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2.
$
(
4
"
, 2230), to be a
, “to lead the way,” came to
signify to be “a governor of a province”; it is used of Quirinius, governor of Syria, Luke
2:2,
RV
(for the circumstances see under
ENROLLMENT
), of Pontius Pilate, governor of
Judea, 3:1.¶ In the first clause of this verse the noun
, “a rule or sovereignty,”
is translated “reign”; Eng., “hegemony.”¶
: !
In Jas. 3:4, the verb
$
$
, “to make or guide straight,” is used in the present
participle, as a noun, denoting the “steersman” (
RV
) or pilot of a vessel,
KJV
, “governor.”
GRACE
1.
(
1$
, 5485) has various uses, (a) objective, that which bestows or
occasions pleasure, delight, or causes favorable regard; it is applied, e.g., to beauty, or
gracefulness of person, Luke 2:40; act, 2 Cor. 8:6, or speech, Luke 4:22,
RV
, “words of
grace” (
KJV
, “gracious words”); Col. 4:6; (b) subjective, (1) on the part of the bestower,
the friendly disposition from which the kindly act proceeds, graciousness, loving-
kindness, goodwill generally, e.g., Acts 7:10; especially with reference to the divine favor
or “grace,” e.g., Acts 14:26; in this respect there is stress on its freeness and universality,
its spontaneous character, as in the case of God’s redemptive mercy, and the pleasure or
joy He designs for the recipient; thus it is set in contrast with debt, Rom. 4:4, 16, with
works, 11:6, and with law, John 1:17; see also, e.g., Rom. 6:14, 15; Gal. 5:4; (2) on the
part of the receiver, a sense of the favor bestowed, a feeling of gratitude, e.g., Rom. 6:17
(“thanks”); in this respect it sometimes signifies “to be thankful,” e.g., Luke 17:9 (“doth
he thank the servant?” lit., “hath he thanks to”); 1 Tim. 1:12; (c) in another objective
sense, the effect of “grace,” the spiritual state of those who have experienced its exercise,
whether (1) a state of “grace,” e.g., Rom. 5:2; 1 Pet. 5:12; 2 Pet. 3:18, or (2) a proof
thereof in practical effects, deeds of “grace,” e.g., 1 Cor. 16:3,
RV
, “bounty” (
KJV
,
“liberality”); 2 Cor. 8:6, 19 (in 2 Cor. 9:8 it means the sum of earthly blessings); the
power and equipment for ministry, e.g., Rom. 1:5; 12:6; 15:15; 1 Cor. 3:10; Gal. 2:9;
Eph. 3:2, 7.
To be in favor with is to find “grace” with, e.g., Acts 2:47; hence it appears in this
sense at the beginning and the end of several epistles, where the writer desires “grace”
from God for the readers, e.g., Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; in this respect it is connected with
the imperative mood of the word
, “to rejoice,” a mode of greeting among Greeks,
e.g., Acts 15:23; Jas. 1:1 (marg.); 2 John 10, 11,
RV
, “greeting” (
KJV
, “God speed”).
The fact that “grace” is received both from God the Father, 2 Cor. 1:12, and from
Christ, Gal. 1:6; Rom. 5:15 (where both are mentioned), is a testimony to the deity of
Christ. See also 2 Thess. 1:12, where the phrase “according to the grace of our God and
the Lord Jesus Christ” is to be taken with each of the preceding clauses, “in you,” “and ye
in Him.”
In Jas. 4:6, “But He giveth more grace” (Greek, “a greater grace,”
RV
, marg.), the
statement is to be taken in connection with the preceding verse, which contains two
remonstrating, rhetorical questions, “Think ye that the Scripture speaketh in vain?” and
“Doth the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) which He made to dwell in us long unto envying?” (see
the
RV
). The implied answer to each is “it cannot be so.” Accordingly, if those who are
acting so flagrantly, as if it were so, will listen to the Scripture instead of letting it speak
in vain, and will act so that the Holy Spirit may have His way within, God will give even