WORD STUDY – VOMIT (ARAMAIC) – קוא
John 15:7: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
This is a wonderful promise given by Jesus, too bad it doesn’t always work. I mean I really do my best to abide in Jesus and let His words abide in me but I don’t always get what I ask for. Ok, I guess what I should really say it doesn’t always word according to our English translation of this word abide.
The word abide in the Greek is meinete which means to wait, abide, remain or stay. I mean I spend a minimum of three to four hours a day studying the Word of God in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic plus I am meditating on the word throughout the day and apply every event to the Word of God, how can you be more stayed in His Word than that. By every definition of meinete or mineo as it is in its root form I follow it. But still God does not give me everything I ask for.
But remember, Jesus spoke this in the Aramaic and the Aramaic word for abide might be a bit more telling. It is the word qoa which according to my Jewish lexicon means to vomit. Talk about a gross translation: “If you vomit in me and my words vomit on you then whatever you ask it shall be done.” Actually, the English word vomit comes from the Latin vomitoria. The idea of spilling your cookies is a secondary meaning. In ancient first century amphitheaters or stadiums like the coliseum in Rome the entrances and exits were called vomitoriums. That is crowds spewed in and out of these entrances and exits. Another rendering for qoa is a circle. This also comes from these entrances or exits as they were designed as a semicircle.
The preposition in or on is the letter Beth and it is just the context which will determine if you say in or on. Neither in or on sounds very appropriate to say we will vomit or spew in or on the Lord. However, the basic thought is a rapid pouring out, a purging. I believe the intent of this passage is to say that if we purge or pour out ourselves into Jesus and we let His words purge or pour out into us then whatever we ask it will be done. In this case the prepositional Beth should be rendered as in rather than on.
The basic concept in vomiting is a complete purging or spewing out, a complete emptying of the contents of the stomach or stadium. Thus, this is more than just pouring out ourselves into Jesus and His Word pouring itself into us, it is a complete emptying of ourselves into Jesus, no other impurities are to be left. Every bad habit, every nasty thought, everything is poured into Jesus whose blood cleanses it all. Then every one of His words, love your enemies, love the Lord God with all your heart, soul and might must be poured back into our souls.
That is a whole lot more than just abiding in Christ and His word abiding in us. The word qoa tells us that it just does not sit there but it is very active, flowing and filled with action. If you are no actively serving God in every area of your life don’t expect this verse to apply to you. It applies only to those who not only allow their lives to be poured into Christ and His Word poured back into them, but they are actively and continually pouring.
I think of someone like George Mueller who never asked anyone for help in building his orphanages in the 19th Century, he just asked God and it was there. Whatever he asked it was given to him. But he was one whose whole life was pouring himself into God and allowing the Word of God to be poured into him. I think in modern times of someone like Heidi Baker who also started orphanages and churches how whatever she asks it is done. Yet, her whole life is one of pouring out herself into Jesus and His Words pouring back into her.
For most of us this asking and receiving stuff is sort of hit and miss, not unlike the way we live our lives for Jesus, sort of hit and miss. We are pretty faithful on Sunday, but somehow during the week we let life get the best of us and we are not continually pouring ourselves into Jesus.
Actually, both times the word qoa is used in this passage it is in an imperfect form. It is something that is continually happening, every day and every moment of our lives. Sort of like the old tonic mixers where you continually pour the contents of one glass into another and back again, back and forth until it is thoroughly mixed. This qoa or abiding/mixing in Christ and His Word is an ongoing back and forth throughout our whole lives. We continually keep mixing ourselves into Him and He into us so that even if we are a janitor or salesman or whatever occupation if we are always doing it as unto the Lord then whatever we ask will be the desire of God as well and He will do it.
Forty years ago I knew a man who was a janitor at Notre Dame University. He qoa, just kept pouring his life in Jesus and His Word kept pouring back into him. A student once asked him to pray about a matter and the prayer was answered. Then another student came to him and another and before long word got out that this guy could pray and receive answers to his prayers. The faculty took noticed and before long he was holding Bible studies with Jesuit priests. Soon they were pouring their lives into Jesus and His Word was pouring back into them and before long they received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and started the Catholic Charismatic Movement.
It doesn’t matter who or what you are, if you can’t sing like angels or preach like the Apostle Paul you can do one thing and that is tell others of the love of Jesus and that He died for all.
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