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may prove a word in season to some who seek ever and always to honour the
Lord by preaching or teaching that phase and aspect of truth that conforms to
the present section of the great age -purpose.
WITH
The word `with' is a preposition, a part of speech originally prefixed
to a verb to modify its meaning. The preposition `with' indicates:
(1)
Opposition and derived notions, as in the phrases `battle with'
`compete with', `go to law with', and
(2)
Personal relation, agreement, association, union, etc.
(3)
Instrumentality, causation, agency, i.e. `to build with bricks'.
While it can be said of all prepositions `prepositions alter
propositions' e.g., it makes all the difference between life and death to be
`in' or `out of' Christ, the preposition `with' is of exceptional importance
in the opening up of certain distinctive features of Dispensational Truth.
Before this can be examined, however, we must face the fact that the word
`with', representing as it does a wide variety of meanings, will probably
translate more than one word in the original.
Confining ourselves to the Greek New Testament we discover upon
examination, that the English word `with' represents no less than fifteen
separate words, to say nothing of three passages where it translates merely
the case of a noun or a combination of words. We do not intend examining the
whole fifteen words which are so translated, although for the benefit of the
reader we will give an example of one or two references where the particular
word is rendered `with'.
Apo
`from' (Luke 15:16;16:21).
Dia
`through'
(a)
with Genitive. `through' as the
instrument (2 John 12).
(b)
with Accusative. `through' as the cause
(Rom. 14:15).
Eis
`into' `with a view to', or `up to' (Eph. 3:19).
Ek
`out of' source or origin (Mark 12:30).
En
`in' or `by' (Matt. 3:11; 26:52).
Epi
`upon'
(a)
with Dative -- condition (Matt. 18:26).
(b)
with Accusative -- direction (Heb. 8:8).
Hama
`at some time with' (Matt. 13:29).
Hupo
`under' The agent or cause (Matt. 8:24; Acts 17:25).
Kata
`down' or `against' comparison (Mark 1:27; 1 Cor. 2:1).
Meta
`in common' association (Matt. 1:23; 9:11).
Para
`alongside of' estimation (Rom. 2:11; 1 Cor. 3:19).
Peri
`concerning' about (Mark 10:41; Phil. 2:23).
Pros
`towards' closest intercommunion (John 1:1).
Sun
`united with' fellowship (Rom. 6:8; Eph. 3:18).
Echo
`to have', the participle `having' (Acts 27:39).
The word that we are here interested in is sun, but as we often
understand a term the better after we have compared it with others, we will
first give our attention to the meaning and use of meta, especially in its
association with Christ and His people.