Basic HTML Version
(
$ &
, 3905), “to stretch out along” (
, “along,”
, “to
stretch”), is translated “prolonged” in Acts 20:7,
RV
, of Paul’s discourse: see
CONTINUE
,
Note
(1).¶
PROMISE (Noun and Verb)
A. Noun.
1.
(
#
&
, 1860), primarily a law term, denoting “a summons” ( ,
“upon,”
, “to proclaim, announce”), also meant “an undertaking to do or give
something, a promise.” Except in Acts 23:21 it is used only of the “promises” of God. It
frequently stands for the thing “promised,” and so signifies a gift graciously bestowed,
not a pledge secured by negotiation; thus, in Gal. 3:14, “the promise of the Spirit”
denotes “the promised Spirit”: cf. Luke 24:49; Acts 2:33 and Eph. 1:13; so in Heb. 9:15,
“the promise of the eternal inheritance” is “the promised eternal inheritance.” On the
other hand, in Acts 1:4, “the promise of the Father,” is the “promise” made by the Father.
In Gal. 3:16, the plural “promises” is used because the one “promise” to Abraham
was variously repeated (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:18; 17:1-14; 22:15-18), and because it
contained the germ of all subsequent “promises”; cf. Rom. 9:4; Heb. 6:12; 7:6; 8:6;
11:17; Gal. 3 is occupied with showing that the “promise” was conditional upon faith and
not upon the fulfillment of the Law. The Law was later than, and inferior to, the
“promise,” and did not annul it, v. 21; cf. 4:23, 28. Again, in Eph. 2:12, “the covenants of
the promise” does not indicate different covenants, but a covenant often renewed, all
centering in Christ as the “promised” Messiah-Redeemer, and comprising the blessings to
be bestowed through Him.
In 2 Cor. 1:20 the plural is used of every “promise” made by God: cf. Heb. 11:33; in
7:6, of special “promises” mentioned. For other applications of the word, see, e.g., Eph.
6:2; 1 Tim. 4:8; 2 Tim. 1:1; Heb. 4:1; 2 Pet. 3:4, 9; in 1 John 1:5 some mss. have this
word, instead of
, “message.”
The occurrences of the word in relation to Christ and what centers in Him, may be
arranged under the headings (1) the contents of the “promise,” e.g., Acts 26:6; Rom.
4:20; 1 John 2:25; (2) the heirs, e.g., Rom. 9:8; 15:8; Gal. 3:29; Heb. 11:9; (3) the
conditions, e.g., Rom. 4:13, 14; Gal. 3:14-22; Heb. 10:36.
2.
(
# 1
, 1862) denotes “a promise made,” 2 Pet. 1:4; 3:13.¶
B. Verbs.
1.
(
# !
, 1861), “to announce, proclaim,” has in the NT the two
meanings “to profess” and “to promise,” each used in the middle voice; “to promise” (a)
of “promises” of God, Acts 7:5; Rom. 4:21; in Gal. 3:19, passive voice; Titus 1:2; Heb.
6:13; 10:23; 11:11; 12:26; Jas. 1:12; 2:5; 1 John 2:25; (b) made by men, Mark 14:11; 2
Pet. 2:19. See
PROFESS
.
2.
(
$
!
, 4279), in the middle voice, “to promise before”
, and No. 1), occurs in Rom. 1:2; 2 Cor. 9:5. See
AFOREPROMISED
.¶
3.
(
3
!
, 3670), “to agree, confess,” signifies “to promise” in Matt.
14:7. See
CONFESS
.
Note:
For
@
in Luke 22:6, see
CONSENT
, No. 1.