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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Perfect; Perfection
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puÌ‚r´fekt, pẽr-fek´shun (ש×ל×, shaÌ„leÌ„m, תּמי×, taÌ„mı̄m; τεÌλειος, teÌleios, τελειοÌτης, teleioÌteÌ„s):
1. In the Old Testament:
“Perfect†in the Old Testament is the translation of shaÌ„leÌ„m, “finished,†“whole,†“complete,†used (except in , “perfect weightâ€) of persons, e.g. a “perfect heart,†i.e. wholly or completely devoted to Yahweh (, etc.; ; , etc.); taÌ„mı̄m, “complete,†“perfect,†“sound or unblemished,†is also used of persons and of God, His way, and law (“Noah was a just man and perfect,†the Revised Version margin “blameless†(); “As for God, his way is perfect†(); “The law of Yahweh is perfect†(), etc.); tam, with the same, meaning, occurs only in Job, except twice in Psalms (, ; , etc.; ; ); kaÌ„lı̄l, “complete,†and various other words are translated “perfect.â€
Perfection is the translation of various words so translated once only: kaÌ„lı̄l (); mı̄khlaÌ„l, “completeness†(); minleh, “possession†(, the King James Version “neither shall the prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth,†the American Standard Revised Version “neither shall their possessions be extended on the earth,†margin “their produce bend to the earthâ€; the English Revised Version reverses this text and margin); tikhlaÌ„h, “completeness,†or “perfection (); takhlı̄th (twice), “end,†“completeness†(, “Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?†, “searcheth out all the Revised Version (British and American) the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) “to the furthest boundâ€; compare , “unto the confines of light and darknessâ€); toÌ„m, “perfect,†“completeness†(, the King James Version “They shall come upon thee in their perfection,†the Revised Version (British and American) “in their full measureâ€). the Revised Version margin gives the meaning of “the Urim and the Thummim†(. etc.) as “the Lights and the Perfections.â€
2. In the New Testament:
In the New Testament “perfect†is usually the tr of teleios, primarily, “having reached the end,†“term,†“limit,†hence, “complete,†“full,†“perfect†(, “Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfectâ€; , “if thou wouldst be perfect; , the King James Version “till we all come ... unto a perfect man,†the Revised Version (British and American) “full-grownâ€; , “as many as are perfect,†the American Revised Version margin “full-grownâ€; ; , “perfect in Christâ€; ; margin, etc.).
Other words are teleioÌoÌ„. “to perfect,†“to end,†“complete†(, “The third day I am perfected,†the Revised Version margin “end my courseâ€; , “perfected into oneâ€; ; , the Revised Version (British and American) “made perfectâ€; , etc.); also epiteleÌoÌ„, “to bring through to an end†(, “perfecting holiness in the fear of Godâ€; , “Are ye now made perfect by the flesh?†the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) “perfected in the flesh,†margin “Do ye now make an end in the flesh?â€); katartıÌzoÌ„ “to make quite ready,†“to make complete,†is translated “perfect,†“to perfect†(, “perfected praiseâ€; , “Every one when he is perfected shall be as his teacherâ€; ; , “be perfectedâ€; ; , the Revised Version margin “restoreâ€); akriboÌ„Ìs, “accurately,†“diligently,†is translated “perfect†(, “having had perfect understanding,†the Revised Version (British and American) “having traced ... accuratelyâ€; the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) “more accuratelyâ€). We have also aÌrtios, “fitted,†“perfected†(, the Revised Version (British and American) “completeâ€); pleroÌoÌ„, “to fill,†“to make full†(, the American Standard Revised Version “perfected,†the English Revised Version “fulfilledâ€); katartismoÌs, “complete adjustment,†“perfecting†(, “for the perfecting of the saintsâ€).
Perfection is the translation of kataÌrtisis “thorough adjustment,†“fitness†(, the Revised Version (British and American) “perfectingâ€); of teleioÌsı̄s (); of teleiotess (, the Revised Version margin “full growthâ€); it is translated “perfectness†(); “perfection†in is the translation of telesphoreÌoÌ„, “to bear on to completion or perfection.†In Apocrypha “perfect,†“perfection,†etc., are for the most part the translation of words from teÌlos, “the end,†e.g. The Wisdom of Solomon 4:13; Ecclesiasticus 34:8; 44:17; 45:8, sunteÌlia “full endâ€; 24:28; 50:11.
The Revised Version (British and American) has “perfect†for “upright†(, twice); for “sound†(); for “perform†(); for “undefiled†(, margin “upright in wayâ€); for “perfect peace, and at such a time†(), “perfect and so forthâ€; for “He maketh my way perfect†(), “He guideth the perfect in his way,†margin “or, 'setteth free.' According to another reading, 'guideth my way in perfectness'“; “shall himself perfect,†margin “restore,†for, “make you perfect†(); “perfecter†for “finisher†(); “perfectly†is omitted in the Revised Version (British and American) (); “set your hope perfectly on†for the King James Version “hope to the end for†().
3. The Christian Ideal:
Perfection is the Christian ideal and aim, but inasmuch as that which God has set before us is infinite - “Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect†() - absolute perfection must be forever beyond, not only any human, but any finite, being; it is a divine ideal forever shining before us, calling us upward, and making endless progression possible. As noted above, the perfect man, in the Old Testament phrase, was the man whose heart was truly or wholly devoted to God. Christian perfection must also have its seat in such a heart, but it implies the whole conduct and the whole man, conformed thereto as knowledge grows and opportunity arises, or might be found. There may be, of course, a relative perfection, e.g. of the child as a child compared with that of the man. The Christian ought to be continually moving onward toward perfection, looking to Him who is able to “make you perfect in every good thing (or work) to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen ().