The term "quicken" in the context of the Bible refers to the act of making alive, revitalizing, or imparting life. It is often used to describe the spiritual awakening or enlivening of an individual by the Holy Spirit. The concept of quickening is deeply rooted in the transformative power of God, who brings life to the spiritually dead and renews the hearts of believers.

Old Testament Usage

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often translated as "quicken" is חָיָה (chayah), which means to live, revive, or restore to life. This term is frequently used in the Psalms, where the psalmist pleads for God to quicken him according to His word or righteousness. For example, Psalm 119:25 states, "My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word." Here, the psalmist seeks spiritual renewal and strength through God's intervention.

New Testament Usage

In the New Testament, the Greek word ζωοποιέω (zōopoieō) is used, meaning to make alive or give life. This term is often associated with the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing spiritual life to believers. In John 6:63 , Jesus declares, "The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." This passage highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in quickening the believer, emphasizing that true life comes from the Spirit rather than human effort.

Theological Significance

Theologically, quickening is understood as a vital aspect of salvation and sanctification. It is the process by which God imparts spiritual life to those who are spiritually dead in their sins. Ephesians 2:1 states, "As for you, you were dead in your trespasses and sins," illustrating the need for divine quickening. Through the quickening power of the Holy Spirit, believers are regenerated, experiencing a new birth that enables them to live in accordance with God's will.

Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit plays a central role in the quickening process. Romans 8:11 affirms, "And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who dwells within you." This verse underscores the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, who not only raised Christ from the dead but also imparts life to believers, enabling them to overcome sin and live victoriously.

Practical Implications

For believers, the quickening of the Holy Spirit is both a source of comfort and a call to action. It assures them of their new life in Christ and empowers them to pursue holiness and righteousness. The quickening work of the Spirit is ongoing, continually renewing and strengthening believers as they grow in their faith and relationship with God.

In summary, the concept of quickening in the Bible encapsulates the divine act of imparting life, both physically and spiritually. It is a testament to God's power to transform and renew, bringing believers from death to life through the work of the Holy Spirit.1. (v.) To make alive; to vivify; to revive or resuscitate, as from death or an inanimate state; hence, to excite; to, stimulate; to incite.

2. (v.) To make lively, active, or sprightly; to impart additional energy to; to stimulate; to make quick or rapid; to hasten; to accelerate; as, to quicken one's steps or thoughts; to quicken one's departure or speed.

3. (v.) To shorten the radius of (a curve); to make (a curve) sharper; as, to quicken the sheer, that is, to make its curve more pronounced.

4. (v. i.) To come to life; to become alive; to become vivified or enlivened; hence, to exhibit signs of life; to move, as the fetus in the womb.

5. (v. i.) To move with rapidity or activity; to become accelerated; as, his pulse quickened.

QUICK; QUICKEN

kwik, kwik'-'n: Translates in the King James Version four different words:

(1) chayah,

(2) michyah,

(3) ruach, and

(4) zao.

Of these words (1) and (4) had simply the sense of life, and this idea was in 1611 adequately given, by the word "quick," although this sense of the word has long been somewhat obscured. As the translation of ruach (Isaiah 11:3) "quick" as found in the King James Version signified "acute." In this passage the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "delight" for "quick understanding." In Leviticus 13:10, 24 the Revised Version (British and American) retains the rendering "quick," although originally the word michyah must in some way have involved the conception of life, which no longer belongs to the English word "quick." It is not clear exactly in what sense the flesh in the sore or scar was thought of as living, especially as it was plainly regarded as in an unhealthy condition. Possibly the condition under consideration resembled what is sometimes idiomatically styled in English "proud flesh," and was thought of as a peculiar manifestation of life.

To quicken also means a reviving, a refreshing, an increasing of life (Psalm 71:20; Psalm 85:6; Psalm 119:37, 40, 88 Isaiah 57:10). It often has reference to the resurrection from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:36) and is so used in many places in the King James Version. Where it refers to the giving of spiritual life the American Standard Revised Version has changed it in every case (Ephesians 2:1, 5 Colossians 2:13; compare John 5:21).

David Foster Estes

2227. zoopoieo -- to make alive
... zoopoieo Phonetic Spelling: (dzo-op-oy-eh'-o) Short Definition: I make to live
Definition: I make that which was dead to live, cause to live, quicken. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2227.htm - 8k

4806. suzoopoieo -- to make alive together with
... make alive together with. From sun and zoopoieo; to reanimate conjointly with
(figuratively) -- quicken together with. see GREEK sun. see GREEK zoopoieo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4806.htm - 6k

2421. chayah -- to live
... to revive -- keep (leave, make) alive, X certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer
to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore ...
/hebrew/2421.htm - 6k

Whether the Effect of Subsequent Penance is to Quicken Even Dead ...
... Whether the effect of subsequent Penance is to quicken even dead works? ... Therefore
Penance does not quicken works which before were dead. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the effect of subsequent.htm

The Providence Before us May be Farther Improved to Quicken us in ...
... 3. THE Providence before us may be farther improved to quicken us in the Duties
of Life, and especially in the Education of surviving Children. ...
/.../3 the providence before us.htm

Resch.
... And what is there said, "For I do not forget Thy law," agreeth with what we read
here, "Quicken me, according to Thy word." For these words are the law of God ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/resch.htm

Daleth.
... St. Augustin on the Psalms. Daleth. 25. "My soul cleaveth to the pavement:
O quicken Thou me according to Thy word" (ver.25). What ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/daleth.htm

He.
... The next words in the Psalm which we have undertaken to expound are, "O turn away
mine eyes, lest they behold vanity: and quicken Thou me in Thy way" (ver.37). ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/he.htm

The Saints' Rest is not to be Expected on Earth.
... of present afflictions is considered; 1. That they are the way to rest; 2. Keep
us from mistaking our rest; 3. From losing our way to it; 4. Quicken our pace ...
/.../baxter/the saints everlasting rest/chapter x the saints rest.htm

Nun.
... And, lest in such trouble faith herself might faint he addeth, "Quicken me, O
Lord, according to Thy word:" that is, according to Thy promise. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/nun.htm

"But if the Spirit of Him that Raised up Jesus from the Dead Dwell ...
... "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxxi but if the.htm

The Life-Giver and Judge
... No; for His will is guided by righteous love, and wills to quicken those
who comply with His conditions. But the assertion does ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/the life-giver and judge.htm

Power --Its Source
... see that Christ was raised up from the grave by this same Spirit, and the power
exercised to raise Christ's dead body must raise our dead souls and quicken them ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/secret power/chapter i powerits source.htm

Quicken (16 Occurrences)
... make lively, active, or sprightly; to impart additional energy to; to stimulate;
to make quick or rapid; to hasten; to accelerate; as, to quicken one's steps ...
/q/quicken.htm - 13k

Quick (49 Occurrences)
... 11. (n.) Quitch grass. 12. (vt & i.) To revive; to quicken; to be or become
alive. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. QUICK; QUICKEN. ...
/q/quick.htm - 24k

Quickened (9 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Quicken. Multi-Version Concordance
Quickened (9 Occurrences). 1 Corinthians 15:36 Thou fool ...
/q/quickened.htm - 8k

Wont (19 Occurrences)
... (See JPS DBY RSV). Psalms 119:149 Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness:
Quicken me, O Jehovah, according to thine ordinances. (See JPS). ...
/w/wont.htm - 12k

Testament (13 Occurrences)
... clause, and that the reference is to all who are to rise, whether for life or
condemnation, and that this is to be "in Christ": "Christ will quicken all; all ...
/t/testament.htm - 101k

Preserve (61 Occurrences)
... Revive me in your ways. (See NIV). Psalms 119:40 Behold, I have longed after
Thy precepts; quicken me in Thy righteousness. (See NIV). ...
/p/preserve.htm - 23k

New (1850 Occurrences)
... clause, and that the reference is to all who are to rise, whether for life or
condemnation, and that this is to be "in Christ": "Christ will quicken all; all ...
/n/new.htm - 101k

Loving-kindness (150 Occurrences)
... servant. (DBY). Psalms 119:88 Quicken me according to thy loving-kindness,
and I will keep the testimony of thy mouth. (DBY WBS). ...
/l/loving-kindness.htm - 33k

Adam (29 Occurrences)
... clause, and that the reference is to all who are to rise, whether for life or
condemnation, and that this is to be "in Christ": "Christ will quicken all; all ...
/a/adam.htm - 63k

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