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| Billie Silvey |
| Time in Scripture |
| Time is used in scripture in two distinct ways, as indicated by the Greek words chronos and kairos. Chronos refers to measured time--the seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years that go together to make up our lives. It has to do with the quantity of time or the duration of a period. It is used in this way in the following contexts: “Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared” (Matthew 2:7). “Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us” (Acts 1:21). Kairos refers to God’s time--the perfect time according to his plan. It relates to the characteristics or quality of the period, to its due measure or fitness. It is used in this sense in the following contexts: “There is a time (chronos) for everything, and a season (kairos) for every activity under heaven: a time (kairos) to be born and a time (kairos) to die, a time (kairos) to plant and a time (kairos) to uproot...” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2). “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (Mark 1:14-15). “He replied, ‘Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, “The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house”’” (Matthew 26:18). Each of us is born and lives in a particular period of time. But which of us knows if we may have come into the world for just such a time as this? |
| January 2006 |
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