Last Words - almost - Part 9

Last Words – almost Part 9

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.   (2Pe 1:5-7)  ESV

The assumption here us that faith is already present.  

Επιχορηγησατε εν τη πιστει υμων =Supply in the faith of you

ἐπιχορηγέω,  epichorēgéō; To furnish upon, i.e., besides, in addition, to supply further, to add more unto. With the acc., to supply, furnish, or furnish abundantly.

We can trace this word back to two Greek words that basically mean to lead a chorus.  So what’s the point of that?  

Well we are to not just supply these things but we are to bring them into harmony with our faith.  These are not qualities that only exist in the believer’s life.  Even unbelievers can demonstrate these qualities to some degree at times.  OK – maybe moral excellence and godliness are a stretch but it does depend upon your definition of those two terms.

That debate aside, we are to harmonize each of these qualities with our trust in and obedience to the Lord.

Think of these qualities as Lego’s.  You are building a life in Christ.  There is a foundation and then there is the structure.  There are different sized Lego’s of different colors. You don’t build with just on size of one color.  

As you build you will want to add a particular size or color depending on what you’ve built so far and dependent upon what you are building.  No two constructions will be the same – just as no two walks of faith are the same.  But they are all build on the foundation of faith and the qualities about which Peters admonishes us.

So, let’s begin to examine the materials with which we are called to build.

Moral excellence:  “αρετην  εν  δε  τη αρετη”

• ἀρετή.   aretḗ; gen. aretḗs; Superiority or being pleasing to God, or the superiority of God revealed in the work of salvation. Aretḗ denotes in a moral sense what gives man his worth, his efficiency. In the NT: virtue, moral excellency, perfection, goodness of action. Zodhiates
• In 2Pe_1:3 it stands next to dóxa, glory. Human virtue in general (Php_4:8); courage, fortitude, resolution (1Pe_2:9; 2Pe_1:5 [cf. 1Co_16:13]); moral excellence.

v  Note:  Synonyms:  huperbolḗ, a throwing beyond, surpassing, an excellence; huperochḗ, the act of overhanging, hence superiority, preeminence, excellency; aínos, praise; épainos, approbation, commendation; dóxa, glory; dúnamis power; chárisma, gift; ōphéleia, usefulness, benefit.   Antonyms: hustérēma, lack, want; tó phaúlon, that which is light, wicked or evil; pathos, passion, lust; tó kakón, that which is bad in itself; tó ponērón, evil, malevolence.

There is “bigness” to this word that we miss if we just settle for the meaning of virtue or even moral excellence.  This is what I call a “big dog,” word.  I actually like the sense of translating it, “applying all diligence, in your faith supply hyperbole.”

Now hyperbole is an exaggeration for EFFECT or EMPHASIS.  It is intended to evoke strong feelings and greater energy – of the positive kind.  If you want to get simple the admonition is to add “manly manliness,” or “virtuous virtue.”  I also like, “ giving your faith all you’ve got.”

This brings to my mind and interesting idea.  Faith is a gift (grace) from God.  By faith (note: that is a “faith in Him”) we are saved.  Nothing is lacking in our salvation.  “It is finished.” And “Once for all,” mean “It is finished,” and “Once for all.”  So we don’t need to cower in the fear and terror of the unbeliever.  Yeah, we should experience “A W E,” which is a little fear and a little terror with a lot of hope and confidence but we should not be carrying the terror of the lost.

Now – what have we to lose by being a little, “over the top,” in living out the faith?  What do we endanger if we are more fanatic than just fan?  

Ahhh you say “Hyperbole is an exaggeration.”  And I ask you – how can you exaggerate something you cannot really grasp – like the grace and love and power and sovereignty of God?  Hyperbole is not a lie – it is an exaggeration of something of which we have some knowledge and understanding.

“That log weigh’s a ton!”  Lie or hyperbole?  If I want to express how very very heavy it seemed to me then the statement is hyperbole.  If I’m selling you the log by the pound it’s a lie.

When Jesus said to cut off your hand and poke out your eye He was using hyperbole.  There is a strong element of hyperbole throughout the Bible – as well as other literary devices.  Why?  To get through our hard skulls into our dull brains!  

Even our hymns are filled with hyperbole.  “I surrender all.”  Really?  Really?  I don’t think so.  Do I want to “surrender all,” you betcha – but I don’t.  “Jesus is all the world to me,”  I don’t think so.

So why hyperbole?

I think hyperbole is God’s way of reminding us that it is by His power and His power alone that we will serve Him as He calls us to. 

Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. (Zec 4:6)  ESV

Even the word from which we get hyperbole is in the Word:

ὑπερβάλλω hyperbállō [to go beyond, surpass], ὑπερβαλλόντως hyperballóntōs [exceedingly, immeasurably], ὑπερβολή hyperbolḗ [excess, beyond measure] 1. This verb, having an original sense of 'to throw beyond,' means 'to go beyond,' 'to stand out,' 'to excel,' or, censoriously, 'to transgress the proper measure.' The noun means 'excess' or 'supreme stage or measure.' KTD

3. In the NT the group occurs only in the Pauline corpus. In Eph.  3:19 Christ's love surpasses comprehension, in Eph.  2:7 'immeasurable' tops another word of fullness, and in Eph.  1:19 the word outbids mégethos. Combination with dýnamis occurs in 2  Cor.  4:15 , and with cháris in 9:14. The glory of the new order is all-surpassing or beyond comparison in 2  Cor.  3:10 ; the term also occurs in connection with Paul's suffering in 11:23. The noun is often found in the phrase for 'exceedingly' or 'beyond measure,' e.g., Rom.  7:13 . A double use stresses the lack of comparison between present affliction and eternal glory in 2  Cor.  4:17 . The mode of life described in 1  Cor.  13:1 ff. far surpasses a life controlled by the charisms ( 1  Cor.  12:31 ). In Gal.  1:13 Paul uses the expression to describe the intensity of his former persecuting activity. In ministry supreme power belongs to God alone ( 2  Cor.  4:7 ). In 2  Cor.  12:7 Paul is restrained lest he be too elated by the abundance of revelations granted to him.  KTD

The Word abounds with hyperbolisms.  We are admonished to live hyperbolisitically (?my new word?).  

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, (Eph 3:20)  ESV

Hyperbole: ‘to throw beyond,' means 'to go beyond,' 'to stand out,' 'to excel.’  This is the life we are called to live – not just “beyond” the world but beyond just trusting Christ for our salvation.  We are called to live “unsafe” lives; lives of biblically based hyperbolistic (?) devotion to our Lord.  

Actually – hyperbole in our walk is not the exception but the norm.  The broadly touted idea of “radical” faith is really kind of silly.  The faith (it’s focus, context, content and expectations) can only be “radical” when compared to – well – something that is questionable at best.  What we seem to miss is the fact that putting our trust in a 1^st Century Jewish handi-man as the Redeemer and Sustainer of His creation – well, that’s radical.  Building a life around the written revelation of a God the majority of the world dismissed – well, that’s radical.  Loving your enemy – that’s radical.  Seeking to live a holy and righteous life – radical.

Peter is not enjoining to begin this “addition” to our faith in order to get or be something.  It’s not so we will be “more saved,” or even “better servants.”  Peter calls us to this process, this devotion BECAUSE – IN VIEW OF – what was given for us, what we have been made and what we have been given.  The past is a problem He has answered, the present is a problem He has provided for and the future is a problem for which He has been prepared sine before there was – anything.

Let us not begin this journey with a sense of legalism or lack.  Let us trust and walk in the words of God:

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

(2Pe 1:3-4) ESV