Article May 16, 1936 Issue

Bible Notes

"For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven" (II Cor. 5:2)—For this somewhat involved verse Moffatt suggests the rendering: "It makes me sigh, indeed, this yearning to be under the cover of my heavenly habitation;" while Goodspeed has: "This makes me sigh with longing to put on my heavenly dwelling."

"The earnest of the Spirit" (II Cor. 5:5)—The Greek word "arrabon," here translated "earnest," was used in the first century in the sense of what we today would call a down payment made as security that the balance would be paid later. Paul's point seems to be that in part they have already "received the Holy Spirit," and this is a guarantee that they will grow into a fuller realization of it. Goodspeed translates: "He has given me the Spirit as his guaranty;" and Weymouth: "God, who has given us His Spirit as guarantee" (cf. Souter: Greek Lexicon; and Hastings' Bible Dictionary, p. 200).

"We walk by faith, not by sight" (II Cor. 5:7)—The Greek term "eidos," here translated "sight," means more exactly "external appearance, form, figure, shape." Consequently, Weymouth has: "We guide ourselves by faith and not by external appearance." Goodspeed suggests: "I have to guide my steps by faith, not by what is seen."

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