Language Studies

Greek Thoughts

EUSEBEIA* - Part 3 - εχηγεομαι (Strong's #1834)
Reverence, piety, godliness

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 continue our series on the noun εὐσὲβεια (Strong's #2150), which means reverence, respect, or godliness. Its domestic meaning of respect toward someone was eventually lost and εὐσὲβεια came to be used almost exclusively as a religious term representing a respectful attitude toward God and the living of a correct lifestyle in respect to Him and His order

Our focus for this series' first two studies has been from II Peter. Peter, knowing that his death is imminent (2 Peter 1:13-14), writes to remind believers of three essentials of the Christian faith and to explain the course they are to follow when assembling together (2 Peter 1:2-11).

In 2 Peter 1:2-4, Peter presents the first essential of the Christian faith - relationship. He addresses his readers as "the ones who have obtained an equally honorable faith with us" (1:1). He uses the word "faith" to describe those who have been born of the Spirit of God and are under God's influence and persuasion. In these verses (1:2-4), Peter emphasizes that believers are partakers of God's divine nature (1:4) and are empowered by "His divine power" which has given believers all things pertaining to life and godliness (εὐσὲβεια). He goes on to say that these provisions of God's Spirit are made known to us "through the complete knowledge of the One having called us through glory and virtue" (1:3). The glory and virtue referred to here are characteristics of God's Spirit that reside within each genuine believer in Christ. After establishing that "faith" is a designation for one who has the divine nature of God living within, Peter presents the second essential of the Christian faith — growth (1: 5-7).

2 Peter 1:5-7

5)

But also on account of this very thing, having brought in all diligence, completely supply in your faith the virtue, and in the virtue the knowledge,

6)

and in the knowledge the self-control, and in the self-control the endurance, and in the endurance the godliness (εὐσὲβεια),

7)

and in the godliness the brotherly love, and in the brotherly love the agape love.

Verse 5 is a transition verse wherein Peter first refers back to the statement that believers are partakers of the divine nature. We see this in his use of the phrase, "but also on account of this very thing." He then transitions into his presentation of the seven phases of growth that a believer should go through to reach maturity. The first five phases have to do with a direct relationship and response to the Lord. The final two phases have to do with the believer's relationship to other believers and all people in general. For the next few studies, we will be concentrating on each individual phase of growth that should be unfolding within the life of every believer.

Peter's presentation here parallels the Lord's as recorded in Matthew 22:36-39 where Jesus says that the first and great commandment is, "You will love the Lord your God in your whole heart, and in your whole soul, and in your whole mind," which is a reference to Deuteronomy 6:5. Jesus goes on to say, "The second is like it, 'You will love your neighbor as yourself,'" referencing Leviticus 19:18. The first and great commandment is in direct relation and response to the Lord, while the second is in relation and response to those people nearest to us. Peter teaches that the development of a believer's relationship and response to the Lord comes first, and then generalizes to the Body of Christ and all others as well.

Peter states that we are first to provide diligence to this growth process. The word for diligence is σπουδὴ (Strong's #4710), which refers to doing something in haste. However, when used with lists, it refers to priority. So, those who belong to Christ are to give top priority to their growth in Christ, each being responsible to build a changed life through interaction with the indwelling presence of God's Spirit.

With faith representing a person who is already partaking of God's divine nature, Peter next presents the process through which each believer matures, each phase of that process being the foundation for the next and each phase growing into the next. Peter starts his description of growth with, "Supply in your faith the virtue." Here "faith" is the word representing the presence and activity of the divine nature of God in the heart of the believer. The Greek text uses the preposition ἐν (Strong's #1722), which means "in." Peter also uses the definite article "the" to denote each phase in the growth process. Therefore, Peter is expressing that "in" each phase of "the" process of growth, another phase of growth is produced.

The process of growth in the faith (the presence and interaction with God's divine nature) is to produce virtue. The word for virtue is ἀρετὴ (Strong's #703), which, in Classical times, meant the god-given ability to perform super-human work (whether applied in the military or athletic arenas or simply in the arena of one's life). In the New Testament it means quality of character, moral excellence, or excellence of character. ̓Αρετὴ is the same word translated "virtue" in 2 Peter 1:3 where Peter writes, "He has given to us all the things pertaining to life and godliness, through the full-knowledge of the One having called us through glory and virtue." Some manuscripts read "through His own glory and virtue," bringing out the full meaning of the Greek text, which makes it clear that Peter is talking about the Excellency of God's character. So, Peter is saying in verse 5 that interaction with God's Spirit produces the Excellency of God's character in a believer.

Peter then writes, "in the process of growth in virtue, let it supply knowledge to you." The Greek word translated "knowledge" is γνῶσις (Strong's #1108) and means the understanding or insight of the Lord. This is the same word Jesus uses in John 15:15 when he says to His disciples, "...all things which I heard from the My Father I make known (γνῶσις) to you." It is also used in Peter's conclusion of II Peter where he writes, "but grow in grace, and in knowledge (γνῶσις) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

In summary, Peter begins his description of the Christian growth process by stating that each believer is to first concentrate on interacting with the indwelling Spirit of God, the glory and virtue of the divine nature Himself. Through this interaction with God's Spirit, the very excellence of God's moral character influences the life of the believer. From this intimate fellowship and association with God's Spirit and substance of character, we gain understanding and insight into who the Lord is and His ways.

Next week we will study the subsequent phases of growth, which are focused in the area of trials and tribulations.

* EUSEBEIA is the English font spelling of the Greek word εὐσὲβεια.

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