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Under the title "Does God Will Everything", Alexander Thomson, writing in The
Differentiator of March--April 1950 has put the matter so succinctly and completely that
we have asked permission to quote liberally from his article. The Greek word under
review is thelo translated "will" in Rev. 22: 17 "whosoever will", and the noun form
thelema Eph. 1: 1 usually translated "will" and in the epistles mostly referring to the
will of God. In Acts 10: 10 Peter is revealed to us as being very hungry, and "would
have eaten", where the word thelo is employed.
"How shall we describe his natural reactions? We might do so in different ways:
Peter
desired to taste food.
Peter
wished to taste food.
Peter
willed (that is, determined) to taste food.
Peter
was willing (that is, agreeable) to taste food.
Peter
wanted to taste food.
Peter did not need to `make up his mind' regarding his needs. There was more than
mere desire present with him. He was more than willing to eat. It was more than a wish
that he experienced. Peter wanted to taste food. There can be no doubt that is the best
translation. Any child in the same situation would cry, `I want something to eat', and
would not use the other terms. The English word WANT expresses well the need and the
desire.
Let us, then, examine the Greek word thelo, which occurs over 200 times in the New
Testament, and its noun thelema, which is found about 60 times. In the Authorized
Version (King James) the verb is rendered 98 times by will, 70 times by would, 12 times
by desire, 10 times by will, have or would have, and three times by list. The noun is
rendered 62 times by will, once by desire and once by pleasure. Other versions render
the verb occasionally by wish, desire, choose, and even determine. In the Concordant
Version (C.5:), the noun is always rendered by will, but, strange to say, the verb is in no
fewer than 120 cases rendered by want, and only in 96 cases by will or would. The
definition given is, `form a decision, choice or purpose'. While the standard is WILL, the
`idiomatic' rendering is want. Now that the idiomatic meaning is want is very evident. I
should say it is the best English equivalent. But the definition can hardly be correct.
That of Webster, in his `Syntax and Synonyms of the Greek Testament', seems superior.
`Thelo' denotes a natural impulse or desire, the ground of which is generally obvious, or
for which it is unnecessary to assign a reason. Dr. Bullinger is substantially similar.
It will be seen at once that the whole question of what is God's `will' requires
reconsideration when it is seen that the real idiomatic meaning of the verb is `want'. It is
both misleading and inconsistent to render John 7: 17 by `If anyone should be wanting
(thele) to be doing His will (thelema)'. The sense must either be, if anyone may WILL to
be doing His WILL, or if anyone may WANT to do what He WANTS. Unfortunately,
idiom forbids us to say, if anyone may want to be doing His want (or wants).
Here I shall ask you some very pointed questions. Can you, as a disciple of the Lord,
WILL, or purpose, or determine, to be doing His will? Does your freewill extend so far?
Can you WILL to follow behind the Lord? (Matt. 16: 24). Can you WILL to save your
soul? (Matt. 16: 25). Can you WILL to enter into the life? (Matt. 19: 17). Can you
WILL to be perfect? (Matt. 19: 21). Did the Canaanitish woman of Matt. 15: 28 obtain
her extraordinary bold request through WILLING or WILL power? `O woman, great
of-such-as-you the faith. Let it be done to you as you are wanting'.
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I shall cite another case which shews how we might be misled. `How many times do I
want (ethelesa) to assemble your children . . . . . and you will not (ethelesate).' At first
sight we should certainly reckon that Jerusalem determined deliberately not to be