Digging Deeper

There’s a place that I love to go on Thursday mornings… I look forward to it all week. Each of my friends and I talk to God and find a verse. It comes to mind any one of 100 different ways and then we dive in and “map it” according to the James method of Verse mapping.

We get together on Thursdays to share what we learn with one another. I usually end up doing more than one verse during the week and try to only share one (they already make fun of me for being an overachiever, lol) but it’s really interesting how each of our verses intersect with each other as we share.

Last Thursday we got together as usual and shared different insights on family, grandchildren, health, relationships and challenges. We share testimonies and stories and experiences and learn from one another. Today my verse was Titus 2: 3-5

Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers or addicted to much wine, but teachers of good. In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.

I highlight the words I want to look and begin to dig deeper –

My preferred method is to look at the original Greek or Hebrew words to uncover their meaning.

Older women: presbytidas - women over 50, they have a responsibility to disciple younger women.

Be reverent: hieroprepeis, Strongs 2412, from the root words heiron “a sacred place, a temple” and prepo “fitting”, “befitting men, places , actions or things sacred to God, reverent” suited to a sacred character. Used of the flesh offered in sacrifice. – When we offer everything we are to God in sacrifice and receive Him as our Lord, He declares us worthy, a sacrifice fitting for Him. We are a temple of the Most High God and should act accordingly.

Behavior: katastemati, Strongs 2688, demeanor, behavior, conduct, deportment, From kata – “down” exactly, according to, intensifying and histomi – “stand down” – settled, according to a fixed, exact design. “settled lifestyle” a believer exemplifying enduring qualities that specifically glorify the Lord.

Slanderers: diabolous, Strongs 1228, a slanderer, false accuser, unjustly criticizing to hurt (malign) a relationship and condemn to sever a friendship, backbiter, literally someone who casts through making charges that bring down, destroy.

Addicted: dedoulomenas, Strongs 1402, enslave – become enslaved, to be under bondage Romans 6:18 become slaves of righteousness.

Teachers of Good: kadodidaskalous, Strongs 2567, from kalos – “attractively good” and didaskalous – “a teacher” – properly a teacher sharing what is honorable and noble, winsome goodness.

Train: sophronizo, Strongs 4994, to recall to one’s senses, admonish, from 4998 sophron- of sound mind, self- controlled “truly moderate” ie. Living as God defines true balance- literally living in divine moderation – transforming someone to be radically balanced according to the Lord’s will emphasizes passing on what the Lord reveals in true balance.

Young women: neas, Strongs 3501, “new on the scene” what was not there before, new in time.

Love their Husbands: philandrous, Strongs 5362, loving one’s husband. From philos “loving friend” and aner – husband – the male companion of a wife.

Children: philoteknous ,Strongs 5388, from Philos “loving friend” and teknon a child, dependent “willingly dependent”

Self Controlled: sophronos, Strongs 4998, from soos “sound, safe” and phren “inner outlook” which regulates outward behavior. Divinely balanced. What regulates life – the root phren is also the root of diaphragm – the inner organ (muscle) that regulates physical life – controlling breathing and heartbeat.

Pure: hagnas, Strongs 53, free from ceremonial defilement: holy, sacred – in a condition of being prepared for worship, pure – not mixed with guilt.

Managers of their households: oikourgos, Strongs 3626, working at home, a keeper at home, from oikos – a house , dwelling, family, the material building, and ergon and ouros – a guard, be “ware” – work, task, employment, a worker who accomplishes something – The watch, or keeper of the house.

Kind: agathas, Strongs 18, intrinsically good, good in nature, good whether it be seen to be so or not, describes what originates from God and is empowered by Him in their life , through Faith.

Submissive to their own Husbands: hypotassomenas, Strongs 5293, subject to or rank under, subordinate by choice. From hypo “under” and tasso “arrange” properly “under God’s arrangement” submitting to he Lord and His plans.

Be Discredited: blasphematai, Strongs 987 – from blax “sluggish, slow” and pheme “reputation, fame” properly, refusing to acknowledge good (worthy of respect, veneration) hence, to blaspheme which reverses moral values. To slow or stop the good reputation of God.

Then after we have discovered the meanings of the important words we noted we put them back together in a more amplified version of the verse. My amplified version of Titus 2:3-5 follows:

Older women, over 50, likewise, are to be acting like they are the sacred women of God who have offered up their lives as a sacrifice to the Father, not criticizing others to damage relationships or enslaved to the bondage of addictions and instead are slaves to righteousness and properly share with others what is honorable and noble. They are attractive because of the good that comes from within them. In this way they can train younger women, new on the scene, to live a moderate, balanced life in accordance with God’s perfect will, God’s will that they should become a loving friend to their husband and those children entrusted to their care. That they should be the heart of their family with God breathing and regulating their lives, and be free from the defilement of the world, always prepared for worship - not mixed in things that shouldn’t be a part of their lives. They should be a guard and watch over their households aware of satan’s devices. She is good because of God living inside of her and lives as if her life and duties are a calling from God. She gives up her preferences to her husband in love as an offering and lives a life of holiness so that the reputation of God travelling through the earth wont be slowed but instead shouted because of women who are holy examples of God’s greatness.

If you have ready this far, thank you. I just wanted to share the method and hope to inspire you to dig a little deeper this week also. Try putting the Biblehub app on your phone. Its my favorite. Have a great week!