Possession (4041) periousios by Greek Word Studies

Possession (4041) (periousios from perí = beyond + eimi = to be, exist) means of one's own possession, one's own and here qualifies people. Periousios describes the property one owned as a rich and distinctive possession, a possession which is of very special status. Titus 2:14 is the only NT use of periousios where Paul figuratively describes God's redeemed people as Christ's costly possession and His distinctive treasure. Believers are those that belong in a special sense to Christ. What an incredible word picture of blood bought, heaven bound sinners who are now the Savior's saints! Periousios is used four times in the Septuagint for Israel, the chosen people, the peculiar people of Jehovah (see references in Vincent's note below). Marvin Vincent has a lengthy note on periousion writing that it is used... A few times in LXX (Septuagint), always with laos (Greek = people). For example: Exodus 19:5 "Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession [periousion] among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine" (NAS) Deut 7:6 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession [periousion] out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth." (NAS) Deut 14:2 "For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar [periousion] people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. (King James Version) Deut 26:18 "And the LORD has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession [periousion, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments (note privilege always conveys responsibility!)" (NAS) The phrase was originally applied to the people of Israel, but is transferred here to believers in the Messiah — Jews and Gentiles. Comp. 1Pe 2:10 (Click for discussion of "for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD"). Periousios is from a participle meaning to be over and above: hence periousía = abundance, plenty. Periousios also means possessed over and above, that is, specially selected for one’s own; exempt from ordinary laws of distribution. Hence correctly represented by peculiar, derived from peculium, a private purse, a special acquisition of a member of a family distinct from the property administered for the good of the whole family. Accordingly the sense is given in Ep 1:14, (see note) where believers are said to have been sealed with a view to redemption of possession ("with a view to the redemption of God's own possession"), or redemption which will give possession, thus = acquisition. So 1Pe 2:9 (Click note ) where Christians are styled a people for acquisition, to be acquired by God as His peculiar possession.". (Vincent, M. R. Word Studies in the New Testament: Vol. 4, Page 346) (Bolding added) Kenneth Wuest adds that... Christians are the private possession of God. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans) This has always been God's desire from the beginning that His chosen people be a Holy People, His very own peculiar and special possession. Paul is saying that we as believers are no longer our own but are now Christ's special, treasured possession. Paul could not be much clearer. Jesus warned of the practical implications of not heeding this truth (Mt 6:24 -note). If you are loving the world then you cannot be loving Jesus, the Master Who bought you. (Jas 4:4, 1Jn 2:15, 16, 17) As noted above, the 1611 KJV quaintly describes saints as “a peculiar people.” Unfortunately, too often we are a "peculiar people", but not in the way God intended! He didn’t die to make us odd or strange people, but a people who belong to Him in a special way, not to the world nor to ourselves. Just as we formerly were possessed and enslaved by sin, now we are to be possessed by and enslaved to Jesus Christ. Barnes observes that periousios means, properly, having abundance; and then one’s own, what is special, or peculiar (Robinson, Lexicon), and here means that they were to be regarded as belonging to the Lord Jesus. It does not mean, as the word would seem to imply - and as is undoubtedly true - that they are to be a unique people in the sense that they are to be unlike others, or to have views and principles unique to themselves; but that they belong to the Saviour in contradistinction from belonging to themselves - “peculiar” or his own in the sense that a man’s property is his own, and does not belong to others. This passage, therefore, should not be used to prove that Christians should be unlike others in their manner of living, but that they belong to Christ as his redeemed people. From that it may indeed be inferred that they should be unlike others, but that is not the direct teaching of the passage. (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible) (Bolding added) Adam Clarke writes that periousios... signifies such a peculiar property as a man has in what he has purchased with his own money. Jesus gave His life for the world, and thus has purchased men unto Himself; and, having purchased the slaves from their thraldom (enslavement), He is represented as stripping them of their sordid vestments, cleansing and purifying them unto Himself that they may become His own servants, and bringing them out of their dishonorable and oppressive servitude, in which they had no proper motive to diligence and could have no affection for the despot under whose authority they were employed. Thus redeemed, they now become His willing servants, and are zealous of good works - affectionately attached to that noble employment which is assigned to them by that Master Whom it is an inexpressible honor to serve. (Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible) ZEALOUS FOR GOOD DEEDS: zeloten kalon ergon: (Titus 2:7-note; Titus 3:8-note; Acts 9:36; Eph 2:10-note; 1Ti 2:10; 6:18; Heb 10:24-note; 1Pe 2:12-note) CREED BREEDS CONDUCT God Himself is described as zealous ("jealous") (see more examples under discussion of zelotes)... Joshua 24:19 Then Joshua said to the people, "You will not be able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous (zealous; Lxx = zeloo = burns with zeal) God; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins. Phinehas was zealous for the Lord's honor and integrity (for context read Numbers 25)... Numbers 25:11 "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel, in that he was jealous (zealous) with My jealousy (zeal) among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy. 12 "Therefore say, 'Behold, I give him My covenant of peace; (Notice the legacy that accrued from the zealous good deed of Phinehas!) Psalm 106:30 Then Phinehas stood up and interposed; and so the plague was stayed. 31 And it was reckoned to him for righteousness, To all generations forever. Note who was blessed to be in the lineage of Phinehas Ezra 7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, there went up Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest. (see discussion of Ezra 7:10 ) Amy Carmichael poetically pictured zealous for good deeds in her famous poem... Give me the love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can dismay, The hope no disappointments tire, The passion that will burn like fire. Let me not sink to be a clod; Make me thy fuel, Flame of God. The Christian martyr Jim Elliot expressed a similar zealousness for good deeds when he asked.. Am I ignitable? God deliver me from the dread asbestos of 'other things'. Saturate me with the oil of the Spirit that I may be a flame. Hiebert writes that... For those who have been redeemed from the doom of sin and death and brought into a unique relationship with God, the true voluntary response is to be enthusiastic "to do what is good." It is the true badge of His divine ownership. He who eagerly awaits the return of the Savior will be eager also to further His cause by good works until He comes. It is another instance of the union between creed and conduct insisted upon in the pastoral Epistles. (Ibid) Zealous - Totally committed. Sold out. Abandoned. Dedicated. "Possessed". "On fire". Burning. Ablaze, Afire. Impassioned. Fanatical. Ardent. Fervent. Fervently devoted. Passionate. Passionate ardor in pursuit of something. Single heart. Single minded allegiance. Enthusiastically devoted. Eager desire to accomplish some goal or end. Dear reader, would our Father label you as one who is on fire for good (God) deeds? Samuel Chadwick was right when he said that... Men ablaze are invincible. Hell trembles when men kindle. Spurgeon comments... Would to God that all Christian men and women were disciplined by divine grace till they became zealous for good works! In holiness zeal is sobriety. We are not only to approve of good works, and speak for good works, but we are to be red-hot for them. We are to be on fire for everything that is right and true. We may not be content to be quiet and inoffensive, but we are to be zealous of good works. Oh that my Lord’s grace would set us on fire in this way! There is plenty of fuel in the church, what is wanted is fire. A great many very respectable people are, in their sleepy way, doing as little as they can for any good cause. This will never do. We must wake up. Oh the quantity of ambulance work that Christ’s soldiers have to do! One half of Christ’s army has to carry the other half. Oh that our brethren could get off the sick-list! Oh that all of us were ardent, fervent, vigorous, zealous! Come, Holy Spirit, and quieten us! We may not go about to get this by our own efforts and energies, but God will work it by His grace. Grace given us in Christ is the fountain head of all holy impulse. O heavenly grace, come like a flood at this time and bear us right away! Oh that those of you who have never felt the grace of God may be enabled to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as to His first appearing! Then, trusting in His death upon the cross, you will learn to look for His second coming upon the throne, and you will rejoice therein. Unto His great name be glory for ever and ever! Amen. (From Spurgeon's sermon Two Appearings & the Discipline of Grace) "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/titus_214-15.htm#Possession

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Possession (4041) periousios

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