Category Archives: Things Paul Wrote On

Synantilambanomai or Helps

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Synantilambanomai is a related post of Wonderful Counselor and with the help of Mounce, Strong, and Biblehub.com we will look at the two times it is used in the New Testament. You will find synantilambanomai in Romans 8:26 (8:27 will be added) and Luke 10:40. To help, aid, or support someone are the terms that will assist us with the verses.

This word and the verses in Romans are great examples of low-use, single-use, or added prefixes and suffixes highlighting an important thought. The online Strong’s Concordance and Mounce Dictionary may list the verses where they are found, and that allows for easy comparisons.  

I will provide a connection between our two verses as a loose example of synantilambanomai. In Romans, the Spirit is the One who helps us, by praying through us when we can’t do it ourselves. In Luke, Martha is “praying to Jesus” asking for Mary to come to her aid, so she does not have to do all the work by herself.

Our keyword has two prefixes and a suffix. This is my simple explanation for Romans. We come together with the Spirit against the problem to take or get an answer/help.  

References:

Romans 8: 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (KJV) Thank you Bible Gateway.

Yes, there is a translation difference because of variations in word meanings. (These are not in order.) When I used a parallel function, I found it interesting how the different translations chose to interpret and footnote this verse. All of them did proclaim a divine act of the Spirit. Some left a little “wiggle room” for what it may look like in the believer’s life and practice.

Intercedes

In the above verses, interceding is the main thought. In verse 26 we see the role of the Holy Spirit being our Counselor and praying through us. In verse 27 we see Jesus doing His intercession before the Father on our behalf. Of the five times the second word is used three of them refer to Jesus, two are in Romans and one in Hebrews. The other two uses are examples (I think) of how that intercession may have sounded (the intensity) or have been done. The word in verse 27 is entynchano.

In verse 26, the one that is associated with the Holy Spirit, the word is hyperentynchano; it is only used once. The prefix hyper should speak volumes to you. Combine this word and the thought of the Spirit’s help and we can understand how special that ministry is for us.

On a personal note, when I have experienced the type of intercession as described in Romans 8:26 it is profound and intense. It is more than (hyper) speaking in tongues. Since it is the Holy Spirit praying through me, I have no understanding of what I am saying and cannot control it, other than to stop. Can this be different in other people? Yes. I will not put the Holy Spirit in a box, He will work with us where we are, but He is still God. While musing on this act of the Holy Spirit, I believe that when the problem is too big for my mind or faith level, He has taken over and prayed as needed. This ministry of the Holy Spirit is more than a promise, it is why He is our paraclete and synantilambanomai.  

Hyperballo

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Hyperballo is not an adjective for a sporting contest where you beat your opponent. According to Mounce and Strong, it is used five times in the New Testament. NASB translates it as “surpassing” in 2 Corinthians 3:10, which is where it caught my attention, again. (See Ephesians 1:19)

Surpass is a nice word, but I cannot say I use it very much in my day-to-day communication. After paraphrasing the verses below and taking a Muse Moment it may be that my writing and focus could use some adjusting.  

2 Corinthians 3:10 The glory of the New Covenant surpasses the glory of the Old.

2 Corinthians 9:14 The amount of grace from God on the people in the Church.

Ephesians 1:19 The above and beyond power of God that is available to us.

Ephesians 2:7 Because of Christ Jesus (God-Man) the Father will have a testimony of the rich grace He gave us.

Ephesians 3:19 The love of Christ is far greater than knowledge and we should be filled up with it.

ὑπερβάλλω | Free Online Greek Dictionary | billmounce.com

Strong’s Greek: 5235. ὑπερβάλλω (huperballó) — to throw over or beyond, to run beyond (biblehub.com)

Hyper G5228 above, beyond

Ballo G906 to throw past

There are many “hypers” in the New Testament, just look on either side of hyperballo in the concordance. Okay, I think it is beyond the intended use of the word, but hyperballo could be a slang term for winning a game.

2 Corinthians Bible 911

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2 Corinthians 9:11 is part of a teaching on generosity and sowing (6 – 14). I have understood verses 10 and 11 as a prayer (it starts in #8) that Paul prayed over the Churches. I personalized it, so below is my rewrite of those verses.

God you supply seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and increase my store of seed and enlarge the harvest of my righteousness. I will be made rich in every way so that I can be generous on every occasion, and my generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. (2 Corinthians 9: 10 + 11, my paraphrase.)

Unless your Bible is well equipped with footnotes and references you may not appreciate how much of the Old Testament is incorporated into the New. Below are some references that I have found while reading and have written them next to our verse for today (In my Bible.). All of these references are in KJV. 

Isaiah 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

Isaiah 30:23 Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures.

Psalm 111:5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.

Psalm 126:6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 112:9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

3 John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Philippians 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Hosea 10:12,13 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. 13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

Proverbs 11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

Ecclesiastes 11:6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Just because there is a lot said about sowing and reaping, I will chime in lightly, but a study of some of the words in verses 6-11 was worth the time. Oral Roberts credits a farmer he talked to with planting the idea of seeds, sowing, and reaping in modern Christian thought. Jesus used agricultural metaphors, often, in His parables. So, Paul builds on those parables and thoughts from the Old Testament in writing this portion of his letter.

  • Sparingly – pheidomenos G5340. This word is used twice in the New Testament, both are in this verse (9:6). I used Mounce as a reference.
  • Generously – epi eulogia is a phrase that means a blessing, blessed object, or Holy Eucharist. Eulogia – Wikipedia A reference verse is Ephesians 1:3.
  • Decided – proaireo G 4255 is used only in this verse (9:7). “Choose” is a good definition.
  • You need – autarkia G 841. It is used here (9:8) and in 1 Tim. 6:6. Having what is necessary for life and contentedness are the ideas associated with this Greek word.

There are three ideas in Paul’s teaching and prayer: 1. God wants you to give just as He has given. 2. We are to receive what He wants to give us. 3. In all of this He is to be praised and given glory.

May this happen to you as you study His word. In another reading I was directed to Philippians 4:10-20, this passage mirrors our focus passage. I suggest you read it.

In 2 Corinthians Paul uses autarkia, in Philippians two related words are translated as “need”. Use the links to study those words.

ὑστερέω | Free Online Greek Dictionary | billmounce.com

ὑστέρησις | Free Online Greek Dictionary | billmounce.com

Take a Muse Moment for “need”.

Ephesians

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Welcome to my study on Ephesians. My objective as I study Ephesians is to learn some Greek as I explore the thoughts Paul gave to the church where he invested two-plus years of his life. I want to use the words and phrases to hear the loving advice that a father/pastor gave his children, and not just dogma and doctrine. What caught my attention were the Greek “one-use” and “limited use” words in the first chapter. God bless translators, but I want to personally restore study to a verb and not limit it to a noun. I studied this Book for months a looong time ago; now for a second look.

To study the Book of Ephesians well, we should start with an overview of the city in the corpus of the New Testament and in the life of Paul. It is possible that the first contact that Ephesus had with the Gospel came on the Day of Pentecost. There were visitors from Asia (Acts 2:9), which is where Ephesus was located. It was a port city and Paul used that during his second and third trips to preach the Gospel.

I believe that Paul used his traditions as a tool to strengthen his relationship with God. I do not believe they replaced his mission or fellowship with the Father and Jesus. Customs and traditions did not become fig leaves and bushes for Paul. The Holy Spirit used his heritage to bring him toward God and did not let them become a stopping point.

In Acts 18:18, Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila had sailed from Corinth and arrived at Ephesus. Paul continued his habit of going to the local synagogue and preaching. After a successful first contact with the people, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila there as he continued to Israel and Jerusalem to fulfill his vow.

Acts 19 is a series of vignettes of Paul’s two-plus years in Ephesus. Verse one reminds me that we do not have “perfect knowledge” of everything Paul did. Meticulous Luke gave us a vague timestamp that may imply this was associated with his trip back from Jerusalem/Israel or it was a “walk about” in the region of Ephesus. (Enough minutia.) Is this chapter an exemplar of Paul going into cities?

  1. Find people who are interested in the ways of God. John baptized to prepare people’s hearts for the coming of Jesus.
  2. Give them the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
  3. Teach publicly.
  4. Have signs and wonders witness to the spoken and taught Word.
  5. People attempt to imitate what the Holy Spirit is doing.
  6. A deep repentance followed by an outpouring of the Lord.
  7. Nonbelievers who are angry at God take it out on believers.

Acts 20 – Paul was in a hurry, and may not have wanted to start another riot, sails past Ephesus but sends for the elders of the church. This intense goodbye has elements that will be seen again in the Book to the Ephesians and the writing in Revelations.  

The Book of Ephesians

Like his farewell in Acts 20, Paul has prayers, reminders, and useful information in this Letter. As I look at my circles, highlights, and what I underlined Paul includes many references to God, Father, Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. That lets you know what and who he thought was important. He also mentions that he is a prisoner several times as a wakeup for the Church.

Jesus’ Statement in Revelations

The thoughts of the Spirit in this last mention of Ephesus are in agreement with Acts 20 and Paul’s Letter. There is no clear or easy segway from Paul to John when it comes to Ephesus. There are many dates out there as to when they showed up in the city and they will leave you confused. The Spirit decided to not give us those. From Priscilla and Aquila to Paul, and through John God worked and used Ephesus to spread His word in Asia/Turkey.

I know people love to go cryptic in this Book, but John wrote all of this with 1:19 in mind. I am not completely sure that we as later believers in Jesus were to know everything that Jesus referred to in His praises and warnings to this and the other churches.

Things Paul Wrote On: Peace

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Paul used the term peace (eirḗnē) about forty-five times throughout the Letters he penned to the churches. (I used MOUNCE Reverse Interlinear.) As I studied eirḗnē and its meaning, it is clear that the concept of eirḗnē is entwined in the Father’s purpose and Jesus’ work on the cross.

Eirḗnē is a Greek/Roman concept that differs from the Hebrew/Christian idea of peace. Eirḗnē is the Greek goddess of peace. The Roman version is Pax. Paul was a Hebrew who had his writings penned in Greek. The idea of peace for Paul was shalom. In the Roman mind, peace occurred when the societies they conquered stopped resisting and accepted Rome. In Christian thought, peace is being whole or one with the Father. Yes, many times Christians use peace to be a mellow feeling or time span when no conflict is present. (See Jews For Jesus.) 

So, instead of being mellow or in a tension-free period, we need to be with the Father, at one with Him. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had oneness with God. He walked with them. I even see Him sitting with them by the River under the trees. Eve and then Adam replaced their relationship with knowledge. The Father wants you to be one with Him again. But the choice is in our hands, not His. The Father sent Jesus to restore the Way to Him and our fellowship. We need to go back and continue in the relationship.

Paul knew peace is accomplished by bringing things together. Ephesians 2:14 -17 and Colossians 1:20 deal with peace being achieved by The Blood of Jesus. If you replace peace with “one or whole” you will understand what I mean. The reason I used Mounce is I wanted eirḗnē to be my focus. Sometimes newer translations use peace as rest. Peaceable in Titus 3:2 is not eirḗnē. (Give translators some slack, our responsibility is to study and show ourselves approved.) Another variation is 1 Thessalonians 5:3 when Paul uses the Roman idea of peace with security. 

My study started when I read the words of Jesus in John 14:27 and 20:21. (I never knew peace meant wholeness or one.) When Jesus said “My peace I leave with you,” I wondered if peace could be more than a feeling. Now, I understand Jesus (my peace) will be one with me and not leave me. 

Shalom became part of my early studies. All the references showed shalom and being whole or together are part of peace. I confess shalom is such a big word I am unprepared to wrap my mind around all the ways God used it in the Old Testament. The word is used for safe, welfare, happiness, health, prosperity, and more.

It took a while, but I sorted the occasions when Paul wrote about peace (eirḗnē). I used seven groupings. They are: 

  1. peace used with apo or from- Romans 1:7 and the other greetings
  2. ho or ____of peace-2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace 
  3. pas-when peace is used with all or everything-Romans 12:18 
  4. peace and the word pros or with- Romans 5:1 we have peace with God
  5. combined with other traits or gifts-2 Timothy 2:22 pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace,
  6. other uses- Ephesians 6:15 feet covered with the gospel of peace 
  7. blood connections- Colossians 1:20 peace through His blood

My exercise may have been done differently, but these groupings served me well in my study.

Other Things I Saw:

  • Paul opened and closed Ephesians and 2 Thessalonians, with an offer of peace from God.
  • He added mercy in 1 and 2 Timothy, to the greeting of grace and peace from God. 
  • Romans 16:20-The God of peace will soon crush Satan. I thought that was funny, but we will be one (whole) when Satan is crushed.
  • 1 John is the only Letter with no mention of peace.

Paul wrote about peace because he understood the Father wants His children to be one with Him again. The Father sent Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice, so our sin is no longer a hindrance to our fellowship. We are one with Jesus because of His blood. We will be one bride for Jesus when he returns.

See: Things Paul Wrote On-Hope

I used Bible Gateway for this study and

https://www.preceptaustin.org/peace_eirene

https://www.billmounce.com/greek-dictionary/eirene

https://jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/issues-v01-n10/what-is-shalom-the-true-meaning

https://biblehub.com/greek/1515.htm