By: Justin Angelos | December 13, 2021
The Greek word for hope is ελπις-ιδος (elpis)[1] which means hope, expectation, trust, confidence. The Christian “hope” is not a wondering if something will happen, but the “confident anticipation” of what we know will surely come to pass. The Christian definition of “hope” is not a blind, wishful thinking. We have hope, trust, and confidence in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1Cor 15:3-7).
Someone many years ago once told me that he had lost his son in the war in Iraq. He said, “If it were not for the hope that is in Christ, I would be lying in some ditch.” Although the hope Christ offers might not eliminate the pain of the person who shared their story with me, but it did give this person the strength to endure the pain he was facing, and it gave him a genuine hope that he will see his son again someday.
John 11:35 “and He wept.” Jesus was aware of the pain and suffering that Martha and Mary was facing due to the loss of their brother. The amazing thing about this is, that even though Jesus has the power to restore the life of Lazarus (or anyone) It is comforting to know that Jesus Christ can relate to our suffering, and not just relate, but that He truly does care about our suffering.
Another word in the New Testament that brings a lot of comfort especially when I am feeling very low emotionally is the word “resurrection” in Greek it is ανάστασής. Bill Mounce gives this in-depth definition: resurrection – rising to life; from the base meaning of the act of rising from a prone or sitting position to a standing position. In the NT it means returning to life after death, usually referring to the raising to life of Jesus Christ.[2] This Greek word for resurrection meant the reversal of death.[3] Christ completely reversed death, which means when all hope seems lost, and there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, there is hope, there is hope for our sicknesses, our broken-down bodies as we age.
It is in our loving Lord, Jesus Christ that we have hope (elpis). Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection (anastasis | ἀνάστασις |) and the life. The one who believes in me, even though he die, yet will he live, and the one who lives by believing in me will never die.”[4] (John 11:25
About the Author
As the newest member of Bellator Christi, Seattle native Justin Angelos brings a passion for evangelism and discipleship along with theology and apologetics. He has studied at Biola University and Liberty University. Justin focuses on providing help for those who suffer from emotional and anxiety issues.
Notes
[1] William D. Mounce, The Analytical Lexicon to the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1993), 181.
[2] William D. Mounce, Morphology of Biblical Greek (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 1994), 71.
[3] J. Ed Komoszewski, M. James Sawyer, Daniel B. Wallace, Reinventing Jesus how Contemporary Skeptics Miss the Real Jesus and Mislead Popular Culture (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2006), 255-257.
[4] Mounce, Morphology of Biblical Greek, 71.
Dive Deeper
Michelle Johnson, “Advent: A Season of Preparation,” BellatorChristi.com (11/28/2021), https://bellatorchristi.com/2021/11/28/advent-a-season-of-preparation/
T. J. Gentry, PhD, DMin, “5 Reasons Every Apologist Should Be Confident and Grateful,” BellatorChristi.com (11/21/2021), https://bellatorchristi.com/2021/11/21/5-reasons-every-apologist-should-be-confident-and-grateful/
Copyright, 2021. Bellator Christi.
