The word aischune is rendered as shame every time but one in the New Testament, and that one time it is translated as dishonesty. In Luke 14:9, the man who assumed the highest place was for him is forced to take the lowest place with shame, in humiliation. The crucifixion was a shame that Christ …
Crude Talk
The word aischrotes means filthiness, which is how it is rendered in Ephesians 5:4. In this context, it appears to be applied as a sin of speech. In the previous verse, Paul has addressed certain sins of the flesh that ought not to be committed (and therefore not named in their midst), and then in …
Dirtymoney
Peter tells us that ministers ought not to be motivated by aischrokerdos, by filthy lucre (1 Pet. 5:2). A related term (aischrokerdes) is proscribed for ministers in 1 Tim. 3:3,8 and Titus 1:7 (cf. Tit. 1:11). It is one word, which, if we did it this way, would come out like dirtymoney. Now what is …
Self-Condemned
The word hairetikos, heretic, is obviously related to our discussion of the word hairesis, or heresy. It is only used once in the New Testament, in Titus 3:10. In that place, we are told that a man who is a heretic should be rejected after two admonitions or warnings. The natural question is whether the …
Leprosy of the Heart and Mind
The word hairesis is where we get our word heresy. Initially it simply meant faction or sect, but over time it became closely identified with that which helps sects to form — a distinctive false doctrine or teaching, which the sectarians use to distinguish themselves. The faction or “sect” of the Saducees (Acts 5:17) is …
Officially Controversial
The apostle Peter uses the word athesmos twice, and our translators have rendered it as wicked. In the first instance (2 Pet. 2:7), he is treating the subject of Lot, and how he was continually exasperated by the filthy behavior of the inhabitants of Sodom. In the second (3:17), he is warning the recipients of …
Godless
Our word atheist refers to a person who either denies that there is a God, or denies that we can know if there is or not. The word atheos is used once in Scripture, in Ephesians 2:12. There it refers to those who are “without God,” that is, godless. But certain things go with being …
Moral and Moralistic
The word athemitos occurs twice in the New Testament. The first time, in Acts 10:28, it is rendered as “unlawful thing.” 1 Peter 4:3 contains the word also, where it is translated as abominable. In the former instance, Peter uses the word to describe how it had been “unlawful” for Jews to keep close company …
Thistles on Reprobate Land
The word adokimos is rendered as reprobate, castaway, or rejected. It represents the condition of sin itself, but not a particular sinful action. Those who do not want to retain a knowledge of God in their thoughts are given over to a reprobate mind (Rom. 1:28). This is the kind of mind that refuses to …
The Just and the Unjust
The adjective adikos is rendered as unjust or unrighteous. There are two kinds of people, the just and the unjust, and God gives rain and sunshine to both (Matt. 5:45). The faith of Israel was fixed on this, that at the end of history there would be a resurrection of both kinds of men, the …