rwp - decisive

rwp@1John:5:10 @{Believeth on} (\pisteun eis\). John draws a distinction between "not believing God" (\m pisteun ti thei\) in next clause, the testimony of God about his Son, and surrender to and reliance on the Son as here (\eis\ and the accusative). See the same distinction less clearly drawn in strkjv@John:6:30f|. See also \eis tn marturian\ after \pepisteuken\ in this same verse and strkjv@John:2:23|. {In him} (\en hauti\)...the evidence is not decisive between...\hauti\ and \auti\. {Hath made} (\pepoiken\). Perfect active indicative of \poie\ like \memarturken\ and \pepisteuken\, permanent state. {A liar} (\pseustn\). As in strkjv@1:10|, which see. {Because he hath not believed} (\hoti ou pepisteuken\). Actual negative reason with negative \ou\, not the subjective reason as in strkjv@John:3:18|, where we have \hoti m pepisteuken\). The subjective negative is regular with \ho m pisteun\. Relative clause here repeats close of verse 9|.

rwp@Info_2Peter @ CLAIMS PETRINE AUTHORSHIP Not only so, but in fuller form than strkjv@1Peter:1:1|, for the writer terms himself "Simon (Symeon in some MSS.)...would have been considered decisive against...(Symeon was the Jewish form as used by James in strkjv@Acts:15:14|) is the real name (John:1:42|) and Peter merely the Greek for Cephas, the nickname given by Christ. There is no reason why both could not properly be employed here. But the claim to Petrine authorship, if not genuine, leaves the Epistle pseudonymous. That was a custom among some Jewish writers and even Christian writers, as the spurious Petrine literature testifies (Gospel of Peter, Apocalypse of Peter, etc.), works of a heretical or curious nature. Whatever the motive for such a pious fraud, the fact remains that II Peter, if not genuine, has to take its place with this pseudonymous literature and can hardly be deemed worthy of a place in the New Testament. And yet there is no heresy in this Epistle, no startling new ideas that would lead one to use the name of Simon Peter. It is the rather full of edifying and orthodox teaching.

rwp@John:8:12 @{Again therefore} (\palin oun\). This language fits in better with strkjv@7:52| than with strkjv@8:11|. Just suppose Jesus is in the temple on the following day. {Unto them} (\autois\). The Pharisees and crowds in the temple after the feast was past. {I am the light of the world} (\eg eimi to phs tou kosmou\). Jesus had called his followers "the light of the world" (Matthew:5:14|), but that was light reflected from him. Already Jesus (the Logos) had been called the true light of men (1:9; strkjv@3:19|). The Psalmist calls God his Light (27:1|). Songs:Isaiah:60:19|. At the feast of tabernacles in the Court of the Women where Jesus was on this day (8:20|) there were brilliant candelabra and there was the memory of the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. But with all this background this supreme and exclusive claim of Jesus (repeated in strkjv@9:5|) to being the light of the whole world (of Gentiles as well as of Jews) startled the Pharisees and challenged their opposition. {Shall have the light of life} (\hexei to phs ts zs\). The light which springs from and issues in life (Westcott). Cf. strkjv@6:33,51|...we come to a decisive place....

rwp@Info_Matthew @...there is nothing absolutely decisive save...50 to 60, then Matthew's book may be between 60 and 70, though many would place it between 70 and 80. It is not certain whether Luke wrote after Matthew or not, though that is quite possible. There is no definite use of Matthew by Luke that has been shown. One guess is as good as another and each decides by his own predilections. My own guess is that A.D. 60 is as good as any.

rwp@Matthew:1:20 @{An angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream} (\aggelos kuriou kat' onar ephan auti\). This expression (\aggelos kuriou\) is without the article in the New Testament except when, as in strkjv@1:24|...message was distinct and decisive for...1:16|. Mary is called his "wife" (\tn gunaika sou\). He is told "not to become afraid" (ingressive first aorist passive subjunctive in prohibition, (\m phobthis\), "to take to his side" (\paralabein\, ingressive aorist active infinitive) her whom he had planned (\enthumthentos\, genitive absolute again, from \en\ and \thumos\) to send away with a writ of divorce. He had pondered and had planned as best he knew, but now God had called a halt and he had to decide whether he was willing to shelter Mary by marrying her and, if necessary, take upon himself whatever stigma might attach to her. Joseph was told that the child was begotten of the Holy Spirit and thus that Mary was innocent of any sin. But who would believe it now if he told it of her? Mary knew the truth and had not told him because she could not expect him to believe it.

rwp@Matthew:11:12 @{Suffereth violence} (\biazetai\). This verb occurs only here and in strkjv@Luke:16:16| in the N.T. It seems to be middle in Luke and Deissmann (_Bible Studies_, p. 258) quotes an inscription "where \biazomai\ is without doubt reflexive and absolute" as in strkjv@Luke:16:16|. But there are numerous papyri examples where it is passive (Moulton and Milligan, _Vocabulary_, etc.)...seems little that promises decisive help...11:12; strkjv@Luke:16:16|." Songs:then in strkjv@Matthew:11:12| the form can be either middle or passive and either makes sense, though a different sense. The passive idea is that the kingdom is forced, is stormed, is taken by men of violence like "men of violence take it by force" (\biastai harpazousin autn\) or seize it like a conquered city. The middle voice may mean "experiences violence" or "forces its way" like a rushing mighty wind (so Zahn holds). These difficult words of Jesus mean that the preaching of John "had led to a violent and impetuous thronging to gather round Jesus and his disciples" (Hort, _Judaistic Christianity_, p. 26).

rwp@Revelation:2:25 @{Howbeit} (\pln\). Common after \ouk allo\ as a preposition with the ablative (Mark:12:32|), but here a conjunction as in strkjv@Phillipians:1:18|. {Hold fast} (\kratsate\). First aorist active imperative of \krate\, either ingressive (get a grip on) or constative (...on as a single decisive... effort). See present imperative \kratei\ in strkjv@3:11| (keep on holding). {Till I come} (\achri hou an hx\). Indefinite temporal clause with \achri hou\ (until which time) with modal \an\ and either the future active indicative or the first aorist active subjunctive of \hk\ (usual idiom with \achri\ in Revelation as in strkjv@7:3; strkjv@15:8; strkjv@20:3,5|).

rwp@Revelation:16:16 @{They gathered} (\sungagen\). Second aorist active indicative of \sunag\, singular (the three unclean spirits), like \ekporeuetai\ in verse 14|. {Har-Magedon} (\Har-Magedn\). John proceeds now after the interruption in verse 15|. Perhaps "the mountains of Megiddo" though not certain. Megiddo is in the valley of Esdraelon, and by the waters of Megiddo (the Kishon) Israel gained a decisive victory over Sisera (Judges:5:19|), celebrated in Deborah's song. See also strkjv@Revelation:20:8ff. and strkjv@Ezekiel:39:2,4|.

CONCORD decisive