[Greek] χωρέω (chōreō), [Latin] intrare, [Latin] capere, [Latin] revertere, [French] prendre, [French] saisir, [French] renverser, [French] retourner, [German] zuruckkommen: to make room for, to accept, to admit, to obtain full measure of; Mt.15:17, Mt.19:11-12, Mk.2:2, Jn.2:6, Jn.8:37, Jn.21:25, 2Cor.7:2, 2Pet.3:9
Accepting Jesus in this post-Christian secular world can be a seemingly impossible mission.
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to take in, to contain, to give way, to advance, to make progress, and to be capable of.
Thucydides’ The Peloponnesian War 1.140: “If you give way, you will instantly have to meet some greater demand.”
Sophocles’ Electra 404: “Then I will move on to where I was sent.”
Polybius’ Histories 17.7.5: “For the purpose of taking in the spectators and producing a dramatic effect, they do not provoke pity, but anger and dislike.”
Sophocles’ Ajax 938: “True anguish, I know, pierces the heart.”
Demosthenes’ Against Midias 21.200: “He is the accredited agent of Plutarches, he knows all the secrets; the city cannot hold him.”
Old Testament: This term means to accept, to carry, to bear, to be able, to keep, to strengthen, and to sustain.
New Testament: This term means to pass, to accept, to have room for, to hold (contain), and to turn back.
Mk.15:17: Everything that enters the mouth and passes into the stomach is expelled
Mt.19:11: Not all can accept ‘it is better not to marry’
Mt.19:12: Renouncing marriage for the sake of the kingdom: whoever can accept this ought to accept it
Mk.2:2: There was no longer room for them. They brought the paralytic down through the roof before Jesus
Jn.8:37: My word has no room (not accepted) among you
Jn.21:25: I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written (about Jesus)
2Pet.3:9: The Lord wishes that you should come to repentance
Purposeful singleness for the sake of the kingdom:
- Receive better blessings and gifts (than with marriage and children) [Isa.56:4-5, Isa.53:10, Isa.54:1]
- Who have reached a place of contentment in being single
- Who does not struggle with the need for sexual satisfaction
- Who is not overly concerned with romantic relationships
- Who gives little thought to marriage
- Who finds much satisfaction in using one’s time to serve the Lord
- Who can see the bigger picture (marriage is only temporary)
Earthly marriage: A temporary earthly treasure
- Our earthly life is just a drop in the bucket compared to eternity in heaven.
- In light of eternity, it neither matters that we are married or single, but that we fulfill the will of God.
- Marriage in this life is only meant to foreshadow our heavenly marriage (union with God for eternity)
- Some continue to elevate marriage as the “end-all and be-all” desire of life (like a god).
- Some cannot understand or even consider marriage as a possibility.
Etymology: The Latin verb revertere means to turn back and to return. The Latin verb capere means to take hold, to seize, and to captivate. The Latin verb intrare means to enter, to go into, and to penetrate. To apprehend is to grasp with the senses (mind). To comprehend is to take into the mind.
Conclusion:
Revert, captive, captivate, enter, comprehend, apprehend, reverse, return, come
In Greek Hellenism it is interesting to note that this term can convey giving ground (surrendering), taking in (perceiving something), and being pierced (emotionally influenced).
Mk15:17: Jesus states what offends comes from inside (heart and mind)
Mt.19:12: Jesus states that is good and preferable to renounce marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven (*Jesus’s seal of approval)
Mk.2:2 The paralytic was healed because of the faith of his friends
Jn.21:25: scripture does not contain all of things about Jesus. The bible does not give evidence of Sola Scriptura (the bible as the sole source of authority)
2Cor.7:2: Making room (in one’s heart) means accepting someone (or something)
2Cor.3:9: Coming to repentance means conversion
Update: More and more people are not getting married (fear of commitment, hook-up culture, fear of divorce, immaturity, confusion, stereotypes (masculine and feminine), and lack of economic means.
Turned off by religious vocations, many still do not even consider lay single vocations.
Many do not realize that singleness for the sake of the kingdom can yield better blessings and gifts.
Personal note: I have a lay single vocation as a catechist. I thought that my path was to be married. It was later that I realized that I was called to remain single. (I gave way in accepting that God knew what was best for me!)
Next post (May 10): Serving God in an unique (eunuch) way
May 14: Singling out Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet