Stand up for Jesus
October 1st, 2008, 10:55 PM
Here's a recent Word study I did on the "will" of God" in studying the Greek word for "will"--Greek "thelema" 6 mentions of man's will independent of God's, and 1 mention of Satan's will for man came up (which I included at the end).
I studied this because of a friendly "dispute" over Calvinism and the role of human will.
I'll let an unbiased listing of all passages on the subject speak for itself:
Will - Greek "thelema"
Strong's number: 2307
Vine's Dicitonary of New Testament Words:
5thelema (Noun)Denotes "a will, that which is willed" (akin to B, No. 6). It is rendered "desires," in Eph. 2:3. See PLEASURE, WILL. Note: In 1Pe. 4:3, RV, boulema is rendered "desire." See WILL.
1thelema (Noun)Signifies (a) objectively, "that which is willed, of the will of God," e.g., Mt. 18:14; Mr. 3:35, the fulfilling being a sign of spiritual relationship to the Lord; Joh. 4:34; 5:30; 6:39,40; Ac. 13:22, plural, "my desires;" Ro. 2:18; 12:2, lit., "the will of God, the good and perfect and acceptable;" here the repeated article is probably resumptive, the adjectives describing the will, as in the Eng. versions; Ga. 1:4; Eph. 1:9; 5:17, "of the Lord;" Col. 1:9; 4:12; 1Th. 4:3; 5:18, where it means "the gracious design," rather than "the determined resolve;" 2Ti. 2:26, which should read "which have been taken captive by him" [(autou), i.e., by the Devil; the RV, "by the Lord's servant" is an interpretation; it does not correspond to the Greek] unto His (ekeinou) will" (i.e., "God's will;" the different pronoun refers back to the subject of the sentence, viz., God); Heb. 10:10; Re. 4:11, RV, "because of Thy will;" of human will, e.g., 1Co. 7:37; (b) subjectively, the "will" being spoken of as the emotion of being desirous, rather than as the thing "willed;" of the "will" of God, e.g., Ro. 1:10; 1Co. 1:1; 2Co. 1:1; 8:5; Eph. 1:1,5,11; Col. 1:1; 2Ti. 1:1; Heb. 10:7,9,36; 1Jo. 2:17; 5:14; of human "will," e.g., Joh. 1:13; Eph. 2:3, "the desires of the flesh;" 1Pe. 4:3 (in some texts); 2Pe. 1:21. See DESIRE, A, No. 5, PLEASURE, Note (1).
Strong's
G2307
?e´??µa
thele¯ma
thel'-ay-mah
From the prolonged form of G2309; a determination (properly the thing), that is, (actively) choice (specifically purpose, decree; abstractly volition) or (passively) inclination: - desire, pleasure, will.
Thayer's:
G2307
?e´??µa
thele¯ma
Thayer Definition:
1) what one wishes or has determined shall be done
1a) of the purpose of God to bless mankind through Christ
1b) of what God wishes to be done by us
1b1) commands, precepts
2) will, choice, inclination, desire, pleasure
Part of Speech: noun neuter
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from the prolonged form of G2309
Citing in TDNT: 3:52, 318
WILL OF GOD: (46 mentions)
(Mat 6:10) 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
(Mat 7:21) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
(Mat 12:50) "For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."
(Mat 18:14) "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.
(Mat 21:31) "Which of the two did the will of his father?" They *said, "The first." Jesus *said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.
(Mat 26:42) He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done."
(Mar 3:35) "For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother."
(Luk 12:47) "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes,
**(Luk 22:42) saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done."
(Joh 4:34) Jesus *said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
**(Joh 5:30) "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
**(Joh 6:38) "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
(Joh 6:39) "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
(Joh 6:40) "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."
(Joh 7:17) "If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.
(Joh 9:31) "We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.
(Act 13:22) "After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, 'I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, who will do all My will.'
(Act 21:14) And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, "The will of the Lord be done!"
(Act 22:14) "And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.
(Rom 1:10) always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.
(Rom 2:18) and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,
(Rom 12:2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
(Rom 15:32) so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.
(1Co 1:1) Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
(2Co 1:1) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia:
(2Co 8:5) and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
(Gal 1:4) who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
(Eph 1:1) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:
(Eph 5:17) So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
(Eph 6:6) not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
(Col 1:1) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
(Col 1:9) For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
(Col 4:12) Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
(1Th 4:3) For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;
(1Th 5:18) in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
(2Ti 1:1) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
Heb 10:7, 9, 10 (3x)
7 "THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'"
8 After saying above, "SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which are offered according to the Law),
9 then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second.
10) By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
(Heb 10:36) For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
(Heb 13:21) equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
(1Pe 2:15) For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
(1Pe 4:2) so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
(1Pe 4:19) Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
(1Jn 2:17) The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
(1Jn 5:14) This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
(Rev 4:11) "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."
---------------------------------
WILL OF SATAN: (1 mention)
(2Ti 2:26) and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
---------------------------------
WILL OF MAN:(6 mentions)
(Luk 23:25) And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.
(Joh 1:13) who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
(1Co 7:37) But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well.
(1Co 16:12) But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his **desire** to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.
(Eph 2:3) Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the **desires** of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
2Pe 1:21
20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
I studied this because of a friendly "dispute" over Calvinism and the role of human will.
I'll let an unbiased listing of all passages on the subject speak for itself:
Will - Greek "thelema"
Strong's number: 2307
Vine's Dicitonary of New Testament Words:
5thelema (Noun)Denotes "a will, that which is willed" (akin to B, No. 6). It is rendered "desires," in Eph. 2:3. See PLEASURE, WILL. Note: In 1Pe. 4:3, RV, boulema is rendered "desire." See WILL.
1thelema (Noun)Signifies (a) objectively, "that which is willed, of the will of God," e.g., Mt. 18:14; Mr. 3:35, the fulfilling being a sign of spiritual relationship to the Lord; Joh. 4:34; 5:30; 6:39,40; Ac. 13:22, plural, "my desires;" Ro. 2:18; 12:2, lit., "the will of God, the good and perfect and acceptable;" here the repeated article is probably resumptive, the adjectives describing the will, as in the Eng. versions; Ga. 1:4; Eph. 1:9; 5:17, "of the Lord;" Col. 1:9; 4:12; 1Th. 4:3; 5:18, where it means "the gracious design," rather than "the determined resolve;" 2Ti. 2:26, which should read "which have been taken captive by him" [(autou), i.e., by the Devil; the RV, "by the Lord's servant" is an interpretation; it does not correspond to the Greek] unto His (ekeinou) will" (i.e., "God's will;" the different pronoun refers back to the subject of the sentence, viz., God); Heb. 10:10; Re. 4:11, RV, "because of Thy will;" of human will, e.g., 1Co. 7:37; (b) subjectively, the "will" being spoken of as the emotion of being desirous, rather than as the thing "willed;" of the "will" of God, e.g., Ro. 1:10; 1Co. 1:1; 2Co. 1:1; 8:5; Eph. 1:1,5,11; Col. 1:1; 2Ti. 1:1; Heb. 10:7,9,36; 1Jo. 2:17; 5:14; of human "will," e.g., Joh. 1:13; Eph. 2:3, "the desires of the flesh;" 1Pe. 4:3 (in some texts); 2Pe. 1:21. See DESIRE, A, No. 5, PLEASURE, Note (1).
Strong's
G2307
?e´??µa
thele¯ma
thel'-ay-mah
From the prolonged form of G2309; a determination (properly the thing), that is, (actively) choice (specifically purpose, decree; abstractly volition) or (passively) inclination: - desire, pleasure, will.
Thayer's:
G2307
?e´??µa
thele¯ma
Thayer Definition:
1) what one wishes or has determined shall be done
1a) of the purpose of God to bless mankind through Christ
1b) of what God wishes to be done by us
1b1) commands, precepts
2) will, choice, inclination, desire, pleasure
Part of Speech: noun neuter
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from the prolonged form of G2309
Citing in TDNT: 3:52, 318
WILL OF GOD: (46 mentions)
(Mat 6:10) 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
(Mat 7:21) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
(Mat 12:50) "For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."
(Mat 18:14) "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.
(Mat 21:31) "Which of the two did the will of his father?" They *said, "The first." Jesus *said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.
(Mat 26:42) He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done."
(Mar 3:35) "For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother."
(Luk 12:47) "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes,
**(Luk 22:42) saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done."
(Joh 4:34) Jesus *said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
**(Joh 5:30) "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
**(Joh 6:38) "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
(Joh 6:39) "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
(Joh 6:40) "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."
(Joh 7:17) "If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.
(Joh 9:31) "We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.
(Act 13:22) "After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, 'I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, who will do all My will.'
(Act 21:14) And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, "The will of the Lord be done!"
(Act 22:14) "And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.
(Rom 1:10) always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.
(Rom 2:18) and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,
(Rom 12:2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
(Rom 15:32) so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.
(1Co 1:1) Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
(2Co 1:1) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia:
(2Co 8:5) and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
(Gal 1:4) who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
(Eph 1:1) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:
(Eph 5:17) So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
(Eph 6:6) not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
(Col 1:1) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
(Col 1:9) For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
(Col 4:12) Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
(1Th 4:3) For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;
(1Th 5:18) in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
(2Ti 1:1) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
Heb 10:7, 9, 10 (3x)
7 "THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'"
8 After saying above, "SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which are offered according to the Law),
9 then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second.
10) By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
(Heb 10:36) For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
(Heb 13:21) equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
(1Pe 2:15) For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
(1Pe 4:2) so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
(1Pe 4:19) Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
(1Jn 2:17) The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
(1Jn 5:14) This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
(Rev 4:11) "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."
---------------------------------
WILL OF SATAN: (1 mention)
(2Ti 2:26) and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
---------------------------------
WILL OF MAN:(6 mentions)
(Luk 23:25) And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.
(Joh 1:13) who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
(1Co 7:37) But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well.
(1Co 16:12) But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his **desire** to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.
(Eph 2:3) Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the **desires** of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
2Pe 1:21
20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.