The reader of this page are reminded that we are not attempting to teach Greek. All

that we can hope to do is to point out some of the more obvious things, leaving the deeper

study for those who may feel inclined to take up this extremely valuable subject for

themselves. Last time we touched upon the preposition anti. Another preposition which

will repay careful study is apo.

Apo is followed by what is called the Genitive case, the case which speaks of origin,

often represented in English by the insertion of the word "of" or "from." Its Latin

equivalent ab, abs forms a part of many English words. The first meaning, implying

motion, is from, away from, down from. The second meaning, where motion is not so

emphatic, far from, at a distance from.

A meaning yet more remote passes from the primary idea of movement to that of time,

and then is represented by from, after or since. Let us see something of its meaning by

turning to the writings of the New Testament.  Literal removal is plainly seen in

Matt. 28: 2 and Luke 24: 2, "rolled away"; Matt. 7: 23, "depart from Me." In

these passages it will be observed that the preposition apo occurs in combination with the

verb, as well as being used by itself.  This usage lends emphasis to the teaching of

Col. 2: 20, where the verb "to die" is not thneskõ, but apothneskõ, and so makes the

complete separation from the old order of things the more marked.

It will be remembered that there is an important distinction to be observed between the

doctrine of the "peace of God." In Rom. 1: 7 we have yet another aspect of peace,

namely, "peace from (apo) God." Here apo indicates the origin from which this blessing

flows. Peace comes from God, He is its efficient Cause. The familiar word "apostle" is

taken straight from the Greek.  It means "one sent from another." Christ Himself is

spoken of as "the Apostle," the sent One, in Heb. 3: 1, and this claim is emphasized in

the Gospel of John. No apostle was ever made by man, his title declared that he had been

sent by the Lord Himself. So called "apostolic succession" is fittingly connected with the

"imposition of hands."

Turning again to the usage of apo we find the transition from the idea of place to that

of time in such an expression as "from a child," that is, "ever since" you were a child

(II Tim. 3: 15). This note of time occurs in that important passage, Eph. 3:, where the

apostle claims the exclusive stewardship of the present dispensation. In verse 9 he refers

to that remote period "before the age times," using apo with the meaning of "since."

"And to enlighten all (as to) what (is) the dispensation of the mystery, which hath been

hidden away (apokruptõ) since the ages (apo tõn aiõniõn) by the God Who created all

things." J. N. Darby says, "`from the ages,' but in the sense of `the period lapsed' not

`hidden from them'." The preposition here tells us that since the ages the mystery had

been hidden away by God, and was not made known until revealed to the apostle of the

Gentiles. Col. 1: 26 is a parallel passage. The hiding away since the ages and since the