Resist the Devil?
by Walter Kenaston
throught the grace of IAUE Aleim (the Lord God)

 

I became interested in the New Testament usages of the word "resist" in relation to its use in James 4:7. Following are my notes on it.

Here are the uses of forms of the English word "resist" in the New Testament with the Strong's numbers for the four underlying Hellenic (Greek) words:

anthistemi <436>:

Matthew 5:39* But I say unto you, That ye resist <436> not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Luke 21:15* For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist <436>.
Acts 6:10 And they were not able to resist <436> the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Acts 13:8* But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood <436> them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
Romans 9:19* Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted <436> his will?
Galatians 2:11* But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood <436> him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
Ephesians 6:13* Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand <436> in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
2 Timothy 3:8* Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood <436> Moses, so do these also resist <436> the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
2 Timothy 4:15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood <436> our words.
James 4:7* Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist <436> the devil, and he will flee from you.
1 Peter 5:9 Whom resist <436> stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

antikathistemi <478>:

Hebrews 12:4* Ye have not yet resisted <478> unto blood, striving against sin.

antipipto <496>:

Acts 7:51* Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist <496> the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

antitassomai <498>:

Acts 18:6* And when they opposed <498> themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
Romans 13:2* Whosoever therefore resisteth <498> the power, resisteth <436> the ordinance of God: and they that resist <436> shall receive to themselves damnation.
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth <498> the proud <5244>, but giveth grace unto the humble.
James 5:6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist <498> you.
1 Peter 5:5* Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth <498> the proud <5244>, and giveth grace to the humble. 

These four Hellenic (Greek) words translated to the English "resist": anthistemi <436>, antikathistemi <478>, antipipto <496>, and antitassomai <498>. Each is derived from a root prefixed by anti <473>, meaning against, opposite to, instead of, et cetera. "The Complete Word Study Dictionary" by Zodhiates, describes it as having "the general meaning of over against, in the presence of, in lieu of; [s]poken metaphorically either in a hostile sense, meaning against, or by way of comparison, where it implies something of equivalent value, and denotes substitution, exchange, requital."

Antipipto <496> is as against falling down <4098>, being striving with another. Antitassomai <498> is as against an appointed military ruler or commander, see <5021> & <5844>, being doing battle against him. Antikathistemi <478> is as against established authority <2525>, perhaps including customs of the day and experts, contesting them; its root kathistemi <2525> includes histemi <2476>, the root of anthistemi, in its derivation, adding kata <2596> to mean not merely standing, but doing so by authority. Distinguishing anthistemi <436> from these, and especially antikathistemi , it appears to indicate being against standing, against standing one's ground, making an issue over something by one's own account. Perhaps another was to say it is "to ingore," "to pay no attention to," or to "not be affected by."

Does this sense fit into the uses of anthistemi <436>? Let's examine each of the eleven usages in turn:

#1) Matthew 5:39* But I say unto you, That ye resist / ignore <436> not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

#2) Luke 21:15* For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay <471> nor resist / ignore <436>.

#3) Acts 6:10 And they were not able to resist / ignore <436> the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

#4) Acts 13:8* But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood / payed no attention to <436> them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

#5) Romans 9:19* Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted / ignored <436> his will?

#6) Galatians 2:11* But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood <436> him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

#7) Ephesians 6:13* Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand / not be affected <436> in the evil day, and having done all, to stand <2476>.

#8) 2 Timothy 3:8* Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood / ignored <436> Moses, so do these also resist <436> the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

#9) 2 Timothy 4:15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood / ignored <436> our words.

#10) James 4:7* Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist / pay no attention to <436> the devil, and he will flee from you.

#11) 1 Peter 5:9 Whom resist / remain unaffected <436> stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

 

All of these eleven uses make sense (to me) by interpreting anthistemi <436> as ignoring another's words or actions. This does not mean one is to pretend the devil(s) do not exist at all, but that the best way to deal with their attacks is to ignore them.

 

====== Strong's information =======

436 anthistemi {anth-is'-tay-mee}
from 473 and 2476;; v
AV - resist 9, withstand 5; 14
1) to set one's self against, to withstand, resist, oppose
2) to set against

471 antepo {an-tep'-o}
from 473 and 2036;; v
AV - gainsay 1, say against 1; 2
1) to speak against, gainsay

473 anti {an-tee'}
a primary particle; TDNT - 1:372,61; prep
AV - for 15, because + 3639 4, for ... cause 1, therefore + 3639 1, in the room of 1; 22
1) over against, opposite to, before
2) for, instead of, in place of (something)
   2a) instead of
   2b) for
   2c) for that, because
   2d) wherefore, for this cause

478 antikathistemi {an-tee-kath-is'-tay-mee}
from 473 and 2525;; v
AV - resist 1; 1
1) to put in place of another
2) to place in opposition
   2a) to dispose troops, set an army in line of battle
   2b) to stand against, resist

496 antipipto {an-tee-pip'-to}
from 473 and 4098 (including its alternate);; v
AV - resist 1; 1
1) to fall upon, run against
2) to be adverse, oppose, strive against

498 antitassomai {an-tee-tas'-som-ahee}
from 473 and the middle voice of 5021;; v
AV - resist 4, oppose (one's) self 1; 5
1) to range in battle against
2) to oppose one's self, resist

2036 epo {ep'-o}
a primary verb (used only in the definite past tense, the others being borrowed from 2046, 4483, and 5346);; v
AV - say 859, speak 57, tell 41, command 8, bid 5, misc 6, vr say 1; 977
1) to speak, say

2476 histemi {his'-tay-mee}
a prolonged form of a primary stao {stah'-o} (of the same meaning, and used for it in certain tenses); TDNT - 7:638,1082; v
AV - stand 116, set 11, establish 5, stand still 4, stand by 3, misc 17, vr stand 2; 158
1) to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set
   1a) to bid to stand by, [set up]
      1a1) in the presence of others, in the midst, before judges, before members of the Sanhedrin;
      1a2) to place
   1b) to make firm, fix establish
      1b1) to cause a person or a thing to keep his or its place
      1b2) to stand, be kept intact (of family, a kingdom), to escape in safety
      1b3) to establish a thing, cause it to stand
         1b31) to uphold or sustain the authority or force of anything
   1c) to set or place in a balance
      1c1) to weigh: money to one (because in very early times before the introduction of coinage, the metals used to be weighed)
2) to stand
   2a) to stand by or near
      2a1) to stop, stand still, to stand immovable, stand firm
         2a1a) of the foundation of a building
   2b) to stand
      2b1) continue safe and sound, stand unharmed, to stand ready or prepared
      2b2) to be of a steadfast mind
      2b3) of quality, one who does not hesitate, does not waiver

2525 kathistemi {kath-is'-tay-mee}
from 2596 and 2476; TDNT - 3:444,387; v
AV - make 8, make ruler 6, ordain 3, be 2, appoint 1, conduct 1, set 1; 22
1) to set, place, put
   1a) to set one over a thing (in charge of it)
   1b) to appoint one to administer an office
   1c) to set down as, constitute, to declare, show to be
   1d) to constitute, to render, make, cause to be
   1e) to conduct or bring to a certain place
   1f) to show or exhibit one's self
      1f1) come forward as

2596 kata {kat-ah'}
a primary particle;; prep
AV - according to 107, after 61, against 58, in 36, by 27, daily + 2250 15, as 11, misc 165; 480
1) down from, through out
2) according to, toward, along

4072 petomai {pet'-om-ahee} or prolongation petaomai {pet-ah'-om-ahee} or contracted ptaomai {ptah'-om-ahee}
middle voice of a primary verb;; v
AV - fly 3, flying 2; 5
1) to fly

4098 pipto {pip'-to}
a reduplicated and contracted form of peto {pet'-o}, (which occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses), probably akin to 4072 through the idea of alighting; TDNT - 6:161,846; v
AV - fall 69, fall down 19, light 1, fail 1; 90
1) to descend from a higher place to a lower
   1a) to fall (either from or upon)
      1a1) to be thrust down
   1b) metaph. to fall under judgment, came under condemnation
2) to descend from an erect to a prostrate position
   2a) to fall down
      2a1) to be prostrated, fall prostrate
      2a2) of those overcome by terror or astonishment or grief or under the attack of an evil spirit or of falling dead suddenly
      2a3) the dismemberment of a corpse by decay
      2a4) to prostrate one's self
      2a5) used of suppliants and persons rendering homage or worship to one
      2a6) to fall out, fall from i.e. shall perish or be lost
      2a7) to fall down, fall into ruin: of buildings, walls etc.
   2b) to be cast down from a state of prosperity
      2b1) to fall from a state of uprightness
      2b2) to perish, i.e come to an end, disappear, cease
         2b2a) of virtues
      2b3) to lose authority, no longer have force
         2b3a) of sayings, precepts, etc.
      2b4) to be removed from power by death
      2b5) to fail of participating in, miss a share in

5021 tasso {tas'-so}
a prolonged form of a primary verb (which latter appears only in certain tenses); TDNT - 8:27,1156; v
AV - appoint 3, ordain 2, set 1, determine 1, addict 1; 8
1) to put in order, to station
   1a) to place in a certain order, to arrange, to assign a place, to appoint
      1a1) to assign (appoint) a thing to one
   1b) to appoint, ordain, order
      1b1) to appoint on one's own responsibility or authority
      1b2) to appoint mutually, i.e. agree upon
For Synonyms see entry 5844

5244 huperephanos {hoop-er-ay'-fan-os}
from 5228 and 5316; TDNT - 8:525,1231; adj
AV - proud 5; 5
1) showing one's self above others, overtopping, conspicuous above others, pre-eminent
2) with an overweening estimate of one's means or merits, despising others or even treating them with contempt, haughty

5844:
Synonyms
See Definition for entellomai      1781
See Definition for keleuo         2753
See Definition for paraggello      3853
See Definition for tasso           5021
1781 - to enjoin, is used esp. of those whose office or position invests them with claims, and points rather to the contents of the command, cf "our instruction"
2753 - to command, designates verbal orders, coming usually from a superior
3853 - to charge, is used esp. of the order of a military commander to his troops
5021 - assign a post to, with a suggestion of duties connected with it, often used of military appointments
3853 differs from 1781 in denoting fixed and abiding obligations rather than specific or occasional instructions, duties arising from the office rather than coming from the personal will of a superior.