[Greek] ἀπειλή (apeilē), [Latin] loquere, [Latin] minare, [French] parler, [French] chasser: threat, threatening, harm to others; Acts 4:17,29, Acts 9:1, Eph.6:9
Jesus’ encounter with Saul on the road to Damascus (painting by Bartolome Esteban Murillo in 1601). Jesus asks Saul why is he persecuting Him (and others).
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means threat, boastful promise, and threatening conditions. Herodotus’ The Histories 6.32 states “Then the Persian generals were not false to the threats they had made against the Ionians when they encamped opposite against them.” Homer’s Iliad 13.219 states “The Shaker of Earth, that in all Pleuron and steep Calydon, was lord over the Aetolians, and was honored of the folk even as a god.” Homer’s Iliad 16.200 states “Myrmidons, let no man, I bid you, be forgetful of the threats wherewith the swift ship ye threatened the Trojans throughout all the time of my wrath.”
Old Testament: This term means terror, dread, idols, rebuking, crying out, indignation, anger, and rage. And not let the dread of Him terrify me (Job 9:34). And behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him (Gen.15:12). You have rebuked the nations, You have eliminated the wicked (Psa.9:5). One thousand will flee at the threat of one man; you will flee at the threat of five (Isa.30:17). Pour out Your indignation on them (Psa.69:24). Because of the insolence of their tongue, this will be their derision in the land of Egypt (Hos.7:16). A king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion (Pro.19:12).
New Testament: This term means to warn (give a warning), to be warned, to make threats, and to bully. After Peter and John had healed a crippled man, they were brought before the Sanhedrin. Unable to punish them, the Sanhedrin ordered Peter and John not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name. The Christian community asked the Lord to take note of the threats against them, asking the Lord to further speak His word in boldness. Saul, speaking murderous threats against the disciples, asked the high priest for permission to bring back other Christians to Jerusalem. Paul instructs masters not to bully their servants, knowing that they also have a Master in heaven.
Scripture:
“And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness.” Acts 4:29
Peter, John, and the other Christians, aware of the threats against them, called upon God to speak His name with further boldness. Their opposition further energized the Christians.
“Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest.” Acts 9:1
Saul zealously sought to persecute the Christians. This in turn leads to his encounter with Jesus and Saul’s conversion to Christianity.
“Masters, act in the same way toward them and stop bullying, knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven and that with Him there is no partiality.” Eph.6:9
Paul calls upon masters to respect their servants (slaves). Paul wants masters to realize that they also serve a Master in heaven.
Etymology: The Latin verb loquere means to say, to speak, and to tell. A soliloquy is a speaking out loud one’s thoughts. The Latin verb minare means to drive, to push, to force, and to threaten. The French verb parler means to talk. The French verb chasser means to hunt.
Conclusion:
Soliloquy, eloquent, undermine, mine, parler, chase
Threats and boasts are recognizable in any time period in history.
In the Old Testament, this term also refers to idols, causes of terror, storming, and indignation.
In the New Testament, the Sanhedrin were essentially powerless in curtailing the efforts of Peter, John, and the other Christians. As a result, these warnings and threats further emboldened the Christians in speaking in Jesus’ name. Saul was essentially a ravenous persecutor and bully of Christians. This in term leads to his later conversion. Paul reminds masters that they must not bully. They also are servants to the Master in heaven.
Update: Examples of officials threatening others:
Youtube: Youtube bans (censors) Jovan Hutton Pulitzer’s video “Do you know who the signers of the Declaration of Independence were?”
Michigan: Election officials plan to implement “preventative maintenance” on all voting machines. Police plan to probe people who made election fraud claims.
Pennslyvania: Pennsylvania’s Dept of State tells counties not to allow outside access to voting machines. The governor threatens to threaten and usurp the legislature’s constitutional authority to examine elections. President Biden goes to Philadelphia to speak against “election fraud.”
Arizona: Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will replace all voting machines used in the forensic audit of ballots. The Secretary of State threatens to decertify voting machines.
Georgia: Dept. of Justice threatens to challenge Georgia’s voter legislation.
Spero post se loquatur! (I hope this post speaks for itself!)
Next post: disbelieving and not believing