DIANOIA                                             by Giulio Mari

"[M]aking mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know. . ." Ephesians 1:17-18  KJV

The reason for this short essay is to specifically deal with the dynamics of God's revelation to the believer more than the subject of the revelation itself. It is true that the ultimate goal of God's revelation is to elevate us to a fuller knowledge of the person and the work of our Lord Jesus, nevertheless we will limit this study to the way in which the enlightenment comes.

There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit of God is the One who grants the "spirit of wisdom and revelation" to the believer. 

I am also convinced that even the unbeliever who approaches God with an honest, repentant, and seeking heart is likely to receive this kind of revelation. That, would be the heavenly light which will bring him to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God and usher him into the reality of salvation.

We can see from Paul's writing that the process of receiving wisdom and revelation is subject to the "eyes of your understanding being enlightened." In other words, in exclusion of God's enlightenment, there is no possibility of receiving wisdom and revelation. To be able to explain the process of the coming of the "spirit of wisdom and revelation" we have to look at one of the recipient of this delivery—the mind.

We find however, from other parts of the Scriptures, that the process of understanding spiritual matters is a complex one; it includes the mind as well as the heart and the spirit of man. In fact we see how our Lord, talking to His disciples, in Mark 8:17-18 is recorded as saying: "Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?" Consequently we notice that, in this instance, our Lord placed the emphasis on the hardness of the heart and not on a closed mind—no perception, no understanding, eyes not seeing and ears not hearing all being the result of having a hardened heart.

And yet in Ephesians 1:17, the passage in question, Paul writes about the eyes of the understanding; stressing in this case, the role of the mind. We know that because the Greek word he uses for understanding  is dia-noia. The word noia, in the original language, describes the function of the mind as opposed to the organ itself which is called nous.

By using the word dianoia Paul expresses the concept of the mind being engaged into a meditation leading to understanding. Through the use of this particular word there is an effort being described—a thinking through, a deep reflecting on the matter at hand with the aim of perceiving something of value.[i]

Paul is telling the Ephesians that he is praying that God's light will break through on them while they are engaged and delving into the things of the kingdom of God. It is at that very time, of thinking and meditating on the Lord, that Paul desires and prays that the believer might receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ. The heart, the mind, and the spirit of man are all involved at the receiving end of God's grace.

Therefore, the heart must be open to be able receive from the Lord. Moreover, a spirit of humility is an essential prerequisite to the knowledge of spiritual realities because "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6. KJV

The believer has to be hungry for the true Manna from heaven and figuratively go out, day by day, to gather the fresh Word of God having a soft heart and a clear mind.  Matthew 4:4 and Deuteronomy 8:3 both declare:

  "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

Jesus said that He is the Bread of life and if we want to live godly lives and grow in grace we must feed on Him continuously—and we do that because He loves us.

Are we seeking first His kingdom so that God's revealing light may shine upon us? Let us admit that there is no other alternative for our spiritual health, but to grow in Him through the prayerful study of His Word. The challenge before us is clear. Are we engaged in meditating and reflecting on our Lord and the Scriptures or have we handed over to others this sacred activity?

 "Blessed is the man listening to Me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors." Prov.8:34 LITV

The various ministries which our Lord has given to the Church are vital to the well being of His body on earth, but have we relegated our personal duties to the professional ministers instead of feeding ourselves with the truth of God's Word?  Which sober thinking person might want to munch on snacks the entire week simply because on Sunday he can go to a restaurant and have a feast? But that's exactly what we do if we do not spend adequate and meaningful time with God but just wait for a Sunday sermon.

The local Church, radio and television preachers, Christian literature, daily devotionals and other forms of knowledge are great and we can be blessed by them, but they should characterize the minor part of our interaction with the things of God. We could easily starve on information, we need living spiritual food which the Holy Spirit is longing to give us if only we take the time to—dianoia—the Scriptures with prayerful attention.

Often, while listening to a sermon or a fellow Christian, God's light beams into our hearts. As a result we should follow-up those insights with thoughtful care so that the revelation received might stay and become part of who we are and not just vanish as a passing interest. We need to be changed by the Word of God for the sake of our character and to become also more fruitful in the work of sharing Jesus—by words and deeds.

Let us not abandon the Scriptures and the seeking of His face. Let us not wholly rely on the professionals to do the job for us. Let us not regard ourselves as unable to understand. The Holy Spirit is ready to give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him —are we ready to receive?

In these matters the opening of the eyes is the gift of God, no amount of education, Christian or otherwise, will ever make up for it. Spiritual perception is the realm of the person with a broken heart and a contrite spirit[ii].

By the grace of God may we be such people—because the proud and the casual observer shall remain in the dark.

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Notes and References.

[i] We might find easier to understand the word dianoia by considering the similar word diagnosis, which, in non-medical terms, can be defined as a careful examination of the facts in an attempt to understand a matter.

Dia-gnosis, (through-knowledge) emphasises the scrutiny of facts already known.

Dia-noia, (through-thinking) emphasises the thinking process the mind goes through to be able to know facts.

(Explanations adapted from Webster's Dict.; Strong's Concordance, Greek word n.1271 and the Expository Dict. W.E. Vine 1952).

[ii] Psalm 34:18;  Isaiah 57:17 and 66:2 

(Scriptures taken from the KJV of the Bible and the LITV [Literal Translation of the Holy Bible] by J.P. Green,Sr.1995).

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Being aware of my limitations but desirous  to share, I submit this paper to my fellow believers in Christ. None of my work is ever complete, there is always something to add as the Lord grants more light. "For in You is the fountain of life, in your light we see light." Ps.36:9 LIT   

                                                                                                                                                                                        Rev.03.2013

Isaac, Esau and Jacob.

                                            Grace and forgiveness are the very precious, God-given means of love.                       by Giulio Mari

"Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children." Gen.32:11 KJV

In the Bible there is a very emotional encounter between two people which vividly depicts the power of God's grace. The story is found in the book of Genesis, chapters 32 and 33. It recounts the time when Jacob, on the way back to the Promise Land, makes preparations to meet his brother Esau whom he had defrauded years before —and whose face he had fled.

Yes, Esau had been grieved having despised his birthright by selling it to his younger brother. Yet even more so, Jacob had stolen from Esau their father's "blessing of the firstborn" by impersonating him under the hand of Isaac. Jacob had acquiesced in his mother's scheme to promote the interests of her favorite son —himself. He had taken Esau's birthright by opportunism but the blessing by deception.

Three times Jacob had explicitly lied about his identity as he was being questioned by his nearly blind father. Imagine therefore the fear he must have felt while committing his transgression. These incidents in Jacob's eventful life show how God and fear are closely knit in the fabric of a stained conscience. So much so that Jacob refers to God as Fear — he actually substitutes the word God with the word Fear.

"Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me. . . ." Gen.31:42 KJV

And again we see why, later in life, Jacob, evoking his earlier sinful behavior, would call the "God of his father" the "Fear of his father" because in his father's presence he felt the holy fear of God. 

"And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac." v.53 KJV

In Jacob's heart, at the very moment of sinning, God and Isaac were one and the same.

The reality of life is that God is the silent witness to all our actions[i]—He is ever present. When we hurt or wrong someone that person becomes His messenger unto our conscience —like an instrument of the Almighty. We know we have sinned and the person we harmed is, in our eyes, the sword of God's impending punishment upon us. Jacob makes this ever so clear as we join the narrative of his return to Canaan Land.

From the time his mother Rebekah had compelled him to flee twenty years has passed, but now, on his way back, Jacob had sent his servants ahead to tell Esau that he was returning home. But the report he hears is anything but reassuring—Esau is coming to meet him with four hundred men. During the years of separation a bad conscience had been Jacob's companion, but on his way back home fear had joined hands with guilt. The time of reckoning had come.

Jacob becomes very fearful for his life and that of his large family. As the time of the encounter approaches he lets most of his great caravan go ahead of him with a well staged present for the appeasing of his brother's anger. Later on, knowing that Esau is closing in with his force, he arranges his family in such a way that the ones he loves the most would have the greatest chance of survival. 

In his eyes Esau had all the right to avenge himself and punish him as he saw fit. So Jacob, being in dire need of help, lifts his voice to God and in his desperate prayer for deliverance he cries: "for I fear him. . . ." But, upon facing each other, his brother relieves his fears: "And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept." Gen.33:4 KJV. Jacob wept for joy as well as relief, and while sobbing he shouts: 

"For I have seen your face, like seeing the face of God, and you are pleased with me." v.10 LITV

To him, over the passing years, to encounter Esau would have been the same as confronting God. But finally his brother's forgiveness had set him free from guilt and fear of punishment.

And so it is for us —how great a surprise and joy when instead of punishment we find grace! Therefore, having been forgiven, we are now free from the fear of judgement, condemnation and punishment.

But why—why have we found grace with God and His wrath[ii] has turned away from sinners? And what made Esau change his mind from his first intention, "[I] will kill my brother Jacob", to embracing him with such affection? Was it the twenty years that had elapsed? Had he forgotten what Jacob had done to him? And do we receive forgiveness just because God forgets our trespasses and our sins have an expiry date? Is time then the great healer? Not so with God, neither with man. By considering why Jacob was forgiven by Esau we will also know why we are forgiven by God.

Well then, what is it that moved Esau's heart? The Bible does not say—it gives no reason—just the facts. It is up to us to discern. To that end, let us go back to the encounter to look and sense the drama of the unfolding scene as painted for us by the words of Scripture.

What was it like for Jacob to face the one who he knew had determined in his heart to kill him?

The only thing we may go by is Jacob's reaction to the report of his servants—fear. He confessed that to God to find relief for his anxious soul. Jacob's messengers had related to Esau the size of his people and possessions. So now Esau was coming to meet him with enough company to have the upper hand

Jacob was a man of his times, he knew how to read the signs of peace and peril. He knew that four hundred men was a bit much to go and say hi to somebody. Justifiably so, Jacob became very much afraid and started to make preparations to try and save himself and his own. The words of his mother, reaching back to the time of his escape, came back to him: "Esau is going to ease himself on you, to kill you." Trouble was on its way. That same Esau was there now, he had arrived, the dust having settled revealed the might of his band.

At last, now Jacob faces his brother. Yes, he had aligned his family in such a way that the people he loved the most were the safest in line. But now he comes out from among them to meet Esau. Having come to the open he begins to walk toward his brother—he faces Esau and his four hundred men behind him. What will it be, death or life? We can only imagine the tension of the moment. His family and his people holding their breath before the might of Esau's small army. Only the snorting of the horses on one side and the bleating of sheep on the other, might have been breaking the silence due to such an anxious moment.

With Esau looking over the camp, Jacob, now alone with his destiny, begins to bow to the ground as he walks towards his brother.

"And he (Jacob) passed in front of them (his family) and bowed himself to the ground seven times until he came even to his brother."

His steps are interrupted by seven bows—all the way to the ground. How difficult it must have been for the newly crippled Jacob to walk and bow on the way to look into his brother's eyes. During this time Esau, while watching his brother, apart from the bows, must have noticed his limping—something was different. Yes, only the previous night Jacob had wrestled with the Angel until dawn and God had touched his hip socket which had become unhinged. His name had been changed to Israel and God had blessed him there. Jacob had indeed met with the Almighty and had been changed in character and posture.

Esau saw a broken man limping toward him. Humility and repentance were his brother's virtues now—the outcome of God dealings with him—the touch to the hip crowning twenty years of discipline. Esau must have been moved to compassion and kindness toward his now crippled brother and loved him. I believe that at this very moment God moved Esau's heart toward Jacob and filled it with compassion turning revenge into pity. 
"And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him. And they wept"

What hurt Jacob from God helped him with Esau. The discipline we receive from our Lord shapes the witness we hold before man.

There has been a time and a place, in our own lives, when we, having been met by God, have been crippled in our own will-power. Our sinful way of life gave in and surrendered to His will and His wonderful ways. And just as Esau had seen his brother as an enemy so God has seen us as sinners, but just as Esau was moved to kindness at the sight of Jacob's limping, so God is moved to forgiveness and compassion toward us who have been broken by the work of Christ and He is pleased with us.

We have spent our night wrestling with the Angel. For some that night has been a lifetime, for others just a day but all the redeemed have come to surrender—in the morning, at the dawn of that new life which Jesus secured for us[iii]. Jacob was touched in the flesh, we have been touched in the spirit—to walk in newness of life. Jacob limped from then on—he had to lean and rely on his staff, we, by faith, have to rely on the work of Christ who obtained peace for us by the blood of His cross[iv].

Oh the joy of knowing God's forgiveness! To know that the Judge of all the earth has pardoned us; not because He has looked the other way, but because somebody else - Jesus - took the penalty we deserved.

What amazing love is this! His favor and grace freely flood our souls with wonder and gratitude.

Fleeing from Esau, having left home, and passing over the Jordan on the way to Paddan-Aram, Jacob had used his staff to defend himself and sustain his long steps, "For I passed over this Jordan with my staff. . . ."

But now, on the way back, after having met and struggled with the Angel, he had become crippled. His staff now was to support his weakness—God had done His work in Jacob—his natural strength had been dealt with.[v]

And so with us, at the cross, meeting our Savior, we came to know our sinfulness and the weakness of our flesh. We realized that we cannot make it on our own. We are too weak and our flesh is beyond redemption. We have been crippled in our own self-sufficiency. We need Christ's cross as our staff to sustain us in our weaknesses and help us to walk a holy life. Because He was nailed to it, we are sustained by it.

The work of the Angel saved Jacob from the wrath of man, the work of Christ saves us from the wrath of God[vi].

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References

[i] Prov. 5:21, For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and He ponders all his paths. NKJV

[ii] John 3:36, The one believing into the Son has everlasting life; but the one disobeying the Son will not see life but the wrath of God remains on him. LITV

                                                                                                                   

[iii] Gal. 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; [yet] not longer I but Christ lives in me. And the [life] I now live in the flesh I live by faith toward the Son of God, the [One] loving me and giving Himself over on my behalf. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness [is] through law, then Christ died without cause. LITV 

[iv] Col. 1:20, [And] through Him making peace by the blood of His cross. . . LITV

[v] Hosea 12:3, He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he struggled with God. NKJV

[vi] Rom. 5:9, Much more then, being justified now by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. LITV

(Scriptures taken from the KJV, NKJV of the Bible and the LITV [Literal Translation of the Holy Bible] by J.P. Green,Sr.1995).

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Being aware of my limitations but desirous  to share, I submit this paper to my fellow believers in Christ. None of my work is ever complete, there is always something to add as the Lord grants more light. "For in You is the fountain of life, in your light we see light." Ps.36:9
                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                                               Rev. 03, 2013