Study to Know Truth

Our English translations often do fall short of truth, not by incorrect translation, necessarily, but rather by incomplete translation.

John 19:30 "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

 

"It is finished" should have been translated, "paid in full." When we consider the misunderstandings that can come from this incomplete translation, it is staggering.

 

“Τετέλεσται”, (meaning paid in full) is a word that was stamped on paid bills and debt certificates that were paid. 

 

Christ was saying that our debt of sin was paid in full on the cross. He died on our behalf, fulfilling the law, that only a blood sacrifice was sufficient to pay that debt. Not only was a blood sacrifice required but only a perfect sacrificial Lamb would do, the perfect One, Christ fit the criteria for payment for out sins.

 

We must remember that Christ paid the debt of sin for anyone who wants it, making it available to anyone who will trust in Him. Those who will not trust in Him, spurning what He did on the cross, rejecting Him, will not avail themselves to what He offered, these people will go to hell, paying the eternal consequences for that rejection. They will gnash their teeth in anger as they are being thrown into the fires, even to the very end, they will mock, reject and malign Him. 

 

In Webster's original dictionary, Webster defined the verb "gnash" as "to grind the teeth, to rage even to collision with the teeth, to growl." Webster defined the noun "gnashing" in this way: "striking the teeth together, as in anger, rage or pain. A grinding or striking of the teeth in rage or anguish."

 

Psalm 112:10

"The wicked will see and be vexed, they will gnash their teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing."

"So, what is “gnashing of teeth?” The Greek word that is translated as “gnashing” is from a word that means “to bite” and describes the snarling of a wild animal as it attacks. In all of the passages where the Greek terms for gnash or gnashing are used in the New Testament or in the Septuagint they are always used of anger, rage, pain or anguish. They are never used of sorrow, grief, remorse or regret." (From the Truth Will Set You Free)

 

Some of us have been taught all our lives that the "gnashing of teeth" for those thrown into hell was from the pain they are feeling there, this is wrong according to the original language. 

 

One of the evidences of an evil heart like this is the continual rejection of the principles of Christ as given to us in the Bible. Many who say they are Christians have a contempt for anyone who uses the Bible as the standard for character and conduct. 

 

We run into this all the time on facebook and in families, those who say they are a Christian, while negating what Christ said, even replacing His truths with their own idea of truth, mixed heavily with cultural standards that are not in the Word.

 

Contempt for the use of the Bible as the standard is a mammoth clue that the one who spurns the Word is not born again. The second clue is the continual twisting or out of context spouting of popular texts to justify sin or reframe God's meanings.

 

It is vitally important that we study while seeking the Holy Spirit when we do it. Our modern terminology is often very different from the way in which the inspired writers of the Bible intended.

 

We don't see the gnashing of teeth in anger in our culture, mostly we get an angry look, raised voices to intimidate, exclude those we don't like from gatherings while maligning their character. 

 

There are many forms of negating those who bring truth in our culture, the gnashing of teeth was one that was common in Christ's day. In our culture we often have more covert and cloaked ways of negating others because of the hatred of the truth.

 

I guess you might say we are more sophisticated in our treachery, there is "plausible deniability", the ability to be unkind in such covert ways that onlookers might not catch it, making the victim appear insane for noticing.

 

The most important matter at hand, as believers, especially in our day, is that we seek God rather than the approval of men.

Proverbs 29:25 "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe."

 

Jeremiah 29:13 "13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."

 

James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him