"Maturity" | March 6, 2022

​I.       “Christ’s Purpose”  
Ephesians 4:7-12; Jer 3:15; [Ac 20:28]; Eph 2:8-10
Ephesians 4:11-12; 1Co 12:5-6, 28; Ac 21:8; 2Ti 4:5;
Ephesians 4:16, 29
2Timothy 4:1-4; 1Ti 4:13; 5:20; Titus 1:13; 2:15; 1Ti 1:10
2 Timothy 3:1-7; Eph 1:22-23
John 17:14-17; Jn 8:23; 15:19; 17:3-9

II.       “Christ’s Goal"
Ephesians 4:13; 4:5; Heb 5:14
Philippians 3:10-15; Php 3:1-9
Ephesians 6:10-20

III.       “The Outcome: Maturity”
Ephesians 4:14; Jn 17:15; Ps 1
Hebrews 5:11-14; Heb 4:11-16; 6:1-3; 1Co 3:1-5
1Kings 3:7-14; Is 7:14-15; Gen 3:1; Eph 6:11; 4:14
Hebrews 13:9; Ja 1:1-6; Jude 12-13; Eph 4:14
Hebrews 4:11-13; Eph 4:11
Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; Ps 91:11-12; Dt 6:13
1Samuel 7:3lacking nothing.

Greek Word Study
Shepherd: ‘poimen’: a shepherd (literal or figurative): - shepherd, pastor. N. meaning one who generally cares for flocks. Spoken of the Spiritual Guide of a particular church (Eph 4:11) (pastor-teacher)            [Synonyms: leader, teacher, overseer, elder, spiritual leader]
Equip: ‘katartismos’: to equip; N. from ‘katartizo’ (to fully train); to make fully ready; a perfecting, i.e. the act of making perfect. (Used only in Eph 4:12) syn: ‘teleiosis: a fulfilment, completion, perfection; an end accomplished as the effect of a Process.
Building up: ‘oikodome’: a structure; Noun from oikodomos, (n.f.) builder, which is from oikos (house) and dumeo (to build). A building up; the act of building. In NT only metaphorically: a building up in the faith, edification, advancement in the divine life, spoken of the Christian Church and its members. (Eph 4:12)
Attain: ‘katantao’: to arrive at (Lit. or Fig); reach. (Aorist, active first person plural; each one working as part of collective whole, arriving together)
Knowledge: ‘epignosis’: N. from ‘epiginosko’ (to become fully acquainted with); recognition, i.e. (by implication) full discernment; Full knowledge; the act of coming to a full knowledge, as spoken of what is known in the NT of Christ (…Eph 4:13…)
Son: ‘uihos’: a son; Specifically, the Son of God; Jesus Christ as the Son of God, Son of the Most High; in Gospel sense: Messiah, Savior, The Head of Gospel Dispensation; as proceeding and sent forth from God, as partaking of the divine nature and being in intimate union with the Father (…Eph 4:13…) (syn: ‘nepios’ used in Eph 4:14; an infant)
Mature: ‘teleios’: from ‘telos’ (complete) (in mental and moral character): - mature, perfect. Adj. from ‘telos’, goal, purpose. Finished, that which has reached its end, limit; hence, complete, full, lacking nothing. Specifically of persons, meaning full-grown. In NT (Fig) meaning full-grown in Christian Faith and Virtue (Eph 4:13)
Manhood: ‘ener’: man; Fig. a man of mature understanding (1Co 13:11). So in Eph 4:13 the progress of a Christian is likened to the growth of a child into a “mature man”, i.e. in understanding and true wisdom
Children: ‘nepios’: an infant, an immature Christian; meta-phorically: a babe, one unlearned, implying censure (Eph 4:14, Hb 5:13)
Cunning: ‘kubeia; from ‘kubos’ (a cube; i.e. a die for playing); gambling i.e. fig artifice or fraud: - cunning.
Craftiness; ‘panourgia’; (from shrewdness in a bad sense) trickery or sophistry, craftiness, cunning. OT: Gen 3:1: craftier:    Hb: ‘aruwm’: cunning (in a bad sense), crafty, shrewd, subtle.
Deceitful: ‘plane’; fem of ‘planos’ (roving as a tramp); object fraudulence; subject a straying from piety i.e. by imp imposter, misleader: deceitful, delusion, error fraud, + wandering
Schemes: ‘methodeia’: traveling over, i.e. travesty (trickery): - scheme. To trace out with method and skill; to deal artfully, with wile (stratagem meant to fool, trick or entice) (Eph 4:14, 6:11)         “Wiles of the Serpent”