Christ’s Work: Once for All
and to a Completion
George F. Howe
Sometimes in Bible study it is important to
get back to the Greek or Hebrew, even if all you are able to do is to study the
English transliterations from concordances and language dictionaries. For
example, there are three important Greek words used quite often by the writer
to the Hebrews. One of them talks about an event going on "to a
completion." The other two are often translated "once" or
(better yet) "once for all." A study of these three words and their
derivations will lead one to a greater appreciation of Christ’s gospel and for
all the work God plans to accomplish through Christ’s supreme sacrifice.
FIRST, consider the Greek word dieenekes/dihnekeV,
which appears only four times in the Bible. All four of these passages are in
the book of Hebrews and three of them are in the tenth chapter: (1) 7:3, (2)
10:1, (3) 10:12, and (4) 10:14. In reference 1, dieenekes refers to the Melchizedek
priesthood; in the second case it deals with Jewish sacrifices;
thirdly it concerns the sacrifice of Christ; and in the fourth instance,
it is also applied to the sacrifice of Christ.
Seeing dieenekes in these various contexts,
one wonders what it means in the original language. Strong’s Greek Dictionary
indicates that dienekes derives from two smaller words: dia/dia (through) and enegko/enegko (carry). In The Sacred Scriptures (Concordant
Publishers), the very literal term "thru-carry" has been used
to convey dieenekes into English. "Thru-carry" suggests the
"carrying through" or completion of something.
In their Concordant Literal Bible Version
(CV), the CV workers used the phrase "to a finality" for
dieenekes in all four references. The KJV employs the following words for
dieenekes in passages 1-4 respectively: continually, continually,
for ever, and for ever. The NIV uses forever, endlessly,
for all time, and forever.
The phrase "to a finality" (or its
equivalent "to a completion") applies to three different items. The Melchizedek
priesthood goes on to a finality in that Melchizedek’s life appeared to
have (seemed to have) neither beginning nor ending (7:3) and his priesthood
appeared to perpetuate itself. We say Melchizedek "appeared to" be
without beginning of days or ending of life because it was probably an apparent
phenomenon rather than a reality for Melchizedek (unless Melchizedek was an Old
Testament appearance of God the Son, as some scholars assert.) Melchizedek’s
seeming lack of beginning or ending is said by the Hebrews writer to be "
. . . like to the Son of God" (NIV). This plainly demonstrated that the
Son of God never had a beginning and He certainly will not have an ending. As
co-eternal with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, the Son has always
existed.. Those people who reject Christ’s deity, teaching that He was created
by God the Father in the pre-eonian past, are shown here, and in other Bible
passages, to be in error. This would include the Concordant Publishers, whose
Bible translation work has been carried out quite carefully, and whose cogent
emphasis on Biblical Universalism has been helpful. But their belief that God
the Father antedated Christ and that the Father created the Son, however, is
patently wrong.
This comment here in Hebrews 7:3, that the
Son of God had no beginning or ending of days, also demonstrates that there is
no need to force such words as aionios/aionioV to mean
"eternal" (when, of course, it does not) just in order to ensure that
the Bible will somewhere proclaim God’s eternality. The Bible does describe God
as aionios in various passages, meaning that He controls and works through all
ages. But some believers argue that aionios must otherwise mean
"eternal" or else there would be no Bible references pointing to His
eternality! But the use of aionios regarding God is written instead to show
that God is age enduring. There are several other scripture sections,
which, like Hebrews 7:3, speak of God’s eternal character (before and after all
ages) without once using aion, aionios, or olam—three
words which really never refer to eternity anyway.
Melchizedek’s priesthood was perpetual and
lasted to the "carrying through" (or to a finality) because it was
not subject to the frequent changes of personnel engendered by the death of
successive high priests in the order of Levite priests..
In Hebrews 10:1, Jewish sacrifices are
said to have gone on to a finality, perhaps meaning that they needed to be
practiced time and time again, almost ad infinitum. The lasting of these
sacrifices to the "completion" may also be speaking of the fact that
sacrifices will be offered in the new temple as part of a redeemed Jewish theocracy
during the Millenial eon (Ezekiel 44-46.) We are not given elaborate
explanations in the Bible regarding why sacrifices will be offered in the
Millennial temple but we may speculate that it will be done to focus the
attention of redeemed Israel back onto Christ’s work—just like the sacrifices
before His first advent were intended to prepare them mentally and spiritually
for Christ’s coming crucifixion on behalf of all mankind.
In the Hebrews 10:12, and 10:14, it is Christ’s
sacrifice which is said to go to a completion and this is correct in the
sense that nothing more beyond that final sacrifice is needed to fulfill all of
God’s plan—it is all accomplished or completed in Christ’s work.. Verse 12 also
touches on total reconciliation by saying that " . . . this one offered up
one sacrifice for sins to a finality . . ." Ultimately He makes all people
holy in a manner that is complete and final.
Again in verse 13, there is further reference
to total reconciliation when it is said that Christ waits for His enemies to be
made a footstool for His feet. Incidentally, there is nothing here or elsewhere
in scripture to suggest that these enemies will remain His adversaries or that
they will persist in the sinful rebellion they once knew. Nor is there anything
to indicate that their being part of His footstool is some form of endless
disgrace or punishment. A footstool is, after all, a very functional and
comfortable piece of furniture. In Isaiah 66:1, God Himself is quoted using the
word "footstool" in a favorable light—"Heaven is my throne and
the earth is my footstool." In the Psalms there are two references to
God’s footstool as a place where believers worship! When God’s enemies become
His footstool, that is a picture of reconciliation, not judgment.
The KJV and NIV translators routinely used
the word "forever" in the dieenekes references. However, a time
element (forever) is not being designated but instead dieenekes indicates
carrying through or taking something to a completion—to a finality. If
"forever" were the correct English counterpart, then you would have
the Bible saying that Melchizedek’s priesthood will be lasting
"forever"—something that occurs only in the person of Jesus Christ,
the human Melchizedek having long since gone to his rest.
If dieenekes meant "forever", then
the Jewish sacrifices would likewise be going on forever—a foolish idea. They
actually were stopped in 70 A.D. and will not be reinstituted until the new
temple is completed. We may assume that animal sacrifices will be discontinued
during the New Heaven/New Earth age, which will follow the Millenium. And, the
Bible tells of no more sacrifices after the ultimate consummation of
Corinthians 15:28, when Christ will have abdicated all leadership to the Father
and when God will have become "all in all."
The SECOND Greek word is hapax/apax, which is found 14 times in the New Testament. Eight
of these occurrences are in the book of Hebrews, two in Jude, and one each in
II Corinthians, Philippians, I Thessalonians, and I Peter.
The CV and KJV routinely translated hapax as
"once." The NIV translators also rendered it "once: in seven
sections of scripture but on four other occasions they wisely used "once
for all" in English. The rationale for using "once for all" in
certain contexts can be found in its derivation. Strong’s Greek Dictionary says
that hapax probably derived from hapas/apaV, a Greek
word meaning "absolutely all. . . every one. . .all (things), every (one),
whole" (Strong p. 13.) The "once" of hapax therefore might sometimes
mean "once for all."
Note how the use of "once for all"
in two of the hapax occurrences shows aspects of universal salvation: Hebrews
9:26 But now he has appeared once for all at the end [conjunction] of
the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself (NIV) and I Peter 3:18
For Christ died for sin once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous
to bring you [actually should be "us"] to God. In each case the
"once for all" appears to imply not only "once for all" time
but also "once for all" people—which clearly fits with God’s
plan to save everyone.
Consider the universalist implications of
hapax even in a passage where it has been translated "once" in all
three versions—CV, KJV, and NIV—Hebrews 9:28 so Christ was sacrificed once to
take away the sins of many people (NIV). The "many people" here is
shown to mean all by a similar usage in Romans 5:19. When it says later, in
that same verse, Hebrews 9:28, that he will appear a second time to bring
salvation to those who are waiting for him, this refers most likely to the
"rapture" when all who were given faith during this life will receive
a special salvation (I Timothy 4:19). This special salvation for believers may
entail an early resurrection and life for two eons (ages) ahead—the Millennium
and the New Heaven/New Earth eon, before the ultimate resurrection of all
others.
The THIRD Greek word is ephapax/efapax, which derives from epi and hapax put together, with
the "i" dropped out. Epi is a prefix meaning "on" in the
sense of "upon" or it can mean "over" as in "over and
above." For example, baros/baroV is "to
burden" or "weigh down" so that epibareo/ epibareo means "to burden excessively."
Blepo/Blepo means "to look at" or "to pay
attention" and epiblepo/epiblepo is
"to pay special attention." Epi serves thus to intensify the
meaning of whatever word it precedes. Hapax often means "once," as we
have seen, and therefore ephapax surely means "once for all"
as it is saying ONCE in an emphatic manner—no "ifs",
"ands", or "buts" about it!
Since ephapax is an emphatic
"once for all", the NIV translators did well when they rendered it
"once for all" in four of the five passages where it appears. They
used "at the same time" for ephapax in I Corinthians 15:6
where Paul said that after the resurrection, Christ appeared to over 500
brethren "at the same time."
The other four Bible texts use ephapax
in relation to Christ’s sacrifice—Romans 6:10, Hebrews 7:27, Hebrews 9:12, and
Hebrews 10:10. In each of these the NIV translators wisely used "once for
all" for ephapax in regards to Christ’s sacrificial work on the
cross. This correctly leaves the word quite open. Since even hapax by
itself can mean "once for all", the very least we can do for ephapax
in English is to say "once for all" with no limitations attached
because it means "over and above once for all"!
In each of the four ephapax verses
concerning Christ’s work, the CV translated it as "once for all time".
This is unfortunate because only in I Corinthians 15:6 is there any idea of
"time" explicitly stated—"at the same time". Even in I
Corinthians 15:6 there is no span of time involved (as we think of elapsed
time) but simply "at one time." Thus there is no linguistic demand to
insert the word "time" into all its other uses, as the CV translators
did.
Ephapax does not deal exclusively with "time" but is a very
comprehensive "once for ALL", where the all is all-inclusive.
Does it include all time? Yes. But it involves not only and not exclusively
"all time" but all else—especially all people!
Such superabundant universality of ephapax
as regards Christ’s work seems warranted in each of the other four passages.
Read them in the NIV: Romans 6:10 The death he died,[For in that he died] he
died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. Hebrews 7:27
. . .He sacrificed for their [the people’s] sins once for all when he offered
himself. Hebrews 9:12 . . .but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by
his own blood, having obtained eternal [aionios] redemption. Hebrews
10:10 And by that will we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body
of Jesus Christ once for all.
The Bible repeatedly uses three Greek words (dienekes,
hapax, and ephapax), especially in the book of Hebrews, to focus
on the comprehensive work of Christ which was done ONCE FOR ALL and TO A
COMPLETION.
TURA (standing for the ultimate
reconciliation of all)
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