·
The root
word is “krino”, literally meaning to distinguish or to decide, and by
implication to condemn or to punish. Strong’s note codifies “Krino” G2919.
The same code G2919 includes variations of “krino” in form, too, for
example, “Krinetai”, which means “is being judged”, and “Kekritai”,
which means “has been judged”. The basic meaning, however, does not change.
·
“Katakrino”,
which is a verb and is translated “to condemn”. It is codified G2632.
This word is a combination of two root words, G2596 “kata” and G2919
“krino”. The same code G2632 includes a variation “Katekrinen” as
well. “Kata” is a primary particle or a prefix, meaning “about, according as
(to), concerning, etc.” It is codified G2596.
·
“Krima”,
which is a noun and is translated “judgement” or “condemnation”. It is codified
G2917, meaning “a decision”. Strong’s notes say that this word is from
the root word G2919, or “krino”.
·
“Katakrima”,
which is a noun and is translated “condemnation”. It is codified G2631.
Strong’s notes say that the word is from the root word G2632, or
“katakrino”.
We understand
from the above-noted that the Greek words translated into “condemn” or
“condemnation” in NKJV do not of themselves include the meaning of “eternal
death” or “hell”. The definition in Strong’s notes of the root word “krino”,
which is as follows, seems to support our understanding:
Properly, to distinguish,
i.e. decide (mentally or judicially);
by implication, to try,
condemn, punish.
NKJV: avenge, conclude,
condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law,
ordain, call in question, sentence to, think.
From the NKJV Bible
itself we believe that we have found further support for our above-noted
understanding. It appears to us that:
1.
Viewed
from their contexts, the words “condemn” and “condemnation” in the NKJV should
be interpreted as “decide” or “judge” and “decision” or “judgement”.
2.
Furthermore,
the same words are not used exclusively to refer to God’s decision or judgment,
but also that of men.
3.
Finally,
the words “condemn” and “condemnation” do not of themselves mean God sending
men to hell, but simply means “to judge” or “to decide”, and what the judgment
or decision is has to be determined by the specific context in each case.
Let us refer to several sample
verses in the NKJV Bible:
John 3:18-21 “He who believes in Him is not
condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned
(krinetai) already, because he has not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light
has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the
light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But
he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen,
that they have been done in God.”
The word “krinetai”, which means “is being judged”, does
not refer to “eternal death” or “hell” of itself. Rather, verse 19 defines what
the condemnation is: the fact that the unbelievers should reject the light of
God is of its own right condemnation to those unbelievers! So by their own refusal
to accept the Holy One they “condemn” or “judge” themselves and show their
deeds to be evil.
(Another important issue dealt with in these verses is
the ground of condemnation. John 3:17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn
(“krine” G2919) the world, but the world through him might be saved.” Read together with verse 3:18, it means that condemnation comes only after the unbelievers
reject Jesus, in other words, there is no condemnation before man’s own
decision. Accordingly to verses 19-20, it is their evil deeds that evidence the
“unbelief” of the unfaithful. It is not because they are descendants of Adam
that they are condemned. Verse 21 says that people who are also the descendants
of Adam yet choose to be faithful are never condemned.)
John 8:3-10 Then the
scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they
had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in
adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in
the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might
have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the
ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised
Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a
stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by
their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the
last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the
midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said
to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned (katekrinen) you?”
When Jesus asks the woman “has no one condemned you”, He does
not mean “has not anybody sent you to hell”. He means “has no one determined
that you are to be stoned to death according to the Mosaic law?” Here, the
condemnation is the physical punishment of stoning to death.
Hebrews 11:7 and 2 Peter 2:4-7 show that “condemnation” can be a punishment by a disaster: flood for the evil in Noah’s days and the fire from the Heaven for Sodom and Gomorrah.
In some cases, the words “condemn” and “condemnation” does not mean “punishment”, but simply means “judgement” or “decision”.
Acts 26:8 Why
should it be thought (“krinetai”, G2919) a thing incredible with you,
that God should raise the dead?
Here, the Greek word translated into “be thought” is translated
into “condemn”(also “krinetai”) in John 3:18, which means “is being judged.”
1 Corinthians 6:2 Do
you not know that the saints will judge (“krinetai”) the world? And if
the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest
matters?
1 Corinthians 10:29 Conscience,
I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged
(“krinetai”) by another man’s conscience?
Here
the same “Krinetai” is translated as “judge”.
1 Corinthians 6:6 But
brother goes to law against (“krinetai") brother, and that before
unbelievers!
In both verses above, the word “krinetai” is translated as “goes to law against”.
Romans 5:16-18 And
the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the
judgment (“krima”) which came from one offense resulted in condemnation (“katakrima”),
but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17
For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those
who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in
life through the One, Jesus Christ.)18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense [judgment
came] upon men to condemnation(“katakrima”), even so through one Man’s
righteous act the free gift came to all men,
resulting in justification of life.
What condemnation means in Romans 5:16-18 is explained in Romans
5:12-14:
Romans 5:12-14 Therefore,
just as through one man sin entered the world, and death (“thanatos”) through sin(s), and thus death(“thanatos”)
spread to all men, because all sinned—For until the law sin was in the world,
but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death (“thanatos”)
reigned from Adam to Moses, even
over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of
Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.)
These verses say that “thanatos” is the condemnation that all
have to bear. “Thanatos” here means “the power and miseries of death” (Note: please
refer to our previous bible study journal “Two different words for death in Greek”),
which is the consequence of Adam’s sin to the mankind. “The power and miseries
of death” brings men into the danger of eternal death, because men may be
tempted by their inherited sinful nature to sin. For all mankind, the power and
miseries of death is a judgement, punishment as well as disaster that even
innocent babies have to more or less suffer.
Particularly noteworthy is that the word “condemnation” here
cannot be interpreted as “eternal death”, because such interpretation is
against the Gospel of John verses 3:16-21. It is only those who refuse to
believe in God until physical death is condemned to hell. We all know that many
true believers had rejected Jesus before they finally repented. So an unbeliever
has chance to repent and thereby escape the eternal death as long as he lives.
1 comment:
Glory to God, thank you for an in-depth understanding of the word of God. I thoroughly was elevated in the spiritual realization of what the spirit just taught me. Stay the course woman of God.
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