CHAPTER 7 Defining Evangelizing - Evangelism Unlimited

Thomas P. Johnston 397
Thayer: “1297 diagnwri,zw 1 aorist diegnwrisa; to publish abroad, make known thoroughly:
peri, ti,noj, Luke 2:17 R G. Besides, only in (Philo, quod det. pot. sec. 26, i. 210, 16, Mang.
edition and) in Schol. in Bekker Anecd., p. 787, 15 to discriminate.*”
Verb related to the noun dia,gnwsij (from which we get diagnosis), another hapax¸ found in
Acts 25:21, a legal decision
Friberg: “6201 dia,gnwsij, ewj, h` strictly act of discernment, determination; as a legal technical
term judicial hearing, decision, judgment (AC 25.21)”
Louw-Nida: 56.21 diaginw,skw ; dia,gnwsij, ewj f: to make a judgment on legal matters, with the
implication of thorough examination - 'to decide a case, to arrive at a verdict after
examination.' diaginw,skw: ei;paj, {Otan Lusi,aj o` cili,arcoj katabh|/ diagnw,somai ta. kaqV
u`ma/j 'I will decide your case, he told them, when the commander Lysias arrives' Ac 24.22.
dia,gnwsij: tou/ de. Pau,lou evpikalesame,nou thrhqh/nai auvto.n eivj th.n tou/ Sebastou/
dia,gnwsin 'when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor to decide his case' Ac
25.21.
Verbal group also related to pro,gnwsij (from which we get prognosis), used twice in NT
(Acts 2:23; 1 Pet 1:2), meaning predetermination or foreknowledge
p. Cognates of ti,qhmi:
37) evkti,qemi (4 NT uses) – explaining:
Acts 18:26, “They took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately”
Acts 28:23, “He was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God”
38) parati,qhmi (19 NT uses) – meaning to place or put before, hence “giving”; translated
“giving evidence”:
Acts 17:3, “Explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the
dead…”
Note also this verb used in a type of prayer: Acts 20:32, “And now I commend you to God and to the
word of His grace, which is able…”
3) Note also the cognate avnati,qhmi (2 NT uses), used verbally, but not used evangelistically in
Acts 25:14; Gal 2:2, meaning “laid out, laid before, communicated, declared”
q. avnoi,gw and cognate:
39) avnoi,gw – meaning to open:
a) Physical use:
(1) Of opening doors, Matt 25:11; Luke 13:25; John 10:3; Acts 5:19, 23; 12:10, 14, 16;
16:26, 27
(2) Of opening eyes, Matt 20:33; John 9:10, 14, 17, 21, 26, 30, 32; 10:21, 37; Acts 9:40
(3) Of opening tombs, Matt 27:52; cf. Rom 3:13
(4) Of opening the mouth of a fish, Matt 17:27
(5) Of the tongue being loosed [opened], Luke 1:64
(6) Of the heavens opening, Acts 7:56
b) Figurative sense:
(1) Of God opening doors, Matt 7:7-8; Luke 11:9-10; cf. Rev 3:7, 8
(2) Of the sky opening in a vision, Acts 10:11
(3) Of that which comes out of the mouth, Rom 3:13
c) Of evangelizing:
(1) Used in combination with the word “mouth” (avnoi,xaj to. sto,ma auvtou/):
(a) Of Jesus:
[1] Prophecy of Jesus opening his mouth in parables, Matt 13:35 (Psa 78:2)
[2] Speaking to the crowds, Matt 5:2
(b) Of Philip opening up his mouth to evangelize, Acts 8:35
(c) Of Peter opening his mouth to preach the Gospel, Acts 10:34
(d) Of Paul opening his mouth, Acts 18:14 (almost); Eph 6:19 (to evangelize)