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Active (1756) (energes from en = in + érgon = work) describes that which is working, efficient, effective, operative or powerful. Energes describes activity which produces results or which is effective in causing something to happen or to come about. The somber warnings that have reverberated through Hebrews 3-4 are working and effective words which are able to accomplish their purpose.
Energes is only used three times in the NT. Paul uses to describe
a wide (megas = great, large) door for effective (energes - God opened this door) [service] (not in the original Greek) has opened to me, and there are many adversaries (literally = those lined up against me). (1Corinthians 16:9)
Writing to Philemon Paul prays...
that the fellowship of your faith may become effective (energes) through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ's sake.
Using the related verb energeo Paul writes to the saints at Thessalonica thanking God...
that when you received (took hold of) from us the word of God's message, you accepted (put out the welcome mat so to speak) it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work (energeo - present tense = continually) in you who believe. (1Thessalonians 2:13-note)
Leon Morris...
"Living and active" shows that there is a dynamic quality about God's revelation. It does things. Specifically it penetrates and, in this capacity, is likened to a "double-edged sword" (for the sword, cf. Is 49:2; Ep 6:17-note; Re 19:15-note; and for the double-edged idea, cf. Re 1:16-note; Re 2:12-note). (Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New Testament. Zondervan Publishing or Pradis = computer version)
Regarding the Word being active, Barnes writes that...
Its power is seen in awakening the conscience; alarming the fears; laying bare the secret feelings of the heart; and causing the sinner to tremble with the apprehension of the coming judgment. All the great changes in the moral world for the better, have been caused by the power of truth. They are such as the truth in its own nature is fitted to effect; and, if we may judge of its power by the greatness of the revolutions produced, no words can over-estimate the might of the truth which God has revealed. (Albert Barnes. Barnes NT Commentary)
AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO EDGED SWORD: kai tomoteros huper pasan machairan distomon: (Psalms 45:3; 149:6; Proverbs 5:4; Isaiah 11:4; 49:2; Acts 2:37; 5:33; Ephesians 6:17; Revelation 1:16; 2:16; 19:15,21)
As D. Martin Lloyd-Jones said...
The first thing the Bible does is to make man take a serious view of life.
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