Poikilos – diversified

A multi-colored word

In secular Greek poikilos (ποικίλος) basically means multi-colored. A leopard skin is poikilos. The feathers of birds are poikilos. Granite stone is said to be poikilos. But the word is not used just to describe natural things. It also means cunningly made in various colors. Cloth or carpet can be poikilos. Here we see the word take on the added meaning of anything which is complex or intricate.  The game of chess is complex or poikilos. A complicated law or a intricate puzzle would be poikilos.

Poikilos can also describe a person who is clever, or resourceful in any occasion or emergency.  A policeman or ambulance driver would be poikilos. But, it can slide down to a lower level describing one who is too clever, full of tricks, and using his abilities to further his own greed or wants.

In the New Testament, poikilos (ποικίλος) is used to describe Jesus healing many various (divers) diseases (ποικίλος νόσος).[ Mt.4:24, Mk. 1:34, Lk. 4:40] It is used to describe divers lusts and pleasures. [2 Tim. 3:6, Titus 3:3] Poikilos is used to describe various miracles, doctrines, and temptations. [Heb. 2:4, 13:9, James 1:2, 1 Pet. 1:6] But, one of the greatest uses of this word, poikilos, occurs in 1 Peter 4:10, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

Here, poikilos is translated as the word “manifold.”  But notice, it is used to describe the grace of God.  It means God’s grace is marked by diversity or variety. It is multi-faceted with comprehensive and various features. God’s grace has many folds.  It is manifold or many-colored. Which means, there is no color in our human life that God’s grace cannot match. No matter how black your situation is, God’s grace can cover it. Grace surrounds it and encompasses it. Grace is multi-colored and diversified. It can meet every possible need or situation in our life. It is so diversified that there is nothing grace can’t cover.

Poikilos also means clever, or resourceful.  In 1 Peter 4:10, Peter was telling us that there is no possible problem that the grace of God cannot supply the solution. There is no possible set of circumstances, no possible crisis, emergency or demand that the grace of God can’t find a way to overcome or triumph. The many-colored grace of God is sufficient for all things!

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Do you remember the pony express from America’s wild west days? The pony express riders delivered the mail to the settlers in the west during the 1860′s. Carrying the mail, one rider would ride from his station and deliver it to the next rider at the next station. Then, that rider would take the mail and ride to another station, and so on. Each rider would ride as fast and hard as he could, and each station was established at the place where the rider and his horse couldn’t go any farther. The express riders relayed the mail across the west quickly and reliably. But, this was not the first time this system of riders was established.

The Persians seem to be the first at establishing this type of system. Herodotus says, “Nothing travels as fast as these Persian messengers” or couriers. The Greek word for “courier” is aggaros and means a runner or messenger. The Persians called their express posts or stations, an “aggareion.” But to fully understand the word ” angareuō,” we have to look at some historical background of the New Testament period.

The Jewish people were not new to their land being occupied and ruled by a foreign people. In New Testament times, the Roman empire ruled and governed the Jewish lands. The Romans used this “aggaros” system to communicate in the vast empire. They put a permanent official at each “aggareion” to oversee the transference of letters and changing of horses. Xenophon says, “this is the fastest overland traveling on earth,” and indeed, it was at the time.

The problem for the Jews was a law which said, anyone could be compelled to provide a horse or to act as a guide to keep the “aggaros” system going. Therefore, angareuō came to mean forcibly to impress someone to service, or to compel him to serve whether he liked it or not. The courier or messenger could by law take any man’s horse if his own mount gave out or got weary. No one could deny the courier even the best horse in his stable. Imagine this scenario; a man is travelling, and about to pass a post-station, where horses and messengers are kept in order to forward mail as quickly as possible. An official rushes out, seizes him, and forces him to go back and carry a letter to the next station, perhaps to the great detriment of his business. These officials were empowered to impress into service any available person or beast.

This is what happened to Simon of Cyrene, he was compelled or impressed to carry the cross of Jesus to Calvary. “And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. ” Matthew 27:32 The word, compelled, is the Greek verb “angareuō” (ἀγγαρεύω). This impressment to serve was one of the bitterest and humiliating things to endure. It would happen all the time and was abused by the officials and military. They were requisitioning both things and people not only for public service, but for their own private convenience and profit.

So, we see clearer now what Jesus was saying in the sermon on the mount,[ "And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two." Matthew 5:41 (NKJV)]

In other words, “if someone exacts from you the most distasteful and humiliating service, if someone compels you to do something that invades your rights and that he has no right to ask, if you are treated like a defenseless victim in an occupied country, don’t resent it. Do what you are asked and do even more, and do it with good will, for such is my way.”[1] I wonder what human rights activists would say to this teaching? Perhaps we should look at the word submission next?

Bible study is a lifetime habit! | LearningTheBible.org

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[1] William Barclay, New Testament Words (Philadelphia: the Westminster press, 1974)

Making the Bible Come Alive

Overcoming the enemy and achieving success

How do you make the Bible come alive? The word alive means  having life, not dead, still in existence, or still active with a chance of victory. Making the Bible alive means to make it dynamic and fresh.  But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ” Matthew 4:4 (NASB95) Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the word of God is alive and powerful. The King James version says that the Word of God is quick. The word “quick” is the translation of zon (ζον), a present participle of the verb zao (ζαο) which means “to live, be alive.” The word “quick” is obsolete English. The translation here should be brought up to date. The Word of God is alive, actively alive, and as the tense indicates, constantly active. It is powerful. The word “powerful” is the translation of energes (ἐνεργες) from which we get our word “energy,” and which means “active, energizing.[1]

So, we see that God’s word is constantly active and energizing. The amplified Bible says, “For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective].” “For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” 1Peter 1:23 (NASB95)

The word of God is alive and it draws all men to God. But today we are talking about how to make the Bible alive or fresh to us. Here are several ways to make God’s word alive to you:

[Memorizing verses]

“Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” Psalm 119:11 (NKJV) We need to memorize scripture in order to overcome temptation.  The word of God is our weapon against sin and the temptation of the flesh.  “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:11-17 (NKJV)

This is how Jesus overcame temptation. He used the sword of the spirit. Jesus was showing us how to use the word of God to fight off satan and temptation. Matthew 4:1–11 (NASB95) “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’ ”  Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’ ” Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.” This is what we call spiritual warfare! In the same way, you can memorize scripture and quote it to overcome your temptations.

[Meditation]

We need to meditate on God’s word! “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Joshua 1:8 (NASB95) To meditate means to engage in contemplation or reflection, or to ponder. But this is not a quick, “oh yeah, I remember that.” It means to reflect deeply! Clear your mind of your daily concerns and focus on God. In the Bible, the Greek word for “contemplate” is katanoeō (κατανοεω). It means, “to consider attentively, fix one’s eyes or mind upon.” So, when we meditate, we need to find a quiet place in order to attentively consider God’s word. Then we will hear from God. We take our eyes off the world and its problems, and we fix our sight and mind on God. How often do you meditate on God and His word?

[Using scripture in your prayers]

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” 1 John 5:14–15 (NASB95) How do we know what is according to His will? The Bible tells us! The Bible is God’s revealed will to mankind. If it is in the Bible, then it is God’s will. So, if we find a scripture that is a promise to us, it is God’s will for us to have that promise. When we pray in line with God’s will, He hears our prayers. And then we know He will answer our prayer! This gives us confidence in prayer. The Greek word for “confidence” is parrēsia (παρρησια). It means, “free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance.” However, We have our requests’ not always as we pray, but as we would pray if we were wiser. God gives us not what we ask, but what we really need.[2]

Kenneth Wuest translates it this way, “And this is the assurance which we are having toward Him, that whatever we keep on asking for ourselves according to His will, He hears us. And if we know with an absolute knowledge that He hears us, whatever we are asking for ourselves, we know with an absolute knowledge that we have the things which we have asked from Him.”[3]

The amplified Bible says, “And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.  And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.”

[Where the rubber meets the road!]

So, let’s put this into practice. John 15:7 says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (NKJV) When you pray, put the scripture in your prayer. You might pray…”Father God, I abide in you, and Your words abide in me, so I’m asking for you to give me strength, and I thank you for doing it in Jesus name. Amen.” See how using scripture in our prayers gives us confidence!

Let’s look at another verse. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 3:16 (NASB95) Let’s make our prayer personal this time. Notice how we added “I and Me” to the verse? Pray like this…”Father, I know you love me. And I know that it is your will that whoever believes in Jesus your son, shall not perish but have eternal life. So, I’m asking you to give me eternal life since I believe in Jesus. Thank you, father. Amen.”

Use the actual Bible reference in your prayer. “Father God, Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” So, I’m asking you to give me strength. You said it in your word, and I know it is your will. Thank you, Father. Amen.”

[Conclusion]

If you memorize scripture, and meditate on it, then you will be able to quote it in prayer and supplications to God. You will be able to overcome temptation. The Bible will become alive to you. It will always be fresh and dynamic. You will experience victory in your life. God will answer your prayers and the storms of life will not prevail against you.

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:57 (NASB95)

 Bible study is a life long habit. | LearningTheBible.org

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[1] Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English reader. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

[2] See Ref. 1

[3] See Ref. 1