Depart (672) (apochoreo from apó = from, a marker of dissociation + choréo = to go from a place, give space) means to move away from a point, with emphasis upon separation and possible lack of concern for what has been left. To depart in the sense of desert or abandon (as in Ac 13:13).
Jesus uses the present imperative which indicates the commanded separation is forever.
There are only 3 uses of apochoreo in the NT...
Matthew 7:23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'
Luke 9:39 and behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth, and as it mauls him, it (demonic spirit) scarcely leaves him.
Acts 13:13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John left them and returned to Jerusalem.
Moulton records a secular use...
In the interesting census return reference is made to "the son of a man who had acquired the Alexandrian citizenship and had returned to his own country,” who consequently was to be reckoned as Alexandrian."
At the time of the judgment of the "sheep and the goats" (see above) the King and Judge will declare...
to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt 25:41)
Comment: Is is noteworthy that Hell was not originally prepared for men but for the devil and his angels. However, men by failing to enter by the small gate and narrow way through Christ alone by faith alone, leave God no alternative except to send them into this place of eternal separation and torment.
Spurgeon asks...
What happened to these people after that sentence was pronounced upon them by Christ? It was that “nameless woe” of which we sang a little while ago. There is no name that can ever fully describe your state of woe if Christ does not know you, and says that he never did know you. If you have no acquaintance with the Redeemer-if in his loving heart there is no recognition of you,-if he says, “I never knew you,” ah, then! woe! woe! Woe thousand times, woe without hope for you; for, to be unknown of him is to be devoid of hope for ever and forever.
Practice (2038) (ergazomai from érgon = work) means to work out, engage in an activity involving considerable expenditure of effort. It was used to describe one toiling energetically and diligently in the vineyard. Jesus is not saying that they occasionally (present tense = habitual activity, their lifestyle) fall into sins (which can be the experience of genuine believers) but that they continually work exerting great effort and diligence in order to violate the law! Sadly their end justifies their means!
Ergazomai is used 41 times in the NT - Mt 7:23; 21:28; 25:16; 26:10; Mk 14:6; 13.14" class="scriptRef">Lk 13:14; Jn. 3:21; 5:17; 6:27, 28, 30; 9:4; Ac 10:35; 13:41; 18:3; Ro 2:10; 4:4, 5; 13:10; 1Co 4:12; 9:6, 13; 16:10; 2 Co. 7:10; Ga 6:10; Ep 4:28; Col 3:23; 1Th 2:9; 4:11; 2Th 3:8, 10, 11, 12, He 11:33; Jas 1:20; 2:9; 2Jn 1:8; 3Jn 1:5; Re 18:17 and is translated accomplish(1), accomplished(1), accomplishing(1), achieve(1), committing(1), do(2),does(3), doing(2), done(3), make a living(1), perform(5), performed(1), performing(1), practice(1), produces(1), traded(1),work(13), working(7), works(1), wrought(1).
Practice lawlessness - They reject God's law (and thus ultimately reject His Word and thus God Himself!) in favor of their own self centered, flesh driven desires and will for their life. They act as if there were no divine Torah (Law). Character is satisfactorily tested by the "fruit" of obedience (cp 1Sa 15:22,23)
Paul explains it this way...
the mind set on the flesh is death...because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so. (Ro 8:6, 7-notes)
In other words they won't obey God because they can't obey God. Their "uncircumcised", unconverted, unregenerate, unrepentant, hard hearts do not give them the power or ability to even be able to obey God.
Adam Clarke writes that...
The sense of this verse seems to be this: No person, by merely acknowledging my authority, believing in the Divinity of my nature, professing faith in the perfection of my righteousness, and infinite merit of my atonement, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven-shall have any part with God in glory; but he who doeth the will of my Father-he who gets the bad tree rooted up, the good tree planted, and continues to bring forth fruit to the glory and praise of God. There is a good saying among the rabbins on this subject. "A man should be as vigorous as a panther, as swift as an eagle, as fleet as a stag, and as strong as a lion, to do the will of his Creator."
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Greek Word Studies ( - )
Read freely Greek Word Studies from the Austin Precept text commentary of the Bible in text and pdf format. Precept Austin is an online free dynamic bible commentary similar to wikipedia with updated content and many links to excellent biblical resources around the world. You can browse the entire collection of Commentaries by Verse on the Precept Austin website.We have been "bought with a price" to be "ambassadors for Christ" and our "salvation is nearer to us than when we believed" so let us "cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" "so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming." (1Cor 6:20, 2Cor 5:20, Ro 13:11, 2Cor 7:1, 1Jn 2:28)