Amazing Thing

5059 TERAS (16): an amazing event; that is, a happening which causes its viewers to be amazed. In Mt.24.24 and Mk.13.22, "...false Christs and false prophets...will give great signs and amazing things..." The "sign"ificance of their actions is to deceive "even the chosen ones" into believing that their activities are God-caused. See "sign" (4592 semeion). Act.2.19 is a quotation of Joel 2.30, in which "teras in the heaven above" are foretold. These "amazing things" probably include, "The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon into blood..." (v.20) (and perhaps the three hours of darkness just prior to Yesu's death on the cross). In v.22, "powerful deeds" (1411 dunamis) "amazing things" (teras) and "signs" (semeion) are ascribed to Yesu. Compare this to 2Th.2.8-9, "...the lawless one will be revealed...[whose] presence is according to the operation of satan with all power and signs and false amazing things." The only stated difference between what Yesu did and the "operation of satan" is that satan's "amazing things" are false! So, when "signs" occur, as evidenced by "amazing things," it becomes necessary to assure that the "amazing things" are done by the "power" (1411 dunamis) of God, not satan.

Rom.15.19 speaks of "...power of signs and wonders" which are done by the Spirit of God (i.e., the Pure Spirit). Note that teras and semeion are often used together in the FCR in a way which suggests that they are different categories of things.

Teras is often translated, "wonder," whose English meaning usually includes "doubt" or "curiosity." It is rarely used in English in the FCR sense of an "amazing event," and therefore is unsuitable to translate teras.

AMAZING THING Mt.24.24. Mk.13.22. Jn.4.48. Act.2.19,22,43; 4.30; 5.12; 6.8; 7.36; 14.3; 15.12. Rom.15.19. 2Co.12.12. 2Th.2.9. Heb.2.4.

 

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