Fervently (1619) ektenos by Greek Word Studies

Fervently (1619) (ektenos [word study] from ek = out + teíno = stretch; English = tension, etc) literally pictures one "stretching out" to love others! It pictures "an intense strain" and unceasing activity which normally involving a degree of intensity and/or perseverance. Ektenos is from the verb ekteino which means to “stretch out the hand.”, thus it means to be stretched out—earnest, resolute, intense. The fundamental idea is earnestness, zealousness -- not doing something lightly and perfunctorily but straining as it were to do it! Ektenos was an athletic term conveying the meaning of “striving with all of one’s energy” and was used to describe a runner who was moving at maximum output with taut muscles straining and stretching to the limit. This meaning presents the clear picture that love is not something that will just happen, but is something we have to work at like an Olympic athlete who strives to master his area of expertise with all his energy. We must make the choice and be earnest, resolute, even intense in our practice of agape love, always in complete dependence of God's indwelling Spirit and His living and abiding Word. Fronmuller writes that ektenos... is a very pregnant addition. It denotes stretching out, straining, putting forth strenuous effort, hence (a) by straining and extending every energy, by untiring elasticity, (b) by sustained perseverance, (c) by extending it to such brethren as appear less worthy of love. Weiss: “With lasting, persevering energy, that cannot be tired out by the cumulating guilt of our neighbour,” 1Pe 4:8. The possibility of such a mode of conduct belongs to the state of regeneration, 1Pe 1:23; cf. Mt 18:21, 22. Steiger. “As natural relationship produces natural affection, so spiritual relationship produces spiritual affection.” It is lasting, because emanating from an eternal source of life. (1 Peter 1:22-25 Commentary Lange's Commentary Online) Peter is saying in essence Stretch to the limits in your loving others sacrificial and selflessly. Roger Raymer adds that... This love is to be expressed not shallowly but “deeply” (ektenos, “at full stretch” or “in an all-out manner, with an intense strain”...). (Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., et al: The Bible Knowledge Commentary. 1985. Victor or Logos) Vincent writes that ektenos is a compound work with the verb teino, to stretch, and (signifies) intense strain; feeling on the rack (an instrument of torture on which a body is stretched) Vine says... The idea suggested is that of not relaxing in effort, or acting in a right spirit. In the only other NT use, ektenos describes the church's prayer for Peter in prison So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. (Acts 12:5) (Note that the Textus Receptus - used to translate the KJV - actually has the closely related word ektenes not ektenos as does the Nestle-Aland which is used for the NAS translation.) The comparative form of the closely related adjective ektenes (ektenesteron) is used to describe the intensity of our Lord's prayer in Gethsemane And being in agony He was praying very fervently (ektenesteron); and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. (Luke 22:44) Comment: what a picture of the passion of Jesus in prayer! Note that ektenos is used only here and in some manuscripts (Nestle-Aland) in Acts 12:5. As mentioned above, Acts 12:5 in the Textus Receptus uses the closely related adjective ektenes., which is also used in chapter 4 of first Peter... Above all, keep fervent (ektenes) in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. (1Pe 4:8-note) Fervently love one another - MacDonald comments that... The exhortation to love one another is especially timely for a people undergoing persecution because it is well known that “under conditions of hardship, trivial disagreements take on gigantic proportions.” (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

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Fervently (1619) ektenos

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