WORD STUDY

The Greek word thlipsis appears 45 times in the pages of the New Covenant writings. It is used 24 of those times by the apostle Paul. It means "pressure, hard-pressing, affliction."

The Greek word hupomeno appears 49 times in the NT documents --- 17 times as a verb, 32 times as a noun. It means "patiently enduring, bearing up under, remaining under, persevering."

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

John 16:33 Acts 14:22 Romans 5:3; 8:35 II Corinthians 4:16-18 II Thessalonians 1:4 James 1:2-3 Revelation 7:14

COMMENTARY

"We, dear brethren, ought to have an inner depth of spirit, down to the disturbance of which no surface-trouble can ever reach" (Maclaren, p. 278).

"A man can meet anything when he meets it with Christ" (Barclay, p. 180).

"....a dogged refusal to give in to adverse pressures" (Layman's, p. 1411).

"The Christian can afford to be patient under such trials, knowing that by patiently bearing them the character is completed, perfected, and fitted to dwell with God" (Lipscomb, p. 227).

The essence of our religion is "heroic endurance amidst sharp distresses" (Lard, p. 390).

"To remain under the test in a God-honoring manner, not seeking to escape it but eager to learn the lessons it was sent to teach" (Wuest, p. 215).

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