Behind the Word

Dan B. Hodge
Greenwood, South Carolina

Happy New Year!

If you expect your new year to be just another year like the ones in the past, the
Greek word for new would be neos (NEH oss). This word meant new only in the
sense that it is more recent. No difference in the nature of the thing was implied.
However, if you expect your new year to be totally new and unprecedented in
human history, the Greek word would be kainos (ky NOSS). This word
stressed the wonderful new nature of whatever was genuinely new and different.
It is interesting that when the New Testament writers described what Jesus made
possible, they nearly always used the word kainos (genuinely new and different).
From the very beginning, those who heard Jesus recognized that He had a NEW
teaching: They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying,
What is this? A NEW teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean
spirits, and they obey Him (Mark 1:27).
By the shedding of the blood of Christ, He made a NEW covenant with us: And in
the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, This cup which is
poured out for you is the NEW covenant in My blood (Luke 22:20). He has opened
up the NEW and living way to the Father: By a NEW and living way which He
inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh (Heb 10:20). In Christ, we are
NEW creatures who walk in a NEWNESS of life (see 2 Cor 5:17, Rom 6:4).
We are commanded in Ephesians 5:24 to put on the NEW man, and in John 13:34, to
keep the NEW commandment of Jesus to love one another. Even though our
outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being RENEWED day by day (2 Cor
4:16). The oldness of the letter of the law is replaced by the NEWNESS of the Spirit
(Rom 7:6).
Because of Jesus, we can now look forward to NEW heavens and a NEW earth (2
Peter 3:13). We will live with Jesus in the NEW Jerusalem (Rev 21:2). There, we
will be given a NEW name (Rev. 3:12) and sing a NEW song (Rev 14:3) to Him
that sits on the throne and says, Behold, I make all things NEW (Rev 21:5).
If you know Jesus, 2010 can truly be a Happy NEW Year!