NT Framework - Grammar matters

The reason God used Hebrew and Greek to record the events of the Bible is because they are so, very, absolutely precise.

More information about Beyond the Walls, including additional resources can be found at www.beyondthewalls-ministry.com 

This series included graphics to illustrate what is being taught, if you would like to watch the teachings you can do so on Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/SpokaneBibleChurch) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtV_KhFVZ_waBcnuywiRKIyEcDkiujRqP).

Jeremy Thomas is the pastor at Spokane Bible Church in Spokane, Washington and a professor at Chafer Theological Seminary. He has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years, always seeking to present its truths in a clear and understandable manner. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and
our series on the New TestamentFramework.
Today a smaller, bite-sizedpiece from the larger lesson.
We hope you enjoy it.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Let's look at a few Deity of Christ passages.
Let's look at John 20, 28,because we're in John, so that's
a quick one to look at.
We'll go over to these.
I won't take you through all ofthem, just a few.
John 20, 28.
This is maybe somewhat humorousa little bit.

(00:31):
You remember that there are someappearances of Christ after his
resurrection, you know, tovarious women and also to the
12,.
But well, now it's cut downbecause Judas isn't there.
But also, on one occasionThomas wasn't there, remember.
So he missed that appearance.
But in this passage it waseight days later.

(00:52):
And this is his appearance toThomas, along with the others.
And in verse 26, after eightdays his disciples were again
assigned, and Thomas with them.
This time Jesus came, the doorshaving been shut, and he stood
in their midst, what, what andsaid Peace be with you.

(01:14):
Then he said to Thomas Reachhere with your finger and see my
hands.
And reach here your hand andput it into my side and do not
be unbelieving, but believing.
And Thomas answered and said tohim my Lord and my what?
My God.
And did Jesus say?

(01:34):
Did Jesus rebuke him and say donot call me God?
No, he doesn't.
He doesn't say that at all.
If he wasn't God, he shouldhave said do not call me God,
the Jehovah's Witnesses say.
Well, he was just shocked andhe said like someone would in
the 21st century, oh my God.

(01:58):
Next, next, titus, chapter 2,verse 13.
Well, I always show this one,so let's do 2 Peter 1.
2 Peter 1, verse 1.
And I'll talk a little bitabout a rule.
It's called Sharpe's Rule.

(02:19):
It's named after a man namedGranville Sharpe who discovered
this rule in the late 1700s and,I think, published it around
1798.
He was a Greek scholar andbasically, you know, greek
scholars are a little bit odd,but he found a construction in
the Greek text that wasconsistent let's just say

(02:42):
consistent throughout its about200 uses in the New Testament.
And nobody ever since hepublished this in 1798 has ever
shown the rule to be brokenanywhere in the New Testament.
And it's used in two deity ofChrist passages this one, 2

(03:04):
Peter 1.1, and also in Titus2.13.
What the rule states is this Iknow this is just a little bit
advanced, but that's okay.
If you have a definite article,a single definite article, why
is this not writing?
Okay, this is a definitearticle, right, the in our

(03:28):
language.
If you have this in the Greeklanguage, a definite article
followed by a noun, let's saynoun one, and then the Greek
word, and, which is chi,followed by another noun, noun
two.
And both these nouns aresingular and they're personal,
singular and personal.
Two.
And both these nouns aresingular and they're personal,

(03:53):
singular and personal.
Then both nouns refer to thesame object.
It's not that complicated asingle article referring to both
of the nouns, with the word andin between.
As long as these nouns aresingular and personal, they both
refer to the same object.
So that construction is here in2 Peter 1, verse 1.

(04:14):
To those who've received a faithof the same kind as ours by the
righteousness of our God andSavior, jesus Christ.
Can you guess what the twonouns are?
God is noun one.
What's the second one, savior,in the Greek.
They're both singular In theGreek, obviously they're both

(04:37):
personal God personal, savior,personal.
They are preceded by thedefinite article, the.
Then they refer to the sameobject.
And who's the object?
Jesus Christ.
So who is our great God and whois our great Savior, jesus
Christ.
It's not that complicated,right?
This rule?
Over 200 times in the NewTestament, this rule is never

(04:58):
broken.
Two of the passages areChristological, others are not.
Ephesians 1.3, our God andFather you know that's another
usage, but it doesn't relate toChristological.
Others are not.
Ephesians 1.3, our God andFather that's another usage, but
it doesn't relate toChristology.
But it's all over the place.
Titus 2.13.
Titus 2.13.

(05:18):
Waiting for the appearing ofour great God and Savior, jesus
Christ.
Let's do the Hebrews 1.8,because I love this one, and
then we'll stop with this.
Hebrews 1.8.
Actually, 7 and 8.
And I kind of wish they hadtranslated this differently, so

(05:43):
maybe someone else can volunteera translation that might be
superior.
In the Greek, anotherconstruction that you learn
about is called men, de.
Don't think men like people,it's just a word.
And whenever you have thisconstruction, men, separated by
a lot of words, and then de, itmeans on the one hand or on one

(06:04):
hand.
Let's just put on one hand, onone hand, on the other hand, we
talk like this, right, so thefirst men would be on one hand,
but on the other hand.
Well, that happens here inHebrews 1, 7, and 8.

(06:25):
In verse 7, there's a men and inverse 8, there's a day.
So I really wish they'dtranslate verse 7 saying
something like on the one handof the angels, he says, and he
quotes an Old Testament passagethat says that his angels wins,
he makes his angels wins and hisministers a flame of fire.

(06:48):
So that's what angels are.
They're ministers, they're aflame of fire.
But verse 8 has a day and whatit's saying is.
But on the other hand, he saysof the Son, your throne, o God,

(07:08):
o God is forever and ever, andthe righteous scepter is the
scepter of his kingdom.
He's contrasting angels withthe Son, because the Jews, who
this letter is is written to,were exalting angels and the
author is saying Jesus is waybetter.

Speaker 1 (07:31):
Thank you for joining us on Beyond the Walls with
Jeremy Thomas.
If you would like to see thevisuals that went along with
today's sermon, you can findthose on Rumble and on YouTube
under Spokane Bible Church.
That is where Jeremy is thepastor and teacher.
We hope you found today'slesson productive and useful in

(07:51):
growing closer to God andwalking more obediently with Him
.
If you found this podcast to beuseful and helpful, then please
consider rating us in yourfavorite podcast app, and until
next time, we hope you have ablessed and wonderful day.