Mounce's Expository Dictionary
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If you want to know what the Greek and Hebrew words of the Bible mean, may I recommend my own book? The main dictionary discusses all significant Greek and Hebrew words, and is written at a level for the busy pastor and earnest Bible student. There are also two shorter but more exhaustive dictionaries of most Greek and Hebrew words. Read more ... |
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Are We God’s Poem (Eph 2:10)?
Paul tells the Ephesians that “we are his workmanship (ποιημα), created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (ESV). ποιημα (related to the verb ποιεω) means “that which is made,” hence work, creation” (BDAG).
It is etymologically connected to poème (Middle French), poema (Latin), and ποιημα (Greek).
Because of this, you often hear the idea of the English “poem” creeping back through the centuries and used to define the nuance of ποιημα. And so we hear assertions such as:
“Poiema emphasizes God as the master Designer, the universe as His creation” (Rom 1:20).
“As the artist seeks to express himself in his work, so God expresses Himself in us.”
“You are His work, you are His poem. A poem is a thing of grace. A thing of beauty, God wants your life to be a thing of grace and of beauty and as God works in your life it will become a thing of grace and of beauty; you are His poem.”
“But the beauty of God’s workmanship is not displayed in posing. That beauty can only he displayed when we are put to work fulfilling His purpose in us.”
These kinds of statement make picturesque sermon illustrations, but unfortunately have no basis in truth.