messenger
November 9th, 2007, 07:12 AM
An interesting Greek word study
Matthew 5:17,18: (17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill (Greek: playroo).
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Greek: ginomai)).
Let’s look at the Greek word ginomai in verse 18 translated in the KJV as “fulfilled” and consider this explaination of these two greek words both translated in the KJV by the English word “fulfilled”. In verse 17 Jesus fulfilled the whole law of God on behalf of fallen mankind. In verse 18, not one jot nor tittle shall pass from the law (the law that Jesus fulfilled in the previous verse) until all be fulfilled. Two different Greek words translated by the the King James by the same English word. Our focus here will be on the word ginomai in verse 18.
“γινωμαι” (ginomai) The word "fulfilled" here in this context means: as in Acts 12:11 (when Peter realized that his experience in being delivered from jail by the angel was real), "to come to ones self; to have recovered one's senses or understanding" here it is in the context of recovering one's senses in regard to the finished work in vs.17 in regard to Christ having fulfilled the law. The word in vs. Matt. 5:17 translated as "fulfill", is "πληροω" which means "to fill up or complete" and Jesus did just that; He fulfilled the whole law on our behalf. In Matt. 5:18 however, the word translated "fulfilled" is this Greek word (ginomai) which means in its context, that the law will not pass by someone who has not come to his senses about the fact that the law has been fulfilled already on his behalf; that Jesus fulfilled it on his behalf once for all in Hebrews 10:10 , and Hebrews 10:14. The reasoning is that God’s law must be fulfilled, and if Christ has not completely done it,(but remember, He has), then it is incumbent upon me to do it but I can't do it due to my inability in my fallen Adamic nature. So in vss 25,26 Agree with thine adversary quickly...(thine adversary being the Holy Spirit Who is the adversary of my sinful being which desires to usurp Jesus’ place as the fulfiller of the law) until thou must pay the utmost farthing which means in itself that you will be brought to the end of yourself the hard way until finally you look to Christ with the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving for all He has done.
So what’s the lesson here? Just simply believe the finished work of Christ that He fulfilled the Law of God on behalf of me a sinner, and because He came to represent me before the Father, the Father is satisfied by the perfect life of His Son on my behalf. There are no amount of good works performed by me that can add to what Jesus my savior has done. I am saved by grace through faith and that not of myself, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8,9).
Matthew 5:17,18: (17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill (Greek: playroo).
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Greek: ginomai)).
Let’s look at the Greek word ginomai in verse 18 translated in the KJV as “fulfilled” and consider this explaination of these two greek words both translated in the KJV by the English word “fulfilled”. In verse 17 Jesus fulfilled the whole law of God on behalf of fallen mankind. In verse 18, not one jot nor tittle shall pass from the law (the law that Jesus fulfilled in the previous verse) until all be fulfilled. Two different Greek words translated by the the King James by the same English word. Our focus here will be on the word ginomai in verse 18.
“γινωμαι” (ginomai) The word "fulfilled" here in this context means: as in Acts 12:11 (when Peter realized that his experience in being delivered from jail by the angel was real), "to come to ones self; to have recovered one's senses or understanding" here it is in the context of recovering one's senses in regard to the finished work in vs.17 in regard to Christ having fulfilled the law. The word in vs. Matt. 5:17 translated as "fulfill", is "πληροω" which means "to fill up or complete" and Jesus did just that; He fulfilled the whole law on our behalf. In Matt. 5:18 however, the word translated "fulfilled" is this Greek word (ginomai) which means in its context, that the law will not pass by someone who has not come to his senses about the fact that the law has been fulfilled already on his behalf; that Jesus fulfilled it on his behalf once for all in Hebrews 10:10 , and Hebrews 10:14. The reasoning is that God’s law must be fulfilled, and if Christ has not completely done it,(but remember, He has), then it is incumbent upon me to do it but I can't do it due to my inability in my fallen Adamic nature. So in vss 25,26 Agree with thine adversary quickly...(thine adversary being the Holy Spirit Who is the adversary of my sinful being which desires to usurp Jesus’ place as the fulfiller of the law) until thou must pay the utmost farthing which means in itself that you will be brought to the end of yourself the hard way until finally you look to Christ with the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving for all He has done.
So what’s the lesson here? Just simply believe the finished work of Christ that He fulfilled the Law of God on behalf of me a sinner, and because He came to represent me before the Father, the Father is satisfied by the perfect life of His Son on my behalf. There are no amount of good works performed by me that can add to what Jesus my savior has done. I am saved by grace through faith and that not of myself, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8,9).