 |  |
EPHESIA.
#13.
pp. 161, 162
"Faithful", pistos. This word is a "verbal adjective" derived from peithein, "to
persuade". By an "adjective" grammarians mean, "A word with a noun to distinguish or
describe the thing named or spoken of". The Latin word adjectivum means "added to".
Adjectives derived from verbs are called "verbal adjectives", as is pistos.
Adjectives are divided into three classes:--
(1)
Quality. The large house; The good man.
(2)
Quantity. Much rain; Few saved.
(3)
Demonstrative. The man; This house; A book.
Pistos may be used either actively or passively. Accordingly we find the word used
actively in such passages as
"Be not faithless but believing" (John 20: 27).
"A Jewess, and believed" (Acts 16: 1, lit. A believing Jewess).
There are, however, but few occurrences of this active usage in the N.T (John 20: 27;
Acts 16: 1; II Cor. 6: 15; I Tim. 4: 3, 10, 12; 5: 16; 6: 2). In the majority of cases
the word is used passively, "faithful", and pistos occurs only in the passive, and usually
translates fifty-three times. In the Hebrew Emum (Amen). It is fairly obvious, that pistos
could not be translated "believing" in such passages as:--
"But God is faithful" (I Cor. 10: 13);
"But as God is true" (II Cor. 1: 18);
"This is a faithful saying" (I Tim. 1: 15);
"Faithful high Priest" (Heb. 2: 17).
The word occurs nine times in the Prison Epistles, as follows:--
"The faithful in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 1: 1);
"Faithful minister" (Eph. 6: 21);
"The faithful brethren" (Col. 1: 2);
"A faithful minister" (Col. 1: 7, 4: 7);
"A faithful . . . . . brother" (Col. 4: 9);
"Faithful men", "Faithful saying". "He abideth faithful" (II Tim. 2, 11, 13).
"The Saints" therefore are "the faithful", and both are "in Christ Jesus". The double
title suggests their twofold calling. As saints they have been redeemed, called, sanctified
and assured of glory but this does not mean that because salvation is not of works it is not
unto works. Those who are thus called and sanctified are expected to respond. They rise
and walk in newness of life and this is largely expressed in "faithfulness", and related to
service.