Appeal, appealed (1941) epikaleomai

Address (1941) (epikaleomai = middle voice of epikaleo from epí = upon + kaléo = call) literally means to call upon and was often used in secular Greek to refer to calling upon deity for any purpose, especially for aid. It also means to invoke (to petition for help or support, make earnest request) a deity for something (Acts 7:59). Epikaleo is used 30 times in NAS (25" class="scriptRef">25" class="scriptRef">Mt 10:25; Acts 1:23; 21" class="scriptRef">21" class="scriptRef">2:21; 4:36; 7:59; 9:14, 21; 10:5, 18, 32; 11:13; 12:12, 25; 15:17; 22:16; 25:11,12, 21, 25; 26:32; 28:19; Ro 10:12-note, Ro 10:13-note, Ro 10:14-note; 1Co 1:2; 2Co 1:23; 2Ti 2:22-note; Heb 11:16-note; James 2:7; 1Pe 1:17-note) and is translated: address, 1; appeal, 2; appealed, 4; call, 7; called, 14; calling, 1; calls, 1. Vine explains that epikaleo has the meaning appeal in the middle voice, which carries with it the suggestion of a special interest on the part of the doer of an action in that in which he is engaged." (Vine, W: Vine's Expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words) Epikaleomai was used as in this verse to call upon deity for some purpose, as in Peter's quotation from Joel 2:32... AND IT SHALL BE, THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED. (Acts 2:21, used in this same sense in Ro 10:12, 13) Stephen with his dying words called upon the Lord... And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" (Acts 7:59, similar sense in Acts 22:16) Ananias addressing Paul after his conversion declared why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on (epikaleomai) His name. (Acts 22:16) The idea of calling on God includes includes calling upon Him in the sense of prayer... and here he (Saul before conversion) has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Thy name (descriptive of believers)." (Acts 9:14, cp Ac 9:21) Comment: This is a fascinating "description" of a believer - those who "call upon Thy Name", which undoubtedly includes the initial calling upon His Name for salvation, but does not exclude calling upon Him in prayer. Would it be true of us all that we were well known as those who "call upon Thy Name"! In Acts 15 James addressed the Jerusalem counsel in which the Jewish leaders were discussing the fate of the Gentiles who were coming to faith in Christ... 'AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT, IN ORDER THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,' (Acts 15:17) Comment: Here "called by My Name" is synonymous with the description of those Gentiles (non-Jews) who had been chosen by God unto salvation. The original version of the NLT paraphrases it as those "called to be Mine"! Epikaleo is used 116.13" class="scriptRef">134" class="scriptRef">4 times in the Septuagint (LXX) (12.26.6" class="scriptRef">6" class="scriptRef">26" class="scriptRef">Ge 4:26; 8" class="scriptRef">12:8; 13:4; 21.33" class="scriptRef">21:33; 26:25; 33:20; 48:16; Ex 29:45, 46; Nu 21:3; 7" class="scriptRef">Deut 4:7; 12:5, 11" class="scriptRef">11, 21, 26; 14.23-Deut.14.24" class="scriptRef">14:23, 24; 15:2; 16:2, 6, 11; 17:8, 10; 26:2; 28:10; 33:19; Jos. 21:9; Jdg 6:24; 15:19; 1Sa 12:17, 18; 23:28; 2Sa 6:2; 20:1; 22:4, 7; 1Ki. 7:21; 8:43, 52; 13:2, 4; 16:24; 17:21; 18:24, 25,26; 2 Ki. 5:11; 23:17; 1 Chr. 4:10; 13:6; 16:8; 2 Chr. 6:20, 33; 7:14; 28:15; Esther 4:8; 5:1; 9:26; Job 5:1, 8; 17:14; 27:10; Ps. 4:1; 14:4; 18:3, 6; 20:9; 31:17; 42:7; 49:11; 50:15; 53:4; 56:9; 75:1; 79:6; 80:18; 81:7; 86:5; 89:26; 91:15; 99:6; 102:2; 104:35; 116:2, 4, 13; 118:5; 138:3; 145:18; 147:9; Pr 1:28; 2:3; 8:12; 18:6; 21:13; Is 18:7; 43:7; 55:5, 6; 63:19; 64:7; Je 4:20; 7:10, 11, 14, 30; 10:25; 11:14; 14:9; 15:16; 20:8; 32:34; 34:15; Lam 3:55, 57; Ezek 10:13; 20:29; Da 2:26; 9:18, 19; 10:1; Ho 7:7, 11; Joel 2:32; Amos 4:5, 12; 9:12; Jon. 1:6; Mic. 6:9; Zeph. 3:9; Zech. 13:9; Mal. 1:4). The first 5 uses of epikaleomai are fascinating (What is the focus?)... Genesis 4:26 To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon (Lxx = epikaleomai) the name of the Lord. Genesis 12:8 Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon (Lxx = epikaleomai) the name of the Lord. Genesis 13:4 o the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on (Lxx = epikaleomai) the name of the Lord Genesis 21:33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on (Lxx = epikaleomai) the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. Genesis 26:25 So he built an altar there and called upon (Lxx = epikaleomai) the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well. These uses of epikaleo in Genesis "speaks volumes" about the priority of worship in the life of this great man of God (used with a similar meaning in Ge 13:4). In fact epikaleomai is used in the LXX to describe all three great patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac in Ge 26:25 and Jacob in Ge 33:20 where Lxx into English is not "called it" but "called on the God of Israel") calling on God. And so we see that addressing God as Father includes the idea of worship. In a famous encounter with the prophets of Baal hopping around and calling out to their "god" Elijah "mocked them and said,' Call out (Lxx = epikaleomai) with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened." (1Ki 18:27) Asaph sings Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon (Lxx = epikaleomai) His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples." (1Chr 16:8) (As an aside, have you obeyed this injunction beloved? If you have given thanks from the heart, the natural outflow of such a life is to let others know His great and mighty works in your life and the life of your family.) Epikaleomai also means to to address or characterize someone by a special term, to call or to give a surname (see Mt 10:25) Epikaleomai is used most often in the NT in the sense of calling someone by name (Lk 22:3, Ac 4:36, 10:5, 18, 32, 11:13, 12:12, 25, 15:22). Epikaleomai was a technical legal term which referred to putting a request before a higher judicial authority for review of a decision of a lower court and so to make an appeal. Paul was cognizant of the fact that an appeal to the Roman emperor was the right of a Roman citizen and so he ended his defense in Jerusalem before Festus with the words "I appeal to (epikaleomai) Caesar." (Acts 25:11), to which Festus answered You have appealed to (epikaleomai) Caesar, to Caesar you shall go." (25.12" class="scriptRef">Acts 25:12, cp Acts 25:21, 25, 26:32, 29:19) Epikaleomai was also used as a legal term to invoke an oath or to call on someone as a witness. Paul in explaining to the Corinthians why he said he was coming but did not (he wanted them to have time to repent and correct their sinful behavior) declared I call (epikaleomai) God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. (2Cor 1:23) Here in first Peter, epikaleomai describes praying saints whose habitual practice was to call upon their Father (address is present tense indicating continual action). They appealed to God as one would appeal to an earthly father for help. Peter alluded to this blessed truth of God as their Father in (1Peter 1:14 [note]) when he referred to his recipients as "obedient children". In (1Pe 1:15 ([note]) God called them to be His own so that now they have the privilege of calling upon Him as their Father. Peter's acknowledgement of God as their Father is even more notable in view of the fact that in Judaism (and the OT) God is rarely referred to as "Father". Address as Father - All who are by faith in Christ are sons of God the Father. The call is not so much an appeal, but a claim of kindred and an acknowledgment of close, tender relationship (cp Abba - Mark 14:36, Ro 8:15-note, Ga 4:6). The fact that the readers acknowledge God as their Father clearly indicates that Peter is writing primarily to believers... See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. (1John 3:1). John writes that as many as received (and welcomed) Him, to them He gave the right (authority, power, privilege - see word study of exousia) to become children of God (in the full spiritual sense, not as mere offspring of God which is true of all men as in Acts 17:28-note), even to those who believe (see word study on pisteuo) in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (Jn 1:12, 13) Jesus taught His disciples... When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. (Lk 11:2) One of the most beautiful passages in the Bible records God's declaration that I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me" says the Lord Almighty. (2Cor 6:18) As Wuest says What a blessed thought to give us encouragement in our praying, faith that the answer is sure, and a sweet feeling of nearness to God. To think that He is our Father and we are His children. To think that He regards us as His children, and thus the objects of His special care and love. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos) F B Meyer in his exposition of 1Peter entitled "Tried by Fire" has the following section on 1Pe 1:17 (see note) which relates to the Bema Seat of Christ... God's children are to be judged, not at the great white throne, but at the judgment seat of Christ (2Co 5:10-note). That judgment will not decide our eternal destiny, because that has been settled before; but it will settle the rewards of our faithfulness or otherwise (Mt 25:19; 1Co 3:14). There is a sense in which that judgment is already in process, and we are ever standing before the judgment bar. "The Father who judges." The Divine verdict is being pronounced perpetually on our actions, and hourly is manifesting itself in light or shadow. But it is a Father's judgment. We call on Him as Father. (1Pe 1:17-note) Notice this reciprocity of calling. He called us; we call Him; His address to us as children begets our address to Him as Father. We need not dread his scrutiny--it is tender. He pities us as a father pities his children, knowing our frame, allowing for our weaknesses, and bearing with us with an infinite patience. But for all that it is impartial. "Without respect of persons." (1Pe 1:17-note) Many years before, this had been revealed to the Apostle from heaven in a memorable vision, which affected his whole after-ministry (Ac 10:35). Not according to profession, or appearance, or any self-constituted importance, but according to what we do, are we being judged. The holy soul realizes this; and a great awe falls upon it and overshadows it--an awe not born of the fear which hath torment, but of love. It passes the time of its sojourning in fear (1Pe 1:17-note). Not the fear of evil consequences to itself, but the fear of grieving the Father; of bringing a shadow over his face; of missing any manifestation of his love and nearness to Himself, which may be granted to the obedient child. Love casts out fear; but it also begets it. There is nothing craven, or fretful, or depressing; but a tenderness of conscience which dreads the tiniest cloud on the inner sky, such as might overshadow for a single moment the clear shining of the Father's face. So the brief days of sojourning pass quickly on, and the vision of the Homeland beckons to us, and bids us mend our pace. (F. B. Meyer. Tried By Fire) (Bolding added) Now Peter makes the point that if believers have such a special relationship with God by virtue of His effectual call and gift of new birth, it is all the more urgent that they not become complacent in their conduct but that they remember their Father is also the Judge of both believers and non-believers. PRACTICE YOUR POSITION! Edwards adds that Because of our position in Christ, we should live according to our family heritage, i.e., in holiness. "'For you were once darkness, but now are you light in the Lord, walk as Children of light" (Eph 5:8). It has been well said that the goal of the Christian life is "to practice your position." (Edwards, D in 1 Peter Well done Exposition ) Alexander Maclaren sermon on 1Peter 1:17 The Father and Judge... The injunction here and the reason for it are equally strange. Both seem opposed no less to the confidence, hope, and joy which have been glowing in the former part of this chapter than to the general tone of the New Testament. “Live in habitual fear, for God is a strict Judge,” strikes a note which at first hearing sounds a discord. Is not Christianity the religion of perfect love which casts out fear? Is not its very promise that he who believes shall not come into judgment? Is not its central revelation that of a Father who hath not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our transgressions? Yes; God be thanked that it is! We cannot too earnestly assert that, nor too jealously guard these truths from all tampering or weakening. But these solemn words are none the less true. I. THE TWOFOLD REVELATION OF GOD AS FATHER AND JUDGE. If we adopt the translation, “call on him as Father,” we shall catch here an echo of the Lord’s Prayer (Mt 6:9), and recognize a testimony to its early and general use, independent and confirmatory of the Gospels. We need not dwell upon the thought that God is our Father. There is little fear of its being lost sight of in the Christian teaching of this day. But there is much danger of its being so held as to obscure the other relation here associated with it. Men have often been so penetrated with the conviction that God is Judge as to forget that he is Father. The danger now is that they should be so occupied with the thought that he is Father as to forget that he is Judge. What do we mean by “judgment”? We mean, first, an accurate knowledge and estimate of the moral quality of an action; next, a solemn approval or condemnation; and next, the pronouncing of sentence which entails punishment or reward. Now, can it be that he who loves righteousness and hates evil should ever fail to discern, to estimate, to condemn, and to chastise evil, whoever does it? The eternal necessity of his own great holiness, and not less of his own almighty love, binds him to this. Our text distinctly speaks of a present judgment. It is God who judgeth, not who will judge; and that judgment is of each man’s work as a whole, not of his works, but of his work. There is a perpetual present judgment going on. God has an estimate of each man’s course, solemnly approves or disapproves, and shapes his dealings with each accordingly. The very fact of this Fatherhood, so far from being inconsistent with this continual judgment, makes it the more certain. He is not so indifferent to his children as to let their deeds pass unnoticed, and, if need be, unchastised. “We have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence.” (Heb 12:9) They would have deserved little of it while we were children, and would have almost deserved our malediction when we became men, if they had not. Our Father in heaven knows and loves us better than they. Therefore he judges from a loftier point of view. Standing higher, he looks deeper, and corrects for a nobler purpose — “that we should be partakers of his holiness.” (Heb 12:10) To the Christian God’s judgments are a sign of his love. So we should rejoice in and long for them. Do we wish to be separated from our sin, to be drawn nearer to him? Then let us be glad that “the Lord will judge his people,” and while in penitent consciousness of our sins we pray with the psalmist, “Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord!” (Ps 143:2) let us also cry with him, “Judge me, O Lord; try my reins and my heart!” (Ps 26:2) Abundance of Scripture teaching insists on the fact that there is a future judgment for Christians as for others. “We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ.” (2Co 5:10) True, “in the course of justice none of us should see salvation.” But though we are saved, not according to works of righteousness which we have done, it is also true that our place in heaven, though not our entrance into heaven, is determined by the law of recompense, and that, in a very real sense, “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Gal 6:7) A saved man’s whole position will be affected by his past. His place will be in proportion to his Christian character, though not deserved nor won by it. Let us ponder, then, the solemn words, almost the last which come to us from the enthroned Christ, “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (Re 22:12) II. THE FEAR WHICH CONSEQUENTLY IS AN ELEMENT IN THE CHILD’S LOVE. Perfect love casts out the fear (1Jn 4:18) which has torment, but it deepens a fear which is blessed. By fear we oftenest mean an apprehension of and a shrinking from dangers or evils, or a painful recoil from a person who may inflict them. Such fear is wholly inconsistent with the filial relation and the child’s heart. But the fear of God, which the Old Testament so exalts, and which is here enjoined as a necessary part of Christian experience, is not dread. It has no trembling apprehension of evil disturbing its serenity. To fear God is not to be afraid of God. It is full of reverential awe and joy, and, so far from being inconsistent with love, is impossible without it, increases it and is increased by it. It is a reverent, awe-stricken prostration before the majesty of holy love. Its opposite is irreverence. It is, further, a lowly consciousness of the heinousness of sin, and consequently a dread of offending that Divine holiness. He who thus fears, fears to sin more than anything else, and fears God so much that he fears nothing besides. The opposite of that is presumptuous self confidence, like Peter’s own earlier disposition, which led him into so many painful and humbling situations. “A wise man feareth and departeth from evil.” (Pr 14:16) The fear enjoined here is, primarily, then, a reverential regard to the holy Father who is our Judge, and, secondarily and consequently, a quick sensitiveness of conscience, which knows our own weakness, and, above all else, dreads falling into sin. Such sensitive scrupulousness may seem to be over-anxiety, but it is wisdom; and, though it brings some pains, it is blessedness. This is no world for unwary walking. There are too many enemies seeking admission to the citadel for it to be safe to dispense with rigid watchfulness at the gates. Our Father is our Judge, therefore let us fear to sin, and fear our own weakness. Our Judge is our Father, therefore let us not be afraid of him, but court his pure eyes and perfect judgment. Such fear which has in it no torment, and is the ally of love, is not the ultimate form of our emotions towards God. It is appropriate only to “the time of our sojourning here.” The Christian soul in this world is as a foreigner in a strange land. Its true affinities are in heaven; and its present surroundings are ever seeking to make it “forget the imperial palace” which is its home. So constant vigilance is needed. But when we reach our own land we can dwell safely, having neither locks nor bars. The walls may be pulled down, and flower-gardens laid out where they stood. Here and now is the place for loins girt and lamps burning. There and then we can walk with flowing robes, for no stain will come on them from the golden pavements, and need not carefully tend a flickering light, for eternal day is there. WHO IMPARTIALLY JUDGES: ton aprosopolemptos krinonta (PAPMSA): (1 Peter 2:23, 4:5, Dt 10:17; 19.7" class="scriptRef">2Chr 19:7; Job 34:11, 19; Ps 62:12, Je 17:10, Mt 22:16; Acts 10:34,35; Ro 2:10,11; Gal 2:6; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25) Moses in his exhortation to Israel to circumcise their hearts (referring to spiritual circumcision = not relying on works or sacrifices to attain righteousness, but personally expressing faith in God's promised, prophesied Messiah - see discussion of meaning of circumcision related to Covenant) spoke the following words to motivate them to seek the LORD while He could be found... For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality, nor take a bribe. (Dt 10:17) (for God..."does not delight in sacrifice, [nor] with burnt offering [but] the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart [God] will not despise) (See Spurgeon's notes on Ps 51:16 and Ps 51:17-note) In a similar passage Jehoshaphat the king of Judah warned the judges he appointed throughout Judah to think carefully before pronouncing judgment and to let the fear of the LORD be upon you; be very careful what you do, for the LORD our God will have no part in unrighteousness, or partiality, or the taking of a bribe. (2Chr 19:7) God is a righteous Judge, as Peter declares in explaining how Jesus did not seek to revenge evil for... while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously (see note 1 Peter 2:23) And again Peter alludes to God as Judge writing that... they (those who are surprised you as a new creation in Christ no longer desire to join them in their unrighteous activities) shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living (believers) and the dead (spiritually dead [note Ephesians 2:1], born into Adam [Romans 5:12-note], but never born again, John 3:3). The fact that God is going to judge all of us ought to cause us to become very sober minded and to give a little more attention to the life that we are living. As J Vernon McGee says My friends, we need to make sure that we are not superficial. The Gospel does not sprinkle rosewater on a bunch of dead weeds. The Gospel transforms lives and brings us into a living hope which rests upon the resurrection of Christ. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

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Appeal, appealed (1941) epikaleomai

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