| |
The topic of addressing God has been an issue amongst the brethren for
some time now. When some men are praying they will only address God as
“thee” or “thou” while others use the term “you”.
The aim of this paper is not to look at world views and what people
think, but what scripture says about this topic.
Many people will say “oh thou means you, it’s the same thing!”. While
others will simply disagree with that, claiming the fact that because there is a
you and a thou in the Bible there must be a difference. They claim that
the reason Thee and Thou are used to address God is because it shows
more respect for Christ then simply saying “you” The point of this paper
is to see if there is any evidence of the terms showing more respect or
if “you” is just as good as “thee” in addressing God.
People will take the time to point out all the thee and thou words in
the Bible that is addressed to God. One thing they do not take the time
to point out though is all the times the same words are used to address other people or the
simple fact of what the term actually means in the Bible.
If you will notice the thee and thou in the Bible is speaking in a
singular sense while you and other forms are plural. When thee and thou
is used it is used to cause no confusion with who one is speaking to. In
today’s English if we are praying to our Saviour and address Him as
“you” I am quite confident that a dear brother or sister in the crowd is
not going to think someone is calling them Holy, sinless and a truly
wonderful Saviour. I pray that you will read through this article. I
realize there are a lot of references to the Greek. I have tried to
write it in an easy to understand way. I pray that you find this useful
and that any confusions will be cleared up.
Below is a little “Mini Dictionary” that you may need to refer to often
as you read through this article, to ensure you understand all the
information.
MINI DICTIONARY – this will prove
helpful later in this:
Direct Object: Referring to something receiving an action
(hug him)
Indirect Object: Referring to something that is indirectly
affected by a verb (his singing gives me a headache)
Dative case: where a noun is after a verb/ There is a
direct object with the noun and verb. (ie John 18:34 - tell thee/to tell
you)
Accusative case: direct object of a verb in an accusatory
sense (to make you, baptize you, offend you)
Genitive case: expressing ownership (your light, thy gift)
Irregular plural: the plural of a word not said/written in
the usual way as in ending with s, es, ch. Example of an irregular
plural would be person = people
Possessive pronoun: a pronoun showing ownership (your law,
your health)
2nd person imperative present: a commandment given to
someone
Irregular dative case: An action towards a specific group
of people
There are a number of different words used in the New Testament to
describe terms such as, “you, yours, ye, thee, thou, thine and Thy.
Listed are all of the main ones used in the New Testament. The numbers
beside them are from the Greek Lexicon, if you wish to look them up
yourself. And then finally the English words that use the Greek word
SU – 4771 - THOU
SOV – 4674 – Thine, Thy
SOI – 4671 - Thee
SE – 4571 - Thee
SOU – 4675 – Thy, Thee, Thine, Thou
HUMEIS – 5210 - Ye
UMAV – 5209 - You
UMETEROV – 5212 - Yours
UMWM – 5216 – You, Yours
ISYI – 2468 - Thou
UMIN – 5213 – You
As you can see, these words have been put into two groups for two
reasons, Let me see if I can show why
Su (4771) is used the same as you today
Sov (4674) the root of this word (your) is su (you)
SOI (4671) is a dative case of su
SE (4571) is an accusative case singular of su
SOU (4675) is a genitive case of 4771
HUMEIS (5210) is an irregular plural of su
UMAV (5209) is an accusative case of humeis
UMETEROV (5212) is a possessive pronoun of humeis
UMWN (5216) is a genitive case of humeis
ISYI (2468) is a 2nd person imperative present of humeis
UMIN (5213) is an irregular dative case of humeis
As you can see, every one of these words have one root word. The root
being “su” then there are a number of different ways of using that root
word according to who you are addressing and in what way you are
addressing them.
Below is all of the words used in the New Testament. Each one will have
an example of verses associated with it and how they are used in the New
Testament.
USES OF THE WORDS
SU = THOU = YOU (4771)
Mt 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou
bid me come unto thee on the water.
Re 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power:
for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are
and were created.
This term here is used when one person is speaking to another one on
one. You will see this used a lot when addressing God in the New
Testament. It simply shows that someone is only talking to one person.
It would be like you addressing one of your friends “You are very nice”.
In KJV English it may be worded: “Thou art very nice”
SOV = THINE/THY = YOUR(S) (4674)
Lu 15:31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all
that I have is thine
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
This is the basic form of “yours” when addressing a specific person.
Using the term today would be to say to a certain friend “this is your
gift”
SOI = THEE = YOU = 4671 ( dative case of
you)
Mt 5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away
thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
When this term is used in the New Testament it is used when an action is
being performed on someone. So if you look at the first verse listed
here an equally correct way of saying this is: “if any man sues you
SE = THEE = 4571 (accusative case singular
of you)
Mt 5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would
borrow of thee turn not thou away
1Ti 3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee
shortly:
This is used to show a direct action towards someone. As you can see in
the two above verses the first one shows the action of asking someone,
the other showing someone wanting to come to someone.
SOU = THY, THEE, THINE, THOU = YOUR 4675
(genitive case of you)
Mt 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt
the Lord thy God.
Mt 6:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father
which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Lu 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul
shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be,
which thou hast provided?
This is simply showing an ownership for something. As you can see in the
three verses some plane ones can be listed: “thy God”, “thine alms”,
“thy Father” and “thy soul”.
HUMEIS = YE = A SPECIFIC GROUP = 5210 (irregular
plural of you)
Joh 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go
away?
1Th 2:20 For ye are our glory and joy.
Now here you can see the term “you” being used. In the majority of the
cases when you is being used it is specifically addressing something in
the plural.
As you can see in this section, it is referring to a certain group of
people in an irregular plural Instead of Christ referring in John 6:67
to the twelve again by saying “ Will you twelve”. He simply says “ye” to
refer to the group. You see that in the next verse as well when speaking
of Christians. It would be equal to referring to a woman with 7 female
friends as “women”.
UMAV = YOU = 5209 (accusative case of Humeis)
Mt 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that
curse you do good to them that hate you , and pray for them
which
1Th 2:11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every
one of you , as a father doth his children,
We see here how the you is used in the plural to address a strong
comment towards people. As you see here ones will “curse them”, “hate
them”
UMETEROV = YOURS = 5212 (possessive pronoun
of humeis)
Joh 7:6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but
your time is alway ready.
Ro 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your
mercy they also may obtain mercy.
This is simply stating something owned by a group of people. The first
one is speaking of a certain time for the apostles. The second verse is
better translated “mercy to you” (as given to the Christians.)
UMWN = YOU=YOURS = 5216 (genitive case of
humeis)
Joh 16:6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath
filled your heart.
2Co 12:15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you ;
though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
The usage here shows ownership of something while addressing more then
one person. First one here shows people’s heart. The next one if
properly translated is speaking of the people’s souls, and giving all
one can for it.
ISYI = THOU = A command to someone else =
2468 (2nd person imperative present of humeis)
Mr 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee
whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
1Ti 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them;
that thy profiting may appear to all.
This word is only used 5 times in the New Testament. It is used to
emphasize an order given to someone else.
UMIN = YOU = 5213 (irregular dative case of
humeis)
Lu 12:4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them
that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Ga 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from
our Lord Jesus Christ,
This here is used to give an action to not just one person but is
designed to speak to a group of people.
WHICH IS USED WHEN ADDRESSING CHRIST?
Mt 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God. ---
Heb 1:12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be
changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall
not fail.
There are three words bolded here. Beside each one is the Greek word
that is equivalent to this
Thou = Su
Thou = Su
Thy = Sou
If you look back you will notice that the The words “thou” in these
cases speak to someone specifically to cause no confusion. It is
addressing a certain person. The word thy in this section as well speaks
as a special ownership of something to someone specific.
Joh 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me
out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they
have kept thy word.
Once again these two terms as well are equivalent to the English form of
yours
MORE RESPECTFUL TO SPEAK TO GOD WITH
THEE/THINE/THOU!
Some people will still hold fast to the claim that using thee and thou
is more holier, when in reality you can see that the term the root of
all other ways of using the term. It is the very basic common way of
addressing someone in specific. The term was used for others that
weren’t so holy:
Judas
Matt 26:50
And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came
they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
Caiaphas
Matt. 26:64
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you,
Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of
power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Pilate
John 19:11
Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it
were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee
hath the greater sin.
Zacchaeus
Luke 19:5
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said
unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide
at thy house.
Lame Man
Matt. 9:6
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive
sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed,
and go unto thine house.
These verses should be enough to show that the apostles, and even KJV
translators did not use some special word to show respect to the
Saviour. Showing respect to God was given in addressing His define name.
The Lord was never concerned of addressing Him as thee or thou or
anything such that. The Samaritan woman could get the key to it: “is not
this the Christ?”
CONCLUSION
Many people have a huge problem with how someone prays when it concerns
the “thee and thou” topic. It is very unscriptural and one is missing
the entire purpose of prayer. I would like to emphasize that this paper
was not designed to turn people away from praying in the “thee and thou”
format. I myself have grown up addressing God in this manner and it
would be very uncomfortable for me to switch. Does that mean I’m doing
wrong? Does that mean that the people that say “you” are doing wrong?
Absolutely not, both are saying the same thing. One is using today’s
English, the other using older English.
For one to get shudders when someone says “you”, for one to feel God is
wounded by the you because they are, or for one that frowns down upon a
brother for saying you and will not listen to his prayer, has lost the
true meaning of praise and worship. Let us not be caught up in endless
bickering about unscriptural things. Let us stick to the word of God and
all praise be given to the one that has saved us for all eternity.
Php 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit,
and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in
spirit and in truth.
Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Heb 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst
of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
|
|