22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
- According to this passage, how is a Christian supposed to respond when challenged about their belief in Christ?
- How is correcting with gentleness different from winning an argument?
- Who has the power to change the heart of your "opponent"?
- Who are you actually struggling against when you are being opposed?
- What sort of foolish controversies have you seen cause discord in the church?
- How can a person pursue peace and controversy at the same time?
- How do you feel when you win an argument? When you lose?
- Are the challenges you think you face more about Christ or matters of opinion?
Yet another passage that I don't remember being taught when I was growing up. I grew up in a time and place where debates were prized and defending the faith meant winning the argument even if the loser was hurt in the process. How many churches have been split over foolish controversies? God only knows. As I study God's Word I find new (to me) insights and possible ways to change. When I tell someone what I found and they disagree with my view, deep within me is an ego that wants to prove I am right. Those feelings have little to do with peace, kindness, gentleness, and love. They are about self. Why do I keep bringing up these difficult passages? Maybe so I will do better.
6 comments:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_God_Who_Wasn%27t_There
Ditto to Harold's musings...
To Anonymous: Please look at www.doesgodexist.org. This is a wonderful website devoted to proving the existence of God. John Clayton, once a devoted atheist, now a practicing Christian, is the director of this worthwhile organization.
Harold, Like Michael O, I truly enjoy your section called, Harold's Musings. They hit the target for me.
Keep right on bringing up passages that make us take a hard look at ourselves! I understand fully the concepts of peace, kindness, gentleness, and love. And when I have time to think about what I am going to do and say, I can usually put them into practice. Catch me off guard though.... When my reactions start to mirror my carefully thought out actions I'll know I'm making progress.
What jumped out at me was verse 24:
"patiently enduring evil".
Now there's a concept. What does that even mean? I assume that's referring to evil in the world, not sin in the church... To me, endure seems to indicate accepting that it's going to happen and we can't do much to change it. I guess that is true about evil in the world, but does this mean we shouldn't be activists against it, just patiently endure?
NKJV says "patient"
NIV says "not resentful"
Hmmm... this will take some pondering. Any Greek scholars out there? Is this a good translation?
Janay, this is what I have. Mixed interpretation.
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Vols. 5-9 edited by Gerhard Friedrich. Vol. 10 compiled by Ronald Pitkin.; ed. Gerhard Kittel et al.;, electronic ed.; Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964-c1976), 3:486-487.
† ἀνεξίκακος.
This word is attested in Herodotus Medicus Apud Oribasium, V, 30, 7; Luc. Judicium Vocalium, 9. In Joseph. we find ἀνεξικακία, cf. also LXX Wis. 2:19. It means “toleration of evil,” “long-suffering.” ἀνεξίκακος means “tolerant of evil or calamity,” “longsuffering.”
In the NT it occurs only at 2 Tm. 2:24, where it is demanded of the δοῦλος κυρίου that he should not be contentious but long-suffering and patient in relation to those who withstand him.
Liddel and Scott's An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, 1888, p. 67
ἀνεξί-κᾰκος, ον, (ἀνέχομαι, κακόν) enduring evil, forbearing, long-suffering, N.T., Luc.
Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament : Based on Semantic Domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.; New York: United Bible societies, 1996, c1989), 1:307.
25.170 ἀνεξίκακος, ον: pertaining to enduring difficulties without becoming angry or upset—‘tolerant, patient.’
Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998, 1981), H8674.
ἀνεξίκακος anexikakos; from 430 and 2556; enduring evil:— patient when wronged(1).
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Vol.V c1932, Vol.VI c1933 by Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.;Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, 1997), 2 Ti 2:24.
Must not strive (οὐ δει μαχεσθαι [ou dei machesthai]). Rather, “it is not necessary for him to fight” (in such verbal quibbles). The negative οὐ [ou] goes with δει [dei], not with the infinitive μαχεσθαι [machesthai]. Gentle (ἠπιον [ēpion]). Old word (from ἐπος [epos], speech), affable, mild, in N.T. only here (and I Thess. 2:7 in some MSS.; W. H. have νηπιος [nēpios]). Teachable (διδακτικον [didaktikon]). See I Tim. 3:2. Forbearing (ἀνεξικακον [anexikakon]). Late compound (from future of ἀνεχω [anechō], ἀνεξω [anexō], and κακον [kakon], putting up with evil). Here only in N.T.
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