New Testament Words Explained: Ask - Corrupt

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Principally such as represent more than one word in the Greek.1
Ask.
Two distinct words are frequently translated by the one word “ask.” One is aiteo, the other erotao. Both occur in John 16:2323And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. (John 16:23), “In that day ye shall ask (erotao) nothing: verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask (aiteo) the Father in my name He will give it you.”
There is not here as would at first sight appear, a contrast between asking the Father and the Son, but the first “ask” refers to verse 19, and means that they should be so taught of the Spirit as no longer to have to inquire (the force of the word) anything from Him. The second “ask” means request, and is a word always used by an inferior when addressing a superior, as in Matthew 7:7, 97Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (Matthew 7:7)
9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? (Matthew 7:9); Luke 11:1;11And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. (Luke 11:1)
1Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, (Luke 1:1) Acts 3:2; 12:202And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; (Acts 3:2)
20And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country. (Acts 12:20); James 1:55If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5); 1 John 3:2222And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. (1 John 3:22); whereas erotao means more to interrogate, to ask questions. It is remarkable that aiteo is never used in the requests of the Son to the Father (as from an inferior to a superior), but the word used is always erotao, John 14:1616And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (John 14:16), &c. Erotao, however, is never a right word to use for the request of a creature to God, though we have seen (ver.19) that it was used to Christ, when on earth as man. It is interesting to remark in John 4 that the word used by the woman of Samaria in verse 9, shows clearly that she had no conception who it was that spoke to her, “How is it that thou being a Jew, askest (aiteo) drink,” &c. The Lord in reply speaks of Himself as having said unto her, “Give me to drink.” The only other passage where the word is applied to the Lord is in John 11:2222But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. (John 11:22), where Martha says “Whatsoever thou wilt ask (aiteo) of God,” and here again the speaker betrays her ignorance of the dignity of the person of the One to whom she spoke. Nowhere is Christ said to ask anything from man.
Assembly or Churchapter
There are three words used for this in the New Testament, Ecclesia, sunagoge, and paneguris. The first, &desist, is used in three senses, a heathen, a Jewish, and a Christian. It means “called out;” and a heathen ecclesia consisted of those who were called out of the population to confer on public affairs. Among the Jews two words were in use, ecclesia, or assembly, and sunagoge, or synagogue; the former, however, gradually became almost exclusively Christian, the latter almost exclusively Jewish: we say almost exclusively, because the word assembly is used in a Jewish sense in Acts 7:3838This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: (Acts 7:38), and the word synagogue was occasionally used by the early fathers for the Christian assembly. The distinction between the two appears to be that the former is applied to any large or small number that are banded together by laws or other bonds, the latter only implies that such are assembled together; the one means convoked or called together, the other means simply congregated. The word ecclesia was thus not only more appropriate for Christian use, but being familiar to the Greeks, which synagogue was not, was far more adapted to an assembly composed of both Jews and Greeks.
The third word, paneguris differs from ecclesia in signifying a festival, hence the term panegyric, which was a discourse delivered on such an occasion. It is peculiarly appropriate in Hebrews 12:2323To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Hebrews 12:23), the only place in the New Testament where it occurs.
Bear.
Of the eleven words thus translated in the New Testament, we may notice two as an instance of the wonderful accuracy of Scriptural language, phoreo and phero. The former is defined by the Greeks as meaning to bear or carry habitually, and hence is peculiarly applicable to clothes, to which it is applied in the six instances where it occurs (Matthew 11:88But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. (Matthew 11:8); John 19:55Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! (John 19:5); Romans 13:44For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. (Romans 13:4); 1 Corinthians 15:4949And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (1 Corinthians 15:49) twice, James 2:33And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: (James 2:3)), whereas the latter means to carry on any special occasion, hence to bring (see Mark 2:33And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. (Mark 2:3)), and is never applied to what was worn habitually. This accuracy is all the more remarkable, inasmuch as the distinction was not always observed, even among the Greeks.
Corrupt, Handle deceitfully.
These are represented by two corresponding Greek words of which the history and distinction are rather interesting. Each word occurs only once in the New Testament; “corrupt” (kapeleuo) is in 2 Corinthians 2:1717For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:17), while “handle deceitfully” (doloo) occurs in 2 Corinthians 4:22But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians 4:2), both being applied to the Word of God. The first (kapeleuo) originally meant a small retail dealer, but particularly a small wine dealer, a trade peculiarly exposed to the temptation of fraud, either in adulteration or in selling short measure (Isaiah 1:2222Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: (Isaiah 1:22)). Thus the word came to mean making any shameful profit, or following any improper trade. It therefore evidently means, not only to deceive, but to deceive for the purpose of gain, whereas the other word (doloo) simply means to falsify. All false teachers therefore can be accused of falsifying (doloo), but when Paul earnestly says he does not corrupt (kapeleuo) the word, he refers to perverting it for the sake of gain or advantage. See Acts 20:3333I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. (Acts 20:33); 2 Corinthians 12:1414Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. (2 Corinthians 12:14); Philippians 3:18,1918(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) (Philippians 3:18‑19); Titus 1:11Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; (Titus 1:1) 2 Peter 2:3,14,153And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. (2 Peter 2:3)
14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; (2 Peter 2:14‑15); Jude 1212These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; (Jude 12)., 16.
 
1. This article is largely based on a well-known work on the Greek Synonyms.