by Michael E. Brooks

"And he came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near" (Ephesians 2:17).

Isolation is a dreadful experience. Whether it be quarantine because of communicable disease, exile because of political oppression, or solitary confinement as punishment, any form of isolation causes anxiety and distress.

In more than fifteen years of travel to parts of the world usually considered undeveloped, there have been occasions when I have been cut off from communication with home and family for several days at a time, or even longer. Maybe I should be used to it, but the unease associated with isolation continues. Today, for example, I learned that the ferry which crosses the major river between our school in Khulna, Bangladesh and Dhaka, the capitol, has been closed for two days because of high water. Since I have plans to travel to Dhaka later this week to meet my wife who is on her way to join me, that caused a few minutes of concern. For a brief time I felt cut off. Then I realized that there are alternate ways of traveling, and, besides, a call ascertained that the ferry is once again open. I breathed a sigh of relief.

There is, however, a far more serious condition of isolation described in the Bible. "At that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12). Sin has separated us from God. We who were made in his image, to enjoy constant fellowship with our Creator and Father, are cut off and banished because of our rebellion. As Adam was expelled from Eden, so we are without God and without hope, so long as we are in sin.

But we do not have to be separated. "He came and preached peace." Jesus has brought us back near to God, and has reconciled us to him by the power of his grace and love. We are no longer strangers and aliens, banished from his presence. We may know the warmth of his love and the blessings of his salvation through Christ.

I may be twelve thousand miles from home, but I feel close and in fellowship with my family so long as I can communicate with them. Telephones and email make isolation more bearable, or really remove it almost entirely. No, it is not the same as being in their physical presence, but it is surely not the same as not hearing from one another, either.

Our fellowship with God is, while we are on this earth, more nearly experienced as communication than as physical presence. Yes, he dwells in us through his Spirit (Ephesians 2:22), but we experience him essentially in a less direct manner. It is through prayer and the comfort of scripture that we may have the most direct exposure and communication with God and with Christ. In our worship and devotion we are assured of their presence, and we in turn express our awareness of them.

My point is this: If we fail to communicate we are still as if isolated. The blessed reconciliation of Christ does us little good. One may reissue a passport to an exile, but if he does not use it to travel, his exile does not end. The fact that he can return does not change his separated state. Too many who claim faith in Christ still live in exile, failing to establish and maintain meaningful communication with God.

Do you spend time in prayer, study and worship? Are you in fellowship, or still separated and alone, in spite of a profession of faith. If so, it is your own doing, and, thankfully, you have the power to change it. "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water" (Hebrews 10:22).

by Kevin Cauley

In the English language we have two articles, one definite ("the") and one indefinite ("a"). We use these articles to distinguish between definite and indefinite nouns/substantives. For example: "If you are thirsty, you may go to a water fountain, but if you want bottled water you need to go to the cooler." Any water fountain will get you water, but only the cooler will get you bottled water. The indefinite article tells us that of the noun specified, any will do. The definite article tells us that of the noun specified a particular one is under consideration.

The Greek language has a definite article, but it does not have an indefinite article. This tells us a few things. First, if the definite article is not present, then the indefinite article should not be assumed unless the context indicates such because two other possibilities exist, namely, 1) that there may be no article on the noun or 2) there may be an implied definite article. Second, when the definite article is present, it is present for a reason. One of these reasons provides a very fascinating proof for the deity of Christ.

In the Greek language, there is a certain idiom where two nouns (or substantives) joined together by the conjunction KAI and preceded by the definite article, refer to the same thing. In this construction, the nouns/substantives act, more or less, adjectivally to describe what is under consideration. For example, in Hebrews 3:1, we read, "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus" (KJV). It should be obvious that these two nouns ("apostle" and "high priest") adjectivally refer to one person, namely, Christ Jesus. It can be said, therefore, that Jesus is both the Apostle of our profession and the High Priest of our profession.

Understanding that point, we note several New Testament Greek passages that utilize this construction. First and foremost, 2 Peter 1:1: "Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (NASB). In the Greek language the underlined expression is: TOU QEOU hHMON KAI SWTHROS IHSOU XRISTOU, literally "the God of us and Savior, Jesus Christ." Notice the underlined definite article (TOU) and conjunction (KAI). This passage clearly demonstrates that Jesus is both "God" and "Savior."

Another passage is 2 Thessalonians 1:12, "so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" (NASB). The translators do not handle this passage correctly. They put the definite article before "Lord" when it is not there in the Greek. The Greek is: TOU QEOU hHMWN KAI KURIOU IESOU XRISTOU, literally, "of the God of us and Lord, Jesus Christ." Again, we may conclude from the Greek that Jesus Christ is both "God" and "Lord" due to this construction.

One more passage is Titus 2:13: "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus" (NASB). The Greek is: TOU MEGALOU QEOU KAI SWTEROS hHMWN XRISTOU IESOU, literally, "of the Great God and Savior of us, Christ Jesus." In this passage Jesus is identified as both the "Great God" and "Savior."

Robertson, in his Grammar, identifies Ephesians 5:5 as another such example that proves that Jesus was considered by the writers of the New Testament to be God. This Greek idiom is in accord with the ancient usage of Greek in classical times, as well, and is thoroughly documented. Obviously the idiom is not limited to merely passages that speak regarding Christ, but when it is used in such a way, it is a powerful affirmation that Jesus is indeed divine, being Christ, Lord, Savior and our Great God.