THE CHRISTIAN AND HIS PRAYER LIFE

Discusses the importance of prayer, the benefits we can derive from it, the manner of praying, how Christ and the Holy Spirit help us in our prayers, reasons why God sometimes don’t listen to our prayers, etc.

LESSONS INCLUDE…

          (1) Why We Need To Pray: The Importance of It (2) Prayer With God As Its Focus (3) Prayer Coupled With Obedience (4) Praying In His Name and In Accordance to His Will (5) Praying With the Intercession of Christ and of the Spirit (6) Praying Without Ceasing and Without Fainting (7) Praying and Abiding in Him (8) Praying With Thankfulness (10) Why God Sometimes Does Not Hear Us (11) When To Pray

THIS IS THE FIRST LESSON



THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER IN THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN

WHY DO WE NEED TO PRAY?

 

EPHESIANS 6:10-18

says,

“Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”

     

What Were They Commanded To Do?

(1)

“

Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might”

(EPHESIANS 6:10). BE STRONG, ENDUNAMOUSTHE

, present imperative passive of ENDUNAMOU great power!

, “to empower”; passive, “to be strengthened” (Rogers & Rogers, 446). Be strong in the One from above who alone possesses

(2)

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil

” (EPHESIANS 6:11).

PUT ON, ENDUSASTHE

, aorist imperative middle (deponent) of ENDUOMAI, “to put on, to clothe oneself with” (Rogers & Rogers, 446). The aorist imperative tense gives this command a sense of urgency!

WHOLE ARMOR, PANOPLIA

, “full armor, complete armor. These included such things as shield, sword, lance, helmet, greaves and breastplate” (Rogers & Rogers, 446). The whole description of this armor is derived from the weapons of the ancient soldier, both offensive and defensive (Barnes Notes).

WILES

. The devil’s wiles are the cunning devices, arts and stratagems the devil employs to delude and deceive us (Barnes Notes).

What Were They Commanded To Do?

 

THE ARMOR OF GOD

Why spiritual? is the full armor that He provides us. For the Christian, this all is the spiritual armor he needs. We are not to go armed partly with God’s weapons and partly with what men use in waging our spiritual battles; doing so would mean defeat.

“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of

wickedness in the heavenly places” (EPHESIANS 6:12). enemy is includes the devil and his cohorts, spiritual powers in the high places.

Our

WRESTLING, Gr. PALE

, “struggle, wrestling. The word refers particularly to a hand-to hand fight… Wrestling was a fight characterized by trickery, cunning and strategy” (Rogers & Rogers, 446). The metaphor alludes to games of ancient Greece, of which wrestling was a part. The patriarch Jacob too had night to-morning struggle with a spiritual personage that tested his mettle. He won that wrestling match —at a great price

(GENESIS 32:24-32)!

-- and earned for himself a new name.

   

What Were They Commanded To Do?

(3)

“Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand”

(EPHESIANS 6:13).

ANALABETE, TAKE UP,

is the aorist imperative active of ANALAMBANO , “to take up.” The “word was used as a military technical term describing the last preparation and final step necessary before the actual battle begins” (Rogers & Rogers, 446). For the Christian, the whole spiritual armor equips him to withstand the evil day, and enables him to stand devil as well.

– a great conqueror in the name of Him who first conquered death and the (4) “Stand therefore” (EPHESIANS 6:14a).

STAND THEREFORE, STETE

, aorist imperative active of HISTEMI , “to stand, take your stand” (Rogers & Rogers, 446). Aorist imperative tense gives a sense of urgency a Christian cannot ignore. “Stand, take your stand” means to stand your ground and resist any attack as a brave soldier does in battle. Stand also means the first step when one is in the position of readiness.

  

What Were They Commanded To Do?

“Having girded your loins with truth” (EPHESIANS 6:14b).

HAVING GIRDED, PERIDZOSAMENOI

PERIDZONNUMI, Notes).

, “girding round” (Marshall, 774); aorist middle deponent participle of “to bind around oneself. Analogous to the belts or girdles the Roman soldiers wore to protect their abdomen; or the sword belt, “buckled on together with the sword as the decisive step in the process of preparing oneself for battle” (Rogers & Rogers, 446-447). It could also refer to the special belt designating an officer or a high official (Ibid., 447). It could also mean the sash (Barnes Paul says this special belt wound around a Christian soldier, protecting his abdomen, is truth itself! Thus, the whole soul and body of a Christian is said to be wrapped with truth! Are you being reminded of what the Lord himself said about truth? See

JOHN 8:32

and

17:17

.

  

What Were They Commanded To Do?

“And having put on the breastplate of righteousness”

(EPHESIANS 6:14c).

HAVING PUT ON, ENDUSAMENOI

446-447). , aorist middle participle deponent, “to clothe oneself” (Rogers & Rogers,

THE BREASTPLATE, THORAKA

, covers the Christian’s whole being like a suit! THORAKA “denotes a piece of armor that can mean anything worn …to protect the body between the shoulders and the loins.” In an average Roman soldier, the breastplate was a piece of metal (Rogers & Rogers, 447). Equivalent to the coat of mail, the armor covering the body from the neck to the thighs, and consisting of two parts, one covering the front and the other the back. It was made of rings, scales, plates, so fastened together that they would be flexible, and yet guard the body from a sword, spear, or arrow (Barnes Notes).

   

What Were They Commanded To Do?

“BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS”

has obtained from Christ, not his own! is understood by scholars as the genitive of apposition, and is interpreted to mean “breastplate which is righteousness.” The Christian’s breastplate, as he goes to war and faces the enemy, is the righteousness that he

“And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of

peace” (EPHESIANS 6:15).

HAVING SHOD, HUPODESAMENOI

elegant shoe, the

calceus

, “shoeing” (Marshall, 774 775); it is the aorist middle deponent participle of HUPODEOMAI, “to bind under, to strap on. It may refer to the Roman soldier’s shoe, which was thickly studded with hobnails. Or it may refer to the more , worn by men of higher rank” (Rogers & Rogers, 447).

ETOMASIA.

The Christian’s shoe is the peace between the sinner and his God. ETOMASIA , “the preparation, the readiness” of the gospel that brings peace to the soul. In this context, it may mean the full-preparedness inherent in the evangelistic shoes. It is the shoe gospel you wear as you look for souls who are troubled by their sins, the gospel that makes for

  

What Were They Commanded To Do?

“Withal taking up the shield of faith” (EPHESIANS 6:16a).

TAKING UP, ANALABONTES

, aorist active participle of ANALAMBANO , “to take up.” Again, this is the same word used in verse 13, and has a military sense, describing one’s final preparation for battle (Rogers & Rogers, 446-447).

THE SHIELD OF FAITH, TON THUREON TES PISTEOS (EPHESIANS 6:16).

THUREOS contact with the shield of faith!

, shield, “refers to the large door-shaped shield, in contrast to the small round convex shield. The reference is to the Roman soldier’s

scutum

which had an iron frame and sometimes a metal boss in the center at the front. Often several layers of leather were soaked in water before the battle in order to put out the incendiary missiles of the enemy” (Ibid., 447). The Christian’s shield is his faith in the One who enables him to face the fiery darts of the enemy. Those fiery darts are quenched as they come in

   

What Were They Commanded To Do?

“Wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the

evil one” (EPHESIANS 6:16b).

YE SHALL BE ABLE, DUNESESTHE

, future indicative middle deponent of DUNAMAI , “to be able to” (Rogers & Rogers, 447). Since God makes you able by providing you with the whole armor, therefore you can take courage. The fiery darts of the devil cannot puncture the shield as long as one remains faithful and righteous in Christ!

TO QUENCH, SBESAI

, aorist active infinitive of SBENNUMI, “to put out, to quench” (Ibid., 447). To quench as if with water!

THE FIERY, PEPUROMENA

, perfect passive participle of PUROO, “to set on fire” (Ibid., 447). Marshall translates thus: “Having been equipped with fire” (Marshall, 775). In our translations, this word with a long meaning is simply rendered “fiery.” An adjectival participle, it describes the kind of darts the devil throws our way. Notice that the darts are many – the devil will not be content with just one!

 

What Were They Commanded To Do?

DARTS, BELOS

perfect passive , “dart, arrow. The term could be used to refer to any type of missile (Rogers & Rogers, 447). The PEPUROMENA “indicates that the arrows were set on fire and are burning. These were arrows or spears tipped with fabric and dipped in pitch” (Ibid.) thus becoming some kind of incendiary missiles. The devil keeps attacking Christians with fiery arrows, hence the need for the shield of faith to protect them!

(5)

“

And take the helmet of salvation

”

(EPHESIANS 6:17a).

THE HELMET

life , in ancient times, shielded the head of a Roman soldier as he went to war (Rogers & Rogers, 447). A fatal wound inflicted on the head could spell the end of his – and his career. “The helmet of salvation” is another example of the use of genitive of apposition; the helmet which is their salvation in Christ shields the head of the soldier in Christ, by which he can escape spiritual death and its destruction! The salvation helmet becomes his armor of defence.

   

What Were They Commanded To Do?

(6)

“

And take… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

”

(EPHESIANS 6:17b).

metaphor for the sword by which the Christians can do battle against sin and against the wiles of the devil. The Word of God becomes his armor of offence. Nothing can be more appropriate!

The Bible here becomes the

HOW?

“W

ith all prayer and supplication, praying at all seasons in the Spirit

”

(EPHESIANS 6:18a).

What does Paul mean?

Take the helmet of salvation, your defensive armor, to protect yourselves from spiritual death’s destruction; take also the Word of God, which is your spiritual sword, your offensive armor in your fight against the wiles of the devil and the wiles of sin! Receive these, take these, PRAYING at all seasons, PRAYING in the Spirit, and PRAYING with all prayer and supplication!

Prayer and Supplication: What do they mean?

   

“PRAYER,” PROSEUCHES

, “request, prayer, petition. It is generally a petition for particular benefits or a petition arising from a particular need” (Rogers & Rogers, 447).

“SUPPLICATION,” DEESIS,

“primarily a wanting, a need”; “an asking, an entreaty, a supplication always addressed to God” (Vine’s, 200).

WE SAY A PRAYER

because of a great need trusting in the One we are praying to as the only One who can supply what we are asking.

WE SAY A SUPPLICATION

, entreating the Deity of our great need, with the spirit of humility because we are just humans, powerless, and unable to supply that need!

Their Way of Praying

    They were told to pray at

ALL TIMES

. Which means: all moments, all days, all opportunities, all occasions. The place does not matter, and the times do not matter either! They could pray in secret, or in the assembly of the brethren. They could pray while rejoicing or while they are suffering in pain. They could pray while undergoing trials, or after they have overcome those trials. Prayer keeps them on a direct hotline with the Divine.

They were told to pray

IN THE SPIRIT

. Which could mean: through the help of, assisted by the interceding Spirit

(ROMANS 8:26).

What Else Were They Commanded To Do?

  

“Watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

” (EPHESIANS 6:18b).

WATCHING, AGRUPNOUNTES

, present active participle of AGRUNEO , “to stay awake, to lie sleepless, to pass a sleepless night, to be watchful, to be vigilant” (Rogers & Rogers, 447). The Christian is ever watchful, for the devil might catch him off-guard, or in his sleep! Vigilance in persevering is the lesson here.

PERSEVERANCE, PROSKATERESIS,

work” (Rogers & Rogers, 447).

means “constancy, diligence, persistence.” The verb of this noun “was used in the papyri in the sense of holding out or waiting; e.g. waiting until one’s trial came before the court, or [waiting while] diligently remaining at one’s

Their Manner of Praying



EPHESIANS 6:18a:

They were told to keep on praying by means of all prayer and all petition.



EPHESIANS 6:18b:

They were told to keep on praying at all times in the Spirit.



EPHESIANS 6:18c:

They were told to keep watching in all perseverance and all petition.



EPHESIANS 6:18d:

They were told to keep praying for all the saints.

THINK ABOUT THIS:



ALL prayers and supplications



ALL times



ALL perseverance



ALL the saints

Why Should We Pray?

   FIRST, BECAUSE OF THE TERRIBLE AND DESTRUCTIVE NATURE OF OUR ENEMY, THE DEVIL.

EPHESIANS 6:11-13,

“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand .”

The nature of our enemy is such that he cannot be defeated by physical warfare. So, let’s take the war to the highest level. Let’s put on the whole armor of God, with our salvation as our arm of defence and the Word of God as our arm of offence, and let’s come to our bended knees and seek the aid of the God most high. That is the only way.

Why Should We Pray?

   SECOND, THE APOSTLES AND THE EARLY LEADERS OF THE CHURCH WERE MEN OF PRAYER.

ACTS 6:1-4,

“Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2 And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables. 3 Look ye out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will continue stedfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.

”

Here is one great lesson for preachers: Leave the tables to the serving deacons and let the preachers spend their time on what’s nobler and more profound: Praying and sowing!

Why Should We Pray?

     THIRD, PRAYER OCCUPIED A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE EARTHLY MINISTRY OF OUR LORD.

MARK 1:35,

rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed.

“And in the morning, a great while before day, he ”

The Lord would shorten the hours of His sleep just so He could spend longer hours in communicating with His Father!

LUKE 6:12,

“And it came to pass in these days, that he went out into the mountain to pray; and he continued all night in prayer to God.

”

This shows that on some occasions, the Lord found it necessary to take a whole night to pray. How much time do you spend communicating with the Father? The longest I spent praying was four hours, on bended knees, with tears flowing from my eyes. The Lord’s answer to that prayer changed the course of my life, and from that day on I never looked back.

Why Should We Pray?

    FOURTH, PRAYING TOO HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT MINISTRY OF OUR LORD AFTER HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN.

The Lord’s ministry did not end with His death on the cross. His atoning work on earth has been finished and done, but when He sat down at the right hand of Majesty in the heavens, He enters into a ministry that’s equally important: That of interceding for His saints!

ROMANS 8:34,

“Who is he that condemns? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us .”

HEBREWS 7:25,

“Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them .”

Why Should We Pray?

    FIFTH, BY COMMUNICATING WITH FAITH TO OUR GOD THROUGH PRAYER, WE ARE ASSURED OF HIS ANSWERS TO OUR PETITIONS.

Many complain of great poverty, of great lack, of unhealed sickness, of behaviour unchanged, of unresponsive spouses and kids, of heavenly blessings that have stopped flowing. But here is one thing everyone needs to know: We don’t have--because we have not asked!

JAMES 4:2,

cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.” “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and

Don’t assume that God will just open the windows of heaven and pour out His blessings without you asking Him! Pray and pour out to Him whatever your heart desires, in accordance to His will, and He will listen!

Why Should We Pray?

   SIXTH, PRAYING IS GOD’S APPOINTED MEANS FOR US TO RECEIVE MERCY AND GRACE TO HELP US IN TIME OF NECESSITY.

HEBREWS 4:14-16,

“Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.

”

Grace is what we need, and mercy is what we must have, otherwise all our lives will be a complete fiasco. It is great to know that in spite of our faults and weaknesses and failings, the Lord has not written us off. Through prayers we can always confess our faults and sins, and obtain the needed release through His blood that once flowed on Calvary’s Cross, whose effect still remains.

Why Should We Pray?

   SEVENTH, PRAYING HELPS US TO SURVIVE TRIALS AND TEMPTATIONS.

MARK 14:37-40,

“And he came, and found them sleeping, and says to Peter, Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch even for one hour? 38 Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 39 And again he went away, and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came, and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they knew not what to answer him.”

Trials and temptations demand that we be vigilant, awake, watching, that the devil may not catch us off-guard. Spend even an hour on bended knees. Pray as you are tempted and tried, beg for mercy and grace; and when you have passed over those trials, offer a prayer of thankfulness.

Why Should We Pray?

    EIGHTH, PRAYER IS JESUS’ APPOINTED WAY FOR US TO OBTAIN JOY IN ITS FULLNESS .

JOHN 16:23-24,

“And in that day ye shall ask me no question. Verily, verily, I say unto you, if ye shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full.

”

PSALM 16:11,

“Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fullness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore .”

Here is the window of joy that every Christian must start looking into. One never receives this joy if he is too lazy to ask! Start praying. Keep on praying. Never stop praying. Wait for His answers. And pray for His answers!

Why Should We Pray?

   NINTH, PRAYER IS GOD’S MEANS FOR US TO OBTAIN FREEDOM FROM ALL ANXIETY AND TO HAVE PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6,7,

Jesus.

” “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ

Man in every age always battles against anxiety that little by little saps the energy of the soul. The advice is to be calm, because anxiety does not guarantee you will receive what you’re asking for! Take that all to God in prayer and entreaty, and be thankful for everything —the little, the much, the bad, the good, the worst. Even the downsides of our lives are chapters that bring good lessons, if one looks at them with the eye of hope and faith! Then God’s peace, which transcends every human ability to comprehend, comes and wraps our souls with its safeguarding presence. Then quiet comes after the storm.

Why Should We Pray?

   TENTH, PRAYER IS JESUS’ MEANS FOR US TO SURVIVE AND PREPARE US FOR THAT DAY WHEN WE ARE TO STAND BEFORE HIM.

LUKE 21:34-36,

“But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare: 35 for so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. 36 But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man .”

OVERCHARGED, BARETHOSIN,

Rogers, 164).

“become burdened” (Marshall, 335); literally, “be made heavy, as is the case of those who have eaten and drunken too much” (Barnes Commentary); being weighed down, depressed (Rogers &

Why Should We Pray?

    

SURFEITING, KRAIPALE

, “drunken nausea,” signifying “the distressing after effects of intoxication” (Rogers & Rogers, 164); “excessive eating and drinking so as to oppress the body; indulgence in the pleasures of the table” (Barnes Commentary).

CARES, MERIMNAIS

, “anxieties” (Marshall, 335); “care, worry, anxiety, a feeling of apprehension or distress in view of possible danger or misfortune” (Rogers & Rogers, 164).

THAT DAY

, the day of the calamity, with its suddenness. Jesus likens that day to a snare (Barnes Commentary) which shall catch us unaware. He says such “shall come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth” (LUKE 21:35).

WATCH YE, AGRUPNEITE

(Rogers & Rogers, 165).

, “be alert, be awake, be watchful, make an effort to learn what might be a potential future threat”

MAKING SUPPLICATION, DEOMENOI

the action of watching!

, “begging” (Marshall, 335); present middle participle of DEOMAI, “requesting, praying” (Rogers & Rogers, 165). Praying is to be done concurrently with

Why Should We Pray?

   ELEVENTH, PRAYER, LIKE THE STUDY OF THE WORD, PROMOTES CHRISTIAN GROWTH.

PSALM 139: 23-24

everlasting .”

,

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts; 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way

It would help to keep us in the fear of the Lord the whole day if, first thing in the morning, our thoughts would be of Him. It would be best to beg God who knows our hearts to try us and know our thoughts, and find out for us if there is a wicked way in us, and ask Him to guide us to the everlasting way that leads to Him. This is no ordinary prayer that the patriarch David had uttered, which finds no comparison with the prayers we often hear in our congregations on days of worship!

Why Should We Pray?

   TWELFTH, IT IS THROUGH PRAYER THAT WE OBTAIN WISDOM TO GUIDE US IN OUR DAILY LIVING .

JAMES 1:5-8,

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and upbraids not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he who doubts is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; 8 a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways .”

Wisdom here must refer to the kind they would need in times of trials, as the context shows; one that tells them about the design and tendency of temptations. Knowing such, we may grow out of them, and cultivate views and feeling appropriate for peculiar forms of trials that come upon us.

Why Should We Pray?

   

THIRTEENTH, PRAYING, COUPLED WITH THE SOWING OF THE SEED, BRINGS THE CONVERSION OF MANY.

Let every Christian pray for the numerical growth of the church. Let him pray with faith and let him put that faith to action

(JAMES 2:26).

Let him learn of the Word

(2 TIMOTHY 2:15).

him undergo a change. Rusted iron cannot provide strength to the building. Rotten timber cannot support the structure of a house. Let

(cf. JAMES 1:21 25).

Let that disciple himself learn to sow the Word

(ACTS 8:4).

LESSON TWO:



PRAYER THAT’S FOCUSED ON GOD.

REFERENCES USED

  

The Greek New Testament

Societies. , 4 th Revised Edition, 1998. Edited by Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, & Bruce M. Metzger. Published by Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft/ United Bible

The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament

here as Marshall).

. First Zondervan Printing, 1975. Translated by Alfred Marshall. Published by Zondervan Publishing House. (Abbreviated

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature,

by Walter Bauer, William F. Arndt, F. Wilbur Gingrich & Frederick W. Danker. Published by The University of Chicago Press, 1979. (Abbreviated here as BAGD).

REFERENCES USED

  

The New Linguistic & Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament,

by Cleon Rogers Jr. & Cleon Rogers III. Published by Zondervan Publishing House, 1998. (Abbreviated here as Rogers & Rogers).

An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words with their Precise Meanings for English Readers,

H. Revell Company, 17 th by W. E. Vine, M.A. (abbreviated as Vine’s). Published by Fleming impression, 1966. (Abbreviated here as Vine’s).

The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology.

Colin Brown, General Editor. Published by Zondervan Publishing House, 1971. (Abbreviated as Colin Brown).

REFERENCES USED

   

A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature,

by F. Blass and A. Debrunner; translated by Robert W. Funk. Published by The University of Chicago Press, 1961.

New Testament Greek for Beginners,

(Abbreviated as Machen).

by J. Gresham Machen, D.D., Litt.D. Published by The MacMillan Company. Copyright 1951, Forty-first Printing.

New Testament Greek: A Beginning and Intermediate Grammar,

by James Allen Hewett, Ph.D. Published by Hendrickson Publishers, 3 rd Printing, 1992. (Abbreviated as Hewett).

Barnes Commentary. Digital commentary supplied by WORDsearch/Bible Explorer 4.