translates as the relative “which”). However, the majority spelling is not found in any manuscripts older than the 9th century, and it is not in the Textus Receptus edition of the GNT which the KJV used, nor is it in the majority of Latin translations, so it is suspect of not being original. I am unclear as to why the Patristic edition I’m using did not follow the majority, but there seems to be good reason, even though, once again, the meaning would not change significantly if a comparative was introduced to correlate the strength God supplies with the measure in which He provided it.