Thurs Inspiration

Morning Inspiration with Pastor Merritt

In English, we have one word for life, which is “life”, but the Greeks had two words. One word, “bios” is the word from which we derive the word, “biology.” It is a word that refers to bone and flesh existence – the same kind of life that humans would share with animals.

They had another word – the word “zoe.” We get the word “zoology” from that. This was a life that was not quantitative and physical and outward. It was qualitative, and spiritual, and inward.


In other words the Ancient Greeks understood there is more to life than life. It has been said that man’s greatest problem is not to add years to his life (that is bios), but life to his years (that is zoe). There is a different between existing and living. That is not what I am saying. That is not even what the Ancient Greeks said. It is exactly what Jesus said.

When we celebrate the Christmas season and celebrate the birth of Jesus and it always raises the question, “Why was Jesus born?” “Why did Jesus come to this earth to begin with?” The answer that we always give, very quickly, is “He came to die for us and to give us eternal life.” That is, Jesus came to make sure that we would have life after death. That is true, but that is not the only reason that Jesus came.

Jesus did not come so that we might live forever. Jesus came that we might live right now. He didn’t just come to give us a permanent extension of life. He came to give a purposeful intension to life. He didn’t just come to give life after death. He came to give life after life.

This is the way He put it in John 10:10:

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10 )

Would it come as a surprise to you if I told you the word that Jesus used there for life was not the word “bios”, but the word “zoe?” Jesus said, “I didn’t come just to give you quantitative life. I came to give you qualitative life.” There is not just life after death. There is life after life. There is more to life than life and I have come to give you that more.

In case you doubt that is what Jesus meant, let’s think about the setting of this saying. Jesus was talking to His disciples. They were standing right there in front of Him. They were doing everything that a person with life would do. They were talking, walking, breathing, listening, learning, knowing, eating, and sleeping. They were doing all of those things before they ever laid eyes on Jesus. Now, Jesus comes along and says, “I have come that you might have life.” Isn’t that what they had at that moment? Obviously not! Without Jesus you can be alive, but without Jesus you won’t have life, because there is a difference between bios and zoe.