SEEKING TO
KNOW WHAT PERSON OR TIME
THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST WITHIN THEM
WAS INDICATING: eraunontes
(PAPMPN) eis tina e poion kairon edelou (3SIAI) to en autois pneuma
Christou:
(1
Peter
3:18,19;
Romans 8:9;
Galatians 4:6;
2 Peter 1:21;
Revelation 19:10)
Seeking to know (2045) (ereunao the root word of
exereunao
in the previous verse) means to make thorough examination, to make a
careful or thorough effort to learn something. It means to search,
examine, investigate, inquire, find out.
Jesus used this same verb (ereunao) to
chastise the Jews declaring
You search (ereunao)
the Scriptures, because
you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that
bear witness of Me and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may
have life. (Jn 5:39-40)
Verse 11 can be interpreted in one of two ways which accounts for
the difference in the translations where NASB translates it as
"what
person or time" and NIV has "time and
circumstances".
In either event, the present tense of "seeking"
pictures the prophets as returning continually to the problem that
their predictions created for them. Note for example (Da 12:8,9), where Daniel was
told that his words were "sealed till the time of the end."
The prophets knew that the Messiah would be coming, but they had no
knowledge when he would app ear or what the circumstances of his
appearance would be. The Old Testament prophets had predicted that
Messiah would experience both suffering and glory. However, they did
not understand how His suffering and glory would fit together. It is
possible to understand that mystery only after Jesus' earthly
ministry.
Ereunao is found
6 times in the NT...
John 5:39 "You search the
Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and
it is these that bear witness of Me;
John 7:52 They answered and said to
him, "You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no
prophet arises out of Galilee."
Romans 8:27 (note) and He who searches
the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes
for the saints according to the will of God.
1 Corinthians 2:10 For to us God
revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all
things, even the depths of God. (Vincent: "Not, searcheth in
order to discover; but of the ever active, accurate, careful sounding
of the depths of God by the Spirit.")
1 Peter 1:11 (note)
seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within
them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the
glories to follow.
Revelation 2:23 (note)
'And I will kill her children with pestilence; and all the churches
will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will
give to each one of you according to your deeds.
Jesus Christ clearly did not come into
existence at His incarnation as some cults falsely teach. To the
contrary, Peter teaches that the Messiah in the
Person of the Holy Spirit (cf see note
Romans 8:9), took up temporary residence within the
writers of the OT and as explained in his second epistle, enabled them to
write very specific, detailed prophecies of His glorious salvation (see
notes
2 Peter 1:20;
1:21).
The Messianic prophecies were not the product of the imaginations of
the prophets but were communicated by the "Spirit of Christ within
them."
David for example was conscious of God's Spirit at work in him
enabling him to speak under the Spirit's guidance writing
"The Spirit of the LORD spoke
by me, and His word was on my tongue." (2Sa 23:2).
Peter emphasizes that the the Holy Spirit is not
an impersonal influence, but a personal Being.
Was
indicating (1213)
(deloo from delos = manifest) means to make plain by
words and thus to declare. It means to make some matter known that was
unknown or not communicated previously. It means to show clearly, to signify,
to make manifest, visible, clear, or plain and to make known. When spoken of
things past it means to tell, relate or impart information (as in 1Cor 1:11;see
note
Col 1:18).
Although deloo is used most often in reference to declarations
through articulate language, it is also used often of any kind of indirect
communication. When spoken of things future or hidden,
deloo means to reveal, show or bring to light.
Deloo means to make something known by making evident what was either
unknown before or what may have been difficult to understand. The
imperfect tense
in this verse emphasizes repeated action in the past and thus pictures the
successive disclosures that the Spirit revealed to the prophets. The
Spirit of Christ repetitively set before the prophets very specific
truths concerning the coming Messiah, here emphasizing His sufferings
and His glories.
Deloo is used 28 times in the
Septuagint (LXX)
(Ex. 6:3; 33:12; Deut. 33:10; Jos. 4:7; 1 Sam. 3:21; 1 Ki. 8:36; 2 Chr.
6:27; Est. 2:22; Ps. 25:14; 51:6; 147:20; Isa. 42:9; Jer. 16:21; Dan. 2:5f,
9, 11, 16, 23ff, 28ff, 47; 4:18; 7:16). Here are some uses in the
Septuagint (LXX)
Exodus 6:3 and I appeared to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not
make Myself known (deloo) to them.
Exodus 33:12 Then Moses said to
the LORD, "See, Thou dost say to me, 'Bring up this people!' But Thou
Thyself hast not let me know (deloo) whom Thou wilt send with me.
Moreover, Thou hast said, 'I have known you by name, and you have also found
favor in My sight.'
Esther 2:22 But the plot became known
(deloo) to Mordecai, and he told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king
in Mordecai's name.
Psalm 25:14 The secret of the LORD
is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know (deloo) His covenant.
(Spurgeon's
Note)
Psalm 51:6 Behold, Thou dost
desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part Thou wilt
make me know (deloo) wisdom. (Spurgeon's
Note)
Psalm 147:20 He has not dealt thus
with any nation and as for His ordinances, they have not known
(deloo) them. Praise the LORD! (Spurgeon's
Note)
Isaiah 42:9 "Behold, the former
things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth
I proclaim (Lxx = deloo = make them known) them to you."
Daniel 2:25 Then Arioch hurriedly
brought Daniel into the king's presence and spoke to him as follows: "I have
found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the
interpretation known (deloo) to the king!"
Deloo is used 7 times in the NT...
1 Corinthians 1:11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are
quarrels among you.
1 Corinthians 3:13 each man's work
will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed
with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work.
Colossians 1:8 (note)
and he also informed us of
your love in the Spirit.
Hebrews 9:8 (note)
The Holy Spirit is
signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been
disclosed, while the outer tabernacle is still standing,
Hebrews 12:27 (note)
And this expression, "Yet once
more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as
of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may
remain.
1 Peter 1:11 (note)
seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was
indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to
follow.
2 Peter 1:14 (note)
knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also
our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear (of something divinely
communicated) to me.
AS HE PREDICTED THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST AND THE GLORIES TO
FOLLOW: promarturomenon (PMPMSN)
ta eis Christon pathemata kai tas meta tauta doxas:
(sufferings
Psalms 22:1-21;
69:1-21;
88:1-18;
Isaiah 52:13,14;
53:1-10;
Daniel 9:24-26;
Zechariah 13:7;
Luke 24:25-27,44) (glories
Genesis 3:15;
49:10;
Psalms
22:22-31;
69:30-36;
110:1-6;
Isaiah 9:6,7;
49:6;
Isaiah 53:11,12;
Daniel 2:34,35,44;
7:13,14;
Zechariah 8:18-21;
14:9