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LOOKING (continuously = one's lifestyle
as manifest by his or her choices)
FOR: prosdechomenoi (PMPMPN):
(Lu 2:25,
38
Lu 12:35,
Mk 15:43,
Acts 24:15 ,
1Cor 1:7
Php 3:20,21,1Th 1:10,
2Ti 4:8,
Heb 9:28,2Pet 3:12,13-14,
Jude 1:21,
1Jn 3:3)
For an excellent Mp3 message on Titus 2:11-15 listen to John Piper -
Our Hope: The Appearing of Jesus
Christ
Keathley introduces verse 13 commenting that...
Having mentioned this present and
temporary age, the apostle quickly moved to the age to come that will be
ushered in with the glorious appearing of the Savior. This is to be
another strong motivation to godly living, a fact that is even more
obvious in the Greek text. “As we wait” represents the
translation of another adverbial participle that is dependent on the
previous verb, “that we should live.” We could easily translate it,
we should live... by waiting
expectantly for the happy fulfillment of our hope (literally, the
blessed hope)...
The participle points us to one of
the means by which we are to live in this present age, by living with a
view to the return of Christ. Waiting for the blessed hope provides
added incentives that enable us to live godly lives in this present age.
(Titus 2:11-15 Godly Behavior)
Looking for the blessed hope -
As someone has well said when it comes to belief in the Lord's return
there are two kinds of Christians—gazers and goers. Paul is charging
Titus to be a gazing goer, motivated to live in the light of the One
Whom he is continually looking for.
Lehman Strauss rightly
observes that...
The upward look for the coming
again of the Lord Jesus is an effective counteraction for an
unbalanced mind.
John Blanchard wrote that...
The certainty of the Second Coming of
Christ should touch and tincture every part of our daily behavior.
William Gurnall said that...
Christ hath told us he will come, but
not when, that we might never put off our clothes, or put out the
candle.
Looking for
(4327) (prosdechomai
from pros =
in compound Greek words implies motion or direction toward +
dechomai
[see word study]
= a deliberate and ready reception)
means to accept favorably, to receive one
into intercourse/companionship, to give access to oneself or receive to oneself.
To receive one coming
from some place and so to welcome with friendliness (Ro 16:2, Phil
2:29).
To wait for with a sense
of expectancy (Mark 15:43, Luke 2:25, 38, 12:36, 23:51, Acts 23:21,
Titus 2:13, Jude 1:21)The root verb
dechomai
means to accept deliberately
and readily, receive kindly and so to take to oneself what is presented
or brought by another. It means to welcome as a teacher, a friend, or a
guest into one's house. The word describes accepting persons with open
arms, minds, and hearts, even going beyond normally expected gracious
hospitality. The term was often used of welcoming honored guests and
meeting their needs with special attention and kindness.
Prosdechomai is used of things
future, in the sense of expecting and with the meaning of accepting.
This verb is virtually always is found in the
middle voice conveying
reflexive
action (action directed or turned back on self) which means that one receives to one’s self
or gives another
access to one’s self.
We need more men like G Campbell
Morgan who said...
I never begin my work in the morning
without thinking that perhaps he may interrupt my work and begin his
own. I am not looking for death, I am looking for him.
Moulton-Milligan have this
secular use of prosdechomai...
“I am waiting for the 450 drachma you
have given to Radanus.” (Comment: We can probably all identify with this
person's anticipation of being repaid!)
Prosdechomai is used 15 times in the
NAS (Mark;
Luke
5x;
Acts
3x;
Romans;
Philippians;
Titus;
Hebrews
2x;
Jude)
and is translated: accepted, 1; accepting, 1; cherish, 1; looking, 3;
receive, 2; receives, 1; waiting, 5; waiting anxiously, 1;
Mark 15:43 Joseph of Arimathea
came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for
the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before
Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.
Luke 2:25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was
Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for
the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Luke 2:38 And at that very moment she came up and began giving
thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were
looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Luke 12:36 "And be like men who are waiting for
their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may
immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.
Luke 15:2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to
grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."
Luke 23:51 (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man
from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for
the kingdom of God;
Acts 23:21 "So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them
are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to
eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting
for the promise from you."
Acts 24:15 having a hope in God, which these men cherish
themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the
righteous and the wicked.
Romans 16:2 (note)
that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the
saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of
you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as
well.
Philippians 2:29 (note)
Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like
him in high regard;
Titus 2:13 (note)
looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the
glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;
Hebrews 10:34 (note)
For you showed sympathy to the prisoners, and accepted joyfully
the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a
better possession and an abiding one.
Hebrews 11:35 (note)
Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were
tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might
obtain a better resurrection;
Jude 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting
anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
Thayer writes that
prosdechomai...
as in Greek writings from
Aeschylus and Herodotus down (meant) "to receive to oneself, to admit,
to give access to oneself'... to admit one, receive into contact and
companionship, Luke 15:2; to receive one (coming from some place),
Romans 16:2;
Philippians 2:29 (1 Chr. 12:18); to accept (not to reject) a thing
offered: To reject,
Hebrews 11:35; to admit (accept) hope, i.e., not to
repudiate but to entertain, embrace, its substance, Acts 24:15... not to
shun, to bear, an impending evil
Hebrews 10:34.
(And) from Homer down (prosdechomai
meant), to expect (look for, wait for): Luke 12:36; Mark 15:43;
Luke 2:25,38; 23:51 (Acts 23:21); Titus 2:13; Jude 1:21
If we are to be looking for Christ to
return at any time, living in light of its imminency, such an "uplook
outlook" should be a powerful incentive to spur us on to fight the good
fight necessary for godly living and bold witnessing. Note the emphasis
is that we are to be looking for the Christ and not for the Antichrist,
for a one world government or for any other supernatural sign. Beloved,
our Bridegroom's coming is imminent, and no prophetic event is required
to precede His sure return (See related topics
Imminency;
Another discussion on imminency).
Maranatha (Our Lord, come!). Is that
my mindset?
Do my day to day choices
reflect the reality of an expectant attitude?
Expectant Looking
Is the "Antidote" for
Apathetic Living Prosdechomai
aptly describes the lifestyle and habitual attitude of the godly Jewish
man named Simeon (who undoubtedly was a member of the Jewish
remnant who had placed his faith in the
Messiah):
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;
(one of the believing
Jewish remnant) and this
man was righteous and devout, looking (prosdechomai
present tense)
for the consolation of Israel (a synonym for the Redeemer Christ Jesus
Who Himself would be the ultimate "consolation" of Israel); and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it
had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death
before he had seen the Lord's Christ.". (Luke
2:25-26)
Luke also uses prosdechomai in his description of
godly Anna writing
And there was a prophetess, Anna
(one of the believing
Jewish remnant) the
daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years,
having lived with a husband seven years after her marriage, and then as
a widow to the age of eighty-four. And she never left the temple,
serving night and day with fastings and prayers. And at that very
moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to
speak of Him to all those who were looking for (present
tense - as their
lifestyle in this present age which continually motivated them and
pointed them toward the glorious future age, especially the
Millennium)
the redemption of
Jerusalem (synonymous with the Redeemer Himself). (Luke
2:36-38)
Fanny Crosby (who was
physically blind but had spiritual eyes of faith) caught the idea of
expectant living in this line from
Blessed Assurance (play hymn)
Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
Mark describes another Jew who
was undoubtedly part of the saved Jewish
remnant writing that
Joseph of Arimathea came, a
prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for (prosdechomai
present tense
- expectant waiting was his lifestyle which undoubtedly prompted godly
living!) the kingdom
of God and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked
for the body of Jesus. (Mark
15:43) (Comment: Notice how his future focused
perspective emboldened his present actions, which is exactly what should
happen in every believer's life...to the glory of God!)
As mentioned above, prosdechomai was used of
receiving to one's self with a welcoming attitude:
And both the Pharisees and the
scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives (to
Himself with a welcoming attitude) sinners and eats
with them." (Luke
15:2)
I commend to you our sister Phoebe,
who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea that you receive (prosdechomai)
her
in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in
whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been
a helper of many, and of myself as well. (see note
Romans 16:1;
16:2)
Paul, writing to the saints at Philippi
concerning his sending them Epaphroditus, his brother and fellow worker
and fellow soldier, who was also their messenger and minister to Paul's
need, encouraged the Philippians...
Therefore receive (prosdechomai
- conveys the picture of someone who is filled with the Spirit welcoming
another person with open arms and heart!) him in the Lord
with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard (see note
Philippians 2:29)
Prosdechomai is used in a
negative sense in Acts, where we read
So do not listen to them, for more
than forty of them are lying in wait for him (to kill Paul) who have bound themselves
under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are
ready and waiting for the promise from you. (Acts
23:21)
In a positive use Luke records Paul's
testimony of...
having a
hope
(click
discussion of Biblical hope) in God, which these men
cherish (prosdechomai present tense) themselves,
that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and
the wicked. (Acts
24:15)
The writer of Hebrews explains that
those having a sure future with God can even "welcome" present
affliction encouraging his readers
For you showed sympathy to the prisoners, and
accepted (prosdechomai)
joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for
yourselves a better possession and an abiding one. (see note
Hebrews 10:34)
(Comment: Notice how their "firm grip" on their future
possession, prompted a "loose grip" on the temporal possessions of this
present age which is passing away and along with its lusts).
Jude also associates this expectant
attitude with living for God writing
keep (aorist
imperative -
command to guard, practice watchful
care of) yourselves (take care of your business, not everyone else's!
And do so by means of the two things just mentioned in
context, building
themselves up in their Christian lives and by praying in the Holy
Spirit) in (in the sphere of His love - see to it that they stay within
"the circle" of His love) the love of God, waiting anxiously (prosdechomai
present tense
- this was to be their continual mindset) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal
life (which Wuest feels seems to point to that part of eternal life
which will be given the saint at the Rapture = glorification)." (Jude
1:21)
Jesus used this verb in His
exhortation to His disciples live life with an expectant attitude
and to...
be
like men who are waiting (prosdechomai
present tense)
for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they
may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.
(Luke
12:36)
Prosdechomai is used 46 times
in the
Septuagint (LXX)
(Ge 32:20; Ex 10:17; 22:11; 36:3; Lev. 26:43; Ruth 1:13; 1 Chr. 12:18; 2
Chr. 36:21; Est. 9:23, 27; Job 2:9; 29:23; 33:20; Ps. 6:9; 55:8; 104:11;
Prov. 15:15; Isa. 28:10; 42:1; 45:4; 55:12; Ezek. 20:40f; 32:10; 43:27;
Dan. 7:25; Hos. 8:13; Amos 5:22; Mic. 6:7; Mal. 1:8, 10, 13) with
meanings generally similar to the NT uses.
Here is one use from Psalms...
The LORD has heard my
supplication. The LORD receives (prosdechomai) - He
welcomes it! In a sense He even looks expectantly for it!) (Psalm
6:9) (Spurgeon says "Here is past experience
used for future encouragement." See
Spurgeon's complete note)
John explains that looking for
Christ's appearing will affect your daily choices, writing...
Beloved, now we are children of God,
and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He
appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.
everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself (motivated by
love not fear...perfect love casts out all fear...perfect love would
connote "perfect" as far as humanly possible, obedience.) just as He is
pure." (1
John 3:2-3)
In a similar vein, where Jesus' promise in the last chapter of the
last book of the Bible should also motivate believers to look for
Him and to live for Him...
Behold, I am coming quickly, and My
reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.
(see note
Revelation 22:12)
J. C. Ryle
correctly concludes that the...
Uncertainty about the date of the Lord's return is calculated to keep
believers in an attitude of constant expectation and to preserve them
from despondency.
Spurgeon adds that...
The fact that Jesus Christ is to come
again is not a reason for star-gazing, but for working in the power of
the Holy Ghost. Looking at Titus 2:11-13
from another perspective, it is interesting to see how Paul uses this
short but powerful section of Scripture to summarize the truth inherent
in the
Three Tenses of
Salvation:
|
Three
Tenses of Salvation
in Titus 2:11-13
(click:
more discussion) |
|
Titus 2:11 |
Past
Tense |
“the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation” |
Justification:
One time event |
|
Titus 2:12 |
Present Tense |
“instructing us” |
Sanctification:
A lifelong process |
|
Titus 2:13 |
Future
Tense |
“looking for the blessed hope” |
Glorification:
One time event |
In short,
God’s grace redeems us, reforms us and rewards us! Amazing
grace! How sweet the sound that has saved, is saving and will save a
wretch like me!
Reuben A. Torrey wrote that...
The imminent return of our Lord is
the great Bible argument for a pure, unselfish, devoted, unworldly,
active life of service.
Spurgeon writes that...
One work of the grace of God is to
cause us to be “looking for that blessed hope of the glorious appearing
of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”
What is that “blessed hope?”
Why, first, that when He comes we shall rise from the dead, if we have
fallen asleep; and that, if we are alive and remain, we shall be changed
at His appearing. (see notes beginning
1Thessalonians 4:13)
Our hope is that we shall be approved
of Him and shall hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
This hope is not of debt, but of grace: though our Lord will give us a
reward, it will not be according to the law of works.
We expect to be like Jesus when we
shall see him as he is. When Jesus shines forth as the sun, “then shall
the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of our Father.”
Our gain by godliness cannot be
counted down into the palm of our hand. It lies in the glorious future
(see note
1Timothy 4:8);
and yet to faith it is so near that at this moment I almost hear the
chariot of the Coming One. The Lord cometh, and in the coming of the
Lord lies the great hope of the believer, his great stimulus to overcome
evil, his incentive to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. Oh to
be found blameless in the day of the manifestation of our Lord! God
grant us this! Do you not see, brethren, how the discipline of the
doctrine of grace runs towards the separating of us from sin, and the
making us to live unto God? (From Spurgeon's sermon
Two Appearings & the Discipline of Grace)
Billy Graham was right when he
said that...
The subject of the second coming of
Christ has never been popular to any but the true believer.
><>><>><>
After World War II there was a sign
on the shore of New York harbor facing all incoming troop ships, which
read:
WELCOME HOME.
WELL DONE.
When the Lord Jesus Christ appears in
the air, He is going to “WELCOME HOME” every saint, for at that time He
shall come to take us home to heaven. Our entrance into heaven is solely
on the basis of our faith in His shed blood and death on the cross, and
every believer shall receive the same “WELCOME HOME.” But, how many of
us will receive His “WELL DONE,” and the “crown of righteousness”? (see
note
2 Timothy 4:8)
THE BLESSED
HOPE: ten makarian elpida:
(Titus
1:2;
3:7;
Acts 24:15;
Ro 5:5;
8:24,25;
15:13;
Col 1:5,23,27;
2 Th 2:16;
Heb 6:18,19;
1 Pe 1:3;
1Jn 3:3)
(see
Our
Blessed Hope for detailed analysis of "hope")
Paul had earlier alluded to
one aspect of the believer's hope writing that we are to live
godly...
in (in the sphere of, circle of or
atmosphere of) the hope (not a "hope I make it" mentality but
absolute assurance that God will do good to me in the future) of eternal
life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago (see note
Titus 1:2)
He reiterates this truth in Titus
3 explaining that by grace through faith, believers are now...
justified by His grace (and) we might
be made heirs according to the hope (absolute certainty) of
eternal life. (see note
Titus 3:7)
Blessed (3107) (makarios)
(Click study of
makarios) means spiritually “prosperous”, fully satisfied
independent of the circumstances because of the amazing enabling grace in which we stand
and the supernatural ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit (cp note
Matthew 5:6). The
sure hope we
have of the return of our Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus, to catch up (and
out of this present evil age) His Bride, the Church (see
Rapture), is one that is
prosperous, filled with richness and
one that stabilizes our souls in this present world in which we live as
aliens and strangers (we're just "passing through"). The second coming of Christ,
including the first phrase or stage of that coming, the resurrection of those who
died in Christ and the catching up (Rapture) of those believers still living when He
comes, is the "blessed hope" of the Christian. The forgiveness of sins
coupled with living a godly life eliminates all dread over the return of
Christ and transforms the prospect into a blessed hope.
It is important to note that the KJV translates “blessed hope” and “appearing of the
glory” as if they were two different entities, whereas the Greek
construction requires
that they be construed as one.
Looking for that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ (KJV) Granville Sharp’s rule says that when there are two nouns in the same case
connected by and (kai), the first noun has the
definite article (the = Greek word ten), and the second noun
lacks the
definite article, then the second noun refers to the same thing as the first noun and
serves as a further description. Thus, the blessed hope
is the appearing of the glory of our Lord.
Hope
(1680) (elpis)
(Click
for in depth definition of
elpis)
is expectation or confidence and in the New Testament describes the
believer's absolute certainty of future good. Hope is full assurance
("the full assurance of hope"
Hebrews 6:11) and ultimately is found
in the Person of Christ for as Paul wrote to Timothy "Christ Jesus (is) our hope" (1Timothy
1:1)
W. H. G. Thomas
eloquently described the interrelationship of the great Christian
triumphurate of faith, hope and love...
Faith rests on the past,
love
works in the present, and hope presses toward the future; or, faith
looks backward and upward, love looks outward, and hope looks forward.
These three constitute the true, complete Christian life and not one of
them should be omitted or slighted.
We are only too apt to emphasize
faith and love and forget hope but, inasmuch as hope is invariably
connected with the coming of the Lord, that blessed hope (Titus
2:13), it is a vital part of our Christian life.
Faith accepts, hope expects;
faith appropriates, hope anticipates; faith receives, hope realizes;
faith is always and only concerned with the past and present, hope is
always and only concerned with the future. We know that faith comes by
hearing; we shall find that hope comes by experience. Faith is concerned
with a person who promises, hope with the thing promised; and faith is
the root of which hope is a fruit.
Zabriskie has an interesting
thought writing that...
perhaps the reason why so few
today look with favor upon the Blessed Hope is that perhaps they
have rebelled at God’s lessons in grace and have reversed the
determination of Moses: “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the
people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (see
note
Hebrews 11:25).
Although ...God will not allow a child of His to sin lawlessly, yet
often, after continual rebellion against His will, He will let the child
have his own way for a season to prove to Him that God’s way is best.
This action on God’s part may be seen in the case of the children of
Israel. On one occasion, after they had rebelled continuously against
God’s will for them, He sent to them the desires of their hearts but
sent leanness to their souls. (KJV of Ps 106:15 And he gave them their
request; but sent leanness into their soul.-
Spurgeon's note)
What a pathetic picture and yet how adequately this describes the
spiritual lives of many Christians. (The Discipline of Grace,
Bibliotheca Sacra 93:370. April, 1936. Page 178)
AND THE
APPEARING OF THE GLORY: kai epiphaneian tes doxes: (Job 19:25-27;
Isa 25:9;
Mt 16:27;
25:31;
26:64;
Mk 8:38;
14:62;
1Ti 6:13,14;
Heb 9:28;
2Co 4:4,6;
Col 3:4;
1Pe 1:7;
1Jn 3:2;
Rev1:7)
Chrysostom
rightly said that...
In the first advent God veiled his
divinity to prove the faithful; in the second advent he will manifest
his glory to reward their faith.
Appearing
(2015) (epiphaneia
from the verb
epiphaino [used in
Titus 2:11, 3:4
click word study on
epiphaino] in turn from epí = over, upon or to +
phaíno = to shine) (See word study on
epiphaneia) is literally "a shining upon" and from its
secular used conveys the thought of an event which is sudden and
unexpected. Secular Greek writings used this word group to describe the
appearance of pagan "gods" but in this verse Paul is saying there is a
glorious second coming of of the one living and true God, Jesus Christ.
Epiphaneia
is a solely used by Paul, first to describe the counterfeit appearance
of the Antichrist ("the cursed hope", "the false hope")
Paul informing the Thessalonian saints that the
lawless one (the
Antichrist) will be |