Main Point

The standard for the Christian is Jesus - we must never settle for a life that doesn’t look like His.

Sermon Notes

The concept of “perfection” in the New Testament is strongly tied to the Greek word τέλειος (teleios). That word is an adjective, and is part of a family of words based on the noun τέλος (telos) that means “end”.

Word Study (teleios)

This section of the notes is for all you extra nerdy people who want to go really in-depth.Below is a chart of the different Greek words in the New Testament, and their parts of speech, that are related to τέλειος (teleios).In the chart there are four columns. The first is the English transliteration of the Greek word. The second column is the work in Greek. The third column is the Strong’s Number. The Strong’s Number is something that is used in studying the New Testament. Strong’s Concordance is a popular tool where every word in the Greek New Testament is given a number. If you know the number, you can use free tools like bibletools.io to look up all the occurrences of that word in the New Testament, as well as find cool information like the definition, meaning, usages, and more.

The final column is the part of speech for the word. After the word chart is every verse in the New Testament that uses these words, using the NASB translation. You can see the translated word followed by Strong's number.If you want a fun activity, read through all of these, and get out a Bible to read some context passages sometimes, and try to figure out how it all connects! That’s what I did this week, and put my findings below in the Putting It All Together Section. Try for yourself, and see how we compare!

Matthew 5:48 Therefore you are to be perfect [G5046], as your heavenly Father is perfect [G5046].

Matthew 10:22 You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end [G5056] who will be saved.

Matthew 13:39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end [G5056] of the age; and the reapers are angels.

Matthew 13:40 So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end [G5056] of the age.

Matthew 13:49 So it will be at the end [G5056] of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous,

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete [G5046], go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Matthew 24:6 You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end [G5056].

Matthew 24:13 But the one who endures to the end [G5056], he will be saved.

Matthew 24:14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end [G5056] will come.

Matthew 26:58 But Peter was following Him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome [G5056].

Matthew 28:20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end [G5056] of the age.

Mark 3:26 If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished [G5056]!

Mark 13:7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end [G5056].

Mark 13:13 You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end [G5056], he will be saved.

Luke 1:33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end [G5056].

Luke 13:32 And He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal [G5048].’”

Luke 18:31 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished [G5055].”

Luke 22:37 For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled [G5055] in Me, “AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS”; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment [G5056].

John 4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish [G5048] His work.”

John 5:36 But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish [G5048]—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.

John 17:4 I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished [G5048] the work which You have given Me to do.

John 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected [G5048] in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them even as you loved me.

John 19:28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished [G5055], to fulfill the Scripture, said, “I am thirsty.”

John 19:30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished [G5055]!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Acts 13:29 When they had carried out [G5055] all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.

Acts 14:26 From there they sailed to Antioch, from which they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had accomplished [G2005].

Acts 20:24 But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish [G5048] my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

Romans 6:21-22 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome[G5056] of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome,[G5056] eternal life.

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end[G5056] of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Romans 13:7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax [is due;] custom[G5056] to whom custom;[G5056] fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

Romans 15:28 Therefore, when I have finished[G2005] this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain.

1 Corinthians 1:8 who will also confirm you to the end [G5056], blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature [G5046]; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;

1 Corinthians 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends [G5056] of the ages have come.

1 Corinthians 13:10 but when the perfect [G5046] comes, the partial will be done away.

1 Corinthians 14:20 Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature [G5046].

1 Corinthians 15:24 then comes the end [G5056], when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.

2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting [G2005] holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 8:6 So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete [G2005] in you this gracious work as well.

2 Corinthians 8:11 But now finish [G2005] doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion [G2005] of it by your ability.

2 Corinthians 12:9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected [G5048] in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

2 Corinthians 13:9 For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete [G5048].

Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected [G2005] by the flesh?

Ephesians 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature [G5046] man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Philippians 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect [G2005] it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect [G5048], but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect [G5046], have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;

Colossians 1:28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete [G5046] in Christ.

Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect [G5046] and fully assured in all the will of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost [G5056].

1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete [G5046], without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:11 To this end [G5056] also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,

Hebrews 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect [G5048] the author of their salvation through sufferings.

Hebrews 5:9 And having been made perfect [G5048], He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity [G5047], not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

Hebrews 7:11 Now if perfection [G5050] was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?

Hebrews 7:19 (for the Law made nothing perfect [G5048]), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

Hebrews 7:28 For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect [G5048] forever.

Hebrews 9:6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing[G2005] the divine worship,

Hebrews 9:9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect [G5048] in conscience,

Hebrews 9:11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect [G5046] tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;

Hebrews 10:1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect [G5048] those who draw near.

Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected [G5048] for all time those who are sanctified.

Hebrews 11:40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect [G5048].

Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter [G5051] of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect [G5048],

James 1:4 And let endurance have its perfect [G5046] result, so that you may be perfect [G5046] and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect [G5046] gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

James 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect [G5046] law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

James 2:22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected [G5048].

James 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect [G5046] man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

1 Peter 1:9 obtaining as the outcome [G5056] of your faith the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 5:9 But resist him, firm in [your] faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished[G2005] by your brethren who are in the world.

1 John 2:5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected [G5048]. By this we know that we are in Him:

1 John 4:12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected [G5048] in us.

1 John 4:17 By this, love is perfected [G5048] with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect [G5046] love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected [G5048] in love.

Revelation 21:6 Then He said to me, “It is done [G5055]. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end [G5056]. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.”

Revelation 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end [G5056].”

Piecing Things Together

THE GOSPELS

Matthew

Matthew uses two of our Greek words - telos (G5056) and teleios (G5046). 

Matthew’s main use of telos refers to the Telos (End) of the Age - the time when God’s people expected the end of the oppression by the Gentiles, the judgment of God to come, the Messiah to come and deliver them, and bring in the Age to Come - the Age of the Resurrection, peace, justice, and Eden restored. The only exception to this is in Matthew 26:56 where Peter is waiting to see the telos of Jesus’ trial.

There are two times that teleios is used in Matthew - 5:48 (Sermon on the Mount), and 19:21 (Rich Young Ruler). Jesus’ use both times is in reference to teleios as completeness - God is teleios in His love and goodness. This is shown by the fact that He does good to all, even those who hate or ignore Him. In the same way, those who follow Him are called to love our enemies. 

The Rich Young Ruler, he has kept “all the commandments” and yet is “still lacking”. Jesus tells the man he will be teleios if the man can give away his vast wealth and follow Him, something the man cannot do because he cares more for his wealth and what it brings him than he does for Jesus and eternal life.

The language is eschatological (end-times) in nature. If we are going to be people of the Age to Come, people who can live in the New Heavens and New Earth ruled by the Messiah Jesus, we must be people who are shaped to live out the love, goodness, and grace of God as our Father. The radical relationship offered leads to radically different lives now, and forever.

Mark

Mark uses telos two times in parallel passages to Matthew about the End of the Age. The only other use is brought up when Jesus is accused of doing his miracles by the power of Satan. Jesus responds that if Satan is against himself, then he is telos, or at an end.

Luke/Acts

Luke uses four of our words:  teleo (G5055), telos (G5056), teleioo (G5048), and epiteleo (G2005). The main focus is on Jesus’ work, especially in the Cross, as the teleo/telos of the Old Testament, and the teleioo his life is moving toward. This teleo/telos of the Scriptures is seen in the promise that his kingdom will have no telos.

In Acts, the teleo of the Cross is picked up again, but this time not about Jesus’ work on the cross, but on the evil of man by subjecting Jesus to the cross. Paul then picks up the words in the sense of doing the ministry entrusted to him: his ministry being commended as he had epiteleo it, and hoping that he may teleioo his life and ministry (which he got from the Lord) well - testifying to the gospel and grace of God.

The usage of our words is Christocentric (Christ-centered), and especially cruciform (formed by the cross) in nature. The whole story of God is coming to a head in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, and as the new humanity, the church is doing the work God has given humans since the beginning to be fruitful and multiply through the spreading of the Gospel by the power of the Spirit.

John

John uses two words: teleo (G5055) and teleioo (G5048). For all of the uses but one, all of these uses are about Jesus teleo/teleioo the work that God has given him to do. This is especially seen on the cross when Jesus breathes his last saying “It is teleo”.

The only exception to this is in Jesus’ High Priestly prayer in John 17:23 as He prays that we will all be teleioo in unity that the world may know the Father sent the Son and loved Jesus’ disciples just as He loved Jesus.The usage is about Jesus doing the work, and that work being the outflow of the love of God for the world displayed through the Son. That love is the same love the Father has for the Son, and as such ought to categorize the lives of all those who follow the Crucified One, a love that breeds unity.

PAUL

Paul makes uses of teleo (G5055), telos (G5056), teleios (G5046), teleioo (G5048), and epiteleo (G2005). 

Let’s start with epiteleo. The primary use of this word in Romans and 1 Corinthians is about epiteleo the ministry of almsgiving to the poor in the region of Jerusalem by the (predominately) Gentile churches that Paul founded. The other three uses of this word (2 Corinthians 7:1, Philippians 1:6, and Galatians 3:3) focus on the process of sanctification. In light of the promises of relationship with God, we are to cleanse ourselves from evil and defilement and epiteleo holiness in fear of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 7:1) While we are called to do this, it is not an act of the flesh, but an act of faith. (Galatians 3:3) We cannot begin by faith, and epiteleo by the flesh. It is God who begins a good work in us and epiteleo that work until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Paul’s use of epiteleo seems to be a word about the process of completing or accomplishing the tasks that God has given us by the power of God - whether as specific ministries, or in general in the process of sanctification. It is the divine-human partnership that God desires His people to be about at work.

Next, let’s look at telos. Three times in 1 Corinthians telos is used like in Matthew to refer to the End of the Age. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul says that those Jews that have hindered the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles fill up the measure of their sin and the wrath of God then comes upon them to the telos. 2 Thessalonians continues this theme of opposition and persecution of the church bringing wrath upon those who oppose God’s people, but in turn praying that the telos of this process will be the Thessalonians being worthy of God’s call on their life. In Romans, Paul uses telos to represent an indirect tax that needs to be paid. Two other uses talk about the telos of the works of the flesh being death, but the telos of freedom from sin and sanctification being eternal life. Finally, telos is used to talk of Christ being the telos of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Paul’s use of telos seems to be a word that is focused on outcomes. The outcome of opposing the gospel is wrath, the outcome of sanctification is eternal life, the outcome of the life apart from Christ is death, the outcome of this Age is the Day of the Lord at the Return of Christ. The outcome of being in Christ is righteousness - the Law is not what is necessary since those who walk in the Spirit fulfill the Law.

Next is teleioo. In 2 Corinthians, God tells Paul in response to Paul’s suffering that, “My [God’s] grace is sufficient for you [Paul], for power is teleioo in weakness.” In Philippians, Paul says that he counts all things to be loss and rubbish compared to Christ, knowing Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, in order to attain the resurrection of the dead. Yet he has not already obtained it, nor yet teleioo.

Clearly, for Paul teleioo is a word about moving toward the goal of Christlikeness - of being conformed to the image of the Crucified One through suffering. It is a word intimately connected to the duality of the Gospel - the power and glory of God alongside the suffering of Christ. Paul refuses an either-or dichtomy and uses teleioo instead as the bridge for a both-and holistic understanding: the power of God is best seen in the suffering of Jesus. As such, when we are suffering it is not something to be shocked or upset by, but rather something that we should expect as we become more like Jesus.

Finally, we come to teleios. Let’s start with Philippians 3. This passage follows up Paul’s use of teleioo. Above, Paul said he was not yet teleioo (the verb form of the word), but a few verses later in 3:15 he says let us, therefore, as many as are teleios (the adjective form of the word), have this attitude… While he has not finished the process, he is nonetheless someone who has attained, and expects other Christians to have attained, a certain place in the process to be considered teleios. Here, this is tied to an attitude and thoughts of discernment. This idea of teleios being tied to how thinking, discernment, or wisdom is applied is picked up twice more in 1 Corinthians. In Colossians, the proclamation of Jesus, and the teachings of wisdom are to have the purpose of presenting every Christian as teleios in Christ, and Epaphras prays for the Colossians that they may be teleios and fully assured in all the will of God. Attaining the unity of the faith and the knowledge of Jesus helps one to be a teleios person, meeting the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ in Ephesians. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 ties it all together, connecting the peace of God to the sanctification of the believers, that the believers’ entirety, body, spirit, and soul, may be preserved and teleios, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A general summary of Paul’s use of our words is a process, sanctification, that is focused on an outcome, conformity to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. That process involves a change of our perspective - seeing anything and everything that comes our way as an opportunity to embody the life and Story of Jesus. That process involves consistent and hard work - putting to death the aspects of our personalities, our habits, our thoughts, behaviors, and our desires that do not conform to Jesus. And, crucially, this process is Spirit-empowered, Spirit-driven, and Spirit-enabled. This is not something that is about willpower or ability, nor is this something that is passive and just happens over time. This is a divine-human partnership - the sign that the eschatological hope of the people of God is being revealed and fulfilled here today in the life of the believer. The outcome is the ability to strive against sin, to discern the will of God, to see things the way God does, to care for others the way that God does, and to wisely help others become conformed to the image of Jesus.

HEBREWS

The author of Hebrews makes uses of teleios (G5046), teleioo (G5048), epiteleo (G2005). teleiotes (G5047), teleiosis (G5050), and teleiotes (G5051)

The only uses of epiteleo comes in the talking about the priest continually entering the outer room to epiteleo the divine worship.Next is teleioo. There are two key targets of teleioo: Jesus and believers. First, Jesus. In Hebrews 2:10, 5:9, and 7:28. In all of these, Jesus is teleioo, through sufferings and especially through His sacrifice on the cross. 5:9 serves as an excellent bridge - having been teleioo, Jesus becomes a source of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him. By his one time offering, Hebrews 10:14 says that he has teleioo for all time those who are sanctified. The believer is told that they are brought not to the Old Covenant, but to the hope of the New, including the spirits of the righteous teleioo. This is held in contrast to the Law and the sacrificial system which were incapable of teleioo for those who participated in it (Hebrews 7:8-9, 9:9, 10:1). This is not because the Law was bad or wrong, just that it is weak because it is a shadow, an image, a preview of the power and fullness that comes in Jesus. The only other use of teleioo to be discussed is at the end of Hebrews 11, talking about how the heroes of the faith in the past did not all attain or experience the fullness of God’s promise - but that God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be teleioo. Once again, the experience of the past is not wrong or bad, but rather is lesser and needing the experience of the believer’s present to give the fullness of meaning to.

The use of teleioo by the author of Hebrews is complicated and requires more time and contemplation than we have here. But three key elements emerge:

1. The Old Testament could not teleioo anyone. While the past was good and wonderful, it was not the end-goal.

2. Jesus was teleioo by what He went through. However we want to translate the word, it is a process by which the Son gains something in order to complete the work of the Father.

3. Jesus then is the source of teleioo for all who believe and obey Him. He is the reality that the Old Testament pointed to, so He can teleioo people, just as He is teleioo.

This leads to the use of teleiotes and teleiosis. Here, Jesus is the author and teleiotes of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the suffering and shame of the cross. We set our eyes on Him, and follow His example. If teleiosis could be obtained through the Law or the Levitical Priesthood, we would not have needed Jesus to come and offer Himself.

Next, let’s look at teleios. This appears only once, comparing the earthly tabernacle with the heavenly tabernacle which is greater and more teleios. Again, the picture or shadow versus reality dichotomy is revealed.

Teleiotes appears once, telling us to leave behind the elementary teachings and press on toward teleiotes, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.

The constellation of words in Hebrews has a specific focus - Jesus and the believer in relationship to the Old Testament covenantal practices. In all of this, the sense is, once again, a focus on the suffering of Jesus as a basis and foundation for how He has filled up the Old Testament, so that the believer is sanctified not in the rituals and practices of the Old Testament, but rather in living like Jesus and according to His example through faith.

JAMES

The reason we are doing this at all! James uses teleios (G5046) five times and teleioo (G5048) once.

In James 1:4, trials led to endurance and endurance has a teleios result, that we are teleios and complete, lacking in nothing.

In James 1:17, God’s gifts are described as teleios and good, rooted in His character and consistency.

In James 1:25, the Law is described as teleios, and through obedience one will be blessed.

In James 3:2, all humans stumble in various ways, but the one who can control the tongue is teleios and able to control the whole body.

James 2:22 uses Abraham as an example of faith being teleioo through obedience, or works.

So, James’ uses of teleios and teleioo is vast but consistent. That which comes from God, His gifts and Law are teleios because of their source - the Good God. We, then, are called to become teleios through endurance, self-control, and obedience.

PETER

Peter uses telos (G5056) and epiteleo (G2005). For people, the telos of our faith is the salvation of our souls. The experience of suffering is being epiteleo by our brothers and sisters all over the world, so we can also suffer and stand firm in our faith.

Once again, our words are tied to suffering, endurance, and the long-term perspective of the hope of eternal salvation.

1 John

John uses teleios (G5046) once, and teleioo (G5048) three times. All are tied to love. In 2:5, John says that the love of God has truly been teleioo if we obey God. In 4:12, God’s love is teleioo in us if we love one another.  By God abdining in us, and us in God, love is teleioo in us, and we have no reason to fear on the Day of Judgment (again, End of the Age or eschatological language), because teleios love casts out all fear, and if we are afraid, we have not be teleioo in love.

Revelation

John uses teleo (G5055), telos (G5056). At the end of the book, the words of Jesus on the cross are echoed in It is teleo. We are then reminded that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the telos.This is important, the Scriptures end remembering the work of God does not end in the Cross, but in the New Creation. The Cross is the inauguration of the New Creation, but it is the Return that culminates all of it. The telos of Creation is the person of Jesus in the New Heavens and the New Earth, ruling and reigning on earth, fulfilling the Lord’s Prayer that the Father’s will be done on Earth as in Heaven. God dwelling with humanity in the eternal partnership He designed.

Summing It All Up

The constellation of words chosen for this word study reveal some important truths for us. The words can be grouped in terms of:

1. The Work of Christ

2. The Eternal Hope of Christ

3. The Pursuit of Christ

Each of these in turn correspond to the three key components of salvation. Salvation is a past reality rooted in the Work of Christ - justification. It is also a future hope, rooted in the Return of Christ - glorification. And it is also a present process, rooted in the Pursuit of Christ by the power of the Spirit - sanctification.

Salvation is all three of these. Or, if you want a simplified formula: Salvation = Justification + Sanctification + Glorification. If there is a missing part, James (and Paul for that matter) would ask us to question if we are even in the faith.

Jesus is the standard.

Resources Used

• Coleman, T. M. (1997). Binding Obligations in Romans 13:7: A Semantic Field and Social Context. Tyndale Bulletin, 48(2), 307–327. 

• Barclay, William. The Letters of James and Peter. The Daily Study Bible. Rev. ed. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2003.

• Blomberg, Craig L., and Mariam J. Kamell. James. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.

• Bray, Gerald L., ed. James, 1–2 Peter, 1–3 John, Jude. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, New Testament XI. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

• Moo, Douglas J. The Letter of James. Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000. (Digital edition)

• Motyer, J. Alec. The Message of James. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1985. (Digital edition)

• Wright, N. T. The Early Christian Letters for Everyone: James, Peter, John, and Jude. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2011.

• Wright, N. T., and Michael F. Bird. The New Testament in Its World. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2019.

• https://bibleproject.com/guides/book-of-james/

• bibletools.io and blueletterbible.com for Strong’s Concordance.

• ChatGPT to format and sort verses from Strong’s, as well as checking my work.