Post by Jim Pate on Sept 25, 2013 8:49:00 GMT -5
thusia: a sacrifice
Original Word: θυσία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: thusia
Phonetic Spelling: (thoo-see'-ah)
Short Definition: a sacrifice
Definition: abstr. and concr: sacrifice; a sacrifice, offering
The words (thusia/thuo - Thuo = 14x in 13v - Mt 22:4; Mk 14:12; Lk 15:23, 27, 30; 22:7; Jn 10:10; Ac 10:13; 11:7; 14:13, 18; 1Co 5:7; 10:20) pertaining to sacrifice occur about 40 times in the Greek New Testament. Jesus gave basic teaching about the priority of sacrifice. In the Sermon on the Mount He warned against bringing a sacrifice when there is sin in one's life (Mt 5:23, 24). Later on He chided some Pharisees, because they substituted sacrifices for mercy (He 9:13; 12:7). When sacrifices were turned into commerce and exploited for personal gain, Jesus struck out literally and expelled the animal salesmen from the temple (Jn 21:12-17). Nevertheless, the earthly parents of Jesus, Joseph and Mary, brought a sacrifice at the time of Jesus' temple dedication (Lk 2:24). Their sacrifice was sincere.
In the Book of Acts, the church moved away from the Jewish sacrificial system. The early Christians realized that Jesus Christ had brought the only perfect Sacrifice, Himself.
It was the perversion of the old sacrifices, the offering to a golden calf, that Stephen condemned in his last sermon (Ac 7:41). The Apostle Paul fulfilled his vow and brought a sacrifice when he returned to Jerusalem at the end of his missionary journeys (Ac 21:26).
The Epistles emphasize the perfection of Christ's sacrifice, and the effectiveness of His death on our behalf. The theme is sounded in Romans, where Paul proclaimed that the sacrificed Saviour made us right with God (Ro 3:23-note, Ro 3:24-note, Ro 3:25-note).
It is in Hebrews, however, that this theme is fully developed. The priesthood of Christ is built on the idea of His atoning sacrifice (He 2:17-note). Part of the priestly task was sacrifice, which was exemplified perfectly in Christ (He 5:1-9). Not only did Christ present Himself as a sacrifice, but His sacrifice was once for all (He 7:27-note). Animal sacrifices could never cleanse one's conscience, but Christ's sacrifice could (He 9:9-14). On the basis of His sacrifice, Christ now exercises an intercessory ministry on our behalf (He 10:11, 12-note).
Because Christ sacrificed Himself on our behalf, Christians are also told to make sacrifices. They should present their bodies as living sacrifices to God (Ro 12:1-2). Their daily lives of separation from sin are an imitation, though a pale one, of the sacrifice of Christ (Ep 5:2-note). When Christians financially support the ministry, they also bring sacrifices to the Lord (Php 4:18-note). In fact, all Christians are priests designated to bring spiritual sacrifices to the Lord (1Pe 2:5-note, 1Pe 2:9-note).
Because of the deep significance attached to the sacrifice of Christ, the New Testament is strong in condemning sacrifices to idols. At the Jerusalem Council all of the apostolic leaders agreed to denounce sacrifices to idols (Acts 15:29). Paul insisted that idols were no gods at all; in fact they were nothing but bits of wood or stone (1Co 8:1, 4, 7).
Since Christ has been sacrificed, all other religious sacrifices are out of date. The only acceptable sacrifice is the sacrifice of worship and service which dedicated believers bring to their Lord. (Detzler, Wayne E: New Testament Words in Today's Language. Victor. 1986 [out of print] - If you enjoy word studies, this 407 page volume offers some excellent insights and illustrations on a number of Greek words - I would give it 5/5 stars.)
Thusia - 28x in the NT -
Matthew 9:13 "But go and learn what this means: 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Comment: This verse is an excellent "commentary" on Hebrews 10:8 - God took no delight in sacrifices as such if they were not the product of a proper attitude. The same comment would apply to the next two uses of thusia below.
Matthew 12:7 "But if you had known what this means, 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,' you would not have condemned the innocent.
Mark 12:33 AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE'S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
Luke 2:24 (Context Jesus' parents offering sacrifice - Lk 2:22, 23) and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, "A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS."
Luke 13:1 Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
MacArthur comments: Evidently, some worshipers from Galilee were condemned by Rome—perhaps because they were seditious zealots (see Mt 10:4)—and were sought out and killed in the temple by Roman authorities while in the process of offering a sacrifice. Such a killing would have been the grossest sort of blasphemy. Incidents like this inflamed the Jews’ hatred of Rome and finally led to rebellion, and the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. (MacArthur, J.: The MacArthur Study Bible Nashville: Word or Logos)
Acts 7:41 "At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 "But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, 'IT WAS NOT TO ME THAT YOU OFFERED VICTIMS AND SACRIFICES FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS, WAS IT, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL?
Comment: From the outset when Israel was solemnly given the law, they rebelled against the Giver and only Living God and willfully turned to worthless and lifeless idols.
Romans 12:1-note Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
John Sutherland Bonnell - "Take that gift God has entrusted to you, and use it in the service of Christ and your fellowmen. He will make it glow and shine like the very stars of heaven."
John Benton - Sacrifice is the giving up of something we genuinely value in order to express our devotion to God.
Jim Elliot - He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
C T Studd - If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for him.
Original Word: θυσία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: thusia
Phonetic Spelling: (thoo-see'-ah)
Short Definition: a sacrifice
Definition: abstr. and concr: sacrifice; a sacrifice, offering
The words (thusia/thuo - Thuo = 14x in 13v - Mt 22:4; Mk 14:12; Lk 15:23, 27, 30; 22:7; Jn 10:10; Ac 10:13; 11:7; 14:13, 18; 1Co 5:7; 10:20) pertaining to sacrifice occur about 40 times in the Greek New Testament. Jesus gave basic teaching about the priority of sacrifice. In the Sermon on the Mount He warned against bringing a sacrifice when there is sin in one's life (Mt 5:23, 24). Later on He chided some Pharisees, because they substituted sacrifices for mercy (He 9:13; 12:7). When sacrifices were turned into commerce and exploited for personal gain, Jesus struck out literally and expelled the animal salesmen from the temple (Jn 21:12-17). Nevertheless, the earthly parents of Jesus, Joseph and Mary, brought a sacrifice at the time of Jesus' temple dedication (Lk 2:24). Their sacrifice was sincere.
In the Book of Acts, the church moved away from the Jewish sacrificial system. The early Christians realized that Jesus Christ had brought the only perfect Sacrifice, Himself.
It was the perversion of the old sacrifices, the offering to a golden calf, that Stephen condemned in his last sermon (Ac 7:41). The Apostle Paul fulfilled his vow and brought a sacrifice when he returned to Jerusalem at the end of his missionary journeys (Ac 21:26).
The Epistles emphasize the perfection of Christ's sacrifice, and the effectiveness of His death on our behalf. The theme is sounded in Romans, where Paul proclaimed that the sacrificed Saviour made us right with God (Ro 3:23-note, Ro 3:24-note, Ro 3:25-note).
It is in Hebrews, however, that this theme is fully developed. The priesthood of Christ is built on the idea of His atoning sacrifice (He 2:17-note). Part of the priestly task was sacrifice, which was exemplified perfectly in Christ (He 5:1-9). Not only did Christ present Himself as a sacrifice, but His sacrifice was once for all (He 7:27-note). Animal sacrifices could never cleanse one's conscience, but Christ's sacrifice could (He 9:9-14). On the basis of His sacrifice, Christ now exercises an intercessory ministry on our behalf (He 10:11, 12-note).
Because Christ sacrificed Himself on our behalf, Christians are also told to make sacrifices. They should present their bodies as living sacrifices to God (Ro 12:1-2). Their daily lives of separation from sin are an imitation, though a pale one, of the sacrifice of Christ (Ep 5:2-note). When Christians financially support the ministry, they also bring sacrifices to the Lord (Php 4:18-note). In fact, all Christians are priests designated to bring spiritual sacrifices to the Lord (1Pe 2:5-note, 1Pe 2:9-note).
Because of the deep significance attached to the sacrifice of Christ, the New Testament is strong in condemning sacrifices to idols. At the Jerusalem Council all of the apostolic leaders agreed to denounce sacrifices to idols (Acts 15:29). Paul insisted that idols were no gods at all; in fact they were nothing but bits of wood or stone (1Co 8:1, 4, 7).
Since Christ has been sacrificed, all other religious sacrifices are out of date. The only acceptable sacrifice is the sacrifice of worship and service which dedicated believers bring to their Lord. (Detzler, Wayne E: New Testament Words in Today's Language. Victor. 1986 [out of print] - If you enjoy word studies, this 407 page volume offers some excellent insights and illustrations on a number of Greek words - I would give it 5/5 stars.)
Thusia - 28x in the NT -
Matthew 9:13 "But go and learn what this means: 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Comment: This verse is an excellent "commentary" on Hebrews 10:8 - God took no delight in sacrifices as such if they were not the product of a proper attitude. The same comment would apply to the next two uses of thusia below.
Matthew 12:7 "But if you had known what this means, 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,' you would not have condemned the innocent.
Mark 12:33 AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE'S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
Luke 2:24 (Context Jesus' parents offering sacrifice - Lk 2:22, 23) and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, "A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS."
Luke 13:1 Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
MacArthur comments: Evidently, some worshipers from Galilee were condemned by Rome—perhaps because they were seditious zealots (see Mt 10:4)—and were sought out and killed in the temple by Roman authorities while in the process of offering a sacrifice. Such a killing would have been the grossest sort of blasphemy. Incidents like this inflamed the Jews’ hatred of Rome and finally led to rebellion, and the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. (MacArthur, J.: The MacArthur Study Bible Nashville: Word or Logos)
Acts 7:41 "At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 "But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, 'IT WAS NOT TO ME THAT YOU OFFERED VICTIMS AND SACRIFICES FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS, WAS IT, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL?
Comment: From the outset when Israel was solemnly given the law, they rebelled against the Giver and only Living God and willfully turned to worthless and lifeless idols.
Romans 12:1-note Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
John Sutherland Bonnell - "Take that gift God has entrusted to you, and use it in the service of Christ and your fellowmen. He will make it glow and shine like the very stars of heaven."
John Benton - Sacrifice is the giving up of something we genuinely value in order to express our devotion to God.
Jim Elliot - He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
C T Studd - If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for him.