Lexical Summary euarestós: acceptable Original Word: εὐάρεστος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance acceptably, please well. Adverb from euarestos; quite agreeably -- acceptably, + please well. see GREEK euarestos HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 2102 euaréstōs (an adverb) – well-pleasing because fully acceptable. See 2101 (euárestos). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originadverb from euarestos Definition acceptably NASB Translation acceptable (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2102: εὐαρέστωςεὐαρέστως, adverb, in a manner well-pleasing to one, acceptably: τῷ Θεῷ, Hebrews 12:28. (Xenophon, mem. 3, 5, 5; gladly, willingly, Epictetus diss. 1, 12, 21; fragment 11.) Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 2102, εὐαρέστως, conveys the manner in which an action meets with divine approval—an adverb describing worship or service that is “well-pleasing” to God. Occurring once in the Greek New Testament, it summarizes the attitude and posture God requires of His people, binding gratitude, reverence, and awe into a single act of obedient devotion. Biblical Context of Hebrews 12:28 “Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakeable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28). 1. Placement in Hebrews: The epistle has contrasted Mount Sinai’s terror with Mount Zion’s grace (Hebrews 12:18-24). Verse 28 draws the theological conclusion: recipients of a permanent kingdom must respond with worship that pleases God. Old Testament Foreshadowing of Acceptable Worship • Abel’s offering was “looked upon” by the LORD (Genesis 4:4); Cain’s was not—a foundational lesson in the difference between ritual and heart-level obedience. Connections with Related New Testament Terms Though εὐαρέστως appears only in Hebrews 12:28, its cognate adjective εὐάρεστος sheds light on the concept: These passages reveal a consistent New Testament ethic: every sphere of life is potential worship when executed in a manner agreeable to God. Theology of Reverence and Awe Acceptable worship rests on twin pillars: 1. God’s transcendence—His holiness demands reverence (Isaiah 6:1-5). The tension protects against two errors: casual familiarity that forgets His holiness, and crippling fear that forgets His grace. Historical and Cultural Background First-century Jewish Christians, facing persecution and tempted to revert to temple rituals, needed assurance that Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice rendered the old system obsolete. Hebrews directs them away from outward ceremony toward an inner quality of worship that transcends location and ritual, fitting worship for a kingdom “not of this world” (John 18:36). Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Worship Leadership: Music, liturgy, and preaching must aim for divine pleasure rather than human applause. Doctrinal Implications 1. Kingdom Inheritance: Since the kingdom is “unshakeable,” the believer’s security motivates, not diminishes, diligent service. Summary εὐαρέστως encapsulates the proper stance of the redeemed: grateful hearts, holy fear, and lives oriented toward God’s approval. Hebrews 12:28 anchors this ideal in the certainty of an eternal kingdom, calling every generation of believers to render worship that satisfies the One who has saved them. Forms and Transliterations ευαρεστως ευαρέστως εὐαρέστως ευαρμόστου euarestos euarestōs euaréstos euaréstōsLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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