Chapter Five--Anxiety, Apostle

Lesson Five ANXIETY, APOSTLE

Anxiety

The word "anxiety" is from the Greek merimna, meaning "care, thought, anxious care or thought, trouble, disquietude." The verb form is merimnao, meaning "have anxiety, be anxious, care for, be concerned about something." Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines anxiety as "painful uneasiness of mind over an impending or anticipated ill; state or an instance of being anxious; solicitous desire."

In classical Greek the verb merimnao sometimes means "am occupied with," as in Sophocles, Oeidpzts Tyrannus 1124, where Oedipus asks the herdsman, "employed (merimnao) in what labour, or what way of life?" In ordinary usage it describes philosophers meditating over their prob-lems. It is also used in the sense of being cumbered with many cares and of something that is treated with anxious care. We can see from the fore-going that merimnao has a double meaning, that it is used in both a good and bad sense.

This double meaning is also true of the noun merimna. It sometimes is used to denote care, thought, solicitude; for example, in Sophocles 1460, says, where Oedipus Tyrannus "I pray thee, Creon, to take no care on thee for my sons; they are men, so that, be they where they may, they can never lack the means to live." It is also used to denote a troubled mind. Euripides describes how Ion asks Creusa, who is weeping at Phoebus' sanctuary, "Why, lady, art thou disquieted?" (Ion 244).

In the papyri the words merimna and merimnao are quite common. Anacreon writes, "When I drink wine my worries go to sleep." An absent member of his family writes home, "I am now writing in haste to prevent your being anxious, for I will see that you are not worried." In another letter one writes, "If the next toe quiver, he will be involved in much anxiety and distress: pray to Zeus." In Aristeas 271 there is the question "Care,"Whatand preserveswatchfulnesskingdom?" The answer is, to see that no injury is inflicted by those who are set in positions of authority over the people."

The word amerimna, meaning "security, safety, the state of being unworried," is also found in the papyri. In a business deal between two men, the one writes to the other, "And for your security I have issued to you this contract." The adjective amerimnos, signifying "freedom from care," is used in a letter written to an absent member of a family, "Have no more anxiety about your household than you would if you were present."

The meaning of merimna and merimnao in secular Greek, describing both a right and wrong care, carefulness, or anxiety, is essentially the same in the New Testament. First, let us consider the wrong kind of anxiety.

The anxiety that is synonymous with worry, that shows undue, fearful concern for anything, is always wrong. The word of God plainly, un-equivocally commands, "In nothing be anxious" (Php 4:6). Notice how this command is rendered in various modern versions: "Don't worry about anything" (Good News For Modern Man); "Do not be anxious about anything" (Weymouth); "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything." (The Amplified New Testament); "Never be anxious" (Moffatt); "Entertain no worry" (Verkuyl); "Nothing must make you anxious" (Knox).

The Christian who seeks to justify the worry habit needs to realize that worry is sin, transgression of divine law--as much so as fornication , drunkenness, stealing, and such like! He must clearly see that worry is

an unhealthy, ungodly, destructive mental habit. Dr. Smiley Blanton says , "Anxiety is the great modern plague." A prominent physician declares that "worry is the most subtle and destructive of all modern diseases." Another doctor recently said that "all doctors are having cases of illness which are brought on directly by fear, and aggravated by worry and a feeling of insecurity." Surely every Christian who seeks to please his Lord and to enjoy a full, rich, happy life will strive by God's grace to eradicate the demon of worry from his mind.

In being aware of the sin of worry, we should give careful thought to the following considerations:

1. The anxiety that involves too much concern for the affairs of the world is always wrong. Speaking of the man whose heart can be com-pared to ground covered with thorns, Jesus said, ". . . this is he that heareth the word; and the care (merimna) of the world, and the deceit-fulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful" (Matthew 13:22). Cf. Mark 4:19; Luke 8:14; Luke 21:34. When anyone materializes life and starves the soul, he is in a perilous situation indeed. When his sole care is for food, drink, clothing, shelter, and pleasure, so that he sets his mind on the things that are upon the earth rather than on the things that are in heaven (Colossians 3:2), he is confronted with the ever imminent danger of losing his soul. The man who is so busy with the affairs of this world that he has little or no time for God and the things involved in seeking first His kingdom and righteousness, is simply too busy! It was not wrong as such for Mary to be concerned with her responsibilities as a homemaker, as one given to hospitality, but it was definitely wrong for her to be "cumbered (distracted) about much serving." That is why the Lord chided her: "Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things." Read Luke 10:38-42.

2.The anxiety that involves worry about the future is always wrong. This is the anxiety of borrowing trouble, of having a troubled mind con-cerning the future. Jesus said, "Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself" (Matthew 6:34). In the con-text of this command, Jesus rebukes His disciples because of their anxiety concerning what the future has in store for them in the way of food, drink, and clothing. In effect, he tells them that such worry is wrong because it is blind: it fails to see the bounteous goodness of God in the world. If God shows His loving care in the world by feeding the birds and clothing the lilies, He will surely care for His disciples. Thus worry is wrong because it indicates a lack of trust in God, who has all power to keep us from all harm and to give us everything we need. Carefully read Matthew 6:25-26; Matthew 6:28-30. Also see Luke 12:11; Romans 8:31-39; Hebrews 13:5-6.

Jesus also tacitly declares that worry concerning the future is wrong because it is useless, it accomplishes nothing (Matthew 6:27). Worry about the future never secures for a person what he needs; in fact, it makes him less able to meet his responsibilities. The cure for worry is obvious. Since it shows a lack of trust in God, then its cure lies in giving God our full confidence, realizing that we are not left to our own devices in facing the problems and responsibilities of life. The man of faith faces life courageously, with an untroubled heart, because he faces it with God. "Casting all your anxiety upon him because he careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7). "Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice. Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding , shall guard your hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus" (Php 4:4-7).

Let us now consider the right kind of anxiety.

1. It is right that we should be anxious in the sense of caring or being concerned for our fellow Christians. The church is the body of Christ , and each member should have solicitous care for the welfare of all the other members. ". . . the members should have the same care (merimnosi) one for another" (1 Corinthians 12:25). Paul wrote about having "anxiety (merimna) for all the churches" (2 Corinthians 11:28). This loving concern for his brethren in Christ was a prominent characteristic of the beloved apostle, causing him to incessantly pray for them (Romans 1:9; Php 1:4; Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2). His concern for the church is eloquently expressed in his message to the saints at Philippi: "But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will care (merimnesei) truly for your state" (Php 2:19-20). Because Paul truly cared for his brethren , he sent a likeminded man, Timothy, to inquire concerning the state of the church in Philippi.

2. It is right that we should be anxious in the sense of caring or being concerned for the Lord's work. In 1 Corinthians 7:32 Paul writes of the person who is "careful (merimna) for the things of the Lord." The business of every Christian should be the Lord's business. His prime con-cern should be to accomplish the will of Christ. As he cares for the things of the Lord, he will surely care for all men, sinners as well as saints, who are the perfect concern of Him who gave His all to bless mankind. As he cares for the things of the Lord, he will also surely care for Bible study, prayer, worship, etc., for anything and everything that will build him up in the holy faith. it should be the desire of every Christian to know the difference between disabling worry and enabling concern, to abhor the one and to cleave to the other.

Apostle

The Greek word for apostle is apostolos, literally meaning "one sent forth (apo, from, stello, to send)." In classical Greek the term is asso-ciated with seafaring, and more particularly a military expedition, also its commander. In Plato's writings it means a ship ready for departure. It is often used to designate a freighter or transport ship. It is also applied to a group of men sent out for a specific purpose; for example , to a band of colonists.

In the papyri there is an example of apostolos being used to designate a ship: "account for the ship (apostolou) of Triadelphus." It is also used to mean an order or bill of lading; for instance, "whenever the boats collected in accordance with the orders of lading (apostolon) arrive;" "in accordance with the bill of lading (apostolou) of the Officium." It is also used to designate a message: "In accordance with the message (apostolou) of his excellency."

In later Greek usage the word assumes the meaning of "a herald , messenger, ambassador, envoy." Herodotus wrote, "Alyattes, the moment that words of the oracle were reported to him, sent a herald to Miletus in hopes of concluding a truce with Thryasybulus" (History 1.21). The meaning of apostolos in the New Testament is that of "a delegate , messenger, one sent forth with orders and authority;" for example, "A servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent (apostolos) greater than he that sent him" (John 13:16). The word occurs seventy-nine times in all, sixty-eight of which are in the writings of Paul and Luke.

The Apostle of apostles is Jesus Christ Himself, sent forth from heaven under divine orders and with divine authority. "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;,who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house." (Hebrews 3:1-2). As Moses was sent by God to authoritatively reveal His will to the Jews, so Jesus was sent by God to authoritatively reveal His will to all mankind. Cf. Hebrews 1:1-2. Jesus declared, ". . . the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish, the very works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent (apestalke) me" (John 5:36). See John 17:3. By so sending His Son into the world, God has revealed Himself to mankind, to enter into history (Matthew 1:23; John 14:9). Justin Martyr, one of the earliest postapostolic church leaders, recognized the supreme apostleship of Jesus with full authority over mankind: "He who is both Son and Apostle of God the Father of all and the Ruler, Jesus Christ" (Apology XII.9).

As Jesus was chosen to be God's Apostle, so certain of the Lord's disciples were chosen to be His apostles. "And when it was day, he called his disciples; and he chose from them twelve, whom also he named apostles" (Luke 6:13). See Luke 9:10. The qualifications for the apostles to represent the ascended Christ to mankind were expressed by Peter as he and the other apostles prepared to choose a successor to Judas: "Of the men therefore that have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection" (Acts 1:21-22). Cf. 1 John 1:1-4. These men whom the Lord chose to be His apostles, sent to bear witness of His resurrection, occupy a place of importance next to the Lord Himself in relation to the church (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 4:11).

Although Paul possessed the same authority as the twelve apostles, he could not qualify for the apostleship as set forth in Acts 1:21-22 since he had not been with the Lord beginning with His baptism until the day He ascended into heaven. However, he was a witness to the fact of the living Christ (Acts 9:1-6). His apostleship was through special appointment of the Lord so that lie enjoyed equal authority with the twelve apostles. Joseph Thayer says, "With these apostles Paul claimed equality because through a heavenly intervention he had been appointed by the ascended Christ himself to preach the gospel among the Gentiles, and owed his knowledge of the way of salvation not to man's instruction but to direct revelation from Christ himself, and moreover had evinced his apostolic qualifications by many signal proofs. Galatians 1:1-11; Galatians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 1 Corinthians 15:8-10; 2 Corinthians 3:2; 2 Corinthians 12:12; 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:1; cf. Acts 26:12-20."

There are still others who are called apostles in the New Testament, men who were sent forth as messengers of the churches with special orders and authority. Barnabas was such an apostle: "But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard it . . ." (Acts 14:14). See Acts 13:1-3; Acts 14:26. Andronicus and Junias were such apostles: "Salute Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles" (Romans 16:7). Titus and certain unnamed brethren were such apostles: "Whether any inquire about Titus, he is my partner and my fellow-worker to you-ward; or our brethren, they are messengers (apostoloi) of the churches" (2 Corinthians 8:23). Epaphro-ditus was such an apostle: "But I counted it necessary to send to Epaphro-ditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messen-ger (apostolon) and minister to my need" (Php 2:25).

Concerning these apostles who were special messengers of the churches, Albert Barnes wrote, "The word apostle evidently is used in the proper sense, to denote one who is sent out to transact any business for others, or as an agent or legate. These persons were not apostles in the technical sense, and these are instances where the word is applied in the New Testament to those who had no claim to the apostolic office."

Closely associated in meaning with apostolos is apostole, literally meaning "a sending away, a mission." In the New Testament it refers to the office and dignity of the apostles of Christ, and is uniformly rendered as "apostleship" (Acts 1:25; Romans 1:5; 1 Corinthians 9:2; Galatians 2:8).

The word pseudapostoloi, "false apostles," occurs one time in the New Testament, referring to those without the divine commission necessary for the apostleship (2 Corinthians 11:13).

Questions

• What is the meaning of the Greek words merimna and merimnao?

• How are these words used in classical Greek and in the papyri?

• Discuss the proposition that worry is sin, that it is an unhealthy , ungodly, destructive mental habit.

• Discuss the wrong in the anxiety that involves too much concern with the affairs of the world and worry about the future.

• What is the cure for worry?

• Discuss the right kind of anxiety.

• How is the word apostolos used in secular Greek?

• Who is the Apostle of apostles?

• What are the qualifications for the apostleship as set forth in Acts 1:21-22?

• How does Paul qualify as an apostle of Christ?

• In what sense were the messengers of the churches apostles?

• Discuss the use of apostole and pseudapostoloi in the New Testament.