The Apostle Paul wished to impress upon the believers of his time the certainty of the things they were taught as pertains to the end times. This, against the backdrop of societies that were virulently opposed to the Gospel message. Societies that, as it were, had their own form of "wokeness". I was reminded of this latter phenomenon by chance as I watched a Rick Renner teaching on 2 Timothy 3:1 In it, Renner keenly elucidates Paul's intent when the apostle wrote in Koine Greek. There was something that struck me as ironic as I watched. What I explain below is by no means a teaching...just one of those coincidental things that jumped out at me. Nonetheless, I felt blessed by the experience.
To set up my observation, 2 Timothy 3:1 in the KJV is..."This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come."
The flow of the Greek in the Interlinear is translated "These things also know..." Renner expounds that the "know" can be translated as "emphatically know." I like that. In a world that clings to and teaches a relativity of things--and yet attempts to crush individual inquiry and godliness by demanding ideological conformities, it is so reassuring to learn how Paul blows the trumpet to declare that the saints should hold tenaciously to the truth of God's Word.
To my point about an irony: the Interlinear displays these words for "these things also know".
Τοῦτο..............................δὲ.....................γίνωσκε
(these things)....(also/however).......(know)
Look at the Greek word for "know", at the part I bold. The last four letters coincidentally form a look-alike of that English word that, in political parlance, means the opposite of knowing, believing, and practicing the truth: "woke". If anything, all this was a reminder that I need to be vigilant as a believer who walks by faith (trust) in Jesus. I need to hold to what I emphatically know, regardless what the spirit of this age proclaims.
Even with a shrugging off my own ironic moment, I believe that the link to Renner's teaching was worth my making this post. Truly, worth knowing.
To set up my observation, 2 Timothy 3:1 in the KJV is..."This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come."
The flow of the Greek in the Interlinear is translated "These things also know..." Renner expounds that the "know" can be translated as "emphatically know." I like that. In a world that clings to and teaches a relativity of things--and yet attempts to crush individual inquiry and godliness by demanding ideological conformities, it is so reassuring to learn how Paul blows the trumpet to declare that the saints should hold tenaciously to the truth of God's Word.
To my point about an irony: the Interlinear displays these words for "these things also know".
Τοῦτο..............................δὲ.....................γίνωσκε
(these things)....(also/however).......(know)
Look at the Greek word for "know", at the part I bold. The last four letters coincidentally form a look-alike of that English word that, in political parlance, means the opposite of knowing, believing, and practicing the truth: "woke". If anything, all this was a reminder that I need to be vigilant as a believer who walks by faith (trust) in Jesus. I need to hold to what I emphatically know, regardless what the spirit of this age proclaims.
Even with a shrugging off my own ironic moment, I believe that the link to Renner's teaching was worth my making this post. Truly, worth knowing.
