Word Study - Reprobate Mind

 

WS20-001

 

What Is a Reprobate Mind?

Romans 1:28

           

The Intended Goal:

To determine the meaning of a ‘reprobate’ mind within its biblical context

Two Important Guidelines:

1) Word studies must be based on the original language, not merely on the English text

2) The context must be the final determiner of the precise meaning and usage of the word being studied, not necessary the root of the word

1A Choose the word to be studied – Reprobate

“And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”

 [Romans 1:28, KJV]

2A Compare the word to be studied

Scholars will try to translate the original language, in this case, the original language is Koine Greek, into English words that most clearly convey the its meaning. It is extremely important to compare the different English words that are used to translate the chosen word. This enables you to get a better understanding of the word in the text.

(I recommend a bare minimum of three (3) different English translations. The more translations used will increase your understanding of what the author wanted to convey with the choice a particular word. If you are able, I would consult at least a dozen different English translations.

BTW, you don’t have to go out and buy a dozen or so different translations. You can simply go to the different bible studies on the internet and have a multitude of English and multi-language translations at your fingertips, and keyboard.

· Bible Gateway

· Bible Study Tools

· Blue Letter Bible

· Crossway

· Study Light


KJV

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

NKJV

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

NLT

Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.

NIV

Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.

ESV

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

CSB

And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right.

NASB

Drag to re-order

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,

NET

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done.

RSV

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct.

ASV

And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

YLT

And, according as they did not approve of having God in knowledge, God gave them up to a disapproved mind, to do the things not seemly;

DBY

And according as they did not think good to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind to practice unseemly things;

WEB

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

HNV

Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

MGNT

καὶ καθὼς οὐκ ἐδοκίμασαν τὸν θεὸν ἔχειν ἐν ἐπιγνώσει παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν ποιεῖν τὰ μὴ καθήκοντα

TR

καὶ καθὼς οὐκ ἐδοκίμασαν τὸν θεὸν ἔχειν ἐν ἐπιγνώσει παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν ποιεῖν τὰ μὴ καθήκοντα

So, we have compared various English Translations and discovered that our word has been translated into English as reprobate, debased, foolish, depraved, corrupt, base, and disapproved. The majority of translations chose the word “reprobate,” with “depraved” coming in a close second.

3A Consider the Word to be Studied

It’s time to consider the meaning of the English word. To define an English word, we must use an English Dictionary.

Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary (1969) defines reprobate as:

1: to condemn as unworthy

2: to foreordain to damnation, morally abandoned, depraved

3: to refuse to accept

Keep in mind, that this is not an attempt to define the Greek word that Paul used in his letter. At this point, we are simply trying to gain insight into the meaning of the English word that was chosen to translate the Greek word that Paul used.

4A Chart the Word to be Studied

1B Through an Exhaustive Concordance

It is time to get a tool from your tool box. Find the word chosen to be studied in an exhaustive concordance. You can either use a physical concordance or use one that is on line.

The task is to discover any and all additional places that the writer used this word in the particular book that you chose your word. We want to see all the placed and how Paul used this word in his letter to the Roman congregation.

Any additional texts can help shed additional light on the meaning of the word under your microscope. Sometimes you will find the author used the same word a number of times, but sometimes the author may have used this word one time in his entire writing.

Other bible authors may have used this same word, but at this step we only want to see how Paul used this word in his letter to the Romans. Other writers may have used the same word, but they may have used it in a different sense or with a different meaning.

Normally a writer will use the word in the same way in a particular book. That is not always the case. In our case however, Romans 1:28 is the only time Paul used this particular word in his letter to the Romans.

2B Through an Exploitable Lexicon

Use a lexicon if you are able or another tool such as Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. (A lexicon is a dictionary of the original language; Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic) Most exhaustive concordances contain lexicons, or an original language dictionary.

You really don’t need to know Greek in order to use a lexicon. Some lexicons are English/Greek and contain instructions on how to use it to accomplish your task.

You can also use what is called “A Readers Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.” It’s kind of like DOS for Dummies. It gives you the English passage by book and chapter in English and lists words by verse numbers. Then it gives you the English meaning.

New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, (p. 12) tells us that reprobate in Romans 1:28 translates the Greek Word “ἀδόκιμος” It gives the meaning as “not standing the test, not approved.” The word was used of coins or metals.

A New Readers Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, (p. 282) gives the meaning as “unqualified, worthless, base.”

The root is dokn - ”watching.” The idea is watching a person or object to see if it is what it says or is purported to be. It came to be used to describe something “tested in battle”, or “as reliable, hence trustworthy.”

When used of a man it implied or signified “recognized, esteemed, or worthy. An object would be considered tested, genuine, or valuable. As stated, it was primarily used in reference to metal products or coins to signify whether the coins which were watched or tested proved to be reliable, trustworthy, and of value.

When you add the alpha privative (the prefix a- or, before a vowel, an-, used in Greek and English to express negation or absence) it signifies the exact opposite.

Now the meaning is “failed the test, unreliable, untrustworthy, or no value. It is used to describe someone who is depraved, or disreputable. A reprobate person is not known for his inner goodness. In fact, reprobates are considered to be "rejected by God."

In the King James Version, our Greek word is used eight (8) times. It is used as “reprobate” six (6) times, “castaway” one (1) time, and as “rejected” one (1) time.

Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (p.526-7) tells us that ἀδόκιμος signifies “not standing the test, rejected.” When used of persons – “is a mind that God cannot approve and which must be rejected by Him.”

Upon completion of this step you should have a good lexical definition of the word being studied. Keep in mind that a bible writer, such as Paul, may have used a word in a strict lexical sense, but the context is the final determiner of the precise or exact meaning meant by the author.

First, not to throw a monkey wrench at you and create confusion, but some of the bible writers, including the Apostle Paul coined words, or made some up that didn’t exist at the time of writing.

Second, words changed in usage over time. Strictly depending on the lexical or root of the word is not always reliable. Meanings changed with their use. The context in which the word was used is the final determiner of the meaning of the word.

Interpreters, including pastors, preachers, and teachers often make the mistake of imposing a meaning on a particular word every time it is used in the Scriptures.

The lexical meaning is important to get a basic meaning or idea of a word or words. Don’t skip this step. Just don’t use it as the final arbiter or determiner in your interpretation.

5A Chase the Word to be Studied

In order to fully understand a word, it is always good to chase, or trace the word from its origin through its historical development. This chasing or tracing is what is known as etymology. Etymology is the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history.

The Dictionary of New Testament Theology (p.808) states that Paul always used the word dokimos where the root or lexical sense is “to accept” From this root comes two words that is defined as “to appear” or “to expect.” Meanings from the first derivative, to accept became known as trustworthy, reliable tested, recognized and used as a technical term for genuine, or esteem.

It also states that in the New Testament Paul used dokimos mostly in the sense of recognized or accepted. He used adokimos to mean worthless, rejected, and as something that is unsuitable because it wasn’t what it purported to be hence it was a sham, and was to be rejected.

The people who suppressed the truth of God, rejected his general revelation, refused to acknowledge God as God and worship him, and who resorted to worshiping idols were deemed to be worthless and to be rejected by God.

Paul in Romans 1:28 related how God punished people by abandoning them to their sin.

Paul used this word in 2 Corinthians 13:5, 6, 7; 2 Timothy 3:8, Titus 1:16. The other two times Paul used this word was in 1 Corinthians 9:27 where it was translated the one time as castaway, and in Hebrews 6:8 where it was translated as rejected.

6A Confirm the Word to be Studied

Now, and only now is the time to turn to and consult commentaries. Commentaries can shed additional light on the word that you chose to study. Commentaries can be valuable tools in your study in order to help you confirm what you have discovered and determined.

Be careful, just because so and so said it, or wrote it, doesn’t always make it true. Many commentators and commentaries are heavily influenced by denominational theology. Many times, they don’t do the work themselves, many copy commentaries that have come before theirs. Don’t rely on must one commentary. I recommend that you have at least three (3) commentaries on each book of the bible.

So, what do the commentaries say about our word?

First, let me say that I have over 20 some, maybe 25 commentaries on Paul’s letter to the Romans. Unfortunately, I don’t have all that would like to have on this great letter. Romans is undoubtedly the greatest piece of literature ever written.

Second, for time’s sake and for your sake I am not going to run through all of them. I am going to consult the best of them. I think this will gives us a good idea of the meaning of our word and confirm what we have already determined.

The New International Commentary on the New Testament by Douglas Moo says this:

“In vv. 22-24 and 25-27 Paul has shown how the sexual immorality that pervades humanity has its roots in the rejection of the true God in favor of gods of their own making. In keeping with the relation between human sin and divine retribution in the previous two sections, the first clause in this verse might have a causal force, ‘because they did not see fit to retain God in knowledge, God handed them over to a worthless mind.’ People who have refused to acknowledge God end up with minds that are ‘disqualified’ from being able to understand and acknowledge the will of God. The result, of course, is that they do things that are not ‘proper.’…Paul stresses that people who have turned from God are fundamentally unable to think and decide correctly about God and his will.” [1]

The Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament by Thomas R. Schreiner writes:

“God handed over to an ‘unfit mind’ (adokimon noun) those who ‘did not think God was qualified to be retained in their knowledge.’ An unfit mind is he fruit of seeing God as unfit.” [2]

The New Testament Commentary: Romans by William Hendriksen writes:

“…he gave hem over to (their) worthless disposition, to do what is improper…” Note that an evil ‘disposition’ or ‘mind’ or ‘attitude’ results in evil deeds.” [3]

Just a couple more, so please bear with me…

The New International Commentary on the New Testament by John Murray says:

“The corresponding retribution is that ‘God gave them over to a reprobate mind’, to a mind that is rejected because deemed worthless. A reprobate mind is therefore one abandoned or rejected of God and therefore not fit for any activity worthy of approbation or esteem. The judgment of God falls upon the seat of thought and action. ‘to do those things which are not ‘fitting’ is explanatory of what a reprobate mind entails…” [4]

Romans, by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes:

“Wherefore’ (because of this) God also gave them up.” He gave them up, left them to themselves. They abandoned God; God abandoned them. God gave them over to a reprobate (a rejected) mind – a foolish mind, a mind that is fooling itself constantly, and going round and round in circles, and which has really lost its power of apprehending truth. He (man) cannot think straight. That is why he tries to justify vile things… Reprobate mind! And when a man’s mind has become reprobate, there is no hope for him, there is nothing to appeal to.” [5]

These commentaries confirm what we have discovered, reprobate means worthless, foolish, rejected, unfitting, unable to think from and/or with a godly perspective. And really, unable to think from any type of normal, rational, intelligent perspective at all.

7A Conclude the Word to be Studied

Why do people think, say, and do the most unintelligent, irrational, foolish, and even wicked things? Why is that most political leaders and political platforms one hundred and eighty degrees (180) opposite of moral, legal, common sense, and/or intelligent thinking? Why do they think, say, and do things that are seemingly so stupid or vile?

Truth be told, many politicians and political platforms are immoral, illegal, and imbecilic.

· Immoral 

We have gone from the sexual revolution of the sixties (60’s) that we called free love, sex with no strings or morality, to today where pedophiles want to be reclassified as a sexual orientation in order to normalize and legalize it. Murdering unborn babies in the womb, selling body parts.

· Illegal

Suppressing constitutional rights in order to overthrow the current government. Discriminating against the church and/or believers with restrictions. Burning and bombing churches. Rioting, looting, burning down cities, beating fellow human beings.

· Imbecilic

Mandating masks to enter a restaurant but removing them when seated. Shutting down the greatest economy in history. Restricting people from vitamin D by ordering people to remain inside and out of the sunlight & fresh air. Shutting down churches but packing an airplane full of people in an unventilated tube.

So, reprobate means ‘not standing the test, not approved, that which does not prove itself such as it ought, unfit for, unproved, spurious, reprobate’

The conclusion is tragic but clear: because man has chosen to reject God, even becoming a judge of God and deeming God as unworthy to be worshiped, God has rejected man and given him over to a mind that is reprobate, rejected, foolish, worthless, and unable to think clearly or rationally.

This is how you conduct a word study. There are many, many words in the bible that need to be studied carefully. The bible is replete with important and strategic words.

· Redemption

· Reconciliation

· Justification

· Sanctification

· Worthy

· Righteousness

This list goes on and on and on. Don’t cheat yourselves of deepening your understanding and appreciation of Scripture by failing to study significant words in various passages as you come across them. Don’t ignore important words. Learn to do word studies and do them often.

Select a word, compare English translations to see how translator dealt with the word, define the English word with an English dictionary, use an exhaustive concordance to see if the author used the same word and if he did, how did he use it in hour current writing, define the word in its original language with a exhaustive concordance or lexicon, trace the word from its origin through history, and finally consult commentaries to confirm your findings. Thank God for your new understanding.

[1] Douglas Moo, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996), p. 117-118


[2] Thomas Schreiner, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998), p.90,93


[3] William Hendriksen, The New Testament Commentary: Romans, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980), p.79-80


[4] John Murray, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1959), p. 49-50


[5] D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans, (Carlisle: Banner of Truth Trust, 1985), p. 391-392