Bible Study – All Saints Day 1.11.09
What does the word ‘saint’ conjure up for you? Who or what does it bring to mind? Is there a particular saint who you identify with or who has inspired you?
The traditional Catholic and Anglican understanding of saints has mainly been concerned with heroes/heroines of the faith from previous centuries, with their example of holy and courageous living and with their supposed role as intermediaries for our prayers.
In the New Testament, the word usually translated saints (hagioi in the Greek) is mainly found in the book of Revelation and in the letters of St Paul. Here is an excerpt from the Theological Dictionary of New Testament Words on Paul’s use of the word:
In Paul’s letters those who name Jesus as their Lord are called hagioi, saints. This is not primarily an ethical expression but a concept parallel to “called”, and “faithful”; it implies association with the Holy Spirit. Christ is their sanctification as well as their righteousness and redemption and thus the one in whom they become holy to the true God. The power to do so comes from the risen Christ, who operates according to the Spirit of holiness.
Let’s look briefly at the 9 occasions that hagioi crops up in Ephesians and see what we can learn.
1.1 To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.
Comment: Paul is writing to the living, not the dead. He is writing to ordinary Christians, not just to those who have performed miracles or achieved an extraordinary level of purity.
Questions: How comfortable are you with the use of the word ‘saint’ to describe all Christians?
What do you think the phrase ‘the faithful in Christ Jesus’ means (see vv 3-14, especially 3-5 and 12)?
1.15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
Comment: Saints are people who live a life of faith and love, who pray and who need to be prayed for.
1.17-19a I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Comment: Saints need outside help if they are to fully understand who they are and to put their calling into practice.
Questions: Where can this help be found and how can it be obtained?
How often do you pray like this for other Christians?
2.19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints (NIV: God’s people) and members of God’s household.
Comment: Saints have been transferred by God into a position of privilege and responsibility.
Question: How should the members of God’s household be recognizable and what should be their attitude to others?
3.8 Although I am less than the least of all the saints (NIV: God’s people), this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
Comment: Paul is deeply aware of his unworthiness but at the same time supremely confident in his calling.
Question: Is it possible for us to be as clear and confident as Paul about what we are called to do?
3.17b-18 And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.
Question: How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ? Why is it so important for us to know this? How significant is the phrase 'together with all the saints'?
4.12-13 …to prepare the saints (NIV: “God’s people”) for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Comment: Paul is explaining the reason that Christ calls people to particular ministries and gives them spiritual gifts.
Question: How can we guard against improper use of gifts or power in churches? How important is it to encourage and enable each other to use them well?
5.3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for the saints (NIV: “God’s holy people”).
Question: How can we guard against the destructive effects of sin? Is the bar set too high for us?
6.18b Be alert and keep on praying for all the saints.
Comment: Never underestimate the ongoing need for alertness and prayer!
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Very interesting, thanks.
ReplyDelete'The faithful in Christ Jesus' I'm intersted my the Greek here. Is 'the faithful' another description of the same people or are we to understand two people groups here: the 'Saints' and their acolytes 'the Faithful'? And again in Hebrews 13:24. And even in Revelation 11:18 where is seems even more likely that there is that distinction.
Interesting question! In the Greek or a more literal word for word translation like ESV, it is pretty clear that 'the saints' and 'the faithful' are a single group. The word order is interesting. The believers are FIRST saints - because of God's action in calling/setting them apart and SECOND faithful - their faith is a response to what God has done. I think the same applies in Heb 13.24 and Rev 11.18, although neither of those is by Paul, so their use of hagioi could be slightly different. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteBTW I used the NIV in the study because that's what most people here seem to have, although I 'corrected' their paraphrases to show all the occurrances of hagioi. NIV only has 'saints' 5 times - maybe they shied away from it because of its 'Catholic' overtones ;) Drew