Language Studies

Greek Thoughts

hUPOMONE* - Part 6 - εχηγεομαι (Strong's #1834)
Patience, endurance, perseverance

Please note that all Biblical quotes, in this and all other lessons posted to Greek Thoughts, are from The Literal English Translation of the Bible produced by BTE Ministries - The Bible Translation and Exegesis Institute of America.

This week we return to our study of the Greek noun ὑπομονὴ (Strong's #5281), which means "patience, endurance, perseverance." Its meaning expresses a remaining under or endurance in circumstances. Our main text remains the same as that of the previous studies on this word, Hebrews 12:1-2, where we find the Christian life likened to the running of a race.

The Coach's Corner - Hebrews 12:1-2

1)

For indeed therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, having laid aside every weight and the sin easily entrapping us, through endurance (ὑπομονὴ) we should run the race being set before us,

2)

while looking away unto Jesus the author and completer of the faith, Who, over against the joy being set before Him, endured the cross, having despised the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God.

When we first considered the use of ὑπομονὴ from these verses (Part Three of this study), we saw that the author presented it in the context of an athletic event. Our focus was on the main clause found in these two verses, "…through endurance (ὑπομονὴ) we should run the race being set before us…" From it we gained the understanding that Christians are not engaged in a short-term endeavor, but rather are engaged in one requiring a long term trust and reliance on the Lord—an endeavor requiring discipline.

We gained insight into this discipline from 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 where Paul describes the approach required of each competitor for the running of the race by using the phrase "…controls himself in all things." The word translated "controls" is ἐγκρατεὺομαι (strong's #1467). It applies to athletes who abstain from unwholesome foods, wine, and sexual indulgence while preparing for an athletic contest. Anyone who has ever been involved with sports knows that an athlete who does not impose discipline upon him/herself is not going to perform well, because what an athlete does or does not do can hinder his/her performance.

In this same text, we saw Paul referring to shadow boxing, an exercise wherein a boxer beats at the air using his own shadow as his opponent. He says that he does not fight uncertainly—he is not shadowboxing, he is not beating the air when he fights— to the contrary, he knows who his opponent is. He states that his enemy is his flesh. Paul then describes how he deals with his flesh by saying, "…I beat my body." The word "beat" is ὑποπιὰζω (Strong's #5229), which means "to beat black and blue, to cause bruising." He also says in this verse that he can preach, but he could become disqualified if his flesh is not disciplined and under control. So, Paul is teaching, with very emphatic speech, that effective living for Christ— to have words and a life that influences others—requires that the flesh be harshly disciplined.

This week we turn our attention back to Hebrews 12:1-2 and focus on four participial phrases presented there. A participle expresses an activity, habit of life or lifestyle. When a participle is used in relationship to a leading verb, its form tells when the action represented took place in relationship to the verb. For instance, an aorist participle represents action taking place prior to the time of the leading verb, while a present participle represents action taking place at the same time as the leading verb. In Hebrews 12:1-2, all of the four participial phrases (one aorist participle and three present participles), represent action in relation to the leading verb "we should run" which is found in the leading clause, "…through endurance (ὑπομονὴ) we should run the race..." Each of these participles describes one of four conditions of running the race.
The first condition in which believers are to run the race is found in Hebrews 12:1, "We also having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us..." The word "having" (the present participle of ἔχω, Strong's #2192) expresses a condition that exists while the race is being run. The writer of Hebrews is giving encouragement for believers to continually remember those who have run the race before them, those who have left their testimony for others to follow, as presented in Hebrews Chapter Eleven: Some, by faith, obeyed the Lord when His instructions went against the popular belief and philosophy of their day. Some, by faith, believed the promises given to them by God even though they did not see their fulfillment before they died. Others, by faith, lived their lives facing death for their service and faith in the Lord. These testimonies listed in Hebrews 11 are to be our continual example and encouragement even as we are running our race.

The second condition that must exist while believers are running the race is also mentioned in Hebrews 12:1:"...having laid aside every weight and the sin easily entrapping us." Here the aorist participle is used and indicates action that is to take place before the running of the race. The word expressing the action is ἀποτὶθημι (Strong's #659), which means "to put off" or "to put aside." The use here of the aorist participial form expresses that the one running the race must first put off or put aside "every weight and the sin easily entrapping ..." Just as the athlete preparing to run a race sheds all of the clothing that would burden him/her, so must it be in the spiritual race each believer is running.

In today's world, we are all aware of professional athletes who are destroying their lives through the use of drugs and alcohol, even to the point of not being able to participate in their sport any longer. Although they could possibly be some of the world's greatest athletes, the indulgence of their flesh destroys their abilities and robs their opportunities.

The writer of this text in Hebrews presents an interesting play on words by saying that if you are weighted down, if you are slowed down or if you stop in your run in this life with Christ, sin will be right there to surround and easily entrap you. So, the author is basically exhorting believers to keep moving. But believers cannot run the race to win until they have set aside the sin and distracting things of life that weight them down. Any "baggage" will impede the way we run and hinder our performance.

The participle expressing the third condition of running the race in found in the phrase, "we should run the race being set before us." The word translated, "being set before us" is πρὸκειμαι (Strong's #4295), which means "to set before" or "to set in front of." The present participial form used here expresses that the race is continually being set in front of us as we run. We cannot measure the length of track we are running on, nor do we know its shape, because the racecourse is being set in front of us step-by-step as we go. This participial phrase also represents the concept that running this race will be continuous for the entire duration of earthly life.

The fourth condition of running the race is presented in Hebrews 12:2, "while looking away unto Jesus the author and completer of the faith." The term "while looking away" is the present participial form of the Greek word ἀφορὰω (strong's #872). The finish line for a race is created, not only to help determine who wins, but also to give the athletes a goal to focus on while running the race. Here believers are told to focus on Jesus while they are running the race, just as athletes focus on the finish line. Believers are not to be distracted by others, be they athletes or spectators, but are to focus instead on the finish line, Jesus Christ. To aim for Christ seems an impossible reach, but the following illustration may bring some understanding. When I played baseball, my coaches told us players not to aim for first base when we were running to first base, but rather to aim for the right field flagpole. It is a fact that a player who focuses on first base when running to that base has a tendency to slow down before actually getting to the bag; but if that same player aims for the right field flag pole while running to first base, he/she will be in full stride when crossing the base. Believers will finish the race in full stride if we run while focusing on Jesus.

Although the main encouragement in Hebrews 12:1-2 is to run the race, how we believers implement the four conditions for running the race will determine how we run. Before we can even begin the race, we must set aside every sin and distraction that would impede or entangle us, thereby hindering our running of the race. We are also to run with the encouragement of those who have run the race before us, and we are to run it with the knowledge that the race is continuous. At the same time, we must continually look unto Jesus, not only as a guide for the direction of our run, but also as the focal point of our destination.

Next week we will continue our study of ὑπομονὴ from Hebrews 12:2-8 as we focus on the example and exhortation necessary for running the race through endurance.

*hUPOMONE is the English font spelling of the Greek word ὑπομονὴ.

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