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NASB | Matthew 7:23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 7:23 "And then I will declare to them publicly, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME [you are banished from My presence], YOU WHO ACT WICKEDLY [disregarding My commands].' [Ps 6:8] |
Bible Question:
Matthew 7:23 "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." My question is what is iniquity? This is my reasoning. Iniquity in the Greek is Strong’s 458 anomia, whose root is nomos with the prefix a (which means ‘non’ or ‘without’). The root word nomos is Strong's 3551 which is usually translated as "law". By cross-referencing with the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures) Jeremiah 31:33 and Hebrews 8:10 the word translated as "law" in English is "nomos" in Greek and "Torah" in Hebrew. Therefore the workers of iniquity are those that are "without Torah", "non-Torah", "do not observe Torah". Which is consistent with verses such as: Rev 22:14, Rev 14:12, Heb 5:9, Matt 5:20, 1John 2:4, etc. Torah observance is also consistent with the lives that Yeshua (Jesus), Peter and Paul led. |
Bible Answer: Greetings gjboone! I see that my brother EdB has already addressed your definition of 'lawlessness'. To his excellent observations, I would only add that Greek words are not defined by simply adding up their parts. Especially when doing so across languages. 'Nomos' does not orginate from the Hebrew 'torah', but from the Greek 'nemo'. It refers to all rules and principles of life, not just religious ones. Thus, it refers to customs, cultural norms, as well as written rules. Those who are 'lawless' are those who reject the right of anyone to impose rules upon them. Of course, this would also apply to God, in their view. But, beyond your definition, I sense an understanding of our relationship to the Law which is at odds with what the New Testament teaches. The New Testament says that the Law had only one real purpose. 1) Rom. 3:20 - "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." 2) Gal. 3:23 - "Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law." There are many more that we could reference, but these are sufficient to show that the Law basically serves only to makes us aware of our sinfulness and our need for a Savior. But, the Law cannot save, nor does obedience to the Law make one righteous. Rom. 3:21 goes on to say, "But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference," Paul also adds in Gal. 3:10 - "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ??Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.? 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ??The righteous will live by faith.? 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, ??The man who does these things will live by them.? 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ??Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.?" Thus the New Testament is quite clear that while we will "obey" the Law because we are Christians, we do not become or stay Christians by obeying the Law (Eph. 2:8-10). Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |