Dunamis
Holy Spirit and with power
1411. δύναμις dunamis, doo´-nam-is; from 1410; force (lit. or fig.); spec. miraculous power (usually by impl. a miracle itself):—ability, abundance, meaning, might (-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.
Power. Ability to do things, by virtue of strength, skill, resources, or authorization. In the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power. What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings: (1) the unlimited power of God; (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures; (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ; (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his people.
The Unlimited Power of God. God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him. Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 29:11–12 addressed to God in praise: “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord … thou rulest over all. In thy hand are power and might; and in thy hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.” Using human terms the OT often speaks of God’s “mighty hand” and his “outstretched arm,” both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 6:6; 7:4; Ps 44:2, 3). His power is seen in creation (Ps 65:6; Is 40:26; Jer 10:12; 27:5), in his rule over the world (2 Chr 20:6), in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 15:6; Dt 26:8) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 111:6). V 2, p 1743 p 1743 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God. Ephesians 1:19 speaks of “the immeasurable greatness of his power” and the words of Jesus in Matthew 26:64 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen “seated at the right hand of Power.”
The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures. Animals have power, as is particularly evident in the wild ox, the horse, and the lion (Jb 39:11, 19; Prv 30:30). There is power in wind and storm, thunder and lightning. Power is given to men: physical strength (Jgs 16:5, 6), power to fight (Jgs 6:12), and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 31:29; Prv 3:27; Mi 2:1). Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 13:1). The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 2:11) and of spiritual beings known as “principalities and powers.” Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 1:6–12; 2:1–6). Sin, evil, and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 13:14; Lk 22:53; Rom 3:9). All of these, however, have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them. He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 6:27; Lk 10:19) and from the power of men over them. To Pilate Jesus said, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above” (Jn 19:11). He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death, from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 10:4; Eph 6:10–18). The “ruler of this world” could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 14:30) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him.
The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ. The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this. Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 11:20; Acts 2:22), in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 4:36; 5:17; 6:19; Acts 10:38). Power is shown supremely in his resurrection. Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 10:18), but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 1:4; Eph 1:19, 20). In the end he will be seen coming “on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Mt 24:30). With regard to his human life on earth, however, it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 4:14; Acts 10:38).
The Power of God in the Lives of His People. In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong. “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength” (Is 40:29) so that they “go from strength to strength” (Ps 84:7; see also Ps 68:35; 138:3). We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 3:8) and kings (1 Sm 2:10; Ps 21:1) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 9:6; 11:2; Mi 5:4), but to all God’s people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 49:5). When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as “the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith” (Rom 1:16). “To all who received” Jesus Christ “who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God” (Jn 1:12). In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:8), inner strength to live in his service (Eph 3:16), power to be his witnesses (Lk 24:49; Acts 1:8), power to endure suffering (2 Tm 1:8), power that enables for ministry (Eph 3:7), power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 12:9), power through prayer (Jas 5:16), and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 1:5). Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 3:12); he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 28:18–20).
Power. Ability to do things, by virtue of strength, skill, resources, or authorization. In the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power. What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings: (1) the unlimited power of God; (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures; (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ; (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his people.
The Unlimited Power of God. God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him. Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 29:11–12 addressed to God in praise: “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord … thou rulest over all. In thy hand are power and might; and in thy hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.” Using human terms the OT often speaks of God’s “mighty hand” and his “outstretched arm,” both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 6:6; 7:4; Ps 44:2, 3). His power is seen in creation (Ps 65:6; Is 40:26; Jer 10:12; 27:5), in his rule over the world (2 Chr 20:6), in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 15:6; Dt 26:8) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 111:6). V 2, p 1743 p 1743 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God. Ephesians 1:19 speaks of “the immeasurable greatness of his power” and the words of Jesus in Matthew 26:64 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen “seated at the right hand of Power.”
The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures. Animals have power, as is particularly evident in the wild ox, the horse, and the lion (Jb 39:11, 19; Prv 30:30). There is power in wind and storm, thunder and lightning. Power is given to men: physical strength (Jgs 16:5, 6), power to fight (Jgs 6:12), and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 31:29; Prv 3:27; Mi 2:1). Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 13:1). The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 2:11) and of spiritual beings known as “principalities and powers.” Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 1:6–12; 2:1–6). Sin, evil, and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 13:14; Lk 22:53; Rom 3:9). All of these, however, have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them. He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 6:27; Lk 10:19) and from the power of men over them. To Pilate Jesus said, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above” (Jn 19:11). He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death, from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 10:4; Eph 6:10–18). The “ruler of this world” could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 14:30) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him.
The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ. The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this. Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 11:20; Acts 2:22), in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 4:36; 5:17; 6:19; Acts 10:38). Power is shown supremely in his resurrection. Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 10:18), but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 1:4; Eph 1:19, 20). In the end he will be seen coming “on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Mt 24:30). With regard to his human life on earth, however, it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 4:14; Acts 10:38).
The Power of God in the Lives of His People. In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong. “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength” (Is 40:29) so that they “go from strength to strength” (Ps 84:7; see also Ps 68:35; 138:3). We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 3:8) and kings (1 Sm 2:10; Ps 21:1) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 9:6; 11:2; Mi 5:4), but to all God’s people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 49:5). When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as “the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith” (Rom 1:16). “To all who received” Jesus Christ “who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God” (Jn 1:12). In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:8), inner strength to live in his service (Eph 3:16), power to be his witnesses (Lk 24:49; Acts 1:8), power to endure suffering (2 Tm 1:8), power that enables for ministry (Eph 3:7), power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 12:9), power through prayer (Jas 5:16), and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 1:5). Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 3:12); he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 28:18–20).
