Basic HTML Version
(
$
, 676), “unapproachable, inaccessible” (a), negative, and an
adjective formed from
, “to go to”), is used, in 1 Tim. 6:16, of the light in which
God dwells (
KJV
, “which no man can approach unto”;
RV
, “unapproachable”).¶
APPROVE, APPROVED
A. Verbs.
1.
(
1
, 1381), primarily, of metals (e.g., the Sept. of Prov. 8:10;
17:3), signifies “to prove,” e.g., 1 John 4:1, more frequently to prove with a view to
approval, e.g., Rom. 1:28,
KJV
, “they did not like to retain God in their knowledge”;
RV
,
“they refused”; marg., “did not approve,” the true meaning. Their refusal was not the
outcome of ignorance; they had the power to make a deliberate choice; they willfully
disapproved of having God in their knowledge.
In the next chapter, the apostle speaks of the Jew as “approving things that are
excellent,” 2:18. The Jew knew God’s will, and mentally “approved” of the things in
which God had instructed him out of the Law.
In Rom. 14:22, he is said to be happy who “judgeth not himself in that which he
approveth”; that is to say, in that which he “approves” of after having put the matter to
the test. The
KJV
“alloweth” has not now this meaning.
As to the gifts from the church at Corinth for poor saints in Judea, those who were
“approved” by the church to travel with the offering would be men whose trustworthiness
and stability had been proved, 1 Cor. 16:3 (the
RV
margin seems right, " ’whomsoever ye
shall approve, them will I send with letters”); cf. 2 Cor. 8:22.
In Phil. 1:10 the apostle prays that the saints may “approve the things that are
excellent” or “things that differ,” i.e., “approve” after distinguishing and discerning.
In 1 Thess. 2:4, the apostle and his fellow missionaries were “approved of God to be
entrusted with the Gospel” (not “allowed,”
KJV
). Not permission to preach, but divine
“approval” after divine testing is intended. See
ALLOW
,
DISCERN
,
EXAMINE
,
LIKE
,
PROVE
,
REFUSE
,
TRY
.
Note:
Cf.
, “proof, experience”; see also B.
2.
$
(
1
, 4921), lit., “to set together” (
$
, “with,”
, “to
stand”), hence signifies “to set one person or thing with another by way of presenting and
commending.” This meaning is confined to Romans and 2 Corinthians. The saints at
Corinth had “approved themselves in everything to be pure,” in the matter referred to, 2
Cor. 7:11. The word often denotes “to commend,” so as to meet with approval, Rom. 3:5;
5:8; 16:1; 2 Cor. 4:2; 6:4 (
RV
); 10:18; 12:11, etc. See
COMMEND
,
COMPACTED
,
CONSIST
(No. 2),
STAND
.
3.
$
(
&
, 584), lit., “to point out, to exhibit” ( , “forth,”
$
, “to show”), is used once in the sense of proving by demonstration, and so
bringing about an “approval.” The Lord Jesus was “a Man approved of God by mighty
works and wonders and signs,” Acts 2:22. See
PROVE
,
SET
, No. 17,
SHEW
.
B. Adjective.
(
, 1384), akin to
, “to receive,” always signifies
“approved”; so the
RV
everywhere, e.g., in Jas. 1:12 for
KJV
, “when he is tried.” The word