[Greek] παραιτέομαι (paraiteomai), [Latin] excusare, [Latin] recusare, [Latin] viduare, [Latin] evitare, [French] decliner, [French] refuser, [French] disculper: to make excuses, to beg off, to excuse, to refuse, to reject, to excuse, to decline; Lk.14:18,19, Acts 25:11, 1Tim.4:7, 1Tim.5:11, 2Tim.2:23, Tit.3:10, Heb.12:19,25
Many feel that they have the right to legally do whatever they want (abortion, gay marriage, transgenderism. etc). They refuse to be subject to traditional teachings.
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to excuse, to ask a favor, to seek permission, to beg one’s pardon, to entreat, to decline, and to refuse.
Plato’s Republic 3.387b: “We will beg Homer and the other gods not to be angry if we cancel these all and other passages.”
Plato’s Apology 27b: “I asked you in the beginning not to make a disturbance if I conduct my argument in my accustomed manner.”
Herodotus’ The Histories 1.24: “The crew plotted to take Arion’s life and cast him overboard. He earnestly entreated them, asking for his life and offering them his money.”
Herodotus’ The Histories 3.132: “With permission from the king, Democedes interceded for them and saved them.”
Andocides’ On The Peace 3.21: “If I am about to cause distress to any of you, I ask for forgiveness, as I shall be stating nothing but the facts.”
Polybius’ Histories 5.27.3: “The Athenian Strategi however refused to admit [decline], and there he resumed his journey to Thebes.”
Xenophon’s Anabasis 6.6.29: “Xenophon called a meeting of the army and advised sending of a delegation to intercede for them.”
Old Testament: This term means to seek, to require, to request, to implore, to show favor, to ask, and to beg.
New Testament: This term means to excuse, to refuse, to avoid, to excuse, and to beg. In the parable of the great feast, several guests excused themselves from having to attend this event. As a Roman citizen, Paul refused to be subject to the Sanhedrin. Paul states that one must avoid profane and silly myths. Paul states that one must exclude younger (widows who want to marry) for they cannot devote their full attention to the Church. One must break off contact with a heretic. Some fearful people beg that no message be further addressed to them. How more fearful will they be when they receive a message from God. If they can reject those who speak on earth, how more fearful will they be when they reject God (the voice from heaven.)
Scripture:
“But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; consider me excused.” Lk.14:18
The parable of the great feast alludes to the rejection of Israel, God’s chosen people. The other invited guests refer to the Gentiles. Jesus invites the less fortunate and those in need of salvation.
“But if there is not substance to the charges that they are bringing against me, then no one has the right to [refuse to] hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.” Acts 25:11
As a Roman citizen, Paul refuses to be subject the Sanhedrin.
“And a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them, for they could not bear to hear that command.” Heb.11:19-20
In some situations, people may beg that an alarming or terrifying message will not be directed to them. How much more terrifying and alarming if message comes from heaven.
“See that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much more in our case if we turn away from the one who warns from heaven.” Heb.11:25
In some situations, people may or may not escape when they refuse the one who warns them. How much more difficult will this be to reject the one who warns them from heaven.
Etymology: The Greek prefix (para-) gives the sense of aversion, repudiation, rejection, and disdain. The French verb disculper means to means to be separate (away from) blame. The Latin verb viduare means to deprive or to bereave. A widow is one who bereaves. The Latin verb evitare means to avoid or to shun. Something inevitable is unavoidable. Something evitable is avoidable.
Conclusion:
Excuse, excusable, exculpatory, inevitable, evitable, recuse, recusal, decline, widow, refuse
Again, this term illustrates human nature throughout history.
The parable of the great feast can illustrate the excuses (reasons) that each one of us may give to not to participate in God’s grace (because we are busy).
As a Roman citizen, Paul had the right to face his accusers and to be decapitated (a more dignified means of execution???) rather than being crucified. Paul urged Timothy to be faithful in his teaching and his conduct in life.
Paul stated that younger widows who want to marry should not be in church leadership. Granted, this era in history was a patriarchal society. It still comes down to whether one has the needed time to devote one’s full attention to church affairs.
One may have even greater difficulty and fear begging that no voice (and message) come from heaven. It will be much more difficult to reject the one who comes from heaven.
Update: In this current woke cancel culture, more and more people (and groups) are now being cancelled for their actions or statements.
We continue to live in this disturbing time of content moderation, misinformation, and censorship.
The FBI and security experts asked Facebook to disregard Hunter Biden’s laptop because it is Russian disinformation.
The FBI and Dept. of Justice are asking the American people to trust them in doing their job. (Many refuse to believe this.)
Negotiations are continuing for a potential prisoner swamp for Brittany Griner.
More and more Democratic political candidates are declining or making themselves unavailable for President Biden’s help.
The Democrats are pleading with the American people to believe that the Inflation Reduction Act will not cause inflation.
Many Americans are asking, “Why is it fair that some people can get their school loans paid off, but not others?”
By avoiding common sense, law authorities enacted racial equity policies (releasing prisoners and no bail) which has resulted in increased crime.
Many abortion rights supporters will continue to avoid or disregard the moral consequences of abortion. They will not be able to hide this from God.
Many abortion rights supporters continue to refuse to change their hearts and minds or be receptive to the pleas of the pro-life movement.
Rideshare companies are now entreating customers that pregnancy centers do not provide adequate medical care.
Oftentimes we may give an excuse or beg off the notion of trying to change. This may often require an exchange of moral principles and beliefs. Our eternal fate will be profoundly changed based based on how we live our lives. Many of us will either refuse or need to change our tone in how we look at life. At some point, we will need forgiveness, but others will beg to differ.
Next post: to change and to alter