A Word Study on the Biblical Word "Hope"
Study #66 - Such Hope
We must apologize for neglecting to post any new studies since August due to some scheduling changes in my life and ministry. We do intend on finishing out this study on the word "hope" as it is used in the Bible but our posts may not be as regular as they once were. In our last two postings we were discussing the believer's hope as a personal possession - "having hope", yet not as a hope placed in ourselves but in the Lord - "the God of hope". There was a trio of verses on hope that were mentioned in these studies that we wanted to come back to:
II Corinthians 3:12 - "Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech ..."
Hebrews 6:19 - "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast ..."
I Peter 3:15 - "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you ..."
These three verses were written by three different inspired authors (unless the Apostle Paul also wrote the Book of Hebrews) and yet speak of a common hope that all Christians may inwardly possess; a hope we have; a hope that is in you. In the first verse, the Apostle Paul wrote that such hope impacts the believer's speech - this is hope asserted and confidently declared. In the passage from Hebrews we are told that our hope in Christ anchors the believer's soul - this is hope assuring. Then in the third verse the Apostle Peter admonishes us that our hope is to be confidently defended in the midst of the believer's suffering - this is hope's bold answer (literally, an apologetic in defense of our hope). We want to consider each of these passages in more detail. First, the bold assertion of the Christian's hope. In the context of II Corinthians chapter three we find the Apostle Paul making a strong contrast between the ministry of the letter of the law and the ministry of the spirit of the gospel (see verses 6-11). At least four contrasts are given between the message of the Old Testament and that of the New. J. Sidlow Baxter gives these as follows:
1. The old covenant was that of the "letter" (the "letter engraven on stones" - vs. 7); the new covenant is that of the Spirit (3:6).
2. The old covenant was a ministration of death; the new is a ministration of life. "The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life" (3:6).
3. The old covenant was one of condemnation; the new is a ministration of righteousness (3:9).
4. The old covenant was transitory; the new is permanent - "that which remaineth" (3:11).
All of these things are a part of the glory of the New Testament that is described by Paul in the following ways: "rather glorious" (vs.8); "exceed(s) in glory" (vs.9); "glory that excelleth" (vs.10); "much more ... glorious" (vs.11). Can we fail to miss his point? The Gospel is a glorious message filled with glorious hope!
All of this precedes our text in verse 12: "Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech." That little word "such" ties this verse to all that has gone before. The Greek word "such" is used very much the way we use it in English - to emphasize and define. We might say, "She is such a nice person", or "That is such a good idea." Strong states that it literally means "truly this", i.e. "of this sort" (to denote character or individuality). Thayer defines it to mean "such as this, of this kind or sort". In other words, it is not just any hope that Paul is writing about, it is this particular kind of hope found in the Gospel. We may also note verse 4 - "And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward." Only such trust produces such hope! And such a hope is to be boldly and plainly asserted: "Seeing we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech." Paul had great confidence in the power of the Gospel and in the certainty of the hope it offers the believer. This is not a message to hide or to timidly conceal. Nor does it need to be accommodated or modified to appease the crowd. It is to be declared boldly, openly, plainly and confidently! "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth ... For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:16,17).
