A study of the Greek language can be a powerful tool in gaining a better understanding of the Bible. Of course, those who believe the truth of God have no fear at all of an honest investigation of word origins and meanings. However, in many a discussion of Bible themes, such a study becomes a quagmire of 'alternative definitions' and in reality a 'smokescreen' to cloud the issue further and hinder proper understanding.

In 1 Cor. 15: 23-26, Paul by inspiration tells us what David's prophecy in Psalms 110 is all about. Paul states that the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. The 'A.D. 70' people tell us that destroy here means simply to conquer or subdue and not to finish or destroy as it is normally understood. The word is 'katargeo' and means literally to bring to naught [kata - down, argos - inactive] It is translated abolish, cease, destroy do away. This doctrine teaches that Judaism was 'conquered' on that date and the church of our Lord was resurrected out of the grave of Judaism then. The word is translated 'she is loosed' in Rom. 7:2. Was her marriage subdued or weakened or was it made void by the death of her husband? In 1 Cor. 13:8,10, Paul says that miraculous gifts will 'fail, 'vanish away', and 'be done away' when that which is perfect comes. They say that this context refers to A.D. 70, when these gifts are supposed to end. However, if the word 'katargeo', means a weakening and not a finishing then it would mean that these gifts merely slowed down on that date but did not end then at all! {I believe that this context refers to the time when the New Testament would be totally written and no longer in the minds of the apostles. This would be years after A.D. 70.}

In Acts 17:31, Paul warns the people of Athens that God "has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness...". According to this doctrine, the word 'mello' {He will} here implies by necessity that the judgment is soon and that of Jerusalem. It is true that the word is translated 'about' and usually means 'to be about to do' something. However, it also has the meaning of CERTAINTY OR INTENTION and is so used here in this context and in John 6:71 of Judas that he 'should' betray Christ. Mello is also used in Rom. 5:14 of Adam being a figure of him 'that was to come.' Obviously, in this context, mello is looking thousands of years in the future!