The Blessings of Wuest’s Greek Word Studies
March 23rd, 2008 at 5:16 pm (Bible)
I’ve been blessed by Wuest’s word studies and commentary over the last few years. Here’s a link to a description of the “expanded translation” and how it differs from most translations. It is a great Bible reference tool.And here’s the 4 volume set. I have been blessed to receive this as a gift from my dear bride.Here’s a link to a REALLY good article on Romans 6. The only problem is, it’s too short. The entire commentary on chapter 6 of Romans is really incredible. It was life changing. I will see if I can attach it to this post.
Anyways, I came across a phrase as I was reading his commentary on 1 John since we are going through 1 John in our “Table Bible” time. It stated the second half of Hebrews 12:2 like this, “who instead of the joy then present with Him endured the Cross, despising the shame…” Which is strikingly different than the usual translation of “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross”. This is interesting because John Piper uses (or rather misuses) Hebrews 12:2 to support his thesis of “Christian Hedonism“.Christian Hedonism claims that the primary motive for Jesus to hang on the cross was not necessarily love, but more directly a passion to increase His own pleasure/happiness. Piper has stated, “Jesus Christ is the highest example of a Christian Hedonist who ever lived.” Wow! Of course the Bible details a plethora of motives for why Jesus went to the cross, not the least of which is love. When talking with a Christian Hedonist, I usually show him how Hebrews 12:2 does not say it was Jesus’ own personal joy that motivated Him. In fact, it seems more congruent with the rest of Scripture to see that “the joy set before Him” was likely the joy of a host of redeemed souls that were set before Him. Wuest has a bit different interpretation as follows (which if correct does even more damage to Christian Hedonism’s erroneous assertion):
The words “who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross,” are usually interpreted as meaning that the Lord Jesus endured the cross in order that He might obtain certain joy which was placed before Him as a reward for His sufferings. But this interpretation is based upon an erroneous use of the preposition “for.” The Greek preposition is anti (ἀντι), the predominant use of which in the first century was “instead of.” It is so used in Luke 11:11 where we have, “If he asked a fish, will he for (anti (ἀντι), instead of) a fish give him a serpent?” The word “set” is the translation of prokeimenes (προκειμενες) literally “lying before.” Vincent says, “The joy was the full, divine beatitude of His preincarnate life in the bosom of the Father; the glory which He had with God before the world was. In exchange for this He accepted the Cross and the shame. The contrast is designed between the readers (v. 1), and the joy which was already present to Christ. The heroic character of His faith appears in His renouncing a joy already in possession in exchange for shame and death. The passage thus falls in with Philippians 2:6–8.” He despised the shame attendant upon a death by crucifixion, namely, the fact that that kind of a death was meted out upon malefactors. The words “is set down” are in the perfect tense in the Greek text, the idea being that He, after His work of providing a salvation was finished, sat down, and remains seated. He need never arise and repeat His work on the Cross for sinners. It is a finished work. He is not only seated, but He occupies the position of preeminence, at the right hand of God.
Translation. Looking off and away to Jesus, the preeminent leader and perfecter of this aforementioned faith, who instead of the joy then present with Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God.
Wuest, K. S. (1997, c1984). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English reader ( Heb 12:2). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
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Mom said,
March 24, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Very thorough Tony. This is the translation that my shepherd, Pastor Chuck, gives through his Bible study..Joyful Life. And, it’s the same through Bible Study Fellowship International too. PTL!!!
I’m so happy you’ve been studying both the Hebrew & Greek! When listening or reading most of John Mac Arthur works one many times learns either or both the Hebrew and/or Greek which clarifies the passage.
Craig W. Booth said,
March 31, 2008 at 8:27 am
Tony, thank you for bringing this word study to everyone’s attention. A hermeneutics book I am presently reading cautions never to build doctrine from passages that are ambiguous in their translation; better to rely on clearer passages.
With regard to what motivated Jesus, I think of the clear passages that talk about Him loving others, desiring to obey the Father, not going to the cross out of His own personal interests ( Philippians 2:4-9), and that by going to the cross He was not doing so to please Himself ( Romans 15:3). The erroneous notion that one possible (and questionable) hedonistic interpretation of Hebrews 12:2 in some way supplants these clear passages on Christ’s motivation should have been instantly rejected by the church. It is sad that so many have rather used the questionable wording of Hebrews 12:2 to build an entirely new doctrine of hedonistic motivations that more clear passages do not echo.
Using Hebrews 12:2 to class Jesus as a “hedonist” is an interpretative practice that betrays itself as belonging to an unreliable form of Bible use known as “proof texting.” Scripture does not contradict itself and should always be studied in textual and historical context.
Thanks again Tony for sharing this.