SPOUDE
American: speed,
alacrity, eagerness
A happy frame of mind may include eagerness to
see what transpires next in one’s life. We certainly hope that the devout
Christian lives in a state of eager expectation and eagerly responds to needs
within the Body of Jesus the Christ [Anointed One, Messiah, Christos].
Almost Greek: (Words in italics are translator’s additions.)
2nd
Corinthians 7.5: For even when I came into Macedonia,
our [my] flesh hadn’t rest; conversely, we were [I was] crowded [distressed]
in every way; externally battles, internally fears. Conversely, Theos, the One parakalon [calling near,
inviting, urging, exhorting, encouraging, consoling] the depressed,
parekalesen us [me] by the return of Titus, and not only by his return;
conversely, the paraklesei with which he was pareklethe over your telling us of
your longing for, your mourning for, your zelon [heat, zeal, ardor] for
me, causes me to be more joyful. Because
even if I grieved you in the first
letter, I not regret it now, even
though I did regret it then. For I
see that that letter (even if indeed it grieved you for an hour) has caused change. Now, I am joyful, not
that you were grieved, conversely, that you were grieved to metanoian [thinking
differently, turning about 180 degrees, repenting]. For you grieved down to
the choice of Theos in order that you
might not be injured in even one word
emergent from me. For sadness down to the
choice of Theos works metanoian to irrevocable soterian [rescue, safety,
salvation] but worldly sadness fully works out death. Notice this same issue (for you to be grieved down to the choice of Theos), how much it fully
worked out (in you) spouden, also apologian [a plea, giving an
account, a defense], also indignation, also fear, also a longing, also
zelon, also retribution! In all you present yourselves clean of this deed [incest].
Therefore, even if I wrote to you, it was not for the one being
unjust nor for the one being wronged,
conversely, it was because of my spouden
toward you before the face of Theos. Via this reason I more superabundantly parakeklemetha [have been
encouraged] over your paraklesei and
even more, I rejoice over the chara [cheerfulness, calm delight, joy] of
Titus, because he has been rested [refreshed] off [by] all of
you, that if I have boasted anything
over you all to him, I wasn't shamed down. As we [I] spoke the whole
truth to you, so also our [my] boasting over Titus was caused to be the
truth. Titus’ splen [spleen,
guts, bowels, sympathy] is toward you more
superabundantly, he remembering the attentive listening obedience of you
all as you received him with fear and trembling. I then rejoice that in all I
exercise courage [have confidence] in you.
8:
We [I] make known to you, Brothers, the charin [graciousness] of
Theos being given in the ekklesiais [assemblies, churches] of Macedonia.
That in much stress (testing the surplusage of their charas and the profundity
of their poverty), they more
superabounded to the wealth of their single-mindedness
[generosity] because down to dunamin [their power] I testify and
over [above and beyond] their
dunamin, self-chosen [of their own accord] amid much begging me for the charin and the koinonian [sharing,
partnership] of the service toward the hagious [holy ones, sacred ones, consecrated ones;
saints] for
us to receive their offerings. And not
just as I elpisamen [had expected, had hoped], conversely, first gave
themselves to the Kurio and to us via the thelematos
[determination, choice, decision, decree] of Theos. For this reason, I parakalesai Titus in order
that just as he had previously begun, so he should also fulfill [complete]
in you this chariti [gift, endowment, faculty, deliverance]. Now, as you
more superabound in all (in pistei [faith, reliance], in logos, in
knowledge and in all spoude)
and the agape in us emergent from you, in order [see] that you may also
more superabound in this chariti. I not relate this to you down to command,
conversely, via the spoudes of others also testing the genuineness of
your agape. For you know of the charin of our Kuriou Jesus, the Christou, that
via [because of] you, He, being wealthy, became a beggar in order that
you (by His poverty) might be caused to be wealthy.
2nd
Corinthians 8.16: Charis [gratitude] be to Theos for giving the same spouden for you in Titus’ heart because
he indeed received my paraklesin spoudaioteros
[more promptly, more earnestly] and the
idea silently coming into being [of his own accord], he went forth
toward you. We sent with him the brother whose fame in the euaggelion [good
news, gospel, evangel] has spread
via the whole of the ekklesion and not merely this ekklesia, conversely, also he has been elected by the ekklesion to be a travelling companion to us,
serving this chariti together with us toward the Kuriou of glory Himself. And
repressing your predisposition [provision for Paul and Titus], lest anyone should carp at us in this fatness [abundance]
being served under us, you are
planning ahead for the kala [beautiful, virtuous], not merely before the
face of the Kuriou, conversely, also before men. We sent with them our brother [Titus],
whom I tested in much, he being many
times prompt [diligent] and now much more spoudalon in much
confidence toward you. If anyone asks
over Titus, he is my koinonos [sharer,
partner] and co-laborer for you or if
anyone asks about our brothers, they
are apostoloi [delegates, ambassadors, apostles] of the ekklesion, a
glory to the Christou. Accordingly, show to them the evidence of your agapes
and of my openly boasting as to you
before the ekklesion.
Romans
12.3: For via the charitos given to me, I say to everyone, being in yourself,
not to esteem yourself too much, exercising the nous [philosophizing]
beyond what is necessary. Conversely, exercise the nous [intellect, mind] into
being sound as Theos has apportioned to each a measure of pisteos. For exactly
as in one somati [body] we have many limbs but not all limbs have the
same function. So, we the many are one soma in the Christo and individually limbs of one another.
Having charismata [gifts, endowments, faculties, deliverances] varying
down to the charin given to us, let us
operate in them: if propheteian [before telling, speaking under
inspiration, prophesying], prophesy
down to the proportion of your pisteos; if diakonian [service], in
diakonia [serving]; if teaching, in instruction; if parakalon [calling
near, inviting, urging,
exhorting, encouraging, consoling], in paraklesei; if sharing, in generosity; if
presiding, in spoude; if being
compassionate, do it in hilaroteti [jubilance,
hilarity].
12.9: Sincerely agape. Utterly detest poneron [hurtful],
sticking [bonding] to good. In philadelphia [brotherly love],
philostorgoi [love as family] one another. In time [value,
esteem, dignity] lead the way for others in spoude, not in laziness. Be serving the Kurio
in zeontes [fervent, ardent] pneumati [spirit], rejoicing in
elpidi [expectation, hope], persevering in stress, constantly in
proseuche [humbly begging God, prayer], sharing [contributing] to
the needs of the hagion; pursuing hospitality. Elulogeite [Speak well of,
praise, bless] those pursuing [persecuting]
you; elulogeite and not put a curse upon them. Rejoice with the
rejoicing and wail with the wailing. Have the same interest into all of one another, not only having interest in the lofty;
conversely, yielding to the lowly. Not be caused to be wise near yourselves [in
your own estimation]. Give back to no one kakon [worthless]
for kakou. Promote the kala [beautiful, virtuous] before all men. If
possible (emergent from yourselves), be peaceable to all men. Not avenge
yourselves, agapetoi [unconditionally beloved]; conversely, give place [space,
room] for the orge [violent passion, fury, rage, wrath] of Theos for
it has been written, “Revenge belongs to Me. I will repay,” says the
Kurios.
DEUTERONOMY
32.35: [YHWH speaking] “... Revenge belongs
to Me and recompense.”
[Paul
continues] “If
one who hates you hungers, feed him;
if he thirsts, irrigate him; for in
doing this you will pile live coals of fire upon his head.”
PROVERBS
25.21: “Is your hater hungry, give him bread [food] to eat and if he is
thirsty, irrigate him with water for you shall heap glowing embers of fire upon
his head and YHWH will reciprocate [repay, reward] you.”
[When
a household’s fire went out, burning coals from a neighbor’s fire would be
carried on a tray (on one’s head) to rekindle the fire. A man would love the
man who relit his fire, wouldn’t he?]
Hebrews 6.9: But
agapetoi! even if I (in fact) speak so, I have been persuaded (about you) the
better things; even holding fast
soterias. For Theos is not unjust to
be forgetful of your work and the labor of agapes you showed to His name,
having served the hagios and now are
serving them. But we want each one of you to show the same spouden
to the full assurance of the elpidos unto the telos [the point aimed at, the end of this age] in order that you aren’t caused to be dull but caused to be imitators of those
inheriting the promises via pisteos and makrothumias [forbearance, patient
restraint].
2nd
Peter 1.2: His godly dunameos [force,
power] has bestowed upon us all, pertaining to life and godliness, via the
full knowledge of the One calling us
via His glory and manliness, via which He has bestowed the greatest and most precious epaggelmata [announcements,
proclamations, promises] to us in order that via these you
might be caused to be koinonoi of the godly nature, escaping the decay (in
lust) in the kosmo [universe, world, cosmos]. Now, for this very reason, also simultaneously introduce
all spouden in your pistei.
Fully supply manliness and in your
manliness, knowledge and in your
knowledge self-control and in your self-control,
cheerful endurance and in your
cheerful endurance, godliness and in your
godliness, philadelphian and in your
philadelphia, agapen. For these qualities
coming into existence and abounding in you, establish you neither idle nor unfruitful in recognition of our Kuriou Jesus,
the Christou.
End of One Hundred
Twentieth Lesson