COMPLETE COMPREHENSION (Luke 24:27,32)

COMMUNICATION

Communication is a big deal; not just what you say, but how you say it. I remember listening to a prominent psychologist speaking about coming home from the office and his wife was all dressed up and ready to go because she thought he had indicated, earlier in the day, that they were going out for supper; which was news to him. He mentioned that you can say things that have similar "literal" meanings, but the "actual" meanings and intentions are almost in total opposition. You can say, "You have a face that could stop a clock!", or you could say, " Honey, when I look at you; time stands still". Both phrases have similar literal meanings, but convey something totally different with drastically different effects!

LOST IN TRANSLATION

Often meanings of words, slang, and cultural significance, can be totally lost in a literal translation from one language to another, so the true meaning and implication of a word is hidden. In North American English there is slang terminology that has been used over time, in culture, where a literal translation into another language or culture would render a completely distorted image. Saying something is 'cool', 'hip', or 'sick', doesn't necessarily mean, 'close to freezing', 'a part of the physical body', or that someone is 'in poor health', but rather, they can all convey the idea that something is really well liked, desirable, or appreciated.

EXPOUNDED

In Luke 24:27, Jesus, in speaking with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, "...expounded to them in all the scriptures, the things concerning Himself". The word translated 'expounded', in the Greek, is (diermeneuo), 1329, which is only used 6 times in the NT, and in 5 of those instances it is translated 'interpret' or 'interpretation' [Acts 9:36, and famously, 1 Corinthians 12:30; 14:5,13,27, referring to tongues and 'interpretation'].

GREEK

The word is a combination of two Greek words, (dia), 1223, 'through', and (hermeneuo), 2059, meaning 'to translate' or 'to interpret'. Since (hermeneuo) already contains the meaning of 'translate', or 'interpret', or even, 'to expound', [as the KJV translates it in Luke 24:27], adding (dia), as a prefix, serves as an intensifier, meaning that it is not just translating, interpreting, or explaining, but it is 'thoroughly' or 'completely' explaining, or bringing understanding and meaning, to whatever has been spoken, in the 'language' or means, in which the audience, of one or many, will completely grasp, what has been said or spoken.

HERMES

(Hermeneuo) is actually from (Hermes), which is the Greek name of the pagan god Mercury, who was the messenger of the gods, conveying their messages, desires, will, or utterances, to humanity. What is crucial, in understanding the meaning of the word, is that it is not simply translating from one language to another, but it is conveying the meaning from one language to another, or simply giving full understanding of what is spoken, to the audience, so that there is complete and total cognitive apprehension of what has been said.

APPLICATION

The Holy Spirit, through the apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, teaching, or pastoral anointing [Ephesians 4:11ff], as well as when He speaks to you individually, is constantly seeking to communicate the life-giving words of our Father God, so that we will receive the revelation of His word, His will, His way, so that it alters our behavior to conformity with His, impacting our world with positive change, and like the two on the road to Emmaus, our heart too will burn within us, as He talks with us and opens to us the scriptures [Luke 24:32].

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours