(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better…and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see why)
Focus Question:
What is “telos?”
Intro:
Today’s focus question — "What is ‘telos?’” — is an important Bible concept wrapped up in a Greek word. I’ll put the dictionary definition in the show notes (program #1268), but it means “end,” as in completed, made perfect, or fully succeeded.
5457 τελειόω (teleioō): vb.; ≡ Str 5048; TDNT 8.79—1. LN 88.38 make perfect (Heb 10:1; 1Jn 2:5), for another interp, see next; 2. LN 73.7 make genuine (1Jn 2:5), for another interp, see prior; 3. LN 68.22 complete, finish, end, accomplish (Ac 20:24); 4. LN 68.31 succeed fully (Php 3:12), for another interp, see next; 5. LN 53.50 initiate, into the Christian faith (Php 3:12), for another interp, see prior; 6. LN 13.126 make happen, bring to fruition (Jn 19:28); 7. LN 13.18 attain a state as a goal (Jn 17:23)(1)
And in a slightly geekier moment, if you ever hear the world teleology — or study of the end (so to speak), it’s the study of what something is based on what it is designed for. Like we might deduce that the telos of a bucket is to hold water. And yes, this is the root of an argument for God…the universe bears all the marks of design, therefore it must have had a creator.
NEW TESTAMENT SEGMENT:
As we turn our attention to our NT segment we get to one of the more famous chapters in the Bible, often called the “faith” chapter for reasons that’ll become immediately obvious. Listen for two things. One, notice how the writer of Hebrews positions faith right up front…as proof or evidence. Theologically, faith is given by God, so if you’ve got it, you’ve got assurance of His promise. Second, listen for the word telos at the very end, or in today’s context, the word perfect or “made perfect.”
Passage: Hebrews 11
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 40
Words: ~911
So this just fascinates me. Notice after the list of all these people who had eyes of faith rather than eyes of flesh. And the author closes saying
39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us. Heb 11:39–40, CSB
Get this. We — meaning all who are ever saved by grace alone through faith alone — include a whole lotta people before Jesus (and that’s it’s own headscratcher), but notice that somehow they are made perfect with us. My theory — together we all make up the bride of Christ (as Paul writes in Ephesians 5), and so Jesus’ bride isn’t complete, made perfect, telos, until the last person is born and becomes a Christian. Another headscratcher.
OLD TESTAMENT SEGMENT:
OT time — and today’s the end of the first discourse or set of speeches back and forth. And today’s all Job challenging the “wisdom” of his friends.
Passage: Job 12-14
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 75
Words: ~1234
THE BOTTOM LINE:
<the final words wrap up by connecting Job’s speech and prayer with the ‘telos’ of Hebrews 11 — you’ll just have to listen>
I love you. Amen? Amen!
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).