A Word for the
Day:
Key
Words from the New Testament
From AMG
Publishers
From the Introduction
WORDS MATTER! AFTER ALL, WE USE WORDS EVERY day. They convey
our thoughts, feelings, attitudes, ideas, purposes,
goals, joys, sorrows—in short, everything. While English
is even more universal in our day than Greek was in New
Testament times, the wealth in studying the Greek is
inestimable.
The purpose of this book is to share with you the
richness of some of the Greek words used in the New
Testament and to help you make them practical in your
Christian living. Since words matter, the words of the
New Testament matter most. And in a day when words don’t
seem to mean much, the need for precision in Christian
doctrine and practice has never been more
critical.
Each day of the year we will examine a particular
Greek word by first presenting a brief word study and
then a practical application to make that word real in
your life. For reinforcement, each day also includes
other related verses that you can study on your own.
It has been my
desire for many years to write a daily devotional that
would not only contain deep spiritual Truth but also be
easy to read. In our day of Relativism, the absolutes of
God’s Word (and words) are desperately needed. I
pray that this book will bless your heart, enrich your
mind, stir your soul, and empower your life. It should
prove useful to pastors, teachers, and all Christian
Believers who desire a deeper understanding and
application of “God’s Words.” The writing of this book
was one of the greatest joys of my life and one of the
most profitable exercises of my ministry for our Lord. I
pray it will likewise be a joy and profit to
you.
Book
Features
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Word Studies
and devotional applications for over 350 New
Testament
words. |
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Included in
most studies are etymology, use in ancient Greek,
Septuagint use, and especially NT usage.
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Additional
“Scriptures for Study” that reinforce each word
study. |
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Bonus chapter
on how to mine your own word riches, with a
special section on Bible
interpretation. |
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“Greek
Pronunciation Guide” to make it easy to learn how
to pronounce transliterated Greek
words. |
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Numerous
Endnotes on the text and a Bibliography on major
language resources used in writing the
book. |
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Strong’s
numbers included for every word, allowing quick
lookup in other
resources. |
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Four indexes:
Scripture, English words, Greek and Hebrew words,
and Strong’s
numbers. |
Where to get it: Christian Book Distributors (CBD) and Amazon.com.
Here
are a few sample devotions:
February
1
Truth
(1)
aletheia
We live in a day when the
concept of truth is more and more challenged.
Never before has there been such a redefining of truth.
Many, in fact, deny that there is any truth at all. In
stark contrast, however, the Word of God, in no
uncertain terms, makes it clear that there is
truth and that truth is to be found only in God
and His Word.
The English words truth and true speak of
what is real, what really is, what is factual. It’s not
opinion, it’s not conjecture, it’s not hypothesis or
theory. Rather, it is, like the old expression, “telling
it like it is.” If something is true, it is absolutely
reliable, totally secure. It cannot change because to do
so would mean it’s not true, not reliable.
The Greek aletheia
(225) means basically the same thing as the English. As
one Greek authority puts it: etymologically aletheia
means “nonconcealment.” It thus denotes what is
seen, indicated, expressed, or disclosed, i.e., a thing
as it really is, not as it is concealed or falsified.
Aletheia is the real state of affairs.
Aletheia,
along with its related words, appears no less than 187
times in the NT. It appears, for example, in John 1:14,
where it refers to the incarnate Christ: “And the Word
was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)
full of grace and truth.” In 16:13, our Lord promised,
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will
guide you into all truth,” that is, all that is
reliable, constant, sure, and unchanging. In both cases,
and in all others, the concept of truth is that which is
not concealed, what really is.
So again, the fundamental
concept to understand about truth is that it is that
which is absolute, that which is incontrovertible,
irrefutable, incontestable, unarguable, and unchanging.
If something is true, it’s always true and can
never be untrue, no matter what the
circumstances.
We will continue our
study of this word over the next two days. The desire of
the true Christian is absolute truth in all things and
every area of life.
Scriptures for
Study: What does John
14:6 declare? & In John 16:13, what is one
ministry of the Holy Spirit? & In John 17:17
and 19, what is a result of
truth?
February
13
Grace
(1)
charis
Grace
is our Theology. In
a sense, the word grace
sums up all biblical theology. Of all the theological
words we could discuss—redemption, reconciliation,
justification,
sanctification,
glorification,
election, and
many more—none cuts to the heart of our theology like
grace.
Incredulously,
however, few words are more misunderstood, misused, or
misapplied than grace. More
and more today we hear teachers say, “Yes, salvation is
by grace but good works supplement it,” or, “Yes, grace
is necessary, but so are works.” No statement on earth
could be more contradictory. Such teachers know
absolutely nothing about grace.
In Classical Greek
the word charis (5485) meant “that which affords
joy, pleasure, delight,” and from there several meanings
developed: grace, favor, thankfulness, gratitude,
delight, kindness, etc. Originally, then, the word
didn’t carry the idea of something “unmerited”
because Greek philosophy (which is at the root of our
western culture) believed in human merit and
self-sufficiency. Even then, however, the Greeks thought
they needed “a little help,” so they prayed to their
gods for favors and gifts.
It was,
therefore, in the NT that charis was transformed.
While some of the meanings from the Classical Greek
are found, the NT usage is unique because NT
grace is coupled with the person and work of Jesus
Christ. If you remove Christ, and therefore
grace, all you have left is another religion. You have
ten practical commandments, many ethical principles for
living, but all you have is mere
religion.
John 1:17 declares,
“Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Does that say
grace and truth came by religion or works? No, for the
ultimate manifestation of God’s grace is Jesus Christ.
Throughout the NT, in fact, grace is coupled with
Christ, for He is the ultimate manifestation of the
grace of God. Grace can, therefore, be defined thusly:
Grace is the unmerited favor of God toward man
manifested primarily through the person and work of
Jesus Christ, apart from any merit or works of man.
May we lovingly, but no less boldly, say that if anyone
defines grace differently than that, let him be
accursed (Gal. 1:8–9). Anyone who does not preach
that doctrine of grace is a false teacher. We’ll
continue our thoughts on grace
tomorrow.
Scriptures
for Study:
According to Romans 11:5-6, if you add works to grace,
what is the result? What does Paul call grace in 2
Corinthians 9:13-15?
May
28
Prayer
(1)
proseuche,
eucharistia, aitema, deesis
When one turns to
the great theme of prayer, he finds no less than
seven Greek words that picture the concept, which, in
turn, are translated by various other English words,
such as intercessions,
supplications,
requests, and
giving of
thanks.
Why so many words?
Probably the best explanation is that of Greek scholar
Richard Trench, who writes, “These words do not refer to
different kinds of prayer but to different aspects of
prayer.” While there is a little difficulty in
distinguishing these words from each other, we do see
some subtle differences.
The
Greek proseuche (4335, with
proseuchomai, 4336) is the most common word for
prayer, appearing some eighty-five times. It’s a general
word that speaks of prayer to God, which underscores the
obvious principle that only the true God should receive
prayer. Prayer to other gods or saints is less than
worthless; it’s utter blasphemy against the One True
God.
One vital aspect of
prayer is described by eucharistia (2169), at the
root of which is charis (5485, grace) with
the prefix eu (2095, “good or well”). The idea,
then, is to “give good grace,” that is, “be thankful;
give thanks.” Sadly, while the Roman Catholic doctrine
of the Holy Eucharist is supposedly to be the most
important act of thanksgiving, it is in truth viewed as
a sacrament that infuses grace into the worshipper and
is part of salvation. That is not the biblical teaching
concerning the Lord’s Supper (Oct. 28). Prayer,
then, is thanksgiving, thanking and praising God for all
that He does (Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2; 1 Tim. 2:1; Rev.
7:12).
Another
aspect of prayer is aitema (155), “a
petition, a request,” as in 1 John 5:15: “And if we know
that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have
the petitions that we desired of him.” A synonym is
the common deesis (1162), “to make
known one’s particular need.” While aitema seems
to be any request in general, deesis
appears to picture a more personal need of one’s own.
So, while prayer is much more than “asking and
receiving” (as one writer wrongly defines it), we
certainly can “let [our] requests be made known unto
God” (Phil. 4:6).
Putting all that
together paints a partial picture of prayer: Prayer
is communion with the One True God, to Whom we come to
praise and thank, and to Whom we direct our petitions
for others and ourselves. What a privilege! We’ll
build on that
tomorrow.
Scriptures
for Study:
Meditate on Philippians 4:6, where we find
all four words we examined today: prayer
(proseuche), supplication (deesis),
thanksgiving (eucharistia), and requests
(aitema). What does this kind of prayer bring to
our hearts and mind (v.
7)?
June 15
Light
(1)
phos
In Classical Greek
usage, the basic meaning of phos (5457; English
phosphorus,
etc.) is light and brightness and conveys the
ideas of sunlight, daylight, torchlight, firelight, and
so forth. In other words, it refers to light itself, not
the source of light, such as the sun, a torch,
fire, or a lamp. Even early in secular usage, it was
also used figuratively “to mean the sphere of ethical
good, whereas misdeeds are said to take place in
darkness.” All that was carried over into NT usage but
intensified all the more by its identification with
Christ.
The Christian,
therefore, is to walk in light. Since we were
once “darkness, but now are . . . light in the Lord,” we
are to “walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8). In other
words, we conduct ourselves according to light, the
light of Christ and His Word. As He is the Light (John
1:4; 8:12) and is the Word Who became flesh (1:14), then
it is His Word in which we are to walk.
What seems obvious
about darkness and light is that they cannot coexist. If
you turn on a light in a dark room, darkness flees. But
it’s not as obvious in practical application. People
talk much about “gray areas” of conduct, avoiding the
terms right
or wrong
and truth
or error.
But the Scripture contains no such “gray areas.” Conduct
is either moral or immoral, good or bad, true or
false.
What, then, are the
“attributes” of light? Generally speaking, light
pictures two basic thoughts.
First, in regard
to the intellect, light pictures truth.
So, to walk according to light means that we walk
according to truth. No longer are we ignorant,
for the truth of Jesus Christ is in us. Moreover,
walking according to light means that we are growing in
the knowledge of Christ day by
day.
Second, in regard
to morality, light pictures holiness. To
walk according to light means that we live a pure, holy
life; we walk as holy people. All that we say and do
shines forth the light of Christ that is in us (cf. Eph.
4:17–32).
Scriptures
for Study: Read
the following verses, noting other ways in which we are
to walk in the Christian life: Romans 4:12; 6:4;
Galatians 5:16, 25; Ephesians 5:2; Colossians 4:5.
June
16
Light
(2)
phos
Taking one more look
at the word phos (light), this is one of
the most glorious NT metaphors concerning the Lord Jesus
Christ. Without question, the most vivid example of
Christ being Light appears in John 8:12, where He
declares, “I am the
light of the world.” But it’s only when we
realize where our Lord was standing when He uttered
those words that we see the full significance of His
statement.
The setting was the
Illumination of the Temple ceremony that took place
during the Feast of the Tabernacles (or Booths). That
feast, which began five days after Yom Kippur (the Day
of Atonement), involved the Israelites presenting
offerings for seven days while they lived in huts
(booths) made of palm fronds and leafy tree branches to
remember their journey in Canaan (Lev. 23:43).
At the end of the
feast, the illumination ceremony took place, which is
described in the Mishna. The
Torah was the Jews’ title for the “Law” (Genesis
through Deuteronomy). Questions arose, however,
concerning the meanings of these laws, so over the years
an oral law called “the tradition of the elders”
developed, which was then put into written form around
AD 200. This was called the Mishna, which means
“repetition,” as much of Jewish education was based on
repetition; this became a principle part of what was
called the “Talmud,” the commentaries that were written
on the Law.
The
Mishna tells of
four tall, massive golden candleholders that stood in
the temple treasury. On top of each was a large torch
and bowl containing 120 logs (about 20 gallons)
of oil. There was also a ladder for each candleholder,
which a priest climbed; then he poured oil into the
bowl, placed a wick in it made of old garments, and lit
it. The Mishna records that “there was not a
courtyard in Jerusalem which was not lit up from the
light.”
So, it was on that
very spot that Jesus stood when he declared, “I am the
light of the world.” What a scene! In essence, He said,
“While these great torches light all Jerusalem, I
light the entire world. Only if you know Me, will
you be delivered from darkness and have light to see.”
Dear Christian
Friend, this challenges us that since we are part
of that light, we are to walk in that light (Eph.
5:8).
Scriptures
for Study: Read the following verses and rejoice in the
light: John 9:5; 12:46; Romans 13:12; 2 Corinthians 4:6;
1 Thessalonians 5:5; James 1:17.
& Also read 2 Corinthians
6:14—7:1, which concerns our separation from the
world.
October
1
Drawn
Away [and]
Enticed
exelko [and]
deleazo
James provides us
with a sober warning: “But every man is tempted, when he
is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed” (James
1:14): Drawn
away is exelko (1828).
The root helko (1670) basically means “to draw,”
“tug,” or, in the case of persons, “compel.” Jesus uses
this word, for example, of irresistibly drawing souls to
Himself (John 6:44; 12:32). The prefix ek (1537),
however, means out or away, so the picture here is the
drawing, tugging, or compelling someone away from that
which is good.
Even more graphic is
deleazo
(enticed), which
means to bait or entrap and pictures the idea of
baiting a hook. A fisherman or trapper uses an enticing
bait to draw his prey. During World War II, both German
and Japanese troops would booby-trap souvenirs, such as
pistols and Samurai swords. The Viet Cong did the same
in Vietnam. Americans returned the favor, however; since
the VC loved to scrounge US supplies, when GIs vacated a
campsite, they often left C-rations behind wired to a
claymore mine.
All that pictures
Satan and his deceptions. He draws us by using bait that
looks desirable and even profitable. But just as
the fisherman, trapper, and solder hides the
consequences of taking the bait, so does Satan. He tries
to hide what sin will do. He camouflages the trap so
well that only by stopping and carefully examining the
situation can we see the trap. Vance
Havner writes:
“Satan is the Master
Deceiver, the Mock angel disguised as an angel of light.
He does not plow up the wheat in our Lord’s parable, he
plants tares that resemble wheat so closely that few
know the difference and final separation is left to
angels. When Moses performs miracles, Jannes and Jambres
are on hand to match the performance. Our Saviour
repeatedly warned against deceivers in the last
days.”
Oh, how many Satanic
deceptions there are today! There are “societal snares,”
such as women’s liberation, the new morality, and others
that continue to destroy the family and erode society.
There are also countless “truth traps”: cults, heresy in
the church, human philosophy, mysticism, and more. The
discerning Christian must be constantly vigilant in
detecting and avoiding satanic
deception.
Scriptures
for Study:
How did Satan “bait” and entice Eve (Gen.
3:1–6), Achan (Josh. 7:21), and David (2 Sam.
11:2)?
December
29
It
Is Finished
teleo
The words it is
finished (John 19:30), which our Lord
spoke from the cross, state a profound truth. The Greek
is teleo (5055), which is derived from
telos (5056), which “originally meant the turning
point, hinge, the culminating point at which one stage
ends and another begins; later, the goal, the end.”
Several things were looked upon as being an end, or a
goal, such as marriage, physical and intellectual
knowledge, and, of course, death. Teleo, then,
means “to bring to a telos, to
complete.”
Teleo
appears, for example, in Revelation 20:5–7, which refers
to “when the thousand years are expired,” that is, when
the Millennium comes to its culmination, ushering in the
final events on earth.
Among
other instances of this word, however, it
is finished is the greatest.
That statement declares that the goal of redemption had
been reached, that salvation by Jesus’ sacrifice was
completed. This was the purpose that Jesus Himself spoke
of in John 4:34: “My meat is to do the will of him that
sent me, and to finish [teleioo] his work” (cf.
17:4; Acts 13:29). This word was actually rooted in
ancient culture. As Charles Ryrie writes, “Receipts for
taxes found in the papyri have written across them this
single Greek word, which means ‘paid in full.’” Indeed,
Christ paid the full price for our sin. Nothing else
either need be paid or could be paid.
Salvation is by grace (Feb. 13–14)
alone.
Further, the actual
construction in the Greek text (tetelestai) is in
the perfect tense, which describes an action that took
place in the past with the results of the action
continuing into the present. Since it has no direct
equivalent in English, it’s often translated as “has,”
“have,” or “hath.” Young’s Literal
Translation, for example, reads, “It hath been
finished.” The significance, then, is clear.
While the actual
work of Calvary occurred some 2,000 years ago,
the results have not diminished one iota through
the ages. So, when Jesus uttered those words, “It is
finished,” the work of redemption was
accomplished for all time. Take some time today to
meditate on and rejoice in a salvation that is truly
finished in Christ.
Scriptures
for Study:
According to Romans 10:4 (cf. Gal. 3:13),
what else came to an “end” (telos) through
Christ’s work? & In our Christian walk, what will
keep us from fulfilling (“fulfil,” teleo) the
lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16)?
Where to get it: Christian Book Distributors (CBD) and Amazon.com.
What
Others Are Saying
Most “devotional”
books and booklets function like a spiritual
vitamin—take one a day and you will feel better. But
neither vitamin pills nor devotional books were ever
meant to replace balanced diets; they are meant to be
supplements. Hence, most devotional material is light on
doctrine, designed to give the reader a spiritual lift
more than to instruct in truth. Enter Dr. Watson’s
excellent book. Ignoring the normal lighthearted
paradigm of this genre of literature, Dr. Watson offers
biblical meat and potatoes. I can think of no other book
of this type that so meticulously enlightens the mind as
it encourages the heart. I recommend it
highly.
Dr. Gary E. Gilley, Pastor-teacher of Southern
View Chapel, Springfield,
IL
Author of This Little Church Went to
Market
These meditations
draw from the deep wells of New Testament vocabulary and
theology. Here is daily grace for every reader.
R.
Kent Hughes
Pastor of College Church in Wheaton,
IL
Here is a gold mine
of theologically-rich words, drawn from the quarry of
Scripture, that will enhance the daily walk of every
believer. This book is a wonderful resource that
will cultivate a deeper knowledge of biblical words and
stimulate a passionate heart for the
Lord.
Dr. Steven J. Lawson; Pastor, Christ Fellowship
Baptist Church
in
Mobile, Alabama and author of numerous
books
Pastor Watson has done us an
outstanding service in putting together this devotional
book based on various important words of Scripture.
Every word of the Bible is vital to our understanding of
spiritual truth, and each is loaded
with
significant lessons for daily living. This unique work
will be like an adventure, a road to travel with
heavenly thoughts and concepts to help the Christian
begin each day. There is nothing quite like it for
believers on the market today.
Dr. Mal Couch, Scofield
Ministries
Author, and Founder of Tyndale Theological
Seminary
A Word for the
Day delivers pithy Greek “word study” gems to
devotionally enrich Christians in understanding and
obeying Scripture. The biblical treasures extracted from
this unique volume will prove eternally priceless for
its regular reader.
Dr. Richard Mayhue
Executive Vice
President
The Master’s College and
Seminary
In my early morning
devotional reading, I prefer red meat to cold cereal and
milk. In A
Word for the Day, Dr. Watson provides rare steak for
breakfast with his wonderful daily devotional, an
excellent means for a deeper understanding of Truth
through the original language of God’s Word. I highly
recommend this book.
JD
Wetterling
Presbyterian (PCA)
Elder
Author of “No
one…”
Every word that God
speaks is pure (Prov 30:5), tested and refined in the
fire of divine sovereignty. Thus, it behooves God’s
people to carefully consider every single word that God
employs in expressing His will and way to us in His
Scriptures. Why should selecting one synonym over
another in the writing of Scripture make any difference
to us? It made a difference to the divine Author which
word He chose, therefore it ought to make a difference
to us. His Holy Spirit superintended the penning of each
and every word. J. D. Watson’s A Word for the Day
enables the reader to understand the different aspects
of meaning even between synonyms. In this way we begin
to perceive the intricate beauties of the wonderfully
crafted written Word of the omniscient
God.
Dr. William D. Barrick
The Master’s
Seminary
I am passionately in
favor of "real" devotional books (you know, the ones
that actually teach the Bible) and am passionately
opposed to fluff, such as: "God loves, loves, loves you,
oh yes He does. He loves you lots and lots and lots and
thinks you're really cool, too!” You are what you eat.
It's hard to be healthy eating processed sugar for
breakfast. Word studies provide a solid foundation for
understanding the Scriptures. Doc Watson has produced a
quality product for the church—good food to grow on. A
good subtitle for this book would be "Healthy Food for
Faithful Shepherds and the Sheep they
Feed."
Dr. Jim Bearss
Founder and Director of “On Target
Ministry”
Teaching Faithful Men through International
Education
Where to get it: Christian Book Distributors (CBD) and Amazon.com.
